John Ragai's Travel Life: Saturday Photowalk .01

I have been walking the street of Kuala Lumpur alone most of the time since I started street and candid photography end of 2011. At one time, I was walking the street with a talented street photographer Ivan Tan (Flickr's name Foxama) until his work takes more of his time. He may join me again in the future. I also joined others like the Olympus Photowalk organised by a well-known blogger and Street Photographer Robin Wong which introduced me to Pudu Wet Market. I have many good things to tell about Pudu Wet Market but most memorable one, it's a Street Photographer's paradise.

What drives me to walk alone in the street and shoot?
Two powerful active words: Interest and Passion.

When you have interest, you tend to dig deep into what you are doing, learn whatever it takes to be the best you can, practice the technique until it become yours, sharpen your tools until you know when you lift your camera you are 100% sure you will capture what you WANT as it is already drawn in your mind. It's like in the martial art, when you strike the target; actually you are going through the target and are one with it.

When you have passion, your do not use much of your brain but your heart which move you beyond the limit of your brain. You brain said with reason, "You cannot do it because .....", but your heart which engulf with passion said, "There is no mountain too high to climb, no current too strong to swim." That's make you a passionate person and you shoot with passion. You do not need others to push you as you have the push from within yourself. Your friends may move on but your passion keeps you going and shoots the more.

Being having these two tenets and I am selfish if I do not share them as it is a gift from the One who created me.

Hence that give me a thought of sharing with my fellow street photographers that gift and last week I posted on my Flickr (KL Street Photowalk) and Facebook (Saturday Photowalk ) which open to all. This is just the beginning and more bi-monthly street photowalk will follow.

Why Bi-monthly? That is the final agreement with my wife for me to have date with people on the street. In marriage life, a promise with your wife is very important.

My time of walking in the KL street always start at 9.45AM as agreed with my partner. We start from home at 8.00AM. After having breakfast with my beloved wife at a Malay stall in Puncak Alam, she drives to Petaling Jaya, she drops me at Kelana Jaya and I take a train from Kelana Jaya LRT Station at 9.10AM to Pasar Seni LRT Station. Last saturday, I should be late as the train was having a technical problem yet I am in time. Thanks God for that good timing.

The street photographers and student photographers participated in the KL Street Photowalk were Mahfuz Jaafar aka My JumpStreet (a seasoned street photog), Rosli Natiman aka Wak Li (Flickr & FB's friend), Chek Mat's student which comprised of Naufal Nasir, Aiman Ariffin and their friend and last but not least my fellow Sarawakian from Sibu, Alifga Wausin Alwie.

We covered Petaling Street and its surrounding area, Jalan Masjid India and Jalan TAR with three stops for two drinks, one lunch and fellowship to share our passion on street photography during those stops.

The Walk and shoot was good (could be better) and the mood was great. Everyone seems to be enjoying their time in the street except I was walking too fast which I need to improve. I still need to improve with walking in a group as most of the time I walk alone and I walk fast and shoot fast.

Note: Mahfuz Jaafar and I have created our own group on Flickr namely Malaysian Street & Daily Life (Documentary) and KL Street Photographers respectively. Should you want to join these Flickr group, you are most welcome.

Here are some of the images taken during the Saturday Photowalk.

All images taken with Olympus OM D E-M5 and lens m.zuiko 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 and 45mm f1.8