DP | @ekhoophotography

It was a bright, hot, sweltering day that the official opening ceremony for SEMOA's Kebun Orang Asli in Tras. We had the privilege to cover the event and it was an amazing day. It started of course with a day that was so bright, there was about five-stops difference in light between outdoors and indoors. Again, I relied on my RadioPoppers to illuminate the scene. We had like five flash units going off to equalize the light difference. Enough speedlights and you can match the power of the sun! Besides Yang Berhormat Bernard Dompok, Minister of Plantation, Industries and Commodities, we also had the local Tras assemblyman, Mr Choong Siew Onn.

Kebun SEMOA is an effort by the SEMOA group (supported by many churches and individuals in Malaysia) providing education, help, and medical care to the local indigenous population (orang asli) in the Tras, Raub and Bentong area.

Not everyday one gets a chance to cover an event that is attended by an elected assemblyman and an appointed minister of parliament but well, there is always a first time. For once it feels a bit like one of those journalists chasing politicians. How does that differ from chasing brides? Well, I think brides are way lovelier and more beautiful. Hah! Anyways, stay tuned for more. I've a wedding to continue to process, massive travel packing to get done and this event shoot to complete in the next 48 hours! Plus my day job!

From an early start (5am), from Kota Kemuning to Taman Maluri, Cheras, this was one fun packed wedding. How can we forget all the fear factor challenges, or the highway car chase on the Kesas highway to the wedding toasting and "yam sengs" mixed with Michael Jackson's Beat it! While the best laid plans go awry, we're glad that overall things went very well and we could even save the dinner march in as we had the Canon in D CD in our car!