As a new batch of photographers attend their first class in Alliance Angkor today, we look forward to discovering and nurturing even more incredible talent! The cornerstone of the festival, the Angkor Photo Workshop remains committed to supporting emerging photographers from Asia.
Over the years, our alumni have gone on to do powerful, compelling and inspiring work. They’ve also formed close friendships at these workshops, returning year after year to the festival. We take this opportunity to catch up with a few past participants.
Anshika Varma
Documentary photographer based in Delhi, India
What I want to do with photography is to have fun with it. I’m interested in mixing different mediums with photography. I want my work to be interactive and get people involved with it.
At the beginning of my photography career, my story telling was very linear and in a straightforward documentary style. Over the years, I began to understand the complexities of story-telling and I have learnt to let these complexities stay in the photographs.
Teaching the kids at the Anjali Photo Workshop has made me rediscover the excitement for photography. It’s encouraging to see them fight their fears when they pick up the camera.
Zinkie Aw
Conceptual and documentary photographer from Singapore.
I am inspired by strangers and their slice of life. Much of my personal work involves getting strangers in a community to participate in my photo shoots.
Photography has taught me who I can be and what I can do for others and the community. Best of all, it taught me to be super thick-skinned and determined about the stories in my head.
I like telling stories about a society’s habits. I have photographed ‘trashy portraits’ (‘Republic of Pulau Semakau, A Story about People and their Trash’), released photo illustrations that attempt to transpose a language into visuals with Singapore’s colloquial language, Singlish (‘Singaporelang — What the Singlish?’) and recently exhibited work on ‘TANLINES — An Anatomy’ in a group show, where I traced and pieced together peculiar tan lines I have photographed over the years.
Sheila Zhao
Documentary and reportage photographer based in Shanghai, China
A photograph, to me is a fleeting second captured in someone’s memory. A photograph is subjective, and in it’s worst form, trite. But at it’s best; a photograph is nothing short of enlightening.
My biggest challenge with photography is trying to continue seeing what’s around me in an interesting and unadulterated ways.
Every time I come back to the festival, I feel like I’m reuniting with family again. I have attended the festival for many years and through it, had made some precious friendships. The festival allows the opportunity to reconnect and spend a beautiful week with them in Siem Reap.
Rahman Roslan
Documentary and reportage photographer from Malaysia.
I push myself creatively by opening myself up to new experiences, gaining knowledge, pushing boundaries and using all the different tools that this beautiful world has to offer.
When in doubt, I would observe the signs, listen to the inner sounds and connect my heart to my creator.
If I wasn’t a photographer, I would still be someone whose hopes are to find his way home.
Thanks to our Official Workshop Centre Alliance Angkor for the generous use of their beautiful space.
