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Snap Shots: Pictures or Portraits?
by Harry Flashman
I was asked the other day as to whether I did
portraits. The answer was yes, but these days I must admit I will only do
them when I want to, not on demand. That’s the advantage of being
retired!
 The
question also prompted me to think about the differences between pictures
and portraits. The two styles of resulting photographs are poles apart.
You see, ‘portraits’ comes from the word ‘portray’ and means to
make a likeness of. Portraiture is even described as the ‘art’ of
making that likeness, and that is where the difference comes.
We have all got, or have seen, passport photographs.
These are the archetypal pictures. They show what your face looks like.
Nothing more, nothing less. However, when you have a portrait taken, the
photograph should do more than just show what your face looks like, but
also give some inkling as to what you are like. Sort of ‘value-added’
if you will. I describe it as making a likeness of the ‘person’.
Somehow you have to get the personality into the picture, and that way you
have a real portrait.
It is for this reason alone that you cannot walk into a
photo studio and get your portrait taken. At best you will get an
adequately lit picture of yourself. You will not get a portrait. For the
photographer to understand the sitter takes time in getting to know the
sitter. Likes and dislikes, hobbies, anxieties, a wife or mother - a whole
thumbnail sketch of the person, and then and only then, should the sitter
get in front of the camera.
So let’s make you, the weekend photographer into a
portrait photographer. To portray the person, you first need to know how
the sitters perceive themselves. People who consider themselves to be
happy, spontaneous people should be photographed laughing, head back, open
mouthed, smiling, tossing the hair around - you get the concept, I’m
sure. More studious people should be shown in that manner. A book as a
prop is a great idea to convey the mood and make the sitter feel relaxed.
Having already found out a little of the sitter’s likes and dislikes,
you can also add some props, and have the subject begin to relate to them,
like the book in the studious portrait. This also helps them to relax.
I have mentioned before in this column that the first
rule with all sitters is to get your subject to relax. If your favourite
lady is standing rigidly to attention, I can guarantee that the end result
will not be pleasing to either the sitter or the photographer. When
photographing Thai people in particular, it is even more important to get
them relaxed and happy, as they do tend to “stand to attention” with
arms held straight at their sides, looking as if they are on army parade.
The pose to avoid at all costs is the subject straight
on to the camera. This is unfortunately the commonest pose - but it is the
most un-glamorous pose as far as women are concerned. That is why it is
used in passports! Here’s what to do to get over this problem. Start by
sitting your lady in a chair, and then turn it 45 degrees away from the
straight ahead position. Now ask her to slowly turn her head and look at
the end of your camera’s lens. Look through your viewfinder - see? It
looks better already. Now ask her to gently raise the shoulder closest to
the camera and smile. Guess what? You are starting to get a portrait
image.
That basic pose can be modified by turning to the left
as well as to the right, shoulders up or down, open mouthed smile or shy
grin. Each shot will have a different look. Try to get the subject relaxed
by talking to them, cracking jokes or anything that will get them to
relax. From there you try to get the personality of the sitter to come
through.
Try your hand at portrait photography this weekend.
Modern Medicine: Your Brain - Use it or lose it!
by Dr. Iain Corness, Consultant
We have known for some time that if you don’t use your
muscles, they waste away. By not using your hands for physical work, the skin on
your hands gets thin. However, we also know that if you use your muscles again,
the muscle tissue builds up and becomes strong once more. If you use your hands
again, the skin builds up and becomes thicker. The message is that all is not
lost! Recovery is possible.
However, we were always told that the one organ of the body
that could not reverse the wasting process was the Central Nervous System. Once
it started to fail, that was it. Dementia was just around the corner.
That view has recently been challenged and the results are
comforting, to say the least. Experiments have been carried out that showed that
inducing stress in an animal resulted in chemicals being released. This on its
own was nothing new, but what was new was the fact that some of these chemicals
produced a difference in the brain’s anatomy! The idea that the brain could
not change was incorrect! It could be ‘short-circuited’ resulting in a new
wiring pathway.
What was even more exciting was that if the animal was
restored to its own ‘safe’ and non-threatening environment, then the brain
reverted to its pre-stressed anatomy! It was possible to ‘re-wire’ the
brain.
