Lab Owner

Photo-lab owner, Jalan Main Bazaar.

This is a typical mini-lab in Malaysia (and Indonesia). Inset from street traffic and buried between two concrete walls separating respective shops, this man goes about his daily work of developing 35mm photographic film for his customers. It appears he's using an ubiquitous and simple Fujifilm express processor from which to develop and offer prints.

The intent of my visit was not to have any film developed here but just to stop and speak to the man - purely out of respect for another individual still supporting analog technology - especially one that might be his livelihood. I remember how impressed he was with the camera I carried, not from a selfish or congratulatory aspect, but more from a sense of mutual identification.

I should have bought a roll of film from him - even if I would have never exposed it.

Kuching, Malaysia, 2008