January 2015

YUSUF HASHIM and slightly Unusu

al
An Unabashed Curiculum Vitae
email: yusufhashim@digitalartist.com.my
Facebook: www.facebook.com/yusufhashim.digitalartist
Websites: www.digitalartist.com.my and www.photosafari.com.my
HP +6012-2712955

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 Table of Contents
Page

Preface - Yusuf Hashim - An Unabashed Curriculum Vitae .......................... 03

Yusuf Hashim Curriculum Vitae - Executive Summary .................................. 04
Contact Addresses and Education ...................................................................... 06
Portfolio - Mursi Boy from the Omo Valley of Ethioia .................................... 07
Corporate Life - The Jet-Setter ........................................................................... 08
Post Retirement - The Jeep-Setter ...................................................................... 09
African Journey Route Map ................................................................................. 10
Lecturer at the Open University of Malaysia ..................................................... 11
Administrator of PhotoMalaysia.com ................................................................ 12
Portfolio - Nirvana Beach of Java ........................................................................ 13
Yusuf Hashims PhotoSafaris ................................................................................ 14
Workshops and PhotoSafaris organized since 2007 ............................... ...........16
Exhibitions and Talks .............................................................................................17
Yusuf Hashim speaks at World Photo Fest 2013 ................................................18
Yusuf Hashim, the Writer - Books Published online at Blurb.com ..................19
Chip Photo Video - Past Issues Covers .............................................................. 20
Yusuf Hashims Sample Portfolio ......................................................................... 21
Newspaper Reports Featuring Yusuf Hashim ................................................... 44
The Star Interviews Yusuf Hashim - Meet the Gypsetters ................................ 45
The Star Interviews Yusuf #2 - Jeep-Setting Adventures .................................. 50
The Star Interviews Yusuf - Pictures Worth a 1000 Words .............................. 51

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YUSUF HASHIM and sligh tl y U n u

s ual

An Unabashed Curiculum Vitae

This unabashed and slightly unusual CV, was originally prepared in response to
an invitation for Yusuf Hashim to run an in-house Photography Training Work-
shop for staff of the Public Affairs department of a multinational corporation. It
was originally laid out in a very detailed manner, combining the usual, boring CV
minutiae, together with Yusufs Digital Photography credentials.
This is an upbeat, abridged version, with a short CV summary on the next page,
for people who dont have the time or inclination to read the full version.
For those who love much self inflicted pain, you are welcome to venture beyond
the next page, but I do reccomend that you get a puke bucket ready .... just in case.
For privacy reasons, some personal details have been blanked out.
Please call Yusuf Hashim at +60122702955 if you need to view these.

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 Yusuf Hashim - Curriculum Vitae
(A Summary of the Puke-Inducing Verbosity in the Following Pages)

