A few weeks back, while on the bicycle ride that led to me writing the “Land Use in Central Thailand” blog entry, I passed by a couple who were getting their wedding portraits taken on a railway bridge that parallels Kampheng Phet Soi 7, a back road that is wide, not very busy, and thus ideal for cycling.
It is common in Thailand (and, from my experience, many other parts of Asia) for couples to have their wedding portraits taken many weeks in advance of their wedding. This way the photos can be used for invitations as well as displayed at the wedding reception. These photos often seem a little like Glamour Shots, the “makeover” portrait studios at a mall near you. Of course, it is for their wedding, a (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime event, so a little glamour is perfectly alright.
Interestingly, this train track is very active – a few dozen passenger trains a day running to the east and northeast – so I was of course concerned about the admonition I’ve been told since I was a young child: don’t play on the train tracks!
The viaduct overhead is the Airport Rail Link, which like the railroad on which the photos are being taken is owned and operated by the loss-making State Railways of Thailand. The viaduct further in the background is the “Second Stage” or “Rama IX” Expressway, which runs to the airport.
christao408 
I’ve always like railroad tracks for pictures. I wanted to use them in a friend’s engagement photos, but she wasn’t too thrilled with the idea. Can’t say I blame her ~ the track I like to frequent is fairly busy.
What could be the message here that this couple is trying to relay ?
Have to admit I would have never thought of that area for wedding photos but it must mean something special and will be meaningful for them.
I really like rail tracks and almost everything railway.You should see this Ad of Indian Railways. The soundtrack might be lost on you, but it is actually a reference to a really old Bollywood track. It basically just says ‘Train’ many times and then random station names and lines like ‘Here to There, There to Here- Train’.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCmI1dWbLCQ
a special place for taking wedding photos. Might be have meaning of everything on track 🙂
Maybe their message is that this is the beginning of a lifelong “journey”!!! Makes me think of the pictures we took at the Bridge over the River Kwai…I will have to go find the photo album they are in !!!
You startled me with the title of your entry. *whew*Every so often, I see pre-wedding pictures taken in rough industrial areas – I’ve always wondered how it would turn out. It’s a nice contrast and a bit edgy.
Perhaps they met on the train? Seems like a strange backdrop for a photo session but what do I know… hehe!
I am not too thrilled with this idea of a wedding picture either. Wonder where they would run to, if they hear the train coming. Doesn’t look like there is land beside the track. I am sure there is, but I don’t see it.
Railroads would also be quite symbolic I suppose, as in the beginning of a journey, crossing tracks together as a couple, and such…. so interestingly enough, I can see why people use them as a backdrop for the wedding photos!
They call it Pre-nuptial photoshoots here. And I love looking at those kind of albums on facebook. 😀
Ugh, I bet the pictures were cool but I don’t think I’d like to risk my safety like that.
@AzureRecollections – @Redlegsix – @MichellelyNg – Okay, those are pretty reasonable symbolic meanings the tracks could have. I’ll buy those…@The_Eyes_Of_A_Painter – @Fatcat723 – We received a few suggested meanings that actually make sense…@oxyGENE_08 – The shorts are always crazy glamorous. When I received my teacher’s wedding invitation, I didn’t recognize her at first. She’s beautiful in real life but in the pre-nup pic she was so… done-up? … that I didn’t realize it was her!@TheCheshireGrins – @ZSA_MD – It probably is a little safer than it looks. The track runs in a straight line for several miles in each direction and there are stops within sight each direction, so they would see the train coming. Still, it doesn’t seem like a very clean place to pose, especially considering the types of toilets (straight to the tracks below) that these trains use!@murisopsis – Just like the 1951 Hitchcock film… or the absolutely gorgeous short film for Chanel No. 5 by Jean-Pierre Jeaunet with Audrey Tautou. @ElusiveWords – Title was intentionally designed to attract attention. Am interning at the National Enquirer.@Dezinerdreams – That’s a funny ad. It would have been funnier if people were sitting on the shoulders of the people pretending to be a train!@the_rocking_of_socks – I imagine that had she posed for pictures there, her smile would quickly have faded to a scowl for having to move out of the way of oncoming trains so often.
I’ve had a life-long desire to walk tracks, by myself, for a day.
@everyday_yogi – It always makes me curious to see where the rails lead.
I’ve had friends travel to china and take these pre-wedding and post-wedding glamour shot pics too! They look great, though some can be a bit cheesy.