MALAYSIANS Update 1

From Diary Notes : 31 July 2007

Alas, since the last post, a lot of meticulous research and captioning had been going on, re-worked, and re-written countless times, and finally I am glad to say that we are there. Ready to sign off to Lee Leong our graphic artist in Kuala Lumpur to do his magic.

Selecting and editing down the portraits have been the hardest task for me, as there are so many other photographs that I would have like to be included. This is going to be a monster of a book, with over 240 portraits and a total of +500 pages, it would certainly weigh like a brick! We would like to thank everyone who helped with the checking of names and captions to date, etc.

We also have our sponsors on-board whom we would like to thank sincerely.

More soon...

Being Gay Friendly

I just received an email from a Wedding site I list with, promoting my photography services, about The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 which came into force on 30 April 2007, and affects ALL wedding businesses. For more info, please visit The Pink Guide.

I summarise the Act as stated in the website :

"These regulations make it unlawful for a person concerned with the provision to the public of goods, facilities or services to discriminate against a person who seeks to use those goods, facilities or services on the grounds of the sexual orientation of that person.''

"Therefore, any difference between the services or goods offered for a marriage or a civil partnership may be in breach of the Regulations and liable to legal action.''

In other words, in my literature on my website or promotional materials, I can no longer use phrases like 'the bride and groom' but instead rephrase with 'the couple' and can no longer just provide services for heterosexual couples or gay couples, and must not discriminate through selective pricing either. I have not photographed a gay wedding yet but I look forward to my first booking soon!

(PS.The above photograph is available to order if anyone is interested!)

Visual Stimulation

As a visual artist, visiting exhibitions and looking at printed works on paper is second to none in terms visual stimulation and gathering a visual vocabulary. I guess its the same for writers, or whatever ones vocation is. Once in awhile, there is an exhibition that catches my attention and is worth mentioning. Tate Britain is currently showing HOW WE ARE : PHOTOGRAPHING BRITAIN

I managed to spend a couple of hours there this week and was surprised by the breadth of material the curators have gathered in this exhibition. I quote their promo blurb :

''The images in this exhibition have come from the length and breadth of the UK, and include well-known oeuvres alongside mesmerising lost masterpieces. As well as famous names – William Henry Fox Talbot, Lewis Carroll, Julia Margaret Cameron, Bill Brandt, Madame Yevonde, Susan Lipper, David Bailey and Tom Hunter among them – the exhibition includes postcards, family albums, medical photographs, propaganda and social documents. It includes work by many women photographers and photographers from different cultural backgrounds who are usually underplayed in the history of British photography.

Ultimately, this is a treasure trove for any one who loves photography, and presents the extraordinary variety, breadth and idiosyncratic nature of one-and-a-half centuries of image making. ''

Its interesting to note that the public can also upload their own images via Flickr to add to the exhibition, a first, I believe using an interactive web-based photo-sharing community as part of a major exhibition.

More to follow..

January in June

Earlier in June, I met January Low by chance at Malaysia Week 2007, held at Covent Garden. She and fellow dancer Revathi was queuing for a spud in-between performances. Malaysia Week was an annual event organised by Tourism Malaysia, Matrade and Kraftangan Malaysia showcasing Malaysian culture, arts and crafts to the British audience.

January was one of the main dancers from the stable of world renown Ramli Ibrahim's dance troupe, Sutra Dance Theatre based in Kuala Lumpur. Just turned 21, she started dancing 14 years ago at the age of 8 under the tutelage of Ramli, in Indian classical dance. In 2003, a was awarded Best Solo Performer in Dance at the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards for her Bharatanatyam solo rendition.

I asked her if she faced resistance in the arts world being Chinese but dancing Indian. She said that was never a problem and on the contrary, it increased public appreciation for the art form and publicity on her as well which is only a good thing.

"I did notice however after my solo debut in 2003, there was an influx of Chinese dancers taking up the art form. Whether I had a part in their decision, I do not know."

January's portrait above will be included in my forthcoming book MALAYSIANS