Last fall I was part of a group of volunteer photographers from the San Francisco Bay Area that helped out the non-profit group LightsOutSF.org. In their drive to help draw attention to energy conservation and climate change, they coordinated a single evening for the city of San Francisco to reduce power usage by turning out the lights. Us volunteer photographers were position around the city to capture the effect of the event on film.
It was during this project that I meet San Francisco based photographer Daniel Lemin. Daniel was coordinating the volunteer effort on behalf of LightsOutSF.org. During one of our planning sessions, Daniel mentioned a project that he was working on in Laos with the Lao Heritage Foundation. I felt that the nature of this project, the project funding method, as well as some of the challenges he faced would be of interest to other photographers who might be contemplating similar projects.
With the continuing popularity of photography and the increasing quantity of great work being done by photographers, whether enthusiasts or professionals, it is still true that most photographers either are or have to function as a small business. This means that photographers not only have to understand photography and the visual creative process, but also other aspects common to any small business in order to accomplish their goals or projects (i.e., funding, customer relations, time management, working with suppliers).
Daniel points out a number of creative ways he has tackled challenges across this entire spectrum while working on his Laos Heritage Book. I hope that some of Daniel’s lessons learned with be valuable to other members of the photography community, maybe even help get your own project off the ground.
(The following interview occurred recently via email as Daniel was travel back to Laos for a photography session.)
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Greg Lato: First, tell us about your background, like how long have you been shooting?
Daniel Lemin: Like many photographers, I’d say I’ve been shooting for most of my life. I spent a few years between 2002 and 2006 busy on other projects and so I took a bit of a break; I took it back up in earnest last year by leaving my job and starting a small photography studio in San Francisco.
GL: What are your primary areas of photographic interest?
DL: I ‘m excited by bold, bright colors. I’m not a black and white kind of person; I see a world in full living color, a palette numbering into the millions and, above all else, am very much motivated by that in my photography. Beyond that, in the projects that I pursue I’d first say that I am drawn to those that are of some social benefit and secondly, are compelling in that the subject matter is unusual or little known. This is true of my fine art work as well as the commercial and editorial work that I do.
GL: How did you discover you passion for photography?
DL: My first camera was one of Kodak’s overwhelming failures – disk film. The negatives were tiny and cumbersome, not to mention impossible to separate for viewing on a lightbox. Of course at the time I cared very little about that – I was young and began exploring with it during family vacations and road trips. I still have most of what I shot back then and probably still have the negatives around, too, although I am not sure anyone would be able to print from them now. From there I acquired a 35mm Pentax and it was with this camera that I became familiar with how cameras actually work. It was not long before I was in a darkroom, my hands wading in developer and stop baths and have progressed from there on my own. I’ve taken some courses along the way but have no formal degree training in photography; I’m self-taught.
GL: Let’s talk about your current project, what is the goal of this project?
DL: The main project I am working on now came about on my first trip to Laos in the winter of 2006. A lot of people who are familiar with and have traveled through Thailand have witnessed the brilliance and vibrant colors of their culture. I found similar strains of color and brilliance in Laos, but also recognized many differences. Laos is a very small country in size as well as population. As more and more people travel to Laos and their industries begin to open up, the culture could be at risk of dilution due to globalization. The goal of this project is to document the heritage – baci ceremonies, formal dance, weaving and carving, music – and produce a book that will be made available to travelers in the hotels in Vientiane and Luang Prabang, as well as those elsewhere in the world interested in Lao culture. Profits from this book will benefit the Lao Heritage Foundation and their ongoing mission to protect and preserve the Lao heritage for the younger generation.
GL: That sounds like a massive project, are you funding this project yourself or were you able to find a backer for the project?
DL: I am ultimately working with the Lao Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3), to organize and produce the book. The costs of its production will be underwritten by one or more third parties – hotels in Laos, travel organizers, etc. We are still finalizing those arrangements.
GL: How did you make the connection with the backer?
DL: On my first trip to Laos last year I was introduced to Prince Nithakhong Somsanith and his project in Luang Prabang, Puang Champa House, and through him to the Lao Heritage Foundation. We began at that time discussing the possibility of producing a book to assist the Foundation in its mission. We began work in June (2007).
GL: How far from complete is the project?
DL: I’d say we are halfway or more to completion. We hope to wrap up and get the book released by mid-2008. Significant progress was made in the fall securing a printer and getting the design underway. Fund raising for its production will be completed over the winter months and following a winter shoot, content should be final by Spring giving time for proofs and edits before a final print run is made.
GL: With any project, there are always lessons that we learn along the journey to completion. Can you share a few new lessons that you learned from doing this project?
DL: A project like this is difficult under the best of circumstances. We face financial, cultural and language issues, not to mention a massive time change. Learning about the specifics of working with the Lao people took a bit of adjustment. Lao people – similar to other Asian cultures - do not appreciate portraits of themselves being taken. They view it as capturing their soul and if asked, will politely say “no thank you”. I’ve managed to develop a system that works around that by not shooting anyone’s face directly – I focus on their hands and their actions. One benefit of this, of course, is that model releases are less critical. Another is that it puts the focus of the work in the right place – as photogenic as the Lao people are, it’s their involvement in preserving the heritage that we’re trying to capture.
There are also the logistics and their attendant problems – travel, weather, heat, humidity, and lighting. I’m a pretty hardy traveler so jetlag and the like aren’t an issue for me but I cannot say the same for my camera. The heat and humidity cause it to behave badly at times – I have learned that it is critical to set the equipment outside in the mornings before I go to breakfast to let it warm up while inside its case. Otherwise, the sensor and all its components fog up when they hit humidity and become unusable for up to an hour.
Another issue is lighting. I’m not shooting with any lighting assistance; I’m reliant upon the promise of an overcast day to filter in an even light for me. I use small screens and reflectors to filter and enhance direct light. Fortunately, much of what happens in Laos, as elsewhere in Southeast Asia, happens outside. We just have to make it work. I found that going during rainy season is a great way to both avoid the crowds and ensure at least a decent chance of overcast days. I always build in buffer time so that I can have some measure of flexibility in choosing days to shoot.
The final hurdle that we’ve had to overcome is finding a way to print the book that will be both high-quality as well as economical. We’ve managed to find that partner and are working with them now on project estimates.
Lastly, just finding time to edit the massive number of pictures I’ve taken in Laos for this project – numbering into 1200s by now – has consumed a lot of my energy, particularly as I am trying to focus on many concurrent projects as well as keep my commercial business going. It’s a challenge all small business owners will appreciate – lack of time and no lack work. It’s about prioritizing the work so that all of the critical projects are completed on time, including this book. I’ll be thrilled to have published this work and see it put to use by the Foundation in their fund raising and educational efforts worldwide.
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Many thanks to Daniel for taking the time to share his experiences with his latest project (what a way to occupy yourself on a 15 hour flight!) I’ll try to post an update when his project is complete and the book is published. In the meantime, Daniel was gracious enough to share some of his work with us:
