Taken on vacation trips
This post is inspired by the wonderful series on lighthouses by my former guestblogger, James Jordan at Points Of Light.
The lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin, Augusta, Western Australia, is situated on the most south-westerly tip of Australia where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet. This famous landmark is over 100 years old and remains an important working lightstation. I had the opportunity to visit during my trip to Western Australia in November 2003.
The pictures I take sometimes stir up retrospective curiousity about the subjects I have taken. Luckily, I usually manage to dig up enough information on the Internet to satisfy the curious streak in me 😛
This was taken in Bangkok during my trip there last month… When I took the picture, it was nothing more than a study of contrast, lighting and architecture to me. Searching on the Internet though, I am made aware that the picture I have taken is that of a Wind God, or Phra Phai residing in one of the four Prangs (Khmer-style tower) that surrounds the central 79-meter high pagoda (Phra Prang) of Wat Arun. Wat Arun, or the Temple of Dawn, is a 17th-century Siamese temple named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna. The Phra Prang is decorated with a mosaic of multi-colored Chinese porcelain and is symbollic of Mount Meru, the home of the gods in Buddhist mythology. The temple served as a royal temple and palace during the reign of King Taksin (1733-1782 AD). It is currently one of the most well-known landmarks of Bangkok visited frequently by tourists.
I have always regarded Australia as a paradise of sorts when it comes to photography. Both my trips to Sydney and Western Australia in 2003 were fruitful ones. It saddens me to read about the racial troubles Sydney has been experiencing of late. My wish for the people of Sydney is that everything will return to peace as soon as possible during the upcoming holiday season.
The above picture is also a tribute to my most favourite P&S digital camera. My Canon Powershot G3 has been key to my continuing interest in photography right from the day I bought it in December 2003. Not only has it taught me the basics of photography, but has expanded my horizons by allowing me to experiment creatively (without incurring the costs of film processing). Although I have moved on to using digital SLRs since, I have been always adamant about not selling my G3 away. The G3 has travelled with me to Australia, the UK as well as Hong Kong, recording memories that I will always treasure.
A year ago, the camera started showing its age when the 4-way directional controller button began to give problems with intermittent contact issues. Then, just 2 months ago, the camera finally went into retirement — images were overexposed persistently despite correctly metered settings. The assessment by the Canon service centre: a faulty “video unit”. The cost of repairs: S$300+ (approximately US$200). Given that I can almost buy half a decent, modern P&S camera for that amount of money, I decided against repairing it. The camera now sits in the cabinet as a “collector’s item”, and as a reminder of the many memories that it helped to preserve. They may come a time when I might buy a new P&S camera, but none of which will replace the sentiments that I will always treasure about my G3… R.I.P.
My Canon Powershot G3 (Dec 2003 to Oct 2005)