POV:iPad & Photography Redux

The New York Times reports that Apple announced it had sold one million units of its iPads as of Friday last week, and that demand outstrips supply. Apple also said there were now 5,000 iPad-specific apps available for the device.

Macworld also published a first look review at Apple's $29 iPad Camera Connection Kit, which confirms that the device can upload and store RAW images (nef and cr2) but there isn't a way to edit these images as yet. The iPad generates JPEG versions of these files, and it's these that iPad users can email, create sideshows with, and edit with 3rd party applications.

I am not convinced this device is an accessory can serve photographers in its current iteration. Some photographers (mostly studio) perhaps will use it as a viewer during photo shoots, and wedding photographers are thinking of buying them instead of wedding albums to send to their clients...while others will use it instead of portfolio books to showcase their work to important clients.

Other than that, the bottom line is let's wait and see....there's no just meat on these bones for me.

Jonathan Maher: Venice

Photo © Jonathan Maher-All Rights Reserved
It's not often that I feature European travel photography, so I thought I'd break the mold today by featuring the work of Jonathan Maher on Venice and its Carnival.

I've not been to Venice during Carnival yet, but know a number of photographers who've been and returned with splendid work. I visited Venice a few years ago, ill prepared for its acqua alta season, and still recall walking in soggy shoes.

Jonathan Maher is an English travel photographer currently based in Italy. His work is principally based around travel and documentary projects and themes. His biography describes his style as being "reductive" or narrowing the frame down to the critical and essential components.

Aside his work in Venice, Jonathan has travel galleries of Namibia, India, France, Italy and Asia.

Giulio di Sturco: Dreaming Fashion

I've been meaning to feature Giulio di Sturco's photography for a while now, and recently revisited his website, to which he added a number of galleries.

One of those consists of his work during Indian Fashion Week in New Delhi, and is titled Dreaming Fashion.

You may wonder what I chose to feature this gallery on what is essentially a travel photography blog.

My rationale is multi-faceted: this gallery of edgy fashion and striking models underscores the enormous strides made by India in becoming an Asian economic powerhouse with a new growing middle class and modernizing cities, but also emphasizes the growing wealth disparity between its haves and have-nots.

Another reason is Giulio's photographic style. His blurry photographs impart both a dreamy look and one that suggests motion and energy.

The third reason is the pretty models...always a magnet.

Giulio's work also includes more sobering work. His galleries of photographs of the Ganges' pollution, the misery of Bihar residents after a flood and violence in Kashmir provide a reality check, and a reminder that not all is rosy in India.

Giulio di Sturco is an award-winning Italian photographer working between Milan and New Delhi. He studied photography at the European Institute of Design and Visual Arts in Rome, and was published in D (La Repubblica delle Donne), Internazionale, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Anna, Amica, Geo, L'Espresso and others.

Mui Seng Nyonya Curry Fish Head at Melodies Garden, Johor Bahru

This is One of the Curry Fish Head I'm hunting for more than a decade! Their shop was at the middle of Jalan Molek 3, Taman Molek, Johor Bahru during year 1997. After they had swift...I couldn't find it anymore UNTIL...today! Why I need to find it so desperately? Because, I love the Flavorful Nyonya Curry Fish Head, that simple!

Mui Seng Curry Fish Head (N1 29.456 E103 45.737) is located at inner ring street of Melodies Garden of Johor Bahru. I couldn't get the street name correctly because there was No signage at all...(please refer to the map below)
It was found by one of my friend who was also the fan of the Curry Fish Head. So, we went to the long lost stall without a second thought!

The signage rather small if you pass by that street

The shop environment is hot, and not spacious! I monitored the customers were coming in non-stop, and it filled up the place in just a minutes....We were waiting for about 10 minutes to get our table.

