20 NOVEMBER 2013 - BATTAMBANG TO KAMPONG CHHNANG: 138KM

For the first time in six days the crew awoke to the sounds of silence -- and not a cowpat in sight!  The lovely Maisons Wat Kor offered a peaceful night’s sleep in an oasis of calm and serenity, a much needed respite for all.  Determined to meet his minimum commitment of swimming, running and cycling a total of 675km, Sam decided to make up for lost time the previous two days by covering a total distance of 138km in one day.  So today was about pounding the tarmac -- cycling and running the highway in scorching temperatures that hit over 90 degrees by midday.

Not losing sight of the bigger picture, Sam swapped his usual orange T-shirt for a purple one bearing the slogan 'Stop Human Trafficking Before It Starts’, a sobering reminder that there are an estimated 29.8 million people in modern slavery today. (Global Slavery Index, UN Gift, 2013).

En route out of town, urban life rumbled by as Sam resolutely ran and cycled at intervals.  Honking trucks and tooting motorcyclists whizzed past, along with giggling school children on over-sized bikes and chattering women selling their wares from bicycle stalls.  Traditional brick-making kilns sat roadside next to cell towers, along with

rice factories, technology companies and water buffaloes grazing in roadside paddies.  All of this while a man in a purple T-shirt simultaneously swerved and greeted Cambodian life as it happens on the road.

The road was literally rough today and the coarse pavement caused Sam to tear through four bicycle tubes and two tires. This made repair stops mandatory and dictated that Sam run during the hot midday hours.  One of the crew cars peeled off and stopped to investigate repair options. New tire supplies were on their way from Phnom Penh but an intermediary solution was necessary in order to make sure Sam could put mileage on without interruption.

What to do? Anyone who has the pleasure of spending time in South East Asia can attest to the brilliant ingenuity that can emerge from the most unassuming of repair shops, and minutes after our car arrived at a tiny roadside tire stall we had assessment and action.  One of our damaged tubes was stretched, submerged and fixed in a matter of minutes to the tune of $1 in repair costs.

During one of Sam's pitstops he formed a particularly poignant connection with a shop owner's family.  Struck by the dignity and apparent closeness of the three generations of women, from the 75 year-old grandmother to her five-year old granddaughter, Sam was reminded of the

importance for girls especially to receive the support and guidance of their elders in a country where so many young people are at risk of trafficking.

Sam powered on well into the night, finishing the day by running a total of 21km and cycling 117km.  After more than 18 hours on the road, the team tented in the sprawling Wat Thommanon Whan pagoda in Kampong Chhnang.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Meghan Shea and Gaynor Fitzgibbon

*In the Khmer language, the term barang has also come to mean a foreigner, particularly one of European ancestry.

19 NOVEMBER 2013 - CHROK CHONG OURET TO BATTAMBANG: 105KM

True to form, the indigenous wake-up calls continued.   Having unknowingly set our tents squarely in the middle of a barnyard, we awoke with a menagerie in our midst; one that cockle-doodle-doo-ed, crowed and grunted throughout the night and into the dawn.  And as the rain poured down during the early morning hours, ee prepared to reunite with Sam.  When Sam arrived, we celebrated by circling the wagons and calling to order a major routine re-evaluation.   The rains had worsened our course to the point where continuing on was called into question. However, after a laborious debate, the group decided to proceed forward and stay with the previously planned routing.

A mere 150m after we enacted this plan, we came upon a newly-formed pond that made our pass untenable.  Forced to call an audible, we needed to about-face.  Our only option was to retreat and face the terrain that we had painstakingly covered the day before (!@#$%).

The Devil That You Know

We set out to cross the very same terrain that we had suffered through -- and conquered -- the day before.

Tackling it on foot, the crew made a rare appearance on the trail and kept stride with Sam, walking along side him during this 8-hour retrace.  The rivers and gullies swelled with new rainwater, enveloping our lower halves as we plodded through the wetlands.

We had a brief moment of respite, fresh water and a brief lunch at Kampong Lapov before we made our way back to navigable roads.  Sam was hungry to make up for lost mileage and hit the road hard, riding 80km and running a total of 26km, wrapping up today’s mileage at 105km.

