Siem Reap, Cambodia

Blackness consumed the sky and the air as we walked towards the first temple. Small bouncing lights in the distance let us know that we weren't alone, but we couldn't help but wonder if we were headed in the right direction. Blinded by darkness we were doomed without a flashlight so we stood still and waited for a light to guide our footsteps.

As we followed the torch along huge stone blocks our senses told us we were approaching a giant wall and suddenly a bright light struck the wall; it was the entrance to Angkor Wat. Still following the torch through stairs, doorways and long hallways we arrived at the walkway that lead to the heart of the temple. But before entering we had to secure a spot for sunrise or else the crowds would blanket the one spot that mirrored the temple's silhouette.

Now a midnight blue, the sky began to reveal an outline of five peaks on the horizon as my camera took the inaugural shot of our journey through the temples of Angkor.

After a couple hours of documenting the nooks and crannies of Angkor Wat we walked back along the stone pathway that lead us to the giant wall and gasped as though the wind was knocked out of us; a few steps in the wrong direction would have left us swimming in the temple's monster moat.

Our journey through Siem Reap ended with a trip to a local fishing village, which was a great contrast to the temples filled with tourists, and along the way we had to stop for Petrol.

Happy New Year!

What is your New Year's Resolution?

Since the new year is all about new beginnings and hopes for the future, I have decided on my resolution for 2009; I am going to read more. And I am going to start with the business section. Technically I started reading business books last year, but I am making it a point to read even more because there's an endless supply. Also I'll review whatever I read on the blog for those of you who are interested.

The first book on my list doesn't adhere to the business section, but I have heard great things about it and it pertains to photography. It's called Restoration and Retouching by Katrin Eismann also know as the Photoshop Diva. You might recognize her voice from the Photoshop tutorials that come with an Adobe Creative Suite product. If you are just learning Photoshop you should probably start with another book that is geared towards beginners, but if you are advanced enough for this book, it has some great tips on portrait and glamour retouching that I've heard is worth its weight in gold.

I hope your New Year brings you peace and happiness! Here is a quick look at some of our pictures from Siem Reap, Cambodia. They almost give a false sense of reality because the temples were littered with people so Brian and I kept an eye out for golden moments, which is what you see below. We spent a majority of the time hustling to the next temple and then waiting for a clean shot. I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

It's time to break the rules

With a long weekend approaching, Brian and I decided that we needed to put our time to good use and travel somewhere in this Asian continent, we now call home. At the same time we needed to get some Christmas shopping done.

That is when we decided Bangkok would be our next travel experience. Then straight from left field, news about the Bangkok airport close flooded the media and our travel plans went from 60 mph to 0 mph. Luckily for us we hadn't booked any plane tickets.

Our first thought was to cancel the trip and visit Bangkok another time, but with a little research and many conversations with our local friends, we knew we could put our trip back on the front burner. Eventually the airport opened and we booked our flight a week later.

Bangkok and Thailand in general, can be described best by the architecture of its temples: beautiful, elaborate, diverse, and traditional. But the architecture alone cannot define this place; it's the people that keep the culture strong and vibrant.

Since Christmas shopping was the first priority on the "to do" list, we saved the last day for The Grand Palace and Giant Buddha, which wasn't the best idea in the world, but with an entry fee of 200 Thai Baht or $5 US I think we can afford to go back before we leave this wonderful continent.

These are just some things I kept in mind while taking pictures of this legendary place. Know the rules, but also know when to use them and when to break them. Shooting into the sun is not usually a good idea, but here I went for it. The light was harsh by the time we arrived at the Palace so I had to think of a way to use it to my advantage. It was an opportunity for me to test my photography skills in less than optimal light. It's always a good idea to challenge yourself!

When you can get images that you like in poor light, taking images in good light is gravy!

Phuket, Thailand November 15-20, 2008

It's nice to have friends who don't mind being in front of the camera! I couldn't let the good light go to waste.

Claudio Family ~ September 20, 2008

It's always a great time when I'm with this lovely family. They have so much energy and such warm spirits.

Walking hand in hand without speaking, they know they will always have a shoulder to lean on, someone to talk to, someone to share stories with or someone to laugh with, no matter where life takes them. Family is forever. Family is always forgiving. Family walks through life together.