yoong/photography

Midnight walk around the hospital

2009-04-13T16:23:00.005+08:00

Dec 2008

HUKM

Zuiko 35/2.8

XP2

Angkorian sunset

2009-03-19T06:44:00.006+08:00

Jan 09

Angkorian Sunset

Hasselblad 500 C/M

Carl Zeiss 80/2.8

Velvia 100

Angkorian Sunrise

2009-03-11T22:26:00.003+08:00

Angkor Wat Temple @ sunrise

Hasselblad 500 C/M

Carl Zeiss T* 80/2.8

Velvia 100

Bangkok Jam

2008-10-01T12:06:00.002+08:00

Random shots in Bangkok during my short trip in Aug 08.

shot with the XA with BW 400CN. i need to get back to the real thing.

Heavy Metal

2008-04-16T19:31:00.003+08:00

Tg. Tualang, Perak
April 08
Tri-X @ 400
Hasselblad 500 C/M
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8

Enter at your own risk

2008-04-11T00:43:00.003+08:00

Titiwangsa, KL

March 08

Tri-X @ 400

Hasselbad 500 c/m

Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8

House of Pain

2008-03-31T15:34:00.001+08:00

Sg. Buloh, KL

March 08

Tri-X @ 400

Zuiko 35/2.8

spaces

2008-03-26T02:53:00.003+08:00

March 08

Tri-X @ 400

Hasselblad 500 c/m

Carl Zeiss 80/2.8

Jimmy & Jenn Nee

2008-02-26T11:37:00.002+08:00

London
Dec 07
Tri-X @ 400
FE
28/3.5

Paris en route to Amsterdam
Dec 07
Reala 100
XA
Zuiko 35/2.8

Liquid Club, KL

2008-02-25T16:25:00.003+08:00

Jan 08
XP2
FE
28/3.5

Liquid Club at Central Market Annexe used to be one of the trendiest bar in KL. Gay bar that is.

Luxo Brothers

2008-02-24T20:43:00.002+08:00

Liquid Club, KL
Jan 08
XP2
FE
28/3.5

Bad news, and even worse news

2008-02-21T04:38:00.004+08:00

Polaroid Corporation will be shutting down its business by the end of this year, which means the films wont be produced anymore.

Which is kinda sad, considering i only just bought the Spectra couple of months ago. Looks like i need to buy more and shoot as much as possible before the stock runs out or increase in price!

Thinking about it a little longer, it's quite a pity that the polaroids will die off like this. Historically, polaroids were the first to make instant films, sending shockwaves through the photographic community with its technology. Soon, amateurs, professionals and basically anybody can have instant photos, no need to wait for the lab to develop them. Polaroids were used in various applications, like a preview for professional photographers for checking exposures, or some form of legal documentation, police use them for suspect identification and of course the public use them for parties, etc.

Over the years, it became some sort of a cult and polaroids gathered quite a number of following. I find the best thing about them isnt the fact that i get instant photos, but to me the polaroids represent the ONLY proof of that particular moment in time. Frozen forever in that little piece of film.

It's sad what the digital age has done to good old fashion fun.

Montmartre Tower

2008-02-15T08:00:00.005+08:00

Montmartre, Paris
Dec 2007
Velvia 100
Hasselblad 500c/m
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8

Part of the church at the Montmartre hill, Paris. Montmartre translate to Mountain of the Martry in English.

This is effectively the only other shot that is salvageable from the Velvia.

Beaune Station

2008-02-14T21:02:00.004+08:00

Beaune, France
Dec 2007
Velvia 100
Hasselblad 500c/m
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8

Developed my first roll of Velvia from the Hasselblad only to see that the light seals in the film back wasnt doing its job anymore. I only had 2-3 working images from 2 rolls.

Sigh. Now I need to fix the seals.

Londscape

2008-02-08T13:18:00.001+08:00

View from the Golden Gallery, St. Paul's Cathedral
Dec 2007
Tri-X @ 400
FE
28/3.5

Subpyramid

2008-02-04T23:58:00.001+08:00

Paris
Dec 2007
Tri-X @ 400
FE
28/3.5

WInterscape

2008-01-31T19:33:00.000+08:00

Wine roads of Burgundy
Dec 2007
Tri-X @ 400
FE
28/3.5

Route des Grand Crus

2008-01-29T21:12:00.001+08:00

Dec 2007
Reala 100
XA
Zuiko 35/2.8

Scenes along the Route des Grand Crus, or the Grand Cru wine road in Burgundy.

Paris in color

2008-01-27T03:17:00.001+08:00

London in color

2008-01-25T16:54:00.001+08:00

Dec 2007
Reala 100
XA
Zuiko 35/2.8

Amsterdam in monochrome

2008-01-24T15:10:00.000+08:00

Dec 2007
Tri-X @ 400
28/3.5

The Chase

2008-01-22T16:25:00.001+08:00

Paris
Dec 2007
Tri-X @ 400
28/3.5

Winged Victory of Samothrace

2008-01-22T02:30:00.000+08:00

The Louvre, Paris
Dec 2007
Tri-X @ 400
28/3.5

Marble sculpture of the Greek Goddess Victory found at the island of Samothrace, said to be sculpted in the third century B.C. It is now prominently displayed at the Louvre, Paris.

My Best Of 2007

2008-01-15T20:46:00.000+08:00

I did this last year too, compiling my best shots in a particular year. 2007 has been quite a year for me, both photographically and , well, everything else. I've made quite some purchases this year, namely my first foray into the world of medium format with the Hasselblad 500C/M, my pocket camera which is an Olympus XA and the ultra-fun Polaroid Spectra.

But enough about the equipment, here are the photos in no particular order;

I've been doing some environmental decay for the past year and trying to tie my photos up as a series. I feel that is quite a challenge to link up a few photographs together to make a story. A friend brought me to this place somewhere in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Basically it's a series of abandoned shoplots with some graffiti on it. I really just wanted to show the place as it is, old and forgotten.

When I saw the advert on Sheila Majid's performance at the Sunrise Jazz Fest @ Mont Kiara, I didnt hesitate to go. I'm not really a big fan of her, but I do like her tunes. So off I went hoping to get some good shots in monochrome of her performing. I figured my usual 28mm or 50mm with a Tri-X rated at 400 wont really do the job, so I bought along the Sigma 75-250mm and bumped the ISO to 1600. I was pleasantly suprised at the results. I think I managed to get some shots of her different emotions and expressions while performing.

My only regret was not going around and getting different angles of her, but hey, I think I did allright for my first time.

Quite a simple shot really, and the effect of it was exactly what I wanted. The atmosphere around the night market was colorful, energetic and full of movement. I wanted to translate that feeling onto the photo. So, I chose a color negative, tilted the scene to give that dynamic feel, and as I clicked the shutter, I took a step to the right to give it a little motion blur.