Yusuf Hashim on a PhotoSafari in Korea

In a previous life, and for 30 years,

Yusuf Hashim worked his butt out
for Shell, and he was generously rewarded.
In the eighties he was based in London and
Rotterdam as International Trading Manag-
er for Shells Styrenics Manufacturing plants
in theUK, Netherlands, Belgium, France
and Germany. In his job, Yusuf Jet-setted
globally and extensively. Returning to Ma-
laysia in 1990, he was appointed Managing
Director of Shell Chemicals Businesses in
Malaysia. In 1993 he became Retail Mar-
keting Director for Shell in Malaysia. Prior
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to elective retirement in 1999, he was Gen-
eral Manager for Strategy and Change for
Shell Malaysia Downstream Businesses, and
concurrently, he was also Retail Market En-
try Project Director for Shell in Indonesia,
which required him to fly weekly to Jakarta.
Yusuf elected to retire prematurely in
1999 in order to become a Jeep-setter, a
Gypsetter, a Photographer, a Writer, a
Lecturer, a Golfer, a Superbiker, and oh,
also to qualify as a Para-motor Pilot.
Yusuf also flies single engine aeroplanes as
a hobby, and has held a Private Pilot Li-
cence (PPL) since 1976, when he helped
set up the Pahang Flying Club in Kuantan.
Yusuf s photography, motorcycling and
4x4 driving skills were exceptional, and
recognized as such. Within a couple
of years of participating in trans-con-
tinental driving expeditions with the
Petronas Adventure Team, and 4x4
World-Explorer.com, the latter appoint-
ed him their Official Team Photographer.
4x4 World Explorer.com are specialists
in organizing trans-continental motoring
and motor-cycling expeditions worldwide.
While shooting for 4x4-World-Explor-
er, Yusuf drove across almost all of Afri-
ca, all of South America, all of Europe,
Asia, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Tur-
key, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, the
Himalayas, Tibet, China, and ASEAN
as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Yusuf s writing, photography and digital
post processing skills were good enough
that in 2004 he was appointed Administra-
tor of PhotoMalaysia.com by its founders.
PhotoMalaysia.com is presently Malaysias
largest online photography community.
Yusuf nurtured and grew the PhotoMalay-
sia community from just 2000 members
in 2004, to more than 85,000 in 2010, by
contributing online content, writing pho-
tography tutorials, organizing photogra-
phy training programs and photo-shoots,
and answering photography, and digital
post processing queries from members.
From 2004-2006 Yusuf was a Contribut-
ing Writer for Chip Photo Video & Digital
Magazine. He had his own regular section,
writing Photography and Digital Photo
Processing articles monthly for the maga-
zine. Yusuf has also written and published
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online, several photography Coffee Table
Books. These are printed on demand and
are presently available for purchase either
as eBooks or printed books from Blurb.com
In 2009 the Open University of Malaysia rec-
ognised Yusuf s photography skills and teach-
ing capabilities and appointed him a Part
time Lecturer for their Certificate and Diplo-
ma Courses in Photography. Yusuf lectured
at the Open University for 3 years until 2011.
In 2008, as an extension to his work at Pho-
toMalaysia, and leveraging the experience
and international network of contacts he
developed during 12 years of Jeep-Setting
and shooting photos across almost all the
worlds continents, Yusuf and a fellow pho-
tographer friend, started www. Photosafari.
com.my. The purpose of Yusuf s PhotoSa-
faris was to organize unique photography
learning experiences for participants.
The PhotoSafari Experience begins with a
2 days photography and post processing
workshop in a classroom environment. This
is then followed by a 10-15 days photosa-
fari shooting expedition at an exotic loca-
tion worldwide, where the theory taught in
the classroom workshops, are augmented
and reinforced by a 24/7, person to per-
son coaching in real time while shooting.
Since 2008 more than 20 workshops and
dozens of teaching PhotoSafari Trips to ex-
otic locations abroad has been conducted by
Yusuf and his partner, benefitting more than
2000 participants from Malaysia and abroad.
Countries visited on these teaching pho-
tosafaris include Bhutan, Kashmir, the Old
Silk Road in Xinjiang Uyghur, Bangladesh,
the Taklimakan Desert, Tibet, Nepal, the
Himalayas, Philippines, Java, Sumatra, Viet-
nam, Cambodia, China, Korea, India, Ethio-
pia, Kashmir, Cuba, etc. Check out the Pho-
toSafari Facebook page by clicking HERE
 Yusuf Hashim
Personal Info & Contact Address
Contact Address
No: 20 Jalan 16/5, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Phone: +6012-2712955
E-mail: yusufhashim@digitalartist.com.my

Facebook - yusufhashim.digitalartist

Facebook PhotoSafari: https://www.facebook.com/PhotoSafari.com.my

Websites: www.digitalartist.com.my and www.photosafari.com.my

Education:
University of Malaya B.A. Hons. (Economics)
Harvard Business School - Senior Management Development Program
Management Development Program 1984 (Asridge Strategic Mgt Centre - London)
Alma Mater : Royal Military College, Sungai Besi, Outward Bound School
Also attended 28 Local and International Personal, Management, Technical and Developmen-
tals programs in London, Louvain-la-Nueve, Houston, Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Hamburg,
Amsterdam, Vienna, Wellington, Singapore and the Hague. Please ask for details.

