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Evil-eyed wabbits

Che Kong Temple festival fair

The unexpectedly Zen and Chinese-Japanesque Nan Lian Garden

Chi Lin Nunnery with not a nun in sight

From the top of the (Needle) Hill

12km hillly hike from Fo Tan towards Tsuen Wan

Small fish in small packages

More on Flickr: HK 2011 photoset

Spent hardly an hour in Zone 1 since arriving in the UK on Saturday. Been travelling about, up to Oxford, back into London, south-west to New Forest, back again, and now I’m more than 340 miles up north, past Newcastle, putting up for the night – and the next few nights – in Belford, in anticipation of some island hopping in the Farnes.

The weather’s been lovely so far. Everything has been brilliant. Had a reunion with QuGee, ate Nandos, scampi, shot deer and wild ponies, dozed on grass in a moor and had some deep thoughts, strolled about in quaint towns, visited the coast, explored a bit of rocky shore, watched Inception, met up with some really really international friends, listened to the awful Magic and Heart and what have you, was inspired by BBC Radio 4, stepped in sheep poo, travelled through mist at night, got aphid-ised. More to come later, for now Flickr’s the most updated.

Back from Okinawa and Fukuoka; pics are up!

“Insert swiftly, remove completely” has become our unofficial motto, a play on the instructions displayed on a carpark ticketing machine. Get in, shoot, get out; another one down, a tick on the checklist of 100+ selected heritage sites. Time is of the essence, but speed is not always possible!

From having been apprehended by campus security and dragged off to invited to see their management (the hullabaloo has since been cleared), to harassing a handsome cock (twice! – once in the day, and once at night) on the steps of a Hindu temple, or being detained in conversation with an elderly kindly security guard¹, it’s been some crazy weeks, and fun times. It’s been extremely enlightening too, and this project has given us an excuse to go to all those places we wouldn’t usually visit otherwise. Or couldn’t usually visit otherwise, without a legitimate reason. Dropping by places of worship or former British- or Japanese-occupied historical blocks of concrete isn’t what we’d normally plan for lunchtimes, after work or over weekends.

Just three more to go!

¹ Initially reluctant to let us through the gates to shoot an old airport, saying that we needed to write in beforehand to get permission, he relented after a bit of persuasion and also after having considered that the premises was going to be handed over to the government in a few days with accessibility becoming non-negotiable. He had a laboured, slurred speech and walked slowly with a limp, impairments that came about from a nasty “fall from a high place” when he was much younger, and he spent years learning how to crawl, walk, run, and talk again. A fighter against ill fortunes, he then took to volunteering at the hospitals, inspiring others and providing counsel and therapy assistance. He secured a job as a security guard, thanks to the folks at the PA who “took pity” on his condition. But now, with the handover of this old airport to the authorities who would be employing armed guards, he would be out of a job and would very likely be retrenched. He thought highly of our degrees and jobs and assured us that we youths had a bright future ahead. Should we ever start up running our own businesses, and should we need someone to sweep the floor, he joked, half-seriously, we should remember him. I had taken a photo of him posing in front of the airport and promised to send it to his address.

My 6-year-old Nikon Coolpix 4500 was a more-than-decent camera in its days. It packed a powerful macro function, and that it offered full manual control over exposure settings and flash output meant that in some ways, it is still a superior machine to many of the point-and-shoots out there in the market today. At least, I would still prefer it to my mom’s Canon compact.

But with an LCD screen size of 2.5×3cm (it’s teeny), and at 4 megapix, it’s hardly adequate anymore. Not wanting to lug my D200 between home and the office every day, I kept my Coolpix in the office and a few times in the previous weeks I had an opportunity to use it. I also took it out to Buloh once recently to see if it was still capable of performance. On all occasions I was dismayed to find that I was far from happy with the results (although it still managed to get me this). It was clear that it was time to get a new digital compact.

So I did.

And… *gasp* don’t flip…

I got a Canon PowerShot G10 - the current flagship of Canon’s advanced compact cams. I was contemplating the Nikon P6000, but reviews and advice from friends convinced me that Nikon was, unfortunately, a bit of a let-downer in the P&S field.

Dogged wanderings, all of ‘em… ‘Paws at the Beach‘ at East Coast Park, in celebration of World Animal Day 2008. My sis and I came back smelling like a-few-dozen-dogs-in-one, and Dofu gave us a thorough sniff-over when we returned. She was full of snorts.

More photos on Zoto

Composite of 400mm, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/8s + ditto, 1/200s

Nikon D200 + Nikon Fieldscope ED78 (= 1000mm) + attachment

Know those arcade shooter games where you’re supposed to rescue hostages and you have your crosshairs hovering over innocent victims?

