Loy Krathong - Noppamat Beauty Contest

[ParkertR]

This was held just last night at my school - we celebrated Loy Krathong, the festival where candles on lotus floats are let out into the water. There was the annual Noppamat beauty contest and I covered the event - first time doing flash photography and I must say I had fun! Flash was a suntax 328DTZ used with my Panasonic FZ20.

Critique and comments are most welcome!

1) The Krathong - this one won the first prize for the Krathong competition


2) Food sellers standing around waiting for customers to buy the food that they prepared to sell during the Loy Krathong festival celebrations


3) Some of the dancers posing for a photograph before the event began

[ParkertR]

4) A Cambodian musician playing traditional cambodian music


5) One of 50 Thai dancers dancing in celebration of Loy Krathong


6) The graceful movements and the beautiful costumes make the dance very enjoyable to watch

[ParkertR]

7) A girl being carried in - notice that she's sitting in a Krathong


8) A closer picture of the girl


9) Beauty contest contenstant number 3, she eventually finished 3rd Runner-up.

[ParkertR]

10) Another contestant


11) One of the hopefuls


12) A close-up

[ParkertR]

13) Contestant number 8, from malaysia


14) Yet another contestant


15) Ann Le, the eventual winner of the 2004 Noppamat Beauty Contest

[ParkertR]

16) A young Thai girl also enters the contest!


17) As the results were being tallied, we were treated to a Thai Boxing match


18) Ann Le wins the Noppamat Beauty Contest! Our president, Dr. Siriporn puts the sash around her.


19) The 3 winners

[ParkertR]

er... comments/critique anyone? :S it would help me to take better pictures next time. any tips for flash photography? It's my first time and i notice very harsh shadows in the background... normal right? or not... ?

[hhho]

Hi! Parker,
I think the poor stage lighting that caused a very harsh shadows in the background - It can't be help right?
may be you may consider using camera build in flash for those closeup shots instead of using external flash. The full power flash light casued some shots overexposed. or did you ever consider using bource card? By the way, I'm also learning to use flash with my Panasonic digicam very recnetly.
The overall coverage of this event is good and I like the colour produced by FZ20 very much.
I think you have done well
Regards,
hhho

[Sonus]

Hi Parker, nice photos. May i know where is your school located?

[ParkertR]

Hi Sonus, I'm studying in Thailand right now... province of Saraburi Mission College! www.missioncollege.edu ~ yep!

hhho, thanks for your comments!!! Valuable information that will be tried out!