Travel Photographer Malaysia

issue
The Unplanned Career of
Michael Yamashita
28
may 2013
Bridging the Divide
01 | THE GREAT OUTDOORS

32
Reviews Sony RX-1
Column Of Glass & Photojournalism
50
Domestic Mabul Island
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EDITORS NOTES
The Great Outdoors

Its a grand season of change, and Im 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 suffering market 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 cant rest the Sigma DP Merrills are being discovered by studio photographers for their outstanding color reproduction and detail at low ISOs, 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, weve 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! Editor-in-Chief Vinsant Huang
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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 vinsant@berkeley-advertising.com Publisher & Sub-Editor George Wong george@berkeleyadvertising.asia Editor-at-Large/ Photographer Szetoo Weiwen szetoo@berkeley-advertising.com
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 without prior written consent from the Publisher. The opinions expressed in Travel Photographer Malaysia are those of the writers and the contributors and are not necessarily held of endorsed by the Publisher. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for use of unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Discovery
Raptor Watch 2013 Zung : Come Fly With Me Sony Experience 2013 Air France On On Camera Outings pg 8 pg 9 pg 10 pg 11 pg 12 pg 14 pg 18 pg 24 pg 27 pg 28 pg 32 pg 33 pg 34 pg 35 pg 36 pg 37 pg 38 pg 39 pg 40 pg 41 pg 42 Mike Yamashita
Feature Insight
The Myth of Local Light Mike Yamashita Gary Friedman
Whats in the Bag Column Reviews
Gary Friedman Of Glass & Photojournalism Sony RX1 Ricoh GR Nikon D7100 Samsung Galaxy Camera Zeiss 18mm Tamron 10-24 Tamrac Zuma 9 Giottos Vitruvian Reverse
Survival Gear
Sony Xperia Z Tablet Ion Air Pro Wifi Goal Zero Lantern
Travel Gear
Must Have Gadgets for the Traveling Photographer pg 43 pg 44 pg 46 pg 47 pg 48 pg 50 pg 56 pg 62 pg 65 pg 68 pg 70 pg 74 Mabul Island Sony RX1
Backend Services Mobile
Giclee Art Skyscanner TripIt
Words of Wisdom Domestic International Road Trip Food Indulgence Frequent Flyer Reservation Photo Contest
Fairuz Othman Mabul Island Rottnest Island Nada Lama Jamu Dinner at No. 22 Pack Light, Carry On Avilion Admiral Cove The Great Outdoors
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16-1, Jalan PJU 5/16, PJU 5, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor D.E., Malaysia Tel: 603-61488122/603-61488098 Fax: 603-61572160
discovery
Raptor Watch 2013
or those of you unfamiliar with the Raptor Watch, it is THE event for bird watching enthusiasts this side of the peninsula. This event groups nature lovers around the country to witness the amazing sight of wildlife migration, particularly that of what is termed as raptors or birds of prey. This is its 14th year running, an amazing feat in its own right, and it has been conducted in Tanjung Tuan since the year 2000. The choice of Tanjung Tuan for the Raptor Watch is not one that was decided purely
on its aesthetic merit but primarily due to the fact that its a strategic location (if not the most strategic) for viewing this migration in process. This down to earth event was peppered with booths from relevant third parties like providers of sport optics, nature escapes, eco tourism, nature photography workshops and so forth, making it a great starting point for beginners in nature observation. Support for the Raptor Watch will help safeguard the unique heritage that is Tanjung Tuan so look out for it the same time next year at the same place. n
discovery
Zung : Come Fly With Me

Z
ung held his first solo exhibition at the Leica Store @ Avenue K on the 24th of April 2013. A crowd of over 100 people arrived to see the world famous Ninja Photographer who displayed photographs he had taken both for his professional work as well as his own personal interest. Among photographs of Donald Trump and the Dalai Lama were poignant moments captured from countries far and wide as Hong Kong and India. n
april 2013
discovery
Sony Experience 2013

O
n the 16th of March 2013, Sony hosted their annual Sony Experience 2013, a 2-day program which allowed over 600 registered participants an opportunity to get up close and personal with great photographic minds from around the globe. Notably Mike Yamashita from National Geographic fame, renowned stock photographer and Sony camera author Gary Friedman, both from the US, as well as spiritual photographer Melisa Teo from Singapore. This event is part of Sonys direction to not only offer great solutions for photography but also to engage with their users emotionally. More great activities from Sony can be found at www.sony.com.my n
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discovery
Air France
M
alaysians can now savor a taste of French hospitality with Air Frances new service to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia via three weekly flights on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol. This nightflight service will be operated by Boeing 777-200 equipped with 246 seats, including 4 in Premire, 48 in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 170 in Economy. This new service is in addition to KLMs 14 weekly frequencies to KLIA. Air France and KLM serve 24 destinations in Asia and operate over 200 weekly flights between Europe and Asia via their hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol. For further information or to make a booking go towww.airfrance.my, or call 03-7724 8181. n
april 2013
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discovery
On On Camera Outings
O
n On Camera will be holding two events around Sabah in the coming two months. On the 18th of May from 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 of June from 2-6pm will be a Street Photography session in Segama, Kota Kinabalu town with Ricoh cameras for participants to try. Both sessions are free for members, and RM30 for non-members. To participate, contact On On camera via email ononcamera@gmail.com or by calling 088-233 724 n
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we pursue excellency.
Leica . Hasselblad . Nikon . Canon . Pentax . Ricoh . Fujifilm . Sony . Lastolite . Sun-sniper . Sun-mover . Carl Zeiss . Billingham . Artisan & Artist . Lowepro . Tamrac . Tamron . Sigma . Tokina
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Lot3.70 (c), 3.001& 3.002,
3rd floor, Kompleks Karamunsing, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
On On Camera @ Suria Sabah Shopping Mall Lot 2-3, 2nd Floor, K.K., Sabah. T: 088 248 724 On On Camera @ Syarikat Letrik On On Bandar Indah, Mile 4, Sandakan, Sabah. T: 089 221 180 On On Camera @ Syarikat Letrik On On Jalan Dunlop, Tawau, Sabah. T: 089 779 181
T: 088 233 724 F: 088 233 608 E: ononcamera@gmail.com
feature
The Myth of Local Light

Text by Vinsant Huang
Welcome to Malaysia! Its a fiery land of amazing opportunity for the traveling landscape photographer. There are the rain forest reserves and national parks full of untouched primary forests that are green all 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 found it hard to take good photographs of these wondrous places? Many photographers get confused by this, especially when they come back with many keepers from countries like Australia or Spain yet cant seem to have the same luck on home ground. As a result, most local landscape photographers turn to postprocessing to get the job done lightening shadows, tuning up colors, the works.
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Left Yarrawonga, VIC, Australia Right Tanjung Tuan, Melaka, Malaysia
In general, youll find that you will get stronger colors and contrast from countries with four-seasons less so from countries like ours that are near the equator. In fact, photographs that are taken near the equator have much denser shadows that hide directly beneath the subject, rather than at an angle. Lets take a look at the factors direction as well as quality of light at the equator
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feature Sun Path

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 affects the angle at which the suns light reaches the earth, as we can see from the diagram above. By observing the axial tilt and constant orbit of the earth around the sun, researchers at the Astronomy department of the University of NebraskaLincoln have found 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 of the day and only passes by directly over at the height of summer.
Sun light
Earth in January
Locations at the equator receive direct, harsh sunlight. Locations away from the equator receive less direct, softer sunlight.
Earth in July
Casting Shadows
Latitude : 3.1 N Malaysia 12pm | September Direct top-down sunlight, harsh and small shadows
Latitude : 27 .0 S Australia 12pm | September Light comes from the north, softer more diffused shadows
Latitude : 38.0 N USA 12pm | September Light comes from the south, softer more diffused shadows
These variations show how the direction of light is different across the world. At the equator the light comes from above us throughout the year, for the most part creating a very lifeless and flat scene, hiding and pooling long shadows beneath trees and creating very little contrast in composition. Photographers in fourseason countries will only experience top-down lighting during the height of summer, and can take advantage of the ever-changing directional lighting during the different seasons for compositions with more compositional contrast.
Diffused Light Versus Direct Light

Diffused light
Another advantage of being at an angle to the sun is that light gets scattered through the atmosphere. In a study on solar rays and radiation, Paul Burgess from Cranfield University in the UK found that the further you go from the equator, the more light gets spread out due to the angle at which the light reaches the surface of the earth, but also because light gets reflected out of the atmosphere. When you translate it to a photograph, as we can see from the diagram above, people further from the equator will have an easier time balancing shadow and highlight detail because light is more evenly spread throughout the atmosphere, creating softer shadows and a more balanced exposure throughout. Perhaps this explains why we seem to be obsessed with High Dynamic Range composites? So what were getting at is that its not (necessarily) your fault that Malaysian landscapes are hard to photograph. The earth has gifted us with wondrous locations for photography all around the world, but it seems that when it comes to lighting we have drawn the short straw. Aside from throwing up your hands in dismay and deciding to just concentrate on photographs of flowers, weve got some ideas to make your life easier.
Direct light
Diffused light towards the poles creates softer shadows
Direct light at the equator creates harsh shadows
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1 - http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion3/animations/sunmotions.html 2 - http://www.ccfg.org.uk/conferences/downloads/P_Burgess.pdf
Tips to Handle Malaysian Light

Timing and Positioning
For out-in-the-open landscapes, avoid shooting in the middle of the day. There is much better light for these in the early morning and towards the end of the day when the sun is behind the horizon and gives off a more diffused light - aim for these time slots for 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. If you dont have the luxury of time, make use of what Mother Nature has provided shade. The rainforests are great at diffusing light, and youll find many gems within them, like waterfalls, rivers, and natural rock formations.
Set Up Your Camera

