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Unseen sides of Bangkok

Cedric Arnold

Photographer from England

Bangkok never bores me visually,
there’s always something that seemed familiar ready to
surprise you and offer itself to you in a different way.

This is probably partly because I have used and continue to use every possible kind of format to document this city of extreemes,
from large format to panoramic, 6x6, polaroid and 35mm trying something new is always of interest to experiment and find new perspectives.

After documenting my neighbourhood with a 14mm lens last time around and seeing things completely differently,
way wider than I had ever before, it was time to try my hand at documenting life in a favourite little cluster of Chinatown with a TSE lens this time.

zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/400 sec
ISO 100
EXPOSURE Normal
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/200 sec
ISO 800
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

I’ve used large format cameras
for many years and am familiar with
camera movements from a bellows system to
shot architecture and create special affects.

zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/250 sec
ISO 400
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

I find using a 4x5 camera to be a very enjoyably slow and almost meditative process that is the antidote to the fast paced shooting of my assignment work, where speed is of the essence.

I had actually never used a TSE lens prior to this project and after taking the lens out for a first walk quickly wondered if I had gone completely mad to venture out to shoot street scenes, documentary style with such a lens!

This definitely had to be the hardest lens ever to use for street photography, due to the need for precise focus when tilting and also how that effects the metering. I can see why one uses the TSE lenses for a slower type of photography. I had to accept that many images that I usually capture very fast would not really be possible this time and I had to take my time.

This forced me to slow down and take a look at the neighbourhood in different ways. I wanted to play more with texture and contrast so I opted for monochrome this time looking for interesting ways to isolate elements. This is very much a return to my roots here. As colourful as Bangkok is I have always, ever since my first visit in 1999 been attracted to documenting it in black and white, especially in more “gritty” areas of the city, where texture stands out so much more than colour.

zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/50 sec
ISO 2500
EXPOSURE Multi-Segment
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

I spent a lot of time walking in the small streets and alleyways of Talat Noi, an area between the Chao Praya river and Bangkok’s Chaorenkrung road.

It’s a fascinating area loaded with history.

zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/4000 sec
ISO 400
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

Charoenkrung road was originally
built in the 1860’s upon request of
foreign consuls to connect embassies
and riverside trading companies to
Bangkok’s city centre.

The road, then known as Thanon Mai (new road) was for many years the capital’s main thoroughfare. In the 1890’s a tram line was introduced, which was eventually decommissioned in 1963. As business interests shifted to other areas of the city, Charoen Krung saw a decline in activity and many buildings were left unused.

While the neighbourhood is going through many changes the side streets are as authentic as ever and full fascinating activity. Walks through Talad Noi’s little alleyways turn into adventures through a time warp, so incredibly far removed from the noise and bustle of Sukhumvit.

And for me these walks always turn into conversations with locals, market vendors, street food vendors, monks from the many local temples and metal workshop workers too, many of whom I know personally now after chatting so many times. This is a big part or what makes the area so fascinating, old traditional shop houses in every little street are filled with car parts, from old chassis to whole engines to engine parts, huge piles of break pads, bolds and everything that can possibly be salvaged, all being repurposed or collected for the value of the metals. Sparks fly everywhere in the shop houses as workers polish and solder parts together. The smell of engine oil is everywhere in the small alleys. Busy, strong workers carry heavy engine parts from one end of the street to another, as tuk tuks, motorbikes and cars all squeeze through the narrow streets.

zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/80 sec
ISO 400
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/160 sec
ISO 640
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.28
SPEED 1/250 sec
ISO 640
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/640 sec
ISO 500
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

Early in the mornings, monks converge towards the local market
to get their morning alms as parents in a rush shuttle their children on motorbikes
to the local school, picking up street food snacks on the way.

The neighbourhood’s rich history its old shrines, houses and warehouses also give off a kind of magical almost eerie feeling at times, strange little altars and shrines are often found in quiet corners, offerings of sodas and plates of food left to keep evil spirits at bay. Because of the mixed history of the area, Chinese and Therevada Buddhist spiritual traditions are felt everywhere, each Chinese house having an ancestor shrine inside. Behind a row of shop houses away fro the noise of the busy main street, a stone Buddha statue sits high up in a scared banyan tree between abandoned car and a small cluster of slum houses by the river, as if watching over the local residents.

zoom
LENSES XP 14mm F2.4
CAMERA EOS 5D Mark Ⅲ
DIAPHRAGM F1.0
SPEED 1/50 sec
ISO 1000
EXPOSURE Manual
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

Nearby a tattooed local metal worker takes a break overheated from all the heavy work, he tells me his story, he’s from Isaan the North Eastern part of Thailand, and came to Bangkok as a teenager seeking work. “It’s hard work but there’s a great gang of people here, when we’re done with our work, we have drinks by the river in the evening.”

