Rodney On Earth

Ok, I’m writing this fast, so I can get to work. My morning class was canceled so I have a few moments, hehehe.

I’ve finally began my latest photography project: documenting and following the lives of Jakartans living near and on train tracks. Please forgive the photos’ quality in this post. Flickr (which houses all photo files for this blog site) does a conversion on uploaded photos, ruining the contrast and sharpening. In the near future, high-quality files can be seen on my photography website: www.BeyondExposures.com as this collection grows. I’m still thinking of a name/title to give this photo essay, article and collection.

I began the project because I’ve always seen fires illuminating the train tracks at night. During the day I’ve seen people going about their daily lives on the tracks: people sitting between the tracks eating, kids playing, mothers clothing their children. I would then see trains past literally just a meter (for my American friends: 3.28 feet) from the residents! I wanted to know more about the types of people living there. Who are they? Why live next to such a dangerous place? Etc. Etc. Etc.

Betty and I ventured out together early Saturday morning. It was great because she is also a photographer, and she could act as a translator, since my pitiful Bahasa Indonesia vocabulary is still limited to “Taxi Driver” talk. *~ Wakakakakakaka ~*

*~ Betty Photographing Excited Kids ~*
(Yes, her shirt and shoes were that pink!)

I found people living next to the tracks, and between the train tracks (taking great care to see which track trains are coming down to avoid being hit). Clothing dried between the tracks. Previously cooked rice was drying on the stones to be re-cooked in future meals. Flies were everywhere, taking advantage of the rice while it dried. Decrepit benches, make-shift tables and even old sofas were between the train tracks, and they were being used.

*~ Elderly Man Eating Breakfast Between Train Tracks ~*

The project is still in its infancy, but already I’m learning there are key threads of similarity between the various families:

• Most of these individuals are very poor (Ok, this is a no-brainer)
• The vast majority of these individuals DO work, but earn so little they have no other options for housing.
• These communities are very social and open to strangers (well, at least to me).
• Even though they are quite destitute, they are quite happy, in general. This does not mean the wish to live where they live, rather they have found ways to be happy in midst of their immediate environment. Children can be found laughing and playing. Neighbors chat with bright smiles and laughter. This tells me that true happiness does not come from material gains and items. True happiness comes from within.

*~ Woman Cooking Chips and Chicken ~*

*~ Kids Having Fun Being Models ~*

*~ Mother And Son ~*

*~ Misplaced ~*

Betty and I will return to the all individuals we photographed to share prints with them (a way of showing appreciation and thanks for their kindness). Kids received candy during the shooting. I also plan to get everyone’s names when I see the photographed individuals again (I neglected to bring my notebook so I could write their names down *cryyy*).

Take care