I have loved all of your pictures for a few months now but these are incredible. I have always wanted to be so bold to take pictures of the people I see on the street in other countries but I am always too nervous. Thank you for sharing your wonderful pictures!
Incredibly moving, and awesome portraits. Thank you for sharing.
what a great collection. I love how colorful everything is. Thailand is definitely up there on my list of places to visit. My favorite is the older lady sitting in the blue chair. She looks so fun and spunky.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said "A man finds room in the few square inches of his face for the traits of all his ancestors; for the expression of all his history, and his wants." That resonates in these images and tells me that a special place in your heart was touched by each one. You have that gift.
@wrecklessgirl she is mine too... such a proud woman.
Hi. I love all your picturs. The ones in Thailand are so inspiring. I mentioned you on my blog today as one of my faves. Hope you have a wonderful New Years and THANK YOU. Melina
These portraits are wonderful! You truly captured each personality in his/her environment. I especially love the attitude of the last woman! Kudos :)
Gorgeous photos! I love how you captured the spirit and essence of each person and Thailand.
Gorgeous photos! I love how you captured the spirit and essence of each person and Thailand.
these are beautiful sarah! i hope you had a wonderful vacation... much deserved i'm sure!
So addicted to your blog. You are incredibly talented.
Beautifully captured! You did an amazing job! I love it!
This is a really interesting set of portraits, great work.
Thailand is the coolest place I've ever been. This makes me want to buy a ticket back there now.
@Beata I am likely going to do a post on this in the coming weeks but in short, yes, I raise my camera in question and smile to ask if I can take someone's photo before I snap the shot. All of these portraits were shot with my 35mm lens so I had to be pretty darn close to the people. Thailand is called "the land of smiles" and they truly live up to their name. Most of the people were very open and willing to have their portraits taken. There were only 3 times throughout the trip that I asked and was turned down. Every culture is different, every person is different and it is important to respect people when we capture them :) hope that helps... I'll do a full post on street photography in the coming weeks.
You are SO inspiring Sarah!!!
Beautiful what you wrote! I'm a big fan of Sebastiao Salgado, he's from the same country I'm from. :)
I LOVE to come here, your words always touches my heart! Thank You for that!
:)
Hi there Sarah - I just can't stop looking at your photos from Thailand - amazing! Just a question - did you just go up and ask to take the person's photo? I'm off to the US in March and want to take photos of any interesting people i cross paths with on our road trip. sometimes just hesitant to take a photo of a complete stranger...
Love B
You are SO inspiring Sarah!!!
Beautiful what you wrote! I'm a big fan of Sebastiao Salgado, he's from the same country I'm from. :)
I LOVE to come here, your words always touches my heart! Thank You for that!
:)
Hi there Sarah - I just can't stop looking at your photos from Thailand - amazing! Just a question - did you just go up and ask to take the person's photo? I'm off to the US in March and want to take photos of any interesting people i cross paths with on our road trip. sometimes just hesitant to take a photo of a complete stranger...
Love B
your words brought tears to my eyes. It was exactly what I needed to hear tonight. The photos are most evidently emotionally connected. Thank you.
Thank you for such a beautiful reminder of jumping out of the boat. I cannot wait to talk when you get back.
the first portrait, that's my dad...skin tone, wrinkles, glasses, everything. in just one portrait, you were able to make me miss my dad.
Incredibly wise and moving words.
These are all so beautiful, but there are a few that absolutely stopped me in my tracks - where the soul of the person shone through the photograph with complete and utter clarity.
Impressive and full of heart.
Wow, these are all such powerful images! You captured each of theses individuals beautifully. They all have a different special look in their eye! I always enjoy seeing what you're up to next! Great job!
These are absolutely breathtaking. I am in love with the last shot. The look on that woman's face is priceless!
Stunning portraits. So much character.
Wow, these are all such powerful images! You captured each of theses individuals beautifully. They all have a different special look in their eye! I always enjoy seeing what you're up to next! Great job!
Wow! These are great images. Talk about an intense sport. I love the b/w conversions that you've got here. Super cool!
beautiful sarah! such strong images full of so much emotion! i am captivated. So happy you two had such a wonderful safe trip!
I'm tired just looking at these. Intense! Energy! Powerful photos!
these are so cool! congrats on finding a sport you like. :)
I wanna go to Thailand someday... great captured Sarah n Chris.. There's so many lovely images from your travels.. :) You should plan your next Asia Travel to Indonesia.. I take you around here.. so many beautiful places and real traditional people, food, and places too :)
...those guys are the most disciplined....strongest....fighters around.
These are excellent. Actually all your Thailand images are beautiful. You have such a gift for composition and seeing what looks good. Not only do you rock at portraits of all kinds, you knock it out of the park with journalistic shooting too. Keep this up. I love seeing your fresh views!
WOW ! WOW ! I am going in February for almost a month and this post just made me even more excited!
donald miller's book is incredible, as well as your images. these blew my mind!
