Fruit Stall In Motion

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

Here is one of the shop-boats selling fruits. I focussed on the ripe & delicious mangoes, juicy grapes, grilled bananas...Hungry anyone?

Slight motion blur on the seller, who is a bit out of focus as well, while focus is on the fruits...do you think the idea works for you as a viewer? Thanks in advance for your honest comments

A long story, but the full site. I saw the movie said Bond.
If you blur the boatman was deliberate, I think not "worked" and it was not necessary, however the boat has to move, and this motion is, too.
Fortunately the sleeves do not make me jealous, are very common here ... is used even eat meat ...
greetings
Ruy

Long time no see my friend, hope all is well with you.
Lovely vertical composition, very nice light over the fruit and you framed this one very well.

Take care,

Henk

The fruit does look delicious and the focus on there is good. To answer your question, I'm a bit torn. My first reaction was I would prefer the lady to be in focus too. The blurred background is perfectly acceptable, but the entire boat is the subject and I would prefer all of it in focus. However I note the exposure details and to get a wider DOF you would have had to increase the ISO even more. To avoid the inevitable noise if you had done that you made a choice. I don't know your point of focus; maybe if you had focused slightly further back....say the back of the grapes maybe that would have helped. Anyway I don't DISlike it as it is. It makes an excellent action shot.
It would fit this month's theme too. Let me know if you want it included and you can edit the title.
Kath

Hi Angshuman
Yes it works just fine as the fruit takes up the largest part of the frame. I really like the slight angle that the boat is in.
Phil

Hi my friend Angshu!

Great to see you posting again and I really love this image. The fruit looks delicious! :-) I really like the framing and the blurred b/g. Sure, the seller could be sharper and I think it would have done the image well, but I like this a lot as it is and if you're focused on the things being sold, it's just perfect. Great shot!! Hope to see more from you soon!

Hope all is well with you! Hugs,
Linda

Hello Angshuman,

I just returned from Thailand and Cambodia. At both places that I have been were floating cities nearby and yet I opted not to go there as it was not promising given the intense monsoon raining. Seeing your image I am sure that I will need to return to Southeast Asia to complete this unique experience.
Your image gives me a real pleasure. My first thought that you should have worked to get a deeper DOF, but the more I look into it the more I like the slightly blurred seller. The focus remains on the fruits which are certainly the major point of attraction and that is were the main focus is to remain. You actually did this very well!

Peter

Hello Angshu.
Picture Full of life also accompanied by an interesting commentary on the canals and on the photo.
I guess you were on a bridge to take the photo, and the perspective that uses depth of field is realistic and impressive at the same time.
You are perfectly put focus on this fruits... It is probably that the tourist, for you place see in real life ...
I shall also add to notice the high quality of light.
Greetings from Paris.
Cordially.
Pierre.

I would love to be there once, to see these boats full of fruits!
I can smell the sweet scents on air! It is a very nice scene, so typical from Thailand.
Very good contribution!
Best regards,
Zeca

Hello Angshu,

I love how the fruites are like coming at me, I can just reach into the monitor and grab a few mangos out of there. I do miss having all this tropical fruites.

Excllent photo of the lively scene of the water market.

Way

Hi Angshu,
This is a very artistic composition, and the arrangement of fruit shows the seller to be a true artist as well. It does make me lust for those wonderful mangos. They were just at the end of their season but still available in limited quantities....and they were delicious. Larry & I enjoyed a long-tail boat ride as well.
Health & Joy, Pat