Singapore and Malaysia - bits and pieces

[hoffy]

Greetings all,

For both my wife's and my milestone birthdays this year, we have decided to travel to Singapore and Malaysia for a holiday (our children will be with us as well). We are currently booked in to visit the following locations:

Singapore (for the Grand Prix - I'll have some free time while I am there, as my wife comes the day after the race)
Kota Kinabalu
Penang
Langkawi

OK, first things first. Do many have any experience with film availability in these locations? Should I be packing my own or can I get reliable supplies while there?

Secondly, does anyone have any 'must see and photograph' recommendations? I have to admit, the predominant reason for travelling is so I can go to the GP, but as you can see, we are going to make the most of the trip.

Cheers

 

[limsoonchung]

Hi

Singapore is the only place in your list that has a good supply of film so you can stock up there but there is the risk of not finding what you need. Ruby Photo and other stores close to it should have a decent selection.

There is nothing too compelling to photograph in those places. The usual touristy stuff. Penang and Langkawi have good beaches and Penang in particular has an old town feel with very good street food and old buildings. If you have time, go up to Mount Kinabalu but Kota Kinabalu itself is unremarkable. Kuching, on the other hand, is quite interesting.

 

[ntenny]

Singapore is a very photographable city; I find it really demands color film. I'm not aware of specific "must photograph" subjects, but it's a good place for just wandering around finding interesting compositions. (Best street food on earth, too.) Apart from the obligatory photos of the skyline and the Merlion, I find most of my good images from Singapore are small-scale things: my son playing in a neat-looking spot in Chinatown, a colorful pedestrian bridge in good lighting, a guy in a hazmat suit spraying DDT around the hotel, things like that.

The west coast of Malaysia has the best sunsets I've ever seen. I'm not normally one for calendar-pretty sunset photos, but *damn*.

-NT

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

There are still some photogenic "old" streets in Singapore's Chinatown (rather ironic to have a "Chinatown" in a city that is what 2/3 ethnic Chinese, but there you go...). There are several chunks of old shophouses that have been converted into restaurants, homes, boutiques, and such that can be photogenic, and they usually provide a good respite from the sun as most of them have arcades in front that overhang the sidewalks.

Another good camera store is Cathay Photo, which is down on Raffles Boulevard near the Esplanade. They have a separate used equipment department in the same building if memory serves, or perhaps I'm getting them confused with another store. There are several within walking distance of each other in that same area.

 

[hoffy]

THanks,

So, to get down and gritty with Asian street type photography, Singapore is the place it appears - it should be interesting enough with the Grand Prix in town.

As for the other locale's, yes, I was aware that they are western tourist orientated (hey, my per-requisite of the tour was the Grand Prix - I told the wife I wasn't too fussed about where else we go and what we do!).

I'll have to do some more research on film in Singapore. If I can, I'd rather buy the bulk of my film there. I just now need to decide what gear I take with me

Cheers