A Depiction of Life

The Second Chapter

2008-12-07T22:30:00.005+08:00

Announcement.

I have shifted.
Here's my new Flickr.

Reasons?
I'm currently using a Canon EOS 450D with the 18-55mm IS Kit Lens.

My old Canon Powershot A430 is dead (again). It was this little camera that allows me to explore the basics of photography. Slowly, the passion grows. And now, it's time to move on....

The Lion City

2008-07-02T19:57:00.009+08:00

The following photos were taken during my recent trip to Singapore. I went there with my sister, Carol and friend Jason who owns an Olympus DSLR.

And now I've realized that I NEED A DSLR if I'm ever going to capture better photos T.T
Owh well....

Bugis Junction

Spiral

Glorious Monument #1

Glorious Monument #2

Esplanade Theatre

City

Merlion Statue

Esplanade Theatre at Night

Reflection

The Holy Altar

St. Joseph Church

Bird Paradise

2008-02-09T15:18:00.000+08:00

It's been a very, VERY long while since I've managed to capture a SERIES of good shots with my camera. The last time I had was during the Inter-Campus Gathering in Penang, October 2007. Since then, I was kinda frustrated. My photos did not live up to my personal expectations. I somehow felt that my creativity and skills were gone. At one point, I even considered quitting this hobby of mine. Owh yeah, that's the "emo" me. Huhu...

Anyway, I've recently visited the KL Bird Park. This time around, I am very happy and satisfied with the result. After such a long wait, I felt that my "inspiration" is finally back! :)

Owh, by the way, this is an example of how a compact camera can be more versatile than a DSLR : Most of the birds were kept in steel cages. A normal DSLR lens would never fit in through the gaps! Huhu.. I did take some risks though; my camera was almost attacked twice!

Aightz , here are the photos. Feel free to drop by your comments ya :)

Parrot #1

Parrot #2

Playing with the Fingers

An Odd Red-Coloured Bird

A Beautiful Peacock

Untitled at the moment

Trapped

Eagle

Sharp Eye

King Hornbill (my personal favourite)

Road Trip

2008-01-10T19:19:00.000+08:00

The following photos were taken during my recent road trip with my friends.

Rafflesia

Kinabalu Pine Resort

Grasshoppers

ICG : Penang

2007-11-26T12:27:00.000+08:00

Hai guys! I'm back from a long hiatus!

The reason I haven't been updating this blog is because of my busy schedule in campus. Compared to last semester, I have less opportunities to play with my camera. And even if I've managed to get some good shots, I don't have the mood to update here. It's the post-hectic syndrome in campus, hehe.

Quick update for this semester: My camera lens was mysteriously damaged during the Langkawi Field Trip in September. I use the term "mysteriously" because I have no freaking idea how it happened. As far as I'm concerned, I don't remember dropping the camera on water or hard surface. Anyway, I was left with 2 options:
a) Get a new compact camera, semi-D or Nikon DSLR
b) Get the old one repaired

In the end, I ended up with the latter option. I've decided that my maximum budget would be RM200 for repair, or else I'll get a new one. And guess what? When the quotation was released, I was informed that it would cost me tepat-tepat Rm200. Hoho...

I would love to have my own semi-D/DSLR, but at this point of time, I'm not sure whether I'm willing to invest rm2000+ on a camera, while I can use the money to buy lots of other stuffs. Like PsP, new handphone, new dekstop PC, graphic card, branded shoes, shirts, jeans and the list goes on...

So yeah. I do have passion for photography, but I'm still an amateur hobbyist. I'm not ready to spend such a large sum of money on it yet. Perhaps once I've gotten a job, hehehe.

Besides that, I'm happy with the pictures produced by my Canon Powershot A430. Well, at least for a basic compact camera. Especially with the super macro mode. Even Mellissa agrees with me on this! *grins* Yes, there are certain limitations. I can't manually adjust the aperture and focus point. Well, I'll just have treat that as a challenge to my photographing skills :P

Anyway, my first semester in Undergrade Years is officially over! So here, I'm posting up the pictures taken at the Inter-Campus Gathering (ICG) held in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. Enjoy.

