shutterspeed

Happy Thaipusam!

2012-02-07T22:22:00.000+08:00

Mount Seorak (Seoraksan National Park), South Korea

2012-02-07T22:04:00.004+08:00

Jeju Island, South Korea

2011-12-26T23:00:00.009+08:00

At the Seongsan Ilchubong

The Dragon Head rock (Yongduam)Always red, always UNITED, wherever I am - this time,
in Seopjikoji, Jeju Island :O)

Under the arms of a gentle giant:
Lynn and I in the Teseum Safari Bear gift shop
Here I am: Seopjikoji

Shot from the cliff: I Just love the turqoise blue waters
and the black (volacanic?) rocks

A wider view of Seopjikoji

(Top, centre & bottom): Clay figurines depicting
the lives of Korean women in the past

Jeju - pronounced as ‘jay-joo’

If one thing was more pronounced than any other in Jeju island, it probably had to be the sight of the Dragon Head rock (Yongduam Rock). We took our domestic flight from Seoul to Jeju, and it was already dark when we reached our first destination in Jeju. The Korean skies get dark pretty early (around 5.30pm plus) as compared to ours here. There were scores of tourists trying to catch a glimpse of the famed rock formation. I read that one might need some imagination to identify the dragon but for me, the Dragon Head stood out majestically against the crashing waves from the beginning, all the while being illuminated by yellow spotlights.

We spent 2 nights in Jeju island, and it was quite a refreshing pace, although on the second day we were climbing up the 180m high Seongsan Ilchubong, also known as the Sunrise Peak. It was a bit taxing for me at first, what with the cold and slight altitude, but I enjoyed the stairway to the top of the peak. The air was cool, fresh and upon reaching the top, we saw the sun streaking through a thick layer of clouds.

A beautiful moment.

Shots of Seoul: Winter Tour (10th - 17th Dec '11)

2011-12-20T23:23:00.012+08:00

N Seoul Tower (in the evening and in mystique blue at night)

Just got back from Seoul, Jeju Island and Mt. Sorak - at times it seemed like a whirlwind tour, moving from one destination to another in the space of 8 days (well, 6, if you discount the 2 days meant for flying). Here are some shots of Seoul to share - from street scenes to museums, palaces and the one theme that you might see quite often here: teddy bears!

Teddy bears depicting modern day lifestyle in Korea (above)
and how Koreans in the past celebrated their life (below).

Koreans identify their ancestors, in their mythology, as the bear and a symbolic animal.
According to the Korean legend, a God imposed a stern test on a she-bear and a tiger who both wished to be turned into human forms. If I recalled correctly from what I read in N Seoul Tower's Teddy Bear museum, the bear won as she was patient and followed the rules set upon by the God. She was then turned into a human, and bore children (with bear ancestry) when she married.

Seoul has been interesting to say the least, and very cold especially on our last few nights (-10c) on the night before we came back. Shopping along Myeongdong was a real challenge with the winds numbing your move and the occasional hopping into shops provided some much-needed respite. I managed to shop for what I've always wanted to: my Pororo & Friends soft toys (yes, I do collect soft toys, among many other toys!) :O)

I only wished I could spend a few more nights in Seoul - and I'd definitely love to shoot some live performances there, or even the people in their cultural costumes. Perhaps I'd make my way to Seoul/Korea once again in another season.

I've had my Winter Sonata, and maybe, I'd have an Autumn In My Heart (and sights) sometime soon? :) Here's a quick photo story of what caught my eyes in Seoul, as I did some 'Seoul searching'.

At the entrance of N Seoul Tower's Teddy Bear Museum

Life in the palace - Teddy Bear Museum, Seoul

Signboards on a busy Korean road.

The Namsangol Traditional Garden.
It was the usual hop down from the bus-walking aroundthe place-shot a few shots-hop back onto the bus kind of itinerary for this place in particular.

Shot from the window of our tour bus. I like the name 'Seoul Station' -
sounds a bit like the name of a music band, doncha think? :P

One of the many courtyards of GyeongbukGong Palace.

I've always been fascinated with Korean writings, although I read not a single word - this was taken on our way to the National Folk Museum of Korea.

I like how the traditional rooftop is in the frame at the background as well.

The lake at GyeongbukGong Palace

Korean dolls on display

A souvenir vendor outside the shop where we had our breakfast. Bought a few items from here, with the help of our Korean assistant tour guide.

Possibly my favorite street scene that I shot in Seoul. One of my earliest shots as we learnt to embrace the cold morning in Seoul. Was on my way to hop onto the bus when my still sleepy eyes up woke up to this scene. Three colorful guitars
with Korean wordings - what's not to love?

I Do! Seok Koon & Lian Hock's Wedding Day (Pt. 2)

2011-11-22T19:32:00.005+08:00

I Do! Seok Koon & Lian Hock's wedding day (Pt. 1)

2011-11-16T12:17:00.005+08:00

Josh Oon & Ying Qiao's wedding day (30th Oct '11)

2011-11-14T23:41:00.005+08:00

From China (Ningbo) with Love
My phone vibrated to the sound of Michael Buble's "Save the last dance for me"..

Josh finally reached me, and he was keen to engage our services for his upcoming wedding.

Upcoming wedding? I never knew you had a girlfriend, buddy!

Anyway, I asked him, “So where’s your bride from?” He says from Ningbo, China…and I went…"Ooohh.."

