Top 10 Photos of 2016

2016 was another good year for photography with a number of great shots to choose from. 70% of my photos in the top 10 were taken with my iphone 5s as I made the transition from carrying around my bulky DSLR to using the convenience of the iphone. The iphone camera produces best results outdoors in the natural light and a few of my top 10 were taken in those precise conditions.

#10

We stayed at Laman Sentosa Boutique Hotel Kuantan in October and had a great time there. The children went for a dip in the pool and I naturally looked for photograph opportunities. The abstract image I came up with is a view of falling water. There was a little waterfall at the pool so I walked behind it, took some videos and pictures, and was delighted to come up with this highly artistic shot! (iphone)

#9

I love being at the beach. Sometimes it is a simple image that can endure long in the memory, like this birds eye view of seashells taken at Batu Hitam, Kuantan. (DSLR)

#8

It was indoors with artificial lighting, which is not my preference for good iphone photography, but it is the content and not the quality that gets this one into the Top 10. My wife and her four sisters are the subject for this shot that I captured crouching down and to the right of centre. Sometimes a change from the regular angle makes a difference. We were in Kuching attending our cousin's wedding on this occasion. (iphone)

#7

Welcome to Pavilion shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! As you can see from this viewpoint I shot, it was all decked out in lavish Christmas decorative elements when we went there in December 2016. The two-tier carousel was provided by Swarovski and contained a world-first 3 million crystals, embedded in the floor, horses and everywhere. We queued for a long time and were grateful that we did because it was a great ride! (DSLR)

#6

One of my favourite photos of the year! My two girls with their favourite aunty. Aunty Urai determined to do a photoshoot with them before she went back to Kuching, and we took a load of really lovely photos. For some reason, I am drawn to this one above the others. I just think it's very cute! (iphone)

#5

The only tussle with in-flight photography is ensuring the camera focuses on the outside landscape and not on the plane window. Once it does that properly, you are good to shoot some fantastic images. This picture is part of the Kuala Lumpur landscape just minutes after take-off from KLIA during our short hop back to Kuantan. (iphone)

#4

I love this atmospheric shot which is full of texture. It takes me right back to the moment it was shot! There was a storm brewing up and the humid heat had turned into a cooler breeze with spots of rain. I like the fact that there are people walking on the beach, sandwiched in between the fierce storm clouds and the plants in the foreground. I literally spent about 10 minutes out on the beach snapping photos of the weather system before I had to take cover. (iphone)

#3

The sunrise on our 6:30am flight from Kuantan to KLIA. It is thrilling watching the sunrise and sunset on an airplane. You get a whole different view to the one from the ground. On this particular morning, there was a splendid mixture of grey, silver and white wispy clouds punctured by the blazing yellows, oranges and reds of the rising sun. It was just a 30-minute hop but I spent near enough the whole half hour snapping pictures out the window. (iphone)

#2

This lady has featured prominently in almost all of my yearly Top 10 photos. It's easy to see why. Florina is a natural model and the camera loves her. More perfect settings at the beach half an hour down the road from Kuantan. Storm clouds beginning to whip up, lots of natural light, and slightly cooler-than-usual temperatures. Florina and I wanted to make the most of these favourable conditions and I took a couple of dozen pictures and videos in a 10-minute spell. There were a lot of good results but this one was as close to perfect as I have ever taken with my iphone. Thanks to my sister Florina for her flash and eager modelling skills! (iphone)

#1

So my top photo of 2016 is this magnificent family photo (Malaysian side) we took at the Riverside Majestic Hotel in Kuching near the end of 2016. Since we all live in various parts of Malaysia, it is always a highlight when we are all together once or twice a year. We had booked 3 rooms to accommodate us all, but upon check-in, we learned that the hotel had overbooked and didn't have enough rooms for us all, so out of the goodness of their hearts, they gave us the one and only PENTHOUSE in the entire hotel! You can imagine, we ran around in a state of joyful panic exploring every inch of the two-floor suite we were given! Taking a family photo in the grand living room was at the top of our list and this was taken right before we attended the wedding ceremony of our cousin. It is not the sharpest due to the low light, but it sure is our overwhelming favourite!

