Tag: Traveling

PHOTO ESSAY : A LONELY JOURNEY

September 17, 2022
by Ketsiree Wongwan
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TEXT & PHOTO: SUPAKORN SOONTARARAK

(For Thai, press here)

We’ve heard the phrase ‘traveling is a journey of self-discovery’ so often that it’s almost become a catchphrase. But even so, we’ve seen it inspire countless individuals to pack their bags and explore the globe. On the other hand, if the statement were changed and ‘alone’ was added to the equation. I wouldn’t be surprised if some people had second thoughts or abandoned the idea out of fear of the word and what it implies. But this assertion made me question myself. After a period of reflection, I overcame my fear and my thoughts became clear. I established a goal that I hoped would enable me to discover more about who I am. I began planning my first solo trip and haven’t looked back since. My journey to self-discovery has revealed that solo travel has become an important and meaningful chapter of my life. I’ve learned more about myself simply by spending time alone. Traveling alone allows me to linger longer over something or a location, appreciating all the details, my surroundings, and my emotions on a deeper level. 

Upon observing architecture and design, I began recognizing the intention behind each work, how light and shadow affect a space at various times of the day, and the beauty that has been meticulously crafted and conveyed. It would not be incorrect to say that the famous quote is accurate. If I hadn’t been able to overcome my fear, I would have never had the courage to travel alone, and I certainly wouldn’t know myself as well as I do now. 

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Supakorn Soontararak used to be an architect. Now working full-time as a Senior Business Developer with a part-time job as an architectural photographer for SynSpaceStudio, he is the only Thai person ever to win the internationally renowned photography awards Arch2O by Architecture and Design Magazine in 2021 and Cyberpunk2077 World Photo Contest in 2020.

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PHOTO ESSAY : INTO THE MOUNTAINS

July 14, 2020
by pratchayapol
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TEXT & PHOTO: CHAOVARITH POONPHOL

(For Thai, press here)

 
This is my second time walking on this route. It was in April when I came to Annapurna for the first time. It was summer and the weather was completely different than it is this time. Around the end and beginning of the year, between December and January, the temperature could drop to 5-10°C, and even further down to – 15°C up on the Base Camp, not to mention the unmerciful winds that would come thrashing our bodies. The trek demanded incredibly meditative and conscious steps since almost the entire route of the circuit was covered with ice.
 

But those steps taken were a chance for me, being with my whole self. Through my exhausted legs, pained muscles, raging heartbeat and struggling to breathe, I learnt more about myself, more than I have ever known. The trip was 9 days long and I walked 124.7 kilometers through the mountains. The most important thing about this journey, however, wasn’t about reaching that final destination, but more about every step I took, the road in between, the nature that was embracing me, the route, the climate and the companions. 

These series of photographs were taken during that trek. ‘Into the Mountains’ is the name of the series.

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Chaovarith Poonphol is an architect with several years of work experience. He’s fallen so deep in love with photography that it has become both his hobby and profession. He’s currently working as an architecture photographer behind the lens of SkyGround architectural film & photography. He loves travelling and nature.