Single Step Photography

And so it starts. Over the next three days me and my co-workers will be attempting to document and share the stories of more than one-hundred women who have received micro-loans in order to start or grow their businesses. Today was only a half days of work and we were only able to visit four women.

The first woman that we visited used her loan in order to purchase the materials that she needed in order to begin selling sugarcane juice. With the loan she had purchased a juicer, ice containers, ice, glass mugs and straws. She first began to scrape the sugarcane sticks with a tool to remove any dirt or hard bark left on it. After she had done this she would chop the six foot stick into foot long pieces and wash them. And finally after pushing them through the juicer and a strainer she would pour the juice into the mugs. Never personally having drank sugarcane juice before it was very intruging to me. Although it was not as sweet as I had expected it to be and was much more grassy, though still very sweet, it was indeed delicious.

Another pair of women that we had visited after had received their loans from Pandoo Foundation and with it began their wood carving business. Made completely by hand these wood carvings were incredible to witness and it was extraordinary to see the process of making them. With their sales the women were able to support their family and even their grandchildren.

Although photos like this seems very simple, as always, there is a story behind the lens. As my co-worker was talking to the women asking them about their story, I kept my camera to my face for perhaps far too long because I knew that this was going to be the picture and I knew that it was going to happen within fractions of a second. I had to take around 50 photos in order to just capture this perfect one. 

The next three full days are bound to be very busy but also full of great images like I have captured during todays only half-day.

May You Always Have A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Today was the last day of work on documenting the winners of a trip to the Pursat region of Cambodia. Again we visited numerous families and women who had received micro-loans or water wells from Hope International and Pandoo Foundation. Today however was a bit more enticing. After an early breakfast we loaded into the van and had a short drive until we came to the side of the road next to a rail road track. There waiting for us on the tracks was a train. But by no means any normal train. There in front of us lay four wheels. An engine. And a bamboo blank, wide enough only to fit three people sitting down. Nonetheless, the engine was ignited and we began a very rough and bumpy half an hour journey. Very shortly though I began to really enjoy the ride. The fast wind made the 35 degree weather seem much cooler and the view was incredible. The tracks sped on perfectly straight through the Cambodian country side, through endless farms on either side and towards the distant and fast approaching mountains.

Although my legs very quickly became very numb on the tracks I do wish the ride would have been much longer than the short ride it had turned out to be. After we had retuned on the same blank of bamboo, we drove in the van again for another hour towards another woman who had received micro-loans in order to grow her farm fields and produce business. Although the loan was only given out less than a year ago, much progress could already be seen. With other women who had received the loans or wells five or more years ago their quality of life had very clearly greatly improved and many were able to build multiple houses as well as send their children through school and university.

Tomorrow now starts the real work. Over the period of the next 3 days it is my and my co-workers jobs to document roughly 100 women throughout the Pursat region. Though I am incredibly excited to start this, the next days are bound to be more than exhausting, but as always - worth it.

May You Always Have A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Today was the first real day of work here in the Pursat region of western Cambodia. One of six more very busy days ahead of me during my time in this majestic country. This morning me and two of my co-workers here with me drove three hours west to where we are now in Pursat, close to the Thailand border. Although the city here is very small and never busy or chaotic in the least bit, it is still very fun and most importantly relaxing from the busy and chaotic Singapore and Phnom Penh. Todays job, as well as most of tomorrows is to document the travels of the winner of a prize that Pandoo Foundation auctioned off at a gala last year. With the winners we are traveling around the area of Pursat and visiting women who have received wells from either Hope International or Pandoo Foundation. The first of two women that we visited today received her well in 1999 and since then has grown her agricultural business and because of the wells has been able to send her four children to school and all the way through university.

Today I had also learned much more about the history of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Having only very recently recovered out of a brutal civil war and other conflicts (the circumstances under which I have never visit a country) the people are infinitely interesting to me, personally. One of the reasons that Hope International as well as Pandoo Foundation particularly serve to help women in Cambodia is because during the past 50 years that Cambodia has been entwined into military conflict, a staggering amount of men were murdered compared to the women. By the end of the conflicts in the mid-1990s, there was approximately one man for every six women. And because these events were still so recent many women living in Cambodia are still single mothers and struggle to survive, let alone provide an education for their children.

As for what tomorrow brings I have yet to discover. I have no doubt that it will bring just as much adventure, excitement and new knowledge.

May You Always Have A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

After a surprisingly short lived flight from Singapore I arrived this afternoon, local time, in the surprising city of Phnom Penh with two of my co-workers and quickly took a tut tut (a local taxi) towards our hotel.

