A Bangkok Photo Workshop

Photo workshops in Bangkok are always a treat and yesterday’s was no exception. It’s invariably a pleasure to explore some of Bangkok’s most photogenic locations and never more so than when in the company of an enthusiastic photographer. Young Gaby, from the Netherlands, is typical of many of the photographers who come on my photo workshops. Her enthusiasm for the locations, for soaking up the culture and for establishing rapport with the local people outweighed her desire to leave with great images, which is just as it should be. It’s always reassuring when visitors show that they have an empathy for the people who’s lives we interrupt with our big cameras and pidgin-Thai.

As always, we spent some time perfecting our panning technique. This images comes from one of my favourite locations within the market where the dark background helps make sunlit subjects stand out as they walk or cycle past.

A few yards from the river taxi stop where we begin the workshop there’s a small street stall selling drinks and snacks. The friendly stall-holder often has a hammock strung between a tree and a lamp post and there’s usually a baby, probably her granddaughter, nestled deep within the folds of the hammock. The baby lies silently all the while the hammock is moving but gives a complaining grumble when it finally comes to a halt. Then grandmother will quickly leave whoever she is gossiping to, rock the hammock gently, whereupon the baby immediately stops crying.

Inside the market, where awnings have been stretched overhead to protect from the harsh sun, we made the most of the high contrast, exposing for highlights to throw the rest of the scene into darkness. With our composition chosen, exposure set and focussing ready, it simply became an exercise in waiting patiently for the “decisive moment” when a face would enter the shaft of sunlight for a fraction of a second. It’s a waiting game and there’s more “miss” than “hit” but occasionally you can trip the shutter at just the right moment.

Towards the end of the day we moved the workshop to Chinatown, where the light seems to be better than anywhere else in Bangkok, especially in the hour or two before sunset. As always, somebody had thoughtfully left props for us to photograph as the light began to fade.

I’ve been very lucky this year and introduced many keen photographers to some of my favourite photographic haunts around the city. Next year, photo workshops will be “new and improved”. Building on previous success and with the encouraging comments from workshop participants, I’m going to be compile some additional content over the holidays and hope to give January’s workshop students a little bit extra. Watch this space.

Posted on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 at 10:22 am. Filed under: Blog, My work, Workshops RSS 2.0 feed.