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Author Topic: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS  (Read 3695 times)

Ray

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GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« on: January 30, 2011, 11:24:10 pm »

The recent floods in my home town of Brisbane reminded me of an earlier experience in Cambodia when I attempted to get back to Thailand from Siem Reap in Cambodia, towards the end of the monsoon in October 2006.

The experience was quite different. I'd hired a taxi to take me to the Thai border. When we encountered the first signs of severe flooding on the road, I thought, "That's it! We'll have to retrun to Siem Reap, and I'll have to wait a few days for the flooding to subside."

Not that I minded of course. I had no objection to being stranded at Angkor Wat for a few days.

What really amazed me was that these Cambodians are not at all deterred by a bit of flooding. Where there's a will there's a way, as you can see from the following photos.

The last of the three shots is of the tractor towing the taxi I'd hired, with me inside, taking shots through the taxi's windscreen, with my feet in 6" of water inside the cab.

Of course I tipped the driver handsomely at the end of the journey.  ;D
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Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2011, 11:36:33 pm »

Oops! I think I've forgotten Tokengirl's advice. The last of those images is a different aspect ratio. Not good for a triptych.

Is this better? I tend to prefer the front of the taxi's bonnet at the foot of the image, just to indicate that this shot was not taken by me suspended in mid air  ;D .
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robonrome

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2011, 08:14:02 pm »

Love 'em by themselves as a fellow Brisbanite and fan of SE Asia photography.... getting the job done!!!
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cheers Rob
check out my galleries at http://hardlightimages.zenfolio.com/

Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2011, 08:18:34 pm »

Love 'em by themselves as a fellow Brisbanite and fan of SE Asia photography.... getting the job done!!!

Well, thank you for the one positive comment  ;D  ;D .

I guess these images are not sufficiently 'arty farty' for some tastes.  ;D

'Getting the Job Done!' would be a good title. When I give a slide show of a few shots of the Brisbane floods, I sometimes include these shots from Cambodia without mentioning the change of location  ;D .
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tom b

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2011, 12:27:05 am »

My friend Stephen says that you can't photograph excitement. I think he means that what you were experiencing when you took these images is difficult to portray in three small images.

How about you show us some of your shots from Cambodia. You know; markets, temples, street life and then of course there is Ankor Wat. Don't complain about us not appreciating your images, show us something we can get excited about.

Cheers,
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Tom Brown

Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2011, 01:02:08 am »

My friend Stephen says that you can't photograph excitement. I think he means that what you were experiencing when you took these images is difficult to portray in three small images.

How about you show us some of your shots from Cambodia. You know; markets, temples, street life and then of course there is Ankor Wat. Don't complain about us not appreciating your images, show us something we can get excited about.

Cheers,

Sorry! Could you clarify that statement. Do you mean that I, personally, am unable to photograph excitement, or that 'one' generally cannot photograph excitement? It makes a difference.
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tom b

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2011, 02:02:19 am »

One generally… I thought it was obvious. I think his statement is a general description of the limitations of photography. You know the missing sound, smell, heat and touch that made this occasion interesting to you. No offence was intended, I just thought it was an opportunity for you to show more images.

Cheers,
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Tom Brown

Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2011, 03:55:38 am »

One generally… I thought it was obvious. I think his statement is a general description of the limitations of photography. You know the missing sound, smell, heat and touch that made this occasion interesting to you. No offence was intended, I just thought it was an opportunity for you to show more images.

Cheers,

For me there was an alarming aspect to this scenario which was mostly visual. Sound and smell were not major components.

The second of the three images was of major concern because my suitcase, containing nicely washed clothes and some camera gear, was in the boot of the taxi I was in. It suddenly occurred to me, if the boot was not properly sealed, my clothes and camera gear could soon be swimming in muddy water.

Fortunately, the boot was well sealed and my suitcase was dry at the end of the journey.  ;D
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tom b

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2011, 04:28:36 am »

Sorry, when am I going to see some visually stimulating imagery. I'm tired of you talking about great images, how about showing me some. Too much talk, not enough action.

Show me the images.

Come on, put up or shut up!

Cheers,
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Tom Brown

Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2011, 06:06:33 am »

Sorry, when am I going to see some visually stimulating imagery. I'm tired of you talking about great images, how about showing me some. Too much talk, not enough action.

Show me the images.

Come on, put up or shut up!

Cheers,




There are no great images. There are images that stimulate a sense of greatness in the minds of certain individuals. I have no motivation whatsoever to show off great images.
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Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2011, 08:35:35 am »

But my arm is twisted. Another image which is not great, taken a few days earlier, inside Angkor Wat.
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tom b

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2011, 02:13:46 pm »

Ray, you have posted in User Critiques, so you should expect some criticism. Yes my criticism is a response to your statement "I guess these images are not sufficiently 'arty farty' for some tastes."

If you post here people will expect to see some great photography. If you post here and you put some interesting and topical images that aren't that great people will probably ignore you. That is what has happened. Don't berate people because you have posted in the wrong section of the forum.

I have just become tired of seeing you post thousands of words about cameras without actually seeing anything good actually produced by such devices. In fact it does become a bit boring when you come to a photography site and see a day's worth of new posts and there is not a new image in the site.

It is good to see your recent image. If you had posted that image in the first place perhaps you would have gotten the response that you wanted. People do go to photography forums to see great photography. Maybe this could be a start to seeing more images and thousands fewer words arguing about sensors, etc.

Cheers,
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Tom Brown

tokengirl

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2011, 06:06:29 am »

Oops! I think I've forgotten Tokengirl's advice. The last of those images is a different aspect ratio. Not good for a triptych.

Is this better? I tend to prefer the front of the taxi's bonnet at the foot of the image, just to indicate that this shot was not taken by me suspended in mid air  ;D .

To me, it is better.  And not just because of the aspect ratio either.  In the first one, the taxi's bonnet is out of focus and sort of neither here nor there.  Kind of like when someone accidentally gets part of their finger in the photo.

I like the series - it tells me exactly what's happening.  The colors, however, are a little garish and bright.  If you can get the sky a little more aqua colored, you could almost pass it off as overexposed Ektar.  :P
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Ray

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Re: GETTING HOME IN THE CAMBODIAN FLOODS
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2011, 06:31:34 pm »

To me, it is better.  And not just because of the aspect ratio either.  In the first one, the taxi's bonnet is out of focus and sort of neither here nor there.  Kind of like when someone accidentally gets part of their finger in the photo.

You might be right. I generally don't like out-of-focus stuff in the foreground. It may not be obvious to others that it's a car bonnet.


Quote
I like the series - it tells me exactly what's happening.  The colors, however, are a little garish and bright.  If you can get the sky a little more aqua colored, you could almost pass it off as overexposed Ektar.  :P

You are so perceptive, Tokengirl  ;D . The colors are a little garish. My first reaction was maybe this is appropriate and was a deliberate effect when I converted these images over 4 years ago, because it was a rather garish and surrealistic event for me. On the other hand, that mud just does not look the right shade, and the scenes do look a bit overexposed.

So I have to thank you for motivating me to search for the original RAW files located on a DVD stored away for safe keeping, which resulted in the discovery of another image which I shall now include in my slide show.

Perhaps this is my favourite shot from the experience. "How many passengers can you fit in and and on a sedan car?" Or, "How to travel in style."  ;D
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