One of Bangkok's most famous black and white printers just died.R.I.P. Surat Suvanich

[Leica All Day]

Hey guys, I just got a sad email from RFF forum member Anat (Kitanat).....he informed me that the owner of Half Moon Lab, Surat Suvanich died in a car accident...I know that a couple of members here know him and are familiar with his lab......

The guy was super cool and he operated a very good black and white lab here in Bangkok....his studio/lab was lined with amazing black and white framed photos that always made a visit to his lab enjoyable....he was always a pleasure to sit down with and talk about photography...the photography scene in Bangkok will surely miss him and the excellent black and white service that he provided....R.I.P. Surat.....

cheers, michael

 

[Mablo]

Oh no.. I didn't know him personally but being a big friend of Bangkok this is a major blow for the Bangkok film shooter society.

 

[Leica All Day]

Yeah, it sucks......the guy had a super sweet darkroom/studio.....whenever I would go there and drop off my film and talk to him, I would always spend some extra time checking out his photos and talking about the photography scene in Bangkok with him....I used to recommend his lab to fellow photographers whenever they would pass through town and ask me about a local black and white lab....yeah, it's a big loss to the black and white photography scene here

 

[Kenmillphoto2]

Yeah, it sucks......the guy had a super sweet darkroom/studio.....whenever I would go there and drop off my film and talk to him, I would always spend some extra time checking out his photos and talking about the photography scene in Bangkok with him....I used to recommend his lab to fellow photographers whenever they would pass through town and ask me about a local black and white lab....yeah, it's a big loss to the black and white photography scene here

I first met Surart in 1988. I was just walking down the street and glimps a photo, hand colored, of bob dylan. I walked inside and nobody was around. I hung out for over an hour and this tall lanky long haired guy walked out. ( he was in the darkroom. We both just started laughing and became fast friends. I was living in Klong Touy at the time and he found that surprising. I was just a young naive kid roaming south east Asia with a 5x7 view camera. He let me use his darkroom and store my camera there. I will also forever be in that man’s debt for all his help and guidance. Last time I saw Surart was 1992.