Brief to Web Designer

MAZLIMHUSINPHOTOGRAPHY.COM represents not only my work, but also me as a person and a brand - the website has to represent me, my identity and ofcourse my personality.

Just like my home, I don’t like uncluttered ambience. Most of the things are clean, white, simple and minimalist. Yet, I don’t want it to be boring hence I splash quite a lot of red and subtly mixed other colors in between. It’s white, yet its subtly colorful and of course, beautiful.

So, please do not hesitate to play around with some colors to make it unique and importantly very attractive.

To get people to focus more on my work, I would like to capture their attention to my work on a white canvas, one at a time. The layout of ONE photo per each page view is important, yet we want visitor to the website to always know where they are throughout his navigational experience exploring my art work.

Think differently! We are not here to copy other people's work. We are here to develop a nice website. Who knows, it could be an award winning piece of your work.

Who knows?

Please don't forget to book www.mazlimhusinphotography.com. If you need any payment, please inform me.

I would like to propose an outline as follow:

1. HOME = About Me - You can copy the wording from the simple portfolio I gave you. i would like to put my face photo there. The photo you are using now look nice. Lets keep it.

1. Please include a list of work I have done as per the brochure I gave to you. I think this should be under ABOUT ME but in a page by itself. Let see how it looks and discuss this the next time we meet. This is a very important section and has to be represented well. It has to have that international look and feel to cater for global users - thats what internet all about anyway - Global Market!

1. STUDIO & MOBILE STUDIO - Please also include and emphasize the fact that MAZLIMHUSINPHOTOGRAPHY has a PRIVATE and MOBILE studio with professional quality lighting equipment and personalized and customized backdrops.

1. GALLERY: This section is to be divided into different genres of photography. Perhaps we choose 8 to 10 photos for each gallery (we can decide this later but the website has to be modular - expandable to add more photos in the future.

1. I like the layout at this website - the thumb print is also not to small and yet not to big either. Just a good size to tell people whats next yet mysteriously hide some detail to be explored further and eventually a visual feast!

1. PORTRAIT
2. LANDSCAPE
3. COMMERCIAL
4. FOOD
5. CULTURE
6. FINE ART (FOR SALE - to choose a softer word)
7. CORPORATE
8. PRIVATE FUNCTIONS

E-COMMERCE

Is it possible to include e-commerce features? What is the process and the cost to get it done? A simple system which can accept orders and payments. Please keep that in mind while developing the FINE ART section.

SPECIFICATION OF FINE ART COLLECTION.

Please include this message in the FINE ART GALLERYAll photos are printed using professional quality Canon PIXMA Pro 9000 printer on A3 size Canon Fine Art Paper Premium Matte.

Each piece comes with a personally signed Invoice / Certificate by Mazlim Husin

These are Limited Edition Prints. Only 28 copies of each photos are produced.

Each photo is mounted on paper border prior to shipment. Customized framing is available, with an additional cost.

All prices quoted do not include any tax and shipping and handling.

Bro,

thats all I can brief you so far. I hope you understand. If not, please ask. No hamr asking. It just make our work easier.

Good night!

ANVAR - My little friend on Uzbekistan Railway

Train Ride: Tashkent to Urgench

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I recently explored Uzbekistan for almost 2 weeks. It was quite an adventure exploring 4 cities, 3 of which are rather ancient. The railway was the main mode of transportation to move from one city to another.

The experience travel by train was quite an adventure. I got to meet the locals, the warmth of their hospitality and see the countryside. However, after a while it got quite monotones and uncomfortable.

If you want to explore these cities, my suggestion is to take the train one way and make sure you fly back to Tashkent for your flight home.

I had a great ride nevertheless.

We reserved the sleeper - meaning coach with beds. There are 4 bed, like 2 pairs of double deckers. Remind me of boarding school. And like in boarding school, I prefer to be on top.

The design of the coach is quite basic but very clever. I have a big luggage with me and still we have loads of room for storage. The train also provide fresh bedsheets and pillowcases (which we have to lay ourselves) and a set of teapot and cups - everybody drinks tea everywhere in Uzbekistan!