Isn’t it cool to have your life partner from another country/religion/ethnicity? For me, I think it is.. :) Imagine marrying an European or Latin American? Then you could possibly add on to the growing list of languages you're able to roll your tongue to..

'Serene waves'?
A quick digging around the internet and I found this:

Ningbo (Chinese: 宁波; pinyin: Níngbō ; Ningbo dialect: Nyinpou is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay, facing the East China Sea to the east. Ningbo borders Shaoxing to the west and Taizhou to the south, and is separated from Zhoushan by a narrow body of water.

The first character in the city's name (宁 or 寧) means "serene", while its second character (波) translates to "waves". Together, the name literally means "Serene Waves".

Love finds you in many ways and in Josh’s case, he found his beautiful bride, Ying Qiao among the waves of people in the People’s Republic of China!

And serene waves? Hmmm....as I continue with some deep self-reflection, I wave this cute couple a sincere good bye for now. May you lovebirds make waves and sail through them!

Ok ok, enough with the waves now - I hear you.
So, arrivederci!

Hah! :O)

This is our now, this is our forever: Josh Oon & Ying Qiao

2011-11-01T11:04:00.006+08:00

Date: 28th Oct '11 (Fri.)
Time: 7.30pm

Venue: Ming Garden, Penang Times Square

Just Justin

2011-10-13T22:21:00.005+08:00

Thanks for this, Justin!

It was in fact, just Justin Lo. The Hong Kong singer came for a cameo appearance at Gurney Plaza without much fanfare to meet his fans and promote his 'Around The World' concert.

I personally know his hits (being a fan of his earlier 'breakout' songs especially), and was glad to be able to see him live in person. He sang only one song ('Meng Ngang') - definitely saving all up for his upcoming concert in Sunway Beach, KL.

Shooting Justin was quite a breeze, to be honest. No jostling of positions/angles with other members of the media - good understanding and respect for one another. I particularly liked it when Justin Lo was also very casual with the media, and there were a few times he gazed at me in between the autograph-signing session. Managed to get a few shots of him looking and smiling at my camera, and happy to share one of the photos here :O)

Caps/hats off to you, JLo! I mean, Justin Lo..

We've surpassed the mark!

2011-10-11T23:03:00.004+08:00

I haven't been blogging much recently (before the last blog post on 1st Oct) - to my friends who read the shutterspeed blog here, my sincere apologies...

...and by the way, just realized shutterspeed has just surpassed the 10,000 hits mark! In fact, It's almost 10, 080 hits right now.. Thank you so much for those who came by to read/view/comment/critique or just being plain curious.

For most bloggers, you are one of the reasons why blogs continue to exist.

This is for you.

Thank you!

Lights, Camera, ACTION! KRU movie production

2011-10-01T17:34:00.002+08:00

That unmissable smile: Shot from very low to the ground, using
the wooden kavadi as a frame within frame.

KRU productions revently shot a few scenes for an upcoming local movie - and they chose Beach Street, Pg as a major shooting location. I was there to join in the crowd, sometimes weaving in between takes, looking for a shot or two.

Here are some of my favorites from that day, and I was very glad to see a familiar face in the crowd: a young peacock dancer I photographed last Ponggal. I couldn't tell if she recognized me or not, but that sweet smile of hers is unmissable. She was in fact, my first winning entry to a feature in the Digiatl Camera Magazine!

Here's to you again, my dear friend :O)

Monkeying around..Part 2 (Updated)

2011-07-11T22:49:00.008+08:00

Date: 9th July '11 (Sat.)
Time: 7pm
Venue: Penang Botanic Gardens

It was definitely '12 Monkeys & More' - what with the staging of the 3-in-1 play being hosted at the Penang Botanic Gardens, a place where primates are a usual sight.

p/s: I'm also happy to meet up with a Facebook friend of mine (Macus Ong).
*Hey Macus, nice meeting you!

*UPDATED - Shooting notes:

This show had got to be one of the more difficult stage performances I've experienced shooting so far. I mentioned below that the ground was muddy and wet but the biggest challenge was the lighting. There were the occasional colorful side lights but in certain plays like the 2nd performance (Ramakien, a Thai play), sometimes all the play had was just a single spotlight.

In a particular scene, there was just a 'portable' side light (which I used to frame a couple of close up shots of a masked dancer) being handled by one lighting 'technician'- it turned out that the 'technician' was the choreographer of the play himself, Jitti Chompee!

I definitely had a good chuckle to myself seeing him on stage at the end of the play as he took his bow :P

Lenses used: Initially I started off with a 70-200mm on a body, and then opted to use both cameras (2nd camera with the 17-50mm attached). As the crowd were seated on the ground, I decided to limit my movement to give them a chance to enjoy the show. The 50mm was used occasionally, especially with the pressing the need to 'open up' the stage for certain scenes.

All photos were shot handheld without external flash units.

*************************************************************************************

The ground was soft and muddy from an earlier downpour - mobility was limited for photographers near the perimeters of the stage. At times when I stood too long at a certain spot, I remember having some difficulty lifting my feet, but like they say, the shooting (and show) must go on..

Well. It's pretty late now, so stay tuned for some technical sharing (if you're into this thing).
In the meantime, here are a few more shots from the evening..

Buenos noches..

Monkeying around...Part 1

2011-07-10T08:23:00.003+08:00

MLTR - Live in M'sia 2011 (Part 2)

2011-05-02T17:01:00.015+08:00

Mikkel during a solo

Mikkel in harmony with Jascha (above) and bassist (below)

Jascha framed from the side of the stage

In my previous post, I reminisced about my days of seeing MLTR in the telly, and how they played quite a part in me enjoying my dinner back when I was a teen.

