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Transcript of Travel Photographer Malaysia
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The Unplanned Career of
Michael Yamashita
2 8
C o l u m n
O f G l a s s & P h o t o j o u r n a l i s m
3 2
R e v i e w s
S o n y R X - 1
5 0
D o
m e s t i c
M a b u l I s l a n d
w w w . t r a v e l - p h o t o g r a p h e r . a s i a
B r i d g i n g t h e d i v i d e
01 | i s s u e
may 2013
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
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Editor-in-Chief
Vinsant Huang
Editorial Team
Licensed by
Berkeley Advertising Sdn Bhd(1008821-P)
Content Provider
Berkeley Advertising Sdn. Bhd.(1008821-P)
B-3A -1, The Tube, Menara Prima,
Prima Avenue, Jalan PJU 1/39,
47310 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
(O) +603 7887 5515
Editor-in-Chief Vinsant Huang
Publisher & Sub-Editor
George Wong
Editor-at-Large/ Photographer
Szetoo Weiwen
Art Director
Archee Moong
Designer
Jasper Yong
Sales Director
Edward Chong
Advertising & Enquiries
Travel Photographer Malaysia is published every other month by Berkeley Advertising Sdn. Bhd. Berkeley Advertising Sdn. Bhd. reserves
rights to works that are done by its editorial team. Images in this magazine are the property of those credited, and are published here with
their consent. No part of this magazine may be reproduced wi thout prior written consent from the Publisher. The opinions expressed in Travel
Photographer Malaysia are those of the writers and the contributors and are not necessaril y held of endorsed by the Publisher. The Publisher
accepts no responsibility for use of unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials.
It’s a grand season of change, and I’m not (necessarily) talking about our current political climate!
While smartphones steadily overtake the compact camera market, Google Glass looms in the horizon
– a wearable device that may change the world, perhaps? (see page 28). Then there is the sufferingmarket of the medium format cameras, pursued from behind by full frame cameras which offered
comparable quality at a lower price point. Yet even the full frames can’t rest – the Sigma DP Merrill’s
are being discovered by studio photographers for their outstanding color reproduction and detail at
low ISO’s, again at a fraction of the price.
Exciting, no? Technology never stops, and we have everything to gain.
The ideal that drives Travel Photographer Malaysia is this very same season of change – embracing
the modern age of freely accessible social sharing. We aim to bridge the gap between professional
photographers and casual cameramen (and women!) to learn from each other, and to inspire each
other. To that end, expect our in-depth interviews with professional photographers like Michael
Yamashita (page 18) and Gary Friedman (page 24); or simply short Words of Wisdom from teachers
like Fairuz Othman (page 48). Perhaps best of all are our quick and easy reviews that are submitted by
users much like yourself!
And of course, for travel, we’ve outlined Survival Gear that you might like to have around, destinations
both Local (page 50) and International (page 56), as well as a photo contest with great prizes!
All of this will be wrapped up in a neat little bow called a theme, and this issue is The Great Outdoors.
Broad and Beautiful, much like the future of our nation, and this magazine!
The Great Outdoors
EDITOR’S NOTES
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Discovery Raptor Watch 2013 pg 8
Zung : Come Fly With Me pg 9
Sony α Experience 2013 pg 10
Air France pg 11
On On Camera Outings pg 12
Feature The Myth o Local Light pg 14
Insight Mike Yamashita pg 18
Gary Friedman pg 24
Mike Yamashita
What’s in the Bag Gary Friedman pg 27
Column O Glass & Photojournalism pg 28
Reviews Sony RX1 pg 32
Ricoh GR pg 33
Nikon D7100 pg 34
Samsung Galaxy Camera pg 35
Zeiss 18mm pg 36
Tamron 10-24 pg 37
Tamrac Zuma 9 pg 38
Giottos Vitruvian Reverse pg 39
Sony RX1
Mabul Island
Survival Gear Sony Xperia Z Tablet pg 40
Ion Air Pro Wif pg 41
Goal Zero Lantern pg 42
Travel Gear Must Have Gadgets or the
Traveling Photographer pg 43
Backend Services Giclee Art pg 44
Mobile Skyscanner pg 46
TripIt pg 47
Words of Wisdom Fairuz Othman pg 48
Domestic Mabul Island pg 50
International Rottnest Island pg 56
Road Trip Nada Lama Jamu pg 62
Food Indulgence Dinner at No. 22 pg 65
Frequent Flyer Pack Light, Carry On pg 68
Reservation Avilion Admiral Cove pg 70
Photo Contest The Great Outdoors pg 74
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For those o you unamiliar with the
Raptor Watch, it is THE event orbird watching enthusiasts this side o
the peninsula. This event groups nature
lovers around the country to witness
the amazing sight o wildlie migration,
particularly that o what is termed as
‘raptors’ or birds o prey. This is its 14th
year running, an amazing eat in its
own right, and it has been conducted in
Tanjung Tuan since the year 2000.
The choice o Tanjung Tuan or the Raptor
Watch is not one that was decided purely
on its aesthetic merit but primarily due
to the act that its a strategic location (inot the most strategic) or viewing this
migration in process. This down to earth
event was peppered with booths rom
relevant third parties like providers o
sport optics, nature escapes, eco tourism,
nature photography workshops and so
orth, making it a great starting point or
beginners in nature observation. Support
or the Raptor Watch will help saeguard
the unique heritage that is Tanjung Tuan so
look out or it the same time next year at
the same place. n
Raptor Watch
2013
DISCOvERy
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DISCOvERy
Zung held his rst solo exhibition at the
Leica Store @ Avenue K on the 24th
o April 2013. A crowd o over 100 people
arrived to see the world amous “Ninja
Photographer” who displayed photographs
he had taken both or his proessional
work as well as his own personal interest.
Among photographs o Donald Trump and
the Dalai Lama were poignant moments
captured rom countries ar and wide as
Hong Kong and India. n
Zug :Come Fly With Me
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On the 16th o March 2013, Sony hosted
their annual Sony α Experience 2013,
a 2-day program which allowed over 600
registered participants an opportunity to get
up close and personal with great photographic
minds rom around the globe. Notably Mike
Yamashita rom National Geographic ame,
renowned stock photographer and Sony
camera author Gary Friedman, both rom the
US, as well as spiritual photographer Melisa
Teo rom Singapore. This event is part o Sony’s
direction to not only oer great solutions or
photography but also to engage with their
users emotionally.
More great activities rom Sony can be ound
at www.sony.com.my n
Soy α Experiece2013
DISCOvERy
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O n On Camera will be holding two
events around Sabah in the coming
two months. On the 18th o May rom
2-6pm, an Outdoor Portraiture session at
Tanjung Lipat where participants will be
able to try out Tamron lenses to capture
provided models next to the seaside.
On the 15th o June rom 2-6pm will be
a Street Photography session in Segama,
Kota Kinabalu town with Ricoh cameras
or participants to try. Both sessions
are ree or members, and RM30 or
non-members.
To participate, contact On On camera via email -
[email protected] or by calling
088-233 724 n
O O CameraOutigs
DISCOvERy
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FEATuRE
Welcome to Malaysia! It’s a ery land o amazing opportunity
or the traveling landscape photographer. There are the rain
orest reserves and national parks ull o untouched primary
orests that are green al l year round; we have the Titiwangsa
mountain ranges that separate the east and west coasts, and
the much disputed tallest mountain in south-east asia, Mount
Kinabalu; we also have great long beaches along the coast or on
the many picturesque islands like Langkawi and Pulau Kapas.
Yet, have you ever ound it hard to take good photographs
o these wondrous places? Many photographers get
conused by this, especially when they come back with
many keepers rom countries like Australia or Spain yet
can’t seem to have the same luck on home ground. As a
result, most local landscape photographers turn to post-
processing to get the job done – lightening shadows,
tuning up colors, the works.
