Chiang Dao Farmer's Market - Wonderful Photography!

[FolkGuitar]

Every Tuesday morning, (and only on Tuesday mornings...) there is a HUGE farmers market that fills both sides of Rt. 107 for several blocks! No water buffaloes, live chickens, or motorcycles at this one, its real photographic attraction is that, besides being on such a grand scale, it draws several different Hill Tribe groups together in one location that is NOT created for tourists to pay to enter! Housewares, clothing, fresh vegetables, dried fish, butchers, tobacco vendors, cooked food vendors, cookware, hardware, etc., etc. And with Chiang Dao mountain as a backdrop, to possibilities for great photos are endless!

As said before, this market only happens Tuesday mornings, winding down by 1pm, so get there early. Also, if past years are anything to go by, the 'big' market simply STOPS right after the New Year, with only a handful of vendors setting up during the first several months of the new year. There is still time, though, with the rest of November, and all of December to see it, with a really big turn-out of shoppers all in their traditional costumes during the last two weeks of the year.

To get there from the city, head out of town on Chiang Puak Rd, going north from Chiang Puak Gate, and don't make any turns until you see mobs of people. It's that simple. From the Gate, the market is 70 kilometers north along this same road, Rt. 107, and the market is SOOO big that even if you are not paying attention you'll see it! There is plenty of convenient parking on the north side of the market (cost: 5 baht.)

I especially recommend the vegetarian Vietnamese Spring Rolls (I wonder if these have to be renamed Thai Spring Rolls?) vendor set up on the east side of the street just as the market begins. I've never had better!

If you're not too full after all this, a visit to the Chiang Dao Nest for lunch makes for a perfect day!

[haybilly]

Thanks for the tip--would like to get there sometime.

[jobin]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

[Sparkles]

We were at this market only a week ago ,tipped off by the staff of the resort we stayed at.We queried the time 6am to 1pm,seemed unusual, and got there about 10am, it was heaving.

I forgot to take my camera but rest assured its as good as the OP described. Add in a young German guy and his Thai wife who make some of the best bakery products we have ever enjoyed.

To sum up we loaded up with quality fruit and veges ,for our return to CM,much cheaper and better quality than you can buy in CM and will do it again.

Chiang Dao is a great escape from CM.Its still "old Thailand" untouched as yet by development.Hopefully it stays that way for a while at least.

[Tywais]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

Guess you're not a photographer. Permission is not required to photograph people in public areas. Of course there are certain protocols of politeness to follow and suspect the OP is aware of the mechanics of them.

[TooPoopedToPop]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

Guess you're not a photographer. Permission is not required to photograph people in public areas. Of course there are certain protocols of politeness to follow and suspect the OP is aware of the mechanics of them.

It's quite simple really and no language skills are required. Before taking someone's picture you just smile and point to your camera.

In most cases they will smile back and you just click away.

This is Thailand... the land of smiles.

[FolkGuitar]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

Personally, I've always preferred to ask permission if I'm going to go up in someone's face with a camera. Language isn't a problem; a small gesture at the camera, followed by a gesture at the person, all done with a smile and a questioning expression 'usually' results in a returned smile and a nod of acceptance. For the few times that it doesn't, there are more than enough subjects to make the day worthwhile without them. But that's only for getting up close and personal and being polite.

Photography in public places is often best done with a 200mm telephoto lens to capture more candid scenes and expressions, or a very wide-angle 17mm-35mm lens so you can be facing one way yet capturing scenes off to the sides. An off-camera flash is a good idea for lighting up the scenes under the sun awnings, but even a built-in flash will get the job done. If you're using a little 'point-n-shoot' camera, turn the 'automatic flash' to 'always on.' Otherwise the camera will 'see' the sunlight coming in between the canvases and not give you enough exposure to light the faces properly. Even when sold professionally for magazines, model releases are not required when the photography is done is locations where privacy is not expected. Still, a little bit of polite behavior goes a long way, especially if you plan to return for more shooting.

I had been photographing this market professionally for 10 years, but now retired from the business, enjoy visiting with 'old friend' vendors. It was my habit to print a yearly calendar with the vendor's photo on it, and give it to them on my following visit. As a result, 'friendships' evolved, and they would allow me behind their tables so I could get a better angle to photograph their customers. They would introduce me to them, gently prodding them to allow me to photograph them. It got me some very marketable images. Now retired, I've switched to video just for fun, and went back to see if I could learn how to capture interesting video clips of the market. It's amazing just what 'hams' the vendors can be, mugging for the camera and demonstrating their wares to their customers, all the while flashing big smiles at the camera! No way to be subtle with a video camera on a long boom over the market place! LOL!

One lesson I learned yesterday was that I'm no videographer! Uggh! I'll go back next week armed with a list of my mistakes and try again! Besides, I like seeing all the smiles when we take pictures of the people there! It feels good!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

Thank you for wording that a lot more politely than I was about to do.

Some people desperately need to go buy themselves a life.

[FolkGuitar]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

I was thinking about what you wrote while I was at lunch, the 'because' part, and I realized that each of us has their own reason for taking pictures of other people. You, perhaps, might think of taking pictures of people because you find them different from you. And that's OK. (We would hope you don't do so 'intrusively.') Someone else might choose to take pictures because they see some special beauty in their subject, be it age worn gracefully, or hardships etched in deeply, and that's OK too. Yet another might just look for colorful clothing or special hair styles, interesting faces, perhaps nice smiles (I like nice smiles myself,) or people carrying babies, concentrating on picking out some special item, etc., etc., etc. They are OK too. All of these are great concepts for photography, and for someone to try to base what they see happening on their own nature often is quite misleading. We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are.

[anonymouse]

Sounds interesting and back on topic after the derailment let's see some photos Mr Folk Guitar

[sendbaht]

Thanks FolkGuitar for the heads up. This is sounds prefect. Just told the wife we will have Vietnamese Spring Rolls for breakfast next Tuesday.

Chiang Dao is only around 45klms from our home so a easy drive. Can't wait to check it out.

[FolkGuitar]

Here are a few taken at the market, both vendors and shoppers.

Hopefully, these same folks will be there next week, and I can give them a copy of their pictures. Back when I was working here, I'd hand out 15-25 pictures every week. Some vendor people would even bring 'special' clothing for their kids, dressing them up for a photo. During November and December I used to go up and shoot there every week. I bought this pipe for 10 baht from one vendor whose picture I took, and gave it to the tobacco vendor when I took his picture. He immediately stuffed it full of tobacco and started puffing away contentedly!

[FolkGuitar]

Thanks FolkGuitar for the heads up. This is sounds prefect. Just told the wife we will have Vietnamese Spring Rolls for breakfast next Tuesday.

Chiang Dao is only around 45klms from our home so a easy drive. Can't wait to check it out.

You find them just next to that German fellow and his wife that Sparkles mentioned, selling really nice looking pies, cakes, and breads.

The market starts about a block after the turn-off for the Chiang Dao Cave, and these two vendors are on the right side just after the beginning of it all! And if you see an old (but very, very 'handsum') man looking foolish with a video camera on a big stick, tap me on the shoulder and say 'hi!'

[BritManToo]

I never understand the people who want to ban photographers in public places.

Just seems strange.

Keep on snapping FG, some great pictures there!

[cm das]

Love the pictures. I am a big fan of Chiang Dao. I have a small farm up near the cave (well, my wife does) and I get there as often as I can. But I want to inject a small note of realism into the conversation. To say that Chiang Dao is "untouched as yet by development" is a stretch. Maybe a few years ago you could say that but it's been very much discovered by now. New resorts and coffee shops are springing up all the time. In the cold season there are loads of campers coming up from Bangkok. The area is still laid back and mostly natural but change is underway and I'm afraid there's no stopping it. Also, on the Tuesday market - it's great people watching and there are lots of plants and foodstuffs for sale but I think that calling it a "farmer's market" might be misleading. It's the big weekly market for the whole area and if you consider the goods for sale by volume, the majority consists of cheap clothes, plastic household goods and stuff like that. (I know the OP mentioned a variety of goods, I only wanted to elaborate). And there's often loud, canned pop music playing. Don't get me wrong, I love the market too but I just wouldn't want folks to see the pictures posted here, read the description and then drive up to Chiang Dao hoping to find a mostly traditional, natural scene.

[jobin]

Some folks believe that photos 'capture' the spirit of the person, even the soul. Thus, these folks deeply resent unwanted photos. I'm not saying this is the case in CD, but that i don't know. I esp think this notion is true of primitive peoples, those in the colorful and conspicuous costumes. Also, in certain world places the curious looking person is seeking a coin, if you want his/her photo.

I did not see too much of interest in the Pai Market. Soon, I'll get my a** of of bed one Tuesday early and hit the road. North, for a good doughnut.

