Chinese New Year in Penang is not complete without a visit to the historical Kek Lok Si Temple. During this time of the year, the temple is grandly lit up with colourful lanterns and bulbs, welcoming visitors and devotees from near and far.
This shot was taken during the blue hour, just as the sun set and the sky is deep blue in colour. It is also the time when the lights are switched on altogether, eliciting a wave of awe amongst the people in the area.
Kek Lok Si Temple complex is beautiful and majestic by itself in the daytime. And when the lights come on, it turns magical.
The Penang Buddhist Association in Anson Road holds special memories of Chinese New Year. It is here that our family come to pray and welcome in the Chinese New Year annually. These visits are usually made on the night of the eve of the Lunar New Year, after the family reunion dinner.
For this special season, the temple is always lit up with colourful lights and the great chandeliers in the immense prayer hall cast a majestic glow on the various white marble statues of Sakyamuni Buddha and other Boddhisatvas.
The smell of incense and burning candles amidst these joyful lights always bring about a sense of peaceful grandeur - a hope for a prosperous and happy new year, each and every year.
These two dramatic pictures were taken from Signal Hill Observatory Platform right in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. They were shot just about half an hour apart from each other.
For every winter there is a spring, And spring brings forth the warmth of summer, When summer’s gone, autumn reigns supreme, Until it falls again into winter.
Wishing Everyone a Happy and Wholesome Winter Solstice Festival!
Storm clouds hovered threateningly above Kundasang valley as evening waned into night. Rain drops had begun shooting down like pellets from the sky. As the wind picked up speed, I decided to pack my camera equipment and head back to the car.
It was at that moment that suddenly, part of the heavy clouds lifted; revealing a scene of glorious sunset and rolling white clouds beyond the mountain range in the west. This temporary break in the sky was indeed a gift, and I quickly recomposed the frame and took the final shot of the day.
In this photograph, the dilapidated shed in the foreground serves as a counterpoint for the heavenly revelation in the sky above. If you keep your ears peeled and listen carefully, you might even hear the conversation between the two elements of earth and heaven in this picture.
"All'alba Vincerò - At dawn, I shall be victorious!"
Nessun Dorma is the famous aria from Puccini's oriental opera Turandot - a love story between Prince Calaf (the Unknown Prince) and Princess Turandot, a vengeful princess who vows to execute any suitors who cannot answer her riddles.
In this opera, Prince Calaf manages to answer all of Turandot's three riddles and in turn, asks Turandot to answer one riddle of his own - "What is my name?". If Turandot can find out his name by dawn, Calaf promises to go away, never to return again. If not, he will then claim the prize of answering her three riddles, and that is her hand in marriage.
Turandot immediately forbids anyone in China from sleeping that night, ordering them to find out the true identity of the Unknown Prince.
In this aria, Prince Calaf rejoices in his victory, and looks forward to dawn, as he is confident that no one in the realm knows who he is.
Nessun Dorma (Italian)
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Tu pure, o Principessa Nella tua fredda stanza Guardi le stelle che tremano D'amore e di speranza! Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me Il nome mio nessun saprà! No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò Quando la luce splenderà! Ed il mio bacio scioglierà Il silenzio che ti fa mia! ll nome suo nessun saprà E noi dovrem, ahimè! Morir! Morir! Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle! Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò! Vincerò! Vincerò! English Translation None shall sleep, None shall sleep! Even you, oh Princess, In your cold room, Watch the stars, That tremble with love And with hope. But my secret is hidden within me, My name no one shall know, No... no... On your mouth, I will tell it, When the light shines. And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine! (No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.) Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars! At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!
Sunrise comes very early in Sabah. At 5:30am the first orange glow lines the horizon, and by 6:30am, it is as bright as day. By waking up at 5:20am, I had to forgo my morning wake-up rituals, and rushed out from the chalet to photograph this grandiose moment. Getting to the spot was a mini adventure by itself, as I had to walk through a gravelled path, underneath gigantic water tanks and perched my camera at the edge of the structure.
The abandoned bench serves as an anchor to the composition and the softly illuminated tall grass along the fence, lead the eyes to the sunrise beyond. Dream World is the most suitable title for this photograph, as it portrays a dream-like scene and also, aptly, it is the name of this hill resort.
