Regatta Lepa-Lepa 2009

The distinctive lifestyle of the Bajaus in Sabah’s East Coast is characterized by their living on Lepa—as they would only be on land for food, water supply and funerals. Lepa is Bajau for single masted sailing boat which is usually made of Ubar Suluk or Red Seraya Wood in. A typical Lepa is 5 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. However, in competitions the Lepa sizes may vary. To get more on "LEPA-LEPA", go HERE.

Madai Leech

The last time I remembered got bitten by a leech was, 2 years ago while hiking at Crocker Range. But hey,I remembered I only got single leech stuck on my leg while others got at least 2 or 3 of them. The best tips in avoiding leech is buy a tobacco dried leaves, soak them in half a cup of water (take something like 2-3 roll of cigar) and squeze it to get the juice out. Often the juice will be red-ish in color. Next step, get that juice and make it your body lotion. Just to remind, don't do this if you have allergic syndrome to tobacco juice... test it way ahead of your hiking schedule. By the way, this is the traditional way of "Avoiding" leeches. There are ofcourse lots of modern options available in your outdoor store, just find one.

 

Anyway back to the story, these leech was found sneaking its way to one of the girls sitting just next to me during our visit last Saturday to the Madai waterfall (you can check out my previous shoot of the waterfall on suny day HERE and HERE. It was raining, but we insisted on staying for a break to relax and get out of our busy student life. All of a sudden, we saw this tiny creature bending itself towards us. Heeeyaaa... the girls went shouting and... they left me alone with my camera..

Well you know this noughty guy always like to do something others wont do. I took it an took some picture of it. Unfortunately I lost my macro conversion ring for my 50mm f1.4, or otherwise I would have taken a macro shot of it.

Just something to share from my diary:)

New Family Member Added

I am very happy to share with everyone the new addition of my camera back pack. After purchasing D700, I really experienced new height in Digital Photography World. The new capabilities of shooting at super low noise values a lot in my photography world.

Yet what worth is a pen without a paper, or printer without ink... My body without proper lens is a waste of tech expenses. So either you dump it, or you strive to find a way to afford it, you must fill in the gap. I chosed to fill in the gap. Remembering I can't afford it all at a time, I planned my time well. bitter by bitter I add sweetness, like mixing a bits and bits of suggar into a mixture of dark coffee... Now thats how I felt while waiting for enough fund to afford it. Time and endurance was the keyword.

 

Nikon 24-70 (equivalent to 16-49mm in DX format) 2.8 Nano Crystal.

First lens used was a 50mm f/1.4, my first purchase with D700 along with SB900. Its apparently hard for me to control extra wide aperture with fixed wide. I have to move a lot to get the right framing. Shooting that I can last a days wedding reduced to just half a day due to exhaustion. But my first task with D700 was very inspiring...

Weeks after, I got my 24-70mm from a local shop in Kota Kinabalu and shoot for Charles' wedding reception at Keningau. Everything went right, with lots of great scene's captured, not until 3 days after, I found out some of the photo's was lost from my storage. Not even my memory card or my hardisk. I was VERY dissapointed afterwards that I couldn't sleep well for days just remembering I dissapointed Charles. I never expected that would happen as it never happened. I was about to do the backup the next day after I transfered everything that night when suddenly, it was lost.

I guess it might have been due to my ACER laptop that performed slow. So I made another EXTREME decission to purchase MacBookPro 15". customized its processor to 2.8ghz dual core from 2.6ghz and cost me exact price of the D700. Phew!

Nikon 70-200 (equivalent to 49mm-132mm DX format) 2.8 with Vibration Reduction.

Later, last week after fully utilizing all what I have for wedding photography and event photography, I decided without much hesitation (while window shooping at Centre Point and saw the 70-200 in box) to get the much admired and dreamed of item- Nikon 70-200 VR 2.8. With this lens, I will be able to capture a much intimate and portray closeness and warmness in their candid faces. Pluss, I love its damn good bokeh that I should say is perfect than my 24-70, yet not surpassing my f1.4.

VR? well I dont really need it as this lens is much stable when handheld due to its weight. I remembered some unfamiliar dslr first timer who got hold of my equipments was VERY surprised on how weighty my kit was, knowing that its carried on all the time on events. its like an endurance 2kg dumbell carry for 10hours.. 

