Laos - That Luang festival

[Leonardo]

Early in November the Laos capital Vientiane celebrates the That Luang festival.
A religious event where monks and people from all around Laos and neighbour countries are moving in Vientiane to participate the alms donation (morning) and the procession around the main stupa (afternoon).

A unique concentration of people.

All the area near to That Luang stupa become incredibly crowded, and even moving a single step require focus and skill.
The mystic atmosphere start to diminish after the procession whit dusk approaching and the smell coming from the food stalls together with the voices and laugh frorm the evening market become more and more evident.
Late in the eveining the market is over and the main attractions are now the fair for the kids and the performances of local artists.

In the background a music is spread all around and the place seems to be a memory from the past.
Laos, what a beautiful place.

Here some pics to share. Hope you like them.
Tks for viewing and comments.

Cheers

#1 - That Luang Stupa



#2 - Dusk approaching



#3 - Sunset at That Luang square

[Leonardo]

#4 - Ethnic minority at the procession



#5 - Ethnic minority at the procession



#6 - Believers at the procession



#7 - Believers at the procession

[Hosea]

I believe you went at the right time....having a real good exp during this festival season at Vien. I like Laos too . Share more.

[Leonardo]

#8 - Procession



#9 - Lady at the procession



#10 - Faith glance



#11 - Believers at the procession



#12 - The remaining of the day

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by Hosea I believe you went at the right time....having a real good exp during this festival season at Vien. I like Laos too . Share more.

Hi Hosea tks for viewing.
Indeed I was lucky to be there during the festival.
I'll share some more pics shortly. Cheers

[Leonardo]

A new day is starting and That Luang is getting crowded with hundreds of pilgrims and believers that are coming for the morning prayers and alms donation.
The sun show off intriguing colours and a warm light is spread all around.
Shortly the loudspeakers will start with a series of prayers and the rhythmic voices from the monks welcome the new day.

Some pics from early morning before the ceremony of the alms donations.
C&C are welcome.

#13 - Sunrise at That Luang



#14 - Monks in the stupa complex



#15 - Monks getting ready for the ceremony



#16 - Waiting for the prayers

[Leonardo]

#17 - Waiting for prayers



#18 - Waiting for prayers



#19 - Cute little girl

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by Leonardo #13 - Sunrise at That Luang

the rest are good too but #13 gets my vote. a wide angle or distant framing are good in depicting an event. and a variety of angles is good for an event, so i find that your shots are still largely at street zoom range (well, i can understand that when you say you can hardly move and considering there is no place to get a higher ground).

by the way, did you get to know which day is the festival before planing to go. me and my friends went earlier becos we can't find the dates of the festival and where it is held except that it is somewhere in october-november.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by zoossh the rest are good too but #13 gets my vote. a wide angle or distant framing are good in depicting an event. and a variety of angles is good for an event, so i find that your shots are still largely at street zoom range (well, i can understand that when you say you can hardly move and considering there is no place to get a higher ground). by the way, did you get to know which day is the festival before planing to go. me and my friends went earlier becos we can't find the dates of the festival and where it is held except that it is somewhere in october-november.

Hi zoossh tks for viewing and comment.
Do you mind to elaborate more the meaning of "...street zoom range"? Do you mean far from the subject?

Regarding the festival date I have made some search before my trip so to be sure to get there at the right time.
It's a pity you missed it. I hope you may have a chance to travel there in the future.

Cheers

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by Leonardo Hi zoossh tks for viewing and comment. Do you mind to elaborate more the meaning of "...street zoom range"? Do you mean far from the subject? Cheers

it is arbitrary, perhaps just my own interpretation.

the normal distance from other people you are likely to shoot on the street where the picture fit about half of a person's body in the horizontal frame, as opposed to wide angle where you have many people that is full-sized from top to bottom or the tele where you close up to part of a face.

maybe about 5-20metres distance from the subject of which something like 30mm-120mm focal length (at my lens conversion factor of 1.5) would catch something like that.

[newmemberz]

interesting Series.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by zoossh it is arbitrary, perhaps just my own interpretation. the normal distance from other people you are likely to shoot on the street where the picture fit about half of a person's body in the horizontal frame, as opposed to wide angle where you have many people that is full-sized from top to bottom or the tele where you close up to part of a face. maybe about 5-20metres distance from the subject of which something like 30mm-120mm focal length (at my lens conversion factor of 1.5) would catch something like that.

Tks for the details, I see your point.
Perhaps my pics are the result of my mood and concern in that day.
Infact I was attracted from the several photo opportunities but also concerned to not intrude too much in that religious moment.

Cheers

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by newmemberz interesting Series.

Hi newmemberz tks for viewing and comments.
Cheers

[roadrunner_552]

great festival photos to see. Esp unusual in sg.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by roadrunner_552 great festival photos to see. Esp unusual in sg.

Hi roadrunner_552 tks for visiting this thread and for your comments.
Cheers

[Leonardo]

The morning prayer is just concluded and everybody monks, novices, nuns and believers are now ready for the alms donation. In a small area also the merchants are ready with rice and other delicacies that the believers can buy for donation.

The sun is now high in the sky and the Thant Luang area is a magic outbreak of colors.

Thousand of pilgrims are crowding the area but there is no sense of rush. All of them are just silently line up for the alms donation.
The donations start from money to rice, from cookies to flowers, and so on. All mixed together.

Here some pics from the alms donations.

C&C are welcome.

#20 - Alms donation



#21 - Details



#22 - Details



#23 - Everybody participate

[Leonardo]

#24 - Food seller



#25 - Lao woman



#26 - Monks waiting for the alms



#27 - Monks waiting for the alms



#28 - That Luang area

[Hosea]

Thx for sharing, I can feel the festival mood from these pix.
#22 has a good composition ,#25 has good expression.. lesser top space could be better.
Just my opinion.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by Hosea Thx for sharing, I can feel the festival mood from these pix. #22 has a good composition ,#25 has good expression.. lesser top space could be better. Just my opinion.

Hi Stan, welcome. It's my pleasure to share.
Nice to hear that you can feel the festival mood.

I consider your comment as a great compliment and stimulus to improve.

Tks for viewing. Cheers