Pic(k) of the week 49: THE KIDS OF CAMBODIA
My last two Pic(k)s of the week, have been coming from a recent photo-adventure to Cambodia. Typically for most of my longer travel photography trips, I try to work on a short personal project during the trip.
In the late seventies, when I was about 9, I vividly remembered when a Cambodian boy came to my local school to attend classes. We were told that he had lost his parents and had come to Belgium as a refugee. At the time, we had no idea what was happening in Cambodia under the Pol Pot regime.
When I visited Cambodia for the first time last month, I learned that between 1975 and 1979, one in four people were killed in one of the largest genocides in history.
Linking the facts together 40 years later, a new project called "The Kids of Cambodia" was quickly born! In this personal project, I'm showing 100 different kids in a variety of cities and small villages across the country.
Although Cambodia is still number 14 in the ranking of the poorest countries in the world, I found a lot of smiley faces and mostly people that wanted to get on with their life's!
Although Cambodia is still number 14 in the ranking of the poorest countries in the world, I found a lot of smiley faces and mostly people that wanted to get on with their life's!
The image below of a Western girl, sitting next to two Cambodian boys along the river in Siem Reap, is symbolic for the project.
Image details:
- Fujifilm X-T3 with the XF50-140 f2.8 lens
- 1/250s, f9.0, ISO 1250, 77mm
- RAW development in Lightroom CC, using Acros Y camera profile
Unfortunately I have lost track of what happened to the boy in my school, but I nevertheless would like to dedicate "The Kids of Cambodia" gallery to him! If anybody can help me find him, the school I'm talking about is the "Broederschool in Roeselare, Belgium" end of the 70's.
Lastly, as I was traveling with my wife, some of the images in the gallery have been shot by her. Although she only recently has taken up photography, I'm impressed with some of the images she came home with! Well done.
Next weeks Pic(k) of the week, will introduce a second gallery from Cambodia, which is all about the great temples of Angkor.
Remember:"Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination"
Lastly, as I was traveling with my wife, some of the images in the gallery have been shot by her. Although she only recently has taken up photography, I'm impressed with some of the images she came home with! Well done.
Next weeks Pic(k) of the week, will introduce a second gallery from Cambodia, which is all about the great temples of Angkor.
Remember:"Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination"
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