That's a wrap for 2016. Looking forward for more photography adventures in 2017!

Kuching Trip, June 2015

Our annual Kuching trip to see family was another great experience for us, particularly as we had new nieces, nephews and cousins to see this time around. Although it was too short (just 5 days) we made the most of it and had a very enjoyable time. All of our flights went smoothly and were very pleasant, though the flight back to KL did seem rather tiring despite it being under 2 hours.

Here's the video of our take-off from KLIA2:

Lauren with her cousin, Ethan

With my beautiful niece, Bintang

Lauren joins her cousin, Noah, and his mummy for a picture

The weather in Kuching was so hot, a different kind of heat to Kuantan, and each journey out the house was tiring. My wife and Urai took Lauren on a small boat ride across the river to buy some kek lapis (layer cake) on our 2nd day. I rested at home as it was just way too hot.

I did sleep well though at night in the living room. We congregated the sofa and sofa bed to make one large 'mattress' and had a good sleep there.

Kuching Waterfront

Leah celebrated her birthday with a Frozen birthday cake

Party games

Party games

Urai and Anna cracking up!

The ladies

Family photo

A stunning ice-cream waffle!

Pushing the limits of my aging body!

We also had a great one night stay at Citadines ApartHotel together as a family. Took lots of photos and tried these gorgeous ice-cream waffles at a restaurant downstairs.

The Spring shopping mall, Kuching

Going swimming

Kuching at night

And here's a short video of our safe landing back at KLIA:

Top Ten Photos of 2014

2014 was not such an adventuresome year for us as previous years have been. We did jet off to Kuching for a family visit, and enjoyed a couple of trips to KL, but that was about it. My top ten photos this year are exclusively from Kuantan and KL, and involve more people in the shots.

#10

A close-up of a colourful head used by the Chinese for lion dances during Chinese New Year

#9

Shot this beautiful landscape scene at the gorgeous orchid garden in Kuala Lumpur. I love the leafy frame and the vibrant purple orchids in the background

#8

My favourite shot of the girls from 2014

#7

My parents came to visit us in March 2014. I cheated a little bit with this one, as it wasn't me who took the photo, but I directed my wife as to how I wanted it done, and she didn't disappoint! The waves and the beautiful rocks of Teluk Chempedak complement this photo nicely

#6

Our annual Christmas e-postcard was a real favourite in 2014 due to its colour and creativity. Having all 4 of us smiling nicely for the camera really helps a lot, too!

#5

View of the main entrance of Kuala Lumpur's The Majestic Hotel. Snapped this photo on Malaysia's National Day at around 7:30am

#4

That poor stone buddha! The tripod-cum-weapon! The look of hatred on my dad's face! This is a family photo that will live long in the memory

#3

A combination of four shots of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Just magnificent buildings, a photographer's dream

#2

Walking around the butterfly park in Kuala Lumpur in the sweltering heat, searching for that special photo. I think I found it with this dainty little dragonfly

#1

My favourite family photo is also the top photo of the year 2014. I carried out 4 chairs to the field behind our house, found a nice scenic spot, set up the tripod and timer, and out came this fantastic picture of our family. Couldn't be happier with it!
This is my favourite photo of 2014!

Our Horne Family Flag

I've been spending some serious time of late producing our family flag. I'm from England while my other half hails from Sarawak, Malaysia. So I wanted to make something that blends our two backgrounds in a simple way.

The Horne Family Flag incorporates elements of the English, British, Sarawakian and Malaysian flags

On the left hand side is half of the St. George's cross with one quadrant of the British flag, representing me. On the right is the star and crescent of Malaysia, along with the red and black diagonal stripes of the Sarawak flag, representing my wife. The St. George's cross and the crescent combine to make the letter 'H' for Horne.

The British part of the Horne Family Flag

The Malaysian section of the Horne Family Flag

The Horne Family Flag is taking pride of place in our home and is a reminder of who we are, where we're from and how two different cultures have combined harmoniously.

Making a family flag is a lot of fun - why don't you give it a try?!