The Myth of
Local LightTet by Vinan Hang
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In general, you’ll nd that you will get stronger colors and
contrast rom countries with our-seasons – less so rom
countries like ours that are near the equator. In act, photographs
that are taken near the equator have much denser shadows that
hide directly beneath the subject, rather than at an angle. Let’s
take a look at the actors – direction as well as quality o light at
the equator
Let
Yarrawonga, VIC, Australia
Right
Tanjung Tuan, Melaka,
Malaysia
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feature
As we all know, the earth is spinning on
its own even as it orbits the sun. It does
so with what is called an axial tilt. This
aects the angle at which the suns light
reaches the earth, as we can see rom
the diagram above. By observing the axial
tilt and constant orbit o the earth around
the sun, researchers at the Astronomy
department o the University o Nebraska-
Lincoln¹ have ound that in equatorial
countries like Malaysia, the sun is almost
directly overhead us throughout the year.
However, as you move towards the poles,
the sun starts to shine at an angle even in
the middle o the day and only passes by
directly over at the height o summer.
These variations show how the direction
o light is dierent across the world. Atthe equator the light comes rom above
us throughout the year, or the most part
creating a very lieless and at scene,
hiding and pooling long shadows beneath
trees and creating very little contrast in
composition. Photographers in our-
season countries will only experience
top-down lighting during the height o
summer, and can take advantage o the
ever-changing directional lighting during
the dierent seasons or compositions
with more compositional contrast.
Another advantage o being at an angle to the sun is that light
gets scattered through the atmosphere. In a study on solar rays
and radiation, Paul Burgess² rom Cranfeld University in the UK
ound that the urther you go rom the equator, the more light
gets spread out due to the angle at which the light reaches the
surace o the earth, but also because light gets reected out o
the atmosphere.
When you translate it to a photograph, as we can see rom the
diagram above, people urther rom the equator will have an
easier time balancing shadow and highlight detail because lightis more evenly spread throughout the atmosphere, creating
soter shadows and a more balanced exposure throughout.
Perhaps this explains why we seem to be obsessed with High
Dynamic Range composites?
So what we’re getting at is that it’s not (necessarily) your ault
that Malaysian landscapes are hard to photograph. The earth has
gited us with wondrous locations or photography all around
the world, but it seems that when it comes to lighting we have
drawn the short straw. Aside rom throwing up your hands in
dismay and deciding to just concentrate on photographs o
owers, we’ve got some ideas to make your lie easier.
Diused light
Direct light
Earth in January Earth in July
Locations at the equator receive direct, harsh
sunlight. Locations away rom the equator
receive less direct, soter sunlight.
Sun light
Latitude : 3.1° N
Malaysia
12pm | September
Direct top-down sunlight, harsh
and small shadows
Latitude : 27.0° S
Australia
12pm | September
Light comes rom the north, soter
more diused shadows
Latitude : 38.0° N
USA
12pm | September
Light comes rom the south, soter
more diused shadows
Sun Path
Casting Shadows
Diffused Light Versus Direct Light
Diused light towards the poles
creates soter shadows
Direct light at the equator
creates harsh shadows
1 - http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion3/animations/sunmotions.html2 - http://www.ccg.org.uk/conerences/downloads/P_Burgess.pd
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Timing and Positioning
For out-in-the-open landscapes, avoid
shooting in the middle o the day. There
is much better light or these in the earlymorning and towards the end o the
day when the sun is behind the horizon
and gives o a more diused light - aim
or these time slots or your landscape
photography. It also helps to arrive at your
destination earlier than these time slots –
use the extra time to scout out the best
locations and angles so that when the
light becomes just right, you are prepared
to grab a keeper.
I you don’t have the luxury o time, make
use o what Mother Nature has provided
– shade. The rainorests are great atdiusing light, and you’ll nd many gems
within them, like wateralls, rivers, and
natural rock ormations.
Set Up Your Camera
There are a ew things you can do in-
camera to ensure that your photographs
o the Malaysian Great Outdoors comeout well. The rst thing that will help is to
shoot in RAW. It may not be a necessary
step, but you’d be surprised just how
much shadow and highlight detail can
be saved with just a couple o additional
steps o post-processing.
I you’re unwilling to shoot in RAW,
perhaps because you don’t have the
necessary sotware to properly access
it, another option is to go with in-camera
HDR. Certain consumer level cameras
have this option in-built. Set it to a
comortable setting (low, in most cases),and shoot. This option lets you retain
shadow and highlight detail, just make
sure it doesn’t look too ake.
Another tip or landscapes is to over
expose slightly – a hal stop or third o
a stop will do. Doing this livens up the
colors and lits the shadows without
endangering your highlight detail too
much. I you have access to Jpeg
settings, you can also lessen contrast to
achieve a more balanced look.
Useful Filters
I balancing your exposure proves too
troublesome too oten, you may want to
look into getting yoursel a square ltersystem and a good Graduated Neutral
Density Filter. Graduated ND lters
are a piece o glass that is hal tinted
to reduce exposure in only part o the
photograph – normally the sky. Unlike a
circular Graduated ND lter which can
only be rotated, the beauty o the square
lter system is that it oers you control
over rotation as well as actual placement
o the glass. So i you’re ocusing on the
sprawling landscape and placing the sky
on in the upper thirds o the photograph,
you can adjust your graduated ND
accordingly.
Another piece o handy kit is the Circular
Polarizing Filter, or CPL. In practice, the
CPL can remove troublesome highlights
rom refections – whether rom large
bodies o water or rom shiny green
leaves ater the rain. There’s also the
added benet o deeper and more vibrant
colors, and all at the cost o a stop o
light.
Tips to HandleMalaysian Light
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insight
Te Unanned Career of
Michael Yamashita
We spent an aternoon ater the recent Sony Alpha Experience
with Michael Yamashita – the longest serving National Geographic
photographer who is still serving today. The masterul story tellertalked to us about the season o change in the industry, deusing
tense travel situations, and his reusal to bribe or a story.
According to your biography, you have a degree in Asian
studies rom Wesleyan University. Why do you think you
chose that area o specialty so early on?
Actually, it was a very personal decision because I had
consciousness, suddenly, about my roots over a social situation
where some girlriend’s parents sort o objected o my dating
her or racial reasons and I became very suddenly interested
in my background - Japanese American. When you grow up in
the States as a minority, you’re not particularly conscious o
your racial background until you’ve experienced some sort odiscrimination. That’s what lead me to think that I would like to
know more about my home country, where my parents were
rom. I became interested in university; I decided to take Asian
history - just or those personal reasons, not because I was
looking or a career. In act in those days, it was a dicult time
or young college students because there was the Vietnam war
going on and we were all ocused on staying out o the army.
Not so ocused as today’s culture where everyone is interested
in their job or their uture. I went to a very liberal school where
they said study what you want and you’ll learn the skills it
takes to be whatever, in graduate school or later on. It wasn’t a
conscious decision to be a photographer. In act I didn’t own a
camera until I got out o college.
You’re quite well known or your series on historical gures
like Marco Polo and Zhang He, was it your academic
pursuits that inspired it?
No, as a long time Geographic photographer I’m always looking
or the next best story. Actually, there’s one other photographer
who is very well known or this, his name is James Staneld,
and he did Kublai Khan and a lot o the big epic stories. He
retired and somehow the timing was right - I booked into Marco
Polo which is my proposal, my idea and that started me in this
direction o ollowing history and doing big stories. Following
that, I did Great Wall, and that became a book. I did the Silk
Road o course, with Marco Polo. I did Zhang He, who is noted
here especially in Malaysia since he spent a lot o time here.
You know, a photographer’s career is rarely something that is
planned. I never planned to be a photographer. It just happened.I never planned on working or the Geographic, that is the kind
o picture I wanted to take and it led me to that direction. But
none o these things happened in any order, it was just the next
step. The stories became books and that also has been key to
my career as I had more books than any photographer anywhere
in the world on Asia. That isn’t something that I planned either, it
just happened that way that I have done these stories that lend
themselves to bigger coverage in books.
