MIFC: Team Japan (Merdeka Eve)

This year may be the 50th Merdeka for Malaysia (or 44 as many people would argue), but it is quite a hollow occasion for me with certain things going on in our country. Anyway, putting all that aside, on the eve of Merdeka I went to Putrajaya to shoot Team Japan in the Malaysia International Firworks Competition (MIFC). I also met Kwan FM and Clement there as well.

The fireworks started at midnight and lasted for half an hour. I arrived quite late, 8pm. Apparently people were already setting up their cameras and waiting at the good locations since 5pm...kiasu-nyer.

Having seen some of the previous teams photos on an online forum, I knew I had quickly take the shots before the smoke settled in. This means I have to get it right first few times. This is my first time shooting fireworks, so I set up my tripod and camera at 11pm and spend around an hour waiting and taking test shots.

In the end this was the view that I decided on. Not too high that you can't see the bridge, and not too low that you can't see the fireworks. After the fireworks started I immediately regretted it.

It was too low! Crap! This could've been quite a nice shot!

I quickly re-adjusted the camera and continued shooting. This one above reminded me of flowers.

Then the smoke started getting in the way...

Smoke again...

Yet more smoke...

A heart-shaped one.

Another heart-shaped one.

The fireworks finished at12.30am and it was jammed all the way home. I reached home at around 4 something in the morning and slept at 5am. It was really frustrating sitting in the car for 4 hours. As a photographer, I did what any other photographer will do. Go again the next day for another shoot. Heheh... Watch out for pictures of that in the next post.