Hope

There is a reason why that picture is there despite having a photo blog.

I HOPE, a dream will come true.

Enough said :)

From My Eyes

Yesterday, I saw something which made me feel more hatred towards our Malay girls. I am a Malay, too, but I tend to have this prejudice against some of them.

Why?

Those people I meant, are the most biggest hypocrites ever on the face of the Earth.

How?

Yesterday, I saw this girl, wearing a hijjab but was wearing extremely tight jeans and tight shirt and rubbing herself against her boyfriends. Not only that, from how I look at her, if I were to tell her, "Jom, pergi makan nasi ayam di kedai Cina tue..." (Come, let's have chicken rice at that Chinese shop), she'd be all grossed out or will say things like, "Tak halal lah." (But it's not halal).

Hello, if you are so concerned about eating at a Chinese shop where there is possible pork or lard, why are you not concerned about touching a guy without any marital tie? If you are so concerned about places to eat or the meat you eat, why are you not concerned about how you dressed?

Or, if you are so concerned about being in a church or a house with a cross... are you weak in holding on to your faith?

I cannot stand people that way. There is a person I know, he is WORSE than the girls I don't like or any narrow-minded Malay that I don't like. I feel offended with the criticism he made towards the Christians or the Chinese because before my Mum married my Dad, she was an Anglican Christian and a Chinese. So is she as bad as he think most Christians and Chinese are?

Personally, I would prefer making friends with Christians and the Chinese. They are very open minded people and they respect us (if we respect them, too).

The people whom I describe, are just aloof and has no sense of respect towards other people... Did they know that it was also the Chinese who brought in Islam to Tanah Melayu? The Malays were still chasing pigs in the cave.

I was once asked to my face, why don't I wear a hijjab on my head. My answer was simply this;- I know I am not a very good person. I am still committing sins as I move along. I don't want to end up a hypocrite at the end of the day.

Just like the other day, the Valentine's Day hotel raids. They showed FOUR GIRLS wearing a hijjab, HIDING their faces, sitting in the cell. So, is that a good making as a Muslim?

Enough about people, now about what other people have been saying...

A few nights ago, I went out with my housemate to Midvalley and we used a cab to go. From Section 17 to Midvalley would be RM14.40 by meter but by taxi drivers who want to take advantage, they'd charge RM25 to RM30.

When I was telling someone about it, they were ranting about how this taxi driver tried to get RM40 from him just because he was at KLCC and wants to go to Jaya One. He used a metered cab and it only cost RM20. What was the taximan's reason, road is jam.

Hello, that is the use of a meter! Now there is a sign on the taxi saying that HAGGLING is prohibited. Yet, some of these taxi drivers take advantage on their potential customers.

Stupid idiots.

Anyway. I took a picture from my window today.

I like the rays coming down from the clouds. I rearranged my room again today because I needed wind to come in. As I was clearing up the mess in my room, I looked outside the window and then knew I HAD to take a picture of the sunset.

Earlier in the day, Imran and I didn't turn up for the talk on broadcasting because we were having TOO MUCH fun in the library discussing our Creative Thinking presentation on how to find solutions to certain road offenses.

We were laughing and coming up with CRAZY ideas. We were BRAINSTORMING and there was ONE sentence popping in and out of my mind, "Your ideas can be as crazy as possible." (Mr. Lawrence).

We went crazy alright, from spikes to Pokemons. It was that crazy!

What matters is, we had fun in the library. Psst, our library is awesome because we are allowed to make noise there ;)

More later. I might need to rant soon since I am PMS-ing :(

From My Window

Hehe, I love this picture. The best picture I've taken since I've been in KL and since I downgraded myself to only a semi-pro camera. I was using a DSLR (Nikon D80 to be exact) until I had problems with it so I had to sell it off. Hehe. Better than having no camera at all.

Athena: My Youngest Model

Puteri Athena Maimunah. My niece. The latest addition to my family. Look at her face! Gosh. Look so cheeky!

