pix from Laos

[The_Traveler]

I have been working on and off on a collection of pictures I took in Laos this past February (link in my signature).

I don't care much for pictures of 'important' places or things as much as I like pictures of interesting collections of colors, tones, etc.

Comments, critiques gratefully accepted.

 

[Gormenghast]

I like both of them. I think the only thing I would have done differently is to take the fish photo so that you only see the stacks of fish in the bambooo steamers, and not the empty space around them. Rotating the shot just a bit to the left seems like it would have gotten rid of the space at three of the corners. It's still a really nice photo, though! It might have looked the boring the way I'm thinking of it. Can't tell cuz I wasn't there. :mrgreen:

 

[Vivienne]

I like both of them. I think the only thing I would have done differently is to take the fish photo so that you only see the stacks of fish in the bambooo steamers, and not the empty space around them. Rotating the shot just a bit to the left seems like it would have gotten rid of the space at three of the corners. It's still a really nice photo, though! It might have looked the boring the way I'm thinking of it. Can't tell cuz I wasn't there. :mrgreen:

I really like both of your photo's!! I would have done the same as Gormenghast said! And also with your second photo, I would have left the stuff at the front again. Maybe something like this? :

 

[The_Traveler]

Thanks
Unfortunately, the markets in SEA are generally under low hanging cloth awnings and most of the time I had limited access so I had to take what I got. The people clearly thought I was nuts to even be taking the pictures I did.

 

[The_Traveler]

re: crops I do like the first but I think the umbrella just simplifies the picture too much.
thanks

 

[Gormenghast]

re: crops I do like the first but I think the umbrella just simplifies the picture too much.
thanks

I agree.

As far as the people thinking you're crazy, to me that's one of the things that makes getting good travel photos so rewarding. If I can manage to get a good shot while I'm aware that a dozen people are staring at me in amazement/confusion/hostility/whatever, it makes the resulting photo even more precious to me. It's an interesting fine line between making sure you get a halfway decent shot and creating a full-blown spectacle!

 

[The_Traveler]

Actually I'm not so hesitant because of the crazy label but for another slightly more subtle problem.

I want to be acceptable into their community while I'm there. These are mostly very poor people who have very little experience with cameras and Westerners.

The more fuss I make about taking a picture, the more it points out my involvement in something they know nothing about and emphasizes my difference from them.

I try to bridge that gap by showing them the pictures as I go but I try to manage their initial reaction by being as casual as I can be about making pix.

 

[Royster]

Nice shots! theyre both really good, I see the comments here was to crop the umbrella photo, i wonder what it would have looked like if you had zoomed out a bit?

 

[Gormenghast]

Actually I'm not so hesitant because of the crazy label but for another slightly more subtle problem.

I want to be acceptable into their community while I'm there. These are mostly very poor people who have very little experience with cameras and Westerners.

The more fuss I make about taking a picture, the more it points out my involvement in something they know nothing about and emphasizes my difference from them.

I try to bridge that gap by showing them the pictures as I go but I try to manage their initial reaction by being as casual as I can be about making pix.

I felt exactly the same way on my recent trip to Romania, but I've never been able to articulate it quite so well! Thanks.

 

[The_Traveler]

There is an interesting (at least to me) anecdote about this.
I was riding in a small sang thieu (moto-bus) in northern Burma and a little girl next to me was watching as I took pictures (she was probably 10 or 12). Eventually she began 'directing' the subjects - in a very nice way of course. I let her look through the viewfinder and eventually to take a picture. She wouldn't let me take a picture of her.

During a flat-tire break, when my pack was unloaded from the roof, I pulled out a small pair of binoculars from my pack (they had been given to me as a souvenir from some techie company, actually nice finish but not powerful) and showed her how they worked. She had probably never seen binoculars before and was quite entranced with them. When the bus ride ended, I hung the binocular in their case case around her neck and said goodbye.[Minglaba - the only word I knew] She was struck dumb.

[In a country where the income is maybe $340US per year this was probably the nicest thing she had ever received.]

I walked off to catch another sang thieu to my destination. She ran after me, grabbed my sleeve and trailed along, talking to everyone. Everyone smiled at me, one old lady came over and patted me on the arm and, when my new ride came, everyone let me clamber on first and she waited until I left and then waved goodbye.

The following are pictures from my squashed place in the 'bus', another little girl on the bus and my ride after I got off to give you some idea of the space and comfort in local transport. I had a good seat, against the outside, on the shady side and towards the front.

Those of us Westerners who haven't yet visited the third world need to experience it at least once.

 

[guppyman]

Never been to Lao. Those pictures are so nice. Makes me curious about the country.

 

[The_Traveler]

Never been to Lao. Those pictures are so nice. Makes me curious about the country.

Laos is my favorite country so far just because of the people (I have been to >40 but prefer Asia overall). Myanmar (Burma) is prettier but government is really ugly.

 

[robert. rannebarger]

Hmmm....Pretty good shot of that cod!!:hail: I really like the McFish sandwich(value combo 7) from McDonald's. Anyways, it's Bobby from Billings again, and I'm proud to say that I've been viewing this gallery for a while and it has made me realize that I need to go to Laos. My buddy G-Toup is from Thakek. What did the locals say when you snapped photos of them? Were they receptive? I think my SK 2 will be on roaming when I am there, but I make bank so no biggie. Do you think the pixels will be the same or will the conversion from standard to metric mess up the quality? Also, aside from the forum, did you try the beerlao? Lets just say G-Toup would not have two kids if it weren't for a couple exported cases of that? ha!!

 

[subimatt]

I liked them both, every issue I had with them were solved in the crops.

 

[The_Traveler]

My buddy G-Toup is from Thakek. What did the locals say when you snapped photos of them? Were they receptive?

I've never been further south in Laos than Vientianne so I've never visited Thakhek. The people are generally very pleasant and cordial and, if you are respectful of them, don't seem to mind pictures being snapped.

I think my SK 2 will be on roaming when I am there, but I make bank so no biggie. Do you think the pixels will be the same or will the conversion from standard to metric mess up the quality?

I assume this is all a joke.

did you try the beerlao?

Beerlao is the best beer in Asia and becomes almost an addiction. Some of my happiest moments were sitting in a riverside cafe at sunset overlooking the Mekong or Ou Rivers drinking BeerLao.