Communicating Climate Change- You've got the power!

Climate change communication is a collective work of creation- about intricacies of conveying the message to the public. Imaginative and reasoning between the cold, impersonal world of climate change deniers and the much more ignorant group of people. Photography as tools of exploration, ticket to inner sanctums, instruments for change. Images are the proof that photography matters in bridging the gap of awareness, now, more than ever.

Communicating the urgency of climate change is particularly challenging, scientific facts and figures can be overwhelmed, but sometimes the lack of visual medium is rather prominent. To instill the beauty and fragility of nature, i hope with the communication medium of photography can illustrate the environmental challenges faced by wildlife and ecosystems due to climate change impacts. I'm intend to record the changes through events, awareness campaigns, action groups.

You've got the power!

Capturing the essence of light is perhaps the greatest challenge in the very place of event/campaign action and tame intersected. My wimpy skill of photography to tell a story although this may be open to multiple interpretation of viewers. Images, to not only be the eyes but also a voice to connect people, deriving the flow of energy across a scene as creative analogy for key role enablers- message of movement.

In a world seemingly dulled by a daily overdose of images; i call upon Photographers with conscience, climate change can't wait, we need you, the world needs you, cut through these avalanche of images, standout and express the imperiled beauty of the world- divulge climate change- You've got the power!

CLIMATE PICNIC Sembang-Sembang! 

An unusual- Early Sunday morning of 21st Sept 2014, nearly hundred of people attended "Climate Picnic". This gathering is in solidarity with People's Climate March, to pressure Malaysia's leaders to take action on climate change now. This picnic highlights the importance of opposing climate change for the sake of clean air, water and healthy communities. Full story here.

To change everything, we need everyone.

Tim visualizing his love for planet in words. 

Plenty of colored pencils and recycle "art paper" to express your love for the planet and against climate change.

Vegan foods!

Adrian, the founder of 350.org Malaysia (PowerShiftMsia) sharing his thoughts of change.

Jeffrey Lim (an advocate of Cycling KL Bike Map Project) sharing zero-carbon bicycle as the main transport and solution during the picnic.

Ms. Choy Kim Lee was sharing her experience of participated in youth-led training workshop in New York City recently. It baffles her that youth are now given the information and access to decision making process, and the importance of Joining #PowerShiftMsia!!!

To change everything, we need everyone.

His favorite animals are dragon and tiger, in that specific order. He has a 3 legged dragon and a 7 legged dragon. He also love outdoors and the environment. He will ask his dragons to steal and eat those bad people's shoe if they destroy the planet.

So, EVERYONE!!! Don't let the dragon eat your shoe.

Photographers with conscience, climate change can't wait, we need you, the world needs you; to express the imperiled beauty of the world, divulge climate change- You've got the power! 

Use your photography skills to make the world a better place.

JW. 

#PowerShiftMsia

The world is running out of time if we wait solely rely on political will to solve the climate crisis.

2015 looms as a critical year when we must act swiftly and strong if we are to have any chance of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celcius, let alone get back to the 350 parts per million of atmospheric CO2 that scientists say is necessary.

The Rio+20 Earth Summit in June of 2012 was meant to be the starting point for a three year push to 2015, but the summit ended in a whimper rather than a bang and 2015 will eventually follow, unless an international climate movement can generate an unprecedented level of political pressure for climate action.

We need a massive and sustained show of force that disrupts the status quo and captures the public imagination. This ambitious goal is within reach. With a loose collection of organizations, activists, and networks in nearly every country on earth, the climate movement has the necessary potential to facilitate this sort of global groundswell. Now it’s time for us to realize this potential.Global Power Shift (GPS) began with an international climate leaders summit of mostly young people in Istanbul, Turkey, June 24-30, 2013. The week-long summit was the chance for us to refine skills, create personal bonds and community, share a global vision for change, and strategize how to organize different actions and similar summits back home. Now, in country after country we are organizing national, regional summits.

Depending on the size of the host country, the summits bring together anywhere between hundreds or thousands of activists and partners. The national summits are opportunities to build on or launch national climate campaigns and to empower participants from around the country to return home equipped to lead local action groups. Local groups in turn educate the public about the realities and solutions to climate change, implement solutions projects and campaigns, and recruit for mass global action leading into 2014 and 2015.

Thus, through 2013 and beyond, together, we are creating the global power shift our world needs to effectively confront the climate crisis.

On 10th – 15th December, gather together 25 Malaysian youths, joined by experienced speakers from Malaysia’s UNFCCC climate change negotiator, NGO and community leaders. We aim to empower participants with variety of workshops like Digital Campaigning, Policy & Governance, Understanding Media and Active Activism. 

