What Lies Beneath a Photograph

Beautiful Flowers by Daniella Tjahjanto

By Lu

Photography has always been something dear to my heart; yet, I have never fully embraced it. It is one of the strangest things for me. I can say with conviction that I am passionate about food. I can say with no doubt that I love traveling the world. One thing that binds food and travel has been photography. That is what I like to do with food and when I travel. Yet, I can't say that I have put all my heart and mind into photography though it is a huge part of who I am.

I remember vivid memory going on my first trip to Europe with my grandma; and, my uncle let me borrow his Minolta film SLR camera. I had a ball with the camera and took so many pictures. Later on in life, I spent years working with photography - taking pictures, doing editing, and various other media tasks. One of my favorite jobs ever was when I had to take pictures of food and create presentations for the company I worked for. It was so much fun! Yet, I realized I love the cooking, the styling of the food, and editing more, than actually taking the pictures. I just didn't have the confidence in my photography skills. However, when I took a beautiful picture, I could just stare at it for hours with such satisfaction.

I have been staying away from photography several years now. I have gotten by using a pocket camera and my Blackberry camera. Yes, it is kind of sad that many of pictures I took for this blog were taken with a phone camera. I can say I am a whiz at Photoshop. Then, I realized... Perfecting my photography skills would be one goal I should achieve this year. I want to improve on the quality of my pictures - if it's not for the blog, it is also for me.

So, I have invested in a new camera. It was such an ordeal in deciding what camera to get. It was not easy to find a camera that has everything you want, fits your needs, and within your budget. No such  thing like a perfect camera as no such thing as a perfect man (or woman). After weeks of researching, I finally found my baby.

I didn't realize that I wanted to improve my photos here just because I had a eureka moment one day. In fact, I was looking at my friend Peggy's picture on Facebook - it was a cup of coffee, and it looked so good. Then, it dawned on me - my pictures sucked.

My Rock Star Friend, Baim

There are so many things I hate about the social networking sites; but, one thing I am grateful of is that I get to learn and be inspired by so many people even those who are far away from me. Because of Facebook, I was able to reunite with so many of my childhood friends. Last November, I was able to see so many of them. I promise my oldest friend whom I knew since kindergarten that I would write about him here. My friend, Ibrahim Imran, better known as Baim, is a very successful musician and actor back home in Indonesia. He's also an accomplished photographer through his Miharbi Photography. We had a blast taking pictures at the reunion. The funny part also was he just knew when to pose and which camera to look to when he was the object. Talking about a professional!

I am so grateful to be able to preserve friendships with so many of my childhood friends. Each of them means to me in a different way. They keep me young and laughing! However, one thing I realized - girlfriends are exceptional. Not only you can share stories, gossips, and had fun together; but, they can also share your sadness and be there for you when you need them.

They can also inspire you.

There are three girlfriends of my childhood in particular that I would like to showcase on this post. They are terrific photographers and they inspire me every day. Opening up Facebook every morning and see new pictures from Daniella is just pure joy. I'd like to show you how these women inspired me. It has been years since we saw each other; however, it is stellar that through photographs we bonded again!

Audrey Widyanata

Audrey and her Nikon

I was so happy to see Audrey in November of last year. It was so much fun to see her and rekindled our friendship. We have been talking back and forth a lot about photography, blogging, as well as life in general. She's such a kind person and she even shared a prayer with me to hope for a better future tomorrow. We promised we will pray for each other.

I was really impressed with the photographs she took at concerts. She's a big Jazz buff so she goes to many Jazz concerts. I thought it had to be really hard being in a low light situation and trying to capture a moving object! Yikes. Check these out!

 

 

This is Audrey in her own words: "Since I was a kid, I admire photographers because it seemed so cool to be able to capture pictures and create a great artwork out of it.  But I knew that it was just beyond my league since I thought photography would be so expensive and looked so complicated.
 
When the era of digital camera began, photography became more affordable to me, especially at this time, I've had a job and my own savings. I bought my first camera about 7 years ago. It was a Sony DSC-P8,  pocket camera with 3.2 mega pixels.  I really had lot of fun with it. Instantly, it became my new hobby. I loved to snap a picture of everything I saw, and I learned just by constantly taking pictures. Surprisingly, I got a lot of compliments on my pictures.  I was so pleased to hear it, and it motivated me even more to take better and better pictures. For sure it was also a reason for me to upgrade my camera again and again.

I bought my first DSLR last year and really fell in love with it. I love this camera and I can express my passion through it.  Last year was also the time when I thought a lot about myself, my career and what I really wanted to be.  So, after careful thought, I decided to take my hobby in photography seriously and would love to evolve it into a professional career.  I am currently taking private lesson in NV Akademie Jakarta to enhance my knowledge in photography art & technique while at the same time pursuing my career in photography as a freelancer."

Well, I hope Audrey's aspiration become a reality. Check out her photography blog here: http://audreywidyanata.wordpress.com/

Daniella Tjahjanto

Pretty Mommy- Daniella

I was totally bummed that I didn't get to see Daniella when I went home last year. We found each other on Facebook a couple years back and it has been fun to see all her pictures every day. I remember her as a tomboy in grade school with long legs. She grew up to be this beautiful lady with so much grace and charm.

One can only envy looking at her gorgeous family and the fun they seem to be having every day! She talked to me through my hardship last year losing someone I loved, and she is always willing to lend a hand even though she's so busy dealing with her four children (plus a niece on loan!).