Yusuf has been interviewed and featured in several Newspapers and Magazines.
Click on these links to read these reports, at their respective publications online :

The Star 31 July 2013 - Jeep-Setting Adventures

The Star 31 July 2013 Living By the Bell
The Star 21 July 2013 Jeep-Setter Requirements
The Star 25 February 2012 - Meet the Gypsetters

Aperture Magazine November 2014 and December 2015 issues

Perito Moreno Glacier - Patagonia, S.America - shot during Round S.America 4x4 Expedition 2006

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 Portfolio Sample - A 12 year old Mursi Boy from the Omo Valley of ETHIOPIA.
This Photo was shot during a PHOTOSAFARI to the OMO VALLEY OF ETHIOPIA.
The Mursis are cattle herders. Their wealth is measured by the number of cattle they have.
Most Mursis are armed with AK 47 rifles which they use to protect their cattle, and themselves from
cattle raiders from enemy tribes. This boy got his rifle as part of the dowry during his sisters wedding.
The wedding dowry for a Mursi girl is usually 30 cows.
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 Corporate Life - the Jet-Setter
For 30 years between 1969-1999, Yusuf Hashim had a sterling career in the Oil and
Chemicals sectors of Shell, one of the worlds largest multinational corporations.
Working internationally, he was based at various times in London, Rotterdam, Indone-
sia and Malaysia.
He Jet-setted globally and extensively as part and parcel of his work in Shell, building
an enviable network of colleagues and friends worldwide, but more significantly,
constructing a Places to Revisit List, because time in a Jet-setters schedule, is simply
not your own to squander on leisure and pleasure. So to those who drool for a
Jet-setters life style, be aware it is not what you fantasise it to be. Business class travel,
Yes. Five Star hotels and good food in excellent restaurants, Yes.
But leisure, pleasure and photography NO. There was simply not enough time in
between kissing asses and getting screwed in the ass by customers, competitors and
colleagues. Yeah, it was good for a while but you soon get quite tired of it ....

In the 10 years prior to elective retirement in 1999,

Yusuf was successively, Shell Malaysia Downstream General Manager for Strategy and
Change, Managing Director of Shell Chemicals Company in Malaysia, Retail Marketing
Director for Shell Malaysia Downstream Operations, and concurrently,
Project Director for Shell Retail Market Entry into Indonesia.
So net-net, he didnt do too bad in the Corporate phase of his life.

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Post Retirement - the Jeep-Setter
Yusuf elected to retire prematurely in 1999, to devote time to his lifelong
passion for Photography, Travelling, Motor-cycling, 4x4 All Terrain In-
ter-Continental Motoring, Flying (Licenced Private Pilot for Single Engined
Aeroplanes and Paramotoring) and Writing.
His life-long self-developed photography and all-terrain driving skills,
almost immediately earned him the position of Team Official Photographer,
whenever he participated in 4x4 World-Explorer.com inter-continental
driving expeditions.
4x4 World-Explorer.com are specialists in organizing 4x4 Trans-Continen-
tal Driving and Motorcycling Adventures worlwide. As OP for this Group,
Yusuf drove an all-terrain 4x4 Landcruiser, and shot photos in more than
100 countries, and across almost every continent in the world - across all
of Africa, around all of South America, across Europe and Russia, Kazakh-
stan, the Middle East, across Asia, China, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Nepal, the
Himalayas, ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand. The photo on this page,
was shot during a beautiful evening , while camping in the Makgadikgadi
Pan of Botswana.
The Map of Africa on the next page , show the routes Yusuf has driven in
Africa.
Detailed maps of all the trans-continental routes he has driven can be
viewed at his website at www.digitalartist.com.my

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 Yusuf Hashim - African Journey

Map above shows the cumulutive routes Yusuf has driven in Africa between 2004 - 2011.

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 Yusuf Hashim - Lecturer at The Open University
From 2009-2011, when he wasnt Jeep-Setting and Gyp-Setting, Yusuf was doing
National Service as a part time Lecturer in Photography and Digital Post Processing,
at Malaysias Open University in Kuala Lumpur, for the Certificate in Photography, and
Diploma in Photography courses. After 3 years, he reluctantly had to stop, because his
travelling and photography commitments demanded more of his time.

A Prayer Wheel in Kathmandu

Prayer wheels contain thousands of incantations written on holy paper. The act of turning them
is supposed to amplify a devotees own prayers. I caught the hand of this child, who was still in his
mothers arms, turning a heavy prayer wheel that is even bigger than himself . The love for God is
emphasised very early in life by the devout .....

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 Yusuf Hashim - Administrator at PhotoMalaysia

In 2003 Yusuf joined www.photomalaysia.com , an Online Photography Community,

where members interact online about photography. At PhotoMalaysia, Yusuf contrib-
uted massive photography and digital post processing content, answering queries
to assist and train PhotoMalaysia members into taking their photography to higher
levels. Writing under the pseudonym of Digitalartist, his considerable contribution was
recognized when he was appointed Principal Administrator of PhotoMalaysia by its
founders. Yusuf nurtured PhotoMalaysia into becoming Malaysias Largest online pho-
tography community, growing the membership from about 2000 members in 2003, to
more than 85,000 members at the present moment.

