Donning a distinctive top to make himself stand out from the crowd is just one of the survival tactics that Piya "Zong" Chayphiphitthaphan employs to get through yet another graduation/commencement day, that busily stage-managed milestone in the lives of many Thai students.
That particular morning the young photographer had chosen to wear a bright orange polo shirt and he was expecting to take in the region of 500 to 600 shots before the day was out; even more _ up to a thousand, he says _ if his clients are accompanied by lots of friends or family members.
And this is no laid-back affair like wedding photography, which is often done indoors in air-conditioned rooms ("That'd be bliss!" he says). Zong is on his feet for hours at a time, bustling around under the hot sun to take snaps of first one group and then another, then meticulously photoshopping every single image to ensure the lighting, contrast and colours are just right.
Finding shady spots to nap in during quiet periods or suffering "photographer's block" because his brain is so frazzled by the heat are just part of the package. The 31-year-old lensman spoke to Life recently and agreed to answer a few questions about this physically demanding, if rather well paid, occupation.
How do you prepare yourself for a day's shoot?
You really need to get enough rest and sufficient sleep the night before. You can't afford to be sick either. So if I feel a cold coming on, I'll take some medication as a precaution.
I have to take vitamin supplements too, because getting up really early and getting home really late can be draining, especially when you're doing it day after day without a break. It's good to get some exercise too, if that's possible, because you have to carry your equipment around all day long and my kit weighs at least 5kg.
What's the toughest experience you've had?
Once I had to get up at 3.30am for a graduation at Srinakharinwirot University because the campus is so far from where I live. I took photos there all day long and when I finished it was evening and the traffic was so horrible that it was nearly midnight by the time I got home.
Another time I had a job at Kasetsart University. I was there all morning and then my client had to go into the auditorium at noon [for the graduation ceremony]. By the time she came out again, it was 8pm because HRH Princess Chulabhorn [who was handing out the degrees on that occasion] takes breaks quite often.
I just had to wait and wait endlessly. Then, even though it was already dark, I had to take another batch of pictures because it was vital to get some shots of my client holding her degree.
How do you deal with crowded situations when there are a lot of people standing nearby and it's difficult to exclude strangers from a shot?
Sometimes you just have to live with it. Other times you can take the photo from a different angle. Or you could ask the client to stand absolutely still and then take a shot of him or her with other people moving around in the background. This creates a sort of slow-motion freeze-frame in which the subject really stands out from the crowd. Or, if the person is completely surrounded, you could ask him or her to raise the arm holding the degree scroll and then leap into the air. A shot like that really makes the client the focal point of the whole image. So, basically, it's all about using your creativity to deal with conditions that you can't change.
What are the differences between doing a shoot on a rehearsal day, on the actual graduation day and carrying out a commission for a single graduate?
On rehearsal days many of the graduates' friends tend to show up, so it's usually a lot of fun. The actual graduation day is when all the relatives show up and if the client has a big family, with 20 or 30 relations turning up, things get a bit hectic. It can be tiring to have to shout all the time as you try to get the attention of a big group of people. So those two days have a completely different feel.
Private commissions are the most easy-going and usually a lot less demanding _ plus you don't have to start so early in the morning!
Nowadays there are so many photographers with widely differing rates. How can a prospective client know whether a photographer is worth the price?
I think you should simply look at their portfolio and decide if you like their work or not. You might even like the work of some photographer who isn't charging that much! Some of the higher priced ones may not necessarily take good photos. People who like more artsy photos may have to pay more because there aren't that many artsy photographers out there. By "artsy" I mean images that look a bit crazy and unconventional.
The photographer may often use weird props, or powder to create a murky effect _ or even smoke bombs!
Do you ever get bored taking pictures of smiling faces all day long?
Not really. It's kind of fun, actually. You get to meet many different types of graduates: some are really tough and can dash around all day without a rest and others stick to the shade because they get tired very easily. I've never met any really difficult graduates yet _ maybe because I always let them have their own way!
Are there photographers who don't let the clients have their own way?
Definitely! Some photographers are bossy and are after a certain kind of shot; they won't stop until they get it, even though the graduate might not feel the same way. Some photographers get moody because the graduate might have so many relatives that there isn't time to take the sort of pictures that they really want to take.
What does it take to be a good graduation-day photographer?
You need to have a high level of tolerance in order to put up with the hot weather and all the people. Some graduates have picky relatives, with the mother wanting one thing and the father wanting a shot from a different angle. If you order them around, they can get irritable because they already have something in mind.
You must also be loud and assertive enough to deal with other photographers who are competing with you for the best spots. And, most importantly, you mustn't miss any of the important local landmarks.
To see some examples of Zong's work, visit www.facebook.com/piyaphotographypage.
