Recently, I have received a mail from a kind surfer who asked me why did I titled this PIM site as "Photography in Malaysia" ? Instead, he advised me to adopt a more "universal name". That was thoughtful and considerate enough, but...

Why Not ?

During the early days when me & my two ex-key partners, Andrew Wong & Yeak SN drew up the basic structure for our site, we were struggling for a while to assign an appropriate name as the dormain. Actually, it took a lot of courage to adopt the name, Malaysian Internet Resources (or "MIR " for short, which incidentally, coincides with the Russian Space Station - although that was not intentionally, but has resulted with a huge log file that many earlier batch of visitors from US military section to pay us "regular visits"). Adopting MIR as our trade name on the Web means taking on a BIG responsibilities to ensure that the content / resources within conforms to the standard and ideals of "Malaysian Internet Resources".

By the way, Mr. Leo Bodnar, from Moscow has mail and explained to me what 'MIR' means in Russian. I thought I should share it with some of you. < CLICK HERE ! > Don't worry, although our two initial partners have left us in pursuing dreams on their own, while the MIR Space Centre has grounded back to Earth as ashes and cruising through rough H2o of the Internet dashed business illusion - we are still around. ALL of us at MIR-Malaysia, with a renewed working culture and a more focused business attitude is steering us to move on to achieve our ideal business objectives in the near future - and we have NEVER doubted our own capabilities as a GLOBAL Malaysian !

First, why photography ? Again, why not ? Just like some people prefer golf, fashion, mountain tracking etc., it happened photography was my first love. From the days when I was struggled to understand the fundamentals in using a simple camera to a stage when I spent more time thinking rather than tripping the shutter release button, the wasteful days during the learning curves has benefited me quite in terms of personal experience dealing with camera and photography. Naturally, it leads to how I started to write something that related to this interest of mine. I thought I can also contribute something to the site that I have a business interest in. At the same time, it is a medium I hope to express the thoughts and experiences in my own photographic journey, and patching some missing resources that were missed in the network during the early grooming days of Internet... Well, after all, to strike a good balance between profitability and content building in the web business is not an easy task, since money is not my personal priority, the best compromise is to maintain a site that is free of commercial essence so as to retain neutrality in expressing my own interpretation in photography, in a RAW oriental form.

When it comes to a universal topic like Photography (note: this is not an proprietary hobby), positioning MIR as a localized resource with Malaysian flavors on the border-less Internet may risk it being relegated to a secondary site. Therein lies the challenges and in the process making our lives tougher...but what the heck, its more fun this way, to built a Malaysian photography site with a worldwide appeal, promoting the very best of local photography expertise, personalities, works and technology. Why don't we set our own high standards instead of following on others tails ? This is what we set out to do, being a simple Malaysian and believing in myself and the length and breadth of talents available here. At the same time, developing local content will also create more local Internet awareness. A key element in fast tracking our progress as an IT-enabled Nation is to built up local Internet awareness, applications & purposeful usage of the medium.

Photography is a progressive discipline that allows, encourages and embraces many diverse styles. Asian styles / technique in general and Malaysian in particular are unique. This is why the medium is so exciting. The images capture a process, which translates into individual expression of creativity that is sensitive to time, culture, personal experiences and outlook. Without duplicating similar resources that have been ported on the Net. There are plenty of missing slots in the network has to be filled, within the best of my knowledge, what I was trying to do is also meant for for those who has missed the various generations in the development, up & down and the various cycle of changes happened within the photographic industry during the last half a century. For an example, photographers with the age group around the 20-40 can even find difficulties in trying to mount a lens onto a vintage SLR camera such as Nikkormat FT. joke ? No. I have seen this happened ...

Regrets ? There are some... The ever struggling skill set in BOTH of my Content writing & typewriting - primarily because I was Chinese educated but I am trying to improve these weak areas all the time (This is STRICTLY APPLY to my photography section ONLY - various web construction works for MIR's clients are handled by our Creative Writers, Project executives and/or Content Staffs). Next, visitors to this photography site comprised of only 8% from locals (This includes Singapore, while the rest are from around the world with visitors from the US making up 45% of the traffic). I understand Photography is a very specific subject, but I do hope there are more contributions from locals to help me improve its content. Further, I am quite labels independent, so, as much as I am trying to maintain a neutral stand but I do need others opinion to neutralize any possible effect that may influence a buy/sell decision. Generally, local photographers are very "defensive" when it comes to critique of works, but as long as this site is classified gray area for profitability, I do hope the good intention can be well received by all, as there are no commercial obligation to anyone. All I wish is that this photo site can inspire my fellow countrymen on what can be achieved with a global medium. I think self confidence is an essential element when you are at the playing field of global trade or simply as a raw form in communications. Has this site works as a good web model. Hope so...Note: all portfolios hosted in MIR are sponsored by us, as long as you are confident like I do to have your work posted in this site, just talk to us, you won't know how it will turn out in your chance.

