Wedding – Yu Wei & Ai Ling

Congratulations to Yu Wei and Ai Ling for their wonderful marriage! The wedding dinner was held at the Red Rock Hotel in Penang on the 4th December. Being a neighbour and friend of Yu Jin, his brother, I attended as guest – but ended up working myself photographing the occasion… I just couldn’t miss the opportunity of being part of the group to record the couple’s happy moment.













There was much laughter at the table.






The bride just stood behind as the groom went toasting with the guests.


“Now, if I got drunk… it’s your job to carry me back.”

Gunung Jerai

The Gunung Jerai resort was closed for four or five years due to (probably) poor facilities and maintenance. It has since been taken over by private sector and undergone renovation. Now run by The Regency, the place is reopened as Jerai Hill Resort, offering a renewed tourist destination for Kedah. At some 1200m high, Gunung Jerai uses its natural environment as main attraction for people seeking to escape city life and relax. 


I went up the mountain with my friends early in the morning to scout out the newly reopened resort. The environment is nice, the air refreshing, and we got to see the sun rising, what else is better?



The morning sun rises up the horizon.




A group photo is in order.


“Let’s see if I could catch the sun!”








Looking north is a vista of paddy fields and the Strait of Melacca.






One of the chalets at the resort.














Well, with the renovation the resort has become much better, though the rates also seem to have risen as well. Nonetheless it is still a nice place for groups to go up and party or have fun.

Funeral

My maternal grandmother passed away peacefully  last week, aged 81. The funeral was done in accordance to Buddhism methods – monks were invited to perform rituals for the departed spirits for four days, with the help of family members and relatives.

Somehow I just couldn’t stop myself from picking up my camera and shoot the day away. As such I shall present the funeral in documentary style, to show the general proceedings of what went by. If for some reasons the photos should offend you due to personal reasons, taboo or differing customs, I apologise in advance.

For the relatives who wish to have all the photos of the three days I was shooting, please contact me at weishun_koay@hotmail.com.





My elder cousin, observing the face of grandmother.


Uncle gesturing while talking with guests.




“Document for passing”














This little cousin of mine was running and playing with her friends while the family members were praying – and she was soon scolded for that. I shot from the hip for this one, while the composition was a bit off it did show the spontaneity of the moment. 


The head monk performing the rituals would scatter food (bun, cookies, sweets and even coins!) around the altar. This had the effect of allowing the hungry ghosts around to come and eat the offerings – and perhaps being blessed by the monk as well. Now would you have screamed if there was something else in the shot…?












An emotional moment for my aunt.






The family members looking at the face of deceased for one last time.


The sealing of the coffin.










It’s just different kinds of beliefs, that’s all.




Incineration of the coffin and what’s inside.