Are you working on any historical gures now?
I’m working on the Grand Canal which is a huge story and
probably will be a book, you’ll see that in April or May in the
National Geographic. These stories I keep revisiting, like theTibet book or Shangri-La, so I have a passion or a subject and I
keep going back until I have enough material considered to be
a book and I have been very ortunate to have good publishers
who agree with me.
As an Asian American, do you nd yoursel more at ease
with Asian cultures that you’re engaging?
Yes, absolutely and I think it helps in my photography, I think
there’s a rapport that I have with people who look like me. It’s
dierent rom the United States or working in Europe where I’m
surely a minority. Plus the other thing I always say is the ood.
I always tell my editors I’m not interested in going anywhere
unless they’re serving rice. I eel most comortable in this part o
the world and vice versa, I think people react to me as an Asianin a more positive way than other nationalities, cultures or races.
Do you think that Asians make or more engaging subjects?
Yeah. Plus, this is the center o the world as ar as I’m
concerned. Asia is booming, the rest o the world isn’t. All the
big changes happened here the last 25 years easy and my
career has risen as Asian countries have risen because I’ve done
a lot o work in these areas or the tourism bureau, or example.
I’ve never worked or the Malay tourist oce but Singapore
certainly and Singapore Airlines was one o my rst clients. I
brought a lot o tourist to this part o the world. As Singapore
took o, so did all the Asian countries.
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A otoraer’scareer is rareysometin tatis anned.
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insight
How did you get started with the Geographic? You naturally
progressed into it, as you said.
It’s like boxing, you start out and you are against an opponent
with whom you beat easily and they move you on to the nextopponent, and you keep progressing until you hit the big time.
I started here in Asia working or small magazines. Traveller in
Tokyo, there was a magazine called Pacic, American Express,
Asian Magazine and lots o small magazines out here. That’s
where I started doing stories and photographs or them.
And then I got the big one back in the late 70s, I got the
biggest assignment at the time you could get in Asia which
was Singapore Airlines. And they sent me to all their Asian
destinations to make pictures or their brochures - not the
Singapore girls - and the posters and all other cultural related
photography. And I did that or about a year and that gave me a
portolio that had everything - landscape, architecture, people,
culture - all o these elements that you need to be a generalistshooter or the Geographic. That exposure plus making money
allowed me to go back to the United States and take a portolio
around and one o the places, o course, I went was National
Geographic. I got a pretty immediate response and the rst
assignment I had or the Geographic, they sent me to Hokkaido,
Japan. And that was 33 years ago.
You’ve had a long career in photography, have you ever elt
disillusioned?
No, I think this is the best job in the world. Certainly in
photojournalism it is, there’s no other client like this. It’s very
ortunate that they still exist; they’re the only ones let. So I
started at the top and I’m still there, which is a nice eeling
because most o my colleagues have not lasted. Either they’veretired or dropped out or something but I’m only one o, say,
our photographers that’s still there ater 30 years.
Do you have any directions or any o our readers i they
were to consider pursuing the same path as you did, getting
into the Geographic eventually?
Everyone gets in the same way - by showing a portolio. That
portolio really has to be able to communicate to somebody, The
viewer has to look at that and nd something special out o it.
That’s always been the case. O course it always has been a 1%
o 1% o 1% kinda job, you know? It’s not like you go to college
and get a degree and say that I’m gonna be a photographer. You
just really have to have a passion and obsession with the idea obeing a photographer; that you’re going to be able to weather all
these challenges - and there are many. There are too many good
photographers out there so you really have to have something
worth showing. Some o my younger colleagues are saying,
“I wish I was your age so that I don’t have to worry about this
stu”. It’s the next generation that is going to have to gure
out how to make a living in a much dierent world than what I
started in and what I still do basically. I work or magazines, I get
paid, I work or magazine agencies, I get paid a day rate, that’s
been the model. But now, it’s never been easier to get a picture
published, you can just put anything you want on the internet.
The problem is nobody is paying or that. Somewhere along the
line somebody has to gure out a system where photographers
can prosper and make enough money to make a living.
Otherwise, it will be a ‘gentlemen’s hobby’ where somebody
who has lots o money can make pictures and i they’re good - it
doesn’t matter who’s making them, as long as the pictures are
good - that person can make a living. It’s getting very hard, as
you know. There’s no more saety net.
You made a good living or what you do since you’re
established but or the new guys...
Very hard to come in. I have many who want to be
photographers, who knock on my door o my studio. I get
e-mails every day rom people who want to be my assistant
and want to learn how to do it. I take two interns every year,
who are committed to becoming photographers. They assist me
and then maybe they’ll get an internship in a newspaper and i
they’re really good, they’ll continue on rom there. It seems like
the only job these days are weddings. When I rst started, that
was like the lower level o photography but now you got really
superb shooters getting into the wedding business because it’s
the most consistent and it pays the bills
Do you work on any o your own projects, in this case?
Well they’re always my own projects in that we own our own
photography. Fortunately, what I like to shoot is what I get paid
or. My personal projects come out in books. And as I said,
I’m ortunate to have so many published because I spent two
years on Marco Polo. That was a huge magazine story; it ran
over 80 pages in a series o three. So, any photographer will
be quite happy or proud o that. Then the next thing I did: a
500 page book. The dierence is, even in an 80-90 page story,
you’re only seeing 40 photographs. Whereas a book, you’re
seeing hundreds. I showed today, 250 photographs (at the Alpha
Experience 2013 event), whether you realize it or not. Today’s
show had 250 rames, 251 to be exact. It’s not showing o, it’s
just showing a much broader range in storytelling and o course,
you’re always wanting to take your pictures and you show em’.
Obviously your interest is showing the best that you got.
Do you go back to share these pictures with the people that
you’ve shot?
Yeah, that’s always a great thing to be able to go back and
share the pictures. My rst story on Hokkaido was done in
1980 and a ew years ago, I went back to shoot at Daisetsuzan.
I walked into this little restaurant, there’s this guy who looked
vaguely amiliar. Then he looks at me, I look at him and he says,
“Yamashita-san” and I was like “Ah!”. So we had this meeting
I’m ony one of, say,
four otoraers
tat’s sti tere
after 30 years.
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and it was just like 25 years have passed and still we sort o
picked up where we let o. This guy was my guide and he took
me to a lot o place in Hokkaido many years ago.
Have you gotten in trouble with local authorities?
Many times, I got in some trouble here shooting a story on the
res. Remember the Indonesian res in the late 90s? Smoke
everywhere and so I shot in KL rom the highest buildings to
show how bad the smog was. There was some resistance bythe local authorities. They didn’t want photographers wandering
around showing how bad it was because it was not good
or tourism. I had some resistance to that. Then we went o
to Borneo, to Kalimantan and Sarawak. We had to sneak in
across the Indonesian border because i they didn’t like us in
Malaysia, they really didn’t want us in Indonesia because that
was the source o res. China is always a challenge because
they consider journalists and photographers to be an enemy.
So there’s always a lot o distrust about people with a camera.
I want to look like a Japanese tourist, I don’t want to look like
a proessional photographer. That also helps (pointing to sel,
indicating his outlook).
What about North or South Korea, have you dealt with that
issue?
Yes, I’ve been to North Korea three times. I don’t know
anybody else who has. Again, tremendous restrictions about
photographing there and I can’t say I got much more or better
than anybody else has because o the restrictions. Everybody
gets taken to the same place.
Were you escorted? Or were you ree to go around?Oh no, o course you’re escorted, you can’t get into that country
without an escort and it’s very hard to make any pictures that
they don’t know about.
And do they claim that it’s also or your protection?
