Pictures from the heart

Pictures from the heart

天地有大美摄影集 Searching For Light - A Photographic Book

我的第一本摄影集《天地有大美》终于出版啦！停停写写，从编辑、设计、校对到成书就花了两年的时间。这本书共176页，是我在中国多个省份拍下来的四时明媚风光。 从广东、福建、湖南、广西、四川、甘肃、青海、云南、东北、新疆到内蒙等，皆留下足迹，每一次行程都不少过三、四千公里。

希望籍著出版此书，与大家分享我这几年通过摄影旅游，在中国亲眼看到的自然美景，以及一些感受。我觉得与其把照片闲置家中，不如编印成书，与人分享。摄影把瞬间成为永恒，而那一剎那将不可能重现。

在这本书里，我共挑选了138张照片，不敢说这些照片水準都上乘，但记录了我内心对这片美丽土地的认识和热爱。希望通过镜头表达出她丰厚的文化底蘊，秀丽壮美山河，最真实的风土人情。在拍摄的过程中，更让我体会到世界本身就是一位无可比拟的艺术家。

爱摄影的朋友，希望能指教这本拙作，未到过这些地方和爱好旅游的朋友，我衷心希望你们能和我一样，有朝一日亲自到照片上的地点，体验天地之美。

I wish to inform all my friends that my first photographic book entitles: “Searching For Light” is just out from the oven. This book contains 176 pages with an annotated collection of more than a hundred photographs taken by me, during my various visits to China, which include extensive parts of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Dongbei, Guangzhou, Fujian, Hunan and Guangxi.  This book is written in both Chinese and English. Please refer to the link in this blog or www.hpcameralens.com if you wish to get a copy.

被遗忘的地方

列城是拉达克县首府，是印度最北端的城镇。来之前我对列城是完全陌生的，我甚至没听过它的名字！当我踏进列城机场的抵达厅时，欢迎我的是一张超大的示告，红底白字挂在墙上，详细说明有关高原反应所引发的身体不适事宜。由低海拔的新德里飞往近喜马拉雅山脉海拔3500米的列城，早就对高原反应有所担忧，看到这布告后更加剧了我心理上的负担。

载送我们去酒店的是旧款小型的普吉车，行李都放在车顶，走了一段飞尘滚滚的道路后，才进入列城市区。我们入住一家穆斯林家族经营的旅店，地点不错，虽在闹市却还算幽静，旅店前面种了几棵苹果树，都结满了果。树底下还摆有桌椅，供客人闲坐看书或喝茶。旅店服务人员态度友善，算是一间不错的旅店。

在列城，我好像来到了西藏。 到处都可看到大大小小的藏庙、白塔和经幡，当地人的穿着也和藏人相似。如果你喜欢西藏，肯定会喜欢这里。

商场和餐馆的服务员一般都能讲英语，也非常友善。我们在列城住了5个晚上，都在周边地区游玩。除了晚间难入睡外，并没有其他因高原反应所引起的不适情况。

拉达克县属高原沙漠地带，到处都是光秃秃的山脉，除了绿洲外，能供耕种的土地有限。早期，这里是亚洲通往欧洲的主要丝绸之路，为当地人民带来财富。后来，因种种因素，关闭了所有关口，拉达克县也就成了孤立的地区，外界也渐渐地忘了这个地方。

近几年来，旅游业带来了生机，外国游客开始涌来这里，特殊的地貌和原始的自然环境成了旅游的最佳卖点。如果你喜欢大自然和没有被污染的环境和纯朴的生活，拉达克县不会让你失望。

赛牛 Pacu Jawi

赛牛是印尼东苏门答腊岛一项民间年度传统活动，流转数百年。开幕仪式颇为隆重，参赛的牛只穿上美丽的衣裳，在地方长老带领下，数百人浩浩荡荡在传统音乐声中，一路游行到比赛场地的田地。

我特别喜欢赛牛的评判标准，跑得最快不一定胜利，能跑直线的牛才是冠军，这是多么有智慧的筛选标准呀！在“快”和“直”的取舍下，他们选择“直”。

赛牛给我们的启示：做人要正直，走正道；不但要做好事，还必须要通过正当的途经。世上有很多人为了要快达到目的而走歪路，最后不但欲速不达，甚至还有不幸的下场，确实令人惋惜！

牛还须走正道，何况人乎？

Pacu Jawi (cow racing) is an important and popular even in Tanah Datar Sumatera Barat, Indonesia since few hundred years ago. It is held with full tradition with the involvement of the community elders. There are speeches and followed with a customary procession to the muddy padi field racing ground with traditional music together with the colorfully “dressed” cows.

The fastest and strongest cow may not be the winner, but the one that can run straight will be chosen as champion.

The hidden philosophy of Pacu Jawi is clear: as human we must also act straight, be a straight person and you will be respected.

