A WINDOW ON PAI (PART 4)

PORTRAITS

#portraits

A man and a woman from Pai smoke marijuana and drink Thai Redbull - Pai, Thailand.

A man and a woman from Pai smoke marijuana and drink Thai Redbull - Pai, Thailand.

Portrait of a woman- Pai, Thailand.

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Over the course of the days I spent in Pai, I happened several times to pass this lady on the narrow streets of the city, busy in front of the entrance of a small shop or riding her motorbike, speeding away from the crowds of the night market in who knows what direction. Very often a scowling expression crossed her face and she seemed intent on swearing to herself, it was unclear against whom or for what reason. However, thanks to her charisma and beauty, she constantly attracted the gaze of passers-by, to whom she sometimes responded with stern and not always so kind glances.

From the very first moment I saw her, I was so bewitched by the power of her face and her gaze that I promised myself that if I ever met her with a camera, I would take courage and ask her to take a portrait. So, one afternoon, as I was walking around the village looking for glimpses to photograph, there she was, sitting with a guy in front of a 7-eleven smoking marijuana and drinking a small bottle of Thai Redbull.

I approached and squatted down in front of them, pointing at the camera and making my proposal, afraid of receiving a resounding no accompanied by one of those unequivocal looks that I had come to know from the exchanges I had witnessed in the previous days. To my surprise, even before a positive response, I received from both of them a warm greeting and a big smile, capable of smoothing out the more angular sides of their expressions in a single instant. I had a few words with the guy because unfortunately only he chewed a little English, I gave a few baht to the lady who made me understand that she would spend them at the supermarket across the street and, after several mutual thanks, I continued my walk.