There are a few things you can do incamera to ensure that your photographs of the Malaysian Great Outdoors come out well. The first thing that will help is to shoot in RAW. It may not be a necessary step, but youd be surprised just how much shadow and highlight detail can be saved with just a couple of additional steps of post-processing. If youre unwilling to shoot in RAW, perhaps because you dont have the necessary software 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 comfortable setting (low, in most cases), and shoot. This option lets you retain shadow and highlight detail, just make sure it doesnt look too fake. Another tip for landscapes is to over expose slightly a half stop or third of a stop will do. Doing this livens up the colors and lifts the shadows without endangering your highlight detail too much. If you have access to Jpeg settings, you can also lessen contrast to achieve a more balanced look.
Useful Filters
If balancing your exposure proves too troublesome too often, you may want to look into getting yourself a square filter system and a good Graduated Neutral Density Filter. Graduated ND filters are a piece of glass that is half tinted to reduce exposure in only part of the photograph normally the sky. Unlike a circular Graduated ND filter which can only be rotated, the beauty of the square filter system is that it offers you control over rotation as well as actual placement of the glass. So if youre focusing on the sprawling landscape and placing the sky on in the upper thirds of the photograph, you can adjust your graduated ND accordingly. Another piece of handy kit is the Circular Polarizing Filter, or CPL. In practice, the CPL can remove troublesome highlights from reflections whether from large bodies of water or from shiny green leaves after the rain. Theres also the added benefit of deeper and more vibrant colors, and all at the cost of a stop of light.
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insight
The Unplanned Career of
Michael Yamashita
We spent an afternoon after the recent Sony Alpha Experience with Michael Yamashita the longest serving National Geographic photographer who is still serving today. The masterful story teller talked to us about the season of change in the industry, defusing tense travel situations, and his refusal to bribe for a story. According to your biography, you have a degree in Asian studies from Wesleyan University. Why do you think you chose that area of 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 girlfriends parents sort of objected of my dating her for racial reasons and I became very suddenly interested in my background - Japanese American. When you grow up in the States as a minority, youre not particularly conscious of your racial background until youve experienced some sort of discrimination. Thats what lead me to think that I would like to know more about my home country, where my parents were from. I became interested in university; I decided to take Asian history - just for those personal reasons, not because I was looking for a career. In fact in those days, it was a difficult time for young college students because there was the Vietnam war going on and we were all focused on staying out of the army. Not so focused as todays culture where everyone is interested in their job or their future. I went to a very liberal school where they said study what you want and youll learn the skills it takes to be whatever, in graduate school or later on. It wasnt a conscious decision to be a photographer. In fact I didnt own a camera until I got out of college. Youre quite well known for your series on historical figures like Marco Polo and Zhang He, was it your academic pursuits that inspired it? No, as a long time Geographic photographer Im always looking for the next best story. Actually, theres one other photographer who is very well known for this, his name is James Stanfield, and he did Kublai Khan and a lot of 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 of following history and doing big stories. Following that, I did Great Wall, and that became a book. I did the Silk Road of course, with Marco Polo. I did Zhang He, who is noted here especially in Malaysia since he spent a lot of time here. You know, a photographers career is rarely something that is planned. I never planned to be a photographer. It just happened. I never planned on working for the Geographic, that is the kind of picture I wanted to take and it led me to that direction. But none of 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 isnt 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 figures now? Im working on the Grand Canal which is a huge story and probably will be a book, youll see that in April or May in the National Geographic. These stories I keep revisiting, like the Tibet book or Shangri-La, so I have a passion for a subject and I keep going back until I have enough material considered to be a book and I have been very fortunate to have good publishers who agree with me. As an Asian American, do you find yourself more at ease with Asian cultures that youre engaging? Yes, absolutely and I think it helps in my photography, I think theres a rapport that I have with people who look like me. Its different from the United States or working in Europe where Im surely a minority. Plus the other thing I always say is the food. I always tell my editors Im not interested in going anywhere unless theyre serving rice. I feel most comfortable in this part of the world and vice versa, I think people react to me as an Asian in a more positive way than other nationalities, cultures or races. Do you think that Asians make for more engaging subjects? Yeah. Plus, this is the center of the world as far as Im concerned. Asia is booming, the rest of the world isnt. All the big changes happened here the last 25 years easy and my career has risen as Asian countries have risen because Ive done a lot of work in these areas for the tourism bureau, for example. Ive never worked for the Malay tourist office but Singapore certainly and Singapore Airlines was one of my first clients. I brought a lot of tourist to this part of the world. As Singapore took off, so did all the Asian countries.
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A photographers career is rarely something that is planned.
april 2013
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insight
How did you get started with the Geographic? You naturally progressed into it, as you said. Its like boxing, you start out and you are against an opponent with whom you beat easily and they move you on to the next opponent, and you keep progressing until you hit the big time. I started here in Asia working for small magazines. Traveller in Tokyo, there was a magazine called Pacific, American Express, Asian Magazine and lots of small magazines out here. Thats where I started doing stories and photographs for 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 for their brochures - not the Singapore girls - and the posters and all other cultural related photography. And I did that for about a year and that gave me a portfolio that had everything - landscape, architecture, people, culture - all of these elements that you need to be a generalist shooter for the Geographic. That exposure plus making money allowed me to go back to the United States and take a portfolio around and one of the places, of course, I went was National Geographic. I got a pretty immediate response and the first assignment I had for the Geographic, they sent me to Hokkaido, Japan. And that was 33 years ago. Youve had a long career in photography, have you ever felt disillusioned? No, I think this is the best job in the world. Certainly in photojournalism it is, theres no other client like this. Its very fortunate that they still exist; theyre the only ones left. So I started at the top and Im still there, which is a nice feeling because most of my colleagues have not lasted. Either theyve retired or dropped out or something but Im only one of, say, four photographers thats still there after 30 years. Do you have any directions for any of our readers if 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 portfolio. That portfolio really has to be able to communicate to somebody, The viewer has to look at that and find something special out of it. Thats always been the case. Of course it always has been a 1% of 1% of 1% kinda job, you know? Its not like you go to college and get a degree and say that Im gonna be a photographer. You just really have to have a passion and obsession with the idea of being a photographer; that youre 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 of my younger colleagues are saying, I wish I was your age so that I dont have to worry about this stuff . Its the next generation that is going to have to figure out how to make a living in a much different world than what I started in and what I still do basically. I work for magazines, I get paid, I work for magazine agencies, I get paid a day rate, thats been the model. But now, its never been easier to get a picture published, you can just put anything you want on the internet. The problem is nobody is paying for that. Somewhere along the
Im only one of, say, four photographers thats still there after 30 years.
line somebody has to figure out a system where photographers can prosper and make enough money to make a living. Otherwise, it will be a gentlemens hobby where somebody who has lots of money can make pictures and if theyre good - it doesnt matter whos making them, as long as the pictures are good - that person can make a living. Its getting very hard, as you know. Theres no more safety net. You made a good living for what you do since youre established but for the new guys... Very hard to come in. I have many who want to be photographers, who knock on my door of my studio. I get e-mails every day from 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 theyll get an internship in a newspaper and if theyre really good, theyll continue on from there. It seems like the only job these days are weddings. When I first started, that was like the lower level of photography but now you got really superb shooters getting into the wedding business because its the most consistent and it pays the bills Do you work on any of your own projects, in this case? Well theyre always my own projects in that we own our own photography. Fortunately, what I like to shoot is what I get paid for. My personal projects come out in books. And as I said, Im fortunate 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 of three. So, any photographer will be quite happy or proud of that. Then the next thing I did: a 500 page book. The difference is, even in an 80-90 page story, youre only seeing 40 photographs. Whereas a book, youre seeing hundreds. I showed today, 250 photographs (at the Alpha Experience 2013 event), whether you realize it or not. Todays show had 250 frames, 251 to be exact. Its not showing off, its just showing a much broader range in storytelling and of course, youre 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 youve shot? Yeah, thats always a great thing to be able to go back and share the pictures. My first story on Hokkaido was done in 1980 and a few years ago, I went back to shoot at Daisetsuzan. I walked into this little restaurant, theres this guy who looked vaguely familiar. Then he looks at me, I look at him and he says, Yamashita-san and I was like Ah! . So we had this meeting
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and it was just like 25 years have passed and still we sort of picked up where we left off. This guy was my guide and he took me to a lot of 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 fires. Remember the Indonesian fires in the late 90s? Smoke everywhere and so I shot in KL from the highest buildings to show how bad the smog was. There was some resistance by the local authorities. They didnt want photographers wandering around showing how bad it was because it was not good for tourism. I had some resistance to that. Then we went off to Borneo, to Kalimantan and Sarawak. We had to sneak in across the Indonesian border because if they didnt like us in Malaysia, they really didnt want us in Indonesia because that was the source of fires. China is always a challenge because they consider journalists and photographers to be an enemy. So theres always a lot of distrust about people with a camera. I want to look like a Japanese tourist, I dont want to look like a professional photographer. That also helps (pointing to self, indicating his outlook).
What about North or South Korea, have you dealt with that issue? Yes, Ive been to North Korea three times. I dont know anybody else who has. Again, tremendous restrictions about photographing there and I cant say I got much more or better than anybody else has because of the restrictions. Everybody gets taken to the same place. Were you escorted? Or were you free to go around? Oh no, of course youre escorted, you cant get into that country without an escort and its very hard to make any pictures that they dont know about. And do they claim that its also for your protection? Oh god yeah, in countries like Iraq and Iran where I also photographed for Marco Polo there was a lot of restrictions because Im not working with a fixer in those cases, Im 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 didnt want me to shoot foot binding in China, I got arrested for that. Im constantly getting hassled by the authorities for doing stuff. Im shooting a story on Chinese trains. Its illegal to shoot in stations, Ive gotten thrown out of a lot of stations, thrown off a lot trains. Have you been in a life endangering situation? Youre not exactly a conflict photographer but you seem to travel to a lot of these locations that is quite sensitive. Yeah, the story at high altitude shooting the worm story, my fixer 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 factor to the photograph Im trying to shoot. The most dangerous thing is climbing up a telephone pole to get a higher angle, balancing off the edge of
I want to look like a Japanese tourist, I dont want to look like a professional photographer.
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insight
a cliff or something; I dont shoot places where theyre shooting at me. Ive been close to those areas but obviously its not in my interest to put myself in harms way How would you advise a travel photographer, who perhaps is unlucky, to avoid or defuse a tense situation? Well, you just have to wear a smile at all times and just dont go there. I was in Afghanistan when there was a war going on and obviously if I was captured by the Taliban, they would obviously... Yeah. I put a lot of responsibility on my fixers, these people that I hire in different countries to be my guide, be my interpreter, do the logistical work, get me the driver, and arrange for interviews. We work out in advance, heres where we wanna go, this is what I need, I want to find this situation, where do we go to see this, whats coming up as far as festivals are concerned, whats the status of the border, can we cross easily, what kind of cars do we need, I need a 4WD, a Toyota Land Cruiser, whatever. These guys are invaluable and theyre well paid for local hire and we depend on them and share them with colleagues. So if Im gonna go to India, Im gonna get a friend who shoots in India to recommend a good fixer and if theyre going to China, they come to me because I know the best. They usually have some sort of journalist background and if not, they have a journalist sense. And they know my success depends on their being able to find me the subject and putting that subject in front of my lens. They have to be diplomatic because sometimes were down in a situation where its tense, because the police want to take your camera away; they want to kick you off the train or whatever... Do you deal with bribes just to get the story? No, I dont deal with money. Ive never been in a situation well, once or twice in China where you knew they wanted something from me but I ignore it. Well I dont pay my subjects, we dont set them up. Obviously, I have to get access but we do it without paying money. I remember once shooting at a festival in China where this minder basically was telling me if we paid him some extra money he would find a better position for me. Coming back to lighter topics, weve listened to your talk and we hear you make a lot of references about the equipment and the features 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. If youre ever there, go check it out, its called Picture This and they sell a lot of big prints. When they were developing the camera, I was shown a prototype and they explained all this new technology before it was a reality and they asked me many times, for several years at least, if I would consider using the camera. I never got around to it, I was too busy and I was perfectly 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 of the camera, were the Zeiss lenses. I thought this was a game changer because the files 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 of the water. Whether it was the camera or whether I could have gotten that with any camera, Im not sure, but it was pretty amazing. Subsequent new technology, especially the A99, if it isnt obvious now it should be, everybody is going to have to follow that. I mean the mirrorless technology means you do not miss the moment. Shooting that catwalk just now, when youre shooting with a DSLR, the mirror is going up and down - you dont know what youre shooting. Youre guessing where the next step is. Thats why I get 6-8 burst of pictures where Im watching in what seems like slow motion of a model moving through your frame. Thats an amazing advance for street shooters. Its not a guessing game anymore; youre going to get it. With these amazing motor drives, youre not going to miss the moment and thats a big deal. That old adage if you saw the picture, you miss the moment. You dont miss the moment anymore. I have to ask this, what would you consider now as the perfect camera to work with? No camera is perfect. I still have a couple of beefs about some features on the A99. I think it needs more focusing spots. Its pretty narrow in the middle. Anybody who likes long glass, long lenses, theres not enough of that yet. But, I do believe that there is a reason why the top camera of the year in America has been Sony for the last three years. Theyre thinking out of the box. Its not a mechanical camera world anymore, its electronic. So where are the new cameras coming from? Panasonic with Leica, Sony with Zeiss and the rest are gonna have to follow, because nobody thought of mirrorless technology before. This screen, its 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 dont know what it was but he shot everything from the back screen and he shoot something and he say, Can you do that? . He had a zoom lens that could go from like super close up to you know, whatever and I was like I cant 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 front of you and compose on the back screen, tremendous advantage. We know you have an Instagram account. Do you shoot that with a smartphone? Or youre just using that to share? Ive been using it basically to further the Geographic because they asked the photographers to start Instagram. It went from 40 thousand to 1.2 million or 1.3 whatever it is now in a very short time in about a year. So now its the biggest entity on Instagram and that has been built by the photographers in National Geographic. So it got them a following or notoriety that they didnt have before and of course the photographers are not stupid, we could see that this is good though I must say nobody has earned a dime from 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 front of the world, nobody knows where its all leading to. Everybody is
