"Haven't we all become like these in our modern urban society?"

mannequins, cold, false fronts, in disguise, unreal, numb, and compromising.

In relation to a post by currypuff (click here) which was earlier inspired by my mannequin shot, I must say his shot really haunted me for a day or two. And coincidentally yesterday, I was in an area surrounded by mannequins "staring" at me. This made me go out and do this series of shots as a study of the stark contrast between rural and urban society.

Earlier on this year, I had the opportunity to stay overnight with the Orang Asli in Malaysia. In that stay, I experienced what it means to have no television, no computer, just pure communication between human beings. If you ask them, "how do you all survive? what do you do to earn a living?" They don't understand you. They are self-sufficient. They eat from the land God has given. They take almost everything from nature. And their favourite past-time? Communication. They talk to each other heart to heart. That's what they do.

In our modern urban society, our eyes are either glued to the television or the computer screen most of the time. We no longer communicate. We make friends based on commercial benefits, or other benefits, never because we sincerely want to know a person. We have since lost the skills to communicate, even if it's just talking about ourselves, our problems and struggles. And probably even if we want to talk about it, no one wants to listen anyway. So, when things get too messed up, we jump off the roof killing ourselves, thinking that should end our misery. In actual fact, that selfish act of suicide just started a string of miseries for others.

Having had so much education from schools, colleges and universities, we can't even communicate like the Orang Asli. We don't even care for another human being anymore? Look next to you, when was the last time you truly have a heart-to-heart talk with your spouse, your family members or your friends? "Oh so sorry... no time... our t.v. programmes or work are more important."

The mannequins above truly speaks of us. Cold, false fronts, in disguise, unreal, numb, and compromising. Compromising because we have eyes but don't see, ears but refuse to hear, mouth but refuse to speak.

Compromising also because we allow others to put whatever clothes that's of the latest trend in the world on us. We follow the world in doing whatever it's doing without thinking whether it's really right or wrong. We have no conscience!

Some questions:
1. If we see a suspicious guy entering a neighbour's house, will you call your neighbour or the police?
2. If we see someone lying to his clients about himself as a form of marketing, do we do it too?
3. If we see someone spitting on the floor, do we follow?

Lastly, are we more concerned of how much we can take from the world today, or rather how much and what we are leaving behind for the world if we die? Let's try to leave the world a better place than we have entered.

read the fine print

There is this "My Cause Photography Contest" by CIMB lately that I come across and as I am already in the middle of my own project which is pretty much in relation to what they are after, I started considering of submitting my works for this contest, NOT UNTIL I READ THE FINE PRINT! I must say I am pretty much disappointed with this commercialized world where people do charity for a reason, for a commercial purpose! READ "4.Ownership"



BEWARE! Fellow photographers who are thinking of submitting your works. Know what's the possible consequences. Your works may be re-used and re-used for as long as they want it, for whatever commercial reasons which not necessarily bring out the true meaning in your images (meaning of your images may be twisted easily just by adding a caption)! They don't promise you that they'll keep to the true integrity of your images. You don't own your works anymore! Copyrights goes to them entirely, forever! They can even modify your works! They shall make full use of your images and squeeze every cent out of it possible!

Basically what they mean is: ANY LIABILITY YOU BEAR! ALL ASSETS THEY OWN! They are using money for a GAIN! They are BANKERS!

I don't know about you, but if I want to give anything to any persons, I wouldn't want to expect anything in return. Where's the Christmas spirit of TRUE GIVING nowadays???

Again, the world truly is UPSIDE-DOWN!

Burn in Hell!

After coming across the negative comments in yahoo, etc. lately regarding the late Michael Jackson, I feel really really sad about this whole world today! Have they ever thought of how his immediate family members, his mum and children, his loved ones might feel reading them? NO! Is this the kind of treatment we give to a late artist (he's a true artist in every aspect - a true legendary dancer, singer, composer, musician), not even some Basic Respect for the dead? Hey, guys out there, even no matter how much you don't like somebody, have the basic respect for the dead and keep your BLxxxY mouth shut!

Oh yes, I know that the world is not so gloomy after all. There are thousands of positive comments more than the negative ones. MJ was one of the most original artist and contributed the most to charities. Look at the lyrics in his songs like "Man in the Mirror", "Heal the World", etc and etc... How many artists can touch the world like this? Never stopped hoping and singing to the world telling us to make it a better place for you and for me. Buy the Malaysian's "Passion commemorative issue 2nd edition" and you will read about it all.

Look at the human rights issues in the world today, it's countless. Then, the "animal rights", haha.. how many panda bears have we left today? Hundreds? Just like some native human tribes. Then look at our environment, the pollution, etc. WE ARE KILLING EACH OTHER!

My opinion - the world should come to an end soon. We all deserve to die, burn in hell. No one deserves heaven. Who on earth will ever have that kind of patience Jesus has?

PLEASE HEAR THIS - CLICK HERE!!!

To All Photographers and True Lovers of Photography

Quote: "Use your fxxxing brain. People don't think enough. People don't use their brain. They use copy-paste. Your brain is free. It is fast. Wickedly fast." Erik Spiekermann (1947), German typographer and designer.

To think I haven't spoken enough of the industry's lack of integrity, conscience, ethics and self-respect earlier, you can read more here and here. The world truly is upside-down.

Proven Marketing Strategy 1: Study what images sell in the market, copy them.
Proven Marketing Strategy 2: Study how established photographers source for business, copy them.
Proven Marketing Strategy 3: Study the influential, if possible, join and conform, be like them.

If we still have some self-respect, just like those Japanese retail workers I mentioned earlier, we should start taking pride in what we do. They wrap your purchases better than some photographers claiming they are artists.

My Proven Marketing Strategy is Do What You Love and Love What You Do. If you are not enjoying it, why do it?

Let us remind one another NOT to Prostitute Art for Money/Fame. Each of us have our own group of followers. We have no reasons to be insecure.

Lastly, if you are truly enjoying the art of copying, please forget this blog and forget me. You too will have your own group of followers. That's a worldwide FACT. Again, no one can define "COPY" to be exact, but we should all have our own conscience to answer to, even if you don't believe in God.

Here's an old archived image from year 2003.

Music, An Essential Part of Our Life, just like Images

Image taken from www.last.fm

I grew up with his music. One of my favourite artists. Always remembered. Legendary. Childlike. Purely Original. Now always will be missed by millions. Music brings back memories, smell, taste, sensitize all our five senses, even the sixth. True artists are original, proud to be original, sharing, giving, childlike, sensitive. Here's another story where fame does not equate fortune. But his impact upon our lives, at least for those who loves his music, is forever. Let us learn from great artists, taking pride in image-making, or whatever arts you do. Let our vision be original, for each one of us has our own uniqueness. That's where real joy is. I'll miss Michael Jackson.

Here's one great MTV by him, a necessary statement! Click here.