Portfolio Sample
Shooting the Pacu Jawi Bull Races in Sumatra.

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Portfolio Sample - Nirvana Beach, West Java
 Yusuf Hashim - PhotoSafaris
In 2008, as an extension to his work at PhotoMalaysia, and leveraging the experience
and international network of contacts he developed during 12 years of Jeep-Setting
and shooting photos across almost all of the worlds continents, Yusuf and a fellow pho-
tographer friend, started www. Photosafari.com.my . The purpose of Yusufs PhotoSafaris
was to organize unique photography learning experiences to participants.
The PhotoSafari Experience begins with a 2 days photography and post processing
workshop in a classroom environment. This is then followed by a 10 to 15 days photosa-
fari shooting expedition at an exotic location worlwide, where the theory taught in the
workshops are augmented & reinforced by a 24/7 real-time, person to person coaching.

Since 2008 more than 20 workshops and dozens of teaching PhotoSafari Trips to exotic
locations abroad has been conducted by Yusuf and his partner, benefitting more than
2000 participants from Malaysia and abroad. Countries visited on these teaching pho-
tosafaris include Bhutan, Kashmir, the Old Silk Road in Xinjiang Uyghur, Bangladesh,
the Taklimakan Desert, Tibet, Nepal, the Himalayas, Philippines, Java, Sumatra, Vietnam,
Cambodia, China, Korea, India, Ethiopia, Kashmir, Cuba, etc.

Check out the stories and photos shot on past PhotoSafaris at the PhotoSafari Website
and the PhotoSafari Facebook Page. Check out the 2015 PhotoSafari programs by click-
ing HERE . The 2015 PhotoSafari program will include teaching tours to Iceland, Moroc-
co, Greenland, North Korea, Patagonia, Bhutan, Philippines, Nepal and Tibet.
Here is a list of some of the past workshops and PhotoSafaris since 2007

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Above: Camping in the Makgadikgadi Pan in Botswana, en-route to the Okavango Delta and
the Kalahari Desert of Namibia.

Below :Participants of the PhotoSafari to the Old Silk Road on a Camel Caravan to shoot the
sunset at the Ming Sha Dunes in the Gobi Desert of Xinjiang Uyghur

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 Workshops & PhotoSafaris 2007 to Present
Below is a list of some of the PhotoSafaris, Photography and Post Processing Workshops which Yusuf has
conducted since 2007, which have benefitted more than 2000 photographers from Malaysia and abroad.

Workshop & PhotoSafari to Trengganu - May 2008

Open University Workshop in Kuching Dec 2008
Workshop at Kelab Golf Negara Subang March 2009
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Siem Reap, Cambodia - April 2009
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Angkor Wat Cambodia - May 2009
Workshop in Kuching & Batang Air for Rainforest Festival - June 2009
Workshop & Photosafari in Kuala Selangor July 2009
Workshop at Kelab Golf di Raja Selangor - Nov 2009
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Vietnam - Dec 2009
PhotoSafari to Kuala Selangor - Jan 2010
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Vietnam - Mar 2010
Workshop for Shell in Bintulu - May 2010
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Bangladesh - June 2010
Workshop & PhotoSafari to The Old Silk Road - October 2010
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Cambodia for Leica - Dec 2010
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Nepal & the Himalayas - March 2011
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Sumatra (Pacu Jawi Bull Races) - April 2011
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Cebu, Phillipines - July 2011
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Xinjiang Uyghur & Taklimakan Desert - Oct 2011
Workshop & PhotoSafari to the Annapurnas, Himalayas - Mar 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Borobudur - April 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Sri Lanka - June 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Sumatra ( Pacu Jawi Bull Races) - July 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Mt. Bromo, Java, Indonesia - Sep 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Kochi, Delhi and Srinagar, India - Sep 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Ha Giang, Vietnam Oct 2012
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Everest Base Camp & the Himalayas Mar 2013
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Ethiopia,Africa June 2013
Workshop & PhotoSafari to Tibet July 2013
PhotoSafari to the Danakil Depression and Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2014
PhotoSafari to the Annapurnas in the Himalayas 2014
PhotoSafari to Nepal and Bhutan 2014
PhotoSafari to Mt Bromo and Mt Ijen Volcanoes 2014
PhotoSafari to Seam Reap 2014
PhotoSafari to Ha Giang, Vietnam 2014
PhotoSafari to the Rainbow Mountains and the Old Silk Road 2014
Crossing Bridges to South Korea 2014
PhotoSafari to Cuba 2014

