Vista Print vs Overnight Prints

I made a great investment just before leaving the USA. I bought 500 business cards with a whole new look and my contact info for Penang. I had a buddy in Penang buy a sim chip for my phone so I could get a cell number before I left the States. In this way I was able to have the number for my business cards. While David Duchemin was visiting me in Texas I managed to get the guy to design a new card for me (thanks David!). I used two different printers to make the cards; Vista Print and Overnight Prints. Both very good quality. Vista was cheaper, but not by much, but Overnight Prints offered something that most printers charge an arm and a leg for; rounded corners. The rounded corners make a huge difference in the over all look of the card. It sets it out from other card and that is what you want on a crowded desk top. These companies give you all kinds of discounts and deals, so just get on thier mailing list and be ready for a flood of mail, but some great deals.

Here was the cost breakdown:

Overnight Prints:
250 double sided business cards
Rounded corners.
Side 1 is Glossy Finish.
Side 2 is not.
Item Cost : $34.95
Shipping :$14.77 (UPS 30-Day Select)
Discount : ($10.00) I found a coupon on the net somewhere.
Total price : $39.72

Vista Print:
250 double sided business cards
Item Cost : $7.99
Color Back Side $6.49
Glossy Finish $4.99
Total $19.47
Product Total Before Discounts: $42.97
Product Total After Discounts: $19.47
Shipping & Processing (Slow 21 Days): $5.72
Total: $25.19

A couple of Shots

Last week I was able to get out with "Grungemann" AKA Hariman, his real name. He wasn't feeling the best so we just jumped on my scooter and went about a half mile up the road at mid day (Not a great time to shoot landscapes!) and shot a few snaps of the local life.

Floating Mosque, Tanjung Bungah, Penang Island, Malaysia

My buddy, Hariman.

A local fisherman.

In The News

I am sorry it has been so long in posting. I have been up to my gills in setting up house, getting insurance and finding transportation. I should have a phone line with in 7 days with significant internet speed, or so they tell me. It had better be for price I am paying. I am looking forward to meeting with Grungeman with week. We are going out for some Teh Tarek and shoot some photos together.

I am in the news this week so I thought I would do a little honking of my own horn today. Check out an interview done with me by a new website on India and travel called duniyagolhai.com (the world is round). Here is a short excerpt:

2. How in your opinion traveling influences the art of photography?

MB:I think traveling has had a significant influence in photography over the past 10 to 15 years. The fact that people can travel more, longer and further is a huge factor. People are going places today that were once thought only accessible by National Geographic Photographers or highly funded adventurists. It used to be that a unique image was good enough, now very little is unique so an image has to be exceptional. It needs to tell a story, communicate the vision of the photographer.There are a lot fewer barriers today for a traveling photographer than 15 years ago.Almost everyone has a digital camera and a photo lab in their computer. All these things have had a huge impact on photography today....

3. Your documentation of Kashmir is unique in capturing the soul of the place rather than the oft-reported violence. What motivated you to present the humane side of the place?

MB:There are so many photographers covering the conflict in Kashmir and doing a much better job than I could. I look at the work of Ami Vitale and am moved to tears. Her work is amazing, so why should I cover what is already being done so exceptionally well? I have always felt I wanted to show a compassionate side of the Kashmiri and Gujjar people. I am from the US and over the past few years since 911, many people in the West have developed a negative view of Muslims.....

Visit the link HERE to read the whole of the interview.

I received word that the fine people at the Indian Himalayan Club published a book review on my book "Kashmir, the Mystery". Below is an excerpt from the review.

Kãshmir: The Mystery, published by Tara Press, New Delhi, with photographs by Matt Brandon and text by Marryam H. Reshii, is a fabulous and insightful collection of photographs that brings out the beauty and ethos of Kashmir in its entirety.

The photographer's intimate connection with the land and its inhabitants, both human and animal, is very obvious from the type and quality of photographs, and Marryam Reshii's authoritative text complements the photographs and provides a window into Kashmiriyat---the Kashmiri culture and society. Concentrating on the Kashmir Valley only, making it unique, this splendid book fills a big lacuna in the set of existing books on Kashmir.

For the full review go HERE and look for the Himalayan Club e-letter, vol. 13, July 2008.

A Day of Shooting

Yesterday (MY time), I had the change to finally get out and shoot. To be real honest, I was a bit disappointed. Maybe with myself, maybe with the area I shot, I am not quite sure which. The day before Alou and I were in George Town (Is this city spelled with one word or two, I see it every way?) looking for furniture for the house. I kept seeing great images. So, yesterday afternoon I grabbed my camera and took Jessie out and we went to take some pictures. Out of the handful of people I try to take a snap of, most asked me not to, very suppressing. I will say this, they all were Chinese. So maybe this makes a difference. Mr. Goh and Mr. Tan could not understand why people cared and were eager to have their photo's taken. So HERE are a few images from the first day of real shooting in Penang.

By the way, if anyone knows how to embed a slimbox gallery like the one I used here, into a blog please email me and let me know how to do it. But until then, if you want to view the photos from yesterday click the image above and travel to the gallery.

The FujiSuper Six Selected

Saturday I received this email from Atin Sharma, of Jindal Photo Limited. Jindal Photo represents Fijifilm in India.

Dear Mr.Brandon,

It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that you have
been selected as one of our Fujifilm Supersix Photographer for the year 2009.
The other shortlisted photographers are Mr.Balan Madhwan, Mr.Somesh
Goyal, Mr.Mahesh Nair, Mr.Prabir Purkayastha and Mr.Soumitra Dutta.

Welcome on board.

Thanks & Regards
Atin Sharma
Asst.Manager (PR & Advertising)
Jindal Photo Limited

So, 8 images will be selected from the 20 I sent them, all landscapes, and they will tour Indian and two will go on a Fujifilm calendar for 2009.

Got a Home!

Well, we got a house today. It is the "mirror" version of the bungalow we were looking at earlier this week. In other words, the same house only flipped. Confused? Me too. So here are some images. We move in a week from Friday.

Click on this pano to see the full kitchen.

G9

Just a real quick post of a couple of shots with my G9 and to update you on things. We move out of the noisy room and now we have a room without AC and ants. Life is great. We think we got the house by the see, we will know tomorrow. Hotel life is getting really old!

Parasailing outside our hotel.

Jessie on the city bus as we go off looking for houses.

A backwards look into the city bus.