Oh god yeah, in countries like Iraq and Iran where I also
photographed or Marco Polo there was a lot o restrictions
because I’m not working with a xer in those cases, I’m working
with a minder. A minder is provided by the government. In
China, up until 2000, all the way through Marco Polo even, I was
working with minders. They didn’t want me to shoot oot binding
in China, I got arrested or that. I’m constantly getting hassled by
the authorities or doing stu. I’m shooting a story on Chinese
trains. It’s illegal to shoot in stations, I’ve gotten thrown out o a
lot o stations, thrown o a lot trains.
Have you been in a lie endangering situation? You’re not
exactly a confict photographer but you seem to travel to a
lot o these locations that is quite sensitive.
Yeah, the story at high altitude shooting the worm story, my
xer got HAPE - high altitude pulmonary edema - and we had
to get him down to a lower altitude. He almost died, he was
coughing up blood. I limit my danger actor to the photograph
I’m trying to shoot. The most dangerous thing is climbing up a
telephone pole to get a higher angle, balancing o the edge o
I want to ook ike
a Jaanese tourist,
I don’t want to ook
ike a rofessiona
otoraer.
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travel photographer malaysia22
insight
a cli or something; I don’t shoot places where they’re shooting
at me. I’ve been close to those areas but obviously it’s not in my
interest to put mysel in harm’s way
How would you advise a travel photographer, who perhaps
is unlucky, to avoid or deuse a tense situation?
Well, you just have to wear a smile at all times and just don’t go
there. I was in Aghanistan when there was a war going on and
obviously i I was captured by the Taliban, they would obviously...
Yeah. I put a lot o responsibility on my xers, these people that
I hire in dierent countries to be my guide, be my interpreter, do
the logistical work, get me the driver, and arrange or interviews.
We work out in advance, here’s where we wanna go, this is
what I need, I want to nd this situation, where do we go to see
this, what’s coming up as ar as estivals are concerned, what’s
the status o the border, can we cross easily, what kind o cars
do we need, I need a 4WD, a Toyota Land Cruiser, whatever.These guys are invaluable and they’re well paid or local hire and
we depend on them and share them with colleagues. So i I’m
gonna go to India, I’m gonna get a riend who shoots in India
to recommend a good xer and i they’re going to China, they
come to me because I know the best. They usually have some
sort o journalist background and i not, they have a journalist
sense. And they know my success depends on their being able
to nd me the subject and putting that subject in ront o my
lens. They have to be diplomatic because sometimes we’re
down in a situation where it’s tense, because the police want
to take your camera away; they want to kick you o the train or
whatever...
Do you deal with bribes just to get the story?No, I don’t deal with money. I’ve never been in a situation…
well, once or twice in China where you knew they wanted
something rom me but I ignore it. Well I don’t pay my subjects,
we don’t set them up. Obviously, I have to get access but we do
it without paying money. I remember once shooting at a estival
in China where this minder basically was telling me i we paid
him some extra money he would nd a better position or me.
Coming back to lighter topics, we’ve listened to your talk and
we hear you make a lot o reerences about the equipment
and the eatures that you use and we understand that you
picked up the A900 awhile back. What actually caused you to
consider that? I mean to switch systems and everything.
Well it was the highest resolution camera at the time and that
was a big thing. I do big prints. I have a gallery in Hong Kong.
I you’re ever there, go check it out, it’s called Picture This and
they sell a lot o big prints. When they were developing the
camera, I was shown a prototype and they explained all this
new technology beore it was a reality and they asked me
many times, or several years at least, i I would consider using
the camera. I never got around to it, I was too busy and I was
perectly happy with my Canon 5D. Then 5 years ago when it
came to light and they showed me this, what really impressed
me, other than the speed o the camera, were the Zeiss lenses.
I thought this was a game changer because the les just looked
better and you could control contrast. I started using the camera
in the story on Jiuzhaigou and that just blew me away, that color
and clarity o the water. Whether it was the camera or whether
I could have gotten that with any camera, I’m not sure, but itwas pretty amazing. Subsequent new technology, especially
the A99, i it isn’t obvious now it should be, everybody is going
to have to ollow that. I mean the mirrorless technology means
you do not miss the moment. Shooting that catwalk just now,
when you’re shooting with a DSLR, the mirror is going up and
down - you don’t know what you’re shooting. You’re guessing
where the next step is. That’s why I get 6-8 burst o pictures
where I’m watching in what seems like slow motion o a model
moving through your rame. That’s an amazing advance or
street shooters. It’s not a guessing game anymore; you’re going
to get it. With these amazing motor drives, you’re not going to
miss the moment and that’s a big deal. That old adage i you saw
the picture, you miss the moment. You don’t miss the momentanymore.
I have to ask this, what would you consider now as the
perect camera to work with?
No camera is perect. I still have a couple o bees about some
eatures on the A99. I think it needs more ocusing spots. It’s
pretty narrow in the middle. Anybody who likes long glass, long
lenses, there’s not enough o that yet. But, I do believe that
there is a reason why the top camera o the year in America has
been Sony or the last three years. They’re thinking out o the
box. It’s not a mechanical camera world anymore, it’s electronic.
So where are the new cameras coming rom? Panasonic with
Leica, Sony with Zeiss and the rest are gonna have to ollow,
because nobody thought o mirrorless technology beore. Thisscreen, it’s a total game changer. I shot the HSBC Asia campaign
about 2-3 years and the art director had this little camera, Sony
or Canon, I don’t know what it was but he shot everything rom
the back screen and he shoot something and he say, “Can you
do that?”. He had a zoom lens that could go rom like super close
up to you know, whatever and I was like “I can’t do that”. And he
was using that back screen all the time and in the end, Live View
is an absolute game changer. Just being able to look at whatever
it is happening in ront o you and compose on the back screen,
tremendous advantage.
We know you have an Instagram account. Do you shoot that
with a smartphone? Or you’re just using that to share?
I’ve been using it basically to urther the Geographic because
they asked the photographers to start Instagram. It went rom
40 thousand to 1.2 million or 1.3 whatever it is now in a very
short time in about a year. So now it’s the biggest entity on
Instagram and that has been built by the photographers in
National Geographic. So it got them a ollowing or notoriety that
they didn’t have beore and o course the photographers are not
stupid, we could see that this is good though I must say nobody
has earned a dime rom it. Nobody knows where this is going
to lead; this is why this is such an interesting time. Everybody
is doing all these things and putting photography in ront o the
world, nobody knows where it’s all leading to. Everybody is
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just getting inundated with photography. I’ll look at themes like
what’s in the news. So North Korea is in the news, so I throwup a North Korea picture and it gets 2300 comments - that’s
amazing! I got 40 thousand hits. I try to be timely, i its stu
coming rom my archives. I just took a picture just the other
day, I carry my iPhone, occasionally something personal goes
up there and that’s o course something people really seem
to like is something very personal. I’m not the sharing kind o
person, I have Facebook but I don’t spend a lot o time sharing
on Facebook but I realize that every time something personal
goes up there, the number o likes goes way up. That picture o
that magic mountain in Yunnan, that went over 50-60 thousand
people. And the same thing, I was in the eld working in Brunei
a month ago and I throw up a photograph and the people romthe tourism oce who I was working with in Brunei couldn’t
believe it because they threw it up there and immediately we
had like 40 thousand people going yeah (thumbs up). I don’t
have a lot o time when at home to be making new pictures. I
carry a camera but it’s not that my lie is that boring or anything,
it’s just that I have other priorities when I’m home because I’m
not thinking o taking pictures. But when I’m on the road, my
whole ocus is making pictures so i I’m gonna put photographs
on an Instagram page or Facebook or anything, it will be more
rom being on the road.
