29 July 2012

Sentiments of a (non)Photographer

Photographer.

Amateur. Professional. Hobbyist. Enthusiast. Trying hard. Frustrated.

Let me say this for once, and for my own self-satisfaction as well. Photographers have eyes for beauty and intricate details. They capture what they want as long as they are behind the lens. They know how to play around with light to get perfect results for a photograph. They adjust the settings of the camera as if it's the most normal thing to do, just like reciting ABC's. They freeze moments in photographs, like re-creating the real scene, perhaps in an even better view. The thing is, however in love a photographer is with a scenery, he can never capture a perfect shot of himself together with that scenery. Definitely, or at least I think, something will go wrong.

These are my personal thoughts about being a photographer. I am not a fully-pledged one, though, and not even very skillful at that. But seriously, whenever I try to photograph myself, I only get 1 out of 10 good result. It's because I use whatever resources I have. I have no tripod nor a shutter release remote. I get fair results every now and then, but still...

It makes me happy that people are making my pictures their default photo in their social networking accounts. The thing is, I don't have much pictures of myself in my own camera. I don't really like others taking a photo of me, for some unknown reason. Whenever I feel like changing my default photo, I will organize a photo session for myself somewhere. I seriously do that. I have friends but it's bothersome to look for someone available on the same day I am free. So, I'd rather do it alone.

These days, there were various camera types that allows you to flip its LCD. My camera is like that. But even if you use the self-timer or a shutter release button, it just doesn't go exactly right. It's a sad thing that even though one is an excellent photographer, he can never capture how he imagined the photo of himself to be. At least that is what I am thinking.
You've read this far, now drop my thoughts. I'm just getting depressed over these facts. I get 'accidental' good results from time to time by doing a self-photo-shoot. I can be a pessimist at certain times of the month. It's kind of frustrating. Now, just forget everything I said.

27 July 2012

High School Debut

Is this a movie review? I don't think so since I was never a critic for movies. Sure, I did a couple of movie critics back in my high school years. But, only that. I say that my opinions were always personal, and I leave all the technical stuffs out. Moreover, I am not that much of a movie-person. There was a time that I go to see a movie once or twice a month, but that was a long time ago.

Anyway, I am to tell my thoughts about the movie High School Debut. It was originally a manga, with the same name, that was completed a long time ago, around 2008, I think.  I love the story. When the manga (Japanese Comic) was still an on-going scanlation, I was always waiting for a release. I managed to read all the chapters and now, I watched the movie. The live action adaptation of the manga was released on 2011. I only watched the movie recently, though.

I remember what the story was about, in general. But, since it was so long after I last read it, I don't remember every single character and plot in the story. The story was about a girl, Haruna, who wants to fall in love but just lack all the aspects of being feminine. She used to focus on her softball club during middle school but has decided to fall in love once she entered high school. Being her hardworking self, she did her best to look feminine, however, everything was just all wrong, or more like, exaggerated - clothes, make up, accesories.

Then she met Yoh, who eventually became his coach in being feminine under one condition - to never fall in love with him. Yoh distrusts women ever since his ex-girlfriend broke up with him. Him agreeing to be Haruna's coach was a surprised to his friends, Fumiya and Asaoka, and young sister, Asami. All of them with Haruna's friend, Mami, are looking after Haruna's road to falling in love.

Choosing proper clothes, going on dates, falling in love, being heart broken, coping up...these are all in the story. Haruna experienced all of these with Yoh supporting her. However, unconsciously, Haruna was starting to realize that she was falling in love with Yoh which was against their coaching's only rule. The same goes for Yoh, who doesn't notice it as well. Together, Haruna and Yoh, while supporting each other, struggles to overcome their own faults and understand each other better.

About the story. It was simply a story about teenage love with the same plot and story as every other manga that I read. Feelings of love and being loved, insecurities, past relationships, indifference, being happy together, loneliness, wanting to see each other, etc. I think every person who fell in love has experienced those feelings as well, both boys and girls. All those struggles that the couple is facing just to make everything turn out fine was in the story. It was a typical set-up for a young love story, even for an adult love as well.

