I went back to my hometown in Alor Setar, Kedah during the final few days of 2018 to visit my parents. The weather was astonishingly hot during the day and it rained almost every evening. On the last day of 2018, it rained, as usual, that evening. But it stopped around 7.10pm and I was about to go out to collect takeaway food for our dinner when I saw the skies are starting to explode with colors. I ran back inside and grab nothing but my camera, the Sony A7R Mark III camera with FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master lens. Then I quickly drove off into a small road behind my parent’s place which leads to this small river stream that is surrounded with paddy field. By the time I reached at one corner which has enough space to park my car, the sky was already on fire!
Thanks to Sony IBIS (In-body Image Stabilization), I managed to get tack-sharp images handheld, even in low lighting conditions. What a really useful feature to have!
A puddle of water is always handy when it comes to photography, especially when the skies is burning like this! A nicely timed shot when this motorbike passing through as I went on low to get the reflection. Anyway, thanks for taking your time to read until this and if you did, much appreciated! Until my next post then, wassalam..
We are at the end of another year, so here are my top 2018 photos.
A mesmerizing sunrise at Masjid Putra (Putra Mosque) which is the principal mosque of Putrajaya, Malaysia. I have been to this location many times and it is considered as one of my photography playgrounds.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + NiSi V5 Pro with Landscape CPL
Pantai Walakiri is a beach located in Watumbaka Village, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. It is famous for its amusing sunset and serene nuance. The most distinct characteristic of this beach is the presence of mangroves that grow on the shore. These plants make the beach more beautiful and unique, which is perfect for photography. Moreover, the silhouette of those mangroves looks hypnotizing when the sunset appears!
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + NiSi V5 Pro with Landscape CPL + 2 Stops GND
On the month of May, I got the chance to visit Stockholm in Sweden for work. The weather in Stockholm in May was really nice and pleasant. The best part is the daylight is longer during this month. Check out this sunset shot at almost 9pm!
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master
I did not have much time to shoot due to a fully packed schedule while I was there, but I glad I still managed to sneak out and take a few shots for my record.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master
On a random weekend in June this year, I decided to go to this new spot (I never been before) which turns out not too far from where I live. It’s located at Tanjung Harapan near the North Port of Port Klang, which is around 30 minutes drive from Setia Alam. The sunset was brilliant on that day!
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + NiSi V5 Pro + 3 Stops GND Soft + NiSi 10 Stops ND
In August, I was invited by a good friend of mine, Abang Zakies to join his trip to Sabah for some photography getaway. It was a short 3-days 2-night trip but a good catch up session with him and another friend. The photo below is taken in Simpang Mengayau, a beautiful location for photography activities. The optical phenomenon of sun halo attracts my attention here.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master
Our next photo stops were this stunning river of Melangkap near Kota Belud with the majestic Mount Kinabalu in the backdrop.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + NiSi V5 Pro + 3 Stops GND Soft + NiSi 10 Stops ND
ODEC UMS is our final photo stop for sunset before flying back to KL. This is a classic location where my first visit was back in April 2012. The sunset was fine and the tide condition is great for long exposure photography.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + NiSi V5 Pro + 3 Stops GND Soft
In September, I visited Mt Bromo for my second time in hoping to catch another sea of clouds but to no avail.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master
However, when the nightfall, the Milky Way was not disappointing. During September, they can be seen right after the sunset and you can shoot them until midnight.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master
A naked yet colorful sunrise near Seruni viewpoint without the sea of clouds.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master
The breathtaking Madakaripura waterfalls near Mt Bromo. You would want to visit this location super early in the morning to beat the massive tourist.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + NiSi V5 Pro Landscape CPL + NiSi 10 Stops ND
Burning sunrise when least expected at Masjid Besi, Putrajaya, Malaysia. I’ve been to this spot many many times, but only managed to get such a great light a few times.
Sony A7RIII + Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 G Master + Nisi V5 Pro with 3 stops GND
I am blessed to have such amazing partners, friends & followers. Thank you to Sony Malaysia, NiSi Filters, F-Stop Gear & Lee Photo Sdn Bhd. Thank you to my fellow followers for the endless support and love. Here’s a toss to more adventures, photography trips and workshop next year! Happy holidays and Happy New Year!