Last question rom us, where do you see yoursel 10 years
rom now?Well you know, photographers like to say, a photographer never
retires, they just grow old. Eisenstaedt was shooting when he
was like 90 or something. I don’t know i it will be that way or
me. I have a lot o projects yet let to do and a book or three
that I still haven’t published so I don’t think I see things changing
very much in the next 10 years. Dierence is I have a amily –
years mean something or amily. I’ll have a daughter who will
be an adult, who knows what that’s going to be like. n
Michael Yamashita’s work can
be found on is ortfoio site and
eriodicay on Instaram. Wen
e’s not workin a story, e can be
found sendin time wit famiy in
rura New Jersey, and is an active
vounteer fire fiter.
www.micaeyamasita.com
Instaram – yamasitaoto
Everybody is doin
a tese tins anduttin otoray
in front of te word,
nobody knows were
it’s a eadin to.
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insightINSIghT
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Gary Friedma An enineer wose ideas coud’ve caned te word –
now a stock otoraer and e-book uru for otoraers
te word over
Tell us about your journey in photography.
I’ve been taking pictures seriously since I was 15 years old. Ieven built a darkroom in my parents’ house to process B&W
lm. However, I’ve also always loved electronics and computers
more, and so my rst career was at NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory working on the Voyager and Galileo spacecrat
systems - it’s the best job any engineer could hope or. But I
became rustrated that I couldn’t commercialize my patents
while I was still there, so ater a decade I let to learn how to
run a business. I started an inormation technology consulting
rm and grew it rom one person (me) and a telephone to 22
employees and USD $10M in revenues. Then the dot-com crash
came. Broke, I went to China to teach English (what else do you
do ater you’ve punted and lost everything?), then came back to
the States and got married. “What now?” I asked mysel. I had
a lietime’s worth o images in slides and negatives, and I didn’t
want to start a business where I had to rely on other people.
Stock photography seemed like the way to go.
What area do you specialize in photography wise?
The images that get licensed the most are the travel images
rom the various countries I’ve visited, and so naturally those are
the kinds o pictures I now tend to shoot. I have also started
doing commercial studio work, some o which ends up on the
website i I’m the copyright holder.
You have a popular series o e-books or the Sony system.
Tell us more about that. Do you have more readers in Asia?
I’ve discovered that my largest reader base is in theNetherlands, which I thought unusual until it was explained to
me that Minolta had a very large presence there. This is ollowed
by the U.K. and the US. Malaysia isn’t even in the top 100
top-selling countries, so I was a little surprised at how popular
I was when I rst came here. The marketing director or Sony
Malaysia at the time explained that this was due to rampant le
sharing in that country and he advised me to implement copy
protection to protect mysel rom that sort o thing, which I did.
I love the act that Sony is now the most innovative company in
photography today, and because o my engineering background I
can appreciate what they do.
It is quite unique or a photographer that has his own line
o books. Do you see that as an advantage? Does it work inyour avor?
Anytime you can have synergy between multiple businesses,
it’s a good thing. Much o my commercial work can be used in
the books to illustrate a eature, and there can be tremendous
overlap so one thing I do can be leveraged multiple ways.
Your books are in a digital ormat only I believe, could you
share your thoughts on the reasons behind that decision?
I can give you two reasons: The arrogant reason: “Printed books
are SO last century!” and the more truthul reason: “I couldn’t
get a publisher”. That turned out to be a good decision because
nowadays people are using their iPads or smartphones to read
my books. With the instantly-downloadable PDF le I can reach
audiences where traditional book distribution doesn’t go. There
are still some people who preer a printed book, and or them I
utilize a print-on-demand publisher so I don’t have to tie up any
cash in inventory.
In your view, how has the digital platorm changed the game
or photography?
Those who are just learning benet greatly by getting instant
eedback and being able to try new things or ree. The
downside? The stock photography business has been fooded
by low-priced entries taken by people who don’t understand the
value o good light. My images might be better, but the chances
o a buyer nding my images are now that much less because
he’d have to wade through all the others - who has the patienceor that? A higher-level problem is that people don’t believe
what they see anymore. When I was growing up, there was an
adage that “The photograph doesn’t lie”. That’s no longer true.
Do you only write and shoot ull time?
My wie and I also travel and give beginning photography
seminars all over the world. They’re popular because so many
beginners nd the learning curve to be dicult, and rankly I
think they’re all trying to learn the wrong things. So I teach
them how us old-time Kodachrome shooters were able to take
“Wow!”-type pictures beore ancy cameras and
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travel photographer malaysia26
insight
Photoshop, and people come out inspired to be more creative
and an appreciation o the things that are really important inphotography!
I also am a distributor or a most awesome musical instrument
called a Maui Xaphoon Pocket Sax. It’s small but sounds big,
and I carry it in my camera bag. Wherever I go in the world, I can
make riends just by sitting down and playing. Then I warm them
up and take some portraits o people I meet. Synergy!
How would you describe the photographic industry in the
US? How does it dier very much to Asia in your view?
It’s hard to answer since I’m not that amiliar with the market in
Asia. I can tell you that the stock image business is not what it
used to be 10 years ago, and I see no signs that it will ever goback to what it was. Once upon a time there were photo editors
who had a licensing budget and who had high standards or
image quality. Today those positions have been eliminated and
replaced by interns who sur the web looking or images to copy
and use without permission. There’s no going back. Fortunately
the books and the commercial work is stepping in to ll the void.
What genuine advice would you give to photographers
coming up in industry?
Other than, “Stay away!!”? Seriously, many jobs look like a
lot o un rom aar, but the surest way to take the joy out o
photography is to turn it into a business. Instead o enjoying
taking pictures you’re more worried about your income stream
and marketing yoursel. Keep your day job and continue to usephotography as a creative outlet. Used in this way photography
will never let you down, or it gives you an excuse to get out and
do things you’d never normally do, and meet people you’d never
normally meet.
You’ve been to Malaysia quite a ew times now. Ever
thought o making the switch to Asia permanently?
Not really, although I did seriously consider living in China when
I was teaching English there back in 2003. But my parents and
grandkids are all in the States. Plus, there’s no humidity in
Caliornia! n
Gary Friedma maintains an
arcive of is trave otoray at
is website, as we as a bo wic
udates semi-consistenty wit is
own insits into otoray, as
we as tis and tricks to e any
eve of otoraer.
www.friedmanarcives.com
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SMAll BAg• NEX-7and18-55lens
• Rokinon/Samyang8mm sheye lens
• Minolta5600ash+diffuser
• SonyHVL-F20AMash (to trigger 5600 wirelessly)
• Prinztelescopingtripod (it gets to be pretty tall!)
• Extrabattery,memorycard,
• Lenscleaningcloth• PocketSax
WhAT’S IN ThE BAghorses for courses, tat’s wat my teacer used to say to me. It reay just means to use te rit
toos for te job, and sometimes tat imies to carry ess. Wat do you tink of gary Friedman
ten, wo as a basic kit for trave and a bier ba for wen te job requires? Take a ance and
see if you can fiure wat is most basic needs are. Wo knows, you may be temted to ick u a
ocket sax yoursef.
BIg BAg• SonyAlpha77
• Sony16-50mmf/2.8
• Minolta100-300mmAPO
• Minolta11-18APS-Cwidezoom
• Prinztelescopingtripod
• SonyF58ash(anddiffusercard,stand)
• Minolta5600ash (and diuser card, stand)
• BlackRapidstrap
• CableRelease
• Extrabatteries(camera+ash + cell phone)
• Diffusercloths(forthe5$studio)
• Honeycombgridarray(lightmodier)
• Flashlight
• Lenscleaninguidandcloth
• Extramemorycards
• LensPens(oneforlenses, one or the sensor)
• Insectrepellent,medicineforinsectbites
• PeptoBismoltablets
• “Fisherman’sFriend”lozenges
• PocketSax
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column
OF GLASS &
PHOTOjOURnALISM
Tet by Gerge Wng Imges Courtesy of Ggle Inc.