So now let's get to the more technical side of things, shall we?

Photo gears: I shot this concert exclusively with two bodies, one mounted with the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and the other, a 17-50mm f/2.8 lens. Prior to the start of the show, I was informed about the songs which I could shoot (by the concert organizer): it was not the 'first 3 songs or songs at the halfway of the show. In fact, it was as random as you could imagine. If I recalled correctly, it was something like 'song #3, #10 and #12', or even '#4, #9 and #12' - whatever the list was, I just took it in my stride.

Initially I tried a few test shots to get the 'feel' and exposure as right as possible. I (almost) always shoot in Manual Mode, and with a few combinations locked on, I was ready to roll.

Stage lighting: Wonderful layers of lights and with the introduction of some LED lights, it brought a different dimension to the stage. Thanks to the generally well-lit stage, I had the liberty to increase and decrease the depth of field in most shots.

Washes of blue, green and red interspersed across the stage with some liberal usage of the smoke machines. Jascha Richter (lead vocalist) was the most challenging to shoot among the performers - although the he had a fair amount of spotlight on him, there were many times the shadow from the microphone obscured his mouth.

As is usually the case with the drummers, Kare Wanscher was all the way back there surrounded by his kit, thus making it a real challenge to reach him amidst the flurry of hand movements. I opted for the 70-200mm lens, and with some understanding of his rhythms and the light patterns, fired off several continuous frames.

Mikkel Lentz (lead guitarist), on the other hand, was the most well-lit among the original MLTR trio (and also the bassist). I had 2 cameras on me, and used that advantage to frame tight (focusing solely on him) and used the 17-50mm to include him with Jascha and at times also the bassist (yeah, I know, I need to get this guy's name soon!). I then brought on the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, and several of my favorite shots from the night was from the 'nifty-fifty' :O)

Just like the Air Supply concert (last Nov) which shutterspeed was also the Official Image Provider, I had a blast at the MLTR concert.

p/s: Aperture was adjusted accordingly between f/2.8 to f/4.0 for most scenes, while with the 50mm, most shots were taken with f/2.0

Note: Photos are used with permission from Star Planet.

MLTR - Live in M'sia 2011 (Part 1)

2011-04-24T19:51:00.007+08:00

The stage was beautifully lit at PISA for the concert

Mikkel Lentz

Kare Wanscher

Jascha Richter

Date: 22 Apr 2011 (Fri.)

Time: 8.30pm

Venue: PISA, Penang

I recall my teenage years fondly with the group's hits like 'That's Why You Go Away', 'Sleeping Child', 'Paint My Love', 'Someday' and '25 Minutes' - it was almost a certainty to see MLTR on our national TV on a weekly basis. It was the RIM Chart Show and as a music lover, I remember having my dinner with mum's home cooked curry, fried chicken, sambal belacan and of course, MLTR's music getting mixed in between those mouthfuls of goodness :O)

That was almost 15 years ago.

On Friday night, I caught the trio (the 3 remaining members) on a personal and professional level. To be honest, the guys still look similar to what we saw them during their breakout years - lead singer cum keyboardist Jascha Richter in particular.

I guess music makes us look young, apart from feeling good.. Hehe..

More thoughts to come in the next installment - stay tuned!

Kenduri Kahwin (Part 2): Boboy & Azwa

2011-04-03T17:07:00.000+08:00

Kenduri Kahwin (Part 1): Boboy & Azwa

2011-03-28T23:15:00.002+08:00

Date: 19 Mar 2011 (Sat.)

Time: 1pm

Venue: Sg. Ara

shutterspeed's 150th blog posting!

2011-03-17T22:41:00.002+08:00

Akad Nikah (Part 2): Boboy & Azwa

2011-03-15T22:03:00.003+08:00

Akad Nikah (Part 1): Boboy & Azwa

2011-03-10T22:54:00.003+08:00

Date: 2nd March 2011

Venue: Masjid Al-Huda, Sg. Ara (Penang)

Astrolife Concert - Chap Goh Meh 2011 (Part 2)

2011-02-22T15:19:00.009+08:00

Liew Wan Ying (above & below)

Phoebe & Jentzen, the Astro hosts for the night

I could still remember the days leading up to this year’s Chinese New Year; the eve of the night and the nights that followed.

In almost a blink of an eye, we’re on the final day of CNY and it’s already Chap Goh Meh (CGM). For those not in the know, CGM is the 15th (hence the name, ‘Chap Goh’) and final night of Chinese New Year. The day also doubles up as the Valentine’s Day for the Chinese community.

Just like last year’s Chap Goh Meh celebration, Astro and the Penang State Tourism Development & Culture again played their part in staging a CGM concert at the Esplanade, Penang.

Having no ‘notable international flavor’ like the previous year (such as Y2J from Taiwan), the response was a little subdued, in my opinion.
Don’t get me wrong though; all the singers are champions but I guess a better song selection (for most artistes) would have warmed up the crowd even more.

Of the many performers for the night, Liew Wan Ying stood out among them. I have seen her rise from a virtual unknown to her moment in being crowned Winner of the International Hokkien Singing Competition in 2008. She’s blossoming into a bona fide star and blessed with beauty, I believe this girl can go far.