From this onwards, I'm expecting to get new capabilities in my photography works. Aside from the items stated, I do have my 44" wide reflector too handy for outdoors. 1 Benro tripod, a think thank waist pack and a Kata backpack for my MacBook Pro.

To end this, I would like to thank everyone who trusted my works and hired me for the past assignments and for those who confirmed their bookings for future brighter possibilities on their works. What I can promise is, my full effort and performance on that special task you appointed me...

ohw, to my MUM who has always been supporting my works, admiring me on how I manage to improve and overcome every obstacle.. and My sister who is always watching my back. The two kids back home... and Everyone... yes EVERYONE who has been in good contact with me... God Bless us ALL....

KMA4WDC Hardcore 4x4 Challenge 2009

Organizer: KMA4WDC (Kota Marudu Adventist 4 Wheel Drive Club)

Location: Kg Lotong, Kota Marudu

Date: 8-9th March 2009

I was one of the official photographer, and also one of the humble sponsors for the event. I however wasn't able to shoot on the 8th and througout the whole day on the 9th since I was booked for by a couple on the 8th as their wedding photographer. If you were there from Sunday till Monday, you would be able to see some vehicle capsized. I wasn't able to photograph everything, I'm sorry, but here's a bit of what I can share. ENJOY!

Outdoor at Simpang Mengayau

Here are another preview of what I took last year, really sorry for keeping this away from everyone. You can view my updated works at my facebook.

 

the shooting took place on the 8th December (if i'm not mistaken last year,2008), I was suddenly contacted by a bridal shop around my hometown (Kota Marudu) to assist her in a photoshoot of a bride who will be getting married a week after.

It was a rush, I wasn't really prepared, the weather was wet and it rained like almost everyday.

We arrived at around 9.30 in the morning and the bridal owner did the makeup. We almost wanted to cancell the shooting when dark clouds with sign of heavy rain appears. (it even rained while on the journey)... But somehow I have faith that PHOTOGRAPHY ISNT ALWAYS ABOUT DRY SESSION... sometimes WET can be and ADVANTAGE...

So we just drove ahead (partly because we don't wan2 dissapoint the clients)... Miraculously, after 15 minutes parking and doing the preparation, the rain seem to give some way, the weather didn't show any sign of brightening, but the lighting was JUST NICE for outdoor shooting, highlights and flare was easy to manage (even when I was using on ly the 50mm f1.4 Nikon lens on a wideframe sensor which could actually it'll be very challenging in managing flare and highlights).

We did like around 2-3 hours of shooting, then headed back to Kota Marudu. Overall, the experience was relieving, the product was satisfying.. and the editing... worthy...

The photos? well, I gave the bridal house the rights to use the images for the couple. I haven't seen how they edited my images and compose them into a photobook, but this is what I did (after 2 months of editing delay...)

Perhaps we should keep some secret in photography and only reveal it later on??

Emma's Wedding shoot- Tuaran

Here's a sneak peek for everyone on my last years assignment to capture Emma's wedding photos. This was my first task shooting for a wedding with my D700. I just unpacked it out of the box 3 days before and now its out shooting already. The lighting situation for her wedding was really difficult. Added with the just purchased D700 with a not-really-familiar settings makes it worst. pluss, the only lens I was using was a wide open 50mm f/1.4.

Anyhow, her wedding was a beautiful one. This was my first to shoot for a wedding in Tuaran. I never meet her again, but I'll be wishing them the best in life.

Somebody received a gift that valentine night.

Somebody received a gift on Valentines day. Just sharing with you a few moments that occured that day. Oh, Neway many thanks to M.L.Sen Flower shot who helped me with the gifits from flower preparing, keeping the gift, and being sporting enough.

Ref:
M.L.Sen Flower
Lot 3A-4 Level,
Central Shopping Plaza

Valentine Photo's group 2

Here are the second batch of photo's which I just uploaded to my facebook. Featuring the same models and project that day. This is an outdoor photoshoot done in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Ohw, besides me, there were also other photographers at the scene. Dorris was one of them, so was Dolly. Hope you will enjoy viewing the photos. Regards!

Psst, do tell me what you think about it.

