honorable mention
Carol Hamcke-Onstwedder united kingdom
Photo © Carol Hamcke-Onstwedder
title
Tonle Sap: A Fisherman's Life
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entry description
Tonle Sap is a unique environment in Cambodia. This lake's water levels are totally dependent on the flow of the Mekong. River. The upper Mekong has been dammed up as part of China's hydro-power plans to provide energy to its citizens. As a result, the seasonal ebbs and flows are manmade and are negatively impacting the normal life cycles of the fish population. Historically Tonle Sap was brimming with fish species, a biodiversity gem. According to locals, the supply and variety of fish has halved since the opening of the dams in the upper reachers of the Mekong. These fisherman and their families depend on the richness of the fishing , and so has impacted their livelihoods. These images capture the day to day life of the people in Kampong during the low water season in Tonle Sap.about the photographer
Carol has been photographing since an Instamatic camera was given to her at age 6. She is heavily influenced by her public policy and development studies background when she travels to photograph the impacts of development policies, for example, Madagascar: Stark Contrasts. Carol photographs nature in all its beauty, from big landscape views to the details of a leaf. She also loves to photograph people, from street captures to portraits and daily life. She is always pushing boundaries and challenging herself to produce emotive or story-telling images.back to gallery