With all being said, I had a good evening! :O)

Technical Aspects

Photo gears: I shot this concert exclusively with one body and used only the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens - a good reach and with a constant aperture, this lens is definitely recommended for serious shooters of live performance photography.
As usual, images were shot in Manual mode. Aperture was adjusted accordingly between f/2.8 to f/4.0 for most scenes.

Stage lighting: Simple and at times, a bit dramatic. Performers were lit from the front with washes of red for some sets (especially for the cultural dances).
I tried to play around with the angles to best portray the artistes in the best light, literally.

Astrolife Concert - Chap Goh Meh, Penang

2011-02-20T01:28:00.004+08:00

Date: 17th Feb 2011 (Thursday)

Time: 7pm onwards

Venue: Esplanade, Penang

Penang State-level CNY Celebration 2011 (Part 2)

2011-02-15T16:15:00.010+08:00

Date: 12th Feb 2011 (Saturday)

Time: 4pm onwards

Venue: Heritage enclave, George Town

Previously in a posting for 'shutterspeed' in Facebook, I mentioned a walk down memory lane. It was a feeling of nostalgia that suddenly swept through me; I could not really explain why.

The nostalgia returned on this occasion, as I traced my steps from last year's celebration to this year's State-level Chinese New Year celebration. Photographically speaking, it was a bit of a challenge to shoot the same event two years in a row from a slightly different perspective and at at the same time, still communicating the emotions of the occasion.

I am glad this year's theme was focused on reliving the good old days of George Town and of course, the vibrancy of our different cultures. While certain parts of our cultures were on display on stage, young students took to the streets to portray the lifestyle of our elders from the past. From local coolies at the harbour to the womenfolk selling sugar canes (and many other re-enactments), at times I felt like I was walking through a time tunnel. The rain did come and made things a bit difficult for visitors to meander through the crowd, but I believe the rain did not dampen anyone's spirit.

I was excited to be a part of the crowd, and I am proud to share with you what I saw through my lens on that day. It was indeed a walk worth taking and reliving!

Penang State-level CNY Celebration (Part 1)

2011-02-13T16:24:00.003+08:00

Date: 12th Feb 2011 (Saturday)

Time: 4pm onwards

Venue: Heritage enclave, George Town

Thaipusam 2011 (Part 2)

2011-01-22T23:57:00.004+08:00

Reflection of passion: This scene was framed off

a small puddle of water.

This was easily one of the most graphic images I've ever

seen at a Thaipusam festival in Penang.

I was just inches below this devotee (foreground), and used

his body to frame another devotee who was swaying back

and forth.This was the clearest from a series of frames shot.

Hooks, sweat and perseverance: The journey of fulfilling a

vow is about to reach its zenith for this devotee.

Lenses used: 70-200mm, 18-200mm and 50mm

Thaipusam 2011 (Part 1)

2011-01-21T10:50:00.007+08:00

I shot this image on my way up the hilltop temple, the

Sri Arulmigu Balathandayuthabani. It has been a long

journey and among the crowd, I spotted this young devotee.

With hooks on his back, this devotee joins his friends in the revelry
and street dance as the music blares in the background.

It was quite dark as the head-shaving activity took place under several tents.
So I opted for the 50mm f/1.8 as I noticed a hint of light coming in from
the side to illuminate part of this devotee's face and (shaved) locks.
Note: This was shot at f/2.8 since I wanted to have some depth to the shot.

Date: 20th January 2011 (Thurs.)

Time: 10.30am

Venue: Along Jalan Utama & the Sri Arulmigu Balathandayutthabani Temple (Jalan Kebun Bunga)

Lenses used: 70-200mm, 18-200mm and 50mm

Kevin + Christina (The Story of Us, cont.)

2011-01-13T23:36:00.005+08:00

*This is a continuation from the previous posting..

Looking back:

I received an e-mail from Kevin on October 2010, enquiring about a photo shoot for his engagement with Christina. Kevin had initially sought his friend’s help (*Allen Lau who is a photographer living in Australia) to recommend a photographer in Penang, and we just took it from there. * Thanks, Allen!

We started communicating through e-mails since Kevin is based in London while Christina is in New York. It was great that Kevin liked the heritage wedding images our shutterspeed website and within the next few mails, we were all in serious discussion of conceptualizing our photo shoot :O)

Kevin and Christina, thank you for inviting us to capture an important moment in your lives. You two lovebirds were so full of affection for each other (I guess the 3.5 months being apart from one another helped stoked the fire a bit more!).

The images from these postings are some of our favorite from that morning, a morning that took us from Chew Jetty to our finale’ at Love Lane, a humble yet aptly-named small street for the romantic and sentimental souls (which also happens to be just along Kevin’s alma mater, St. Xavier’s Institution).

All the best to you and may you be blessed with happiness always!

Kevin + Christina: The Story Of Us

2011-01-12T23:34:00.014+08:00

An island boy and a city girl, whose worlds collided and hearts combined in a distant land…

Waaaait! I know, the line above sounds a little bit corny and mushy (even for a monumentally sentimental person like myself) :P

So here’s Kevin and Christina’s love story, in his own words:

“She's American and I'm a Penangite. We met in London when she was working here but unfortunately she's now back in the States. I'm going to be joining her in May next year though so our year or so apart is coming to an end. Oh and it just happened I proposed to her in September this year!