And i have heard that the Karen 'long neck' ladies continue that tradition almost entirely for coins, gotten through photos taken by outsiders. We, the westerners, have brought numerous troubles to primitive peoples through our actions which we think are harmless, or worse, personally benefiting, and the weak colored person be damned.

Not hammering on you FG, the pix are nice.

[haybilly]

So you wander around the market place intrusively taking photos of other people without permission because you find them different from you? Or do you ask permission?

Thank you for wording that a lot more politely than I was about to do.

Some people desperately need to go buy themselves a life.

Well---I'm really glad that you didn't bother, if he 'worded it more politely' than you.

[FolkGuitar]

1. Some folks believe that photos 'capture' the spirit of the person, even the soul. Thus, these folks deeply resent unwanted photos. I'm not saying this is the case in CD, but that i don't know. I esp think this notion is true of primitive peoples, those in the colorful and conspicuous costumes. 2. Also, in certain world places the curious looking person is seeking a coin, if you want his/her photo.

I did not see too much of interest in the Pai Market. Soon, I'll get my a** of of bed one Tuesday early and hit the road. North, for a good doughnut.

And i have heard that the Karen 'long neck' ladies continue that tradition almost entirely for coins, gotten through photos taken by outsiders. We, the westerners, have brought numerous troubles to primitive peoples through our actions which we think are harmless, or worse, personally benefiting, and the weak colored person be damned.

3. Not hammering on you FG, the pix are nice.

1. This IS often very true. Which is why it behooves us to be polite and ask permission if we are standing in front of someone getting a close-up photo of them. As I said before, if you smile, most people will smile back and give permission, and for the few that don't... there are always plenty more subjects who will give permission, like the young girls below. (I love the traditional Paduang Baseball cap!) Personally I find the biggest problem is getting people NOT to grin like silly fools when I take their picture, or raise the Victory sign looking 'cutsy!' I hope for a 'nice' smile, but if you look at the two Karen women below, you'll see that they usually are too busy giggling!

2. This too is very common, especially in heavily touristed areas. When I see a vendor that I want to photograph, I try to find some small object that they are selling that I can buy as my 'payment' for taking their picture. Then I pass that object on to the next subject, just as I did with the pipe and the tobacco seller.

3. Didn't feel at all hammered. You just gave food for thought. Thanks for the compliment.

[quidnunc]

Some folks believe that photos 'capture' the spirit of the person, even the soul. Thus, these folks deeply resent unwanted photos. I'm not saying this is the case in CD, but that i don't know. I esp think this notion is true of primitive peoples, those in the colorful and conspicuous costumes. Also, in certain world places the curious looking person is seeking a coin, if you want his/her photo.

I did not see too much of interest in the Pai Market. Soon, I'll get my a** of of bed one Tuesday early and hit the road. North, for a good doughnut.

And i have heard that the Karen 'long neck' ladies continue that tradition almost entirely for coins, gotten through photos taken by outsiders. We, the westerners, have brought numerous troubles to primitive peoples through our actions which we think are harmless, or worse, personally benefiting, and the weak colored person be damned.

Not hammering on you FG, the pix are nice.

Oh,so these people are "primitive?" Do you call them that to make yourself feel superior to them or for some other reason? Do you have a problem with other more respectful people who call them "traditional?"

And I want to thank you for your textbook example of how to cast aspersions by asking questions with hostile content. It says so much about you..

[daoyai]

Some folks believe that photos 'capture' the spirit of the person, even the soul. Thus, these folks deeply resent unwanted photos. I'm not saying this is the case in CD, but that i don't know. I esp think this notion is true of primitive peoples, those in the colorful and conspicuous costumes. Also, in certain world places the curious looking person is seeking a coin, if you want his/her photo.

I did not see too much of interest in the Pai Market. Soon, I'll get my a** of of bed one Tuesday early and hit the road. North, for a good doughnut.

And i have heard that the Karen 'long neck' ladies continue that tradition almost entirely for coins, gotten through photos taken by outsiders. We, the westerners, have brought numerous troubles to primitive peoples through our actions which we think are harmless, or worse, personally benefiting, and the weak colored person be damned.

Not hammering on you FG, the pix are nice.

Ah the white man's burden weighs heavy on your soul...