In turn this has led to much research into the effects of
stress and its reversal, and then on to Alzheimer’s Disease (if I have
remembered to spell it correctly)! And if it were possible for its reversal too!
Returning to the research, we have shown that stress can
physically damage nerve cells used in storing memory. We have also found that
mindless watching of the goggle-box also produces a decline in brain function.
In fact the numbers are more worrying than that. It has now been found that
people with no stimulating leisure activities, and who are couch potatoes
instead, are nearly four times more likely to develop dementia compared to those
people who have leisure stimuli and do not waste hours in front of the TV.
Taking that a step further, and turning the scientific data
around to be useful, it has been found that in being the converse to the couch
potato, intellectually stimulating leisure activities had a ‘protective’
effect for the brain and its capabilities. What is more, they have also found
that if you are doing a job you enjoy, then this was again protective, but a
dull job with no stimulus or challenge was another way to head downhill.
This does not mean that we all have to take up chess
tomorrow, because in place of intellectually stimulating hobbies, it has been
found that physical exercise itself stops memory loss and stimulates growth of
nerve cells.
Another protective factor appears to be marriage! Those who
have never married have twice as high an incidence of dementia than those who
are married. So there you are, rather than say that your wife is driving you
insane, it appears that she is driving you towards sanity instead.
So the secret towards staving off dementia and Al
whatsisname’s disease is to have a job you enjoy, get some exercise, watch a
very limited amount of TV and settle down with a good book (sorry, that should
have read “a good cook”).
The best news of all is that it isn’t too late. You can
reverse your fortune - but start today.
 Heart to Heart with Hillary
Dear Hillary,
I have been reading your column on dating and have enjoyed it very much. As I
am going to be there in March for the first time I am writing. It seems that
everyone I ask (single men like myself) talk about being at the bars as the way
to meet the working women of Thailand. While I realize this is not the only way
I do have a question. If one is not a big drinker will I offend if I do not
drink a lot or wish to leave to go see music, movies or see the country.
B
Dear B,
I can assure you that the ladies from the bars have not the slightest interest
in how much ‘you’ drink, only in how much ‘they’ drink, while you are
paying of course! This is because they receive a percentage of the cost of the
‘lady drinks’, while they get nothing from the price of your drinks. This
is how they make money, as they are ‘working’ women, getting their monthly
salaries in many ways. It works like this, since you have not been here before,
Petal. They generally receive a small wage (or retainer), and then their lady
drinks percentage plus a percentage of the so-called ‘bar fine’ which is
what the punters (like you) pay for the honour and glory of taking one of the
blushing young ladies away from the bar to see music, movies or the country.
Anything else is a private arrangement between the lady and the customer, as
you have to realize that there is no prostitution in Thailand, because the
government said so. And in the statute books has said so since about 1966.
While you are paying for things, you will not offend; however, since the bars
will be closing before many tourists get up, you will have to be quick.
Dear Hillary,
I have this idea for an Early Morning Businessman’s Breakfast Club. It opens
at 12.01 a.m. to supply early risers with ‘breakfast’. As everyone will be
going to bed so very early they will need this new type of club. Should be good
I think! Do you agree?
Breakfast is the Important Meal
Dear Breakfast is the Important Meal,
What a wonderfully thoughtful person you are. Yes, breakfast is an important
repast, and with the bars shutting at midnight, there will be no place for
businessmen to go for a little nibble. Since this is a new venture, you may
even be eligible for some assistance from the Board of Investment. Could I even
suggest that the 1201 Club has a nice ring to it.
Dear Mrs H,
I often just sit back and enjoy the show.
1. Young and handsome Caucasian, “I only go with good girls, never pay for it
(where is she, though?).”
2. Middle agend (sic) Caucasian, a Thai beuty (sic) on his side, “Got the
divorce man, and I’m telling you, I’ll never marry again.”
3. Experienced Caucasian, Chang beer in hand, “How long I have stayed here?
Let me see now.”
4. Old expat, Regal whiskey bottle behind the counter, “I still do it once or
twice a week, you know.”
