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HomeCultureWhat's OnExhibitionPhoto Phnom Penh 2024Photo Phnom Penh 2024 | Soun Sayon

Festival Photo Phnom Penh 2024

Soun Sayon, Black and White 

Studio Images - House of Photography - November 22 to December 10, 2024 


In Cambodia, few photographers work or have worked in black and white, first of all because, when there was only film image, amateurs as well as professionals moved on to color and that, little by little, there were no more technical possibilities to develop and print black and white. Then digital became established with-it specific color, which is not always the same as that of color film, among others in green.

But for Sayon Soun, who is above all a passionate amateur of photography, it is and must be in black and white. He studied architecture and it is now his profession, the image being a pleasure that he practices (like fishing) in his rare moments of leisure.


We find the architect in his exploration of the city at night, documentary but not descriptive, quite mysterious, very contrasted, playing with shadows and lights framing the structures and showing some people appear in silhouette.


The one who was introduced to photography in 2008 in Battambang with the Phare Ponleu Selpak association, then by following the courses organized by the Photo Phnom Penh festival and the French Institute of Cambodia, has developed a series of portraits linked to his activity. As he frequently goes to the construction sites he is in charge of, he asked workers to pose for him. His series of portraits taken with a view camera was exhibited at Photo Phnom Penh in 2017 but he is showing for the first time other of his portraits, in square format or taken with the fragile and delicate Polaroid film with negative.



Inauguration weekend from November 21 to November 24 in Phnom Penh 
Join us on November 21 at 6pm for the official launching of the festival at the French Institute!

>> Download the program Photo Phnom Penh festival <<

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This year, Photo Phnom Penh is proud to present: 

  • At the French Institute (until January 15, 2025): a retrospective of 60 photographers who took part in the Festival Photo Phnom Penh throughout its history, with works never before seen in Cambodia (Gallery); Ourng Sam Ang with "The Beloved Kampong Som" (Media Library); 
  • On the wall of the French embassy: (until February 28, 2025): Vincent Fournier;
  • At the SOSORO Museum (until December 21, 2024): Christine Spengler with "Retrospective";
  • at Factory Phnom Penh : Jean-François Spricigo with "Retrouvailles", Aglaé Bory with "Two Series" & Alexandre Bergamini (until December 12 at the FT Gallery) ; 7 students of the École nationale supérieure de la photographie d'Arles, France (until December 21 at the Air Gallery by Sra'Art); 
  • At La Plantation Urban Resort & Spa (until December 21, 2024): Chiron Duong;
  • At Bophana Center (until December 21, 2024): Ly Sovanna with "Ranoch Visited Angkor";
  • At Friends Future Factory (until December 21, 2024) : Mech Sereyrath with "When the Sun Reaches The River";
  • At Phnom Penh Airports (until February 21, 2025): Kem Sovanna with "Landscape Sculpted by Light";
  • At Studio Images - Maison de la Photographie: Soun Sayon with "Decay" (From November 22 to December 10); Mabe Bethônico with "One Traveller After Another" from December 10 to January 10).