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Everybody is doing all these things and putting photography in front of the world, nobody knows where its all leading to.
just getting inundated with photography. Ill look at themes like whats in the news. So North Korea is in the news, so I throw up a North Korea picture and it gets 2300 comments - thats amazing! I got 40 thousand hits. I try to be timely, if its stuff coming from my archives. I just took a picture just the other day, I carry my iPhone, occasionally something personal goes up there and thats of course something people really seem to like is something very personal. Im not the sharing kind of person, I have Facebook but I dont spend a lot of time sharing on Facebook but I realize that every time something personal
goes up there, the number of likes goes way up. That picture of that magic mountain in Yunnan, that went over 50-60 thousand people. And the same thing, I was in the field working in Brunei a month ago and I throw up a photograph and the people from the tourism office who I was working with in Brunei couldnt believe it because they threw it up there and immediately we had like 40 thousand people going yeah (thumbs up). I dont have a lot of time when at home to be making new pictures. I carry a camera but its not that my life is that boring or anything, its just that I have other priorities when Im home because Im not thinking of taking pictures. But when Im on the road, my whole focus is making pictures so if Im gonna put photographs on an Instagram page or Facebook or anything, it will be more from being on the road. Last question from us, where do you see yourself 10 years from 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 dont know if it will be that way for me. I have a lot of projects yet left to do and a book or three that I still havent published so I dont think I see things changing very much in the next 10 years. Difference is I have a family years mean something for family. Ill have a daughter who will be an adult, who knows what thats going to be like. n
Michael Yamashitas work can be found on his portfolio site and periodically on Instagram. When hes not working a story, he can be found spending time with family in rural New Jersey, and is an active volunteer fire fighter.
www.michaelyamashita.com Instagram yamashitaphoto
april 2013
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insight
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Gary Friedman
An engineer whose ideas couldve changed the world now a stock photographer and e-book guru for photographers the world over
Tell us about your journey in photography. Ive been taking pictures seriously since I was 15 years old. I even built a darkroom in my parents house to process B&W film. However, Ive also always loved electronics and computers more, and so my first career was at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory working on the Voyager and Galileo spacecraft systems - its the best job any engineer could hope for. But I became frustrated that I couldnt commercialize my patents while I was still there, so after a decade I left to learn how to run a business. I started an information technology consulting firm and grew it from 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 after youve punted and lost everything?), then came back to the States and got married. What now? I asked myself. I had a lifetimes worth of images in slides and negatives, and I didnt 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 from the various countries Ive visited, and so naturally those are the kinds of pictures I now tend to shoot. I have also started doing commercial studio work, some of which ends up on the website if Im the copyright holder. It is quite unique for a photographer that has his own line of books. Do you see that as an advantage? Does it work in your favor? Anytime you can have synergy between multiple businesses, its a good thing. Much of my commercial work can be used in the books to illustrate a feature, and there can be tremendous overlap so one thing I do can be leveraged multiple ways. Your books are in a digital format 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 truthful reason: I couldnt 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 file I can reach audiences where traditional book distribution doesnt go. There are still some people who prefer a printed book, and for them I utilize a print-on-demand publisher so I dont have to tie up any cash in inventory.
In your view, how has the digital platform changed the game for photography? Those who are just learning benefit greatly by getting instant feedback and being able to try new things for free. The downside? The stock photography business has been flooded by low-priced entries taken by people who dont understand the value of good light. My images might be better, but the chances You have a popular series of e-books for the Sony system. of a buyer finding my images are now that much less because Tell us more about that. Do you have more readers in Asia? hed have to wade through all the others - who has the patience Ive discovered that my largest reader base is in the for that? A higher-level problem is that people dont believe Netherlands, which I thought unusual until it was explained to me that Minolta had a very large presence there. This is followed what they see anymore. When I was growing up, there was an adage that The photograph doesnt lie . Thats no longer true. by the U.K. and the US. Malaysia isnt even in the top 100 top-selling countries, so I was a little surprised at how popular Do you only write and shoot full time? I was when I first came here. The marketing director for Sony My wife and I also travel and give beginning photography Malaysia at the time explained that this was due to rampant file seminars all over the world. Theyre popular because so many sharing in that country and he advised me to implement copy beginners find the learning curve to be difficult, and frankly I protection to protect myself from that sort of thing, which I did. think theyre all trying to learn the wrong things. So I teach I love the fact that Sony is now the most innovative company in photography today, and because of my engineering background I them how us old-time Kodachrome shooters were able to take Wow!-type pictures before fancy cameras and can appreciate what they do.
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Photoshop, and people come out inspired to be more creative and an appreciation of the things that are really important in photography! I also am a distributor for a most awesome musical instrument called a Maui Xaphoon Pocket Sax. Its small but sounds big, and I carry it in my camera bag. Wherever I go in the world, I can make friends just by sitting down and playing. Then I warm them up and take some portraits of people I meet. Synergy! How would you describe the photographic industry in the US? How does it differ very much to Asia in your view? Its hard to answer since Im not that familiar 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 go back to what it was. Once upon a time there were photo editors who had a licensing budget and who had high standards for image quality. Today those positions have been eliminated and replaced by interns who surf the web looking for images to copy and use without permission. Theres no going back. Fortunately the books and the commercial work is stepping in to fill 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 of fun from afar, but the surest way to take the joy out of photography is to turn it into a business. Instead of enjoying
taking pictures youre more worried about your income stream and marketing yourself. Keep your day job and continue to use photography as a creative outlet. Used in this way photography will never let you down, for it gives you an excuse to get out and do things youd never normally do, and meet people youd never normally meet. Youve been to Malaysia quite a few times now. Ever thought of 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, theres no humidity in California! n
Gary Friedman maintains an archive of his travel photography at his website, as well as a blog which updates semi-consistently with his own insights into photography, as well as tips and tricks to help any level of photographer.
www.friedmanarchives.com
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Whats in the Bag
Horses for courses, thats what my teacher used to say to me. It really just means to use the right tools for the job, and sometimes that implies to carry less. What do you think of Gary Friedman then, who has a basic kit for travel and a bigger bag for when the job requires? Take a glance and see if you can figure what his most basic needs are. Who knows, you may be tempted to pick up a pocket sax yourself.
big Bag
Sony Alpha 77 Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 Minolta 100-300mm APO Minolta 11-18 APS-C wide zoom Prinz telescoping tripod Sony F58 flash (and diffuser card, stand) Minolta 5600 flash (and diffuser card, stand) Black Rapid strap Cable Release Extra batteries (camera + flash + cell phone) Diffuser cloths (for the 5$ studio) Honeycomb grid array (light modifier) Flashlight Lens cleaning fluid and cloth Extra memory cards Lens Pens (one for lenses, one for the sensor) Insect repellent, medicine for insect bites Pepto Bismol tablets Fishermans Friend lozenges Pocket Sax
Small Bag
NEX-7 and 18-55 lens Rokinon / Samyang 8mm fisheye lens Minolta 5600 flash + diffuser Sony HVL-F20AM flash (to trigger 5600 wirelessly) Prinz telescoping tripod (it gets to be pretty tall!) Extra battery, memory card, Lens cleaning cloth Pocket Sax
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column
Text by George Wong Images Courtesy of Google Inc.
Of Glass & Photojournalism
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In days long past, drawings and paintings were the earliest form of visual historical documentation which persisted until the invention of the camera. Initial incarnations of the camera were impractical and cumbersome and it wasnt until 1913 when Leica introduced their prototype of a small camera called the Ur-Leica that visual documentation really became a mainstream vocation. The creation of the 35mm film format camera made documenting the world accessible and gave birth to a vocation called photojournalists and the business of photographic images. The business of photography has seen many hurdles since its short inception with the switch from analogue and digital being the most profound. Digital cameras, unlike its older film counterparts, allowed for instant capture, preview and transfer capabilities. This simple advancement greatly diminished the value of images as it allowed the masses the opportunity to take credible images without any prior training. Today, a formal education in photography is merely a bonus and not a prerequisite for an assignment. Software applications were developed to offset ones lack of skill and even enhance images at minimal cost and effort which has greatly increased the spectrum of quality while drastically reducing expectations of investment. Despite these stark impediments, photographers adapted and, with the right business acumen, some even flourished from this change.
The rise of social media and 24/7 mobile connectivity has incited a greater cause for alarm with many of the traditional providers struggling to adapt and monetize in a world where content is essentially almost free. Copyright infringements 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, enforcement is proving to be difficult with no feasible standards to trace and validate ownership of content. Certain quarters have experimented with platforms that capitalize on free user created content but the lack of clear validation, curation or basic photography technique have proven stumbling blocks for its replacement of mainstream news reportage. With the many challenges already in view, a new paradigm is looming on the horizon. Early 2012, Google showcased early prototypes of Glass, a wearable computer which is mounted onto a pair of spectacles that projects information via a prism screen to the top right corner of your vision. Significantly, it incorporates a camera providing it the ability to capture images as well as video, opening up whole debates on privacy and safety concerns that such a technology may entail. The state of West Virginia amended its state laws to include a ban on driving while using wearable technology with a HUD mounted display, in fear of the possible safety risk that the use of Glass suggests. Theres even a movement called Stop the Cyborgs that was founded as a response to Glass in fear of a future where privacy is impossible and central control total.
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During Google I/O 2012, Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, put on an amazing demo of Glasss live video sharing capabilities through Google Hangout, a component of Google+. With the help of skydivers, climbers and bikers, Google demonstrated how Glass could easily allow you to share a first person perspective of a wind rush from a parachute jump, the earth when scaling face first down the wall of a skyscraper or a back flip when riding a bicycle, all in 720p high definition. Not only did it showcase the capabilities of Glass, it defined Googles significant role behind its propagation: integration with its already prevalent software solutions. E-mail, contacts, navigation, social media, video sharing and more, all areas which Google already dominate and Glass promises to integrate them all into one irresistible and provocative package. Its not hard to imagine a huge take up from early adopters. Imagine the possibilities and impact Glass would have on photojournalism. Through its HD enabled camera and Google Hangout, anyone in the world can view tragic catastrophes or gripping court cases instantaneously as it happens, wherever they may be. The attending journalist would multitask the role of the photographer and videographer at the same time. News communication might shift from a reportage format to a series
of live Hangout broadcasts. The masses would log in even if theyre in a heated meeting to watch the latest broadcast on the escalating war in Syria first hand. The experience viewing news in a first person perspective would entice viewers in droves as it provides a new dimension in how we consume media. Communication of time sensitive information, in theory, could be completely replaced by Google Glass. Some might argue that the quality and composition of the output may leave much to be desired but neither can we discount that quality is gradually taking a back seat in favor of timeliness, accessibility and ease of distribution. And digital media requires much less resolution or quality than traditional print media which further strengthens this possibility. Google Glass is targeting mass market availability a year from now in 2014, promising to bring forth a new revolution in content delivery & consumption, augmented reality experiences and photographic culture as we know it. The question is, are we truly ready for it?
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Test Bed
REVIEW
LIGHT WEIGHT TRAVELER
Where the main goal is to travel and experience your destination without being burdened by extra gear. The best balance of weight versus quality is your ideal
Photography is at the heart of your travels you want to see and experience, but your main goal is to capture. As such you dont mind a heftier bag of gear
HEAVY-DUTY PHOTOGRAPHER
Apple iPhone 5 | Samsung Galaxy Camera

