Floating Souvenirs & Food, a photo from Ratchaburi, Central

Photographer's Note

Over 30 years ago James Bond chased some villains along the canals of Damnoen Saduak Floating market in the film "The Man with the Golden Gun". Ever since, this floating market located 120 km southwest of Bangkok, in Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi Province, achieved fame. Today, the floating market is filled more with Europeans than vendors & sellers.

It was a twisty long-tail speed boat ride though nearby canals and past temples & stilt houses...an unsullied glimpse into a charismatic way of life. Once we arrived at the market we got stuck in, enjoyed it for what it is: an aquatic cultural show festooned with abundant colour and souvenirs. The variety of goods - everything from rattan balls, traditional puppets and fresh fruits to embroidered handbags, noodle soup and wide brimmed bamboo hats - was impressive, and, much of what we saw, undeniably photogenic. Nice & chaotic, chaotic, the small "klongs" or canals are filled with small flat boats jockeying for position, expertly paddled by mature ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment's notice. The sight of old ladies nimbly paddling sampans packed with tourists twice their size - and probably less than half their age - was a joy.

The original canals which now make up the Floating Market were built in 1866 on demand of His Majesty the King of Thailand, King Rama IV, to help ease communication in the province. He ordered that a 32 kms long canal be dug at Damnoen Saduak which would connect the Mae Klong River with the Tachine River. The actual Floating Market started here only in 1967

This photo is one of our first excited glimpse of the floating market....It's not a great picture (some areas are OE), but just a glimpse. Souvenir 'shop' boats selling hats rests on the sides while a lady rows her boat on the klang, selling delicious local food...

danos, ciakgiak, jhm, pierrefonds, Graal, CLODO, pajaran, mkamionka, josepmarin, Didi, delpeoples has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

danos (74064) 2012-05-04 0:55

Hello Angshu,
nice the panoramic view from above of the canal as accommodate the floating market of the city,with the film of James Bond "The Man with the Golden Gun" to takes place in it.
I like the beautiful light and the colour management with the lot of boats to sell everything for tourists.

Reagrds,Danos

ciakgiak (30331) 2012-05-04 1:20

Caro Angshuman,
davvero bella quest'immagine che ci mostra uno spaccato di vita dalla Thailandia, molto interessante vedere la vita che si svolge sul canale, così vivace e colorata. Molto efficace il POV dall'alto che in questo caso funziona perfettamente. Eccellente la qualità. Un caro saluto
Giorgio

GREGG (8243) 2012-05-04 2:43

Hello Angshuman,
pleasant view, presents atmosphere in Thailand
colorful boats, floating shops with food and souvenir
on my monitor frame is a little too much exposed and saturated,
Regards,
Greg

patdeph (35738) 2012-05-04 3:49

namaste Angshuman
on my monitor, the colors are very beautiful, but this is true that there is some very little places slightly overexposed.This is just a detail that doen't destroy the beauty of the picture.I like the atmosphere, and you had the good idea to wait that the boat has the best place possible.Very well done!
Regards
Pascale

jhm (122490) 2012-05-04 4:06

Hello Angshu,

Perhaps use the tourists these waterway as touristic place.
Your picture shows excellent the daily life activities on the market.
Also nice dept and perspective image.
Composition and presentation are nice for look at.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

pierrefonds (48387) 2012-05-04 4:59

Hi Angshuman,

The houses are framing well the canal. The point of view is showing the details and colors of the boats at the floating market. The morning light has a good effect on the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

npecanhuk (53919) 2012-05-04 6:42

Hello Angshuman!
Beautiful scene!
Wonderful daily life picture!
Sharpness, exposure, (magnificent) colors, chosen pov, contrasts, squarish format, black & white borders and composition are all excellent photo qualities here!
I love all those hats!!!!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

faubry (35335) 2012-05-04 9:13

wonderful colors symphony with these boats, good perspective, may be a little more satured?
have a good evening
Francine

ChrisJ (86932) 2012-05-04 10:34

Hello Angshu,

I've been there years ago & recall getting decent shots was difficult because of the harsh, contrasted light. You've done well! Good color, saturation & framing with the diagonal klong adding dynamism. Tfs!

Bluejeans (64239) 2012-05-04 12:36

Ola Angshuman ,
Uma bela cena de vida diária deste povo que vive nesta vila dentro de agua , é fantástico este mercado em cima de barcos , boas cores e luz , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Bom fim de semana

emka (58224) 2012-05-04 23:51

Hi dear angshu, Finally something fro m Thailand. Damnoen Saduak Floating market is a kind of tourist trap, but a pleasant place in spite of many travellers. Nice view, probably from the bridge. i love these typical Thai hats. RThe woman in ths middle has for sure something tasty to eat.

