Thantip is a super kind person working as a real estate agent in Bangkok. Beside her fulltime job she’s also doing modeling and she agreed to take some time for a portrait session while I was there. We started just before sunset to get some daylight but the idea was mainly to use all the electric lights coming from the streets, the cars, the shops etc. I also decided not to carry heavy gear because the temperature was high, so I left for the shooting with just a camera and no extra lights.
We walked the streets taking pictures almost everywhere, Bangkok is a real life studio, backgrounds, lighting, it just make your life easier, you don’t set up your shot… the city set it up for you, just don’t miss it and take the shot.
We walked the streets taking pictures almost everywhere, Bangkok is a real life studio, backgrounds, lighting, it just make your life easier, you don’t set up your shot… the city set it up for you, just don’t miss it and take the shot.
We talked a lot about how is life in Bangkok how so many persons pull it out to work and live together.
In our conversation I remember her mentioning the way foreigners look at locals, I didn’t get it first but she was explaining me that she got used to be stared at even if that’s not something always comfortable.
Anyway, we finished dinner and went back to the city for more portraits… I followed my guides through the streets and bars until we ended up in a club called Space999, Thantip told me the interior design was really nice but it was actually closed… except I pushed the door and it wasn’t locked….so I couldn’t resist to get a peek inside, that’s how I met Pop, a really cool guy working as the head bartender of the club.
He asked me what I was doing and where I come from... while I was apologizing for getting in the club with my backpack and camera, he smiled at me and told me I could actually shoot whatever I wanted, the club was empty and if I wanted to do some shooting with Thantip, the place was mine.
I was like “O.K. best opportunity ever”!
I was like “O.K. best opportunity ever”!
So we spent some time shooting there while Pop was serving us some shots before inviting us to another club that was actually open this time and very very nice… I had to bring Pop’s attention on me… jeans's short, sneakers, t-shirt, backpack, camera? Do I look like someone dress to go in a club to you? His answer: “no worries...”… and indeed Pop is never wrong... I ended up having a drink with Thantip, Arita and Pop in one of the nicest club of Sukhumvit while all the foreigners around us were probably wondering how the hell did that stupid guy with his camera got in in the first place.
I left my new friends to enjoy their night, I was exhausted and left the club, Thantip offered to pay for my cab but I wanted to walk the streets. It took me a bit more than an hour to get back home and on my way I met two guys tagging some “I wanna Bangkok” on the streets walls… like I said… subjects are everywhere, you just need to have your camera with you.
UPDATE I got an email from these guys after publishing this story:
"Actually it means a lot to us that night, it was our first date and it was our first time doing IwannaBangkok© graffiti and now 4 months have gone by, IwannaBagnkok© grown a lot as a campaign. ;)"
Check out their page here http://www.facebook.com/iwannabangkok/
"Actually it means a lot to us that night, it was our first date and it was our first time doing IwannaBangkok© graffiti and now 4 months have gone by, IwannaBagnkok© grown a lot as a campaign. ;)"
Check out their page here http://www.facebook.com/iwannabangkok/
Probably one of the most interesting night in Bangkok.
Thanks to Thantip, Arita and Pop for that unexpected night. Hope you’ll enjoy the pictures.