Compact (1 sensor)
Compact (sub-1 sensor)
Sony RX100 | Sony RX100

Micro Four Thirds
Olympus OM-D | Panasonic GH3
Ricoh GR | Sony NEX 7
APS-C
Sony RX-1 | Leica M
Full Frame
Canon 6D with Canon EF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM
DSLR
National Geographic Mini Satchel | Tamrac Rally 7
Bag
Velbon Ultrek 45L | Giottos Vetruvian Reverse
Tripod
Apple iPad Mini | Sony Vaio Duo
Tablet
Ion Airpro Wifi | GoPro Hero 3
Action Camera
Guest Reviewers
Francis Ling
facesbyling.com
Ming Thein
www.mingthein.com
Zakir Hassan
flickr.com/photos/zakirhassan
Jasper Yong
jasper@live.com.my
Wilson Ng
placesandfoods.com
Joshua Khoo
nextimelah.blogspot.com
All reviews are done by actual users of the product. We interview them over the phone or email and they give us their honest opinions on the product. Comments and scoring are done by the individual reviewer, while comparison to the test bed is done by TPM.
review
Review by Francis Ling
SONY RX-1
RRP. RM9990 Distributor. SONY Malaysia
FORM
Slim, all metal body. Nice to see, not so comfortable to hold. Its protruding lens means its not so easy to slip into a pocket (Ed: still the most pocketable FF though!)
FEATURES
Customizable buttons, though not as useful as the NEX-7s Tri-Navi Focusing ring can be used for other manual functions theres some lag though Close focusing is nice, but you have to switch in and out of macro mode
IMAGE QUALITY
You get that trademark Zeiss creamy, quality bokeh, and that amazing 3D feel Pretty visible barrel distortion almost like an ultra-wide. Handled by a software fix Easily make huge prints at ISO6400
IN THE FIELD
In daylight its focuses fast (and accurate). In low-light we are talking about hair-pulling mis-focuses and much focus-hunting Low-light conditions can show some back focusing Be wary of the metal lens cap rush and it may scratch your immortal Zeiss
VERDICT
The camera gives you a compact body, a stellar image quality rivaling full frame DSLRs, and a useful 35mm focal length. Its fun and challenging to travel with.
VS TEST BED
The RX-1 is our test bed thanks to its small and compact size - there isnt anything that can touch it in the light weight category. While its not perfect, it has enough merits to stay there for a while.
Specifications
Still Resolution Video Resolution ISO Range Lens RAW Battery Life Screen Size Dimensions Weight 24.3 Megapixel Full Frame CMOS 1080p @ 60fps 50-25600 Carl Zeiss Sonnar 35mm f2 ARW 2.3 270 shots 3 inches 113 x 65 x 70 mm 482 grams
OVERALL VERDICT
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Review by Ming Thein
review
RRP. TBC Distributor. DSC World
Ricoh GR
FORM
Solid-feeling, highly tactile magnesium alloy and rubber-clad body Feels worthy of its premium price, fitting your hand perfectly with all of the myriad manual controls falling immediately to hand The smallest APS-C camera currently available; surprisingly pocketable. Lacks any protrusions to catch or snag on things.
FEATURES
Enormous APS-C sensor, 16MP resolution with no anti-aliasing filter for even crisper images. Incredibly configurable; if you cant find a setup you like, you need to re-read the manual. Includes extensive in-camera processing options for RAW files
IMAGE QUALITY
Outstanding black and white tonality whether JPEG or RAW Very clean high ISO with highly configurable noise reduction settings; effectively noise-free til ISO 1600, useable to 6400 Color accuracy is biased towards skin tones reds can appear pinkish under certain conditions, usually incandescent light
IN THE FIELD
Focusing speed is blindingly fast in daylight, but will slow down noticeably as light levels fall Good battery life for a camera of this spec; in practical use 300+ shots per charge without flash is easily possible LCD could be brighter especially in tropical sun
Specifications
Sensor Video Resolution ISO Range Lens RAW Battery Life Screen Size Dimensions Weight 16.2 Megapixel APS-C 1080p @ 30 fps 100-25600 28mm f2.8 equivalent DNG 290 shots 3 1230k TFT 117 x 61 x 35 mm 245g
VS TEST BED
Despite its small size, the Ricoh GR is a fully featured little camera that will satisfy your travel photography needs except for its lack of a telephoto.
VERDICT
A great secondary camera for the photographer who likes to take control. It packs a significant amount of image quality into a very portable package. Great as a documentary camera, but sometimes you may find yourself wanting a bit more telephoto reach
OVERALL VERDICT
april 2013
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review
Review by Zakir Hassan
Nikon D7100
RRP. RM4298 (Body Only) Distributor. Nikon Malaysia
FORM
Even weather sealed, the D7100 is only slightly larger than the D7000 Comfortable-in-hand Nikon has ergonomics down to a science New users may be overwhelmed by the layout
FEATURES
It inherited the 51 point AF system from the D4 useful for fast subjects Weather-sealed! Bad weather is no longer a worry The in-camera HDR takes some effort out of difficult scenes
IMAGE QUALITY
Photographs are remarkably detailed 24 Megapixels is very generous. It lets you crop without losing fine detail Moire is very rare, despite the missing Anti-Aliasing filter
IN THE FIELD
Auto-focus is fast and accurate, and the 51 point AF doesnt disappoint After 5 continuous RAW shots the camera becomes sluggish for a few seconds even with a class 10 card At 950 shots per charge, battery life is good, but not amazing
VERDICT
Its smaller and lighter than the D300s and the D700, yet it still packs a magnificent punch when it comes to image quality. Adding weather-sealing and the 51 point AF makes this a great choice for the Great Outdoors!
OVERALL VERDICT
VS TEST BED
Up against the Canon 6D, the Nikon D7100 is still a formidable opponent, especially among nonpixel peepers. Its a lighter system to carry around, has amazing resolution for what it is, and certainly performs well. However, it isnt enough to usurp the throne.
Specifications
Still Resolution Video Resolution ISO Range Lens Mount RAW Battery Life Screen Size Dimensions Weight 24.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS 1080p ISO 50-25600 Nikon F NEF 950 shots 3.2 136 x 107 x 76 mm 765g
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Review by Wilson Ng
review
RRP. RM1899 Distributor. SAMSUNG Malaysia
FORM
A unique hybrid, sized between a compact and a Micro Four-Thirds system It looks almost exactly like a Samsung Galaxy S3 from the backpanel In-hand it feels well weighted, yet not heavy
Samsung Galaxy Camera
FEATURES
Useful smart features covers high speed, night, and blink-free group shots Manual Exposure is called Expert Mode smart features make it less used 21x silent zoom, even during video!
IMAGE QUALITY
Output is certainly better than most compacts on the market. The maximum ISO of 3200 is usable, but Id still rather rely on ISO 1600 Lens is decently sharp throughout the range
IN THE FIELD
It operates just like a Jelly Bean device should smooth and fast. Tap focusing seems faster and more accurate than using the shutter button to focus. Battery life is very decent when using Auto mode smart modes tend to drain it quite fast.
Specifications
Still Resolution Video Resolution ISO Range Lens RAW Battery Life Screen Size Dimensions Weight 16 Megapixel 1/2.3 CMOS 1080p at 30fps 100-3200 23-483mm f2.8-5.9 No 340 shots 4.8 inches 70.8 x 128.7 x 19.1 mm 300g
VS TEST BED
The Samsung Galaxy Camera scores well as a very useful compact camera and made much more useful as a travel companion thanks to Android OS and the many useful travel apps made available in the Play Store.
VERDICT
As far as compacts go, youll be very hard pressed to find a more intuitive and useful camera especially with its 21x zoom. Being based around the Android system makes it infinitely more useful as well.
OVERALL VERDICT
april 2013
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review
Review by Jasper Yong
Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm f3.5
RRP. RM6470
Distributor. SHIRIRO Malaysia
BUILD
The entire lens is made up of metal and glass even the lens hood It feels like quality, and a tank The supplied hood is lined with velvet premium, but collects lint
OPTICAL QUALITY
Colors, oh glorious natural colors! For an ultra-wide lens, it exhibits very minimal distortion The Carl Zeiss T* coating still works wonders flare is almost a non-issue
FEATURES
Perhaps one of the defining features of a Carl Zeiss lens - a lack of features it simply is a high quality lens This is the updated version for digital SLRs. No aperture ring but it will communicate with your dSLR
IN THE FIELD
Since this is a manual focus lens, this will appeal less to photographers more used to auto focus Being an ultra-wide, achieving critical focus is not hard when theres lots of light The focus ring is smooth and well dampened
VERDICT
Its a very select crowd who will bring manual focus lenses when traveling. If youre one of them, the natural colors, minimal distortion and micro-contrast may just offset its weight.
Specifications
Mount Made for Aperture Range Canon EF, Nikon Fx 35mm FF F3.5-F22
Minimum Focus Distance 0.3m Image Stabilization Filter Size OVERALL VERDICT Dimensions Weight No 82mm 87 x 85 mm 510 grams
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Review by Joshua Khoo
review
RRP. RM2399 Distributor. DSC World
tamron
FORM
Its plasticky and light. It doesnt feel too cheap, and is easy to carry around The hood is huge if attached it may not fit well in a normal lens compartment The lettering starts to fade over time, even without much abuse.
