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Snap Shots: Lartigue - the original Action Man!
by Harry Flashman
One of my favourite photographers is Jacques-Henri
Lartigue. J-H was the master of action photography, born in 1894 and
resident in the Great Darkroom in the Sky since 1986.
Lartigue was born into an upper middle class family in
Courbevoie, near Paris. He was a child prodigy, who began to photograph at
age seven when he received his first camera from his father, who was also
an amateur photographer. This camera was no auto everything point and
shoot, but a large 13 x 18 cm box on a wooden tripod. He is reported as
having said, “Now I will be able to make portraits of everything,
everything. I know very well that many, many things are going to ask me to
have their pictures taken, and I will take them all!” And he did,
keeping a diary illustrated with sketches, in which he recorded the
details of each shot. Information regarding the photos was recorded.
 He
was a great individualist taking photographs of “...everything which
pleases me, everything I am keen on, which delights or amazes me. The rest
I let pass.” The amazing aspect of J-H’s photography was that he was
able to show movement in his images. Remember that no one was there to
teach this young boy, and the cameras, lenses and films were not fast
enough to allow him the luxury of fast shutter speeds, yet he could find
that split instant in time to stop the action. He would capture the
subject, mid-frame, as if posed in mid air waiting for the shutter to
click. Truly remarkable stuff for a young boy.
Fortunately for us, he took plenty of photographs, but
the enormity of his collection was not discovered till 1963, by which
stage he had over 200,000 photographs catalogued in albums! On his 90th
birthday he was still snapping away and had a major exhibition in London.
His photograph collection he also donated to the French nation. In
addition to his black and white photography, Lartigue made several short
films in 1913 and 1914.
What J-H Lartigue gave us, however, in addition to all
those photographs was twofold. The first is called ‘Anticipation’. As
a photographer wanting to record action subjects, you have to anticipate
where the action is, and get yourself ready to record the height of the
action. Be that tennis, soccer or golf, the great action shots are at the
zenith. It is a lot easier now, because these days even compact cameras
have shutter speeds faster than poor old J-H’s first camera, and the top
of the line SLR’s have shutter speeds as fast as 1/4000th of a second
combined with motor drives exposing multiple frames per second. This makes
action photography today much easier than at the turn of the century.
However, there is still the need for “anticipation”, Lartigue’s
great gift.
The second gift from Lartigue is his diary. He recorded
all the pertinent details, so that he could reproduce the same concepts
later. Photography is always a learning process, and the quickest way to
learn is to have records so that you can see what went wrong, or how you
got it right!
So let’s have a crack at some “action pix” this
week. The secret is to pick a subject where the shot shows that action is
truly occurring. This means you are going to record something that does
not happen when things are at a standstill. Now while this sounds obvious,
if you take a shot of a car going round a corner it will just look as if
the car is stopped in the middle of the corner - no difference. But take a
motorcycle - it leans into the corner and you can see that it was in
motion. Or even better, riding through a puddle, with the spray coming up
from the wheels. People jumping convey movement too, or skipping rope,
water skiing, running or other physical activities. Anticipate the action
and get that action shot.
Richard Avedon called Lartigue “The most deceptively simple and
penetrating photographer in the history of that art.” I can only agree.
Modern Medicine: The relief of actually ‘knowing’
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
I am luckier than most of my readers. I
‘should’ know whether I have the symptoms of something nasty, without having
to wait for it to be confirmed by one of my colleagues. However, since many
conditions do not exhibit symptoms till late in the piece (in fact sometimes too
late), then relying on how I ‘feel’ could be giving me a false sense of
security.
That fact I do know, and the answer to all this is called the
Annual Check-up, which includes non-invasive tests such as X-Rays and blood
tests to catch the not wanted diseases at an early and symptomless stage. Having
just had my annual check-up, I thought I might share with you just what it all
meant, and how I felt about it.
The first was the relief of having it confirmed, that I
really was in good shape. OK, so I was 400 grams overweight (0.4 kg) and my
cholesterol was 1 unit above the 200 unit ‘normal’ range, but even the
cardiologist who saw me agreed that this was so small an increase that I
shouldn’t worry.
