Busy day in Georgetown
Apr, 2013Views
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Top 30 rank week 1Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia in 2011. I had been living in Penang for a few months and I used to see this old man reading his newspaper every day in the entrance to this building near the corner of Chulia Street and Penang Road. These streets are bustling and noisy, but he was always oblivious to the madness. He was the king of his own castle, sitting back in his cane chair in the same completely relaxed position every day. Since then, the building has been renovated and is now just another glass-fronted hotel. My man has gone and Chulia Street has lost another piece of old-world charm.Time
It was mid-afternoon on an overcast, drizzly day in Georgetown. I used to enjoy walking around Penang with my camera at all times of day, and whatever the weather was like. There was always beauty and magic and stories to tell through my lens. The wonderful thing for me was that I would always see my man here, no matter what time it was.Lighting
Because it was an overcast and drizzly day, the natural light was limited. The shot was taken with my little point and shoot camera, which incidentally, had a cracked screen I couldn't see through. So I really did have to 'point and shoot', waiting until I got home to see the results of my aim when I uploaded it on my computer.Equipment
I used my little Canon Coolpix L6. Pure and simple point and shoot.Inspiration
Georgetown was one of the most inspiring places to take photographs. I spent nearly three years there and for most of that time, I was out and about capturing pure magic. The textures and colours of the architecture in Georgetown and the everyday life of the locals were always inspiring. The thing that inspired me to take this photo was my man's complete oblivion to the madness of Chulia Street and his ability to relax and chill out with his newspaper every single day, no matter what was going on around him. He was an inspiration in this crazy world.Editing
I zoomed the picture in to really focus on the man reading his paper and I processed it in black and white because I love the way black and white gives a timeless aspect to pictures. This scene could easily be set in just about any decade in Georgetown.In my camera bag
Oh that's a good question! When I took this photo, the only equipment I had in my bag was my little camera and a bottle of water for the long walks and sometimes the long waits. I often would wait across the road from one of my targets, just to capture the right moment of someone walking by, or riding past on a bicycle or trishaw. These days, I have a new Canon 70D which I'm still learning how to drive, so my little point and shoot always accompanies me too. I also have in my bag my other little camera, an Olympus SZ-16/DZ-105.Feedback
Look for the magic in the mundane. When I first started taking photos in Penang, my pictures were all over the place and seemed to have no purpose. Once I got to know Penang a lot better, and realised that there was enough material there for a photographer's lifetime, I think I calmed down. I would go out and focus on a theme. My themes would last for weeks! One time it was windows. Only windows. Another time it was doorways and another time I decided I would look down. So many amazing photographs found their way into my lens, by just zoning in on a particular thing and sometimes the theme chose me. It's a strange and wonderful thing, but it really happens and I just go with it. The day I took this picture I remember I was soaking up the atmosphere of an overcast and drizzly day in Penang. I found joy in observing people going about their daily lives. I'm just somebody who loves capturing the moment and the only advice I can give is "Feel the moment. Really feel it." I don't know how else to say it!
