Some of my photographs are available as prints at Apsara Gallery, by the Russian Market (Psar Tuol Tom Pong) next to Yej Cafe.
Young Monk at Bayon
Photography
A few photos from Angkor Wat
Bayon Temple Gate
Tree at Ta Prohm Temple
Girl Selling Souvenirs at Takeo Temple, Angkor Wat
You can’t visit Angkor Wat without taking pictures of the temples. The first three above turned out pretty well.
Normally, I’m more interested in taking pictures of people though. We ran into lots of children selling knickknacks to tourists. You have to walk by most of them without a word, because they don’t give up easily. I hate doing that, so a few times we stopped and talked–and bought some postcards.
Monks at Bayon Temple
Monks Taking Photos with Tourists
Usually it’s the tourists who want to take photos with the monks, like the girl in very short pants who stood in the middle of the group above with a huge smile, or the guy who tried to throw his arms around the necks of two monks. But in this case, it was the monks who stepped out of their usual role and took turns posing with Reia and Maika.
Fishy Foot Massage in Siem Reap
After a day at the temples, the present “thing to do” in Siem Reap is to have fishes clean your feet. Judging by the number of restaurants and businesses with fish tanks outside, business is going swimmingly. I won’t tell whose feet these are, but they were very popular with the fish.
Mother’s love, a bath in a Phnom Penh slum
I liked the mother and her son from the moment I saw them, and I love this series of photos. I took them in Andong Village, a slum that I often visit about 25km outside Phnom Penh. The people who live there have been through great hardships, and they are still in a tough place. The stress of living in such conditions often erupts into fighting within families and between residents. Yet a mother’s love for her son will shine though almost any circumstances.
Making Buddha at Wat Lanka
This is just a photographic sketch I made one afternoon in Phnom Penh. I take photos like these as a way to observe and learn; and I enjoyed talking to the people as I photographed them. It was in February, just before Chinese New Year. I walked into Wat Lanka, a Buddhist temple, and saw several young men and one older man at work. I don’t think any of them do wood working as a profession, though I could be wrong. My impression was that they showed up and learned. Perhaps they are carving images of Buddha to earn merit, or dollars (the statues were being made to sell). Buddhism in Cambodia is very practical. Young men become monks for spiritual reasons and/or because they want a place to live, food to eat, and an education. Most are monks for a few years, and some continue for life. I didn’t know what motives these men had for their labor, but I admired the care they put into the task.
Celebrity in Japan, Bob Sapp at Meiji Jingu
I’m terrible at recognizing famous people. They have to REALLY stand out for me to notice. Even the 7 foot tall Korean pro wrestler that Hitomi spotted going through security at the airport could have slipped by me unnoticed (big but not famous enough). But even I couldn’t miss spotting Bob Sapp when he came walking toward me. Everyone else noticed, too.
I could say something here about Japanese people loving their celebrities, or idols as they straightforwardly name them. But celebrity worship is everywhere. Honestly, as you can see, people were respectful and calm. I only saw one person grab him by the shirt, and I think that was one of his handlers telling him to hurry. I’ve heard before that he’s a “gentle giant” (amazing for a guy who made his living as a modern day almost-bare-knuckle fighter), and he lived up to that reputation. I saw him hoist a couple of kids in his arms so their parents could take pictures.
About five years ago, Bob Sapp was an everyday image: on TV and everywhere you looked. Now he’s not, and his K1 career is over the hill and gone, but maybe he’ll make a comeback in the popular culture. He’s pretty funny.
