Dispatches From The Front Line

[Billions 687]

A few hundred randomly sequenced photographs of Pattaya from my just ended two week exploration.

 

I'll load in groups of ten,as time permits. Should be a few hundred good 'uns to show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sparkydave 7]

good shots

[Fornicator 106]

Nice random shots of Pattaya!!!!

[Billions 687]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billions 687]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[veill 195]

nice , will check this thread often !

Frank

[Billions 687]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[capdagde 1,954]

Stunning - massive talent, great eye, skill in adjusting the equipment and that smidgen of shutter luck that creates a "human study" out of every image - I was going to knock you for calling it the "front line" before seeing the pics but I'm sure you would get similar "can't just glance" shots at the real front line... maybe you've been there. Like the anonymous back shots too... puddles and wet add a great "it's not perfect" effect too.

 

I'm looking and thinking "let's look at everyone in the photo", "What's he/she thinking".... "how does she feel".... etc etc etc. +1 is all that's possible.

 

Love it

 

Andy

 

P.S. might be randomly sequenced but nothing random that I can see - fantastic eye with (I assume) nothing really "set-up".

Edited August 7, 2012 by capdagde

[MM 6,562]

Very good stuff, Billions.

[BigusDicus 9,880]

I agree with Andy. The only thing that would make me appreciate more would be if you PM'd me the 'blondish' babe in the second to last pics phone #.

[Billions 687]

Thank you all!

 

Blown away by your comments,AC.

 

It's not easy photographing on Walking Street....a chunky camera attracts a lot of attention,and its often negative. People using camera phones and small compact cameras are left to it,but anything substantial round your neck gets aggressive demands to stop,or compensation "requests" of 100 baht for any picture. Then there are the gobshites in bars with lazer pointers who think its ok to shine it at you just because you look like you might be working for the media....

 

Of course,there's the bizarre location to take into account....photographing in any red light district anywhere in the world is traditionally verboten,and the cast of characters usually consists of ner-do-wells and street criminals...not a healthy mix. These guys really dont want a camera pointing in their direction.

 

The lighting is variable.....there's little of interest in Walking Street during the day unless beer deliveries are your thing,so its at night when the creatures stream into view and extreme neon colours flood WS like a huge multicoloured canyon....but the most difficult component is the fast moving rivers of people flowing up,down and into the street at any given moment. An interesting subject is almost immediately blotted out by fresh bodies surging inbetween you and them. And because of the nature of the nightlife,it is impossible to get people to assent to a photograph being taken,so everything has to be stolen,or taken without consent.

 

A fast lens is necessary,as people move in and out of focus in a nanasecond.Its that second where you have to strike.

 

Sometimes,its a miracle that I ended up with any worthwhile pictures at all,such are the associated difficulties. But I think I managed it.

 

Adelante!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Montydog 135]

Nice shots Billions really captures the place “warts and all” I wonder why you placed these two pictures after each other 55555

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billions 687]

MD....hehehe.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billions 687]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kev 178]

As said before excellent pics that grasp the situation perfectly.

 

Excellent eye for the nature shots and good taste in eye candy.

[kuranda_bagman 135]

Awsome photos - Many thanks

[bigdelta 46]

Adelante indeed!Excellent collection and considering where they were taken,that is above & beyond.

[keyman 1,413]

Great pics, Billions.

The thing about WS is that you have a virtually unlimited and always changing supply of things/people to snap!!

 

 

 

Keyman

[9cisco999 107]

Well done.

 

 

 

Thank you.

[Idefix 2,275]

Nice pics Billions.

I could be on Walking Street every day but I like to look at this kind of picture. Everythings go too fast on WS while here you can take your time and look at some details you can't easily see otherwise.

 

I like the Happy group parades/defiles like on the 5th picture from the end. Agogo of this group regularly send a group of (usually) good looking dancers make a short dance-show is some of their other agogos. You often see them between10pm and midnight and can be the oportunity to spot a nice lady. They are in blue when from The Beach (last picture), in green from Pepermint, in black from Bacara, in white from Happy and in brown/gold from The Cavern.

[Billions 687]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billions 687]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Billions 687]

Great pics, Billions.

The thing about WS is that you have a virtually unlimited and always changing supply of things/people to snap!!

 

 

 

Keyman

 

 

Keyman,you are right.....the flow of human activity is relentless.....people surging everywhere!

 

There are only so many buildings and signs to see,its the human aspect that changes minute by minute.The problem is capturing it....there arent many elevated positions on WS that aren't interrupted by wires,signs or canopies,so you need to be at street level,mixed in with the fast moving people.

 

Using a flash would be brilliant...it would ensure cleaner images,reduce motion blur and help achieve a fast focus.....but also would attract unwanted attention....so there are many lost opportunities.

 

A fraction of a second can change a well composed image into something less than desirable. Such is Walking Street......here's an example.......

 

 

 

 

[cannonball83204 78]

Super job Billions, love your pics. Makes me miss WS even more than usual. Keep it up, it is greatly appreciated.

 

CB

[Billions 687]