OPTICAL QUALITY
Its less contrasty when compared to its competition Its not very sharp, but its very usable expect kit lens quality and dont pixel peep Well controlled purple fringing and distortion
FEATURES
Zooms from ultra-wide to a usable street-wide with a respectable aperture range No need for a slim filter. Normal filters dont cause noticeable vignetting The filter doesnt rotate while focusing
IN THE FIELD
Auto focus is slower than kit lenses, but at least its accurate. Zoom ring is well dampened no zoom creep 0.24m close focus is useful
Specifications
Mount Made for Aperture Range Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax APS-C F3.5 F29
VERDICT
If youre on a budget, consider this a good addition to your kit lenses. Its not the best ultra wide available on the market, but its good for travel and performs well enough. Just maybe keep the hood aside.
Minimum Focus Distance 0.24m Image Stabilization Filter Size Dimensions Weight No 77mm 8.3 x 8.4 cm 406g OVERALL VERDICT
april 2013
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review
Review by George Wong
Tamrac Zuma 9
RRP. RM457
Distributor. SHIRIRO Malaysia
FORM
Discreet, no nonsense working bag that would attract nobody in a crowd Its not ugly, just clean, black and boring. Its a good thing for travel. Really. The bag only opens from the back, so no loose zippers for deft fingers to invade and snag your valuables
Function
Spacious fits a 10 inch tablet, DSLR with 3 typical lenses or flashes It has a large mesh pocket in that takes up almost half of the space for personal items, cables and chargers Two side pockets will hold anything the size of a small water bottle
Portability
A spacious bag tempts you to overload it dont. It has small chest and waist straps that help distribute weight. Lightly packed, its comfortable to use throughout the day.
In The Field
The waist strap doubles as a support to shift the bag to the front for gear access You can also use it as a mini-table for maps, or tablet use. Rear loading backpacks dont give fast access to gear
VERDICT
The Tamrac Zuma 9 ticks many boxes for travel. Its discreet, spacious, and easy to use on the field. An awardwinning bag for anyone except quick draw fans and fashion conscious travelers
OVERALL VERDICT
VS TEST BED
The Tamrac Zuma 9 is a perfect candidate for a lightweight traveler just enough space for just enough gear. However, it sacrifices ease of access for additional security, and thats a choice you are going to have to make for yourself.
Specifications
Type Material Laptop Tripod Weather Proof Exterior Interior Weight Rear Loading Backpack Polytek 10 Tablet No Protective Cover 24.1 x 18.4 x 34.39 cm 22 x 15 x 16cm (Mesh Pocket) 24 x 16 x 17cm (Gear) 762 g
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Review by Vinsant Huang
review
RRP. RM1151 Distributor. Shriro Malaysia
FORM
Giottos is well known for making sturdy, well-engineered tripods. This one is no different. The carbon fibre used in construction gives it a really nice and cool sheen, as carbon fiber does.
Giottos Vitruvian Professional Reverse VGR 8255
function
Everyone has an opinion on clip locks vs twist locks. Giottos has done well to ease that by making these twist locks that are almost effortless to lock and unlock. The quick release mechanism comes with a dual stage lock
Portability
Its a light tripod that folds away into a neat little package that makes it easy to carry around The monopod is not as compact at 77cm long when folded. It doesnt fit well strapped to a bag, so make do and walk with it
IN THE FIELD
Fully unfolded, the Vitruvian stands at 1.36 meters. Pretty average, quite usable The Vitruvian can also spread its legs and get down low to the ground - a good quality to have for dirty macro work The supplied head can hold up to 4kg of gear most gear combos are fine
Specifications
Material Maximum Height Minimum Height Maximum Weight Leg Locks Leg Stages Folded Length Weight Carbon Fiber 1.36 m 39 cm 4 kg Twist locks 5 40 cm 1.27 kg
VS TEST BED
The Giottos Vitruvian Professional Reverse is our test bed due to its compact size when folded and its dual function as a monopod. In terms of build quality it doesnt slouch, and all in all would make an ideal companion when you feel the need for a tripod on trips.
VERDICT
Its hard to fault the Giottos Vitruvian Professional Reverse, and if you are looking for a good tripod that doesnt take up too much space on hikes, this might just be it for you. The only disappointment is the monopod, which is sturdy but hard to justify bringing along on its own.
OVERALL VERDICT
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survival gear
Review by George Wong
Sony Xperia Tablet Z
RRP. TBA
Distributor. Sony Malaysia
Hardware
It packs a whole lot of hardware into one solid and well crafted housing that would please the serious minimalist. IP57 grade dust-proofing and waterresistance Its a little sad to see the full-size SD slot disappear.
USER EXPERIENCE
The lock screen is a gem with media controls and camera only a swipe away. Vivid (yet not oversaturated) colors from the Bravia Mobile Engine Quad core 1.5ghz + Project Butter = smooth
CONNECTIVITY
The LTE version will shine once its available! Tri-band 3G. Be wary if youre traveling to America Set it up with a new Bravia TV or a wireless Playstation controller via Infra-red!
FEATURES
8 megapixel camera has all the bells and whistles Front facing 2 megapixel camera promises Full HD video for videoconferencing The 6000mAh battery is rated at a very generous 10 hours of multimedia playback. Share photos and videos by linking to a Bravia TV
VERDICT
A gorgeous tablet like this is well worth carrying around for long commutes and showing off pictures at the dinner table. Compact and slim as it is, it still has a large footprint, and that may be a travelers only concern.
OVERALL VERDICT
VS TEST BED
The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is up against the iPad mini, and while the Z is great and very deserving it loses out in terms of size 10 inches is nice but not very portable. Android Jelly Bean is catching up, but it still sits in second fiddle to the still smoother experience of iOS.
Specifications
Screen Size + Make 10 TFT LCD Panel (1900x1200)
Operating System Android Jelly Bean (4.1.2) Internal Storage 16GB External Storage Connections Dimensions Weight Micro-SD up to 64GB Standard Micro USB Micro SD slot 266 x 172 x 6.9 mm 495 g
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Review by Vinsant Huang
survival gear
RRP. RM986 for the Wi-fi basic kit Distributor. Shriro Malaysia
Ion Air Pro Wi-Fi
FORM
Beautifully machined and designed more cameras should be designed like this! A simplified layout of just a slider and a button Dive to 9 meters underwater without a bulky outer shell.
function
Any settings are done over Wi-Fi. Setand-forget. Life is easy. The camera vibrates to confirm. Good for when you cant see the indicator light. It powers on immediately when you slide the record button. Recording starts a couple of seconds later It takes still photographs while recording!
Features
The Android and iOS app (both free) allows you to upload your media straight to Facebook and Youtube. Use the mobile app as a wireless viewfinder! The Wi-Fi Podz comes with a life time storage of 8GB on Ions own cloud storage.
IN THE FIELD
Crisp and clear Full HD videos are saturated with colour perhaps a little too much for subtle palates. White settings tends towards the cooler blue side. You may experience the rolling shutter effect if your movements are too drastic.
Specifications
Video Resolution Still Resolution ISO Range Lens Memory Format Battery Life Screen Size Dimensions (HxWxD) Weight 1080p at 30 fps 5 Megapixels N/A 170 degree f2.8 fisheye lens Micro-SD 2.5 Hours of video (1 Hour with Wifi Pod) N/A 37x37x107mm 138g
VS TEST BED
The Ion Air Pro Wifi is our pick for the test bed because its an action camera without the need for additional casings and accessories. A simple and light package good for travel.
VERDICT
The Ion Air Pro Wi-Fi is an ideal supporting companion for high quality video documentation of your travels. Having a supporting mobile app that makes sharing easy is simply icing on the cake.
OVERALL VERDICT
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survival gear
review by George Wong
GOAL ZERO LANTERN
RRP. RM179.99 Distributor. Extrema Solution
FORM
Its a bit large even for all its functionality The wind crank is straightforward in use and should pose no problems for charging The top hook allows it to be hung at the top of a tent, handy
Features
To expand functionality, you can daisychain it to Goal Zeros solar panels and battery pack for true on-the-go eco power
Function
Great for outdoor camping use. Bright and steady illumination USB charging for your mobile phone or other USB gadgets is great for emergencies. Hand cranking eliminates reliance on the sun
In the Field
Isnt made of the most robust material but should withstand regular use Not weather or water resistant, unfortunately
VERDICT
Its size greatly reduces its practicality for lightweight travel photographers but its a great addition to a camping trips.
Specifications
Light Visible Distance Ports Run Time Charge Time Dimensions Power 1W, white LED 120 meters 1 USB Port 5 hours 4 hours 12.7 x 12.7 x 26.7 cm 0.9 kilograms
OVERALL VERDICT
Weight
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Must Have Gadgets for the Traveling Photographer