5. Chinese, “Where did they go, heyyy! Wait.”
6. Japanese, “Keep you camera outside this club please, and your shoes too.
Then lets see.”
Tom
Dear Tom,
What an astute little voyeur you are, aren’t you, my Petal. However, you
should have noted the fact that I am Ms. Hillary, not “Mrs. H”. You also
have an English name, but apparently missed out on the spelling lessons. Some I
have corrected, but I have left the really glaring ones for you to see and
correct, that’s a good little Tom. The sad thing about your little character
snapshots is that you can often meet all of these in the one bar. Or perhaps
there are many of them at all the bars? I am so glad there are none of them
drinking champagne and eating chocolate.
Dear Hillary,
Last year I came over to Thailand for a holiday, and despite all the warnings
that my more experienced friends gave me, I fell hook, line and sinker for a
beautiful Thai girl I met in a bar. We got along together so well that after
two weeks I purchased a condominium and set her up to live there after I
returned to England. Each month I would send her money so she didn’t have to
go back to the bar and we emailed to stay in touch. Last month my company sent
me to Singapore for an urgent trip and I decided to surprise my lady by flying
up for a couple of days. It was me who got the surprise when I found a supposed
friend of mine from the UK staying in the condo with her. He was paying her too
it turns out. Hillary, is it always like this?
Depressed
Dear Depressed,
It takes two to tango, and while you are bitter about your girlfriend, Hillary
would be more annoyed with your “friend” who betrayed you. I think it’s
high time you selected both your men friends and your girlfriends more
carefully. The local girls who work in bars do not have the security of rich
families or masters degrees in business administration. They live by their
wits. Don’t forget that, Petal.
A Slice of Thai History: Sunthorn Phu: Thailand’s most famous poet
by Duncan steam
Born in 1786, just four years after
the founding of Bangkok as the new Thai capital and the beginning of the
Chakri dynasty, Sunthorn Phu was to become the poetic voice of the nation,
and one of its most famous alcoholics.
The poet grew up under the reign of King Rama I
(1782-1809) but achieved eternal fame when he began writing a very long
and adventure-packed poem that became instantly popular with readers in
the Bangkok of King Rama II (1809-1824). The poem was serialised and was
still required reading in Thai schools as late as the 1970s.
The poem recounted the adventures of two royal
brothers, Phra Apaimani and Srisuwan. Their father, the king, sent the two
young princes into the wilderness to seek out teachers and obtain an
education. During this period they followed the precepts of ancient Indian
tradition and lived lives of austerity with their followers.
They returned to their father after seven years, both
having excelled at their studies. Apaimani had learned to play the flute
so brilliantly that anyone hearing his magical melodies would fall into a
deep sleep. Srisuwan had studied the art of dancing with a pole so
skilfully that he could escape anyone who tried to harm him.
Unfortunately, their father was displeased with his
sons’ choice of skills and in a fit of pique banished them from his
lands. The brothers wandered the earth for the rest of their days, but the
skills they had learned proved invaluable whenever they ran into trouble.
Perhaps the piece of poetry which virtually
encapsulates the troubled life of Sunthorn Phu was the one he titled A
Poet Can Never Escape Liquor. In just 13 lines it could almost be his
biography:
Arrived at a distillery;
A smoking stove and a bucket hung by a rope from a pole
Oh, karma, because of that evil water
I am drunk, mad, shameful.
Let me make merit and achieve enlightenment
So when I am faced with liquor
I’ll be saved:
Never to go near it or see it.
But when I’m not drunk on liquor,
I’m drunk on love.
How can that temptation be stopped?
The hangover of whisky is gone the next day,
But the hangover of love lasts forever.
His alcoholic binges could be so bad that he was once
imprisoned after he injured one of his cousins following a particularly
rowdy and ultimately violent session.
He was also sent to prison for that great bane of the
romantic poet: love. Sunthorn Phu had an affair with a girl named Chand, a
girl of the inner court of Rama II. When the affair was discovered, the
love-struck elegist was arrested and thrown in jail. However, his
popularity was such that the monarch forgave his transgressions and
released him. The loving couple were eventually granted permission to
marry.
