taking photos in and around siem reap
Mark Stennett travels South East Asia in search of the perfect photo and the iconic and majestic temples of Angkor are just the starting point for a fantastic photographic exploration of Cambodia…
“Angkor Wat and the many smaller temples in Siem Reap offer a never ending array of photo opportunities and not just at sunrise and sunset, when indeed they really do shine. There are so many new things to discover as you wander around slowly, trying to image what this once mighty civilisation might have looked like back at the peak of power.
Away from the temples is Tonle Sap lake with it’s floating and stilted villages offering us a glimpse of life that we cannot begin to imagine living ourselves. Meeting and photographing the welcoming people around these parts is a joy and serves only to enrich your travel experience.
Then there is the rural landscape of rice fields and villages surrounding Siem Reap. Once again it’s the people living and working in and around the fields that offer some wonderful photographic opportunities and engaging portraits. Done properly, and with respect, you can capture this life in full and have a lot of fun at the same time.
As soon as you arrive in Siem Reap you’ll be drawn to the chilled pace of life, even as this city develops at a rapid pace. Embrace it, slow down and look deeply at what’s going on all around. You’ll be richly rewarded.
Photography Tips:
1. Slow down, take your time to really observe what’s going on around you
2. Be ‘camera ready’ for when things happen quickly. That means camera out, switched on and lens cap off.
3. Think about what’s in and what’s out of the shot. The latter can be just as important as the former. Actively include things that enhance the image and remove things that detract. Sounds simple but it’s easy to forget.
4. Backgrounds are important. Backgrounds can add to an image or detract. Make a conscious decision about what your background shall be.
5. Pre-conceive the shot in advance. Especially for portraits. Approach your subject with some sort of idea about what the final shot will look like. You may not get many chances with a subject so a bit of planning goes a long way.
6. Photograph people with respect.
7. Get to know your camera before you leave home.
8. Practice on the kids, the pets or around your neighbourhood. There is a tonne of freely available information on the web about things such as composition and travel photography in general.
9. Study other people’s pictures and decide what it is about them you like and what it is that make them work as an image.
10. Start photographing the light. Mornings and evenings are naturally great times to photograph due to the warm, directional nature of the light. At all times it always pays to take note of how the light is falling on a subject.”
Mark Stennett’s business, Drift Photography Tours, is known for bringing guests to photograph in exotic destinations. Mark leads his own unique range of travel photography tours with arrangements provided by Intrepid Travel. The next Cambodia: Ancient Temples of Siem Reap is scheduled from 26 – 29 July and you can find more info at driftphototours.com
Thanks for the tips! I’ll prolly use it on my next visit in Siem Reap!
I am going to Cambodia on September this year. Besides Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam are also listed to be visited. But still I have a question about a hotel you might have seen during your visit in Siem Reap. I booked the following hotel: Tara Angkor Hotel. You know if it is a good hotel? I heard good stories about it. What are the best attractions to visit in Siem Reap and in the surrounding?
Dear,
The Angkor Wat temples is a must. You can spend 3 days or more there. It is advisable to buy a 3 day card and go by tuc tuc or by bike into the complex. But if you don’t want to spend too much time there, than you can visit a museum or the markets. They have the day and night markets.
According to my sources, it is a perfect hotel with good reviews. If you want to go there, I would say it is a yes!
Dear Alicia,
Thank you for responding. It sounds good, and I will follow your comments about what to visit. I think I will get our 4/5 days full in no time. Furthermore I had some questions about the restaurants. A few friends recommended me several restaurants because i want to celebrate my birthday. These restaurants are; Tonle Sap, Mekong and Chaktomuk. Do you know them by any chance? Thank you?
Dear Emma,
Next to the information I talked to you about, I forgot to mention the following attractions: Ta Prohm and the Bayon style temple. Next to the attractions I mentioned, these are must sees as well. Well what I heard about these restaurants is that they have a buffet style. You must like that kind of eating. Perhaps not for a birthday. Then you have to look in Siem Reap itself.
Hello Emma,
In addition I would like to add some things as well. Some are similar some not. I read your message and wanted to help you, because I have been in Siem Reap a lot of times. The Tara Angkor hotel is a beautiful hotel and is ideally and conveniently located, Tara Angkor Hotel is situated only 6 km from the Angkor Wat Temples, 15 min drive from the Siem Reap International Airport, a few minutes stroll to the Angkor National Museum and a short ride to the city town center with an array of Cambodian souvenirs, shopping and culture. They have a few promotions that you can make use of if you haven’t booked already: Last minute bookings, summer sales, early bird promotion or Angkor temptations. Of course there are a lot more, but have a look at their website. It is not that far to the Angkor temples that I would advise you to see for sure. I would say, grab yourself a 3 day pass and find yourself a decent tuk tuk driver to take you to the farther ruins and for a drive in some of the outlying villages. If you’re up for it consider renting a bike and checking out Angkor Wat on your own. There’s a lot to see and do so a lot depends on your time and budget. A few temples I would strongly suggest you check out besides Angkor Wat itself are Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom and of course Ta Prohm just to see the amazing tree. The Banteay Srei temple is farther out of Siem Reap but has a very different feel than a lot of the others. If you want to do something else as well, you can visit the day and night market. I can really recommend these attractions. If you need to know more, let me know.