Rooftop Martial Arts Photography in Bangkok
Bangkok is a city full of energy, movement, and creative possibilities. For photographers, the city offers endless locations—from bustling streets to rooftops overlooking the skyline. One of my recent projects brought all of these elements together in a martial arts photo shoot high above the city with Dutch martial artist and actor Ron Smoorenburg.
Ron is widely recognised for his role alongside Jackie Chan in the film Who Am I?. I first met Ron through mutual friends within the acting and modelling community in Bangkok, and over time we collaborated on several creative projects. Ron is well known for his incredible high standing kick, which he can hold with remarkable control. Capturing that signature movement in a still photograph became the inspiration for this shoot.
As a photographer, I enjoy capturing actors and martial artists in a way that feels cinematic. Rather than shooting video, my goal is to freeze a single moment that could easily exist within a film scene—a still frame that tells a larger story.
The Concept
For this particular shoot, I wanted to create a rooftop confrontation scene between Ron and another actor and martial artist, Niko Tuco. Niko was dressed in business attire, while Ron wore a more casual outfit consisting of jeans and a denim jacket. The contrast between the two characters helped create a simple narrative: a businessman confronted by a martial artist high above the city.
The setting was a circular rooftop space that naturally resembled a boxing ring or fighting arena. This made it the perfect location for staging a dramatic confrontation between the two actors. The idea was simple but effective—capture Ron’s iconic high kick at the precise moment of impact as if it were part of a film scene.
The Location
The shoot took place at my condominium in Bangkok on the eighth floor of a thirty-five-storey building. While not the very top of the building, the rooftop garden provided enough elevation to frame the surrounding skyline while still offering an open and safe environment for the actors to perform.
At the centre of the garden was a circular platform that immediately stood out as an ideal shooting location. Its shape resembled a helipad or boxing ring, reinforcing the concept of a staged fight scene. The surrounding buildings in the background added depth and context, placing the action firmly within the urban landscape of Bangkok.
The shoot took place during the middle of the day in Bangkok’s hot season. The heat and humidity made the session physically demanding, particularly for the actors performing repeated high kicks. However, the strong midday sunlight created dramatic shadows and high contrast, which helped give the final images a cinematic look.
Using only natural light, I embraced the harsh sunlight rather than trying to soften it. The reflections from the surrounding walls and the strong directional light helped emphasise the movement and tension of the scene.
Capturing the Action
To capture the moment, I used a Canon 5D Mark IV paired with a Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2. The goal was to freeze Ron’s high kick in mid-air while keeping both actors sharp within the frame.
The camera was set to a fast shutter speed of 1/1600 to freeze the movement of the kick. I kept the ISO at 125 to maintain low noise levels while shooting in bright daylight, and used an aperture of f/2.8 to create a shallow depth of field. This combination allowed the actors to stand out clearly against the background while still maintaining sharpness where it mattered most.
Because the depth of field was narrow, precise focusing was essential. Before shooting, we planned exactly where Ron would reach the highest point of his kick. I manually focused on that position to ensure the moment would be captured as sharply as possible.
It took several attempts to capture the perfect frame. Timing was critical, and the midday heat made repeated high kicks physically demanding for Ron, especially while wearing denim clothing. However, after a few tries we successfully captured the moment where Ron’s kick reached its highest point, giving the image the look of a frozen cinematic frame.
Working with Ron
Working with Ron has always been a rewarding experience. Not only is he a talented martial artist and actor, but he also brings a strong sense of professionalism and creativity to every project.
Ron understands performance and choreography extremely well. He is disciplined, focused, and always willing to contribute ideas that help improve the final result. His experience working in film and martial arts gives him a natural understanding of how movement should look on camera.
Beyond his skills, Ron is also someone who genuinely supports others in the creative community. He is honest with his feedback and always willing to collaborate to achieve the best possible outcome. Having worked together on several projects, this shoot stands out as one of our most successful collaborations.
Final Thoughts
This shoot is one that I will always look back on as a particularly rewarding experience. Capturing such a dynamic moment high above Bangkok felt like creating something unique within the city’s skyline.
What I enjoy most about photographing martial artists is the dedication they bring to their craft. Performing powerful kicks and movements repeatedly in the heat and humidity requires discipline and focus, yet they continue pushing themselves to achieve the perfect moment.
Bangkok provides an incredible backdrop for this kind of photography. From the vibrant streets below to the rooftops overlooking the skyline, the city offers endless opportunities for storytelling through images. Shooting from elevated locations adds a sense of scale and drama, allowing the surrounding buildings and cityscape to become part of the narrative.
For me, photographing actors and martial artists is about capturing a single moment that feels cinematic—a frozen frame that hints at a much larger story unfolding above the city.
An extended editorial version of this article is available for publication. The full feature includes additional behind-the-scenes insights into the editing process, the use of AI-assisted visual enhancements, and a short cinematic video produced during the shoot.
Andrew Jones is a photographer and videographer based in Bangkok and the founder of PhotoExpozure. His work focuses on cinematic photography featuring actors, martial artists, and models, capturing dynamic moments that combine storytelling with striking visual environments.