Underground BK party jewels present evocative film photography exhibition

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The seasoned rave duo of Seelie & Brent Burns display colourful new feathers with their latest creative endeavour

Maverick film camera enthusiasts and nocturnal shutterbugs @_dreameh and @35mm.36exp join forces to present their first combined photography exhibition.

Taking place on Sunday, February 27 at iconic Bangkok venue, 12x12, the daytime event will feature a selection of evocative film prints from the duo, as well as an equally well-curated soundtrack of tunes (also from the duo). As it turns out, the enigmatic IG handles belong to two of the underground BK music scene's most treasured selectors, Seelie (@dreameh) and Brent Burns (@35mm.36exp). Two of three co-founders of the Transport party collective, the pair display hidden strings to their creative bows, combining dual passions for music and film photography.

Proudly presenting analogue captured shots, they each stand firm in their commitment to the resurgent medium. For Burns, the choice to shoot film reverberates around the wider debate between analogue and digital formats. “Shooting film becomes a bit more precious because you think about each shot before pressing the shutter,” he says. “You’ll only press that shutter if you think the shot is really worth it. Add the price of film these days and you’re really selective about the shots you take.” Seelie agrees, adding that the final outcome provides something lacking with the digital counterpart. “It's the result more than anything. It’s just magic,” he says. “The feel, the grain. A fossil of light and time.”

The vibrant luminosity and contrasting topography of their adopted home city of Bangkok provide abundant source material for the pair, with each of them enthusiastically representing the city in the exhibition. “Bangkok is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and there are so many photo opportunities,” says Brent. “It’s a bustling city with so much character. From the colourful and electric Chinatown to the traffic-ridden Sukhumvit Road. Not to mention the naughty areas of Patpong, Asok and Nana.” For Seelie, the pockets of bygone living in the city represent its most endearing images. “I’m obsessed with the '80/'90s era of Asia’s Megacities, such as Hong Kong, Tokyo,” he says. “That nostalgia. I’m always seeking that feeling. Thankfully Bangkok Still has those places and vibe. It’s disappearing quick, though, which makes it even more appealing to capture while we can.”

The film photography scene in Bangkok appears to be thriving, with Brent suggesting there's a strong community spirit among its number. “The film scene in Bangkok seems to be thriving to be fair. There are a lot of film photographers around, and they are very supportive of each other. However, I am more of a lone shooter these days so don’t really mix as much as I should.” It seems, too, that there's a solid infrastructure in place to support the movement. “There’s also a lot of labs here that are offering high-quality services at a very reasonable rate compared to that in Europe and the US.”

In terms of kit, Burns reveals an alluring list of favourite tools used while capturing the exhibition's featured images. “For most of my shots, I am using a Nikon F4. It’s a beast – and probably the reason why I have such big guns! But it’s been a game-changer for me.” He shares that he generally opts to shoot on 28mm 2.8. “It’s a bit more forgiving in lower lighting conditions,” he says. When he needs to get “closer to the action,” he prefers his 70-210mm zoom lens, while a scattering of the images were also captured on his newly acquired Leica Mini 2. “It's very lightweight and compact but packs fantastic Leica optics.”

The pair are understandably thrilled at the prospect of presenting their debut show, with Seelie suggesting there are parallels between the exhibition and the event series they co-run. “I'm super excited and buzzing to be doing it with my brother from another mother,” he says. “We love creating settings and the right atmosphere for our Transport parties, and this exhibition feels very much the same.” Burns echoes this sentiment, adding that there's a distinct pleasure in manifesting your work into print. “Now we can put all this into showcasing our work into the real world and not the metaverse. It’s nice to see your photo’s in the flesh, printed in big size, you can really see the details you won’t get to see on a small screen on your phone.” Finally, the thrill of bringing showcasing the work while connecting with an in-person audience. “It’s also nice to bring people together through the medium of a creative source, in this case, it will be music and photography – with a few surprises in store at the exhibition.”