TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography

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Cambodia Landmine Museum

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After the horrific years under the Pol Pot regime, Cambodia was no longer at war, but huge swathes of the country were (and still are) covered in landmines.

Cambodia Landmine Museum est. by Aki Ra. Siem Reap, Cambodia

During peace time, landmines continue to kill. They kill farmers trying to work the fields, they kill children who see something shiny in the grass. They maim, wound, and cripple indiscriminately.

Aki Ra, was forced to spend his childhood in the jungle with an AK-47. After the war he began to disarm mines by himself, using his bare feet and a stick to discover them, and then a screwdriver to render them safe. Years later he set up a museum to show others some of the items he had found.

Cambodia Landmine Museum est. by Aki Ra. Siem Reap, Cambodia

If you’d like to learn more or make a donation visit the website Cambodia Landmine Museum.

Cambodia Landmine Museum est. by Aki Ra. Siem Reap, Cambodia

I met several Cambodians who’d lost limbs to landmines, some during war, some during peacetime. Any country that has produced landmines (or even worse continues to manufacture them) needs to deal with the long term consequences of their actions.

Guide with landmine injury resulting in loss of hand. Kbal Spean carvings in the riverbed northeast of Angkor. Siem Reap, Cambodia

Guide at Kbal Spean with landmine injury resulting in loss of hand. Cambodia

Banteay Samre Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia

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Offerings of incense. Banteay Samre Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Banteay Samre Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Early Birds Photograph the Dawn

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Dawn at Angkor Wat, Buddhist Temple Complex, Siem Reap, Cambodia

I’m not by habit an early riser, but if you want shots of the dawn and beautiful light, you’ve got to start your day in the dark.

An added bonus is that you can can enjoy the cooler temperatures before things get very hot and sticky.

Sunrise over the rice fields near Banteay Srei Temple, Cambodia

Master Class – Feature on Okinawan Karate Masters in Indulge Magazine

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Master Class – Star Cruises Indulge Magazine Q2 2014

Now available in your Star Cruises cabin, the latest edition of Indulge Magazine which includes a feature on the karate masters of Okinawa. One of their cruise ships now docks at Ishigaki and Naha, so it’s great to be able to share some of the local culture with visitors.

Master Class – Star Cruises Indulge Magazine Q2 2014

Back from Cambodia

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The Monk of Angkor Thom, Cambodia – Pentax 645D with Profoto B1

Back from two weeks shooting in Siem Reap, Cambodia. A great experience, met a lot of interesting people, and really enjoyed my time there.

Came back with four 64GB cards filled with images so I have a lot to sort out over the next few weeks.

I decided to take the new Profoto B1 strobe and a beauty dish on the road with me. This would allow me to combine location shooting with powerful studio light. It’s something I’d been experimenting with on the latest karate master portraits, and is an exciting new challenge.

Pentax K-3 Exhibition

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Pentax K3 Exhibition Tokyo

A couple of my images are on display as part of Pentax’s exhibition of images shot with their new K3 camera. The Ricoh Imaging Square Shinjuku (Previously the Pentax Square or Pentax Forum) is located in the Shinjuku Center Buidling about 5 minutes walk from the west exit of Shinjuku Station.

Pentax K3 Exhibition, Shinjuku, Tokyo

If you’re in Tokyo, please stop by and check the exhibition out. It starts tomorrow March 26th and runs until April 7th. My pics are the shot of of Sarah in the blue dress and the eagle.

Pentax Forum, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Above is the map to Pentax square from Shinjuku Station. You can also copy and paste this address into google maps: 東京都新宿区西新宿1-25-1

“A” is the Shinjuku Center Building. The pink area on the right is Shinjuku Station. Between is the very distinctive Tokyo Mode Gakuen Tower.

Tokyo Mode Gakuen Tower (Next to the Shinjuku Center Building)

Pentax Forum is on the middle basement level so you need to descend one set of stairs from street level.

Lab Report – Disturbance in the Cosmos

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Pretty in Pink (already having rolled in the mud)

I haven’t offered family portraits in the cosmos fields. I’ve done model shoots in the cosmos, but I’ve usually referred parents with kids on to other photographers.

However, in preparation for sessions next year, I decided I’d do a test shoot to work out the best locations and angles etc. Bear played the role of a small child, and things were going fine, until I thought the pics might look better without the orange collar. Bad idea.

Can’t focus fast enough

Never feed Gremlins after midnight, never call Chuck Norris a sissy, and never remove Bear’s collar. Not unless you have a clearly defined strategy as to how you are going to catch, and then clean the ball of mud and fur, before putting her back in the car. She’s too fast for me, she’s too fast for the camera’s autofocus.

Hell Hound

In conclusion, from Spring 2015 I will offer family sessions in the cosmos fields. If your children like to roll around in the mud, then run until exhaustion, no problem. They’ll be going home in your car!

みさおとふくまる　Misao & Fukumaru

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みさおとふくまる

A couple of weeks ago I saw these amazing photos of an old Japanese lady and her cat online. I then found the book and a bit more information about big mama Misao and her cat Fukumaru. The images document their life together, and are so touching and beautiful I was stunned. I wondered who has such amazing access, and it turns out that it was Misao’s granddaughter, a professional photographer. She really captured something special.

It is by far my favorite book of Japan images, and I’m a dog rather than a cat person!

It’s available from Amazon Japan here: みさおとふくまる

Out of stock on Amazon U.S., but may reappear: Miyoko Ihara: Misao the Big Mama and Fukumaru the Cat (Japanese Edition)