Although the city appeared at first to be very similar to Cebu, where I had spent three weeks documenting the work of Pandoo Nation, it began to be increasingly noticeable that this was not like Cebu at all. Not only have I felt much more relaxed and more joyful than I have during my times here but Phnom Penh also seems to be much less chaotic than its South-East Asian counterparts. As the tut tut drove on through the city to our destination one more thing was increasingly noticeable, spires seemed to begin playing peek-a-boo in the distance between the buildings and through the trees and bush.

Through the busy city these majestic and mysterious ancient towers seemed to shine and pop up endlessly. The architecture of these buildings are unlike anything I have ever witnessed in my life. Although there are many, many sprawled throughout the city, my eyes never tire of seeing these incredible temples. Their uniqueness seems to meld into their soundings, making the entire city an very new and very exiting experience.

Unfortunately I was unable to capture too much of the city as the tut tut wouldn't stop and as I am on official work here there is not much time for personal travel. Tomorrow morning we will be driving west towards the Pursat region of Cambodia to document the work that Pandoo Foundation is doing in conjunction with Hope International. Over the next 4-5 days we will be documenting and telling the stories of 100 women who have received micro-loans through the two NGO's in order to grow their businesses, send their children to school, etc. More to come in the next few days.

May You Always Have A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Hello! In the past I have not been so vocal here, but alas I believe it is time to turn this around! I am hoping to blog here everyday or every other day from now on, and so it begins. Let’s bring you up to speed. My current adventures have taken me to where I am now in Singapore. For the past month and a half I have been working for a company called Pandoo Nation in Hong Kong, The Philippines and as of tomorrow, Cambodia.

The first part of my journey through South-East Asia brought me to Hong Kong, where the company hockey team competed (and won) in the largest hockey tournament in Asia. Although I have never been the most exuberant hockey fan (a stereotypical shame as a proud Canadian) I have always loved shooting the sport, and any other sport for that matter. There is truly no other form photography like sport photography, it never fails to be extremely exciting and very challenging.

This was by far my favourite photo from the week. He had just scored the semi-finals game winning goal and I was lucky enough to get the shot just as the puck hit the net. Shooting sports, more often than not, leaves you with many photos of hilarious facial expressions caught through milliseconds and very rarely leaves you with great expressions like this.

The second part of my (to be) five part epic took place in The Philippines in Cebu, the “Queens City of The South”. This is where the real work took place. The Pandoo Foundation has built a community centre in the heart of the city, educating and feeding the minds and stomachs of children in the surrounding area. My job here was to capture the daily lives of the employees, volunteers and children who attend their summer programme. The shots that I took will eventually end up as in game imagery for the company (you can learn more about their product at pandoofoundation.com).

The main focus of the centre is education, and in particular through literacy. It was incredible to see the joy that the books brought out in the children. Not only that, but half of them would read the books in English (not their native language). The entire experience was astounding to say the very least. I captured many, many incredible photos and learned much more about photography than I had ever expected to in such a short period of time.

A short flight two and a half weeks later and here I am now in the massive city, but small country, of Singapore. Of all my time spent in cities around the world, from London to New York and Hong Kong, I have never experienced such a city as Singapore. Never have I seen such diversity from Chinese to Malay to Indian to French to Australian, and all within a city block. After nearly an entire month of using and keeping my camera in my hand each and every day I have rested here in the city much more than explore it. I have, however, also done much exploring of the city. From the fast passed action of sport photography, to the long haul and daily grind of documentary photography, I find myself again in a very different style of photography, one of which I love just as much as any other, landscape photography. Although it has all taken place within the city, the techniques are no different than true landscape photography - lumbering my 20lbs equipment around the city, setting up camp and waiting for the perfect moment with the perfect light.

Although I have only come up with a few photos so far of the city, this is by far the best and my personal favourite. The sun had unfortunately at the last moment hid behind the far laying clouds, the light nevertheless exploded over the city and melted beautifully with the yellow city lights. A very, very long walk with much equipment, but as it always seems to be, it was worth it.

As for what now lays ahead on my adventures. Tomorrow I will take flight towards Cambodia for 7 days to document the work that Pandoo Foundation is doing in the Pursat region. Unfortunately I will be unable to travel north to Ankor Wat, but I have no doubt that one day my journey will bring me back at a time when I will be able to visit such a wonder. I am very excited for the journey and as always hoping for more great photos.

If you want to see more photos from my adventures this summer head over to singlestepphotos.com

May You Always Have A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

‘Tower Park’ - Hong Kong, China

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‘The Aviary’ - Hong Kong, China

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‘City Prayer’ - Hong Kong, China

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‘Cities Skylines’ - Hong Kong, China

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‘Symphony of Lights’ - Hong Kong, China

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Project 50: Day 47 - ‘Man In The Mirror’

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Project 50: Day 46 - ‘Docks’

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Project 50: Day 45 - ‘Pick Up’

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Project 50: Day 44 - ‘Reflections’

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Project 50: Day 43 - ‘Blackout’

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Project 50: Day 42 - ‘Upon A Star’

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