Ploy

The first post of I shared of 2017’s trip was the Sunday I spent exploring Wat Arun. I’ll take you back 24 hours now though to my first full day in Thailand, where I had booked a shoot with the sensational Model Ploy. You can also see her Instagram here.

Although when I booked my trip I’d been planning on enjoying a relaxing first weekend, it turned out the day after my arrival would be the only opportunity I could shoot with Ploy. We’d been speaking online for a good 12 months, and I figured there was no way I would let her down – so the shoot was confirmed.

Ploy told me to be at her studio for 2pm and we’d shoot for about 3 hours. The natural light I was told would be great, and that suited me hugely as about all I had with me was my 50mm. I also of course figured that with a late start I’d get to enjoy a little lie in.

Things however went rapidly wrong soon after I arrived on the Friday night! After the long journey I thought I could do with a relaxing beer, so headed out into the Bangkok night. I had a few beers and played pool with an old friend I bumped into in the street (yes, literally bumped into them – so random!) and then took myself off to another bar to listen to some live music to see in the end of the night. 2am came before I knew it and everything started to close up. I was still on UK time though and feeling pretty good. Certainly not ready to call it a night, so I headed off down Sukhumvit to find a street bar for just one last beer. Somehow on the way I managed to get talking to guy called Ray – a Chinese American working in Bangkok. He had the same idea as me and before I knew it, one beer became three. We were then joined by another American who’d heard our accents as he passed by and he joined us for yet another couple of rounds! Our newcomer decided that the next thing we’d do is hit up a club he knew, and so in a haze, we headed off to dance and drink some more. We were followed by a bunch of girls who I think thought we were easy money! I reckon it was about 6am when I finally left the club to crawl back to my hotel – heaven knows how I even remembered where it was!

Still, I didn’t have to be up until about 12 – 1pm latest, which gave me 6-7 hours I could sleep for right? No worries. So I stupidly forgot about the time difference and didn’t set my alarm. Darkness.

Waking up still in the almost pitch black, I felt OK and it felt like it was still night. Even better to think I still had a few more hours sleep ahead of me. Casually I rolled over and turned my phone on. It was 2pm! And I had a text message from Ploy asking when I’d arrive! Arghhhh!

Jumping out of bed I quickly messaged Ploy to explain and apologise. I was at least 45 minutes taxi ride from her house and still needed to shower and change. Fortunately for me, Ploy was super kind and thought it was pretty funny – at least I wouldn’t be a no show!

And so onto the shoot. In 2 hours we had the most amazing time. I still can’t believe the images we got. It goes to show just how incredible a model Ploy is. It was nearly impossible to take a photo I was unhappy with.

I enjoyed shooting with Ploy so much that we shot again on my last trip in 2018 (images still to be processed). Ploy and her husband Maxx are two of the nicest people you could meet and I can’t wait to see them again on my next visit.

If you’re a photographer heading to Bangkok please don’t miss the chance to shoot with Ploy – she’s simply the best.