Despite his alcoholism, Sunthorn Phu lived to the-then ripe old age of
68, dying in 1855.
Personal Directions: Unnatural acts lead to success
by Christina Dodd
“You can have anything you want in life if you will
help enough other people get what they want.” - Zig Ziglar
Success is available to all of us – although it may be
measured differently by each and every individual. Success is indeed
relative to each and every one of us. There has been much written and spoken
on the nature of success, the methodologies and the theories. In order to
attain success there are no magic formulae, spells or incantations as
basically it all comes down to common sense practice and planning combined
in varying degrees with determination, will and perseverance.
From time to time I find articles or snippets in
newsletters or journals which are worthwhile sharing. Today I have included
a short piece on success by William N Hodges, president of the Professional
Speakers Guild in the US.
“What would you say if I told you that anyone who
achieves success in any area has committed an unnatural act and has probably
committed a whole series of them to be where they are?
Webster’s dictionary says that an unnatural act is one “that
is not in accordance with normal feelings and behavior”.
Successful people constantly defy normal feelings and
behavior and do things the average person will not do.
The average person lives for today.
The successful person lives for tomorrow.
Failure – either as a person or as a concept – dwells
and festers in the dark past.
Most of us want instant rewards, and we are satisfied to
accept less as long as the gratification is immediate.
Success driven people are willing to forgo the normal
need for immediate feedback and trade it for a greater return in the future.
This is probably one reason why so many of us have a
problem saving for the future.
People who have financial success at retirement are those
who put a certain amount away every week to build a nest egg.
The rest of us want everything now and buy the latest
electronic device with our money.
Living for the future is an unnatural act in our credit
driven society, but successful people do it all the time. Weird, aren’t
they?
Another unnatural act of successful people is that they
are always active; they do not spend much time resting or just lying around.
In America, which has been characterized as a nation of
“couch potatoes,” this penchant for activity certainly has to be
considered an unnatural act.
A study of successful business executives showed that
they had at least three things in common-that were not so common.
They had a regular daily exercise program, they slept an
average of six hours each night, and they arose at an average hour of 5:45
a.m., seven days a week.
I don’t know about you, but getting up that early for
anything but a fishing trip is an unnatural act for me.
But armed with this knowledge and a desire to be
successful, I’m getting up a few minutes earlier each morning, and using
the time to exercise.
The average person always finds it easier, and in many
ways more natural, to learn to live with less than to exert the effort to
earn more.
Doing what the average person does will always keep us an
average person. It is only when we do those things (socially acceptable
things) that other people will not do that we will be successful.
It will certainly mean that we will not always be
comfortable, complacent, or safe. At times, we assuredly will be out of step
with those around us. But if we persist, believe in ourselves, and are
consistent in our efforts, we can become a success in whatever area we
choose.
We can have rewards that are far beyond those achieved by
persons who remain average.”
Leo Burnett emphasized greatness, the desire for
super-human achievement, in the use of “reach for the stars”. Those
words inspired a great company to even greater achievements. An average
vision would not have produced a world leader! That ultimate “reach” may
be beyond our physical arms length, but even for average people it can
never, nor should it ever be beyond our imagination or desire.
Average people are afraid to stand out and to attain
greatness and success. They sublimate and effectively quash their dreams as
being too difficult or not normal. The “tall poppy syndrome” comes into
effect and the average person returns to blend in to a sea of obscurity with
his or her dreams unnoticed, unrealized and unfulfilled. Successful people
seize the vision and “warp the physics” to achieve their goals, desires
and ambitions.
I have written much before on the power of the human mind
to conceive, nurture and develop greatness in people … and no doubt I
shall continue to do so. Success is an all-consuming passion. It is indeed
as Napoleon Hill described it a “philosophy”. It is not unattainable, it
is within the reach and grasp of all who strive and aspire to have it.
To be average is not bad but it is when we take the next
step - that all propelling step towards success and our goals - that we
realize that we have great reserves of untapped resources which would have
been squandered and lost to eternity if had no dared to take the steps to be
successful.
This week I a would also like to leave you with a set of
5 simple concepts to ponder … and in turn to consider in your own daily
lives:
People change.
