Frozen moments in Time

A Little Update of My Life

2010-04-18T11:35:00.001+08:00

(The alcohol cabinet in a room of W, Hong Kong)

Looking at the entry dates, I realise I have not updated this blog since mid-February. So it's a little dry in here, but guess what, my real life has been equally dry since then. It's basically work, eat, sleep and repeat that for endless times. I can't even put thoughts of work down when I am not working. So there, it's starting to freak me out a little.

I haven't taken much photographs either, I've only been to the Hong Kong Flower Show, nothing much interesting there, and a few hours of Rugby Sevens, which my photographs were completely not post-worthy. At times like this one would wish for endless supply of money just to get a good telephoto lens.

I've been on study leave for 2 weeks now preparing for the CPA exam, I think that's basically the only perk I can think of working for this company - they are generous in granting leave as long as you're using that for studying - which I am. I have been a very very good girl.

Coincidently one of my treasured friends which I got to know online was visiting town, so I met up with her and we had a very nice chat (well, at least on my part!) and I was really glad to having meeting her.
Being the nice person that she is, she came with little gifts and even copies of some of the photos I took at the Il Divo concert. They actually looked so much better in print than I thought they would. But then I already have the original copies - so I asked her to give them to other people who would treasure them more. Hopefully that doesn't sound too much of a put-off, because I really meant none and just think others would like those too.

Besides, she has already given me the best gift she can ever give in prior, by offering to give a couple of my photos to the four particular subject matter. Strangely I do not feel the significance of it until I think about it - other people can boast for all they are worth about how special they are in front of the four men. But through my friend, I have silently achieved what most would kill to have the opportunity for - have my own work put into their very own hands, and which they are very likely would have taken some time to look.

So, you know who you are, thank you thank you thank you! I would gravel at your feet but that probably isn't a very pretty scene. I thought I might just skip that part.

I have taken a couple of random photos of the day, but oddly this particular photo has received most "Likes" on my Facebook among the bunch, so I'm posting this as a memory of the day.

Should I start worrying that I have too many alcoholic friends?

Rediscovering Muse

2010-02-17T21:54:00.001+08:00

(photo taken at The Resistance Tour concert)

After the fatabulous evening with Il Divo last September, I set foot again on the magical arena on 6/Feb/2010. This time, I was there to attend Muse concert.

I first learnt of Muse in 2001 when they released their album Origin of Symmetry, and the first song that I knew of them was Plug In Baby - which is a must-have for every Muse concert now.

But I found them a bit scary back then, although I did like the song Plug In Baby, I didn't try to discover more about them. In 2008, when I was killing time in CD stores in Melbourne - something I loved to do when I was studying there - I saw their album was on sale, and decided to give them another go.

And then, must be cliche about this, the rest is history.

The concert was awesome, great visuals which tie to the lyrics, and despite there wasn't much interaction between the audience and Muse, and that there are too many kiddies that night who have no knowledge how to feed energy to the performer, plus a staff from the local promoter who kept tapping on my leg periodically to ask me not to take photographs, it still was a great evening which left me wanting to attend the concert again and again days after the concert was held.

I am officially addict to concerts, and concert photography.

Words Can't Bring Me Down - My first photography award!

2010-02-17T21:31:00.003+08:00

(runner-up photo for Introducing Foodography comepetition)

I won my very first photography award - a runner-up, hosted by National Geographic Channel and WOM Guide, a local culinary guide book, with the theme of Introducing Foodography.

Now, I've been trying my hands on photography not long ago, more or less a year. Those who know about my achievement were mostly, let's say, skeptical.

"You're probably just lucky."
"Oh yeah? I bet they are weak competitors."
"There aren't many competitors, are there?"

I just smile, hoping I haven't given them the satisfaction of hurting me, because I wasn't hurt.

It is often said when you know your own flaws, you are already ahead of everybody. I find that true, especially at a time where people's egos are often inflated and we all think we are better than everyone else.

I admit this is a very small competition, with a restriction that participants must be in Hong Kong, and that after looking at the competitors' work, most people are amateurs - not that I am not, but I've been taking photographs of food for quite a while now - I'm bound to have a certain degree of advantage. But I'm glad, regardless, we all should start out in small ways. Plus, I still have so much to learn in photography, I know I'm in no way an expert.

I am willing to stay humble about this, and I just wish people will stop speaking to me in a condescending way. Getting high out of other people's misery is truly sick.

What If You Know...

