A quick one this time. The first day in Siem Reap, Cambodia to explore the ancient temple complex. There is not much time to see anything because most of the day was filled with flying in from Bangkok. The plan was a simple drive by to get an overview of the area. We were on the shoulder of the monsoon season and any idea of dong any exploring on foot was quickly damped by the sky opening to a massive downpour as we passed the western causeway section of Angkor Wat. The secret to this photo?

Stay in the small travel bus and ask the driver to open the door and move the vehicle back and forth to get the view I wanted. When I retuned the next day in the sunlight it wasn’t the same. What we normally think of bad weather is a great time to take photos. In this case the rain softened the features of the temple giving a fog-like effect. I have used my car a number of times as a photo blind in the rain and snow before. Try it sometime. Keep yourself and your equipment dry and If you wish lie about your commitment to the great shot to impress your friends.For a different view of the temples explore John McDermott’s infrared black & white photos of the temples. That look defines many viewer’s experience of the Angkor Wat. He has a gallery in town with his photos as well as gracing the walls of the amazingly stylish Hotel de la Paix.  I think of my experience there as staying in a refined W Hotel in a third-world country.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS