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...

Unproductive-need technology shift

Admittedly, I have been sick the past week. Traces of my sore throat is still present till now. Although I kissed other sickness goodbye, but my productivity this two weeks has been greatly reduced to 10%. For business minded guys, you surely understand how it feels like to be down fallen to 10% productivity.

Why so terrible the fall? Technology, YES... I'm no kidding here, I know I could have been better with my sickness off, but it was my computer that made my productivity fall so great, till I could nearly post anything in my blog. My blogging posting activities has always been at least 2-3 post average per week, but right now, with no good computer to process the words, what more pictures... I really was drag to the slowest condition...

PC...PC...PC... well actually its a laptop, a pc running laptop. I don't know why, for the past 3-4 weeks my laptop has been running smoothly and fast. Although it is 3 years old (and would probably enter its 4 this year), I still expect some good-smooth running programs all the time. But right now, it feels like ditching it away and buying a new one.

Well,I have better plans. I will purchase a new baby. I think its crucial for me to get one as my old-old processor just could't carry my workloads. So what will be the next purchase? Lets see, I need latest power, I need good graphic, I need security, I need aesthetic, I need speed, I need convenience.... I need a MAC...
Is that true? well,I actually wanted to hide this out, but YES... I'm getting myself the infamous Apple Macbook Pro. I feel I really need it. With that, I'll be able to project my mind and raise productivity to a better level.

I already checked out online apple store and will purchase the mac with this spec:

• Macbook Pro 15"
• 2.8Ghz Processor with 6MB L2 FSB at 1066Mhz
• 4GB 1066Mhz DDR3 sdRAM
  
• 250GB 7200rpm HD
• NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with  512MB of GDDR3 memory
  

Price? you check it yourself, I cant dare announce it here, but anyway, I got some good education discount and is far more cheaper that ordinary purchase at any Apple store around Kota Kinabalu. What I really like about mac is the fact that you can get almost NO viruses and the ability to boot Windows and its related software in one book. This should be an added WOW to my studio list.

I really should have taken just a desktop, shouldn't I? well, I prefer going portable with good power. Some other friends suggested me to go for the Mac Pro... but sorry, its to expensive and I don't think I require such power yet. probably not in the near 3-4 years. For now, my plans will be...
Buy an external monitor for better editing, make it act as a double display togather with my macbook pro. phew.... there's lots of plans in mind but I think this should be sufficient. Untill then, do wait for the updates on the new gadget inside FriscoD Photography® Works.

3 weeks past 09.. and I got my Symptoms

its 3 weeks approximately past 2009 and I have nothing new to post. I am not busy, no I'm not. I have time to do my personal stuff, open magazines and read them... really no sign of busy-buzzy. For those who didn't keep an update of me, recently last week, I got strucked by a terrible illness of... unknown sickness. the symptoms are:

• Headache-dizzy
• unstable fever (or should I say sudden fever)
• sore throat.
• sore joints.
• backbone pain
• eyeballs feeling like... pain
• dry lips (although I drank a lot and went to pee almost thrice in an hour)
• cold (though hot)
• and....... couldn't really remember....  ohw.. another one
• nausea...

worried it might be something worst, I went to check the net for possible diagnosis on my condition. one of the close turn-ups where.. Dengue fever... another was Malaria.... MYGOODNESS! I told myself  "is this for real?" I couldn't help myself. Really, I couldnt get enough sleep at night. The joints in my body keep aching including my backbone. The pain kept me awake every 20-30 minutes at night. When I close my eyes, the aching sensation keep my mind awake... they really gave me no mercy for a good night rest.

Solution? I was once a Panadol practitioner, but not now anymore. I heard that there are people who consume even up to 6 tablets of Panadol to ease the pain. But I don't, I know there's other ways to comfort myself... I know its just a test of my ENDURANCE which I almost FAIL. Well i forget weather if I did consume the Panadol or not, but the fact is, I finished 4-5bottle of mineral water per day.

Oh,I missed one part, my fever started on monday night last week, and it got worst and worse by wednesday night. I bought the RM285 (expensive) MAS ticket on thursday morning and flew back to KK for hometown treatment... (couldn't accept to get myself quarantined in Tawau Hospital). after meeting a good doctor and receiving some more convincing medicationg... I survived until now.

So the diagnosis? Doctor said my blood sample test was NORMAL!...???? What the,so what about the symptoms? Well my mum speculated that because I was a MINERAL WATER drunker...(drinker), with the rate o 4-5 bottles a day, all the virus-virus (malay version) Dengue and malaria got flushed away.... phew! hope thats true.

Again, I thank God that I am now 85% recovering from what i faced last week. I still have my Tonsilitis sweellllllliiiiing like HELL now. But atleast its only on the left. Atleast I can type what is in my mind....

So sorry for everyone who vissited and didn't got an update.... I will, post more about my works and pictures soon... keep the eyes coming in....

Leaving 2008 behind, yet not forgeting it

Happy New Year 2009 to all viewers who come to this blog. I am feeling blessed throughout last year and would like to thank God for all the opportunities He gave me last year, especially the gift to cheer people with photography. I would like to appologize for anything that was posted wrongly or anything that did hurt someone out there with all my posting in this blog. It is my pleasure to serve and to offer my best for everyone who wishes to have my service. There are times I did things wrong, there are times I did it well... whatever the outcome... We must remember that everything we have now, is a gift from above. Its temporary and won't... really wont last for long.

Bellow was my recent shot last month. Its a picture showing the sun set at Kota Kinabalu. Reminding the ending of our year 2008. I do have loads of nice pictures to share with everyone but I am sorry as I don't have enough time to share it with everyone. on time. Perhaps if you could wait and link my blog to yours, you will see more works and improvements coming in.

There are loads of plans and challange that I have sorted out to be faced in this year. First I am going to graduate as a Teacher end of the year, thus most of my times will be on the desk with my book, and laptop. Second, I'll still need to ballance my life as a student and working as a freelance photographer. Third, my commitment to my friends, family, love ones, God, Church... and last but not least... My leadership roles in life.... Those are the vital points that shape me as human.... without it... I am not what I am today....

Life is just a journey, we choose... God project... we follow by faith. I am a no believer in fate or destiny. I strongly believe that the CHOICES are IN OUR HANDS. God doesn't destined, He gave us a free will.. WE are FREE to CHOOSE... either GOD's omni knowledge preferrance , or OUR own limited knowledge's choices.

Friends, lets take a while and count our last years blessing and give thanks.....

Sincere Greetings:
Frisco Daniel Maligir