Meg and Dave go to Cambodia:Dave's B&W Photos of Ta Prohm

Meg and Dave Go to Siem Reap, Cambodia

I will start off by saying this is the first post of what is to be maybe three or four entries. Megan and I traveled to Thailand and Cambodia for our winter vacation. While we were there I shot entirely on 35mm film. Between Megan and I we essentially used 5 different cameras. 

1.Meg's-Canon XSi DSLR -OR- Galaxy S3 Phone Camera,

2.Dave's- Lomography Fisheye Toy Camera, Pentax K1000 with either 28mm lens of 16mm Zenitar Fisheye. 

Below are images shot through our trusty Pentax K1000 and my new-to-me Zenitar 16mm fish-eye lens. The film for this set of images was Kodak Tmax400. The images themselves were quickly scanned with an Epson V600 flatbed, and digitally edited with Irfanview's free software. I purposely scanned and edited at small sizing and resolution to make the workflow as fast as possible. (I was super excited to show you these!) Some photo's will have dust or scratches, others will seem poorly focused. This is due to the fish-eye's strange characteristics. Sometime there are fingers in corners of shots, this is because my unfamiliarity with this lens. With the technical out of the way let me tell you about the actual pictures and our trip!

These images were taken throughout Siem Reap, Cambodia's "National Park". This park is known for Angkor Wat, along with Tah Prohm made famous by the first Tomb Raider movie. But there are so many ancient palaces and temples in the area that even with a month to travel one cannont see them all. Meg and I had three days. We saw Angkor Wat and Tah Prohm the first day we were there as that was what we truly came to see. The next day we bounced around smaller and lesser know temples such as Bayon, Ta Som, Banterei Srei, and Preah Khon. The names were a mouth full and it's much too difficult for me to discern where they were taken. I know most were within Ta Prohm, with a few in and around Bayon.

These images were result of two rolls of film! Of the 72 exposures I allowed for the B&W images I was pleased with 52 of them. It really was a photographer's paradise! Without further adieu.... 

Meg is standing beneath the tree in both photo's. I missed that when first looking at these. (TOP/BOTTOM)

 These two images (TOP/BOTTOM) have a story. This temple wasn't far from Bayon, and we stopped here to catch what seemed to be some amazing images of a tourist free area. As were mozying around the area two young boys approached us to tell us about the specific area, as Megan and I moved  further into the grounds they became more talkative and helpful. It can become cumbersome in Cambodia because of the constant badgering by the local merchants selling souvenirs, but these boys were just overflowing with interest in us along with facts about this particular temple. As we turned to leave one of them busted out a notebook to show us a pledge list of other foreigners that are helping them pay for school. It was bittersweet as we walked away quickly to avoid the begging that was sure to come.

 Bayon (TOP/BOTTOM)

 Phnom Bakeng is a popular spot to watch the sunset. While it was beautiful, this place was awash in tourists and the sound of airplanes of the nearby airport as jets were taking off across the horizon.

 "Who's awesome? You're awesome!"  Somewhere in Tah Prohm

This particular picture was inside of Tah Prohm. It's out of focus but captures the size of the giant "Strangler Fig" that Tah Prohm and Ta Som are famous for. This particular one was a designated picture spot by the roped off area and pedestal. I was being stared at by at least ten people waiting for their turn so I was rushing. We got a better shot though with Meg's DSLR.

 Above and below are pictures of some cows that Megan and I mistakenly chased from a pond while walking off the beaten path at Tah Prohm. As we were taking these pictures I also stepped in a fire ant's hill. Only two good zaps and I quickly brushed them off. The picture above you can see my shadow lifting the camera, while Megan shoots from eye-level. I really like that one because it shows how Meg and I usually look if something catches our interest. Below is one of my favorite shots. I rarely if ever can take pictures of moving objects. It's a true weakness of my skills but I caught this one and the rest of the photo was semi interesting around it.

 The tuk-tuk's in Siem Reap are truly everywhere. You'll see the driver's lounging under a shade tree in a hammock they hang from post to post in the carriage, while whoever the day's hire is explores the area.

This was a shot to start a new roll and take up slack. It turned out to be one of the better portraits of Meg with the focus really nailed, and the outlying forest of Tah Prohm.

 I remember taking this and trying so hard to make sure no one was in the doorway. I was so focused on the doorway that I didn't notice my finger in the frame, and I still caught them anyway!

Tah Prohm. This was one my first sucessful photo's with light streaks.

Megan asks me to hold her phone as she climbs the ruins.

Another one of my favorites. Sometime's I can catch Meg at just the right moment where she's not "trying" and she's just her.

This tree makes you feel tiny when you are near it.

 Creepy

 Megan Lee-Tomb Raider

I climbed to a restricted area for this picture. There were about 10 French people murmuring disdainfully as I climbed through their tour and over a railing to take this. As I came back down they all looked at me like I got to eat the last cookie.