Page 16
 Yusuf Hashim - Exhibitions and Talks
Over the last 15 years, Yusuf has carved a name for himself in the Malaysian Photogra-
phy landscape. His work has been seen at several exhibitions. He is regularly invited
to be a judge in photo competitions, and to give talks and lectures to Photography
Associations and societies. He is a frequent speaker at events organised by professional
photography associations, with his name up there among well known foreign speak-
ers invited to speak at those functions. Below is a photo of part of his panels at a recent
CAFFA Art and Photography Exhibition at the White Box, Publika, in Kuala Lumpur.

Page 17
This is a Promotional Poster of the World Photography Fest held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Penang in
2013. Yusuf Hashim was one of the speakers there, together with world reknown photographers such
as Nik Pekridis from Athens, Jennifer Star from the USA, Lito Sy from the Phillipines, Patrick Low
from Malaysia, and several others.

Page 18
 Yusuf Hashim - the Writer
Over the last 15 years, Yusuf has written several photography books, and
dozens of Photography and Post Processing articles for magazines and online
photography portals. From 2004-2006 he was a Contributing Writer for Chip
Photo Video & Digital Magazine, with his own regular section, writing Photogra-
phy and Digital Photo Processing articles for the monthly magazine.
On the next ppage are some of the dozens of issues featuring Yusufs articles.
They are all available for inspection.

Yusuf has also written several coffee table books, which are published online
and printed on demand at Blurb.com. Some are private limited editions print-
ed at Photobook Malaysia. The books below can be previewed online at Blurb.
com. and can be printed on demand or purchased as eBooks.

Page 19
 Chip Photo Video - Past Issues Covers

Yusuf was a Contributing Writer for Chip Photo Video & Digital Magazine from 2004-2006,
with his own regular section, writing Photography and Digital Post Processing articles
for the monthly magazine. These issue and their CD Based exercise materials which were
prepared by Yusuf, are available for inspection.

Page 20
Sample Portfolio
Yusuf Hashim

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Portfolio - An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Pilgrim, on St. Georges Day, at the 900 year old
rock hewn Church of St Georges, in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

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Portfolio Sample - An Angel on a pilgrimage to St Georges Church in Lalibela, Ethiopia

Page 23
 Portfolio Sample
A woman-child, probably repenting for a past transgression at St Georges in Lalibela

Page 24
 Portfolio Sample
A Dao Farmer smoking a bamboo pipe in Ha Giang, Vietnam. I swear there was more
than just tobacco in that pipe. The smell was just too sweet for simply tobacco.

Page 25
Portfolio Sample - A Dao Couple in Ha Giang, Vietnam

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A Dao Couple preparing a fire to cook lunch in Ha Giang, Vietnam

Page 27
Portfolio - One Fine Morning in an alley, in Thamel, Kathmandu

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Portfolio - One Fine Morning in an alley, in Thamel, Kathmandu

Page 29
 Portfolio Sample
A Suri boy shot while on a PhotoSafari deep in the under-belly of Ethiopia

Page 30
One fine morning, in Thamel, Kathmandu

Page 31
Portfolio Sample - A Mursi Lady with her characteristic Lip Plate. Previous photo is a
Mursi Boy in all his Sunday best.
Page 32
 Portfolio Sample
A Benna Woman in all her finery at a village market in Ethiopia

Page 33
Portfolio : Mursi Young Man from the Omo Valley, Ethiopia

Page 34
Portfolio Sample - A Cambodian mothers eye view of her suckling baby

Page 35
Portfolio Sample - Boatman of Maiga, Sabah

Page 36
Portfolio : Ladies from the Karos Tribe of The Omo Valley in Ethiopia

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Portfolio - Nirvana Beach - Java

Page 38
Temple of Kom Ombo at Dusk in Luxor, Egypt

Page 39
Above - Sunrise in Pulau Pangkor

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A Child from Malapascua

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A Child from Pulau Maiga

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Tibetan Woman

Page 43
 Newspaper Reports
Featuring Yusuf Hashim

Yusuf has been featured several times in the Malaysian Press.

