Moments

Capturing Moments...

I was resting my feet when i saw this nice little scene..grabbed my camera and shoot immediately..
this is a everyday sight..a sight so common yet a moment worth capturing..




Lighting was great for both picture creating a different ambience.

Pursuing the wrong things in Life

Just when we thought that the economy is on its way to recovery, just when we thought that there would be no more retrenchment, just when we thought that life would be slightly better, but who would have thought the outbreak on swine flu?
There might be more retrenchment coming along the way, and life isn’t as peaceful as you always wanted it to be.

This really makes me wonder if we are pursuing the wrong things in life.


We always wanted more, never satisfied, but in the end when we are left with the decision on live or death, do we really still need all these materialistic stuff?

If you happened to experience similar situations, you should know that at times like this, what we really need is Understanding, Care and Support.

Let’s not be calculative but instead, share and be grateful with what we have.

Talent talent...more talent

More surprises

Hollie Steel


Shaheen Jafargholic

Equally touching...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1aO4BMO1KM&feature=related

Julian Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz8BvSiop5Q&feature=related

Darth Vader - - WOW WOW WOW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywFz0iLEteY&feature=related

Macro shots

Dad was an excellent Macro shooter in the old days and so i decided to give it a try on macro photography.
So happened that i owned a telecope lens and all i need is a close up filter or so-called manifying glass to achieve a nice decent macro shot.

500D macro filter
I got mine on a real bargain from a really friendly and helpful uncle who spend like 30 minutes talking to me and giving me some tips.
So if you happen to see me at Tanah Merah MRT on wednesday evening, that old Mister i am talking to, he isn't someone i really knew!
Well, he does resemble my 3rd uncle alot especially when he talks.
Super helpful but, i know the weather was hot, and maybe after a busy day, he may be extremely heaty, i would really hope he take a sip of water from the bottle he is carrying. But i digress.

There wasn't any bee or butterfly or any insect on a day when i really need them but there is always a subject as long as you really source around.

Here are some shots i took.





In conclusion, Macro are extremely difficult but this was a nice try, wasn't it?

Making People look their very best

We often hear photographer mentioning to people that they can make people look their best on Camera.
Somehow, it is kind of misleading because it's really about making your photos of people look better.
If you have some really ugly people in the picture, there's not much you can do to help these poor souls.
They have been hit with the ugly stick, and they don't make a digital camera that will make these people, who didn't have a date for the prom, suddenly look like Brat Pitt or Angelina Jolie.

I happened to notice alot of people love to post infront of a camera on their best angle, this could have been possible and normal for studio shots. But for normal candid photography, beauty lies in being natural. You do not pose with your best angle while walking on the streets just to stay "pretty", it might be contrary when you trip and fell.

Okay..think i side tracked abit. Yes, I have some picture to share here and of course like what i mentioned, showing the natural side of the subject.

Well, if you are thinking of looking at some nice candid portrait, Yes you are right!
But its not a human, it is my sister's dog, Poppy!
I really swallowed my guts down to take these shots. She doesn't love taking picture and always in a offensive mode.



Moody "her", lying next to her owner..i wanted to get a pic of her by itself..but it is still best to leave her next to the owner who can control her.




Really agitated by the camera "clicking sound"


And finally a decent shot.


Most of these pictures are through my zoom lens. Ling saw it and told me that it looks cute and don't really look agressive.

Well, i only know she has a temper and is a very particular dog. Coming to her place and leaving her place gets the equal treatment. Don't really know what she wants.

The Green Color

I am trying on a new processing method..creating different colour feel in the presence of my pictures.

I will start off with Green in this episode..









wanted to show more of other colors but too bad, no time for more photography these days.

Unexpected Surprise

Was out shopping with Lainey and was just mentioning to her about 4D betting and uncoincidentally coincidental, i strike the First Prize!!! YES!!! No Joke, no gimmick, the 1st Prize!

Guess what, on an impulse unlike the scroogy me, I bought $5 Big!!!
Yah, do the calculation for me and keep the congratulations
coming in!

Now, its really about compiling my wishlist

1) A trip to Japan?
2) An upgrade for my Cammy?
3) A straight ten days on leave and do nothing but just shop shop and more shopping? Skip that Unlquo and join the no queue High Class shopping at Paragon?
4) Donate to Charity?

Oh gosh, with the global warming effect at 35 degrees and all these night dreaming, its really difficult to stay focus and Sleep!!!

How i wish the number on my ticket runs in sequence with what was displayed on TV.
Well, did i forget to mention that the $5 was actually IBET, on 24x permutation?

Haha....well before you "CHEY", its still quite an "Amount".

It's Celebration today!!!!

Another side of Changi Airport

Just when everyone is busy shooting the external structure of the Airport, i decided to touch on the internal side of the Airport.
Firstly, i couldn’t resist the temptation to try out my new lens. Secondly, Tamron 17-50mm F2.8, a lens which i barter traded with 4 other lenses, I wanted very much to see if this tammy lens lived up to its expectation.

Here are some testing shots,

Terminal 3






The "must go" Sunflower garden at Terminal 2..
It was not the season for sunflower but there are still some for my frame.







More flowers in the transit





Some Nice cosy areas in the Airport where tourist loves







Butterfly Garden, it was too hot for me to stay there


A very relaxing Koi Pond



Inside the terminal

I always felt the travellators was the trademark of an airport, travelling on it to reach the gates for boarding...








