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 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
West of the River: Photography in Bangkok’s Rain
Posted on October 28, 2025
A storm brings photographic opportunities
It is fair to say that I did not get far on this photoshoot. In fact, the pic was captured less than 10 minutes from my front door in the Bang Khae district of Bangkok. I thought the evenings photography was ruined and ducked into a bus shelter to keep dry. The road is always busy, and I could not resist capturing images of people on passing busses, who looked so enigmatic in the pouring rain.
This is part of a developing project, loosely titled ‘West of the River’ and fits with the topic of movement. I wonder what else I can find this side of the Chao Phraya River. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section!
Keep Clicking, Chris
Exploring Chang Mai with the M.Zuiko 14-42mm Lens
Posted on October 19, 2025
Injury!
I have just returned from a week visiting Chang Mai, in Northern Thailand. My last visit was over 30 years ago, so unsurprisingly the city has changed a lot. A recent leg injury from an ill-advised game of football meant I could not explore to the degree I would have liked and required light packing. To keep weight down for this trip I chose my OM-5, mainly paired with my rarely used M. Zuiko 14-42 kit lens. For low light conditions I had the M.Zuiko 17mm, 1.8. One benefit of this setup is that it can be taken on board a plane as carry on, assuming not too much else is pushing the 7kg weight limit. Kit lenses are not known for their sharpness or contrast, so I was looking forward to how my images would look.
The M.Zuiko 14-42mm
This lens is incredibly small and light. It does not match the more pro lenses but holds its weight during day light hours. The full frame equivalent of this lens would be 28 – 84mm, so it works well for landscapes and portraits. The aperture is variable and opens within the ranges of 3.5 – 5.6, so will not capture beautiful creamy bokeh when taking headshots. The flip side of this is that it is easy to make sure everything is in focus! Digital Camera World has gone so far as to name this piece of kit, ‘the best pancake lens ever’.
Projects
Having a new country and home means there are new photography projects, and at the moment old cars are one of my ‘things’. In between visiting the many temples in Chang Mai, I found this rather nifty looking Volkswagen Beetle. The image is plenty sharp enough and helps cement the 14-42’s place in my camera bag. It is worth noting that the lens has an electronic zoom, which is not something I generally love as they tend to be slower to operate than their mechanical alternatives. Having an electronic zoom is one way the weight is kept to a minimum.
Conclusion
This lens will continue to be a favourite travel partner. It weights almost nothing and is one of the smallest lenses I own. It has a wide focal length, meaning it can shoot wide or close up, which in this instance may have saved my damaged leg from too much moving around. It struggles in low light, thus requiring a high ISO which leads to noisy images, admittedly, this is something that can be fixed to some extent in post-production.
So, if you are like me and have held your kit lens in low regard, you may wish to dust if off and give it another try. If you have an unsung hero in your camera bag I would love to hear about it in the comments below.
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
Exploring Hidden Peanut Oil Factory in Daya Baya
Posted on November 1, 2024
A well-hidden location
Unbeknown to many passersby, the little door in the photo below opens up to a very small factory in Daya Baya, China. Inside this shed batches of peanut oil are lovingly crafted. The location was given away by the sweet smell of roasting peanuts. Getting access to locations is one key element to ‘getting photos that others can’t’ (which, incidentally, is the name of a rather good photography book). These images are part of a series of photos that I am gathering whilst exploring the area surrounding Park Lane Harbour on my bike.
Light is everything
Getting the light right for this photo shoot was quite a challenge, as the midday sun was streaming through the windows of the shed. This was counterbalanced with a small studio light that I had brought along and a little magic in post-production!
Nothing is lost. The shells of the peanuts are used as fuel in the roasting process. The husks of the spent peanuts are crushed and used for animal food.
Its all changed…
As I write this post, I am noticing that LOTS of things on WordPress have changed, and it has not made writing things any easier. Maybe at some point I will come back and write more about this photo shoot, but for now, the images can speak for themselves! Maybe I should have included the final photo, where the last of the peanuts were washed down with a cold beer!
