The Return Trip, Properly Done

Please click the photo above to play the daily videoRounds started on time, which after a week of near-misses and small negotiations with the clock felt like a fitting way to open a Sunday — no catching up required before the day had even begun. From there it was a straight run to KL Gateway Mall, arriving by eleven with the schedule from a few days back still roughly intact in memory, this time with proper hours to spend rather than a stolen half hour between other things.

A quick lunch first, sensibly, because wandering an exhibition on an empty stomach is its own kind of distraction, and then into the exhibits properly — the version of KLPF that Wednesday's crowded preview hadn't allowed, walked at an actual pace rather than the polite shuffle of a packed hall.

The real highlight of the day, though, was sitting in on the talks — Kieran Long and Ripi both on the bill, and both worth every minute. There's a particular pleasure in hearing people who clearly know their subject talk about it without performing knowledge, just laying it out plainly and letting the work do the persuading. Excellent, without needing much qualification beyond the word itself.

After that, back out to the photographs properly, taking the time this pass allowed, and a stop at the book tables that turned into more than a stop — a few titles from local photographers came home in the bag, the sort of purchase that feels less like spending and more like backing something worth backing. Left by four, satisfied rather than rushed, the exhibition finally given its due after the abbreviated first look.

From there, a change of gear entirely — out to Bukit Antarabangsa to join Mak for dinner, the day pivoting neatly from photographs and public talks to the far quieter business of family and a shared table. No agenda beyond being there, which after a week of agendas was its own small relief.

One last errand on the way home: a stop at BSC to sort out food for the boys, the sort of practical task that closes a day out rather than adding to it — less an event, more the full stop at the end of the sentence.

Altogether, a day that did exactly what Sunday is meant to do: finish something properly, learn a little, spend a bit on books that'll be worth having, and end at a family table. Not every loose end from the week gets tied off so neatly, but this one did — and the ones that mattered most.

A Preview of the Weekend

Please click the photo above to play the daily videoSome days simply behave, and it feels almost impolite not to mention it when they do. This was one of them — smooth from the off, nothing jostling for attention early on, the kind of start that doesn't ask anything extra of you. Clinic ran long, as it does, but finished right on time, which sounds like a small thing until you've had enough days where "on time" is more aspiration than outcome. No drama, no last-minute stragglers, just a tidy close to a tidy stretch.

With the day behaving itself so well, there was no good reason to hang about, so home came slightly early — one of those small windfalls that feels bigger than it is. Dinner stayed in, unfussy, plate on the lap and the latest Silo episode for company, which by now has become less a habit than a fixture, the sort of viewing that asks nothing of you except to keep up.

The evening had one more thing on the agenda, though: a short drive over to KL Gateway Mall, where KLPF has landed for the week, running through to Sunday. Went for a look while the crowds were thin, which felt like the sensible play — no elbowing, no queuing three deep just to see what's on a table, just a proper unhurried wander through it. Photography events have a way of rewarding that kind of patience; better to see less clearly than everything in a crush.

And there was, genuinely, more to see this year — the whole thing felt like it had grown a size or two since the last outing, more booths, more spilling into corners that weren't corners before. KL Gateway seems to suit it rather well too, enough space to actually breathe between stalls rather than the usual shuffle-and-apologise choreography of a packed hall.

Even with the quieter crowd, there wasn't time to take it all in — some things are simply too big for one evening's worth of curiosity, and trying to rush it would have defeated the point of coming early in the first place. So the sensible move was made: a look at the schedule, working out what's worth prioritising, with a return trip pencilled in for Sunday when there'll be a proper stretch of time to do it justice.

A day that started smoothly and ended with something to look forward to isn't a bad shape for a day to take. Home early, dinner easy, and a bit of Sunday now spoken for — which, on balance, is a fairly agreeable way to close things out.

KLPF 2016

Usually, the Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival was held near my lace, at Mid Valley. It was the first time it moved and with the new place, I was sure the whole festival felt different. On personal note, obviously I preferred the old venue. A bit busier, and getting a parking spot could be tricky, but at least access was pretty OK. This venue - StarXpo - was located on the 15th floor and it has the worse lift service in town, even worse than SJMC on a Saturday morning!

More about that later.

The event was held over three days, and I went on a Saturday late morning, the second day right after I was done with my post-take round. Hence, I was a bit groggy when I got there, and parked on the 11th floor, I ended up using the stairs to reach the venue after tired of waiting.

The hall was massive - a grand setting with another couple of floors of balcony. The main hall was occupied by vendors seeking all things photography as well as tourism bureau and travel company who offered trip services for photography outings. Compared to the last few years, there were definitely a decline both in terms of quantity and quality of the vendors on display. But the same can’t be said about the exhibitions. There were plenty of great photos on display and the talks were engaging.

Sitting in at one of the talkSome of them had projection issuesThey were not blessed with that many vendors this time ....

I managed to sit in on a couple of talks, but unfortunately the third one was in Mandarin - the one I was looking forward too since it was about Mongolia. For proper food you would have to take the lifts to the lower floor - which was a drag. Toilet facilities were aplenty. The exhibit which caught my eyes was a series about Bangladeshi workers working in Malaysia. Fascinating to learn that they actually had a decent life back hope but with no prospect of extra income. Hence they travelled here and to the Middle East.

The only vendor I found worth visiting was the DJI. They showcased the OSMO Mobile, which I found interesting and cheaper than I thought. Oppo, the mobile phone vendor also had a good presence, showing their phones and also having exhibits on photos taken using their products. The there main brands - Canon, Sony and Fuji - did not have much presence as only their third-party vendors were there. Olympus surprisingly did not even turn up!

Looking towards town from the 15th floorFood? This was about it ....More exhibits on the main floorA quick panorama of the city using the iPhoneThe organiser would have to start to up their game to attract more vendors for next year’s chapter, otherwise the whole festival would start to lose its gloss. Maybe they should start thinking about going back to the old venue ….

Let's see how this one compares to 2011, 2012 and 2014.