The team beds down in Battambang (again) and recalibrates for the long journey south to Sihanoukville that begins in the morning.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Meghan Shea

18 NOVEMBER 2013 - BATTAMBANG TO KAMPONG LAPOR / CHROK CHONG OURET: 40KM

Our Home for the Night

Our morning wake-up calls have become signature indicators of the day to come; today was no exception.  The rains heaved down upon us throughout the night, thundering into the morning and making our first introduction to the Cambodian rainforests a wet one.  A local family had hosted us for the evening and housed our tightly packed nest of tents between the stilts of their jungle farmhouse.  The father of the household explained that he had moved to the Cardamom region from Kampot in search of arable and available land.  While the surroundings presented the imagery of an idyllic farm, these fields were punctuated with red signs and unmistakable terms: Danger! Land Mines. Although significant work has been done to clear the area of mines, they still exist and are gruesome reminders of the continued living legacy of the Khmer Rogue Regime.

Mud Wrestling

Sam began his journey today by bicycle, heading onto village roads that had been softened and muddied by the overnight rains.  At the onset, the unpaved roads were slick

and barely passable, and after 15km on the bike he switched to running so he could continue plodding on.  As the day progressed, the roads worsened and, in fact, the term "road" quickly became an overstatement.  The terrain devolved into mud pathways, pitted with ravines and rivulets.  This created great difficulty for Sam and the support crews’ 4WD vehicles.  While Sam pushed through on foot, the rest of our caravan had tremendous problems making headway in the ever-evolving environs.

The Team Splits-Up

Due to the difficult terrain, Sam traveled an alternate route in an effort to make his journey easier to pass.  While he slogged through on foot, the caravan faced-off against the mountains.  The landscape was so unruly that the human foot proved a better tool than the Land Cruisers, and Sam outpaced our vehicles by hours.  The mismatch of pacing and opaque communications created a stressful and lonely afternoon with each crew facing the challenges separately.

What initially began as a strategic 4WD off-roading session for the support crew quickly devolved into a series of drive and rescue missions.  Countless times our wheels spun into oblivion and we fishtailed our way through the mud.  The only way our vehicles could make any traction was to be

pulled by local farm tractors.  With the help of the local John Deere’s and relic Fords, we were towed as our cars became a literal deadweight behind the machines that dregged us through the swamps and gullies.  The pace that the support crew was able to achieve was a mind-numbing 1km an hour.  While the support crew inched along, Sam lapped us, unaware of our increasingly serious delay.

Coordinating with local villagers and adventure race organizers, it was with great relief that we were finally able to contact Sam shortly after the sun set.

Because of the distance between our crews and the danger in traveling the "roads" at night, our crew made the decision to sleep in separate locations.  Had it not been for the ingenuity of our tractor team or the kindness of the local villagers who helped us locate Sam, today’s journey would have been impossible.

We humbly record 40km of travel for the day and are thankful for a dry place to lay our heads.

Tomorrow we reunite!!

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Meghan Shea

17 NOVEMBER 2013 - WAT BEUNG AMPEUL TO SAMLAUT TASIGN: 115KM

When the drum beats, the monks rise, and with them Sam and team.  Day 4 saw Sam make a head start by setting off on foot a full hour before the rest of the crew, since he was eager to get on the road.  After a heavy early morning rainfall the earth was sodden but the air cool, which meant a pleasant run for the first leg of today’s journey, and perhaps a chance for a little solitary contemplation for our man. With a total distance to cover of just over 111km it was going to be a long road ahead.

At 25km, Sam switched his running shoes for wheels to cover the remaining 27km to Pailin, a town with little to recommend it save for its notoriety as a Khmer refuge and high statistics for trafficked victims, in part due to its proximity to the Thai border.  However, the town has grown up around a magnificent temple, Phnom Yat Temple that sits at the foot of a small mountain, hence its Khmer name Phnom, meaning mountain.  The sights en route painted a variety of pictures: misty mountain vistas, rolling patchwork hills, tapioca and corn fields and paths of sliced cassava fruit drying by the roadside.  It was breathtaking and even more so when one contemplated the juxtaposition of the city’s complex recent history against the physical beauty of

the landscape.  A nod to this recent history were the signboards that dotted the roadsides which read: ‘Landmine Cleared Area’, a caption which left no one complacent.

Pailin and lunch covered, it was time to set off for what was to be the most arduous leg of the journey for Sam.  Two trucks and one cyclist headed into the mountain foothills, lush green undulating forest, dotted with wooden tin-roof houses painted in soft hues of pinks, greens, blues and the occasional bright yellow.  Smiling children sprinting out of houses to wave and barking dogs running alongside had Sam simultaneously delighted and swerving out of the way.  The cross-country route taken was muddy, wet and full of deep pit holes.  Though drenched with sweat and mud spray, Sam still managed to give his thoughts to others, asking all of us “How are you?”; astonishing thoughtfulness, from a man under strenuous circumstances.  Watching Sam stand on his peddles, determined to remain on his bike as he climbed steep, muddy, rutted hills, all the rest of us could do was hope that the cool mountain air offered Sam a little relief.

By 7pm, nearly 13 hours on-the-go and with darkness falling, Sam continued pedaling.  Though he had intended to run more, the road was simply too bad.  How does one

man push himself to keep on moving when most would have given up after the first muddy hole?  Sam admitted the route was tough and he needed to draw on inspiration from a variety of sources to stay motivated.  Keeping in mind the students of Sala Bai and knowing that one graduate has joined him in this journey (our chef) helps keep his final destination in sight.

As shadows spread, the air brought with it pungent smells of night, cooking over wood fires, smouldering neem leaves to dispel mosquitoes and damp red earth and we pulled into our campsite.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Gaynor Fitzgibbon

16 NOVEMBER 2013 - BAK PREA TO BATTAMBANG: 108.5KM

And so Day 3 began for Sam and team at around 3am when everyone awoke to the cacophony of sound that is life upon the water in the floating village of Bak Prea -- somewhat earlier than the scheduled 5.30am roll call due to some very enthusiastic cockerels.

Following breakfast, a gift of Take the Pledge T-shirts from Sam to the elderly matriarch of the home in which we stayed, and a prayer of thanks to the house spirits for their protection over night, the team jumped on board the barge for the first leg of the day’s journey.  Sam felt pumped and ready for the 108.5km journey -- boating, swimming, running and cycling -- that lay ahead.  Today was all about ‘Cooking’ (Sam’s chosen t-shirt) pledging his support for the students at Sala Bai Hotel and Restaurant School who participate in the 11-month program to become chefs, a training that subsequently sees them enter the kitchens of 4 and 5-star hotels in Siem Reap and beyond.

The next 2.5 hours were spent navigating the water highways of the Tonle Sap and Sangke River, before entering the outskirts of Battambang, the fourth largest tourist destination in Cambodia.

Along the way we witnessed isolated lake dwellings, solitary fisher folk, a variety of waterfowl and treetops barely visible above the surface of the water due to recent monsoon rains.  After an hour or so trudging the muddy waters of the Sangke, Sam made the pragmatic decision to forgo his morning swim.  As our barge chugged upstream past ramshackle villages lining both banks, it soon became apparent that diving into murky brown water that absorbed the ‘life’ of the river would not be wise if it compromised Sam’s health and thus affected the rest of the expedition.

River journey complete, the team disembarked in front of Kdang Knea pagoda, where Sam received a special blessing from the most serene of monks.  Travel spirits appeased and with four trucks loaded to the hilt, Sam made haste to run the 8km to Battambang town, where the production team dived into the nearest Internet café to make the most of the available connectivity.  Following lunch, Sam kicked his heels for a further 6.5km to O Dambong Station where it was all aboard the Bamboo Train.  These low rolling platforms of bamboo slats powered by a small engine, known locally as Nori, threw up a deliciously cool breeze, providing a welcome respite from the rising afternoon heat.  Lush green countryside and pungent wafts of trackside honeysuckle added to the most tranquil of settings.

However, there’s no rest for the passionately committed.  With little time to waste, and as the sun was already setting, Sam got on his bike for the first time in this adventure to cycle 40 km, followed by final run of 11km.

The documentary team of Scott, Mike, Meghan and Gaynor, along with the magnificent Teka and Jasmine from Heritage Adventures and drivers Sovan and Poev, had a little adventure of their own while departing Battambang, when one of their four wheel drive vehicles became heavily entrenched in deep mud.  It soon became clear the vehicle was going neither forwards nor backwards.  Scott and Mike gleefully jumped upon the opportunity to add that little extra nuance to their movie while Meghan unfortunately took one step a little too far and literally got stuck in the mud.  Thankfully, rescue came soon after from a handy length of chord, our spirited drivers and a special touch of magic – a smiling full moon.

It was well into the night before Sam and the rest of the team bedded down in Beung Ampeul Pagoda on the outskirts of Battambang.  Tomorrow we enter Pailin, a town renowned as a refuge for ex-Khmer Rouge and high numbers of human trafficking victims.  Though drenched and tired Sam says, “I’m happy and prepared for the day ahead.”

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Gaynor Fitzgibbon

15 NOVEMBER 2013 - SIEM REAP TO BAK PREA: 100KM

Starting Strong

Spirits were high this morning as Sam bounded out of the Heritage Suites Hotel and headed for the starting line at Angkor Wat.  One would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful and iconic place to begin an adventure than these graceful and mighty temples.  When Sam arrived at Angkor, he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of Sala Bai students and supporters.  This cheering squad had a special long-distance addition, as we were joined by Sam’s mother, Carole McGoun, and her friends.  Donning specially crafted, limited-edition ‘Go Sammy Go’ T-shirts, the group of four traveled all the way from the United States to stand with us today and cheer Sam on.

Their presence today marked one of the significant emotional points of this year’s journey.  During the past year we were deeply saddened at the passing of Sam’s father, Sam McGoun Senior.  Both Carole and Sam senior were present at the finish line of last year’s race and this year Sam’s mother, bolstered by her friends, continued the McGoun tradition of giving Sam on–the-ground support. This committed and vocal entourage helped make for a powerful and emotional launch.

Sam officially started his run on the back roads of the Angkor Wat and was soon joined by Sala Bai students who began running and cycling alongside him.  The students’ athletic gear consisted mainly of their school uniforms and flip-flops, but this did not deter them from pounding the pavement in solidarity with Sam.  With sandals a-flopping, Sam and the students navigated out of the Angkor complex to the Sala Bai school where another round of supporters and high-fives powered Sam on.

A Teeming Temple

Sam continued his run out of Siem Reap taking time to break at a local temple, Wat Chok. Wat Chok hummed with men, women, children, dogs and monks all in a state of preparation for the upcoming Cambodian water festival of Bon Om Touk.  Two-dozen women sat crossed legged on the floor at the entrance of the temple surrounded by piles of bananas leaves, carnations and candles which they were deftly weaving into offerings. After a blessing given by the head monk, Sam continued on his run, clocking in 32km before lunch.

Out to Sea

While this would be enough activity for most, Sam still had the aquatic leg of his journey to complete before nightfall.

Diving into heaving waters of the Tonle Sap, Sam braved currents, floating villages, water traffic and refuse to get his swim in before darkness fell.

Tonight we sleep in the floating village of Bak Prea, and after 12 hours on the road, the gentle rocking of tonight’s’ accommodation in a floating house will undoubtedly bring sleep with great efficiency.

And we have only just begun...

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Meghan Shea

The Adventure Begins Anew

Laden with 17 bags of gear, bicycles, and bountiful well wishes for safe travels, our crew left Singapore and touched down in Siem Reap, prepped and ready for the second round of cross-Cambodian adventures.

Over the next eight days we will follow Sam McGoun, as he runs, bikes, swims and kayaks over 845km across the Cambodian countryside.  This is a one-man tour de force aimed at raising funds and awareness for the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School and human trafficking prevention.

This year, Sam's route will take him from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville, metaphorically following the year-long journey of a Sala Bai student, from their education on through to their graduation.

More about About Sala Bai

For over a decade, Salan Bai has been offering tuition-free hospitality training to 100 impoverished young Camobodians annually.  Their mission is to provide their students with the capabilities and experience necessary -- in one of four disciplines: restaurant service, cooking, front office and housekeeping -- to secure gainful employment in one of Siem Reap's numerous hotels, guesthouses or restaurants. Their students’ training, and their resulting

employment breaks the cycle of poverty, improves their long term quality of life, and prevents human trafficking before it starts by providing them with a strong economic future.

The Pledge is Made

Minutes after touching down in Cambodia, Sam addressed 100 Sala Bai students, for whom this run is inspired by and dedicated to.  Speaking directly to them in a warm and intimate launch ceremony, Sam spoke about the importance of programs like Sala Bai in human trafficking prevention models and the commitment he has made along with Touch Sala Bai and numerous others to seeing this model enhanced and continued, both in Cambodia and around the world.

In a powerful closing statement, Sam officially initiated Take the Pledge, a campaign aimed at combating human trafficking by making it easy for people to understand what human trafficking is, why it occurs and what we all can to do prevent it.  This eight day peregrination is Sam’s personal manifestation of this pledge.

The terrain ahead will include the Angkor Wat temples, ancient pagodas, floating villages, the Cardamon Mountains and, mostly likely, a heavy of dose of monsoon rain.

The Route

Day 1: 15 Nov - Siem Reap - Bak Prea

Day 2: 16 Nov - Bak Prea - Wat Beung Ampeul

Day 3: 17 Nov - Wat Beung Ampeul - Samlaut Tasign

Day 4: 18 Nov - Kampong Lapov - Veal Veaeng

Day 5: 19 Nov - Osom - Cardamom Mountain - Koh Kong

Day 6: 20 Nov - Koh Kong - Mangrove - Tropeng Rung

Day 7: 21 Nov - Tropeng Rung - Veal Renh

Day 8: 22 Nov - Veal Renh - Sihanoukville

Stay tuned to see how Sam and the team weather...the weather, the distance, and a tiny crew car.

Donate to support Sam, Sala Bai and the fight against human trafficking.

Watch 'A Step Between', a short documentary film that chronicles Sam's 2012 Cross-Cambodia Journey through the voice of one courageous human trafficking survivor.

And learn how Sala Bai empowers Cambodia's most impoverished young women to obtain employment in Siem Reap's growing hospitality industry in 'Khatna's Journey: A Sala Bai Story'.

- Meghan Shea

The John Walker & Sons Voyager -- the beautiful 1920s-inspired yacht celebrating the release of the John Walker & Sons Odyssey whisky -- has now completed its round the world journey, having traveled thousands of nautical miles from Shanghai, through Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe, to it's final port of call in Edinburgh.

It has been many months since my travel and photography television series, Around The World With Voyager, concluded on the HISTORY Channel.  And since then I've been busy with other endeavours -- including hosting another creative photography project that will launch online soon -- and I've had an opportunity to reflect on the experience.

As a keepsake of my adventure, my good friend David Flood over at Persistent Productions put together this fantastic highlight reel of my time hosting the series.

It's been fantastic for me to relive this experience through David's video edit, and it makes me thankful for the unique opportunity The Moving Visuals Company and The HISTORY Channel provided me to step out from behind my lens and appear in front of it instead.

As I've expressed to anyone who's asked, hosting the series was a challenging transition for me to make, especially as I

still maintained all photography responsibilities throughout production.  It was a steep learning curve for me, but I absolutely enjoyed the experience and demands of bringing these two worlds together in Around The World With Voyager.

Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of my job was meeting the five icons: chef Sean Anson Xu (徐安昇) in Taipei, action star and movie director/producer Stephen Fung Tak-Lun (馮德倫) in Hong Kong, film director Brillante Mendoza in Manila, fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore in Jodhpur and musical talent, Mỹ Linh in Hanoi.  It was a privilege to learn about their lives and document their personal journeys by photographing a series of definitive portraits at each of five milestone locations in their respective cities.

I feel fortunate to have experienced hosting a television series, but even more to have met and spent time with each of these remarkable people.  The highlight reel that David made for me is a wonderful keepsake of the time I spent together with these personalities, exploring their cities through their eyes, and making photographs of them in each of these interesting and meaningful locations.

