Cambodia is not yet a country famous for it’s canyons but it is very famous for "Cambodia Temples" which are one of the listed wonders of the world. What I found in my explorations for canyons in Cambodia was that there are some very spectacular
small canyons with fantastic waterfalls in the Kunlun Mountains. Between exploring the temples of the Angkor Wat
ancient civilization ruins I made some side trips to the headwaters of the Siem Reap River and discovered some
incredible canyons and waterfalls. Later I went down to the southwestern part of Cambodia and began exploring
a sandstone plateau where there are an abundance of rivers, canyons and waterfalls near the seaside village of Koh Kong.

This next season which is the very best, November – December, I hope to discover new canyons and waterfalls.

 

Kunlun Mountain waterfalls and the Siem Reap River headwaters. The golden water color comes from the natural tannin that originates in the

Decomposing jungle leaves on the surrounding hills. This model’s pose is inspired by Maxfield Parrish in his most beloved

“Day Break” painting of 1923. The models chose their own variation on the pose.

 

Cambodia Temples and Canyons

Art in the Ruins of the lost Angkor Khmer Empire.

Exploring a mystical and mysterious landscape with

Elves, Gelflings & Fairies

 

Journey into the Heart of Lightness:

in the spirit of Maxfield Parrish

by Richard D. Fisher

In the Cambodia Temples, I have worked for over two years to make the perfect photo that is a heartfelt tribute to the art of Maxwell Parrish.
I feel this is the most meaningful photo that I have taken during my two year sojourn in northwestern Cambodia’s temples and canyons.
 After taking this same photo over a hundred times in the same place on different days and with different models, I feel I have achieved

 the level of artistic values that was my quest for perfection.

 

Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966)

Maxfield Parrish was one of the greatest painters of the 20th century, which particularly in the era when he did most of his work
was quite hostile to realism, clarity, and the technical mastery that is his hallmark. 

www.goodart.org/artofmp.htm

 

 

At last I have been able to find a place, the Cambodia Temple of Angkor Wat, and the people

in Siem Reap, who can pay a tribute to the art of Maxfield Parrish.

 

Exploring the Mt. Kunlun waterfalls, the head waters of the Siem Reap River
the fountain of the magical fertility that built the Khmer Empire.

 

 

Native fairy from Siem Reap Cambodia high in the mountains about 50 KM east of Angkor Wat.

     

 

  

Native Fairy host an elf from the remote forest of the canyons and gorges of the China/Burma borderlands.

 The two photos above are commonly called “Girl on a Rock” but is actually titled “Stars” which was painted in 1926.

 

Inspired by Maxfield Parrish’s painting called “The Glen” which has big trees and swift running water and small waterfalls.

Certainly these Cambodia Temple beauties evoke the feeling of the Parrish fantasy portrayal of his models.

 

This location and pose is inspired by one of Maxfield Parrish’s most famous painting called “The Canyon” 1923.

The Cambodian in this case and more broadly the Asian beauties certainly give the fantasy impressions
especially when featured in the canyons and temples  much like Parrish’s Anglo-American of the 20s.

 

  

The photo on the left is reminiscent of several of Parrish’s fantasy paintings in this case called “Ecstasy” and

another one of his famous paintings called “Canyon” painted in 1923.
The photo to the right at a Cambodian Temple was inspired by “Enchanted Princess” 1934.

 

 

 

 A native Siem Reap fairy navigates the Cambodia Temple ruins with ancient knowledge of a spirit

that has inhabited these mysterious hidden nooks and secret sites for hundreds of years.

This image was inspired by the Parrish painting of “Evening” 1921.

 

  

 

Boeng Mealea & Ta Prohm Cambodia Temples

These two Cambodian temples are left in partial ruins so that the magic of their existence

can be enjoyed as new discoveries generation to generation.              

 

            Boeng Mealea Temple

Native fairy and visiting elf explore the ancient forest and ruins with delight and pleasure

of new friendships and adventure. This site was recently discovered and one is allowed to clamber

about the crumbling stones that have been reclaimed by the jungle.

 

 

Ta Prohm Temple     

Elves and fairies have hidden passages deep within the mysterious antique landscape. Was dedicated in 1191 C.E.

The site was home to 12,500 people including 18 high priest and 615 dancers. The surrounding support village had an estimated 80,000 people.

 Inspired again by “Day Break” that featured two girls, one standing and one reclining in a temple surrounded by nature. 

 

 

 

Ta Prohm Temple  

Elf and fairy princesses flit from one to another incredible and powerfully spiritual sites with the ease.

Jungle temple environments provide a refuge for the rare and highly endangered fairy and elf species.

 

  

Ta Prohm Temple Cambodia

Ancient gelflings spirits melt through the ruins and provide a vibrant and colorful landscape for native fairies.

Also inspired by Maxwell Parrish’s “Day Break” painting.

  

  Angkor Wat   

This lovely elf was really right there in front of one of the most powerful and moving spiritual temples on earth at sunrise.

Angkor Wat, means City Temple is a classic Hindu Temple complex built to represent heaven on earth.

It is the best preserved temple and is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since it's found at in the 1100 hundreds.

It was first a Hindu site dedicated to Vishnu. Later it was re-dedicated as a Buddhist temple.

Angkor Wat Temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. 

 

 

 

The above people have become my friends over the years and I highly recommend them and their services.

 

 

 

 Tuk Tuk and elephant is fun transportation to Angkor Wat.

 

 

These are models posing in fashion clothing that is popular and inexpensively available in Siem Reap.

This clothing is appropriate to the local environment as well as being very unique and colorful. December 2012

 

 

 
 Inside Angkor Wat a prayer from me, the photographer, for the wonderful opportunity to have photographed in these canyons, temples and
with these lovely young Asian models. In fact, all of these girls work in the evening as professional Apsara dancers in the restaurants in Siem Reap.

The quality of their presentations in this website is a result of their professional training as performers.

I will add that I have carried the spirit of Maxwell Parrish’s art in my heart since I was a child. I never forgot his inspiration to me

and I feel very blessed to have been able to use this influence when the opportunity arose in Cambodia and the Siem Reap region.

 

 

A new region for exploration 2013. This is the Koh Kong Sandstone Plateau and the Tatai Waterfalls.

This spectacular waterfall originates in the Cardamom Mountains which are still said to have wild elephants

and one of the last places in Cambodia where tigers, leopards, Malayan sunbear and the pileated gibbon might still exist.

 One of the largest and still mostly unexplored forests in southeast Asia according to Wikipedia.

 

For any information regarding travel to this area of Cambodia, the Angkor Wat temple area or

about my photography art/photoshop paintings presented here please contact me at sunracer2@hotmail.com