The miracle of family....

I just watched The Chronicles of Narnia on dvd, what an extremely beautiful story. And the theme? As above: The miracle of family.

"He's our brother."

There are no exceptions.

Bless you, those who made this show. =)

My favourite character is Azlan. What a symbol of respect, power and wisdom!

I wasn't expecting much as it's more or less a "kid's movie" but i guess i was proven wrong. Should have caught it on the big screen. Enough said!

Rainie Yang : Meeting Love

Just bought her album:



it's great!! she's been one of my "idols" since "meteor garden" days. the character she plays is just so befitting her...

had the chance to see her when she visited singapore, dunno why i never bought the album then, but got it eventually. here are some shots from 29 Dec 2005:







think this was promoting her other album.

anyway she cried on stage (as u can see in the last pic) becos she was so touched that she got presented a surprise gift. can u beat that!!! awwwww.....

oh btw.. the images in her album.. i can shoot better lor!!! i mean.. they are nice but.. i'd like to do better, if i had the chance.

ok fine.. idolatry should only go so far. now on to real stuff.

u know, when i get too much free time, as with most others, u start to think. no it's not about love, love eludes me lar, we all know that, so no point playing a harp with no strings.

it's about work. directions. quality, pricing, style. i'm constantly "crossroading"; if there's such a sport i would win gold!

not gonna bother rambling about it here becos it's a little disjointed, but i'm sure it'll work itself out.

just completed the album i wanted to showcase. honestly, i'm not happy with it. i think i need to go out and shoot another portfolio album. well then again, each wedding should be aimed to be portfolio, meaning, shoot the best i can all the time. that's the minimum i gotta give to my couples. of course, each wedding comes out different, wat remains the same is that i have done my best each time.

listening to her now... her voice is so cute!! SHE is so cute!!! *arghhhhhhhh*

i wonder if she reads my blog? MAUAHAHHAHAAH u friggin idiot..... back to Earth... in Toa Payoh.

boring entry

Met with Ron Ead and ws today, and it isn't the first tiime i'm the only nikon user around! ahahha.. thanx for making me feel at home guys!! =P

Just watched King Kong on dvd. I have no comments - really. ok.. i lie. IT SUX! damn.. wat a waste of 2 hours (or more?) I guess i should justify why i think it sux for those of you who love that movie, but neh... it just sux to me lar.

i'm tired, but i need to get a new 4r album up for portfolio. the one i'm using is getting stale..

geez wat a damn boring post after a pretty boring movie... no photo somemore!

ok lar.. i'm gonna start re-editing the wedding i've chosen as a portfolio. see if any interesting shots pop up...

Tiring day..

Slept about 4 hours which is hardly enough, and spent the rest of the day at Pena.

Watched Memoirs of a Geisha on DVD, finally...

Would I be the first to say that I didn't enjoy the show? Well, i wouldn't say i didn't enjoy it, but i think we have seen too many films where duty is placed before love, and see what happens...

Anyway, on the more technical side of things, i found it too draggy.

One thing that amazes me, is in the final scene, she resembles herself as a child SO MUCH, while the rest of the movie didn't at all. It's amazing, the likeness, and i'm sure the directors did that on purpose. We all grew to love her as a child, and they brought her back right at the end. It was amazing, and that's what saved the movie from being average to good. My opinion anyway.

On another note, here's a photo for today, taken when i felt awe thru the viewfinder:



this is still not doing her justice. not sure if i'll ever have the chance.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

Daphne looked great today, even though she was tired as hell. I guess we all are, but at least i don't go for days on end without resting.

There was once i caught her (with my eyes, not camera, a pity that..) at an angle where she reminded me of the korean actress Jeon Ji Jyun. enough said huh? (Think, My Sassy Girl). The straight hair and turtle neck she was wearing completed the image, albiet only in my mind. well i guess not everything needs to be digitised. the eye is by far the greatest lens ever made, by god! and it's powered by the greatest imaging sensor, the brain!

OK, now on to the main point of this entry.

I had the UTMOST pleasure today shooting Kevin Thornton's Culinary Workshop and Lunch at the Grand Hyatt.

Kevin is Irish with a son that had contracted a blood disorder. He is also a 2-star Michelin awarded chef with his restaurant called "Thorntons" in Dublin. He has also published a book of HIS OWN photographs of HIS OWN culinary creations and all proceeds from the sale of this book goes to the reaseach for blood disorders, as this organisation (can't remember the name) helped find a cure for his son, now 12 years old, and 100% recovered.

