Seven Days of Mourning
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- I Am Losing It All to the Internet
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Seven Days of Mourning
I spent the last seven days taking pictures of what was happening at the Palace. I wish I could have shot more, but I work full time, so this is a small collection of my "keepers".
Anyone who was at the Palace during the mourning period will tell you there was electricity in the air, a feeling that one was witnessing a page of History being turned.
I was particularly touched by the older generation, who obviously went through one of the bloodiest periods of their country, and still found it in themselves to respect their controversial King Father.
I long hesitated to do this series in B&W, but seeing KPR's beautiful color shots made me want to do something a tad different. Plus, it only seemed fitting, as most mourners were dressed in black and white.
Anyway, enough writing, here are the pictures:
A mourner holding a photograph of King Father Norodom Sihanouk
Queen Mother Norodom Monineath greeting the mourners on the 7th and final day
Old friends
Mourners light incense and leave lotus flowers at the Palace
Crowds grew larger everyday
The prayer
Tears
Portraits of the late King Father were brought to the Palace as gifts from various Wats around the country
In a country where the majority of the population is under 25, so many elderly people was an unusual sight
Prayer time in front of the Palace
Cleaners constantly maintained the site, removing burned incense and rotten flowers
Walls of candles were lit along the Palace
Monks and nuns gathered to offer prayers, day and night
Kids earned a few buck by selling candles, incense, flowers, ribbons...
Young woman lighting incense
Young man lighting incense
Prayers and incense
The incense smoke was so thick it would make people cry
Thousands or mourners sat in front of the palace, listening to the monk's prayers
On the last day of mourning, ten thousand monks gathered to pay their respects
Mourner holding a portrait of Norodom Sihanouk
The end of an era
Anyone who was at the Palace during the mourning period will tell you there was electricity in the air, a feeling that one was witnessing a page of History being turned.
I was particularly touched by the older generation, who obviously went through one of the bloodiest periods of their country, and still found it in themselves to respect their controversial King Father.
I long hesitated to do this series in B&W, but seeing KPR's beautiful color shots made me want to do something a tad different. Plus, it only seemed fitting, as most mourners were dressed in black and white.
Anyway, enough writing, here are the pictures:
A mourner holding a photograph of King Father Norodom Sihanouk
Queen Mother Norodom Monineath greeting the mourners on the 7th and final day
Old friends
Mourners light incense and leave lotus flowers at the Palace
Crowds grew larger everyday
The prayer
Tears
Portraits of the late King Father were brought to the Palace as gifts from various Wats around the country
In a country where the majority of the population is under 25, so many elderly people was an unusual sight
Prayer time in front of the Palace
Cleaners constantly maintained the site, removing burned incense and rotten flowers
Walls of candles were lit along the Palace
Monks and nuns gathered to offer prayers, day and night
Kids earned a few buck by selling candles, incense, flowers, ribbons...
Young woman lighting incense
Young man lighting incense
Prayers and incense
The incense smoke was so thick it would make people cry
Thousands or mourners sat in front of the palace, listening to the monk's prayers
On the last day of mourning, ten thousand monks gathered to pay their respects
Mourner holding a portrait of Norodom Sihanouk
The end of an era
Last edited by Khmerized on Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Amazing shots, well done.
There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing: Lorraine Hansberry
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- I live above an internet cafe
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Ditto. Thank you very much for sharing these shots!
For me, not living in Cambodia, it's great to be able to view these from home. Some nice shots, too! Excellent use of photography.
For me, not living in Cambodia, it's great to be able to view these from home. Some nice shots, too! Excellent use of photography.
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- My Only Friend is my Computer
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Likewise thanks for sharing! Do you have any photos of the charitable supply convoys that kept everyone hydrated and fed? Another photo which I'd have liked to have got but doesn't belong with this collection is the TP taking bribes from people trying to avoid the long loop to get to Himawari etc!
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