I've read several mangas and this is one of my favorites. It was a comical type of love story where the main female character is idiotically funny, and the main male lead is the serious type. The story in the manga is way better than the movie since the movie only has a limited time. I would suggest reading the manga if you are just after some visual stimuli and good story. You wont get sick of reading the manga. Another tip, don't bother with the people around you who's wondering why you're laughing hardly. :)

I haven't watch many Japanese movies. I still prefer Japanese films over Korean's despite the K-Pop fever going on. I used to watch Korean series aired on TV before like Fullhouse, Coffee Prince and Endless love. But, Korean idols suddenly boomed, and the reign of K-Pop began. I have nothing against Koreans. I just got sick over the idea of hearing them and seeing them everywhere I go. Honestly, I am just a plain Japanese fan, and that's all.

24 July 2012

Forty-Two: Struggles of An Adult

As a kid, I'm sure there came a time when you have wondered what your life will be when you became an adult. You might have also thought that adults are amazing as well as annoying, and that they are selfish and only care about money. Adults can do what you cannot do. They can scold you when you did something wrong and shout at you when you told them off for doing something wrong. You could have thought that there are times when you feel more righteous over them. What do they tell you most of the time? 'You are still young. You know nothing of the world. You still have a long way to go.' Sounds cliche, right? But, admit that you have heard this from a number of adults that you knew.

At one time of your childhood, I believe that you have dreamed of quickly becoming an adult. The reason for this is surely, or most likely, independence and freedom. I'm sure that there was a time when you have thought of running away from home, answering back to your parents, breaking their rules, and skipping school. That is, of course, unless you are that as-good-as-an-angel type of kid. Well, kids are like that most of the time...innocent.

I've thought of these things when I was young. I did things like cry at night so that no one will ever know that I'm crying. I lied about several things, but all of those are partly true since I am not good at lying. I hurt my friends without me knowing it. There are also times when I felt left out and betrayed as well. I became rebellious when there is something I asked from my parents but they never allowed it. I skipped classes, cheated during exams, and slept soundly in front of my teacher. There was even a time when I was called to the disciplinary office because I hang out with the oh-so-naughty boys of my class. I fought with my siblings from time to time, actually most of the time. There was even a time that I physically hurt them really bad. Well, I did all these when I was a kid, and I'm certain that I'm not the only one.

I just thought of these things when my friend told me a lot of stuff about his life. I never thought that a life can be so dramatic just like what you see in movies and television series. Surely, when I was a kid I only thought of quickly growing old just to be able to to do what want. I never thought of the things that might happen along the way. Well, most of us did because we don't know the hardships of growing old and advancing from one phase to another. We don't know that, once we reached a legal age, we will be legally bound to laws not at home but on a national scale. We don't know that wanting to grow old is the same as wanting to get away from freedom.

I actually want to share the story of my friend who made me realize these things. I know that the story would be kind of wretched since I really don't know where to begin. And kids would normally not read this kind of thing but I actually want to dedicate this post to them.

To them, who are young and innocent: Regret will eventually come your way but at least you can say that you did the things you want to and you have been responsible for every action you took and the consequences it brought you.
"Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

   ~  *   *   *  ~

"Money is important of course. That is what makes this world go round and round. But more than money, what I need are true friends."

This statement was made by an adult friend of mine who has lived forty-two years of his life this year, twenty-twelve. I admit that it sounds corny and the same as what I usually hear from my grandparents when I was younger. Something like 'I can't bring money with me when I die'. I have heard quite a number of people speaking as if money is not important but essential to living.

I prove it true when I started living independently. I earn money in exchange for my time and labor and spend it nonchalantly to satisfy myself and live comfortably.  I sometimes think that this lifestyle doesn't make sense. There are even times that I feel like I only work to kill time. When I was a kid, I never thought that being an adult was this boring. I spend money to get some social life and to relieve boredom and stress. In adult world, having fun will always involve spending money. If you're a 10-year old kid and is asking 'Why?', sorry but I cannot answer you. That's just how the adult world works. It's not the same as the carefree living of a kid who can just play outside with friends to have fun. Adult world is far from that.

