View from the Emergency Escape Hatch
It feels like it has been an age since I last posted. I’ve been to Singapore, I’ve been doing lots of riding in the neighbourhood and I’ve been upgrading and reinstalling computert stuff. I’m loathe to suggest it has gone well – which it has so far) incase I have some catastophic loss or disaster.
As usual in Singapore, I did my bit to support the economy, principly by spending lots of money. A couple of books, a couple of how to do it DVDs. I think I will write about them later – but write about them I will.
Technology-wise, my current step into the unknown is with an install of Windows 7 64-bit. It looks very good – better than Vista to my eye. As to the rest, we will see.
Apartment Block - Singapore
I have mixed feelings about apartment blocks. In an idealised world, they are a low-cost way of living in the city, giving you lots of interesting neighbours (have I watched “Friends” too many times?) and a compact, functional living space. One of my university lecturers had a large apartment which over looked Hampstead Heath – it was super cool (you know who you are Ken). And then there is the reality of noisy neighbours and endless flights of stairs – and not really being very inexpensive.
I wonder how many people live here in this building. I think I written before about Singapore – and I have the feeling that this is where the “lucky” people live. I’m intregued by their clothes lines, which break up the uniformity of the building (are all the curtains the same?). This is actually about 4 photographs which I joined in Auto Pano Pro. I love “joiners” – I wish I was better at them.
Car Competition
Win-a-Car Marathon, Orchard Street, Singapore
I think I’ve posted on this before, using different pictures.
The idea of the competition is to stay holding on to the car. Your hand musn’t leave contact for a moment.
I think the pictures I posted before were about the fun side of it, with people laughing and being silly. But I really wanted to get to the truth of it – these people REALLY want to win. Their families are watching. They don’t want to let them down. I think this picture comes closest.
Just back from (yet another) trip to Singapore.
This time I was attending Bar Camp 4.
It is curious blend of formal and informal. It is quite structured in the sense that it is organised – time slots are assigned, rooms are alocated, a lunchtime was set and observed (more or less).
Sesions on the Wall
Preetam Speaking to Everyone
That was the main organiser – Preetam. He was very good. And very busy all day.
I attemded a few seminars. My favourites were: “How To Pose Like a Korean Filmstar” and “Design Thinking and True Love”. But I enjoyed all of them.
Although I am in person very shy, I made an effort to speak to people – and to be fair it felt like we were all making our best efforts to show IT people as sociable and friendly.
Jumbled Cube
I ran into a couple of Rubics Cube experts.
Getting there
Done!
You can’t see it here, but this guy was very fast, spinning the cube to solve it. He and his friend did a little presentation and talked about strategies for solving the cube – so I now I know what is involved – but still can’t do it.
And that was my Saturday!
Catch Cheating Spouse
October 2009, Singapore
Just a quick picture. The detective with the deerstalker hat and magnifying glass is what makes it for me.
I suspect they seldom need a magnifying glass.
Saturday, 31st October
I have been using digital cameras off and on for the last 10 years or so. I’ve owned a few – most were OK – but I always found myself coming back to film. I think my new Canon 50D is a turning point in all that. At the National Museum on Saturday, I found myself wandering around taking photos at EI1600 (see photo above) and the results look fine – to me. In the past I have been able to take photos at EI800 with my G9 and F30FD (which sometimes managed good pictures), but they nearly always needed to be run through Noiseware or Neatimage to clean them up. But pictures from this camera at EI1600 seem fine – no further processing needed. I’ll try Noiseware on some of my darker pictures and see what happens.
All at EI1600 – run through Noiseware at default settings. I think they look pretty good.
I really enjoy “found” photography, odd like thngs that make you smile as you wander around. Life-size cardboard cut-outs always seem slightly surreal to me and will sometimes make me double take for a moment (which I suppose is the idea). I found this one wandering around a shopping complex in Singapore at the weekend. It was quite an intersting place to wander once you get away from Orchard Road and its vicinity.
This was in another part of the same complex. It appeals to me on a number of levels:
1. The towels tone with the red’ish brown tiles.
2. That’s a lot of towels.
3. One of memories of being a teenager at home, is of being surrounded by huge bagfuls of towels, which were being washed and dried ready for the next day (my family owned a hair salon).
Landing in the Rain
Wednesday, 28th October 2009
I got back today (Sunday, 1st November) and feel really tired, so my post will be a little shorter than usual, I think.
I’ve been on holiday this week and trying to set up a session with a model for next week. The emails are going back and forth – I’ll be really busy all week, so fitting it in will be hard. ‘cos time is short, I’ll be photographing at a park in town – which again affects the kind of shoot it will be … and so on. In some ways this is a good thing, I work best when I have limitations placed on me – too much choice and I don’t know where to start. I want it to happen – but like so much in photography, it requires a determined effort – to make it happen. I know some people are inclined to go all mystic about photography and talk about “flow” and responding to the situation, but quite often I think it is about being proactive and creating the outcome you want. If I ever write a how-to photography book, that would be the title.
Under the Seat
Somewhere between Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, October 2009
Just recently I seem to be spending loads of time on aeroplanes – and waiting for aeroplanes which are delayed – and booking flights… and so it goes on.It is interesting, in that it is interesting watching how people behave in these “in-between places”. It is irritating in that it doesn’t always bring out the best in people. But sometimes -when the weather is calm/the clouds are clearly defined and casting shadows/ my neighbour has something worthwhile to say – it can be … ok.
And yes, I wear white trainers and jeans.
String Arrow
August 2009 – Singapore
I am a very inquisitive person. And I’m a romantic, seeing far too much in far too little. My favourite photographs tend to be about things, which I found or passed and made me wonder what had happened there.
I found this picture as I passed Dhoby Ghaut MRT station on my way for morning coffee.
