Siem Reap Early Morning Street Hustle
Morning generates a bumble of activity anywhere in southeast Asia suburbia. Siem Reap, Cambodia is no exception, clipping along to the pulsating beat of transportation and commerce, motorcycles, hawkers and street stalls are the order of the day.
From a mild cadence to a heavy drone to genteel disorder, locals hum along to the beat of modernity in an ancient world advancing into modernity. These people have learned not to disrupt the status quo and to go with the flow, given the not so distant tumultuous upheavals of the Pot Pol dynasty in Cambodia. Local folks keep the streets moving while the street photographers are hustling the sweet light before the heavy tropical air seeps into the days activities and all of life moves at a slower pace. Market stall towers climb high. What is the consumers desire today? Families seven strong grip one another on single motorbikes with balanced stability. School drop-off and work commute completed efficiently all in one trip.
Respite from this clamour can be found at any riverside park or at the shrines conveniently located for daily contemplation. If you can not find one, head to the nearest temple. Golden hour images abound but for a brief stay.
And the photographer's dilemma? What street corner will maximize the experience of Cambodian morning scramble? How to best capture the texture and emotion of the day?
You have to get up early for these ones. Jet lag or a long bus ride from Bangkok the previous day helps.
For more on Asian street photography, see also:
https://www.heathersimonds.com/blog/cambodia-kids
https://www.heathersimonds.com/blog/siberian-people
https://www.heathersimonds.com/blog/peddling-food-in-old-hanoi-streets-edible-movable-food
https://www.heathersimonds.com/blog/hanging-out-in-a-hong-kong-park-kowloon
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