My friend is a good guy and is like a big brother to everyone. Actually, almost everyone is calling him that, regardless of age. There were times that he was being taken advantaged of but he could care less. 'It was other people's obligation towards him, not him towards the others,' is what he says. At least, if he asked a favor from someone, there is always something to back him up. He was a good guy, but righteous. He knows himself and his stuffs.

He treats money as something that comes and go. He says that it's important but he needs true and real friends more. 'I can earn money easily, but true friends are difficult to find.' He realized this when his friend asked him "Does any one of your friends ever invited you out for a cup of coffee?" The thing is, no one ever did and that no one ever paid for his tab. Every one expects him to pay whenever he's around. I actually feel a bit guilty because I'm one of those friends.

~  *   *   *  ~

"You should be careful in choosing your partner. It's not like it'll be a one or two day ordeal once you're married."

It was another quote-unquote from my friend. He is actually single but had been in a relationship before, and almost got married. Well, almost, but sadly and, I would say, fortunately, that never happened. Why? I may sound mean but it was a good thing that the wedding never happened. It's just that the girl was a bitch (I'm sorry for the word but she just makes me so mad even though I personally don't know her).

A month before the wedding, my friend had to call off the occassion. ONE MONTH. It's only one month to the big day and just imagined that it's already about 99% complete and the wedding had just to be cancelled. What's more? It's a Muslim Wedding, so just imagine how many people he has to call just to ruin his image, give excuses and to say that the wedding will be cancelled.

FYI: It's a given to Muslim Wedding celebrations that there should be about 1000 people invited to the celebration. By people, I mean that there should be about 1000 invitation given to 1000 people. So if the invited person decided to tag a friend along with him, that'll be more than the expected. It was odd to bring a friend who doesn't even know the bride and groom to the celebration. However, my friend's tradition is that the more people attended the wedding, the more blessed their marriage will be. They would even welcome and thank people they don't even know who came to the celebration because of that.

My friend's fiancee is about 7 years younger than him. There was a difference in their age anD he understands that. But isn't it too much if the fiancee got pregnant by her ex-boyfriend a month before the wedding? Yes, that was actually the case.

A month before the wedding, my friend got a call from the Registry of Marriage (ROM, for short, I guess). The person on the line was confirming if my friend was very sure that he will be marrying her fiancee. It rings a bell to my friend, thinking why is he asking me this question? The conversation goes on with my friend finding out that her fiancee is trying to register for a marriage to another guy, her ex-boyfriend. There was a confrontation in the fiancee's place later that day.

So, that's how the wedding was called off. It was actually the best thing that the wedding was cancelled. Being a fiancee to the girl, and living with her family, is like being a financier to her family.

~  *   *   *  ~

"I feel sleepy just from opening a book. I hate to study."

I guess this is a bit late but well, I'm introducing my friend's life more. My friend did not finish his studies. I mean, he went through the basic learning he needed but never proceeded to college. Why? Because he's lazy with studying. He said that  a few minutes after opening his book, he'd feel sleepy. Actually, he would really fall asleep. You could say that my friend is the lazy type but even so he is s good person.

Now, he is saying that he cannot get a a higher paying job because he did not finish his studies. My friend is not complaining about it since it was the consequence of his own action. He knows that. It's just that, he doesn't like his boss who keeps an eye on his movements.

Now, he is convincing his nieces to pay more attention to their studies so they can get a better paying job. He is even convincing me to be a bit more ambitious since I have a good foundation, in skills and education (I'm not bragging here). He would also support her sister with the financial needs of his nieces so they can be more hooked into their studies.

Well, it must be true that when you are not having a certain goal to accomplish in life, then you're just a lost cause. Going with the flow and doing whatever you like is not actually getting you anywhere. It is sometimes good to leave things with luck and fate but if the person involved is doing nothing, he will never advance forward. I'm saying that having a proper education is a good thing. However, because most students are fed up with their examinations and teachers, they tend to have a long term goal of just finishing their studies and get on with real life. Basically, that was not a long term goal. Now, the question is, what will you do in real life after finishing your studies? With lack of experience about the real world, young people tend to have a shallow understanding of the real world. Earning money, supporting their family, having their own family, getting rich...these are the cliche goals that students would have in mind. I think that it was because student life would only revolve around family, friends, having fun and studies. These are real life things as well, but it lacks the application of the world of adulthood. Well, ever since I finished my studies I never needed to use co-sine or to find x and y.

