2009 Harmony, a photo from Sarawak, East

Photographer's Note

2009 OX YEAR - Harmony Peace Happiness to all of you

In the Middle East, India, Ireland and elsewhere in the world, religion often times are the root causes to human conflict. Why? We have no answer to solve it yet.

Now switch your TV channel to Sarawak/Borneo. Here you see a new Taoist temple built at the other side of Samarahan River at a muslim-malay fishing village. It is the kind of harmony that exists in Sarawak since independence days. We know only this way of life, mixing readily with various races of people without ever discarding each culture or tradition but perhaps blend and tolerate each other for years. You can see a muslim girl with scarf taking a boat ride from the village where the temple also sits. This is the reality of life in the rural areas of Sarawak, many ethnic races of people co-exist. We hope this fine tradition will carry on for many years to come and 2009 is not an election year, so life is going to be peaceful although the crisis will hit everyone from the city to the remote villages.

On that note, may I wish you all peace and harmony and a great start to the new year of the OX for 2009.

About 1 hr drive from Kuching. Boat ride [cost US$0.50] to the other side of a tiny fishing village called Beliong. Funny thing happened a day before, we almost reached halfway to this place when I got a call from a cafe operator who asked me to identify myself, then he asked if I lost my wallet. It killed my mood for the day's shooting, so the next minute we rushed back to the city to collect my wallet full of credit cards, ID papers, cash etc. A chinese schoolboy found it and returned it untouched. I rewarded him with half the cash in the wallet and it made him happy.

azaf1, snunney, jhm, Dot2008, Waylim, parbo, riclopes, pierrefonds, bobocortis, gunbud, AiresSantos, gildasjan, jlbrthnn, tedesse, dip, Longroute, asajernigan, feather, jafadabret, Bluejeans, loves_summer, cfreire, Dyerco, Cricri, Colombiana, skippy007, rodgerg, ribeiroantonio, gracious, josepmarin, Charo, jjcordier, angela926, axiotea, adores, JCG, stego, maltese, dantor has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

nipunjotsoni (114) 2008-12-31 3:35

Its Really an Image full of harmony..
HAPPY NEW YEAR>>>
regards
nipun

aadilj (18102) 2008-12-31 3:39

Hi Bill, this is superbly compsoed and vibrant image. I like the energy and the way its been compsoed. great. have a happy new year

npecanhuk (79329) 2008-12-31 3:40

Hello bill!
Typical and beautiful architecture in this one! I like the composition with the boat and the palm trees in the background too!
Happy 2009 to you and your family!
Neyvan

sacavem (18620) 2008-12-31 3:52

Ol� Bill,

Looks quite amazing for someone who doesn't know Kuching.
Good work to capture this image.
Excellent composition, very nice colours, and sharpness.
Well done.
Best wishes,

I wish you * Happy New Year 2009 * for you and you family too.
Filipe

azaf1 (15931) 2008-12-31 3:53

Best wishes to you, too, Bill

Hope that 2009 will be better to all of us

Greetings from Greece
Argiris

snunney (130967) 2008-12-31 4:56

Hello Bill,
A very harmonious composition to complement your interesting note. An excellent point of view with good colour contrasts. Superb clarity. Happy New Year to you and yours.

TopGeo (38220) 2008-12-31 5:29

Hi Bill!
I wish you * Happy New Year 2009 * for you and you family too.

Harmonious picture and a note that speaks for kindness and love between persons that have diversity. The incident joke and good the gesture of child that was honest. The joy is a good that we can him offer in all our life with the love, can us gives happiness this and peacefulness,
Georgios

jhm (211738) 2008-12-31 6:35

Hello Bill,

Wonderful village view about your splendid country.
A quiet picture with a nice subject and great architecture details.
Good exposure and focus with sharpness and details.
Excellent perspective and good depth sharpness too. TFS.
Happy New Year and Healthy 2009.

