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Instagram has entered its ninth
year for this event. Every partici-
pating country around the globe
scheduled their own times for the
meet-up. It definitely is an adven-
turous concept inspired by Twitter,
who first came up with this idea
for users to gather and expand
networks.
So there I was to witness
WWIM9 Malaysia edition for the
first time, and also in klia2 (how
convenient, since I meant to check
the place out as well). Participants
were required to show up in light
blue clothing for easier identifica-
tion.
Organisers John and Wei Tzen
of Intagramers Malaysia took on
the challenge this year and sum-
moned interested Malaysian
Instagramers (probably the most
common label for users of this
social network) for an afternoon of
fun that lasted till after sunset.
As predictable as smartphone
users are, people already snapped
away even before the Instameet
officially took off. I watched as
youths positioned themselves
against backdrops, shooters posi-
tioned their phones or actual
cameras ready to click, and other
shooters stood by to capture those
who shot shots. Have I lost you
now?
John and Wei Tzens priority
was to take everyone to klia2s
Skybridge an hour before sunset,
where we would record most of
our shots at. So between 3pm to
5pm, we were free to roam about
in and out the airport grounds.
It seemed like locals here have
caught on the levitation craze too,
on top of every other photo-tak-
ing styles. Here and there, the
boys jumped and had their poses
shot mid-air. Of course, you will
need an app for this unless you
use a real camera, or if you do
not possess steady hands. (On an
unrelated note, there is always
an app for everything, if you have
not known yet.) Very entertaining
watching them try really hard to
deliver great images. Instagram
sure upped the game through
phone camera productivity.
Others preferred low light/sil-
houette photography. There were
minimalists as well, who snapped
from far away or at close up. Some
took extra lengths to record artistic
videos. Yet to watch any, but I am
certain they turned out awesome.
Of course, there were also those
who could not do without their
monopods and GoPro mounts.
By 5pm, we all reassembled
to enter the Skybridge through
an airport staff lane. Clicks were
heard right before reaching the
bridge - its an Instagramer thing,
really. We looked for more spots
to pose, more corners to squeeze
in, more backdrops for conceptual
group shots. Every other minute
we looked out the glass windows
to catch aeroplanes taxi under us.
At sunset, everyone picked
areas (again) best for them to
shoot from. It was not long after
that that I sat down with a few of
these enthusiastic characters for
a short chat. Celext Lim in her
30s, was one of a small handful of
Malaysian Instagramers who flew
or drove all the way from a differ-
ent states to KL, just for this meet.
I am on Instagram for a couple
of years already. Like everybody
else, I just want to share pic-
tures online. This is my very first
Instameet! Heard about this from
Instagramers Malaysias account
and took the chance to join. Its
quite nice, but a little disappoint-
ing as at the Skybridge, I wasnt
able to capture good shots of
planes taking off, she said.
Nonetheless, it has been a
good experience for me because I
like making new friends and shar-
ing stories with each other.
Student engineer Rashidah
on the other hand, was immedi-
ately sold when she found out this
years Instameet was held in klia2.
I adore airplanes. My plan is to
take up aircraft engineering as an
extended course. Not everyone is
into aviation- especially not girls!-
so due to this fact, the aviation
industry caught my attention. In
my opinion, Malaysia needs more
aircraft engineers! she quipped.
Fresh on the Instagram plat-
form (user for a year), this 20-year-
old from Muar, Johor, also flew
down to KL for her first Instameet.
I follow Instagramers Malaysia
on Twitter as well - thats where I
heard about this meet. Of course,
I feel excited to mingle with new
people who share the same interest,
which is photo taking. I love taking
pictures! My most memorable expe-
rience from today is non other than
watching planes take off and land,
while capturing those moments
on camera. It is my first visit to
KLIA2 too and its been fun so far!
Rashidah flashed a wide smile.
Melaka born, Kuala Lumpur
bred Wei Tzen who is a digital
planner in the advertising line,
remembered clearly the day he
registered into Instagram.
It was April 28, 2011 when I
started off on there as an explo-
ration. Plus, people around
me couldnt stop talking about
Instagram at the time the platform
was released. Obviously, I grew to
love it, said the 34-year-old co-
founder of Instagramers Malaysia.
I like how Instagram enables
users to build and expand
networks from all sorts ways
- Instameet being one of them.
WWIM9 marks my third Instameet
in Malaysia. For me, the experi-
ence from organising this meet-up
itself is most memorable. From the
process of choosing a place, man-
aging the number of participants,
to seeing people who usually only
interact through the Internet com-
ing face to face together, is a grati-
fying result, he explained.
Wei Tzen noticed a lot more
younger participants (from about
18 to 23 years of age) this time
around. All wanted to be on the
Skybridge - unfortunately airport
authorities limited 70 visitors per
entry. Thankfully they were able to
slot me in! What a pity to the rest,
as those who were not so lucky
only enjoyed WWIM9 in the after-
noon.