I'm quite happy with this.

I'm always interested to see how different filters produced different effects on the image, so I decided to get a red filter and test it out one day. The red filter is used to create contrast and darken its equivalent, which is the blue. Therefore the sky is darkened dramatically here and it helped to create a sense of doom, or at least I wanted it to feel that way.

The tower is actually part of a mosque which has some Hindu influence.

This is another test of a filter, this time it's a yellow green filter which is said to be quite good on skin tones. I quite like the effect, it lightens the skin and yet retains the texture. The overall effect was a soothing calming feeling. I got to use this filter more.

When I first got the XA, I was excited. Here's a camera that I can carry anywhere and just slip into my pocket. I didnt have to lug around the FE to do some casual street shooting.

In this particular scene in Singapore, the lighting was awesome and so I couldnt resist taking a shot. The man, most likely a National Service trainee in some point of his life was casually taking a ride down the escalator. Quite a contrast to what the army is suppose to be, isnt it?

The Pekeliling Flats have always been a fascination to photographers. They offer something other places dont. Walking through them, you feel that it was once lively with many layers of society interacting and living together. Sadly, all that is left now (before they tear it apart) is the rubbish and the occasional druggies.

This is a series that I personally like very much. I found these decaying. or dying, boats courtest of Dr. Malek and he was kind enough to give me some directions to this place. I went there quite a number of times, but the weather wasnt too good to do any decent photographing, plus one must check the tides because when it is high tide, they get submerged.

So after a few trips, I finally got what I wanted and was quite happy with this. It even got selected in a photography exhibition organized by PhotoMalaysia.com and Central Market Annexe, till the 27th January 2008.

So there they are again, my best of 2007. Let's hope 2008 will yield more interesting results.

Enjoy.

Army Dude

2007-09-25T19:00:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Reala 100
Developer: C-41
Lens: Zuiko 35/2.8
Filtration: None

Escape

2007-09-23T19:43:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

Side note: I really like this one and this is most probably going on the wall.

Love?

2007-09-22T12:36:00.001+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

Pekeliling Flats, Kuala Lumpur.
The flats have long been a site for dozens of suicides and somehow the upside down scribbling doesnt strike me as to impress someone.

Wonder did the person jumped?

Barricade

2007-09-21T13:57:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

Dirty Symmetry

2007-09-20T19:47:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

the XA test

2007-09-19T18:32:00.000+08:00

Unnatural growth

I've been looking for a compact point & shoot for some time, specifically the XA series, which received much praises for its easy handling and overall quality. I finally got my hand on one and decided to give it a test during the weekend.

The XA by Olympus is basically a 35mm rangefinder and the smallest ever built. It's a real gem, measuring about 10 cm x 6 cm, though it's a tad heavy for its size. The viewfinder is bright, so focusing in any lighting condition is easy, once you get used to the RF system of focusing. The focusing tab is a little tricky, because it covers only a small distance so it's pretty sensitive.

It's an aperture priority camera, which fits my style perfectly and it also has a 2.8 lens! The shutter is so quiet that sometimes the surrounding noise just drowns it. The thing that irritates me is the shutter button; the button is extremely sensitive and I find myself accidentally hitting it more than once.

Walkway

Due to it's compact size, it fits in any pocket and if there is a shot you want, whip it out, slide the cover and click. The camera is back in your pocket before anyone notices.

Another nitpick would be the ISO range. The maximum is only at ISO 800; I'd prefer if it had a 1600 option. It also has a self timer of 10 seconds, a backlight correction which sets the exposure at +1.5 stops (kinda cool) and a standard battery check which emits a really high pitched sound.

It came with the A11 flash which screws into the main body on the left side, extending the length to an extra 3.5cm, which is still small in my opinion.

From my early test, the camera is responsive, small and easy to use. Definitely a camera to carry to parties, gatherings and of course...street photography.

Stay tuned for more shots after I send the color negatives to the lab. Cant wait to see the results!

tunnel

Sheila Majid

2007-09-01T15:25:00.001+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri X @ 1600
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Sigma 70-250
Filtration: None

Our very own diva, Sheila Majid, performing at the Sunrise Jazz Fest '07. It's amazing how she's been around for 20 years and yet her music is still going strong.

Truly a legend in her own right.

The End of the Road

2007-08-14T16:31:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

My Secret Door

2007-08-13T01:17:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

Chaos

2007-08-12T10:48:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

St. Mary's School, KL.

Enjoy.

Rumah Orang Kaya dulu

2007-08-09T01:08:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

I was doing my thing when a old uncle came up to me and asked what was I photographing. I told him I was interested in old buildings and asked him whether he knew the history of the house.

The reply was, "Oh, itu rumah orang kaya dulu la" which is translated as "Oh, it's a rich man's house back then"

Enjoy.

Reduced to Rubble

2007-08-08T01:10:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

St. Mary's School, KL.
This is actually below the classroom. You can see where the door supposedly opens into the collapsed level.

Enjoy.

Breakdown

2007-08-06T01:11:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre-AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

Please click on the image for a bigger size

Abandoned shoplots in KL.

Enjoy.

The Stalker

2007-08-02T20:56:00.001+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Neopan 1600
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Series E 50/1.8
Filtration: None

Disclaimer: Nobody was hurt, mentally or physically, during the photographing process.

The Look in Their Eyes

2007-06-19T18:06:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Neopan 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Series E 50/1.8
Filtration: None

These children are not like any others. They live in an orang asli settlement deep in an oil palm estate. Their water supply comes from a well, and electricity from a old generator. They receive no financial help from the state government and no medical benefits. They wake up as early as 4.30am to catch a bus to school with tattered textbooks.

And yet they run around barefoot happily, bath in the cold rivers and streams, pluck coconuts as though they are having the times of their lifes. I had the privilege of spending a day with them, and guess what?
They really are having the times of their lifes. It was the look in their eyes that told me.

Enjoy.

A Backlane

2007-06-14T20:41:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

backlanes are really quite interesting. you never know what you might find in there and you never know what can be seen from there.

enjoy.

The Dying Boat

2007-06-12T20:20:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

*click on the image for a bigger and much more appreciable size*

This stretch of beach was littered with rotting, or I prefer to call them dying, boats. They remain submerged in the seawater half of the time, only to be revealed during the low tide. Barnacles flourish all around the still rock solid frames, and mudskippers happily hopping about on the muddy floor. I like this place so much, I've decided to make this an on-going project to document and study the texture and details on these once sea-worthy structures.

Special thanks to Dr. Malek for giving the directions many moons ago. I finally found time to shoot them the way I wanted.