Pleasant evening.
John.

patdeph (35750) 2008-12-31 6:41

hello Bill
this is a very nice picture,I like the architecture of the temple,and I like the surrounding of palmtrees!Could the world be like in Malaysia,where different people can live together!Your small story about the wallet is a sign of hope!
I wish you and your family an happy new year 2009!
Cheers
Pascale

siamesa (28231) 2008-12-31 7:31

Hi Bill,
Superb composition these nice temples and the beautiful palms behind these.
The world needs harmony surely.
A nice picture indeed.
Abra輟s e Feliz Ano Novo
Maria

Dot2008 (290) 2008-12-31 9:36

HI Bill
A very nice shot to end the year, the pagoda with its red roofs looks beautiful with all the palm trees as backdrop.
A similar incident regarding lost wallet happened to us in Taiwan, and were we happy to recover especially since it also contained a passport. There is still people with integrity and honesty left, but are getting rather scarce.
Happy New Year my friend
Dot

Waylim (25436) 2008-12-31 12:34

Bill,
This image is perfect example to show someone what a good compositio is. Really great POV with beautiful color full of tropical atmosphere by the palm or coconut trees. thought not sunny but nice soft light. I can imagine when this is complete, how beautiful this place will be. You should come back here and take more shot when the temple and pagoda is finished. Have a wonderful 2009. Thanks
Way

parbo (11092) 2008-12-31 19:53

Hello Bill,

You are right, absolutely. The problems are just coming from politicians and fundamentalists that they are commenting the life only in their way as how they want to see life every time.

Here in Suriname people already learnt to live together unbelievable. Why unbelievable? Because many daily cases where possible war reasons in another communities or countries but not a problem in Suriname. Each religion, each cultures have respects each other. A meaningful one, congratulations.

Excellent mix of architecture front of harsh tropical vegetation while the lady in boat adding perfect life to your very well captured photo.

With my best new year wishes to you and your family.

Best Regards,

Ertugrul

riclopes (35577) 2008-12-31 23:35

Incredible story of your wallet, Bill. I doubt you ever see your wallet if the same had happened anywhere in Europe. That's why I like so much SE Asia. Crime, specially violent crime almost doesn't exist - I guess it's cultural...Anyway, tolerance is what the world needs but I don't see it happening so soon. The best detail in this photo is for sure the muslim girl and the way her silhouette stands out so well against the dark interior of the boat. The play with reds and greens is also interesting.
Happy 2009 for you!
ric

pierrefonds (115462) 2009-01-01 8:36

Hi Bill,

The presence of the boat and of the person has an effect of scale. The point of view leads our eyes toward the houses in the background, it is allowing us also to see the details and colors of their architecture. The picture is clear and sharp. The palm trees are a natural frame to the houses. I wish you a Happy New Year 2009, peace and health.

Pierre

mehmetemin (7231) 2009-01-01 9:39

Hi Bill
very good shot nice colours good pov and nice composition
Best regards.a Happy New Year
Mehmet Emin

bobocortis (16090) 2009-01-01 11:26

Hello Bill.
A colorful shot rich of harmony and of the meanings you explain in the note.
Happy 2009.
Best regards.
Bobo.

jmdias (116373) 2009-01-01 11:33

bill

beautiful landscape, the buildings are fantasticly put inn the scenery and the boat is perfect here too. Nice note; yes, sometimes intolerance can damage the world in a deep way, at the end, the cause isn't religious only but it is deeply rooted inside many human hearts cause each one has his own interests and use religions and racial fight to get them.

hugs and happy 2009

jorge

shevchenko (20560) 2009-01-01 19:33

Hello Bill,

Actually religions are harmonious and seldome create problems, even the langguage and ethnics. All these become a problem when it is a political issues.

I like your pov to show these magnificent architectures on the bank of river, thanks for sharing the new feature of city.

I wish you A Great Year 2009!

