Strangler in the ruins, a photo from Siem Reab, West

Photographer's Note

Ta Prohm is a temple built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom, it was built by King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and university. Unlike most of the other Angkor temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors. The two most dramatic varieties of trees there are silk-cotton trees and strangler figs.

There is one very popular Silk Cotton Tree in Ta Prohm. One can find many pictures of this tree on TE. A recent one shot by Danilo Martinez can be found here, and a very impressive older one by Dan Leung here. These trees are among the largest, reaching 30-40 m tall and up to 3 m trunk diameter. Looking at such a colosse it is hard to imagine that some other trees have developped a strategy to overcome them.

But here come the Strangler Figs. Their sticky seeds are dispersed by a variety of fruit-eating birds and bats and germinate high on the moist branches of other trees, sending numerous aerial roots to the ground. Each air root takes in nutrients and water from the air and host tree. Eventually the air roots grow to reach the ground and develop their own underground root system, independent of the host tree. At this point, the tree begins to grow very quickly, often covering the host tree with its own trunk and strangling it. The host tree is forced to compete for water and light and prevented from growing by the stranglers hold on its trunk. In time the host tree dies and rots away. The strangler fig does not collapse however and continues to exist as a hollow tubular lattice which many forest animals use as shelter.

This strangler fig picture has been taken in Ta Prohm. It is very famous as well because Lara Croft was filmed going under this door in the Tomb Raider movie. Another picture of a strangler fig, in Ta Som, was posted recently by Angshu here.

bullybeef53, Tayon, cunejo200, postvikram, Dragonheart, delkoo, albertopiubello, Emiel_Skyfreak, Muse, amoriconi2, paura, miuky, MeAT έχουν(ει) επιλέξει αυτή τη σημείωση ως χρήσιμη

Critiques | Translate

mdetay (4929) 2006-09-17 21:37

Hi Vincent,
Nice shot. Good capture of the temple.
Good POV and colors 9which is not easy is this specific environment).
Cheers.
Michel

Tayon (1995) 2006-09-17 22:02

Hi Vincent
this place is really fantastic and the trees are increadible.
The photo is great, good composition, DOF, POV and sharpness.
well done.
Tayon

cunejo200 (7281) 2006-09-17 23:23

Hi Vincent,
Thanks for posting this high quality image and the link you provided. Good capture of this Strangler Figs, sharpness and colors are quite commendable. I hope you had a nice visit in Cambodia. Best wishes. Danilo

postvikram (1199) 2006-09-18 5:12

Hello Vincent ,
Beautifully done. The vertical composition really works here revealing the stones and the tree together. Its amazing what nature can do.
A very good note too.. thanks for sharing - Vikram

Dragonheart (8434) 2006-09-18 5:26

Hi Vincent,
Cool place, this ancient temple is so old that it is even covered with the roots of a tree. WOW...good composition. Thank you for sharing this shot.
Well done
Best wishes
Vivek

delkoo (68) 2006-09-18 7:37

bonjour vincent
tel une pieuvre s'abattant sur sa proie,les racines du bamian sont entrain de phagociter et de detruire ces superbes vestiges .

cordialement
didier

t0mmm1 (5442) 2006-09-18 15:49

Hi Vincent,
wonderful capture of this strange tree. It's really amazing how embraces the antique monuments with those roots... Incredible.
Have a nice day,
Tomi

Graal (103040) 2006-09-19 2:21

Hi Vincent,
unusual old ruins, interesting view and note. Good quality of photo. Well done.
Gr., Aleksander

rajju (1345) 2006-09-19 15:52

its superb shot! well captured..best regards and tsf,
raj

albertopiubello (2623) 2006-09-19 17:24

Salut Vincent,
belle photo du Ta Phrom avec une bonne lumiθre en pleine saison des moussons!
J'y ιtait au mois de juin et j'ai trouvι l'endroit magique.
ηa me fait toujours plaisir de revoir Angkor!
Alberto

nanauhauer (761) 2006-09-19 18:43

Hello Vicent
I always love Angkor photos and this one is a classic!
Well done.
Nanau

