Sunrise Over Angkor Wat
* Photograph the Bayon as sunset approaches. Angkor Thom and the Bayon complex are a favourite for repeat visitors. Bayon reflection pools at the southern entrance are stunning around 4pm. Bring an ND graduated filter to balance the sky and water reflections to perfection. Climb up the top of the temple to shoot soft and warm light after 4:30pm, grand scenes filled with the ever present 'Smile of Angkor'.
* Sunrise over Angkor Wat. You never know when the the cloudy tropical skies will clear for a dawn display of colour, but when it does the view towards Angkor Wat is stunning. Just before sun breaks the sky reaches it's most intense colours, but you need a tripod to shoot this properly and you need to arrive early because 200 or more other photographers will be there before sun up. The park office is open from 4am to permit tourists access (and sort your permit if you didn't already get one the evening before). Don't be late.
* Morning light on Ta Prohm. This is the temple that Lara Croft made famous. Tree vines are tearing down the ruins and the Cambodians are planning to 'fix it up' by removing the trees. Without this work the temple will not last another decade. Sad news for photographers, but good news for archaeologists. Nearby Preah Khan is also worth adding to the itinerary once you're done with Ta Prohm. The east entrance to Ta Prohm is lovely in the mornings. Arrive around 6:30am and have the place to yourself, plus a stellar view of Spong Trees growing tall from the temple roof. An ND Graduated filter is very useful to balance the sky high jungle and the darker lit ruins.
* Remote Ruins. For hundreds of square kilometres the jungles north of Siem Reap hide ancient treasures. There is far more to see than just the temples near Angor Wat. Of note are Beng Melea (massive stone blocks lie in scattered piles like a giant lego set), Kabl Spean (carvings placed in the waterfalls and river beds inculcate the passing water with spiritual powers) and Banteay Srey (detailed Hindu motifs carved into pink hues of sandstone). If you have another morning free then the Rolous Group of temples are fascinating too, but start with the elegant Bakong before the tourist buses arrive.
* Markets. Siem Reap has a massive fresh market a few kilometres away from downtown, locally known as Psar Leu. It's fabulous, frantic and full of photo opportunities. Asian produce and the Khmer people make it one of the best in South-East Asia. Ice cold lime shakes and freshly opened coconuts can help beat the heat outdoors. Stay around the edges of the market where there is light and life.
* Silk Weaving. 20 minutes out of town towards the Thailand border is the Artisans of Angkor. Fine silks are crafted here on the site and you can get great images of their handy craft.
* Floating Forest at Kompong Phluk. South of Siem Reap is the Tonle Sap, a massive water body that floods in the wet season to ten times it low volume. October and November are good months to avoid the rains but enjoy the flooded lake. Villages on stilts can be toured by boat for a modest cost, then switch to little canoes for a guided paddle through the Flooded Forest. The high water level almost reaches the tree tops and you get a unique view of the ecosystem.
* Ballon Ride. Sunset views of Angkor Wat are crowded and disappointing from the lookout point at Phnom Bakheng. You can get closer and more photogenic views from the tethered balloons that rise at sunset.
* 1000 Buddhas. In an effort to protect the remaining treasures of Khmer culture many carvings are being removed from temple ruins and put on display in the Angkor National Museum. Replicas of those relocated pieces are left on the temple site. The collection is impressive and air conditioned. The more you understand about the historical context of the temples the better prepared you will be to photograph them later.
* FCC. Not so much a big deal for shooting but easily my favourite menu in town. Divine Khmer taste platters, French a la carte and sassy cocktails. Downstairs is the impressive collection of photographs by Jim McDermott. He hasn't produced many new perspectives on Angkor since 2001 (he was too busy running the gallery) but his work is the gold standard for Siem Reap. You wont get a better souvenir of the temples, other then the ones you shoot yourself of course. Jim also runs a few workshops on occasions to share his skill.
WAT LIGHT
In early November the light is often good, with clear skies most afternoons and a reasonable chance to get clear skies in the mornings. Sunrise at Angkor Wat is the iconic shot you'll want to make all your friends back home drool and gawk. In fact the major problem with a great Angkor shot is the vivid colours are sometime so intense that folks back home wont believe they are real.
Well before the sun comes up the colours of the sky reflect off the water pools and the shutters go crazy. October to December are the peak times to shoot Angkor sunrises, because the wet season leaves behind a little more water for photographers to play with.
The sun comes up early, really early. 5:30am in October, 5:45am in November. Effectively you need to leave your hotel before 4:30am to leave time to clear the ticket check, drive to Angkor and walk through to the inner reflection pools. That alone can take 15 minutes in the dark. I want to be shooting 30 minutes before sunrise. Remember that the scene turns crowded early so you need to count on get there early and standing around for a while (with a few thousand mosquitoes to keep you company). And that assumes the light does warm up.
Afternoon light is altogether different, consistent and brilliant. By 4:30pm each day the sun is low and rich with golden tones, my favourite light. The air is cooler too, gratefully so. Plan to be where you want to be by 3:30pm. By 5:30pm the sun has set and by 6pm the light is gone.
ESSENTIAL KIT
The light around 5:15am is just enough for 30 second exposures on slow speed film. In these situations high ISO speeds are not enough to overcome the low light. Low ISO and slow exposures yield better images, with superior tones, no noise and lovely definition. You need a tripod. In town there are lots of digital photo shops that also sell cheap tripods ($25 to $35). If you're not a fan of carrying tripods on your travels perhaps it's worth buying one on arrival then donating it to a charity when you leave.
If you have never used a tripod before the restrictive movement can be annoying. Remember, sunrise at Angkor is really about one shot only, so set and prepare yourself for it. A good place to start is aperture priority, F13, and try adjusting the exposure compensation to under expose half or a full stop to see if you can get richer colour saturations. As the sun gets closer to rising the light is too bright to sustain the rich hues. Be early.
One piece of equipment you'll need every day is a lens cloth. Not so much for dust but for steam. Hotels and vehicles are air-conditioned like the Arctic, so your camera collects condensation like an ice block. If you can keep your gear out of the air-conditioner you'll be better off. But a good cleaning cloth is essential.
