Thaipusam Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Hey, folks. I’m back with another series of streets event photography. It’s been a year in TE and seem that’s there’s still a long journey to go.

Okay, a brief introduction on the festivity of Thaipusam. Last year, I’ve posted several series of images of the festival, but I’m not going to repeat the images, as like in the 2005 and 2006 Kek Lok Si series.

Thaipusam is one of the grand festivals, celebrated by Hindus of all classes and other races in Malaysia. It’s a colorful celebration of the birthday of Lord Subramaniam, one of the paramount Hindu deities and son of Siva. The intensity of the celebration have built up through out the years, as other races joined in, as well as tourist, taking part, in the celebration of multi-racial.

The festival is celebrated to cleanse of all sins and that devotee’s misdeed can be redeemed in many ways during the festival. Hence, before the actual day, Hindus and Chinese, taking part in the devotion, must prepare themselves by observing a strictly regimented schedule of fasting, dieting and maintaining self-discipline, to “purify them, so that the devotees may go into a trance-like state and transcend pain when carrying out the rituals on the day.

…….intro on the next post…..

Here, at the foot of the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple at Waterfall Road, devotees, Hindus and Chinese, and tourist climbing the stairs leading to the main temple. Devotees, taking part in the devotion, are here seen with carrying pots of milk on their head and are required to continue their climbs to the Temple on barefoot. The climbs is considered quite a fast one, about 15 minutes climb. But on that day, it took devotees hours to reach the temple, as you can see the stretches of heads heading up the temple, at a single step, in a single minute. The hour of this image was taken is about 4.00am early in the morning, where everybody was sound asleep in their dreamland.

You can see the temple shining in the background and the shadows of the devotees walking in single step, heading to the temple. I wanted to follow them, in climbing up the stairs, but with the heavy equipments on my back, I have to restrained myself and have this image taken from one good angle to cover the devotees in the foreground and the temple in the background, and maintaining some visibility of those devotees whom have walked half way through the journey.

External flash (Nikon SB800) was used to lighten up the devotees in the foreground while maintaining a slow speed exposure to include the temple from the far distance visible enough.

Merchanics.
mode : manual
speed value : 1/50s
aperture value : f/6.3
focal length : 24mm
flash : external flash, bounced.

By the way, this is a first anniversary post in TE.

So, folks, enjoy and comments and critics are mostly welcome.

banyanman, shiva_sg, weswang, aloyho, ChrisJ, PixelTerror, thaprem, Flavia, john_c, jhm, aznegrao, rabani has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

banyanman (7739) 2006-03-01 0:50

Hi Eric. Congratulations on your anniversary post. This is an interesting documentary photograph, and exposure is good, but I feel there is something wrong about the composition. There is too much black night in the upper half. I believe you could have improved this by cropping much harder. Please have a look at my workshop and let me know what you think. Cheers . . . David

[workshop] [compare] +

shiva_sg (600) 2006-03-01 0:58

Hi Eric,

The composition is nice, with the devotees in the foreground and bringing in the temple also. Taipusam is very famous in Tamil Nadu. Nice to see so many people celebrating it in Malaysia also. I heard that a big statue of Lord Subramanya has been installed there. Waiting to see pictures of the statue.

aloyho (6109) 2006-03-01 3:27

Hi Eric,
You placed yourself well for a good coverage of the crowd leading to the temple. The slope certainly allows us to see far ahead and the lighting certainly helped to achieve this too. Well done!! Happy anniversary on TE and all good wishes.

ChrisJ (70521) 2006-03-01 3:39

Hi Eric

A dynamic daily life shot with excellent color, lighting, & sharpness. I like the diagonal axis, & vanishing point in the bg darkness.

PixelTerror (87195) 2006-03-01 4:22

Selamat Pagi Eric,
A nice and well presented event that outlines the multicultural society of your country, nice perspective following the colorful crowd all the way up to the temple in the distance, I prefer this large framing to the cropped version, and also appreciate your use of flash to enhance the variety of colors on their clothes.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

thaprem (2500) 2006-03-01 7:33

Eric,
What a Deep understanding of multicultural life in Malaysia we get from this!!
You have been very deep in the analysis & info on the same!!!
The mastry of Flash usage, I have found yours to be great next only to Gaby!.
Cheers,
Prem.

Flavia (10202) 2006-03-01 11:47

Hi Eric,

Hi Eric,

Nice capture of this festivity. I like the perspective of this shot and like the black on the upper part as it gives an ideia of the crowd entering on it, fading on the dark of the night. I did like you had cut the right part on the WS as I found that the guy looking at you was not on the same vibe as the others on the shot. As all your pictures you manage well the light and contrasts.

Cheers,

Flavia

weswang (18223) 2006-03-01 12:54

Hi Eric Lai, This is an impressive scene: all were lined up with their donation items slowly advance to the temple. I like the feeling of the endless line and the light of the temple seems long distance away. A nice capture of the event. Well done.

xavshot (63345) 2006-03-02 13:43

Hello Eric
jolie photo avec une compo qui nous fait suivre ce cortège pour arriver jusque dans la partie sombre. J'aime bien.
amicalement
Xavier

john_c (24635) 2006-03-02 14:29

Hi Eric,
A most inspiring shot, rendered with superb clarity and colour. I like your POV here, with the eye following the curving line of devotees into the frame. The expressions, the drama, the hues and tones, and the black void of the night contrasting, all come together in this warm, dynamic photo. Very well seen and captured,Eric.
John

jhm (83786) 2006-03-03 6:38

Hi Eric,
I have something learn again through your interesting note.
A splendid view on the devotees in the foreground and bringing in the temple also, a dynamic daily life shot, excellent lighting and soft of colours.
Have a nice weekend,
John

aznegrao (10246) 2006-03-04 9:37

Otimo momento dessa captura Eric, muito estetica e informativa. O interessante da fotografia e o momento especial para obter resultados especiais. Parabens otimo trabalho.
Greetings.
aznegrao.

andchew (476) 2006-03-07 5:04

Hi Friend, Nothing else to say, except keep up the good work and also good notes.

dHitman (0) 2006-03-07 22:14

Hi Eric,
Interesting shot with the essence of the event well captured. The rows of devotee creating a good lead in line to the whole scene. Well done and TFS!
Regards, Jino

rabani (9439) 2006-03-08 20:07

...and I thought backpacking uphill with 15 to 20kg was bad enough. What these devotees do, make my overland trekking pale in comparison. You picked a good position here Eric. The devotees are moving in a curve, leading the viewer into the temple at right on the hill.

foxy (733) 2006-03-09 13:01

Hi Eric,
First of all, not everybody was sound asleep at 4 am......not here though, everybody was busy for their daily mid-day hectic chaos :-))))
Back to picture.... interesting and quite humours too - the way all the devotees carrying pots of milk on the head the same way up to the temple. This was the peaceful Thaipusam I've ever seen.
Thanks for sharing.

flydragon (0) 2006-03-15 15:28

hello Eric
long time not see you
not easy taking night picture
i cant say its a wonderfull picture about technique
but a good picture to see people life and thx for the good note
i would love to see this kind of event and malaysia also
regards
••simon••

fooeleen (713) 2006-03-28 5:47

wow, Eric, thanks for the details....where even i never knew some of that..:) the flash seemed too harsh, but i guess there's nothing much to be done to capture the moment. it's the story it tells that's more important. thanks again for sharing with us.

chaity (1539) 2006-06-10 3:55

Hi Eric, I like to see this photo with flash as it brings out the colors. Good angle to show the lines of people. The top part has too much of black, perhaps a crop of the top part will bring out the linr of people ?