Fireworks

I only thought watching fireworks is romantic.
I never know taking photos of fireworks could be very interesting and fun too.

Last saturday, for the 1st time, I used my baby Nikon DSLR to take photos on the NDP fireworks. Honestly, it's also been a long time since I went to watch fireworks. I've nearly forgotten the thrill I felt when I see the fireworks.

Not to mention that there're different ways to capture different views of the same image.

Although the location was not too good for watching fireworks as it was partially obstructed, I did have a good view of the neighbouring architecture and buildings, which looked especially beautiful at night. The sparkle of fireworks also added to its beauty.




















Sometimes people do describe fireworks akin to love.
Prefer their love to be unforgettable, memorable, exciting.

I remember what the female actress says in one of the Korean shows - Fireworks:
Although fireworks are pretty, they are short-lived.

最美的爱情不在于刻苦铭心, 而在于平淡之中帶着甜滋.
我向往地就是这.

Black and white photography

6 Aug 2008 Sunny

I finally went for my black and white photography lesson!
It's a small class of only 4 students and my instructor, Maria is a rather kind and patient lady (hope she'll continue to be that with me for the next 3 lessons haha).

At first I do not understand why the class is so small. But after attending the lesson, I understood. There's a lot of hands-on session and things to do. It's not as simple and easy as I thought.

Tonight, I learnt to extract the exposed film by using the given equipment and use the equipment inside the dark room. But I think one of the most difficult things is to load the film on the roller in the dark room in total darkness! I tried (and only me) and dropped the film onto the floor! haha... luckily it's just a practice (no real film is used) tonight. I guess I have to eat more carrots these few days to improve my night eye sight and practice feeling stuff dark at night...

I also have to memorise the steps to do inside the darkroom especially on the usage of equipment! Maria also told us that in the next lesson we'll hands-on and develop a real roll of film. According to her, we'll also have to make sure the solution used has a temperature of exactly 20 degrees! haha I feel like I'm actually doing lab work and I think it has been 10 years since I enter a lab!

Well... I hope I will continue to keep my passion for black and white photography and not be scared off by the difficult but intriguing lab work! haha... anyway hope I'll be less blur as time goes by... haha...

Little India

In March, for the first time in my entire life, I explored Little India - the colourful ethnic quarter - like a tourist (and actually try to dress up like a tourist too to facilitate my photo-taking!).

I believe, if it's not due to my photo assignment requirements, I'll actually have missed this interesting place till much further notice.

Following the walking trail suggested by Uniquely Singapore, I slowly explored Little India on a normal Tuesday morning, observing the people starting their business and performing their daily chores. I like what I see and for the first time, I viewed Little India in a different light. Not as a very crowded place or just a place where Mustafa is located. But a place where you can smell the scent of spice and flowers and get a feel of the Indian culture. Some pics to share:

Counting down to my next Photography Lesson...

I’m so excited… counting down days to coming Wednesday for my 1st lesson in Black and White Film Photography.

Since young, I’ve always like photography. But it was really a year ago or so that I really decided to choose photography as a hobby and buy the most expensive thing I’ve ever own and buy – my baby DSLR Nikon D40X. I guess I’ve 2 people to thank for this choice. First and foremost, of course is babe who is one of my best friend (and still going to be 30 years later… hee) and partner for my basic photography class in PSS. Without her, I guess I will never take the first step to sign up for the course, or to buy my first DSLR.

The second person surprisingly is actually the scriptwriter for the show 《白袍之恋》.
This is because if he / she never arranged 安以轩 (饰 刘逸宁) in the show to be an avid photographer and takes beautiful black-and-white photos, I believe I’ll not fall head-over-heels with photography. Yes, my preferred is actually black-and-white film photography, instead of the normal colour digital photography.

Why? Because when it comes to taking people, black-and-white appears to withstand transience of time and further highlight their facial expressions.
Because I want to take photos that reflect what I see at that exact moment - photos that reflect my thoughts in that instant.
Because I’m stubborn as I prefer to do things my way?

我喜欢摄影因为我想拍下我生命里的幸福点滴。

Shifting Office

After 2 days of MC and sleeping, today I finally returned to work. Honestly, I've not really recovered. But I was not so keen to start unpacking boxes on 7th lunar month. Haha ok call me superstitious... or "puntang" =O

Yes, yesterday, my office shifted from a central location (near to canteen and building exit) to a much further location temporarily. And I miss the fun of wearing Polo T and jeans (which I've never done b4 during office hrs) or chicken pie (which I doubt with my current stomach flu condition I can actually eat that).

