“Tickle Me!” Photograph

An invitation to tickle that was extremely easy to resist. There are many crusty street dogs in Thailand that have an untouchable aura about them due to mange or attitude but this hairless beast rolling around on the oily cement had both and therefore absolutely no chance of a pat from me.

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Peeping Child” Photograph

Danger! Child on board.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Bugs” Photograph

Any market stall displaying fried silk worms and crickets and bamboo grubs will get a lot interest from tourists. Not necessarily a lot of custom, but at least a lot of interest.

In my experience they all tend to be a bit oily from the cooking and taste of whatever other ingredients have been added.

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Tropical Sun” Photograph

Even in the rainy season when there is more cloud than blue sky the sun in Thailand catches people out with its power. Many visitors discover the need to readjust their activities too late – a holiday sleep-in and late breakfast often leads to sight-seeing in the middle of the day and sunburn. 

Then there are the crazy people who actually come here to sunbathe!

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Mirror Mirror” Photograph

The reflections of people in these large angled mirrors made a fairly obvious subject for a photograph but getting the right angle and timing involved a bit of trial and error. At least in this case that was a possibility as the mirrors were not moving and there were no end of people walking passed them. Street photography doesn’t always offer a second chance like this.

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Four Arms” Photograph

I have posted similar pictures of men standing together with folded arms before. Such repetition or pattern always makes a good photographic subject and in this case I particularly like the way that their arm-folding technique matches so well.

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Windows” Photograph

Dotted around Bangkok are half-finished housing projects or other developments that failed due to financial problems. This one, in an otherwise well-off suburb in the north of the city, was hit by the economic crash in 1997, which has at least given the plants enough time to make a comeback.

The houses actually now make good shelters for the local stray dogs as I found out after taking this photograph and discovering about twenty dog fleas working their way up my legs.

Photograph taken in Muang Ake, Rangsit, Bangkok

“OOF” Photograph

“OOF” is shorthand for ‘out of focus’ or in this case that the focus is not where I hoped it would be. It’s a shame that whilst grabbing a quick shot of this woman trying on a dress as I passed by the autofocus locked onto her rather than her reflection which would have made the photo much better. This is an occupational hazard when shooting from the hip and up close. However, I think it is still an interesting enough picture to make it worth posting.

Photograph taken at “Sunday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Mango Salad Patrol” Photograph

A real community policeman helping out with the shredded unripe mango that will form the basis of a spicy salad. It makes him seem more friendly and approachable and I’m sure the locals know him by name.

Or perhaps he is actually checking for illicit substances.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Numbers Game” Photograph

As gambling is illegal in Thailand the official lottery is a very popular alternative. This man is probably scanning for numbers that have some relevance to him before buying a ticket – perhaps a birthday or car registration or the numbers a monk gave him when he requested them.

A high proportion of the sellers are wheelchair-bound as selling lottery tickets is one of the few jobs available to them.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Leaf Craft” Photograph

This man is a very enthusiastic coconut palm leaf craftsman and it’s nice that he demonstrates his craft at the same time as selling it (which is perhaps a good way of selling it). I also like the way the ends of the leaves are left on as rustic hat tassels.

Also, do you recognise the old lady in the background? She’s always somewhere along the Walking Street markets and features as the title banner for this blog.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Muay Thai Boxing Shorts” Photographs

She has her trousers on underneath, she’s in a very public street market and her face isn’t visible but I still feel a bit awkward about having caught this woman with her shorts down (and then posting the pictures online).

Photographs taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Vanity Scooter” Photograph

This may be overly cynical but I suspect that motorcycle mirrors get used far more for checking personal appearance than they do for road safety purposes.

Photograph taken at Chiang Mai Gate market, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Watermelons” Photograph

A lovely pair of melons but with a reputation of pesticide residues that probably helped preserve them to such a ripe old stage.

This is another photograph that is actually a bit misleading. The way she is holding them out with a pleading look in her eyes almost makes her look desperate to sell. In reality, she was just starting to lay them out for display and only happened to glance up as I walked passed.

Photograph taken at Chiang Mai Gate market, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Chokehold” Photograph

I feel sorry for any boy growing up as an only child and having to beat himself up. Much better to have a brother to practice with.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“In the Land of Giants” Photograph

Without the aid of stereoscopic sight to view this scene, it sometimes looks to me like the tall, thin man on the left is looking down at the woman, which would make her tiny in comparison to him. Perhaps the modern diet really has done wonders for the younger Thai generation’s physique!