At the Bus Station

Ferry

Parish Center #1

Parish Center #2

Church of St. Anne, Penang

Fire Fall Down

Saint Michael the Archangel

Admin Block

The Bell Tower

P/s: Shish... after being away from the camere for a while, I think I need too brush up my skills again. Wish me luck!!

For the Love of Bugs

2007-07-03T20:24:00.000+08:00

Last Monday, I came to the Kinabalu National Park with my family members. It's my second time visiting the site for an amazing photography session. There, I finally discovered that I'm actually in love with bugs and insects! Okay, that JUST doesn't sound right huh? AHahaHa...

This is where it all started; my first time experimenting with photography, accompanied by Jay. I can still clearly remember how I was very much intrigued with macro shot of bugs (don't get me wrong, I still hate those annoying mosquitoes and flies). When I arrived here again, I experienced the exact feeling of excitement. Well, pity my sisters, they waited for an hour before I completed my photo hunt!

Imagine, how one can easily ignore such a little creature in the wild outdoor. At first glance, I agree that bugs are boring. But try to look closer. I mean very very close. That is where photography would work its charm and miracle. Combined with the right angle and distance, you'll be able to witness these beautiful bugs from a different perspective. Next time, you might think twice before you decide to kill the pesky insects in your house (no complaints for the mosquitoes though). So what if I practice double-standard? Lol.

From my experience, snapping the perfect shot of a bug can be rather tricky. After all, it IS a mobile creature. Once you've spotted a bug, you need to approach it slowly and carefully. If not, your subject of interest would simply fly away, leaving you with utter disappointment and frustration. Yes, it requires a lot of patience and timing. However, if you manage to capture it, the "feeling" cannot be compared to any other experiences in digital photography, at least for me. What I'm trying to say is, it feels even better than having a perfect picture of other subjects like urban structures, landscapes, culture, potraits and so on.

Well, enough with the crap. Here are the photos! Owh, have I mentioned that mushrooms are also interesting? Hehe.

Wild Parasites

Open up your umbrellas!

Red and Black

A Golden Treasure in the Forest

Miss Ladybug

Colourful

Rose Garden

2007-07-03T20:08:00.000+08:00

Located in Kundasang, the Rose Garden has a wide variety of flowers including roses, orchids, cactuses and other wild flowers. Enjoy!

Orchids

Pinky

Two Hearts

Sweet Rose

Now everyone can fly...

Beautiful Landscapes

2007-07-03T16:47:00.000+08:00

The following shots are taken during my recent family trip to Ranau and Kundasang.

Land Below the Wind

Tinggi-Tinggi Gunung Kinabalu

Country Road

Oh! Gravity

Hills and Valleys

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

2007-07-02T22:47:00.000+08:00

The new Lok Kawi Wildlife Park has been officially opened to public about a few months ago. The place is located just 15-minutes away from my home in Kampung Dambai, Penampang. Since I'm back for the holidays, I took the opportunity to visit it with my family members.

During the visit, I had a very funny encounter with this one particular parrot. Well, a typical parrot would usually greet you with a simple "hello" or "good morning". But guess what? This one thought that it was a CAT!!! Yes, it actually meaooww-ed!!! And mind you, it really sounded like a cat. Sadly, I didn't manage to capture a good shot of the parrot due to the surrounding cages. Sigh.

Owh well, here are some photos that I've taken at the park.

Hornbill

Rabbit Eats Lettuce

Motherly Love

Sun Bear

Sorrow

The Gibbon

Little Umbrellas (my personal favorite)

Reaching High

At the Beach

2007-06-16T22:35:00.000+08:00

The following photos are taken at Tanjung Aru beach earlier in the evening. The initial plan was to snap photos of the breathtaking sunset, like what I did last year. You can check them out here. However, luck was not on our side. There was a thick cloud in the horizon, covering the golden sun. Nevertheless, I manage to capture these shots.

Playful #2

Little Crabby

Darkness in the Sea (captured with the wide-lens setting)

Penang : A Black and White Retrospective

2007-06-15T01:29:00.000+08:00

As the title goes.

Old Georgetown

Meet the Joss-Stick Maker

Kyrie Eleison

While walking to the Jetty

A Fisherman's Village

The Pearl of the Orient

2007-06-13T12:13:00.000+08:00

For the full review of my recent trip to Penang, visit my blog here!