With my carrying my ever-convenient point and shoot camera around, Athena has been the best model there is. Not only her expressions are natural but I find it fun taking pictures of babies (infants). The challenge is there. You cannot direct them what to do. You cannot tell them to smile. It just happens... Babies are spontaneous. That is the fun part about them and photography.

No wonder Anne Geddes loves working with babies.

Photography And Me

{{ Part I }}

Photography and Me

How does photography affect my life? Academically, all my life, I've been a literature student. I analyse poems, stories, novels in many weird ways and I let my imagination run free. When I read something, I tend to imagine things. That goes for my analysis with photography. When I see something I like, I will snap a picture. If I don't like it, multiple attempts are made. Until I get the perfect shot, then I am happiest. How do I put in the two together?

I use my imagination. I believe that 'a picture tells many stories, when a thousand words paints out a picture'. You can use different words to describe a picture but you can only imagine ONE PICTURE from reading a thousand words.

So, it is based on your creativity. Different people different perspective towards life. So? No one is completely wrong or correct about anything. For instance, Ted Adnan's expertise is LIGHTING. Not everyone like the Creative Lighting System (CLS). But I can tell that Ted loves lighting. My favorite subject is clouds. My younger sister just told me she doesn't like taking pictures of clouds. Not everyone likes editting their pictures, they like it original. We are all entitled to our own perspective. Not everyone is into technology or mechanism. Not everyone is into art... Then it was Ted who told me, (mind you, personally) that it is not the equipment, it is what you see.

So, my conclusion, you cannot go all wrong or all right in photography. Owh sure, you got the, "that angle is not nice" or "no, that is not right!" It is all based on your own satisfaction in photography. We all have our own favorite subject. Most people like taking SELF-PORTRAITURE ;) I tend to when my Narcissism kicks in :D So? Who are you to say that there is RIGHT and WRONG in photography?

{{ Part II }}

Photography and Luck

I recently learnt to use a DSLR (consider 2007 a recent year...) and the first DSLR I've used is a Nikon D40x. Then, I upgraded to a Nikon D80.

Honestly, so far, I've got not best picture with the D80! Sounds sad, egh? The best picture I've done with a D40x is this one:-

I was experimenting with macro shots (another favorite of mine) and I shot a picture of the pellets. When I first saw it, I wasn't satisfied and I tried again. Wasn't as nice. So I deleted the picture. Another shot was taken. Again, I wasn't too happy. Was it all because of luck? Or wasn't it?

When it comes to luck in photography, I noticed it always happen when I am using my cameraphone. The best picture I've ever taken (on my first take) is this next one:-

Some people, when I first showed it to them, they thought it was taken with a DSLR. Oh boy, did they get the shock of their live when I said, "nope, it was my Sony Ericsson w700i!"

Don't get me started on my point and shoot cameras! Gosh! Really, it is weird, after handling a DSLR, you give me a PnS, I tend to get all blur! Haha! When it comes to PnS, I enjoy taking MACRO shots! And one of those micro shots:-

and

This picture if you see through my Flickr, you will see the sand detail! :D

All those shots are just me being lucky! Clairvision? Probably. We see things differently. That is our gift. :D

Anyway, I am looking for a moment where the Nikon D80 will give me some good luck ;) Actually. It did. Only, my shots aren't scenery shots but PORTRAITURE of Andrea :)

My attempt at CLS! :D

Hehehe~ Owh. That one can't be considered luck though. I was TAUGHT to do CLS! Haha! But that happened to be my favorite shot with the Nikon D80! Hehe! :P

{{ Part III }}

The Conclusion

Now, I am running out of ideas on what to write. All I am trying to say is... ANYONE can take pictures. Be an amateur. A professional. As long as you've got the eyes for a certain subject, you can take wonderfully delightful pictures! :)

And always remember, ANY CAMERA can be used to take pictures. You don't need expensive equipments to take pictures. Yet, there is something to ponder about. Photography is an expensive hobby. :D Let the passion drive you to understand why ;)