So does this mean that I should ignore (or ‘can’ ignore)
my health for another 12 months? The answer is a very emphatic “No!” You
see, I have had these measurements done before, and I have actually put on
around 3 kg since the last examination, and my cholesterol has gone from being
below the upper limit of normal, to just above that upper limit.
The real value of the annual check-up is in spotting the
trends. In fact, if you have the results of several of these annual check-ups
behind you, you can even begin to draw graphs with the results that are in fact
almost predictive. If, for example, your blood sugar is increasing by 10 units
each year and you are now just below the upper limit of normal, you can
‘predict’ that next year you will be over the top of the limit and the year
after that you are in danger.
Do you realize just what a boon that is? You have just given
yourself two years advance notice of diabetes! You can now do something about it
before it begins to affect your eyes and all the other organs that can be
damaged by diabetes. That is like getting a reprieve in court from the death
sentence. A little application now of lifestyle change will stop major problems
in two years. You have the option to fix it now, or wait for the disaster later.
The choice is a no-brainer, surely!
The other ‘good thing’ about going for the check-up,
however, is the good feeling when you walk out with good results. “It’s
always a relief,” said my mate Jack who went along for his check-up at the
same time as me. However, he had some upward rising indicators that he must
address (and I don’t mean viagra-powered ones either!).
So to get the maximum out of your annual check-up, the answer
is to save the results, and take them with you when you go. Discuss the trends
with the doctor, rather than just patting yourself on the back when the blood
tests just scrape in on the right side of normal.
When you think about it, the ability to be pro-active about
your health makes the annual check-up a most inexpensive way of ensuring you
have an enjoyable quality of life in the future. Use the check-up wisely and you
will look forward to next year.
Horsin’ Around : Expedition through the Kao Mai Geo Mountains
by
Willi Netzer
For readers not familiar with the immediate geographic
surrounding of Pattaya, the Kao Mai Geo Mountains are 30 kilometers to the
northeast of Pattaya. If you drive the bypass road from Chonburi to
Pattaya, you will see the mountains to your left for the last 10
kilometers.
 Crossing
the valley, the big climb started, conquering Mount Eastern Seaboard. The
forest started to lighten up. The grass spread evenly with boulders
everywhere, the light breaking through the trees in a strange fairytale
yellow; this was a different world.
The mountain complex is uninhabited, on horse or
mountain bike partly accessible, and with its vast wilderness, absolutely
fascinating.
On a Sunday, in February we gave it another try to
unravel the last remaining mysteries of Pattaya’s hinterland. ‘We’
being myself and Stefan, a Belgian Expat, who keeps his horse, at my
stables. Stefan used to own a local horse in Africa and took a lot of
pleasure exploring parts of the Sahara desert.
We were on our horses shortly past sunrise, well
equipped with bush knife, water bottles and some extra horse gear. I chose
Isaac my Anglo Arabian gelding as my mount, easily excitable, but still
very reliable. Four weeks ago we had done the same trip but decided to
turn back after 3 1/2 hours. This time we did the same distance in less
than 2 hours.
Previously we had found a promising track that pointed
northeast. We took our chances and not long after, reached a major road.
After a while, we figured out this must be Highway 331 leading to
Chacherngsao. This was way too far east and we decided to go straight
north, cutting through the mountains. We focused on one of the biggest
mountains, sticking out with a white stone ridge.
This time, lady luck was on our side. Climbing the
first hill, we discovered a long valley with lush meadows, rather
alpine-looking. There were even a few cows, not actually the brown Swiss
type and after a while, we also found a caretaker. Slightly baffled by the
unexpected cowboys, they reassured us that this could actually be the
right direction.
Crossing the valley, the big climb started, conquering
Mount Eastern Seaboard. The forest started to lighten up. The grass spread
evenly with boulders everywhere, the light breaking through the trees in a
strange fairytale yellow; this was a different world.
Finally, making it to the top, we could see flat land
in a distance. We almost made it, if not for that big wire fence in front
of us. The first sign of civilization.
We promised ourselves to come back another time, but
with wire and a pair of pliers.
 Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
We have a problem, you and I. Some imposter is using my name to send letters to
you casting aspersions on some fictitious person named “Jerry”. The letter
which appeared in the 20th of April issue signed “Tully” was not written by
me. As far as I know I am the only person in Pattaya named Tully (J. E. Tully
Global Family of Companies). You recalled receiving a letter from me two and a
half years ago on a similar subject, but if you will note the name “Jerry”
was represented as a pseudonym, not to be attributed to any person, living or
brain-dead who happened to have that name (especially the gentleman from North
Dakota as so many assumed). If you would compare the original message to the
recent one from the imposter, you would realize the difference in style. My
message was impeccable in it’s (sic) syntax, parallel structure, punctuation,
spelling, etc., which evidenced a solid degree of tertuary (sic) education,
whereas the letter from the imposter was written in a “chat room” style
indicative of a person whose intellect levelled off around the sixth grade. My
reason for responding to this letter is to protect my good name. You may be
aware that I am a well-known golfer whose picture appears regularly on the
sports pages of your newspaper where they announce the winners of various
competitions. I have a reputation to defend, and the use of my name, in what
appears to be some sort of practical joke might detract from the respect
normally accorded me. Of course I will attempt to determine who is responsible
for this transgresion (sic). The knowledge that the perpetrator is
intellectually challenged does not appreciably narrow the list of suspects in
our Monday golf competitions, but we do know it was written by a functional
illiterate (was there a White House letterhead?). Perhaps it was someone from
whom I won a large sum of money on the golf course - but no names spring to
mind. Please publish this letter as a retraction, and in the future be wary of
those who might try to sully my good name.
(the real) Tully
Dear (the real) Tully,
It is not I who has to worry about sully on Tully, but you yourself, my Petal.
I have no idea why anyone would be out to cause you trouble, other than perhaps
the legion of golf players, if I read your letter correctly, who may be jealous
of your successes, emblazoned on the sports pages. This I cannot verify, as I
do not peruse the sports pages with pictures of macho men beating their small
white balls. I am also left in more than a modicum of doubt when you loudly and
publicly proclaim your tertiary education, and spell tertiary as “tertuary”
and then leave the third “s” out of transgression. Add to that, confusing
“it’s” (which is “it is”) with “its” (which denotes possession).
But then again, perhaps you were on the golf course when the spelling lessons
were on when you were in 4th grade. As regards the White House logo, I have had
someone look at the phone book for Washington DC and there are several
Tully’s listed, so there may be a White House conspiracy here (after all,
there are lots of them)! Finally I know nothing about North Dakota, other than
the fact it is closer to the Arctic Circle than South Dakota, and I do not
believe I have neither met your “Jerry” nor the cat named “Tom”, but
since it obviously makes you feel better, I have published your letter so that
you can unsully Tully, but pray tell me who is retracting what?
Dear Hillary,
I have assembled an Amphibious Tuk-Tuk Squadron to safely convey your chocs and
bubbly. In command will be Major Bloodnok (retired) with Ensign Bluebottle
(redundant) and the famous Eccles (retarded) in attendance. Their controllers
are codenamed Henry and Min. I must point out that Major Bloodnok is not
related to Nok of Soi 2 or indeed to the Noks of Sois 6, 7 and 8 etc. So,
lubricate your gullet and prepare your stomach, ‘sabai’ time approaches!
Mistersingha
Dear Mistersingha,
More protestations of a fictitious nature I fear! Not that Hillary is old
enough to have listened to the all-leather Goon Show on the 1950’s steam
radio, but I have it on good authority that Messrs Seccombe, Milligan and
Sellers are treading the boards in that great vaudeville theatre in the sky. So
much for the amphibious Tuk-Tuk squadron, being controlled by the ingenious
Miss Minnie Bannister and Mr. Henry Crun, octogenarians living in a somewhat
irregular m้nage, with both drawing single pensions. Like your promises,
the Tuk-Tuks won’t hold water either. If I ever receive the goods, in good
order, I shall publish my thanks. Until then, I am not hanging by my fingertips
waiting; however, I am impressed by your squadron of Noks, except I would
imagine that should be a flock of Noks. I presume you will be flying in with
Nok Air in the future.
A Slice of Thai History: Front Palace Crisis of 1874-1875
Part One: The Threat to Stability
by Duncan steam
Just seven years after King
Mongkut’s (Rama IV) death of malaria in 1868, Thailand and its monarchy
were rocked by a crisis that came close to ending in civil war.
