The Ultimate Photographer's guide to Bangkok, Thailand: Film and Digital (2016)

chromacomaphoto · Jan 21, 2016

Had a lot of people asking me for this so I finally thought I would sit down and seriously write a few words on the subject, it ended up being a bit long but I am happy with it. I won't attempt to post the whole thing here due to its size but if APUG members want to read it, it went up on my blog today here:

Dead Link Removed

If you still have any questions on the subject after reading, you can contact me here or through the address on my website directly and I would be happy to offer any further advice to APUG people.

Thank you

Andrew K · Jan 21, 2016

excellent piece - thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing your experience

Sirius Glass · Jan 21, 2016

Thank you

chromacomaphoto · Jan 22, 2016

The pleasure's all mine gentlemen, thank you.

mooseontheloose · Jan 22, 2016

Fantastic piece of information! Wish I had had it a few years ago (the last time I was in Bangkok). I'm trying to do something similar for Kyoto (and Japan in general) but have nothing as comprehensive as this.

chromacomaphoto · Jan 22, 2016

mooseontheloose said:
Fantastic piece of information! Wish I had had it a few years ago (the last time I was in Bangkok). I'm trying to do something similar for Kyoto (and Japan in general) but have nothing as comprehensive as this.

Thanks for the kind words and feedback. Sorry it wasn't quite in time to help you during your stay but it'll hopefully help a lot of other people from now on. It's just a result of very many years here and I am trying to have a more sharing and helpful kind of year in 2016. This is a good start.

I think for you, 'Japan in general' might perhaps be quite the wide net to cast in the beginning. How about just starting with Kyoto first, and then build it from there maybe? I would love to read that and I'm sure many others would.

AgX · Jan 22, 2016

I just had a quick glance at it, got stuck at the photo-lab section and enjoyed your description of them.

mooseontheloose · Jan 22, 2016

chromacomaphoto said:
Thanks for the kind words and feedback. Sorry it wasn't quite in time to help you during your stay but it'll hopefully help a lot of other people from now on. It's just a result of very many years here and I am trying to have a more sharing and helpful kind of year in 2016. This is a good start.

I think for you, 'Japan in general' might perhaps be quite the wide net to cast in the beginning. How about just starting with Kyoto first, and then build it from there maybe? I would love to read that and I'm sure many others would.

If I remember correctly, I was looking for film in either Bangkok or Chiang Mai at the time. I think posts like yours are really useful. There are sometimes questions here on APUG from people before or during travel trying to look for something or someone to help them with something film related and often there just isn't enough information (and sometimes no information). Your post has most of everything I would want to know for a particular location. I'd love to see more of them for cities all over the world (obviously by more people).

I do have a blog that is mostly about film photography and travel and Japan (as it relates to photography, but not always) - it's kind of a mixed bag - and am hoping to do things in separate posts. I do have one about film shopping in various cities in Japan but it needs to be updated with new photos and additional information. Other things like camera shopping (more Osaka than Kyoto), film development, camera repair, etc will follow at some point when I have more time to write and reconfirm places and prices and whatnot.

chromacomaphoto · Jan 22, 2016

AgX said:
I just had a quick glance at it, got stuck at the photo-lab section and enjoyed your description of them.

Thanks for the nice feedback, you can always read the rest when you have some more time!

chromacomaphoto · Jan 22, 2016

mooseontheloose said:
If I remember correctly, I was looking for film in either Bangkok or Chiang Mai at the time. I think posts like yours are really useful. There are sometimes questions here on APUG from people before or during travel trying to look for something or someone to help them with something film related and often there just isn't enough information (and sometimes no information). Your post has most of everything I would want to know for a particular location. I'd love to see more of them for cities all over the world (obviously by more people).

I do have a blog that is mostly about film photography and travel and Japan (as it relates to photography, but not always) - it's kind of a mixed bag - and am hoping to do things in separate posts. I do have one about film shopping in various cities in Japan but it needs to be updated with new photos and additional information. Other things like camera shopping (more Osaka than Kyoto), film development, camera repair, etc will follow at some point when I have more time to write and reconfirm places and prices and whatnot.

Thanks, I agree that it would be such an amazing resource to have fully comprehensive run downs of all major cities in the world (hopefully with equal info for both film and digital). I've already had people email me to say that they are using my article today to read up on in preparation for trips here which are starting over the next few days (in some cases) so I feel it's already achieved its intended purpose for some.

Lots of good info on that film shopping link from your blog, I am overdue for a Japan visit actually. Haven't been for a few years now and would love to shoot there again. Keep it up!

Colin Corneau · Jan 22, 2016

I'll be coming back to Bangkok in late March, so this is very timely!

chromacomaphoto · Jan 22, 2016

Colin Corneau said:
I'll be coming back to Bangkok in late March, so this is very timely!

Happy to help Colin, you might have to read it all twice then!

Colin Corneau · Jan 22, 2016

chromacomaphoto said:
Happy to help Colin, you might have to read it all twice then!

No problem there

I'm going with my GF, who's originally from Bangkok -- makes it very easy to get around and communicate!

chromacomaphoto · Jan 22, 2016

Colin Corneau said:
No problem there

I'm going with my GF, who's originally from Bangkok -- makes it very easy to get around and communicate!