Enjoy.

Honey, where is my helmet?

2007-06-11T17:21:00.001+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

Astro and TV

2007-06-10T13:21:00.000+08:00

Honey, we've got Astro now!

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

Sorry, but I thrashed the TV already!

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

enjoy.

Honey, where are my boots?

2007-05-13T15:32:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

boots left in the same abandoned house as the basket & chair series. most of the closer friends i have in the photography circle all have a thing for abandoned things/places/scenes. hmm.

enjoy.

Basket & Chair, Chair and Basket

2007-05-13T02:24:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

took these at a nearby abandoned house. looking at the handshake, i think i might need a tripod now. sigh.

*p.s- click on the image for a much bigger size.

enjoy.

Laughing much about nothing at all

2007-05-10T13:18:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 1600
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre-AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

Terence, laughing much about nothing at all.

The Camera, Christel & Christine

2007-05-08T22:53:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 1600
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre-AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

a grab shot of Christel fiddling with the hassy and Christine entering the frame.

enjoy.

christine [test shot]

2007-05-06T09:49:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: None

Just a simple shot to test the bokeh. and no, i dont know how to evaluate it, i just wanted to see how the image would look like in f2.8 ;)

the more interesting point would be the 2 small triangles/projections from the left side of the film border. that's a mark of a Hasselblad. all Hasselblads give off that 2 small triangles as a trademark.

damn, my camera has character!

enjoy.

The Tower

2007-05-03T18:16:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Neopan 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Series E 50/1.8
Filtration: Hoya Red

I've never used a red filter before so i thought i'd try using it for this shot. Filters for black & white are somewhat different in usage than in colour. in short, coloured filter in B&W will lighten the filter colour and darken the opposite of it. so the red filter here darkens the blue sky. which gave the scene a dramatic mood.

contrast is a little on the high side though. hmm.

enjoy.

My first square!

2007-05-02T02:34:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: HP5+ 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80/2.8
Filtration: none

sorry for the really really slow update.
anyway, the reason i waited so long to post a new photo/entry is because i wanted to post one from my new toy ;) yes, i've succumbed to the world of medium format and bought myself a Hasselblad 500 C/M. and yes, i am broke...for a long time.

but apart from that, i'm really happy with the camera. this particular photo was taken during my first walk with it. i was expecting the camera to be heavy and awkward to use as a street photography tool. but no such thing was to happen. the hassy was light, compact and surprisingly responsive. the only thing is i need time to meter (it doesnt have a built in meter) and to think about the square composition.

i'm still trying to learn how to compose in square. it's really not as easy as it seems.

anyway, hopefully i can find more photos to update this place.

enjoy.

What I've hoarded so far

2007-03-10T13:55:00.000+08:00

i think i've bought too much films over the past few months. i have:

- slightly less than 100ft of Tri-X in the bulk loader
- 100 feet of Hp5
- expired 50 feet of Hp5
- 10 rolls of Neopans (with 5 more remaining still in the hands of Aqmal @ Morpheuse)
- 5 rolls of expired velvia
- 5 rolls of Reala
- misc: some Fp4, Delta, T-max, Superia

this should last me quite a while. but then again, buying film doesnt mean i gotta shoot it now, right?

enjoy.

c i n a

2007-03-06T00:08:00.000+08:00

Year: 2006
Film: Tri-X 1600
Developer: HC-110
Lens: EF 22-55
Filtration: None

Central Market @ Ubud, Bali.

2007-03-04T00:05:00.000+08:00

had to do some post processing to bring out the details in the shadows, so this isnt exactly a perfectly exposed scene. but i somehow liked the people and the scene. if u looked carefully, there is a little boy peeping on the lower left.

Year: 2006
Film Tri-X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: EF 22-55mm
Filtration: None

Breakdance II

2007-03-03T17:54:00.000+08:00

dug up my old negatives from the scanned cds and found this. wonder why didnt i put this one up before.
again, hyperfocal focusing @ 4ft with f11.

the motion blur rocks.

Year: 2006
Film: Tri-X 1600
Developer: HC-110
Lens: Nikkor Pre- AI 28/3.5
Filtration: None

Fry 'em radish cake!

2007-03-02T16:16:00.000+08:00

a snapshot while walking along Jonker Street.
hyperfocal focusing at 4 ft with aperture of f11. i also took a step right for some motion blur.

Year: 2007
Film: Fuji Superia 400
Lens: Nikkor 50/1.8 E
FIltration: None

Forgotten Art

2007-03-01T17:31:00.000+08:00

the weather-beaten sign outside said "Art Gallery" and clearly it was abandoned years ago. even the initial painting on the wall was vandalised.

Year: 2007
Film: Fuji Superia 400
Lens: Nikkor Pre-AI 28/3.5
FIltration: None

c h r i s t i n e

2007-02-25T22:59:00.000+08:00

Year: 2007
Film: Tri-X 400
Developer: HC-110
Lens: EF 50/1.8
Filtration: Hoya Yellow Green

cross process

2007-02-09T16:35:00.000+08:00

I was digging up old negs in my drawer and found my roll of cross processed slides which was taken a year back. Cross processing is just a method of developing slides or positives in color negative chemicals, which is C41. it can also be done other way round (color negs in E6 chemicals).

I dont do much cross processing but always wanted to dabble in it further. But 2 things stood in my way. the cost of slides (which easily reach up to RM 15-20 depending on type) and a reliable/willing lab that will drown the slides into their container of C41 chemicals. I dont mind spending and eating bread for a month, but not all labs willing to risk damage to the C41 chemicals.

These are shot quite awhile back using Provia 100F and cross processed. but somehow the color shift didnt seem too apparent. I gotta try with my expired Velvia (yes, i have too many rolls/bulk rolls of film now) and I really should start shooting rather than buying more film.

Anyhow, once i get to know a lab that does cross process reliably i will get down to using different slides and see what are the weird effects. the thing i like most is the unpredictabilty of it. sure, you digital enhance an image to make it look like cross processed slides, but where is the fun in that?

Enjoy.

6 going to 7

2007-01-02T19:11:00.000+08:00

The years come and go, but with great friends around, the memories of them will stay.
This one is for you guys.

Cheers.

Best of 2006

2006-12-20T20:43:00.000+08:00

I've done quite a bit of photography for the past year and I thought I'd choose the best shots of 2006. Here they are in no particular order.

Breakdance
Tri-X rated at 1600
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

This is easily one of the best I took this year. As you might know, I'm a street photographer and besides getting the photographs I want, the experience of it is priceless. I did not just went and start clicking. I engaged in a conversation with these breakdancers and found out that besides dancing for the love of it, they actually get called for performances or competition. This was taken at an underground pass in Singapore near the Esplanade.

