A Stock Photographer Re-explored Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam

year ago

Sutipond Somnam is a successful stock photographer on Depositphotos. He lives in the Sakon Nakhon Province in northeastern Thailand and dedicates his time to travel, portrait, and landscape photography.

As a former local video reporter, he mastered videography and then became interested in using a camera to take static pictures. Capturing life in communities as well as nature is now one of Sutipond’s main interests.

We’re sharing Sutipond’s observations of Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam in this series of images, and telling you about the stories behind these incredible shots.

Sutipond Somnam is currently living in the Sakon Nakhon Province in northeastern Thailand and farming is his hobby. Initially, photography was his hobby, but it soon turned into his main source of income. By photographing for stocks and clients, Sutipond supports his family financially.

Sutipond Somnam’s photography experience began in college. He studied a lot by watching other photographers and looking for information on YouTube. His very first camera came from his boss. It was a Canon 700d with an 18–55 mm kit lens. This equipment allowed him to create a series about his local community.

With travel photography, he is attracted to the adventure that comes with hunting for the best image, and the variety of places he gets to visit and photograph.

At the same time, Sutipond Somnam loves to tell others about life in Thailand through photography. To do this, he travels across his and neighboring regions with a camera in hand, shoots, and then shares photos on social media and Depositphotos. The pictures that sell on stocks help him budget for his next photography trips abroad.

Sutipond’s first photo tour took place in 2016. It was a weeklong trip with a fellow photographer to the most scenic spots in Bagan, which is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Myanmar.

“I was deeply impressed with Bagan’s atmosphere in the morning. I watched the sunrise and witnessed dozens of balloons floating above the pagodas,” the photographer shared.

Sutipond Somnam practices travel with fellow photographers who are also interested in new and challenging regions. They visit new places at least once a year.

“Mu Cang Chai, a town in northern Vietnam, was also a place of profound interest. Rice terraces on the slopes of high mountains were of great interest to me! The weather in this city was great for shooting,” Sutipond commented.

In Sutipond’s opinion, any traveler should learn as much as possible about the weather and climate of regions they plan to visit. However, they shouldn’t pack as many clothes as possible, because they can buy them on the spot.

Finances are the second most important aspect because travel is easier to overcome if you have a flexible budget.

“When I travel, I take 2 or more cameras with me, as well as 16–35 mm, 24–70 mm, and 70–200 mm lenses. I also recommend bringing a tripod, some batteries for your camera, and power banks. External hard drives and laptops will also be an advantage.”

The Mu Cang Chai district in Vietnam attracts many travelers and photographers with its scenic rice terrace fields. Sutipond Somnam and his friend managed to capture unique footage of this place during their journey.

“It took us half a day to get from Tulay to Mu Cang Chai by motorbike. My friend and I walked to the very top of the mountain, which was 1000-meters high. When I got to the viewpoint, what I saw in front of me was simply WOW. I considered this view to be a reward for the tricky and exhausting climbing.”

The photographer was glad to share information about his photography process: “When taking pictures, I always try to choose a solid background. The idea is to keep the eye of the viewer on the model. In backlit shots, I opt for the light entering my shot from one side and making my subject stand out.”

“These are Kui people from Cambodia whose former trade was catching wild elephants and raising them for harvesting rice. These days, they don’t catch wild elephants anymore, but farm and raise the elephants they already have. In the past, they used elephants to harvest rice. This image is staged. It features typical Kui practices from the past,” Sutipond Somnam commented on one of his shots.

This photo was taken in Surin, Thailand, during a charity photoshoot for local elephant herders.

Sutipond took this photo in the Nong Khai Province, and here’s the story behind it: “We saw village children playing football in a small stream. There were no goals, so we created bamboo ones and had the boys play football in the evening before the sun went down. My fellow photographers and I had to go down into the stream to shoot their game.”

This picture was taken by a photographer in the Udon Thani Province. The main hero in this photo is color.

“I chose to have the fishermen turn their backs to the sunrise. Notice the gradation of shades that created the composition in this frame. It was the golden hour, the sun was rising, and the lotus flowers in the lake were starting to open in the morning.”

Sutipond’s mission is to reveal the beauty of Thailand for people who have never been there. He considers Wat Phra Kaew, in Bangkok, a must-see place in his homeland.

Sutipond Somnam dreams of exploring the secret corners of the world with his camera. To realize this idea, he actively maintains a portfolio on Depositphotos and works with clients and companies. A stock image portfolio helps him demonstrate his work and find like-minded people for future travels.