~  *   *   *  ~

"I heard that you don't have a place to live, so I bought a house so that you don't have to stay somewhere else."

Have you ever lived in your own company? Like staying there because you don't have a house? This was actually a secret but my friend told me I can tell his story so that's what I'm doing. Yes, he did lived in his work place a long time ago because he has no place to stay.

A long time ago, my friend had a quarrel with his dad and it's also because of the girl who used to be his fiancee. One of my friend's brother died and to pay respects, his fiancee and her father came to the burial. My friend's stepmother, who he is not in good terms with, started to blabber things like the reason why my friend's brother died is because my friend got engaged with her fiancee. I don't get the point either but I'm thinking that it was like the fiancee is causing distress to my friend's family. The fiancee's father heard that and so he confronted my friend. My friend in turn, asked his relatives to find out if that was true, and with his scary image, they will just have to submit. My friend confronted his stepmother regarding the matter which ended up with him being kicked out of their house by his father.

My friend suddenly became homeless so he stayed in his fiancee's house. The fiancee's family is big and the only person working is the mother. The fiancee's father is jobless and will not try looking for a job. He's acting like a king and he's one of the character I hate in this story, second to the fiancee. In that situation, and with my friend being a freeloader in the house, he will, of course, have to help out. He supported the fiancee's family in their finances, mostly the kids with their education. The king-slash-father even asked my friend to send one of his sons to Indonesia to study there. And, yes, he will have to pay for all the expenses of the son - school fees, rentals, and allowance. My friend is not earning much so I really don't know how he managed to scrape money for that thing. Well, since the father would not give up with the idea, then my friend just obliged with the reason of having a back-up when trouble came up. What's more? The father will have to go to Indonesia three to four times a year care of my oh-so-generous friend. I wonder how thick-skinned the father was.

Then, the time when my friend just got fed up after a few troubles came one after the other. The fiancee's father suddenly said to my friend that he wants to go to Malaysia. My friend asked who will pay for his expenses? The father, with the high and mighty arrogance, of course, said that my friend will have to pay for all of it. An argument arise from then on and my friend end up being kicked out of the house, again.

After that, my friend stayed in a budget hotel for about three months. Then, a good Samaritan came to him - a work colleague. He was a maintenance staff in my friends work place and he learned of the situation of my friend. That very night, he brought his car to the budget hotel my friend was staying and pick up my friend and his belongings. From then on, he started living in his workplace. At least that's better than paying $80 each day for the rent right?

I believe that my friend lived there for about half a year until another good Samaritan came to him. This time, it was a contractor for his company who is looking for a place to occupy his unit. Of course, my friend took the offer. The place was quite far but the deal was good - $200 for the whole unit. The contractor was only looking for someone to occupy his house rather than living it empty. Well, it was a good thing that my friend managed to find a house to live in properly.

The peace did not last long, though. My friend had to move of the house. The contractor's brother started living there and my friend is not getting along well with him. Once again, he is homeless. This time, her sister called her asking him to stay with them. Her sister told him that she bought a house because she learned that my friend has no place to stay. My friend said that her sister once told here that she will not leave her father's house. But now she bought her own house, left her father, and asked my friend to live with them. What a nice sister! My friend told me tat he actually cried upon hearing her sister's reasons.  Until today, my friend is living with her sister and supporting her family.

~  *   *   *  ~

"I learned my lesson."

I believe that people who have proper signatures and is of legal age knew not to sign any paper without reading the contents. My friend seems to have forgotten about this though.

There was time when my friend is still living with the fiancee's family. My friend had to be away from the house for a time being because of National Service. Then, the fiancee asked my friend to have a phone line connected to the house so he can call them. It was for him to call them if anything comes up. So he signed up for a telephone line to be connected to the house.

