Masjid Besi

This entry was originally written in June 2016

This mosque was one of the icon of Putrajaya, and formally named after the last Yang Dipertuan Agung, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin. Due to it's metallic structure, the locals referred it as the Iron Mosque, or Masjid Besi. It was certainly a sight to behold. And in terms of photography, one hope to capture it at night.

But logistically, it was quite tricky for me to do that. Maybe on of the evenings leading up to Raya I might do just that. But for the time being, it was best to enjoy the flight whenever the weather permitting after a couple of failed runs prior to this.

The mosque was located at the edge of the lake and it was to try to capture its beauty at a height and away from the structure, hoping to catch a reflection of the beams on the lake. Luckily I managed to do that on a couple of shots but I thought for the best angle, maybe a sunset flight would have been better, while putting up base on the opposite shore of the lake - maybe Ayer@8 would be a good idea.

Perched next to it was a couple of bridges, one left incomplete while the other named Seri Saujana Bridge formed its background.

Lesson from the flight? Best to pick up your base station away from big structures such as the mosque as you would have a better luck getting a better angle while maintaining a line of sight with the drone to make sure a good radio connection with the controller unit.

Monumen Alaf Baru

This entry was originally written in June 2015

The name could literally be translated to "The Millenium Monument", and built to mark the turn of the century. It was located at Presint 2, just 500m from Masjid Besi and across the river from Ayer@8. It had a lush green surrounding and the breeze from the lake made at a popular attraction.

I had the chance to fly my drone near it and capture a number of snaps. It looked like there was a new attraction near the monument in the form of a tethered hot air balloon ride, called the Skyrides Festivals Park. Not really to ride in one for the time being. Maybe I would do so if I had a foreign visitor with me.

It was quite fun flying there since there were plenty of landmark to see. I also flew across the lake towards Ayer@8 and also inland towards a race track for those into motor sports. That morning, there was a mini bike event taking place. I took the time to hover around the event trying not to catch too much attention.

There was also a cafe there by the lake for breakfast, but I had to rush back to the hospital to do my ward round. So, maybe next time.

What did I learn this time around? Flying at 9 am gave the best lighting for landmarks - although the shimmer won't be as brilliant as a sunset flight I took at Titiwangsa. It might also be fun to see if there are events going on at the sight when you plan to drone. You never knew that there may be things to photographs. But obviously, best to ask permission first .... Although most of the time, nobody would bother.

More Exploration

This entry was originally written in May 2016

It was Sunday morning and after gaining confidence from the flight at Marina Putrajaya the evening before, I decided to return to Putrajaya, but this time around, I picked a more conventional spot. It was Dataran Putra, right in front of the Prime Minister's Department and the famous Masjid Putra.

I arrived there quite early, when the sun was still low and hidden behind the hills and low clouds. I took the time to plan my route. I realised that to get some good light for the Masjid, I had to approach from the opposite site, far too close to the Prime Minister's Office.

So, I decided to take the high route and flew high to get a clear connection to the drone while taking the footage. It worked out great in the end and when the sun finally came out, the light was brilliant.

Apart from the Masjid, the actual Dataran Putra - basically a roundabout - was also a vista. I also flew across the lake to look at Istana Darul Ehsan as well as Jambatan Seri Wawasan.

The Istana was a gift from the Federal Government to the Sultan of Selangor for giving away the land - Putrajaya - to the Federal Government to build this administrative centre. It was clear from the aerial view how well the whole township was planned. There were still plenty of space and there were areas which were still not fully developed. The public transport over there was still a problem with the initially-proposed tram system not coming into fruition.

What did I learn from this outing? Basically how to plan for the routes for great light when flying the drones. Angle was everything as you were at the mercy of available light when you take photos of such buildings.

The Toys are Packed

After much deliberation, I finally yielded and we would be spending Hari Raya away from town. My father-in-law was keen to get away and we decided to spend a couple of nights up at Fraser's Hill.

The room was booked only a couple of days back and we would be traveling after I was done with my morning rounds and hand over my cases.

For the trip, I decided to bring along the Phantom 4 - the first time it would be travelling with me. All charges up and ready to go! On the photography front, it would be the Leica Q and the A7R2 with a couple of lenses. Adios!

We Had Lift-off

Finally, the weather was kind. This time it was a Saturday morning on a public holiday - Agong's Birthday. I took my drone out to Putrajaya before starting my morning rounds in the glorious sunshine.

I made a couple of stops. The first one was at the site of my previous couple of cancellations, Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin - or better known as Masjid Besi. The second was near Monumen Alaf Baru, about 500 meters away from the first spot.

I will write about the two flights separately here, but suffice to say that it was a productive outing.