Theun Hinboun Power Company | Laos Corporate Social Responsibility Project
Nam Gnouang Reservoir from my drone.
Corporate Social Responsibility Photography for THPC
I recently photographed a large CSR project for Theun Hinboun Power Company in Laos. This assignment allowed me to create images I don’t usually shoot—mostly drone photography. As someone who’s always sought high vantage points for the perfect shot, working with a drone was a revelation. The writer was Asian Travel Legend Joe Cummings of the Lonely Planet. We played in the same band for years, but this was the first time in the field.
Working Across Languages
Laotian is very similar to Thai, and most educated Lao speak Thai fluently. Since I am fully conversational in Thai, I was able to complete this project without relying on English, except for the initial client brief. This made the workflow smooth and immersive, allowing me to focus entirely on capturing the project visually.
A Personal Connection to Laos
I first visited Laos in 1996 and have returned many times since. It’s an incredible country with enormous potential, though it faces many challenges. Working with a company striving to improve the country made this assignment especially fulfilling.
Behind the Scenes
Interestingly, none of the photos I created were used in the company’s official communications—they’re still using the same shots they’ve relied on for years. Regardless, I managed to capture some outstanding images. After a rough start, a fantastic staff appeared seemingly out of nowhere, helping to completely save the project. Their support was invaluable, and the final shots reflect the effort and teamwork that went into this CSR initiative.
On a personal note, these big jobs can be fun and challenging, but it’s still kind of jarring to spend weeks of 18 hour days, and when you are finished and hand over literally 3X the number of photos you were contracted for, not one person says “good job”, or “thanks”. I guess the bank transfer was enough. Nobody is harder on my work than me, and I think I did a decent job!
There was a coffee-table book produced from this shoot.
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