Return to Ayuthaya
Sunday 07 Sep 08 | Category: My Photography
My first visit to Ayuthaya was in 2003 when I photographed this Buddha statue head that, whether by accident or design, has become embedded in the side of a tree.
Thinking back, I remember that it was actually quite a tricky thing to photograph in anything other than a very straightforward way. Although I’ve added a Holga-esque treatment to the file in Photoshop here that’s not something that I would usually do.
I’ve no objection to Photoshopped images, we’re all manipulating pixels to a greater or lesser degree, but it takes enough time and effort for me just to get a relatively straight image most of the time so any further attention is something of a luxury. Heck, it’s taken me five years to find time to play around with this image!
So I’m heading back to Ayuthaya this week and although there are lots of temples to photograph in what used to be Thailand’s capital city it’s this small Buddha head that I’m most looking forward to seeing again. I’ve purposely avoided searching the Internet for other views of the Buddha head and tree so as not to influence the way I see it. It’s a little self-challenge, can I come up with a different perspective? Is there a way of photographing this relatively straightforward scene that’s new and interesting?
It’s good to set yourself a creative challenge now and again. I belong to a handful of real-life and virtual clubs where the main purpose is to set ourselves a photographic theme every month. It’s not terribly precious and apart from some quick-fire feedback the results are not really judged. The purpose is to get the creative juices flowing and to point our artistic thought processes in a new direction.
I recommend it. If you’re struggling to come up with new material then set yourself a challenge. It doesn’t matter what the subject is, indeed that’s the least important bit really. Choose a colour or a shape or an item of clothing or a family member or the cat, the dog, whatever. Then set some time aside and consider how you might like to present that subject in a finished photograph. Before you know it, your lateral thinking muscles will be flexing and you’ll be conjuring up all sorts of fanciful ideas.
Can’t think of a theme? Here are some ideas. Close your eyes and pick one at random.
Good luck!
One of the other things I remember about Ayuthaya was the teenage schoolchildren who had been sent to lurk around the tourist attractions by what I assume was a teacher in need of some peace and quiet. Armed with a questionnaire each they would approach tourists and ask if they might spend a few minutes answering questions so that the students could practice their English skills. They were invariably charming and already spoke impressively accomplished English and it was pleasant to be able to pause and chat.
So, I’m away from the blog for a few days but will come back armed with my best picture of the Buddha Head from Ayuthaya.
Thinking back, I remember that it was actually quite a tricky thing to photograph in anything other than a very straightforward way. Although I’ve added a Holga-esque treatment to the file in Photoshop here that’s not something that I would usually do.
I’ve no objection to Photoshopped images, we’re all manipulating pixels to a greater or lesser degree, but it takes enough time and effort for me just to get a relatively straight image most of the time so any further attention is something of a luxury. Heck, it’s taken me five years to find time to play around with this image!
So I’m heading back to Ayuthaya this week and although there are lots of temples to photograph in what used to be Thailand’s capital city it’s this small Buddha head that I’m most looking forward to seeing again. I’ve purposely avoided searching the Internet for other views of the Buddha head and tree so as not to influence the way I see it. It’s a little self-challenge, can I come up with a different perspective? Is there a way of photographing this relatively straightforward scene that’s new and interesting?
It’s good to set yourself a creative challenge now and again. I belong to a handful of real-life and virtual clubs where the main purpose is to set ourselves a photographic theme every month. It’s not terribly precious and apart from some quick-fire feedback the results are not really judged. The purpose is to get the creative juices flowing and to point our artistic thought processes in a new direction.
I recommend it. If you’re struggling to come up with new material then set yourself a challenge. It doesn’t matter what the subject is, indeed that’s the least important bit really. Choose a colour or a shape or an item of clothing or a family member or the cat, the dog, whatever. Then set some time aside and consider how you might like to present that subject in a finished photograph. Before you know it, your lateral thinking muscles will be flexing and you’ll be conjuring up all sorts of fanciful ideas.
Can’t think of a theme? Here are some ideas. Close your eyes and pick one at random.
red soft walking orange shadow stars tight stick bunches close giggling smoker overflow burning shake inky troublesome needle putty clouds afterwards bits-and-bobs swivel triangle dripping ears wind-me-up circular my-fridge heart-shaped cold tea elbow victory make-up sponge pork-pie diagonals shallow runny blurred crackling floating handwriting framed sloping glint gate stripes upside-down reflected street-signs forgotten back-of-my-sofa footprint eggs
Good luck!
