Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #1

We are coming to the end of the Top 20 photos. Here's my still life photography  - a bouquet to a wonderful hop and new friends.
This bouquet was taken while waiting for the host of the Farewell dinner we had at Royal Chulan hotel. This is my first still life photography and I am happy with the outcome.
Thank you Duncan for hosting this Blog Hop. See you again in 2015.

Bouquet at Royal Chulan Hotel



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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #2

This photo was taken during the Japanese Bon Odori Festival at Shah Alam in June 2013. This festival is held every year to mark the end of the Harvesting period. I took my daughter and her friend to observe the festival and as this was their first time attending, they both had so much fun.
In this photo, both of them were trying their best to follow the Kimono-clad ladies dancing one the dances and most times they fall out of step. Using whatever available lighting, I tried to capture the girls' delighting in their attempt. I tried not to use flash a all.

Bon Odori Festival, Shah Alam



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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #3

As promised, this is the Twin Towers taken around 7:34 pm from the car park of my office. There is actually discrepancy in time. My camera timer showed 7:34 pm but the Maxis clock tower showed 7:26 pm. Hmm......

Petronas Twin Towers in the evening



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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #4

Well! The countdown is almost getting closer to the finishing line. It has been an interesting time viewing all the photos in my collection and viewing other blog friends' photos.
This photo is closer to 'home'. I never fail to miss these Giant Towers on my way to office, every time I step out of my office or when I look out of my office window. At one time it was a joke among my friends and I that we never seem to pay much attention to this building compared to the tourists or outsiders. We hardly use this building as a backdrop to our group photos as we thought this was just too common a sight - until we had visitors from other affiliates. In the end, I have hundreds of photos of this famous landmark from different angles of the KLCC Park, as well as at different times of the day.
My next selection is of this landmark taken late evening.

Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC


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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #5

I a;ways pass by these trees whenever I walked to Suria KLCC. The way the roots intermingle really fascinates me. This is just a portion of the tree, Ficus elastica, or Indian Rubber tree.

Ficus elastica

Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #6

This year is the year of the Horse, according to the Chinese Calendar. I couldn't help but show my all time favourite animal - the horse.
This is a typical morning for the horses to be exercised. While waiting for the students to get ready with their horses for Dressage competition, I would observe the riders exercising the horses. It's kind of awesome to see one rider leading more than one horse at a time.

Exercising the horses


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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #7

I don't usually do close-up, especially portraits and when I do, the photos never came out good. This clown, however, stood very close to my camera and prompted me to take a shot of him. I wasn't sure if I should but I just did. Looking back, I really like this shot. This was taken at Putrajaya during the Florafest in June.

Unidentified clown



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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #8

Oh! are we really down to No. 8 already? How time flies. I really enjoy choosing the thousands of photos I had in my collection - discovering photos that I didn't I had taken and selecting the best amongst them. It's difficult - really, really difficult. I like all the photos.
Of late, I have been attending many wedding functions and as a result I was able to practice on my wedding photos. This one is of my husband's friend, Safri. This is a typical Malay wedding. Both the bride and groom looked radiant here.

Safri and his bride, Salinda

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #9

This lighthouse is no longer functioning but it really stands tall up on the hill of Bukit Melawati. Everytime I look at this lighthouse, I try to imagine those faraway days when the sea was alive with passing ships and the lighthouse is their guide. Now the sea is far, far below the horizon and the passing ship is just a tiny dot. But this lighthouse never fail to fascinate me. It is now more of a tourist attraction.

Lighthouse, Bukit Melawati

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #10

It's really getting tougher and tougher to select the top 20 photos. Well, please excuse me for selecting my daughter again. she's the most photographed person and I never tire of shooting her. Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same way any more.
This photo was taken at Bukit Melawati to have a close-up 'meeting' with the monkeys. Here's Zahra' with one of the monkeys hoping for some food from Zahra'. She knew Zahra' had the food behind her 'jilbab' and I like the way the mother monkey held my daughter's hand.