Us camera-trotting types may have to echo their cry.

I’m a bit late on this one - trust the budak to have spotted this article in BBC when I missed it. I’m not in London right now and I haven’t seen the posters, but I’m sure I wouldn’t want to (be seen around them), especially not if I have my camera with me.

Having had the experience of being questioned by police officers a handful of times while shooting in London (be it doing street or public events), I know how harassing it can be when you are stopped by the Met in their florescent duty jackets:

“Do you have a permit for that?”

Do I need a permit?

“Are you taking this for commercial purposes?”

No, not commercial, I assure you. It’s my hobby - purely for personal purposes.

“What are you taking?”

Erm… whatever I feel would make a good picture?

That BAJ press pass came in handy on several occasions, but at times you’d just feel like being rebellious and think yourself worthy of occupying a few more seconds’ worth of an officer’s time.

I know the authorities’ intentions are all and well, but it gets depressing when they launch campaigns that would only spread paranoia and reap suspicion of photographers amongst the masses. And just what do they mean by ’seems odd’, anyway? If they’re brown-skinned? Turbaned? Bearded? Looking suspicious? Furtive movements? Darty eyes? Terrorists don’t exactly like to flaunt the fact that they are terrorists… or so my understanding was.

Live in fear, you should. Potential terrorists are all around you. Just look at that dude with his spunky new white Canon L-lens.

Link :: Odd looking photographer? Must be a terrorist (with parodied posters)
Related info :: UK Photographers’ Rights leaflet (know your rights!)

Other than the wildly successful bid to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, there is a lesser-known bid that Singapore is trying to win: WSJ 2015. The Singapore Scouts played host to the Chief and senior Commissioners of the various National Scout Organisations (read: countries) over the weekend, bringing them on a social and site inspection visit to where we propose the World Scout Jamboree 2015 to be held (mainly on Coney Island and at Punggol Point, but with activities taking place over the entire island!). Commissioners from over 100 countries attended, and were treated to dinners which over the nights were hosted or graced by the presence of Prof Tommy Koh, President Nathan, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. The packed itinerary included a stay at the Regent Hotel, visits to the Asian Civilisations Museum, OBS at Pulau Ubin, the NEWater plant, the Istana, Sungei Buloh, Singapore Science Centre, and the Botanic Gardens, and various other places like the heartlands or cultural districts. They were the most hardcore tourists!

I loved mingling around with the commissioners. They loved to joke, tease, laugh, and basically have fun. Young at heart indeed. I learnt much, about them, their countries, and as I went I realised how misplaced some of my knowledge about the world was. Even Imperial or the Model UN didn’t have this international a flavour. Looking at them at Burkhill Hall at the Botanics on the last day, in their own countries’ uniforms, how distinctly unique each country was in its culture and heritage, but all bonded by that common identity of a scout scarf and the World badge - we were all Scouts of peace, no matter our histories, no matter our current political stances. Here, where the peoples of countries formerly or even currently at war could talk freely, among brothers.

I think the Singapore Scout Association did great - the programme, logistics, efficiency, everything throughout those three days… were set to impress. At the risk of sounding like a brainwashed patriotic citizen, listening to the testaments of the commissioners declaring their countries’ support for Singapore, I must say that I did feel proud to be Singaporean… ironically, while donning the UK uniform!

During the feedback and debrief session, a question was posed to our Chief: “The Singapore government now is very supportive of the bid. But what if it changes its stance or the political structure changes in future, before 2015?” The hall erupted in laughter. The Singaporeans present chuckled with knowing confidence, as did the representatives from the other Asian countries. Overheard from one of the Asian commissioners: “How little he knows about Singapore!”

The Zambian commissioner made a moving speech on the call for peace, and how impressed he was with Singapore’s multiculturalism and inter-racial harmony. “We in Africa have been hacking each other, just because we are from different tribes. I will support sending our children here, so that they can learn, so that they can see, how people of different colours can live together in harmony, in peace, with a common vision for the nation.”

Later on, over dinner, I heard one of the African commissioners asked Minister Balakrishnan, “So can you tell me what is not well with your government? Really, you have good security, communication…”

The Ugandan commissioner was full of praises, assuring us that only positive reports from what he has witnessed first-hand in Singapore would be sent to the top ministers in his government and his President, and humbly admitting that Uganda has much to learn from Singapore, such a small country, but so advanced, and so ahead in so many ways - how is has developed, how it is governed, how we manage to balance economic and environmental needs, which was a running theme throughout - Prof Tommy Koh mentioned, it, our Chief Commissioner elaborated on it, Dr Balakrishnan again touched on it.