This sort of atmosphere soothes me and the quiet moments of walking around in these neighbourhoods are my way to escape Bangkok’s hectic pace, this city of extremes.

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Samyang’s Guide to Achieving the Optimal Angle of View

The perfect spacing and distance are always necessary when shooting all kinds of subjects, including people, to give them a proper relationship with the beautiful space around them. So, what’s the exact distance that helps you best appreciate a work of art, or a photo?

The correct answer is the diagonal length of the full frame of a subject.

표준화각 자료 이미지
표준화각 자료 이미지

The best standpoint from which to appreciate the full view of a subject is the distance of the diagonal length of the subject frame. This wider angle is superior to standing closer at a 50 degree angle to get a more detailed view. This notion of an ideal distance or view point is also applicable in the world of photography.

For still images, keeping a distance equal to the diagonal length of the full image surface is recommended. The full frame sensor of a digital camera is 36 x 24mm and the diagonal length is 43.26mm so any distance close to this number is nearer to the ideal than the currently accepted industry standard of 50mm.

Back when film cameras were common, 45mm was the industry standard and this continued as reflex cameras needed extra space to fit a mirror. However, as mirrorless cameras become more popular again, there has been a need to return to this industry standard…which is the impetus for the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE. With less distortion than a 35mm lens and wider angles than a 55mm lens, the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE is a perfect lens for portraits, landscapes, architecture photography, and pictures of pets.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

[What is Dolly Shot? How to Shoot Easily]

[What is Dolly shot?]

A dolly shot, also referred to as a tracking shot or trucking shot, is a camera movement technique used by cinematographers to track and follow a subject in motion. To achieve this, the camera is mounted on a device called a "dolly," which facilitates smooth tracking movement. The dolly can move in front of, behind, or alongside the subject, which can be a person, a location, a product, or any other object of focus in the frame. Through this, you can control the emotional distance between the subject and the viewer by highlighting the audiovisual and dramatic effects.

[How to take a Dolly Shot simply by handheld]

Tip. If the moving distance is long, the camera may shake, so please shoot at a focal length between 35 and 100mm.
1. Stand at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 meters away from the subject.
2. Set the custom switch to MF and Mode 3 and adjust the focal length to about 100mm.
3. After focusing on the subject, set the aperture to F8~16.
4. Slowly turn the zoom ring to the left (towards the wide-angle end) while using your upper body and arms to move the camera toward your subject.
5. Dolly Shot complete!
※ When shooting from a farther distance from the subject, use a cart or gimbal for more stable shooting.

DSLR / Full Frame
1D X Mark Ⅱ
1D X
1Ds Mark Ⅲ
1Ds
5DsR
5Ds
5D Mark Ⅳ
5D Mark Ⅲ
6D Mark Ⅱ
6D
DSLR / APS-H
1D Mark Ⅲ
1D
Mirrorless / APS-C
M6
M5
M10
M3
M2
DSLR / APS-S
7D Mark Ⅱ
7D
80D
70D
60D
30D
D60
D30
77D (9000D)
760D (8000D / Rebel T6s)
1300D (Kiss X80 / Rebel T6)
1200D (Kiss X70 / Rebel T5)
200D (Kiss X9 / Rebel SL2)
800D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
700D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
100D (Kiss X7 / Rebel SL1)
650D (Kiss X6i / Rebel T4i)
600D (Kiss X5 / Rebel T3i)
550D (Kiss X4 / Rebel T2i)
500D (Kiss X3 / Rebel T1i)
1000D (Kiss F / Rebel XS)
450D (Kiss X2 / Rebel X냐)
DSLR / Full Frame
D850
D5
D810A
D4S
D810
D750
Df
D610
D4
D800
D800E
D600
D3s
D3x
D700
D3
DSLR / APS-C
D7500
D3400
D500
D5600
D7200
D5500
D3300
D7100
D5300
D5200
D7000
D300s
D300
DSLR / Full Frame
Z6
Z7
D810A
D4S
D750
D810A
DSLR / APS-C
D7200
D500
D3300
D5500
D5600
D3400
D7500

* Cameras released within 5 years from 2019 are tested.

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