One day, he returned home without giving a notice. He found out that her fiancee was not in the house and was out partying. My friend waited for the fiancee who came home a few hours after midnight. After all the unsecured alibis and excuses the fiancee gave, she still told him the truth, out of fear from my friend. And, sure, the fiancee got a good scolding, and a little beating, I guess.

A few days after that, the telephone bill came, and it was given to him with the envelope open. My friend, even I, was shocked with the cost of the bill. It was a freaking $5000 for not even a month. He asked the family as to why the phone bill reached that high. The excuses given to him were: they have to call their son in Indonesia, the neighbor would like to make phone calls to Malaysia, and etc. I am also wondering how the hell it reached that high of an amount. Maybe, they were almost 24 hours talking on the phone? So, my friend returned the envelope to them saying that they should pay for it. My friend never used the phone in the first place, so there is no reason for him to pay for that. What he was given for a reason? The bill was under your name so you have to pay for that. And, yes. They have a point and even I couldn't fight back with that kind of respond. My friend was taken aback as well. He knew that he signed for the telephone line. He knew that the bill would be under his name. His mistake is that he never made clear with the family as to who will have to pay for that.

In the end, he paid for half of the bill and had the line cut off. Until today, he never paid for half of the bill and was blacklisted by the telephone company. He said that he learned his lesson from that. So now, he is very tactful with various things.

~  *   *   *  ~

The plot in this story are based on real life but I'm sure that there are people out there who have experiences worse than my friend. Every person has their own hardship, and even I have my own troubles. Sometimes, we will think that our life is just so worst and death might be better instead. At that point in time, someone will come to save us. It could be someone with a life so better that that person is affecting us with his positive outlooks in life. It could also be someone who has a life much more bitter than the one we are living but still manage to go on with his life without blaming someone for his misfortunes. There were different kinds of people with different kinds of experiences and stories to tell. They are always out there waiting for us to meet them.

When we were kids, it was etched in our mind the stories of princes and princesses, of a world with magics and dreams, and of a life full of adventures and fun. Actually, the stories could be somewhat similar to the real world. In the stories, there were witches, big bad wolves, and other villains, the princesses will have to go through hardships and pains, and they will shed tears because of misfortunes. We remember that as well but not as much as the fun things. We, also, always forget that there were always fairy godmothers, or genies, who will help the princesses or princes go through their trials. We always cower in darkness without even thinking that there is a light of somewhere that will save us from all the misery. Why do we always not remember that life is not always good? Like a wheel, our life is turning up and down; sometimes we have good life, sometimes we have misfortunes. Personally, I believe that we will never encounter something that we cannot overcome.

23 July 2012

Vita Brevis: A Letter to Saint Augustine


I got this book from my friend last May 2012. She actually promised to lend me, and eventually give me, a Madeleine L'Engle book but her sister was reading it at that time. So, she offered me this instead. I know the writer. I read his book before, back in third year in college. Or was it second year? The thickest book I've read so far - Sohpie's World. I like the idea of the story but never really paid any good attention to the philosopher's ideals. My philosophy professor recommended the book to help us learn more about philosophy. I guess reading the book the way I did was not of much help.

The book, Vita Brevis, was about, or more like, contains translated documents that Jostein Gaarder found in a fair he was invited to. Because of this book, I learned that not only Philippines is using Peso as a currency. Because of this book, too, I realized how fun it is to go to fairs and find interesting things. Singapore has a lot of fairs throughout the year. Most of it, though, were electronics fair.

The document was actually a letter of a woman to Saint Augustine, or at least it was supposed to be. In the letter, she considers herself a former lover or Saint Augustine to whom she refers to as Aurel. What I love about this book is not the story, nor the whining of the woman named Floria. It was the discovery of the name Aurel which I find very beautiful. Aurel Nathan. Yes, I'm dreaming of naming this to my future son. Considering that Aurel is actually referring to Saint Augustine, would the meaning of the name be 'Augustine's gift'. Nathan means gift in some language, by the way.

