The Swamp Girl: Mamiya RB67 + Fujifilm Pro 160s
Written and Photographed by Suthisak Choemtha
Before the water seeped into the fabric and pulled her body down, she looks calm. Latent face with a smile as if her mind would dive deep into limbo. Not struggling or hurting. I tried to convey this emotion through the series of photographs.
Artist
My name is Suthisak Choemtha (@chuichy) and I’m a photographer from Thailand. I am passionate about using film cameras since the medium gives a more authentic look than digital. The process yields deeper emotions and takes more time to create your image, it feels more rewarding. Film as a medium makes me concentrate on photography as an art. My style is emotional, portrait, fine art, and social reflection.
Model is Kim Earn Mon!
Gear and Film Stock
I used the Mamiya RB67 Pro S for this project, a classic medium format film camera. The lens was the Sekor NB 127mm f/3.8.
Shot on Fujifilm Pro 160s (120) which expired back in 2012. This film stock is known for being able to pull the green out of the swampy environment and into the color cast. The fact that the film was passed it’s expiration adds to the antqiuated look I wanted to achieve with the shoot.
These main effects of the expire film acts to reduce the sensitivity and contrast, while increasing the grain and discoloration. The color shift may be fragile or severe depending on the age and storage conditions. But that's it, unpredictability is what I like about it.
Method and Process
I took this set of photos in October 2019 in Thailand, which is the rainy season. This season usually displays overcast skies. The project kicked off on-location at 2pm to get the even soft lighting that I wanted to shoot. I didn't use a light meter. I used only my heart.
Project Thesis
The inspiration for this series of images is to convey emotions of a young woman waiting for love from a young man. She doesn't know how long she'll have to wait. May be 1 year, 10 years, or maybe she'll wait forever. Even if he never comes. I saw the work of John Everett's painting, Ophelia, which is one of the most beautiful female paintings in the world. (Even though her circumstances are not favorable).
She really doesn't exist, but Mille draws her identity from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Ophelia is the story that Gertrude told Knight Hamlet, a story of beautiful women. She was fascinated by the charm of the Malian blossoms. When he saw the blooming flowers at the end of the branches of the stems that had advanced in the middle of the stream. With passion and hope, she climbed and climbed to the end of the branch but made a mistake and she fell to the surface. She couldn’t swim and the robes that she wears are thick and multi-layered which help keep her floating.
Before the water seeped into the fabric and pulled her body down, she looks calm. Latent face with a smile as if her mind would dive deep into limbo. Not struggling or hurting. I tried to convey this emotion through the series of photographs.
Finally, I think that any imaging equipment is not important. But the important thing is how we express the feelings and emotions of that image!
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