Ally

gunbud (34066) 2009-01-01 20:51

Hi Bill,
Wonderful capture of this stunning Maylaysian architecture that is seen in all its lovely intricate details.
Very nice sharpness and details and a very informative note as well.
Regards, Tom

AiresSantos (56155) 2009-01-01 22:59

Hi Bill
Wonderful architecture full of harmony.
Excellent POV and details. Very good colours and note
I wish you and your family all the best for the New Year
Aires

gildasjan (43826) 2009-01-02 1:52

Bonjour Bill
Une belle image pour pr駸enter tes voeux,oui j'esp鑽e une ann馥 harmonieuse et paisible.
Happy new year 2009
Amicalement
Gildas

Miha2ou7 (5162) 2009-01-02 2:26

Hey Bill,

That`s a splendorous sight. The scenery is amazing, and I wish I could trek these forests in the background. Your note is pretty fine too, and I`m glad there are is no religious bickering there. In any case the photo is very nicely composed, with fine colors and clarity.

My best regards.

jlbrthnn (76043) 2009-01-02 2:36

Hello Bill,
Peace and happiness for you also in 2009. It is a beautiful image of traditional architecture and life, with good local colours. Pleasant composition.
Have a nice day. Bonne Ann馥 2009!
Cordially
Jo�l

tedesse (25147) 2009-01-02 2:37

Hello!
Beautiful view,lovely colours and good sharpness.
Interesting architecture and good note.
Greetings
Tadeusz

dip (21408) 2009-01-02 2:56

Hi Bill,
beautiful architecture-image with good POV,
excellent captured and composed,
a Happy New Year to you too!
Dimitris.

Longroute (19600) 2009-01-02 3:50

Well, the taoist temple with its red rooftiles it's really an eye catcher and stands out marvellously from the green palms in the background. So the composition is immedialty appeasing even for its balance. Strange view of the lady alone in the boat. Once Religion was Asia richness... pity what it has become.
All the best,
Donato

asajernigan (21427) 2009-01-02 7:18

Bill,
This is a nicely composed shot with the inclusion of the boat in the foreground. The angle of the shot is great giving the scene nice depth and direction. The lighting and colors are great with excellent sharpness and detail. The palm trees provide a nice background for this great architecture.
TFS,
Asa

feather (51130) 2009-01-02 7:45

Coming from the UK you might think I can't add anything useful to your note. I just want to say the UK government does not represent my wishes nor those of a sizable percentage of the population.
I see you took this at 300mm. I don't use my long lens enough. It has enabled you to concentrate on a small section of the wider view and make an excellent composition. I like the way you composed the image so the new temple is placed off-centre and the space to the left is filled with the attractive East Asian houses. The lady in the boat is an important part of the composition as well as an illustration of your note. I love the background of palm trees, which look so exotic.
Kath

jafadabret (56501) 2009-01-02 10:32

Bonjour Bill.
La nature humaine est riche de qualit駸 mais aussi de d馭auts, il faut que chaque homme arrive � la sagesse pour ne montrer que le bon qui est en lui. Belle photo de cet 馘ifice dans ce lieu qui respire la paix !
Meilleurs voeux pour 2009 !
Jacques

Bluejeans (64251) 2009-01-02 10:56

Ola amigo ,
Que lindo lugar a beira mar com estes templos , a sua arquitectura tem belos detalhes ,bonitas as suas cores , gostei muito deste primeiro plano com o barco ,parab駭s!!
Um abra輟 Gon軋lo

Festas Felizes 2009

Nicou (193814) 2009-01-02 11:16

Hello,

Fantastique image de ce temple, avec ces plamiers, de merveilleuses couleurs, fantastique.

Tr鑚 belle ann馥 2009 que ton image apporte la paix dans le monde et la joie.

