And … I am painting the sky with my favorite color. I’ll call it my color of FREEDOM.
I was out on the field the other day. Following a group of hardcore paramotoring friends for a fun-flying wedding event at Besut, Terengganu. Told them before hand that I don’t shot wedding … not yet … hmm … maybe I’ll shot wedding one day. Reason being … I sucks at following orders, protocols and guidelines. I am the type that color outside the lines … almost all the time.
Instead of focusing on the bride and the groom, I was more captivated by the sun that day. Due to the unpredictable rain and thunder-storm which had started a few days earlier … the sky during that day was a bit calm and cloudy, excellent for a mid-day paramotoring activities. And the halo effect circling around the sun was a bonus excuse for me to get lost in my world.
It is weirdly interesting to have the opportunity to hang around among people with different affection than mine. I have followed them a lot these few months … staring at the glaring sun and praying for a ride on the cloud … while watching them indulge themselves with all those technical jargon about engine and flight handling skills. Dreamers like me doesn’t talk about engines or that technical wing setting he he he my brain refused to stay awake during such talk 😛 .
For a street photographer that love to shoot people and face expression … shooting PPG pilot with their genuine face expression is not an easy thing for me. I got bored too while chasing the light. Thank God I have my Gopro to play with … a newly found toy to play with.
Maybe I will get bored one day with the sun 🙂 but for now I plan to stick around for a little longer than I promised. These are a few shoots from our weekend fun-fly around Cyberjaya, WP Kuala Lumpur. I am enjoying it while it last ….
SSP Cyberjaya, WP
SSP Cyberjaya, WP
SSP Cyberjaya, WP
SSP Cyberjaya, WP
Besut, Terengganu
SSP, Cyberjaya
A due credit to this PPG pilot. Thank you for the great friendship
And lastly, I am enjoying my landscape through a different perspective now a days. A personal self achievement each time I came across a brilliant looking landscape while flying … just Subhannallah! gorgeous world if you just stop for a while and stare more. It surely remind me to the Creator … the Al-Mighty …
“Knock, And He’ll open the door. Vanish, And He’ll make you shine. Fall, And He’ll raise you to the heaven. Become nothing, And He’ll turn you into everything.” ~ Rumi
The sea line and meA different way to enjoy my landscapeMy sunset at Besut, Terengganu
Bye for now.
Cheers
MM
p/s Sharing some videos during our outing activities:
Introduction video to JanjiFly @Besut on 01-08-2015
Take-Off compilation to JanjiFly @Besut on 01-08-2015
JanjiFly FunFly @Besut Pantai Air Tawar, Terengganu
The weather was unpredictable during our stay in Batanes Island, Philippines last week.
Strong wind, cloudy sky and scattered rain here and there … had made my hunting (for lights and colors) more challenging than usual but experiencing the “heaven on earth” kinda landscape that surround the island … has lighten up my heavy heart.
The crispy clean air had magically chase away my stubborn Indian cough that had been ‘lovingly’ sticking to my throat for weeks (after completing 2 courses of antibiotic the cough still linger).
The island is so spacious … empty hills and mountains with only green grass field and a few here and there trees. It entice the feeling of flying in me … the wanderer me riding the wind while exploring the hills surrounding the island lol.
Free flying with just the wind … no glider and no paramotor engine needed here
After a few days being surrounded by the gloomy weather, we decided to take a short boat ride to the nearby Sabtang Island (30-45 minutes boat ride away). A small island with estimated around 1800 people and they are economically depending on the sea (most are fisherman).
We refused to be at the mercy of the weather. Hunger for light and colors … we were all over the place … exploring the island until there were no more light left on the horizon.
At 2pm: We arrived at the Sabtang port
At 3:15 pm: Some maintenance work at San Vicente Ferrer Church
We spent our afternoon looking for the perfect spot to shot sunset at the not so nearby (about one our ride on an open-style truck) fishing village. The weather at Sabtang Island was not as bad as it was in Batanes Island … so we were expecting a nice sunset that afternoon.