Have thoroughly enjoyed your travel diary from Thailand. I can almost taste and smell the country itself. x
Sarah - wow. Your images always floor me but your perspective on traveling and the world are equally impressive. Thank you for sharing. The Donald Miller book is now on my Christmas list :)
Sarah - I love following your blog and these images of Thailand bring back great memories of travels. The mannequin image is priceless... and so thai and asian. Great capture. Enjoy your trip!
Wondering what that naked manequin has to laugh about?????
Interesting how they package the fish....they look like they are smooching!
Thanks for sharing. I had a similar experience after coming back from Kenya.. it's a feeling that truly can't be explained which if frustrating and you just want to shake people for not understanding! I've totally lost that "wake-up" to reality and need it! Thanks for reminding me.
I love the images from this trip! My favorite is the one with the women on the motorcycle. So excited that you guys got to go. I'm hopefully going to Thailand in April. : )
I used travel between Singapore and Seattle a lot. Best way to deal with that jet lag...drink lots of water, stay up late and wake up early for the first few days, and get outside in the fresh air. Best of luck!
what a fantastic, beautiful and rewarding trip that must have been. Thanks for sharing - looking forward to going there next year!
Again, wow! The second image, black and white, awesome! The house on the hill, gorgeous!!! So inspiring Sarah!!!!!!!
These are amazing... you make me want to go back to Thailand!!!! :) Thanks for sharing your adventure... a beautiful post and a timely reminder to be grateful. Grateful for everything. :)
i really want to jump on a plane right now and go to Thailand. stunning images and it sounds like it was such an amazing trip for the two of you.
I've been reading Through Painted Deserts!
His new one is next on my list. I love Donald's writing. I hope you read Blue Like Jazz! That one totally opened my eyes to a relationship with Christ.
Well gosh, I'm so glad you had such an amazing time in Thailand. I can't wait to go back this summer! Your work has inspired me to take more though provoking and riskier images this time around.
Dear National Geographic...
Have you met Sarah Rhoads yet?
Seriously, such amazing photos. I love your view on Thailand...'same same, but different' than mine. Beautiful photography that truly captured the essence of their culture. Love it!
Welcome home and thanks for sharing your journey! Happy Holidays too!
Jen
beautiful post. so much color and life in these images. thanks for sharing :)
Sarah... I love these. I love your stories. I love your thoughts. I love that they resonate in my own heart. Thank you for telling them and showing this beautiful country through your measure of beauty and art. It all reminds me how I want to go back... :) Good luck getting over the jet lag.... you can do it!!!
love these sarah. fine art gallery in the works??? would love a print of the last elephant eye. gorgeous.
what beautiful, beautiful portraits! and what a creepy laughing mannequin!
Wow. These images are beautiful. I love the colours. Thanks for the tips. Can't wait to hit the streets with a smile and my camera!
I loved the quote by Henri Cartier-Bresson. Another great photographer that shoots in that style is Jeff Ascough (http://www.jeffascough.com/).
The sunset and the street one is beautiful and I agree with a previous comment about the monks and the camera.
I love your photos!! The colors are fabulous.
sarah, thank you for sharing.
the one of the monk taking a photo of you is just priceless. i love that you can still see his big smile through his fingers and his happy squinty eye from the side. that pictures is so uplifting :))
I like the second to last image for it's depth and strong sense of place. Well done. The image of the scooters at sunset/sunrise is interesting too. Looks like something Nick Onken would shoot.
How fun! Thank you for posting more information on the art of "street photography." I actually just enrolled in a class called street photography, because I want to grow in that specific area! Which means I can't be shy anymore... :)
Thank you so much with sharing, I'm not a shy person at heart to take photos of people, but when I'm in another country I always tend to not get close-up and ask. Your tips will definitely help on my next trip. The photos are amazing! as I was scrolling through the post I was smiling - I love reading and viewing your blog it always makes me smile:)
i love it, thank you Sarah.
I'm going to go over to the Heavenly Village this week and practice some "street photography" for the first time...wish me luck!
Sarah, you know we've been blog stalking you for you a while. Your portraits from Thailand are so impressive and speak so much of your ability to relate to the people you photograph (even with language barriers) :-)
Nice post.
Have a look at the work of a great photographer, Raymond Depardon. I love his vision.
http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox&ALID=2K7O3R14JHU5&IT=ThumbImage01_VForm&CT=Album
haha. love these! I too really like the monk taking your picture :) And thanks for sharing!
Just beautiful.
HAHAH! My FAVORITE is the one of the monk taking a photo you YOU! :) That one made me chuckle out loud. Love all of these. The woman in the purple headband is just mesmerizing! Her smile pulled me in. What gorgeous photos, and people!
great post! with great images to go along! ;)
As always, a lovely post from a lovely couple. I adore the monks with the camera and the watercolor artist the most...thanks for sharing some thoughts on capturing humanity in their elements!
Thanks for the insight and tips. I've been following your work for 2 months and have been inspired by each and every post. Thanks again!
Beautiful post! Thank you so much for sharing.
I'm in love with these images. I like to do this same thing when I travel, but never got too many of the people because I was afraid to ask. Thanks for the info, I won't be afraid next time! Beautiful imagery.