What I like most about this is the environment itself, other than the subject of course. An empty space, an iPod and portable speakers are all that they need to pull these moves. It was relaxed and enjoying.

I set the aperture to f11 so that my depth of field was well covered (since it was pretty dark and I didnt want to waste time focusing) and therefore some slight blur to the movements. Which worked well, I felt. It shows movement but they werent exaggerated. The two spectators (who were actually dancers also but were taking a break) at the side balanced the scene just nice and set the environment just as I felt it was. Relaxed.

Tegalalang rice terraces, Bali.
Reala 100
EOS 30 + 22-55mm

I dont do many landscapes, in fact the trip to Bali was the first. It's not that I dont like landscapes, it's just that landscape photography is actually tougher than people think. Location isnt all that is to this genre of photography, lighting is the key element here in my opinion. You can be at the most beautiful places on Earth, but if it was a overcast sky, all you're going to get is flat lighting.

I couldnt control or wait for the proper lighting in the photo above since I was on a schedule and this was my only stop at the rice terraces. So I prefer to call this travel photography as opposed to landscape.

Anyway, the scene captured me simply because of the colours. Bright green paddy stalks against a bright blue sunny day. What more can I ask for? I chose a vertical composition instead of the usual horizontal because it complements the coconut trees and also the leading lines of the terraces.

This was all to it actually. Nothing spectacular, but I thought I did fairly well for the first time.

Crossroads
HP5+ rated at 400
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

One of the first photos I took with the 28/3.5. I used the 50/1.8 pretty often and it took awhile to get used to the 28mm perspective. This was taken at the old KTM building. Of course these arent functional tracks, but the old and redundants ones which were a gold mine to photograph.

Weather that morning wasnt too ideal as I remembered, slight overcast. So I tried not to include the sky as much. The sense of symmetry here is what struck me the most. Creating a perfect X is what I intended to do. But of course it is not perfect, because the surroundings arent as symmetrical as the tracks. But that was what made this photo perfect.

Devotion
Tri-X rated at 400
EOS 88 + 35-80mm

Need I really say why I chose this shot? This was taken during the Thaipusam festival back in February. It was my first time documenting such large scale festival and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I took this shot to show the level of devotion of these people. The main subject was carrying his offering, oblivious to the world and two people assisting him so that he fulflils that devotion. The expressions here were priceless and so was my experience there.

Flamingo Dreams
HP5+ rated at 400
Nikon FE + 70-250mm

Wildlife photography is never my strong points. That's why I cheated and went to the local zoo instead. Besides that, I wanted to test the Sigma 70-250mm and what better place to use a telephoto than a zoo. And why B&W? If you remember in my article on the KLCC Aquaria, I've said I wanted to do features on animals in B&W. And also the other reason that the HP5+ was already stuck in the camera. But still, how often do you see wildlife in monochrome? People just assume that wildlife are meant to be taken in color. I dont think so.

I like this because it's simple. Just one flamingo resting alone in the water. And somehow the scene left a very dream-like quality to it, most probably due to the reflection of the sun on the water. Not the usual flamingo shot you see and that's the reason why I took this shot.

Fuck Terrorist
Reala 100
EOS 30 + 22-55mm

After wandering around Bali, meeting the people and experiencing the culture there, this scene struck my heart with a blow. The term "Fuck Terrorist" on that T-shirt, if you look carefully, is of course related to the terrorist bombings in 2003 and 2005. What possible reason they had to disfigure this beautiful island is beyond my understanding.

Why was I so interested in this scene? First, it was the sense of geometry. I liked the way the sand and waves pile up to form layers. Second was how the scene felt at the time I was there. It was peaceful and calm, people were happily walking along the beach, enjoying the moment. And the T-shirt provided the contrast and reality I wanted. The reality of life in these times.

There they are, my best photos of 2006. Hopefully there are more to come in the next year. Bring on 2K7!

Enjoy your holiday people.

Bali: Random shots

2006-11-13T23:21:00.000+08:00

I had no time to write a proper travel article so I thought I'd put up the photos first with some commentary. I still have the Tri-X staring at me now on my desk.

Rice terraces at Tegalalang. Rice are major agricultural products of Bali. Rice terraces or fields are practically everywhere, one can even see them just by driving along the roads connecting different towns. The special thing about these rice terraces are, well, they are in terraces. Mind you, they are not 'Padi Huma' or 'Padi Bukit" where the plant doesnt need water. They are the same as any other paddy fields, they need proper irrigation, just that they are located in these scenic rice terraces.

Temples, or 'Pura' they call them in the local language here are also another eye catching feature of Bali. Temples here comes with different sizes from simple small altars to huge complexes and gardens, like the one above, located in Ubud. The plants around this temple ( I forgot the name) are lotus plants, sadly not many were at full bloom at that moment. The typical Balinese temple has a traditional split gate where one can literally say that the gate is split into half with smooth sides at one side each!
Balinese are very religious people and not a day pass by where they do not give their offerings to the Gods.

The famous Mount Batur. Not as famous as Mount Agung, but still a breathtaking view. This is about one hour drive from Ubud but I opted not to climb it. Instead my hired driver/tour guide dropped us at a restaurant with a spectacular view of the mountain. Right beside the mountain is the lake, aptly named Lake Batur.

My favourite place is no doubt the charming town of Ubud. If you want to experience Bali without the hustle bustle of bars and pubs, Ubud is the place to go. It is still a tourist area, but the laid back atmosphere and the people here is what sets it apart from other towns. Ubud is the centre for arts and culture, and this is evident practically every step you take in this town. The most striking point of Ubud is the art. Art shops are abundant here, from small stalls to large luxurious galleries. Take your pick, you are sure to find something you like here. If not, just take a stroll around town and absorb the atmosphere.

Another typical scene in Ubud. This was taken at the Central Market where you can find everything from wet products to paintings and souvenirs. In this particular scene were the locals weaving traditional offering baskets to the Gods, known as Banten. They are small woven baskets with various offerings like rice, cookies even cigarettes at times. The end product is actually secondary, it is the process of weaving these tiny baskets which is important. Once woven, they are placed usually at the doorsteps of shops/stalls or at the temple as offerings.

Fuck Terrorists.
The term says it all. On 12th October 2002, suicide bombers, believed from the Islamist group called Jemaah islamiyah, set off 3 bombs almost simultaneously. One at the US consulate at Denpasar and 2 bigger explosions at Kuta. The first blast in Denpasar only cause minor injuries and minimal property damage but the Kuta bombings were more damaging. A backpack bomb was set off in Paddy's Bar (now an open air car park) and this led to people rushing out of the bar, only to have a bigger bomb hidden in a van to explode. It left a one metre crater. The total deaths were 202, the majority being Australians on holiday.

