Monthly Archives: August 2011

In Sing, Part 2


I went down to Universal Studios Singapore a certain 13th of July 2011.


The moment you walk in, you are greeted with Hollywood. Inside this shop they used a digital SLR instead of being old-school like the outside implied.


Bronze.


Betty Boop!


This reminds me of No One Lives Forever, the video game.


Far Far Away, land of Shrek.


Inside, I queued up for the Shrek 4D Adventure – well worth the wait, I’d say.

Interestingly they used a long queue system, and another waiting chamber, to hold people while waiting to take the actual ride.


Shrek is a movie full of parodies and I’m sure this is no exception. 😉


Madagascar. Interesting boat ride that was.


The Lost World had a fountain with dinosaur eggs and a food court. I also rode the Canopy Flyer, a 45 minute wait for a very fast zip around the park. Disappointing and not worth the wait.


Lurking.


This gate will always remind me of the Jurassic Park video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.


Most wide shots with the NEX-5 and 16mm F2.8, with certain obviously telephoto shots done with the A900 and Carl Zeiss 135mm F1.8.


Ancient Egypt.


Sci Fi City had the Battlestar Galactica rides featuring the world’s tallest pair of duelling rollercoasters – Human (red) and Cylon (blue). These were the most uh, challenging rollercoasters in the entire theme park, with the Cylon ride being the most challenging.


And so, I only took on the Human ride.

These rides, being the most intimidating-looking, had a small waiting time of 5-10 minutes but the best return for time waiting in the queue.


As I exited, I could’ve sworn I saw Steven Spielberg! Speaking of which, the Lights! Camera! Action! ride was cool.


New York, New York!


I just wished those stairs were taller and I had a book in hand. Then it would look just like in the movies.


I am not sure how real this is supposed to look.


What is this supposed to be?


Then, to be found – a little backlane.


Me camwhoring with the stairways…


…and barrels. Real sturdy barrels, meant to withstand some heavy camwhoring. At least the sets were well built.


This picture reminds me a lot of one of shots that Su Ann took of Kafka – I found the blog post but the picture is missing so I can’t refer back and see if it did at all look like that picture or not. 🙁 Su Ann can you work your Wayback Machine?


A yellow cab!


More fake old shops.


The most awesome Garrett’s Popcorn Shop was outside.


Back inside, was Mel’s Diner, with 3 classic cars sitting outside.


Another sexy Chevrolet.


Inside, a jukebox – don’t think it worked though.

Monster Rock supposedly featuring Universal Monsters singing rock and roll, didn’t – they instead sang current pop radio hits. Boo.


Night came, and I put on the Opteka 85mm F1.4 on the A900 for maximum light-gathering potential.


I don’t remember their band name but they covered classic stuff from the time of the Beach Boys. Plus they wore their trademark uniform!


Surf with us!

Interestingly, most acts featured one obviously imported Caucasian with the rest of the cast being Singaporean.

For part 1, click:
In Sing, Part 1

In Sing, Part 1


I was in Singapore July 11th to 14th 2011, and here are shots from around town! This is the great Davis Guitar Music Center in Peninsula Shopping Complex.


This I’d never seen – a double-necked ukulele. I asked the storegirl what the difference was between the necks. I don’t think she understood that it appeared to have the same tuning (which makes it pointless.)


The rare Minolta 1x-3x F2.8 Macro zoom! It actually auto-focuses – the Canon MP-E 65mm 1x-5x F2.8 does not auto-focus.


McDonalds in Singapore serves a Chicken McGrill Salad. Interesting! This is the same meat from the Chicken McGrill Burger, known as the Grilled Chicken Burger in Malaysia.


A spire!


This is the St. Andrew Cathedral. Grand!


Elvis has left the building!


A busker with a twelve-string.


Most shots were with the NEX-5 with 16mm F2.8. Here’s one that is cropped.


Times like these I wish my NEX-5 had built-in GPS. I left the A55 at home.


Scotts Square.


Stayed at Movenpick Heritage Hotel, on Sentosa Island. Modern 5-star hotel. Nice!


It was always sunny, and I had the most fulfilling breakfasts there. Now I have a craving for pork bacon, croissants, cinnamon buns and sausages for breakfast!


Imbiah Station, on Sentosa Island.


The MRT is well connected, snaking under shopping malls, with exits marked alphabetically e.g. Exit E.


The walls of Dhoby Ghaut.


Far East Plaza. Most reminiscent of Malaysia, Sg. Wang Plaza to be exact, from the shops inside. Also the design is very plain and Malaysian whereas Singaporean shopping malls on average tend to have more curvy, strange designs.


