Tools of the Trade - 35mm

While in Thailand I scoured every camera shop I came across looking to find something to replace my Canon G9 compact. While the G9 was an excellent travel camera, it was a little hard to use at times. When I wanted more manual control for focus it was a pain. The DSLR cameras available from Nikon, Sony and Canon were hard to pass up, offering every feature I needed and more. The price was good as well making it a simple choice of which manufacturer. That is until I found a shop in Bangkok called Camera Collection.

On entering the shop it was like a treasure trove of metal and polished glass. Hasselblad, Linhof, Leica, Alpa, vintage Canon and Nikon. A place lost in time... a very welcome alternative.
After having a look around and telling myself to think about the convenience of digital, I could not resist a Leica M3 and 50mm f/2.8 Elmar lens.


Built like a tank and a machined to perfection, the M3 has a legendary status. Eddie Siu, the owner was very helpful, understanding and was willing to do a good price. Many Thanks Mr Siu! I have since taken it traveling through Greece and India. A fantastic camera and so nice to use.

Travels in the Land of Smiles :)

I am currently going through the many pictures I took while in Thailand last year. I put this off for a while as the task of going through them all was painful. Looking back now in reflection, it is clear that this was a truly amazing trip. The experience has taught me a few things that is for sure (most importantly, not to trust Tuk Tuk drivers and to avoid the massage with happy ending). Having a camera with you everywhere you go is certainly valuable. I think it lets you become more aware of opportunities and certainly means that you don't loose a shot. It gives you a great excuse to meet people that you would otherwise pass by. After a while it you get really good at finding the best ways to use the camera that your using. You learn all it's quirks and explore it's capabilities. Your camera becomes a partner on the journey!

Here, a resident of Bangkok's China Town, enjoys a meal at a popular noodle vendor.

A traditional puppet show on the streets of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.

Thailand is a fascinating place to visit and photograph. It is a bit of a cliche but everyone was really welcoming and warm. It is the people and this hospitality that stays with me and I hope to show this in my work. The exotic locations, ancient sites and spicy food are memorable but theses all become irrelevant compared to chatting to a monk about global politics, learning how to control an elephant from a Mahout or simply seeing that friendly Thai smile.

I hope to exhibit these pictures very soon and will post more information here. You can see some more from a series called Photography Synthesis by clicking this link.