When I asked her if I could showcase her work on my blog, she was so humble about it. She told me she didn't even consider herself as a photographer. In her mind - she was just a mom having a blast taking pictures as a hobby. She just didn't completely realize that she's absolutely fantastic at it. How lucky her four daughters to have all their childhood memories captured so beautifully by their mom? It's like in a movie - when a person looking back and opening a photograph box and looking at old pictures. I can't imagine how wonderful it would be for Daniella's daughters and grandchildren to have her so diligently preserving each moment of their lives in the most captivating way. Plus, she's also teaching them on the art of photography. Some of these pictures are taken by her young daughters! Now, that's amazing!

 

Daniella's photographs are also so stylized. I couldn't imagine the preparation she had to take care of for each photograph - from the wardrobes, color, accessories, props, etc. Plus, I love how her children are so in-tuned with their mom and they co-operated! Can you imagine the bond that she forged with her daughters? I have 2 sisters myself and I love the bond that my sisters and I share with our mom. There's nothing like a mom-daughters bond.

I think any women or men lucky enough to have time to be at home with their children should take up photography as a hobby. Daniella told me she started like most photographers with a simple point and shoot camera. Now, she is using professional photography equipment and still refuse to call herself a pro. However, what a fantastic hobby and skills to obtain. Children grow so fast. Day is gone  by a blink of an eye. Memory fades. Photographs, like Daniella said,  are "Moments that capture." It captures love, friendship, events, and it is something you can share for years and years to come.

Peggy Muliadi

Peggy, The Pro

I haven't seen Peggy in years. Yet, I still remember things we've done when we were kids. I played at her house many times and I admired her mom's sink that looked like a giant clam shell. I also thought her loft-like bedroom with her mattress laid on the floor without a bed frame was so cool. I hated my bunk bed after playing in Peggy's bedroom.

She lives in Auckland, New Zealand now and what landscape she has to work with! I admire her pictures I saw on Facebook. It was one of the reasons that I wanted to improve mine. I depended on editing photos in post-production a lot because I always had to deal with a mediocre camera. No more. I know I didn't buy a top of the line Leica or Hasselblad, but it will be so much better than Blackberry phone camera. Though I do love to manipulate pictures; I would like to be able to just take a good photo and not mess with it. I am taking lesson from Peggy.

Here's what Peggy had to say: "My first love is street photography and photojournalism. When I shoot, I try to be "in" the shot without getting in the way. I don't want the viewer to merely see what I see. I want them to feel, to relate to, to smell, to be in scene of what I shot. That empathy and emotional connection is important to me. I don't know if it makes any sense. For example, on this photo below, I want the viewer to feel how tough and tired the tukang becak (rickshaw man) is and how he has to competes with the car and motorbikes. 

Tukang Becak (Rickshaw Man)

I want them to smell the coffee and the old books in that Bondi second hand bookshop. I want people to feel like you're sitting opposite the rails and see those 2 girls in the party mode, the guys reading papers and waiting for the train to go home, feel the "TGIF" atmosphere. If I can be the "invisible agent" that stand between the object and the viewer, then I'd consider it to be a successful shot in capturing and putting the message across. 

Bondi Second-hand Book Store

Freedom, honesty and truth are important to me. That's probably why street and photojournalism suit me. I respect the freedom of the subject of my photos to do whatever they want to do, whatever they want to portray, whatever story they want to say. I do not want to betray the trust that's given to me by portraying something untrue and stray from the truth.

I don't like "staged" and edited photos. I rely on natural and on site lighting. I don't even own an external flash :p  The most editing I'd do is to desaturate a photo into black and white or sephia and stamp a watermark. Although, in saying that I don't like "staged" photography, every now and then I do product photos. But even when I do, I don't do post editing. In fact, perhaps I should improve on my Photoshop skill. It's pretty minimal. 

Window Cleaners

Why street and photojournalism? It is because they constantly provide me with the challenge I need. As it is unstaged, it is very unlikely you will get a second chance in shooting what you see and feel in front of you. When I go photo hunting, you'll see the camera in my hand all the time, ready to shoot. You only have a split second to decide and shoot. You can't turn back the clock. You cannot ask someone to laugh the same way again. The emotion will be different. The sound will be different.

The best part of street photography is, it is full of surprises. On that Glebe photo, the can of spray paint is what attract my attention in the first place. But just as I shot, I noticed my friend walked out of the shed. I could wait for her to clear, but I decided to snap and just take that shot. I also took a shot without her in it, but this one is more interesting. By the way, she has given me the permission for you to publish it if you want. 

Glebe

When I was sitting on the opposite site of the rail in that Circular Quay station, I had no idea that the party goers would walk into my view finder. Again, I could wait until they finish and took the shot without them. But they add more emotion to the shot. I guess the unpredictability of street and photojournalism that keeps me hooked."

Circular Quay

If you would like to see more of Peggy's work, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/93401263@N00

Hope you enjoy my friends' photographs as much as I do. Thank you girls for opening up your life and sharing your beautiful photographs. I admire your work as much as I admire you as a person. As for me, I am committed to be better at photography and to showcase even better pictures here on Things on my top shelf. I am loving every single minute I spent with my newly arrived Leica V-Lux 2. I am looking forward to capture beautiful memories in photographs and cherish it for the rest of my life.



*All pictures are courtesy of Audrey Widyanata Photography, Daniella Tjahjanto Photography, Peggy Muliadi Photography, and Miharbi Photography. All pictures are used with permission.