Teamwork - Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2020

Inflation of MyDeerling, a special shape balloon during Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2020

Kuala Pilah Nine Emperor Gods Procession 2019 - Walking in the Rain

And we were walking in the rain... but the light drizzle eventually stopped as the procession began. The rain didn't dampen the spirits of the participants and also helped to make the night a cool and pleasant walk for the Nine Emperor Gods procession that meandered through the old parts of Kuala Pilah town.

Walking (or rather waiting...) in the rain... Participants of Kuala Pilah Nine Emperor Gods
Festival waiting for the signal to begin their annual procession.

Faces of Nine Emperor Gods Festival Jinjang - the Priest

The Taoist priest is an indispensable person during the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. Like many Taoist and syncretic Chinese religious festivals, the priest is responsible for all the consecration ceremonies of the ritual space and altar, which is done with the help of his assistants and accompanying musicians.

 

Despite his age, Mr Lim's movements are still full of energy and his voice always thundering above the cacophony of the drums, cymbals and bells during prayer sessions. If you visit Jinjang Nine Emperor Gods Festival, do try to catch a glimpse of the prayer ceremonies led by him, you will be amazed at his vitality and vocal power.

 

  

The Good Fight.... 1st Chetawan Muay Championship 2019

One on the face.... Muay championship at Wat Chetawan in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Lighting Up Kek Lok Si Temple for Chinese New Year

The lights of Kek Lok Si Temple in the blue hour during Chinese New Year

 

Come every Chinese New Year, the famous Kek Lok Si Temple (Temple of Supreme Bliss) in Air Itam, Penang will be lit with lanterns and LED lights, turning it into a sort of light display wonderland. This yearly tradition no doubt attracts a lot of tourist and photographers wanting to capture this beautiful light display.
 
The lights of the temple will come on with the following schedule:

• January 24 to February 8 2019 :  7.30pm till midnight
• February 9 to February 21 2019: 7.30pm till 10pm

 
In my opinion, the best times are during the blue hour, which last only 15min or so, plus at that time, the lights are just being turned on in stages, so you will probably have at most 10 mins to shoot the lights in the blue hour. It is best to go before dark and sort of scout out which angle you prefer, and you might need to go on several occasions to get a good sky. I was lucky to get some clouds this time around.

Parking space at this temple are available at three different levels, the first and the lowest actually consist of three tiers, and the entrance is just past the shops as you turn in to ascend the road up the hill. The second is a smaller car park with an entrance arch leading to the Goddess of Mercy Hall, and with a good view of the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. The final parking area is somewhat limited and is located at the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin) statue area. If you park there, it is some distance up the hilly terrain and you would have to take the tram down to the main temple to view the main temple complex.

Thaipusam 2019 - Steps to Purification

Loy Loy Krathong...

วันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสอง
น้ำก็นองเต็มตลิ่ง
เราทั้งหลายชายหญิง
สนุกกันจริงวันลอยกระทง
ลอย ลอยกระทง
ลอย ลอยกระทง
ลอยกระทงกันแล้ว
ขอเชิญน้องแก้วออกมารำวง
รำวงวันลอยกระทง
รำวงวันลอยกระทง
บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ
บุญจะส่งให้เราสุขใจ

wan pen deuan sìp sŏng
náam gôr nong dtem dtà-lìng
rao táng lăai chaai yĭng
sà-nùk gan jing wan loy grà-tong
loy loy loy grà-tong
loy loy loy grà-tong
loy grà-tong gan láew
kŏr chern nóng gâew òk maa ram wong
ram wong wan loy grà-tong
ram wong wan loy grà-tong
bun jà sòng hâi rao sùk jai
bun jà sòng hâi rao sùk jai

The Loy Krathong Festival is celebrated in Thailand on the full moon day of the twelve month in the Thai calendar (usually in mid November). This practice of floating decorated platforms with flowers and candles, has its roots in Brahminical practices and is tied to giving thanks to the water goddess but nowadays are carried out as a general wish and merit making activity. Here in Malaysia, wherever there is a strong Thai community presence, those communities would still practice this with the locals joining in as well in the festivities. Hence in Kelantan, Northern Kedah, Penang and as well as in Kuala Lumpur you can find the Loy Krathong festival being carried out, usually in association with a Thai Buddhist temple. Happy Loy Krathong!!

The View from Above - The Black Virgin Mountain

The Black Virgin Mountain or Núi Bà Đen in Tây Ninh Province of Vietnam is the highest peak in Southern Vietnam. The hill is actually an almost perfect cinder cone of an extinct volcano (which gives it its distinctive shape) and is a popular tourist spot. You can take the gondola up the hill and then opt to take the more exhilarating luge ride back down. The upper gondola station gives you a lovely view of the plains below.

