2018 Bhutan Gallery

Cham Dancer at Domkhar Festival

A gallery of 77 selected photographs from our tour to Bhutan  in April/May is completed and available for viewing on my photography website.

https://www.hale-worldphotography.com/2018-Bhutan

Bhutan is a beautiful place that we have visited twice.  It is another a "place less visited".  However the widening and paving of the road across the country is making it more accessible for tourism and will undoubtedly impact the unique culture of this Buddhist kingdom.

I am happy to have captured some images, before the mass influx of 60 passenger tourist buses, of the culture before progress changes it all to something we are more comfortable as well as familiar with.

Upper Mustang, Nepal Gallery Is Available

Chhusang, Upper Mustang

Finally, after almost one year, the gallery of selected photographs from my tour there in October/November is completed and available for viewing on my photography website.

https://www.hale-worldphotography.com/2017-Nepal-and-Upper-Mustang

Upper Mustang is the most beautiful place that I have ever visited.  It is definitely a "place less visited".  In many places there is no road to get there ... you just follow tire tracks across the the rock strewn floor of the Kali Gandaki River Gorge.  There is truly "Freedom of the Road".

I am returning to Upper Mustang for the Yartung Festival in the capital of Lo Manthang.  This time I will be traveling only with my wife.  Returning falls in line with my philosophy of traveling to special places to start to understand them after the initial visit to learn of them.

This trip during the monsoon season as well as for a horse festival will over some different photography opportunities.

Bhutan - Fourth Gallery Is Available

Children Reacting to Passing Helicopter

We have returned from our month long trip back to America.  Now that we are back in Thailand with a repaired computer, easy access to the Internet, and access to my original files, it is time to focus on completing post processing of the photographs from our recent tour of Bhutan.

The fourth gallery, 19 photographs, from the fifth day of our tour - 2 May 2017 is now available for viewing on my personal photography website.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Bhutan-Day-5

Man Making a Bucket for Yak Milking

Bhutan - Third Gallery Is Available

The Butter Lamp Cleaner

Another gallery of our recent tour across Bhutan is now available for viewing.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Bhutan-Day-12

This gallery of 20 photographs is from May 9th, the 12th day of our tour.

The photographs are from the eastern city of Mongar situated at 1600 meters elevation (5,249 feet).

Much of our day was spent at a wonderful temple named Kadam Gompa which serves as an elderly daycare center.  Many elderly people spend the day there worshiping and socializing along with being fed lunch while their children are working.  On the day that we were there, there was a special day long ritual going on for a special annual Buddhist holy day.

Duang and I spent most of the morning in the temple observing the special Mahayana ritual - Monks chanting, drums beating, horns blaring, incense burning ...  Because of the holiness of the temple and ritual, we were not allowed to take photographs but we were fed tea and bread along with the Monks that were all around us - a very special memory for us.  We returned in the afternoon.  Duang spent the afternoon in the temple worshiping while I spent the afternoon photographing outside of the temple and going to a primary school variety show.

Exiting the Temple - Watch Out for all those shoes!

Bhutan - Second Gallery is Available - Brokpa Cultural Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brokpa Dancer Performing a Cham, a Ritual Dance

The second gallery, 41 photographs, from our recent tour across Bhutan is now available for viewing on my personal photography site.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Bhutan-Day-14

The gallery covers the 14th day of our tour, a very special day.  We had reached the eastern most location of our journey across Bhutan.  We attended a cultural exchange program sponsored by our tour company.  A group of Brokpa people, semi-nomadic people who tend yak herds, had hiked two days to participate in the program highlighted by their performance of traditional Mahayana Buddhist chams (ritual dances) along with their unique Yak dance.

As per tradition in Bhutan, we as sponsors and esteemed guests, served lunch to the Brokpa people as well as the local villagers who show up.  It was a great event with many opportunities to get up close and personal with the Brokpa people as well as the people who inhabit the farms in the area.  Best of all, the only foreigners in attendance were our travel companions.

Young Monk With Puppy

It was a great day which left me wondering as to which group enjoyed themselves the most - much happiness in a land that values GNH, Gross National Happiness, rather than GNP, Gross National Product.

Bhutan - First Gallery is Available

Three weeks ago, Duang and I returned from a very special tour of an extraordinary place - Bhutan.

