Angkor Wat

After spending the past few days checking out some incredible temples at and around Angkor Wat we are all 'templed out'... so fun though, we hired a tuk-tuk driver for a few days to take us to them all, and then we'd just wander around and discover what made each one unique... here are a few of my favourites..

Cambodia..

After a few great days in Singapore, we flew into the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, Singapore's cultural opposite... So far it has left an amazing impression on us, the people are very friendly, the food is taaaasty (even the tarantula leg wasn't that bad!.. I couldn't stomache the body, though!), and the history eye-opening.. I would definately recommend it!! Our attempts to pick up some Khmer (the local language) is going fairly well, although everytime I ask people if I can take their photo they start laughing.. at first I thought it was because I was butchering the language, but then it turned out that because each region speaks a little differently, no one actually understood what I was saying!!

off to Asia!!

We're just about off for Asia! I can't WAIT! So far the plan is to start off in Singapore (where Jin is from to visit with family) then to Cambodia and Thailand before returning to Singapore for a final couple days and returning home...!!

I will do my very best to keep the blog semi-updated while I'm gone, and at the very least will add a ton of photos at the end of it all!.. so stay tuned :)

We're going to miss our dog Dekker (our baby!) while we're gone, he hasn't been away from us for more than a day since we've gotten him but we're guessing he will completely forget about us the minute we're gone because of all the long walks he'll be getting :)

I will still be checking email while I'm there if anyone needs to reach me, but it may take me a day or two to get back to you..

Maria & Nima

I really loved it that these two just let go and had fun!.. Thanks guys!

New Website!!

I figured it was time to get a new fine art site, since it was starting to look a little neglected.. This site features my personal work, all B&W fine art/travel/documentary photography. There are still more images I would like to include on it, but they won't be ready until I'm back from my trip and I really wanted to release it before I go..

www.alanacouchphoto.com

I'm getting a ton of my fine art images scanned, partially because I want them backed up incase anything happens to the negatives (these were all taken at least a few years back, when I was still using film.. ) and partly because I'm preparing a submission to Lenswork, this incredible b&w fine art photography magazine..

Most of the images on the site are of a Brasilian photo project I've been working on for a few years and plan to have published once it's completed.. One more trip to Brasil and I should be done! (Not that finishing the project will stop me from returning :)

Michelle & Shane

What a great session to start off the year with!! Check back this summer for Michelle and Shane's wedding!

2008!!!

2007 has overall been an incredible year. I've always been very lucky in that I've had so many amazing couples that I've worked with (and not a single bridezilla :) Between all of you, your wedding parties, and your families, I've met some wonderful people and I can't wait to see what 2008 will bring!!

One of my many goals for the new year is to be much more 'green', both in my personal life and with my business. We've always been pretty conscious about our impact on the environment, but I would really like to increase my efforts for 2008. One of the books I bought to read on our trip next month (that's another of my resolutions, to find more time to read!) is the "Hundred Mile Diet", which from what I've heard is about only buying food that was grown within a 100 mile radius to reduce impacts from importing and to support local businesses, etc. So hopefully that will also give me more ideas about what I can do!

I wish everyone all the best in the new year..

Holiday Project

My project for the holidays is a new fine art site.. here's a Christmassy preview:

Happy Holidays!

We went ice skating last night, for a fun winter activity.. I admit I took a good fall while goofing off and trying to do a 'spin' :P I think the last time I went skating was back in high school when I'd go to the 'teen skate' with all my friends and they would turn down the lights, the disco ball would be on and they'd play loud music while everyone skated.. so fun..

another thing I would love to try this winter is snowshoeing, I've never done it but have always wanted to....

I hope everyone has a wonderful holidays.. family, friends, tasty food.. enjoy it all!

-Alana

new toys!

I just picked up a couple new lenses today, the 50mm 1.4 and the 28mm 2.8.. I can't wait to use them! In the meantime I took some photos around here just for fun..

I love prime lenses because they're SO fast and sharp and they really let me move around and be creative.. Also I'm going to Asia soon and I know that wandering around with my big zoom lenses will just scream 'rob me'!..