Initially I thought I will not like the new location since we sort of "downgraded" from nice system furniture to the older type. But I guess it still look ok today after we shift all the cupboards and tables into the place. From the "island" back in the old office, I shifted back to "civilisation" since I start to have neighbours again. It's getting noisy! haha...

My only regret was that I forgot to take a photo of my previous cubicle which displayed a lot of photos I've taken on my overseas trips. Amongst my collection is one with Leon Lai at Mdm Tussaud's in HK, and 8 out of 10 people actually asked me whether he's my boyfriend?!! haha... of course I wish to say yes. But the truth is... sigh... well now I wonder maybe I should stop putting that photo lest others get the wrong idea (on the "attached" issue)...! haha

Hmm anyway just to clarify, Leon Lai is not really my idol and actually there's only 1 idol I acknowledge to date. And I shan't go into who's my only idol since I think all the people who knew about him will "faint" when they realise my choice... hmm but I guess that's me... unique (or weird). haha...

Okies... it's getting late.. need my beauty sleep so as to recover faster. Desperately need to recover faster since I'm missing all my good food during my sickness... =(

PS: Can you imagine I'm having salted egg with plain porridge last night when my family had good food? haha... Oh ya.. Babe... you take care too and let's us strive together in our simple diet!

Presents from Japan...

27 Jul 2008, Sunny

Today is a happy day as I met up with G and Cool-san and we had an excellent lunch in Botanic Garden and dessert - tiramisu at Gastronomia da paolo. Not to mention that Cool-san also gave us our presents from Japan (my favourite country) and the cookies I asked him to buy! Of course I'll like any presents that Cool-san bought since it's the thought that counts. But it's even happier that I happen to like all the presents he bought! hee.. tks my dear friend, Cool-san!

1. Yoku Moku
(The brand of biscuits that my friend Chloe kept recommending and attested to its nice taste. Cool-san has kindly helped me to buy from Osaka. Although for the biscuits, I still prefer the Ishiya Chololates biscuits, internet reviews on rolled cigares seem to be rather good too.
The biscuits could be found in Narita Airport and major department stores in Osaka.)
http://www.yokumoku.co.jp/




2. Earrings
(Earrings are from my favourite shop in Kyoto. The earrings are made of Venetian glass and are supposed to change colours at different lightings)
http://www.kyoto-glass.com/pub/html/shouhin.html


My present from Cool-san (G also has a pair!)


My current collection from Kiyomizuzaka - earrings, hair band, hp chain

3. Chocolates
(Various flavours of KitKat that are not found in Singapore. I especially like the Strawberry KitKats!)



Once again, Cool-san thanks for the presents! =)
Remember to give O-san her presents too! hee...

Time Exposure

I went to Singapore Art Museum earlier and viewed 2 exhibitions - Xu Beihong in Nanyang and Alain Fleischer: Time Exposures. I especially liked the latter exhibition, that exhibited over 80 photographs by Alain Fleischer.

Alain Fleischer is one of France's leading contemporary photographer, filmmaker and writer. He founded the National Studio of Contemporary Arts - Le Fresnoy, of which he is the director since 1997. The selection of the artworks deals with the themes of photography and cinema in which the artist explores the notions of time and movement.

The photographs exhibited are very different from those I've seen before in other exhibitions. They fully displayed the photographer's creativity and imagination. You can see two different images in one photograph. For instance you can see a scenery of night as backdrop with a "hidden" face of woman in the foreground of the photo.





I'm glad I didn't view this exhibition at night since there are several photos that appear to be rather errie as you will see ghostly "faces" at scenes of night or female nudes re-photographed within an errie setting. More importantly, the figures in the foreground gives the impression she doesn’t want to be photographed, but nonetheless ‘captured’, taken, and possessed on paper.

Female nudes also seem to be an obsession with him for some of the photos. At times I wonder why, but it's true that all his female nudes models has a certain classic Western beauty look that makes the photos more distinctly different.

My favourite photograph displays a superimposed image of a couple at forefront and the city lights as backdrop, like a typical movie poster. Overall, I'm rather impressed with the technique used by the photographer and his creativity in the photographs.

Hopefully, there will be a time that I can also be creative and good in the photos taken.