Photo Essay: Backs of Houses in the Streets of Thonburi, Bangkok

By Graham K. Rogers

From the window I can see nearby buildings and sometimes take photographs of the area. Some houses had become more visible recently, but to do the subjects justice, it needed me to go down to ground level

Like a lot of people I am self isolating at the moment. Not because there is anything wrong but because I don't want there to be. Most the time I am surfing the Internet, watching movies, reading and doing a little bit of writing. I have begun to tinker with my long self-promised book on writing skills. Once or twice a week I put some information online depending on what has crossed my path.

One of the delights of living in a high-rise condo is looking out of the window. Occasionally I will point the camera at something that interests me often using a telephoto lens. Although I have lived here a couple of years, some recent land clearing has made the backs of buildings more visible. The different shapes and colors are interesting, but from the angle and height I am this does not make an effective subject. Even from above, I can see the different shapes and textures.

I had to take a quick run to a local shop and used this as an ideal opportunity to go closer to the backs of the buildings at ground level. I took with me three cameras: the Hasselblad 500 C/M with its 80 mm lens (6x6 output), my Agfa Record III (6x9 output) and my DSLR with a 35mm lens. I also intended to use the 645Pro app on my iPhone to take a selection of images, but by the time I had worked with the 3 other cameras the heat (36 C) had got to me.

While it may take a few weeks for the film to be developed, as all shops in Bangkok except for supermarkets and essential food markets are closed, I was able to edit the DSLR images and, as is my style, change the images to black and white in most cases. There is a place for color sometimes. The images above and below are a brief photo essay.

Sometimes color helps

Nearby soi: Thoedthai 33

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on Twitter (@extensions_th)