Valentine Special

These photo sets are prepared especially for this valentines week. They are just half of the outdoor portrait session made in  (guess where?).... Sabah really has good outdoor shooting spot for beach portraits. For tourist  couples who comes to Sabah for their engagement vacation or just merely spending their time, I highly recommend  hiring a pro-photographer for your outdoor shoots. Be it casual or in a formal wedding attire... it would be best if you get yourself a pro-Photographer rather than setting the tripod and adjusting...
Sorry for no-photo's throughout the month. For those who have been visiting this blog often every wook, sorry for not giving some updates of my works. Here are photo's which have been kept in my blog for the past two months. Details of the shoot are as follow.

We did the shooting something like near noon and it was quite hot, fortunately the clouds mercifully  shaded us from the burning sun and highlights and shadows are controllable even without reflector or flash. However sunshine was probably mad at us and gave way to the rain 3 hours later.

Date Taken: Somewhere mid of December...

Female Model:
MANDY NANDU
Unduk Ngadau 2005 (Sabah State )
Miss Sabah 2007
Miss Malaysia Queen International 2008
(1st Runner-Up)

Male Model:
Keddy Mahdfuz
Mr Kaamatan 2008
Man Hunt -MOST PHOTOGENIC 2008

(also won some great titles in sports-)

Makeup Artist:
Jeffie Jeff
( www.makeupbyjeff.blogspot.com )

Wardrobe:
Beatrice Pong

There will be more photos to come, please link and be updated for some great Sabah Outdoor Portrait Photos.

GlAD yet MAD they finally approved my payments!!!!!

Sorry guys,

for those of you who have been keeping an update on this blog, I request your thousand apologies since I really could not concentrate posting anything due to the delay of my Macbook orders. Here's the story:

After 33 days of waiting for Apple Online Store Malaysia to confirm my payments, I finally could breath normally and sleep well when I made the call this evening to check for the 3rd time (by phone) on the status of my MacBookPro 15" status.

I made my orders on the 5th of January 2009, choosed Bank Transfer method for my payments (as my CC couldn't pay full the required amount), then made the full (FULL) payments the next day. I called apple the same day on the 6th to check out how I can forward the bank slip and they gave me an email. Yea! good idea, mail it directly to the store_payments department, and that was what i did.

The customer service operater told me that it would take 5-7 working days for the bank transfer lead time and then my payments will be confirmed. But to my dissapointment, I status update on the end of the 7days. I waited patiently... and keep on sending emails requesting for update, but with no replies. I remember on the 8th working day, someone from Apple Online Store contacted me, and requested the bank in slip. I was surprised, how come they didn't received my slip??? Without hessitation, I forwarded to him the bank slips and he did replied that they will make action to confirm them.

After the second forwarding, I didn't receive any replies or status updates from them. I didn't bother for the first 5 days, however on wednesday the next week, I mailed to the same operator to check for the status update, but replies never came. I remembered I sent about 3 emails to him, but no replies was given. The final mail was sent on the 2nd February, which I think was the 3rd, but yeep... No replies.

So in great disapointment and concerns, I made the call to the Apple Online Store on the 3rd of Feb to talk to them. Yeep, they treated my well with a friendly-kindly voice, they forwarded my inquiries to the payment department, and told me that they are going to take some time, and they will call on the same day. So I waited, waited, and waited... till.... the next day and the same thing, no replies!

I made the second call on the 5th of February, and a guy picked my call. He was able to check that I made a call on the 3rd, and he felt very sorry for what had happened. He AGAIN, forwarded my inquiries to the apple payment department, and told me that THEY WILL CALL ME BACK! But the same thing happened, they never called me back.

I was totally dissapointed, If there's a ranking system for Apple Malaysia Online Store, I would probably rank them 2/10. Their customer service system is still VERY-VERY weak. HOW can they FORGET their PROMISE to CALL their customer.

Finally... and finally, I called TODAY, 6th February on 2:15pm, to the same person I called Yesterday, and FINALLY, he told me that my payments was approved. I was relieved, but still I am not satisfied. I will forward my case to the Consumer Affair Department, I hope they can advise how to deal with this case.

My order will arrive somewhere on the 16th or 19th of February, till then, there's still lots of things for me to be worried of. I customized my MacBook, and I don't know yet if its gonna work well or not.

Guys, Thanks for reading and sharing my concern. Im going to forward this link to the Malaysia Online Apple Store, hope they will take drastic option to revise their customer service. I heard that someone paid using credit card and got it cleared fast, however for my case, I expect it should only take around 2 weeks to process and I should be receiving my package in the first day of the 4th week, but.... like I say.. they need to IMPROVISE their system.

They should, and I will make sure they will...