Chulalongkorn, Mongkut’s eldest son and his
legitimate heir and successor was just 15 years old and a regent, or
Kalahom, was appointed by the Senabodi - the council of royal advisers -
until he gained his majority. Since Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) had also
contracted malaria at the same time as his late father and seemed unlikely
to live, the regent, Suriyawongse, appointed Prince Wichaichan, the
monarch’s first cousin, as his heir-apparent and therefore second king
or Uparat. If Chulalongkorn did die prematurely, then Prince Wichaichan
would be in debt to Suriyawongse.
However, Chulalongkorn, although unwell, recovered
sufficiently to be able to take control of his government, much to the
chagrin of the regent. He was an intelligent young man and recognised the
need for Thailand to make reforms that would place it in a better position
to resist the imperial aims of France and Britain. Nevertheless, his
overall power base was fragile. His mother was dead and her relatives
were, as the monarch later wrote to one of his sons, ‘either unreliable
or they were not in key government positions.’ The relatives on his
father’s side he claimed were, ‘under the power of the regent, and had
to protect their own interests and their own lives, and most did not
support me in any way.’
Chulalongkorn also realised that those government
officials who were loyal to him tended to be in minor positions and he
could not hope for help from his brothers and sisters, all of whom were
younger. His constant sickness, youth, lack of knowledge of government
affairs and recognition that he was virtually alone might have caused a
lesser man to succumb. King Rama V was to prove that he was a man of some
mettle and as he approached his majority (his 20th birthday) he prepared
to take up the reins of power.
From 1872 onwards, Chulalongkorn began to exercise
increasing authority over his realm and instituted a series of radical
reforms (including the sale of government-owned opium dens and gambling
houses) designed to both increase the power of the monarchy while reducing
the control of the lesser nobles and civil servants, as well as the
regent.
In November 1873, Chulalongkorn was officially crowned
as King Rama V and Suriyawongse relinquished the regency. The monarch
created a Royal Privy Council and attempted to abolish slavery, paying
money to slave owners as compensation. However, slavery was to continue
until being outlawed in 1905.
In 1874 the new Privy Council, consisting of 56
appointees, announced that they would nominate Chulalongkorn’s eldest
son (at the time just three years old) to succeed the king, thereby
denying the possibility of the throne to Prince Wichaichan. This proposal
was opposed by Suriyawongse and the supporters of the second king, all of
whom saw their power base being eroded by Chulalongkorn’s reforms.
Supposedly the Uparat, at the behest of his advisers,
became determined to launch a coup and install himself as the sole ruler
of Thailand. On the night of 27 December 1874 he allegedly had the Grand
Palace in Bangkok, Chulalongkorn’s residence, set afire and then arrived
on the scene with a force of armed men, ostensibly to help douse the
flames. Chulalongkorn’s guards refused Wichaichan’s men entry to the
burning palace and the fire was successfully doused without outside
assistance.
However, the British Consul Thomas Knox and Newman, his
deputy, in memorandums to the British Foreign Office, alleged that it was
Chulalongkorn who was conspiring to remove the Uparat.
It is just possible that the incident was a
misunderstanding or was deliberately escalated by parties on both sides.
When the fire was first noticed in the Grand Palace, the alarm was sounded
and members of Uparat’s household prepared to go and assist in putting
it out. However, the fire was quickly brought under control and it is
possible that someone then alleged the Uparat was preparing to send troops
to attack the Grand Palace. From there the situation simply deteriorated.
Personal Directions: Build relationships … not walls
by Christina Dodd
Over the many years that I have been dealing with people
in the field of training and human resource development, it has always been
the case (to my mind) that no matter how technical and job specific a
training program is, no matter how capable and qualified the participants,
there is continual need for the nurturing of human growth and development
from a relationship building point of view.
People thirst for knowledge and information and ways to
improve performance. But people also reach out for acceptance and just to be
liked and appreciated. To many, this is perhaps of far greater importance.
