Angkor Photo Workshop 2014

On this date 3 years ago, utterly exhausted, yet satisfied and delighted, I sat and pondered the memories of my first annual Angkor Photo Workshop. It was an experience, that for the faculty and for the 13 students, wasn’t going to be soon forgotten. Participants, each with a burning desire to become better visual story tellers, came to Cambodia from across the globe, and left with new tools and new experiences which, in many ways have shaped the way they approach their photography.

The Angkor Photo Workshop, which consists of two weeks of intense, real-life, photojournalistic assignments; pushes the limits of each participant’s comfort level, asks them to dig deep into stories and challenges them to find a deeper meaning and a clearer expression of their personal photographic vision.

Relationships are formed each year during the workshop and afterward, many of the participants continue to maintain regular contact with each other. Some past participants have even suggested that an Angkor Photo Workshop alumni trip/party should be planned.

Now as I sit here in Siem Reap, watching the monsoon rains sweep across the rice paddies, I ponder the past two weeks of this year’s Angkor Photo Workshop and can’t help but feel a tiny bit of satisfaction, knowing that for the 4th year, my dream of helping passionate photographers hone their story telling skills, has been successful.

So now it’s time to begin making plans and some minor tweaks for the 2015 Angkor Photo Workshop, and perhaps think about that alumni party that some folks keep suggesting. Meanwhile, in this and the next few blog posts, I’ll be sharing some images from the past few weeks here in Cambodia. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, those are my toes, and no, I am not going to “Photoshop” them out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angkor Photo Workshop participant Ivy Gordon hard at work creating environmental portraits with her wide lens