Getting back to the book...I can somehow understand the woman in the book, even though I was not dumped but was the one who dumped a person. The first part of the book gets me attached to it. While reading more of it, however, I kind of have a feeling of wanting to tear the book apart. The woman, Floria, was just so whiny, as my friend says. For some reason, she was holding onto something that was long ago gone. She shared love with that person, an intimate kind of love. That person left her but she's clinging to those feelings. She's clinging to them too much that it annoys me. I know that feeling of wanting to be reunited with a certain someone so, at least a little, I can somehow understand her. And that very fact annoys me.

I finished reading the book, even though I came to the point of wanting to tear it. Here are the sentences I liked that were mentioned.

*  "But I was curious, and I wasn't the first person to pay dear for his curiosity." - J. Gaarder

*  "Your wound would not heal, it was inflamed and terribly painful until eventually it festered and you grew less sensitive to pain." - Floria

*  "Justice is done only among equals."

*  "It did not spur me on to seek this or that philosophical direction, but to love and seek and with truth itself." - Cicero

*  "It is comforting to let oneself go now and again." - Horace

*  "....boys will be boys, they always have been." - Floria

*  "We must first live, and then - yes, then we can philosophise." - Floria

*  "Life is so short and we cannot be sure that there is any eternity for our frail souls." - Floria

*  "But life is so short and I know so little." - Floria

*  "I loved life's true happiness, but feared to seek it where it is to be found. And at the same time as I sought it, I fled from it." - Aurel

*  "Always believe that each day that dawns is your last." - Horace

*  "To confess is medicine for one who has gone astray." - Cicero

*  "When foolish people want to avoid making a mistake, they usually do the opposite thing." - Horace

*  "He who desires much, lacks much." - Horace

*  "Why should it be so hard to run away from one's own shadow?" - Zenon

*  "The world is so big, and we know far too little about it. And life is far too short." - Floria

I finished reading the book after a week. It caused me to go through different emotions - to love and be loved, to fear, be treated unjustly, be betrayed, be annoyed, etc. While reading the book, at one point I can understand the writter of  the letter. Then, I'll come to hate her. Then, I would understand her again, and hate her again. It's like a cycle of hating and understanding her. Her words are passing me from one emotion to another, like a ball. I am in no position to say she's all bad, though. It was merely a letter and I don't know her whole circumstances.

Life is short.

She mentioned several times in her letter that 'Life is short.' She was forcefully separated from her own son, and beloved as well. Then, death falls upon his son without her seeing him even once after their separation. I believe that she still had hopes of being reunited with her son. The pain she bore through all the years she was partly separated from her son was too much, let alone the fact that she can never be with her son again. A mother would certainly go crazy. This world is big. Life is short. And, we know far too little.

I was never too deeply attached to death. Ever since I had my own consciousness, the closest person to me who's death I've witnessed was that of my Grandfather's. Peace be with him. After that incident, everything just changed although it doesn't feel like something changed at all. He used to live with my family to look after me and my siblings. Then, I grew used to him not living with us ever since I entered high school. But him being completely gone physically is an entirely different story. It was like a nightmare that you can't be with that person ever again once death falls upon him.

Recently, I've wondered what would happen to me when I died. It was a question that I cannot find an answer even if I searched in Google. I would love to hear personal experience of life after death but, of course, that would never be possible. I realized, too, that I was so much attached to the physical world. Well, that's what I've been living in for my entire life so far, and I was never a religious person to begin with. Would I still be able to take pictures in the afterlife? Would I still get to eat delicious food there? Would I still get to see picturesque scenery there? And, would there be my kind of music in there? And, yes. These questions portray nothing but my attachment to the physical world.

Death could be scary. Although, there was a time when I thpught that I am not afraid to die. Should death come to me, then let it be. At least I am not the one who's been left behind. Then, a time came when these thoughts became the exact opposite. I became very afraid to die because I don't want to have my beloved suffer because of the loss - me. But, surely, everything will come to an end, and life in the physical world will end as well. I'm scared of death because I don't know what comes after that. Ignorance can make me very insecure.
These thoughts about death are and probably because of reading this book, A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle, and Where I Want To Be by Adele Griffin.

Theologians and Philosophers.