I had a look at his images. This, from an "amatuer". MY GOODNESS - in case you're wondering, yes, the shots are excellent. shoots with large and medium formats, and with a dSLR.. guess which one.. the S3 pro! ahhaha had a lovely chat with him a couple of days before, when he came up to me and started talking about photography.

I didn't know then that he was a photographer. I also didn't know he was a 2-star chef, as he wasn't preparing anything that day in the kitchen, just having a look see, so i thought he was just a normal chef that works in the kitchen. no airs whatsoever, he certainly didn't come across as someone who has achieved so much. such humility is so respectable, hence the title.

He has passion (two of them at least, cooking and photography), a family he loves, and the humility that hides the achievements to his name. there is no other word but: RESPECT.



He even preps his own vegies! Does it all himself, during the workshop. No assistants (unlike most chefs) except that he's a little messy so some one else was clearing his stuff, which i think he would rather not have, as the guy seemed more of a hindrance than help.

Ok.. photos:


Chef Thornton with his sea urchin cooling on a bucket of dry ice.


His scallop dish, need to find out the name of this dish - paiseh!


His book - SGD128. Sells for EUR100 in Ireland. Don't forget, all proceeds goes to his adopted charity.




Portraits of Thornton with his book.


And finally, self-portrait of the photographer!!

I AM INSPIRED by this man.

Goatie... another one!

i realised alot of pple who haven't seen me for a while think i look very different now.. well here's an updated photo, taken a couple of days ago, by daphne, from the event company, with my s3. maybe i should take on another "student" like i did colin. ahhahaa.. right.

anywayz.. as usual, talking too much cock. here's the real cockster:



yes i have been to lazy to shave, and i changed my glasses. got a few complaints liow.. but my usual answer, (same one i give for my hair) too long can cut, too short cannot pull out, so relac!!

i'm tempted to post daphne's photo up (fair exchange i shoot her she shoot me back ahhaha) but i'll resist. for now at least. =P

actually i'm quite surprised she asked for my camera to take a photo. most pple (non-photographers) are worried that they might damage the camera or have no idea how to use it, think it's too heavy, and probably crumble at the knees if i tell them how much it costs. but not she, just grab and go. lucky it was the s3, if it was the d2hs, knowing how i always leave it in continuous mode, my flash would have burst.. ahhaha *heng*

anyway, in the photo i'm holding my d2hs, and it might surprise some of you that mounted on it is the afs18-70dx. don't PRAY PRAY this lens is GOOD!!! took it out for a few events to give my 17-35 a break, the only complaint i have is barrel distortion. obviously the 17-35 is much better. but as for sharpness, it's all there, rarely you get cheap and good in this world! if you have no idea what the last paragraph was all about, i'm sorry. not really actually, but i'm sure it'll make you feel better!

i'm wondering, like you are (are you?) why i'm up at this hour when i said i was gonna sleep after the movie. cannot sleep lar!! got to bed at 12am, woke up at 2, zhun zhun.

guess i'll try to get a couple of hours more, then it's back to Hyatt for a luncheon shoot.

Tristan & Isolde

I don't know if life is greater than death, but love was more than either.
- Tristan of Aragon

Just watched this movie on DVD. Must watch.

I agree with the quote, such is the greatness of love. Makes a loveless life seem so aimless.

Official website here

I love watching such movies, the scenary, the language, costumes, lighting. the plot is typical, hero loves girl, can't be with girl for some reason, ends up either getting her anyway, or dies trying, or both.

But i hate the way it makes me feel after watching it. Some people are so lucky to have each other. I am not part of the group. YET.

I might sleep it off and start a new week afresh. Full day shoots for WGS on mon and tue. It's been a pretty successful (imo - at least in terms of the images i'm producing) week for me and i intend to end it off even better.

I can't imagine how much more power my images would be able to convey if i was in love.

Phone bill report..

I feel the need to type this out:

My phone bill from roaming in HK totalled 300++++!!! wtf~~

avg is about 100-120.. so i overshot by 200++... wonderful.

next time when i go overseas, i need to remember this expenditure.. i ALWAYS forget that roaming is bloody expensive... actually i think calls are not too bad, it's the smses...!

ok.. now that i got that off my chest, u can all see it. sexy? ok.. wipe that puke off my floor, it's dangerously close to my 85/1.4! (hmm it rhymes too...)

Without goatie...

ok the title sux.. but here's another member of the same band as the guitarist yesterday. yeah, they were playing again tonite, this time at Grand Hyatt. I've always loved the Hyatt group of hotels.. or at least those i've been, singapore and bangkok. bangkok one is lovely, singapore one too.. but singapore's carpark is really in shabby condition. they should renovate it!

anyway here's the basist tonight.. so much character in this fella, u should watch him play, totally lost in his music as i was in my viewfinder.



