The swampy lagoon in Kuala Marang

The swampy lagoon in Kuala Marang is probably at it’s most beautiful in the late evening just as the sun is setting and the creatures of the night begin to stir their shift.

Gears: Leica R6 and Leica Summicron 35mm F/2.0, on Fuji PRO 160S Location: Marang Fishing Village, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

In this post I’ll tell you how I discovered a beautiful swamp in Kuala Marang, about the crystal clear water that was full of real beauty, but the kind of beauty that you look at but don’t see unless you open your eyes and your heart.

Gears: Leica R6 and Leitz Leica Summicron-R 35/2.0 on Fujifilm Superia 100 Location: Marang swamp land, Terengganu, Malaysia

Much of the area is a mosaic of wetlands and mesic flatlands subject to seasonal flooding. Flood and small bushfires largely govern the composition and distribution of vegetation, creating a distinctive mosaic of natural communities. Flooding also limits intensive agriculture and large-scale development, resulting in one of Terengganu’s most significant natural areas.

This is what the camera sees, so it has to be there, and it is! But often we don’t see the beauty because we are “beauty blind”. People are always in a rush, always rushing about, I guess that comes naturally when you live in big cities. I am just as guilty sometimes but not very often now my eyes are open.

Do you remember when they say, “see it through the eyes of a child”. Full of excitement and desire to explore. I truly feel that is how we should view the world around us.

Gears: Leica R6 and Leica Summicron-R 2,0/35, on Kodak Gold 100 Location: Kuala Marang Fishing Village, Marang, Terengganu, Malaysia

Unfortunately often the case is the greed for land and money from the people of the past has endangered beautiful places like this. I often say “beauty is everywhere”, so try to see it and it will enhance your life like you would not believe. Just try it right now, look at something and try to see the details, the colors, the textures, the shapes see it differently than you did before.

Gears: Leica R6 and Leica Summicron 35mm F/2.0, on Fuji Velvia 100 (RVP100F) Location: Marang Fishing Village, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

The fools spent millions of dollars trying to built what they call progress and the damage they did may even now be irreversible. Thus beautiful swamps like this one we have here in Kuala Marang may be dying a slow death many and many species of plants, animals and birds are are on the endangered list they are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Interestingly, of course there are alligators in these swamps. I did not see any in the water but I was told by the old folks in Marang about the legend of the massive alligators. The alligators would certainly camouflaged very well and its hard to be see. The natural beauty of the area is beyond words.

If you get a chance to pass through Marang while you’re on your way to Kota Bharu to the North or going south to Kuala Lumpur, please take your time! Please go slow, please stop at overlooks, please take the time to hit a trail or two, it would be a real shame to drive by everything this awesome roadway has to offer.

Gears: Nikon D50 and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM APO Location: Oyster farm, Marang Fishing Village, Terengganu, Malaysia

Everyone is talking about the Kodachrome 64, oh well…

Gears: Nikon FM2 and Sigma 70-200/2.8 lens on Fuji Velvia 100 (RVP100F) Location: Long Beach, Redang Island, Terengganu, Malaysia

June 22nd, 2009, 7 AM Eastern Standard time: Today, Eastman Kodak Corporation has officially announced the retirement of Kodachrome 64, the last remaining variation of legendary Kodachrome Color Film… bla, bla, bla..

Well I’m okay with it to be honest and if they (i.e. Kodak Inc.) are really serious about the development of film photography (as what Figital Revolution says), I therefore truly trust them with such a decision, it’s all for the best of the industry. For the time being I still have other Fuji and Kodak slides standing loyally.

Decadence

Gears: Leica R6 and Leitz Leica Summicron-R 35/2.0, on Fujichrome Velvia 50 (RVP50F) Location: Pulau Ketam overlooking Pulau Wan Man, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

It was a very fine morning, the river was so calm, soothing to my heart, so I decided have another shot at the Crystal Mosque coupled with the main landmark of the “city”, the Bukit Besar. The ruling government have been trying so hard to justify building such a monument for the people, well I guess this presentation wont help much.

Being a photographer is more like being a composer

Gears: Nikon D50, Vivitar 24mm f/2.0 Location: Chinatown (Kampung Cina), Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

The Terengganu state government is going to turn Kuala Terengganu into a waterfront city soon. The master plan for the Shah Bandar area is being finalised and is likely to be shown to the public later this month. “The state government will then call all stakeholders to respond,” a conservationist, who declined to be named, said.

Under the plan, Masjid Putih (Zainal Abidin) will be rehabilitated and more public places and boardwalks culminating in Kampung Cina and Pasar Payang will be created, she said. While new public plazas will take on Islamic designs, the Chinese theme in Kampung Cina will be preserved, she said. “There are proposals to build shop houses on stilts or on some reclaimed land in Kampung Cina. These shop houses will be fronting the sea and will be similar in design to the old shop houses that have the back facing the sea,” said the source, adding that houses with illegal extensions will have to be demolished.

Points to ponder:
The “guitar:guitarist, hence, camera:photographer” metaphor is a bit off IMO. Being a photographer is actually more like being a composer. You create new works, rather than simply playing/interpreting works written by others.

A Life Shot In Black And White

A Life Shot In Black And White by Simple Minds

A life shot in black and white,
Lays me down,
Takes to me where,
Words still fail me, yes!
A life shot in black and white,
Shames me now, as it takes us there,
Where nothing can break this.
Toiling back, I am still ashen,
I keep falling back,
On what I believe still matters.
I’m slamming on the brakes,
And like a haunted child, I was born to break.

A life shot in black and white,
Throws me down, then raises me,
With colours still bleeding… yes.
It’s all there in black and white,
We’ve seen it now, seen it there,
And the moment’s not leaving.

A life shot in black and white,
Stares me down, take me where,
And like doves we won’t leave never.
We’re still here in black and white,
Changes now, changes there but the spirit can’t leave us!

Hydrocarbonic Sky

Gears: Leica R6 and Leitz Leica Summicron-R 35/2.0, on Fujifilm Superia 200 Location: Kerteh Oil and Gas Processing Plant, Kerteh, Terengganu, Malaysia

It is your employer’s duty to protect you from hazardous substances and hazardous situations whilst you are in work to minimise the risks of you developing an Industrial Illness or Industrial Disease.

For example, if your working environment is very noisy, it is your employer’s duty to reduce the noise to an acceptable level or, if this is not possible, to provide you with ear defenders to prevent Industrial Deafness or Noise Induced Hearing Loss. As long as your employer provides you with these ear defenders, it is your responsibility to wear them.

If your job brings you into contact with dangerous chemicals your employer should have already investigated the possibility of replacing the dangerous chemicals with less harmful ones and ensured that you have the minimal amount of contact with them as possible. If your employer has concluded that there is no way around you working with the dangerous chemicals, they should then provide you with protective clothing to wear. Again, it is your responsibility to wear the protective clothing once it has been provided.

Just a quote from a legendary art critique of our time for us to ponder for a bit:
"I know too that the powerful fear art, whatever its form, when it does this, and that amongst the people such art sometimes runs like a rumour and a legend because it makes sense of what life’s brutalities cannot, a sense that unites us, for it is inseparable from a justice at last. Art, when it functions like this, becomes a meeting-place of the invisible, the irreducible, the enduring, guts and honour." John Berger