“Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing, there is a field. I will meet you there” ~ Rumi
I am feeling hyper-introvert lately. Spending my precious time with myself is more comforting than being around people … uh uh too much time spent alone either at my studio or behind my mac (doing editing) felt super comfortable. Comfortable is not good. Time to go out and hangout with the extrovert.
I edited my Kuda Kepang image folder during my hyper-introvert mode … thank god. I attended the dance performance last November, which was five (5) months ago … yes, I am mastering the art of “marinate your photos”. I need to wait until the photos are matured enough before I can re-create new emotions for my photos. Wow … now I sounded like a pro when I said that lol.
Kuda Kepang is a traditional dance originated from Indonesia and very famous among the Johor society. Please feel free to ask uncle google about the background story of Kuda Kepang. I was more enchanted by the light, the unpredictable motion and the shadow during the show.
Preparing the spiritual being of the Barongan mask
The air was filled with smoke coming out from the burning ‘kemenyan’ or benzoin resin. The ambience was beautifully set through proper used of lighting and background colors (on walls and floor). The traditional dance was performed by the Kuda Kepang Parit Raja from Batu Pahat, Johor and the show was held at the BlackBox Publika Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Kuda Kepang dance motion is very mystical. The background music derived from the traditional music instruments: the anklung, gong and gendang were very enchanting. The dancers looked high and disoriented.
The ‘bapak’ or leader of the pack
I am a ‘logical thinker’ kind of person … I was puzzled trying to logically understand the reason why some adults dancing against the music with a ‘man-made cow-skin’ look alike horse could get high and disoriented by just inhaling the smoke while listening to the soft enchanting background music. Hmmmm … and the dancers moved in a trance state.
Unpredictable moves by the dancersBapak checking on the dancer. Love the light on his head
Interesting performance … my first time watching Kuda Kepang and my mind went … what the … why.. and 1001 more why-s lol. Curious mind …
“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” ~Dorothy Parker
Me and my ‘A Hamar tribe of Ethiopia’ photo ~ photo credit to hana_mujahidah
There is always a first time to everything … and, this is my first time joining a photo exhibition.
It is an honor to be selected as one of Yaman Ibrahim & his Mutual Friends #Kolektif 1 photo contributor. Yaman Ibrahim is a very talented and famous photographer here in Malaysia. A simple, humble and down-to-earth artist that I find easy to work with. 28 photographers (from Malaysia and Brunei) exhibited 78 pieces of travel photograph around the world during the exhibition period. Do come and have a look at our photos on display at MaTIC Kuala Lumpur. Admission is free.
Detail information about the photography exhibition:
Event: Yaman Ibrahim & his Mutual Friends #Kolektif 1
Location: Matic Art Gallery, MaTIC Malaysia Tourist Center, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 3rd September 2015 to 30th September 2015
Honestly, I felt weird seeing my own photos on display and a bit awkward when people start to ask questions. Reason being … when I shoot my photos I was totally in my selfish mode. I love the moment and I wanted to capture and keep the moment to myself. I want to look at my photos and be reminded of the feelings that I had while capturing those moments. And this is totally new to me …well, there is always a first time to anything, right?
But, seeing it being printed and hang-up on the wall triggered an excitement in me. I want to have more and more of my photos printed out on beautiful papers for my personal keeping or maybe once a while I want to share it with public through photo art galleries. I want to be an artistic photographer … a fine-art photographer maybe. Hmm what a dream huh?
And, these are my photos exhibited during the photo exhibition.
A Hamar tribe family – Ethiopia, Africa
I choose my man – Ethiopia, 2013
Churches of Lalibella – Ethiopia, 2014
A believer at Chakpori Hill temple – Lhasa, Tibet
Under the gingko tree – Sensoji Temple, Tokyo
A home – Tanggula Mountain Pass, Tibet
I learned a lot from this experience and I need to reassess my photography direction … again and again. So much to learn, so little time.
Ok. I gotta go now. Need to pack my gears (and my crazy COURAGE) for my next adventure 😛 , a cross-country (xc) expedition via paramotor ride from Tok Bali, Kuala Besut, Terengganu to Batu Buruk beach, Kuala Terengganu. It is going to be a long ride … will update the outcome here for sure. Bye now ….