SATURDAY JUNE 21, 2014
T7
Longer local
hours for
ERA and
hitz Sabah
HIGHLIGHTS
T3
Japans salarymen
knock back coffee
after snore draw
SAPPHIRE Executive Lounge & Pub, Ban Hock Road, Kuching tonight
presents Nite of Evergreens starring twice Elvis Presley of Sarawak
titleholder Wilfred Vincent Ragam (left) and Sarawaks very own Sir Cliff
Richard A. Harrisman. Starting at 8.30pm the show will bring audience
down memory lane with Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard repertoires and
chart topping hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s. This is certainly not a show to
be missed. For further enquiry, call Ivan at 016-8601857.
ABOVE: GROUPS of friends post away on Instagram.
WEI TZEN (left) and John, the men behind Instagramers Malaysia.
AN enjoyable day at KLIA2. PHOTOS: STEPHANIE JONG & COURTESY OF INSTAGRAMERS MALAYSIA
CELEXT LIM approves of WWIM9.
LEFT: WEI TZEN (yellow pen in hand) does name check as a KLIA2 personnel
(wristbands and visitors passes in hand) distributes passes.
RASHIDAH goofs off for the camera.
WWIM9 with not only KL locals, but also those from Johor, Melaka, Penang,
Pahang, and Sarawak.
More than just a thousand words
WWIM9 in
Terengganu.
K
UALA LUMPUR
International Airport
2 or klia2 was wet
from the rain, when
the plane I boarded
touched down. It was a gloomy
morning, with not many people
around the new terminal specially
built for low cost airlines.
With several more hours to kill
before my actual agenda in KL, I
took time to explore most areas
of klia2. The buildings were very
brightly lit and floors were spacey.
I walked around in the mall for a
bit before taking a lunch break in
one of the airports three Starbucks
outlets.
3pm came fast. I made may way
to the International Departure Hall
to meet with a bunch of photogra-
phers who were there under one
driving force - Instagram. If you
are an active user on Instagram
who follows the social networks
account too, you would know that
Instagram puts out many challeng-
es every year and all year round.
With the Worldwide Instameet
being its major offline challenge,
THE unmistakeable
monopod group shot takes
place.
Continues on Page
>> t3
BY STEPHANIE JONG
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>> From Page T1
On how he got into our local
Instagramers movement, Wei
Tzen, a fan of coffee, simply had a
coffee session with John to thank
for.
John and several of his peers
had a small Instameet in Shah
Alam some time ago and we sat
down for a cuppa after. We talked
and John invited me to be part of
the community. So here I am.
Our goal is to do events at
non-conventional venues. We
target areas that are restricted
from the public (and can only be
accessed on exceptional occa-
sions), or unique locations where
people rarely go to. In other words,
its always more exciting to take
people to new places, he added.
So far, working with
Instagramers Malaysia has been
rewarding for Wei Tzen. Apart
from expanding networks through
new peers, Wei Tzen and his part-
ner are trying to take Instagramers
Malaysia to another level.
We plan to collaborate with
certain brands for various events,
in the future. Now and then, we
do exhibitions in efforts to bring
digital photos to life . Photographs
from a wide range of Malaysian
users are printed out and show-
cased to the general public, he
stated.
True enough, creativity does
come from all corners, no matter
how limited ones resources are
- look at most of us now only using
only phone cameras (with very
few camera settings) and having to
fill in moments strictly into square
frames on Instagram!
Back at the airport, we
assembled at the International
Departure Hall for a final time
around 7pm before everyone left.
Those, including myself, who
made a day-trip travelled back to
respective cities.
Also not forgetting, Terengganu
citizens who could not be in KL
had their very own Instameet, thus
making it two counts of WWIM9
in Malaysia this time. It was,
according to participants, their
first Instameet in the East Coast of
the country. 27 youngsters around
Terengganu joined in the fun.
Separately, some 90
Instagramers from around the
country got together as part of
the WWIM9 in klia2 this year.
Instagramers Malaysia thanked
Malaysia Airports for being a won-
derful host throughout the pro-
cess. The collective also expressed
great appreciation for every single
one of you who turned up that day.
Special thank you to those who
came all the way from Penang,
Pahang, Melaka, Johor, and
Sarawak to support this event!
We are so glad you made it. We
hope to see more of you from the
rest of the states next round, said
John in many of his photos on
Instagramers Malaysias account
(@igersmalaysia).
Wei Tzen on the other hand,
had one of his captions simple and
just as memorable.
90 IGERS. 1 LOCATION.
1 PASSION. HUNDREDS OF
CONVERSATIONS. THOUSANDS
OF CANDID MOMENTS. Thank
you @instagram, #wwim9, #igm_
malaysiaairports, #malaysiaair-
ports.
Tired but delighted, I boarded
my plane back to my hometown
that same night.
NEW SARAWAK TRIBUNE
SATURDAY JUNE 21, 2014 T3 lifestyle
INSTAGRAMERS help each other out with name registration.
AVID Instagramers frame moements from all sorts of angle.
ANOTHER
one attempts
a conceptual
photography.
AIRPORT security check on the way to the Skybridge.
NEW buddies are made at WWIM9.
AMIDST shots, everyone makes
sure not to miss when planes taxi
underneath them.
IDEAS come while this lad lounges in the airport.
SOME of the 70 participants
on the Skybridge.