Category Archives: The Golden Lands Book

Photographing Temples in Southeast Asia: Golden Lands Photographer Marc Schlossman’s Tips

Marc Schlossman is one of our expert Golden Lands photographers – read our first interview with Marc here.

Wat Suthat, Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Suthat, Bangkok, – photo by Golden Lands photographer Marc Schlossman

In this second interview, we quiz Marc about some of the practical and technical aspects of working on photography for the Architecture of Buddhism book series…

1. Compared to normal photo projects, what were some of the technical differences and challenges around the Golden Lands project?

I carried a tripod at all times — long exposures inside dark temple interiors were very important.

Stone surfaces and facades can look very dull in bad light so we had to make the most of good light. We often had to visit a site more than twice to get the light falling just right on a feature or exterior so we were running around a lot and I had to keep a careful list of what I needed to do and at what time of day.

Shooting after dark can give the project a very different look so we were often shooting all day and then some!

Wat Xieng Thong, a Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang, Laos
Temple interiors are a lighting challenge – photo by Golden Lands photographer Marc Schlossman

2. Can you tell us about the camera(s) used and any equipment you found useful?

Nikon D700 (I now have a D800 too); 14-24mm zoom, 24-70mm zoom, 50mm, 105mm, 180mm and 300mm lenses.

A tripod is essential and a head torch for dark interiors to set the camera!

I used a lot of graduated filters to control scene contrast.

3. Some of the tight and dark interior shots in temples seemed particularly challenging: can you discuss how these were approached?

Good question! Having the 14-24mm zoom was crucial to gather in as much space as possible in cramped spaces. The tripod ensured that long exposures allowed us to shoot in low light.

In a few shots I used off-camera flash heads to add light in very dark spaces or to illuminate key features.

Bhuddha statue inside the temple of Ein-Yar-Kyaung, Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)
Tight spaces inside “cave” temples pose special challenges – photo by Golden Lands photographer Marc Schlossman

4. Did you encounter any difficulty with permission to photograph at or within any of the Buddhist monasteries and temples?

Really none whatsoever! There were times and places where we needed to be sensitive to what was happening around us but we were welcome everywhere.

Wat Mahathat, Luang Prabang, Laos
Human movement brings static temple shots to life – this one at Wat Mahathat, Luang Prabang – photo by Golden Lands photographer Marc Schlossman

5. Can you give us some tips or examples about lighting, times of day, or other ideas for getting good shots of temples and monuments?

Always look — look at the facade first and discern which time of day the stone will have its best light. A tripod can almost create light, in that a dark space with just a little light can look very different with a long exposure.

I always have Nikon flash heads with me but I use them sparingly and even then I try to make the flash light look like natural light coming from a source that wasn’t there.

Always know the time of sunrise and sunset! There are simple phone apps for this. Get up early, stay out late — use the hours just after sunrise and before sunset.

Keep shooting when the light is overhead at midday but be aware of how it makes your subject look; shoot something in (often beautiful) open shade if you are struggling with harsh midday sun.

Wat Mahathat, Luang Prabang, Laos
Photographing architectural details was very important for the Golden Lands book – photo by Golden Lands photographer Marc Schlossman

Click here to view Marc’s official website portfolio
<< Read our first interview with Marc 

Interview with Marc Schlossman, Golden Lands Photographer

Marc Schlossman is an expert photographer who travelled with Golden Lands author Vikram Lall to capture views of Myanmar (particularly Bagan) as well as many of the other stupa, monastery, and temple photos for the other SE Asian countries in the book.

The pagoda-filled landscape at Bagan, Myanmar - photographed by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands
The pagoda-filled landscape at Bagan, Myanmar – photographed by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands

Here we interview Marc about his work on this Architecture of Buddhism series so far:

1. Which countries did you cover for the Golden Lands photography?
Had you already travelled in these countries?

Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. I had never been to the first two; I had traveled in Thailand a few times but never to Sukhothai or the other temples outside Bangkok.

