Masjid Selat, Pulau Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia.
My travel companion wasn’t incredibly excited about our hike out to the island’s floating mosque. I’m not sure why; there’s nothing quite as enjoyable as a 12km hike when you’re weighed down by a couple hundred pounds of camera gear.
Interesting adventure, nonetheless. The mosque, built not too long ago, is situated on what is touted as the “largest Arab community in Asia…” though each and every building is derelict, built in the late 1990’s as a super community and never inhabited. The rains came in after the sun went down and we didn’t get a chance to shoot the empty buildings, sadly.
If you make it to Melaka, you should try to visit this mosque - though please take a taxi. You don't want to walk.
For the photo geek in all of us, here's how I shot this image (all my work was done in camera):
- CP-L filter to flatten reflections on the water
- Graduated ND8 filter to bring down the bright sky
- Graduated Sky Blue filter... for fun
- ND1000 filer to smooth out the water
Location Details
75000, Malaysia
Sign up for AFAR newsletters:
DiscussWant to know more? Ask about or comment on this Highlight!
This is gorgeous! And as a camera geek, can I ask what lens you used and did you have a long exposure?
Thanks Justine!
Aperture f/16.0 | Focal length 14 mm | ISO Speed 100
With my filters stacked as they were (not something I usually do, because of how they can degrade image quality, but I rolled with it in this case), looking through my viewfinder the scene was black. The ND1000 filter alone blocks 10 stops of light, so I had to compensate with the long exposure - which I wanted in the first place, to smooth out the waves and create a glassy surface over the water.
I shot this with a 17-55mm f/2.8 lens.
Cheers!
CONGRATS FLASH! This Highlight has been chosen as the CATCH winner for Asia! It was one of the many that were chosen of your entries so it's very well-deserved. You are now in the running to win a trip to Belgium! Keep up the great work!
Wow! Thanks Lauren! You certainly know how to make a guy's day. Awesome news, and I'm thrilled to have won - there were some incredible entries into the contest this week!
I'm heading to Malaysia in November and will pass by Melaka. I saw your highlight a while back and knew i had to see this for myself. How much time do I need to allot for this?
Ryna,
It really depends on how long you want to hang around. There's not much to see on the island other than the mosque itself - most of the buildings are empty. I'd take a cab from Melaka proper, check it out at sunrise or sunset, then head back to town. An hour or two max really should be enough. Have a fun trip!
More near
Melaka
