I am a fotogelafer | Malaysia | Singapore | Hong Kong | Thailand: 21.06.2009 - "Take a Picture for Conservation" Photo Competition

About the Fotogelafer

Welcome to Fotogelafer.com. I am Wan Cheng Huat AKA the Fotogelafer. Here is a short write up about how photography came into my life.

All my life, I can say that I have always been attuned with art. When I was much younger, I loved to draw. How did I know that? Well, I never could stop picking up a pen or a pencil to start imprinting what I saw. Drawing became a part of my life. As years pass me by, I soon realized that my ‘addiction’ actually soothes me, my feelings, my emotions and most of all my soul.

When I turned 16, I decided to join my school’s photography club and loved it almost instantly. Photography, in many ways, was and still is similar with drawing; instead of capturing images with my pen or pencil, I am now able to capture them with my camera.

I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm and learnt all I could from wherever I could. I remember reading through all the Reader's Digest I could get to obtain photography tips which were usually the advertisements of Kodak or Canon or Fujifilm. At that time, it was my only source where I could learn about shutter speed, aperture settings and how to play around to get my intended effects. Even now, after over 10 years, I still keep those files which still have those Reader's Digest pages.

I could remember the moment when I first picked up a camera; I knew that there was no turning back. Cameras and films were my new tools to express my new found identity.

But as time pass, technology became more advance and soon enough photography became digital. Only after 10 years, I finally abandon film photography; as it became more and more expensive and obsolete. However, I will cherish all those negatives which are now lying in my dry box. Nothing can replace them.

Enjoy my photographs.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

21.06.2009 - "Take a Picture for Conservation" Photo Competition

Today, Yik Hoe, his wife (Lee Ping) and me took some time off from the busy city life and made our way to Kota Damansara Community Forest to show our support to the Tree Party 2009 event organised by Wild Asia.Net. Our main reason there was actually to enter the "Take a Picture for Conservation" photo competition :) There were 2 themes for the competition; Nature and Candid Moments. Well we entered both.

We left Bandar Sunway slightly over 8.20am but unfortunately got held back by a police road block. Apparently at this very morning, there was cycling race in front of us and the police were stopping the traffic on the highway to make way for the cyclists. Well, there goes our breakfast time.

Lucky of us to get a 'police escort' all the way to Damansara. Now I really know how it feels like to have a police escort :D So cool.

Finally, we reach Kota Damansara Community slightly past 9.00am. The place was quite hard to find as the map on the Wild Asia.Net website was not really accurate. Anyway, we were there on time.

We registered and paid our entrance fees. RM30 for a good cause. A small price to pay to help create awareness on the environment.

After registration, I had a little chat with Adrian, of Malaysian Youth Climate Justice Network (MyCJN). Good to hear that more and more youth are getting more aware with the impending situation which we will have to endure in the future if we do not do anything now. Change has to happen and it has to start now. Adrian mentioned about Climate Refugee Camps. Quite an interesting perspective to ponder on. Imagine hundreds of millions of refugees flocking to our country not because of war but because of the menacing environmental changes caused by uncontrolled and unmonitored human activities.

As much as I like to continue the conversation, I had to make my way to start snapping away.

So enjoy the shots I took.

Tree Party 2009 activities. Planting plants and partying? No idea how it will mix, even though I am a conservationist by degree, I have never come across this approach.

To some, a hole in a ground is association with death or remorse, in this case, its about giving life and hope.

Look our hands are dirty :D Proves that we were working HARD.

Pink Doing Green.

Shots of kids trekking in the jungle. The trek was not really a tough one, just nice for the kids to have a good dose of environmental education while sweating it out and enjoying the fresh air. It was nice to be with nature again. I miss those days in Danum Valley, Lahad Datu, Sabah. Brings back good memories.