Apsara dancer coming alive at Angkor Wat Photo

Photographer’s Note

This lady is performing the Cambodian Apsara dance in front of Angkor Wat. The Apsara dance was created in the late 1950s by Queen Kossamak based on the story of the “Churning of Ocean of Milk” depicted on the bas reliefs of the 12th-century temple of Angkor Wat.

This picture was taken at sunrise along side of an Indian film crew. There is no subsitute for pure dumb luck.

jeanclaude, eleparc, hispic, kikidi, pascalbene, Jitterbug, axiotea, MLINES, Evolution has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bud_ricks (78) 2004-05-01 16:09 [Comment]

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itworks (1135) 2004-05-01 16:44

Beautiful shot. Just the right exposure to have some detail in the dancer, instead of being a silhouette.

hispic (7399) 2004-05-01 20:19

Beautiful shot Thien! It seems the one scene of a movie. You chose good position to shot in backlight and famous temple background.

PeterDF (290) 2004-05-02 11:30

Beautiful shot...love the way the light is hitting her...the way you photograhed her is almost like a silhouette, but not quite...so you still see details on her. Her hair and headpiece are beautiful together. Very nice!

gringofil (0) 2004-05-02 11:49

This is just beautiful, Thien. The position of the dancer, the scenery behind her, the warm tones...excellent, as well, that you found a new and interesting way to photograph Angkor Wat. Very well done!

eleparc (24059) 2004-05-03 5:17

you were so lucky to be there at the right time;-) the light and the composition are spot on! apsaras coming alive... after centuries;-)

points later

kikidi (73) 2004-05-04 6:41

What a superb composition and the subject is so pretty! The lighting is so perfect that sets the mood of this picture. The colours are just perfect.The DOF is also very good. What a moment to capture!

Luko (13880) 2004-05-06 12:36

Thien, I didn't see until today you're back from Cambodia!...so difficult to spot your too seldom pics within that continuous flow!

That's a pic I like very much because it shows wahat could two typical postcard topics within a single frame and hence makes it an original and also strong shot.

I don't think that shot has got as many critics and points it really deserves!

BTW, How was the heat there? One of your main worries If I remember well...

pascalbene (1730) 2004-05-06 14:18

Hello Thien ! I like a lot here the game of light in leaves and flower. What a beautiful pic. I'm lucky to have also few pictures about Apsaras dancing in Angkor Vat. This pic is full of your so particular serenity.

philip_coggan (11) 2004-05-17 2:48

Hi Thien, well done! Luck, yes, but for the Indian film crew no luck was involved - they arranged it...

Jitterbug (177) 2004-05-28 17:23

Well composed, as usual, Thien. The soft focus on the model is very nice, was that from the haze or did you create it?

sengir (4946) 2004-05-29 20:18

this picture is beautiful, so delicate.. if only those leaves were gone (you can do it easily in PS). Very, very good!

flydragon (0) 2004-06-15 15:46

Hello Thien
beautifull picture
and gracious
i like the light and the composition
nice shot
,o) simon

Yorik (704) 2004-08-23 23:07

This is a great picture and the dancer is beautiful! !
Magic photo!!!

shihwei (238) 2004-09-16 23:30

present some sort of eastern spiritual atmosphere, very amazing.

cheers.

silverman (42) 2004-10-18 4:26 [Comment]

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gren4 (603) 2005-04-10 13:03

I love the soft focus on this and dof works well especialy in this morning sunlight.I would get rid of the yellow ,I presume leaves,above as that is a little distracting but the photo itself is just superb.What luck!

axiotea (15929) 2006-04-10 2:25

Hi Thien, beautiful composition... good POV and
DOF...well done...TFS..Marilyn

dmarizz (2322) 2006-04-11 9:35

Very impressive the softness of background and the well detailed silhouette. Why you did not include in the shot all the headgear of the dancer?

Ciao, Dario

Don_Gusti (0) 2006-08-27 12:40

What a beautiful capture, luv ur work Thien, ur pov is great, well done. TFS

Ahmad