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column
In days long past, drawings and paintings were the earliest
orm o visual historical documentation which persisted until
the invention o the camera. Initial incarnations o the camera
were impractical and cumbersome and it wasn’t until 1913 when
Leica introduced their prototype o a small camera called the
Ur-Leica that visual documentation really became a mainstream
vocation. The creation o the 35mm lm ormat camera made
documenting the world accessible and gave birth to a vocation
called photojournalists and the business o photographic
images.
The business o photography has seen many hurdles since
its short inception with the switch rom analogue and digital
being the most proound. Digital cameras, unlike its older lm
counterparts, allowed or instant capture, preview and transer
capabilities. This simple advancement greatly diminished thevalue o images as it allowed the masses the opportunity
to take credible images without any prior training. Today, a
ormal education in photography is merely a bonus and not a
prerequisite or an assignment. Sotware applications were
developed to oset one’s lack o skill and even enhance images
at minimal cost and eort which has greatly increased the
spectrum o quality while drastically reducing expectations o
investment. Despite these stark impediments, photographers
adapted and, with the right business acumen, some even
fourished rom this change.
The rise o social media and 24/7 mobile connectivity has
incited a greater cause or alarm with many o the traditional
providers struggling to adapt and monetize in a world where
content is essentially almost ree. Copyright inringements and
stolen intellectual property have become so commonplace that
it has leveled to normality within the last 5 years. Despite the
many laws and legislations in place, enorcement is proving
to be dicult with no easible standards to trace and validate
ownership o content. Certain quarters have experimented with
platorms that capitalize on ree user created content but the
lack o clear validation, curation or basic photography technique
have proven stumbling blocks or its replacement o mainstream
news reportage. With the many challenges already in view, a
new paradigm is looming on the horizon.
Early 2012, Google showcased early prototypes o Glass, awearable computer which is mounted onto a pair o spectacles
that projects inormation via a prism screen to the top right
corner o your vision. Signicantly, it incorporates a camera
providing it the ability to capture images as well as video,
opening up whole debates on privacy and saety concerns
that such a technology may entail. The state o West Virginia
amended its state laws to include a ban on driving while using
wearable technology with a HUD mounted display, in ear o the
possible saety risk that the use o Glass suggests. There’s even
a movement called ‘Stop the Cyborgs’ that was ounded as a
response to Glass in ear o a uture where ‘privacy is impossible
and central control total’.
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review
IN ThE FIElD
IMAgE QUAlITY
FORM•Evenweathersealed,theD7100isonly
slightly larger than the D7000
•Comfortable-in-hand–Nikonhas
ergonomics down to a science
•Newusersmaybeoverwhelmedbythe
layout
•Itinheritedthe51pointAFsystemfrom
the D4 – useul or ast subjects
•Weather-sealed!Badweatherisno
longer a worry
•Thein-cameraHDRtakessomeeffort
out o dicult scenes
•Photographsareremarkablydetailed
•24Megapixelsisverygenerous.Itlets
you crop without losing ne detail
•Moireisveryrare,despitethemissing
Anti-Aliasing lter
•Auto-focusisfastandaccurate,andthe
51 point AF doesn’t disappoint
•After5continuousRAWshotsthe
camera becomes sluggish or a ew
seconds – even with a class 10 card
•At950shotspercharge,batterylifeis
good, but not amazing
OVERALL VERDICT
Review by Zakir Haan
nIkOn D7100 RRP. RM4298 (Body Ony) DIstRIbutoR. NIkON MalaYSIa
FEATURES
It’s smaer and iter tan te D300s
and te D700, yet it sti acks a
manificent unc wen it comes to
imae quaity. Addin weater-seain
and te 51 oint AF makes tis a reat
coice for te great Outdoors!
VERDICT VS TEST BED SpECIFICATIONS
sill Relin 24.1 Megpie
aPS-C CMOS
Vide Relin 1080p
Iso Range ISO 50-25600
Len Mn Nion F
RAW NEF
baery Life 950 shots
screen size 3.2”
Dimenin 136 107 76 mm
Weigh 765g
U aainst te Canon 6D,
te Nikon D7100 is sti
a formidabe oonent,
eseciay amon non-
ixe eeers. It’s a iter
system to carry around, as
amazin resoution for wat
it is, and certainy erforms
we. however, it isn’t
enou to usur te trone.
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review
IN ThE FIElD
pORTABIlITY
FORM•Giottosiswellknownformakingsturdy,
well-engineered tripods. This one is no
dierent.
•Thecarbonbreusedinconstruction
gives it a really nice and cool sheen, as
carbon ber does.
•Everyonehasanopiniononcliplocks
vs twist locks. Giottos has done well to
ease that by making these twist locks
that are almost eortless to lock and
unlock.
•Thequickreleasemechanismcomes
with a dual stage lock
•It’salighttripodthatfoldsawayintoa
neat little package that makes it easy to
carry around
•Themonopodisnotascompactat
77cm long when olded. It doesn’t t
well strapped to a bag, so make do and
walk with it
•Fullyunfolded,theVitruvianstandsat
1.36 meters. Pretty average, quite usable
•TheVitruviancanalsospreaditslegs
and get down low to the ground - a
good quality to have or dirty
macro work
•Thesuppliedheadcanholdupto4kgof
gear – most gear combos are ne
OVERALL VERDICT
Review by Vinan Hang
GIOTTOS VITRUVIAn
PROFESSIOnAL
REVERSE VGR 8255
RRP. RM1151 DIstRIbutoR. SHRIRO MalaYSIa
FUNCTION
It’s ard to faut te giottos Vitruvian
professiona Reverse, and if you are
ookin for a ood triod tat doesn’t take
u too muc sace on ikes, tis mit
just be it for you. Te ony disaointment
is te monood, wic is sturdy but ard
to justify brinin aon on its own.
VERDICT VS TEST BEDSpECIFICATIONS
Maerial Crbon Fiber
Maximm Heigh 1.36 m
Minimm Heigh 39 cm
Maximm Weigh 4 g
Leg Lck Twist ocs
Leg sage 5
Flded Lengh 40 cm
Weigh 1.27 g
Te giottos Vitruvian
professiona Reverse is our
test bed due to its comact
size wen foded and its
dua function as a monood.
In terms of buid quaity it
doesn’t souc, and a in
a woud make an idea
comanion wen you fee
te need for a triod
on tris.
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survival gear
IN THE FIELD
FEaTurEs
FOrM
•Beautifullymachinedanddesigned–
morecamerasshouldbedesignedlike
this!
•Asimpliedlayoutofjustaslideranda
button
•Diveto9metersunderwaterwithouta
bulkyoutershell.
•AnysettingsaredoneoverWi-Fi.Set-
and-forget.Lifeiseasy.
•Thecameravibratestoconrm.Good
forwhenyoucan’tseetheindicator
light.
•Itpowersonimmediatelywhenyou
slidetherecordbutton.Recordingstarts
acoupleofsecondslater
•Ittakesstillphotographs whilerecording!
•TheAndroidandiOSapp(bothfree)
allowsyoutouploadyourmediastraight
toFacebookandYoutube.
•Usethemobileappasawireless
viewnder!
•TheWi-FiPodzcomeswithalifetimestorageof8GBonIon’sowncloud
storage.
•CrispandclearFullHDvideosare
saturatedwithcolour–perhapsalittle
toomuchforsubtlepalates.
•Whitesettingstendstowardsthecooler
blueside.
•Youmayexperiencetherollingshutter
effectifyourmovementsaretoodrastic.
OVERALLVERDICT
Revew b Vnan Hang
Ion AIr Pro WI-FIRRP. RM986 fr te W-f bsc kt DistRibutoR. ShRiRo MalaySia
FuNcTION
The Ion ai Po Wi-Fi i n idel
ppoting ompnion fo high qlity
video domenttion of yo tvel.
Hving ppoting mobile pp tht
mke hing ey i imply iing on
the ke.