The Land of Thousand Temples 万佛之国

踏足缅甸，感觉很亲切，像极我国五六十年代的情景，我仿佛穿越时空，回到年幼时在新村生活的日子。

赶牛车的老人，村民挑水和在河里洗衣的情况，昔日新村生活仿若历历在目。看到小孩争先恐后抢团友分的糖子，想起五十年代实施紧急法令时，路过的军人派糖给小孩的情景。

缅甸有很多历史悠久的寺庙，琳琅满目的露天市集，熙攘的街景，茵莱湖上单脚划船的渔夫和那宁静的田野风光。到这里拍摄，没令我失望！

郊区的基本设施虽然相当落后，生活清苦。但缅甸人像天生的乐天知命，刻苦耐劳，日出而作，日落而息，让我佩服。

If you are going to Myanmar for a photography excursion, remember to bring along enough memory cards or external hard disks, as there are endless subjects for your camera. Just to mention a few: the beautiful ancient temples, the monasteries, the daily life of monks, the fishermen who paddle fishing boats with one leg in Inle lake etc.

Villagers in Bagan and Mandalay still used bullock to ferry firewood, fetch water from communal well, bathed and wished cloths in nearby stream. This was quite similar to what it used to be back in the 50’s in my village. Life is tough here, but the Burmese took life easy and appeared happy and contented.

I must express my thanks to Mr. Lim from Bentong who organized the excursion and all the wonderful members and our local guide who help made the trip successful and memorable.

Mt. Bromo, Indonesia

Mt. Bromo was seen erupting volcanic ashes. It was 6.45 in the morning. I was stunned and excited. We were at the peak of Pananjakan to watch sunrise. The whole mountain was crowded with spectators, it was not easy to get an unobstructed view. I was forced to include the couple that sits in front of my viewfinder. Nevertheless, I quite like the result as it shows human activities during the time of eruption.

告别黑暗 At Last, there is Light

Ba Puak 本南长屋居民终于告别黑暗。

Ulu Baram 内陆地区的 Ba Puak 有约20户本南人，多年前从森林迁到此，一直住在非常简陋的破屋，过着原始的生活。最近才获得非政府组织盖了两座长屋，勉强有了家。

长屋没有水电，夜间一片黑暗，蜡烛和手电筒是唯一的光源。

伟庆通过一家公司获得两台发电机，一台送到这里，我们一伙人漏夜和长屋居民，在走廊安装了5盏灯。发电机启动后，长屋终于告别了黑暗！

我们知道，汽油和维修将是个问题，我们会做后续跟进和帮助他。

特此要感谢美里的陈伟庆，萧特财和梁绍钧先生。

About 20 Penan families settled down in Ba Puak in Ulu Baram district some years ago. Initially they stayed in a small huts barely enough for shelter. Until recently they moved into long houses built by NGO but without water and electricity supplies.

The Penans can get the water supply from a river nearby, but at night it is complete darkness.

My friend Tan managed to get 2 electricity generators from a company, one unit was sent here. The Penans were so eager to see light in their long houses that they want us to fix it on the same day when we arrived.

None of us have much knowledge about electricity and wiring works, but we managed to fix it.

At last, there is electric light in the long house!

紫气东来 Celestial Light

我国东海岸有着很长的海岸线，面临南中国海，是摄影爱好者喜欢拍摄的地点。我特别喜欢这里的渔村和海岸景色。

每次到这里，都有相见恨晚的感觉，因为许多难得的拍摄题材，早已消失在历史和发展洪流里，只能从摄影前辈们的作品去寻觅。

昔日的渔村房子多以木板建造，今天已改用土砖和洋灰， 村民把整间屋子扛起来，搬迁到另个地点的情景已成为历史。渔船也已现代化，多采用玻璃纤维制造，作业方式也变了。在关丹海村，以前渔船归航时，是用牛只把船拉上岸，自改用玻璃纤维渔船后，渔船较轻，不需牛大哥帮忙，只好下岗去了。

道北Sri Tujuh是拍摄日出的最佳地点，但是否能看到太阳公公和好天气，就要看运气了。我来过这里数趟，数上星期的日出最美，确实不虚此行。

摄影人最讲究耐性。不记得是那位摄影师曾说过：『运气是给有耐心的人』。愿与大家共勉。

Have you ever seen a house being literally carried and shifted by villagers? Or buffaloes were used to pull fishing boat ashore?

In fact, these scenes were quite common in the east coast of Malaysia not too long ago, but now we can only find them in old photographs. Economic development has bought a lot of changes to these areas. The wooden houses were replaced with concrete structures and the fishing boats were made with fiberglass that is lighter. Undoubtedly, it has lost its charms in the eyes of many photographers.

But the east coast is still my favorite, the scenic seaside and the fishing villages still fascinates me. I was in Pantai Sri Tujuh, Tumpat Kelantan and Pantai Pandak in Terengganu last week, the weather was good, and when the sun rises, the sea was bathed in celestial amber sunlight. The scenery was surreal and so beautiful that I thought I could only find them in my dreams.