Nikoninho's blog

As I was saying in the previous post, I spent the 2/3rd of May with my trip to Thailand.

As it was the 1st time I was there with my brand new camera, I shot def. too much during these weeks, maybe 600 shots, a new record for my amateur skills. Of course lot of crap shots due to experiments of the D50, but anyway i did some of my best ones during that time.

Basically the trip was covering 2 days in Bangkok, joining the family, then a move to Prachuap Khiri Khan for a full week (that was long holidays in Thailand), then hangin’ back to our place in Isaan, and another 3 days in Bangkok before the departure.

I’ve already post some of my favs in the previous posts, like the Mother & Daughter on this rainy afternoon walk, or some beach landscapes.

So I will brought to you 3 shots i think are quite good, covering the trip areas : one from Bangkok, one from Isaan (I do love so much peaceful Isaan, a must go if you ever come to Thailand) and one portrait (still one of my fav shot category, maybe the fav)

I start with Bangkok and a processed photo of the Rotfai Faa, the skytrain deserving the central city. Like the perspective and the rendering process.

A very early morning shot, in my Isaan village main street, of the daily move of Monks collecting their food offerings from people.

And endind with a portrait of the lil’ cousin, drying her head after shower with a fan.

April was the month !!… I mean is always the month cause the one of my birthday

But this one was a bit special as it started my trip to Thailand, to see my lil’ family over there. I stayed almost 4 weeks and it would have been my first one with the D50 so no need to tell you that I shot at will…

From the last week of april (1st of the trip) i would select a few portraits that will stay as fav of the whole Thai 2007 serie.

March wasn’t prolific at all.
Busy with work, bad weather and poor motivation resulted in almost no shots taken.

Hopefully i could save this self-portrait made at night, to play with out of focus city lights…

February 2007 was the month for Chinese New Year, the “Golden Pig” year.
As living in the Chinatown area in Paris, I overcame my firecrackers phobia and went in the streets with my Nikon.

I only brought my 55-200mm to work on portraits (and to be able to stay distant from those amazing firecrackers they seems to love so much…).
I really didn’t regret my choice as the streets were so crowdy, it was sometimes hard to manage any approach.

Here are a few selected shots from this celebration :

This is my favorite. Even if I couldn’t get rid of these 2 head tops in the foreground, I’m still fond of this giant white Lion head appearing in the crowd…

And finally those damned firecrackers…

I’m not sure yet to be there next month for the 2008 Year of the Rat Parade, but if I am, I’ll cover the celebration again.

As I said before, January 2007 was the month i received my Nikon D50, my new baby

I waited a few weeks to find a good bargain for a ‘2nd hand’ D50 and finally found it, still running a nice 18 months warranty and supplied with its original 18-55mm and a Sigma 55-200mm, the whole package in very good shape, thanks to its previous owner.
I then quickly found a 2nd hand Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 to be able to get some shots without flash (i just hate it) in low light area. I wish i could have got my hands on a f/1.4 but as it costs 3x more….
Anyway I was and I’m still please with this lens for indoor shots.

My choice will indeed be a portrait taken with this 50mm the 1st time i used it, in a friend apartment.
Nothing exceptional but i like its “instant catch” flavor as much as the shallow depth of field the large aperture offered me.

And because I allowed me to bring out up to 3 photos each month, I’ll add this 2nd one, just playing for fun with the 55-200mm to get this effect in real time, no post-processed.
And of course, because it’s Funky !!