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Just…Start
Akeem at Tindakon Dazang, Kudat
“…Start now. Start where you are. Start with fear. Start with pain. Start with doubt. Start with hands shaking. Start with voice trembling but start. Start and don’t stop. Start where you are, with what you have. Just… start” – Ijeoma Umebinyuo
I accidentally found this quote while browsing Facebook recently. It came out the quote are very widely used in blogs. The quote may be not related to the photo above but who cares. I just like the quote and I want it to be here in my blog. It can motivate me whenever I read this post.
“Just…Start”
My last blog post was on Aug, 2015. When we stopped doing it, it is hard to get started again. I don’t know how to start but that quote has made me start.
I like to highlight comment by a good friend of mine;
“To get start is quite easy actually but to continue doing what you have just start, take a lot of perseverance. For an example, starting a blog is a piece of cake, updating it daily or monthly, will take a mammoth effort” – Wazari Wazir
START NOW!!
Travel With Fujifilm X100S : Portrait of Dhurba & Raj
I met these gentlemen on our road trip from Kathmandu to Pokhara. It was just near the roadside where people stop for toilet, tea or just to have some fresh air near the Trisuli River. By the time I got out from the car, I knew that I want to photograph them. But I took my time building up some confidence for both of us. He thought I was attracted with the lady who was nearby making local delicacy, the Sel Roti. Made of rice flour, deep fried to make crispy outer but puffy inside.
Sel Roti
After spending few minutes photographing the lady and the food, I made my move to communicate with him. Mr. Dhurba, 36, is a lorry driver coming all the way from Kathmandu like us, heading further beyond Pokhara. I took a look at the lorry and quite surprise to find the interior look like you were sitting in our living room. It was well decorated. Accompanying with him is his assistance, Mr Raj, 51, who came to and join our conversation. After gained enough trust between us, I ask permission if I could take their portrait. Without hesitant they agreed to my request.
Mr. Dhurba, 36
Mr Raj, 51
I was using Fujifilm X100S belong to a friend of mine during this trip. The classic appearance of the body makes other feel this was old camera and nothing serious about it, people feel more comfortable compared to the big black DSLR with its bulky lenses. Nowadays, people thinks that you make big money when you took photo with DSLR. I have been using Fujifim system more than 1 year and never thinking of turning back to other DSLR, this is there camera system that suits me well especially for travel.
Travel With Fujifilm X100S : Manakamana Hill Side Academy, Gorkha, Nepal
The gondola lift transportation has always steal the eyes of its viewer who pass-by Cheres, Chitwan after about 104km journey from Kathmandu – Pokhara route. The Austria imported cable car system connecting between the Base Station (Cheres, Chitwant) to the Top Station (Manakamana, Gorkha). Here is the fees for the cable car.
Screen Shot from Wiki
At the top station, about 1302 above sea level lies the Mañanakamana Temple, a Hindu temple which pilgrimage bring goat to be sacrificed in a pavilion behind the temple. The name Manakamana originates from two words, “mana” meaning heart and “kamana” meaning wish.
As we walk around the village near the temple, we came across an elementary school slightly below the hill. There we found the Manakamana Hill Side Academy
Manakamana Hill Side Academy
Manakamana Hill Side Academy
Manakamana Hill Side Academy | Mr. Ghupta, 24, Teacher
Manakamana Hill Side Academy
All image are taken with Fujifilm X100S (Silver).
Nepal Photography Trip 25-31 Dec 2014
Alhamdulillah, another trip to Nepal has been done just a month ago. Total of 6 pax including me, even though not as many as on my February trip, but there is no less the fun. This trip which I can consider too late to push in the beginning however has attracted 5 interested participant including one repeating participant from the February trip. For me, I never thought of visiting Nepal twice in a year. We spent 2 night in Bhaktapur, 2 Night Pokhara and 1 Night in Kathmandu.
The itinerary has been improved compared to February trip which we stayed 2 night in Bhaktapur instead of Kathmandu. I’m expecting more photo opportunity in Bhaktapur. Guide greeted us upon our arrival, we then to go Thamel for lunch before proceeding to Bhaktapur. It was already dark when we finally reach Bhaktapur but still we can see some people chanting outside the temple. On day 2 supposed to be our free activity the whole day at Bhaktapur, but after made a discussion with the group, we decided to go find a mosque in Kathmandu as well as the Monkey Temple. We made our way to Pokhara on Day 3 and stayed near the top of Sarangkot. On day 4 once again we ask our guide if we can find any mosque in Pokhara, boating at Phewa Lake in afternoon. Back to Kahtmandu on Day 5 where everybody exhausted of the long journey. The last day we went to Pashupatinath and did some last minute shopping before leaving to airport.
