PHOTO ESSAY
T
his series of photos taken on the streets of Phnom Penh between 2009 and 2018 explores the unintentional interaction between the people caught in their daily activities and modern advertising boards. Behind the humour of some situations, they point at social inequalities. The photographs emphasise the high contrast between modern and rural life, Western and Asian perspectives, luxury and simplicity, dream and harsh reality, frivolity of the consumer society and the daily struggle of many low class workers, despite the recent emergence of an educated middle-class. During the last 11 years, Vincent de Wilde has been a privileged witness to the quick and drastic transformations of Phnom Penh. As a street photographer, he tries to capture the details that bring Cambodian society to life. He aims to show the humanity, beauty and emotions of people met randomly in the city streets through the lens of their daily life. He aims to capture moments of spontaneity, peculiarity and humour. In addition to street photography, he also focuses on the work of fishermen, construction workers, salt workers and brick makers. Contact him at vincentdewilde07@gmail.com and see more of his work by visiting, vincentdewilde.photodeck. com.
BY VINCENT DE WILDE 18 AsiaLIFE Cambodia
FAMILIARITY
PHNOM PENH AT CROSSROADS