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

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