The Idea
The gallery idea came from a combination of factors.
Being fortunate enough to live in Asia for a decade and a half I felt
quite frustrated that most outsiders had very little idea of what the
area was like - really like. Even those coming on holiday for a
few weeks would not - could not- possibly have the time to be able to
notice the underlying aspects of daily life here. I combined my love of
photography - I take hundreds of pictures each trip - with Thaifocus web
designers to bring you, the web-surfer, a chance to see the area as I
experienced it. After countless web searches - know the
feeling? - I felt that this was something that was needed. More than
just half a dozen snaps. Not just for those who wish to visit but
for those who have already been to the places covered; for those who
have relatives here, perhaps grew up in the area. Then there are those
who simply like to have a look at different pictures. When I mentioned
the idea to some expat residents they noted that it would save them a
lot of time explaining the area they lived in to their families and
friend at home. They would simply tell their friends to click on the
site and see for themselves. Whatever reason
for your visit I hope you enjoy your cyber-photo gallery experience.
Equipment used:
For years my favourite camera was a manual Olympus trip
until I left it behind at a sports stadium in Brisbane. That pocket
sized camera captured colours better than some camera's I have used
costing ten times the price. I use two Canon EOS SLR's which are
reliable and I have spent enough time with them to learn the settings
for my type of photo. I then went on briefly to a JVC VHC-S camcorder
which was great fun to use for a while but I suppose the attraction wore
off in about three months or so. To date the best singular piece of
equipment I have used is the Sony DCR-PC100E (and what a catchy
name as well !!!). It's digital video camera recorder and it's the main
reason why this gallery is so big. If I had have every print scanned I
don't think I would have ever built the gallery in the first place. Sony
Video Camera DCR-PC100E
I wrote the name again and hopeful will remember it in
the future. What I find about this unit is the term Sony used
"life-style" product. I liked the term but didn't really think
about it, it's more like one of those buzzwords that electronics
producers throw at us these days. Then it stuck me. Unlike the other
camcorder - which was a great toy for three months - I was using this
camera almost on a daily basis. It was light, attractive and quite easy
to get to know. It takes stills and video so - theoretically - I should
never miss a shot. One feature that I love about the camera is the swivel
screen. On a recent trip to Burma I showed groups of youths, monks, nuns
and just about any of the crowd that inevitably gathered their own
picture in real time. Their faces glowed with excitement. For many of
them the 2.5 inch screen was the first time they saw colour TV. I'm not
saying this is the only camera like this on the market, it's just one
that I have learned to use and really enjoy taking with me. There
are a number of things that could be improved such as the - much touted
- ability to take pictures at night or low light. I found the results
were still very grainy, much more so than 100 ASA film would have
provided in similar circumstances. Still, a vast majority of the pictures
that appear in the gallery are from that amazing little camera. I
hope you enjoy looking at the pictures as much as I did taking them and,
if they build up some sort or wanderlust in you, then you might
understand the reason why I took them in the first place. |
) travel agents since 1987 
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