Yes please!
October 2009.
One Utama.
Minolta X700 + Minolta MD 50/1.7 + Lucky SHD 100 + her first teppanyaki.
Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | 0 comments
The Fall of The Wall
20 years ago, the people of East and West Berlin tore down the wall that separated their city. Imagine living in Sentul but not able to go to Cheras. Imagine Cheras as a different city, in a different country.
Imagine it goes on for 28 years.
There is a Berlin Wall inside the mind of each and every one of us, constructed by our own prejudice against those we see different, whatever that might be.
Ossi, Wessi, Communist, Capitalist, Fascist, Muslim, Christian, Jews, Melayu, Cina, India, Iban, Serani, whatever.
Let's tear down that Berlin Wall.
In the words of JFK:
"Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner'... All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner!'
Well Jack, Ich bin ein Berliner.
Wir sind alle Berliner.
Now let's tear down that wall.
Posted on Monday, November 09, 2009 | 4 comments
The opera by the harbour
Where women glow and men plunder.
Late September 2009.
Not Sydney.
Minolta X700 + Minolta MD 50/1.7 + magnifying glass + Amirul Hafidz.
Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 | 5 comments
Our Swing
October 2009.
Lafarge Quarters, Rawang.
Minolta X700 + Minolta MD 50/1.7 + Lucky Film SHD 100 - You and me.
Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 | 0 comments
Former
10 September 2009.
That dark corridor towards the photo studio.
Nikon D40 kit + Adobe Lightroom + Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 | 0 comments
Horizon
Early October 2009.
Alfonso's Prize.
Nikon D40 kit + Benjamin Ujang + Adobe Lightroom + Admiration of Monsieur Daguerre's art.
Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 | 0 comments
The City
There was an accident today while I was in Cheras. I didn't see what happened but there was a large crowd there. It could possibly be a gunfight, a snatch theft, a demonstration gone wrong but no, it couldn't be. It's definitely an accident. I'm sure of this.The streets of Kuala Lumpur have always amazed me. Every road, every little street, every corner you take, you'll still get to where you're going. Some are further, some are jam-packed but it gets the job done nonetheless.
People say you don't know how to curse until you know how to drive. One the road we are all every one else's fool, bastard, fucker, babi, anak haram and setan. That is the one thing we share. You can't never be perfect. Sometimes you are too slow, sometimes you are too fast, sometimes you don't signal, sometimes you signal too early. There's always something for someone to complain.
I am reckless. I can only imagine what the other drivers are calling me.
Kuala Lumpur is a very romantic place for me. Have you ever stopped for a while and give that name, Kuala Lumpur an honest thought. Kuala. Lumpur. It kinda sound weird don't you think? Our neighbour's capital, Jakarta means victory, Bangkok's official name, Krung Thep Mahanakhon means The City of Angels. If our city is founded in this age and time, no way they're going to call it Kuala Lumpur. It'll probably be Kelang Perdana or some other fancy adjectives like those that grace the many Damansaras.
We suck at naming places nowadays. How could we change the colourful and dramatic Batang Berjuntai to Bestari Jaya. Bestari Jaya of all things. Just because there's a university there.
So why are we content with a city with mud in its name? Familiarity I guess. Say it often and it'll lose its meaning. Here's a little trivia; before Merdeka, Taiping went head on with Kuala Lumpur in bidding to become the Federation's capital. Taiping lost. It then went on to lose another bid against Ipoh to become Perak's capital. It then lived a happy life as 'the retiree's town', simple and pleasant.
If Taiping somehow trounced Kuala Lumpur in becoming the capital, can you imagine how the country is now? The mighty Klang Valley would be a footnote, replaced by the Kinta Valley. Yes, sure Taiping is outside of Kinta Valley but the same goes for Klang Valley, enlarged beyond its geographical boundaries.
I used to read and collect issues after issues of KLue magazine. This was back when I lived in that small town of Kuala Kangsar. I was that small town kid dreaming of the life in the big city, imagining this and that. What I love about the magazine was the last page (then, I'm not sure about now; haven't picked it up for so long) there will be an interview with the movers and shakers of the city.
My favourite question: What does being a KLite means to you.
Of course, the magazine isn't going to interview me but to me, I want to believe that being a KLite, is more of a state of mind.
Why?
Posted on Sunday, November 01, 2009 | 0 comments
Kuala Lumpur
I love this city.
A repost.
Boxing day 2008.
LRT, Sentul Timur-bound.
Nikon D40 kit + Adobe Lightroom + Curious fellow commuters.
Posted on Monday, October 26, 2009 | 2 comments
About 25 years ago
Mak and abah, in a mall somewhere in Americuh.This photo reminds me of old old daguerreotypes when photography was taking its baby steps. You know, those old old photos of Abe Lincoln, General Lee, the time where people don't smile in photos.
You know why they don't smile in daguerreotypes? Because they had to pose for up to 30 minutes. Those who posed standing up sometimes wear braces behind their backs to support the body. Who could bear smiling for 30 minutes?
Aren't we lucky, with our ISO 3200s, ƒ1.8 and strobing flashes?
I'm picky about quality, picture quality, audio quality, video quality. Those are up there alongside ergonomics when I'm researching on getting myself a gear. I'm very happy that I have the tools that are capable of getting the quality I crave for. I hope the same to everyone.
Invest getting a nice camera. Invest some time understanding how it works and how to get the best out of it.
We live in the Information Age, those informations are all around us, begging to be consumed.
Don't let your kids childhood be a bunch of pixelated mess from your handphone. It don't matter if you have a thousand of those. It's not quantity, it's quality.
Convenience is good, and yes, the best camera is the one you have with you. We've come a long way from having to stand 30 minutes to take a photo with a big bulky camera that took an hour to set up. Make sure you balance out all that convenience with a kick ass quality.
Think of how hard Daguerre and Niepce, the fathers of photography worked to capture photos.
Better yet, think of how our great granddads and our granddads, never having their photo taken and never taken a photo.
And imagine, the look on the face of your kids, some 30 years from now looking at photos of their childhood and the photos of your youth discussing about how much have changed.
Now imagine the look on your face. Some things never change.
Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 | 1 comments
Books, chickenpox and all else
I've been picking up a few book to read recently. Years have passed since I last read a good book. Last week I was at Borders Times Square and gotten myself Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis with a nice 30% discount. I've became interested with Kafka after knowing and enjoying most things Kafkaesque, which makes me feel stupid not to know Kafka.Other than that, I've been re-reading Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. I got half way through with it the last time before life got in the way and to continue on from where I left is kinda confusing as I can't quite remember what was going on.
Apart from both books, I'm waiting for Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol to come out in paperback. You know, whatever people say about him, he writes good stories. Intriguing. I for one is someone who watches The History Channel, a lot, and this sorta thing is my cup of tea.
Being down with chickenpox this week gave me the opportunity to watch all sorta movies on TV that I wouldn't usually watch, like Jane Austen Book Club. Or some B-rated horror slasher thriller that doesn't make sense. Much of it I owe to the heavy fever and the ache on my body that makes the 2 steps to the remote control a very painful thought.
All my life, up to last weekend, I thought that chickenpox is the English language equivalent to the Malay demam campak so I was surprised when the doctor cheerfully announced that the spots on my body were because of chickenpox. So now I know, chickenpox is cacar air; demam campak is measles. And knowing is half the battle.
Anyway, being indoors all week is starting to annoy me much. I really want to go out soon and snap away that roll of Lucky films in my Minolta and hopefully, get lucky shots.
Hope you have it good, whatever it is you're doing.
Posted on Friday, October 23, 2009 | 1 comments
