Met Steph went Tim got his AB and we were bored on a friday night, he called up Steph and viola! great subject! heh. we did some chez bits and some long exposure pops later too. Crazy fun hanging out with her heh.

Went to the abandoned orphanage today, so pics for that to upload tmrw I guess, just feel so lazy to edit heh (i blame daylight savings for sapping my energy)

Strobist: B800 into gridded 5ft octabox on camera left, 430EXII into 3 ft octabox camera right, SB900 far back, right of subject

These are just 3 shots of a recent assignment i submitted for ART313. Kinda did like a photojournalist documentary of the life of an international student settling here in a new place. Posting up the most favorite 3 of the 7 shots with strobist info.

In some ways, I was quite fully satisfied with the final product as it does look like a magazine spread. But taking some criticism from my lecturer, he did make a good point. He said it was too straightforward and simple.

(larger images and strobist info after the jump..)

strobist: SB900 into shoot-through, high camera left, SB800 bounced into ceiling

strobist: SB900 stoffen’d into mailbox, SB800 flagged and bounced into ceiling camera right

strobist: SB900 into shoot-through subject right

Sam’s one of the photo editors at the Spectrum and she kinda never had her photo taken so she bugged Tim and finally she did it!

Shot this last Thursday heh after an evening full of ideas and well, she was kinda nervous when she started but she warmed up and i guess it went really well! Wanted to head out to get some shots done outside since we had only shot head shots/heads & shoulder shots at that point and she was still game to go! Kudos to her especially on that cold night. Pity we got stopped by cops twice so that pretty much put paid to the plans for the night.

Strobist: B800 into Beauty Dish with sock camera high right, 430EXII stofen’d and snooted camera left.

Been off flickr and photos for the past three days. Been busy catching up with work, getting stuff to keep me warm in winter and having a weird body clock.

Caught this as I waited for the shuttle bus back to South Lake, had a bad day in terms of photography. Shot a couple of frames out at the open patch of field between governors and hadley and didn’t like a single shot i made. Formatted the card and decided to head home. That’s when i saw this and shot ithis instead.

And yes, feeling sleepy at 6 pm and dozing off to wake up at 11pm is not normal. Then I wake up and am so fresh I can’t get back to sleep till 3 in the morning =/

Owells, quite a few more photos to go through and then looking forward to the week in balmy SD

Took a short trip out to Spot Coffee in Williamsville after the shoot at the Alumni Arena. I really really love that outlet, its nice, bright and clean and the drinks are great!

Oh did i mention that the food and drinks are great already?

Cocomoco (front, left), cinnamon raisin bagel (stuffed) with cream cheese (right), chicken, vegetable and dumplings soup (back)

Heh one of the guys who came over from the other side of the world with me heh. He kinda found this spot about 10 mins away from our apartments. So near civilization, yet seeming so far away.

Strobist: SB900 into shoot-through subject left

Took a drive out today with Clarence and Tim to the New Hope Korean Presbyterian Church down at Clarence Center and wandered around the church.

As we were wandered around the New Hope Korean Presbyterian Church, we stumbled upon this beautiful window light. With Tim thinking about his shot (and a future career path,) I felt, right at that moment, the look in his face was the look of one looking for inspiration or a sign.

His work constantly inspires me and I’m grateful to have met him and others like him who have helped guide my way in my path. And as always we search for our inspiration to carry on, to keep on our journeys so that we may tell our stories when we are done.

Looking for That Inspiration

(more images after the jump..)

Salvation’s Just Outside Your Window

Perhaps.. the Grass is Not as Green on the Other Side

The Little Things

What Was Left Behind

"It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his capacities and talents."
- Eric Hoffer (1902-1983)

Was just exploring the area around the New Hope Korean Presbyterian Church and chanced upon the sight of the swings framed by the windows. And just like the quote, I was thinking of what sort of image i could create with it.

I still wonder each day as I continue to grow as a photographer, what makes me and my images unique.