Text by Szetoo Weiwen
TRAVEL gear
High Capacity Rechargeable Battery

For the working photographer, that extra juice up in the air or in transit is a precious conserve of power used to get work done and on the go. We all know that laptop batteries last at most a few hours so plugging into an external battery will extend your battery life up to 26 hours until you hit your next destination. These chargers usually have multiple outlets to charge your phones and a small compact camera as well. If you have a solar charger that would be neat as well.
Voltage Converter with Fuse & Travel Adaptors

Travel adaptors and voltage convertors can be pretty pricey out of Malaysia so purchase one in advance or risk kicking yourself in the legs when you blow up your chargers. Most standard travel converters dont have a fuse and simply re-route power from a foreign plugs which can be dangerous especially if you plug in a electronic rated at 110V into a foreign outlet rated at 240V.
Wifi Signal Boosting Antenna

Now, now dont tell us youve never attempted to steal wifi, well no fretting because were sorta guilty of it too. After all, have you ever met a wealthy travel photographer? Carry on then. This nifty gadget is heaven sent in places with dodgy wifi or signals too faint to load a page. By plugging the antenna into your laptop, youre almost guaranteed a stronger signal. Now to upload that picture of the day...
SpareOne phone
Bring your phone along wherever life takes you but phones these days come and go faster than you can say . The next time youre heading into the Borneo rainforests or the dusty streets of Kathmandu, you might want to pick up the award winning SpareOne phone which can hold its charge, if unused, for up to 15 years on a single AA battery. While were confident that the phone will last that long, were not sure if the battery will. The phone is also unlocked so you can use it with any local prepaid SIM card. For emergency calls, no SIM is required. Other notable features of the phone is its the ability of its white LED to provide up to 24 hours of continuous light and can operate from -30 to 60 degrees Celcius. While the lack of smartphone features may put many off from purchasing this phone, this definitely is for the frequent traveller who is constantly off the beaten track.
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backend service
Giclee Art
Text by Vinsant Huang
What is a Giclee? (zhee-clay) A fine art print created by a printmaker adhering to strict standards that utilizes special high resolution digital equipment throughout the workflow process leaving no evidence of the technology used, while providing archival quality consistent with that of a collectible fine art print.
Beautiful rainforests, expansive vistas, calm island scenes - the great outdoors provides many excellent opportunities to take fantastic photographs, and the best way to show it off is to have it printed big. Nothing conveys the grandness of landscapes like a big print. Large and impressive prints are the domain of Giclee Art, a company that specializes in art reproduction and catering to the high standards that professionals demand. The co-founder, Wesley Wong, is known among these circles as the Master Printer, and he has a portfolio of amazing jobs, including work with Leica, Hasselblad, and the Maybank Photo Awards. If this all sounds a little daunting, dont let it be. Giclee Art has consumer-centric packages available to photographers, and you can be assured that the same level of care will be afforded to it. 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 youre on vacation. Simply go to the website and hit Upload Images and youll be able to start a conversation with a sales representative to get the process started.
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backend service
Signature Series: Monobloc A high quality print sandwiched between 5 millimeters of glass and a 2 inch wood block 55 x 55 cm RM 350 78 x 78 cm RM 850 118 x 78 cm RM1250 3-4 working days
For more information, please contact:
Giclee Art. Sdn. Bhd. www.giclee-art.my Lots 22 & 24, Jalan 225, Section 51A, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Meeting by appointment only
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mobile
Skyscanner
Looking to book your own grand safari outing? You could browse the myriad of airline websites, or you could let this handy app do it for you. With an office in Singapore and having just struck a deal with China search giant Baidu, Skyscanner is an Edinburghbased flight search engine that not only specializes in helping you find flights to places you want, it also helps you idle through flights to places you didnt know you wanted. Finding the Flights You Want From the get go, SkyScanner presents you with a clean and simple interface. Itll give you options as youre typing in your destinations. In cases where multiple airports are available, itll allow you to select the airport or simply find flights to the cheapest. Theres even an option to select from your contacts for flights to their listed location! Select your dates and youre on your way! Youll be greeted by a list of possible
airways and stopover destinations which you can then filter by number of stops, duration, time and airline. You can also choose to only choose airlines with optimised mobile sites for quick and painless booking with your mobile device! During date selection, you can opt to leave them blank or simply search within the time frame of a month. Doing this brings up a bar chart with a graphical chart which shows you quite clearly if you can save money by simply flying a day earlier or later. If you want to come back to your search, you can simply bookmark the search youve made for you to come back to later. Neat! Explore! Instead of filling in the blanks, tapping Explore brings up a map of the world with indicative flight prices. Its a pleasant time waster for the day-dreaming explorer. Who knows? Maybe youll explore a place you never knew you could?
Conclusion Skyscanner delivers to your fingertips everything that you figured youd get with a flight search engine, and perhaps a little bit more as well. Featuring a logical and helpful graphical user interface, it makes life easy for every globe trotter.
Skyscanner Minimum Requirements iOS 5.0 Android 2.1 Blackberry 4.5.0 Windows Phone 7 Windows Phone 8 Price : Free
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mobile
Tripit
The closest thing to a personal assistant, Tripit keeps track of your itinerary from flight to hotel bed. Stories abound about travelers missing flights and connections because they had misread the date on their itinerary or had simply forgotten what the actual date was before heading to the airport. No more, with Tripit. A Pocket Personal Assistant What Tripit does is basically put all of your trips essential reservation codes and information into a place where you can have a good and clear overview of your trip. You can set it up to scan your email address or do it manually. For example, when you book a flight online and a confirmation 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 information offline so that you can access your flight details (from destination to flight number) even
if youre in a place with no internet connection. Social Network For Travelers
a frequent flyer it may very pay for itself especially if you are notified early of a flight cancellation. Conclusion
TripIt also functions as a sort of social network for travelers. You can make connections with friends who are also using Tripit, and see what grand adventures they are on, or if youre planning a trip together you can sync details. You can, of course, choose not to divulge information on certain trips if you wish for personal and private getaways. TripIt Pro TripIt also offers a paid service. In addition to the already very comprehensive solution that the free version is, for 49 USD a year you can also choose to benefit from a number of other services, including being privy to flight delays and cancellations, finding alternate routes, keeping tabs on frequent flyer points and, among many other things, get access to over 1200 business lounges worldwide. It does seem a little costly, but if youre
Tripit is an essential app for any traveller to keep a close tab on their itinerary. Being able to access everything from flight details to car rental codes and hotel reservation numbers even while youre traveling without internet can be a god send. Its free service is already fantastically comprehensive, so give it a try.
Tripit Minimum Requirements iOS 5.0 Android 2.1 Blackberry 4.5.0 Windows Phone 7 Windows Phone 8 Price : Free
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Words of Wisdom . by Fairuz Othman.
Four Elements for a Good Travel Photograph

1. Document
This is the most basic thing. Its the part of the photo that tells the viewer that you were here . So to speak, its 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
If Im abroad, I look for details that you cant find in Malaysia. If its a normal every-day item I can find at home, it doesnt interest me. I want to find elements that make my travel photographs different. You must focus on the whole picture as well the background is just as important as the subject you wouldnt go to Paris and take a photograph of a pair of shoes. Context is everything
The children of Mabul live with minimal resources , their ground is our sea .
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Sunrise as seen from the boat from Salang to Mersing
3. Art
Taking into account shadows, light, patterns all this is the art of the photo. Composition isnt something thats fixed, so experiment with it and find what works. If you see a mountain, for example, you must find a way to marry it with other elements, like a tree or clouds, to create a complete picture.
4. Moment
Moments is what people are doing daily activities and everything else . This is an element of street photography, but an important one that should be considered while traveling. Humans are a part of every destination, and when life is combined with all the other elements, it will create great photographs that people can connect with.
Fairuz Othman started out as a casual self-taught landscape photographer in the 70s. He gained an interest in street photography when he joined a local group called Fotografi Jalanan Malaysia a few years ago and has since helped the group to build a fan base of 12000 people. Following his passion, he has since taken up many projects for a variety of clients including local singer and actress Maya Karin. He also organizes photographic tours around the region, including an annual pilgrimage to the Semporna islands in Sabah.
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domestic. Mabul Island.

Photographer //
Dashuki Mohd
Top right. Teenage girls jump into the sea under the bright morning sun in Mabul Island. It is a routine for these girls to take their bath here as the supply of fresh water is limited. Bottom left. A villager picks up a drifted wood from the sea to be used as firewoods. The way of living in Mabul is very basic and the people have to make use any available resources to for their daily need.
What is your day job when youre not a photographer? Im a Senior General Manager of Strategic Planning at a local company.
How do you make time for your photography? Most of the time, I take photos over weekends, during family holiday trips, and sometimes business trips. I also travel on photography trip with friends at least once a year. Last year 2012, we went to Sri Lanka and this year, were heading to Kerala, India. Photo opportunities can come at any time and place. Hence, I always have my camera with me almost all the time. At the least, Ill bring along my compact camera.
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How long have you been pursuing photography as a hobby? My interest in photography started as early as my school days, way back in the 80s. I used to save my pocket money to buy a RM20 compact camera with a cube flash. I got my first 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 before I jumped to the digital SLR in 2007 . All in all, I would say, my passion for photography had spanned more than 20 years. Where do you find inspiration for your photography? To me, inspirations are all around us, but most of the time we fail to recognize them. It comes from my heart through observing the changes in the color of the sky, the wonders of wildlife, the diversity of people and the relentless flow of running water. I love the work of Peter Sanders and Steve McCurry. Im also inspired by the work of Reuters photographer, Bazuki Muhammad, who happened to be my school mate.
How do you develop your skills as a photographer? Just like any other skills, practice makes perfect .I sharpen my art of seeing through creating pictures rather than taking pictures. I practice with my camera control and functions 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 frame of picture that is unique in its own way. Do you have plans to evolve your photography into a business or a full time job? (How would you go about it?) The idea did cross my mind, but I feel that if I delve into business, I wont be free to pursue what I love to do in my own ways. Having said that, I dont mind if anyone wants to buy my work. I did sell few photos and at the same time I also provided free usage for nonprofit or charity purposes. What is your workflow like? (from camera to finished product) Im more of a landscape and nature photographer. Most of the time my camera is set to Aperture Priority and I always shoot in RAW.
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Generally my workflow can be categorized curve, color saturation and sharpening. I also do selective HDR processing into 3 main steps: using Photomatix, particularly when the dynamic range of the scene is too high. Preparation and capture To me, this is the most important part. Archiving is very important and seldom Normally, Ill research the places that I overlooked. I learned through a bad want to go, understand the environment including the weather,lighting, the people, experience when my hard disk crashed other subjects and their surrounding. This before I managed to back it up. Now, I make a point to have my data backed up help me to choose the right equipment regularly, archived on CD and uploaded to such as lenses, filters etc. Creating and Flickr. capturing pictures will be a lot easier when you know what are your potential Do you print your pictures? subjects and storyline. I seldom print my pictures, but I selfpublish photobooks. So far, I have File transfer and Raw conversion published 3 photobooks and Im working I always shoot in RAW format. Hence on another book based on my 2012 trip post processing is essential to enhance to Sri Lanka. Im quite proud with my the pictures. I use Aperture as the Fascinating Mabul which I co-authored post processing tool. I like it due to its with a friend. simplicity and comprehensiveness. Aperture is a good tool, not only for post processing, but also for managing photos. Have you thought of how you can share your knowledge with other photographers? Post processing and archiving I have had few ways of sharing my limited My post processing sequence is knowledge with fellow photographers, generally quite simple. This include particularly the beginners. These include horizon alignment, cropping, white conducting sharing sessions on basic balance correction (when necessary), photography and HDR photography, exposure adjustment, level and/or
Top left. The morning sun casts shadows of the wooden pier on Mabuls sandy beach. Bottom left. Children in Mabul paddle through the water on the traditional lepalepa . 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 of Bajau Laut tribe who lives in the settlement at Mabul island.
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Above. The colours of the sky change as the sun sets behind a pier in Mabul island.
participating in various forum and photography retreat. I also received emails and requests for advise on my facebook which I tried my best to respond. I would be happy to conduct free basic photography class, particularly to students which I did at my childrens school. Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for other photographers? Photography is a reflection of us. It reveals our view about life, people, society, and the environment. There are differences in us, our values and perceptions which we must accept and respect. Knowing ourselves and what we love will shape our pictures. It is not about the camera, its about us and our subjects. n
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international. Rottnest Island.

Photographer //
Szetoo Weiwen
Bottom. The Quokka is a small relative of the kangaroo and is endangered because the wetlands where it lives are disappearing and because it is easy prey for animals such as dogs, cats and foxes. Right. The Wadjemup Lighthouse is the first Western Australian lighthouse made of locally quarried stone from Nancy Cove in 1849 by Aboriginal convict labour. The lighthouse did not operate until 1851 when the revolving lamp and clockwork mechanism was fitted. Morbidly, the first three lighthouse keepers committed suicide!
Rottnest Island is located about 20 kilometres off the coast of Perth, administered by the Rottnest Island Authority, an agency of the Western Australian government, set up specifically for this purpose. During the World War I, the island was used as an internment camp for Italian and German Civilians and several large artillery guns were built on the islands highest hills. Today, the island no longer serves the military and is instead a beautiful getaway for tourists. Rotto, as it is fondly known to the locals, prides itself with bays and beaches featuring hidden caves and reefs that are perfect for swimming, snorkeling and diving activities.
One of the main attractions on the islands are small marsupials the size of cats, named Quokkas. Early settlers mistook them as giant rats and named the island Rats Nest hence its name. However, avoid feeding them as they may turn violent and persistently stalk you for food. 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 from the ferry terminal for $30 a day. It can get
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tiring so best to equip yourself with plenty of water and some sunblock. The many salt lakes on the island make for picture perfect opportunities and we were told by the local guides that the pinkness at the lake edges were because of the abundance of shrimp. The Rottnest Express ferry departs from B-Shed at Victoria Quay (a five minute walk from the Fremantle train station which you can access from Perth city), Rous Head Harbour in North Fremantle and Barack Street in Perth city. It costs about AUD$80 for a return ticket on their 25 minute ferry ride to the island. A day trip will allow you to see most of the attractions on the island but no trip to Rottnest Island is complete without basking by the beach or snorkeling in the sparkling cerulean sea so it is recommended to stay a night or two on the many chalets sprinkled across the island. The last ferry to depart back to Perth or Fremantle is at 4.25 pm daily. n
For more information on ferry ticket prices, schedules and tours, visit www.rottnestexpress.com.au
Left / Bottom / Next page. Sprinkled across the island are camping grounds, villas, marine sanctuaries and bays for visitors to enjoy. Visitors can travel around the island via the shuttle bus, bicycle or on foot.
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road trip
Nadalama Jamu Spa & Bar at Bukit Lanjan

Text & Images by Szetoo Weiwen
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 cliff surrounded by lush green foliage. Meanwhile another gorgeous white cat struts past after the gardener sashaying her fluffy tail to and fro. If 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 of Bali minus the flight tickets. Located just five minutes away from 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 of the jungle setting. In Bali, also known as the island of the Gods,
cleanliness is akin to godliness so trade that blazer for a sarong and youre in for a divine experience at Nadalama Jamu Bar & Spa. The name Nadalama Jamu can be translated to mean rhythms of old and food for the soul, a mantra we can all embrace and practice in our hectic lives. As we were handed the menu to pick our treatment of the day, we were served a little shot called Jamu. Nadalama serves six types of 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 for slimming and good skin. All Jamu are made with organic ingredients and retail from RM3.80 per
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shot. The staff are also generous enough to share with you some Jamu recipes if you care to ask but really theres nothing like having it here. Among the popular spa offerings are foot reflexology (RM45 for 45 minutes, and RM60 for 60 minutes), cream baths (RM60 for promo, and RM80 including hair wash and blow) and the Balinese massage (RM80 for first-timers who get it for 120 minutes, then its RM120 for two hours, and RM90 for 90 minutes). There are also other services such as threading, hair cuts, shampooing, cream baths and make-up. As a novice in full body massages, I decided to go for the Package Santai (RM140 per person) which came with a 90 minute Balinese massage, a 60 minute scrub and a Jamu drink. Packages go up to RM360 per person. Balinese post natal treatments and massages are also available for new mothers. Brace yourself as you find yourself submerged in a cathartic rush through all five senses. The therapists had deft and strong fingers despite her petite stature. She quickly identified my problems - stiff shoulders from spending too much time in front of the computer and poor skin as a result of one too many late nights. I meekly agreed before quickly drifting off into slumber. There is nothing quite like having a Balinese massage in an intimate experience that brings you close to nature sans the artificial trickling fountains and manufactured woody scents not to mention a foreign sense of calmness as we tiptoed across the cool wooden floors. After youve been stretched and massaged ad infinitum, guests can bathe in a semi open air shower or soak in the bathtub before descending to the airy terraces for a wholesome culinary experience that guarantees to nourish the body and soul. Who knew that just lying there while someone else did all the work would give you an appetite. The bar offers a wide selection of food that draw upon Mediterranean, Indonesian, Japanese and Thai influences using organic ingredients at very
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affordable prices. Food is rather bland but I guess its part of the detox. Dont be surprised if you notice your masseuse preparing your meal, thats what we call multitasking. Food preparation takes awhile as meals are prepared from scratch so we suggest you kick back your shoes and pick up a book to read instead. As you walk down the cement steps leaving the premises, notice the inspirational quotes scrawled on each step. My personal favourite is the one by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love who lived for some time in Bali during her world travels which says, Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. Indeed, Nadalama Jamu is a calming respite and a slice of heaven amidst this concrete jungle. n
Nadalama Jamu Spa & Bar Tanah Lot #3197 , Jalan Penchala Indah, Bukit Lanjan, Damansara New Village. Opens: Monday - Friday (11am to 11pm) Saturday - Sunday (10am to 10pm) Call 6017-300 0679 or visit http://www.wix.com/ nadalama/org for more information.
WHAT IS JAMU? The practice of making and drinking Jamu, dates back to the time of the Buddhist empire that built Borobodur, and its association with the royal family. These people drank it as a tonic. Till today, Indonesians still cling to their belief in jamus transformative powers. Jamu makers often are elderly women - Ibu being an honorary title meaning mother, and jamu recipes vary from seller to seller. Most are highly guarded family secrets passed down over generations. The manager tell us with a sly smile on his face that this tonic covers nearly every infliction imaginable, from easing labor to increasing strength to treating coughs and fevers and protecting children from disease. Here are some common herbs used in Jamu: Turmeric. For detoxifying, to curb snoring, to ease menstrual cramping and reduce body odor. Galangal.For seasickness and sore throat. Singers often drink concoctions with this root to keep their vocal cords performing at top notch. Ginger. For detoxifying, morning sickness and to warm the body, improve circulation. Lemongrass. For alertness, to stop gum bleeding and repel mosquitoes. Tamarind. For constipation and to improve skin softness. Sulfur. For rashes and itchy skin. Also used frequently in beauty products.
HOW IS JAMU MADE? Jamu is made by pounding up all ingredients using a traditional pestle and mortar into a herbal pulp before straining the juice out. This traditional herbal medicine is venerated by Indonesians of all ages for its power to heal ailments or enhance ones beauty, strength or stamina.
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food indulgence
Dinner at No. 22
Text & Images by Szetoo Weiwen
Left / Right. Pesto Salmon Grilled salmon steak served with Homemade Salsa and Pesto Sauce with Olive oil Sea of Love A popular item from Hucks 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
Private kitchens have surged in popularity over the past decade and whilst its not a new concept, Hucks Caf is as exclusive as you can get on home soil. For the past two and a half years, Huck Seng, the owner and chef of Hucks Caf has sent thousands of happy customers through his doors, many who are repeated customers. The beauty of Hucks 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, Hucks Caf sports no signage yet patrons claim to have been put on the reservation list for weeks in order to secure themselves a table at the restaurant. Indeed, a testament of the mans skills despite having no professional culinary training or experience who dabbles in a diverse array of cuisine such as Asian, Western, Italian and Mexican. Huck Seng humbly comments that it is a blessing to receive such wondrous compliments from his customers and by the end of the night, it wasnt hard to see why. Every bite was magic from start to finish and each dish only served to heighten that experience which we would describe quite closely to a divine intervention. Every dish was colorful, cheeky and not what youd quite expect. With every bite, our eyes would light up and upon lifting our heads wed nod excitedly with stuffed faces. Service was impeccable and Huck Seng makes it a point to bid his guests farewell towards the end of their dinners. Customers usually make their reservations and menu selections via Facebook where a three course menu starts from RM88 to RM150 per pax. It is important to note that all food are purchased fresh on the morning of your dinner (no lunch service). n
Hucks Caf 22, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar 59000 Kuala Lumpur For reservations, call 03-2282 2126 To view Hucks complete menu, visit Hucks Caf on Facebook
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Frequent Flyer
Pack Light, Carry On