VErDIcT Vs TEsT BEDsPEcIFIcaTIONs
Vde Reln 1080p t 30 fps
sll Reln 5 Megpxes
iso Range N/a
Len 170 degree f2.8 fsee ens
Memry Frma Mcr-SD
baery Lfe 2.5 hurs f vde
(1 hur wt Wf Pd)
screen sze N/a
Dmenn (HxWxD) 37x37x107mm
Wegh 138g
The Ion ai Po Wifi i
o pik fo the tet bed
bee it’ n tion
me withot the need
fo dditionl ing
nd eoie. a
imple nd light pkge
good fo tvel.
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backend service
Giclee Art
Beautiul rainorests, expansive
vistas, calm island scenes - thegreat outdoors provides many
excellent opportunities to take
antastic photographs, and the
best way to show it o is to have
it printed – big. Nothing conveys
the grandness o landscapes like
a big print.
Large and impressive prints
are the domain o Giclee Art, a
company that specializes in art
reproduction and catering to the
high standards that proessionals
demand. The co-ounder, Wesley
Wong, is known among these
circles as the Master Printer, and
he has a portolio o amazing
jobs, including work with Leica,
Hasselblad, and the Maybank
Photo Awards.
I this all sounds a little daunting,
don’t let it be. Giclee Art has
consumer-centric packages
available to photographers, and
you can be assured that the same
level o care will be aorded toit. As an added bonus, many
photographers compliment prints
produced by Giclee as looking
“better than the original”.
The best part is you can get all
this done while you’re on vacation.
Simply go to the website and hit
“Upload Images” and you’ll be
able to start a conversation with
a sales representative to get the
process started.
Tet by Vinan Hang
What is a Giclee?
(zhee-clay)
“A ne art print created by a printmaker adhering to strict standards that
utilizes special high resolution digital equipment throughout the workfow
process leaving no evidence o the technology used, while providing archival
quality consistent with that o a collectible ne art print.”
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mobile
Tripit
Minimum Requirements
○ iOS 5.0
○ Android 2.1
○ Blackberry 4.5.0
○Windows Phone 7
○Windows Phone 8
Price : Free
Tripit
The closest thing to a personal
assistant, Tripit keeps track o your itinerary rom ight to hotel bed.
Stories abound about travelers missing
fights and connections because they had
misread the date on their itinerary or had
simply orgotten what the actual date was
beore heading to the airport. No more,
with Tripit.
A Pocket Personal Assistant
What Tripit does is basically put all o your
trips essential reservation codes andinormation into a place where you can
have a good and clear overview o your
trip. You can set it up to scan your email
address or do it manually.
For example, when you book a fight
online and a conrmation email is sent
to your email, Tripit can be set up to
recognize that email and immediately
input it into your Tripit account. With the
app, it will store this inormation ofine
so that you can access your fight details
(rom destination to fight number) even
i you’re in a place with no internet
connection.
Social Network For Travelers
TripIt also unctions as a sort o social
network or travelers. You can make
connections with riends who are
also using Tripit, and see what grand
adventures they are on, or i you’re
planning a trip together you can sync
details. You can, o course, choose not to
divulge inormation on certain trips i you
wish or personal and private getaways.
TripIt Pro
TripIt also oers a paid service. In addition
to the already very comprehensive
solution that the ree version is, or
49 USD a year you can also choose to
benet rom a number o other services,
including being privy to fight delays and
cancellations, nding alternate routes,
keeping tabs on requent fyer points and,
among many other things, get access to
over 1200 business lounges worldwide.
It does seem a little costly, but i you’re
a requent fyer it may very pay or itsel
– especially i you are notied early o afight cancellation.
Conclusion
Tripit is an essential app or any traveller
to keep a close tab on their itinerary.
Being able to access everything rom
fight details to car rental codes and
hotel reservation numbers even while
you’re traveling without internet can be
a god send. It’s ree service is already
antastically comprehensive, so give it
a try.
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Words of Wisdom .
BY FaIRUZ OTHMaN.
Four Elemets
for a Good TravelPhotograph
1. Documet
“This is the most basic thing. It’s the part o the photo that
tells the viewer that you were here”. So to speak, it’s an
establishing point. A travel photograph should be recognizable. It
may not need street names lit up with neon-lights, but it should
certainly hint as to where it was shot.
2. Details“I I’m abroad, I look or details that you can’t fnd in
Malaysia. I it’s a normal every-day item I can fnd at home,
it doesn’t interest me. I want to fnd elements that make my
travel photographs dierent. You must ocus on the whole
picture as well – the background is just as important as the
subject – you wouldn’t go to Paris and take a photograph o
a pair o shoes. Context is everything” The children o Mabul live with minimal resources ,
their ground is our sea .
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How long have you been pursuing photographyas a hobby?
My interest in photography started as early as my
school days, way back in the 80’s. I used to save
my pocket money to buy a RM20 compact camera
with a cube fash. I got my rst SLR in 1983 when I
bought Yashica FX-7. Later on, I moved to Canon AE-1
Program while studying overseas. There was a long
hiatus in my photography journey beore I jumped
to the digital SLR in 2007. All in al l, I would say, my
passion or photography had spanned more than 20
years.
Where do you nd inspiration or your
photography?
To me, inspirations are all around us, but most o
the time we ail to recognize them. It comes rom
my heart through observing the changes in the color
o the sky, the wonders o wildlie, the diversity o
people and the relentless fow o running water.
I love the work o Peter Sanders and Steve
McCurry. I’m also inspired by the work o Reuters
photographer, Bazuki Muhammad, who happened to
be my school mate.
How do you develop your skills as aphotographer?
Just like any other skills, “practice makes perect”. I
sharpen my “art o seeing” through creating pictures
rather than taking pictures. I practice with my camera
control and unctions and try to know my subject
well. I develop “anticipation skill” which I believe is
the key to getting the right moment, thus creating a
rame o picture that is unique in its own way.
Do you have plans to evolve your photography
into a business or a ull time job? (How would
you go about it?)
The idea did cross my mind, but I eel that i I delve
into business, I won’t be ree to pursue what I love
to do in my own ways. Having said that, I don’t
mind i anyone wants to buy my work. I did sell ew
photos and at the same time I also provided ree
usage or nonprot or charity purposes.
What is your workfow like? (rom camera to
nished product)
I’m more o a landscape and nature photographer.
Most o the time my camera is set to Aperture
Priority and I always shoot in RAW.
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Generally my workow can be categorized
into 3 main steps:
Preparation and captureTo me, this is the most important part.
Normally, I‘ll research the places that I
want to go, understand the environment
including the weather,lighting, the people,
other subjects and their surrounding. This
help me to choose the right equipment
such as lenses, flters etc. Creating and
capturing pictures will be a lot easier
when you know what are your potential
subjects and storyline.
File transfer and Raw conversion
I always shoot in RAW ormat. Hence
post processing is essential to enhancethe pictures. I use Aperture as the
post processing tool. I like it due to its
simplicity and comprehensiveness.
Aperture is a good tool, not only or post
processing, but also or managing photos.
Post processing and archiving
My post processing sequence is
generally quite simple. This include
horizon alignment, cropping, white
balance correction (when necessary),
exposure adjustment, level and/or
curve, color saturation and sharpening.
I also do selective HDR processing
using Photomatix, particularly when the
dynamic range o the scene is too high.
Archiving is very important and seldom
overlooked. I learned through a bad
experience when my hard disk crashed
beore I managed to back it up. Now, I
make a point to have my data backed up
regularly, archived on CD and uploaded to
Flickr.
Do you print your pictures?
I seldom print my pictures, but I sel-
publish photobooks. So ar, I have
published 3 photobooks and I’m working
on another book based on my 2012 tripto Sri Lanka. I’m quite proud with my
“Fascinating Mabul” which I co-authored
with a riend.
