Blog

Update Work in Progress: Urban Coexistence

It's been two years since I started the Urban Coexistence project. Many things happened along this journey, including changes in object selection and photographic approach.

The change came after I delved deeper into this subject. Along the way, I discover that some plants found their way to grow naturally in unusual media such as concrete, asphalt, and even buildings that contain metal. This really caught my attention, because these plants are essentially similar objects like the trees that have been my object to date, only this time the place is different.

With this plants as the object, I can comfortably approach and aim the same way as what I've been working on so far, but still with the spirit of re-discovering my perspective on the city.

New Project: Urban Coexistence

As a person who lives and works in the city, going outdoors is a form of personal meditation for me. Nature always gives me tranquility, peace, also a little sensation of freedom. Something that I have never found in a crowded and demanding city. That "meditative" sensation has had a huge influence on my works, which mainly focus on natural elements such as trees, water and rocks. Therefore, the city had never been my inspiration. I felt that cities are too ordinary, very regular, and slightly negative. I see the city only as an environment where I was born and live, and I tend to focus on thinking (or complaining) about the problems it has. Such as traffic, garbage, overpopulation, etc.

Over time, and with a little bit of being critical, I began to question myself. "Is it true that tranquility, peace, and freedom can only be found in nature? How do I know that they’re not just my perception? Can I get those feelings without having to go out from the city?"

The question inspired me to change my perspective regarding the city. With this new idea, I try to look back at the little everyday things in life that I have been missing. After some time of experimenting, I decided to choose "coexistence" as a keyword. Because in the process of finding this new perspective, I slowly discovered that plants/trees (representations of nature) and buildings (representations of cities) can somehow still have a good synergy, even though some of them occur accidentally. I also found that the sensations of meditation can still be felt even though this time I’m making works in the city instead of the open nature. So, with these things in mind, Now I’m sure that I really want to explore deeper into the Urban Coexistence.

Town of Biei - Hokkaido Trip (February 2018)

Last winter, I had the opportunity to do 3 pre-wedding sessions in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. Luckily there was a few days' free time between one client and another. So I decided to take the time to photograph the landscape. Not wanting to just dwell around the city, I decided to fly to Hokkaido. Landed at New Chitose Airport, I continued my journey by rail to Biei, a village in the middle of Hokkaido island. From there my landscape photography trip will begin.

Watu Lumbung Beach - Jogja Trip (October 2017)

Watu Lumbung Beach is a beach with cliffs and sharp rocks located in the southern coast of Yogyakarta province. I came there without any expectations, considering the trip was done at the end of the year which is obviously a rainy season. But after the trip was done, the results that I got were not too bad actually.

Bali's Twin Waterfalls - Bali Trip (September 2017)

Please turn on the CC for English subtitle

I returned to Bali for a job. As usual, the weather in the western coastal area was (again) being  unfriendly. The sky was overcast since the day before. And I was forced to go to waterfall during the day, lucky enough the weather in northern Bali was quite nice.

Bali Trip (August 2017) - Day 2

Please turn on the CC for English subtitle

After the previous day I went to Yeh Leh Beach, this time I took pictures at Kanto Lampo Waterfall and Tukad Cepung Waterfall. The cloudy weather forced me to change my plans from going the beach at catch sunrise and sunset to shoot waterfalls during the day, since the waterfall is still relatively doable even when the light isn't perfect.

Bali Trip (August 2017) - Day 1

Please turn on the CC for English subtitle

For me, off-the-cuff trip sometimes is twice as fun as the one that we planned carefully. Started from a last minute pre wedding project in Bali, I decided to extend for 2 days to go to some places that I really wanted to visit to do some landscape photography.

Karang Songsong Beach - Southern Banten Coastline

Please turn on the CC for English subtitle

I went to Songsong Karang Beach to take some landscape photograph. The beach itself is located in Cibobos Village, Lebak, Banten. Unlike its neighbor Sawarna Beach, which has started to become a tourist destination, Karang Songsong Beach is still rarely visited. Dominated by big waves hitting the large rocks that stick out from the sea, this beach is a potential alternative for landscape photography destination.
The southern coast of Banten isn't too far from Jakarta (about 4 hours by car), but still rarely explored, possibly due to poor and damaged road access. But in recent years there has been a fairly comprehensive construction on the road so access is way more faster and easier now.

Anyer & Labuan Trip - Day 2

Please turn on the CC for English subtitle

The weather was getting worse on the second day. Initially, I plan to return to Laguna Beach. Hoping that the weather will get better. But since ature being nature, I have to switch to the second plan to take pictures around Anyer. Because I thought it will be useless going to Laguna Beach in this kind of weather.
To make things worse, the rain did not seem to want to stop. And it seems that I need a little extra patience to be able to shot at least one image.

Anyer & Labuan Trip - Day 1

Please turn on the CC for English subtitle

Eid holiday session has arrived and I made the most of it by going out to take some landscape photo. To avoid congestion, I went to Anyer and Labuan area. Although they are within the same direction with Merak port, I did not find any significant traffic during the trip.

I stayed for 2 days in Anyer. I went to Laguna Beach in Labuan on the fist day to photograph sunset, which I documented my trip with video journal above. Please enjoy!

New Zealand Trip - Part 2

After spending nice days at Mt. Cook, that day I let my brother to sat behind the wheel. We traveled to Wanaka via Twizel, Omarama, and Lindis. Like a trip to Mt. Cook, the scenery during the trip looks amazing. Actually I was tired enough back then, maybe because the tramping the day before (plus that morning I went back to the viewpoint). However I can not just sleep and miss the scenery on the trip.

Read More

New Zealand Trip - part 1

It all started from a wedding photography project in Auckland that took me to explore the "bottom of the world", an experience that seems difficult to forget because we do the entire journey by driving RV/motor home, which is not common in my country (Indonesia). Departing with Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur, I landed in Auckland after 10 hours of travel.

Read More