I’m totally hooked! This was a blast. Two guys going at it fists and feet and sweat flying and the sheer tension, the crowd yelling and ooh-ing and yeah-ing. A lot more fun than I expected.
And as a photographer, I’m struggling to capture it all. There’s the fact that I have to keep my head down – the organisers only just let me get beyond the barrier and up to the ropes anyway. So I’m trying not to get in the way. Then there’s the lights from all directions, some of them usually shining into the lens. Then the guys flying all over the ring, doing their utmost to smash each other’s ribs and teeth, with no consideration for how I might like them to stand for the shot . And finally there’s the fact it all happens so quickly. Forget checking what you’re getting on the screen – you’re missing half the fight!
I don’t recall the last time I got cramps in my hands from shooting so intensely, but it happened a lot tonight.
But what I really enjoyed was the ceremony of it all. The guys climb into the ring, shed their cloaks and go through a dance, while a crazy little band plays freaky pipes and drums to one side. They warm up by hugging the corner pads, kneeling and praying, and generally dancing round. Then the bell rings and they get into it. But slowly at first. A few tentative punches and kicks. By the second round, however, they’ve gotten over the initial shocks and they let loose. The feet start flying at head height, the grappling turns into knees in ribs, and every round or so, one of them goes down, to roars from the crowd.
Anyway, you’ll see it all in the photos. And at the end, the victor celebrates on his own, almost abandoned, while the vanquished is carried off and fretted over by his team. And in the background, shady looking guys exchange wads of money and disappear into the dark street…
Thai boxing in Bangkok
I’m totally hooked! This was a blast. Two guys going at it fists and feet and sweat flying and the sheer tension, the crowd yelling and ooh-ing and yeah-ing. A lot more fun than I expected.
And as a photographer, I’m struggling to capture it all. There’s the fact that I have to keep my head down – the organisers only just let me get beyond the barrier and up to the ropes anyway. So I’m trying not to get in the way. Then there’s the lights from all directions, some of them usually shining into the lens. Then the guys flying all over the ring, doing their utmost to smash each other’s ribs and teeth, with no consideration for how I might like them to stand for the shot
. And finally there’s the fact it all happens so quickly. Forget checking what you’re getting on the screen – you’re missing half the fight!
I don’t recall the last time I got cramps in my hands from shooting so intensely, but it happened a lot tonight.
Kickboxing in Bangkok - Images by Peter Stuckings
But what I really enjoyed was the ceremony of it all. The guys climb into the ring, shed their cloaks and go through a dance, while a crazy little band plays freaky pipes and drums to one side. They warm up by hugging the corner pads, kneeling and praying, and generally dancing round. Then the bell rings and they get into it. But slowly at first. A few tentative punches and kicks. By the second round, however, they’ve gotten over the initial shocks and they let loose. The feet start flying at head height, the grappling turns into knees in ribs, and every round or so, one of them goes down, to roars from the crowd.
Anyway, you’ll see it all in the photos. And at the end, the victor celebrates on his own, almost abandoned, while the vanquished is carried off and fretted over by his team. And in the background, shady looking guys exchange wads of money and disappear into the dark street…
I’ll definitely be back!
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 22:39 and is filed under commentary and tagged with bangkok, kickboxing, photos, sport, thai boxing, thailand, work, www.indochinaimages.com. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.