Angkor Photo Workshop and the Fruits of our Labour
“Hannibal” Smith in the 1980’s TV series, “The A-Team” used to say “I love it when a plan comes together”. All I need is a cigar in the side of my mouth and I could be Hannibal Smith today because the Angkor Photo Workshop did just that, it came together – perfectly. Sunday was the culmination of many months of preparation and two weeks hard work by the leadership and instructors Karl Grobl, Gavin Gough, Marco Ryan and myself. The timing, the place and of course the people make for a perfect event and this couldn’t have been more perfect. The idea to take four instructors and team them up with 14 students and give them both in-depth classroom instruction as well as field-based coaching was Karl Grobl’s. He chose Gavin, Marco and myself to help realize this vision. I think I can speak for the three of us and say we are very grateful to have been a part of it.
The first part of the week we taught the students how to create a photographic essay. We explained the components of what makes up the essay as well as how to use the software that they would put it together with. This was the first time that any of them had used Soundslides Plus or Audacity. I think you will be just as impressed as we were by the results. We ran a small competition for the best essay and awarded prizes to the winning team from the workshop sponsors: F-stop Gear, Soundslides Plus, X-Rite and Spider Holster. Below you will see the fruits of their labour. Each project was stunning and shows the talent available at this workshop.
1st Place: Lisa Brockman & Scot Sargeant
F-stop Adventure Rucksacks & a copy of Soundslides Plus each
I said it earlier on Gavin’s and Marco’s blogs but I’ll say it again here – excellent work by all participants. I found Water Lily to be the most gripping of the 4.
It certainly had the most emotion. Especially as a slide show on soup. yeah
I concur, I thought that Water Lilly Soup had some of the best pictures and VERY interesting story considering it was about soup (not an easy subject to show much about but they pulled it off). Only that might have held it back from #1 was no voice narrative or background sound bites.
Excellent work by all, esp if it was their first time doing such a feature.
Really lovely work by everyone. Wish I was there with you!
Yes, they were a talented group. You would have fit right in.
What beautiful work. So very evocative of the people and place. It brings back fond memories of our time in Siem Reap on honeymoon, especially the last one which mirrored our experience with a village family for a day.
Thanks for posting these, Matt. They are even better the second and third time around!
After watching these slideshows I’ve got to say this looked like a very unique, and successful, workshop. Kudos to the four instructors and the participants. I may have to consider this next year for something different in Cambodia.
I think you should. It will be even better next year. Dates will be released soon for the next Angkor Photo Workshop, so stay tuned.
Yes I’ll agree that all the slideshows were good. I was especially drawn to the school one but maybe that was becasue I photographed a literacy and library project on the other side of Cambodia last year and so it was familiar territory.
Wow, this has inspired me to go back to Cambodia! Amazing work by everyone!
I was never really into “slide shows” (insert Dr Evil air quotes) as i thought my images should stand by themselves but seeings these really great images combined with really evocative audio and text has made me rethink my position….
This something I will definitely do on my next trip.
Speaking of which. Whats happening with Amy Vitale thing next year?