Angkor Wat at sunrise Photograph by Pete Reynolds

Angkor Wat at sunrise

by Pete Reynolds

Title

Angkor Wat at sunrise

Artist

Pete Reynolds

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

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Chasing the light at Angkor Wat (fingers crossed).

Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត) is the largest Hindu at first, then Buddhist temple complex and the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura (Khmer: យសោធរបុរៈ, present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum.

I went to Cambodia specifically to get a sunrise shot of this iconic location. I left my hotel at 04:30 and was at the reflecting pool at 04:50, I found my spot and proceeded to set up my gear.

It was still pitch black and I couldn't see this amazing temple yet, but what I could see behind me on the road into Angkor was a stream of headlights. Tuk Tuks and taxis which were bringing more photographers / tourists to see sunrise.

As the masses started to arrive they started to try and find and unobscured viewpoint of Angkor, there must have been a couple of hundred people there all trying to get the same shot!

If you ever intend visiting Angkor Wat, I suggest that you do a lot of research before you come. I got to Ta Prohnm (this is the temple that Lara Croft made famous) as well and was back in my hotel before 07:30.

Note: The normal tourist runs start at 08:30 just when the light is to harsh for photographic needs, so I suggest that you avoid these like the plauge!