If you’re looking for a new pair of sandals, you’ll be spoilt for choice at the Ramadan Night Bazaar.
Sandals snaking down the wall at a stall in the Ramadan Night Bazaar. Both photos taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Most of the stalls at the night bazaar were open to photographers, especially if you ask the stall holders politely before snapping away.
Some even offered to pose with their wares.
What’s Hari Raya without those twinkling lights that brighten up the neighbourhood at night?
Lights galore at the Ramadan Night Bazaar. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
One of the distinctive signs that Hari Raya is approaching is the lights that you see decorating homes – both inside and outside – as the festival approaches.
Arabic calligraphy is the artistic expression of handwriting and the Arabic script, and is often framed up and used to display excerpts of the Qur’an in a Muslim household.
Arabic calligraphy beautifully framed and ready to decorate the wall in the home. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Arabic calligraphy is based on the Arabic script, which was used by Muslims around the world in their own languages.
Henna is a dye made from the henna tree, which can be used for applying intricately-patterned body skin tattoo that is temporary.
These two friendly Malay girls at the Ramadan Night Bazaar were generous enough to offer their beautifully hennaed hands to model for the photo – while waiting for the freshly applied henna to dry. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Many cultures use henna to decorate their body and arms, as well as dye their hair and nails.
Nearer home, they are used by Indians and Malays.
One of the things I love about Hari Raya is eating the delicious cookies that Muslim friends and colleagues share when the festival approaches. They are tasty and make delectable snacks suitable for all occasions.
Rows and rows of Hari Raya cookies on sale at the Ramadan Night Bazaar. Both photos taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
You can also buy them at shops and the Ramadan Night Bazaar.
If you’re a baker or feeling adventurous, you could also try baking some yourself!
For Muslims sprucing up their homes for Hari Raya Puasa, there is a wide selection of carpets at the Ramadan Night Bazaar.
Carpets with modern designs with modern designs and abstract patterns. Both photos taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
From traditional geometric patterns to more modern designs with sceneries or abstract shapes, you’ll be spoilt for choice when choosing a carpet to decorate your home.
Apart from selling food for breaking of fast, the Ramadan Night Bazaar also sells plenty of interesting and beautiful stuff to help Muslims prepare for Hari Raya Puasa at the end of the fasting month.
Baju Kurung in many colours for the men. Both photos taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Once the fasting month of Ramadan ends, the first day of the next month (Shawwal) is celebrated as Eid al-Fitr – the Arabic term meaning “festival of breaking of the fast”.
The day is known as Hari Raya Puasa in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei; and is also known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Idul Fitri.
Hari Raya means “celebration day” in Malay.
Since this is the month of Ramadan, I will be featuring photos that I took during a visit to a night Bazaar in Geylang Serai in Singapore.
After sunset, Muslims who fasted all day file into the night bazaar, while food stall holders dish out freshly cooked food. The Arabic term for the evening breakfast is Iftar, while in Malaysia and Indonesia, the breaking of fast is termed “berbuka puasa” and “buka puasa” respectively.
This is the first in a series of photos that I will be posting on the Ramadan Bazaar.
The night markets bristle with activity especially around the Islamic month of Ramadan, which culminates with the Hari Raya Puasa.
From tomorrow, tech4tea.com kicks off a new photo story series that features the editor’s pick of interesting photos, either from daily life, issues of the day, or product related photos.
Photo of the Day photo series (POTD) – contributions from readers are most welcome.
The photos will include photos related to the day it is published or a snapshot from the past.
Scott A. Woodward is a SanDisk Extreme Team member, a Nikon Professional Photographer and a Getty Images Global Assignments photographer. He shares his experiences and photography tips in a Q&A below.
Scott A. Woodward at one of four sessions of Nikon’s “I am a Fashionista” photography workshop in Singapore.
Woodward shared three tips for beginners who are starting out: Be inspired, Play with light, Experiment.
Do a little research about the who or what you will be shooting ahead of time. The more you know about what or who you will be shooting, the better prepared you can be.
Try to have some ideas for the types of photographs you want to create beforehand. There is no shame in looking at other photographers’ interpretations of a location or scene.
Use others’ work – there is an endless stream of imagery from photographers across the globe on Instagram and Flickr and Twitter – to be inspired and help get your creative juices flowing so you can create your own unique photography.
