Phil Douglis: Travel Photography Archive

Image Copyright © held by Phil Douglis, The Douglis Visual Workshops, pnd1@cox.net

This is the second of two galleries covering my visit to Southeast Asia in 2005. This gallery offers 100 impressions of Myanmar, known to history and legend as Burma. We spent only a week within its borders, visiting its capital Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon), its city of ancient temples Bagan (formerly known as Pagan), and the colorful area around Mandalay. Myanmar is a reticent host -- it welcomes foreign tourists but does not go out of its way to entice them. The archaic Yangon airport is grimly depressing, and the country is still repressively ruled by generals. Most visitors seem to be traveling there as individuals or as members of small tours. Facilities range from luxurious to basic, and its internal air transportation is remarkably efficient, featuring new airports in Bagan and Mandalay. Its sights can be breathtaking, and its people are open, kind and distinctive. Myanmar might lack the western amenities of neighboring Thailand -- even credit cards are banned. Yet Myanmar's temples and monasteries are as vibrant as any in Asia. Enjoy these images and draw your own conclusions. (The first gallery covering this trip offers 105 visual impressions of neighboring Laos.)

If you've viewed the previous galleries I've posted on this site, you'll note that my photographic intentions are focused on interpretation, rather than description. I've continued to do this in these galleries on my 2005 Southeast Asian adventures. I want my pictures to express how I feel about what I see, rather than just recording what I've seen or where I've been. Aside from sharing these pictures with you on this website, I also am using many of them to teach the principles of expressive travel photography on my pbase website http://www.pbase.com/pnd1) as well as in the tutorial workshops I give in Phoenix for those desiring instruction in photojournalism, expressive travel photography and digital imaging. These images were gleaned from the more than 4,000 digital pictures I shot during my three weeks spent in these places. I used three digital cameras, a Leica Digilux 2, and a Panasonic FZ-20 -- both five megapixel fixed lens cameras, as well as a seven megapixel fixed lens Canon G6. All of the Canon photographs were taken with a Canon .7x wideangle converter placed over my zoom lens, which provided me with the equivalent of a 24mm wideangle lens, a focal length that I feel is essential for effective travel and landscape photography. The Lieca Digilux 2 offers an incredibly sharp f/2.0 28mm-90mm zoom lens, and an oversized sensor, which creates images with extra fine detail. It also functions without noticeable shutter lag, allowing me to stop action as desired. I used the Leica Digilux 2 very rarely on this trip. The most heavily used camera on this trip was the Panasonic FZ-20, which features an amazing 36mm-432mm Leica f/2.8 lens with image stabilization, allowing me to use its long telephoto reach in low light situations with remarkable clarity. I've edited all of these images with Photoshop to correct and refine the hue, color, contrast and sharpness levels, hopefully making my pictures more vibrant and meaningful. Although all of these photographs were digitally enhanced to some degree, none of the content has been significantly manipulated. The facts are all here, as I captured them.

To view my images at their best, just click the "slideshow" button in the top right hand corner. To end the slide show at any time, press your "escape" key. I hope you will enjoy my photographic impressions. I welcome any comments or questions. Phil Douglis Director, The Douglis Visual Workshops, Phoenix, Arizona, pnd1@cox.net

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pnd1 > In Buddha's Image: the essence of Burma - Eighty percent of the Burmese people are Buddhists. If there is to be a universal symbol for this country, it would be the mystical Buddha image. This one is at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

pnd1 > Shwedagon from Afar, Yangon - Within hours after landing at Yangon, capital of the Union of Myanmar, we were looking across Royal Lake at the spectacular Buddhist Pagoda of Shwedagon glistening in the distance. As luck would have it, its enormous golden stupa enshrining a few hairs of Buddha, was under scaffolding. Even with a scaffold in place, Shwedgon's skyline offers a sight like no other in Burma.

pnd1 > Strolling through Shwedagon, Yangon - It could take days to see all of the more than 100 buildings in Yangon's Shwedagon complex. Many of them are plated in gold. Although Mayanmar has many residents who barely earn several hundred dollars a year, the famed Shwedagon Pagoda is plated with over 8,000 solid gold slabs and topped by an orb studded with 5,000 diamonds. Thousands of Burmese come to Shwedagon every day to pray in its temples and on its plazas. There is not a shoe or sock in sight. Everyone must walk the scorching marble plazas in bare feet. (Including photographers.)

pnd1 > Golden Buddha, Shwedagon - At sunset, this Buddha, plated in solid gold, echoes the golden curves of the Banyan tree planted just behind it

pnd1 > Curious monk, Shwedagon - A Buddhist monk enjoys a surprise while studying the spires of Shwedagon through a powerful telescope. There are over 800,000 monks in Burma. At one point in their lives, nearly all Burmese men spend some time as a monk. Very few serve more than a few years, however.

pnd1 > Spires of Shwedagon, Yangon - The monk in the previous picture might well have been using his scope to study the designs on intricate spires such as these that crown many of Shwedagon's temples.

pnd1 > Eleven Buddha Images at Shwedagon - Thousands of visitors express their faith in Buddhism at Shwedagon every day. Here a family prays before an altar of eleven Buddha images. It has often been said that Burma is the most profoundly Buddhist country in the world.

pnd1 > Monks at Shwedagon - Monks must renounce all possessions except for three robes, a razor, a sewing needle, a strainer, a belt, and an alms bowl. They must also vow to injure or offend no one, and remain celibate.

pnd1 > Buddha Convergence, Shwedagon - Buddha images have been part of Burmese life for over a thousand years, and come in many sizes, shapes, and styles. This group of five converge to share one of the many small temples sprinkled among the grand structures of Shwedagon.

pnd1 > Meditating at Shwedagon - There are no Buddhist priests in Burma. Only monks, who provide a model to follow on the path the salvation. This monk, beads in hand, is deep in meditation.

pnd1 > Reading with Buddha at Shwedagon - The Burmese seem to live their religion rather than just practice it. Buddhism is pervasive, and at times can seem quite casual. This fellow relaxes on the floor with a book before the altar of one of Shwedagon's many temples.

pnd1 > Flower shop, Shwedagon - The floral offerings overwhelm the women who sell them at Schwedagon Pagoda.

pnd1 > Exit, Shwedagon - Late afternoon visitors depart from Shwedagon's massive lobby. Thousands visit the huge temple complex from morning to night every day.

pnd1 > Kyaukhtatgyi Buddha, Yangon - One of Yangon's most spectacular sights, this 230 foot long reclining Buddha is among the largest in the world.

pnd1 > Big Buddha, small monk - The Kyaukhtatgyi Buddha dwarfs the praying monk sitting below its navel. More than 600 monks live nearby, and often visit to study the sacred manuscripts here.

In Buddha's Image: the essence of Burma - Eighty percent of the Burmese people are Buddhists. If there is to be a universal symbol for this country, it would be the mystical Buddha image. This one is at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.