One of the other things I remember about Ayuthaya was the teenage schoolchildren who had been sent to lurk around the tourist attractions by what I assume was a teacher in need of some peace and quiet. Armed with a questionnaire each they would approach tourists and ask if they might spend a few minutes answering questions so that the students could practice their English skills. They were invariably charming and already spoke impressively accomplished English and it was pleasant to be able to pause and chat.So, I’m away from the blog for a few days but will come back armed with my best picture of the Buddha Head from Ayuthaya.
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The Ladies of Dansai II
Friday 05 Sep 08 | Category: My Photography
I’m waving you off towards the potentially boundless delights that exist on a Friday night as a whole weekend stretches out before you with another picture of one of the delightful Dansai ladies.She was a real gem and I’m pleased that I caught her terrific smile. Indeed, all of the Dansai ladies were great fun and I have two more shots that are becoming favourites so I’ll post those in the course of next week.
In the meantime, have a great weekend.
Photoshop CS4 released on September 23rd
Wednesday 03 Sep 08 | Category: Technology
The British Journal of Photography is reporting that Adobe plan to release the CS4 version of Photoshop at Cologne’s Photokina trade fair on September 23rd.Whilst we don’t yet know what new tricks CS4 will have up its sleeve, you might want to cast your eyes down this list to see what popular requests Photoshop users have been making.
My personal favourites are:
#452 The world is global now. Please fix your pricing. Thank you.
#400 Make my 2009 Photoshop faster than Photoshop 3.5.
#419 Remember when your applications were lightning fast? I miss that.
#516 Please stop forcing your PDF plug-ins into every orifice of OS X. Apple designed Preview for a reason. [expletive deleted] deal with it.
Whilst we might enjoy moaning about Photoshop and the uninvited extras that Adobe insist upon installing (Adobe Updater anyone?), we should probably remember that it’s been a killer app as far as digital photo manipulation is concerned. Where would we be now without layers and masks? Well, we’d be in Lightroom probably but you know what I’m saying.
Talking of Lightroom, I’m guessing that a Photoshop upgrade is less important to working photographers that it might have been just a couple of years ago. I know that Photoshop accounts for only about 5% of my workflow time now with Lightroom carrying the bulk of the burden. And just to round up that thought, I use Expression Media for my cataloguing needs as Lightroom, whatever else it may do, still isn’t a fully-featured DAM (Digital Asset management) application.
So, there’s much to look forward to at Photokina. News of what will be included in CS4 together with the long-awaited replacement to Canon’s 5D. Expectations of both will be high although rumours of the introduction of an “un-suck” filter in Photoshop are, sadly, unfounded.
The Ladies of Dansai
Wednesday 03 Sep 08 | Category: My Photography
Moving from talk of civil unrest and tasteless fashion magazine articles to something much more appealing this morning: The Ladies of Dansai.
I’d love to know what the joke was. These ladies were perched on the steps of the main temple in Dansai in northern Thailand during the Phi Ta Khon festival. Their gossip was much more appealing than the festivities going on around them and once they’d kicked off their shoes it was clear that they weren’t going to move until they’d finished catching up with all the local news and intrigue.
When they did finally get up it was to join in with the dancing around the temple, something that they took very seriously.
I’d love to know what the joke was. These ladies were perched on the steps of the main temple in Dansai in northern Thailand during the Phi Ta Khon festival. Their gossip was much more appealing than the festivities going on around them and once they’d kicked off their shoes it was clear that they weren’t going to move until they’d finished catching up with all the local news and intrigue.When they did finally get up it was to join in with the dancing around the temple, something that they took very seriously.
Bangkok under "State of Emergency"
Tuesday 02 Sep 08 | Category: Comment
Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has declared a State of Emergency in Bangkok after violent clashes between pro and anti-Government protesters last night.
Labour unions are threatening strikes from Wednesday 3rd, which will see transportation links drastically reduced. Thai Airways are suggesting that there will be delays to international flights and anti-Government PAD demonstrators are reportedly blocking access to Bangkok’s international airport and a number of provincial airports. There’s also a threat of limited interruptions to water and power supplies.
It’s not like Basingstoke is it?
Labour unions are threatening strikes from Wednesday 3rd, which will see transportation links drastically reduced. Thai Airways are suggesting that there will be delays to international flights and anti-Government PAD demonstrators are reportedly blocking access to Bangkok’s international airport and a number of provincial airports. There’s also a threat of limited interruptions to water and power supplies.
It’s not like Basingstoke is it?