2006 Wesak Day Celebration, a photo from Pulau Pinang, West

Photographer's Note

Allow me to take a break from posting the Nature in Macro series, to give you guys out there a new rendering of the WESAK Celebration. As promised, since it’s an annual event, I will post the same celebration but with a different approach of images. Last year, I got two images from the Wesak Celebration, which are two floats took to the streets from different association.

Now, I will give you the “inner” look at the festival, celebrated on the eve of Wesak Day.

Here, at the Mahindarama Buddhist Temple in Kampar Road, Penang, 2550 yellow lotus candles were lined up during the eve of the festival, commerating the 2,550th anniversary of the celebration. And a 10m tall Buddha plywood effigy was decorated with 2550 bulbs as well.

Devotees gathered at the temple in the evening for the celebration that marked Buddha’s Birth, Enlightment and Attainment of Nirvana.

The ceremony started with devotees bringing trays of offerings, consists of flowers, small lotus candles, incense and glasses of water that symbolizes Changes, Wisdom, Peace and Purity, from the monk’s quarters to the main shrine. Along the path, other devotees are encouraged to participate in the ceremony by touching the trays and shares the blessings while chanted “saddhu” (excellent) to compliment them for good deeds.

Devotees are later lead to the main shrine where rituals of blessing and chanting by the temple’s Chief Monk, Ven E. Indaratana Maha Thera, were carried out. After an hour of the prayer session, the Chief Monk, led the monks and fellow devotees to the candles stands to light up the candles.

Merchanics:
Exposure Program – manual
Speed Value – 1/30s
Aperture Value – f/4.0
Focal Length – 18mm

This is where all the cameras started to flash! Happy Wesak.

Hey, guys, check out another shot from the same place in WS.

thaprem, weswang, Flavia, Annabel, klyee75, MLINES, quillo, aloyho, Quentin, aznegrao, TeresaT, pablominto, gary91, andreng ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

thaprem (2566) 2006-05-29 6:41

Eric,
A lesson for me on the low light shots...
Wonderfully timed & executed with balance like a "Karagam dancer' on a rope!...
I always find in my shots, whenevr I time for stationary objects in my frame, suddenly before I click, just at that instance, I find some one mving their hands to pick a bag, turn around suddenly etc..& I loose my day!...
Now I see what I miss & happy to learn a thing or two from this shot.
Thanks,
Prem.

weswang (18247) 2006-05-29 15:56

Hi Eric, You have well made use of lights in this picture to show the serious expression of all attendees in this picture. I like the perspective view of the candles and the monk in foreground and the kid on the other side lighting up the candles. Thanks for the informative notes to describe the special event.

PJE (20758) 2006-05-29 20:57

Eric I think this has to be one of your best night photos in your gallery. The perspective of candles is amazing considering the f4 stop. I can see you had to use the 1/30th of a second to ensure no blurred hands in movement. I can see that these celebrations are intertwined with the beliefs and lifestyle of your people. Seems like a very different world to me. Thanks for sharing.

bakes888 (18499) 2006-05-30 6:00

Well done. Wonderful viewpoint and composition. Exposure and colour give this shot a lovely atmosphere.
TFS, Cheers, Paul.

jhm (211736) 2006-05-31 7:50

Hj Eric,
A very difficult picture but excellent successfully, I like the perspective view of the candles and the monk in foreground together with light of the wax candles.
Very well done!
Greetings,
John.

capthaddock (28790) 2006-05-31 11:42

Hi Eric - the lights add a nice festive atmosphere, and also makes good geometry separating the monks from the crowds, well done.

xavshot (69835) 2006-05-31 15:03

Bonsoir Eric
belel diagonale et perspective donnée par ces bougies. J'aime toutes ces lumières qui éclairent ces visages. La compo est bien faite. Beau travail
amicalement
Xavier

Flavia (10352) 2006-05-31 19:41

Hi Dear Eric,

I'm glad you'fre back to the festival themes. These are really nice pictures. I like the way you used the candle line in the compositions, they're both very fine. But I have a preference to the one in the WS because is lighter, shows the cadles with more details and focus on a more defined subject, witch are the grirls. I suggest you to repost it after as a main post as it certainly deserves to be in your galery.

Cheers,

Flavia

Kenny10pin (19301) 2006-05-31 21:00

very good explanations here, I like the way you shot this, their is true calm ambience here, well done

Angshu (56760) 2006-06-01 3:32

Hi Eric
Your photograph is a lesson for me on the low light shots...beautifully timed & executed.
The row of lamps is brilliant.
I am happy to learn from you & your shots.
Regards
Angshu

chaity (1539) 2006-06-01 10:47

Hi KC Lai, I have been "missing" from TE for some time and now I am back.
I like the view point from this angle to show the long lines of candles. Photo is consider sharp in such low light.

