Embark on a 12-day Cambodia photography tour through Cambodia's cultural core with Laurent Dambies, a professional photographer and local resident. This comprehensive tour strikes the perfect balance between documenting the country's dynamic communities and its spectacular ancient temple complexes. With expert guidance from an experienced photographer who calls Cambodia home, you'll return with extraordinary images that truly capture the essence of this remarkable destination.
Meet the locals, discover the Khmer culture and capture timeless portraits
Cambodia may surprise you as an exceptional destination for capturing authentic street and portrait photography. With more than 70% of its population living in rural communities as of 2025, the country presents countless opportunities to document genuine moments in bustling local markets, along the tranquil shores of Tonle Sap lake, and throughout picturesque villages and towns. Photographing monks offers particularly rewarding possibilities. Rather than pursuing artificial setups at historical temples, you'll discover remarkable candid opportunities at contemporary wats and pagodas. Here, you can observe young novice monks in their vibrant saffron robes engaged in everyday activities – language lessons, temple maintenance, or evening prayer chants. These authentic, unscripted moments perfectly capture the heart of Cambodia's Buddhist traditions. Joining my Cambodia photography expedition in August during the lush green season provides an additional special opportunity: documenting the age-old tradition of hand-transplanting rice, a method still widely practiced across Cambodia's rural landscape.
Discover the temples of Angkor with the best light possible and with minimal crowd
The temples of Angkor rank among the most coveted photographic destinations for image-makers across the globe. Cambodia's Siem Reap region features an extraordinary collection of ancient temple structures dating from the 7th through 14th centuries, establishing it as the premier launching point for temple photography adventures. The sheer volume of sites provides endless inspiration for any photographer's vision.
First-time visitors to the Angkor archaeological complex are consistently struck by its vast scale and the abundant creative possibilities it presents. Yet producing compelling imagery demands considerable effort and precise timing with natural light. The rainy season from August to November proves especially gratifying, as numerous temples develop rich moss coverings that introduce captivating textural elements to photographs. The monsoon period also enables photographers to capture striking reflective compositions using rain puddles as natural mirrors, producing ethereal double images of these ancient structures.
