my $pdf=PDF::API2->new;
    my $font = $pdf->corefont('Helvetica');

    my $page = $pdf->page();       
    $page->mediabox('A4');  
    $page->rotate(90); # to landscape
    my $content = $page->text();
    $content->font($font,12);
    $content->transform(
        -rotate		=> 90,
        -translate	=> [100,500],
    );
    $content->text("This text should appear on the left half of the A4 Landscape page");
    my $photo = $page->gfx;
    my $photo_file = $pdf->image_jpeg("image.jpg");
    $photo->save;
    # does not rotate correctly because I don't quite understand the translate part
    $photo->transform(
        -rotate    => 90,
        -translate => [my $_x = 0, my $_y = 0],
    );

    $photo->image($photo_file, 50, 360, 200, 200);
    $photo->restore;

    $pdf->saveas("test.pdf");
    $pdf->end;