Conjunction of Venus And Jupiter 2015 – Part 5

Half the world is sleeping
Half the world’s awake
Half can hear their hearts beat
Half just hear them break

I am but a traveler in most every way
Ask me what you want to know

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
And they’re bound to guide my way

Lyrics from The Journey as sung by Lea Salonga.

All good things must come to an end. The planets Venus and Jupiter are going separate ways in their celestial journey but will meet again on August 27 next year (2016).

I was lucky to see the sun, the earth and the sky bidding them farewell with a spectacular sunset today. You can see both planets in the jet contrail in the upper center. Jupiter is now lower and less bright.

Goodbye and see you together again, next year.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f7.1, 1 sec.

Egg Yolk Sunset

I saw a lovely setting sun in the mirror while stuck in a horrendous traffic jam today. Decided to shoot through the wing mirror while waiting at the lights.

Deliberate under-exposure kept the bright sun in check. That, plus factors such as micro-vibrations and dust on an already optically-imperfect mirror created some funky effects.

I like the surreal effect in which different shades of red and orange dominate; that of the sun, the street lights and tail lights of cars going in the opposite direction.

Many Cantonese-speaking photographers refer to such a sunset as “kai tan wong” or egg yolk.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f4, 1/1250 sec.

Standing On Two States

A slim river, named the Bernam River, formed a natural border that separates the states of Selangor and Perak. In the 1700s, a Bugis settlement was established on the riverbank of Sungai Bernam.

Facing the river for this photograph, my left leg was on Tanjung Malim (Perak side) and my right leg on Ulu Bernam (Selangor side).

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f11, 1/800 sec.

Night Riders

Sitting by a roadside tea stall somewhere between Serendah and Ulu Yam, I thought for a moment I was on Pangkor Island. There was a golden sunset, a coconut tree and a pack of motorcyclists.

Nevertheless, there was also a telltale sign to remind me of my actual location. Those are electric wires that overhang the track of the Electric Train Service. It runs parallel to Federal Route 1, for most parts, between Rawang and Tanjung Malim.

Along the way, I might look at some of the new stations, remnants of a few old ones and its historical impact on the landscape.

Panasonic GM-1, ISO 250, f5, 1/500 sec.