People have bad days.
People have more information at their disposal than at
any time in people history.
People seek meaning.
People want to be valued and loved for who, not what,
they are.
Take the time to reflect: on yourself, others, and the
world around you. This is not a trick nor a test or a challenge - rather it
is a simple exercise in thinking, caring and ultimately understanding the
nature of people and things.
For those of you would like a personal presentation on
our success based training programs, life-coaching services, or any of our
other professional and life skills programs, please contact me by email at
christina.dodd@ asiatrainingassociates.com or visit our web-site www.asia
trainingassociates.com
Until next time, have a tremendous week!
Social Commentary by Khai Khem:
Hard-heads or just ‘soft in the head’?
I was delighted to read Dr. Iain Corness’ article “The
Road Toll. How much will we accept?” printed in the Pattaya Mail on January
16, and if any readers missed the item, I suggest they go back and read it.
Killer road and street accidents in Thailand have reached outrageous proportions
in the past years and according to annual statistics, we are not effectively
addressing the problem.
So what are we doing wrong? It’s patently true the helmet
laws in Thailand are not being enforced. Why do traffic police ignore all those
bare heads we see on motorbikes? THEY wear crash helmets when on duty. (But when
they are out of uniform and not on duty, do they also toss their good sense and
legal responsibility out the window and ride without a helmet?) Okay, the cops
can’t be everywhere at once. That means the public must develop a mentality of
self-discipline.
What is it about a crash helmet that is such an anathema to
motorcyclists? Does Thailand’s tropical climate make it too hot to wear a
helmet comfortably? Is the average Thai budget so strained that the added
expense of an international standard crash helmet a reason to avoid the purchase
or settle for a ‘cheapie’? Is a Thai life cheaper, less valuable than that
of a citizen from another nation? If it is, that’s because we alone have put a
bargain price tag on it.
I cannot count the times foreigners have asked why Thais, who
are so polite, calm, gracious and easy to get along with in almost every other
circumstance, become aggressive, rude, obnoxious and downright crazy the moment
they mount a motorbike or get behind the wheel of a car or truck. Truthfully,
not all Thai drivers are murderous or suicidal. It just seems that way when you
leave your front door.
The old Federation Highway in Malaysia received international
press coverage throughout the world in the 1970s and was labeled “Blood
Alley” for 15 years until more roads were built and driving conditions
improved.
During that same period, driving conditions in Singapore were
lethal. Open monsoon drains often hosted more cars and trucks than rainwater.
The old British-style roundabouts were finally replaced with intersections with
traffic lights, but to give readers in Pattaya a glimpse of what driving in the
city-state was like before that, picture an entire island cursed with the
traffic snarls we now face at Dolphin Circle in North Pattaya.
In those days ‘road rage’ was so common in both countries
that some drivers would stop their cars and beat another motorist just because
of ‘eye-contact’. Traffic jitters and frustration turned nice people into
bullies and brutes. Strict gun control laws prevented shootouts, but it was
common to come out of a shop or office and find a long scratch down the side of
our car made by a box-opener because you had parked too close to another car.
Motorcyclists didn’t wear helmets either and they drove with the same maniacal
indifference to life and limb as the Thais do now. Eventually, better driving
conditions, more education on safety, public cooperation and strict enforcement
of laws brought some order to the chaos. If we live long enough, we can make
driving in Thailand safer by taking the same approach.
Dr. Iain was correct when he said speed doesn’t kill,
it’s the sudden stop. I wince every time I see a motorcycle loaded with three
or four people, including young children and babes in arms. Even dogs are riding
on the backs of bikes. This may be amusing to see, but I for one would be
horrified to run over that dog if it fell off in front of my car. If traffic
police would make an effort to stop these people and enforce the rules it would
be a good place to start doing their duty.
These blatantly careless diving habits make up a huge portion
of our local traffic and yet they are totally ignored by authorities. Thailand
has become Southeast Asia’s latest Blood Alley. Some things in life really are
beyond our control. This is not one of them.
