Chinatown (with Mia Livingston) | Bangkok Photo Walks, Issue 106

(Bangkok Photographers) #1

I was enjoying the BPG Facebook group a few months ago when it struck me that there were many photos


posted of attractive young women, but none in the same vein of men. While I’ve often been told that the reason


for this is that men are more visually stimulated than women, that doesn’t align with my own experience, so I


asked in the group about the discrepancy.


Mark replied with the adage “The camera looks both ways.” Yes, I thought. Photography is a two-way

street. While his point didn’t necessarily answer my question, it raised a bunch of new and more interesting


questions. Why did I notice—or even care—if there were more photos of women? Was I projecting onto them


that they appeared uncomfortable or were being objectified, when I couldn’t possibly know? And what’s the


difference between being an active subject versus a passive object in front of the camera? Is it possible for a


model and photographer to have a mutually respectful and nourishing relationship—and if so, how?


If my questions sound cynical, it’s because they come from a challenging place. I occasionally worked as a

model for 20 years from the age of 14, during which I saw some of the worst of humanity. Later as a therapist,


writer, and monastic trainee, I continued to come across some of the worst of humanity. To cut a long story


short, I think the nature of being is such that it’s easy for any of us to fall into a transactional and objectifying


relationship, even when all we really want is to connect and give joy.


The camera looks both ways... I also think that it can be easy as a photographer to delve beyond the

surface and give more. More often than not, it’s a matter of waiting and listening without judgment. For


example, maybe the model whom we want to think of as sexy has something else that she wishes she could


express; and maybe that’s more compelling than what we hoped to see.


This month I was grateful to be accepted by the group for a modelling experiment, in which I—now middle-

aged, sleep-deprived, and far beyond ambitions of looking sexy—was curious what I might look like through


everyone’s lens. Which of the shots might match how I felt? Perhaps the camera would pick up on things that


even I don’t know about myself?


I was amazed at the process and outcome. It was a tremendously fun walk with 48 beautiful photographers.

While this may sound trite, together we saw each other and the world. Today it might be me in front of the


camera; tomorrow it might be you. Either way, it feels good to be seen.


Thank you,


Mia.


Magazine Editor
Ben Reeves

Photo Walk Coordinator
Mark A. Hathaway

Administrative Support
Chutima Panjapan

Logo Design
Ubonpayom Ongsara

Guest Model
Mia Livingston

Front Cover Photo
Narz

Group Photo
Chutima Panjapan

Back Cover Photo
Arthon Sithtisarn

© 2024 Bangkok Photographers Group
All rights reserved.
Bangkok Photo Walks is a not-for-profit
publication created by the members of
the Bangkok Photographers Group. All
photographs herein are copyrighted by
their respective creators and published
only with their permission.

The camera looks both ways


BANGKOK PHOTO WALKSBANGKOK PHOTO WALKS
Issue 106
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