Tiffany’s a friend of a friend (and a “neighbor” – she’s Malaysian..) i was kind of a VAL (Voice Activated Lightstand) and an Asian Super Boom for Tim during the shoot when she came by to have her headshots and some dancey shots taken for her resume. Managed to shoot some that day and had some keepers through the session.

(more images and strobist info after the jump..)

Started indoors in the mini-studio of Tim’s basement.

Strobist: 420EZ into 5ft octabox camera left, 430EX II into 3ft octabox camera right, SB800 double gel-ed blue fired into white seamless.

Carried on our shoot at Ellicott near the handball courts and she was game for everything! it was kinda windy as well as drizzly and it got dark pretty early but she carried on, kudos to her!

Strobist: 430EX II into 3ft octabox camera right, SB800 into 3ft octabox camera left

Strobist: 430EX II into 3ft octabox camera right, SB800 into 3ft octabox camera left

heh. she wanted to go out for a walk, i wanted to shoot the sunset (well, sort of) so off to hadley field we went..

no dramatic clouds like yesterday, would have been nicer but love the warm colors all the same. have been missing seeing that for sometime with the rain/wind/cold driving me to stay indoors, where it is nice and warm.

strobist: sb900 fired into shoot through camera left

Well, not exactly a journey, more as a place explored. Been spending my free hours here in the Center for the Arts up in the photo lab doing prints or editing (which is much better on the larger iMac screens) and i’ve come to love the long corridors that line the place. In some way it looks ominous yet arouses the curiousity within you. Finally used this particular corridor in a series of shots for one of my photo assignments.

Helping a friend with her project and shot some food a while back, kinda noticed it again going through my own files and redid my own processing. This is what i ended up with!

Strobist: SB900 into reflective umbrella camera right high, SB800 diffused against wall

Will post up the rest of the abandoned lumber mill when i’m done with the edits. Still trying to make those fisheye shots work heh.

Went on a lil trip down to Lockport (lots of places to shoot at) with Tim, Jeff, Norbet and Tom. And we went to this abandoned lumber mill around Lockport. Fascinating place!

Pity we were losing light quite a bit quicker than expected. Did manage to get a couple of frames out, still working on a fisheye shot which i planned for HDR but we’ll see what my mac can churn out.

Tried to do a low-key strobist portrait with Smiley for my assignment for one of my photography classes. managed to salvage it after all! thanks to a really cool technique Tim taught heh! (thanks Tim!)

Smiley was great to work with and is quite the joker heh! Might think up more ideas to work with him. He has a face that’s great for the camera.

Strobist Info: SB-900 shot into a shoot-through camera left.

Guys, this is Tim! I’ve been strobing with him and he has been nice to bring me around Buffalo to shoot and stuff. He’s a great photographer and he has a great eye as well as good judgement of depth and light. He’s one of the photo editors at the Spectrum (UB school paper). So check out his photos on his flickrstream here!

Strobist: 430EXII Shot into 5ft Octabox camera left, 420EZ into 3ft Octabox camera right

Sad that fall comes just once a year! ):

its like it was summer when i got here and everything’s pretty and nice but somewhat similar to what i see back home. and suddenly the leaves are changing colors and i’m surrounded by a kaleidoscope. Its a pity its almost at the end of fall up here in Buffalo and all trees have more or less ’shed’ their summer dresses.

And now back to my homework!

Went on a little exploration yesterday with Tim and he brought me to this abandoned house down by Williamsville. And i am so excited with what I am seeing around me.

Fall is fading fast though so losing light quickly through the day. Otherwise, been strobing quite a bit with Tim. so more photos to touch up!

Amazed at the sights i’m seeing just around the areas. Williamsville is like this quaint bit of town that’s nice, clean, kinda rustic. i guess i’ll also be posting more from the stuff on my flickr stream in some time to come, especially on a slower ‘news’ day.

Oh! and Happy Halloween!

Haven’t really found another theme i could use (nor could i write the CSS for this) so this will have to do for now i guess! It was a fun process to sort of settle down (no apartment hunting however – thank goodness) and then a short trip to Niagara Falls over the last weekend before school started.

i do apologize if you see the dust spots in the picture, i don’t see them well enough with my itsy bitsy macbook screen (especially after i’ve gotten used to having that 22″ monster of a monitor from dell back home)

Its been quiet here for the past 2 mths heh. My bad. Have “moved” somewhat to Buffalo NY for a year to finish up what’s left of my degree as well as to pursue opportunities to learn in photography.