Roll over Rover: Necessity is the
“mother of invention”
by C. Schloemer
I received this question from a reader which I thought
was particularly pertinent since this column originates in Thailand. The
problem with stray and abandoned dogs has become a serious issue in the
kingdom and a movement is underway to either remove them from our
congested cities or encourage people to adopt them as pets.
Question: “I live in what is referred to as a Third
World country, which I will refrain from naming. Most of the dogs here are
wild, mixed breed or mistreated. My wife and I went to another part of the
country to obtain a pure bred dog. He is bred to guard sheep - an older
breed and very large. Our dog is 9 weeks old and most of the time is good;
just regular puppy stuff.
“My problem is that I cannot obtain a pinch collar or
anything else for giving corrections until I come to USA in May. Sometimes
our dog is very aggressive, obstinate, and wants to do the opposite of
what we want him to do. He challenges our commands more often and with
more aggression, even snapping and biting. These dogs here are not
undomesticated! Any suggestions on how to give a correction? I tried
hitting him, but he either growls and becomes more agitated or snaps.
I’ve tried growling back and even tried spitting in his food. I don’t
have a kennel or crate yet, since I need to find materials and build one,
which is difficult here.
My dog is smart and I don’t want to give up yet, but
I feel like I am doing everything wrong without proper correction
tools.”
Thanks in advance. (Name withheld)
Answer: First - never hit your dog. Since you did not
name the country you live in, but only mentioned that it was in the
‘Third World’, I have some idea of what you may be up against if you
attempt to import dog training supplies from Europe or North America.
Readers who do not live in ‘outposts’ where government red-tape
prevents importing items in many categories may not be aware of the
obstacles expats encounter when they come up against these restrictions.
Undeveloped nations rarely have domestic pet supplies
available since they are not part of the local consumer culture. It is
quite possible you may have to endure a long, hard search for materials to
meet your needs. It sounds like you will have to become creative and
inventive if you have to build or assemble the basic tools needed for your
family dog.
But, I stress again, no matter what the circumstances,
hitting your dog is never appropriate.
In the meantime, you could go to a hardware store and
make yourself a makeshift slip collar from either chain or rope. And
improvise either a cord or rope as a leash. It’s a little late to
suggest that this should have been something you thought about before
buying a dog. I concede it is possible to train a dog without the proper
tools, but admittedly harder for a beginner.
In the meantime, if he nips at you, you should say,
“No!”, then grab the scruff of his neck and give a firm, quick pull
and release. You may also try grabbing his ear and giving it a quick
tug/pull.
None of these techniques is ideal, but given the
circumstances, they may do in a pinch. And do remember, since your puppy
is only 9 weeks old you should only be correcting biting and for
housebreaking. Don’t start formal obedience until the dog is 4 to 4 1/2
months old. Very young puppies have short attention spans, tire easily
during formal training and easily forget previous training sessions.
I hate to be a nag- but PLEASE, don’t hit your puppy.
This kind of aggressive correction can cause a lot of troubles in the
future. The dog will either become afraid of you, which will manifest
itself in timidity, cowering, fear of obedience commands - or worse -
instill permanent aggression and distrust. Owners who strike their dogs
will never earn their loyalty and love. The most you will achieve is a
belligerent animal which may tolerate the mistreatment because he may have
no other choice,
I assume this reader is a dog lover who went out of his
way to find a family pet and sincerely wants a beloved friend and will use
more productive training techniques.
A couple of more suggestions seem in order at this
point. The reader says this dog is smart. That’s a definite plus. But
his little dog is a pup. Love, cuddles, pats and affection are what he
needs most at this point. Make sure he gets the attention and love he
craves at this age and you and our family will be pleasantly surprised at
the positive response when demands are made of him.
Let him spend some time in the house interacting with
the family, and allow him plenty of playtime, chew bones, and designate a
spot in the house where he can relax in ease.
Puppies do growl and bite, as it is a playful response
and unless real aggression is displayed, patience and understanding is
critical at this stage. Try to evaluate your pup’s nature and assess
when he is old enough to respond to more complicated commands. Some dogs
mature later than others, just like people. Don’t pressure your dog into
complicated obedience training if he is too young to understand. It’s
never too early for some simple training, but start slow and keep it
simple.
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