The first time I stopped in this mosque was 40 odd years ago. On that trip, based on a few formerly old black and white family photos (that we still have) which have turned into sepia, we drove in a vauxhall all the way from Muar to Penang. If memory serves, that was the only trip up north that I can remember in the vauxhall.
This mosque is, like all other old mosques, unique and has it's own character. Somehow, It somewhat mimics that of the Masjid India in KL - the one at the confluence - doesn't it?
Ages ago in mid-80s, armed with a trusted and battered Cannon A1, I started my archives on Mosques - only on the Mimbar (pulpi) and the Minaret. They were shot on Agfa 32 transparencies using 24 mm f1.8 lens with compensated daylight. Alas, I lost these to mildew even though they were hermeataclly sealed but without temperature control.
Again in mid-90s, this time with an 18mm lens mounted on EOS 5 (a huge leap in upgrading), I reignited my passion. This time, after transparencies I had them printed and catalogued in 8R. Alas, non of the media survived. This time around it was the turn of the termites.
My first attempt at photography was based on a rented Rollei TLR back in early 70s on our last trip to Kelantan. Black and whites then. A few rolls was all I could muster. I still have pictures of Teluk Chempedak, Pantai Cinta Berahi (now known as Pantai Cahaya Bulan: the need for a name change was unfounded but it was not up to the masses)...
In the mid-70s I used an instamatic to snap anything and everything. My trigger happy fingers could not be stopped.
Then came my first SLR! A canon AE-1 that came with the ubiquotous 50mm f1.8 lens. Others had Minoltas (Zahimi) and Nikons (Zahrol). One had a Carl Zeiss Jenna camera with - of course Carl Zeiss lens - working like clock work without the need for batteries. It was handed down from his Royal father to him; Tengku Marwan.
My favourites were flowers; wild or otherwise. My furthest was Floriade in Holland! The Liverpool International Garden Festival included.
From the early 80s onwards, I added the Canon A-1 with additional lenses with zooming capabilities - the shortest was 14-24mm, the longest 100-300mm. And to give that added macho or James Bond feel I used a 3x converter. I was well and truly endowed! These were bought after I managed to secure 3 wedding contracts within 2 months.
Of course I had tons of slides for special topics. To save money, I used 8R contact prints. My first shop was Pertama Foto in Pertama Complex. I did get not only good service but personal one as well.
Then in mid-90s, I took the role of official photographer for KLIA Main Terminal Building Project. For 3 years, I spent 3 days (approved leave of course) a month climbing the conical columns, mounted the roof using a "cherry picker", crawled on the Baggage Handling System, almost thrashed a company Pajero climbing hills, down ravines and walked up the Control Tower with Zulkifli (20 minutes each way with special monthly permission from KLIAB). I lugged 2 cameras (AE-1 and A1) with all lenses, tripod, 3 flash guns and tripod. Of course I covered the visits of dignitaries as well - Mahathir, Anuar, Burmese Ambassador...
There is just this one photo of the cameraman! Taken by NST. Animated Samy Velu with demure F.K.Kwan and me smack in between but behind them sticking out like a sore thumb.
My "coup-de-gras" were photo shoots from the air. One helicopter ride for each year of KLIA.
With a camera you have right of way everywhere. My eldest accompanied me to the VVIP rooms in KLIA to shoot the magnificent interiors - a handywork of Robert Susilo, K.C.Sim, Huat Lim et al.
For three years I did that. Each month, I raked in about 5k from printing 20 sets of 8R. My cousin (Kilau) assisted me in getting them printed and delivered. Of course I gave him a piece of the cake. My client saved 10k a month by "employing" me.
At the end of the project I treated myself to an EOS-5. I used that to document other projects - Taman Botani, Taman Selatan, UTP Tronoh... I had two more helicopter rides during Core Island project. (Alas, no more helicopter rides since)
With the advent of digital camera these SLRs were no longer used. The last I used any was in Islamabad. In Delhi, I took a few also. The rest were all digital.
Of course, the most horrifying - which debunked the earlier theory that the camera is a passport or carte blanche - incident was in 2007 when I was locked up for a night and under literal "house arrest" for a month. Qatar Petroleum incident!
I did sneak out a few shots from my nokia of the night in the lock-up. By then, my newly acquired olympus digital camera was already confiscated.
Phobia? Never. I still take simple shots. Only this time using the berry or ericsson phones.
Alas time and neglect claimed the AE-1, A1, EOS5 and EOS500. My only daughter discovered them early this year in the attic.
Not antic enough to count as museum pieces. Yet...they represent my "snapshots" of my time in this - to me at least - tangible world
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