Extracts from some of those newspaper reports are reproduced in the
following pages. You can read the original features by clicking on
the following Links.

Meet the Gypsetters

Jeep-setting Adventures
Jeep-Setter Requirements
Living By the Bell

Page 44
 The Star Interviews Yusuf Hashim - Meet the Gypsetters
Excerpts of an Interview of Yusuf Hashim by The Star Newspaper on 25th Feb 2012
Click the photo to view the original Article at www.thestar.com.my

Kenya, Africa - Crossing the Equator at Nanyuki

A rmed with portable hammocks and

shabby sandals, these people are de-
termined to reclaim the soul in travelhot
showers optional.
It was a trip to Saint-Tropez that gave New
York-based freelance journalist Julia Chap-
lin an epiphany: the more money one
has, the harder it is to be sophisticated.
I was supposed to write about the towns
supposed charm but I wasnt having a very
good time. Everyone thought they were
having fun, and I got really disappointed
with the whole show-off circus act, she
said in an interview with Greek magazine
2Board two years ago.
scarcely dressed, hare-brained excess,
but not Chaplin. She has traipsed across
the globe to chronicle the lives of these
very people, but she was getting bored.
I thought, hang on, there must be an al-
ternative scene, she said. It is impossible
for all the wealthy people who are also
creative and sophisticated to have disap-
peared from the face of the earth. It was
then that I started to travel with a different
criteria in mind.

It occurred to Chaplin that this once-quiet

village on the French Riviera isnt what it
used to be. It has become, quite simply, the
most famous resort in Europe. Most peo-
ple would be fascinated by the well-heeled,
Namibia, Africa - Crossing Tropic of Capricorn
Page 45
This quest led Chaplin away from the
predictable, luxury-hotel destina-
tions to more remote corners of the
earth like Lamu, Kenya, or the Aeo-
lian Islands off Sicily. This travelling
ethos, which she calls gypsetting,
fuses modern-day jet setting with the
free-spirited lifestyle of the gypsies.

She later wrote a non-fiction book, Gyp-

set Style, as a tribute to the wanderlust
tendencies of the counterculture, start-
ing with pioneer gypsetters like poet Lord
Byron who had sought refuge in Italy
and Ottoman Greece after being hound-
ed by wives, lovers and mistresses to
contemporary ones like designer Alice
Temperley and folk musician Devendra
Banhart.

The media was enamoured. How could

they not be?
Poster children for this movement in-
clude Kate Hudson and Jade Jagger
both children of celebrities and quintes-
sential gypsetters, who have swapped
the Internet for printed newspapers and
monogrammed bags for sarongs. On a
more mortal level, they are artists, musi-
cians, writers and other creative-types, all
A Special Moment
tired of the one-dimensional evolution of
hi-tech capitalism and rampant, in-your-
face consumerism.
Whether foreign or Malaysian, they share
a similar goal when they travel: to escape
to a realm where Prada and Starbucks do
not exist.

Camping in the Makgadigadi Pan -Botswana

Page 46
The Jet Set is a social group that emerged
in the 60s, turning air travel into a leisure
sport. However, Chaplin believes that
they have devolved into a spunkless herd
that slavishly follows trends and confines
itself to pre-selected resorts, shops and
five-star restaurants. The travel industry
too has become formulaic and soulless.

But the gypsetters are fighting back. They

understand that time is precious and
should be spent on fusing leisure with
creativity.

(snip - some content removed please see

original article)

A gypsetter even before the term was

coined, photographer and gentleman
of leisure Yusuf Hashim has travelled
to photograph hard-to-reach desti-
nations in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
He lists the northwest frontier of Paki-
stan, where 120 of the worlds highest Masai Young Lady in Swaziland
mountains are visible just by the side of
the Karakoram Highway, and Patago- ily-run, bed-and-breakfasts along the
nia and Ushuaia in Argentina as some way, but since that is often out of the
of the most evocative places hes seen. question, he often pitches his own tent.

The 66-year-old, who has written six I had my share of jet setting and staying
e-books on his adventures and also in five-star hotels when I was working for
chronicles his adventures at www.digi- Shell as their Retail Marketing Director.
talartist.com.my, prefers to stop at fam-

Learning Photography on a PhotoSafari in the Himalayas - The Annapurnas

Page 47
 quicksand, making driving extremely dif-
ficult.