2010-01-04T23:15:00.002+08:00

Whilst saying in my previous entry that 2009 had been a fatabulous year, 2010 starts out in a rocky way.

See, I've applied for a job in one of the biggest accounting firms just for the sake of it. And I had a faint feeling I would make it but with these things you can never be sure, especially when the world is still suffering from the financial turbulence. All along I was applying for the september intake so I thought, if I make it I would definitely go on a trip to places farther away from home, like France or USA or Africa, and have an absolute blast with my camera.

But THEN...

I received a call from the accounting firm on a day in December, telling me I was given an offer and that I would have to sign the contract as soon as possible because I had to start working in January.

Hooooooooooooold it right there, January?

Apparently since I have already graduated they wanted me (and a handful others) to start at the earliest convenience.

With that, my travel plans went poof, and I have to pay back 2 weeks' worth of salary back to the company I was working with for short notice. I still had to keep working until the 31st or else I would have no double-pay. That sealed my fate - no chance to travel before I start working in the new company!

So what does a girl do in critical times like this?

She eats.

During the Christmas through to new year's eve to the next day of the new year, I've gone out with a couple of friends and basically eat whatever was suggested. You may think it's silly to seek comfort in downing food, but it provides a sense of comfort, and sometimes even remind you of a reason to smile. With some good food in your tummy, it's not difficult to convince yourself that the world does not seem to be so bad after all.

The Best Gift to End 2009

2010-01-04T22:27:00.008+08:00

Allow me to make an exception and post 2 photos in one go.

2009 had been a great year with so many dreams fulfilled without much hiccups along the way. Not that there aren't any, but some things do seem minute when you looked back in time. At least it wasn't something that can't be handled, or had half of my scalp pulled out to figure out. So reaching the end of it brings a lot of nostalgia... and for once in my life I wished this year would just rewind and replay.

Yes, it was almost that good.

But anyway, we all must move on whether we like it or not. And we only have our memories to recall the good days by, while we reminisce the good times and be grateful that at least you lived to experience such joy, or dream it would happen all over again - a momentary escape from the harsh reality.

Through some Il Divo fans and colleagues I've come to learn about the existence of photobooks, and I find it vastly fascinating. Figured since I'm quite experienced with photoshop, I'd give it a go (like my attitude to most of the things in life). Mind you, I know very little about typesetting so I was not entirely confident.

So for around a month I spent my spare time making pages of the book and was finally about to contact the printers for a copy near christmas. My dad called me on the new year's eve and told me they said the book would be delivered that day. I was with my friend around that area so I urged my dad to call me when they've delivered to his place - I simply can't wait to see how I've done.

When I finally got my hands on the book, the only thought on my mind was it simply was the best gift for a great end to the year 2009. Now I've got 11 people showing interest to have a copy as well, this is completely out of my expectations - nothing like your work being recognised!

Merry Friggin' Christmas

2009-12-09T15:35:00.004+08:00

(taken at Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui)

I hate Christmases.

After the excitement of getting presents from Santa died down (it happened in 3rd grade when I discovered Santa was actually my dad), and after I've grown too old for my parents to buy me Christmas presents, Christmases have become nothing more but a few days of holidays for me.

Then I grew into the age where I started buying people presents, granted, it was great fun for a year or two, especially when I was sending things overseas, buoyed by that all-important feeling. But then I discovered it was extremely silly to send stuff all over the globe to people that I didn't really know very well (plus wasting a huge chunk of money). Once again, Christmases became nothing more but a few days of holidays for me.

Finally, this year I've picked up the mood for Christmas again and decided to surprise my friend with a thing that she had been wanting for months, then in an attempt to trying to make sure she's not getting it herself, her reaction was as if I'm the ultimate annoying douchebag in the whole wide world.

With my Christmas mood killed. This Christmas will again be nothing more but a few days of holidays for me.

In the Office, Missing Sunshine

2009-12-07T14:42:00.002+08:00

(taken in Hong Kong Park, Central)

A friend asked me to go along with her to take photographs at the Hong Kong Park 2 weeks ago. Since the weather was nice and I wanted to get out a bit during the weekend, I readily agreed. Apparently I have no idea what I should be photographing at the Park, because all I took was my trusted Tokina 116. But when I arrived I know my butt was seriously whooped.

There were BUTTERFLIES everywhere.

Luckily for me, the butterflies seemed accustomed to human attention and did not take off as soon as human drew near. So all I could do was to lean as close as I could (before I scare the little thing away) to take the photos. I crept up on the butterfly and retreated as quietly as I could after I was done. It was really funny but very exhausting all the same.