Empower participants with variety of workshops: 

• Digital Campaigning - being the most efficient channel in reaching out to Malaysian audiences, spreading climate change and environment awareness on the internet is vital, tips and tricks in using social media tools, how to effectively tell you story on youtube, facebook, twitter and many more.
• Policy & Governance – understanding the policy is crucial in affecting change in the system, connecting the policies on the United Nations level to the local government implementations, what are the difficulties and how can we leverage and apply influence on the system.
• Understanding Media – mainstream media can be both allies and enemy in environmental campaigns, more often allies, learn what kind of stories do the media wants, what publications do the readers want to read, how to draft a press release
• Creative Activism  – taking meaningful action is not restricted only taking it to the streets, there are many non-violence direct action in the book, and many are shockingly creative and effective, join us to learn more
• Idola Demokrasi - participants first learn how to define the problem. Is the problem really the problem? Or is the so-called problem actually a symptom of an underlying issue? Get to the root! Defining the problem requires interaction, discussion and debate.
• Theory of Change – our aim to shift our wasteful fossil-fuel focused society to efficient renewable centric is easier when we can identify the sector of the society behaviors, once we understand this, we can cater our strategies effectively
• Storytelling – getting personal with our personal naratives and campaign stories, and how to craft a campaign story that will move mountains
• Roots Camp -  is an open space “unconference” where the agenda is driven by the people who attend. The agenda is set on-site. At the start of each day, attendees fill out cards and post the sessions they’re interested in presenting. Before RootsCamp session, talk to friends about what you’d like to present and see if you can work together on something. 

http://world.350.org/malaysia/

IT'S WRAP for all the PowerShifters! The most "awesomest" participants! There might be information overload but keep the motivation and inspiration you can never go wrong.There are no failures, it was an intense 5-day workshop and all of you came out of it more alive than ever (we hope). Keep calm and Shift Power!

#PowerShiftMsia You've got the power!

JW.

Election Campaign with Prime Lens

Not all lenses built the same, expansion of innovations abound from prime, zoom to tele lenses. Navigating through this vast choices of options, this is bewilder. I am honored and grateful that I have a chance to cover an election campaign for a state assembly candidate, carry along 2 prime lenses. Simply because I know what I want, honest and disciplined, I want Bokehlicious, it is often trade off with decisions. Likewise, a large aperture zoom lens is extremely costly, prime lens comes relatively cheaper and usually offers larger aperture.

Election campaign is always emotional no matter who you're backing. You won't want to miss the decisive moment, triumph and emotional cheers. Technically and intellectually sophisticated to cover the horse race competently, this is history in the making. I know my frame, I'd shot long enough with prime lens knowing my position and familiar with my frame, the rest of the mystery just leave it all to fate.

If you wish to do this with prime lens, you should know what you're getting yourself into. A compromise need not to be a hard decision, marginally-tact-sharp-light-less expensive-discipline-bokehlicious over a zoom lens which serve well in covering 90% of the situations.

Time for you to pick up the bat and see what it's like to take a swing.

++ 98% of the shots covered with Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f1.2, marginally on Nikkor 20mm f2.8 ++

Candidate for State Legislative Assembly (DUN Semambu), Lee Chean Chung

A grueling campaign runs for 4 months consistently in caring people

A daily morning routine, distributing newspaper and candidate's manifesto at traffic light.

No newspaper adverts, TV commercial, radio air time, but genuine care. 

Distributing newspaper and candidate's manifesto at mosque after Friday prayer.

Convoy for campaign awareness.

Delivering speech from a pick up truck. 

the People's Pact.

Thumb up for the candidate! 

Visiting poverty-stricken area. 

Strive to end poverty and injustice. 

Candidate delivering speech of awakening. 

Election day, candidate running all 55 voting channels wishing voters, "Happy Voting!" 

Stepping out from the last voting channel.

An emotional election night for the candidate and steering committee. 

Candidate roars in a rousing speech during a debate session with national front parties. 

At times, our light goes out and rekindled by a spark from a person

brightest day or darkest night, he lighted up the flame of many people. 

My last bid of crusade for General Election, a grueling fight nonetheless

Congratulation to YB Lee Chean Chung, it was a great honor working with you. 

JW. 

In the Valley of Eternal Spring

Here lies a historical land of joy and grief, a place burst forth under the form of British colonial; mourn over the outbreak of second world war, where the Japanese invasion in 1941 forced out the British troops and civilians out of the highlands. The Japanese continue to administer the highlands as foresee agriculture as a vital food source for thier troops. When the Japanese withdrew in August 1945, the place went throught a transformation- the Malayan Emergency, a guerilla war fought between Commonwealth forces and Malayan National Liberation Army, Malayan Emergency was a colonial term for the conflict. The communist guerillas operated from jungle camps in the mountains and used the network of aboriginal trails to infiltrate the Peninsula. The biggest and best known of Malaysia's hill stations lies on the northwest corner of Pahang state, bounded by Perak state to the west, and Kelantan state to the north. The jungle clad 1500m high plateau the weather is reassuringly British, unpredictable, often wet and cold; but when the sun blazes out of the sky, the Camerons are hard to beat.