Sounds good, less stress and worries for you means more time looking around and making great shots. Enjoy yourself.

Henning Serger · Jan 31, 2016

Thanks, very detailed report.

Some additional information: Film and camera (repair) shops in Chiang Mai:

http://www.reviewchiangmai.com/3242

Best regards,
Henning

chromacomaphoto · Jan 31, 2016

Henning Serger said:
Thanks, very detailed report.

Some additional information: Film and camera (repair) shops in Chiang Mai:

http://www.reviewchiangmai.com/3242

Best regards,
Henning

Nice find, thanks. I'll be looking to include that in my update and re-write a little later on. The title says "Film never dies - Round Up of Seven shops fix, buy, sell and develop film" so quite a useful little 'round up' indeed. I'll translate that and include all the good info!

Henning Serger · Feb 1, 2016

chromacomaphoto said:
Nice find, thanks. I'll be looking to include that in my update and re-write a little later on. The title says "Film never dies - Round Up of Seven shops fix, buy, sell and develop film" so quite a useful little 'round up' indeed.

Yes, I know. I don't speak Thai, but fortunately a Thai friend translated it for me, at least the most important details .

chromacomaphoto said:
I'll translate that and include all the good info!

That would be excellent, thanks.

Best regards,
Henning

chromacomaphoto · Oct 6, 2016

Bump for anyone needing up to date info on the current state of play with film,developing and suppliers in Thailand....P.M. me or post here and I will help if I can.

chromacomaphoto · Jan 1, 2017

Freshly updated for 2017 with all that I have seen and experienced shooting film in Bangkok over the past year. Includes best places to go for gear, repairs, lenses, film buying and devving etc. Also a lot of info on current film trends here of late. I said I would come back after a year and update this, so that's exactly what I've done. Hope it helps as many people as possible, I will keep adding to it. Thanks APUG.

Dead Link Removed

chromacomaphoto · Dec 11, 2017

I bump this once a year as a lot of people read it every month and I am always updating it. The main page is still found here and is updated with what is currently going on every month or so. It's well worth a read if you want to know about shooting in Bangkok and there's lots of info for film shooters that is up to date. Even if you have read it before, it's worth dropping by from time to time to scroll down to the bottom of the page for the latest updates etc.:

Dead Link Removed

Additionally, the biggest change this year has been my monthly detailed guides of specific places to shoot. This not only features some old classics but also new, up and coming photogenic spots that even repeat visitors and old hands might not have shot yet. A new chapter is shot and written up every month with tips and general advice.

Here, for example are a few from recent months, old and new:

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

I don't make anything from the site, on the contrary it costs me a lot of time, money and effort but I enjoy it and I am just looking to help others.

Thanks.

chromacomaphoto · Dec 19, 2018

I bump this once a year and so it's that time again. Loads of good up to date info and a lot more classic film work shot on Leica M's and Rolleiflexes in Bangkok this year. Plus more detailed guides on specific places in Bangkok to shoot at, shops, trends and labs etc. Simply click on the link in my sig below and then click 'blog' and work backwards from there through everything that I did in 2018 if you're interested. Not for profit, just to help others. Hope it proves useful, thanks.

Via Suksantinunt · Jan 8, 2019

chromacomaphoto said:
I bump this once a year and so it's that time again. Loads of good up to date info and a lot more classic film work shot on Leica M's and Rolleiflexes in Bangkok this year. Plus more detailed guides on specific places in Bangkok to shoot at, shops, trends and labs etc. Simply click on the link in my sig below and then click 'blog' and work backwards from there through everything that I did in 2018 if you're interested. Not for profit, just to help others. Hope it proves useful, thanks.

Hi! I've just discovered this thread by chance. Just want to express my gratitude, you sure make my hometown looks interesting and stunning.
I've just recently taken photography as a hobby and, like you, I love to shoot B/W. A lot of people think they need to get away to make great photographs,
but your photos make me realise that's not the case. If you like we can catch up one day. Ciao.

MFstooges · Jan 25, 2025

Does anyone know where to go in Bangkok or its surrounding to photograph Muay Thai activities in more traditional settings or any other human interests subjects?

Molli · Jan 25, 2025

Unfortunately, @chromacomaphoto last posted to their website with "Happy New Year, 2019.“

With all of the URLs removed and their site no longer online, the original page can only be found on the Wayback Machine.
This is a link to the most recent snapshot (November 2020):

https://web.archive.org/web/20201108111503/http://www.chromacomaphoto.com/blog/2016/1/22/the-ultimate-photographers-guide-to-bangkok-thailand-film-and-digital-2106

"Places To Shoot In Bangkok" starts here:

Places to Shoot in Bangkok Part 1: Baiyoke Schmaiyoke — Chromacoma Photography

I thought it might be good to go into some detail of specific shooting locations in and around Bangkok, starting here with August’s entry to the blog. Just in case it causes confusion for any regular readers, these will be posted here as separate monthly blog entries AND also added to the

web.archive.org

and you can follow links from there whilst staying within the Wayback Machine's domain. Hopefully you'll find what you're looking for, albeit a tad outdated.

Chroma Coma Photo did a brilliant job on their blog and I hope they knew that their hard work and enthusiasm was very much appreciated.

The Ultimate Photographer's guide to Bangkok, Thailand: Film and Digital (2016)

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency