Temple Reference Photos, Photographed Stone by Stone

Five building traditions, not one "temple look"

A generic "Asian temple" is easy to spot in a painting or a game level. The roof line, the material and the layout are wrong for any real place. Each tradition in this collection has its own rules:

• Khmer stone temples (Cambodia and Thailand). Sandstone and laterite towers, galleries around inner yards, and carved lintels. The Khmer Many Faces Ancient Temple pack (282 photos) shows the 12th-century towers covered in calm stone faces. The Five Tower Hindu Brick Temple (196 photos, Surin, Thailand) shows how brick and sandstone were combined in the same structure.
• Thai Buddhist temples. The Temple of Dawn Pagoda Complex in Bangkok (259 photos) documents towers covered in coloured porcelain. The Monastery of a Thousand Kilns in Chiang Mai (333 photos) is one of the few original wooden temples still standing, built in 1489.
• Chinese, Confucian and Taoist temples. Curved tiled roofs, painted beams and roof figures. See the Taiwanese Confucius Temple in Yilan (165 photos, with interior and drone views) and Buddhist Temples in China, 501 photos shot in Fujian.
• Balinese Hindu temples. The Hindu Mossy Temple (216 photos) has thick straw roofs, statues, fountains and carved panels.
• Nepalese temples and stupas. The Monkey Temple Stupa pack (192 photos) shows the large white stupa on its hill above Kathmandu and the many small shrines and statues around it.

Plan a whole site, then zoom into one carving

Temple packs are large because a temple is a layout, not a single facade. The Naga Gate Khmer Temple Complex has 504 photos that move from the entrance structures through the inner yard to the central tower. That sequence helps a level designer understand how a visitor approaches the sanctuary. It helps a concept artist place gates, steps and walls in the right order.

The same packs also stop at the details: door frames, balustrades, statue bases and weathered carved blocks. Most Khmer packs were shot on a Sony A7C at 6000 × 4000. For a smaller scope, the Nepalese Small Temple Reconstruction pack (42 photos, $4.99) shows a Kathmandu temple being rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake. It is useful if you need to show a temple's structure from the inside.

Many of these are active places of worship

Several temples in this collection are in daily use. Monks, worshippers and visitors are part of these places. In Mixed packs, photos with identifiable people are kept in a separate Editorial folder. The Angkor Wat pack, for example, has around 20 such photos. You can use them as reference for your own artwork. You can't reproduce them directly in ads or on products for sale. Every other photo in a Commercial or Mixed pack can be used in nearly any project.

Used by working artists

3D educator Anton Tenitsky used the Angkor Temple pack, 300 photos of the Angkor complex shot by a different photographer, so you can compare two views of the same site. If you want the overgrown, rediscovered version of these sites, see our jungle temple ruins. For Roman, Greek and Silk Road sites, see ancient ruins reference photos.

Frequently asked questions

Which pack should I start with for Angkor-style architecture?

Start with the Angkor Wat Ancient Temple Complex for galleries and inner yards, and the Khmer Many Faces pack for the face towers. For a smaller budget, the Orange Khmer Ancient Temple has 127 photos of a richly carved 10th-century temple for $9.99.

Do the packs include interiors?

Many do, where photography was allowed. The Taiwanese Confucius Temple and the White Multi Stupa Buddhist Temple (134 photos, Bangkok) both include interiors. Each product page describes what the pack covers.

Are there night photos for lighting reference?

Yes. The Thean Hou Chinese Temple at Night pack (260 photos, Kuala Lumpur) and the White Buddha Stupa at Night (110 photos, Bangkok) show how lanterns and floodlights fall on roofs, walls and statues.

Can I model a temple in 3D for a game level?

Yes. The license allows you to build your own 3D models and textures from the photos. Use the wide layout shots to block out the level, then the close-ups of carved blocks for textures and trim. You can't resell the photos or the packs themselves.