There will be several post to come next. By then, thanks to all participant of your trust, hope to see you again on other trip in future.
Photo Credit: Mas
From Left: Affaindi, Rosli, Hatta, Mas, Me, Nur Hafidzah | Photo Credit: Affandi
Photo Credit: Affandi
Photo With Mr Dhurba & Mr Raj. | Photo Credit: Nur Hafidzah
Somewhere In Kota Belud
Actually this images already in my flickr account for quite some time. I personally like these images but I don’t have any idea what to talk about it due to lack of other supporting images.
I Have Just One Second To Tell A Story
“One photograph takes one 250th of a second to take, So if I have an exhibition that has 250 pictures, that is just one second! I have just one second to tell a story.”
“You can sit in your house and be a great writer, but with photography the story is outside the door. You have to go and you have to go far.”
“I stood up to take the picture and the tortoise became shy and walked away. So I had to get on my knees and lower my shoulders and it was only when I was at the same level as the tortoise that it would let me take photographs. It was then that I learnt that it was important I respect other species in the same ways I respected my own. This is not dead nature I was photographing.”
– Sebastião Salgado
Travel Photography With Fujifilm X100 | Destination: Nepal | Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is one of our destination during our recent trip to Nepal with my fellow friends. In 2012, I have spent much time with wide angle lens. Since established shot was not my aim for this trip, I decided to use only 1 lens looking for any chances for portrait.
On our way from Sarangkot down to Bhaktapur, a friend of me, Leanna Chong asking me if I dare exchange our camera. So she will be using my Fujifilm X-Pro1, and I will use Fujifilm X100. I have no hesitate to take that as a challenge.
I struggled for half an hour to understand how X100 works. A lot of guessing within the menus and finally I get the some basic understanding how does it working.Basic means to know simple setting like aperture, exposure, shooting modes, shutter speeds and ISO. I believe X100 provides a lot of features, but I don’t want to spent so much time and perhaps missed any potential shots along the way.
Entrance Ticket
Group Photo at Bhaktapur | Fujifilm X-Pro1
Travel Photography | Destination: Nepal | Swayambhunath Stupa (The Monkey Temple), Kathmandu
Swayambhunath Stupa (The Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath, is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. The complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in the north-west parts of the temple. From Thamel, it cost about Rs400 one way with tiny taxi ride. When you ride this kind of taxi, please don’t expect they will use the main road. When we use the taxi back in 2012, I felt like I was playing game which we run away from getting caught and there is an urgency to use your skills to go back side of the building passing local market, shops, residence area, temple, shops, and another temple and then the driver said, “Sir, this is Swayambhunath Stupa”.
“I think we were scammed, there is no temple here”. But thats before we see a staircase leading to the temple. The entrance is Rs200 per person.
Federation of Swayambhu Management Conservation Ticket
Steps to Swayambhunath Temple, the point where you have to buy the conservation ticket & take your long breath. You don’t want to know how far is it from the bottom
I found this quote to express the experience climbing these steps:
“We were breathless and sweating as we stumbled up the last steep steps and practically fell upon the biggest vajra (thunder-bolt scepter) that I have ever seen.” – Allione, Women Of Wisdom.
Well this is true enough, one of our member even vomiting just about 5 minutes after reaching to the top.
A monk circling the Stupa
For the Buddhist Newars in whose mythological history and origin myth as well as day-to-day religious practice, Swayambhunath occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it is second only to Boudhanath.
Each morning before dawn hundreds of Buddhist (Vajrayana) and Hindu pilgrims ascend the 365 steps from eastern side that lead up the hill
There are carvings of the Panch Buddhas (five Buddhas) on each of the four sides of stupa.
Tibetan Praying Wheels
Visitor enjoying spectacular viewing of Kathmandu
Praying Candles
Praying Candles
Praying Candles
A women lost in her own world reading newspaper, neglecting people passing by or even being photographed
Portrait of women at Swayambhunath Stupa
Portrait of women at Swayambhunath Stupa
These set of images was taken during my first visit in 2012 and my recent 2014.
Thank you for your time viewing this post.
Related Post:
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Tashi Palkhiel – Tibetan Refugee Camp at Pokhara (Portrait Series)
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Travel Photography With Fujifilm X-Pro1 | Destination: Nepal | Boudhanath Stupa
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Travel Photography With Fujifilm X-Pro1 | Destination : Nepal | Doors of Nepal
PHOTOGRAPHY . TRAVEL . FAMILY 