Rest day tomorrow.. well not really, but not shooting. gotta deliver to two couples and i THINK i have 2 appts.. i guess i better confirm that thought as soon as i wake up tomorrow..

wake up call wat time leh? maybe 10am... HOPEFULLY 10am. it's no good when the appts are "rubber timing"...

comment on the images will ya? =)

Goatie

Tonight's event was grand... and of all the lovely shots i got of rich people, this was the best, the guitarist from the band performing tonight.

POTD:



Love the goatie, love the expression, love guitarists (i play too, or i try to anyway...)

Love my job!!!!!!!!

Now 4am, gotta wake up 730am.. ooh yeah..

Happiness over next to nothing...

yes that's right.. got a huge shoot tomorrow nite, charity gala event, one table of 10 costs $12000. yes.. it's not a typo. well i guess the photos would be great.. everyone looking RICH and decked out. maybe i'll get to shoot some celebrities.

anyway, yeah slight happiness, or rather, peace, knowing that i can sleep in tomorrow, i've mounted both albums, ready to deliver. one minor hiccup... can u believe it, each book has 20 prints, and one of them only came back with 19!! wat the....? i'll have to get it tomorrow

anyway tonite's shoot wasn't that exciting, but since it was a Macallan thing, i saw most of the guys from Maxxium, was great to see them, especially Vincent who's been such a wonderful client turned friend. Then i met Joey... my goodness it's been A WHILE!!!! she looks more matured now, but still very beautiful, and i guess she's still tall, can't see how a person can become shorter... but aiyah.. why, u picking on me issit???

spoke of old times, and of course, pple like doo and cheryl were mentioned. Joey almost forgot wat happened between cheryl and i, asking "you lar.. see what u did to her...?" i was like, u're asking the wrong person that question, should be asking her instaed, and then she remembers with an "oh.. ya... ok." anywayz, it's been a long time and the hurt is gone, so is the existance of that person in my life, not by my choice.

Adrian knows best that part of my life.. wow.. it's been a while huh buddy? i remember vaguely those months of rebuilding my life, from scratch. these pple helped me: Adrian, Shervon, Rachel, especially Adrian. *phew*

ok.. just a photo from tonite.. i dunno man, looks like it's gonna take quite a bit of effort to edit these photos since it does NOT have to be done, yeah my client engaged me for WGS and only require the images, no need to edit, editing done by Danny who's the full time photographer there, who also got me this job. Thanx danny!

here's the macallan single malt 12 years under spot light with an s3 and 85/1.4. the sharpness of this lens is AMAZING, coupled with excellent noise and accurate colour from the fuji. of course being so small u can't tell jack shit.. but just believe me lar!



anywayz, for those of you who wnat to find out more about World Gourmet Summit, do click below, some of the photos so far are from me, most still from danny. watch out for tomorrow's charity gala event photos on the site which will prob be up in a couple of days after. the images on this site are unedited.

World Gourmet Summit

Thanx for the wake up call!!

Yeah do you believe it... i did get a call, so thanx bro!!

Only one person called me lar.. eheheh so yeah it's you. steady!

Anywayz really sleeping later and later each nite.. after Pena, i have to shoot, today's shoot is FooKinG shack ar!!! i'm not one to sweat buckets, but i had salt stains on my black shirt tonite. screw ugliness, i was in serious heat stroke city... just about. and the shoot is at nite! after that, came back to slot photos.. and i'm still not done with the mount albums yet... =(

i've NEVER in my life, ever dined on a GOLF TEE on sentosa overlooking the harbour, let alone shoot a dinner held in such a fashion. it was classy ambience, alfresco still doesn't really go down well with me in singapore, but there was a slight breeze and probably good conversation, great people, and wine which tastes average to good, but pple prob used the word "excellent" and "wonderful" instead...

BUT.. i wasn't dining, i was shooting.. and all that good shit i said above, well throw that out the window, when u have close to zero lighting, and absolutely nothing to bounce flash off.. well let's just say i don't think the shots tonite would win any awards. er.. wait a minute.. i've never won an award anyway.. oh ok so no big loss... hahahah

Met a guest called Sally today.

and... that's all i'll say. ahhahahah.. eh.. i want to koon liow, no more typing. *zip*

no POTD lar.. or ok maybe this one, to illustrate the picture i painted above:



yes.. that's on a golf course... BLACK TEE somemore.. next pro that plays there is gonna whack the champaign cork instead of his ball. read ur local paper when that happens.