We're not going to have seen each other for 3.5 months (the longest we've ever been apart), so be prepared for a uber hyper lovey dovey couple! We're both energetic, loud, silly and adventurous. These shots are meant to be our engagement/Christmas shots so they're meant to be fun, casual, and just us”.

From my e-mails to Kevin, I could sense that he is a fun-loving and jovial guy; I told him that. I was proven right and when Kevin reminded me to be prepared for ‘a uber hyper lovey dovey couple’, they proved me right, alright! During our early morning photo shoot, there were times I had just wanted to leave my camera and watch them cuddle and kiss and get lost in each other’s eyes.

I am glad I never really took my eye or cameras off them!

Stay tuned for the next installment...

Teek Hong & Kelly's Wedding Reception (18 Dec 2010)

2011-01-11T23:11:00.001+08:00

Happy 1-1-1-1 :O)

2011-01-11T23:09:00.001+08:00

Many of us might have realized by now that today is a very interesting day, numerically speaking.

11th January 2011, here's hoping for great things ahead for each and every day!

Happy New Year 2011 :O)

2011-01-01T23:52:00.001+08:00

Teek Hong & Kelly's Wedding Day: 18 Dec 2010

2010-12-31T08:28:00.004+08:00

Pg Island Jazz Festival - Carefree

2010-12-25T23:55:00.004+08:00

If you were born in the 60’s (of which I was not), you might have heard of this band. This 7-piece band was the largest group of the night, with a wide range of musical instruments from the saxophone to percussions and trombone. Since the guys in front of the stage nearly took up the whole stage, I had to forgo taking individual shots of the guys pegged behind (i.e. keyboards and drums). They got the crowd in a groovy mode with numbers like ‘Wild Wild West’, and brought back some nostalgia with Belaian Jiwa’, which was quite possibly THE sappy theme song of my generation (given the uber smooth R&B treatment by local group Innuendo in the 90’s).

Those in attendance was privileged to hear an English rendition of the song (albeit the first verse only), duly performed by Simon Justin Leo who formed the band in 1975.

Anyway, back to photography. A wide angle lens was of utmost importance since these guys almost filled the entire stage. I stayed close to the stage and decided to incorporate the cables and sound monitors to add some depth and ‘rawness’ to the images.

All in all, the stage lighting was simple yet adequate for fast lenses in general. Of the 3 lenses I shot with on two bodies(17-50mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.8), the 70-200mm was the most effective with its reach and compressed effect, as with the case for most live performances I’ve shot previously. The fact that organizers did not limit photography to the first 3-4 songs made life much simpler to a certain extent. It was free-flow movement for photographers and the audience, and as long as you do not climb onto the stage stabbing your lens into the face of a musician, then all is good!

Pg Island Jazz Festival - STOUXINGERS

2010-12-14T19:28:00.008+08:00

The a cappella group was possibly the darlings of the night as they only used their voices to create their distinct brand of music (and not to forget, their very own musical language, as one member proclaimed).

I started off with a wide angle to capture the entire ensemble and capped it off with the 70-200mm to focus on each performer. Each member had their own distinct personality, so the 70-200mm was the perfect choice of lens.

Pg Island Jazz Festival - ELECTRIC BARBARIAN

2010-12-12T17:46:00.006+08:00

Next up, the savage-sounding group, Electric Barbarian, formed by bassist Floris Vermeulen. Unlike the previous band (SC Yun Trio), the lighting was much brighter with a wider use of the lights.

This 5-piece was one the most unique groups of the night, with the incorporation of music from the turntables (DJ Lamont) and the often dramatic performance (Spoken word) of Luanda Casella.

Luanda, at one point in her performance, brought on the hula-hoop and started gyrating her hips, all the while whispering/singing in her trance-like interpretation of the number. From a photographic point of view, this was definitely a welcomed sight!

On the other hand, Floris the bassist, almost never took his eye off his guitar. As his face was constantly facing the photographers below the stage, it was just a matter of waiting for the right light to capture his moment.

Pg Island Jazz Festival - SC YUN TRIO

2010-12-12T16:56:00.006+08:00

I recall the lighting treatment for the trio were slightly challenging. Perhaps it was slightly due to the fact that the group played slow and sometimes brooding number. It meant that only the drummer Kim Yeong Jin was the most illuminated among the trio, while pianist SC Yun and double bassist Kim In Young received just the occasional splashes of the stage lights. Possibly the hardest group to shoot for the night in terms of lighting.

On another note, SC Yun was constantly obscured by his piano; I only had a few good clean shots of his face. I then chose to frame a few tight shots of the pianist and his piano.

Air Supply's Love Never Ends World Tour (Part 2)

2010-12-12T00:10:00.003+08:00

Air Supply's Love Never Ends World Tour

2010-12-03T23:01:00.007+08:00

Date: 16th Nov 2010

Time: 8.30pm

Venue: Penang International Sports Arena (PISA)

Photographer's Notes:

I used 2 cameras for this assignment, with the 70-200mm f/2.8 at one body and the 17-50mm f/2.8 at the other. The range for the 70-200mm was just about right for some intimate shots of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, while the wide angle allowed me to capture both performers in their signature move in a single frame.

Prior to the show, the house rules were set: shooting was allowed only for the first 4 songs and it's make or break time, especially when you've been commissioned to deliver the images. To be honest, I had expected that (the song limit rule), since most international acts implement this policy.

One thing that I was thankful for was the amount of stage lights and their different hues throughout the show. It was a joy to capture but of course, as in any photo assignment, nothing is ever easy. The lights, amazing as they were, were constantly changing and thus creating some challenges to expose the images. I usually shoot in Manual mode, and this particular gig got me changing my dials quite often.

