Lexus Cup 2008

28th - 30th November 2008



This might or would be the last Lexus Cup.

Held at SICC Bukit over 3 days.

Blessed with good weather, despite threatening storm on the last day with temporary course closure.

Good fight from the Asia team despite much smaller(20-30%) in size / mass.









Big signs at the entrance of the course "No Camera, No Handphone" before first and tenth holes. But the ladies were entertaining......and they played good golf.

Of course the non players helped to brighten the course too.

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Asia on the Edge

29th Nov 2008



Read about the performance in the Saturday papers. Although feeling quite tired after watching part of the Lexus Open after work (half day), I was determined to try my 70-200mm on the dancers.



Despite searching the http://www.streetdirectory/, I was quite lost again coming out of the multi storey car park. Walked up and down between Boat and Clarke quay before I located the place. Sigh.....

It consisted of 4 groups of dancers , forming a continuous large circle, dancing to a "ethnic" music with own particular choreographed steps. They were staged on the sides of the Cavenagh Bridge. The public was allowed to walk along the bridge while the dancers were performing. It was a refreshing concept to me.

Best of them all were the Korean dancers, followed by the Indian dance group. I was very thrilled to see so many pretty Indian girls going their traditional dance steps, an art that should be dearly preserved.

Then the Gongfu boys. The costume designer should have a better idea than to expose one of their nipples for these young men who were lacking in muscle mass. No offence to anyone, they were just young and lean.

The worst were the "flag bearers". Not very sure what they were doing. None of their pictures turned out right. I think they were not aware that the audience was so close the the performers. It was not like the National Parade but more like a stage show. Individual performance skill was revealed thoroughly.

The Korean dancers were of a different calibre amongst all.

Especially this particular dancer, he was really focused, meticulous and precised in each executions. Wow....

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The Old Grand Lady

Had a friendly 6 flights tournament at SICC old course over the weekend. First time bringing my D80 to golf course during a game, I was very apprehensive of the weather (very rainy lately) and of course the "residents" of the course.





Took pictures of the course and my flight mates plus others in sight, between my shots. It was interesting. Missed many short putts and carded a gross 94. The old course was scenic especially the par 5 along and toward the reservoir.

12th hole white tee. 11th hole par 5 in the background.

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Captured this exacting movement at the 18th par3, a winning par putt with the ball entering the hole. Should have caught the expression of the player a split second after this. But I ,too, became excited and left the view finder cheering away. Definitely too human to become a professional photographer.

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MOTHERHOOD

If the process of bring up a child ( including the side effects and complications of parenthood) is taught in depth in school, the human race is definitely heading for extinction, unless there are enough drop-outs or home schooolers.


Our hands are tied (with invisible cords) and we are often at a loss as to what best to do. The best intentions are perceived with variable negativity. No matter what direction we turn, we bang our heads against the constantly moving wall. That's a 18 year old for you.


It was a day for celebration, after the last A level paper, but it ended up bitterly as a family confrontation started at 0230hr, and concluded at 0400hr, again with the parent succumbing to the wall thicker than the bomb shelter specification. There must be a reason for the Lord allowing this to happen, over and over again, for long enough period. There must be a lesson to be learnt, or is it a form of punishment.

What will they end up to be?


Less conflicts, I think, because there is a common goal in life with little disagreement, SURVIVAL.

Baclay's Singapore Open 2008

15th November 2008 Saturday

Followed a colleague to watch 3 rd day of Barclay's Open after work. Not aware that photography was not allowed in the course and brought cam along.

Saw this beautiful car parked right in front of the club house. How I wish the number plate belongs to me....and may be the car....

Had lunch at club house and saw Ernie Els on the putting green, at the club house. Took some shots of him and also obtained an autograph on my visor. I was feeling really excited, my first close enounter with a international golf star.

Walked to the driving range after lunch. Took some shots of the players getting ready for the third round until Phil Mickelson arrived and we were littererly shoved off verbelly by his caddie.

I asked around the golfers and spectators, not a single person was clear about the rules of photography in the golf tournaments.

I am fully aware that the clicking sound of the camera can affect their play, like talking or ringing of HP, must be strictly prohibited when they are to execute any shots, tee-off, fairway or putting.

But driving range?? Perhaps there is an appearance fee involved if we possess their photos. In that case I will definitely erase this one. They are just golfers, paid to come (with large amount of appearance fees) to play, to raise the world wide TV receiver rates for the broadcasting stations and the local spectator attendance for the tournament, with the primary aim to raise the standard of play. It would be nice if they behave and think like performaning stars, 'cos that's what we see them as. Nothing more,or less than that.

The organisers could have announced and displayed the big NO sign to cameras at the club house or at the entrance of the course instead of letting the spectators, who have taken effort to be there to support the event, be told off by a caddie.

Nonetheless, there are many other subjects and interesting fellow human beings than those golfers.....

And also those who were there but not really interested in golf.

Bali Trip

Spent the night trying to improve my photoshop skills/technique from son. So blessed to have a son who is willing and able to teach me. Almost as patient as Giantcanopy. But may be I should enroll in a proper workshop.....

Posting my photos at Clubsnap. Please visit the site and feel free to comment.

Bali Trip

Spent one week in Bali, without my family, with an old primary school classmate.

It was a very interested experience.

