In Search of Peace and Serenity V - Still I Rise

STILL I RISE



You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
I'll rise, eventually.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of regret and fear
I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise

Bringing the gifts that my faith gave,
I am the dream and the hope of His slave.
I rise. I rise. I rise.

-Maya Angelou-

*Special thanks to Nazaruddin @ Damak for recommending this poem for this shot

High tide, Pantai Jeram, Jan 2011

Hasselblad 553ELX, CZ 120 makro planar
Fuji Acros 100, Hc110 Dil E (1:47) 7mins @ 20C

In Search of Peace and Serenity IV - Resemblance

I found myself again at the same spot. This place has been presenting me with massive photographing opportunities but I would like to take my time to digest and capture the content of what this place can bring to me. Here's another shot called Resemblance. If you look closely, you'll notice that the shape of the tree on the foreground is about the same as the shape of the island at the back.

Resemblance

High tide, Pantai Jeram, Jan 2011
Hasselblad 553ELX, CZ 120 makro planar
Fuji Acros 100, Hc110 Dil E (1:47) 7mins @ 20C

Taking Cambo Jumbo out to play!

I've recently managed to figure out how to mount my 9-stop filter on my large format lens. The front end of the lens is too big to be fitted with any filter, so the other option is to mount the filter on the rear of the lens, carefully tho. I bought a 77-67mm step down ring, then step it up again to get back to 77mm as I couldn't mount the filter directly to the lens due to the curvature of the lens rear element. Now that I've managed to mount the big stopper, it's time to take the 8x10 camera out to the coastlines :)

Cambo Legend 8x10 with Caltar S-II 300mm f5.6 on Ilford Delta 100. Fitted with Hoya ND400 filter. Scene was metered at f45, 4mins. Calculating the compensation for Delta 100's reciprocity failure, the corrected exposure was determined at 9mins 30secs. The sheet was developed with Kodak HC110 Dilution E (1:49) for 7 mins 30secs @ 20C.

In Search of Peace and Serenity II - The Struggle for Life

Continuing the "In Search of Peach and Serenity", me and wife together with another friend, Malee, ventured to Klang for another quick trip there. One particular tree caught my attention there..

The Struggle for Life

It really caught my attention to see how the tree sort of balanced itself to gain a strong grasp of the Earth.. to live. It was an overcast day, but for a very short time frame, the sun shines giving the tree its glow, enhancing the details of the tree with beautiful highlights and shadows. Sort of like a blessing. If you look further into the photo, you'll see a fishing boat symbolizing the struggles of human for life as well, against the vast sea.

Shot with Hasselblad 553elx, Zeiss 120 Makro Planar CF on Fuji Acros 100. Developed with Kodak HC110 Dilution E (1:49) 7mins @ 20C.

In Search of Peace and Serenity - Kg Telok, Port Dickson

It has been so long since I last do landscape works. Last weekend, wifey suggested that we went for a drive to Port Dickson. After all that happened to us in the past few weeks, we needed search for calmness and sense of serenity. A short roadtrip to a calm seaside would do the trick.

I remembered a shot from a good friend, Liewwk at this spot. I asked him for the directions, checked out the tides schedule for Port Dickson and off we went in the morning.

Here's some shots during the high tide when we were there.. This is just the first trip. We will revisit this place again, during low tide, for sure ;)

Untitled

A Path to Paradise - A long and winding journey to happiness. Sometimes it's smooth, sometimes there a detour filled with obstacles and sometimes it seems to be an impossible task to reach eternal happiness. Determination ensure the success to achieve that rewarding end.

A State of Perseverance - Life can be very challenging at times. Series of continuous waves of obstacles and tests hits at you at all times to test how strong your character is. Patience is a virtue. The patience to withstand those waves renders a much more soothing and calm outcome, silky smooth.

The One that Got Away -The toughest test by far me and my wife have ever experienced. He will remain in both our memories forever. The storyline has been written beforehand, we can only put our efforts and hope for the best. By far the best 20 weeks EVER experienced.. but shortlived. May you rest in peace, "anak ayah"...

Life surely goes on.. what happened has brought us closer together. It's for the best.. we're sure of that. There will be more of these works from me.. "In search of peace and serenity"...

*Photos shot using Hasselblad 553ELX with CZ 50mm Distagon and 120mm Makro Planar with Hoya ND400 on Fuji Acros 100. Developed using HC110 Dilution F.

Perhentian Island IV - Serenity

My trip to Perhentian (Kecil) Island this year proved to be a fruitful one. Having shot both in film (mainly) and digital medium, I have managed (my personal view) to capture the essence of beauty, serenity and tranquility of the island. For those who haven't gone to Perhentian, you need to go at least once in your lifetime. It's a beautiful place, a place where it's exactly the opposite of bustling city atmosphere. Take a break, go on a short holiday, head off to Perhentian. I know I'll be going there again in 2011.

Serenity, Perhentian Kecil, July 2010
Hasselblad 553ELX | CZ 50mm Distagon
Fuji Acros 100 | Rodinal (1:50) 13mins @ 20C

This shot was done on film medium, on a long exposure (~8-10secs), low tide, sunset (more like a hidden set, the sun decided to descend behind the clouds). I loved this shot. I've printed it and framed it.