The Story Behind the Glass — A Photographic Story at Phuket’s On On Hotel

I was at The Memory at On On Hotel in Phuket Town when I noticed the bathroom doors in one of the rooms. Their old patterned glass was perfect for hiding a person while still allowing her presence to be seen. Almost immediately, I imagined a man waiting outside, dressed for the occasion, while a woman was taking her time behind the door. There was something funny about the situation, and I thought it deserved to become a photograph.

We came back on another day with our models and turned the room into a small theatre. The main problem was to make the viewer understand the story without actually showing it. The man had to look as though he had been waiting for some time, while the silhouette behind the glass had to suggest just enough to make the viewer curious. We moved the lights, changed the positions and tried several versions until the scene finally felt natural.

What I remember most was how quickly the hotel staff became involved. One person came to watch, then another, and soon there was a small audience around us, all following the story with great interest. Everyone seemed to understand that we were making something completely imaginary, yet for those few hours the little story became almost real.

The photograph later travelled to exhibitions and international competitions and received several awards. And now it has another one: a Silver Award from the International Photography Awards (IPA). Not bad for an idea that began with a bathroom door and a rather questionable little story.