I felt the duo of Air Supply gave a good performance; I especially liked Graham Russell who was the chattier of the two and constantly engaged the audience with his banter. Mr. Hitchcock, on the other hand, let his singing do the talking (or was it the other way round?) :O) The men played their greatest hits and aptly saved their 'Goodbye' as they obliged their adoring fans with an encore.

Well, it was one of those evenings where you feel a little bit nostalgic - as a fan, I am familiar with their hits and there I was, having the privilege to document this moment. At the end of the show, my thighs were trembling from the constant squat positions we had to employ as we were just shooting below the stage.

It was indeed one good tremble, and as I write this, the songs from the night still echo in my heart.

shutterspeeding Beijing (Part 2)

2010-12-02T23:21:00.001+08:00

shutterspeeding Beijing (Part 1)

2010-11-28T01:38:00.004+08:00

Touching Tianjin, China

2010-11-19T23:19:00.006+08:00

Charming Chengde, China

2010-11-11T22:47:00.007+08:00

We had a wonderful time in Chengde, where the temperature was around -5 degrees Celcius!

Here are some of the memorable images made at Mountain Resort and Little Potala Palace which made great subjects..

If only we had more time!

Daris & His Little Red Roadster

2010-10-19T22:04:00.001+08:00

The Little Red Roadster - A preview

2010-10-18T11:55:00.004+08:00

Date: 17th Oct. (Sunday)

Time: 8am

A quick peep into a quick portrait session with Daris and his little red Roadster.

Car is remote-controlled with MP3 and blinking head & tail lights; and can be driven by baby on board as well :)

Look out for more!

Beep Beep!

Tow Boo Kong Temple, B'worth

2010-10-14T20:57:00.013+08:00

The grand entrance arch leading to the temple

The statue of a lion greeting visitors near
the entrance ofthe front prayer hall

A door general ('mooi sin') standing tall as soon
as you enter the front prayer hall

A large embossed painting of a 100 children at the inner

courtyard which is believed to signify the continuity of generations

A close-up view: The sweets are held close together
and resemble a cone, and are placed at the prayer altar

Date: 9th Oct '10 (Sat.)

Time: 8pm

Venue: Raja Uda, Butterworth (Pg.)

We finally made a trip to the famed temple in Butterworth, especially after seeing photos of the temples being published in articles and online forums. It was definitely worth the wait, as the temple is not only huge but looks grand from whichever angle you look at it.

It was initially intended to be a casual shoot (I did not even have a tripod with me at that time) but I am quite pleased with the outcome for most of the images here which were mostly shot wide open without a flash unit.

We enjoyed our ferry ride ( to and fro), and even lost our way momentarily in Raja Uda.

Well, it's these little (mis)adventures that bring a chuckle, whenever we cast our memories to that evening :O)

The RED TIDE: Scuderia Ferrari (Part 2)

2010-10-11T21:29:00.004+08:00

A photo montage of the event

The RED TIDE: Scuderia Ferrari

2010-10-10T17:00:00.006+08:00

Date: 9th Oct '10 (Sat.)
Time: 1.00pm
Venue: Gurney Plaza, Penang

Linda Chung Ka Yan

2010-10-05T20:03:00.009+08:00

Date: 2nd Oct (Sat.)
Time: 8-9.30pm

Venue: Gurney Plaza, Penang

We’ve seen her in Hong Kong’s TVB dramas, in different roles and different personas. On Saturday night, I had the privilege to join hundreds of Linda Chung’s fans at Gurney Plaza who came armed with whistles, LED placards and signboards :O) Well, to be more precise, I was there to document the event.

This time, she played the role as the ambassador for Bio-Essence, a beauty product, and to launch the company’s latest offering. Linda looked resplendent in her off-white evening gown, which sometimes reminded me of a bride’s casual evening wear. She looked slightly thinner in person, and younger, I should say. Even the host for the evening, Gary of 8TV, looked better and definitely much taller than how we see him on screen.

Period dramas, classic legends.. I believe we will be seeing quite a lot Chung Ka Yan in the upcoming TVB dramas and commercials, of course!

Penang Heritage Wedding (Part 2)

2010-10-01T13:55:00.006+08:00

The 2nd part of this series.. and playing around with the effects to create the 'nostalgic' look, especially on the 1st and 3rd images :)

Penang Heritage Wedding (Part 1)

2010-09-24T23:18:00.004+08:00

I was looking through some of my photo archives and just thought of sharing some of the previously un-posted images from this event last year. This was from the Penang Heritage Wedding Photo Competition, a 2-day event which gave many photo enthusiasts a chance to shoot models in wedding gowns with the charming George Town as a fitting backdrop.

Enjoy :O)

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

2010-08-31T21:08:00.005+08:00

Date: 31st August 2010 (Tues.)

Time: 9am

Venue: Esplanade, Penang

Shooting Like A Soldier: Featured Photos

2010-08-24T22:00:00.006+08:00

PDC Appreciation Dinner

Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT)

Guitarist for Faizal Tahir (Hot FM's Big Jam 2010)

Simon of Legree & Eliza: PFS's 'The King & I'

Daniel Lee (MY FM's Chinese New Year Celebration 2010)

These are the 5 featured photos in the article. Just thought of sharing them for a closer look and a better understanding of where they were taken.