GOOD NITE LAR... talk so much.....

24 hours not enough

I think i no need to say more lar.. the title says it all hahaha..

WGS shoots EVERY NIGHT this week and next.

3 couples need their albums and the prints are already sitting in my room waiting to be slotted or mounted.

1 more couple to confirm collage print next week.

Can you imagine, don't even have time to DELIVER? looks like i'll have to wait till sunday, it's the only day i'm not shooting WGS.

and u know lar.. deliver = money. somehow the money part is just a by product. i need it to pay bills. if i have no bills, i dun need the money! i need the smiles from my customers when they see the photos.

like i said, 24 hours (in a day) not enuff. Wake up call needed tomorrow (later!) at 9am! I'm not joking...

OK let me go dig up a POTD from today's shoot... i have JUST the image to brighten this post up!! eheheheh

PsOTD:


Strawberries....

and

Cookies....!


Taken tonight at the Grand Hyatt, at Ian Wright's dinner. Those that don't know who he is, don't worry, i didn't either. will post some pics another time. i need to sleep now.

don't forget, wake up call at 9am later!!! dunno asking who also...

Hidden Gem

Was preparing a wedding for print today and happily listening to Janice while editing then suddenly this image popped up and punched me squarely in the jaw... woke me up and scolded me.

You see, usually after i finish a wedding, no matter how tired i am, i will go thru the images once, pick out one or two favourites and edit until i happy, then go to sleep smiling.

but for some reason, this shot eluded me that nite, and today i paid for it, jaw still swollen...

here it is:



Looks normal? not to me.

firstly, this amazes me becos it was shot in ur regular HDB flat. no flash, no artificial light (yes i specifically remember the lights of the house weren't on yet, which is good, becos then i would get mixed lighting conditions and would have to convert it to black and white). just ur regular cloudy day outside the main door, and a white wall.

next, it is so simple! pleasant bride, calm feminine pose, rather simple gown, no tiara, soft light, soothing tones, and just one element to bring a focal point, the destiny pendant.

i'm still recovering from the punch. i wonder if anyone else sees this image like i do....

did i ever say that i love my job?!?!!??! =)

Many POTD

Shot on Saturday. Quite fun lar... =)

Some revelations

Had some news tonight that apparently the best wedding photographer in singapore (in my opinion - click here) wants to meet me. Well not just me, he wants to gather a few of us to work together for mutual benefits such as cutting costs and promoting the general wedding photography scene in Singapore.

Apparently, alot of people in the industry has expressed interest in knowing who I really am. I don't think I'm being boastful here, as the rest of this post will say why.

I'm actually pressured!!! Yes, i like my work, it brings me joy, and i guess more or less, it's about how i see myself, and within my own bubble, i'm confident and ready to keep going. but when i compare myself to people like chi kuang from 39east, i feel i'm a far cry from his level of photography. his images are engaging, powerful and artistic at the same time, and dare i say, all the time! that i wouldn't know for sure, but i'm led to believe so.

I'm under the scrutiny of the cream of wedding photographers, and while it's flattering, it's also very pressurising. not that it's a bad thing, pressure can push u forward, but i never really knew this was the case, that i'm being compared to the top. full time for less than a year, having shot about 100 weddings and ROMs, which is not alot at all, i've reached this stage. it's good, and up goes the ante.

the hill gets steep again. it's gonna be hard to keep shooting beyond my personal best. it's exciting yet daunting. there's surely no way i'm gonna stop now, but the road ahead is coming up fast and i have to be ready for it. am i?

once again i want to thank those who have encouraged me in one way or another. no names here, but there has been numerous occasions where friends, customers and fellow photographers have expressed admiration for my work and encouragement to go further. to these people, my sincere thanx and i hope that if i seem to be going backwards, you have the right to use my 70-200VR to clobber me over my head (but pls, not my right index finger!). if you don't know wat that is, nvm, just get a baseball bat, same feeling, just less expensive!

what a wonderful feeling, to be part of the cream on the cake. on top. i have to do whatever it takes to stay there.

World Gourmet Summit - Garibaldi

So happy with the images shot tonite. Thanx to Danny for helping me get the job to shoot WGS2006.

Here's the first one from me:



Chocolate and Wine Pairing @ Garibaldi
36 Purvis Street #01-02 S(188613)
Executive Chef : Roberto Galetti

Chocolates:





Wine:



Food:



Chef:



More here!

Another new day...

Woke up quite late, feeling dazed.

