Tag Archives: hindu

Thaipusam 2013 – Part 2

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At the crack of dawn, another ritual takes place by the river. The cleansing ritual is supplemented by piped water due to the polluted river water. This is where the OM-D comes into its own, astonishing other shutterbugs shooting from a safe distance with a tele.

I placed the water resistant-camera directly under the shower. Me and the camera took a good dunking. Resolution was (naturally) somewhat affected because the lens was dripping with water.  When push comes to shove, very few cameras can come near the OM-D and gushing water. I will also post a video later where you can see how severe the splashing was. Update: Video posted here.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 4000, f4, 1/1000 sec.

Thaipusam 2013 - Part 2

Thaipusam 2013 – Part 1

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I arrived at Batu Caves at about 5am and was greeted by a pair of spinning LED kavadis under the moonlight. Traditionally, a wingman pulls the hooks attached to the bare back of the kavadi bearer. Now, we have two guys behind pushing a mini electricity generator on a trolley. Lol.

Instead of firing a flash, I used a slow exposure so the kavadis drew neon trails on the camera’s sensor, creating a beautiful light show.

The Thaipusam ritual of carrying of a kavadi is considered penance for one’s sins or the cleansing of one’s soul. Some bearers pierced their tongues or cheeks with a small spear or skewers as a gesture of unwavering devotion.

The annual Thaipuam Festival at Batu Caves Temple in Malaysia attract over a million devotees, visitors and tourists. It is one of the largest such celebrations outside the of state Tamil Nadu (India) where it began.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f4, 1.6 sec.

Thaipusam 2013 - Part 1

The Silver Chariot

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The Silver Chariot

The annual festival of Thaipusam saw thousands of Hindu devotees take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur last night. The 15-km procession of the golden statue of deity Lord Muruga on a silver chariot started around midnight and ended at Batu Caves just before noon.

Photography Tip: To add some glow to the chariot, overexpose it slightly and apply either some greasy  fingerprints on the lens filter or use a software haze or fog filter.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 500, f3.5, 1/30 sec.

This Full HD video I shot takes you from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Chinatown to L.A. (Leboh Ampang).