Boats

A Freedom Cry

"You can run, but you cannot hide"

Legend from the East

Untitled

Kapitan Keling Mosque

Kuan Yin Temple

St. George Anglican Cathedral

Catholic Church of Assumption

Penang Assam Laksa

Behind This Eye

A Forgotten City

2007-06-04T00:08:00.000+08:00

My friend, Johnny told me that Ipoh is called the "forgotten city". I believe it is due to the lack of development projects in Ipoh compared to the other cities in Malaysia. The city does not have a huge shopping mall or sky-rising buildings. The simple fact is, Ipoh is an old, old city.

However, the word "old" does not necessarily mean "ugly". Recently, I've been experimenting a lot with street shots in the city. And I realize that Ipoh is an amazing spot for this, especially with the existence of the old looking, rustic buildings and shophouses. Well, you'll be a judge on this one!

(I've taken the following photos using an Olympus FE-170 digital camera that I borrowed from Johnny. I'm actually very impressed with the quality of pictures produced by this camera, especially with the image stabilization function. The photos are taken earlier today, in a cloudy weather condition)

Lamp Post

From an Overhead Bridge

The Back Entrance

Faraway

Sparrows

Sitting Comfortably

Setting Off (my personal favorite shot)

And Fly Away

Perhaps if you're a fan of photography, Ipoh won't be such a dull place after all.

Nightlife in Ipoh

2007-06-02T09:31:00.000+08:00

Finally, exam's over! Last night, me and my Sabahan friends headed off to Kinta City Shopping Mall to have a blast of fun. I grabbed the opportunity to capture the nightlife in the streets of Ipoh; actually it's my first attempt as well. I seldom experiment with night shots, due to the limitation of my camera. Nevertheless, I'm very happy with the outcome of the pictures. Enjoy!

Meet Azlan and Andrey

It's Johnny and Alif

Row of Shops

Creepy

Itadakimatsu! (did i spell it correctly? lol)

Where the best white coffee is served

Krypton Lights

7-11

The Fast... (my personal favorite shot)

and The Furious

Since 1864

For the love of food

A Walk Down the Memory Lane

2007-05-29T14:07:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, I got the opportunity to walk down the Memory Lane, Ipoh with my good Catholic friend, Bismo after church. I never actually had the chance to explore the streets of Ipoh, so it was a fun experience indeed.

Bismo has been studying in UTP for three years now (He's originally from Jakarta) and he's very familiar with the roads in Ipoh. That's why he introduced me to the place, which looks pretty similar to Gaya Street back in my state. You can find people selling drinks, food, clothes, shoes, rare items in the pawn shops and many more.

I'm not really good with street photography. Capturing cultures and lifestyle in photos proves to be a tougher challenge, at least for me. However, I did manage to learn some tricks from Bismo. Do feel free to leave your comments. Well, enough said, enjoy the pictures =)

Motorcycles

Lovely Antiques

Keris Melayu

An Old Phonograph

"Owh Operator, the Line is Dead...."

The Ice-Cream Man

Clothes

Uncles

Ipoh Folks on the Street

Walking Down the Memory Lane (I learned how to take this shot from Bismo)

Shoes, and more shoes....

Pain for Cure?

Untitled

In Deep Thoughts (meet Bismo)

My Campus

2007-05-21T15:16:00.000+08:00

Last Friday, me and my good friend, Christon decided to walk around our campus (Petronas University of Technology) to snap some random photos. Here's the result.

Endless Road

Fallen

Ant in White Flower

Bookshelves at IRC

Mechanical Design

Dawn at Academic Complex

UTP Gotcha

2007-04-14T13:25:00.000+08:00

3rd Prize Award

A Story of Hardships and Survival

Consolation Prizes

8th Place

Parasite on Tree

10th Place

A Beautiful Horizon at Tanjung Aru Beach

Refugee Camp #2

2007-04-03T08:57:00.000+08:00

As the title goes.

Registration Booth

The Chin Refugees

Bathing Spot

Cleansing the Feet

Untitled

Lai Zom Fellowship

2007-03-28T08:10:00.002+08:00

The following photos are taken at the first refugee camp that we have visited.