[anonymouse]

Great photos and I'll forward to visiting sometime soon thanks for the topic and the photos FG

[Sparkles]

Love the pictures. I am a big fan of Chiang Dao. I have a small farm up near the cave (well, my wife does) and I get there as often as I can. But I want to inject a small note of realism into the conversation. To say that Chiang Dao is "untouched as yet by development" is a stretch. Maybe a few years ago you could say that but it's been very much discovered by now. New resorts and coffee shops are springing up all the time. In the cold season there are loads of campers coming up from Bangkok. The area is still laid back and mostly natural but change is underway and I'm afraid there's no stopping it. Also, on the Tuesday market - it's great people watching and there are lots of plants and foodstuffs for sale but I think that calling it a "farmer's market" might be misleading. It's the big weekly market for the whole area and if you consider the goods for sale by volume, the majority consists of cheap clothes, plastic household goods and stuff like that. (I know the OP mentioned a variety of goods, I only wanted to elaborate). And there's often loud, canned pop music playing. Don't get me wrong, I love the market too but I just wouldn't want folks to see the pictures posted here, read the description and then drive up to Chiang Dao hoping to find a mostly traditional, natural scene.

I should have expanded on my "as yet untouched by development" comment, sure there are a couple of new resorts and maybe a coffee shop or 2 in CD, which we didn't see, but nothing like what's happened in Pai and and our own CM. As you say "not yet"

In fact in Chiang Mai with Mc Donalds ,KFC and 7/11 stores and my pet hate, electronic billboards, popping up like mushrooms all over the place its quickly becoming one big ugly city and to get away to Chiang Dao is a nice experience.

The drive in and around Chiang Dao and out to the Wildlife Sanctuary and the Buddhist retreat is truly beautiful and as we remember it from our last visit.

Having a farm out there you are truly blessed

[sendbaht]

Thanks FolkGuitar for the heads up. This is sounds prefect. Just told the wife we will have Vietnamese Spring Rolls for breakfast next Tuesday.

Chiang Dao is only around 45klms from our home so a easy drive. Can't wait to check it out.

"""""""""""You find them just next to that German fellow and his wife that Sparkles mentioned, selling really nice looking pies, cakes, and breads.

The market starts about a block after the turn-off for the Chiang Dao Cave, and these two vendors are on the right side just after the beginning of it all! And if you see an old (but very, very 'handsum') man looking foolish with a video camera on a big stick, tap me on the shoulder and say 'hi!'

LOL, ok, I'll bring my Martin tuned to open D........you mentioned also lunch at the Chiang Dao Nest....the couple who owe it live a 3 iron away from us...may stop there too...come on Tuesday.)

[ThaiWx]

Great photos and I'll forward to visiting sometime soon thanks for the topic and the photos FG

+1, very well done FG!

[FolkGuitar]

Thanks FolkGuitar for the heads up. This is sounds prefect. Just told the wife we will have Vietnamese Spring Rolls for breakfast next Tuesday.

Chiang Dao is only around 45klms from our home so a easy drive. Can't wait to check it out.

"""""""""""You find them just next to that German fellow and his wife that Sparkles mentioned, selling really nice looking pies, cakes, and breads.

The market starts about a block after the turn-off for the Chiang Dao Cave, and these two vendors are on the right side just after the beginning of it all! And if you see an old (but very, very 'handsum') man looking foolish with a video camera on a big stick, tap me on the shoulder and say 'hi!'

LOL, ok, I'll bring my Martin tuned to open D........you mentioned also lunch at the Chiang Dao Nest....the couple who owe it live a 3 iron away from us...may stop there too...come on Tuesday.)

Drop the F# down to D (matching the 4th string) and play Indian Sitar ragas and I'll jam with ya! With the Chiang Dao mountain as a backdrop, it couldn't get any more spiritual!

[sendbaht]

Great seeing you today FolkGuitar.....Nice guy you are.....that was a fun Tuesday get-away,,,,,,thanks again.

[FolkGuitar]

Another delightful day at the Chiang Dao Market! Even more people there today than last week, and it will grow bigger still each week right up until New Years! More and different vendors this week than last, and far more groups of Hill Tribe shoppers. But the thing I love most about this market, is that everyone is smiling! Grinning from ear to ear and mugging for the camera! It really makes for a fun morning!

And many thanks to 'Sendbaht' for my plate of Vegetarian Vietnamese Spring Rolls. In all the commotion of the Market, I didn't get a chance to say 'thanks' to you properly! Hope to meet up with you and your wife again soon!

[jobin]

I'll try next Tuesday. Depart 6am and see if one hour on the road will get me there. Be back Chiang Puek gate by noon. Should be good. Zero chance of rain. Hmm. Should i bring my small camera and snap a few?