Netting Shrimps Photo

Photographer’s Note

Belacan
A Malay-Indonesian sauce made with dried shrimp paste and chili pepper Belacan, a Malay variety of shrimp paste, is prepared from fresh tiny shrimp of a species known as geragau in Malay. These are mashed into a paste and buried for several months. The fermented shrimp are then dug up, fried and hard-pressed into cakes.
Netting shrimps
The fisherman is neeting a special shrimps to be used for making belacan or shrimp paste. The shrimps are very small.
Belacan is used as an ingredient in many dishes, or eaten on its own with rice. A common preparation is sambal belacan, made by mixing toasted belacan with chilli peppers, minced garlic, shallot paste and sugar and then fried.

Shrimp paste or shrimp sauce, is a common ingredient used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisine. It is known as terasi (also spelled trassi, terasie) in Indonesian, Ngapi in Burmese kapi (กะปิ) in Thai, Khmer and Lao language, belacan (also spelled belachan, blachang) in Malay, mắm tôm in Vietnamese, bagoong alamang (also known as bagoong aramang) in Filipino and hom ha/hae ko (POJ: hê-ko) in Min Nan Chinese.The Cantonese pronounciation is ha go.

It is made from fermented ground shrimp, sun dried and then cut into fist-sized rectangular blocks. It is not designed, nor customarily used for immediate consumption and has to be fully cooked prior to consumption since it is raw. To many Westerners unfamiliar with this condiment, the smell can be extremely repulsive; however, it is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. Shrimp paste can be found in most meals in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is often an ingredient in dipping sauce for fish or vegetables.

pablominto, leo61, phwall, feather, Charo, jusninasirun, daddo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pablominto (40402) 2009-03-16 6:11

Hello Foozi,

This is a pleasant composition, where the afternoon atmosphere is well conveyed!
Interesting method with some similarities to small scale shrimp fishing over here, different kind of nets though...
The shades of blue gives a fine mood to the scene!

Greetings,
Pablo -

trekks (14262) 2009-03-16 10:19

hi Foozi

This is very well balanced composition of the fishing boat and a good exposure to show the blue theme. The silhouette of the boat is well placed and really a superb shot.

tfs, bill

leo61 (43219) 2009-03-16 12:29

Hi Foozy!
I like the blue tones and the fisherman`s sillhouette.Good POV.
Interesting note,too.
I like shrimp paste,but not the smell and I use only small amounts.
Regards,Leo

berek (28849) 2009-03-16 14:23

Hi Foozi,
what a wonderful blueness and calm atmosphere here . I like your framing and idea. have a nice week.
Burak

phwall (5532) 2009-03-16 17:49

Hi Foozi,
What would Asian food be without shrimp paste, like Italian food without garlic I'm thinking.
Good shot, the elements are well collected, the fisherman and his boat in silhouette against the blue water makes an interesting image. Just a thought regarding composition, I think I'd have rather you'd panned a little more to the right to see the net and some open water in front of the net to give the impression he is moving forwards. This would have also moved the boat to the left of frame so that it is not so central in the image.
Anyway, just a thought, a fine capture my friend, excellent sharp detail and lovely colour tones.
Warm wishes
Peter

feather (49858) 2009-03-17 7:58

Taken into the sun I guess so the fisherman and his boat are in silhouette. I like the mood that creates and the blue and black limited colour palette works well.
Kath

Charo (31665) 2009-03-17 16:32

Hello Foozi,
Superb scene in shades of blue this fisherman in the solitude of his work.
Excellent composition and details.
Best regards,
Charo

marietom (31796) 2009-03-20 14:32

hello Foozi,

Jolie, cette image avec cette belle silhouette sur ce bateau. J'aime beaucoup ce bleu.
Bonne soirée
Marie

Waylim (10741) 2009-03-20 21:40

Foozi,
There are something very attractive about fisherman that we love to photograph them. Love the overall blue tone, give it that cool and refreshing feel to the atmosphere. the silhouette contrast very well againt water background. Good choice of cropping and well composed. Very nice. Thanks
Way

jusninasirun (10150) 2009-04-15 8:22

Salam Foozi,

Good documentary about the belacan. The image is so well framed with the blue net striking out of the frame. Nicely done in wide frame view.

TFS and best regards,
Jusni

daddo (11279) 2009-04-24 4:36

Selamat datang Foozi. I like the flavour of belacan and especially with kangkung.Nice image with the elongated format. Lovely colours and light.Regards. Klaudio. Malaysia, here I come.