pagespicsExploring Halloween Ghouls in Sukhumvit, Bangkok
Posted on November 3, 2025
Location, location, location
For Halloween I headed to Sukhumvit in the center for town and focused on the area between Soi Cowboy and Nana. This area is a notorious party zone with plenty of bars and clubs that spill out onto the street, offering ample opportunities for Street Photography. I was looking to capture portraits, rather than candid moments. I’m not sure I quite hit the brief as I failed to return with as many face shots as I hoped. However, as always, I had fun trying. There were certainly some great outfits to be found.
Did I Choose the Right Lens?
Photogenic characters can always be found along Sukhumvit in Bangkok, even when it is not Halloween. For this photo walk I took my OM System EM5. Shooting at night with a M4/3 (Micro four thirds) camera creates a lot of digital noise, which I fixed in Lightroom. Using a 35mm equivalent lens ensured I could go wide enough to capture the action. However, on reflection a more portrait orientated lens may have captured the finer details of the weird and wonderfully made-up faces of the night.
Like, follow, and what’s in the pipeline…
Like, follow, and share! I will be continuing to post tips and photo guides that will help lift your photography game. Planned but not promised, images that did not quite make it into the book, ‘The Bangalorean‘, even if they maybe should have!
That’s all for today folks as it is Sunday afternoon the evening is screaming for a movie to be watched. Take care and keep clicking, Chris
Exploring Thonburi: Hidden Gems of Bangkok
Posted on October 6, 2025
Photographs Of My New Home
I had never planned on living in Bangkok, but what a wonderful city to end up in. I am living close to Thonburi, on the west side of the river Chao Phraya River. Thonburi is the old capital of Thailand, and whilst the big lights of the city centre are far away, there are numerous areas for exploration on my side of town. Bangkok may well be a place for another photo project; however, it is a city that has been photographed from every angle by some very talented photographers. My heart has not settled on a project yet, but I am having some ideas.
Exploring Movement, or Bangkok at Night.
This image was captured with a slow shutter speed and took a fair amount of editing to get the look just right. Capturing this kind of image can be more about luck than judgement. As with many things, the more you do it, the luckier you get. The prompts of ‘Movement’ and ‘Night’ are two areas I will be exploring. Night has been done to death, so movement may be the way to go, or maybe ‘Night Moves’. Admittedly, ‘Night Moves’ sounds a little cheesy…
Cars (and Bars?)
Cars may be the way to go. Bangkok bars could get me into trouble! Bangkok does appear to have more than its fair share of old classic cars. Many of them looking like they have seen better days and are in various states of disrepair. Of course, this makes them much more photogenic. I found this example just round the corner from Wat Arun Temple. I could have posted a beautiful landmark instead of a car, but that would be boring. In addition, how can I compete with the millions of images already taken of these majestic buildings?
People
People are clearly my favourite subjects for photography. The above example is an environmental portrait of a barrel maker whose shop is in the heart of Thonburi. A ‘cooper’ is the title given to someone who makes barrels. Thank me if it comes up in a pub quiz. In China I worked on getting to know the people I took photographs of, so this may be a way forward.
Thats All Folks
Well, that is all for now, and I promise I will try and be more regular with my blog posts. I certainly have no excuse of there being nothing to photograph. If anything, there is too much. It excites me to be back in a place full of vibrant street photography opportunities. However, this time I am looking for more than just street photography, and I am loving the journey.
Take Care and Keep Clicking, Chris
Farewell Old Friend
Posted on March 3, 2022
Saying goodbye to my Olympus OM-D EM-5 M11 (2017)
This week I have said goodbye to my beloved M4/3 Olympus camera. This camera accompanied me on many adventures, but for the last 2 years it has received little attention, as I have been using my Sony A7. I am seeing the Olympus off by posting some of my favorite pics, and will be explaining a little about the stories behind each shot. This post looks at the photos I took in 2017, the year I purchased the camera.
Shanghai
The old alleyways of Shanghai are disappearing fast. This pic was captured in Hongzhen Lu, which was one of my favourite locations for street photography. When I arrived in China, the area was a busting with markets selling fresh fruit and veg. I left Shanghai three years after this photo was taken, and by then most of the streets had been demolished, or were used by squatters. Shanghai continues to bury itself and move forward in the name of progress. I cannot help but wish for what has been lost.
Noodles are the ultimate comfort food. This is a scene played on many of the corners of Old Shanghai. The kitchens are usually open and on the street, which creates the opportunity for steamy street food images. I don’t think that either of these gentlemen noticed me taking their photo, so the food (or conversation) must have been good. There are photographers who believe you should always ask before taking someones photo. However, a candid photo taken discretely, will always produce the most genuine ‘slice of life’ that is found on the street.
Bangkok
Thailand has always been a favourite holiday destination, and Bangkok provides heaps of opportunities for street and travel photography. Statues of Buddha are usually photographed in the serene environment of a temple. This Buddha was on the back of a pick up truck, and arrived outside Nana Plaza, a notorious red-light district in the heart of Bangkok. The two contrasting worlds came together for just a few minutes for workers in Nana Plaza to give their alms to Buddha.
Sticking with Bangkok, this portrait was taken in Khlong Toey slum. The scooter driver who dropped me off advised me to stay on the main street and to leave before dark. Heading straight down a side street bought me face to face with this heavily tattooed individual. This portrait is one of my personal favourites. At the time I assumed the tattoos were gang, or prison related. Now when I look at the photo, and the calm expression of this individual, I am led to wonder of the tattoos are cultural, or maybe a mix of both.
Bangalore
The area surrounding Bangalore’s central market is always good for street and travel photography. Meat hanging in the open air is a common sight, and is certainly cheaper than when you purchase it in the West! Nothing is wasted, and the lady on the left is preparing the hooves, which will be used in soup and stock.
This image was taken close to where I worked. I had been up since dawn and had not captured anything to be particularly proud of. The sun had risen and the light was getting harsh. I ducked into a small underground passageway, and stumbled upon this tiffen centre (a tiffen is a traditional tin, used to carry rice, dhal, and curry). Most food centres have a jug of water that customers help themselves to. The water is drunk without the lips making contact with the container. Strangely, I find the last or first shot of a photo shoot is often the best!
My next post will continue to feature pics taken with my Olympus, that were captured in 2018…
Take care, and keep clicking, Chris
Street Photography and the 6th Sense.
Posted on July 18, 2018
Vibrant, bustling places full of noise, smoke, and strange smells are by far my favourite locations to shoot street. One location that ticks all these boxes has always been Bangkok. Although it is tempting to head out late at night, I have found that by far the best time to shoot is early in the morning.
Euclidian Geometry, Soi 3
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