I have been working with a lot of very young people
recently – half my age (don’t ask!) – and whilst highly qualified and
capable in their field, they seem to be searching for something other than
the information they are gaining as a result of the program. They are all
attentive and very switched on. They are smart and quick-thinking. They
absorb every bit of information that is given and take the time to enquire
and question. But I have found that they also seek exactly what I have
mentioned above.
The success and happiness of human beings totally depends
on the relationships they develop with other human beings!
I have no doubt about the truth of this statement. In
fact, I believe it should be something that we wake up every morning saying
to ourselves and reminding ourselves of every minute we have!
There are so many walls around us. We are so diligent in
building them. It’s as if we are Master Builders – all of us. And we
tend to be proud of the fact. We think that it is how it should be and
forget that there is another kind of life that we could be living – if
only we didn’t create barriers.
Why is it that we do this? Why do we continue to toil
away so very eagerly at creating our own unhappiness? What is it that drives
us so hard towards this destination?
Could it be our upbringing and conditioning? Could it be
that we are influenced by others and circumstances around us that prevent us
from being who we want to be? Perhaps it is the fear within us of change,
the fear of doing something new in our lives. Maybe we lack self-confidence
and strength within ourselves. Maybe we are tied to our past and a pattern
of behavior that has become such a habit that we are unable to break, or
unlock. Could it be that in our lives we have suffered episodes of hardship
and even emotional struggle that have caused us to close ourselves off?
Whatever the reasons … all these negative elements are
extremely efficient at creating barriers and allowing us to build walls.
They are like the mortar that holds the bricks together. Strengthening and
hardening as every second passes until the wall becomes rock solid and
unbreakable.
With my groups of young trainees, when I enquire as to
how the walls can be removed, they are very quick to respond - apply
positive thinking, change your attitudes, get rid of old ways of behaving
and open your mind, confront your fears, take a look at yourself, gain some
self-confidence! This is all very true indeed. But as some of them point
out, it is easier said than done. I find that in order to get past this
point, this blockage, sometimes working with someone can help the process. A
lot of the time in our lives we think that we should try to solve everything
by ourselves. Of course it is the first approach and when it comes to
personal and individual areas and difficulties in our lives, we don’t want
to involve others.
Relationships are common to all of us. Just look around
you and you will see how much we need people. We may not admit it, but it is
true. We have to be able to get along with each other and co-exist to attain
real fulfillment. There are those of you who would disagree with this and
yes, there are people who can live quite happily on their own. There are
those who thrive on their own company (that’s what they say) and have very
little time for others. There are people like this and if that is their
choice in life, then so be it. But I am not totally convinced that this is
what they truly want or desire. And I am not really convinced that they are
really going it alone. The only way to do it one hundred percent would be to
lock yourself off from every possible contact with society and the human
race. How many of you could honestly do that? People are all around us as is
the requirement to interact and to communicate.
What does it take to build relationships? What is the
cost?
What it takes and what it costs are only what you are
prepared to give. If we take a look back at the group of young trainees I
was talking about earlier, their educational background has equipped them
with the tools to have a very rewarding and if they so desire, a very
successful career. They are primed to learn and to achieve, but a lot of
them are seeking something more. They need, in order to be where they want
to go, to build relationships with those who are working with them and
around them. They know this instinctively and realize it within themselves.
They can’t work and perform their best by being “one man shows” in
their respective departments. They are part of a much bigger picture as
indeed we all are.
If you would like a presentation or more information on
our personal training or coaching services, or any of our business and
corporate skills programs, please don’t hesitate to contact me at
Christina.dodd @asia trainingassociates.com
Until next time, have a great week!
Social Commentary by Khai Khem:
Baht bus drivers need to shape up
I, for one, never believed for a moment that
the ‘free bus service’ would last 6 months. It was inevitable that the baht
bus brigade would be furious at the threat to their livelihood. And the cost of
the service to the city, if carried alone, would have been prohibitive without
either a government budget to finance it, or private investors to commit to a
long-term investment.
The plan itself was never intended as a long term solution to
our public transportation problem, but only a minute, very condensed stop-gap to
ease the burden of the public in a small section of town which is suffering from
an on-going debate about the direction of traffic flow because city officials
cannot take decisive action and make it stick.
Research shows that the one-way system on Pattaya Second Road
is safer, faster and more efficient, but since we are looking at a high-density
section of the inner city business district, the commuting public, which
includes residents, employees and consumers, complain that the original two-way
route was cheaper, more convenient and less time consuming and point out that
bottlenecks are showing up in other places in the city because of the change.
Pattaya needs a modern transportation system. But to be fair
to the baht bus drivers and those whose mobility depends on them due to their
affordability and flexibility, there should be a way to incorporate a mix of
choices so that the public has a variety of transport to accommodate their
needs.
In some ways, there have already been a number of variations
introduced for our transportation needs through the years. As Pattaya grew from
a sleepy fishing village into a full-fledged city, these changes appeared with
little public debate, where and as they were needed.
Our government buses used to line up on Soi 1 in North
Pattaya and the choices of destinations and scheduled departures and arrivals
were limited. The cheap, non-air-conditioned ‘Orange Crush’ buses that
traversed the nation (driven by young maniacs so reckless their passengers’
bodies often littered the highway after hideous pileups) were almost the only
other form of long-distance travel for most of us without private cars.
Baht buses in Pattaya may have been old and shabby, but for
many years they were the only means of transport in the area for people without
cars or motorbikes. As the city grew, sophisticated hotels introduced their own
taxi service or shuttle bus, mini-vans or baht buses that serviced a particular
hotel.
A few years ago, the motorcycle taxi became popular in almost
every part of the country. Perhaps not the safest and most comfortable way to
travel, this clever and enterprising introduction of convenient service
nonetheless caught on fast. It is now as much a part of the local scene as the
baht bus.
More choices: rental cars, vans and rental bikes, massive
private tour busses for extended journeys and packaged tours. A few 5-star
hotels even have limousine service. So why can’t Pattaya have a shuttle bus
service with comprehensive routes around the region? This doesn’t mean the
baht bus has to disappear.
The competition would eventually motivate the drivers to
discipline themselves to treat the public and their passengers with courtesy,
comply with the rules regarding fares, obey the traffic laws, and drive less
selfishly so they don’t create dangerous traffic problems.
Baht bus drivers in Pattaya are in revolt against competition
because they KNOW they have caused a build-up of public resentment and are the
subject of bitter criticism.
Drivers have brought this on themselves, but rather than
correct the problem and become more “customer oriented”, they chose to be
combative and aggressive, thinking they can bully the public and authorities
into having it all their own way. When the city backs down and gives into their
demands, everyone loses. Progressive public transport is coming - with or
without their permission. It’s the way of the future.
One of the ways we can preserve the tradition of Pattaya’s
baht buses is to re-train them. Does anyone remember when Pattaya hosted the
International World Scout Jamboree? One of the biggest propaganda efforts the
city implemented was the assurance that foreign Scouts and their entourages
would have access to adequate, safe and competent transportation. Baht buses
drivers made a sincere contribution to this effort. Screening and training
programs were set up and drivers were thoroughly educated on conduct, dress, and
safe driving practices. As far as I know, this was a huge success and the
campaign proved that baht bus drivers could learn to modify their behavior and
improve their services.
What happened when all the Scouts left? Now where are all
those drivers who performed with distinction? Were they brought in from another
region of Thailand? While the training was active, was there a message sent that
this was a temporary situation and after the eyes of the world had turned
elsewhere, they could return to their chaotic disregard for traffic laws and
aggressive and threatening attitudes toward tourists?
During the last city council meeting when drivers protested
about the free bus service threatening their income, some drivers were reported
to have harassed bus drivers, blocked bus lanes and threatened passengers who
used the free bus. The free bus service was a LEGAL, city-approved program. The
baht bus drivers, on the other hand, were the antagonists and were acting
outside the law. Still, the city bowed to the dissenters and threw the innocent
public to the dogs by backing off.
Who’s in charge here? Pattaya City is always trying to
improve its image and in some areas that achievement has been spectacular. But
we seem to be unable to sustain our improved reputation once we have begun to
repair it.
If we can’t introduce and retain a perfectly legal and
sensible bus service that runs a short route through a few kilometers of the
business district for more than few weeks before giving in to a handful of
disgruntled pick-up truck drivers, what hope do we have in solving all the other
pressing issues that plague us?
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