回家 Going Home

接近傍晚七时，太阳快下完山，云层盖著夕阳余辉，田野里一片宁静。马老师示意我们收拾好相机和脚架返回旅社。我和Steve, Jonanthan 却意犹未尽，踌躇间，骤然看到天空‘开了个洞’，黄金色的夕阳直射进田里。我们对此奇景还没回意过来，前面迎来赶马车回家去的小伙子，连忙按下快门，拍下这张照片。

It was 7 o’clock in the evening, the sun starting to set. It was quiet in Red Soil Earth in Dong Chuan, which is about 150 KM from Kun Ming, China. Most of us decided to go back to the hotel, but Steve, Jonathan and I prefer to stay a bit longer. All of the sudden, sunlight broke through the clouds and torched the farmland with golden color. While we were amused by this spectacular scene, a man with a horse cart emerged, walking hurriedly toward us, without hesitation, I took this photograph.

天然彩色盘－东川红土地 Red Soil Earth

红土地离开昆明市约160公里。我们一行人从昆明机场往东北面出发，出城后沿著高速行走，再进入弯曲山路，番山越岭，开了5个多小时车后，终在夜幕时分抵达2400米海拔高的目的地。

东川地势有著辽阔起伏的红土地，面积不下万亩，勤奋的少数民族在地上有序的耕种小麦，土豆，玉米和青棵等，纵横交错成为色彩缤纷的图案。一幅幅红的，绿的，黄的，白的田地，不须修饰，天然的色彩构成绚丽迷人的彩色盘！

红土地近年来已成为内地著名摄影天堂，每年吸引无数摄影发烧友前往，视斑斓色彩的红土地为摄影天堂。相比下，游客较少，为应付剧增的外来客住宿需求，县城已大兴土木建旅馆饭店。由于资源相当缺乏，吃的都是当地自种的蔬果和腊肉，别有一番风味。

红土地在人口稠密的中国来说，算是人口稀少的地方。民风朴素，如果你喜欢宁静和朴实的乡区生活，又想找到创作灵感，红土地不会令你失望。

These scenic views were taken during my recent visit to Hong Tu Di or Red Soil Earth，which is situated some 160 km from Kunming in the province of Yunnan.

The journey from Kunming airport to Hong Tu Di took us more than 5 hours, traveling through a winding road，reaching a peak of about 2,400 meter above sea level.

Hong Tu Di is famous for its red and amber colored soil. The hard working farmers painstakingly paint the earth with the color of wheat, potatoes and other vegetation, resembling a huge colorful painting created by nature and human that can rarely be found in any part of the world, except Rio de Janerio as i was told.

Due to its scenic and undisturbed nature, Hong Tu Di has been a popular destination for tourists especially the photographers. More hotels and restaurants are being built to cater the needs of the increased number of visitors.

The tranquility and peace with the slow pace of its lifestyle is obviously an ideal place for one to take a break，away from the hustle and bustle of life.

I will be looking forward for another trip in the near future.

Happy Wesak Day

Wishing all my dear friends a very

 Happy Wesak Day

恭祝各界卫塞节快乐

 

Gypsies' Children 海上人家的孩子

They don’t have access to all the facilities enjoyed by urban children, yet the smile on their faces show much contentment when they received even a small gift such as a kite or a balloon from us.

I went to the small islands around Semporna again and watching the livelihood of these sea gypsies. They certainly deserved much better quality of life, which may only be improvised with a better education plan for their children.

海上人家的生活是清苦的，他们沒有城市孩子享有的各种便利和设备。在有限的环境下，他们要求不多，即使只给他们一個风筝或汽球，已令他們很快樂和满足。我想他们应该享有更好的生活条件和受教育的机会。

Thank You....

The overwhelming response from the number of hits on my blog has been very encouraging as a result from an article on my passion for photography published in The Star dated 20th April 2009

I would like to thank the Star for providing me the opportunity and avenue in expressing my hobby and sharing my passion. To Ms Pek Yee and Boon Tatt- thank you for your patience and time to interview me and to the feature that was done.

To All those who have surfed my blog, terima kasih and your comments have given me such encouragement and motivation that I will continue to pursue this new found interest with greater  enthusiasm.

In the past while holding public office and engaging myself actively in politics, I do not know how to appreciate nature, and more so looking at the landscaping of what God has created. The many holiday trips were planned more for getting away from the hustle and bustle of life as a public figure.

With the time on my side, I can now doing things that I love to do. Reading and catching up with old acquaintances, and indulging myself with photography have truly enriched my life. Appreciating nature is such a beautiful experience and with the new network of friends of the same interest has given me a new dimension in my lifestyle.

With this blog of mine, I hope to share the images that I have taken on my shooting trips. A picture speaks a thousand words and the angle taken is also an expression through the lenses.

As an amateur in photography, your comments are valuable to me as it will take me to a higher level as I walk through this journey of my new love.

 

砂拉越－巴哥国家公园风光

晨曦
Dawn

天，渐亮了，蔚蓝的天，太阳仍含羞的躲进云层。
天海连接处，泛起一抹红光，照射在船身，晨光无限好。
Morning Has Broken

风雨欲来 

Lightning 

凌晨5点30分来到海边，第二次到离古晋不远的

Buntal拍日出。除了海鮮餐館的灯光，海是何其寧靜，

天空飘来几滴雨，雷電聲接著而來。

我匆忙把相机装在三脚架，以15秒快门拍下这张照。

Arrival at Buntal 5.30 in the morning. This was my second visit. It was drizzling with lightning and thunder. Quickly we mounted our camera onto tripod,

with shuttle speed of 15 sec, I snap this image.