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Sexy” Photograph

Each to their own but I think the person inside these clothes has a lot of catching up to do in order to make this a believable statement.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Scarf Color” Photograph

The Chiang Mai street markets always look photographically interesting in late afternoon sunshine and also well after dark when the only illumination is by artificial lighting. However, the twenty minutes or so just after sunset is my favorite time as it produces some lovely lighting combinations between the remaining ambient light and the various street and stall lights.

Unfortunately, as the sun moves faster closer to the equator, this period is brief compared to how it would be at a higher latitude.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Junior Heimlich” Photograph

Nice to see brothers looking after each other but I hope they realise that the Heimlich maneuver should only be used as a last resort after other techniques such as encouraging coughing, drinking water and back-slaps have failed.

I also hope they realise that the Heimlich maneuver is designed as a treatment of choking not as an alternative to it.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Trying to Understand” Photograph

A young boy at the stage before it becomes rude to stare. As the man is a street performer being watched is normal but the boy is clearly not watching the performance, he’s watching the man’s blindness and trying to make sense of it.

He should to talk to the boy from yesterday.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Guidance” Photograph

My first assumption was that the hands are guiding the shoulders but it is actually the other way around. This is a visually-impaired woman being led by an admirably responsible young boy.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Unimpressed” Photograph

Unimpressed by his cool pose she pointedly looks the other way and he casually pretends he doesn’t care anyway. The fact is that without a genuine designer shirt he has no chance.

At least, that’s what the photograph is telling me. Common sense is arguing that they probably didn’t even notice each other – she has just arrived and has her eyes on the market stalls whilst he is only interested in potential customers leaving the market. But I believe the photograph.

Incidentally, I had to search the web to find out what “WHYSL” means. I’m a little disappointed that I now know.

Photograph taken at “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Sprawled” Photograph

My immediate reaction on seeing this man sprawled on the ground was trepidation that he might actually need my help but then the other elements of the scene quickly jumped into place. The flip-flops deliberately laid upside down to one side, the cup of melted leftover ice and the surprisingly precise bed of newspapers.

Trepidation then turned to assumption and relief that he could just be ignored as a Saturday afternoon drunk.

Only then did I remember that I had a camera.

Photograph taken on Nantharam Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Standing Street” Photograph

The interesting thing in this photograph of a Chiang Mai “walking” street is that every single person (including the photographer) is standing still. That’s because it was six o’clock in the evening and the national anthem was being played over loudspeakers.

It’s a good tradition, respected by all, that is only practiced in relatively few public places.

Photograph taken on “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Samlor” Photograph

This picture of a samlor (“three wheeler”) is another example of one of the advantages of using the High Dynamic Range (HDR) technique. Without it the face of the female passenger is very dark and it’s hard to see her features or expression. HDR helps to reveal such details whilst also retaining contrast.

I have heard some street photographers say HDR has no place in street photograph. I don’t agree but will leave my side of the argument for another day.

Photograph taken in Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Perfect Fit” Photograph

This stray dog was so comfortable in its little shelter that it stayed there whoever came and sat on the seat above.

Either that or it was stuck.

Photograph taken at Wat Chedi Luang (temple), Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Toddler on Board” Photograph

Having travelled many times on the back of motorcycle taxis in Thailand and having left many an imprint of my forehead on the back of the rider’s helmet I worry for little girls like this. Any quick braking or less than smooth acceleration and her cute face could take a hard knock. But then, even at this age she is probably already more comfortable and balanced on the back of a bike than I am.

Even so, I would much prefer it if they at least used the ballon as a buffer.

Photograph taken in Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Let There Be Light” Photograph

Keeping it simple with a bare bulb and a piece of string to hold it in place. Somehow a more carefully designed lighting system wouldn’t fit so well with the quick and simple street food on offer.

Photograph taken at Chiang Mai Gate market, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“The Customer is Always Beautiful” Photograph

I’m sure this market stall-holder was being very complimentary about how good the potential customer looked in the blouse but does anyone actually listen to them? Of course we know they want a sale so are going to say how good it looks. Most of the time we just tune them out to the extent that they could actually say anything as long as it’s in the right tone. Would we really notice if they said something like, “A perfect fit for you Sir (if you happen to lose a few pounds)” or “Oh lovely, madame, it makes you look like a horse”?

Perhaps they already do.

Photograph taken at the Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Toad” Photograph

It’s the rainy season. Toads are on the paths and squashed on the roads, frogs are croaking in the puddles and ditches, gone is the harsh singing of the hot season cicadas. The air is clear and the sky is an ever-changing cloudscape. And best of all, I don’t have to water the garden.

 Photograph taken in Bangkok, Thailand

“Who Hangs?” Photograph

It looks like “I hang” but my friend gets the sore neck. Sympathy pains perhaps?

Or could it mean "I hang my friend"?

Photograph taken on “Saturday Walking Street”, Chiang Mai, Thailand