Angshu (56760) 2006-09-19 23:29

Hello Vincent
This works best in vertical format..it's funny that this amazing temple which has seen centuries of human existence has to be called "Lara Croft" temple :-). the view is lovely, but like me you also had problems with light...the contrast is too stark, but you've handled it really well. Indeed Ta Prohm offers phenomenal photo opps. & I look forward to see some of your pics from there. Indeed I've also two posts from this place, if you find time to see
Regards
Angshu

rosaline (0) 2006-09-20 4:50

Hi Vincent
Good capture of this temple. A very intricate scene with the tree roots and branches engulfing the temple. The detail is great and the sharpness is nice and crisp. The exposure is well balanced here which has ensured the quality of the image.
Well done
Aubrey

feather (51130) 2006-09-20 12:09

I never tire of looking at Ta Prohm and the way it has been left to nature. In fact I have something similar on my wall here. Good work.
Kath

rossofuoco (7398) 2006-09-21 2:16

Hi Vincent.
Mamma mia. Foto incredibile,sembra un disegno di fumettisti sudamericani.
Complimenti Renzo

binita (464) 2006-09-21 5:41

the tree is fantastic. excellent shot. thanks for sharing.

prumod (8300) 2006-09-21 14:26

hi vincent
its nice capture of the roots...good composition with white and dark green...
greetings
pramod

Giorgio (11279) 2006-09-22 11:46

- Moi qui adore les racines apparentes sur les banians, je suis servi, par ailleurs, une trθs belle composition, bravo !
giorgio

Emiel_Skyfreak (3002) 2006-09-22 14:04

Hi there,
Nice photo, it reminds me a little, of ...hey I read the note now. This is it. This is where Tomb Raider was filmed :D
I saw it recently. When I opened this photo I figured it liked the same, I'm surprised. Nice shot, good details, sharpness.
Good colours, although there is mostly green, brown, grey.
Awesome scene.
TFS!

(out of pnts)

Muse (35030) 2006-09-24 6:59

Hello Vincent,
A beautiful catch of sight of this very special place. One asks where come and where these roots go.
A photo good clear which emphasizes the details of these old stones.
Best regards
Denise

alainh (33209) 2006-09-28 12:52

salut Vincent
mais c'est lΰ qu'ils ont tournι le livre de la jungle. j'y ai vu danser Baloo et moogly !
un coin fantastique que j'aimerais connaitre un jour. les lianes donnent encore plus de pystθre aux lieux !!
tres joli
amicalement
alain

helmut (412) 2006-10-02 13:22

This is a very interesting picture. I am always after stuff with overgrowing vergitation and ruins. Yours is definitely a top hit.

paura (25802) 2006-10-04 13:25

Incredible place, Vincent. This temple, and everything else in this shot, are amazing.

Regards

Paulo

wolf38 (30) 2006-10-09 10:45

Hello Vincent. The TA Prohm is a mysterious temple. At all the discovery of the temples is a sensation. Who is not interested in the history of the temples, is at least inspired by the beauty of the ruins. The faces worked in stone inspire just like the tree roots, which over-rampantly grew the temple. The photo shows the mysterious and fascinating of the temple very well. Many greetings, Wolfgang.

miuky (3335) 2006-10-27 5:34

VERY GOOD!
Hy vincent
A great POV, great sharpness, as said, not easy with all those particulars:)
Regards, M.

Sharee (312) 2007-05-02 14:11

Outstanding photograph!!! The DOF and colurs are perfect - congrats!

MeAT (1174) 2008-02-06 19:09

Thanks! Never knew the very popular tree was a silk cotton tree. Knew though that the one on your picture was a strangler fig.

You managed the exposition well as it is hard here not to over-expose.

Did you use a wide angle though as I don't recall the temple on the right being crooked? I wish I had a wide angle back in Ta Prohm. So many things too close!

Good work!

MeAT :)

Photo Information

Copyright: JM Hullot (vincz) (19113)
Genre: Τοποθεσίες
Medium: Έγχρωμο
Date Taken: 2006-08-21
Categories: Φύση, Αρχιτεκτονική, Ερείπια
Camera: Canon EOS 20D
Έκθεση: f/5.6, 1/60 δευτερόλεπτα
More Photo Info: view
Έκδοση φωτογραφίας: Πρωτότυπη έκδοση
Οδοιπορικό: One week in the Angkor area
Θέμα(τα): Cambodia - Ta Phrom trees, Your favorites [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-09-17 16:53
Αγαπημένα: 1 [view]

Viewed: 7162

Points: 52

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