View from the top station of the Núi Bà Đen gondola lift.

Roses are red....@ Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

Roses packed for sale at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The Colours of Spring... Chiang Mai Flower Festival

The colours of spring...tulips at Chiang Mai Flower Festival 2018

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival in northern Thailand has been running for more than 40 years, and is held on the first weekend of February every year for three days. Flower decked floats parade through the city on the first Saturday of February whilst the flower displays and agriculture fair goes on for 3 days starting on the Friday of the first weekend of February till Sunday.

Next year in 2019, this festival will be held from 1st - 3rd of February. So do include it in your travel itinerary if you are traveling to Thailand during that time.

Everlasting Flower Lady of Ooty

The everlasting flower lady of Ooty, India... reminds you of Eliza Doolittle. She looks like she could do with a break in her life; the frown plus the lines on her face that are deeply etched makes you wonder how is life treating her (read more about Ooty here - Ooty Queen of Hill Stations).

Light Me Up... Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2017

Light me up... inflation of hot air balloon at Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2017.

Faces of Nepal - The Shopkeeper

Mr Risal manages a secondhand bookstore called Paradise Book Shop on JP Road in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. With his Rudraksha rosary beads around his neck, his grey beard and calm expression, one cannot help but to notice him as one walks down the busy street in this part of town. He does have the countenance of a holy man and very much reminds me of Rajneesh Osho in a nice way.

Mr Risal keeping watch of his Paradise... Paradise Book Shop.

Scenes from Kashmir - Row row row your boat...

The ladies around Lake Dal, Srinagar must have strong arms as boats are a daily means of commute for their children to and from school. This lady is no different and by the way she deftly controls the raft through the narrow canals is more than a clear sign that she has done it for years, if not since childhood.

Row, row, row your boat...

Faces of Kashmir - The Fire-Pot Man

During the colder months in Indian-administered Kashmir, men and women wear long wollen cloaks called Pheran to keep them warm by also carrying their personal charcoal heater in the form a pot in a wicker basket called Kangri. This pot holds about 250grams of charcoal keeps the owner cozy and warm, and also makes Kashmiri women look as if they are pregnant (by virtue of having their hands and pot under their cloak).

In Pahalgam, you go to this man to get your charcoal refill. His wife and him work hard to fill and tamp in your Kangri with charcoal that is available from his shop all day long.

See this post as well regarding the Kangri in Kashmir - of Kangri pots, Pheran cloaks, and the men and women who use them.

Talisman

Talisman written by a medium in trance with a Javanese (Hindu) Datuk spirit. The first character written (closer to the front) looks like the character OM used in Hindu-Buddhist mantras. This shot is taken in Manual mode, and the RAW file processed by increasing the exposure about 2 stops. The resultant file is then adjusted with one Levels layer and one Exposure layer to even out the contrast difference in Photoshop.

Azimat ini ada OMmmm (this talisman have OM, ie power) - 100mm, f/6.3, 1/60sec, ISO 1000.

加油。。。加油。。。 (Come on)

加油。。。加油。。。 (Come on, come on - literally meaning add
fuel) 60mm, f/6.3, 1/80s, ISO1000

The photo above was taken at a Datuk Kong temple celebration in Klang, Selangor Malaysia. The bed of charcoal was lit for a fire walking ceremony in conjunction with the deity's birthday celebration that ran for three days.

Fire Me Up

Firing up a hot air balloon at Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2016. 27mm, 1/50s,  f/5, ISO800

Colour, Black & White Collection - Empty Chairs...

A row of chairs set out in front of a stage show for the Hungry Ghost Festival in Ampang, 2015.
Are the chairs empty or are they taken??

The mirrored and B&W version juxtaposed on the strong colour and contrasty image begets us to ask what if what we see may not be all that is there? There could be something else out there, or it is merely a product of our imagination? With the removal of the blue and purple stage lights that clashes with the bright red chairs, it reduces the 'in-your-eye' image to a series of light and dark, and playfully teases the mind to think there could be more than meets the eye in the image... perhaps the shadows belong to someone, or something out there.

Levels and Curves to Photo.Culture.Travelogue

A medium at a temple festival in
Banting

After long deliberation, I have finally made the decision to separate my photography works from my other activities and blog (gardening etc - in Half A Pound of Treacle). Whilst announcements of activities will still be posted over there, the photo stories and commentaries will appear here. In this way, I will have more flexibility, especially in terms of time, to tell the story behind the pictures.

The original name for the blog (Levels and Curves) tells the nature of the blog, that is the play of levels and curves, brightness and contrast, hue and saturation that makes up a visual image. And with that visual image, the author spins a tale to tell the audience. However, after some consideration, I decided to make it less heavy and more fun, hence:

Photo.Culture.Travelogue