Dramatic Sunset Boardroom Photography

I have in recent years photographed great number of corporate offices including hotels and their business centres. An example from 2012 is Radisson Hotel Brunei’s Business Centre and Boardroom. It’s not everyday I get an assignment to photograph a boardroom that features a 180 degree panoramic view of its surrounding and from the first floor. Trouble is, beyond the windows is a landscape of concrete buildings, workshops and general conditions of surrounding that are still under development — not quite the breathtaking views I’d imagined. Instead of the usual brightly lit pictures of the boardroom, I chose and waited for direct light at sunset to pierce through the blinds casting light rays and shadows for a dramatic finish.

Click on image to view larger version © Jan Shim Photography

 

PATIENCE, STATE OF MIND OR ART?

These images were taken in the evening of June 16 when the Chinese community in Seria and Kuala Belait celebrated Dumpling Festival. Unlike other cultures in Asia such as Hong Kong where dragon boat races are held to mark this day, we just enjoy hanging out at the beach and what we lack in terms of meaningful event to celebrate, we make up in large numbers of people just indulging in spectator sports. So this year, no pictures of the crowded beach but instead a  small selection of off-the-cuff moment including this one below where Azri went chest deep into the sea in order to get a good vantage point of the sunset and rainbow. Looking at the scene through the viewfinder, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of opportunity, risk, uncertainty, bravery and determination. This spells PATIENCE for a photographer determined to get the shot—what is a  state of mind is now also a piece of art :-)

Inking a creative moment of art imitating life injected with a dose of humor is this cardboard mounted 8R print for a client who is also a friend and former colleague.

I’m against consumption of SHARK FINS and if you are too, PLEDGE your support to STOP SHARK FINNING.

That same evening, there was as much drama above as there were below. Rain, rain clouds and “ray of light” phenomenon aren’t exactly the sort of things you catch everyday (not even if you live right next to the beach and keeping your fingers crossed all year long. The beach is one heck of a vantage point when it comes to natural drama such as this lighting Bokeh I recently caught while photographing kayaks.

Heavy rain in the horizon, dark clouds and a thick diffused ray of light pierces through rain clouds.

Dramatic clouds accent the gorgeous sunset at the Billionth Barrel Monument beach on the onset of rain sending beach goers scurrying off the sand except for the two silhouetted figures.

MY STOCK OVER SHUTTERSTOCK

“ Your picture and the way the light and shadow play with the sky and the water, make the nodding donkeys sexy and mysterious! And that is why I want to use it. “

A month ago, the marketing manager of Bronswerk Heat Transfer BV in the Netherlands contacted me about an image they’re interested to buy. They are a dynamic heat exchange solutions company with clients in very diverse markets such as power, oil & gas, chemicals and so forth. She explains that their present website looks outdated, too technical and above all lacks appeal.

The new website (which will be launched at the end of April, beginning of May) will be more sexy and modern but most importantly, it will clearly indicate what it is that we do, which is provide dynamic heat exchange solutions. This means that we can not only produce big heat exchangers, but more importantly we have knowledge and experience in processes and systems.

I would like to use your picture of the nodding donkey for the submarket oil. The agency that we are working with is getting their pictures from Shutterstock, however this database simply doesn’t have such beautiful pictures as the one you took. Most pictures of nodding donkeys are portrayed in a sort of dusty windy surrounding which makes the atmosphere rather desolate and wild wild west. Your picture and the way the light and shadow play with the sky and the water, make the nodding donkeys sexy and mysterious! And that is why I want to use it.

The new web page of Bronswerk Heat Transfer incorporating the nodding donkey backdrop

This photo dates back to 29 January 2008 at 06.49 PM captured using the EOS 20D/EFs10-22mm lens. The trouble with having shot so many pictures over the years is the inability to locate them without a DAM setup of some sort. My heart started to sink when faced with the reality of almost not finding the image—locating one image or even one folder of image from 4.5TB of storage is really living the “needle in a haystack” nightmare. Through perseverance I eventually found the image and averted disappointing a client. Bottom line is, I feel this image has the elements of good feng-shui and I hope my client enjoys auspicious success when they launch their new website.