Crossing Bridges ONE – Indonesia combined regional photo forums shoot – May 2004

I’m looking to round up a group of photographers between Offstone and Clubsnap for a trip out to Jakarta/Bandung/Jogja sometime in May.

One of the aims is of course to go there and shoot to our hearts content.

More importantly, the founders of Indonesia’s largest online photo forum, fotografer.net (aka FN) have shown very keen interest in hosting the group in an effort to forge friendships among forum members of FN, CS and OS. If I can get hold of the Malaysian forum people, I’d like to invite them to join in the outing as well (can anyone clue me in on who to contact ?)

FN has more than 14,000 registered forum members and being a country that stretches thousands and thousands of miles from east to west, it has become the perfect and most convenient meeting place daily for thousands of Indonesia based photogs

As such, they are steadily accumulating clout and growing rapidly from its start in December 2002 (actually younger than OS and CS). It can gather sponsored resources like paid models, locations and its Photo Rally events in various cities draw good crowds of its members (making sponsors like Fuji very happy)

I’m looking to plan a simple 3day 2 night trip that allows us to shoot both Jakarta and Bandung. Also working towards an evening of photo talks by members of both the Singapore and Indonesian communities.

We take care of our own travel, accomodation and food costs which should not come up to more than S$400 per head. FN will help us in getting sponsors to provide support and also advertise the pow-wow amongst its members who are around where we will be.

FN is located at www.fotografer.net One of its members won an Honarary Mention in this year’s World Press Photo contest. If you dont read Indonesian, it might be a little difficult to register and surf that site but I’m sure the closet FN members among us in OS and CS should be able to provide assistance.

If you think you’ve seen it all as far as landscapes, sunsets and sunrises are concerned………you aint seen nothing yet until you visit FN members’ Landscape gallery (I literally overdosed on warm light in that gallery)

Like both CS and OS, they’ve got their fair share of salonists, street shooters, studio shooters blah blah blah……

Overall a bunch of really friendly guys who love to joke and cajole one another. Most of them speak/type English that is derstandable……something like the Indonesian version of Singlish. I believe there are about 100 of them (IT Engineers, Businesspeople, managers etc etc) working here in Singapore alone who also happen to be members in OS and CS

No you dont need to be a pro nor own a DSLR to join in the trip. Just looking for people who enjoy travel, photography and possess a heart yearning to make new friends and meet new people bound by a common interest in photography. And especially if you love SPICY food.

Please dont start any name lists yet until I get the dates fixed. PLEASE TREAT THIS AS A PERSONAL TRIP/HOLIDAY AND NOT SANCTIONED BY EITHER CLUBSNAP NOR OFFSTONE.

BUT if the managements of CS, OS and FN want to rendevous and know one another better, sure….let me know and I’ll arrange the drums and peace pipes.