Visit my website to see all my portraits from Around The World With Voyager.

Earlier this year I learned of a project called 'The Other Hundred', a unique photographic, not-for-profit endeavour aimed as a counterpoint to the clichéd lists of the wealthy and powerful canonized in so much of our media today.

Conceived by Chandran Nair, Founder and CEO of the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), a Hong Kong-based social venture think tank dedicated to trying to reshape the rules of global capitalism, the big idea behind 'The Other Hundred' was to share the stories of people around the world who are not rich or famous, but whose lives and achievements still deserve to be celebrated.

Explains Nair, “The implication [of those rich lists created by mainstream media] is that being rich is the only way to succeed or live a life of meaning.  The reality is that the majority of the people in the world are not rich and we wanted to tell their side of the story."

I was struck by the concept and mission and immediately decided to submit some of my photography for consideration.  Drawing inspiration from the work that I had done with The Chain Reaction Project in Timor-Leste, I decided to send a collection of imagery I made in the capital city of Dili a few years ago.

My photograph of a young, joyous Timorese woman was selected as one of the 100 featured photo stories (gathered from more than 11,000 images captured in 158 countries and submitted by nearly 1,500 photographers from around the world).  “We received thousands of submissions from photographers of beautiful photos...  But we didn’t want beauty.  We wanted people’s stories,’’ elaborated Nair, adding, ‘’We wanted to demonstrate what success should look like, what prosperity should look like -- this isn’t an anti-rich display by any means... The book is designed to challenge our perceptions of what prosperity really is.’’

Chandran Nair recently appeared on CNN where he spoke of (among other things) 'The Other Hundred' and encouraged people to "look at the world in a different way".

An exhibition of the 'The Other Hundred' photography recently premiered in Hong Kong and will be traveling around the world -- visiting Singapore, Mumbai, Beijing, Berlin, Istanbul, Dubai and New York -- in the months ahead.

'The Other Hundred' is available for purchase on Amazon and at fine booksellers worldwide.

It is not often that I collaborate with another photographer when shooting an advertising campaign.  And it's certainly never occurred when the other photographer and I are located on separate continents, we have never met, nor have we ever spoken.  But this was the case with Johnnie Walker's 'Join The Pact' campaign that I created together (yet separately) with British photographer Leo Cackett in China and the UK respectively.

As part of Johnnie Walker's sponsorship of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One Team, global creative innovation agency Iris Worldwide is tasked with developing the brand's 'Join The Pact' campaign.  This social responsibility initiative encourages consumers worldwide to join McLaren F1 drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez, along with Johnnie Walker’s Responsible Drinking Ambassador and two-time Formula One World Champion, Mika Häkkinen, in signing a pact to never drink and drive.

My team and I were commissioned to fly to Shanghai this past April to photograph Mika standing in front of a Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and a McLaren MP4-C12 on a pier in Pudong.  The brief was technically and logistically intricate, as lighting and photographing cars -- particularly on location -- always is.  However, because Button and Perez were unable to be present at the shoot, we had to

leave space for them in the frame and light the set accordingly, making the shoot all the more challenging.

It was among the largest outdoor sets that I have ever worked on, taking my crew and me more than eight hours to set up and prepare ahead of Häkkinen's arrival that evening. Because he had other sponsorship obligations immediately following our shoot -- he had to film the final scene of Button's 'Ultimate Walk' advertisement with Firecracker Films elsewhere in Shanghai -- I was permitted just twenty minutes to photograph Häkkinen.

A few weeks after I photographed Häkkinen and the cars in Shanghai, Leo shot Button and Perez at McLaren's factory in Woking, England.  The driving duo were then composited into the template my team and I created in China to complete the final 'Join The Pact' advertisement.

The 'Join The Pact' campaign launched globally this week. And last night, Häkkinen and Perez were at Clarke Quay in Singapore for the official media event, which I documented for Johnnie Walker's social media channels.

It was a pleasure to work with Mika Häkkinen, as well as collaborate with Leo, Iris and Firecracker, all of whom worked tirelessly to make this shoot a success.

Browse more of my advertising photography portfolio here.