In fact, these are some of our personal favorites and we're really happy they made it to the pages of the magazine :o)

Thai Festival 2010

2010-08-08T08:49:00.001+08:00

Date: 7th Aug (Saturday)

Time: 7.30pm onwards

Venue: Fort Cornwallis, Penang

It's Augusto!

2010-08-01T09:55:00.002+08:00

The month of August is here!

In retrospect, July had been a busy month for us. In fact, I could quite rightly say that it had been 'The King & I' month, judging from our commitment to Penang Free School and the production team.

Here's a quick sharing of the actual DVD cover (a scanned version of the original). Response has been very encouraging and should you wish to have a an official copy, just drop us a line!

1Malaysia Cultural Dance

2010-07-15T22:28:00.006+08:00

Date: 4th July 2010 (Sunday)

Venue: Dewan Sri Pinang, Penang

The cultural dances were a lively additition to 'The King & I' musical held recently by Penang Free School. The dance group were on stage during the intermission and came on to provide a colorful performance that incorporated elements of traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian dances.

It was splendid seeing them showcasing the dances of the different cultures and in traditional attires that were in contrast with their own culture. Their movements were swift and largely because of this, it was a quite a serious ask for us to capture the best images. We mainly shot from the flanks, and the best opportunities to grab a few frames came and flew by. In a space of a few minutes, the dancers bade their farewell and retreated to the back of the stage.

And then came Act 2, Scene 1.

Back to the King!

Showtime! The King & I, PFS (Part 2)

2010-07-09T21:35:00.006+08:00

'Scientific' dogs chasing after ElizaThe King listening to Anna's suggestions
The PFS Orchestra
A scene from the classroom Lady Thiang singing 'Western People Funny'
The King & Anna sharing a tender moment
TYT and the principal of PFS, Tn. Hj. Ramli Din meeting
the casts on stage at the end of the successful show

Showtime! The King & I, PFS (Part 1)

2010-07-06T20:39:00.008+08:00

The King leading his royal court in prayers

Lun Tha & Tuptim
Eliza getting some divine help from an angel
Eliza tries to run away
The princes

The King & I : A sneak peek

2010-07-04T15:43:00.006+08:00

Shall We Dance?

Simon of Legree terrorizing Eliza

Eliza and the Happy People!

Simon of Legree

King Mongkut seeking blessings

Time: 8pm

Venue: Dewan Sri Pinang, Penang

Students of Penang Free School will be staging 'The King & I' musical tonight (4th July) and shutterspeed is honored to be selected as the Official Image Providers for this year's production.

Here are some sneak peeks of certain scenes from tonight's performance!

Nicholas Teo (Zhang Dong Liang)

2010-06-26T23:26:00.004+08:00

Go Green Concert, Auto City

2010-06-24T22:59:00.007+08:00

Rynn Lim
J'zelyn

Shila
Suki Low (One In A Million, Season 1 winner)
Yasin
Preetha

Date: 5th June 2010 (Sat.)

Time: 8pm onwards

Venue: Auto City, Penang

Our hectic day started with the coverage of Queensbay Mall's Movie Freak Official Launch and the momentum continued with this concert over the mainland in Juru.

The stage lighting was pretty challenging at times; we had to rely on side lighting to 'carve' out the performers' features and accentuate their expressions.

It was a rather big stage, but some spotlights/lighting rigs at the back of the stage to give some backlights would have been a big welcome.

A great event nonetheless, and with stars like Rynn Lim, Suki Low, Yasin and Shila in the line-up, the crowd was in for some good time.

Up next - the Green Ambassador of Penang!

Stay tuned :O)

Go Green Fashion Show

2010-06-20T00:36:00.001+08:00

Movie Freak! at Queensbay Mall

2010-06-18T22:02:00.006+08:00

Queensbay Mall's GM, Selina Ng, and YB Danny Law giving the cue to officially launch the Movie Blockbusta.

Date: 5th June '10 (Sat.)

Time: 12pm

Venue: Queensbay Mall, Penang

We were proud to be invited by the Mall's management to cover this event. The stage was set for the characters to emerge; Shrek & Princess Fiona, Iron Man, Predator, Hellboy and of course the very-sweet looking Chun Li of the Street Fighter fame :O) It was a simple ceremony, and guess who had the most requests for photos? He's (not) lean but GREEN, and with a big charming grin..

It's S-H-R-E-KKKK!!

Step aside, Wayne Rooney (hehehe) :P

iFOODex 2010, PISA

2010-06-14T22:00:00.011+08:00

Penang State Exco, Mr. Abdul Malik having a chat with CEO of Intrenasionale, Andrew Chan (in red batik shirt) and Peter Chan (right), the organizing chairman of the 4th Pg Chefs Challenge.

Flair bartending competiton

PISA was again a hive of activity as people from all walks of life made their way to the International Food Exhibition (iFOODex). shutterspeed was there to provide coverage over the weekend, and these are some of the scenes.

p/s: It was a busy weekend for us, with so many events happening simultaneously in the island and over in Auto City. Tiring, but as always, we enjoy the challenge!

4th Pg Chefs Challenge 2010

2010-06-05T09:38:00.003+08:00

Champions - S'pore2nd place - Penang
3rd place - Taylor's College
4th place - Thailand

The KDU Junior Chefs hard at work

The crowd having a close-up view of the chefs

A Thai chef during the preliminary round

Looking smart, looking sharp

Date: 4th - 6th June 2010 (Friday - Sunday)

Venue: PISA, Penang

Happy Wesak!

