I’ve been asked for this exercise to go out, on the street where I could find lots of people and activities. Then take a sequence of 20-30 photographs so it will show my progress to a final shot.
For that sequence, it was really easy for me to found some impressive and busy places in Thailand. So I took my motorcycle (wich is THE transportation device in Thailand) and ride right to the exit of my “MuBan” wich is a security gated district.
I moved in Thailand not a long time ago, so it is my second time that I’m going out to photography some unknown people in a very busy public place in the village. I’m feeling very shy as I’m a new “fareng”, and I can’t really explain in Thai what I’m doing and why!
For this mission I will use my 70-200mm lens. It will allow me to take good photographs without disturbing anyone. I also brought my monopod as this lens can become very heavy. The road itself is about 200m long and it is called Ramkhamheang 166.
So here I start, (set of photo # 1) at the end of the road facing a temple that you can see in my first photograph. I took a portrait and a landscape frame to show the depth in the road and the activities happening on the road. I stop to take a shot at a woman looking at some merchandises. oops she saw me, pretty obviously! She smile at me so I felt better hi hi. The photograph where she is looking at me is very expressive I really like the blur in the back, it really influenced the dramatic effect of the subject. It is also one of my favourite of the shooting. From the same point of view I simply changed my focus to direct it at the owner of the stall. It is another shot that I like. It is not as powerful than the preview one, but still quite captivating. For a second time I moved forward in the market using only my focus, one of the main reason why I love this lens so much. With my disability sometime walking is just not an option… From that last picture of the group, we can see some bananas and oranges so I moved to it to see if I could get a better shot.
Incredibly I was able to asked (in Thai) the permission to take some photographs of his goods. I took a vibrant picture of him while doing a transaction. This is my favourite picture of all. The composition is well balance and the integrity of the Thai life is well-preserved. I thanks him “kob khun ka” and move forward. Closer of the temple I decide to take an other more precise picture of the gate. My eyes then were caught at the TWO girl on the scooter, so I took a second picture still of the temple in focus and the bike coming at me. The TWO girls stopped right in front of me to buy some mango, but then …… at my big surprise a young little boys pop out from no where ! This short boy wearing a very bright green shirt was hiding behind the handle !!! I moved then about 3 meters away to the fruit shop, visible in the second picture of the set, behind the red mobile stall.
Again, the lady was smiling and agree to let me take some photograph of her merchandises. The bright orange first catch my attention. But then I added the shape of the mango. I close-up to the shiny grape with the orange and the mango still visible. I close even more to the reflective grape, but I taught it was maybe a bit too much so I went a little back and play with my focus to get my final shot of the grape but with an orange and a mango out of focus and within a portrait frame.
I’m very please with the final result of the sequence. I have to say that my favourite part of the sequence was that little boy popping out from no where. He really cracked me up. Individually these 3 shots would have nothing special. It is only once attached together, that it really make it a delightful effect.