Seeing is Believing, Believing is Seeing

I've always love to travel since young. Competitive swimming has given me the opportunities to travel places where not many would consider them as resorts and holidays while meeting new friends. I miss those carefree days whereby the routines were just eat, sleep, study and swim with nothing else to worry about. I would give 100% in training sessions just so I could qualify for some outstation competitions in order to travel as these were the only holidays I could have as a kid. There was no such thing as vacation where no swimming competitions involved.

Even then, I still got to learn so much from so "little". These exposures have made me more independent at a younger age and be more responsible for myself as well as others. Back then, staying in luxurious motels (not hotels) was a rare occasion. Dormitories with filthy restrooms, cockroaches, mosquitoes and bed-bugs were norms. I could recall once in Kota Kinabalu that I felt something crawling near my bed while trying to sleep in a humid night without a fan and only realised that it's a cockroach upon jumping off the upper bunk!

The interesting part would be the stories of one seeing "something" or felt something "weird". It didn't matter who he/she was as it could cause the sensations to both us as swimmers and the officials! I was fortunate not to have those experience by being more respectful of the surroundings....! Whew....

The urge to travel still exist in me but it's not easily fulfilled with limited leaves available as well as resources [think mortgages...!]! The urge has been further amplified since our first actual family holiday in Beijing back in 2004.

Having said that, I was and still am very excited when I received an Xmas gift (which is very rare) that has once again flamed the fire in me for more travel adventures. I'll certainly list out plenty of places I want to visit. A masterplan will be in the works soon but bring on the Kiwi land and Land of the Rising Sun, hopefully soon and with fellow adventure-seekers, esp the person who gave me the gift...

I stumbled upon this book collection while staying over at my aunt's place in Singapore and out came my camera. How befitting it is to have the photo of the gift taken alongside The World Book collection that belongs to my uncle.

Thank you so very much for the book that meant so much to me. So much with so little...

Glutton Nite Out Relishing Korean BBQ

While I am awake at 5am on the very last day of 2009, I had to write about this incident happened few days ago in Sg as it's such a funny experience of which will certainly go down memory lane.

A cousin, AH, is looking at getting a new laptop and I tagged along since we'd be having dinner later with his bro, AY before heading for a night shoot. We headed to Sim Lim Square and I was advised to avoid stores at ground level be it computers or camera gear!

Anyway, it was decided that we would head to Bugis since it's just a short walk from SLS. Korean buffet dinner was the choice the brothers decided. That's one good decision. However, the subsequent decision and action (rather inaction by the other 2 persons) led to the hilarious incident!

We were left with an order form to choose our dishes. Guys being guys, we left the ordering with AH to hasten the ordering process with a single decision-maker. I recalled AH asked me, "Do you eat everything?" and it didn't hit me (and AY) until much later!! I wouldn't say this led to us being regret for what AH did or what AY and I didn't do but what a surprise we had.

The dishes kept coming and coming, filling up our table that's meant for 4 seaters comfortably. This was even after we started emptying the existing dishes! AY started to feel full from looking at the plates on the table. The look on our faces would have been "the moment", but alas, we were all shocked at the amount of food we had to have and would have to relish!


Obviously, AY and I were curious what else would there be. So, we asked and the response we got hit us so hard we were in a fit of laughter, realising the impact of the question AH posted earlier. AH literally ticked every meat in the order form, minus mutton! All sorts of pork, beef, chicken and prawns with various flavours!

AY indeed went out for fresh air a few times but he was the first to "quit" the adventure. Glory probably belongs to me that dinner that lasted almost 90mins of continuous eating, thanks to AH!

It was certainly a memorable glutton nite with these 2 brothers of mine, one of whom will never be ordering food again (no prize for right answer) and if he did we'll make sure it's not everything in the menu again! Nevertheless, it was a great dinner - "sum"-tious yet delirious!

The brethren
p/s: The walk for the night shoot was indeed helpful. The next morning, I was woken up early to clear my bowel while AY was feeling full still!

Memorable Trip Home

My trip back home was certainly very tiring but worth every single moment of it - from chatting with my beloved swim coach, assisting in friend's wedding, Saigon trip with my folks to catching up with cousins and meeting up with friends over Xmas period. I hardly had sufficient sleep without even acclimatised to the time difference. As such, fatigues actually hit me towards my last 2 days in Penang.

Seeing the faces and the expressions for the surprises is priceless. These are certainly etched into my memory.

Having said that, I didn't really take many photos other than friend's wedding celebrations. I guess I just wanted a break and soaked in.

Unlike other trips back, I didn't have a more affirmative schedule for my next return due to some uncertainties.

Here is a shot while staying over in Singapore and was brought there by cousins who are photography enthusiasts:

Got loads to process from friend's wedding to Saigon's trip (not many though)......

Simplicity - Take 2

After perusing through my collection of simplicity images, I realised that I have been not very actively. Most of the pics are at least 1 year old with the exception of a handful taken recently with an after-thought.