Shoes

Bathing Area

Pants and Shirts

Cooking with Charcoals

Water Barrels

A Black Dog

Poverty at the Myanmar Refugee Camp

Network Connected

An Old Bike

Leaving the Camp

CSS-UTP Foundation Exposure Camp

2007-03-27T17:38:00.000+08:00

From the 17th-20th of March this year, i went for the CSS-UTP Foundation Exposure Camp with some of my best CSS buddies : Andrey, Lester, Mildred, Tania and Jane. It has been a wonderful experience to me.

It's one of those very few, rare opportunities where I can put aside everything else (especially my studies and club activities) and have a quiet, spiritual moment of reflection on life; the past as well as the present. The last time I had such a great moment was during my National Service Training Program. Anyway, here are some of the photos I've taken during the camp. Enjoy!

The Perch (for sick or injured refugees)

An Act to Serve

Playin' Carom (From Left : Jane, Mildred, Andrey and Lester)

A Game of Poker (with the refugees)

A Loving Angel

Welcome Community Home (for HIV patients)

Entrance

Mask on a Tree

A Mini-Gym

The White House (where we stayed)

Gothic

More photos of the refugee camps will be updated in the future.

Seaworld

2007-03-27T15:42:00.001+08:00

The following photos are taken at Gold Coast, Australia during my family's vacation, earlier in the month of January.

Two Pelicans

Eye on Seaworld

Polar Bear

More photos on my trip to Australia would be updated in the future. Look out for photos from my recent Exposure Camp as well :)

Botanical Garden

2007-03-27T15:35:00.000+08:00

Taken at the Botanical Garden in Brisbane.

Lovely Buds

Purplish

Zen Garden

Nature : In Self-Defense

Beautiful Flower

A Dedication to Kellie

2007-01-28T00:17:00.000+08:00

After visiting Tempurong Caves, our group went to the historical Kellie's Castle in Perak. An interesting fact is that the castle was constructed without using any cement. Instead, only white eggs were used. Here are the photos.

The Main Castle

Incomplete

Spiral

Haunted Staircase?

Pillars

Next Stop : Ground Floor

The Dark Zone

2007-01-28T00:01:00.000+08:00

The pictures below were taken from Tempurong Cave, Perak earlier on Saturday morning. It is believed to be the biggest cave in Peninsular Malaysia. Watch and enjoy.

What Lies Ahead?

Tight

Walls

Amazing Rocks

An Ancient Mona Lisa?

Little Stalactite and Stalagmite

The Entrance

Old Town Ipoh

2007-01-25T22:02:00.000+08:00

As the title goes.

Ipoh Chicken Rice - The Best in Malaysia.

Windows

Old Heritage

At Jalan Masjid

Sunrise to Sunset

2007-01-25T21:44:00.000+08:00

The following photos were taken at Port Dickson during my Petronas PERMATA camp conducted recently.

Sunrise [Day 3]

Serenity

7.24 am

7.26 a.m

Silhouette

Tropical View

Sunset [Day 4]

Sunset #1

Sunset #2

Sunset #3

Sunrise [Day 5]

At the Beach

Feel the Colours of the Morning

Early Birds

A Golden Sunrise

Last Christmas

2007-01-18T20:56:00.000+08:00

Hello folks. I'm back. Anyway, I'm sorry for not being able to post any new pictures for the past few weeks. I was constantly moving here and there, so I didn't have enough time to update my blog. Well, enough said, here are the photos taken from the Gaya Christmas Carnival Closing Ceremony held on the 23rd of December, 2006.
(Some photos are slightly edited in brightness and contrast)

Wishes

The Three Amigos

Groovy

Of A Christmas Tree

Listening to the Good News

Fireworks Display

It's Electrifying

Meteor Shower

Rains of Fire

Future Updates:
- Pictures from my Australia trip.
- Pictures from Casa Rachado Resort, Port Dickson.
- Pictures from Petagas War Memorial Park.
- More Recollection

Recollection

2006-12-26T18:31:00.000+08:00

Random photos taken during my family trip to Kudat.

Boulders

Hope

Rough

Of Paddy Field and Hills

Hardships

Fruits of the Earth (that's my grandma)

The Pride of Sabah

Encore - Day 2

2006-12-26T01:25:00.000+08:00

During our second visit to the Tip of Borneo. Thankfully, it was a sunny morning and I managed to capture better photos than the previous day. Enjoy.
(Some of the pictures have been edited. Most of them are still original though.)