Have you thought of how you can
share your knowledge with other
photographers?
I have had ew ways o sharing my limited
knowledge with ellow photographers,
particularly the beginners. These include
conducting sharing sessions on basic
photography and HDR photography,
Top left. The morning sun
casts shadows o the wooden
pier on Mabul’s sandy beach.
Bottom left. Children in
Mabul paddle through the
water on the traditional “lepa-
lepa”. The Lepa-Lepa, which
literally means ‘boat’, was
actually home to the Bajau
Laut community, until they
started to settle down along
the coasts or on an island
such as Mabul.
Above. Aminah, a girl o
Bajau Laut tribe who lives
in the settlement at Mabul
island.
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travel photographer malaysia54
participating in various orum and
photography retreat. I also receivedemails and requests or advise on
my acebook which I tried my best to
respond. I would be happy to conduct
ree basic photography class, particularly
to students which I did at my children’s
school.
Do you have any advice or words o
wisdom or other photographers?
Photography is a refection o us. It
reveals our view about lie, people,
society, and the environment. There
are dierences in us, our values andperceptions which we must accept and
respect. Knowing ourselves and what
we love will shape our pictures. It is not
about the camera, it’s about us and our
subjects. n
Above. The colours o the sky
change as the sun sets behinda pier in Mabul island.
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international.
ROTTNEST ISlaND.
Photogrpher // Szetoo Weiwen
Rottnest Island is located about 20 kilometres o the coast o
Perth, administered by the Rottnest Island Authority, an agencyo the Western Australian government, set up specically or
this purpose. During the World War I, the island was used as an
internment camp or Italian and German Civilians and several
large artillery guns were built on the island’s highest hills. Today,
the island no longer serves the military and is instead a beautiul
getaway or tourists. Rotto, as it is ondly known to the locals,
prides itsel with bays and beaches eaturing hidden caves
and rees that are perect or swimming, snorkeling and diving
activities.
One o the main attractions on the islands are small marsupials
thesizeofcats,namedQuokkas.Earlysettlersmistookthemas giant rats and named the island ‘Rats Nest’ hence its name.
However, avoid eeding them as they may turn violent and
persistently stalk you or ood.
Cars are not permitted on the island to preserve the
environment as much as possible but there is a regular bus
shuttle to take you around to attractions such as the lighthouse
and wartime memorials. The best way to get around however is
to rent a bike rom the erry terminal or $30 a day. It can get
Bottom. TheQuokkaisa
small relative o the kangaroo
and is endangered because
the wetlands where it lives
are disappearing and because
it is easy prey or animals
such as dogs, cats and oxes.
Right. The Wadjemup
Lighthouse is the rst
Western Australian lighthouse
made o locally quarried
stone rom Nancy Cove in
1849 by Aboriginal convict
labour. The lighthouse did
not operate until 1851 when
the revolving lamp and
clockwork mechanism was
tted. Morbidly, the rst three
lighthouse keepers committed
suicide!
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travel photographer malaysia62
A black cat curled up on a wooden
deck blinks and yawns lazily as
I walk up the steps to the large multi
storey wooden house perched atop a
cli surrounded by lush green oliage.
Meanwhile another gorgeous white cat
struts past ater the gardener sashayingher fuy tail to and ro. I kitty heaven
ever existed, it would look like this.
Welcome to Nadalama Jamu Bar & Spa,
an authentic Balinese spa that will give
you a taste o Bali minus the fight tickets.
Located just ve minutes away rom
The Curve, Nadalama Jamu Bar & Spa
wooden kampung house sits atop a
sloping hill which blends seamlessly and
sustainable with its surroundings, almost
like an extension o the jungle setting. In
Bali, also known as the island o the Gods,
cleanliness is akin to godliness so trade
that blazer or a sarong and you’re in or a
divine experience at Nadalama Jamu Bar
& Spa.
The name Nadalama Jamu can be
translated to mean rhythms o old andood or the soul, a mantra we can all
embrace and practice in our hectic lives.
As we were handed the menu to pick our
treatment o the day, we were served a
little shot called Jamu. Nadalama serves
six types o Jamu which are akin to
health supplements. Popular ones include
Jamu Jaher made with ginger to lower
blood pressure as well as the popular
Jamu Kunyit Asem made with turmeric,
tamarind and ginger or slimming and
good skin. All Jamu are made with organic
ingredients and retail rom RM3.80 per
nadalama jamu Spa & Barat Buit LaaTet & Imges by sze Weiwen
ROAD TRIp
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Private kitchens have surged in popularity
over the past decade and whilst it’s not a
new concept, Huck’s Caé is as exclusive
as you can get on home soil. For the past
two and a hal years, Huck Seng, the
owner and che o Huck’s Caé has sent
thousands o happy customers through
his doors, many who are repeated
customers. The beauty o Huck’s is the
opportunity to sample dishes that are
unconventional and adventurous as your
palate permits.
Located along a quaint road along Jalan
Abdullah in Bangsar, Huck’s Caé sports
no signage yet patrons claim to have beenput on the reservation list or weeks in
order to secure themselves a table at the
restaurant. Indeed, a testament o the
man’s skills despite having no proessional
culinary training or experience who
dabbles in a diverse array o cuisine such
as Asian, Western, Italian and Mexican.
Huck Seng humbly comments that it
is a blessing to receive such wondrous
compliments rom his customers and
by the end o the night, it wasn’t hard
to see why. Every bite was magic rom
start to nish and each dish only served
to heighten that experience which we
would describe quite closely to a divine
intervention. Every dish was colorul,
cheeky and not what you’d quite expect.
With every bite, our eyes would light
up and upon liting our heads we’d nod
excitedly with stued aces. Service was
impeccable and Huck Seng makes it a
point to bid his guests arewell towards
the end o their dinners.
Customers usually make their
reservations and menu selections viaFacebook where a three course menu
starts rom RM88 to RM150 per pax.
It is important to note that all ood are
purchased resh on the morning o your
dinner (no lunch service). n
Huck’s Café
22, Jalan Abdullah, O Jalan Bangsar59000 Kuala Lumpur For reservations, call 03-2282 2126
To view Huck’s complete menu,visit Huck’s Caé on Facebook
FOOD INDuLgENCE
Dier at
no. 22Tet & Imges by sze Weiwen
Let / Right.
Pesto Salmon – Grilled
salmon steak served with
Homemade Salsa and Pesto
Sauce with Olive oil
Sea of Love – A popular
item rom Huck’s 2012
Christmas menu which made
it into his permanent menu
due to repeated requests.
Baked Prawns, Scallops and
Mussels topped with sliced
Capsicums, Cheese and
Herbs served with Angel Hair
Pasta and a homemade spicy
Lemon sauce
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travel photographer malaysia72
thing), a sae or valuables and even an
iron with an ironing board included in the
closet. The lack o WIFI and sucient
power outlets might be a deterrent or
the insanely connected Malaysian but
being a getaway location, perhaps this is
a blessing in disguise. Our visiting teamcertainly never elt wanting and we’re
all as insanely connected as the average
Malaysian.
Given the price we got o Agoda or
RM240 a night or a premium room that
caters to 2 people, it’s a wonder any prot
is made at all making it a great value or all
intents and purpose. We nd that Avillion
Admiral Cove is well deserving o its 4
star status and it’s high on our value l ist
especially to wedding photographers. We
recommend mixing work and play,
just this once. n
You will notice we have madeparticular eort to mention thislocation as Avillion Admiral Coveas it is easily mistaken or itspremium sister hotel Avillion PortDickson which highlights waterchalets with modern luxuries atup to 3 times the rate.
RESERvATION
N o t e
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The Great
Outdoors
phOTO CONTEST
WINNER
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Kintamali, Bali, Indonesia
Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia
Terry Lew
Toh Eng Chye
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Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
phOTO CONTEST
Chai Mingyang
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