About

 

Yup. That’s me alright. First and foremost, I would like to welcome you to my blog and I hope you will enjoy it. I’ve never been too good with words, so I will do what I do best; letting the pictures speak for themselves.

 

If you would really like to know more about me;  I am originally from Seattle, Washington, and have spent much of my youth growing up in Malaysia during the 1960’s till 1970’s as my family was based in Malaysia. I was given my first camera in 1973, a Canon FTB SLR,  and since then, have always been captivated by the study of people and nature.

 

I later took my passion back to America and graduated from The University of Washington, majoring in political science. My interest in Asia brought me back to Malaysia in 1990 and I began working with an American Based Multi National, fell in love and settled down. However, my calling was not in the field of political science, despite my keen interest in the study of people, their lives, and the systems of which the masses thrive on. I took the plunge and  zipped out my camera; beginning a journey as a photographer as I felt very strongly that I could convey my love of people through my lens.

 

My first photographic foray was through in flight magazines for corporations like Dragon Air, Malaysia Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Later, my works began to attract the attention of AFP, and in 1999, I joined the renowned and oldest News Agency, covering news all over the world, predominantly in the Asian Region. As my portfolio grew, I began covering stories for international news agencies such as USA Today, CNN, BBC, UNDP, Washington Post, Asian Wall Street Journal, amongst others. I have also covered stories for national news agencies in Asia such as Bangkok Post, New Straits Times, The Straits Times, South China Morning Post and Sydney Morning Herald. I have always been known amongst my peers as a person who is constantly on the move to improve and consistently innovate my photography, taking time and patience in trying to achieve the highest possible level in my work. This attitude later gave me job opportunities from other companies from Travel and Hotels who later became my clients including the travel log Insight Guide, Westin Hotel, Equatorial Hotel Group and Tanjung Rhu Resorts.

 

I was later invited by The Malaysian National Art Gallery for an exhibition entitled “Vanishing Trades of Malaysia” in 1970 followed by the US Embassy celebrating “50 Years of Malaysia” and “The Child in Asia”.

 

One of the high points of my career was during the Asian Tsunami of 2004. I was holidaying in Thailand with my family when the Tsunami struck the beaches. Instead of running inland together with the crowd, I whipped out my camera and managed to capture the devastating effects of the Tsunami and John was the first person to showcase the photo story to the world through AP.

 

I am currently residing in Malaysia and am a contributing editor to PC Magazine, a freelance photographer for AP and doing commercial photography works with my dedicated team.