Our order below :-

1)  Nyonya Curry Fish Tail (Signature dish) (instead of head, we try on the tail)

2)  Curry Pork Ribs (Signature dish)

3)  Braised Pork Belly cook with vegetables

4)  Salted fish Bean Sprout

Nyonya Curry Fish Tail serve in claypot

Curry Pork ribs serve in claypot

Pork belly with vege

We were very satisfied with the food. Especially after hunting for more than a decade! Haha! The Nyonya Curry Fish Tail taste same as those day we had it before! Great! Same as the delicious hot & spicy curry pork ribs! The tender pork belly was also tasty enough! We had a heavy lunch that day. :)

The damage was MYR76.00 (included drinks) for 4 adults. It was reasonable price.

Mui Seng Nyonya Curry Fish Head

61, Jalan Beringin,

Taman Melodies,

Johor Bahru.

Tel : +60-16-7001527
Business hour : 11am - 3pm

* Photos taken by Nokia E71

Location map of Mui Seng Curry Fish Head

View Larger Map

One Shot: Kate Holt

Photograph © Kate Holt-All Rights Reserved
I'm severely pressed for time, so this post will unfortunately be short in prose but hopefully not in substance.

I just thought to showcase this magnificent photograph by Kate Holt of an Afghan woman holding a malnourished infant at a therapeutic feeding center in Kandahar.

Kate is a news and features photographer, covering events throughout Africa and Afghanistan.

PS. Being tall, I'm quite fond of environmental photographs of that type, which tell a story from "above". Many photojournalists/photographers seem to prefer frontal views for obvious reasons, but in this case where faces are covered, Kate's choice of vantage point is just perfect.

Johor Bahru Night View from Sky Lounge, Grand Paragon Hotel - Johor Bahru

When I started to shot, the sky still bright and just about getting dark...So I have to snap as many as possible before everywhere lights up!

South west from Sky Lounge, this is Jalan Tebrau and the white building on the left is Crystal Crown Hotel of Johor Bahru.

The pink building is Pelangi Plaza. And the Busy junction is between Jalan Tebrau, Jalan Kuning and Jalan Harimau.

The South East of Sky Lounge. Where you can see Selesa Hotel and City Plaza. Johor Straits is at the back and Singapore is behind the Straits.

Zoom in view...where Sembawang of Singapore is behind the Johor Straits.

Time run fast and the buildings and vehicles are lights up partially...

The traffic was heavy on that Saturday evening at Jalan Tebrau.

Very soon, all cars were lights up! And Pelangi Plaza too!

The traffic condition still bad...

Same as Sembawang, Singapore.

Look at the traffic congested at the junction above and Jalan Tebrau below...

Jalan Abiad in the middle and Jalan Serampang on the left. At the end of the road is Leisure Mall of Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru.

All the photos above were taken (without tripod) from the outdoor balcony of Sky Lounge - Grand Paragon Hotel, Johor Bahru. I was standing there for more than 2 hours! Just cannot resist the beautiful Johor Bahru night view! Till that I heard someone calling from the lounge inside : "Hello friend!! Your beer getting Warm!" Haha! I had to step in the lounge to entertain my clients and also myself....I almost forgot it was actually my company Annual Dinner!

I will Definitely back again to shoot the Beautiful view of Johor Bahru! I will bring my tripod next time. Wanna join me?? :)

Bruno Barbey: Shanghai World Expo

Not entirely travel photography related but Magnum In Motion is featuring an audio slideshow of Bruno Barbey's photographs of the construction of Shanghai's World Expo construction site and parts of its old city.

Shanghai saw the opening of the 2010 World Expo today, starting an event to herald the Chinese financial hub's return as a major world city after the spartan industrialism following the 1949 communist revolution.

According to the news reports here in the UK, no expense was spared and like the 2008 Olympics, the World Expo will showcase China's immense economic and geopolitical importance; almost bragging its power and influence.

I haven't been to Shanghai yet, but it's quite obvious the degree by which China has developed, and is continuing to develop its main cities. It's in stark contrast with the crumbling infrastructure of many large cities in the United States.

China is spending over $4.0 billion on the Expo itself, and many billions more on other improvements for this city of 20 million people. While in the United States, we are faced with economic difficulties caused by the mismanagement of the Bush Administration, the spectacle of hypocritical Tea Baggers and a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

It's depressing.