It was once possibly, perhaps one of the most pictureque highlands retreat in Malaysia with lush of green forest and terraced plantation. However, the poor planning and enforcement have led to environmental degradation. Landslides, silted rivers and dams, constant water disruptions and poor water quality have become the norm. REACH!

Such rich heritage goes on waste.

++

Cameron Highlands

Terraced tea plantation blanketed in mist

Top of the terraced plantation

Dendrobium brinchangense is an endanger orchid species

endemic to Cameron Highlands

Native's settlement along Tapah to Brinchang

Most of the aborigines are from Temiah tribe

Brotherly love

Mobile market

Settlement of the Orang Asli

I'm a big fan of Tudor architecture, i can't help it but drawn to the interesting and often asymmetrical Tudor style houses. Here's place lies fronting the valley of eternal spring, The Lakehouse where it illustrate my fascination of Tudor.

In the fight of environmental activities, there're always obstacles but please be faithful that there's hope and it is a utmost importance to preserve our heritage.

something that can't be erase while assimilating development,
we embrace with pride the one thing we could not leave behind: heritage. 

Heritage should not give way.

JW.

Green Walk towards the Gloomy Merdeka Square

Conflict doesn't lead to stability of a country but the cooperation? is a struggle!

300km Green Walk from Kuantan to Parliament started off with 70 ascetics on the first day (13.11.2012), accumulated to at least 15,000 supporters on last day (25.11.2012). Green Walk participants marched to demand projects review on Lynas Advanced Material Plant (Rare Earth Processing Plant), Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd (Cyanide on Gold Mining), RAPID project (Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development), and Baram Hydro-electric Dam Project (Hydro-electric Dam) fighting for the rights to live in hazardous-free environment.

Check post on Green Walk journey.

Approaching the gloomy barricaded Merdeka Square, leader of the Green Walk Movement, Wong Tack and the rest of the 15,000 participants were denied entry into the Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka). DBKL officials present that the Merdeka Square was under renovation and no activities will be allowed there, an iconic square where he wishes to have dialogue with the Members of Parliament. He was then sit outside the barricaded square with 80 (or more!) other supporters from evening until the next morning.

The asceticism had inspired at least 15,000 participants but the petition to review hazardous projects had turned down from the governing bodies, deemed as conflict, as chaos in the country by main stream media. Cooperation is a struggle! To a culture that makes no stranger to democracy countries, the peaceful meaning of assembly, protest, rally. To a culture of press freedom, human rights, the concept of respect for people. So, how can we do this? Why can't a declared democratic country cooperate with us, integrate with us, balance with us?

(Malaysia democracy ranking slipped to 82 and press freedom slipped to 104, all out of 150 countries.)

The root of belief, freedom for everyone, freedom of expressing opinions, equality, human rights, with responsibility; law and constitution? That often found contradict each other? 

++

images shot entirely on film with Nikon FE @50mm f1.2 Fujifilm Superia ISO200 Exp2014 CanoScan

the Green Ranger! 

Chanting at Titiwangsa Station, while waiting for the green walk participants 

Men, Women, Children marched on despite the weather. 

Green Walk asceticism manged to inspire crowds from a wide cross-section of Malaysia society. 

a melting pot, the current Governing Bodies failed to achieve over the past 55 years.

Our land is being occupied and the government is colluding with the corporations. 

There is no guarantee for the health of our future generations

"Stop Lynas! or die trying!" 

My arthritis hurt badly in the morning, i'd been longing for today for 2 weeks, 

i begged my husband, son, grandson, i must cheer for them. 

Marching towards the Merdeka Square, an iconic place dubbed as a symbol of independence. 

妙赞法师也来为苦行者祈福

妙赞法师

pr

ays for ascetics 

not only a melting pot but a sizzling cauldron! 

Some of what Main Stream Media, reported "2,000 participants". 

Wen Tan, who has been an excellent PR for the Green Walk, she takes good pictures,

presented them with beautiful digital artist's work, keep the information flows to the public. 

YB Lim Kit Siang, a prominent leader of the Democratic Action Party. 

(Jimmy Carter) We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different belief, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. One mission- Stop Hazardous Industries. 

"It gives me the shivers talking about Rare Earth Plant." 

"After 13 days of walking, we're finally here!" announced Wong Tack.

 the barricaded Merdeka Square. Defying the symbol of independence. 

Green Walk participants held their head in disbelief, after denied entry to the iconic square. 

++

We neither walk behind nor in front, we walk side by side, be comrades. We didn't do it for the individual glory, we do it because we loved our home, bestow to liberals' applause. We owed Green Walk participants the peace of mind, we owed them not just thanks and best wishes, but action! We need to take action and every single voice of you makes a difference!

Green Walk might have ended, but the war just begun. Don’t let other people decide your fate; the choice is in your hand. Brace yourself for a greater blockade! Stop Lynas! Or die trying. 

Regards,

JW.