Credits

Client: Diageo/Johnnie Walker Asia-Pacific

Agency: Iris Worldwide (Singapore)

Creative Director: Grant Hunter

Art Director: Shawn Foo

Account Service: Prema Techinamurthi & Joyce Yee

Production: Ugly Duckling Projects & Firecracker Films

Executive Producer: Annette Fausboll

Photographer's Assistant: Zam

As described on this blog many times, for the past few years my creative partners at Persistent Productions and I have worked closely with our friend, Sam McGoun and the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School in Siem Reap, Cambodia to document the positive work they are doing for some of the country's most disadvantaged youth.

Together Mike Rogers, Meghan Shea and I have created volumes of photographic reportage and documentary film about Sala Bai, a tuition-free hospitality training school, illustrating how they provide students with the education, capabilities and experience necessary to secure gainful employment in one of Siem Reap's countless hotels, guesthouses and restaurants.

Our most recent project with Sala Bai was last year when we followed Sam as he swam, cycled and ran more than 670km across Cambodia to raise funds for Sala Bai and increase awareness about the dangers of human trafficking.

Inspired by the challenges overcome by the students of Sala Bai, Sam’s route across the Kingdom of Wonder followed the actual journey traveled by a former student named Khatna: from her floating village in Mechrey on Tonle Sap Lake, to Sala Bai where she studied in Siem Reap, to her graduation celebration on the sandy beachfront overlooking the Gulf of Thailand in Sihanoukville.

As the photography- and film-making team tasked with chronicling Sam’s odyssey, we documented his every step as he traversed snake-infested lakes and muddy rivers, ran through small dusty villages and pedaled across the glorious countryside of rural Cambodia on his way to raising more than USD$30,000 for Sala Bai.

At the conclusion of each leg we posted on this blog a daily journal and photo essay titled "Reports from the Road". And just recently Mike, Meghan and their extremely talented editor, David Flood, created this short film titled "A Step Between" which provides a candid, intimate look at Sam's cross-Cambodian adventure.

Sam has made a lifelong commitment to fight human trafficking and, in line with his promise, he will once again undertake a cross-Cambodia adventure in November. Mike, Meghan and I will be there to document and encourage Sam every step of the way.

Click here to watch our documentary team turn the cameras on ourselves in a short behind-the-scenes video.

As part of Johnnie Walker's sponsorship of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One Team, global creative innovation agency Iris Worldwide is tasked with developing the brand's 'Step Inside The Circuit' campaign.

Following teammates Jenson Button and Sergio Perez, both on and off the race track, 'Step Inside The Circuit' is designed to offer an intimate glimpse into the glamorous life of an F1 driver.  The campaign's advertisements and exclusive behind-the-scenes short films and photographs showcase the stylish and sophisticated Formula One lifestyle.

Johnnie Walker's 'Circuit Lounge', an exclusive and invitation-only F1 race weekend party series, is undoubtedly a key component of this jet-set lifestyle.

In preparation for the upcoming 2013 Singapore Formula One race weekend, I was commissioned by the Singapore office of Iris Worldwide to photograph the 'Circuit Lounge' key visual.  Working with my fantastic team, we created a series of projection-based photographs of the lovely Liv Lo in a studio here in Singapore.

This campaign rolled-out across Singapore a couple of weeks ago.

Browse more of my advertising photography portfolio here.

Credits

Client: Diageo/Johnnie Walker Asia-Pacific

Agency: Iris Worldwide (Singapore)

Creative Director: Grant Hunter

Art Director: Shawn Foo

Account Service: Prema Techinamurthi & Cheryl Chan

Production: Ugly Duckling Projects

Executive Producer: Annette Fausboll

Producer: Andre Chen

Production Assistant: Quinny

Model: Liv Lo

Styling: Ong Weisheng

Hair & Make-up: Andrea Claire

Photographer's Assistants: Zam & Halid

I was so excited when I learned that I'd be photographing the stunning Ukrainian supermodel Alla Kostromichova for the September 2013 cover of Condé Nast Traveller (Russia) on the remote private island of Song Saa in Southern Cambodia.