Text & Images by Vinsant Huang
Avoid Check-In Luggage

Budget airlines like AirAsia have taught us a good life lesson dont carry too much baggage, or youll pay for it. The first step to traveling is to get the right bags that will get you through with minimal fuss. At TPM, our mantra is to travel light and avoid checking in any luggage at all. Doing this helps you to save time by skipping the check-in luggage queue after checking in online, as well as time spent waiting at the baggage cart waiting for your luggage. Each airline might differ in terms of how much theyll allow you to carry-on, but in general you can get away with a standard load out that comprises a main luggage bag, a camera / laptop / handbag, and a waist pouch for when you really need to carry more. Stay alert to size restrictions and do some research before you board to save you from unnecessary grief.
Choose The Right Bags

For your main luggage bag, you cant go wrong with a good trolley bag look for one that will fits the carry-on size, and make sure it has four wheels. A four-wheeler is a lot easier to guide around obstacles, and you can alternate between pushing and pulling it. Another important tip is to find a bag thats not flashy or famous thieves are quite adept at singling out luggage, and you dont want them zeroing in on your bag. In here youll be packing everything that can be left at the hotel clothes, mainly. Personally, I never lock this bag theres never anything in there worth stealing. Next up is your camera bag this should be your day pack of choice, and should be able to carry your chosen gear as well as other essentials like maps, water, and spare cash. An important consideration is where to place your passport - thieves access your bag by pickpocketing or slashing, so make sure theres a compartment thats away from the outside, and preferably can be zipped up. Our preference tends to lie with messenger bags because theyre low key and easy to access, but perhaps the safest option would be the Tamrac Zuma 9 thats featured in the review section because its only opening faces your back. It discourages pickpockets and your passport cannot be accessed via a quick slash. To breeze past airport security, consider wearing a waist pack. You can keep your wallet, keys and passport in it, and when it comes time to go through the scanner you may simply remove the waist pack and breeze on through without having your personal belongings on display in a plastic tray for thieving eyes to spy upon.
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Leave The Kitchen Sink Behind

Its time to pack smarter, and that means being realistic. Aside from the normal advice like dont pack toiletries and towels if your hotel provides them, here are some more handy travel advice.
Be Realistic with Camera Gear

Packing camera gear is the same thing observe a few simple rules and youll find yourself packing lighter in no time.
Jeans are versatile. Wear one to your n destination, and pack a spare. If theyre black jeans, you can even slip into an upper-class venue with relatively little fuss if you play your cards right. Best part? If you think theyre starting to smell, shake them off, seal in a zip lock bag and chuck them in the freezer overnight and theyll be fresh in the morning. Nothing says culture and efficiency like n a sarong does. You can do away with a number of things with just a couple of these small and travel friendly wonders. They can replace towels in hot countries since they dry fairly fast, scarves in colder climates by layering them a few times, and even be worn about your hotel when paired with a t-shirt. If anyone asks, its cultural! Switch to an e-reader. As much as you n may enjoy the tangible rewards of reading an actual book, traveling with even just one good novel is inefficient. A good e-reader will last for a month on a single charge and carry a librarys worth of books in the space of a small magazine. If you have the luxury of charging, bring a tablet instead it can double duty for reading as well as uploading a few photos to your social media of choice. Pack fewer clothes and buy detergent. n Check with your accomodation and see if they have a coin-operated laundromat or if there is one nearby. Doing this drastically reduces the amount of clothes you need to bring, and you may even get to talk to a few locals about the local sites and foods.
Scale down the amount of gear you n bring. Think of a system of needs versus wants. If you can get away with it, a good RAW-capable compact should do the trick for most trips the Ricoh GR, for example, will satisfy most users. If you must bring a system, limit yourself to two lenses a standard zoom and a fast prime. If youre a strobist, replace the prime lens with a compact flash. Ration your memory cards, and get n a decent wallet to organize them. A handy tip is to face memory cards inwards when youre done with them so youll know with just a glance how many cards youve got left. This is an exercise that will help you to be more attentive in capturing specific moments, and shooting less means less time later on sifting through repetitive photographs. Shooting less also conserves battery. n For a conservative weekend trip, you could probably get away with just an extra battery instead of having to bring your charger and cable along. Adopting a more careful and calculated approach to your photography instead of a spray and pray attitude will help you to improve your observation and reflexes. If its a short trip for yourself, be n patient and process your photographs when you get home. This way, you wont need to bring a laptop and its (often large) charger, and you can focus on enjoying your holiday instead of slaving over your photographs
april 2013
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reservation
Avillion Admiral Cove

Text by George Wong | Images by Szetoo Weiwen
ocated along the line of beaches that make up Port Dickson, a hotel sits by a marinas bay known as Avillion Admiral Cove. A location with increasing popularity among the Taiwanese, Singaporean and other east Asian tourists, its majestic sunsets with luxury yachts sitting lazily in the foreground is a sight to behold. For most travel photographers, the hotel is rarely a point of interest but the presence of the marina makes this an exception to the rest. The availability (if somewhat limited access) of the marina and its yachts in the background has made Avillion Admiral Cove a choice for wedding photographers looking to capture an essence of the foreign in our own backyards. Although there are many restrictions when it
Note
comes to a marina (as it basically is somewhat like a private club), theres plenty of locations where you can still get the marina in the frame if youre creative enough with your angles. If you like to add variety to your images, there is a grassy patch by the side of the marina and the hotel which is used primarily for corporate team building activities and a private beach right next to it which is a little small, given the private nature of the beach, but its clean and inviting especially on off-peak seasons when the crowds thin a little. As a typical getaway destination, the occupancy peaks from Friday till Sunday but they do have numerous corporate engagements lined up as well as foreign leisure groups on weekdays so its best
to call ahead and check if your selected dates coincide.

Sand flies are not uncommon in Port Dickson, especially at the public beaches and are noted to be seasonal around June to July. Oftentimes naked to the human eye, it would be best to patron private beaches and avoid any dubious ponds.
The two areas provide a slew of activities which could make for compelling images if your subjects are of the sporting type. Archery, cycling, kayaking, jet skiing, beach soccer and even an obstacle course (with a professional facilitator) are all possible options for some interesting photography and theres even a small petting farm for the weak of heart. The petting farm only houses a selection of
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rabbits, peacocks, chickens, tortoise and quail so your mileage may vary. Sailing is of notable interest as they run 2 hour sailing trips daily and those interested may even opt to pick up sailing classes, a unique proposition that they provide. For even more photographic variety, you can easily head over to Cape Rachado (or Tanjung Tuan to the locals) which is a short 15 minutes to 20 minutes drive which houses a forest reserve and its ever popular lighthouse which faces the Straits of Malacca. An entrance fee of RM1 is required for each individual which provides access into the forest reserve as well as the base of the lighthouse (entrance into the lighthouse is prohibited) and is a popular destination for bird watchers and nature photographers.
Avillion Admiral Cove would be a good pick for a destination wedding although it has to be said that the banquet facilities are somewhat limited with a capacity for only 250 pax at most but its British Colonial and Moroccan-influenced architecture provides a unique setting despite the somewhat dated decor. If a client of yours would like to have their banquet there, we recommend considering the outdoor barbecue banquet instead which is able to cater to about 180 to 200 pax comfortably and facing the marina allows them to capitalize on the ambience of the cove. Although it might not seem like much of a hotel to some of our more select readers, Avillion Admiral Cove ticks almost every checkbox a weary travel
photographer would have. At first glance, the spaciousness gives you a real strong impression that youre getting way more than what you paid for. Theres even a day bed included in every room, an uncommon hotel feature which is perfect for unwinding after an extended day out, with the sunset and a good book or a partner as your companions. Ample space is available for all the baggage a family would ever muster and even the washroom is decently spaced despite the lack of a bathtub. Little touches further enhance the already apparent positives with a great shower facility, a kitchen sink outside for easy access, an EMPTY fridge for all your personal food items (if youre still wondering, we consider this as a good
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reservation
thing), a safe for valuables and even an iron with an ironing board included in the closet. The lack of WIFI and sufficient power outlets might be a deterrent for the insanely connected Malaysian but being a getaway location, perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. Our visiting team certainly never felt wanting and were all as insanely connected as the average Malaysian. Given the price we got off Agoda for RM240 a night for a premium room that caters to 2 people, its a wonder any profit is made at all making it a great value for all intents and purpose. We find that Avillion Admiral Cove is well deserving of its 4 star status and its high on our value list especially to wedding photographers. We
recommend mixing work and play, just this once. n
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Note
You will notice we have made particular effort to mention this location as Avillion Admiral Cove as it is easily mistaken for its premium sister hotel Avillion Port Dickson which highlights water chalets with modern luxuries at up to 3 times the rate.
PHOTO CONTEST
The Great Outdoors
WINNER
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We received many great submissions for our first photo contest ever and it was a big challenge to choose the best among them. In the end, the masterful panorama created by Dexter Chew won our prize a pair of high quality Carl Zeiss T* filters (a UV filter and a circular polarizer) worth RM 1121! Congratulations Dexter Chew and to the rest of the short-listed candidates. We wish you all the best in future.
Stay tuned for our next contest to be announced on the following websites Travel-photographer.asia Facebook.com/travelphotographermalaysia Twitter.com/Travelphotomsia
Dexter Chew
Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
april 2013
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PHOTO CONTEST
Loke Yin Keet
Chew Jetty, Penang, Malaysia
Sharif Putra Bin Sharif Ubong
Wariou River, Sabah, Malaysia
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Terry Lew
Kintamali, Bali, Indonesia
Toh Eng Chye
Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia
april 2013
77
PHOTO CONTEST
Dr. Chan Tek Mun
Thale Noi, Phatthalung, Thailand
Ewe Chee Guan
Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia
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Koh Chung Chek
Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Photo Contest
Joseph Cheung Pulau Kapas, Terengganu, Malaysia
april 2013
79
PHOTO CONTEST
Chai Mingyang
Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
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The Unplanned Career of

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01 | THE GREAT OUTDOORS

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Olympus OM-D | Panasonic GH3

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