It was all over too soon, I’m sure we wished it had lasted longer, this unique experience - both for them, the visitors to Singapore, and for us the hosts. But I’m sure Singapore nailed it… at least, I hope we did!

The Polish and Mozambican commissioners posing for a photo

Prof Tommy Koh (Ambassador-at-Large for Singapore, Chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies, National Heritage Board and Chinese Heritage Centre… and an environmental champion)

Mr Yatiman Yusof (Singapore’s High Commissioner to Kenya, former MICA Senior Parliamentary Secretary), providing commentary on the bus

The rainbow underground fountain at the NEWater plant

The Tunisian commissioner speaks

The Saudi Arabian commissioner with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports)

Photos :: Day 1
Photos :: Day 2
Photos :: Day 3

After months of bumping around the corners, I've 'found' a one-size-fits-all approach to my photography exploits. I have gotten a wallet-sized card printed, which I would hand out either on its own (after ticking the relevant boxes) or together with my namecard. Much better than writing out additional URLs at the back of my namecard (it can become quite tedious when there're lots of people or when you're hard-pressed for time), or printing out slips of notes and messages. The third section with the 'Street Photographer's message' would serve to reinforce what I find myself repeating in confrontations with strangers. Hopefully this would pacify them some, and would give them the option of contacting me for their pics as well, all self-explanatory on the card. The actual version of this has my contact details too, of course.

They could’ve called it the National Queuing Day; it would have been a lot more fitting.

Are Singaporeans really that interested in aviation, or are they just curious, or do they simply have nothing better to during the weekends? I counted spending at close to 4 hours waiting in queues, possibly more. There was that massive convoluted queue around the Pasir Ris MRT station (that alone took more than an hour) to board the free shuttle (should have avoided that in the first place), the jam along the roads to the exhibition site (we ended up missing most of the flying display, and had to watch the A380 and the RAAF’s performance while still on the bus) , the queue upon arrival to get through registration and all those security checks, the queue after registration to get to where the static displays were, and after everything, the queue back out and the queue to board the coaches back out to town.

The airshow itself was pretty good, but crowd control and organisation was extremely poor. Tickets had to be purchased in advance, and so most people had to grit their teeth and just go through all that agony for that opportunity of a close encounter with military and commercial aircraft. I didn’t catch the Black Knights doing their manoeuvres - I only saw the Aussie’s Roulettes, and even then the sky was overcast and all washed out and just made for horrible, horrible photography. Even so, I’m glad I went for the airshow, fulfilling a lesser-known childhood want of mine, despite my parents’ warnings that airshows were dangerous events to attend. How else could I get to stand under the nose of an A380 or get onto the back of a Chinook?

Photos :: S’pore Airshow 2008

For events, I don't usually bother developing the shots afterwards and handing them to whoever I've taken. I'd pass a DVD to the organisers, and they'd be responsible for passing them down. But what can I do when a lanky old man with a permanent lopsided grin passes me his postal address on the back of a receipt, and earnestly asks me to send him the photos I've taken of him and his old folk pals? In Mandarin he forces me to confirm, "You will send us the photos, ya?"

The responses are varied. Some, as if a photo of them at this age would be the most offensive thing in the world, would grimace and cover their faces and wave me away. Others, embracing the company of their friends dressed in bright festive Chinese tops and swaying along to the music, would call out to me in their hoarse voices and ask me to snap a shot. I'd go round the table and squat by them afterwards while they tell me stories and try to make talk, a splattering of saliva finding their way onto my face, which I'd subtlely and politely wipe away with an arm. If it was Mandi or Canto, it'll be a conversation. If it was Hakka or some other dialect, it'll be a monologue until I cease my smiling and let it develop into a confused frown. Then I'd be released and allowed to go on my way. 

I admit I don’t have much experience with senior citizens. I don’t know if I should feel pity or happy for them. I guess a mixture of both. Many needed support on canes and other devices, some required wheelchairs, and some had to be accompanied by personal helpers. There were many, though, who amazed us with their spirit and playful demeanor. Some would munch on buns, pick bones out of fish, perform feats of delicate handling with their chopsticks, or sing and get up from their chairs to dance to the music against all appearances of fragility. There was an elderly woman who told us she was turning 94 this year, but she looked decades younger. She’d blush and look away when praised of her youthful complexion and bright, alert eyes…

** Image-intensive post! **

My first time seeing the parade, possibly my best series of images to date! Chingay was fantastically impressive - nothing in London can beat this! They call it the Parade of Dreams… ‘Asia’s grandest street and floats parade’. It leaves little room for doubt.