On 1st October 2005, similar bombings occured at the town square of Kuta and small warungs of Jimbaran, near the famous Four Seasons Resort. Total death were 20 this time.

After these two horrific bombings, the two dates, 12th October 2002 and 1st October 2005 were known as Black Bali. The bombings severely damage the island's reputation as a holiday destination and till now tourists numbers still did not pick up.

Yeah, 'Fuck Terrorists' indeed.

Polyptych: R O C K S

2006-11-05T02:41:00.000+08:00

Reala 100

I'm quite a big fan on doing a series, either 3 or 4 in a row like the one above, or multiple photographs like my Rusty Trains series. Usually the series is about the sequence of events or documentation of place or subject. Here I wanted to try something different, I think it's a more conceptual series.

Before proceeding, I would prefer if you come out with your own conclusions about the photo above and please leave a comment if possible.
Anyway, the base of my concept here is rocks, which is the common thing in all photos, but I suspect the last photo might be out of place. So, the point if this image was to show the connection between different forms of rocks basically. From part of the ground covered with moss, waves crashing and slowly moulding the cliffs, wet pebbles and finally man-made stone-brickwalls. Yeah, this might actually sound stupid, but hey, this is only my first try.

Enjoy (and comment, please).

Bali: Island of the Gods

2006-10-31T17:40:00.000+08:00

Had a chance to go for a short holiday in Bali, also known as the Island of the Gods. Still in the process of scanning the rest of the negatives, but here one first.

This was taken at Tegalalang, one of the many famous rice terraces that defines the landscape of Bali. I took this chance to burn some Reala i acquired from a friend. But i'm not too sure about it as i find it a bit hard to scan. colours are vibrant and lifelike, but almost too saturated. esp when i save it as jpeg. weird.

but anyhow, i quite like the feel of the film. no grain, sharp and nice colours. i think i will make this my staple diet of colour films.

enjoy.

everything is not what it seems to be

2006-10-17T17:13:00.000+08:00

first, about the photo.
this was taken few months back at Tanjung Tuan, P.D. me and my mates were camping after a hazardous surgery posting and this was some sort of a celebration for getting out alive. anyway, this scene was taken at about 6am. we slept on newspapers and i truthfully, i have no idea why did i wake up so early.

but im glad i did. the first scene that greeted my eyes was this. having rained on the previous day, the sky was still overcast with a blanket of light grey clouds. the water was so still, only an occasional cool breeze was felt. in a single moment, it was peaceful, almost like a dream where time slows down. and somehow the scene does not differ greatly in colour.

the composition was a simple one, to show the simplicity of the whole scene of course. i wanted something direct and minimal but not boring. so i added the branches of leaves in it. i would prefer if i hadnt let the leaves "touch" the water level though.

developed in hc-110 7.5mins @ 20c. there is some grain which i didnt like at first but after looking at it, i like it better. it gave a sense of grit in a very contrasty peaceful scene.

which comes to my title.

how often do we get moments of peace like that? something captured in a photo in one lucky moment doesnt mean it happens all the time. that goes with life.
i was walking in Ikea last Sunday. the showrooms there are excellent, the way the arrange the furniture, the way they hang the pictures. i saw a comfortable bed and thought. 'gee, it would be nice to wake up in that bed in the morning, makes me feel like there is no worries in life'

but of course that's not true. we wake up everyday only to have thoughts of something stressful thrown back to our face. work, studies, financial difficulties, etc.

life is complicated these days. and it's not getting any simpler. forget all the idealistic thoughts, forget the storybook endings, forget the textbook situations.

everything is not what it seems to be.

it's been a while.

2006-10-11T20:50:00.000+08:00

yes, it's been a while since i updated this. though i suspect nobody actually read this. but anyway, i have been busy with exams and studies so i stopped photography for some time. and i think this is not the end of it. things might get real busy starting from next month till i graduate so updates might come even less.

but anyway, i'm having a holiday now (well, sort of) and plan to get some photography done. problem is, the haze. it's bad. apart from killing any good lighting whatsoever, going out there now isnt exactly good my the lungs. or maybe i'm just finding an excuse.

i've gathered a small amount of cash and now i'm thinking what to spend on. a new body? lens? MF? but definetely not digital. not in the future. the shot above is what i took about 2 months back, but only dipped it the developer yesterday night. and man, how i miss the smell of fixer late night! that completely killed off any interest i had in digital photography and now, it's film all the way.

so, a new film body? a better lens or a new format altogether?

enjoy.

Contradictions and contemplations.

2006-08-07T21:16:00.000+08:00

I find this funny...or at least amusing.
I've been writing regularly for a local photography magazine which deals with digital photography mostly and recently have been asked to write for yet another digital photography magazine. The funny part is, I'm still use film for all of my work.

So, what am I doing in the Stone Age of photography? Is film really dead, or dying? I obviously hope not but the signs are unmistakeable. Various camera companies have been shutting down their film camera productions and slowly but surely, film supplies are getting scarce.

I've earned some money with my freelance work, so I should be able to get into digital photography if I want to. But it isnt as simple as buying a camera and be done with it. First, the camera decision is a major headache. I obviously need certain features (nothing fancy actually) and most of the time I just want to have more than what I need. That's normal I guess. Second is storage. My Mac Mini isnt exactly a storage monster and with digital files I'll most probably have to buy a external hard disk with more capacitiy. Third is to learn how to post process my work. Trust me, this is the worst part of it. Sitting down in front of a computer for hours trying to touch up one single photo is too tedious for me. I can be out shooting with the time needed for post processing.

But still, digital photography has its own advantages. Like speed and if you think in long run (I dont know, 10-20years?) it'll save money from buying and developing film.

And yet I'm still hesitant. I consider my photography fairly good, but I want to create photos that are compelling. I've been dabbling with black and white films for almost a year now. I learned to developed them myself. I try hard to understand characteristics of films I use, but that's easier said that done, especially now when my photographic indulgences are gettting rarer. The next step should be acquiring an enlarger, so I can learn more about traditional photography, but that needs space and I dont have it now. So, technically my education is stagnant. And I have yet to learn about digital photography while everyone is joining the digital bandwagon these days.

So where do I stand? I'm not sure myself. Buying new gear definetely wont help in improving, it'll just make me happier. But I've more or less decided to stick with film at the moment. There is still much joy in seeing the negatives transform into photographs. Getting a RM 3K camera isnt justified, even if I've earned the money to spend.

