Thursday, 22 March 2012

Wedding: Adam & Serena

The Oriental Mandarin Dhara Devi is an amazing place for a wedding. Set in 60 acres in Chiang Mai, it's all spires, wood and ancient stone. It contains two full areas of rice paddy and has the gentlest morning alarm - a man on a white buffalo plays a flute whose notes float across the rice fields and into your sleeping ears.

Adam and Serena had an open-air wedding ceremony on the main terrace, followed by a traditional Thai tea ceremony. In the evening, Thai dancers entertained the wedding party between dinner courses.

Many thanks to Aidan for flying me over there to help with the photography. And congratulations to Adam and Serena and their families. Thanks to them also for the Flaming Lamborghini which topped the night off!

Monday, 20 February 2012

Toning Thailand

Tis February, the month of my photographic anniversary and therefore when my calendar begins. To celebrate - in a very sensible, sober way - I have been processing some photos (a few of which are from my new Canon 7D, a present to myself) from a recent trip to Thailand using some Lightroom presets that I gifted myself. In the past I think I've used presets a total of three times, preferring instead to adjust each level personally. Today I unwrapped my presents and played with my new toys. Like any good child, I played with them a bit too much and now feel exhausted yet becalmed. Here are some of the results, some processed using presets (some free, some bought), some not, randomly stitched together.

Monday, 6 February 2012

Thailand: Koh Samet and Bangkok

These shots are from a trip to Thailand at the end of last year. Alas I didn't have my camera in my hand luggage on the way there so unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the floods from the air though, take my word for it, it was one of the most visually surreal things these eyes have seen. Water stretching to every horizon and not much poking out of it. Coming in to land over the sea and then over the land which was indistinguishable from the sea. Bangkok was dry but sandbagged in anticipation of the water's arrival. Koh Samet was a small, dry, sun-soaked oasis away from the troubled mainland.

Thursday, 8 April 2010

Wat Bang Phra

Outtakes from the Wat Bang Phra Tattoo Festival. Trances, animal spirit possessions, screaming, running full pelt, covered in holy tattoos, praying, getting doused with water, more screaming, slithering like a snake along the ground. Standard stuff for a festival, Thai-style.

Monday, 18 January 2010

Veg

My photos from the phuket vegetarian festival 2009 are up here. Amazing festival that I'd go to every year if I could.