I lingered around the assembly area during the pre-parade preparations, and took candid shots of the performers getting themselves ready. They were friendly and willing to pose, and I chatted with our performer guests from the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea and Japan while mingling around.

For the parade itself, abandoning my family and friends higher up in the stands, I sneaked out front and positioned myself in between the row of press photographers, squatting by the roadside just behind the barricades. A press photog whom I met on two on previous occasions blurted out a surprised “Ey? Hello…!” when we came to mutual recognition. I grinned. I was out there to stay, pass-less and lanyard-less though I was. We then turned our attention to the F1 ‘Red Bull’ racecar and in synchrony with the rest of the photogs, panned our lenses from left to right and right to left, trying to lock on to that ridiculously speedy racecar. The rest of the parade shoot, as they say, is history. Behold the Beast!

“I luvu Shingapor!” - performers from the ‘So’ Erg Dance Company, Kagoshima Japan

Hrrrumph.The Taiwan Xin Yi Fang Singing and Opera Troupe

Lots of fishies. Not sure where they’re from…

A proud Harley biker deafens the crowds with his engine’s roars

Floral dancers from the prelude segment

The audience covers their eyes while firecrackers go off in the starting ceremony

Reach for the sky!

The fire-spewing luminous dragon from teh S’pore Dragon and Lion Athletic Association

Dancers from NUS Sheares Hall

A cheeky perfomer from the Celtic piece ‘The Legend of Balor’

Tribal and rural dance performers from the Philippines

Kuda Kepang dancers from Johor

Erm, medieval warriors moving a castle of sorts?

Local artistes Gurmit Singh, Michelle Chia, Quan Yi Feng and Bryan Wong

The climax of the parade - City Hall crowned by fireworks

A glittering affair!

The finale… the ‘Celestial Web’

Photos :: Chingay 2008

While it may be said that the camera doesn’t lie, the framing and interpretation of reality lies very much with the photographer and the viewer.

This is right outside our flat. My street’s not actually this quiet. Not a street, in fact, but a road, and a major road at that. It takes a bit of patience and good timing to stand by the kerbside to get a frame where no cars and light trails could be seen, giving a serenely quiet atmosphere. It’s definitely not as eerie as what the photos suggest it to be, but it was certainly not what you’d call a normal Friday night. Would have been perfect for a Jack the Ripper thriller-mystery genre setting (or a romantic one - you decide). It’s been a misty few nights, and thus rather warmish. The moon’s bright and clear though, unobscured by the usual layers of clouds.

Meanwhile, inside the house, we were enjoying our little Christmas party…

Photos :: Misty night
Photos :: QuGee-LG Christmas party

Recently I’ve been taking photos of Christmas lights-ups, festivities, fairs, people, shop displays. But it is not the festive spirit that is motivating me. Instead I am driven by a modern sense of humbuggery - a railing against the commercialisation of Christmas. The very thing that repels me is what attracts me to, all the more, have it documented and presented.

What a grip consumerism has on society. Nevermind that Christmas was originally meant for celebrating the Nativity, and nevermind the common values of peace and giving that transcends all religions. Christmas does not inspire to give, give, give. But encourages to buy, buy, buy.

Just look around you. Do you hear what I hear? iPhone.

The big X’mas tree at Trafalgar Square

Carolling in the cold

Possibly Rudolph’s wife

Photos :: Christmas in London

Bankside Frost Fair

St Paul’s from the south bank

Inside Tate Modern

Finding that perfect educational Christmas gift

The ghosts of Christmas?

More photos: Bankside Frost Fair and Tate Modern

Flowershop in the park

London Eye Junior

Curious crowds

Ice rink at Natural History Museum

More photos: X’mas at NHM and Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park

A wet day… a wet week, in fact. We were planning on shooting the main Climate Change march this afternoon but it was raining too heavily. I brought my kit along to lunch just in case… and since Bond St was just a few stops away, I hopped onto the Tube and popped out over the other side just to grab a few shots of the rally participants and to see exactly what this whole ‘protest’ was about. Banners and posters a-plenty, slogan-bearing hippies, students, right-wingers, political activists, and the young and old from the odd family group. Looked like they were out to have a day of fun more than anything else.

More photos here.

Went to this year’s Lord Mayor’s with Xi, Kamil and Vincent; the parades were just as colourful as last year’s and the [natural] lighting just as rotten. And the entire day had been a photographic disaster if there ever was one - my camera was set to bracketing, resulting in only one in nine photos [...]

A… modern? junk in the harbour Central at night, with the Bank of China and Cheung Kong skyscrapers towering over the Legislative Council Building All photos are up (only the first ~80 pics on the page; the rest are from before). I’m now back in Singapore, and am endeavouring to finally get me bottoms off my comfy base [...]