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What was supposed to be another long year-end road trip turned out to be only a day trip to the Cameron Highlands.

It was a long journey, stopped by at Teluk Intan for breakfast but the Chee Cheong Fun stall was closed. Then, I accidentally took the old windy road up the Highlands because my phone’s GPS couldn’t lock on to proper satellite reception. On the way back closed to midnight, Hilux was kissed from behind, by an idiotic drunkard who drove a Harrier. What an uneventful day, almost 24 hours on the road with my students by the time I reached home! 

Film: Fujiflim Superia X-TRA 400, expired.

1. Socks, testing out the Diana F+, which I strongly opined to be just a toy camera.

2. Flower close-up at a bee farm. Not too bad on a manual focusing lens on the FM2n.

3. Bharat Boh Tea plantation. Stopped by the roadside, and took a few landscapes.

The weather was chilling due to slight drizzle every now and then, and the air was so fresh!

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5. Everyone had a camera to play with.

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7. Taken at the look-out point at Boh Tea Plantation. It was extremely misty as the rain had just stopped.

The Redang Beach of Sekinchan is also a good hunting ground for larger sized hermit crab.

One must be extremely patient to wait for the hermit crab to crawl out of their protective shell in order to take a picture.

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Here’s a hidden place that is worth a visit, particularly if you are already tired of repeatedly shooting paddy fields in Sekinchan. In fact, it’s very near the restaurants, so you may head there after a nice seafood meal.

We took an unbeaten track along the coastal line, away from the jetty, and found a nice and secluded spot for birding, especially to look out for egrets, waders, and terns. It’s a also a good hunting ground for hermit crabs of reasonable size.

We plan to explore this place the next time for sunset, and this time to bring a longer focal length lens for proper birding.

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Location: By the Lovers’ Jetty of Tanjung Sepat

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A usual photography trip with Zybisko14, and with the sudden inclusion of Jellyikan & Jonathan, the trip turned into chasing sunrise.

While driving madly to Tanjung Sepat, a groggy Zybisko14 called to inform that he would be late, and a funny phone conversation ensured.

Part 1

* Passed my phone to Jellyikan

Zybisko14 (in a state of stupor): Hello, kiankheong?

Jellyikan (using my phone): Hello, Zybisko.

Zybisko14 (in his mind): Why am I talking to Jellyikan? Did I dial the wrong number?

* Zybisko14 hung up and called again.

Zybisko14 (still in a state of stupor): Hello, kiankheong?

Jellyikan (using my phone): Hello, Zybisko.

Zybisko14: WTF?

Part 2

Zybisko14: So, I’m calling to say that I can’t wake up and will only be meeting you in the afternoon.

Me: Aren’t you already awake by now?

Zybisko14: Ya hor! WTF!

1. Shots taken at the Lovers’ Jetty.

It’s quite a perfect location for both sunrise and sunset shots.

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6. The Lovers’ Jetty in early morning.

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12. Surprisingly, the mangrove trees don’t thrive quite well near the jetty, lots of dead trees.

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Being an enthusiast for macrophotography, I prefer my gears and setup to be relatively simple and free from clunky and heavy setup.

There is no right or wrong setup, it’s just a matter of which setup works better (or handles more comfortably)  in our own hands. Some fellow photographers fit their flashguns with diffusers and off-camera brackets, all in the quest of obtaining a more balanced lighting and exposure.

Below are a few of my relatively straightforward gears.

1. Nikon D40 + AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm + SB 600 + demb diffuser

2. For natural lighting, I attach the lens hood for a better and steadier handling.

3. Setup for macrophotography with natural lighting. D300 + AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm (with lens hood on).

4. D300 + AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm + SB 900 (with diffuser). The head of the flashgun is tilted all the way down.

Occasionally, I remote flash the SB 600 for additional lighting for the background. I try to avoid shooting with a dark background, except only when I want to hide a busy one.

A view from my condominium unit.

From afar are the cranes of Port Klang terminal.

1. A mutualistic relationship between weaver ants and mealybugs.

The mealybugs secrete excess sugar solution, which is harvested by the ants.

In return, the ants offer the mealybugs protection against predation.

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3. Water strider.

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6. A crane fly.

7. Planthopper.

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Location: Taman Rimba Kiara.

A swarm of fruit fly (Bactrocera sp.) busy “licking” the inflorescence of the Flamingo Flower plant (Anthurium sp.).

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3. Front profile.

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One rainy afternoon, as I was rushing to Kuala Lumpur and was about to alight onto my car, my eyes suddenly glanced something yellow-brownish moving frantically about at the trunk of my car. It was a cute little puppy, starring helplessly at me!

After a minute of shock, I came back to my senses and realised that this puppy had been abandoned by a irresponsible and inhumane someone. I had initially thought that it was a cat, and I might have driven into the rain without realising that I had an extra cargo.

As I was rushing, I had to leave the puppy at the security, and a kind guard took care of it for 3 days. Meantime, I called several shelter homes such as SPCA and Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (which was at that time unable to accept newcomers as there had been a serious outbreak of canine distemper). Upon my friend’s advice and understood the huge responsibility that I was about to shoulder, I decided to adopt this puppy. 

Here is the puppy, on the day that I decided to adopt it instead of sending it to a shelter home. She has just taken her bath at my friend’s place and was just about to sleep after a whole afternoon of playing and running around.

1. Named her Hilux, after the car where she was found. I know, it’s not a very feminine name

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Hilux has been an ideal pet that suits me quite well. She’s very obedient, and quite easy to train despite being not of any particular breed (she’s a pure Malaysian mongrel).