Chean Long Images

While I have made my way back to the United States some exceptional graphic work continues in Cambodia from the mind and eye of Chean Long.

Long and I have explored Cambodia near and far together over the past two years capturing memorable experiences and images. Long's work is exceptional and deserves the attention of those that appreciate the subtle nuances of nature and humanity. I miss exploring with Long.

www.cheanlong.blogspot.com

Evening Out

Here are some snippets of one of my last evenings out while living full-time in the capital city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. While I'm thrilled to be back in the United States, I already miss many of my friends. I also will forever appreciate the visceral, free-wheeling, calm chaos that is the nature of Phnom Penh.

In this little video, I am out with the lovely and fun Victoria. My good Cambodian friend Chean Long is a good part of the fun and does most of the shooting. You will see Long near the end of the video.

I love to tease Long that no-way he is Cambodian...just look at him. He is a Spaniard that happens to speak fluent English as well as 'Khmer', the language of Cambodia. Go figure.

As you view this video, take into account how the third-world and the first-world is melting together in what you see.

Pet Resort: A Review

My friends Long and Phany just took delivery of a very cute 12-week old Dachshund they have named, 'Dancer'. The name choice has a rather funny origin.

A commercial sign company here in Phnom Penh sells an 11"x14" aluminum sign that can be found around town. The sign boldly depicts the face a very mean German Shepard with psycho eyes. Very disturbing image.

In bold red letters, under the disturbing dog face image is the word: DANCER!

Best story I have ever heard in the category of, 'how I named my dog'.

Both Long and Phany travel for pleasure and work on occasions. When they are gone, how best to protect DANCER! from danger? There is only one pet resort in Cambodia. Long and I went to check it out. Here is my review.

Wandering Through the Wats of Phnom Penh

Nothing exceptional here, just a glimpse of life in a Wat.

Kep Road Trip

Kep, Cambodia is a sleepy (and I do mean sleepy) sea side town, three and a half hours from Phnom Penh by car. This is one of several long-weekend, get-away places I have enjoyed visiting time and again with friends and sometimes just by myself.

Preparation for Kep trips begin the day before with my multi-lingual driver, Phea, chasing a shopping list of healthy snacks, drinks and ice for the cooler. There is no such thing as, 'on-stop shopping' in Phnom Penh. To get everything on the Kep shopping list requires stops at several different stores including one of several French bakeries, German butchers and Chinese/Khmer grocers that cater to European, Australian and American tastes.

Once in Kep, I check into one of my two favorite accommodations.

www.knaibangchatt.com

www.veranda-resort.com

Both properties are, by Cambodian standards, ultra high-end ranging in price from USD$60-$150/night, depending on season and occupancy.

There are no corporate hotels or resorts in Kep. And that is just fine by me. Instead, Kep is made up of dozens of interesting and eclectic accommodations with a small smattering of fine restaurants and flimsy eateries run by both locals and expatriates from around the world. Shacks, sometimes rather precariously built in the gulf shallows, serve some of the most wonderfully seasoned wok crab available on this planet.

Not many pictures in this post. There are several earlier posts that cover Kep in more photographic detail.

Another person enjoying the pleasure of photographing the pending Kep sunset just like me from a different perspective.

In the middle is Phany (pronounced pohnee). Phany is my best friends girlfriend. Phany manages www.cambdialivingart.com.

Here is my friend Victoria walking her dog back from a trip to the end of the pier during high-tide.

Long. My best friend in Cambodia. Commercial photographer extraordinaire.

Video Tests in Central Market, Phnom Penh

ISP bandwidth here in Cambodia makes 'up-loading' ultra high quality photographs and video impractical.

Just the same, this short video maybe of some interest.

My friend Long and I recently bought two different new cameras that I will call higher-end, 'crossover' cameras in the $500 - $800 range. Bigger than a point and shoot and smaller than an SLR. These crossovers have camera bodies maybe slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes. In some instances, with very high quality changeable lenses. The real magic with these emerging crossovers is not only the quality and width capture of the lenses, but also the huge sensors with crisp saturation that really pops. Not only that, with some limitations, video is stellar.

Royal Palace of Cambodia

For the two years I have been in Cambodia, up until now, I never explored the Royal Palace. It is like someone living in Anaheim, California never seeing Disneyland. I'm glad I went. here is the result.

Around Cambodia

Living in Cambodia has been a real experience for me. Time has not allowed me to write as much as I would like, but I try to make as many interesting pictures as possible.

From all over Cambodia, here are a smattering of photographs over the last two weeks.