Reza Ali Photography – Portrait Portfolio

I love taking portraits of people. There’s nothing like that feeling you get when someone see a print of their portrait for the first time. The big smile, the sparkle in the eye. Whatever inhibition or shyness they have disappears when they see a beautiful portrait of themselves.

These are a selection of portraits I have taken. I have chosen portraits to show a variety of styles that I have pursued. Taking a picture is really easy but taking a portrait that shows the essence of a person requires more than technical knowledge. The most difficult (and on the other hand, the easiest) aspect I find is to get a connection with the person I am taking a portrait of. A portrait is not only an image of a person but is a reflection of who the person is.
——————–

Reza Ali is a photographer in Malaysia specialising in portrait photography.

 

For Reza Ali Training and Consulting, please click here….

Thanks for coming by. I haven’t written any post in awhile as I focussing on a new personal project. Come read about it below. I also have a new website.  Come visit the new Reza Ali ReActivated Website.

About Reza Ali

Reza Ali Reactivated tells of the journey of Reza Ali as he embarks on transforming himself from a 120kg (35kg overweight) 46 inch waist unhealthy and unfit person to someone who can compete in a triathlon. Don’t be afraid to dream. Take action. Correct your mistakes. Learn from failures. Bit by bit, you will get closer to your dream.

If I Can Do It, So Can You…..

You can also come and support Reza by joining the Reza Ali ReActivated facebook fan page.

 

New Phase in Reza’s life

Thanks for coming by. I haven’t written any post in awhile as I focussing on a new personal project. Come read about it below. I also have a new website.  Come visit the new Reza Ali ReActivated Website.

About Reza Ali

Reza Ali Reactivated tells of the journey of Reza Ali as he embarks on transforming himself from a 120kg (35kg overweight) 46 inch waist unhealthy and unfit person to someone who can compete in a triathlon. Don’t be afraid to dream. Take action. Correct your mistakes. Learn from failures. Bit by bit, you will get closer to your dream.

If I Can Do It, So Can You…..

You can also come and support Reza by joining the Reza Ali ReActivated facebook fan page.

 

Man in prayer

I saw this man sitting on the pavement next to the Masjid Jame LRT Station in KL. I think I must have stood there observing him for about an hour. It occurred to me that this man may be, like so many others in KL these days, a professional beggar relying on people’s sense of compassion to make a living. I doubt it though because I could see his legs were not fully formed. I wanted to get in closer to give justice to the 50mm I was carrying but couldn’t quite summon the courage to. Next time, I must get closer. I thought maybe some of the images I captured were quite good though I am certain as I revisit them that they are not good enough and could have been better.

Leica M8.2
Voigtlaender 50mm f/1.1 Nokton

 

The state of my photography…

I miss taking portraits.

Over the last one year, my body of work has shrunk tremendously. As I try to understand why, I realize that the main reason was a lack of desire. I have come up with lots of excuses- too much work, not enough time, not inspired, no interesting subject. Sort of like the same excuses I would use to justify the lack of entries on my blog. Life in terms of work has been tremendously rewarding though so I actually have no excuses.

I miss the human connection that portraiture work gave me.
I miss the challenge of getting the subject at ease with me so that I can capture their essence of who they really are.
I miss the exhilaration when at look at the monitor and more so when I print the portraits.
I miss the look of amazement when somebody gets a chance to look at my work.

Because of this, I feel a stirring in me and am now itching to get back behind the lens and implication, this blog…..

2 swans and a tourist
Bukit Tinggi, 2010
Leica M8.2
50mm F/1.1 Nokton

 

Man in Cambodia

On my visit to Cambodia with the youth volunteers of Rakan Muda in 2006, I spent time in 2 villages, Kampung Kandal and Kampung Thom. During my stay in Thom, the volunteers were busy building a community center. There were kids running all over the place, hugely fascinated by these foreigners in their midst.

 

Street Portraits 16 January 2009

I felt very strange during today’s walk. I had several people who agreed to have their photo taken. I did take their picture but I wasn’t very happy with the outcome. It was as if I was afraid and hesitant to have human contact today and instead of going in close and get really connected, I hesitated and kept my distance.

Each portrait must be special otherwise so I must learn to overcome that so that I don’t waste time (mine or any other people).

 

Street Portraits 15 January 2010

Sometimes I get to take pictures of very interesting characters. These 3 friends were just sitting down in the KLCC Park. I went up to them and asked them if I could take their picture. They didn’t say no (and they didn’t say yes either). They just looked at me with this look. One of them completely turned away from me and wouldn’t look at me. Was it a signal to go away?

 

Street Portraits 13 January 2010

Today was a good day for my street portraits and I am getting less inhibited in approaching people. My next approach would be persuading people to get in the right lighting instead of just capturing the portrait where they are sat….

 

Putu piring at the night market

A pasar malam (night markets) is a kind of bazaar food, clothes and ornaments usually held once a week at any location. The the traders there would often rotate from pasar malam sites all over the particular locality.

 

Street Portraits 12 January 2010

One of the biggest change in the way I take pictures when I bought My Leica M8.2 was how easy it was to carry around. Gone are the days when I had to struggle with a zoom lens and another one in my backpack. I now carry a small cloth shoulder bag with some tiny M lenses and an extra battery. Not having equipment get in the way is like a breath of fresh air.

 

Girl in Cambodia

I like going back to images taken I’m the past and applying knowledge of new processing technique. I took about 7 pictures of this girl on Cambodia in 2006 and I never really paid much attention to this image. There’s a kind of moodiness to her. A sense of longing.