I shall revive this once again, firstly to energise myself and challenge my creativity. Simple composition exudes elegance yet exhibits serenity. It's an art form in one way or another.

The very first stint will be in Saigon (HCMC). I have decided that the gear will be the bare minimum - 1 body, 1 lens and 3 flash acessories (maybe just 2). The gear will be D3, 50mm, SU800 and 2 flashes (max). One lens to snap them all....

In the meantime, here is the link to the Simplicity is Beauty.

I hope I can contain my fervour til then...

Men of Movember 2009

Although I am not possible to grow a moustache, I involved myself in another way for charity, Movember. Movember is held annually in the month of, well, November whereby moustache is grown and maintained for the entire month. The purpose of this is to raise the awareness of men's health, specifically prostate cancer and depression.

When I was asked to photograph some of these men for the purpose of using them in 2010 calendar for their company, I gladly jumped onboard. The best part of it was one copy of the calendars with the participants autographs was sold at $400 through auction during the company's Xmas dinner. In total, $1400 were raised through the 2010 calendar sales alone which were selling like hot cakes!

Anyway, here is the group shot.

November Portraits

Some of the images taken for a family portrait and an engagement session with couple who will be getting married in April.

Thanks to the Talwar family for having me to photograph your awesome family.

Amy & Dave, finally after some wicked weather in the last couple of weeks we managed to get the session done.

Counting Down

The countdown has began and I'm actually not referring to the festive seasons. I can't hardly wait for next week to arrive as I will be back in my hometown. After some difficult months, the prospect of seeing my folks, relatives and close ones certainly replenishes the positiveness in me.

I can't wait for my family's Vietnam trip to come in about 10 days and I'm sure there will be quality time spent in fooling around with my folks, hopefully. I guess it's about time for me to make the effort in getting to know more about them, especially dad due to some personal reasons.

Before the Viet trip, I get the honour of covering a friend's wedding in our good ol Penang. It will be spread over 3 days and I hope to withstand the humidity!

How can I forget the company close friends after being away for some time. It doesn't really matter where we meet or where to eat. What I cherish most is the time we get to be together. Having said that, I'd prefer somewhere relaxing with not much of loud music for us to actually catch up rather than headbanging.

I hope to bring the very best out of this trip. Perhaps, I shall quote this from someone "Sleep is for the dead".

Boosting & Soothing

Seeing the delightful expression of my client upon delivering the final results of my images is priceless. This satisfaction actually soothes the disappointments that I have experienced (and still going through) for the past few months.

Anyway, here are some of the images of their 6 months' old bub that amaze them.
It's certainly a boost to my AIM - Aspiration, Inspiration & Motivation.

Pay It Forward

Sometimes the simplest idea can make the biggest difference
Three imperfect people. One Perfect Idea

This movie, starring the young Haley Joel Osment, is intriguing yet inspiring when I first watched it back in 2000. It is about doing a good deed for three persons who in turn each do good deeds for three other people. So, 3 becomes 9 which in turn grow to 27. If only Bernard Madoff could do his pyramid scheme, there would have been exponential expansions which will certainly have positive impacts to the world.

One of the rules is the person who received the deed cannot pay it back but pay it forward. Hence, the title of the movie based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Well, I have personally received an unforgetable deed from a very closed friend that really made a difference over 3 years ago.

I am paying it forward now. When all else fail, those who stand by and with you are your true friends (this may include family members).

GTI Engine Rebuild

Well, I have the opportunity to see how the engine is assembled given that one of the guys is having it rebuilt. I am there as a documentor of the event. Today is the last mile after stripping the whole engine bay apart, cleaning, degreasing, scraping, grinding, lubricating and the likes...

The pics are of Day 2 and the guys are willing to share and explain which is awesome.

Today is the last mile...Hope to see more of this......It's very educating.

Bare engine bayEngine block minus the pistonsOil pumpDSG - a whopping gearbox nearer to 200kgEngine head - cleaned
Assembling piston parts togetherComparison between old and new pistonsBottom of engine block where oil pump is locatedInserting the piston into the blockEngine block is up but without the turbo as yet

New Inspiration Work In Progress

I have been wanting to find my own style / niche of photography and I think I may have gotten that glimpse of inspiration. Certainly, I will try them out whenever I have the chance which is aplenty.

What is it? You'll need to be patient as lots of work need to be put through and thereafter fine-tuning. There will be some DIYs too to modify some add-ons etc.

Think light....

A snapshot of it

Winter Wedding Images

Winter is always the quiet season, obviously due to the chilly temperature. It does have its character (Melbourne doesn't snow)...Love it still...

Hope things will pick up soon...

Then There Were Twelve

Update: Parks Victoria has confirmed that the crumbled was not of The Twelve Apostles but of the Three Sisters. Whew...but then limestone formations won't last forever!

The news today brought me back to my previous post of The Twelve Apostles almost 2 years ago during the 50th Anniversary of The Great Ocean Road. Another limestone formation crumbled into the sea.

Perhaps it's another good excuse to have a drive down GOR once again but this is in my new ride. *wink*