In Search of the Path to Enlightenment

Lenscape presents the ultimate in photography and digital imaging technique:
four days of breath-taking photography and the great historical legacy of the Khmer civilization--Angkor, combined with four days of digital photo art workshops in Bangkok--
photography at its best.

History records the years between the ninth century and the fifteenth century as one of the greatest periods in Asian culture, due largely to the beginning of the construction of one of the sites later generations would label awe-inspiring. This site, known for many years by only a fortunate few, was created during the peak of the Khmer Empire that had been united and made possible by the reigning king of the time Jayavarman II and the rulers who followed after him.

The accepted dates of the Angkor periods are from 802 to 1432 AD when Jayavarman II, reaching his peak of influence and power over the empire, conducted a ritual that installed him as the universal monarch. He also marked the foundation of Angkor and established it as the empire’s royal capital. By the end of the thirteenth century, Buddhism had become the major religion in Cambodia, where Angkor was experiencing the height of its glory and fortune.

As other kingdoms rose to power, the influence of the Khmers and their empire weakened as they gradually lost control of the region. However, Angkor remained the Khmer capital until 1432 when the honor was passed to Phnom Penh. Angkor was reinstated as the capital in the late sixteenth century and again in the seventeenth century, but it never again attained the glory it once had.

Angkor is, indeed, beautiful and magnificent, surrounded by hundreds of sites, each of which holds a unique importance and meaning. It is a creation unrivaled for its absolute splendor, growing even more spectacular and breath-taking with the passage of time.

Three specific sites located around the area contribute to the impact. Towards the south is Angkor Wat, an awesome "city that is a temple." To the north is Angkor Thom, described as an architectural miracle, an expression of the highest genius--especially for the Terrace of the Elephants within.

A conservationist writes, "Angkor Wat is unrivaled in its beauty and state of preservation. Its mightiness and magnificence bespeak a pomp and luxury surpassing that of a Pharaoh or a Shah Jahan, an impressiveness greater than that of the Pyramids, an artistic distinctiveness as fine as that of the Taj Mahal.

(1) "Angkor Wat is the most famous and the largest monument in the Angkor group. It is the most visited and photographed temple in the area. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, reliefs and sculpture make it one of the finest monuments in the world.
(2) "It is a mammoth of a monument occupying about 500 acres of land and is divided into different sections called the gallery of bas-reliefs. The bas-reliefs are then divided into eight sections with each representing a specific story inspired either by Indian epics, sacred books or warfare during the Angkor period."
Constructed in the twelfth century during the highest point of development of Khmer art and under the early reign of Suryavarman II, this unique Cambodian landmark took over thirty years to complete. Today, this statement of architectural genius still stands because of the tireless efforts of Buddhist monks. Its architecture represents a specific symbolism which is, according to Coedes, "a replica of the universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.
(3) "Its construction was influenced by Hindu mythology and cosmology as seen in certain architectural elements. There has been debate among scholars of Angkor Wat whether the monument was built as a tomb for a king because of the arrangement of the bas-reliefs or a temple for a god because of its decoration and architecture.

"The first impression of Angkor is breath-taking and the beauty of its culture are magnificent. As you walk through the ruins of Angkor, you feel submerged in the history of the time. One cannot help but wonder what life was like then. As a photographer, I had a hard time focusing on one theme due to the tremendous amount of photographic subjects around… I was continuously humbled by the sheer impact of the powerful imageries around me. I felt like I was standing in front of a tunnel that opened and revealed to me the awesome power that was once the Khmer Empire." -Quoted from Abe Rafiq

The last great capital, which served as the religious and administrative center of the Khmer Empire, is known as Angkor Thom. Created during the late twelfth century and early thirteenth century, the city was described as being grander than any European city of the time. "Angkor Thom is undeniably an expression of the highest genius. It is, in three dimensions and on a scale worthy of an entire nation, the materialization of Buddhist cosmology, representing ideas that only great painters would dare to portray… Angkor Thom is not an architectural "miracle"… It is in reality the world of the gods springing up from the heart of ancient Cambodia…"

Angkor Thom is truly a great city where kings, queens, military officers and priests once resided. The great city amazed and overwhelmed even a Chinese emissary of the time with its extravagance and prosperity as he observed it both from a distance and from the prominent, tall structures built in the center of the kingdom. The great monuments built around it are only a few of many that contributed to the grandness of this kingdom. The two monuments of the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King, for example, are significant areas of Angkor Thom that must be visited.

Lenscape Workshops offers a unique opportunity to capture, learn, and experience the beauty, glory, and grandeur of this once powerful kingdom that only a select few will be able to witness. Now is the best time to go there, as the area will not retain the magic it still has as development encroaches, destroying the fragile atmosphere of Angkor as it has so many other things around us. Join us in a two-part workshop as we spend four days in Angkor indulging in photography and another four days in Bangkok enjoying sessions about the digital darkroom. Release the artist within you!

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: You’ll be met by a Lenscape tour director in the Bangkok airport. Depart Bangkok at 14:30 and arrive in Siem Reap at 15:30. Upon your welcome at Siem Reap airport, transfer to hotel. Rest and dinner early in the evening.

Day 2: Breakfast at hotel. Full day of Angkor Wat tour and photography. Morning visit to the ancient city of Angkor Thom with the Bayon and its more than two hundred faces. Other points of interest in the old city are Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, and the monument of the Leper King. Return to hotel for lunch. After a short rest, visit the Royal City of Prah Khan, the Neak Pean, Ta Som, Bantey and Pre Rup for the sunset. Return to hotel. Dinner at local restaurant.

Day 3: Breakfast at hotel. Departure for the Temple of Banteay Srei, approximately thirty kilometers from Siem Reap. This temple is the jewel of Khmer classical art and is very well preserved. Return to hotel for lunch. Choice of visiting Tonle Sap Lake or return to your favorite temple for more photography. Return to hotel for evening meal.

Day 4: Breakfast at hotel. Morning light photography at Angkor Thom and a visit to the inner chamber. Return to hotel for lunch. Depart Siem Reap at 14:20 and arrive at Bangkok at 15:20.

Day 5: Hotel pick-up at 8:00 taking you to the Lenscape Workshop. Selection of your photos. Introduction to digital darkroom (Photoshop). Lunch! Evaluation of photographs taken. Continue Photoshop.

Day 6: Photo enhancement lessons applied to Angkor photos. Lunch! Continue with Photoshop lessons.

Day 7: Field trip to Saraburi. Return to Lenscape for lunch. Continue with the lessons.

Day 8: Evaluation of slides taken in Saraburi. Lunch! Focus on calibration and printing. Dinner. Presentation of certificates.

Tentative schedule for this trip begins on the 24th of October up to 31st of October. For further inquiries contacts us via email (lenscape@lenscape.com) or fax us (662) 997-8246.