Ploy

This is an image taken on the young and lovely Thai model, Ploy, who Steve McCurry called his "new muse"!
It was taken last Sunday at the Jim Thompson Thai House & Museum, an easy afternoon, and a very casual environment.  I have in the past worked with Ploy for some commercial works and thought it might be good if she is to be photographed by the master, so the arrangement is made, although just a rather short session.
Steve McCurry was obvious impressed and inspired by Ploy and needless to say Ploy was thrilled.  Afterall, on the catwalk or in front of camera in studio or location for commercial work is a total different experience compare to shot by an internationally known portrait master whose works graced the cover of National Geography and other publishing for countless times.
Not prepare to shoot for this particular time but I have a Sony NEX-5 with me so while Ploy was taken a short rest, I took this snapshot!

Revolution of pixels

Even long before the birth of digital capture, many would find people using the high magnification loop to find the grains on the slide or negative films, but only to observe it than to alter it.

Today, with high definition digital capture, whoever has a computer can peek into the single pixel to find fault, or sometimes wonder, and has the ability to alter it, in almost just any way imaginable.

Contrary to common sense, not all alternation is to improve the quality – at least in scientific terms, often, it is to degrade the image in some ways so it has a different visual presentation that make the image closer to art.  Art is a very abstract term, most don’t get it, but if an image was made and manipulated in ways that defy common sense, it somehow made the image closer to art, by common sense? A paradox?

Shot with Sony NEX-5 on the lovely young Russian, Nailya, reminds me of Scarlett Johansson, with short hair.

Gold Fish

This shot is made at the beautiful Kamalaya Resort, Samui, Thailand, with Phase One P45 on my beloved Alpa 12 SWA attached with the rare Carl Zeiss Biogon 38mm.
The little lotus pond is nicely lit by the sunlight, I positioned myself lower to almost leveled with the surface of the water to reach the composition I want, as well as to get better reflection.  All of sudden, while I was settling down the final composition I saw the small gold fish jumped above the water, and in that instant, I quickly press the cable release and get this image, out of luck!

Elephant

The largest land animal now living, elephant, once said by Aristotle that "the beast which passeth all others in wit and mind".  Elephants are a symbol of wisdom in Asian culture.   

Given its size, however, elephant is one of the most friendlier animal to man, it portraits a sense of peace and calm, attracts people to get close rather than overwhelm by its size. 

This shot is taken on the last day of 2010, in Chiangmai, Thailand, using Canon 5DII + EF 24-105/4L.

Live in the past of time

This image, also taken at the beautiful Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiangmai, Thailand, recently voted among the few very best hotels in the world.  Curtesy of Mrs. Suwanmonkol, the owner of the estate who grace on this image, over looking the expanse of hotel estate, with the lovely and beautifully colonial style residence, available as free-hold purchase with Mandarin Oriental service and management.  Living within the property gives the sense of past, in a calm, charm and comfort atmosphere while all the modern amenity at disposal.

The shot was made in almost sunset time, with Canon 5DII + TS-E 17/4L.

Portrait of a master

I spent a few days holiday during X'amd and New Year at the beautifully, out-of-this-world Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiangmai, and again have the chance to meet perhaps one of the greatest photographer of our time, Steve McCurry, and took chance to make an interview with him on behalf of an editor in Chinese Photography, one of the most prestigious and best photography monthly magazine in the world, and took this image shortly after the interview to use on the magazine.

The shot was made in a beautiful restaurant inside the hotel, with ambient light.  I met Mr. McCurry last year also in this hotel, thanks to the kind arrangement of the modest owner of Dhara Dhevi, Mr. Suchet Suwanmonkol. Mr. McCurry is a wonderful person to be with, generous, thoughful, and of course, always with a camera on hand.

The interview with Steve McCurry is a coming feature in Chinese Photography, along with a lauch of Steve McCurry's coming new book, a limited edition bublished by Phaidon, "Steve McCurry, THE ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHS",  I have the honor to reveiw the press proof of the book with Mr. Mccurry, a beautiful printed book, collector's choice!
I also spent a few days shooting with Mr. McCurry, wihtout doubt, some of the ebst time I spent in photography!