I have to get some serious work done today. At least one collage for final approval from the couple. I have two to do, one more pending approval, and i'm cleared for back log. there's one more that's still not due, but still it's gotta be done.

ideally, a collage takes 5 solid hours of editing and layout, provided i dun surf, chat, piss, shit, eat, have sex or otherwise in between. don't even look out the window to see there's a fire in the corridor.

so if i wanna do 2 by today, i'll be seriously constipated and dehydrated.

i love my life.... argh!

thanx for the comments jas, can't be bothered to open the window and reply ur comments.. i'm just so... stricken with inertia... some how i knew u'd mention the dogs ahahha.. wendy's two dogs, white one is mix maltese and pomeranian (how to spell), brown one is just pom...

here they are again:

TV?

Was reading Jas' blog where she was bored at home watching dvd then tv.

when she said dvd i was like.. yeah that's cool.. i did too. then she mentioned tv.. and i was like.. OH YA!!! tv.. i have one! and it's got cable on it too!!!

i really forgot u know..

so..

WANTED TO FIND:

A wife to watch tv with.

simple pleasures in life is what makes it worth while.

i think i need to sleep.

it's OFFICIAL, i'm overloaded with work. don't talk to me for a few weeks. not unless u have a wife for me. don't forget, she must like watching tv. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!

HK Pics

Click on image for a larger one.

Rest of the pics are here.

Just finished watching a sad love story.

"There are three things a person can't hide: Coughing, poverty & love. The harder one tries to hide them, the more they rise to the surface."

HK 2006 Overview

Can you believe it.. i'm still transfering my pics from the laptop to my portable hard drive becos the wireless network doesn't seem to work. it's been an hour already. i need a new laptop...

Anyway... i think i will put up a clubsnap gallery and link it there, too many photos liow, can't be bothered to linked them directly here.. see how lar.. haven't even downloaded.

I would like to thank Martin especially for looking after me while i was in a foreign place, and it is an even greater pleasure since he's also a photographer. using canon, but has an FM, where i mounted my 17-35 (since it's a G lens, it can be used on manual bodies - those that have no idea what i'm talking about, nevermind! ahhaha), and got super wides! on film and slide. took it back with me so i'll be exploring film and slide photography with it, IF I HAVE TIME LAR...

so yes, martin, thanks heaps man!

Was also great to see Wendy and Mutsumi, we've known each other for ages, and it was great catching up again.

A surprise was to see Lyndnn at HK airport when I arrived at the customs, i was quite dazed from the nap on the plane, and i heard my name being called out, and there she was, i was like.. wat the.... am i in the right country??? and yes, pure coincidence, so we spent a day roaming Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui together. photos soon.

Hong Kong is such a wonderful place to visit, but i'm not sure about living there. don't need to be sure, becos i don't think i ever will, but visiting is great. no surprises to some of us perhaps, but the people there are generally friendly than in singapore, ESPECIALLY the service staff. well then again, service is good anywhere compared to singapore. hate to say this but honestly, i think that's the case here. it's culture lar, i'm not gonna even bother complaining about singapore. it's better now that i have a low standard, so wherever i go, it always feels good.

bought a couple of lenses, cheaper there.

went a few places, got the "must get" shots, harbour view from TST and Victoria's peak.

Visited disneyland with wendy, pics soon.

eating was well, nothing major, i'm not much of an eater, a couple of times we even had macdonalds out of convenience, it's cheap there, apparently cheapest macs in the world. 22 HKD for a meal, yeah.. cheap!

shopping is almost zero except for the lenses. got some astroboy stuff. DAMN HARD TO FIND OK???? u know wat they said... huh? astro boy? the trend passed long ago, hard to find the stuff now.. but i found it anyway lar.. where ar? near causeway bay there.

managed to find a DVD for elsa too.

bought a CD for myself, "Janice" (gee that name rings a bell...) and she's now my ring tone on my phone with "My love, My fate"

Is this getting boring or what? aiyah, i link the photos then let u all see lar... i'm still waiting for the download, then gotta edit abit then can post. i have to get it done, if not i will NEVER get it done.

to end off a wonderful holiday, once i stepped into singapore air, a wave of stress hit me. i have a tonne of work, with another tonne of follow-up to do, seeing as i've been away so long. i feel bad making some of my customers wait, but this is one break i needed badly. i wouldn't say i am recharged, as each day in HK was pretty much packed, but at least i got my mind off work for a while, that in itself is a recharge.

next time, maybe i should go to somewhere like ko samui where all u get to do is see the beautiful scenary and relax in the resort. the stress is different then, it's more taxing on the wallet.... u can't win can u?