Take care and keep clicking, Chris
Capturing Rice Harvest: A Photographer’s Adventure
Posted on October 23, 2024
My trusty OlympusOM5 ii remains tucked into the saddle bag of my bike and I am always on the look out for things of interest to photograph. I was fortunate enough to come across a family that cleans rice using a small operation in a shed outside their property. Whilst I was there they were also producing coconut oil. I felt right in my element, even though the lighting was less than perfect.
I could have spent all day taking photos flying out of the cleaning process, whereby the smaller bits of waste are blasted out by a jet of air. This shot required some additional lighting and a fast shutter speed. I was fortunate to have a cycling partner willing to plug in and hold the lighting gear for me!
Harvesting Season
Harvesting season is upon us, so at the moment there are strips of rice drying on the side of the road and machines gathering the rice from the fields. Hopefully I will have time to head out early in the morning to capture some more photos of this quite spectacular site. Obviously, more spectacular in the early morning light!
And next?
And the next set of photos should be of the peanut oil processing, although the photos will not reveal the heady smell that wafted from the factory shed. I can however tell you that the freshly roasted peanuts went will with an ice cold beer! Pics to follow. Now to cook a biriyani…
Take care and keep clicking,
Chris
OM System 0m-5
Posted on May 10, 2024
Photographing Hong Kong
During a recent visit to Hong Kong, I accidentally purchased a new Olympus camera! Strictly speaking, this is an OM System Camera, as Olympus sold the branch of their company manufacturing photography gear. This new camera is an upgrade to the Olympus OM-5 Mark 3. This was not a completely random purchase, as my smaller ‘travel camera’ died. What I wanted was something small, light, weatherproof, and with all the bells and whistles of a DSLR. I have owned an Olympus camera in the past, so will ‘OM Systems’ live up to my high expectations?
A Travel Camera
After purchasing this camera, there were a few days to explore the island, and like any self-respecting tourist, I started by capturing images of the famous tram system. Sitting at the front of the tram with a window open and a camera in my hand put me in my happy spot. Out of the 100 images taken, this was my favourite. I was already enjoying the freedom this lightweight camera offered.
The rain dealt a deathly blow to my planned itinerary of exploring Hong Kong’s hills. The OM-5 is weatherproof and may have coped with the downpours. However, a certain Ms. Pagespics is not so weather-resistant, so instead we headed to the M+ Art Gallery, featuring a rather splendid Black and White photography exhibition. If the likes of Fan Ho and Ansel Adams can’t get your fingers twitching for the shutter button, then nothing will.
Check out the link for pics and details!
https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/exhibitions/noir-blanc-a-story-of-photography/
A New Learning Curve
This camera has a small sensor and ‘only’ 20 million pixels. To compensate it has a number of tricks up its sleeve. It has ‘pixel shift’ technology, which means it can work magic to take a 50 million pixel shot. This is not new, but OM Systems claim that you can achieve this handheld. In addition, it has built in ND filters, which should help me capture images during bright daylight hours, and to create long exposure shots. Clearly the computational power of smart phone cameras is starting to be embraced by camera manufacturers.
What next?
My break has ended, and I am now back at Huizhou in China. Huizhou does not quite have the dynamic street photography opportunities offered by Hong Kong (although perhaps I need to explore the towns more!). What it does have are coastal tracks and rice paddies, which I have been exploring on my bicycle. Travel and portability are the main reasons for my purchase. The OM5 fits into my front cycle pannier perfectly, with enough room for a couple of extra prime lenses.
If you are looking for a reasonably priced camera for travel, why not check out the EM-5? It is certainly not perfect, but when it comes to exploring it appears to be the right tool for the job.
Take care and keep clicking, Chris
Full Camera review on DP Review below…
Park Lane Harbour
Posted on August 8, 2023
A New Chapter…
My travel photography has returned to China. I am a long way from the previous location spent here, when I lived in Shanghai. This time I find myself at Park Lane Harbour, a relatively quiet holiday area in Daya Bay, close to Shenzhen. Street photography is once more on the cards. However, the ‘street’ in this case will often be the local beach.
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