Lastly, there is nothing to shout about what I have done thus far with PIM except it has made MIR ranks as the most popular Malaysian web design company when relates to web traffic, so, just treat this photography site as my personal contribution to the Network, thank you for reading.

Oh -o.. wait.. there is one more thing:- other than the "fun" side of MIR, I have to think of ways feed the many stomach & mouths in the Company too, huh ? MIR are a web developer in nature. we offers various services just like any other Internet companies do, like consult clients on HOW to create web sites that excite, web presence strategies blah blah blah ..etc. . IF I don't handle some marketing for our Company here, my marketing staffs will kill me alive, haha .. Try visiting some tasteful web projects listed below & see if you agree with me that is our team is REAL good in this trade (as the first round of mad rush to port home pages to the web is over, the next wave is the logical thinking on qualitative aspect, do you actually have a good website to help your business ?):-

If you are doubtful with MIR capabilities and do you need some BIG business trade names to convince you ? here are some corporate icons that we have been served, successfully delivered our solutions. How I wish they are still with us... in helping us to be STRONGER. But I guess that is sad part of business life...

Whatever it is, if some of you (or your business) who has not had a website yet or toying with the idea of a REVAMP for the existing site - do consider give MIR a try to see what can we deliver. AFTER ALL, instead of benefit someone else with your allocated budget for this sort of electronic media exposure, you might as well benefit us, right ? hehe ....

So, TALK to us via MIRnet/Contact or MIR/Contact After all, you have nothing to lose for having an alternative for consideration and/or evaluation. Hey, do excuse me if I am talking business here as this is the first time I am trying to sell "something" in his site, okay ?

Note: MIRNET is our Company that caters to service SMI/SME-size Companies or individual/ those who do not has a high working budget to create an initial Internet presence:- http://www.MIRnet.com.my As for international clients, we have another two joint-ventured Companies in Shanghai, China and East Malaysia (Borneo Island). Hey, we can create multi-languages sites to assist you to penetrate markets out of your political boundaries - something you might never thought of huh ?

Conventional print Media or CD-ROM ? No problem. My other Companies that offer alternate print/electronic media services are: -

Don't I look like a bloody cheap salesman now ? *$@#$@^&#!! Don't curse. at times, I do show the ugly side in me....

---

Essential Site data: Though the site is still falls short of what I envisioned it to be, but it was just a six months effort * and to make it truly a first rated site is still a long way to go (My personal interpretation is not based on a million or two hits a month, but rather to generate same-feeling and passion towards photography and to stimulate resonance and constructive resources to make the site self-grow & expanding - The framework in the PIM site has the path for growth - only if it has some other solid contributions). Nevertheless, I've made quite a number of friends along the way and it is slowly building up its momentum in popularity. To use hits and page access as a yardstick, it is growing in a very healthy pace (it is EXCEEDING 10 million monthly hits mark of web traffic**) and never short of visitors with great enthusiasm.

* This article was original written in 1998. From the original Nikon, Hasselblad and Rollei history sites, the classic SLR camera profiles, one of the most visited area in PIM has now extended to cover various selective camera models from the Japan BIG five manufacturers: Canon, Minolta, Pentax and Olympus. ** 2 million hits per month was registered randomly a month in 1998; soared passed 8 million hits on the month of February, 2002 and maintaining 12-13 million hits per month now (2003-2004) - nothing to shout about - as compare to Google's 19 million hits of daily web traffic Anyway, this site does not contain a killer applications within nor any juicy news or events. haha . ENJOY.

| Back | to Index Page of Thoughts and Opinion

Home - Photography In Malaysia

Left Brain - the Logical | Potpourri - mindful of little things in between | Right Brain - exercising your creative brain

Copyright © 1999. leofoo ®. MIR Web Development Team.