My Best Photographic Experience in 2012

To begin with this is not a set of my best photographs of 2012 but it is among a few collections of my photographic experience this year. If you have been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a photographer working with the government of Malaysia and photography also happens to be my hobby. Why I’m saying this because sometimes, working photographers have other hobbies as well and not necessarily related to photography, I know some photographers who like cycling, fishing and riding a big bike during their free times but for me, it’s always about photography especially traveling.

Due to limited available of times, I cannot put everything here and almost impossible for me to write everything about my experience here, I travel a lot this year and maybe I can say this is my traveling year, I’ve been to Kuching Sarawak for official visit, Kota Kinabalu and Lahad Datu Sabah also for official photographic assignment, traveling to New Delhi India, Kashmir, Agra, then travel to Istanbul Turkey, official assignment in Tokyo Japan and last but not least is my photographic adventure in Langtang Valley Nepal on November this year. I will share some of the photographs below. It’s not my best but nevertheless among my best experience.

Last February I went to India with my friend Azman Jumat, actually it was a last minute decision, I did not plan this trips in advance, it is because I jut can’t resist the temptation of low fare that I got from AirAsia, the ticket price was so great, so we decided to get the tickets and since two of us have already been to New Delhi before in 2010, we decided to visit Kashmir.

We heard a lot of bad stories about Kashmir and after doing some research, I think that Kashmir is not really a dangerous place as most people think about, yes there are some conflicts there, but most of the times, they are quite safe. Travel agency still offers Kashmir experience, so I think it is safe for us to pay a visit and we end up staying in Kashmir for one week.

After spending one week in Kashmir, we flew back to New Delhi and took a train the following day to Agra India, we decided to visit Taj Mahal for a second times, yes we have been to Taj Mahal once in June 2010, but then it was very hot, we felt so uncomfortable then, so this time around the weather was very good, we spend quite a bit of times inside the Taj Mahal until closing times, that’s how I get this beautiful sunset picture if Taj Mahal. Very few people inside because most of them already went back to their home or hotels.

Back from Kashmir, I took my family for a short break to Cameron Highlands, it is the smallest district in the state of Pahang which is located in the north-western corner of the state. One of the wonders of Malaysia, it is the largest and most famous hill resort in the country. This highland paradise still retains much of the charm of an English village. Cameron Highlands is also the leading producer of flowers and tea in Malaysia, that’s why we spend a lot of time taking family photographs at the tea plantations.

April this year I went to Istanbul with three other friends, this is my second visit to Istanbul since 2009. This time I came for pure photographic experience, unlike in 2009 which is for official assignment for the government of Malaysia. We spend almost ten days in Istanbul, actually we have other plans to visit some other part or Turkey like Cappadocia, Konya and Bursa but the weather in Istanbul at that time wasn’t very good. Sometimes it rains the whole day and on the other day, the sun shine brightly, since the weather was really unpredictable, we decided to concentrate in Istanbul to really enjoy this city. Istanbul never fail to impress me.

July this year, I’ve an opportunity to visit Sarawak for an official assignment covering President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, official visit to Sarawak. The photograph above were taken during his visit to Annah Rais Longhouse in Padawan Sarawak.

August this year we celebrate Eid al-Fitr at my wife hometown in Kuala Penyu Sabah, I didn’t take lots of photographs then, we were quite busy visiting friends and relative and hardly have truly photographic experience for ourselves. The photographs above were taken at the beach not very far from my wife house, less than ten minutes by car, yes it was very close but then, we hardly have lots of times visiting this lovely beach.

October this year, I was given an official assignment to cover The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Malaysia’s King) Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah Official State Visit to Japan.

Japan always intriguing me, it has been said that Tokyo is one of the safest cities in the world, and not to forget, it is also among the cleanest cities in the world. I’m lucky enough and felt honored to be given this opportunity to cover this historical event between Malaysia and Japan.

Trip to Japan is not a personal photographic adventure because I’m on assignment, a very-very important assignment, I cannot fools around, I’ve to concentrate at the task at hand and I really don’t have much of a time on my own, but nevertheless I still manage to get out for awhile from my busy schedule to pay a visit at Asakusa and spending few minutes and dollars at Akihabara. Yes Tokyo is very clean city, the public transport is great and the people is friendly, I cannot say more because I really don’t have much times exploring this beautiful city and before I leave Tokyo, I’ve already made a plan too visit Japan once again.

Nepal has always mesmerized me, I’ve always wanted to visit Nepal especially the Himalaya, I don’t know why but I’ve always attracted to mountain view and which is a better place in the world to experience the mountain view than Nepal. Yes I know we have Alps in Europe and The Andes in South America but Nepal has Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, actually there is more about the mountain that interest me, it’s the people living on the mountain.

On this trip, I really don’t have much time exploring the many villages along the Himalaya because I was quite busy concentrating on trekking the Langtang Valley Trek with my friends, there were six of us on this trip and I’ve to say that this is among the best photographic experience since my last trip to Rajasthan India in 2010.

I really enjoy this trip so much, now I know what’s traveling is all about, it is not the destination that matter, it’s the journey and talking about the journey, it’s a great journey.

As you can see from some of my photographs here, it is not a collection of my best picture taken in 2012 but it is about my best photographic experience in 2012. The photographs is just a form of a visual documentation of my journey, even though I didn’t get the best picture I’m hoping for but one thing for sure, I will treasure this memory, I will treasure this experience for the rest of my life.

Photography for me is not about how you can get the best picture, it is not about getting that award winning shot, it is not about impressing your friends, it is not about getting thousand “Likes” from your Faceboook friends, it is a visual documentary of our life, how we see life through our very own eyes and how we wanted it to be shared together. Sometimes we need to forget about all the photographic rules, let’s take pictures from an innocent eye, see the world in it’s glory and beauty, share it with as many people as you can, make this world a better place to live through photography.

Don’t feel bad if you didn’t get the best photograph in your life, instead, cherished every moment, cherished every experience that you have gone through to get the photograph, sit back, relax and enjoy every second of it.

My Best Photographic Experience in 2012

Wazari Wazir

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Wazari Wazir

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