This morning was our first class session. First, our instructor, Ira Block, showed us
examples of his photos to emphasize the importance of light, composition and
finding a ‘moment’. This being the
fourth trip with him, I have watched several of these presentations but I always
learn something new. We then had our
first critique session of the trip. Each
person was asked to submit 5 photos they had taken since landing that they felt
was a well done image. Ira then talks
about each one and what works and doesn’t work.
He keeps in mind the skill level of the photographer, always trying to
help them improve over the course of the trip.
I love looking at what others found and their perspective of the places
we had visited.
We broke for lunch and a small group of us walked the short
distance to The Strand Hotel, a colonial era hotel that still remains much as
it was during British rule. They are
known for their afternoon high tea, but their lunch is also quite good offering
both Western and native cuisine. They
also had a charming shopping arcade which we vowed to return to at the end of
the trip for a little shopping expedition.
Our afternoon shoot started at the main train station. We spent a little over an hour watching
people come and go on a variety of trains that service the station. One train, referred to as the Circle Train,
will take you on a circle journey around the outskirts of the city for around
$3. Taking a little over 3 hours, the
journey allows you a view into local life.
The trains attract a variety of people, from pink robed Buddhist nuns,
to monks, to westernized teens to more traditionally garbed locals. The national ‘dress’ in the long he, a long
fabric skirt that is worn by both men and women with the men tying a big knot
in the front and the women wearing it like a wrap skirt. It was interesting to interact with the
people on the train, many encouraging us to take their pictures. Transportation is the great equalizer and a
perfect way to get a feel for a country.
Next, we took cabs to Yangon’s Chinatown. This seems to be a feature of every major
city I’ve been to around the world. They
are usually quite vibrant with an active nightlife and serves as a social
gathering spot. Food vendors lined the
streets selling beautiful fruits and vegetables much like our farmer’s markets
back home. The street food vendors were
here as well selling fresh seafood (prawns the size of lobsters were
particularly interesting to me) and rows of satays which seemed to prove
everything is better on a stick. Bars
lined the side streets and came alive as the sun set. All of your senses are assaulted at once from
the stinky but tasty (so I’ve been told) durian fruit to the colorful food
offerings to the constant honking of horns.
We gathered for Myanmar beer at one such bar to top off our evening.
Tomorrow: Out into
the country