Street photography with a telephoto lens

I only have one prime lens, the Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm, a medium telephoto, mostly used for portraits due to its focal length and beautiful bokeh. I have been using it mostly in the evenings and in low light conditions, as it's the fastest of my 2 lenses, but I didn't use it in bright daylight yet, so today I decided to change my routine and do some street exploring with it as my only lens, under the harsh afternoon light. I took the bus, and went downtown for the challenge.

Departure, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

I was used to see the city through the wider Lumix G Vario 12-35mm, so it took me a while to adjust to the narrower field of view. At the beginning, I tried to step back to catch more scene in frame, but this was not a very successful method, as I was walking one of my favorite and regular spots, the canal (in a neighborhood I had never visited before), and this meant quite narrow walkways and limited space to move around.

Vertical painter, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Therefore, I decided to concentrate on smaller scale subjects, focusing my view on details or reduced subjects, rather than trying to shoot broader architecture that I just couldn't catch. Occasionally, however,  I wanted to shoot one of Bangkok's usual high buildings, and due to the impossibility of fitting it all in frame, I had to take advantage of reflections to achieve what I wanted.

Fallen leaves, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Big and small, modern and traditional, Asian and Western, those are the 2 opposite words in which Bangkok lives; at times fast and noisy, at times slow and silent, you cannot walk a few meters without encountering samples of one and the other, sometimes side by side, as there are no boundaries or delimitations in this city: all coexists and shares the same spaces, contradictions walk hand in hand, impossible matches happen.

Golden shrine, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

One of the predominant colors in Thailand is gold: you will see it in shrines, roof tiles, lanterns, clothes... However, another color that rivals it is red: tropical weather is terribly humid, and all metal surfaces tend to rust over time, specially those that remain outdoors. No matter what is the object and its original color, they will gradually turn maroon under the fiery monsoon rains.

Mimesis, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Out of business, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Wherever abandonment establishes its campsite, rust will be one of the usual denizens, spreading its tint all around; but it never comes along, for it has a loyal companion that accompanies him most of the times, traveling anywhere he goes, shadow and friend: garbage.

Overflow, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Bangkok is a fascinating city, full of charms, but it's also overpopulated by litter. No matter what part of the city, uptown or in the suburbs, it's never difficult to find deserted spots full of debris, ruined buildings brimming with residues, streams of water infected by waste. Sometimes they are only a handful of meters away from luxurious hotels or expensive shopping centers. There is no discrimination here: rubbish reaches everywhere.

The king of the dump, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

But, in all honesty, nothing is a waste here, as there is always someone (be it animals, or people) that will take advantage of rubbish and survive on it. The waste of some is the supply for others. That's the way this city, this world works. But there is something else that shocks me the most here: it's not only about survival, as there will always be someone who will find such an environment the perfect place to just sit down, enjoy, and rest.

Home, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Red and green: a stroll in the park

There are no "proper" parks around my area, so when I feel the need to stroll between the trees, either I have to take a long ride to one of the outer parks, or I simply have to walk the urban forest instead, as I have been doing so far. But today I needed green, leaves, and ground; no asphalt or cement was allowed, so I considered my limited options and suddenly I had an idea: why not trying the small park next to the University? Last time I was there, it was closed due to some kind of renovation, but that was a year ago, so I decided to give it a try, therefore avoiding a trip much further which, truth be told, I didn't specially feel like doing. So I took my small bag, and entered the campus on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Robot pipe, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

I didn't realize at that moment, as I was more concerned about the funny E.T. shape of the pipe, but this first shot was already anticipating many things to come in the following hours: namely the predominance of 2 colors, red and green, that were going to appear in front of me, everywhere I went, in different tones and intensities.

Hedge tunnel, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm 

It rained a bit last night, so the road was splattered with puddles, here and there, big and small. And guess what? It didn't matter if I looked in or out of them, for green was present in both sides of the reflection, with minimal, subtle variations in its body. I found very interesting the mixture of color, reflection, and texture in this big, quiet puddle that spread all around the big water deposit, at the entrance of the park.

The lone keeper, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

This could very well be a cloudy sky, but nothing further from reality, as today was a cloudless and bright day. The green water deposit stood there, silent and arrogant, by the gates of the park, looking into its own reflection, maybe dreaming of something we cannot venture to guess.

Doppelgänger, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

Yes, the park had been finished and reopened, and soon I discovered what had been the cause of its temporary closure: what used to be a very small space of grass and trees around a middle sized pond,  has been turned into a jogging field. Sure, the pond remains unchanged, as does all the tall, ancient trees, but the grass has been replanted with much care, along with some new trees, and a winding, sinuous, blinding red rubber carpet invades all its extension, advancing in unlikely curves.

The snake, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

At first, I thought this was due to the proximity of the university, with its exorbitant number of students, but it didn't take long to find out that young students were not the only ones who had occupied that peaceful spot in the middle of the busy city, as almost equal number of elder people were starting to populate the crimson lane, at a slower pace, but with equivalent energy and motivation. And whenever someone needed a break from jogging, there were other facilities to help them stretch their muscles, or just take a rest.

Zigzag, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

I sat down and enjoyed the contrasts of color and age around me, but as afternoon was giving way to evening, more and more joggers were joining the club, and in such a tiny place it started feeling a bit crowded, so I decided to walk a bit more around the pond, and return home. And there, in a corner of the park, standing above the trees, dirty and mostly forgotten, I met the big screen.

Unwatched, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

I'm not sure if it is a relic of the old park or something new, and I also ignore its function; I would like to think it's intended for the screening of movies, some sort of open-air, public, free cinema, though I highly suspect it will end up embracing big, dull advertisements.

Waiting for tenants, GH3 + Lumix G Vario 12-35mm

I slowly abandoned the park with a smile, as countless athletes were running past me at different speeds. Did I feel a tiny bit uncomfortable for being one of the only people around not doing some kind of exercise, just walking around, wearing shorts and flip-flops, taking pics? Not in the slightest: there were also some kids playing in the grass, some couples sitting under the trees, some people enjoying a bit of freedom with their pets, and some solitary souls enjoying the scent of wet leaves and the sound of quiet waters, while reading the paper.

Peaceful reading, GH3 + Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm

Next time I will remember to bring along a book with me, just in case this spot is free by then.