Picture Envy No. 26

Mexican Pictures, Projects/Cambodia/Cows. 

Looking at this shot reminded me of how, since I first saw Apocalypse Now, I have wanted to see Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. Angkor Wat, which was completed around the same time that Spain's venture capital investment in Columbus was panning out. I know nothing about the Khmer Empire that constructed Angkor Wat. I know little about Cambodia other than the forty years of bloodshed that occurred there at the end of the 20^th Century. And yet, here is this object of beauty on Raul Gutierrez' website (which I think is Angkor Wat, but could also be Preah Ko), reminding me that the oldest building in my hometown, a red two story barn, is 100 years younger than a sprawling temple that is as impressive to me as Cheops or the Parthenon.

Gutierrez did a smart thing with this photo, I think. He minimized the temple's influence on the shot. The enormous foreground is dominated by the lush field and the cattle grazing there, with Angkor Wat occupying a high background position. The viewer has to focus on so much before getting to the often overwhelming, imposing temple that he or she is forced to think about more than the amazing structure. The viewer sees Cambodia, then Angkor Wat.

Comments

[Sluggo]

I love that picture. If you go to Whiteface Mountain you tend to take pictures of the little tiny things you can see from Whiteface. Not the mountain. Objectively, the picture contextualizes Angkor Wat. Subjectively, it records the journey.

[TPB, Esq.]

I haven't been to Whiteface since I was a little one. I might do that soon. I need a short trip, just to clean the mind. I was initially thinking that Mt. Washington would be the way to go.

[Sluggo]

Mt. Washington will clean your pores, Whiteface will clean your wallet. Mind-cleaning mountains are out west. Try Montauk.

[teahouseblossom]

Yeah, that is on my list of places to visit...

[TPB, Esq.]

I've been to those mind-cleaning mountains out west. I miss them. Until I can get back to them, I need a nearby fix.