Cheers
MM
p/s Credit: The IG photo of me and my ‘A Hamar tribe of Ethiopia’ photo is from hana_mujahidah Instagram account
I couldn’t ask for more. Great companion as always … photographers from Brunei, Singapore, Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur … mostly are strangers turned companions. We shoot like a mad soldier with infinity bullets 😉 . I was surrounded by non stop camera shutter sound from my left and right side, it makes me feel inferior lol … like I am not working hard enough accumulating my own stock photos …. argh! bunch of pro photographers. And … in 2 days, I accumulated more than 1000 images from my “crazy! memory space eater” D800/ D800E 😉
And, great food too as our host Muslianshah bin Masrie is not only a great photographer but he turned out to be a darn good cook too. I couldn’t complaint more … why should you complaint when your belly is full, right? *wink*
Maiga Island under the sun
View from one of the jetty here in Maiga Island
The other side of Maiga Island
My addiction with clouds continue here
Photographer’s heaven …!! <— I know! I need to stop ranting and start writing instead.
Maiga Island is just a small remote tropical island.
No hotels, no facilities … just a few simple and humble homes owned by the island people from Suluk and Pala’u (Bajau Laut) descent. Typical Sabahan hospitality… playful, friendly and polite. So, I would like to remind you … that you need to have an adventurous soul to be able to see and enjoy the beauty of this place.
We shared their homes for 2 nights and we hang around with their children during our sunsets and sunrises.
You would probably feel a bit curious … about the safety issues surrounding this area especially after the major security breached incident regarding foreign intruders last year. Well, it felt safe when we were there … and I saw groups of China tourist wandering freely around some small islands there too.
Well … there is always a RISK in everything that we do, right?
Sunset here at Maiga Island. The downside of having cloud overload is … my round yellow “egg yolk” sun … ended up playing peek-a-boo with me
Catching the last color of the day at Maiga Island. Yeah … I admit , another boat as my foreground
The curfew hours from 6pm to 6am is still on-going though … so, no island hoping activities at night for us. Just some relaxing and frustrating milky-way night shoot … and this is due to the cloud overload activities that continue during night time too.
And, this is how my milky way and sunrise looked like:
Milky-way attempt at Maiga Island
Morning light peeping out from the nearby island
Island children with their routine jump at the jetty
Children doing their routine jump at the jetty during my sunrise moment
Island children playing with their small boats
Bohey Dulang Island A gorgeous fisheye view of the Bohey Dulang Island
I made some new friends here too, Patricia, Azmal and Chinta.
Regardless of whatever or whoever our background is … human is still human and children will always be children. Most of the children here are without proper nationality and ‘politically’ they don’t entitled to experience school (… sarcastically saying). With no proper education, most of them can’t read or write but they are not slacking on their manners. Well mannered children that makes my heart nervous … thinking of their future.
This is Chinta with her audience
The boy with a lollipop in his mouth is Azmal. My diplomatic little tour guide … I paid him to guide me around the island
Playing with my sea gypsy friends
Me and you moment
Chinta … is not her real name, her real name is so difficult to remember so I just called her Chinta lol. She is a great story teller and a very imaginative child too. Whenever she started telling her stories …. the rest of the children would definitely be glued to her … including me, an adult child he he he.
I had a hormone imbalance moment when it was time for me to depart from the island. I had dust in my eyes whenever I look them in their eyes … especially towards Azmal, Chinta and Patricia. It felt like leaving your own child alone at a strange and dangerous roadside. Emotional attachment in 2 1/2 days … I am definitely getting older … or is it an early menopause sign? … emo 🙂
Wefie moment with my island friends
May Allah grant them protection, peace of mind, guidance and remain in his guidance always. And, may Allah grant a continuos resources, energy and time for me to travel and learn more from life … ameen.
“Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their chests” (22:Al-Hajj:46)
The joy of witnessing life: A child playing with her swing … love it!
And as at today, my traveling schedule for the next few months is still remained empty. I am planning to stay glued at home … editing photos, updating my photo portfolio, generating money to finance my next travel project and working on GayaIzzah.com. Wish me luck yea …
Cheers
MM
p/s If you plan to visit here, I would suggest you to bring some gifts for the children. Children clothing or swimming goggles or pens/ pencils or simple reading books or books for writing. Or you can spent some moments with them, reading for the children or just playing “tag you’re it” game with them. Sharing is caring …
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 …
Happy New Year… I am not sure if I have constant readers here but I know for sure that my dearly “lovely bombastic loyal babes” friends will read this. Babes … you babes rule! thank you for just being who you are.
MATSUDA MASHIMARU 