Old friend acquired a Balinese residence in Ubud some years ago and we were there after spending the first 2 nights at Sanur. The residence at Ubud / Andong was beautiful. Facing the paddy fields and the lotus ponds, it was truly a Balinese garden and out of this world (rather my world).

Met a Japanese family who was (family business) into producing silk garment from this:

I also started trying to get my photos uploaded onto the Clubsnap Website. Tough job.

Work has been very busy after the week's absence. Had a terrible headache from 10am today. Almost thinking of getting a MRI/MRA fearing a subarachnoid bleed. Well, managed to finish the full day work after 4 tab of panadol within 4 hours. And still living....

Marina Barrage Opening

More photos

Read about the Barrage in the

morning papers and decided to pay a visit yesterday afternoon, looking forward to a "quiet time".

Arrived about 4pm and was refused at the entrance of the car park because I was a just a "normal visitor", not an invited guest. Only to find out that the Prime Minister was scheduled to open the Barrage officially in the evening. Probably wouldn't have gone if I knew that the crowd was going to be there, even I was given the invitation.

A very interesting structure, creating a reservoir, a outdoor recreation area with a beautiful view of Singapore skyline.

Took pictures, initially over exposed "washed-out" and later (after sunset) became all "noisy". A passerby "pro" ( with a little daughter) helped with the setting for the Singapore Flyer night shots (Mr. Peh LS-misplaced his name card soon after).

Had free food and even goodie bag on my way home. And a free gift from the balloon man.

A lucky Singaporean.

The Frequent Flyers

Caught the sight of 2 small birds on my Coral tree in the garden yesterday morning (PH, not rushing for work).

Perhaps species of humming birds..

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I was amazed how pretty they were through my camera lens.

They have always been around...

Feeding on the bright red flowers early in the morning...

But none of us took any notice of their being...

Travel Photography

Rushed from work to arrive late at yesterday's workshop.

A good summary about planning and executing a overseas photographic trip.

The practical part was spent at Albert street, which I have never visited ( or rather usually tend to avoid because of the crowd). Although was taught in the didactic session what to look out for, I didn't seem to see things that my fellow group mates captured. Hm.....I think I am loosing or have lost interest in my surrounding objects/subjects over the years. Time to retrain the senses!!

The human traffic was very heavy at Albert street on the Saturday afternoon. There was a Hindu temple and also a Chinese temple almost side by side (I shall look up the actual names of these temples). Many many devotees to both.

Also, I think the density of beggars over there was the highest in the whole of Singapore.

Took a quick photo of a Fortune teller and was scolded....

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Cousins

Had a very busy weekend.

A cousin living in Sydney dropped by on her way back from her India holiday .

Didn't have much time for her over the 3 days when she's here.

She bought some glass beads as other tour group members were buying and passed them to me. I promised to produce some finished work and also will made a trip to visit my uncles next year.

So, managed to finish off half of the glass beads - the cool colours. Spent my free afternoon at People's park shopping for more coloured stones to match the other beads. Will upload the products ASAP.

Also attended the wedding of another cousin, living in New Zealand and was getting married to a Singapore girl.

Representing my whole immediate family, I walked into the restaurant and identified the groom. A huge man of more than 90 kg. I introduced myself: "Congratulations XX, I'm your cousin.." "Ooooh.....Okey.....Nice to meet you..hm......I'll look for daddy."

It was our first meeting after more than 20 years. He must have been a small boy running around at Chinese New Year gatherings before. We didn't know / recognise each other. And we are first cousins, although our fathers are half brothers. Hm...

Wasp and Spider

During the photoshoot yesterday at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, our instructor spotted a large wasp attacking an even larger spider. When he approached the insects, the wasp released the prey temporarily and turned towards him. All of us were alerted and stepped away. I managed to take a few photos (mostly out of focus) from afar.

Relating the incidence to my older boy, telling him how a smaller wasp was going to "eat up" the hairy big spider, he replied in his usual coolness that the wasp was just trying to reproduce and the spider was not dead yet. At least not until the eggs laid by the wasp inside the abdomen of the spider has hatched into larva, than the spider will be eaten up from within. YEE...IGS.

FYI

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Photoworkshop

Absolutely exhausted.

Started the lesson in Botanic Gardens at 1500hrs. Proceeded to Riverwalk before 1800hrs.




Taught "how to" in photography for :





* waterfall





* more on lines, patterns and shadows





* flowers





* more panning





* night traffic light tracks





* the moon





* more zoom and rotation!





Well, had ni...ce Bak Cho Meebok before the night shoot, and a beer!!

Photoworkshop

Met at 1800hrs for the second session of photo shoot for the day.

Very interesting.

Learnt:

more about framing



contrast




different aerial perspectives





panning ( 1 in 50 )




step/graduated zoom






self portrait and hand held night shoot.


Meeting at 1500hrs again tommorrow.......

Photographic Workshop

Had a morning shoot at China town on the second day of the workshop.

Steven provided a different perspective of visualising our surroundings.







The ground was no longer just the talc surface but seeing reflected images of surrounding buildings through the puddle of water.
We saw shadows and colours which were usually ignored.

The static objects seemed to have come alive through his eyes.

This reminded me when I was attending my first art classes: A green apple was not just green but was painted with colours ranging from red to yellow to blue.






Looking forward to the night shoot.