日落巴哥国家公园

Sun sets at Bako National Park

我们下午5时在海邊等候，巴哥的日落并没有想像中的美。

当太阳就沉进海中，余辉透过云层，將海滩照得红彤彤，

也把在度假村内的游客引出来。

We waited since 5pm for sunset. The sun hides behind thick cloud.

Just before it sank , the beach was rendered with burning color.

呼应

Greetings

多付 35元 船费，船夫把我们送到巴哥国家公园另一个地点拍摄风化石。

这座天然石如绅士般竖立在海中央，

像和路經船只相呼应。

This lonely stone stood tirelessly greets the passing ships

鱼儿哪里来？

Fishermen at work

何时再逢春

Life Goes On

退潮时，漫步在沙滩的红树林，一眼望去，

尽是光秃秃的树枝，有凄凉的感觉。

有几棵已长出绿叶，希望枯树快逢春。

Despite harsh living condition, life goes on

荷影

日落塘荷

芳华正茂

濯清涟而不妖

許我向你看

含苞欲放

蜓蜓玉立

雨后春荷

凋零

香殞

春夢了無痕

喜欢摄影的人，多爱拍荷花。我也喜欢，我被它的‘出自污泥而不染’的天性格吸引，我也欣赏她如大家闺秀的美，美得大方，自然。

我国影艺学会会长胡航生先生也喜爱拍荷花。年前，他出版一本荷花专集，作品有极高水准，我荣幸受邀主持推展。拍荷花看似容易，但要透过镜头来突出她的美，也不是太简单。

拍荷花最好是在早晨和黄昏时分，这段时间的阳光比较柔和，逆光下的荷花更具立体感。我也喜爱拍雨后的荷花，被水洗涤过的水珠仍停留在花瓣，有楚楚可怜的感觉。

去年四月，我到杭州西湖，因为之前听说湖里有很多荷花，想去拍。结果只看到荷叶不见花，原来西湖的荷花要在夏天才开。在一年皆夏的马来西亚，爱拍荷花的人就幸运了，因为整年都是荷花盛开的季节。

芙蓉市区就有几个可拍荷花的地方，我较常去的是春泉镇和汝来。春泉镇有个大湖，长有大片荷花，有的含苞欲放，有的花枝招展，有的几近凋零。

荷花盛开的时间很短，一场大风雨轻易可把摧毁，但荷花却有很强的生命力，她在枯萎前会播种，将生命延续。

拍荷花，让我欲罢不能。

我与摄影

对于摄影，有种相见恨晚的感觉。

记得中学时期，全班同学中，只有一人有相机，当我们结伴到市区公园游玩时，同学就用这台相机为我们拍照。当时，冲洗出来的黑白照还是超小的。不理效果好不好，总之，看到照片那一刻，大家都喜悦万分。

那个年代，能拥有相机是叫人羡慕的事。来自新村的我，能念中学已不容易，所以从来不敢奢想有像机，自然从未想过要学拍照。工作后，终于买了弟一台‘傻瓜’相机，那时已开始流行彩色照，主要用来拍摄一些生活照，但也不常拍，谈不上兴趣。

1990年间，我拥有第一台35厘米菲林单反镜相机，托朋友买的，所以牌子也是他选的。之后，我开始阅读摄影书籍，学习摄影的基本常识和相机操作。每次出差或旅游时，都会随身带著它，但对摄影还不是特别热衷，只可说感兴趣。很可惜，这台机在一次出差时丢了。

进入2000年，数码相机开始流行，比菲林相机方便和简易的多，拍后不但不需交给相馆冲洗，还可马上在相机或通过电脑自行审阅，印刷或传送，也可省下买菲林的钱。我也买了第一台单反镜数码相机，之后被它所拍下的照片深深地吸引。那时起，每次到书店，我一定会驻足在摄影书籍架前，选购可提升我的摄影技术的书籍。摄影已成了我阅读和旅游以外的爱好。

这几年来，我到过很多地方摄影，国内国外都有，也买了不少摄影的书籍，更难得的是结交了一些摄影发烧友，摄影器材也越买越多。退出政坛后的这一年，我忙于安排行程，到国内外取景，到的地方多不是一般游客走的路线。

透过镜头，我学会从另一个角度看世界，从前从来就没闲情去留意的天空，云采，阳光，花草，动物，鸟类，河流和山川……如今都成了我拍摄的对象。天气好吗？有云吗？花开了没？都是我关心的。在镜头下的大自然和生态，是如此真，如此美。

摄影也能训练耐性，学会摄影后，我变得较乐观，不像之前执著，学会放下。透过摄影， 我结交来自各领域和不同年龄层的朋友，分享摄影作品，确是一件人生乐事。

摄影，让我体会人生无常： 在‘决定性时刻’错过按快门，你可能永远失去这个机会；当你埋怨黄昏的光线缺佳时，须臾可能出现美丽的夕阳。 就像在我们生活中，失望中偶尔也有希望。

摄影使我获益匪浅。你也不妨一同拿起相机，出门拍摄吧！