We had spent 16 days traveling across the land-locked Himalayan kingdom (Constitutional Monarchy).

We were fortune to travel with a small group of extremely interesting people from the USA,  Canada, Russia, and Australia.

Our tour was truly the trip of a lifetime.

We returned home to Thailand with many new friends, some wonderful memories as well as a desire to return in the Fall of 2018.

I also returned with 12,823 photos.  I have been very busy and will continue to be busy, if not obsessed, for the foreseeable future with editing as well as post processing the photos.

The first gallery of 26 selected photos is now available for viewing on my personal photography website at the following link:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Bhutan-Day-13

As time goes by, I will be adding more galleries as well  as blog entries documenting this extraordinary place and wonderful people - often referred to as "The Last Shangri-la"

New Gallery is available - "Thailand Tobacco"

A new gallery of 17 photographs, "Thailand Tobacco" is now available for viewing on my photography website.

Most of these photographs were taken around 2:00 AM along the bank of the Mekong River separating Thailand from Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR).

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand-Tobacco

Korb Siarn Khru Ritual Gallery Is Available

Khone Mask

A new gallery has been added to my photography website:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Korb-Siarn-Khru-Ritual

The gallery contains 26 black & white photographs of a special occult ritual conducted in some parts of Thailand associated with Thai Saiyasart.

An earlier entry of my blog provides some insight into this unique ritual and practise.

https://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2016/05/korb-siarn-khru-2016.html

It is a glimpse into a world not viewed by most tourists to the "Land of Smiles"

A New Gallery Is Available

Tavan, Vietnam

The latest gallery of my photography website is now available.  This gallery contains selected photographs from our trip to the Sa Pa Region in the Tonkinese Alps of Vietnam.

               http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Vietnam-2015

Sailfest Fireworks 2015

We returned from our annual visit to the USA two days ago.  I had not planned on doing to much traveling during this visit which turned out to be prophetic - my father died 16 days after our arrival.  We consider ourselves fortunate to have spent some time with him before he got sick and died.

One goal that I did have for our USA trip was to photograph the Sailfest Fireworks in my boyhood home of Groton on 11 July which turned out to be the night of my father's burial.  I had some new equipment along with some refined technique that I wanted to try out.

Eight days earlier I tried out the new equipment and refined technique to photograph the 75th year anniversary fireworks display for Ocean Beach Park in New London from Eastern Point Beach in Groton.  That trial run produced satisfactory results and increased my eagerness for the grand display associated with the annual Sailfest celebration.

Duang and I hiked from my parent's house to our favorite viewing location inside of Fort Griswold State Park.  Once again, I pointed out landmarks from my youth, my elementary school, my high school swim coach's home, the package store (liquor store) where I used a doctored-up ID, the location of my friend's pizza store, ..., along with tales of long ago times.

We walk because of the difficulties in parking and the heavy traffic around the viewing areas along the Thames River in Groton.  Although we were some of the last people to leave the confines of the fort at the conclusion of the fireworks program, we arrived at my parent's home while many people were still stuck in traffic.

I ended up taking 204 photographs during the 20 minute show.  Shooting 4 second exposures, I was essentially pressing my remote trigger as soon as the previous exposure had been completed. Since I had set up my equipment and tested it out prior to the start of the display, once the show commenced I could sit on our saht, look up and enjoy the show - watching the camera display above me in order to press the remote as each previous exposure was completed.  My research, experimentation and preparation were well rewarded with some very nice exposures.

My latest gallery on my website shows some of the results.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Sailfest-Fireworks-2015

I hope that you enjoy the photos.

Additional Photos Added to "Runny Noses and Dirty Faces - Children" Gallery

Samanen, Novice Monk, of Tahsang Village

Now that the holiday season has passed, I have some time to update my photo website with some additional photos to existing galleries as well as some new galleries.

Going over the photos of last year, brought  back many pleasant memories, memories of people, places, and things that we experienced over the past year.

Today, I added 38 new photographs (pages 17 and 18) to, by far and away, my most popular gallery, "Runny Noses and Dirty Faces - Children" - a collection and a tribute to the children of today as well as a reminder to the children of the past.


http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Children/Runny-Noses-and-Dirty-Faces

Tonle Sap Lake Gallery Available

Finally after almost two months, I have completed editing and post processing all the photographs from our early November trip to Cambodia.

