JAMES DE LA CLOCHE
My Story
I feel like an artist with my camera. I can see amazing moments occurring in front of me and I love to capture true emotion and love. I am best known for my photos and videos of people with rescue elephants. Some call me “the best content creator of rescued elephants in Thailand”. But to be honest is just a label , my photos come from the heart and the connection with my subjects is what makes my photos special. No matter who it is I’m photographing, I am able to bring out their best. I guess that is my gift!
The very beginning of my journey with the camera started 30 years ago with my career as an interior decorator and then after, in the real estate industry where my photography skills came to the fore. I always regarded it as a useful skill that helped me with my job but I didn’t see myself as a photographer.
My real transition to artist started in 2003 and was very much linked to Thailand. I was visiting Chiang Mai as a tourist where I was taken to Wat Umong, the first Buddhist temple that I ever visited. As I was leaving, I picked up the only book in English, titled A “Handbook For Mankind” by Buddhadasa Bhikku. That little book set off a chain reaction that led to an event a few years later that changed who I am forever… If you are thinking to change your path, I highly recommend it to you!
In the following days and weeks, I felt very different, my vision of the world was completely transformed. My life and values changed very much after that event. I realised that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in real estate and that what I really wanted was to dedicate myself to my photography. It brought me a lot of pleasure and I had started to see that it could bring pleasure to other people as well.
My goal was to move to Chiang Mai by the age of 50 and to make professional photography my sole source of income.
I announced to my business partners that I was leaving. They thought I was crazy (lol). It certainly was not a straight path and there have been some major challenges along the way. But, I have never been happier! Even with the challenges and some hard times, I feel that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
If you are reading this story, I encourage you to do whatever you feel you want to do, it’s doesn’t matter your age or your current situation, go ahead, be brave and embrace your decision, because it will be worth it.
After years working in different aspects of photography (property, commercial products, corporate events and productions, weddings…) in 2016 I met the wonderful people at Chai Lai Orchid. I love the great work they do as a socially conscious and a not for profit business. They are an Elephant sanctuary + Eco resort in Thailand and all proceeds support the foundation Daughters Rising.
Since then, my career has mainly focused on my work with rescued elephants and the indigenous hill tribe people that help to support this cause. Elephants were the biggest surprise – literally! Elephants are such wonderful creatures, they deserve to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect and all of those things are in abundance at Chai Lai Orchid as you will see if you visit.
Love and Light
James
I feel like an artist with my camera. I can see amazing moments occurring in front of me and I love to capture true emotion and love. I am best known for my photos and videos of people with rescue elephants. Some call me “the best content creator of rescued elephants in Thailand”. But to be honest is just a label , my photos come from the heart and the connection with my subjects is what makes my photos special. No matter who it is I’m photographing, I am able to bring out their best. I guess that is my gift!
The very beginning of my journey with the camera started 30 years ago with my career as an interior decorator and then after, in the real estate industry where my photography skills came to the fore. I always regarded it as a useful skill that helped me with my job but I didn’t see myself as a photographer.
My real transition to artist started in 2003 and was very much linked to Thailand. I was visiting Chiang Mai as a tourist where I was taken to Wat Umong, the first Buddhist temple that I ever visited. As I was leaving, I picked up the only book in English, titled A “Handbook For Mankind” by Buddhadasa Bhikku. That little book set off a chain reaction that led to an event a few years later that changed who I am forever… If you are thinking to change your path, I highly recommend it to you!
In the following days and weeks, I felt very different, my vision of the world was completely transformed. My life and values changed very much after that event. I realised that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in real estate and that what I really wanted was to dedicate myself to my photography. It brought me a lot of pleasure and I had started to see that it could bring pleasure to other people as well.
My goal was to move to Chiang Mai by the age of 50 and to make professional photography my sole source of income.
I announced to my business partners that I was leaving. They thought I was crazy (lol). It certainly was not a straight path and there have been some major challenges along the way. But, I have never been happier! Even with the challenges and some hard times, I feel that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
If you are reading this story, I encourage you to do whatever you feel you want to do, it’s doesn’t matter your age or your current situation, go ahead, be brave and embrace your decision, because it will be worth it.
After years working in different aspects of photography (property, commercial products, corporate events and productions, weddings…) in 2016 I met the wonderful people at Chai Lai Orchid. I love the great work they do as a socially conscious and a not for profit business. They are an Elephant sanctuary + Eco resort in Thailand and all proceeds support the foundation Daughters Rising.
Since then, my career has mainly focused on my work with rescued elephants and the indigenous hill tribe people that help to support this cause. Elephants were the biggest surprise – literally! Elephants are such wonderful creatures, they deserve to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect and all of those things are in abundance at Chai Lai Orchid as you will see if you visit.
Love and Light
James