Bravo et amiti�
Nicou

loves_summer (1310) 2009-01-02 11:42

Hi Bill,
Your gallery of photos is a pleasure to look through...you showcase architecture, nature, people, etc. and each of them with equal skill. The colours in this shot are great...really eye-catching. Good perspective and nice choice for framing.
Thanks for sharing and have a Happy New Year!

cfreire (11741) 2009-01-02 13:25

Hi Bill
Happy new year! Beautiful colors for the beginner of more year in our lives. Good pov and framing. The palms added an excellent contrast between the red roofs. Well done. Best regards, Consuelo

Silvio1953 (222811) 2009-01-02 14:12

Hi Bill, fascinating architecture with fantastic colors for new year, splendid greetings card,
I like a lot
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009, my friend
Silvio

ElAprendiz (30) 2009-01-02 15:56

My dear friend Bill, your image is very fresh for a new year. Which I hope is full of success and happiness for you and all your lovely family.

Viewpoint radiates harmony, tranquility and above all peace, which is the most important thing that should exist among our peoples.

The frame is perfect and well balanced, and soft colors are well defined.

A hug, John

Dyerco (10185) 2009-01-02 16:40

Nicely composed with the boat forming a triangle between the two different buildings in the BG.
Phil

jurek1951 (42198) 2009-01-02 20:36

Hi Bill,
Very interesting architecture. Original POV and composition. Very good shot. Well done
Georg

emka (158710) 2009-01-02 23:29

Hi Bill,

Wonderful photo, I like this palm forest in the bg and the architecture of the temple, Chinese style, is very interesting. Nice addition of the boat. Splendid composition, beautiful colours.

Harmony Peace Happiness to you

Malgorzata

dumbo (4541) 2009-01-03 3:15

Hi Bill,
This is really beautiful photo with fantastic colors and subject. I like the architecture of those buildings and that one boat.
Well done!

Regards,
Eino

Cricri (176) 2009-01-03 7:27

Hi Bill
Tout d'abord c'est une tr駸 belle image, l'architecture est de toutes beaut� et les couleurs magnifique, bien composer avec une note vraiment tr駸 jolie, mer輅
Good Weekend for you
cricri

Colombiana (2957) 2009-01-03 11:52

Hi Bill,
Interesting and inspiring intro note...
I would love to visit south east Asia one day.
I admire the intricate and beautiful architecture not seen anywhere else in the world. Effective composition and good exposure.

Best,
Maryori

skippy007 (12510) 2009-01-03 22:07

Hello Bill, Happy New Chinese Year, the year of the OX. A very harmonious scene & by the sounds of it a very nice peaceful place & real honest people. You & the young boy I bet were both happy & his honesty well rewarded.
Well done Bill both with this shot,your story & thank you for telling us.
My regards & best wishes.
Santo

chirasak (2) 2009-01-04 0:52

Hello Bill
it is very nice picture, your note and your title is also nice, happy new year 2009 wish you best luck for this new year

Best Regards
Chirasak

rodgerg (55767) 2009-01-04 1:54

Hello Bill,

Yes an image of harmony. Harmony in the composition, harmony in the colours.
An image rich in details and colours very well collected.
An interesting and good photowork.
Thanks for the interesting note.
Roger

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2009-01-04 18:02

This is a very beautiful picture accompanied by a well thought note and a story with a nice happy ending. Well done.
All the best in 2009.
Antonio

gracious (20025) 2009-01-05 9:35

Hello Lau,
I am very glad that you had your wallet back in good order!
Looks like the temple is having another expansion from the old one! very nice colour contrast on the temple's colour against the green coconut trees at the bg!
good depth to include the crossing river taxi as well!
p/s I will let you and Alfred knows before the trip!
have a good one in Sibu for the CNY this year!
Tony

josepmarin (59385) 2009-01-05 11:51

Hi Bill,
Your note is very interesting and complements perfectly to your beautiful photo.
Is a shame that the religions are often the origin of the conflicts and even of the wars.
I like your composition, and I share your wishes of harmony, peace and happiness for the whole world.
Happy New Year for you too.
Best regards,
Josep