Sunset seen from Dhamma-Yazika Pagoda (Dhammayazika), Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) - photographed by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands
Sunset seen from Dhamma-Yazika Pagoda (Dhammayazika), Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) – photographed by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands

2. Have you previously or subsequently done photography projects similar to this, focusing on SE Asian historical sites?

I was commissioned to shoot in Singapore and Malaysia for the book Paradise Found: Journeys Through Noble Gardens of Asia,  [ISBN 9789833214037] published by Cross Time Matrix in Kuala Lumpur in 2008. It’s a showcase of public gardens in the region and the shooting involved the same skills I needed to shoot the three chapters in Golden Lands.

3. Before you set out, did you anticipate some of the challenges involved from the locations and topics, and in the event what were some of the main difficulties to overcome?
In hindsight would you approach any aspect of the project differently?

Research is so important on assignments such as Golden Lands. Knowing as much as we could before arrival saved a lot of time and allowed us to start shooting immediately, as opposed to spending time scouting locations. For these temples it is important to know where the sun is relative to certain features, how the stone will be illuminated, and we planned our shooting around accordingly.

Logistics are crucial: we did not have unlimited days to shoot so we dreaded any travel delays or journeys that were longer than planned. There is never enough time! All we could do was schedule as many days as possible.

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai, Thailand - photograph by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands
Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai, Thailand – photograph by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands

4. You travelled together with Golden Lands author Vikram Lall.
Did working closely together change the way you looked at the Buddhist stupas, monasteries and temples?
The other way, did Vikram find the photography assisted with the technical or interpretative work?

We began working together right away in Myanmar. He knew that the photos would be a valuable resource for his work later in the project and I felt very fortunate to have a guide to show me what only a dedicated expert can know.

Vikram’s knowledge of history and temple architecture definitely made me a better photographer during this work and enhanced my appreciation of these great architectural achievements.

5. What aspects of the photography were important to emphasise the architectural theme of the book?
Did you take “people” photos as well while on the tour?

People in the image definitely provides scale and context. It’s interesting to see how these spaces and structures are used today. Vikram needed many detail shots and through him I was able to concentrate on unique features that we needed in the book.

I am always as interested in the people as much as anything else when I travel so I did make lots of portraits and reportage images even though I knew very few would be in the book!

6. Do you feel there is a difficulty around conservation of these ancient sites, and which countries seem to be doing a better or worse job with handling tourism?

The temples in Luang Prabang in Laos are beautifully kept and the whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Myanmarese take immense pride in Bagan, of course. But stone is stone and it erodes — heavy tourist traffic can only be a bad thing, particularly for older temples, and these sites are very popular.

7. Out of the historical architectural sites you photographed, which were your favourites?
Where would you like to return and take more pictures?

I would like to spend a lot more time in Myanmar. Bagan is amazing and there are thousands of temples to explore. All of Luang Prabang in Laos is incredible. Sukhothai in Thailand surprised me — I spent most of three days there and I was never bored.

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai, Thailand, photograph by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands
Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai, Thailand, photograph by Marc Schlossman for The Golden Lands

About Marc Schlossman

An American based in London, Marc is a highly experienced photographer and photojournalist. Marc has travelled widely including Africa and Southeast Asia: he has worked for newspapers and magazines including The Independent, The Sunday Telegraph, The San Francisco Examiner, The Washington Post, and Harper’s and Queen.  Recent work includes corporate communications photography as well as cultural and architectural projects.

Click here to view Marc’s official website portfolio

Gateway at Dhamma Yangi, Bagan. Click image to view more Myanmar photos from Marc's portfolio.
Gateway at Dhamma Yangi, Bagan. Click image to view more Myanmar photos from Marc’s portfolio.

Reviews of The Golden Lands

Here are links to reviews and mentions of The Golden Lands by Vikram Lall in the press and online.

More to come – check back soon!