The train ride from Tashkent to Khiva takes 13 hours. It was a long (slow) journey. It could be quite chilly at night but I was well equipped with my winter ensemble. And during whihc also I finished reading Archer’s False Impression.

I got to meet locals who were very curious about us, tourist. They are always curios wanting to know about us, but language is a barrier as most of them only speak Uzbek and Russian. Even then they are very warm people and hospitable.

In one occasion we were literally forced to share breakfast (home cooked) with them in their cabin with their family.

It can’t get more hospitable than that, right. And the fried beef eaten with Non (bread) was simple, yet very delicious. Hot tea to rinse your throat after oily beef - perfect!

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This is the kind of toilet I have to bear throughout the journey. Of course I would not do the No.1. As a man, with this kind of environment, No 1 is not really a problem.

There is this pedal you have to step on once you complete your business - is a flush. I was shocked at the beginning when I saw the railway track through the hole when I flushed it. Haha.

This is the sink, in the same cubical as the WC. You have to press the knob upward to release cold water. Really cold water. I can only brush my teeth and wash my face. Too cold!

These 2 gentlemen are my "roommates" . They are very friendly but we couldn't really communicate - language barrier.

When you are in a train for 13 hours, you will take a lot of pictures. The tail end of our train. So we were quite far to the front - which was not good as we found out later - when we got off the train we have to walk quite far to the main terminal and I have a lot of stuff to carry.

A solo camel in the dessert. I also saw a group of them wondering around or just grazing what ever is offered by the savannah.

Early morning view. Quite pleasant to wake up to this view on the horizon.

Railway crossing in a small town - to me in the middle of nowhere...

My "roommate" proudly pointed me to this river - the most important river in Uzbakistan - Amu Darya, one of the biggest in Central Asia. Important drinking water source, fishing, agriculture including ti irrigate the important cotton industry. I read somewhere this river has been over drained during Soviet time to develop cotton plantation.

Jins Shamsuddin

I cant recall what was the last movie I watched with Jins Shamsuddin in it.

This might sound weird to some, Malay movies are not really my cup of tea. I enjoyed P Ramlee very much, since I was a kid. He is just timeless.

My exposure to Jins Shamsuddin is only limited to movies I watched when I was a kid. TV was not really part of my childhood when I left home as we can only watch TV during weekends at residential schools - or BOLA!

I recently met Jins Shamsuddin at an event where I was commissioned to do the photography and videography.

At first I just photograph Jins like any other VIP invited to a function. Then at the end of the event I felt quite melancholic after observing him facing his fans who endlessly wants to have a photo ops with once the heros of Malay movie, quite a legend.

I was very touched to observe how Jins Shamsuddin treat his fans. He is a very humble man. People love him, young and old. Without failed, he said “Terima kasih” to those fans who had a photo with him.

Amazing.

I can’t help but to pay respect to him. I actually I did that twice - the second time right before the end of the even I approached him, kissed his hands according to Malay customs and subtly said to him - “Memang ramai peminat Jins Shamsuddin.“ He smiled and said “Terima kasih”.

I don’t know many local young actors / actress, but from the little I have gathered, they are not that humble. DIva giler, tapi talent, tak lah berapa sangat pun.

Flores de Mayo

I was extremely tired after a whole day of (window) shopping at the Greenbelts and Gloriattas of Makati.

Hailed a beaten up cab to return to the hotel in Malate, on Roxas Boulevard.

As we about to reach the hotel I saw a procession going on on the streets of Malate. I ask my Filipino friends to ask the cab to stop and drop us there and then. I want to catch Flores de Mayo in action.

Suddenly I felt so charged up. Luckily my pocket camera was on my waist most of the time.

Electricity rate in the Philippines are quite expensive. I am not surprised, Even this celebration was captured in a semi dark alley of Malate. Some of them even carry portable florescent lights to highlight their princess on their respective floats (trishaw) of flowers parading away accompanied by a team of boys with their percussion.

Poverty is quite rampant in the area (and most part of the Philippines) however, the tradition is very strong. In such a community, they must have spent a major part of their income to celebrate their children offering flowers to Virgin Mary.

The lights were low. I have to push up the ISO to the max in several cases. The fact the I was there was quite a discovery.

Salamat Po.