Checking out flight


Last but not least, plane taking off

The Judgemental Society

It is quite sad that in the current society we are living in, we are still consider a bunch of judgemental creatures that judge people by their appearance before we even give them a chance. And if you do give people a chance, they might surprise you.

This was how I felt when I watch this you tube video. I had a 5 mins goosebump while watching it.

Think it was copyrighted, embedding is not possible for a full screening.

Susan Boyle, she was all over news...

I bet you will like to drill in more for the full video of this extraordinary lady here..

embedding was removed

And here is another contestant who dare to make his dream comes true. From a hp salesman to being famous.

Amanda was full of tears when she heard him sing...Paul Potts winner for 2007

Watch the full video here

And what a 6 years old can do

A Complimentry email

Remember the little girl's picture i took at bugis?
http://jackson-myphilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/04/night-photography-at-bugis.html

I have gotten a respond from the parents.

"Thanks alot... They are great..
My daughter likes the pic alot.."

Think this is the kind of appreciation everyone loves to have.
So next time, you may hire me to take some shots for you but please please please be natural.
Cause i know everyone will try to pose at the camera when its pointed at them.

At least for now, it makes me feel slightly better over my lousy deal.

Cheers to photography!!!

Secrets over blogging

Shh...Not so loud. Not when everyone is reading it.

I just realised that blogging seems to deprive me of my privacy but yet, a good tool for me to vent my frustration.

Yes, I sold all my lenses, almost all except for a few that is still pending. Guess what, dealing over the internet or through forum require good monitoring and communication skills.

I NEED TO COMPLAIN and Whine in order to vent off this lousy deal I have gotten.

I closed 2 deals today and fair enough, one was good, the other was not really what I expected.
The first buyer was extremely unfriendly over messaging before we meet, yet when we met, he was an excellent no nonsense buyer who check, test and pay.
Well the 2nd buyer was extremely friendly over messaging and for once I thought I have gotten a good deal for a trade using 1 lens plus top up some cash for a lens I wanted. And I was taken by surprise when he asked me for another lens which I initially posted to sell off as a package. As such, I felt I got ripped off a $30-$50 over this trade. If you are a “bargainer”, you will understand what I mean; it’s not really about the money, but the deal itself.
Especially, when I saw someone selling the lens at a much cheaper price and I can only regret why I didn’t ask properly. This is confirm not a fair deal but then again, I try to console myself that at times you gain and at times you lose some.
It is hard to compromise a fair deal. Everyone wants to win.
Nonetheless, I am still glad the lens is in good condition and at least its working up to the expectation.

Damn this idiotic person.

To all my dear friends, your friend just got “chopped”, please don’t chop me anymore if we happen to meet this week. Please treat me nicer. Thanks

Night Photography at Bugis

Who is this cute little girl?
My model for the night, while i am all thwarted finding no use for my new lens EF S 55-250mm, a little surprise came along while i was at Bugis.

Natural is beauty!

Capture these at her most natural behaviour






















In some ways, this little girl does resemble my cute little cousin in New Zealand. Hopefully I can pay them a visit soon.

What a day

I am thinking if I should start off this entry with “The fun and enjoyable meet up session” but after thinking of a bad encounter over dinner, I convinced myself to postpone and save that fun part for the ending while I blog and whine about how terrible it is over my dinner.

We chose our dinner at Xin Café located level 5 of Iluma, the new shopping mall. It was the first outlet in Singapore and so happened that they were having a promotion of 20% discount on all items plus no service charge. Such a good deal was too good to be true and we were tempted to try. Reflecting now, I should have insisted not to step in.



How terrible?

We were served the wrong dishes at least twice. The best part, our food was served impromptu and not in accordance. Vin got his food served first and halfway through, Li got her’s and when vin finished his food, Xin’s came. I ordered the similar dish as Xin and was surprised that I was not served even after 10 minutes.
Their Customer Service was terrible; I asked the waitress why am I waiting while my friends were finishing their food. I even approached the manager and the only answer I have gotten was ridiculously superficial. He told me that claypot rice need to cook one by one while I was thinking if they have got enough claypot to cook in the first place. to be frank, i believed they mislooked my order.

Getting rather annoyed, i cancelled my order. Then the food was finally served which i rejected again and the ignorant manager did not apologise immediately on this mistake.
Yet, she offered me a complimentary dessert stating that I might be hungry and the dessert is on the house. Can I still go for a mango pudding while I am starving?
Won’t it sound more sincered to offer me the claypot rice free instead?

Next look at the dish plate, there was a chip on the pot. The char siew was all fatty and oily


Chicken claypot’s chicken was tastless, 60% meat, 40% fats


In conclusion, we won’t be revisiting this restaurant for sure, definitely not on our list with the many other choice available.
Try at your own risk and if you are served fairly fast, don’t be surprised it was actually meant for another client whom just cancelled his order.

If I were to give a critic’s rating, definitely 2/10


No “Wow” factor at Iluma, just that the structure of the building seems to work on many curves as the primary design.


Some boutiques never heard before can be found here. Bugis Junction proves to have more choice.


Anyway, the day was not all about rotten events. The Flee market at Mount Sophia wasn’t really very attractive after climbing the fleet of stairs up to the top and sweating all over but the movie “Shinjuku” was nice.

As usual, taking snap shot with our cameras while waiting for the theatre to open.








Frankly, till to-date, I still do not understand why Jackie Chan tend to use girls that don’t really match his age and looks more like a daughter to him as his wife or girlfriend. Thank god, he did not mention he was only 28 in the movie.