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Cecilia Lim | all galleries >> travel >> malaysia > Seeking Enlightenment
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2 September 2007 Malacca, Malaysia

Seeking Enlightenment

This lady was in the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple the whole time we were there. At times she chatted with her friends. At other times, she just sat and seemed to just enjoy being in the holy environment of the temple. Occasionally she would refer to a book on Buddhism. I don't know what her life is like, but she must find it very enlightening and consoling to be there.


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Cecilia Lim05-Jul-2008 22:27
Phil, I loved reading about the ways in which you appreciated this image. Thank you for sharing! I remember how we both shot her together at the same time for a very long time, and am wonderfully surprised by the differences in our images again and the stories we each want to tell. Also, mine tells the story through her body language and action, while yours is told primarily through her facial expression. She was so gracious even though she knew our cameras were trained on her. Her patience and acceptance of our presence allowed us to document her afternoon at the temple, leaving us the choice to represent her with the story that moves us the most.
Phil Douglis04-Jul-2008 18:52
Beautifully abstracted through frame, shadow, and soft focus, this image speaks of quiet reflection. I photographed her as well -- she spent so much time there, I think she may have been part of the family that maintains this temple. My portrait of her is athttp://www.pbase.com/image/86311222 -- same woman, same light, but entirely an entirely different story, told largely through catchlights in the eyes. In your image, she is in repose. In mine, she is energized. It was all left to the moment each of us shot, Celia.