CAMBODIA - TIMELESS JOURNEY

Our journey from Türkiye to Cambodia was quite enjoyable. We flew from Istanbul to Bangkok and then took a small propeller plane to Siem Reap. The tropical nature and tranquil atmosphere made themselves felt even on the way from the airport to the city. The plants formed a lush canopy covering wetland areas. While exploring the city, I was captivated by people practicing tai chi in the parks, groups dancing to music in the evenings and fishermen plying the river during the day. One of the most interesting things I learned was the meaning of “fresh”: if a fish is not alive, it is not considered fresh. Perhaps due to the hot climate, the Cambodian’s concept of freshness is, well, fresher than that of a European. When we arrived in the historic district of Angkor, it felt like stepping into a time machine. Walking among the countless temples rising from every corner, you feel as if you’re in a film set turned into a park. It’s not just what you see but what you feel that leaves a lasting impression. For this series, I shot all my photographs with a medium format 6×6 camera and used black-and-white film to record the magical atmosphere. I particularly used green and orange filters to highlight different tones. My favourite images are the dark, low-contrast ones—they best reflect what I aimed to convey. For me, photography is like keeping a diary. I tried to capture the mystical aura of Angkor and my own sense of awe in response to it.