#064: Pudu Market
A Sunday photowalk at Pudu Market in KL.
One of the oldest and largest wet markets in the capital city. Packed with people on weekends. With an atmosphere of dense smells, sights and sounds. Not a top ten travel destination if you are visiting Kuala Lumpur, but definitely a microcosm of the older and more authentic side of what the capital city is all about, featuring people from all walks of life and a community of locals and foreigners who live and work in the city. No flashy shops or buildings here, just the bare necessities of life.
Fresh vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, and stalls with cooked food and drinks are all baked into an area the size of a little outdoor mall. The ground is almost always wet, hence the name “wet market”. Colourful tarpaulins and umbrellas cover the street where vendors set up shop for the day. If you’re not there for the food, there are all manner of other items up for sale, a section just for pets, electronics, clothing and a bunch of other bargain items scattered throughout.
The day started off with a quick roti canai and teh tarik to energise the mind and body at the nearby mamak with my fellow street photography buddy Mr. Robin Wong. Then we made our way towards the markets where all the photo taking took place. Passing by some little back alleys of the Pudu area before reaching the start of the market. Most people there don’t mind being photographed, and a nice, polite smile disarms any potential confrontation with the vendors. Most assume we’re tourists visiting the markets. So just smile and move on. It was mostly overcast that morning, no hard shadows and equally no nice light shining through, but I made do with the circumstances.
The session ended with some coffee as the day started to get hotter. This was a shorter photowalk session, but it was nice to revisit Pudu Markets after a while. It’s definitely a place to come back to capture the everyday people of Kuala Lumpur.
Long may this market remain the way it is, giving the city its character and vibrance.
Cheers
All photos taken with the Nikon ZF + 28mm f/2.8
