Ending Raya Break Part II

From Part I ...

Lunch was nice. The sun was high at the time and heat was searing. I then walked by Dataran Merdeka - which was calm that day - angling towards the River of Life before stopping at one of the shops for more drinks.

The birds at Lebuh AmpangBy Masjid Jamek and the newly-built shadesThe corridor of the old Court House next to Masjid JamekThe old COurt had been converted into a modern theatreWaiting under the shadesPart of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Hopefully it will long be preserved ...Next was Medan Pasar with a stop at Ruang to catch a small exhibition - The Towns of Malaya - enjoying the air conditioning and some real nice history. Next was Central Market. I debated for another stop or just to take the MRT to Bukit Bintang. Bukit Bintang won.

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building from the rear. The tall pole at Dataran Merdeka can be seen as well.You've been warned .... no hanky-panky around here ...The colourful building by the River of Life. The colour of the buildings reminds me of Amsterdam.The flagpole by Dataran Merdeka. Used to be the tallest in the World.Across to the National Textile Museum The newly refurbished Kafe Old Market Square by Medan Pasar.Heading North ...At Bukit Bintang, I stopped for another coffee before making my way on foot past Pavilion back to KLCC using the elevated walkway. I was back at Suria where I started just before 4 pm taking the time to browse at Kinokuniya before returning home ...

A quick stop at RuangTaking the MRT from Central Market, heading to Bukit BintangBack to Pavilion and the famous fountainThe World Cup FeverMaking my way back to KLCC using the walkwayMore World Cup shenanigans Now that was a full day. Plenty to snap but it would have been better with an early start where the sun was lower and the heat was not as bad ...

Ramadhan Walk

Since I was off for the first day of Ramadhan, I decided to take a ride into time en route to pick Anita up from Gombak. It allowed me to stop at the bank to settle some bills and took my camera with me.

That famous monorel bridge at NU SentralWaiting for my ride ...Decorations at NU SentralPacking them in ..I just got myself a new lens and was eager to give that a go. Ramadhan and the hot sunshine did not stop me.

One of the many arches near Central MarketMedan PasarStill too early for Aidil FitriWalking around Medan Pasar and Central Market at that hour was not really my idea of a photowalk, but there were quite a few subjects to aim at.

The ever-familar KL TowerThe number to call ...Masjid JamekMaking my way backThe new setup I tried - the Leica CL with Summicron-TL 23 - was a dream to use, especially as I usually use a manual setup. Focussing on this combo was fast and usually accurate despite the lens wide open. Contrast may not be as great as the Summilux-M 35 which I normally use, but the convenience of autofocus made up for it. Time to get more mileage on the lens and get use to the renderings ...

Batis-simo!

I decided to go for a dedicated wide-angle lens to go with the full frame setup after trying out the wide-angle Fujinon zoom on my X-pro 2. There were not many choices to go with unless I go for Leica glass and manual focus them. The alternative would be to go with the Zeiss range with auto-focus built in.

I went with the Zeiss and picked up the Batis 18mm. Although the Fuji could go wider, I felt that 18mm was wide enough. It gave me a different perspective, allowing me to capture the scene in its entirety. I could also crop the photos in post, and the 42 MP coming out from my Alpha 7R mark II gave plenty of leeway.

I only managed to take the new setup out for a couple of outings due to my work schedule. But so far I had been impressed. The distortion were definitely there, but it added to the charm of this particular combination. The chromatic aberration was something to watch out for but it could be easily corrected using Aperture later.

I found the snaps to be rich and contrasty. Sometime to get the right frame I had to go uncomfortably close to the subject. But that was just part of the fun!

The Batis lens focussing speed was quick and the photos appeared sharper when I stop it down to f4. That was not an issue when you were outdoors in plenty of light .... Would definitely be posting more of this combination in the future especially in indoors setting, capturing the Raya decorations. Combine this with the a 35mm prime attached to the X-Pro would make a for a great day out ....

#PokokPercuma Pokok Power

I only learned about the event on the afternoon when I was making my way around town. It was my first walk since the end of Ramadan and I was curious to see what was happening.

After finishing my clinic, I soon realised that Anita were away for a wedding and I had to go out for a lunch. A quick search on the net and I learned that in conjunction with the World Population Day - to be honest I did not even know what that was - LabDNA organised an event at Medan Pasar giving away free plants while hosting a small party and sing song.

The event was scheduled to start at 4 pm, running until the evening. I reached there too early and the organiser was still trying to get things sorted out. I decided to sit down for some coffee first before coming for another look. No joy and the sky looked like it was going to rain any minute soon.

I couldn't since I have errands later on the day. To be honest, since I was taking the LRT, I don't think I was able to carry any plants with me this time around. Good idea. But I wished that the publicity would have been more viral. Next year maybe ...

A Hidden Gem

Tucked away along a busy bus stand in town, I found this hidden gem of a stop. This particular Starbucks appeared out of nowhere and with the hustle and bustle of Medan Pasar bus stop at its front, entering this cafe certainly felt like stepping into a different locale from the outside.

As far as the Starbucks chain went, there was nothing special about this branch but the location was something unique. It was located next to Hotel Cosmo - which in itself was a find. It was just 250 m from the Maskid Jamek LRT stop and 100 m away from Medan Pasar. Strategic location when I was out and about with my camera.

When I was there on a Saturday afternoon, there was hardly a crowd. I ordered my drinks and sat myself at one of the corners quietly, I did not see anyone entering for the next 20 minutes. Brightly lit, soothing music at this location certainly worth another visit. Maybe this would be my hub for my street photography from now on ...