Friday, March 27, 2009

Local Flavour

Quite An Appetite For Photography

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur is the place to be after dusk, if you’re an avid shopper. But you don’t just have to be into retail therapy to appreciate this memorable thoroughfare, the heart of Chinatown. If you appreciate adventurous cuisine, or simply observing the world go by, this is a great place to be.

I can truthfully say that I bought nothing on the long evening we spent here last July. But I did take several photographs of the many sights that caught my attention. The street stalls do a very brisk trade and tourists walk away with some very handy bargains, but as most males will tell you, it’s a handy idea to have plenty of food stalls in the vicinity.

The young woman behind this counter looks as if she is having a quiet evening. In truth, she was almost run off her feet. I watched her serve a long line of customers efficiently and courteously. As swiftly as she served some people, others would arrive in the queue – obviously a reliable sign that the food being served from behind the counter was high-quality.

It was several minutes before she cleared all the orders and I hit the button just as she took a moment’s breather before the crowd descended again.

This was shot without a flash, because the lighting on the street is more than adequate if you are happy to adjust your settings. I took this at 1/60th of a second and ISO 800, so it’s a good thing she wasn’t moving. The slightest motion would have caused a blur – which is exactly how she probably thought the hours were passing.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

18 comments:

Sniffles and Smiles said...

So enjoyed this "snapshot" of local life...Thanks! Even the little things take on particular interest when captured by a photo story-teller!

Jessica said...

love this post!

Tink *~*~* said...

I do enjoy a food adventure now and again, so I'll have to keep this place in mind (Kuala Lumpur is on my "bucket list")

TGIF!
Tink *~*~*
Fort Myers Beach Moon

Leslie: said...

Good shot!

Ananda girl said...

What a marvelous experience! Thanks.

What About The Girl? said...

Isn't she lucky to be in the photo?
I think it's so nice of you to give helpful photography tips & techniques.
Is the yellow a reflection of lighting on the street?
Where is the light coming from?
You captured the colour so well!

What About The Girl? said...

I apologize if I confused you with my queries. Yes, I am referring to the yellow light inside the glass food container.
Yellow is a very pretty colour to take pictures of but to be able to capture its radiance is another story.
That's the beauty of your photography.
Thank you very much for the visit!
I appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment and explanation regarding the yellow...
Happy Friday, Sir David.
By the way, Penang is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.
Great food!

The Muse said...

She does look tired....
I love the faded coloring of the interior of the goods counter...in relation to her ....

:)
Nice storyline too...!

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Another slice of life thru your viewfinder.
Thanks for the photo tips too, as I'm always yearning for insights to better photos...... now if only I could convince my brain to store the info!

Maggie May said...

That was a really great photo and you had the patience to wait for her to finish serving and clear the queue.
I expect I'd have given up and moved on!

Shadow said...

that IS a great shot, the lighting's perfect.

kylie said...

ahhhh !!!

pasar malam is always good, where ever it is

Eddie Bluelights said...

A bullseye of a shot, David

Tarolino said...

What a fun article and the picture made me hungry.

Particularly laughed at a couple of notions in the text about the male relationship to food and a picture not blurred allthough the subject of it probably passing her time in a blur.

Janet said...

You've been to so many interesting places. Fascinating shot.

Michelle said...

Love that shot. She looks so incredibly bored and I love that you shared the ISO and fstop you used. I'm always find low light shots so challenging.

Great PSF!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

I love your eye David, I would have macro'd THE FOOD! :)

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Great shot and I enjoyed the description of the girl.