10 TIPS TO TAKE BETTER PICTURES IN THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

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Running photography tours for the last two years in the temples of Angkor, I am particularly acquainted with this magnificent archaeological park, which is the gem of Cambodia. I want to share with you some tips that will help you capture better photos during your visit. From the preparation to the actual tour, here are 10 tips on how to get the best out of your photography tour in the temples of Angkor.

1. Take the right lenses. A wide angle lens is a must. I would recommend at least a 24 mm (on a full frame) or 10 mm (on a crop sensor). A 16 mm will be even better as some towers will not fit even with a 24 mm. In some instances you may want to bring or rent a telephoto lens (200 or 300 mm) as it can be useful in some temples like Bayon to isolate the distant faces or some interesting details.

2. Pack extra batteries. You would most probably take more pictures than usual that may test the limit of your camera’s battery life. I noticed that batteries on cameras with electronic view finders (Sony Alpha, Olympus OMD5 or Pen) drain quite fast so having extra batteries is paramount for these systems. For DLSR you can get away with one battery (if new) by limiting the use of your LCD screen. Be sure to charge the battery the night before your tour. If you do not have an extra battery you can bring your charger. There will be some charging stations at the restaurants around Angkor so you can do that during your lunch break.

3. Take a monopod instead of a tripod. Many photographers are coming to Angkor with a tripod and end up not using it. It would be difficult to use a tripod at the sunrise in Angkor Wat unless you arrive quite early and take a position in front of the crowd. Generally you can get away in taking Angkor Wat sunrise pictures without a tripod by using a large aperture and raising a bit the ISO. Most of the time the best pictures are taken when the sky is bright. Often, the light inside the temples is quite low even in the afternoon but you can still get pretty decent photos in most cases by raising ISO to 1000. If you want to keep the noise low, one option is to use a monopod so you can use lower speed. A monopod is also much easier to carry than a tripod.

DSLR on tripod at Angkor Wat sunrise

4. Arrive early at Angkor Wat sunrise. Sunrise at Angkor is a very popular tour all year round and it is best to arrive early to get your spot in front especially if you want to set up a tripod. 5 am is the earliest that you can enter the west gate of Angkor Wat. The day before your planned tour, you can check sunrise time on Google.Leaving your hotel one hour before sunrise would be ideal. During the months of June, July and August, as sunrise is very early, I suggest that you buy your pass the day before from 5 pm at the new ticket center close to the Angkor Panorama Muse

Tourist crowd along the pond facing Angkor Wat temple

5. Buy the right entry pass. If you are planning to stay for several days and explore more temples, the best value for money is the 3-day pass which will allow you entry to the park 3 times for a period of 7 days. At present, a 3-day pass costs USD 40 but price will increase to USD 62 starting February 1st 2017.

6. Compose with light and shadows. Light in the temples of Angkor can be quite difficult to master especially at midday so it is best to shoot before 10 am and after 4pm. It does not mean of course that you cannot take good shots in between you just have to look for light and shadows.

Devata in Ta Prohm temple emerging from the shadow

Head of a Devata in the morning light at Angkor Wat temple

7. Do look up for details. Angkor Wat is so massive that it is easy to miss many interesting details this temple have. Just look closely at the carvings and writings carved into the sandstone they can are often beautiful to capture. Do not forget also to look up the ceiling in the hall of 1000 Buddhas. If you want to see more close up pictures of Angkor please do look up at our previous blog entries here and here.

Bas relief detail in Bayon temple

Detail of a ceiling in Angkor Wat temple with some original red pigments

8. Get the right exposure. Getting the right exposure for your pictures in Angkor can be tricky as light changes drastically between outside and in the temple and change as well quite quickly outside. Unless you are shooting on auto ISO you will have to always pay attention to your ISO settings first before clicking your camera. Whether you are shooting manual or priority aperture, the metering system of your camera will be often challenged so you would have to correct it. It is often said that shooting against the sun is a not a good idea but by choosing the right settings in your camera it can give fantastic results as you can see on the image below.

Beautiful Devata carvings in the temple of Angkor Wat at sunrise

9. Get out off the beaten path. Even in busy temples as Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom, or Bayon, you can escape the crowd by sauntering thru smaller corridors where you will often find hidden treasures that most tourist wouldn’t find.

Narrow passage in Preah Khan temple

10. Do not go to Phnom Bakheng for sunset! When in Siem Reap, several travel agents or independent drivers will recommend Phnom Bakheng as the sunset viewpoint. Personally, this the worst spot for sunset. You would have to go there quite early as the numbers of people allowed on top of the temple is limited to 300. The sunset view is very average as well. If you want to get a shot of Angkor Wat from there you will need a least a 300 mm. This useful website can help you find out other sunset spots in Angkor.

Silhouette of a giant statue in Angkor Thom at sunset

Whether you are a professional or hobbyist photographer, booking a photo tour would guarantee you excellent pictures that you can capture as your photography guide would know the right time to get to the temples while avoiding the crowd. We offer more than 10 different tours that cater to everyone’s taste.

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