Part of the exterior of Masjid Negara (the National Mosque of Malaysia). Kuala Lumpur.
It’s easy to get caught up in the sweeping landscapes, stunning architecture, and colourful cultures when we’re traveling. I know, I do it all the time! But sometimes the beauty of a destination lies in the details. It’s not until we stop and take a moment to really look at a place that the character of a destination can shine through. Over the past couple of years, I made a point to focus on and photograph the smaller aspects of travel and the results have been amazing. Below are some of my favourite abstract shots (if you will) of my time backpacking through Southeast Asia.
A bas-relief at Angkor Wat.Window washers hard at work on a residential building in Shanghai.A worshiper at the Cao Dai Temple in Vietnam prays on the intricately tiled floor.Umbrellas at the Night Market in Luang Prabang, Laos.The ceilings of the four domes at the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.A wall of Buddhas at the Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia.The Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China.An array of silver bracelets for sale in Laos.A key ingredient in many Asian dishes.The structured roof on the Esplanade Theaters in Singapore.One of the hallways in the Imperial Palace in Hue, Vietnam.Elephant slippers for sale in Luang Prabang.In Southeast Asia, nothing goes to waste.Tiled Buddhas in Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia.Lined up and ready to go!The partitioned carpet at the Sultan Mosque in Singapore.Sea shells washed up on the shores of Penang, Malaysia.Coffee berries from the Bolaven Plateau in Laos.Patchwork used to make the side of a hut in Laos.The back of the head of the reclining Buddha in Wat Pho, Thailand.Miniature fried eggs for sale at the Chatuchuk Market in Bangkok, Thailand.A rainbow of Pashmina scarves sold at a market in Thailand.
Great stuff! Sometimes it’s so easy to overlook the details, especially in the scale of some of the temples, shrines and mosques around SE Asia. It takes a good eye to look really close 🙂
Aw, thank you Rachel!
This is nice collection indeed. It is amazing that these patterns are everywhere you look, yet we don’t take a moment to appreciate them and capture.
Sorry for the mess, please remove my anonymous comment, I had trouble with logging in. I’ll post new one
It’s very true. It’s so easy to overlook some of the more interesting and beautiful things when there are amazing landscapes and buildings to look at. But if we consciously start to think about noticing the “smaller” stuff, it’ll become second nature.
I love your blog and photography, i’m doing a similar route to you for two months this summer and hope to document it in a somewhat comparable fashion to yours, excellent work!
Thank you Siobhan! That’s so kind of you to say 🙂 You’re going to have a fantastic time. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to send them my way. Happy travels!
WOW. This is spectacular – seriously, best photo essay I’ve seen in a long time!
Great stuff! Sometimes it’s so easy to overlook the details, especially in the scale of some of the temples, shrines and mosques around SE Asia. It takes a good eye to look really close 🙂
Aw, thank you Rachel!
This is nice collection indeed. It is amazing that these patterns are everywhere you look, yet we don’t take a moment to appreciate them and capture.
Sorry for the mess, please remove my anonymous comment, I had trouble with logging in. I’ll post new one
It’s very true. It’s so easy to overlook some of the more interesting and beautiful things when there are amazing landscapes and buildings to look at. But if we consciously start to think about noticing the “smaller” stuff, it’ll become second nature.
I love your blog and photography, i’m doing a similar route to you for two months this summer and hope to document it in a somewhat comparable fashion to yours, excellent work!
Thank you Siobhan! That’s so kind of you to say 🙂 You’re going to have a fantastic time. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to send them my way. Happy travels!
WOW. This is spectacular – seriously, best photo essay I’ve seen in a long time!