The first of the photography galleries related to the trip is now available for viewing:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/2014-Tonle-Sap-Cambodia

The gallery contains 28 selected photos of many more available documenting life on Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, Tonle Sap.

At this time of year the water flow reverses and the lake feeds the mighty Mekong River.  Along with water entering into the Mekong, Tonle Sap also releases the bounty of fish that it had nourished and supported during the rainy season.  At this time, many of the homes in villages such as Kampong Khleang are surrounded by the waters that have increased the average depth of the lake from 6 feet to 30 feet deep.

Life in the villages is based upon the annual rise and fall of the lake levels.

New Gallery Available - "Wat Bang Phra, Sak Yant Tattoo"

Luang Pi Nunn Applies A Sak Yant To A Shoulder

A new gallery of 23 selected photographs from Wat Bang Phra in Thailand is now available for viewing and purchasing of prints.  The photographs are associated with the application of magic tattoos, Sak Yant, to the bodies of devotees at the famous Theravada Buddhist temple west of Bangkok.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Wat-Bang-Phru-Yak-Sant-Tattoo/38395615_tdMxtB

2 March 2014 Theravada Buddhist Funeral Ritual

A new gallery on my personal photography website is now available for viewing

This 17 photograph gallery is created from selected photographs that I took at a Theravada Buddhist funeral out in the countryside earlier this month.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/2-March-2014-Buddhist-Funeral/38126809_89DVf6

New Gallery Available - Phra Maha Chedi Mongkol

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Phra-Maha-Chedi-Mongkol/38104200_r997FK

My latest photography gallery is now available for viewing.  This 42 photograph gallery is about our visit to Phra Maha Chedi Mongkol earlier this month.

Although Phra Maha Chedi Mongkol is undergoing extensive construction and renovation its beauty rivals that of the various attractions in Bangkok.

Red Lotus Sea Gallery

"Nymphaea Lotus" - Red Lotus

A gallery of photographs of last Sunday's visit to Thale Bua Daeng (Red Lotus Sea) is now available for viewing on my personal photography website.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Flowers/Red-Lotus-Sea-Thale-Bua-Daeng/37287145_czg39b

New Gallery Available - "Knife Makers of Laos"

Knife Maker, Ban Hat Hien LPDR

I have finally have caught up on the editing and post processing of my photographs from the past three months.  I am not complaining because having so many photographs to work on indicates that there have been many interesting experiences during that time period.

There have been two funerals, an elementary school field day, rice harvesting, rice threshing, reunions with old friends, reunions with family, and some travels - all milestones for us as time passes.

One of our travels was to the Lao People's Democratic Republic ("Laos" or "LPDR").  We went to Luang Prabang as a respite from the emotional environment created by the death of Duang's father. It was a relief to get away from all the commotion back in Tahsang Village.

One of our destinations in Laos, was to revisit the knife makers of Ban Hat Hien, a small village across the road from the Luang Prabang International Airport.  Three years ago we had watched knives being created by the villagers out of recycled motor vehicle suspension leaf springs.

During this trip we also visited a Khmu village in the highlands outside of Luang Prabang where we encountered a 90 year old blacksmith making knives.

A new photo gallery of photographs on my photography website, documenting the knife making, is now available at the link below

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Laos/Knife-Makers-of-Laos/36637899_hmCg4d

Photo Gallery - Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival 2013

Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle - 2013

A new photography gallery has been added to my photography website.  This gallery is a collection of some of the photographs from our recent trip to Sakon Nakhon, 150 km east of our home, to enjoy this year's Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/Sakon-Nakhon-Wax-Castle/33305169_D3DWNR

"Making Pla thu" Photo Gallery Now Available

I have had a little more time to edit and post process recent photographs.  Our house is being repainted, the fence is being repainted, and major modifications to our landscaping.  Since we have workers on the property we stay at home.

A new photography gallery documenting the process of making the very popular "Pla thu" (Short mackerel) is now available for viewing as well as ordering prints.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Food/Making-Pla-Thu/33123623_WkhVpH

A New Photo Gallery Is Now Available

A new gallery on my personal photography website is now available for viewing and purchase of prints.  http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/Yellowstone-National-Park-2013/31126734_mLJKdq

 



 

The gallery contains selected photographs from our June visit to Yellowstone National Park