My tele lens would have proven useful, maybe next time.

So I was there at a spot which overlooks the lake. There were a few older men with bazooka-like lens, aiming at who knows what. I wanted to take a panoramic photograph of the lake so I stopped and set up my tripod. Now, if you have seen my previous post about Tokina 116, you could see how short the lens was, and there I was next to a bunch of bazookas. The men looked at me and was like "What the heck are you doing here with this lens?" and I returned the looks with a look containing the question "What the heck are you doing here with a bazooka?"

It was a day full of fun and the photos turned out great as well, no retouching needed at all.
Dare I dream my skills are getting better?

Muse - The Resistance Tour

2009-11-30T10:51:00.004+08:00

Wasn't it a few weeks ago when I first learnt of Muse's rumour concert in Hong Kong?

Thanks to the very efficient Midas Promotions, I got an email from a local ticketing outlet notifying me of the general sale of The Resistance Tour the next day. (take THAT, Live Nation!) Within a few hours, I got myself a concert partner, thus at 10 am on the day of sale, I successfully purchased 2 seated tickets for my first concert of the year in 2010! (just because we didn't want to wait at Asia World Expo all day for the general admission, tried that once and it was hell.)

I'm already super excited right now, this should be a rocking start for the year to come.

Romanticised Horror

2009-11-17T14:24:00.005+08:00

(Angkor Wat, Cambodia, taken on 24/10/2009)

I went to Cambodia and Vietnam for 6 days on a guided tour last month.

The most memorable thing of the trip?

"It has been a peaceful 4 years," the local tour guide in Cambodia, Mr. Lam, said with a genuine smile on his face, "No sounds of gunshots at night. There isn't much worth complaining about anymore."

This trip has given me a new appreciation to life and I am grateful I did the tour. All the things we take for granted - peace, stability, economic affluence, are not easy to come by, yet this generation have forgotten how the men before us had fought so hard so that we can enjoy these things today.

Because of the short stay, we only did one day in the Angkor temples. It was magnificent. How had people back then managed to construct such architecture with such fine detail? Although it is so beautiful that even my legs were cramping and my back was screaming I had to keep scouting around for interesting things to photograph, all the while I cannot help but shudder at the thought of thousands and millions of people slaving away just to build something so the king would be remembered by. When I look at Angkor Thom I see beauty, but I also see blood.

Just like the pyramids and the Great Wall, I suppose. Romanticised horror, all of them.

An Evening With Il Divo - Hong Kong 26/9/09

2009-11-13T23:05:00.006+08:00

Concert photography always amazes me. I feel compelled to take photos at a live show, even with crappy seats, since my compact digital camera days.

On 26th September 2009, I experienced one of the fabbest photo fest at a live show so far.

It was almost perfect - first row, almost smacked in the middle, a very kind security guard who had to pretend to sleep all the time because I was snapping away. The only thing that I would like was the beautiful stage they used in Europe, Australia and USA.

Well, a girl must learn to be grateful with what she is given.

I'll confess because I spent so much time taking photographs, I did pay less attention to the music than I thought I would. But this has been my dream, and finally the time has come with me having a good position and the equipment to make it happen, I have to heed my calling.

Although the photos were far from perfect, and most need retouching, I was generally happy with the results. A lot has been learned from this experience and I'm sure with next live show, I can come back with even better photographs.

Now maybe that rumoured Muse concert next year isn't a very bad idea at all...

Grand Opening Entry: Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8

2009-09-14T23:13:00.010+08:00

I have always wanted to write one of these, but then by the time I wanted to do it I hadn't purchased any new lens.

Let me introduce you to the newest family member of my crampy dry box - Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8.

It was out of stock for around a month, and I was really desperate because I really wanted it for my upcoming Vietnam+Cambodia trip in October. Last Saturday I was out with my friend to watch Bruno, and passed by the photography equipment store so I'd decided to ask just for the sake of doing it. To my surprise they have it in store! No hesitation there, credit card, swipe, MINE!

The Tokina in its box and a HOYA 77mm lens filter.

Opening it - the warranty certificate (3 years guarantee) and the manual.

Inside - The lens wrapped in plastic bag.

THE lens with lens filter screwed on! :D It is one heavy lens!

I would just like to say that I'm not getting this lens because I'm going to be at an Il Divo concert. This is an ultra-wide lens and I would return *nothing* with a lens like this in a concert (though the f/2.8 would be useful!) Regrettably all this lens has ventured is my apartment, hopefully I'll have some time soon so I can take it out in the streets for a stroll and do some moment-capturing.

Il Divo concert in 10 days... the winner for the platinum meet and greet draw in Singapore has already been annouced, I wonder if it has for Hong Kong? If it had then I didn't get it :( But dang I want to! Hopefully it has not been annouced yet and I will get that email in a few days! *keeping everything crossed!*

17/9/09 edit: Results are out, I lost the meet and greet :(

Creeping Up On You

2009-09-11T00:06:00.004+08:00

I was in Mong Kok after work to get tickets for Bruno on Saturday. (The movie's finally in cinemas in Hong Kong, YAY!) At the spur of the moment, I decided to go up to the CD store and see if they have finally decided to release some promotional stuff.

Turns out they have!

Finally, in less than a month before the show, LiveNation Global Touring has decided to PROMOTE the show.

This tour is seriously under-promoted. I have never seen any concert with such little promotion - very little ad in the newspaper, literally no promotional material (except a lot of ticket giveaways at malls and shops), and the very occasional TV ad at the midnight time slot. Yes, there have been ad in metro stations or bus stops, but they only last for one week before being taken down.

Now, why exactly do they bother with promotion?
They might just as well let Il Divo come and go and no one would know about it.

Defintion of Good Arts

2009-08-18T10:07:00.009+08:00

(Political street art, taken on the day of 1st July Demonstration 2009)

What is a piece of good art?

Must it be something as pioneering and different as Picasso? Or something as delicate and real like the statue of David by Michelangelo?

People always say art is very subjective, and I couldn't agree more. It is the same with photographs. There can be a million things wrong in a photo yet a lot of people might like it - because they can relate to what is captured. The emotions, the people, the place, the weather - they evoke certain feelings in a person and their feelings differ, influenced by their background, beliefs, and experiences in life. (I am bullshitting too much now aren't I?) What I'm trying to say is people like to judge and assume too much - but often they see faults in others but not the same fault in themselves. Can't blame them completely though, we live in such a packed and stressed world, and it's not an easy place to be.

I am not a saint, and I'll admit that I'm a very judgemental person. But I've decided to change my attitude and I'm trying.

Here Doggy Doggy

2009-08-11T10:57:00.006+08:00

It's boring at work today (only around 11am right now, duh) so I reckon I'd slack a bit and write an entry, before getting my head back to all those words and numbers and calculations.

Dang, I am not even working in some transnational super-size corporations. But there you go, still busy.

I love photographing animals, being in a concrete jungle such as Hong Kong it is not easy to find an animal to take photos of unless you own one, and I don't. Plus there isn't any zoo in Hong Kong, the only chances I get is catching snapshots of dogs when their owners bring them out for walks, or stray/wild animals.

I saw this little fella during a trip to a beachy place in Sai Kung to look for starfish. The weather wasn't good and the water was murky, so after a while I gave up risking my camera gear drowning in sea water should I fall, and venture back to the shore. This fella was staring longingly at the sea, as if he wanted to go down there and play with the water. But he was extremely shy and afraid of people. He jumped away whenever people got too close.

So I photographed him at a distance, and was content with that. I went home from a beachy place and most of my photos were of the little dog.

The Goodness of Food

2009-08-10T23:29:00.007+08:00

I absolutely LOVE this photo.

I took this during a dinner gathering with some of my best friends since high school two nights ago at Outback Steakhouse in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

I didn't like food photography, used to love it, then hated it, then recently, I picked up the habit of photographing food again. One reason being there isn't much interesting stuff around to photograph lately, another being, I discovered it is NOT easy to take a good photograph of a dish.

So, as a photographer-in-training, I reckon I need to try taking photos of all kinds of things.

To me, a good photograph of food should make your mouth water and lures you to reach your hand to the screen to try some of that food. And yes, by looking at this photo of blooming onion, I DO want to reach into the screen and pull a piece out.

Nom nom nom. Heeeeeh.

Nice to Meet You

2009-08-10T16:37:00.007+08:00

I have been thinking long and hard which photo to use as my first entry, so I decided on this one - a photo of the Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.

But if you think this scene is an easy scene to photograph, you are terribly wrong, and I think this is the reason why, when you walk along the coasts of the Habour, you can see tourists and locals with cameras on their hands, trying to capture the most beautiful side of this vibrant place.

This is one of the few photos I took of the Habour that I am actually satisfied with. Hopefully soon I can challenge the place again with my new ultrawide lens on hand.

Must save more money.