I might splurge on a new second hand film body. A slightly better one than my old EOS 88. Or maybe a new spanking lens. Or maybe a medium format camera. Hmm.
Till then, I guess my photography will stay where it is and hopefully I can work with what I have. At least I know my photography wont deteriorate...I hope.

Enjoy.

Director of Soul™.

2006-07-29T22:07:00.000+08:00

i've liked art for quite sometime. generally, i suck at painting and drawing. that's why i usually express myself through photography. i've done some magazine layouts etc long time back, but i guess that career didnt really take off.

today, a friend of mine asked me to help to re-do the college notice board. i came up with this font, inspired by graffiti. and yes, it is purely hand-drawn.

enjoy.

Graveyard of Boats

2006-07-24T23:06:00.000+08:00

Couple of weeks back I discovered this place, which i call it the Graveyard of Boats. it's actually just a regular beach beside a housing area but interestingly it has these long abandoned skeletons of the boats or sampans. they were huge, not the regular small ones, these most probably spend their lifetime in open seas.

So as usual with my cameras i head over on a slow weekend only to find at 4.55pm, it was high tide, so everything was mostly underwater. disappointed, i went back. but i made another trip there a few weeks later, this time at about 9.00am. it was also high tide. i was annoyed.

so i went back, downloaded the tide charts of Melaka and picked a suitable time and date. the chart proved to be accurate.
i took a slow walk before clicking. there were about 8-12 boats in total, some in better condition but all were left rotting. amazing that they still stand after years of being washed up by the salwater.

i took a few shots from a distance. the weather wasnt that great for any landscape, so i could only manage some half decent shots. i decided to take a closer look, maybe some close up details of the boats. the ground didnt look too stable so i threw a rock about the size of my fist at the ground. to my horror, it sank till about 1 and a half feet. pure mud.

thank God i didnt step a foot in it. otherwise i might be stuck there.

keep the damn beer dry

2006-07-17T00:10:00.000+08:00

enjoy.

feature #4

2006-05-02T16:03:00.000+08:00

Fourth article I wrote for my Singapore trip couple of weeks back.

Uniquely Singapore

Enjoy.

Photo of the day #24

2006-04-28T12:41:00.000+08:00

Jogging
HP5+ 400
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

"I never really tried motion blur before seriously so i thought i'd give it a go this time. It's easy to make something blur, to make it the subject blur and an interesting story with it is challenging in my opinion.

I chose a jogger since he was moving and the motion blur would only emphasise the motion even more. i didnt want a car, they are too fast and the backgrounds are always similiar i.e roads.

So first i had to choose a background. i came across this "Drink" sign in the Esplanade, Singapore. Somehow it caught my eye and I waited for me victim again. The aperture was set to f11 if i was not mistaken, or f8. Shutter speed? i forgot.

The result was this, a blurred jogger makng his way past a drinks signboard."

Photo of the day #23

2006-04-26T16:47:00.000+08:00

Breakdance
TX1600
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

"Now this shot has a pretty interesting story. First, these guys are awesome. They come to these underpasses around Singapore, set the iPod and just breakdance away. And their moves are excellent. I met up with them and had a small chat before clicking it away.

The lighting in that area are confusing to say the least. It's bright, but not bright enough. So I pushed my film to EI 1600 and set it to f11. I was hoping to get some blurry shots so I wanted a relatively slow s.speed. It was fine since the s.speed only allowed some body movement to be slow and still be hand-holdable.

The aim of the photo was simple, to show the moves but not only the moves. I wanted to include the environment as it is because they were chilling out really. Chatting and dancing, doing it purely as a hobby and not a show. I wanted to show the relaxing mood, therefore I included the other 2 guys behind sitting down. Personally I found the damn reflections on the floor pretty irritating. And it wasnt so bad at first. But I screwed up the developing. I overdeveloped this roll by a couple of minutes hence the contrast is very strong. I had to use some PS to get it right, but still wasnt really good enough.

I hope I got another chance to shoot these guys again one day."

Enjoy.

Machinery

2006-04-20T18:30:00.000+08:00

The Machinery series.

HP5+ 400
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

Rusty Train

2006-04-18T00:07:00.000+08:00

I made a trip back to the old railway station again last week with Christel @ http://christelchong.fotopages.com and this time i got more shots of the abandoned trains on the left side of the tracks.

We werent too sure whether we could walk in to that area but we just did. Either we looked like tourist or 2 crazy kids. hah. But once we were in there, we couldnt stop clicking. That place was a gold mine.

Now these trains are just used to store boxes and other cargo for stuffs that goes through Pos Laju. Kinda sad, Christel suggested that it should be a cafe of some sort. That's not a bad idea actually, a train cafe in a train station. haha.

Then we spotted one door that was open. Needless to say, we jumped in.

But there wasnt much inside, it was just an empty space. We roamed around and found what we assumed was the control room or something like that. A very tight space with panel and buttons, a table, a chair and a small fan attached to the ceiling. I wonder how the operator sat there for journey like KL to Thailand or something.

Overall, it was a cool place to shoot. Lots of details and texture to appreciate. I dont mind going back there for more. Maybe even a model shoot. hmm...

HP5+ 400
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

Pekeliling Flats

2006-03-31T23:24:00.000+08:00

Went for a walk with George and KKog (Riza) in KL couple of weeks back. We took an long walk fron Dang Wangi to Chow Kit to the National Art Gallery and ended at the Pekeliling Flats. The flats are my main intention that morning. I wanted to document it before it was torn down to make way for some development and since it is the oldest low cost flats around, it's worth it. Wonder where are all the people gonna stay after this.

The flat consist of many blocks, all huge and old. One or two are actually been evacuated. All boarded up so we found no way in. Kinda hard to document this place and I need more time and thought if i were to pull this off one day. Taking photographs of the place is one thing, but to make a statement with the same photographs is quite another thing.

But no matter, I will try to document it one day nonetheless, I just need more time to sort of the details. The above photos are just a short test shoot I did the other day. it was OK, but not that great.

HP5+ 400
Nikon FE + 28/3.5

Enjoy.

photo of the day #22

2006-03-30T19:47:00.000+08:00

Into The Dark

"I like this, this is one of the first few shot i took with my newly acquired Nikkor 28mm 3.5. damn good buy i must say. but enuf about gear talk, that's for idiots.

Anyway, in this photo i wanted a sense of scale, what else but a exceptionally old and big block of flat? normal modern buildings wont cut it as they look too new, young if i may say so. this old block of flat exudes a quality like no other building. it's huge, it's old, it gives a sorta timeless feel to it. a piece of history regarding this block doesnt hurt either. this is the Pekeliling Flats, the first low cost flats in Kuala Lumpur and plans are already in place to tear in down for new development. You know what i mean if you were there.

