After a decade or so of wrestling myself over the use of the cellphone camera, in place of an actual camera, I passed something of a landmark in June. I had a photograph published, accompanying a short essay about maritime trade/boat-building in South East Asia. The picture was made with an iPhone. I have had…
Category: Indonesia
Nusantaran Boat Building and South East Asian Maritime Trade Routes
I arrived at Pulau Ketam a day after a completed boat had been launched. What remained were remnants of the craft. The workers had all retired to the Kampung in preparation of the evening prayers. ©ismaillagardien Sea explorers from Nusantara set foot on the African Continent through Madagascar since the early days of Christian era…
First Digital Photographic Expedition
I set out a few weeks ago to give photography another try. I had sold the last of my film equipment, my beloved Nikon F5 almost two decades ago, and bought an entry-level digital camera. My work as a writer, an academic and in policy-making had made it difficult to fully embrace photography to the…
Film: Tebusan Dosa (The Redemption of Sin)
I look forward to watching the new Indonesian film, Tebusan Dosa, a ‘mystery-horror’ work by Yosep Anggi Noen, an enormously talented filmmaker (See his body of work, here). While I am not a fan of ‘horror’ films – not at all – Noen’s exceptional talent and vision, and the performances of Happy Salma, Shogen and…
Review: Kabut Berduri (Borderless Fog)
I can’t be completely objective about Kabut Berduri (Borderless Fog), an Indonesian film by Edwin, with Putri Marino as the lead protagonist, Sanja Arunika, who is sent from Jakarta to Borneo to investigate a strange set of murders where one victim’s severed head is found the body of the other. Set, as it is, where…