Monday, January 31, 2011

An ever expanding process that is photography.

Monkey crossing, Semenyih


It's already going to be the second month of 2011 and I know that this post is a little late, but nevertheless, I find it is essential as 2010 was the year I was blessed by the insights of photography. Never would I have thought before this that taking a photo is so complicated and deep and is actually attuned to your inner self. It is also a never ending process as well. To further accentuate on this point, take a look at the last photo you can remember that you took. Why did you take it? What inspired you to press the shutter button? Was it because you saw a fleeting moment on a child's face? Maybe you spotted a rare Sumatran tiger that is on the verge of extinction and you wish to capture it forever in time. Why did you take it? What did you see in it? The answer all depends on who you are in an artistic sense. Personally, I find that as we grow older and learn new things about the world, so does our photography. In another words, photography is a way of life. How I see the world itself is my photography. I don't need a camera to have a vision. Because without my vision my camera is nothing. But with a vision I can always make a picture though it may not be on a piece of glossy paper, but at least I know it existed. Think about it, the first thing that always comes to your mind when photography is mentioned, is the camera of course. However it is naught but a tool to show the world how I feel and view the world through my own eyes. The real source of the photos that I took came from inside me. Cliche' as it may sound, it was what was inside me and the vision I had that made the photo. What one sees when he or she looks at a photo is actually the photographer's mind itself. Therefore as I mature and change as time goes by bit by bit, inevitably so will my photography, because this will indirectly in the end affect my vision one way or another. I have been photographing for a little over a year but surprisingly it has felt as if I have been shooting for years already. However I think this is only because I honestly feel as if how I viewed the world has changed a lot since I started photography. This is only the beginning though, and I look forward to facing the future with an open mind and see where it takes me in my photographic journey.


An old man at a leprosy center





Photos by Lucas Yap S.W.


Written by Lucas Yap S.W.

Friday, January 7, 2011

White bark



It was approximately ten in the morning when I was out photographing with Uncle Cheah at Tasik Semenyih and the last of the morning light was already gone. I decided to call i
t a day and as I was walking back towards the car, I stopped by a small pond that was located right next to the road. As I took in the area and looked around, it then suddenly struck me. A white in colour dead tree bark was standing upright in the pond against the lush green of the forest vegetation. Perfect I thought. The harsh day light probably helped to make the contrast between the white bark and the greenery of the forest behind it all the better. I took a couple of frames from different angles and with different compositions. Here are the three that I picked out from them all.



Photos by Lucas Yap S.W.

Written by Lucas Yap S.W.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

A great start to 2011

Just beyond, Lake Semenyir, Malaysia

The 1st of January, 2011 was spent with my camera in hand and my vision of the world coming true. I went to 'Tasik Semenyir' with my father's long time and close friend, Uncle Cheah, an experienced photographer who shoots a lot of beautiful black and white photos although he does shoot color photos as well. It was a great way for us to start out the year as we stood by the side of the road overlooking the man made lake and producing what we saw and how we saw it into the digital memory card. A photographic toast it is to the start of a great and fulfilling year.










Photos by Lucas Yap S.W.

Written by Lucas Yap S.W.