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Book Reviews

The Asian Review of Books

“Lall’s visually delightful showcase of Buddhist architecture succeeds in portraying the physical result of the faith’s tolerant, cosmopolitan nature, and the dynamism with which so many cultures have made it their own.”

http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/new/?ID=2016#!
The reviewer, “Story of Angkor” author Jame DiBiasio also blogged about the book here asiahacks.com

The Star, Malaysia

“it doesn’t matter if you are a professional architect or a practising Buddhist, Architecture Of The Buddhist World: The Golden Lands is a visual treat for everyone – it’s just a bonus that you’ll also learn some history.”

http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Books/News/2014/11/02/Buddhist-architecture-in-focus/


Biblio [http://biblio-india.org/]

“With abundant analytic drawings – following the norms of architectural practice- [Lall] presents new insights to understand Buddhist architecture, thus making a compelling case for an architect to write the history of architecture. The information has also been collated and presented in an attractive and accessible format, so the publication can  be considered both a coffee-table book and a shcholarly treatise.”

Review by Professor A G Krishna Menon:

Biblio golden lands review part 1
Biblio golden lands review part 2
Biblio golden lands review part 3



Longitude Books

“[The] book is most enlightening… when Lall explains how builders used architecture to express religious beliefs and wield political power. Hsinbyume Pagoda in Myanmar, for example, is encircled by undulating arches that symbolize the seven seas surrounding the cosmic center of the universe. Likewise, the architects of Manuha temple placed giant statues of Buddha in claustrophobic spaces to emphasize worldly oppression. Lall does a masterful job explaining how light, shape, width, height – even the cardinal directions – express ideology.”

http://www.longitudebooks.com/blog/index.php/2014/10/book-of-the-week/the-golden-lands/
(also in recommended Longitude Fall Travel Books list )

Journal for the Art Libraries Association of North America

One of the most valuable assets to this well-planned tome is the images. Architectural plans, drawings, illustrated 3-D architectural models, cross-sections, maps, and lush photography complement the scholarly text. Historians will appreciate the well-researched historical narrative of patronage, trade, and development. Practical architectural information – alignment, scale, materials, and construction systems – coexists with discussions on the decorative motifs, sculptural art, and fantastic ornamentation of highlighted structures.

Download the text of the review by Kim Collins, Art History Librarian at the Robert W Woodruff Library here

Library Journal, New York NY February 2015

This volume…will be a welcome and useful resource on Buddhist architecture for audiences from students and scholars to the casual reader.

Golden Lands review in the Library Journal - many thanks to reviewer Amy Trendler, Ball State University LIbraries
Golden Lands review in the Library Journal – many thanks to reviewer Amy Trendler, Ball State University LIbraries

Author Interviews

Southeast Asia Globe

“Isn’t it incredible that a philosophy founded on the principles of impermanence ends up producing so many permanent buildings? Isn’t it incredible that the universal ideas of the philosophy have been embodied and manifested in so many different ways in different countries without ever being diluted? And isn’t it incredible that this phenomenon of architecture and its relationship to Buddhism has never been comprehensively studied?”

http://sea-globe.com/vikram-lall-buddhist-architecture-southeast-asia-globe/


Editorial and excerpts

RIBA Journal

http://www.ribaj.com/culture/the-golden-lands

Women’s Wear Daily

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/print/book-excerpt-architecture-of-the-buddhist-world-the-golden-lands-7967564
(and in the WWD Fall Books roundup)


Mentions

RIBA Bookshop
http://66pp.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/architecture-in-the-buddhist-world/

Buddhist Art News
https://buddhistartnews.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/book-the-golden-lands-by-vikram-lall/

The Buddhist Channel
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=10,11926,0,0,1,0#.VD5gEBYRFWw


REVIEWS COMING SOON

  • Journal of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs
  • Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies
  • The Ancient History Encylopedia
  • Orientations Magazine
  • The Southeast Asian Review (SOAS)
  • Buddhist Art News
  • Sotheby’s Magazine
  • Shambhala Sun
  • Buddadharma Magazine
  • Anandabazar Patrika
  • Bengali Daily (Kolkata)

Golden Lands book launch photos, October & November 2014

In October, Vikram Lall launched The Golden Lands in Malaysia and Hong Kong.  See some event photos below. Many thanks to the wonderful hosts at our different signings, lectures, and parties!

