Thai Student At Nic Finds He’s The Focus Of Attention

Noppadol Paothong’s gray wolf stares past flesh and bone deep into the soul. It’s not threatening but is unsettling with its slightly dipped head, as if it has spotted a dark secret.

The photograph is Noppadol’s favorite and recently made the cover of a photography magazine in his native Thailand. Inside was a story about Bangkok’s boy wonder behind the lens.

“I never thought this could happen in my life,” Noppadol says with refreshing gee-whiz modesty. He’s a 24-year-old North Idaho College student and not ready to believe his skill is special, despite all the signs.

His photo of a gray jay perched on another photographer’s lens won Noppadol first place last month in the National Associated Collegiate Press photo competition.

“I was very shocked when they called my name,” Noppadol says. “There were about 2,000 people in that conference room. I almost passed out.”

The same photo won second place in three regional journalism contests, which included the professional press. His ice storm photos also raked in regional awards.

Even as a 10-year-old in Bangkok, Noppadol appreciated the camera’s instant results. Photography was fun, so he assumed it was a hobby. As a teenager, he studied commercial art because it led to a practical future.

Career opportunities in the United States wooed Noppadol from home in 1993. He wanted a solid college program in commercial art - and snow.

“In Bangkok, the winters never drop below 65 degrees,” he says.

NIC captured his interest, but he had to learn English before he could enroll in academic classes. It took two tough years.

“I knew almost nothing,” he says. “I ate spaghetti for three months because I couldn’t order anything else.”

Like a good tourist, Noppadol traveled around the Northwest with a camera. His girlfriend, Monica Lee, noticed that his pictures of mountains and lakes were sharper than most she’d seen. She encouraged him to pursue photography.

“I was scared that I wouldn’t be good enough to work in the real world,” Noppadol says. “I was worried that it might lose its charm if I did it as a job.”

Still, he enrolled in Tim Christie’s wildlife photography class at NIC last year. Tim, a veteran wildlife photographer with a long list of credits, taught Noppadol about animal behavior and about safety as well as photo techniques.

“Everything I do with Noppadol is a gift,” Tim says. “He has an absolute zest for life, a can-do attitude. He has a real good eye and always tries to find an angle where he’s creating something. He’s going to do very well.”

Noppadol shot the jay with Tim’s $5,000 lens. The picture was the only frame on seven rolls to survive the processing lab.

It also won Noppadol a scholarship offer to Missouri Southern State College.

Tim says he expects more offers to come Noppadol’s way. Tim figures his student is a prime candidate for the best college photojournalism programs in the country.

“I’m convinced he’ll be incredibly successful,” Tim says. “There’ll be a whole bunch of people at this college who’ll say, ‘I knew him when…”’

Christmas present

North Idaho College’s annual Christmas concert usually is so lively, warm and inexpensive that I consider it a gift to the community.

But so do many others, and seats fill fast. There’s nothing better than singing “Jingle Bells” with 1,150 other people.

The music will start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Schuler Auditorium, but if you can’t make it, try the Sunday performance at 2 p.m. And don’t forget to wear some mistletoe.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: What’s your favorite North Idaho holiday memory? Think back for Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene 83814; or send a fax to 765-7149, call 765-7128 or send e-mail to cynthiat@spokesman.com.