Top 10 things Malaysia has Given Me

September 16th is Malaysia Day and is not to be confused with Merdeka Day (Aug 31st). Merdeka Day celebrates Malaya's independence from British rule in 1957. Malaysia Day acknowledges the merging of Sarawak and Sabah with Malaya, becoming Malaysia.

People here may go on holidays either in or out of the country, particularly if it coincides with a school holiday week. Or, people flock to the nearest shopping mall to spend the day, and money, on discounts!

Today I decided to spend some time thinking what Malaysia has given me and why I'm so thankful to be living here. So here is my 

Top 10 things Malaysia has Given Me:

1. A beautiful wife and family

Horne family photo in Kuantan, May 2014

First and foremost, the reason why this Englishman is here in Malaysia today, is my beautiful wife. After meeting my Malaysian beauty on the island of Borneo, we soon engaged and married a year later. In addition to being the woman I love, she is a great help to my cause as a local Malaysian.

2. 4 sisters-in-law

My wife with her 4 sisters at home in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Get that! Not only has Malaysia given me a gorgeous wife, but the family extends to four fantastic sisters-in-law (though I hate the 'in-law' part. I refer to them as simply 'sisters'). How lucky can one guy be?

3. A family company

Our company logo

Malaysia has given us our own family company. We registered Horne Learning Services through Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM, or Malaysia Companies Commission), and in no time we had our own business. We are able to work from home, giving us the pleasure of being with and raising our children simultaneously. Our website can be found at HLS English Classes Kuantan

4. Long-term visa with permission to work

The Kuantan, Pahang Immigration has over the years relaxed its policies and has allowed me to receive a 4-year visa with permission to work. This is a huge blessing for me which I am ever grateful for. Long gone are the days where I had to go to Singapore every 3 months to get a new stamp in my passport. I am now working towards receiving PR (Permanent Residency) in Malaysia.

5. A love of hotels

Meeting the Chief Minister of Pahang at Vistana Hotel Kuantan in February 2014

Through my blog and living in Kuantan, I have developed quite a love of hotels, which has seen us stay inside most of the notable hotels in Kuantan, and some of the smaller ones. We have often stayed there for free in exchange for positive blog reviews, while also taking the opportunity of combining our English classes with the hotel industry. We have gained many new friends in hotels in Kuantan and KL which has enhanced our lives dramatically.

6. An appreciation of health

In my hospital bed with dehydration and food poisoning at HTAA Kuantan

Malaysia has given me a more vivid awareness and appreciation of my health. Coming down with food poisoning has taught me to be extra careful what I eat and making sure it's clean and safe before consumption. Severe dehydration has alerted me to the need for drinking PLENTY of water and electrolytes, and also taking rehydration salts from time to time. 

I have also started regular workouts at the local gym, to increase my health, strength and blood circulation. It feels fabulous to work out and eat right!

Looking and feeling better at the gym

Living in this hot and humid climate has created a much greater importance to looking after my health. Coupled with my long-overdue dentist appointments to correct a number of problems at extremely low prices, Malaysia has definitely brought about an improved sense of good health.

7. A new outlook on life

with friends in Ipoh, Malaysia, May 2004

Malaysia has reinvigorated me. It has given me a whole new outlook on life. It is a combination of living a different culture, adapting to a new climate, appreciating the appearance of the sun every single day, interacting with really friendly people, serving others and experiencing new opportunities. Thank you for these wonderful things, Malaysia!

8. Nasi Lemak et al.

A gorgeous helping of nasi lemak

Mmmm, nasi lemak. The greatest food ever! And nasi kukus. And roti jala. And mango sticky rice. And a whole list of other brilliant foods. Malaysia boleh!

9. Beautiful beaches

Teluk Chempedak beach, Kuantan

Malaysia has given me a beautiful beach just 15 minutes drive down the road. Teluk Chempedak beach is the most popular place in Kuantan. I love going there and walking across the bridge through monkey territory to the next beach. What a luxury this is!

10. Astro

Astro is the Malaysian equivalent of Sky TV in England. Man, I get to watch more EPL football in Malaysia than I ever did in England. There are 14 channels dedicated to sports, with additional channels on top of that for special sporting events (ie. FIFA World Cup, Olympics etc). Malaysia has spoilt me!