Trang, Thailand: My Camera Sweated More Than I Did
i just touched down in trang, thailand and my camera gear already feels like it's melting. i'm a freelance photographer, i've shot in humidity before but this? this is next level. i'm standing on a street corner, sweat dripping into my viewfinder, and i'm trying to remember why i thought this was a good idea. the air is thick as hot honey, you can almost taste it. anyway, here's where i am:
i swear, i pulled up the map because i got lost within five minutes of leaving my guesthouse. the narrow soi (that's thai for alley) turned into a labyrinth of noodle stalls, tiny shops selling flip-flops, and a stray dog that followed me for three blocks. the map shows i'm smack in the middle of trang city, and i can already see the green blip of the river that cuts through town. speaking of green, look at this:
that's some random leaf pile i shot while waiting for the rain to pass (it never did). i keep thinking i should have packed a umbrella or maybe a parasol. but who carries a parasol in thailand? everyone does, actually. the locals glide by with those cheap plastic ones, looking cool as cucumbers while i'm baking. the heat here is no joke. i just checked and it's a blistering 33 degrees celsius right now, feels like 37.81, like the sky decided to become a convection oven. my lens fogged up every time i stepped out of the air-conditioned cafe (yes, i gave up and hid in there for an hour). i heard that the best time to shoot is around golden hour, but with this humidity, golden hour feels more like a sauna party. anyway, i trudged to the night market because someone told me that's where the real street photography magic happens.
the night market, called talaat tramsak, is a maze of food stalls, secondhand clothes, and flashing LED lights. i scored some killer pad thai for 40 baht, and i was eyeing this old man selling handmade kites - he had these brilliant colors that would pop against the sky. i tried to get a candid shot of him, but he caught me and gave a thumbs up. i love when subjects cooperate. i also overheard a tourist complaining about the prices; he said he got ripped off buying a coconut. i guess that's what you get for not checking Yelp first. Check out the market on Yelp - if you're into that sort of thing. by the way, if you get bored of trang's laid-back vibe, a short drive west to krabi will throw you into a completely different landscape with those dramatic limestone cliffs and emerald waters. or you could go south to phuket if you need a dose of crowded beaches and nightlife. i haven't gone yet - my wallet is still recovering from the flight - but i heard from a local that the bus to krabi is cheap and comfortable, just watch out for the monkeys that sometimes hurl coconuts at passing motorbikes. that might be an exaggeration, but i'm not taking chances. i also heard from a bartender that the best coffee in town is at a hidden spot near the train station. Local's tip: Cafe 55 on TripAdvisor. i went there and it was actually decent, the espresso was strong enough to jolt my senses for another round of shooting. i met another photographer there, a guy from berlin who's been traveling southeast asia for months. he showed me some of his macro shots of insects - insane detail. he warned me about the 'trang dragon': a giant lizard that sometimes wanders into the market area. i thought he was joking until i saw a picture. maybe it's just a komodo dragon? no, they're not here. still, it's fun to have a bit of mystery. i've been carrying my gear everywhere: a mirrorless sony a7iii, a 35mm f/1.8, and a 70-200 for zooming on distant details. i didn't bring a tripod because i'm trying to travel light, but i'm regretting that now. i tried some long exposures at the riverfront at dusk, hand-holding at 1/15 - messy but kinda artistic. i'll probably post those on my instagram later. if you're a photographer, you'll know the struggle: you want to capture the colors of the sunset but the humidity fogs the lens and your shirt is drenched. it's a love/hate thing. one more thing: there's this tiny temple on a hill, wat pud chin, that offers a panoramic view of the city. i hiked up there early morning, and the light was soft, the monks were chanting. i felt like i was in a movie. i captured some silhouettes against the rising sun. i'd recommend it, but beware of the steps - they're steep and uneven. also, someone said the temple is under renovation, so maybe check before you go. Lonely Planet guide to Trang has more info. overall, trang is a sensory overload in the best and worst ways. it's gritty, it's hot, it's full of surprises. i've gotten some shots i'm actually proud of, and i've sweat through three shirts. i'll probably be back, but next time i'm bringing a cooler bag for my gear. maybe a mini-fan. hell, i might just buy a tuk-tuk and turn it into a mobile studio. until then, here's one last image from my stay - a candle holder i found in a shop that reminded me of home.
so yeah, that's trang. thanks for reading, and if you ever come, pack light, stay hydrated, and keep your camera ready for the weird shit that happens around every corner.
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