Bukit Melawati, Selangor

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #11

This young man, Moussa Taki, truly grabbed my attention when he won the 9 km Adni Cross-Country race in January of last year. On that morning, I was waiting with anticipation the former champion at the finishing line. When the runners start to arrive, I saw a different winner through the lens of my camera. I still captured him and the other runners and then I cornered him and asked him a few questions. I learnt he was Algerian and much, much later, I learnt (from Zahra') that he was a newbie in the school, born in Yemen, but had grown-up in Malaysia for 16 years. From that day on until today, he is my and Zahra's good friend.
This photo was taken at Stadium Bukit Jalil during the Main sports event in March and he won so many medals. I like this profile of him where he looks more relaxed and more of himself. This is always my favorite photo of Moussa.

Moussa Taki, Stadium Bukit Jalil

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #12

Zahra' simply loves animals. This is a trait she inherited from her grandfather, i.e., my father. For me, I simply detest slitherens. I know this event is going to be something that she will never forget, I just brave myself for this photo shoot.

Zahra' with an albino python during the Flora and Fauna
Fest at Putrajaya, June 22, 2013.

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #13

This photo may not win the Photo of the Year Award but it held a lot of meaning for us, especially for Zahra'. This is her first experience. It also taught us to appreciate water. On this day, May 1, 2013, the residents of my housing area were caught by surprise with dry taps. I just had enough ration for cooking, ablution and nature's call. Washing definitely had to be put on hold.
But then, this tanker came along and every family were rationed to two pails of water only. Better than nothing. My daughter was so excited and carrying two pails in both hands, she joined the neighbours to collect the water. It was fun but the drizzle deterred me from taking better pictures. We were all very lucky though; we were given extra two pails of water to collect after all the neighbours had collected the first ration. There was extra water to go round and save until the next ration - four hours later.
After all the excitement died down, we all discovered the reason behind the dry taps - a burst pipe near the mains. Water was restored late night the next day.

Emergecy water supply when the pipe burst near the main pipe

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #14

Another portrait of my girl, Zahra'. I love the drops of water that acts as a see-through curtain. This shot was taken at Cahaya SPK after attending the wedding of my husband's nephew. As soon as we are done eating, Zahra' and I explored the area and I had a field day taking photos of Zahra'. It was bliss because my girl has come to a point where she dreaded seeing me with the camera. On this day, though, she said "Mummy, you can take photos of me. Too good an opportunity to miss and I end up with more than 300 photos of her within one hour.

At Cahaya SPK

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #15

This was taken at Port Dickson on our way home from Melaka to Ampang. It was almost sunset and I really like the silhoute.

Port Dickson Beach

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #16

I am into Portraits - but I prefer candid portraits to posed ones. This one is of my daughter on the rooftop of my mum's house. I wasn't sure what she and cousin were up to but when I caught them up there, I just had to take a couple of shots. My daughter wasn't looking when I took this shot of her. At least I was being spared of "Stop it mom"!
This photo is shared with daughter's consent.

Zahra' on the rooftop of her grandma's house

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #17

I love this photo of my sister peeping behind the door accompanied by her youngest daughter and my daughter. This was taken before we left her house in Sungei Petani to attend the engagement ceremnony of my husband's nephew at Lunas, Kulim. I really like the white of the door being the backdrop to their colourful attire.

Asmah with Zahra' and Afza

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #18

It is not always easy to take a close-up of a horse; especially for it to be still and not moving. I would always end-up with tens of photos and and not liking any one of them. For this particular horse, I only had four shots  and I really like all four of them. What happens then? Which one to select for the top 20!!!!!
Well, after much to and fro, I decided on this one. This photo was taken at the Royal Selangor Polo Club, Ampang and he was ridden by my daughter's friend, Sophia, during the Dressage competition. He does look regal and I am grateful that he would stand still and pose for me. Lol!

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Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #19

This girl, Maisarah, is very, very photogenic. I always like her smile and as a result, I will take photos of her whenever opportunity arises. She is my daughter's classmate. This photo was taken during their final school presentation ceremony and she wasn't aware I was pointing my camera at her. I liked her pose at the time and decided to freeze it forever.

Siti Maisarah bt Roslan

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