Pinhole Ideas Over A Cup of Coffee

Once a month, a group of photographers in Bandung get together for a late afternoon talk of nothing in particular in a forum called ONGKOSS (Omong Kosong Sore-sore), a name which literally means Afternoon Chatters. I'm a 'member' of the group (well, sort of, because this group has no formal membership; any photographers or people interested in photography can come and join the chat).

Last week, the gathering was held at Bengawan Coffee Shop on Jalan Bengawan 54 where a pinhole photography exhibition was being held as part of Komunitas Kamera Lubang Jarum Bandung (Bandung Pinhole Camera Community) efforts to introduce and share their works with the public.

I was there, and the topic being discussed that afternoon was Pinhole Challenge to The Established Photography Practice. It sounds serious enough. But believe me, the atmosphere was very informal: the coffees and the comradeship (camaraderie?) were not less important that what was being talked about.

Coffees, so it seemed, were the source of good friendship and ideas. A good flow of one is a good flow of the other.

The Petromax

How many of you know or even remember this kind of lanterns?

I had not seen this kind of lanterns for a long while, so I felt somewhat nostalgic when I saw it at the Jatayu flea market recently.

Yes, it's the Petromax or lampu petromaks as we call it here. Not many people use them anymore these days. But in the old days when electricity was not as widely accessible as it is today, the Petromax was extensively used as the preferred lighting in the villages because it produces brighter light and consumes less fuel than the ordinary lanterns.

The Petromax was invented by Max Graetz (1851-1937), the President/CEO of the Ehrich & Graetz firm in Berlin, in the early 20th century. It is basically a pressure petroleum lamp, hence the name Petro (from the word petroleum) and Max (the name of the inventor).

Chicken Butcher

A chicken butcher at Ciroyom, one of the largest traditional markets in Bandung.