Ranan Samanya Photography
fashion runways, portraits & personal branding, environment, and documentary photography
Samosir, the land of churches
When you go to Samosir, forget first impression. Go measure the island, which has around 100km of main road encircling it. You will find a lot of churches. I did 40% of the distance, and already lost count on the number of churches there; Methodist, Catholic, Protestant, Bethel, and others. You name it, most probably they will have it. Almost every 200m or so you will find one church. If you have been to Jakarta or Bandung, it’s like finding Seven Eleven or Alfamart over there.
While bicycle rentals are widely available, if you can drive a motorbike I would recommend it for a daylong exploration. A full day rental costs IDR 90,000, gasoline included. You can also request an automatic transmission motorbike.
Pictured on top is the HKBP church with the Roll-On-Roll-Off Terminal in front. Did you notice another church behind? Below is the Catholic Church of Maria Claret in Sangkal, Simanindo District. All churches have two things in common: a (usually tall) tower with the Cross on top, and a beautiful backdrop of Samosir’s hills.
Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen, the German missionary who succeeded in converting Samosir’s King Sidabutar to Christianity (and some 2,000 other Batak people in 1865) must have been smiling up there: he had successfully spread Christianity in Samosir, probably exceeding everybody’s expectation.
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a hot welcome to Samosir
There are a few ways to reach Samosir island, at the center of Toba Lake, North Sumatra. The first is driving all the way to its west side and come in through Pangururan town. We can also drive until Parapat and cross the lake with a Roll-On-Roll-Off ferry to Tomok. We took the third and fastest option: jump into a ferry from Parapat, paid as little as USD 1, enjoyed the 30 minutes ride at the opened upper deck, and dropped off in Tuktuk right in front of our lodging. In fact it seems that the Ferry will deliver each passenger to the front of his/her lodging.
Before we reached our lodging, it docked for a split second at another jetty where kids were swimming, people were doing laundry, and trash (mostly from soap and detergent) were scattered.
Behind the smiles and hands waving to us, the portrait shows a problem Toba Lake community has been facing: clean water and domestic pollution. The Regent of Simalungun has a heavy issue to solve. Bali has been fighting similar issue, and has yet to see light at the end of the tunnel. Toba needs to wake up. They need to understand that their natural resources are at the brink of disappearance, not only because of pulp and other industries, but also because of their own way of living.
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the unique mosque of Northern Sumatra
Today I started a six days journey to Lake Toba, northern Sumatra, Indonesia. One of the few things that strike me is the beautifully designed mosque dome. While you can still see the traditional zinc plated constructed domes, many others have designs that reminds me of Russia.
I like this mosque in particular because of the pattern and color combination. It’s situated just after Bengkel, approximately 40km outside Medan, in the direction of Tebing Tinggi. As this was taken from a moving car, I didn’t get its name, but most probably it is the Al Huda mosque. Do let me know should I be mistaken.
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Monica and Hedi: looking through the eyes of love
They have endured a long 6 years and 5 months of relationship. And that included a few years of long distance. So when they finally decided that they’ve had enough, it was a celebration of love. Monica and Hedi’s wedding was awesome. It was a blend between Javanese and Chinese tradition that lasted a short two days, stuffed with four main events in two different places; three different wardrobes (I loved the handmade batik pattern on one of the wardrobe); two… no, three different hairstyles for Monica; and a hell of a load of delicious food.
By awesome I mean, they were fun to be with (even their families and relatives were fun to be with). They giggled and smiled all the time, except the first 20 minutes of the church procession, when they were nervous (you know, the part before your partner say “I do” is always nerve breaking – what if “I don’t” come out? Yeah, I know, I watched Four Weddings and a Funeral one too many). And when they looked to each other, you could see that love was so very much in the air.
Congratulations to both Monica and Hedi, whose love believes the impossible. Thank you for trusting my cameras to capture your wedding. And without further ado, these are my short selection of the celebration.
(all frames on M settings and manual flash; the only one taken with X100S on this page was done using Aperture priority).
Jakarta 486 years – the tough midget
Believe it or not, these Daihatsu Midgets from 1962 are still in operation in Jakarta. Originally not a passenger car, these three-wheelers were modified as part of Jakarta’s busy means of public transport. Locally it is known as bemo – Becak Motor (motorised rickshaw). You can have six passengers at the back, and 2 squeezed in front. One or two additional school-kids may be standing, hanging on the bars of the back cabin. Did I tell you that the cabin’s roof is made of canvas? There’s no door at the back, and if the wind is not with you, you’ll get a share of the carbon monoxide, or even rain drops when it’s raining (passengers usually use their umbrellas to stay dry).
How do I know all these? Well I used to hung onto those bars, back in the seventies! I still love and use these cars whenever I visit Jakarta. They are serving Bendungan Hilir – Tanah Abang route. If you are feeling adventurous, go and jump into one of these, just for the fun. But do be careful with your belongings.
The picture above was taken in the evening in Bendungan Hilir. I used Nik’s Silver Efex Pro to achieve the final result. I hope you like the rendition.
in between the footsteps
Took this from one of the many elevated bridges of Jakarta one evening. Mother, daughter, and a baby on her lap, were all sleeping in between the footsteps of passers by. And my mind went to the beautiful poem by Avik Datta Gupta, the Beggar…
I have a long lonely road for my shelter
Some kindful garbage for my food
I thank you my good God above
For being so sweetly rude
Some people fling a coin
And drive into the dark
As I shake my shapeless bowl
Begging in the park.
There is so much love and passion
On the benches in the dark
But is this the love that people know
The coin or the outcast stark
Some beg for love, some beg for money,
Some beg for food, and some for being better
I beg for these like others
Then why am I called a beggar?
[Avik Datta Gupta]
under the flyover
I was in a taxi, waiting for the red traffic light to turn green. Under the Slipi flyover, Jakarta. I looked to my left, and caught these two street-sellers resting. They had with them a big plastic bag each with some books and magazines plenty of tissues (Thank you for the correction, Godeliva Olivia) that they sell when the light turn red.
I quickly opened my backpack, and grabbed my camera.The optical viewfinder couldn’t get them into focus (the taxi’s window was dark from its window film tinting), so I quickly switched to the electronic viewfinder, it was a snap. And took the picture. The bright light from the car behind me was very useful. With f/2 and ISO 6400, it was sufficient. Just in time before the light turned green.
Yes, this is a JPEG straight from the camera. Uhm…, yes, darn good sensor, my 7D would never be able to get similar result.
Thank you for dropping by!
the lioness and the king
What happened when the lovely, fierceful Monica and the super cool Hedi dude finally decided to culminate their long love story in a holy matrimony?
I can’t wait to share their day with you all, but until the whole post production complete, these are all I can show. Please be patient and do come back later.
(all frames with M settings and manual flash; the middle one taken with X100s on Aperture priority without flash).
Ranan Samanya Photography 
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