WArm regrads

MAlgo

Graal (88982) 2012-05-05 0:40

Hi Angshuman,
nice colourful image like from good postcard. Good reportage about the daily life. Fine POV You had. Well note and photowork.
Have a nice day.
Aleksander

CLODO (24734) 2012-05-05 1:45

Hello Angshuman

A large perspective on the floating market on both sides of the canal, with mainly hats on the boats and this woman rowing to look for a place to sell her cooking (I suppose).
Spend a nice WE
CLODO

mohammad_H (6600) 2012-05-05 2:27

hi Angshuman
نمایش فوق العاده با قایقرانی خانم در اب
بازار فروش و حمل کالا
تصویر بی نظیر از زندگی روزمره
نمای جذاب با طرحی جالب و قاب قشنگ
وضوح و نور مناسب
روز خوبی را برای شما ارزو میکنم
Showing excellent sailing her in the water
Sale and shipment
Unique picture of everyday life
Beautifully framed with an attractive and interesting landscape plan
Clarity and good light
I wish you good day

brianmcc (5536) 2012-05-05 6:05

hi angshuman,
this is a great scene full of life and points of interest. there is also great variety in the colours throughout the picture. your elevated vantage point captures so much more of the scene.
regards,
brian

jga (1062) 2012-05-05 21:18

Hello Angshu,
Nce photo of the floating market, good pov.
TFS
Julien

pajaran (36282) 2012-05-06 2:25

Dobar dan-popodne.
Film koji smo svi voleli ...
Vrlo interesantan i dobar tekst sa datim podacima ...
Dobar trenutak snimka, ostrina, kontrast, perspektiva i prikaz lepim bojama.
Dobar rad i kompozicija, moje cestitke.
Pijaca na vodi, sa robom u camcima.
Prijatno popodne i sve najbolje.
Paja.

Google.

Good morning-afternoon.
The movie that we loved ...
Very interesting and good text with a given data ...
A good moment shot, sharpness, contrast, perspective view and beautiful colors.
Good work and composition, my congratulations.
Market on the water, the boats with the goods.
A lovely afternoon and all the best.
Paja.

batalay (32868) 2012-05-06 6:46

Hello Mr. B,

I remember the film, "Man with the Golden Gun," well, and when we were going to Bangkok to participate in a meeting in July 2010, I wanted to visit this floating market. How disappointed I was, when the social unrest in the city caused the meeting to be moved to Phuket. But then Phuket turned out to be site of film "The Beach," starring the very young Leonardo DiCapreo, and it was one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

mkamionka (24583) 2012-05-06 8:18

Hi Angshu,
beautiful composition from this famous place. Great POV from above results in an interesting effect. I like the colorful boats and their load. Very exotic view. The passing boat adds a lot of interest as well.
Very well seen and captured,
M

holmertz (26982) 2012-05-06 11:35

Hello Angshuman,
Excellent sharpness and a good POV allowing a view of fine details. The colours are generally very fine.
Kind regards,
Gert

Nicou (97811) 2012-05-06 22:37

Hello

fantastiqeu vue pongeante sur ce bâteau et ce marché flottant quelle compo quelle couleur avec les chapeaux qui fond des ronds, fantastique cpatage.

bravo et amitié

Nicou

marcan44 (6223) 2012-05-07 5:42

Ciao Angshuman,
una ripresa dall'alto che testimonia molto bene l'intensa vita e i colori di ogni giorno su questi canali navigabili.
Eccellente reportage
TFS!
Have a nice day
Mario

josepmarin (55063) 2012-05-07 11:52

Namaste, my friend Angshuman,
this one is a scene full of vitality, with a nice light and a few vivid colors, which you have caught from a good POV, with an elegant perspective of the canal.
The floating boats of souvenirs are a few elements with a good graphism, which give a great aesthetic wealth to the composition.
It is an excellent work.
Yes, I remember the scene of James Bond's movie in this place.
Best wishes,
Josep

Didi (48938) 2012-05-07 15:23

Salam Angshu
Good dominant POV on the canal.
Interesting description by the interesting scene and your rich comment.
Warm regards

abmdsudi (26311) 2012-05-08 6:59

Namste Angshu
This is the famous floating market in Thailand and hive of activity, excellent composition, wonderful colour, detail and light- although I feel its slightly bright on th left. Great depth of field and not bad from a point & shoot camera, there's so much to look at in this shot with great mixture of static and dynamism for a shot on water. Well done, TFS
Kind regards

Waylim (22357) 2012-05-11 9:30

Swadee Angshuman,

This is absolutely Thailand featured landscape. People didn't let the flood and the water to stop them from doing their every day thing, if life give us water we build boat to stay afloat and continue living...Beautiful shot of the daily life image from the floating market.

Way

delpeoples (45018) 2012-05-12 15:06

Namaskar dear Angshu

Venice this is not, but it's just as exciting, colourful and dynamic in its own way. Excellent POV (taken from a bridge above?) superb perspective and the colours are very attractive especially considering the difficult light you would have been working in.

Congratulations
Lisa