I think that Floria is instating that Aurel is still better when he was still in the league of philosophy, before he came to theology. I actually searched, using my mobile application, the terms Theologians and Philosophers. Theologians are the ones who seek to understand God and every thing related to him. Philosophers, on the other hand, are the ones who seek knowledge and truth, be it about God or other trivial matters.

So I was thinking, if Theologians, in search for God, are keeping a blind eye to the things that denies His existence or ideals? Well, as far as I can gather from the letter, Saint Augustine-slash-Aurel wants to free himself from all the worldly desires. Floria, however, is trying to say that these worldly desires were God-given things. Floria convinced me in a way, since it was her letter after all. It should be up to me to decide what is good and bad, and right and wrong. These worldly desires would surely cause temptations. I don't really understand if giving in to these temptations would lead to having your soul dirtied. But, I think that as long as your conscience is clean, then you're good.

20 July 2012

A Tour Around Little India

I've been planning to visit Little India for a long time now but I'm just afraid to do it alone. But yesterday, 19 July, I've gathered all my courage to do so for the sake of fulfilling my to-do list of the day and for practicing Street Photography.

From my workplace in Orchard Road I walked all the way to Little India via Bencoolen Street. Lately, I've been visiting Bencoolen Street since I find it picturesque for street photography. I actually did a round trip from Orchard Road to Little India and it's quite tiring. I even went to East of Singapore to eat afterwards.

Little India is just the one-of-its-kind type of place. Like Chinatown, it's a bustling place, and most of the people there are Indians. It makes sense considering the name of the place. Anyway, besides being a bustling place, it's also kind of interesting for people who likes photography. There were many picturesque places, as per my perspective, that is. But since, I believe and someone would agree with me as well, I have an eye for beauty, I guess my words this time is, at least a little, to be trusted.

Frankly speaking, I actually felt like I was in Quiapo (in Philippines) while I was roaming around the area. Chinatown gives off a Divisoria-like feeling. And if you search these in Google, you will find out that these are famous, busy market places. Little India has a market for fresh vegetables and flower garlands. Seeing the place from the main street like Serangoon or Rochor Roads, you would realize that it was a very busy area, and kind of interesting, maybe. But you must go further, inside the small streets of the bustling place. All the good stuff should lie scattered around there. Not all things are seen in bare eyes or something like that, I guess.

If you have any plans to visit there while in Singapore, and I suggest that you must go there, make sure to roam around the whole place. The area takes up some good distance though. The markets stretch from Rochor Road all the way to Farrer Park MRT Station. Mustafa, a well-known shopping centre for being open for 24 hours and for it's cheap goods as well, is somewhere near Farrer Park MRT station. I only managed to go around the area near Rochor Road so I probably missed a lot of good stuff. Anyway, I'll be visiting there again, around Jalan Besar, maybe.

Note:
*  My friend suggested me never to go there on weekends, and I would suggest that too. It'll be more bustling that it normally is.

*  Bring yourself and your camera and tag a friend along. It would be more enjoyable and you might feel more secure as well.





  






































All photos were taken using Canon Powershot G11. Alternate post in Wordpress here

18 July 2012

Film 002 - Solaris FGPlus ISO 400


I just collected my 2nd film and the results do not not make me so happy. I'm a bit depressed about it and I was really looking forward to it. I am happy about some of the photos, though.

This time I used a Solaris FGPlus ISO 400 film. I played around with the film so I am not very surprised to see lots of frames to be blank but it still makes me quite depressed. I'm also guessing that the film has been a bit exposed when I loaded it into my old Holga but has to be removed since the camera was broken and has to be replaced. Anyway, I also tried doing long exposure this time and multiple exposures, as well. I likes some of the shots I did for the long exposure and multiple exposures. Then, I read an article that ISO 400 film is not so ideal when used during dusk time which is what I did. I guess, I have overestimated the light sensitivity of an ISO 400 film hence causing underexposures. I've learned my lesson now.

Comparing ISO 400 to ISO 200, the images are brighter with the ISO 400 as compared to when I used ISO 200. The thing is, knowing that it's a more light-sensitive film speed, I to underexposed the shots. Thus, getting dark images to totally blank frames.

I have created an account with the Lomography community - check it herePhotos I took are as follow: