Conflict in Sabah contact sheets

Thaipusam/Kartik’s contact sheet 1

I first started my photojournalism journey photographing Thaipusam. It was almost 6 years ago. Thaipusam is a personal challenge. Thousands of photographers has captured every kind of Thaipusam photos you could imagine. For the 7th year, i wanted to do something different. I followed a devotee, his name is Kartik. He’s 25 years old. A young chap with a wonderful personality. So it was kind of a first time for both of us. First time for him carrying kavadi, paying his homage to Lord Muruga. First time for me to photograph some one that i personally know during Thaipusam. I do feel the pressure of capturing the essence of the event that occurs to him, and around him. I hope the photographs will embodies their spirit and speak to them beyond the obvious.

Working on it right now.

Tidak akan berhenti di sini

Tidak akan berhenti di sini

Sementara,

Teduh la hatiku, tidak lagi jauh, belum saatnya kau jatuh, ingat lagi mimpi, juga janji, jangan kau ingkari lagi, percayalah hati lebih dari ini pernah kita lalui, jangan berhenti disini .

 

Sementara,

Lupakanlah rindu, sedarlah hatiku, hanya ada kau dan aku. akan ku karang cerita tentang mimpi jadi nyata, untuk casa kita berdua. takkan lagi kita mesti jauh melangkah, nikmati lah lara . 

 

Untuk sementara saja.

 

#Another lovely piece by a lovely friend, Meicy and Richie.

 

Contact Sheet for Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat

“There is a concept called critique with love. We critique those from whom we expect a lot, because we want them to be better, to keep striving. Unfortunately in Bangla culture, we often only see the critique and fail to see the love.” Naeem Mohaiemen

*Not only in Bangla, but it applies to all human being i feel. Thanks to Munem Wasif for sharing this quote.

mengenal diri

di balik cermin mimpi aku melihat engkau di dalam engkau aku melihat aku ternyata kita adalah sama arena mimpi yang penuh bermakna bila bulan bersatu dengan mentari bayang-bayang ku hilang selubungi kerdip nurani mencurah kasih kasih murni mencurah kasih di balik cermin cermin mimpi ada realiti yang tidak kita sedari hanya keyakinan dapat merestui hakikat cinta yang sejati bila tersingkapnya tabir siang wajah kita jelas terbayang dan terpecah cermin mimpi menjadi sinar pelangi

-S Amin Sahab

 

Itu lah Cinta

 

” but one day love entered the mosque, and spoke to me : ‘ o wise one, why do you stuck inside this house of worship? what you need to do is break free from the bondage of self ”  -Jalaluddin

 

*the video is a lovely cover of Itulah Cinta-Naif by Meicy and friends. Terima kasih dari seberang =)

Encounters – Cambodge second edit

Encounters – Cambodge first edit

rise like a phoenix

most of us are lucky enough to be given the chance to see so much in life. so much shits. so much beauty. and so much hope. berjalan mencari dan mengenal diri. opportunities to choose our path. options were laid. decisions were made. freewill. but not everyone has the same chance. somewhere out there, there’s 54 great souls about to begin a mission of their life, to open up the doors for the less fortunate. to some, it is more than that. the mission is to find god.

my thoughts and prayers are with you guys.
the kids are in your hands, now rise.

follow them at http://www.teachformalaysia.org/blog/

x

when i miss you badly, i will listen to music. words and sounds that bring me closer to you. my thoughts of you cloud my mind, while the sound and words race through every bit of my senses. only you can make me feel this way.

take i out of the equation, there’s definitely nothing like you babe.