Back to the photo. A big old building doesnt add much story. So i needed a subject, what else but someone to walk by. That got me thinking. Yeah great someone walking by a big flat. So? Nothing special, nothing interesting. Looking around I saw the LRT lines of STAR LRT system. The curving track gave a pleasant shadow despite it being a hot afternoon. I looked at the ground and distinctly saw two areas, light and dark. Hence I composed so that the dark area intersects the bright area with a nice curve. So i waited for my unsuspecting victim.

I could've done better, since the subject wasnt really stepping into the dark area, she was already in it. guess my hands were a little slow.

The interpretation? I wanted to show the subject crossing over from one contrasting scene to another with a interesting background. Not much meaning in whole though. but i still kinda like the overall feel of this photo."

Enjoy.

Railway Station Walkabout

2006-03-29T19:48:00.000+08:00

Went for an early morning walk around the old KTM railway station. it's still being used now, but not as a main stop. interesting place, gold mine for street photographer. the texture, the patterns there are way cool. but alas, weather did not permit such beauty to show and it drizzled. i managed to get a few shots and im sure i'll be back there soon.

enjoy.

feature #3

2006-03-09T14:54:00.000+08:00

As promised, if anybody remembers, here the is two part feature on Thaipusam. Took me a while to get it done as I had other commitments but here it is.

Part I: Devotion of the Kavadi Bearers

Part II: Interview with a Kavadi Bearer

Enjoy.

photo of the day #21

2006-02-28T21:04:00.000+08:00

For The Sake Of Art

Neopan 400
EOS 88

"This is one of my favourite portraits. Portraits are a tough nut to crack, at least for me. I never like the conventional "smile at camera and take photo" type of portraits. I prefer something that relates to the person, the environment or the actions/work. This fellow is actually a street artist in Malacca and I wanted to portray him doing what he does best, drawing.

So I included the background with his art hanging on the wall. Next was to decide whether to ask him to look at the camera or take the photo as he was working. I took a few shots and prefer the one he where he was working. Why? Because it shows the connection between his work and his art. Preferably I wanted some fill flash to lighten up his face but my flash skills are next to nothing so I had to be satisfied with this. Angle of the photo is taken this way merely to set a different style than the usual face on type.

An environmental portrait if I might say it so."

photo of the day #20

2006-02-27T20:49:00.000+08:00

Butterflies

jpeg

"As the title suggest, I wanted to portray these steel paperclips in a different way than how usually we view them. Playing with them a little yielded a butterfly-like shape which is quite nice in my opinion. The aim, other than just another still life shoot, was to portray the sense of surrealism, in a dream-like state where these paperclips might be really flying.

I arranged them in this manner to give a sense of direction, so the eyes are well lead from the first one (in focus) till the last one (out of focus) so hopefully viewer can feel that the paperclips are "flying away". White background to enhance the surrealism, and a little diffuse glow to add to the atmosphere."

photo of the day #19

2006-02-26T14:05:00.000+08:00

Contemplation

jpeg

*note: Inspired by some, I've decided to include some words along with the photos I upload here. Mainly about the aim and the thought process of the photo.

"This is one of my first images that I actually put considerable thought on the concept and objective. The aim was to portray a sense of indecisiveness, a feeling of guilt and craving at the same time. The idea of just having the subject (which was me) holding the box of cigarettes didnt appeal to me much, and it was too...direct. So I came up with the macro look of the box and the distant subject, to portray the invisible gap between the two.
naturally I wanted to blur either one and I choose the subject. Blurring off the facial expression gives room for interpretation. and the partial pose guide viewers to the direction of the photo.
Black and white is obvious, I wanted to strip all distractions and concentrate on the relation of the object and subject, also to add a little mood."

photo of the day #18

2006-02-24T22:44:00.000+08:00

Man in the Mirror

jpeg

photo of the day #17

2006-02-23T16:38:00.000+08:00

Flight of the Ray

Tri-X EI 3200
EOS 88

"love the police"

2006-02-22T18:50:00.000+08:00

caught this very interesting stenciling on my way to lunch this afternoon. it felt familiar so i took a photo of it, and then i remembered. this i one of the famour street stenciller Banksy's work.

Banksy is a street artist located in Bristol, UK and his works on the streets are extensively seen in London. his real name is unknown, though some people think it is Robert or Robin Banks.

Banksy, despite not calling himself an artist, has been considered by some as talented in that respect; he uses his original street art form, often in combination with a distinctive stencilling technique, to promote alternative aspects of politics from those promoted by the mainstream media.

interesting no?
check out this amazing dude @ http://www.banksy.co.uk/

not so wild animals.

2006-02-20T23:30:00.000+08:00

went to the local zoo the other day and managed to get a few shots out of the HP5. nice place the zoo, much better than the national zoo. slight renovations are going on but still, at the rate of MYR7, it's worth it.

dont ask me why i chose B&W. i didnt. the roll was stuck in the FE and i wanted to take the 70-250 Sigma for a real shoot. yeah, i had that lens since i bought the FE bout a year and half ago but didnt really used it. pretty much pleased with the shots. maybe i should go back with some colour negs, or even better, slides. which will be cross processed of course!

the lens? man, it was tack sharp! i have no idea why but at 250mm, f11 with no tripod i still get good sharp images. i dont even need to USM in Photoshop. gee, i really must use this lens more often. the only downside, heavy as hell when combined with the FE.

enjoy people!

Ilford HP5+ 400 in HC-110 @ 24C: 5 mins
Nikon FE + 70-250 Sigma
CanoScan 8400F
post process via PS

thaipusam 06, part II

2006-02-20T17:14:00.000+08:00

shots from the Tri-X. i still have one more undeveloped roll actually. but im too lazy (and busy) to develop it anytime soon.

enjoy.

Thaipusam 06

2006-02-13T01:38:00.000+08:00

this year i made a special point to document Thaipusam, the annual festive celebration of Hindus in Batu Caves. armed with 6rolls of films, colour and B&W, they ran out fast. sheesh.

anyway, it was a very colourful. experience. im already making plans to keep myself free next year to shoot again. weather wasnt really fantastic this year photographically speaking but it didnt dampen the spirits of the devotees one bit.

the photos here are from a roll of Fuji NPH 400. i still have another 2 rolls to scan and 3 rolls of Tri-X to develop.

enjoy. more photos to come and a 2 parts feature on this celebration with an interview with a kavadi bearer.

photo of the day #16

2006-01-19T22:51:00.000+08:00

reuben

Ilford HP5+ 400 in HC-110 dil B @ 20C : 5mins
Nikon FE + 50mm 1.8
CanoScan 8400F
touch up via PS

photo of the day #15

2006-01-15T16:28:00.000+08:00

She's the one,
My shoulder to cry on,
My reason of joy,
My inspiration of life.
Yes...she's the one.

