Sunday, September 14, 2014

Photo Story: Bangkok Security Guard

I made this picture back during my 10 month trip to Thailand in 1999. The photo was made on Sukhumvit road in Bangkok during my nightly prowling. I used to walk the streets with 2 Mamiya 6 cameras and flash doing photos of sex workers and other night time workers and groups. Everything was shot on Tri-x, unfortunately I got some kind of reticulation from the Bangkok water when I developed the many of the films I had a small darkroom set up in my Bangkok apartment and much of the film was damaged during the development process maybe during the initial pre-soak which I extended to long at times. 

This man was a security guard at one of the the smaller hotels on the road. I love the blase, bemused, tired expression and the off kilter tie. I have never tried printing this photograph but might give it an attempt in my later years. I work security so have an affinity to photographing other guards (lots of weird looking uniforms), maybe a future series subject, series idea 999! Maybe shot with the new Mark II 5D and ring flash at night in colour.

Security guard on Sukhumvit road 1999, Bangkok Thailand