Misty

Stranded

Any Catch?

Rocks

Walking Fishermen

Fury Part II

Standing on the Edge

The Tip of Borneo

The Return

Tip of Borneo - Day 1

2006-12-23T18:43:00.000+08:00

The following photos are taken from Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, a popular spot among local as well as foreign tourists. It is known as the Tip of Borneo because it is located at the most northern point of the state, where the Sulu and South China Sea meet with each other. It wasn't really a good day for photography, as there was a heavy downpour earlier. The photos below are original.

Grey

Rage

Fury

Gloomy

The Tip of Borneo

The Wrath of the Sea

Bavanggazo Rungus Longhouse

2006-12-23T11:09:00.000+08:00

Next, we headed off to the Bavanggazo Rungus Longhouse. The native Rungus can mostly be found at the northern part of the state. They live with other families under one roof inside a traditional longhouse. Till this day, some of them are still practising this culture. Here are the photos:
(Some of the photos are slightly edited in brightness and contrast)

Welcome

Rooftop

Into the Longhouse

Handicraft #1

Handicraft #2

Of Table and Tissue Roll

Have a Seat

The Bed

Handicraft #3 (8-bit grayscale)

An Old Lamp (8-bit grayscale)

Where the Gongs are Made

2006-12-22T18:39:00.000+08:00

Last Wednesday, we had a family trip to Kudat. Our main destination was Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, which is more commonly known as the "Tip of Borneo". Before reaching the town, we visited a small village called as Kg. Sumangkap, where the traditional KadazanDusun gongs are made.

Depicting cultures in photos proves to be a huge challenge for me. It requires great timing to capture a spontaneous photo that really potrays the culture in a certain place. I only managed to take a few photos. Here they are:
(Some of the photos are slighly edited in brightness and contrast)

Rungus Longhouse

A Brief History

Harmony

The Forger

A Beloved Heritage

Sad

A Breathtaking Sunset

2006-12-19T11:14:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, I went to Tanjung Aru Beach with my sisters and Rannique to witness the beautiful, golden sunset. And there was indeed a friendly rivalry between me and my eldest sister to capture the best photos. So, it was definetely an enjoyable trip. At the end of the day, both of us managed to get breathtaking photos of the sunset and the beach. Here are the pictures:

On the Way to the Beach

Heaven Sent

Of Paddy Field and Clouds

A Clearer Sky

From Inside the Car

At Tanjung Aru Beach

The Golden Sun

A Small Kid at the Beach

Partially Hidden

Reflection (thanks to Cece Lora for the pose)

Simply Breathtaking

Waiting for That Moment...

... As the Curtain Falls for the Day

Playful

Orange

Beautiful Horizon

Potraits at the Beach

The Three Siblings (taken by Rannique)

By far, the Best Potrait Photo I have taken; of Cece Lora and Rannique. Nice yet Original

Me and Cece Carolle (taken by Rannique)

But I have to say, my eldest sister won the game. With her granted permission, here are some of the similar pictures, taken with her camera, added with her own personal touch (hey, not fair... her camera got Sunset Scene, wahahaha)

A Second Reflection

A Golden Sunset

Still Playful

Shadows

And My Personal Favourite (taken by Rannique)

Around The House

2006-12-18T22:42:00.000+08:00

The photos below are taken around my house compound, located in Kampung Dambai, Penampang on a sunny Saturday morning.

Red Flowers

Grandma's Plant

Standing Tall

The Polluted Moyog River

Motherly Love

White Fungus

Tasty on a Hot Day

Under The House

The Neighbour's Puppy

Kinabalu National Park

2006-12-18T12:01:00.000+08:00

The pictures here were taken recently during my photography trip to Kinabalu National Park, Ranau with my bestfriend, Jason (credits to Jason's Dad for dropping us there)

Pink

Wild Bananas

Two is a Crowd

Caterpillar

Upclose and Personal

Insect

Parasite on Tree

Red Fruits

Guess what? It's just a Moss.

An Epical Journey of Life (thanks to Jay for the pose)

Crystal Clear

Within the Tropical Forest

Different

Spider Business

Let There Be Life in the Darkness