Meet Malaysia's Active Community Members from Malacca #2: Oxgn

What makes Malacca special? Its heritage elements and culture made this historical city beautiful! Malacca is also known as the Historic State, and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, let’s discover Malacca – The Historic State together with Oxgn!

Name: Mohammad Hafeez bin Ramli
Occupation: Self-employment
City/Country: Selangor, Malaysia
LomoHome: oxgn
LomoAge: 3 years

Hello, tell us a bit about yourself and your Lomographic journey.

I started playing with a Lomography camera when one of my friends showed me the Holga 120 in mid 2009. I become very amazed with the fact that the Holga 120 is a toy camera. I thought that Holga is like a drink bottle in the 90’s. Then he shoots me with it. He says, “After developing, the picture doesn’t need to be edited”, and I’m like, "This is it!”. Starting from that time, I did a lot of research about Lomography. The first film camera I bought is the Lomolitos. Yes, the very first camera I possessed is a “disposable” camera! After 3 months of using it, I decided to have more challenging camera, and thought “How about a Diana F+? It got all the lenses and accessories and the effects are quite good”. Without a second thought, I just bought it with a 35mm back. Until today, I still use that portable and small Lomolitos even though the flash are all broken now. The Diana F+ and all the accessories, I have sold it to fund a film scanner.

So is there any local community in Malacca? Or are you part of any Lomography community in Malaysia?

Yes, in Malacca we do have analogue group named AnaloGuerilla.

Did you join any outings / workshops / event organize by this community?

Yes, I do join the group activities. Every weekend we will organize some small outing and explore Malacca bit by bit. The fun part is that you will never know what you stumbled upon.

What the best part shooting with a bunch of Lomography enthusiasts?

Hrm, I think the best part is all about the passion and the mentality. They think differently, they feel differently, they speak differently, their pictures are varied, their angles differently and yes, they troll differently. Lol.

And the worst?

The worst is that some of the enthusiasts are to extreme in their ideology, that’s why if I come across this type of person, for the first time it is ok but hoping that there is no second or third time.

Do you enjoy shooting alone or do you prefer shooting together with the community?

It depends with my mood. Usually, I prefer shooting around with small group since it will not attract any large attention to the public. But this year, I found another interesting group to join, The Lomorangers. The group is so lively, disregards what type of camera you use, how long you already used films, and there is no pressure when I hang out with them.

What is the definition of analogue lifestyle to you?

Analogue lifestyle: For me, it’s only a simple lifestyle.

What was the most unforgettable, strangest, funniest, or worst photographic/Lomographic experience that you encountered before?

The funniest memory is around early 2010, I took my Diana F+ and put it in a small camera bag and went to see some movies at GSC cinema, then when the time for the movie to show, me and my friends queued to go into the movies. The ticket men suddenly ask me to show what’s in the bag, so, I showed him the toy camera, and then he said, “You cannot bring any camera inside; you know that, didn’t you?”

I replied: “This is not a real camera; it’s just a toy camera for my friend’s son. If you don’t believe what I say, try to touch it and feel it, and tell me is it a camera or not?”

He then touch, feel and try to see at the back of the Diana F+ if it has LCD screen. After awhile, I think he dumb founded that it is a toy camera, and then he said, “OK, you may pass. Why the heck you bring a toy camera with you?”

I just smiled at him, and continue to see the movie. After the movie end, me and my friends laugh because of the scene earlier.

What’s your favorite photo in your collection and why?

My favorite photo for this year was a sun set scene recently taken with a Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2 using Kodak E100VS. The color is so dramatic, at least for me.

Were you born in Malacca? Where is your location now?

No. I was born in Kuala Lumpur and now located at Satay Town, Kajang. I spent a few years persuing my degree at Malacca.

Tell us what do you love the most about Malacca?

1. The cheap food.
2. The scenery.
3. The people.

The food! Is there any finger licking good food that you love in Malacca?

For me,it’s totally Pak Putra Naan & Tandoori restaurant. Their double cheese naan were top notch. You can’t find any mamak naan that is so delicious compare to them. You need to come as early as 5.30 PM, so that you can taste their tandoori chicken because after 8 PM, usually the tandoori chicken are sold out!

It is located at a small road parallel to Jalan Kota Laksamana. One end of Jalan Kota Laksamana connects to Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. The other end connects to Jalan Syed Abdul Aziz, which is the continuation of Jalan Ong Kim Wee towards Melaka Raya. From Jonker Walk, it is a short walk, but you will need to find the shortcut that cuts through the shop houses along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. The nearest landmark is the Wet Market.

Opening Hours: 5.30pm till 1am, daily (well sometimes they close their shop without any reasons)

Where would you bring your friend to go when they pay you a visit at Malacca?

Pantai Kemunting & Kg. Tanjung Dahan, Kuala Linggi : Fisherman Village
Tanjung Bidara & Limbongan: Dramatic sunset
Kg. Hilir, Kuala Linggi: Awesome scenery
The Sarapan: Cheap food

Where do you develop your film at Malacca? Do you have any other recommendation and what are the price and any other specific notes?

Usually I develop my films at Koh Meng Keng, near Madame King, Malacca. The price for developing C41 regardless of 35mm or 120mm is only RM 5 / roll. But you need to be patience because it takes 3 days to develop your films. Even though the services so slow, analoguegraphers here still send their films to him since he do the job nice (without scratching your films).

The second shop you can try is Nice Print, near UiTM Bandaraya Malacca. The price is the same like Koh Meng Keng but the good thing about this shop is that they service your films fast enough. If you send it today, 1 hour later you can take it back (if there is no waiting list). The disadvantage is that 95% of your films will have deep scratch marks. Oh, they only do C41 processing.

For B&W processing, I do it myself.

Or, if you are lazy enough to go to the shops, you can submit your films to: Jimm’s Ancient Crib, and Vintage Kiri-Kanan.

Thanks for your time and recommendation! Before we wrap things up, do you mind letting us know which Lomography product is your favorite and why?

It’s gonna be the Lomolitos. It’s so portable and compact! As well as Holgapan 120: 6×12. 6 frames and save my time to scan it!

written by eva_eva on 2012-08-15 #lifestyle #malaysia #lomography #melaka #malacca #active #analogue-lifestyle #oxgn #effekts #community-members