But once you get past that, there is noth-

ingness as far as the eye can see. The si-
lence is deafening. Sunsets and sunrises
are spectacular and the feeling of isola-
tion and being completely away from the
rest of the world is indescribable.

Gypsetter enclaves are special because

they are impossible to get to for those
on a pre-packed tour or a tight schedule.
Think Tai Long Wan instead of Hong

Bicycle in Xinjiang Uyhhur

Now that Im free, I travel and stay in ho-
tels of a thousand stars, he says.

Yusuf is drawn to authenticity.

The pyramids in Egypt are to be avoided

because of touts and Egyptian peddlers
hassling you. The Taj Mahal is pretty but
everybody goes there. Chinas attractions
are rapidly being spoilt by an overzealous
government trying to draw tourists to
their ancient antiquities. So Im no longer
interested in places like these, he says.

He also craves that rush of excitement

that you get from exploring unchartered
territory. Citing his journey to the less-
er-known Makgadikgadi Pans National
Park in Botswana as an example, he says:
Just to drive into the massive salt pans
is an adventure in itself. The powdery
salt provides near zero traction as its like A Child from a Village called Paradise, Cebu
Page 48
 The All Seeing Eyes at the Bhoudanath Stupa in Kathmandu
Kong city or Mustique Island instead of
the Maldives. Its a common misconcep-
tion that gypsetters are trust fund babies
who have the family fortune at their dis-
posal. However, Yusuf has proven other-
wise.
What I like most about the gypset life-
style is that it has nothing to do with
money, noted Chaplin in her book. It has
to do with a level of taste available only to
those who love and appreciate both sides
of life: high culture and low culture. Buy-
ing a luxury villa with a private beach or
staying in five-star hotels does not make
up glamour. Glamour is mans contribu-
tion to his space.
Chaplin herself has gone from being
a semi-detached interloper into a full-
fledged gypsetter after her book was
published in 2009. She now has a website
(www.gypset.com) to forge deeper into
the lifestyle and set a course for adven-
ture. Thats the thing about gypsetters:
they epitomise freedom freedom from
mind-numbing routines and things and
thoughts that vulgarise existence.
We become better people when we see
that everyone in the world is essentially
the same, says Yusuf. Travel broadens
our minds, ridding it of bigotry and prej-
udices. We will always return enriched,
expanded and forever changed by the
experience.

Holy Water and a Huge Prayer Wheel at Kathmandu

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 The Star Interviews Yusuf #2 - Jeep-Setting Adventures
Excerpts of an Interview of Yusuf Hashim by The Star Newspaper on 31st July 2013
Click the photo to view the original Article at www.thestar.com.my

Milestone: Yusuf Hashim at the Tropic of Capricorn in Botswana in 2008.

A sexagenarian adventure junkie who loves to burn rubber on awesome getaways, stirring up eddies
of dust as he goes jeep-setting around the globe.
FROM jetsetter to jeep-setter, Malaysian photographer/digital artist Yusuf Hashim
works awfully hard, we think. But he considers himself a gentleman of leisure
who indulges in his passion. At 68, he thinks age is just a number. He hints that life
should be lived to the hilt (while you still can) and that you should spend your chil-
drens inheritance money! Quite the opposite of what certain quarters advocate:
save and save enough for a comfortable retirement. He cannot believe that there
are folks who have amassed wealth but dont have time to pursue their interests.

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 The Star Interview #3 - Pictures Worth a 1000 Words
Yusuf Hashim Interviewed by The Star Newspaper on 21November 2009

I would encourage anyone to pack their

bags and go, because only then will he
experience life completely. Its not very
expensive you need about US$2,500
(RM8,466) for two weeks of food, B&B ac-
commodation and car rental (its very safe
to drive there).

Yusuf, who regularly conduct workshops

and photosafaris to coach photography
enthusiasts the finer points of shooting
compelling pictures, believes that a cam-
era should not be something you think
about, but rather, a natural extension of
ones self. In other words, if you know your
camera and you develop an ability to see
a picture, taking a picture is just like pro-
ducing a copy from your retina. Let your
pictures tell the story, he advises.

