Street vendor in the back streets of China Town, Bangkok, Thailand. © www.thomaspickard.com

If you haven’t seen it yet, head over to The Atlantic’s In Focus and check out the gallery titled Thailand Floods Pass Their Peak.

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One of these images hit a home run, being licensed for $1,000 US. It was used as a double page spread in a travel book.

If you think you can pick which image it was, then leave your choice in the comments section on my Facebook page.

Late afternoon light filters through coconut palms near Dalawela Sri Lanka, on the 6 August 2006. © www.thomaspickard.com

Guests at Kuredu Resort taking first time scuba diving lessons in the lagoon, Kuredhdhoo Island, Lhaviyani (Faadhippolhu) Atoll, Maldives, on the 9 March 2007. The Maldives is a world renowned scuba diving destination. © www.thomaspickard.com

The famous Petronas Twin Towers at night, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 22 May 2010. © www.thomaspickard.com

People buying Thai street food, Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand, on the 11 October 2010. © www.thomaspickard.com

Charter boats docked at an island, Halong Bay, Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam, on the 8 December 2010. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage listed site and is comprised of 1600 limestone islands. The spectacular sceney makes for a popular tourist destination. © www.thomaspickard.com

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‘What type of photography do you do?’

And while this is a fair question, I always have difficulties answering it. I feel as if I say I’m a ‘travel photographer’, then that is what I’ll be remembered as, yet I shoot so much more than just travel photography. There is little in the photographic world that I won’t photograph given the inclination and / or a photo assignment. The bottom line is this: I enjoy the visual challenge of photography.

Case in point: Late last year I received an email from my Photo Editor for Bangkok Airways magazine asking if I was available to photograph a pre-determined list of buildings for a feature story on historical buildings. While I don’t brand myself as an architectural photographer, I didn’t say no. Instead I said ‘yes’, thinking this would be a real change of pace for me.

As any architectural photographer will tell you, it really helps having a tilt-shift lens. It just so happens that I have one, as I often get jobs to photograph exteriors and interiors of buildings and resorts (but don’t peg me as an architectural photographer). In short, these lens’ help correct perspective and lens distortion. They are a speciality lens with a price tag to match.

The final feature was published in the January issue of Bangkok Airways Fah Thai Magazine. Though I was hoping for more published images, it is always good to see photos printed as full page shots. Love the clean, simple layout of Fah Thai magazine too.

Go With the Flow, Bangkok Airways Magazine. Photos © www.thomaspickard.com

Go With the Flow, Bangkok Airways Magazine. Photos © www.thomaspickard.com

Go With the Flow, Bangkok Airways Magazine. Photos © www.thomaspickard.com

Go With the Flow, Bangkok Airways Magazine. Photos © www.thomaspickard.com

Related Posts:

Published in Bangkok Airways Magazine – Artist Hassan Shameem

Published in Jetstar Asia Magazine – Bohemian Rhapsody

Published in Issue One of Island Aviation Vara Magazine

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Expect new posts from next week, complete with fresh new imagery from Vietnam.

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Photographing Bangkok Street Food for Fah Thai Magazine

This was a short assignment I was sent on in October for Bangkok Airways Fah Thai Magazine.

The brief was simple: head to China Town in Bangkok, photograph a variety of dishes and more importantly, capture some street scenes of people eating, which reflect the China Town experience.

I love these types of assignments. And I knew the type of street food scene I was after. All I had to do was find it!

It took me 3 1/2 hours of walking all over China Town, but I eventually stumbled across the scene I had visualised in my mind – except it was better in real life. It was better because the foot path was so narrow there wasn’t space for the normal street stall tables. Instead, people just sat on their little chairs and ate from the bowl in their hands. The worn, faded green backdrop of the building is just so China Town for me.

It was great to see this photo run in the final version of the article, which you can read online at this link: Bangkok Street Food in Fah Thai November 2010 issue.

