The dawn is breaking, the orange hue had been exposed horizontally to the eastern horizon, and the light had not yet been able to illuminate the entire expanse of nature. So, it was the perfect time for me to take some long-exposure shots when the street lights were still shining brightly in the dark.
That is a port on the east bank of the Aceh River's mouth where fishing vessels can dock, commonly known as Tempat Pelelangan Ikan (TPI) 'The Lampulo Fish Auction Place' in Banda Aceh. I got there around 4:00 a.m. The changeover from night to day is particularly abrupt during that period. To keep the photo from being overexposed, I required a higher level of manual settings control.
Of course, it's not a place where you can enjoy surprising panoramas, but I tried to make the photos look fascinating to you, and I hope so!.
So, what might entice you to come? I can only state my perspective.
In my opinion, the behavior of traditional Acehnese fishermen is very interesting and entertaining to watch. Some acts, words, and behavior are only understood by their peers at times, a kind of sailor code. It is, of interest, particularly to those who study cultural anthropology. This location is an excellent starting point for conducting observations and interviews with fishermen for studies of traditional seafaring communities.
Aceh's traditional fishing communities, under the supervision of the traditional institution Panglima La'ôt highly uphold Hukom Adat Laot (Customary Law of the Sea) a law from the past that is in keeping with local wisdom. And it's still relevant to be applied today.
Hukom Adat Laot is a customary law enforced by Aceh's fishing communities to maintain order in catching fish and in the lives of fishing communities on the coast. Regulate procedures for catching fish at sea and how to resolve them if there is a customary dispute between fishermen at sea. -- T.Muttaqin Mansur, The Structure of Hukum Adat La’ot in the National legal system. (Source: Kanun Jurnal Ilmu Hukum)
There, I chose a location on the embankment in the middle of the harbor so I could observe the 360-degree surroundings.
The ship's entrance is to the north, to the west of the ship's path to the pier, and to the southeast is the main dock building where ships dock and carry out loading and unloading activities.
Large, medium and small fishing vessels dock there. They catch fish using trawls that have operating permits. The location of this port is on the boundary of the Malacca Strait and the Indian Ocean.
The sun has been at the top of Mount Seulawah, a volcano as a natural landmark in the Aceh valley. It's has served as a natural lighthouse for marine navigation from ancient times to the present.
The bright atmosphere has completely lighted Aceh's land; fishing boats took turns unloading their catch, and the bustle of transaction activities between fish traders and fishermen began to be heard. Lampulo fish port, Banda Aceh, is the main fresh fish auction facility in Aceh.
Not to mention the fishermen in small canoes catching fish with nets in the harbor puddles. They carry out activities that are appropriate for their ability level.
It didn't seem as if time was passing so quickly. The reflection of the water on the surface of the pier floor brought me to a halt. Three shots for that.
I hope you can enjoy the atmosphere there through these photos as much as you enjoyed it in person.
Thank You!
Irfan M Nur (
Taken with Canon EOS 6D, EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM & EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens.
All images in this post were taken by and remain the Copyright of Irfan M Nur.