Inside. I also saw the most Malays there. It made me wonder – do racists in Singapore tell Malays to go back to Malaysia?


Reserved Seating. I’m sure some creative Malaysian couples would take the bottom-left picture as a license to sit – and the bottom-right picture is that of a merman.


This is, after all, Singapore, where the mascot is a merlion. So a merman and mermaid goes.


Merlion by night.


Man, does Malaysia’s bus system have a long way to go or what?

Paintballed


16th October 2010: The company I work for organized a paintball outing!


Here’s Logesh all ready for battle.


Calvin does warmups.


Field marshal does a sunny stare.


Teams of five.


We looked forward to paintballing our boss. Unfortunately, he was a mean shooter himself.


And, he was a fast flag runner!


Li-Hao. You gotta wear the masks; the pellets may blind you. Don’t ever take off the mask in the field!


All in-field pictures were shot with the Sony A55 with Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (wrapped in a plastic bag).


Refills.


Logesh is extra happy to touch base.


Angela is unhappy to get hit in the face. Okay, forehead.


Logesh, hiding from the boss’s fire.


Logesh and Ridzuan.


Yunus and his trusty gun.


Inked.


NEVER!


I got hit, too, despite having a yellow mask and a marshal’s jacket, being the photographer.


Then of course the NEX-5 and 16mm F2.8 come into play for group shots.


One more in the shade.


Calvin’s love bite. He then got the same mark in the next paintball session!

Caryne-ing Down Ulu Yam Waterfall


23rd August 2009, nearly 2 years ago, a bunch of photographers, myself included, headed down to Ulu Yam.


Our subject? Caryne Chang, in a bikini.


The sun was hot and the water was warm and the light was great! (Depending on where she faced, of course.)


’twas fun!


Gee, what pose next?


Do people clone out the points where bikinis get tied? I tried to and found I couldn’t remove it satisfactorily.


Albert, why do you ask so many questions?


Go on out, have fun!


This monochrome picture is brought to you by the blue channel.


Most shots were with the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA.


This is a crop.


Another crop.


Ulu Yam is otherwise empty and quiet.


Caryne and I, through George Wong’s Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM. He’s the third George Wong I know.


Everybody!

Moonshine, January 2011!


20th January 2011 was Moonshine: A Homemade Music Show, down at Laundry Bar, The Curve!


This is Dichi Michi, as poppy as their name sounds. Okay so there was a bit of emo.


Fans at the barricades for the next band, Oh Chentaku. Madness!


Solid drums from Alang.


Solid shouts, emo-core style. Probably a bit of Depeche Mode moodiness thrown in, too. Then again, I should refrain from musical references since I realize my vocabulary of modern music isn’t that great.


Solid shredding and one heck of energy. He even swung his guitar around himself, hitting his face and causing a wound!


Reza Salleh, gig organizer, reminds to rock hard and safe.


New faces for 90’s rock tributers Stonebay.


Ojie, frontman, faces the back.


I am quickly running out of captions for these guys. Though it should be pointed out that they still rock!


40 Winks with a keytar!


And here’s a plainer guitar.


Here’s a female singer. Yes there have been some changes!


Soundman turns into big-ska-band rockstar.


Would’ve been nice if I focused correctly on them. Would’ve been nice if the guy in white was in the middle.


Time for reversal!

Just Cokin


Random shots, from my Cokin P-series holder, P121 M 3-stop Graduated Neutral Density filter, and P113 +3 Split Field filter.


The Split Field is rarely understood, being a close-up filter sliced exactly in half, so you can focus on objects close to you in one half of the frame, and far-away objects in the other half.


Like so.

Unfortunately it works best with objects that go across the frame, or else you’d have unnatural bokeh nearby.


The 3-stop GND however is one of the most commonly-used filters, and a good reason alone to buy rectangular filters instead of circular, screw-on ones. Here, the GND is oriented with the ND part on the top.


Another one. You wouldn’t be able to get a even exposure otherwise.


The holder I bought holds 3 Cokin filters – so I could combine filters by putting them in different slots.


Finally, just the GND.

By Ellie!


28th January 2011 was the day I went down to VOGUE, Plaza Mont Kiara, for Ellie‘s farewell party.


More from the Peleng 8mm F3.5 circular fisheye, on the A55, with Rames and Justin.


Left to right: Ewin, Yin Xie and Jason “smashpop” Goh.


Left to right: Eugene, me, Ellie and Jenifer.


Left to right: Google Nexus One, HTC Desire, HTC Desire Z.


Middle: Fine booty.


Ellie gives a speech, and launches her music video!

Yeah, because she’s got her own music video.


Be green of Jeremy.


Down on the dance floor!