Some Photos: Soi Cowboy Last Night

[RhinoTusk]

Purchased a fast prime lens yesterday and was trying it out on Soi Cowboy last night.

 

[Patna]

Purchased a fast prime lens yesterday and was trying it out on Soi Cowboy last night.

Nice pics, Sir! Would you mind telling us what lens is it and what settings you used? PM?

[RhinoTusk]

It's an AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G. No secret, you can get it out of the file's exif data. All shots were hand held so fast shutter, but it didn't seen to give the best shots with the aperture wide open.

 

But here's some nice bokeh at f/1.6

 

[Patna]

It's an AF-S Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G. No secret, you can get it out of the file's exif data. All shots were hand held so fast shutter, but it didn't seen to give the best shots with the aperture wide open.

 

But here's some nice bokeh at f/1.6

 

That's a beautiful lens indeed. My fav lens is also a 50mm but being a die hard Olympus user, mine is not fast at all. Though about getting the Pana lens but with the new 12-60mm SWG lens in site that would be a unnecessary and a waste of money. I always have trouble with the red and blue neon lights with the nightlife shots but I guess some post production will take care of that as before.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Patna

[Dungheap]

I see the lens is warping the length of some of those "skirts". Shocking!

[Patna]

I see the lens is warping the length of some of those "skirts". Shocking!

My kind of lens

[RhinoTusk]

The f/1.8 is less than half the price. I'll try some portraits this weekend and see if the extra aperture is worth it. Just need to find a thai girl who's not too shy to take her clothes off.

[Patna]

The f/1.8 is less than half the price. I'll try some portraits this weekend and see if the extra aperture is worth it. Just need to find a thai girl who's not too shy to take her clothes off.

Not sure you'll need the extra aperture for da nude :) Nice to have it for the extra light and the bokeh, though...

 

It may not be any better but here is what I've meant earlier(hope you don't mind me messing with it, not much difference at this size anyway but if you shoot raw it may be a world...):

 

 

[RhinoTusk]

Yes, that's an improvement. I'll have to learn more about editing software.

 

Also, I'll try the lens at Nana Car Park at 2;00 AM, much less light but sometimes better than a trip to the zoo.

[js007]

The Nikon 1.8 is a lot cheaper and it's a good lens. With the 1.4, you get a little more speed, but is it worth the cost? Anyway, taking pictures at night can be a lot of fun.

[RhinoTusk]

Between Suzy Wongs, Cowboy 2, and Kiss, the red neon really dominates the center of the block.

Edited August 16, 2013 by RhinoTusk

[jacko]

It seems the taking of pictures is better tolerated on Bangkok's soi Cowboy, than Pattaya's Soi Diamond.

Edited August 17, 2013 by jacko

[python]

It seems the taking of pictures is better tolerated on Bangkok's soi Cowboy, that Pattaya's Soi Diamond.

I had the same thought as I enjoyed the photos posted.

After taking many photos recently, I know the girls do not appreciate having their photo taken! period from Soi6 to WS!

 

Maybe attitude just differs from BKK to Pats. I wonder why?

 

Anyway, thanks for posting and please keep them coming.

 

Regards,

[baht_miser]

Its nice to see Soi Cowboy again. I would like to see the Nana car park as well.

[RhinoTusk]

It seems the taking of pictures is better tolerated on Bangkok's soi Cowboy, that Pattaya's Soi Diamond.

 

Most Welcome Girls will turn their back.

 

 

There are more people around, so it's easier to blend in the crowd and easier to be undetected if you don't use a flash or tripod.

 

 

Some girls don't mind

 

 

Also, some punters don't like it, maybe the one's cheating on their wives? Not to worry, if anyone sees themselves just send me a PM and I'll delete the photo. For a fee, of course.

 

 

 

Its nice to see Soi Cowboy again. I would like to see the Nana car park as well.

 

 

I'm working on it. Had to leave a few nights ago because I was afraid some ladyboys were going to kick my ass.

Edited August 17, 2013 by RhinoTusk

[PattayaPete]

OOOh can I have a go too :-)

 

I have studied color and correcting photos and videos for years. I still suck at it. It is very much a subjective subject but I think the more you do it the better you get. Looking at Patna's correction, he improved the skin tones but ended up with a harsher picture which I did not like. Therefore had to have a go myself.

 

In my version I adjusted all the colors saturation level individually, used a noise reduction filter and sharpened the final result, all in photoshop. Learning color correction can improve you photos remarkably but it's a real rabbit hole than can have you fussing for hours over each pic. As Patna says if you have the RAW image to start with then you can do much better.

 

Anyway here's the result of my fiddling. 1) Original Image. 2) Patna's Correction. 3) My correction.

[CheshireTom]

OOOh can I have a go too :-)

 

Me next!

 

1) Original Image. 2) Patna's Correction. 3) Pete's correction. 4) My correction.

 

​Adjusted in OnOne Perfect Effects Photoshop Plug-in as shown below ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RhinoTusk]

We can have a contest of who can come up with the best fix, and I've been convinced that post-processing is necessary.

[jacko]

Most Welcome Girls will turn their back.

At least there was one beautiful beaming smile in there, but mostly the girls seem to have an unwelcoming 'my shit don't stink look'.....

Was that caused by the camera?

 

How is the friendliness level inside these days?

[VPI78]

It has been a little while since I spent much time in Cowboy but have the prices risen so high that 110 baht draft is a good deal for the suds boys?

 

Memo to self ... bring more money.

[CheshireTom]

We can have a contest of who can come up with the best fix, and I've been convinced that post-processing is necessary.

 

Using the Image > Adjustments > Variations command in Photoshop makes it very easy to achieve a quick fix to remove a colour cast.

 

 

 

 

 

[RhinoTusk]

Thanks for the tip, I'll give that a try. The reds from Suzy Wongs flushes the yellows from Dollhouse across the street.

[RhinoTusk]

 

How is the friendliness level inside these days?

They're very friendly in The Arab's bars if you'll buy a 240 baht lady drink for a Welcome girl that you can't bar fine. But What's Up is still a much bigger rip-off for bill padding, and Soi Cowboy bars haven't yet started substituting Thai whisky for Jack Daniels like they do in some Nana bars.

[js007]

You guys should try shooting in Raw. That way, you make all the adjustments on the computer in the first place, for whatever that's worth.

[pfotoguy]

If you shoot in raw. You can make any changes you want. That one little girl front and center with the mouse ears is driving me mad.