Photo Gallery: Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand

A month ago I returned from a week-long trip to Thailand, where I visited my brother and fellow blogger, Michael. While there, I shot three rolls of film with a 70s era Minolta 35mm SLR camera. One roll was color, one black and white, and the other redscale. Here are some of my favorites:

Lomography Lady Grey 400 Black and White :  Bangkok

motorcycles waiting for the stoplight to change in Phaya Thai

the early-morning view of Bangkok from my brother's 22nd floor apartment

a Thai Abbey Road?

Suan Pakkad Teak Wood Palace

A building at Suan Pakkad. I think this picture and the one preceding it belie the year they were actually taken in. They could be travel pictures from decades ago.

Criss-crossing wires in front of Florida Hotel

From the Wat Saket temple complex. A flag with a Buddhist symbol is flanked by two Thai flags.

the skyline, taken from the winding stair path up Wat Saket, the Golden Mount

a timeless view of a neighborhood from Wat Saket

Buildings in the Wat Saket temple complex. Note the hazy skyline in the distance.

looking down over temple buildings

Lomography Redscale XR 50-200 : Bangkok

Bangkok's main rail station. This is one of my overall favorites from the trip.

the organized chaos of Bangkok's streets

does it still work?

Lomography Color ISO 400 : Chiangmai

a bronze statue of a Buddhist monk at Wat Phra Doi Suthep, a famous temple high in the hills of Chiang Mai

shrines at Wat Phra Doi Suthep. I really like the rich color of this film.

Note the small red sign above the hanging bells: it said "Do not ring the bells".

temple building

a bell at Wat Phra Singh, a temple in downtown Chaing Mai

a centuries-old hall at the temple

This appears to be a dog... I think

A golden relic-containing Chedi at Wat Phra Singh

There is something magical about film photography. I noticed that my fewer than 100 film pictures are far better set-up and framed than the majority of my 1800+ digital photos. I was intentional about what I shot, and now I have some special snapshots that capture the sights of my trip in a special light. The black and white, redscale, and rich color film seem to capture the feelings of wistfulness Thailand inspires in me. It makes my pictures look and feel more romantic. When I see these snapshots, in my own head, I can imagine that I'm a National Geographic photographer half a century ago in the golden age of journalism. I know this is overly romantic, and I'm wistful for a time I can never have, but I don't mind.