And when I arrived on the island -- a pristine tropical hideaway blanketed in virgin rainforest, fringed by white sandy beaches, and surrounded by coral reefs -- I knew it would be a special shoot.  However, I had no idea just how special it would end up being.

The entire team -- an eclectic international mix from Russia, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Canada whom had never met before -- quickly came together as both creative partners and friends.

From the long wooden bridges stretching out across the sea, to the friendly and colourful local fishing village, to the natural waterfall hidden deep in the jungle, every location was a true inspiration.

And Alla herself was an absolute dream to collaborate with and to photograph.

However, we were not without challenges: specifically, it was June and the monsoon season in the Gulf of Thailand was in full swing, which meant we were faced with highly unpredictable weather throughout our time at Song Saa.

The first three days on the island were mostly grey, overcast, and rainy, which caused a significant level of stress for the client, for the crew and, of course, for me.  However, on the actual morning we had scheduled to photograph the cover and fashion feature with Alla, the clouds cleared, the sky turned blue, and the sun shone brightly throughout the entire day.

On rare occasions everything comes together perfectly -- the location, the team, the talent, the weather -- and the photographs seem to almost make themselves.  For me, this CN Traveller shoot was one of those unique experiences.  I can say without equivocation that this was the most amazing fashion photography experience I have ever had.

Visit the following links to see a small collection of candid iPhone outtakes I made during the fashion shoot: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Go behind-the-scenes and see the entire creative team at work here.

And bowse more of my fashion photography portfolio here.

Credits

Client: Condé Nast Traveller (Russia)

Location: Song Saa Private Island

Model: Alla Kostromichova

Art Direction: Anastasia Kostolyndina

Styling: Andrea Wong

Hair & Make-up: Joey Yap

Photographer's Assistant: Zam

Stylist's Assistant: Brenda Mak

D.I. Artist: Agnes Teo

One year ago, my friend Quentin from Qube Studio in Singapore contacted me about photographing a campaign for one of his clients, the Sheraton Towers Singapore. Together, our resepctive teams pulled together a lifestyle advertising shoot consisting of models, wardrobe, props, stylists and more.  And, although I photographed these layouts nearly 12 months ago, it was only a few weeks ago that the ads rolled-out in print media.

As a digital photographer living in the modern age, I am used to instant gratification; seeing my images appear on the screen mere seconds after pressing the shutter has become a regular and expected part of my life.  But, as a commercial photographer, it takes some getting used to when it takes many weeks or even months for my work to be approved, retouched and distributed.

However, no matter how much time passes between making the picture and seeing the final result, I am always transported back to that precise moment when everything came together, I pressed the shutter and created the image.

See more of my advertising work here.

As explained in an earlier blog post, over two years ago a couple of my friends -- Canadian artist Billy Ma and Brazilian model Paula -- and I worked together on a personal photography project we called "Raw".  Part of this creative undertaking involved shooting a large collection of artistic nude portraits, many of which were never used in our project.  These photographs were filed away on a hard drive and forgotten about, until I stumbled across them once again last year.  I was immediately taken by the simplicity and beauty of the images and felt inspired to "do something" with these portraits.

Recalling British artist Nikki Farquharson's strikingly beautiful mixed media work -- where she integrates photographers' imagery into her own hand-inked custom pop art -- I felt inspired to take a chance and send her a message enquiring about an cross-continental creative collaboration.  Remarkably, Nikki wrote me back almost immediately.  And, since that day nearly 18 months ago, Nikki and I have been partnering on creating "Gaia", a four image series that takes my nude photography of Paula, and wraps her in Nikki's delightful abstract interpretation of the classical Greek elements of Air, Fire, Earth and Water.

Nikki has been wonderful at documenting her work and using her Instagram account to keep me updated on her

painstaking and delicate manual progress.  Today Nikki sent me a link to her blog that shows her work-to-date, along with a short message informing me that she had completed inking the elements and was now ready to move onto incorporating my photographs into her colourful custom artwork.

Nikki's art is simply stunning, and there aren't words for me to express how excited and proud I am to be collaborating with such a talented and dedicated artist.  I cannot wait to share our finished "Gaia" series with everyone soon.