Charo (51290) 2009-01-05 15:11

Hello Bill,
Great catch and great composition. I love these traditional architecture surrounded by palm trees and banks of the river. Good job my friend.
Best regards,
Charo

jjcordier (79299) 2009-01-05 22:29

Bill
Une image qui respire la paix et la s駻駭it�. Tr鑚 beau cadrage et couleurs superbes.
Avec mes meilleurs v忖x pour 2009
JJ

Disabled_A (0) 2009-01-07 6:09

Hello Bill,
I really enjoy your notes which are like little short stories accompanying interesting photos!
I like this view very much, it is filled with warmth, and also with peace and harmony, indeed. I like the roofs roofs of various red tints. The girl in the boat is a very nice addition to the image. Very beautiful landscape view, on the whole! I hope to visit Malaysia one day - the only hindrance so far is money. It costs a lot to travel so far from Moscow! But I do not lose hope :)
All my very best and kindest wishes to you in the new year!
Elena

mauro61 (53429) 2009-01-07 7:32

ciao Bill,
bellissima immagine che ha nella inquadratura e nei colori i suoi punti di forza.
Cielo dalle tinte chiare omogeneo con il resto dell'immagine.
saluti
maurizio

angela926 (1884) 2009-01-07 15:02

Hello Bill,
Nice shot, excellent composition and pov,
very good sharpness and beautiful colors.
Angela

axiotea (21651) 2009-01-07 20:33

hello Bill
I'm leaving in Goa (India) where there are Roman Christians, Hindus,Muslims...and till now there were no problems for them to be together!
Yes, all the problems are created by the politicians, fundamentalist suggested by Ertugrul, the weapon dealers etc....I wish we all could leave together in an equal justice...a decent an respectful life for everyone, but is it possible?

Thanks for your note and picture!

All the best to you&family&friends for 2009;)

Marilyn
P.S you were lucky for your wallet ;)

adores (46979) 2009-01-08 17:59

Hi Bill!
Seems the new temple is almost ready:)! I like the composition and the way you included the girl on the boat. Very well framed! I also appreciated the note and I'm very happy to know you got your wallet back!

JCG (35153) 2009-01-11 8:10

Hi Bill,

I am happy that you recovered your wallet with all his contents !!! Beautiful and interesting composition on this typical architecture of your country where framing brings a good balance. Also, I hope for one year with less violence but I fear that it is utopian unfortunately, but are positive�

With all my friendships and I present to you like with all your family my best wishes for 2009,

Jean-Charles

stego (24132) 2009-01-12 16:42

Hi Bill,

It's a beautiful photo, the red roofs and gracious architecture of the temples makes a pretty visual arrangement with the green of the palm trees. The boat is very nicely placed.

It's also a good image to accompany the thoughtful note. It would be so good if all the people around the world would follow the examples of living in harmony with their neighbours despite of their differences, like it happens in Sarawak. I was glad with myself for noticing the Muslim woman with the scarf before I read your note.

Regards, Jos�.

maltese (22909) 2009-01-15 9:00

Hello Bill
Une tr鑚 belle r饌lisation pour cette photo avec de tr鑚 douces et agr饌bles couleurs, la composition avec ce bateau au premier plan est bien pens�!!
Bon travail
Amicalement
Herv�

wolf38 (30) 2009-01-29 8:55

Hello Bill. A good shot. It gives an idea of a strange country and its architecture. Boat, houses, palms etc. fit well. The woman in the boat fits well into the picture. Exemplary note. Best regards, Wolfgang.

dantor (122) 2009-05-31 15:28

Good composition, Bill. Perhaps the temple is just a bit too close to the right edge. It's nice that the colour of the boat is the same orange colour of the temple' s roof.

Just to experiment, you could try cropping the image in about half in order to have a vertical shot of the temple and the boat only.

Your note is most interesting.

Daniel