For those who love to shot people or streets, Batanes and Sabtang Island is obviously not for you.
As for me, I adore beautiful landscape but I need subjects on my landscape … and these islands are so secluded that you need to be extra creative to be able to capture the gorgeous view with your camera.
Internet connection in Batanes Island is super duper weak … but my life has never been depending much on the wifi connection anyway … so, it was not a big deal to me (how I wish). Being an introvert, staying disconnected from such need towards creating extra noise for attention is always my ultimate goal.
At 3:45 pm: Spotted a secluded beach on our way to the fishing village
At 3.47 pm: Still here for a quick shot around the secluded beach
So, we were hanging out at the village enjoying the afternoon breeze, waiting and praying for a colorful sunset. It was kinda cool hanging around with the villagers while watching fishermen unloading their catch of the day to the shore.
At 4:30 pm: We hang around the fishing village
At 4.30pm: Fishermen loading up their catch of the day
At 4:30pm: Hanging around the beach while the fisherman uploading their catch of the day
At 4:30pm: Looking at dried fish at the hanger facing the sea
At 4:30pm: Still hanging around here waiting for sunset
At 5:30pm: Still walking around the village looking for moment
Dried fish hanged along the village
Sunset at Sabtang Island
I have a few more interesting shots of the sunset in Sabtang that I would probably upload it to my Zenfolio photo profile later. It was a very interesting afternoon indeed. We were lucky to have a clear sky that night … so, our next target for the night was … hunting for milky way.
At 4:00 am: Practicing my seeking a signal skill
At 4:00 am: Still practicing my seeking a signal skill
Milky way across an old light house in Sabtang Island, Philippines
At 4:30am: Hunting for the gorgeous milky way
AT 5:40am: Watching the first morning light
At 6:30am: With my warm and lovely friend … an unexpected companion
At 6:45 am: My new pet dog
I met all kind of unexpected warm souls while traveling. Souls that warm my heart and this new companion that I met in Sabtang is one of a kind soul.
At 6:45 am: My new pet dog
If I can have a dog of my own … I want this type of dog.
He accompanied me during my early morning shot, he followed me everywhere during my sunrise moment, he lead my way around the bushes on the hills, he sat with me on top of the hill and he accompanied me while I was enjoying my golden light moment … darn! my yellow grumpy cat at home doesn’t do that … gosh! I want a dog … I bet if I have a companion dog like him … I can wander alone, confidently around beaches and bushes in Malaysia taking pictures of beautiful local landscape … I need a dog!
But … with Malaysian crime rate hiking up day to day … I think I will need a bulldog as my companion dog 😛
At 5:50am: Trying to catch the morning light behind the cloudy horizon
Honestly, I felt a bit discontented with this trip … reason being that the unpredictable weather had made it hard for me to experience the true light and the genuine color of Batanes Island. Too bad huh… but who knows one day I might have a chance to visit Batanes again.
I am preparing myself for my next trip to Maiga Island in Semporna, Sabah on Thursday next week. More landscape and milky ways to feed my D800 lol. Wish me luck ….
Cheers
MM
p/s Dada Macusi … in case if you are reading this. I will make it a point to call you up next time if I happen to visit Philippines again, there are so many places to explore there …and chasing whales in Babuyan Island sounds so cool 😛 . Take care …
Cheritera Cinta Kita by Matsuda Mashimaru/ Tales of Our Love Story
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu
~ Lao Tzu
Prologue: It all started with me tagging along with two(2) of my childhood friends and we planned to test our friendship by joining a group of Malaysian and Singaporean photographers (total strangers). People said the best way to test the compatibility of your friendship is through surviving a tough trip together and comes out still emotionally intact.
I noticed that I could see MORE when I traveled with fellow photographer buddies. Photography taught me to spot, stop and appreciate moments better than before. Like when I decided to join them for a weekend photography gateway to Lake Toba, I never thought that I could see more of Indonesia compared to what I had already seen.
MATSUDA MASHIMARU 