The Photography of Dr. Jeffrey P. Harper

My daughter is visiting Thailand so we took a couple of days on the klongs (canals) in and around the Samut Songkhram region.

We hired a long-tail boat to take us through these swamp canals.

The people and houses along the way were very photogenic.

Living on the klongs is a very old way of living life.

A still life in the swamps of Samut Songkhram.

Life on the klongs.

Fishing dog?

The water was very high and full of silt due to the flooding in Central Thailand. The children loved it.

Small villages dotted the main klongs.

But all klongs lead to the Floating Markets.  Although these are popular with tourists and photographers, they are actual working daily markets.

Tropical fruit is brought to market along the klongs.

A timeless scene along at the Floating Market.

Tourists from all over the world come to be photographed!!

The klongs are serviced by a variety of boats.  You can go for hundreds of miles/kilometers on the klongs of Samut Songkhram.

Yep, I celebrated my 5th Cycle (60th birthday) on October 10, 2010 (10/10/10), a day I have been anticipating since my 10th birthday (10 on October 10th).  It was a wonderful day spent with family and friends at the Rang Mahal restaurant atop the Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok.

Yep, you guessed it: it's 10:10:10 on 10/10/10 . . . . a rare moment.

With my wonderful wife, Onchittra, and her brother Vechai's family.

The whole group of family and friends at the Rang Mahal, one of my favorite restaurants in Bangkok.

The table.  If you can imagine a five star Indian BUFFET, then you understand the attraction of the Rang Mahal . . . .

The Birthday Boy and Bangkok on 10/10/10.

A fun thing to do in Bangkok when friends visit is to take a long-tail boat tour of the Bangkok klongs (canals).

Nobody, and I do mean NO BODY, does heraldic banners like they do in Thailand. They Love their King in Thailand (rightfully) and they love to show that love in their heraldic banners. First in a series.

On the main  road leading into Hua Hin, Thailand, the Thai King's beach residence.

Outside of Hua Hin again: The Thai King in various favorite portraits.  Beautiful.

Sweet Hua Hin:

The ubiquity of it all!

The sea (The Gulf of Siam/Thailand) changes all the time. From misty . . . 

 . . . to picture postcard  . . . . .

 . . . to clear and azure . . . . .

. . . . and then stormy . . . .

. . . to the drama of an approaching storm . . . .

. . . to serene evening moods with cool breezes . . .

. . . followed by next morning's sun rise.

 . . . .  to memories of past storms.  Here we have the impermanence of wealth.

The mornings are my favorite times . . . . when the fishermen are out . . . .

 . . . and the boats head back in after a night's squidding . . . .

 . . . and when the tide is out, it is a nice time for a walk down the beach.

It is a good time of the year (The Damn Hot and Damn Wet Season) to photograph flowers. These are frangipani.

Yes, it is true even in nature: play with your stamen and you can twist it.

Incredible lotus flowers, a symbol of Buddhism, and my favorite flower.

Perfectly amazing color.

A tiny, complex world of colorful beauty.

Colorful. Purposeful. Beauty.

 Propagatory. The Lotus' universe.

Rust and vines.