>> See London (September) launch event photos here

>> See the 2014 launch events diary here

Golden Lands author Vikram Lall in Kuala Lumpur
Golden Lands author Vikram Lall in Kuala Lumpur
The excellent book display at the Malaysian Institute of Architects
The excellent book display at the Malaysian Institute of Architects
Everyone enjoys diving into the incredible photography of the book!
Everyone enjoys diving into the incredible photography of the book!
In Kuala Lumpur, friends of the author and publisher packed the exclusive cocktail bar Aloft Sentral
In Kuala Lumpur, friends of the author and publisher packed the exclusive cocktail bar Aloft Sentral
In October Vikram Lall gave an informal lunch lecture on Buddhist Architecture at the Hong Kong chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
In October Vikram Lall gave an informal lunch lecture on Buddhist Architecture at the Hong Kong chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Vikram is also highly active in promoting musical cultural appreciation in India and gave a talk about it to friends of the Asia Society in Hong Kong
Vikram is also highly active in promoting musical cultural appreciation in India and gave a talk about it to friends of the Asia Society in Hong Kong
Speech to launch the Golden Lands book at the Asia Society in Hong Kong
Speech to launch the Golden Lands book at the Asia Society in Hong Kong
Asia Society lecture including Vikram Lall's Buddhist Architecture timeline
Asia Society lecture including Vikram Lall’s Buddhist Architecture timeline

London Golden Lands book launch photos, September 2014

The Golden Lands book launched with signings and talks by author Vikram Lall in London in September 2014. See photos below.

>> See the 2014 launch events diary here

>> See launch event photos from October/November 2014 here

Golden Lands author Vikram Lall with publisher Joan Foo Mahony at the V&A Museum Bookshop
Golden Lands author Vikram Lall with publisher Joan Foo Mahony at the V&A Museum Bookshop
Vikram Lall discussing the Golden Lands book with Dr Clarke of the SE Asian Dept of the V&A
Vikram Lall discussing the Golden Lands book with Dr Clarke of the SE Asian Dept of the V&A
Book event visitors have been able to hear first-hand from Vikram Lall about the wonders but also preservation challenges of the many Buddhist heritage sites covered in the book
Book event visitors have been able to hear first-hand from Vikram Lall about the wonders but also preservation challenges of the many Buddhist heritage sites covered in the book
Check out our Events page for further chances to meet Vikram Lall and discuss the architecture of Buddhism!
Check out our Events page for further chances to meet Vikram Lall and discuss the architecture of Buddhism!
Vikram Lall sporting a special Golden Lands tie! With Bijan Omrani, author of the Odyssey guide to Afghanistan and also Iran (odysseypublications.com)
Vikram Lall at a private book launch reception in London, sporting a special Golden Lands tie! With Bijan Omrani, author of the Odyssey guide to Afghanistan and also Iran (odysseypublications.com)
Vikram Lall lecturing on the architecture of the Buddhist World at the Buddhist Society in London
Vikram Lall lecturing on the architecture of the Buddhist World at the Buddhist Society in London
The Royal Association of British Architects (RIBA) bookshop in London has an amazing range of books, and put up a nice display for The Golden Lands
The Royal Association of British Architects (RIBA) bookshop in London has an amazing range of books, and put up a nice display for The Golden Lands
As The Golden Lands takes an architectural look at the sites of SE Asia, architects at RIBA had plenty of topics to discuss with author Vikram Lall
As The Golden Lands takes an architectural look at the sites of SE Asia, architects at RIBA had plenty of topics to discuss with author Vikram Lall
A bonus of the RIBA book signing to was an "author summit", meeting renowned SE Asia history & travel writer Denise Heywood (most recently, 3rd Edition "Ancient Luang Prabang & Laos" ISBN-13: 978-6167339450)
A bonus of the RIBA book signing to was an “author summit”, meeting renowned SE Asia history & travel writer Denise Heywood (most recently, 3rd Edition “Ancient Luang Prabang & Laos” ISBN-13: 978-6167339450)

See more upcoming international launch event details here