Category: Photography

Getting A Good Shave At Cendol Ibrahim Banting

The traditional ice shaver used by mobile hawkers used to be the planing type made of wood and an embedded blade. I remember when I was a kid, the grab handle for the ice was a wooden ice pick with rows of nails to dig into the ice.

The hawket than slide the ice back and forth on the shaver as seen here.

Nowadays, almost all cendol and ABC sellers use a motorised electric shaver which is modified from the hand cranked circular version.

People used to the soft and finely shaven ice from machines nay not like the course and unevenly textured shaved ice from the manual hand powered process. I like it though. It has more character.

The chief cendol barista at Cendol Ibtahim Banting was still using the old fashoned method, from some 50 years ago, when the stall started, but curiously there is no nail embedded ice pick. He held the block of ice with his bare hand when I was there.

Don’t be shy about going close. This is a famous hawker and he is used to cameras in his face. He is also chatty and friendly.

Panasonc Lumix GM-1, ISO 200, f10, 1/200 sec.

#banting #cendol #dessert #shavedice #dronk #ice #localfood #foodphotography #documentaryphotography #smalltown

Blue Kerabu Rice And The Clitoris

While the Asus phone camera allowed fast and easy capture and consequently; a simple method of uploading, I captured the dish with a “real” camera at the same time.

After slotting the SD card from the GM-1 into the PC, I can take my time to pick one I like. I chose one where the salted duck egg can be seen clearly. The gallery on the phone is too small to make creative decisions.

As far as tradition goes, Nasi Kerabu is garnished with aromatic knick knacks such as fried fish crackers and grated herbs. I picked this pic to place in the sample gallery of my Food Photography Services by TV Smith (Facebook) page.

Whether you are having steamed white rice or blue rice, Kak Teh Nasi Kukus (Facebook) in Banting serves the most fragrant spice marinated crispy fried chicken (Ayam Goreng Berempah) to go with it.

The Kelatanese blue rice is (hopefully) derived from the natural blue colouring of the butterfly pea flower (Bunga Telang) or its scientific name, Clitoria ternatea. Famously known as the “clitoris flower” as it is shaped like the woman’s delicate private part with its own clitoral hood or sheath.

Panasonic Lumix GM-1, ISO 200, f10, 1/200 sec.

#banting #nasikerabu #rice #malayfood #herbs #bluerice #kelantan #localfood #foodphotography

Selfie Epicenter – FGS Dong Zen Jenjarom

The selfie and posing epicenter at Dong Zen was concentrated at the area where giant roosters stood. I like how the temple made a cascading water fountain out of three large ceramic dining bowls with cockerel emblems.

The rooster bowls were significant in ancient Chinese society when agriculture played an important role. The cockerel motifs paid tribute to the rooster as a symbol of hard work, abundance, wealth, fertility and prosperity. Another cultural observation is the prominence of the colour red in wardrobe for CNY. Red symbolizes good fortune and joy.

Rain or shine, selfies go on at Dong Zen. Since its beginning more than 10 years ago, Dong Zen’s CNY themes have always incorporated a lantern and floral fest.

Panasonic Lumix GM-1, ISO 200, f16, 1/200 sec.

#dongzen #fgs #jenjarom #buddhist #temple #selfie #2017 #cny #candid #rain #rooster #fountain

Selfie Paradise – FGS Dong Zen Jenjarom

The Buddhist shrine comes alive every Chinese New Year when thousands of visitors pay homage. They are attracted by the annual theme park like atmosphere created by the special CNY decor.

Every corner you will see a visitor attempting a selfie or groupfie. It will be even more interesting at night when the lights are switched on. I don’t want to stay until nightfall as it may be too many hours and too exhausting for my angelic volunteer and helper Tevanraj Elengoe.

Here; a group or family is attempting a groupfie with the camera on a tripod and self timer was used. Love how the ladies pose with fingers.

Panasonic Lumix GM-1, ISO 200, f14, 1/200 sec.

#dongzen #fgs #jenjarom #banting #buddhist #temple #selfie #groupfie #2017 #cny #candid

Then And Now – Looking Thru The Time Tunnel

Then And Now – Looking Thru The Time Tunnel.

The Sekinchan Nine Emperor Gods Temple is a good place to juxtapose or frame the vast paddy fields. It sits in the middle of he farm land. The ornamental windows on the perimeter wall fence provided a flash back to 2012. I captured the green paddy fields behind one of the windows back in 2012. Now in 2017, during the monsoon season, the fields are submerged in a sea of flood waters.

If you are attempting a visual comparison such as this, do not pull your hair out in frustration; if the two images don’t line up or match perfectly and there are reasons. The wall and windows were painted over and the paint may be of different pigments and hues.

Also the structure may have changed shape in the heat, over the years. Don’t forget the camera, sensor and lens are different and the rendition will be different. Amazingly, both cameras picked identical exposure settings in auto metering.

Upper: Olympus OM-D EM-5, ISO 200, f 10, 1/320 sec Year 2012

Lower: Panasonic Lumix GM-1. ISO 200, f10, 1/320 sec Year 2017

This post and pic is available as a bigger pic at www.tvsmith.my

#sekinchan #paddyfields #chinesetemple #floods #tbt #timetravel #landscape