Just clicked: Snap-happy photographer captures Wiki Loves Monuments Launch in Thailand
A snap-happy photographer from Thailand got the picture at the launch of Wikimedia Thailand’s Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) photography contest. The winning snap, by photographer Kriengsak Jirasirirojanakorn, features the eight stupas located in Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok.
The WLM is an annual competition that focuses on cultural heritage monuments and sites in each participating country worldwide. Currently, the competition has 36 participating countries, making it the world’s largest photo contest, and has broken the Guinness Book of Records several times since 2010.
On Wednesday, April 19, Kriengsak announced his WLM victory on Facebook where he included the winning picture. The picture shows eight stupas, also known as Phra Atsada Maha Chedi, located within Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok’s Grand Palace.
The stupas are set against the backdrop of a bright blue sky, with a Thai man, wearing a face mask and a tattoo, riding a bicycle on the road outside the palace’s wall.
Kriengsak revealed that he took this picture from an open field and public square in front of Wat Phra Kaew called Sanam Luang. He added that several photographers got a similar shot before him but believes the passing cyclist made his picture unique.
The photographer revealed that he submitted the picture to Wikimedia in December of last year and received an email from the team that his picture was ranked in the top 15. Kriengsak said he hoped his contribution would be in the top ten and did not expect that it would win.
The eight stupas featured in Kriengsak’s photograph are decorated with glazed tiles in various colours, including white, dark blue, pink, green, purple, light blue, brown, and yellow. Each stupa holds Buddha’s relics and the Dharma, which is the principle given by the lord Buddha.
Other pictures that made it to the top five in the WLM Thailand competition included the arch at Nakhon Luang Palace in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan in Chiang Mai, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai in Lamphun, two pictures of Wat Phra Si Sanphet in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, the arch at Chaiwattanaram Temple in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Victory Monument in Bangkok, and two pictures of Hua Lamphon Railway Station and the train. See the pictures HERE.