One of my favourite pictures from Africa

to date is my close encounter with a bull
Face to Face with a Bull Elephant - Serengeti elephant. Since there was nowhere for me
to run or hide, I was terrified. But Im glad I
Pictures are Worth a kept clicking away.
Thousand Words

H aving spent the last 10 years trav-

elling across the major continents
of the world for the sake of his art,
self-taught veteran photographer Yusuf
Hashim, 60+, is convinced that he has
found his calling taking photographs of
animals in all the major game parks of
Africa.

Its a good place for beginners because

this is where you can see Gods creations
out in the open, he says. The best
places to do so are the Okavango Delta,
the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater
and the Masai Mara, where there are still
hundreds of thousands of wild animals
that you can shoot from the open deck
of a Safari vehicle. Ngorongoro Crater Lion, Tanzania
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Wildebeest in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
But for newbies, much of it is easier said
than done. Yusuf, however, is more than
happy to share a few basic tips and tricks
to help get you started, even if it is at the
local zoo, as long as you dont include
man-made elements such as the bars of
cages, feeding containers or fencing in
your shots!
>A simple point-and-shoot camera is
not enough for shooting big game. Youll
need a DSLR with at least a 100-400mm
lens, spare batteries, lots of memory cards
White Rhinos from Chobe Nat Park, Botswana
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and a digital wallet to store your images.
>When shooting animals, just like shoot-
ing people, focus on the eyes, and use a
small aperture to ensure a wide zone of
sharp focus, or wide Depth of Field. Using
a large aperture results in a narrow zone
of sharp focus, which can help isolate the
animal from cluttered surroundings.
>Long lenses, small apertures and slow
shutter speeds means you will need to
support your camera on a tripod, or a
monopod to prevent camera shake and
blurry photos. You can also clamp your
camera to the car window, or rest your
lens on a beanbag in order to minimise
camera shake.
>To get professional results, where pos-
sible, try and use off-camera flash to cre-
ate catchlights in the animals eyes. Eyes
without specular highlights are often per-
ceived to be lifeless. Try to get a variety of
shots close ups, as well as the environ-
ment the animal is in. You can often get
spectacular pictures if you shoot rapidly
moving or jumping animals in a burst of
10 frames.
>Animals are active in the mornings and
the evenings when its cooler, so go out
and shoot as early as possible.
Leopards from Kruger Nat Park, South Africa
In the afternoons, they are usually nap-
ping in the shade so you will not get nice
pictures. Dont be fooled by slow-mov-
ing animals like buffalo and hippos that
appear to be tame or slow moving. The
grass-eating hippo is the biggest killer in
Africa, and will charge at you if you get
between him and the water.
>If you are shooting small and not very
threatening animals like baboons, impa-
las, birds and even giraffes, zebras and
wildebeest, try to anticipate their move-
ment and position yourself so that they
move towards you. Conceal yourself from
view and wear natural colours to blend
into the surroundings. Avoid items that
rustle when you move. Avoid making
sudden movements, and where possible,
stay downwind because animals have
sensitive noses.
>When shooting in the wild, observe
wildlife photography ethics. Dont inter-
fere with the normal behaviour of ani-
mals. Dont shoo away an animal that is
about to be attacked by a predator. Dont
throw a stone to make them move. Just
observe, take pictures and dont interfere.
>To get professional quality pictures,
mind your composition. Divide your
frame by three equidistant vertical and
Page 53
horizontal lines, and position the animal
on a golden point which is any intersec-
tion of your three imaginary lines. This is
known as the Rule of Thirds. Leave Ac-
tive Space for your subject to move or
look into. Include the environment, but
exclude distracting backgrounds, which
compete for your viewers attention. Try
to shoot animals from their eye level
height for an intimate feel. Squat down
if necessary, or lay on your stomach and
shoot upwards for a dramatic and unu-
sual angle which will make your pictures
more memorable.
>A popular branch of wildlife photogra-
phy is to shoot birds. This requires a very
powerful flash and very long and very ex-
pensive lenses like 800mm prime lenses
that can cost more than RM50,000.
>Shooting insects and tiny bugs using
macro lenses is not as prohibitively ex-
pensive as shooting birds, but it is equally
interesting to peek into a wildlife zone
we dont normally notice with our naked
eye. A good macro lens would cost only
around RM3,000.
> Yusuf Hashim can be contacted at
yusufhashim@gmail.com. Visit his web-
site at www.digitalartist.com.my
Finis

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