pagespicsPhotographing Thailand’s Urban Beaches
Posted on December 12, 2025
Pattaya and Hua Hin
Pattaya
It takes two hours to drive to Pattaya from Bangkok, making the city close enough for a weekend of photography. All life can be found there, from the young hip crowd seeking the thrills of Walking Street, tourists seeking sun and sand, and old men looking for cheap beer and company. It makes sense that life spills onto the beaches. The best time of day is when the sun starts to set, and the light is not so extreme.
Gear
I packed my trusty OM System EM5 due to its compact and discrete nature. In the bag went my 17mm 1.8 for Street Photography, and my 45mm 1.8 for portraits. Both these lenses work well when the light gets low. As always, the images were edited in Lightroom Classic, which is always improving at removing the noise created by the higher ISO required to shoot in the evening and at dusk.
The People We Meet…
Most people sporting tattoos are quite happy for their pic to be taken, and this bloke was no exception. As always, the moment past in a flash. I wish I had asked about the significance of 1992! Tattoos are something that are always on my shot list.
Hua Hin
Hua Hin is further from Bangkok than Pattaya. If the traffic is fair, then you can cover the distance in just over three hours. The vibe is very different and a lot more relaxed. There are a diverse range of bars and restaurants, ensuring a variety of activities and people to photograph. I was strictly on holiday mode and spent more time reading books than taking photos. Some time was spent playing with intentional camera movement (ICM), leading to the image below, which is more than a little inspired by Maggie from Gisborne Camera Club!
Happy Christmas
Well, that may be all from Pagespics until 2026. I will be in the South Island of New Zealand for Christmas and returning to Thailand in time to see Fat Boy Slim play in Phuket. My camera will be with me, so looking forward to lots of family pics and landscape photography.
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
Street Photography Adventures in Dongguan
Posted on December 11, 2024
If you are thinking of wandering China with a camera, Dongguan is probably not your first place to visit. However, it has everything there for a great weekend of street photography. I headed for the alleys and the street vendors. I prefer grunge over the high-rise vistas of steel and glass. So, these photos do not accurately represent the city as a whole. Still, it provides a glimpse into the more miniature ‘urban village’ life. You would find the most wonderful Bao in the wicker baskets above. It is a steamed bun filled with either pork and vegetables or sweet red beans. Travel is not always about the photos but also about the food! The best food is often found around China’s famous wet markets.
Wet Markets
Many people have read about the wet Chinese markets after COVID-19. They really are a spectacular image of color and noise. The above photo was taken in the largest meat market in Dongguan. If this meat does not look fresh enough, the live chicken below is what you need. It will, of course, be butchered in front of you, and you get to keep the head and feet. You may not know that the chicken’s feet are more expensive than the breast meat. I don’t know what the other birds are, and I don’t want to know how they taste! Pigeon pie, anyone, or maybe it is a day for fish?
Fresh Fish
If you are looking for fish, there is plenty to offer. Carp is a popular river fish, while many salt-water friends are raised in intensive fish farms. The patterns of fish scales and the vivid colour of their entrails make for garish and slightly gruesome street photography. The busyness of these locations lets you get quite close to people. Most vendors are too active to care about a middle-aged photographer. A key takeaway is that the busier the location, the easier it can be to capture candid shots. Of course, it helps to have the right settings.
F9 and be there…
It has been a while since I spent the day with the camera stuck in this classic setting. I was using my Olympus Em5, and F5.6 was enough to guarantee that most of the frame was focused. Not quite so with the image below, but I think the shot still works. Lens choice also influences how sharp a photo is. I used the very portable and excellent M.Zuiko 17mm 1:8 fixed lens. This is a great piece of kit, cheap as chips, and absolutely perfect for street photography. For those who care, 17mm on an M4/3 camera is equivalent to 34mm on a full frame. This relates to how wide the camera lens is. Many Street Photographers shoot at 35mm, or 35mm equivalent.
You can break the rules…
The photo below breaks the rule of ‘come in from the left and head towards the right of frame.’ I realise that this image will irk some photographers. You can get quite lost looking in the background. Once you get past the lady at the front, it becomes interesting. So, I like it. Does it matter what others think? I would love to know your opinion: Is the photo a keeper or not?
Colour
Colour is always a good thing to look out for. This is true unless you are a fan of shooting in black and white. Who can resist the allure of orange and blue? I don’t know if I noticed this colour combination when I took the photo. In addition, it was luck that he was eating an orange. I guess the more you shoot, the luckier you get!
End Of The Day…
Most of my favorite shots are often at the start or end of the day. The light is at its best. People are busy in the morning, and in the evening, you catch the crowds unwind. This group of men were quite happy for me to take a few pics. They were too engrossed in the game to pay me much attention. Majong is played throughout China, often by the older generation with photogenic faces pressed in concentration. Be aware that there are some sketchy gambling laws in China. As a result, taking photos of people playing cards can be more of a challenge.
