The Art is Changing

As a photographer, I’ve always wondered how married fashion/glamour photographers go about their work. Of course I’m not talking about the female photographers but the vast majority of them in the field, which happen to be male.

I have a huge respect for the international fashion/glamour photographers because of their vision and artistic ability to bring an image of a woman beyond the stereotypical label of a pornographic image to something with finesse and taste. A celebration of the human form, so to speak. I have an even greater respect for them because they’re paid to do what they do.

I bring up this matter because of the sad situation I see a lot of our amateur photographers are in right now. Ever since digital photography became affordable about 3 years ago, the field has been flooded with photographers. I have nothing against new enthusiasts but it’s just the subject matter that they choose which kills me.

I’ve heard of a group of photography hobbyist that pay anywhere between the region of RM50 to RM100 per week just to photograph a pretty young thing. This weekly activity takes place in some rather nondescript locations such as the Batu Ferringhi beach or the Penang Botanical Gardens. I guess with the amount spent on the models one cant really afford to spill any more for the location.

There’s also a group (possibly the same one) that routinely looks for opportunities to photograph other pretty young things during events. Such events that come to mind are those International GT races, fashion shows or talent contests. To make matters worse those scantily clad GT Queens have reached celebrity status amongst them; most of them already recognizable by name.

Oddly enough, a lot of these photographers are married with children. That really makes me wonder how the co-existence of such warring interests can ever happen. How could a wife allow a husband to go out for hours on end photographing these pretty young things, chat them up, get their contact numbers, and spend another couple of hours on the computer staring at the captured images as he sifts through those pictures and edits them. How?

And yes, they do exchange contact information. Mainly business they say. Because those girls want their pictures for portfolio material. Because you never know when you’d want to “rent” one of them as your weekend muse at the Botanical Gardens.

It’s really hard to imagine that women who have put themselves out there to be barely dressed, strutting themselves to be objectified by men for money, can reach that level of celebrity. Hardly a role model for your children. Yet when a recent (not baseless) accusation with regards to most of those GT Queens being pornstars in their home country arose, their legion of fans were quick to defend them, quickly reducing the perpetrator to a status of a pariah on the forum.

Sure it’s easy for me to point my fingers at those photographers because I’m in the clear. But it sure bugs the hell out of me. And I do worry about this matter being a stereotype amongst photographers. It’s an issue that’s very real and something which I see every day while I’m interacting online with other people who share my passion of the art.

Photography was known as a relatively “safe” hobby. Maybe not any more.


Tip: Go photograph birds of the feathered kind. But even that doesnt guarantee a happy spouse. :(

New Premiership Team?

The Soccernet.com police have struck again. This time with another front page error for your viewing pleasure.

Looks like we have a new Premiership team on our hands here. Captured at 10.06pm Malaysian time. Tsk tsk.

Looks like they'll be making errs until the COWS come home. ;)

Motorcross Madness

Upon an initial glance, one would suspect that the motorcross racetrack in Penanti, Kedah is just a regular recreational spot for motorheads. But stay a little longer and you'll see hundreds of little winged wonders fluttering around the area.

Blue Throated Bee Eaters (Merops Viridis) inhabit the motorcross racetracks because these ground dwelling birds love to make their homes in sand dunes. Ramps for the bikes make perfect sand/dirt mounds for these birds to nest. Fortunately most of them make their entrances away from the dirt track itself.

These colorful birds are only found in the northern region of Peninsula Malaysia. Unfortunately due to deforestation and other human interventions, these birds are forced out of their regular breeding grounds and made to live in rather unlikely areas such as this motorcross racetrack.





Higher res images can be seen here:
http://www.pbase.com/mikench/btbe

Bonafide Tree-hugger

Looks like I've taken my interest in birding to the next level. Just this morning, I plunked down RM100 for a year's membership to the Malaysian Nature Society. It was nice to talk to the Chairman of the Penang group who is also known as the Birdman of Penang. Very knowledgeable guy.

Anyway, even before I joined the society, I was already part of one of their outings. Through the contact of a friend, I was out in the jungles of Kedah looking for this really rare bird called the Blue Winged Pitta. They're gorgeous birds and only three were sighted so far. Some birders spend years in the field without ever seeing this guy.

Someone found a nesting pair in a durian plantation, and soon after birders from all over the country flocked over to see the rare treat. But exposure for such exquisite creatures isnt always a good thing. Birders and conservationists arent the only interested parties. Trappers and others who want to make a quick buck often use birders to gain information regarding their potential items of trade.

I just received news that the nest of four chicks is currently vacated as three of the four have already fledged. It is assumed that the missing one did not make it. But it's still wonderful to know that three more of these beautiful birds made it past the hatchling stage. Hopefully they'll make it beyond that and complete their cycle of life because as we all know, their journey is plagued with danger.


The Blue Winged Pitta