When we left Java, the humidity was low, the sun was shining, and the clouds were puffy and white. I hoped that our weather woes might be behind us……but noooooooo.
The triple threat of haze, humidity, and high temperatures made Cambodia a gray, hazy steambath. So much for my sunrise over Angkor Wat! It was more like gray haze over Angkor Wat. But you do what you can, and the Vivid setting with a Fluorescent WB helped put a tad of color in the pre-dawn scene when there was just a hint of pink clouds in the sky.
But the best shots of this brief stop came on the water. The above shot, on the moat around Angkor, is just a cleaning crew. But I liked the way the trees reflected in the water. Later, we went out on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest in Southeast Asia, and cruised among the boat people for some more shots.
My connection here in China is glacial, but I’ll upload whatever photos I can after the jump. Next stop: Vietnam!
I’ll keep you posted.
Jack Kurtz
12 Apr 2010Hey man,
I waved as you flew past Bangkok. Did you see me? I came here to work on environmental stories and fell into a revolution. Yesterday I photographed some of the funeral cortege for the people killed Saturday. Bangkok is not like I’ve ever seen it before. And that’s not a good thing.
I love the blue photo of Angkor. Glad things are going well for you.
jack
Bob
13 Apr 2010Jack: You be careful out there. It does seem like the demos have cranked up to a higher level of violence, and the town felt tense. We got out a day before the troubles. Take care, man. Bob
Matt Welsh
13 Apr 2010I’m so jealous… I’ve always wanted to visit Cambodia. I can’t wait to see images from Vietnam. Travel safely!
Juergen Laske
14 Apr 2010Hi Bob,
just saw, that you are also ‘fighting’ with the weather in Asia. I am now living / travelling since 1995 all over Asia and have been to most of the places you are travelling right now and had most of the time the same ‘problems’: haze, fog, humidity, clouds, etc. OK, I am no postcard photographer, just an amateur who loves to travel. But be prepared, that also in China (Lijiang, Dali, Shangri-La) most probably you will have grey skys :-/
Enjoy the trip anyway! I envy you for the chance (and getting paid!) for this unique photo-travel.
Greetings from Shanghai,
Juergen
Bob
15 Apr 2010Hi Juergen: Yes, gray skies seem to be the norm in these parts. I’m enjoying it anyway….new set of challenges! Bob
Matt
15 Apr 2010Bob,
When it comes to your normal zoom lenses, what are you mostly shooting with?
16-85 Nikkor or the Tamron 17-50?
Bob
15 Apr 2010Matt: I’m relying heavily on the 16-85 this trip. Bob
Matt
15 Apr 2010Thanks Bob. While I shoot mostly primes (20, 35, 50) I’m looking hard at the 16-85.
Bob
16 Apr 2010Matt: The 16-85 won’t match the performance of the primes, of course, but it is a convenient range and the VR really helps mitigate the slower aperture.
The Tamron 17-50f/2.8 may actually be a tad sharper and faster, but for this particular gig, I’m leaning heavily on the convenience of the zoom range of the 16-85 as our visits are often very brief, and the uni-lens concept helps during this quick hits.
Bob