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Portrait of Nat Prakobsantisuk, Bangkok Thailand for Bangkok Airways Fah Thai Magazine.

In early October I received an email from the Art Director at Fah Thai Magazine asking me to go and photograph Nat Prakobsantisuk. The brief was to produce a variety of portraits on location with ample copy space for the text that would accompany the photo.

Due to a very full schedule, I didn’t do what I usually do before arriving at a shoot – namely, doing some research about my subject.

On the day of the shoot, I travelled out to Brain Studios in the suburbs surrounding Bangkok. Nat was yet to turn up, so I spent 20-minutes scouting the location for possible back drops. When Nat turned up and we introduced ourselves, I asked him what he did. Nat gave me a quizzical look and replied ‘I’m a Fashion Photographer’.

Nat’s response jogged my memory as to where I had seen his name before – as a contributing photographer on the mast head of Travel & Leisure SE Asia magazine.

Okay, so no pressure. I’m just photographing one of Bangkok’s leading fashion photographers.

Despite this new found knowledge, I stuck to my game plan and within 15-minutes had taken multiple shots of Nat in three different locations around Brain Studios.

Though I had my on-location lights with me and Nat had generously offered me use of any equipment in his studio, I ended up shooting with available light. I think this surprised Nat as on two occasions he asked ‘are you sure you don’t want to use some of my lights?’.

Nat is the first photographer that I’ve photographed for an assignment and in all honestly, I’m not sure who was more nervous. In the end I was really happy that I stuck with the way I wanted to photograph Nat and though I had lights, I decided not to use them.

A big thank you to Nat for his time and in helping me move people, tables and chairs for the final image, which was published in the November edition of Bangkok Airways Fah Thai Magazine.

See Nat’s work at his site - Nat Prakobsantisuk

See more outtakes of this portrait shoot  - People | Nat Prakobsantisuk

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Street vendor, China Town, Bangkok Thailand.

BTS and The King, Bangkok Thailand.

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A few non-assignment favourites.

People exiting a train in the Bangkok underground, Thailand.

Street vendor outside 7-Eleven, Bangkok, Thailand.

Crabs for sale, China Town Bangkok, Thailand.

Waiting for food, China Town Bangkok Thailand.

Jewelry shop, China Town Bangkok Thailand.

Man reading map, underground Bangkok Thailand.

Related Posts:

Bangkok Markets Take II

Bangkok Street Fruit

Floating Through the Markets

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I went with the group to the Snake Farm and though I was occupied with my interactions with the participants, I did manage to take some photographs.

The highlight for me was when the snake handler pulled out this huge Burmese Boa snake for people to handle. The snake is harmless and didn’t seem to mind the attention. Whether you love or hate snakes, they really are beautiful animals.

If you are visiting Bangkok, make sure you visit the Thai Red Cross Snake Farm. It is the second largest snake farm in the world and is a major supplier of anti-venom. The staff are very friendly and they have a snake show most days including two great walk through displays. Make sure you bring your camera!

Snake handler and a cobra, Bangkok, Thailand.

Burmese Boa Snake, Bangkok, Thailand.

Burmese Boa snake, Bangkok, Thailand.

Snakes on display at the Snake Farm, Bangkok, Thailand.

Toy snakes for sale, Bangkok, Thailand.

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Like all commercial shoots, a lot of time goes into pre-production. There are meetings with the client, the creative agency, the creation of a shoot schedule, liaison with Hansar’s site contact for our access requirements, styling requirements etc… A successful pre-production phase really helps ensure that on the day, everyone knows what is happening, when it is happening and what is needed on location.

The images have already been used by Hansar in the hotels listing in the Small Luxury Hotels of The World web site. I’ve included some selects from our 12-hour shoot day below:

Screen grab from the Small Luxury Hotels of the World web site.

Hansar Hotel Bangkok, Thailand.

Hansar Hotel Bangkok, Thailand.

Hansar Hotel Bangkok, Thailand.

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