What a journey it has been! I started Humans of Kuala Lumpur 4 years ago (we were first among the many that you see today), and when I first started I spent what money I got doing part-time jobs to my first camera and portrait lens. I started alone, I didn’t have a team of photographers, and lived far from KL, so I could only take pictures on the weekends. I remember how getting 5 likes was a challenge, 20 likes was an achievement, and still remember the first time HOKL received 200 likes!
Why did I start HOKL? I knew I was passionate about photography when I took photography classes during high school (we used film SLRs, and had to process our own films in the darkroom!) – but more than that, I wanted to know the people who lived in my city, the people who breathe and live and make up what KL is today. I lived abroad the majority of my life, and I wanted to find out about your stories, document it for future generations, and most importantly, find and highlight a social cause and truth that others are not aware of. To shine a light where there is darkness.
Humans of KL, above all, also pushed me to become a real-life photojournalist as my full time job and finally start my own Vintook Photography company.
And one thing I have realized is that no project, even as simple as Humans of KL, is a one man show. It never is.
Down the road, I have encountered numerous individuals that I am personally thankful to have met – the people who are as much a part of HOKL and owns it as much as I do. These are the people:
Aairenee Zarina Yazli – Thank you so much for being HOKL’s first photographer’s assistant. I still remember how passionate you were about photography, how you wanted to learn, and the times we went out on weekends, trying to interview people at random places when others were out having fun. Taking photos and getting stories with you was fun and thank you for asking me one question that, until today, had such a deep impact in how I look for people to take photographs. You mentioned to me: “How do you tell if one person is more unique than the other, when everyone is trying to be different?” Back then I thought people tried to fit in, to be like the rest, and not to be different. Your ideas made me search for the unique inside all of us people.
Tabinda Mumtaz Sultan Shah – There was a long period of time when HOKL was inactive – and a very consistent and determined young photographer always messaged HOKL sending in her stories. HOKL was also the first to show photos from contributors, but Tabinda ended up becoming part of the team! Tabinda put back the belief in me that HOKL was doing something MEANINGFUL, that people had personal and touching stories we had to uncover, that others needed to know. And that we must not give up. No matter how basic our equipment was, how many people were running the page (us two) compared with others who had a team, or how much experience we have. She also handled the admin side of the page, and until today your one photo of the lady growing up with many children is still the most liked and shared photo ever! Sad to see you go to Canada to further your studies – but do know you are always a part of HOKL. And if any of you Malaysians did get to be photographed by a young lady, with frizzled hair and a red Nikon camera… that is most definitely Tabinda right there.
Nazreen Bin Mohamad – Thank you for being our social media strategist/growth hacker. You outlined how we can get more coverage, how we can increase our ‘likes’ – you helped me with finding out the best way to tell the stories of people I encountered – it forced me to look deep, and improve. And we did improve, thanks to your analysis. Always a great storyteller yourself!
Najmie Naharuddin – Thank you Najmie for refreshing my knowledge back in photography, and to see how the pros do go out and take photos. Thank you for HUGELY helping me out how to edit photos, and on your advice on camera equipment and lenses! Also a special thanks to Azman Karib Ibrahim who takes amazing portraits and has advised me on many a photography question.
Jeany Amir – Jeany impressed me with how focused she was taking a video – back when I was taking photos at the Keretapi Sarong event for HOKL. We remained in touch and I realized that Jeany was a pro, also having taken photos for National Geographic back then and now doing her own video commercials! Even though she did not know I was doing HOKL, she showed me what it was like to do professional photo shoots and video shoots with clients when I joined her in some of her projects. Thank you! (PS – You still owe me a story!)
And most of all, I have to thank Ian Chew, the original founder of the amazing project Humans of Sackville – because it was through you back when we were working together that I knew about Humans Of… Your work is purely amazing, your readership is huge – and I’m impressed with the fact that you have even given your own TEDx talk!
I also want to give a special shout out to my best buddy Mustaqim Malek, who has been there for me ever since the beginning.
There’s many more people I have to thank for, and I am. But on the whole these people had the biggest impact thus far.
Thank you all for your strengths, encouragements, and time that has made this page what it is today. We started something great, and lets make it even greater! And thank you to all Malaysians and fans of Humans of KL – it is because of you guys that we have this project.
There are 1.7 million ‘Kuala Lumpurians’ – and Humans of Kuala Lumpur aims to take every, single, 1.7 million photos and AMAZING stories of you all!
Get ready to smile!
Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa
Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8
(This post was first published on May 2nd 2016)
