Hello, fellow travel junkies and photography enthusiasts!
Get ready to embark on a journey through the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures of Cambodia and Vietnam!
A couple of weeks ago marked the spectacular conclusion of a collaboration for the ages between two photography wizards: Régis Binard of Asia Travel Photography and the mystical Etienne Bossot from PicsofAsia but what’s on the agenda, you ask? Well, let’s wet our photographic appetites by teasing a couple of tours lined up for next year. Think vibrant sunsets in Cambodia in August and rice field landscapes in Vietnam in September! But before we sprint into next year’s adventures, let’s roll it back and chat about the marvelous escapades we had this past August during our back-to-back extravaganza!
Cambodia with Picsofasia
Ah, the return of Etienne to Cambodia, a decade after his last escapade with the family, which was probably filled with more mosquito bites in the temples of Angkor than actual memories!
I was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, ready to unleash my treasure trove of photographic gems upon him and the eclectic crew of six photographers hailing from the far corners of the globe—USA, Canada, Australia, France, and Switzerland—like a kid on Christmas morning who just discovered the hidden stash of candy.
Our adventure kicked off with a warm-up at one of my favorite temples, where, before the tour even officially began, we found ourselves barefoot in the mud, snapping photos of locals replanting rice as if we were at some muddy fashion show. Day one hadn’t even started, and we were already knee-deep in the good stuff!
The following days were a whirlwind of excitement around Tonle Sap Lake, where we chased the golden hour like it was a runaway puppy, capturing the essence of rural Cambodia. Each day, despite the surprising heat that felt like Mother Nature had cranked up the thermostat, we were out before dawn, photographing everything from bustling markets to monks in their serene monasteries, all while honing our skills like a group of caffeinated ninjas. We even explored the empty temples of Angkor at the perfect time, which felt like our own personal playground.
By the end of the tour, Etienne was absolutely amazed by the endless photo opportunities, but little did he know, I was already plotting my next adventure in Vietnam, because let’s face it, the only thing better than capturing Cambodia is capturing more of Southeast Asia!
Vietnam, the return of Asia Travel Photography
After a long and torturous wait of exactly one year – yes, I could practically hear the clock ticking and see the calendar pages flying off like they were auditioning for a role in a soap opera – it was finally my turn to jaunt back to the picturesque landscapes of Vietnam, this time not with an enthusiastic group of French guests but with our little band of merry women from Japan, Germany, and Singapore!
And with my trusty partner-in-crime, Etienne, who seems to have taken on the role of my devoted younger brother after our amazing escapade in Cambodia, I knew I was in good hands. Our little band of merry women, fortified by knowledge accumulated from our prior travels in exotic places like Uzbekistan, Ladakh, and Laos for some of them—because who wants to just walk into a new country unarmed with trivia?
Unfortunately, we were greeted by an unusually moody North Vietnam, with rain that seemed determined to ruin everyone’s fun, as if Mother Nature had decided to throw a tantrum. But good luck trying to dampen our spirits! Between dodging drizzles and navigational feats that would make Indiana Jones proud as we skirted around landslides, the breathtaking views of rice paddies and charming minority villages provided us with so many photo opportunities that my camera started wheezing under the pressure. Honestly, at one point, I was half-convinced that the rain was secretly on our side, considering the radiant sunshine that followed in Central Vietnam, gifting us sunrises so beautiful they could make even the grumpiest of morning people chuckle with delight.
And speaking of delight, a massive shout-out to Etienne for his profound knowledge of Vietnam—without him and the peculiar rice wine that had its own party tricks, this entire trip could have easily turned into a series of unfortunate events rather than the spectacle of joy we created! So here’s to Vietnam, our quirky weather, and the magic that happens when you refuse to let a little rain get in the way of your adventure!
A Dynamic Duo
So there we were, the dynamic duo of photography, Etienne and I, artfully dodging the rice paddies to avoid any model pouts and instead diving headfirst into authentic adventures that would make even a travel brochure jealous!
This was our third workshop, and after so many escapades together, we’ve pretty much developed a telepathic bond—it’s like we can communicate with nothing but eyebrow raises and exaggerated hand gestures! Our teaching styles? Think of us as the tortoise and the hare, but instead of a race, we just careen through the crazy world of photography at whatever pace our participants can muster. We’re not just clicking cameras; we’re unleashing the wild beasts of creativity, capturing raw human expressions as if they were front-page news. So forget those dusty, cliché shots—it’s all about capturing that moment!
Let’s Do This Again!
So here we are, getting hyped for next year—2025, we’re ready to bring the fun back on!
This is an official callout! Whether you’re a pro photographer looking to refine your craft, an amateur hoping to impress your pet goldfish, or simply someone looking to chuck their 9-to-5 monotony into a rice field, we want you! So tell us, are you ready to rock ‘n roll next year? Dust off your travel bags, grab your cameras, and let’s create memories together that will have us all laughing for years to come!
Stay tuned for more updates with our Cambodia Photo Adventure and our Vietnam Photo Workshop just subscribing to this newsletter!
Until the next adventure…