Dispatches

Photography Masterclass /

Assignment in Indochina with Gary Knight of VII

Gary fell in love with Cambodia on his first visit in 1988 and his enthusiasm and energy for the country and the people never tires. He has run annual workshops in the shadows of the Angkor temples, Siem Reap, since 2004. Siem Reap is a vibrant, small town with huge energy and you’ll find any number of stories. The focus will be to work on an assignment chosen from the plethora of social, environmental or cultural issues to be found here. Your work and progress will be discussed and advanced daily with Gary. There will be projections and group dinners on at least 2 of the evenings. On the last night your final edit will be presented to the group.

The course is hard work so expect to burn the candle at both ends but rest assured you will also find time to sip a beer, discuss photography, edit your assignment and relax around the pool (maybe).

Date:

29th June to 5 July, 2010 – departure in the morning of the 6th

Accommodation:

The Foreign Correspondents Club in Siem Reap is the workshop base. It’s a perfect place from which to work: formerly both a French Governors Mansion and Police Station, it is an inspiring and tranquil home, walking distance into town and only a few kilometers from the ancient Angkor temples.

Fee:

US$2,500 – includes accommodation, local transportation, breakfast and 2 dinners.

Registration:

Please contact masterclass@rethink-dispatches.com

Residential Course:

Single rooms. Shared rooms at $200 discount (when available)

Meals Included:

Daily breakfast and 2 group dinners during the week

Local Transportation:

Included

Not Included:

Flight. Meals other than those stated.

Payment:

A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is payable on confirmation of a place. The balance is due 4 weeks before the commencement of the course. In the event of cancellation by the course administrators, a full refund will be given minus $100 administration cost. The workshop reserves the right to replace a workshop tutor with another similarly experienced and qualified photographer.

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Story Ideas /

Before you arrive you should research some story ideas. Often what you end up photographing is not what you set out to do but it’s a useful exercise in getting you focused. Gary encourages you to steer clear of a closed narrative and work on something loose that is broad in its focus. For those of you looking for some stories more linear in nature here are some ideas:

Poverty/Street Children: Siem Reap has attracted a great deal of wealth but poverty and homelessness is still a fundamental issue.

Night Life: Siem Reap has a vibrant night scene, local and foreign.

Spirituality, Buddhism and Hinduism, Monks; This is a rich environment to work on these issues.

Tourism, as both a cultural and commercial phenomenon.

Apsaras: The classical dancers of modern Cambodia, the holy dancers of the Kingdom of Angkor and Cambodiaʼs national symbol.

The Temples of Angkor

Amputees, land mines and post conflict rehabilitation: Unable to work, amputees are also often social outcasts.

Floating Villages: On the great Tonle Sap lake there are several communities of fisherman who live in floating villages.

Rural Cambodia and Village life: Fundamentally unchanged since the days of the Angkorian Empire.

Landscapes

Websites:

www.cambodia-travel.com/information
www.cambodianonline.net/homeweather.htm
www.canbypublications.com

Accommodation

Foreign Correspondents Club. The workshop runs for 7 nights and 6 days. If you can afford the time it’s a good idea to arrive a day early to get acclimitised. You can ask the hotel directly to book extra nights, tell them you’re with the group in order to get best rates. Departures are the morning of the 6th July.

Meals

Breakfast is included. Dinner on the first and last night is also included. There are many Khmer and international restaurants. Eating out is inexpensive. Most meals cost between $5 and $20.

Equipment

This workshop will be conducted using digital cameras only. All students are expected to supply their own cameras and lenses. Gary really encourages you to come with one body and a 35mm lens or equivalent and a spare camera and lens. Zoom lenses are not really encouraged.

You will also need a laptop computer and everything necessary for a digital workflow, ie software, flash card readers, etc. All students are expected to be familiar with their equipment and competent enough to be able to use it without assistance, all students are also responsible for storing and archiving their own material. There will be some instruction on workflow and technical matters if required but all students should know their way around a camera and understand how to use it effectively.

Travel light. Recommendation is for 2 bodies maximum, 2 or 3 lenses. Batteries/chargers cable and plug adaptors, etc and a paper notebook and pen.

Climate & Clothing

July is in the rainy season so expect afternoon showers and warm temperatures. Everything is very green and we’ll have the benefit of dramatic skies so it’s actually a good time of the year to photograph.

Pack light: 3 shirts, 2 trousers, 3 pairs of underwear/socks. Soap bag. Light covering for evenings and swimsuit for the pool. You can buy plastic kagools for rain protection. Long sleeves recommended for insect and sun repellence. Working shoes/light boots. No working in shorts or sandals please. If you hurt your feet you cannot work, as two previous sandal-wearing students found out. Small medical kit, painkillers, immodium etc, but donʼt go overboard as the local chemists stock most things you will need. Bring any prescribed medication. There are good local clinics and hospitals.

You should be able to carry everything at the same time – 2 bags maximum. We suggest one rucksack for clothes etc and one small camera bag for gear. On assignment it is sometimes necessary to walk long distances with all you need. Pack with that in mind.

Other items to bring:
Lots of mosquito spray
Wet wipes
Hat

Sunglasses

Flashlight


Communications

Wireless Internet is available at the FCC, and throughout the town. Phone calls are expensive but you can buy local SIM cards.

Travel & Medical Insurance

Make sure that you have it.

Visas

Most foreign nationals can pick up a Cambodian visa at either Phnom Penh or Siem Reap airport. Please bring 2 passport photos – you will need them for your Cambodian entry visa. Nationals from Islamic countries have had difficulties entering Cambodia in the past so please check Visa requirements at your nearest Cambodian Embassy. At last reckoning the visa cost is $20 for a tourist visa, which lasts one month.

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