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Exploring Chiang Mai Thailand

A trip with Sony Alpha and the #alphacollective

By Dave Krugman

November 19^th, 2019

An Illuminated evening

Our trip was carefully timed to coincide with the annual Lantern Festival, or Loi Krathong. It was a transportive experience to see these incredible rituals unfold, bridging the space between darkness and light. So much of life is about balance, and these ceremonies were a poignant reminder.

These monks lit the scene with hundreds of oil lamps before leading an hours long meditation under the glow of the lanterns. I captured as much as I could before settling back to sit in the space, my camera tucked away once I made a few images.

Yi Peng, Launching Khom Loi

Another event that coincides with the festival is Yi Peng, where thin paper lanterns wrapped around bamboo or wire are lit and lofted into the skies above- rising on plumes of self-generated hot air. Although there is some historic precedent for this tradition, tourism interests in the area have promoted it to attract visitors, and the government has cracked down in past years in order to reduce the number of lanterns in the air because it interferes with flights, can cause fires, and spreads the potential for pollution.

Floating Wishes

One tradition during the Loi Krathong festival is to light a candle and three sticks of incense on a slice of a bamboo tree. Thousands of these float down the river ways, as people release them throughout the evening, while lanterns float above.

Sunrise at the Temple

The next day, we were up before the sun to visit monks-in-training at a local temple. We brought food and water to pay our respects to their tradition, and the monks were kind enough to let us shadow them and make photographs as they went about their day. It was fascinating to witness a lifestyle so fundamentally different than our own, and I'm beyond grateful for the perspective we gained.

Textures of the Market

I love traveling to places I've never been. Every photon of light that hits my eyes is new- each detail stands out in sharp relief, and I can't imagine anything more stimulating. One thing I love to do is study the textures, shapes and colors of whatever locality I'm in. When I view them all together, I can get a sense for the mood and color of a place. Here are a few favorites from this recent trip:

People of the Marketplace

The market areas of these cities are where the pulse of life is strongest. I love getting lost in these side streets, caught in the swirling eddies of activity that accumulate around the various stalls. Here are some of the photogenic people that caught my eye as we ducked in and out of the shadows and light that surrounded us.

Gone in an Instant...

Lately I've been interested in moments that last a millisecond. The splash of fish into cold water, the passing of a coin between two people, oil dripping from a basket, milk spilling from a split coconut. It's the challenge of creating these image that attracts me, and the fact that so much can be revealed in the shortest time frame.

The Elephant Sanctuary

There is a lot of concern about animal tourism, and rightly so. This sanctuary we visited is home to elephants rescued from the circus and logging trades. As those industries fade out, these animals need a place to live and be together, as they are intensely social creatures. The tourism dollars they bring in from these encounters pays for the operation of the sanctuary. If you do visit this area of Thailand, make sure you aren't visiting places where the elephants are used for riding and strenuous work.

Ira Block, our Sony Artisan

One of the highlights of the trip was that we were guided by Ira Block, a Sony Artisan of Light and a National Geographic Photographer. His insights and experience enhanced our journey, helped us connect more with the locals, and gave us valuable perspective on a photographic career.

Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand

After some time in the city, we moved further north to an ecolodge next door to a tribal village, where we met a Shaman, local dancers and families. At night, we all gathered around the fire and they taught us traditional dances and songs.

Above the Clouds

What better place to absorb the experience than perched on a mountain top, hundreds of feet above the canopy below? We wound up the mountain side in the back of pickup trucks, and sipped local coffee and took in the majestic view. Just as we were leaving the rain came in, falling like a curtain to close out an incredible experience.