It's Harvest time but it's upside down.

I'm still doing the housekeeping. The festival is going over and I still have not prepare for it. However, it's not too late to wish. Kotobian Tadau Tagayo do Kaamatan to all who celebrate it and my fellow Sarawakian, Selamat Gawai Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai~

Who will be the next Unduk Ngadau?

Unduk Ngadau Kota Marudu - 2010 Crown - taken on Sodop Unduk Ngadau 21 May 2010 @ Kota Marudu, Sabah.

What is Unduk Ngadau? Unduk Ngadau is a beauty pageant or harvest festival beauty competition held in Sabah every end of May. Unduk Ngadau bring the legend of Huminodon the sacrificed daughter of Kinorohingan, the ancient guard of all the nature in Sabah who also believe to be their God long time ago. Huminodun was sacrificed to end the dry season of the people and ended the suffered years. With the legend, in the remembrance of Huminodun sacrifice, Unduk Ngadau or the girl crowned with sunlight is being held as yearly event in every harvest festival celebration.

As everyone in Kota Kinabalu busy capturing all those beauties, Sebastian and I assisting Cahaya Bridal for Kota Marudu part. It was a very tiring weekend because we just finish with wedding assignment in Kota Belud and the journey was not very motivated as we have lack of rest. You can read from my sentences also, everything mix up! Tomorrow (23/05/2010) is the final selection on who will be headed to the state with the title of Unduk Ngadau Kota Marudu, and it will complete the contestant list and everyone will be puzzled who will be next Unduk Ngadau Sabah for the year of 2010? Would it be Penampang again? Or Tuaran? Or Papar again? Maybe this year go for Tambunan perhaps? Or Kota Marudu? :)

Backstage - dresses from Cahaya Bridal

Backstage - dresses from Cahaya Bridal

Backstage - dresses from Cahaya Bridal

With the previous Unduk Ngadau Kota Marudu and Cahaya Bridal Family ;)

From left: Miss Cahaya Bridal, Miss Popular, Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality and Miss Beautiful.

Nothing but memories..

Wedding Photographer - The hot soup in Sabah?

Getting married is the most important part for all the woman especially those love birds out there. The best cure for a memorable wedding was your photos and videos beside the wedding vows and also the kisses during the blessing ceremony. Correct me if I’m wrong. No matter how or what theme you choose, a good photographer and best video person are the must list in every wedding planner. It’s up to the couple to save for extra budget to get what most couple wants.

Ees. She's a photographer too. Attended and capture her big day early this year.

If you realize, Sabah have produces too many wedding photographer if you go and research for it. This includes the person who make photographer as their career, or freelance and myself. Which is good and great development especially Sabah who owns the richest wildlife and landscape for pre wedding or wedding location. I would like to promote some of the successful photographer in Sabah and have done so many assignments and some did have their own bridal shop as well. You may look into their works and pick the best from them. I believe everyone offer different rates and different quality as well.

The well known and Sabah International Photographer: Louis Pang

My ex-tutor and the hot wedding photographer: Benny Liew

The videographer people talking about: Bryan Kouju

All about Love Photographer: Jeffrey Wong My Nikonian fellow based in Tuaran: Celistine Photography

Couple who tight their knot and work together: Nadia & Isa

He has the cool hair and sweet smile: Su Chens

They quit their job and start their own business: Jofanna Bridal & Joj Yong

My fellow bloggers and Canonian sifu: Zie & Roy

They are kicking: KickersMedia

I have been sneaking around here: Jin's Photography

Bald but brilliant black and white guy: Alvin Ting

Based in Kota Kinabalu but mostly doing in Kota Belud: Japrin Thomas

We are using different model but our aim is the same: Ashley Koh

Of course my ultimate team: Pixelayer Photography & Media

There are few freelance photographer also who is doing the same mission like us. Like Mahapson, Gidong, Frisco D, Dolly Mj, Fred Nk, Bobby, Vienne, and lots from Facebook too! I will update more on our new born photographer in my next post. Perhaps you can provide all the data so I can put in my blogs for easy reference.

I received one email today from my friend who stays in Singapore. She was asking me whether I could come to Singapore and do her pre wedding photography. I may easily say yes, but I must consider all the location and the airfares too. I suggest her to come over to KK and do the pre wedding here since she is from Johor. There are few checklist that I use in order to fulfill the client really wants. If we do not discuss it properly, we might get it wrong and ruin all the outcome of the photo shooting. I do not count myself as Professional or Semi Pro, still Amateur and try to get better vision. Please do not hate me if my photos are terribly bad. I am only Sabahan.

Is Travel Photography is dead?

Well, with the invention of digital image taken by digital camera with various of kind and source. Some photographers name them as a photographer without labeling what kind of photographer they are. It’s a good hobby and it is very good to have such interest like taking pictures and smile for a moment or get frown with the result. You may skip below intro if you want too.

Taken in Kg. Nahaba, Kota Belud, Kuai's village.

[intro]

I like photography when I was a kid, but I am not a predictable girl as well. So I stop learning photography after a while and in 2008, I start it again, and this time it’s serious. I start to like photography when I do travel. When I said I do travel, it’s not like I travel to international places, but I travel to explore my own country first starting from my state where the best places in Malaysia. Why? Only Sabah has the highest mountain in Malaysia where u can climb from Timpohon Gate or Via Ferrate and our Sipadan Island was nominated under the list wonders of the world in the year of 2009, it just that we do not enough vote and we could not make it to the top. At least, our Sipadan Island of Sabah Borneo made it into the list. Sorry, I’m just too proud to be Sabahan.

Let me share some of the places I have been. I have not been to Semporna of Tawau and in West Coast Islands. I enjoy mountains and clear water but I am not good in swimming and it could be why I am not go into these places yet. My late father was a hunter before, so I enjoy my life in a jungle and deal with mosquitoes and centipede. Warning, don’t expect me to be wild on bed I could be dangerous! LOL. I visit Kuching, Sarawak a few times and I am planning to visit the other town in Sarawak as well. I saw hang tuah foot in Melaka, taste the original lekor in Kemaman, Terengganu, Graduate in Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur but I never thought Singapore was a great get away last year. First trip in April was alone, and I brought my mom and Eleanor the next trip in June where we ended blister on our both foot. All because of we were lost. I wonder if we lost in a jungle? I must have enough battery to capture all the sign in the forest. *big grin* Enough of the self-compliment.

[end of intro]

Let’s talk about the Travel Photography. Is it dead? How you define a travel photography? I saw this lines from Wikipedia, Travel photography is a subcategory of photography involving the documentation of an area's landscape, people, cultures, customs and history. The Photographic Society of America defines a travel photo as an image that expresses the feeling of a time and place, portrays a land, its people, or a culture in its natural state, and has no geographical limitations. So, if you were taking landscape, people, cultures, customs and history you are Travel photographer? There are some complication on how we define what actually means by that nowadays. We would capture Malaysian culture in USA too. For example, when traveler visit Kota Kinabalu, of course they will visiting the mountain or the island. And in a year, we cannot count how many photographer or people who will took the same angle, the same photos with the same weather too.

However I found an interesting articles way back 2007 by David duChemin a world and humanitarian photographer and I think it's good to share his thought here. I love his lines from his post Travel Photographer is Dead *updated* which sound like this "What people heralding the death of travel photography mean is that it’s a market that’s lost its goods. They’ve lost scarcity, the market is saturated, and anyone who wants an image of Taj Mahal can go to Flickr and find 100 photographers who’ve shot the same shot from the same angle on the same camera, and they’ll fight for the chance to give the image away in hopes of garnering a publishing credit. Coffin closed. Eulogy over. Dirt flung. Tears cried." For me, it is 100% true. This is reality. But, it doesn't mean that it's the end of the world. You may read his post on Travel Photography is STILL dead: A rant. Here, you will understand what he want us to see.

Who is the David duChemin?

David duChemin is a world & humanitarian photographer, best-selling author, and international workshop leader. David uses his powers for good and not for evil. This is his blog.

Experience: David is an assignment photographer based in Vancouver. He has extensive international assignment experience on 5 continents.

At 38 years old, David duChemin’s idealism doesn’t seem to be fading any. In fact, it looks like it’s settling in for the long haul. He still wants to use his powers for good (and not for evil); he still wants to save the world and be a resource to others that would do the same.

David specializes in creating compelling images that are both aesthetically and emotionally moving. If you need a photographer who shoots from the heart, has a strong work ethic and will go the extra mile for his clients, David’s your man. Killer bees in Africa? No problem, he’s done it. Mongolia in -30C weather? Bring it on.

David has shot for a growing list of commercial and non-profit groups and is the author of the best-selling Within The Frame, The Journey of Photographic Vision. David is sponsored by leaders within the photographic industry.

Languages: English, French.

Citizenship: Canada and U.K.

*obviously I copy and paste from his blog.. you may go and see all his portfolio.

So, is Travel Photography is Dead?

Sad May for me

Bulan may ialah bulan kesedihan for me.. Sya rasa sya mau mati pun ada.. tapi.. i learn that.. whatever it is, we must keep positive.. keep smiling.. even our heart is broken into pieces.. sometime.. we intend to change to make someone happy but why do we need to change something good with existence into something which we are not sure what will be happen next? I have several questions if you dare to answer.

1) You are vegetarian, yet you kill a chicken and had it for dinner?

2) What will you do if you caught your mom/dad had an affair and doing sin at home?

3) Is it worth to break a friendship to a relationship that you not very sure?

I give you 3 questions and in different situation, see how many will respond.

Nikon Photography & Birding Workshop 2010

Last week, I have attended the Nikon Photography & Birding workshop held in Kundasang, Ranau Sabah. It was a 3 days and 2 night workshop. FYI, I never attend other photography workshop rather than Nikon. It's about trust and I believe Nikon is the best gear not to say others is not good. Nikon just suit me very well and I am happy with it. Video attached is the preview of our activity during the workshop. Hope you all enjoy the video and I'm looking forward for the next workshop. :)

My heart belong to the nature

The story starts here..

Video: Outing with Pixelayer [Part 1]

I will haunt you.. hahaha..

It was fun, Hot and SEXY!

I keep on looking at my photos upon our successful event - Outing with Pixelayer on 18 April 2010. I know there are some 'mata-mata' waiting for this update and I want you to know that I just finish compiling all the photos which will be appears shortly. There are few photos and I don't think it would be fair if I post everything here. So I pick 28 photos out of thousands for your view. Thank you to all who joined the event and for those who are not able to join on that day, do not worry, we are planning to do this outing again at another location near you in July. Clean up your gear and ready for the best laughter! :D Oh, perhaps workshops? Anyone? Willing to pay RM450 for 1 day workshop? Maybe RM50 for members?

The funniest, hottest and sexiest of all!

OPps! Wrong photo!!! Let us start from our starting point

Participants Arrival (Meeting point: Dewan Masyarakat, Tuaran)

From left: Jimmy, Merl, Agnes, Fanny, Beatrice, Anee, Sebastian, Nicholas, Hafiz, Ashley, Onassis, Amuzo, Bobby, Mus, ;front row: Vee, Sylvia, Diedre & Destiny and in the middle of coz u know la..

Photo hunting begin after registration, safety briefing and the introduction from all.. The sky is blue and the sun is hot but we walk together as we are not afraid of get burned.

I study here before.. :D but not this white building but the old roof next to it the white building is a new one and extended one..

My destiny start here.. i mean.. I ask destiny to start pose here.. it was my idea.. She's young and talented!

Diedre is the daring one, she owns a very nice asset and how I wish I have those too!

I did ask permission before taking photos here. It's not just candid..

He is happy with his new gear and he told me that he almost cry when see all the participants who join us..

Vee.. vintage and classic with modern touch.. her hair reminds me on Roxette..

His smile owns a thousand of meaning.. and he got his own printing & camera shop at Donggongon Penampang..

Again, I love my destiny.. :D

Sometime, things are complicated.. You cannot hafal ISO, Exposure, WB in whatsoever sense! You had to understand the purpose of all the functions, why is it invented and you will find it easy to capture a scene using your camera.

Then the tyre shop suddenly catches so many customer but they didn't took the tyres.

Owh, Nicholas, I heard he is missing his twins at the Survivor Island.. XD

Safety first.. the green shirt must make sure all the members keep in distance..

Sylvia, she would be happier if she get the one she hold from his kind brother.. :D

Mount Kinabalu, a blessing to our event. It was magical, days before was raining and rain did get us fear!

The late breakfast, and sempat lagi si Sebastian p racun racun tauke kedai with his set. :D

Ngeh.. Sylvia the pau lady? Pau Ayam? Pau 4D? TAPAU? *pengsan*

Owh yeah, they are really professional. We are trying to shot Sayang Tuaran volume 1.

Jimmy, I thought you were trying to film me.. The Lucky boys pula..

The lucky boys..

The sexiest & photo expert

Lunch @ Medan Selera, Tuaran

Padang Lumba Kuda, Kg. Tambalang, Tuaran

Eh? Pixelayer? Lolipop?

Transit D’Dalit for Tea Break.

Sunset Hunting the day ended..some had to leave early so they didn't show here.. But it only ended for the day.. I never thought that we could make another gathering after the outing on Monday evening. So bad Hafiz & Nick already gone to their worksite at Survivor Island.. Till next post? :) We are monitoring who will be the winner for this outing and get the green t-shirt for free! :D Again, thanks to our special guest too who was flying all the way from KL just for this outing. Hope to see you again in our next outing. :D

*Who says I stop blogging? :D It just you who not commenting anymore..