Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya memfoto kelinci putih saya di halaman belakang. - I take a photo of my white rabbit in the backyard.

It comes from the noun foto (photo)
The prefix meN- (here realized as mem-) turns it into a verb: memfoto = to photo / photograph
Because foto starts with f, the meN- prefix becomes mem- (a regular sound change rule in Indonesian).

So:

foto = a photo
memfoto = to photograph / to take a picture of

Is memfoto formal, or is there a more “proper” verb for to photograph?

Memfoto is perfectly fine and very common in everyday Indonesian, especially in speech.

However, there is a more “standard/formal” verb: memotret.

Saya memfoto kelinci putih saya. – Everyday, casual / neutral
Saya memotret kelinci putih saya. – Neutral, a bit more formal or “dictionary-like”

Both are correct; memfoto is not slang, just more colloquial.

Why is it kelinci putih saya and not saya kelinci putih, like my white rabbit in English?

Indonesian word order is different from English:

Basic pattern: noun + adjective + possessor
So:
- kelinci = rabbit
- putih = white
- saya = my / I

Put together: kelinci putih saya

Literally: rabbit white my
Meaning: my white rabbit

You cannot say saya kelinci putih to mean my white rabbit — that would sound like I [am] a white rabbit or just ungrammatical, depending on context.

How do we know that the second saya means my and not I?

In Indonesian, saya is both:

the subject pronoun I
and the possessive pronoun my

You know which one it is from position and function, not form:

At the start of the sentence, before the verb: Saya memfoto… → I photographed…
After a noun phrase, to show ownership: kelinci putih saya → my white rabbit

Indonesian does not change the word shape like English (I / my / me), so position is key.

Could we say saya memfoto saya punya kelinci putih instead?

You can hear structures with punya in casual speech, but your example sounds awkward and unnatural. More natural options:

Saya memfoto kelinci putih saya. – Best and simplest.
Saya memfoto kelinci putih yang saya punya. – Grammatical, means roughly I photographed the white rabbit that I own, but feels wordy.

Using punya (to own/have) as a possessor like English ’s is very informal and usually used like:

Itu kelinci putih saya. – That’s my white rabbit.
Itu kelinci putih yang saya punya. – That’s the white rabbit that I have.

For this sentence, kelinci putih saya is the natural choice.

Could I omit the second saya and just say Saya memfoto kelinci putih di halaman belakang?

Grammatically, yes, you can say:

Saya memfoto kelinci putih di halaman belakang.

But then kelinci putih just means a/the white rabbit, not specifically my white rabbit.

So:

kelinci putih saya = my white rabbit
kelinci putih = a/the white rabbit (ownership not specified)

If you want to make it clear it’s your rabbit, you should keep the second saya.

How do we know this sentence is past tense (I photographed) and not present or future?

Indonesian verbs do not change form for tense. Memfoto stays the same for past, present, or future.

The time is usually understood from:

Context: earlier sentences or the situation
Optional time words:
- tadi (a while ago / earlier)
- kemarin (yesterday)
- besok (tomorrow)
- nanti (later)

If you want to be explicit:

Tadi saya memfoto kelinci putih saya di halaman belakang.
→ I photographed my white rabbit in the backyard earlier.

Without any time word, Saya memfoto… can be translated most naturally as past or present depending on context; in isolation, English learners usually interpret it as past: I photographed…

What does di halaman belakang mean exactly, and why di?

di is a preposition meaning in / at / on (for location, not time here).
halaman = yard
belakang = back / behind

So di halaman belakang = in the backyard / in the back yard.

Di is the standard preposition for physical location:

di rumah – at home
di sekolah – at school
di halaman belakang – in the backyard

Could we say di belakang rumah instead of di halaman belakang?

Yes, but the nuance is slightly different:

di halaman belakang
- Focuses on the back yard/yard area as a defined place.
di belakang rumah
- Literally behind the house; emphasizes the position relative to the house, not necessarily an arranged yard.

In many situations they overlap, but:

di halaman belakang = what English usually calls the backyard
di belakang rumah = could be any space behind the house (yard, alley, parking area, etc.)

Can di halaman belakang be moved to the front: Di halaman belakang, saya memfoto kelinci putih saya?

Yes, that’s grammatically correct and quite natural, especially in writing or storytelling:

Di halaman belakang, saya memfoto kelinci putih saya.

Indonesian word order is flexible for adverbial phrases (time/place). Typical patterns:

Saya memfoto kelinci putih saya di halaman belakang. – Very common, neutral.
Di halaman belakang, saya memfoto kelinci putih saya. – Emphasizes the location.

Both mean the same thing; the difference is focus/emphasis, not grammar.

What is the difference between saya and aku here? Could I say Aku memfoto kelinci putihku di halaman belakang?

Yes, you can say:

Aku memfoto kelinci putihku di halaman belakang.

Differences:

saya
- More formal / polite / neutral
- Used in most writing, with strangers, in polite conversation
aku
- More informal / intimate
- Used with friends, family, casual speech

Possessive with aku often uses the suffix -ku:

kelinci putihku = my white rabbit (informal, with aku)

So your original sentence is formal/neutral; the aku…-ku version feels more informal and personal.