Life Afloat

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Cambodia | Friday, October 15, 2010 | 4 photos

While in Cambodia, I had the chance to see many amazing things. Not in the least, were the ruins of Angkor, but what left the deepest impact on me was the people who live on the Tonle Sap Lake. The people live on makeshift houseboats afloat in the middle of a lake, that during dry season is only 1 meter deep, and during the wet season becomes as deep as 9 meters. With such a vast change, I would imagine that it is horribly difficult to live in such conditions, but nevertheless, it is within people's grasp to not only adapt, but to form a way of life that revolves around these conditions. It is an inspiration to know that as humans, we have this amazing ability to adapt. Everywhere I go, I find people adapting to the life they have been given. I love to explore the world, and explore the human ability to harmonize with their environment. It is my goal in photography to show people the world outside of their borders, whether those borders be national borders, or the borders of their house. I hope that by exposing others to the world outside, they will realize the many wonders that are out there to be appreciated. Although my photos bring the world I've seen to people's houses, I really hope that my photos can inspire people to leave their borders and explore. I believe that by exploring the world, we all gain a greater appreciation of a global community, and through that appreciation comes an understanding that what we do isn't the only way to do things. This allows us to grow, as individuals, and in the end becoming better human beings.