And People…
Street photographers are a nosy bunch. We like watching people, whether they are eating, arguing, or playing games. Sometimes, I want to slip in and out unnoticed. For example, when I took the above photo, I was discreet. Other times, I seek permission to capture an image. Having a small camera keeps everything discrete to a point. However, lately, I just like to stay still for a bit. On another note, 2025 may be my last year in China, although I hope not as I like it here. I want to make the most of it, so expect more adventures on my bike or on my feet.
Take care and keep clicking, Chris
5 Mistakes when Editing Street Photography
Posted on November 24, 2020
We are all guilty of occasionally over-processing our images. Street photography can be subjective, and we have all experimented with our pictures. However, traditional Street Photography involves minimal processing and is a genre steeped in tradition. Going overboard on processing creates an unrealistic image that fails to reflect reality, which is the essence of any strong street photograph. Here are my 5 editing hates.
Selective blur
I have started seeing this more often and find it incredibly ugly. I am guessing that it could be done well in Photoshop, but even then, why do it at all? Street photography is about seeing the whole scene; this is why ‘f8 and be there’ is so widely referenced. If you do want to highlight a subject, then use a shallow depth of field. This technique is often applied when taking Street Portraits. The image below was shot at f1.8. The background would be quite distracting if I did not throw it out of focus. If you want the background blurred, then it is usually best to get it right in camera!
Over-sharpened images
Ever seen an image that has been sharpened so much your eyes feel punctured just looking at it. Sharpening, clarity, and texture are all tools that can help your image pop by adding contrast around the lines within a photo. Too much sharpening introduces problems, including digital noise, haloing, and an unreal look to the final image.
Selective colour
I have tried to find some examples where this is done well. However, it just is not my cup of tea. Steven Spielberg got away with it in Schindler’s List. Colour grade, by all means, but a red balloon in a B+W image had been done to death.
Too much contrast
Two different edits. I’m hoping most people will prefer the image on the right! The black and white version loses detail in both the highlights and the blacks.
High contrast black and white can look fantastic, but using the technique will not turn a bad photograph into a fantastic image. Cameras can capture incredible detail, sometime you need to embrace the grey areas and leave the details in. Make sure you do not blow the highlights of the whites in an image.
Not getting it right in camera
Photos are often over-processed to try and camouflage a poorly captured image. This rarely works, instead try to think of editing as a process through which the strengths of an image can be highlighted. Work on improving your craft through practice and study. Try to take a leaf from a documentary photographers book, a genre that allows for very little editing of an image. Lastly, look at some of the Masters of Street Photography, and observe how they have processed their images. The image below is not a documentary photo and would not be accepted by many as Street Photography. I used Photoshop to remove the front end of a white van from the bottom left hand corner. Steve McCurry came under fire for doing this with some of his most famous images.
Apps
There are dozens of programs available to edit a photo, and there are even more apps available for our phones. Processes which required technical editing skills with Photoshop are can now be applied with a finger swipe, and it easy overdo an edit. Look at building a support network of friends who will give you honest feedback, don’t feel that getting a dozen likes verifies editing choices!
Of course, feel free to disagree, or to add your own pet hate.
Take care and keep clicking, Chris.
5 Pieces of Street Photography Advice You Should Ignore.
Posted on March 4, 2020
Street Photographers are not known for their reserve. We are happy to give advice on gear, framing and technique. But I believe the best photographers are those who also seek advice and look to learn from others. But not all advice is equal, and some ideas are outdated, narrow minded, or just plan wrong. In this article I am going to go question some of the advice that has almost become folklore in Street Photography, and pose the question, is it time to move on?
Angalamman Festival
Posted on February 27, 2020
A Festival of Pain
The Angalamman Festival is held Kaveripattinam, a smalll town in Tamil Nadu. On the day after Maha Shivratri, the festival sees tens of thousands of people from the town converge to worship the deity Angalamman. Obviously, this was not a festival to be missed, and I knew from the start it would be a special event to photograph. Shiva had one night to sleep, and things were going to get wild when he awoke.
Portrait Competition
Posted on February 5, 2020
This month LensCulture is running a portrait photography competition. There are only a few ‘pay to play’ photo competitions I will participate in, but LensCulture is one of the best. At $35 for 5 photo entries, I thought it would be worth delving into the archives and selecting my strongest images. For a photo to be a winner, it really needs to be a little quirky and have that something extra. Today I am going to share the images I shall be entering, and discuss a little of the back story behind each photograph.
The Cobbler
My Favourite Street Photo’s of 2019
Posted on January 5, 2020
Without further ado and very few words, here are my favourite Street Photos of 2019…
KR Market Re Visited
Posted on September 25, 2019
KR Market in Bangalore remains one of my favourite local photography locations. At first glance, the market appears an area of complete chaos. However, scratch under the surface and there is a structure that supports multiple industries, individuals and businesses. Many of my photographs are headshots, but recently I have been working on creating images that tell a bigger picture.
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