I’ll more or less be revamping this blog as well as working on the images of the website (which should have been done a year ago!) Will also be looking to posting more often as well. perhaps even somewhat daily!

i’ll leave you guys an image before i start on the revamp so stay tuned (:

Just shot the solemnization of my good friends last week, he is a great mentor in teaching me the art and practices of photography and i have learnt much from him!

It was an honor to be able to shoot their solemnization. Beautiful morning with such an easy-going couple! I wish them all the best in their marriage! (:

(More images after the jump..)

For more from the solemnization, please see the set at: Ejun & Jingle

Shot their solemnization at the National Service Resorts and Country Club. A really colorful wedding at a rather unique location. A very good experience with such an easy-going couple. I wish them all the best!

(More after the jump..)
Won’t be posting all but my favs. For the rest of the shots please check out the facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80164&id=681499500&l=c81be67451

Strobist Info:
SB-900 fired through a shoot-through on Camera Left
1/4 – 35mm

A via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”. Plural vie ferrate. In German, Klettersteig) is a mountain route which is equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The use of these allows otherwise isolated routes to be joined to create longer routes which are accessible to people with a wide range of climbing abilities. Walkers and climbers can follow via ferratas without needing to use their own ropes and belays, and without the risks associated with unprotected scrambling and climbing. They are found in a number of European countries, including Italy, Germany, England, France, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Norway; and a few places in the United States, Canada and Malaysia. The first via ferratas were built in the Dolomite mountain region of Italy during the First World War, to aid the movement of mountain infantry. The world’s highest via ferrata, at 3 800 metres, is located at Mount Kinabalu in the state of Sabah, Malaysia.
Taken from Wikipedia: Via Ferrata

This wall when completed will be the tallest indoor via ferrata wall in the wall, topping out at 30m. This was shot as part of their press kit to announce that and for exposure. It was a great experience (and a harrowing one too – having no safety line, just two clips for my safety, having to unclip from a safety line midway through the shoot heh) and i wish them all the best. I will be shooting them again when the wall is completed and ready.

(More images after the jump..)

I would like to thank Sam & John 3:16, Yu Sueng & BorderX for the opportunity, Hazlee and Daffodil for being such cooperative models and Jonno for the help with the speedlights and direction.

Shot the lovely wedding on the 28th of Feb of Jerry and Julia. Great couple, friendly, easy to work with, what more could I have asked for?

Also if you’re wondering why i’ve been so quiet of late, i’m working on a personal series called “Solitaire” as well as being busy with school.

Check on that set often to see and read my personal thoughts, both in the effort to find new meanings in my work, rediscover my passion and as an outlet for my thoughts. Thank you for your support and hope you will enjoy the work!

(More images after the jump..)

Did a shoot recently for a friend and his coursemates, on their way to being pilots of the RSAF. Tried a more adventurous approach to this shoot, using a strobist set-up.

Now i wished i had more lights Special thanks to those who helped out on that day and all the best to the cadets! Hope to see you guys in the sky!

Strobist Info:
2 SB-800 with shoot-through umbrellas on sides of the group at 1/4 power
1 SB-800 with Lumiquest Softbox 3 over my head at 1/2
1 SB-800 bare at the back of the group at 1/8

(more images after the jump..)
-

Strobist Info for above 2 pictures:
1 SB-800 with shoot-through umbrella at 1/8
1 SB-800 with snoot at the right at 1/4
1 SB-800 behind at 1/16
1 SB-800 to my left at 1/8
-

Strobist Info:
1 SB-800 bare on stand at camera left at 1/2
3 SB-800 bare spread out evenly at 1/4

Went to Krabi for another short trip to climb and shoot a bit. Had a good trip overall, nearly died while climbing though. Shaken but still very much alive. Here are some shots from the trip.

(more images after the jump..)