As mentioned in April’s event calendar, the Seoul Photo and Imaging Show happened at COEX over this first weekend in May. While I had little idea what to expect specifically, I figured there would be enough to see to merit getting up early on a Saturday morning to try and beat the crowd. Above is a giant reflector or lighting doo-hickey – if my photography ever gets to that point I’m sure I’ll learn the proper name.
As you walk through the entrance, roughly the left half of the exhibition hall was dedicated to smaller, but still useful, photo-related products. If you’re, say, a portrait studio owner, those fun things babies sit or lay on do need to get refreshed from time to time.
Although little was communicated, playing around with extension tubes was quite fun. This statue, a figure of Jeju fame, is perhaps 2 inches tall, yet to focus properly required getting incredibly close to the statue – my UV filter was practically touching the thing. A set of three would’ve cost 150,000 won ($140 USD), which sounded expensive for a macro mode I barely use.
The famous brand making third-party lens was here, although I never did see a Tamron display.
One reminder that Korea is the land of the overpriced custom-made photo book, the mass-marketed “unique” photo album, and the cutesy tiny album you might dangle from a cell phone.
Now, this is all well and good – what you’ve seen so far would constitute a decent, if slightly geeky, photo show on most any continent. This, however, is Korea. The country where seemingly every 7-year old has a cell phone, every college student a smartphone, and every thirty-something a DSLR. Outside of announcing new lenses or new models of cameras (yawn), there has to be something else to draw these experienced, professional cameras to the show, right?
Right.
They’re called girls:
Look at the lenses on these things – many decked out with lens hoods, LCD protector panels, and expensive battery grips. The cameras once wielded by photojournalists or Actual Professionals are now handled by horny men. I felt almost undersized by comparison when sporting my 18-55mm lens – nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
It’s more crowded here than a line 2 subway car on a Monday morning. Of course, these cameras must be protected, which necessitates the need for a bulky square bag, the sort small children might fit into if folded in the proper manner. In the heat of the moment these get thrown around one’s shoulder and move as one with the owner – blocking even more room.
For better or worse, the girls – hired to hold camera equipment and simply look cute – are the highlight of a Korean photo show. Although I hesitate to use the analogy, they’re not unlike strippers in that their main job is to be cute and allow guys to gawk at them. The outfits don’t exactly help that perception – but it sure helps the image.
That each camera manufacturer had elaborate stages set up meant the models got to make the space themselves, while the DSLR holders angled and aimed around each other for The Best Shot – as if anybody really wants to put it in their scrapbook.
In front of a few displays were models of that brand’s cameras to “test” on the models. They make great tests of a given lens, a given body, yadda yadda yadda. Very few people were “testing” a camera – they simply used their own. Why? Two possible reasons – first, you can keep the pictures you take with your own camera; second, would you rather fiddle with/learn the settings or enjoy the eye candy?
This next show took the cake:
Four attractive women lip synced and danced their way through an extended techno version of a song from “Coyote Ugly” – what does this have to do with selling a company’s cameras, printers, or ink? I have no idea. For some Koreans, the idea of watching a soft-core sex show – and being allowed to take pictures! – might have been reason enough to stick around.
This seemed fairly mundane – some body painting being done while a much smaller crowd watched.
At that point, I began looking for the photos – you know, those things people are taking with all the fancy cameras? Against the side wall was a nice lengthy exhibit:
Courtesy of the Professional Photographers of America – one standard more photographers would do good to strive toward. A separate exhibit was on the first floor and free to attend, but I had some other things to do.
Overall, I felt satisfied simply surviving without buying a new lens, getting knocked over by someone’s 200,000 won camera bag, or getting 13,000 sales pitches. The crowd seemed to be pleased with all the, uh, potential targets, while I was just as happy watching 50 photographers fall over themselves.
The Seoul Photo and Imaging Show ended on May 2nd. For more information about future events, check out http://www.photoshow.co.kr.
© Chris Backe – 2010
This post was originally published on my blog, Chris in South Korea.