Ilford HP5+ 400 in HC-110 dil B @ 20C : 5mins
Nikon FE + 50mm 1.8
CanoScan 8400F
touch up via PS

album

2006-01-15T16:05:00.000+08:00

made a simple album styled webpage the other day using JAlbum, a free programme found on the internet. cool thing.

check it out here.

slight compression issues on some photos, haven figure out how to minimise that though. weird, happens only in few photos. not all photos are taken by me, credit to a hui chin, she hijack the Nikon FE that day. hah.

enjoy.

photo of the day #14

2006-01-14T16:17:00.000+08:00

the watcher.

*p.s- so anybody had any unlucky encounters yesterday (friday the 13th) ?

Fuji Neopan 400 in HC-110 dil B @ 24C for 3.5mins
Canon EOS 88
CanoScan 8400F
touch up via PS

photo of the day #13

2006-01-13T17:31:00.000+08:00

the hike

Ilford HP5+ 400 in HC-110 @ 20C for 5 mins
Nikon FE + 50mm 1.8
CanoScan 8400F
touch up via PS

preview #2

2006-01-12T15:13:00.000+08:00

a bit of reflecting during the past few days encouraged me to start another but even more personal project of mine.
titled "Faces of My Life", it'll represent the people most important in my life and my tribute to them.

it'll be a long one. havent figure out all the details yet on what to do besides taking the photos, but yeah, this one means alot to me so i intend to take it slow.

keep a look-out.

enjoy.

it's a long journey.

2006-01-11T14:13:00.000+08:00

dont you feel sometimes life is one heck of a long journey?
just when you thought you can settle down on things, relax and take it as it comes, something bound to come out and hit you on the face. these days i feel more tired, less happy and dreading the days to come. and geez, i haven even started the peak of my life yet.

life isnt as simple as it was back then, or even few years back. everything is so competitive, so rushed, im beginning to wonder when will i have time to myself. and when i do, i realised i had the time because i forgot to do something else. sheesh.

im beginning to wonder about my choices in life, especially with regards to my career. med school isnt exactly a walk in the park and things are only getting tougher. im not complaining it's getting tougher, im wondering do i have the strength to continue. but then again, im already more than half way through, i cant really give it all up...though sometimes that's how i felt.

uni life has been a bore.
"it can be that bad" people tell me. maybe they are right. maybe im just whining. but truthfully, it's bad cause this isnt what i expect or imagined my uni life would be. ask anyone and they'll tell you no life like a students life. really? i prefer to remember my high school days rather than my uni life. i wanted my uni life to be different from now but guess that chance is long gone. nobody to blame of course except me.

my greatest dream is to travel. to backpack around europe or any other interesting countries. travelling has been my greatest interest besides photography. after realising that i dont have that chance anymore in my student days, nothing seem interesting anymore. i hear people talking about their travels, people they met and the things they do. im glad for them, but my heart aches for the chance i missed.

of course there will be other chance, but trust me, there is no substitute for travelling during student days. it's just different.

well, i cant do much about it now. things come and go, opportunities knock and i missed it all. i try to make the best of things now but it gets harder, more tiring everyday. i thank God i have good friends and family around me. they help me go through my days better and without them, the journey isnt worth it.

think im getting old by posting this entry. well, age is inevitable aint it?

enjoy.

photo of the day #12

2006-01-10T14:45:00.000+08:00

the lone jogger

Ilford Delta 400 in HC-110 dil B @ 24C for 5 mins
Canon EOS 88
CanoScan 8400F
touch-up via PS

photo of the day #11

2006-01-10T03:11:00.000+08:00

street busking at St.Paul's Church, Malacca.

Ilford Delta 400 in HC-110 dil B @ 24C for 5 mins
Canon EOS 88
CanoScan 8400F
touch-up via PS

pinhole camera experiment #1: failed.

2006-01-08T20:13:00.000+08:00

amused myself with a homemade pinhole camera made from a biscuit box this morning. sprayed the insides of the box black to make it as dark as possible, taped the seams with cloth tape to prevent light leak. and the pinhole was 1mm in size. still too large as azrul told me. i gotta get a smaller pin now.

so loaded the camera with a roll of Delta 400, and eager as an idiot, i went around and out of my house to finish the roll. nope didnt get 36exposures actually, i think i wounded the spool too many times. sheesh.

i varied the exposure times from 4 secs to 15 secs. but still too much. all i got was severely overexposed photos. but it was fun while it lasted, gonna make myself another one soon and arm it with T-Max 100. hah.

only one shot was recognizable...and viewable thanks to some severe PS treatment. sigh. i'll try to get it right the next time. this is harder than i thought.

oh well, time to make another from a shoebox this time...

feature #2.

2006-01-07T23:27:00.000+08:00

For those who remember, i posted a short entry about a personal project of mine regarding graffiti. well, it's done finally. not as well as i expected but everyday is a learning process no?

check it out at: Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?

enjoy.

short hike.

2006-01-07T15:43:00.000+08:00

this morning me and another 3 friends went for a short hike in the Gunung Ledang trail. didnt plan to hike all the way up, just to the third station (CP3) - overall there are 8 stations. hike was suppose to take us about 1 hour plus depending on condition. it was not a bad hike, though it was raining and the waterfalls along the trails are rushing with water. sirens blare out too, to warn picnic goers not to swim too deeply due to heavy flow of water from above.

trail was quite tough if you're not fit or with no experience, the initial trail require some slow manouvering over overgrown branches and rocks. just the type of trail i like. it's been a while since i last hike a jungle trail, this makes me feel like im 15 all over again...geez, now i sound old.

we came to CP1 and realised that under the new ruling, anybody who wants to hike up further will require a guide or a ranger. cost bout 70RM for half the length of the trail and 140RM for the hike to the peak, we decided to pass it this time as it was raining.

kinda disappointed we couldnt make it to CP3 at least but the waterfalls were too dangerous, so there isnt much point to push on further and risk our lives.

well, i'll definetely take a raincheck on this trail soon. it's too good to pass up. it reminds me of my Outdoor Pursuit Club days back in high school. maybe even hike to the peak if i can find time and the right people to go with. there isnt much to photograph actually there, more of a hiking trip than a photography trip. so i just use my phone to snap some shots. but i still managed some shots in the FE with a roll of HP5+. i'll get it developed soon when i finish the remaining shots.

enjoy.

photo of the day #10

2006-01-07T10:14:00.000+08:00

Sunset at Pantai Kundur, Malacca.

Fuji Superia 200
Nikon FE + 70-200mm
CanoScan 8400F
touch up via PS