Subscribe Now! National Geographic Magazine $15
Visit our Online Shops

Sign up for free

Newsletters

Once a month
get new photos
and expert tips.

Photo of the Day

June 04, 2001

 

Photo: Angkor Thom Monks

Angkor Thom Monks, Cambodia, 1968

Photograph by Wilbur E. Garrett

"Ghostlike faces surround two saffron-robed Buddhist monks in a window of the extravagantly carved Bayon, central temple of Angkor Thom. Here, in northwestern Cambodia, rise the splendid temples of the Khmer kings, ancient rulers of Southeast Asia. Not only does the architectural grandeur speak of a brilliant civilization; complex canals, reservoirs, and ponds—some still in use—reveal a remarkable system of irrigation, forerunner of the Mekong Project."

—From "The Mekong: River of Terror and Hope," December 1968, National Geographic magazine

 

Related Features

Photo: Digital camera back

Ask a National Geographic Photographer

Every month, National Geographic staff photographer Mark Thiessen answers your photography questions—and spills the secrets behind the shots.

Photo: People riding elephants across river

Photo Gallery: India

From snake charmers to sacred shrines, explore the beauty of India’s people and landscapes in this gallery images from the bustling, bourgeoning South Asian nation.

Photo: Camel in front of pyramids

Photo Gallery: Egypt

Cross the vast Sahara, float down the legendary Nile, and climb the mysterious pyramids with this collection of pictures from one of the most fascinating places on Earth.

Photo of the Day Categories:

Special Advertising Section

Photo: Puerto Escondido

Mexico via Pacifico

Find unusual vacation spots and journey through Mexico.

Photo: Road sign

Signspotting

Take a tour of the world's quirkiest signs.

Photo Tip of the Week

Don't leave a long lens pointed directly into the sun for too long; you run the risk of burning a hole in the shutter just the way a magnifying lass can set a piece of paper on fire.

New Photo Books From National Geographic

Photo: Planet Ocean book cover

Own the latest images from our world-renowned photographers!

Photography Guides

Photo: Ultimate Field Guide book cover

Guides by National Geographic photographers.