Annabel (116) 2006-06-01 11:28

hi eric!
firstly i really like how you elaborated on your notes. it makes your audience able to 'experience' what is happening in your photo.
nice balance of lights and darkness, i love the way the candlelights stand out. a very nice angle too. thanks for sharing eric.

dHitman (0) 2006-06-01 22:26

Hi Eric,
Your trademark style picture is back! Very original and good journalistic approach. Love the way you manage to capture the ambient. Well done, bro!
Regards, Jino

PixelTerror (0) 2006-06-02 4:04

Selamat Petang Eric,
A nice low light photo backed by an excellent note about his festival, the dark atmosphere makes it intimist and gives more strength to the bright depth creating perspective of candle lights.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

klyee75 (778) 2006-06-03 1:42

I actually like this kinda photo...the mood of the picture is so good. Hey found any leng lui during wesak day??

tjanze (5674) 2006-06-05 9:00

Hi Eric!
Fantastic atmosphere here.Light is amazing.I like composition and warm colors.You chose beautiful motive for this photo.well done.
Regards!

carmem_busko (3718) 2006-06-06 2:06

Hello, Eric, another great night shot from yours. Tfs,
Carmem

MLINES (12516) 2006-06-06 4:27

Hi Eric, Very creative POV along the row. Good detailed note to inform us about this celebration, i'd not heard of this one before. Good how the faces are lit up by candlelight. Spot on. Murray.

mammad (3572) 2006-06-06 8:24

Dear Eric,
Its so hard to get a crystal shot in these light conditions but you have done it and its great.
The soft orange color tone is calm and pleasant.Well seen.
I'll be visiting your beautiful country next month so till then keep on posting the good stuff.
Regards mammad.

quillo (11858) 2006-06-06 8:26

Hi Eric, a nocturnal image with a very interesting light, the frame giving depth of field I like and the colors give a sensation of pleasant privacy to the celebration.

It receives a hug friend.

Paco

aloyho (6798) 2006-06-06 9:22

Hi Eric,
You have successfully brought out the strong sense of religious duty by these devotees. The low lighting enhanced the atmosphere and I like the soft and solemn ambience. Despite this we are still able to make out the features of the devotees right to the end of the line. Splendid shot!! Have a nice day.

Quentin (5280) 2006-06-06 19:26

Hi Eric
What a beautiful composition. The exposition is very well
managed and I really appreciate these candels line atmospher.
The monk are just a little enlighted and that makes the whole
scene very intime. Thx
Quentin

saigon (6443) 2006-06-07 0:34

good composition!
good photo the MONKS!
bravo ERIC!
aldo.

aznegrao (10316) 2006-06-07 12:02

Hi Eric!!
Mágica e forte essa composição. Gosto das belas luzes e cores desse momento.
Greetings.
Friend.
aznegrao.

hdl (7035) 2006-06-08 7:53

Very interesting... Good quality despite the difficult (light) conditions. ciao!

Graal (103040) 2006-06-12 2:36

Hi Eric,
unusual scene and place. Interesting perspective and view. Good shot by difficult light. I like it.
Rgs, Aleksander

rabdelnoor (3423) 2006-06-12 23:22

Hi Eric,
Very nice control of exposure here. I really like the people silhouettes against the candies light and the beautiful perspective you got here. Nicely done.
Take care
Ricardo

TeresaT (10806) 2006-06-13 13:24

Hi Eric,
Beautiful image..with a nice calm atmosphere.
Perfect domain of the light here..in one of your bests night shots.
Regards
Teresa

pablominto (53746) 2006-06-14 4:50

Hi Eric,
A very moody capture, and very well done under present conditions!
The warm lighting adds a lot the the situation...
Excellent composition with good lines and fine balance, I like the touch with the hands in front!
Greetings,
Pablo -

devimeuxbe (58557) 2006-06-19 1:36

Hi Eric
Beautifull picture. The light is very well managed and i like the serenity of the atmosphere.
Well done
Bertrand

gancs67 (2) 2006-06-20 11:01

Perfect composition at that moment.

gary91 (15348) 2006-06-20 22:13

Hello Eric,
What a superb image and an incredible light. The composition is just perfact and you captured these wonderful colors.
The WS is far as good as this picture. It was really a festival... from you !
Congratulations for these 2 wonderful images.
Best regards. Christian

RGatward (20108) 2006-06-24 5:29

Wel it's all been said, but really reat shot, and ecellent control of exposure.

andreng (265) 2006-09-15 2:02

Eric

I seem to have missed seeing this shot of yours. Like some of the critics mentioned, your timing is just right. Any earlier or later like you said, the "hands" won't be there and you get camera flashes everywhere. Nice control of exposure and hardly any noise visible. Many photographers would stand opposite of the monks to take this shot but you have found a different prespective altogether. Cheers
Andre

banyanman (7797) 2007-04-05 9:18

Excellent candle-lit shot, Eric and a very good POV. I like the warm glow on the faces and robes of the monks on the right. I expect all those people with cameras flashing expected their shots to turn out like this - of course they will be sorely disappointed! Good workshop post too. Cheers . . . David