2010-05-28T22:37:00.003+08:00

Date: 28th May 2010

Time: 7pm

Venue: Along Kelawei Road, Penang

Andrew Tan (Chen Si Aun)

2010-05-28T22:25:00.004+08:00

Winner of the Astro Talent Quest in 2006, Andrew Tan was one of the highlights of the show at the Melody of Love Charity Concert by KDU College Penang.

Andrew Tan's list of achievements:
Achievements: 2006 : Malaysia's Astro Talent Quest 新秀大赛 = Runner-up2006 : Hong Kong's TVB8 International Chinese New Talent Competition 新秀歌唱大賽 = Champion2008 : Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) ke-15 : Best Local Chinese Album 隆重登场 - Winner
2008 : MY Astro Awards : Top 10 Songs2010 : MY Astro Awards : Top 10 Songs2010 : AIM Ke-17 : Nominated for Best Local Chinese Album : Stardom, 天后

Melody of Love Charity Concert

2010-05-28T13:16:00.005+08:00

shutterspeed was proud to be the Official Photographer and sponsor for this event, held on last Friday, 21st May 2010.

I had previously performed at the Dewan Sri Pinang when I was a kid and later in my teens and recently got reacquainted with the place. It's always a good feeling to go back to a place where you've had so many memorable moments.

Kudos to the organizing committee from KDU College Penang for a job well done!

Here are some of the images from the night; a night which belonged to the organizers, artistes and everyone connected to this charity event. For more images, please go to http://www.shutterspeed9.com

Here We Are!

2010-05-24T23:18:00.011+08:00

Wow..it's been a few weeks now that I have not posted anything in this blog..
Been laying low and working on a brand new project. It's been a good 2 weeks plus away, I must say, to a certain extent.

My dear friends, announcing the official 'shutterspeed' website: http://www.shutterspeed9.com/

Kindly browse through and as usual, works are always in progress. The passion never stops, so the website will have new additions and images all the time.

Blissful Bridal - BRIPEX 2010

2010-05-13T21:46:00.004+08:00

Date: 1st May (Sat.)
Time: 4.30pm
Venue: PISA, Penang

Just's Wardrobe - BRIPEX 2010

2010-05-03T15:32:00.003+08:00

Date: 1st May 2010 (Sat.)

Time: 3pm

Venue: PISA, Penang

BRIPEX 2010 Swimwear Shoot

2010-05-02T01:01:00.003+08:00

Date: 1st May 2010 (Sat.)
Time: 1.30pm
Venue: PISA, Penang

Aniu's Ice Kacang Puppy Love

2010-04-24T17:27:00.008+08:00

Date: 24th Apr 2010 (Sat.)

Time: 1.30pm

Venue: Prangin Mall, Penang

Local boy Aniu (Ah Gu) was in town just now with one of his co-stars, Yi Jet Qi to promote his latest movie 'Ice Kacang Puppy Love'.

Featured Foto: Digital Camera Mag, Apr '10 issue

2010-04-17T15:55:00.002+08:00

I'm happy to know that my image is featured in this month's DCM magazine (in the Hotshots column).

It was indeed a pleasant surprise when Macus, a friend in KL, informed me about this (readers in KL area get their copies about a week earlier than other states).

So thanks, Macus (I hope you're reading this!) :)

Note: The image above was scanned directly from the actual magazine.

S'pore Dance Theatre (Part 2)

2010-04-17T10:20:00.009+08:00

S'pore Dance Theatre (Part 1)

2010-04-16T13:38:00.005+08:00

Date: 15th Apr 2010 (Thurs.)

Time: 8.30pm

Venue: Dewan Sri Pinang, Penang

JJ Lin Meet-The-Fans Session

2010-04-12T12:47:00.007+08:00

Date: 11th April 2010 (Sun.)

Time: 7pm

Venue: Gurney Plaza, Penang

Tropical Spice Garden, Penang

2010-04-06T23:14:00.006+08:00

I previously ran a post on the Tropical Spice Garden last year and seeing Penang being the chosen destination in last night's Amazing Race, I'm thrilled to be sharing another set of previously unreleased (in this blog) images of this garden.

Photographer's note: Would love to be back there again someday soon!

Aye aye, Kapitan!

2010-03-31T03:40:00.005+08:00

The Penang Malay Living Heritage Photo Contest winners have just been announced!
I'm pleased that my image of the Kapitan Keling Mosque is one of the winning entries.

For more information, please click here.

Strings

2010-03-27T17:59:00.009+08:00

This is a showcase of guitarists from some of the biggest acts of the night at the Hot FM Big Jam held in Penang a few weeks ago. While the lead vocalists tend to hog the limelight, I feel it would be great to pay a tribute to these extraordinary artistes in this post.

Here's to the guys who make the band look and sound so awesome!

G Hotel Wedding Showcase

2010-03-22T11:33:00.004+08:00

Date: 21 March 2010 (Sunday)

Venue: Grand Ballroom, G Hotel, Penang

Note: These were some of the collections from Ideal Wedding and Red Knot.

Penang Orchid Festival 2010

2010-03-18T08:50:00.003+08:00

Date: 14th March 2010 (Sun.)

Time: 10am onwards

Venue: Penang Botanical Gardens

For more images, please click here

Miss Umbrella Girl 2010 / Talent Showcase

2010-03-16T20:25:00.004+08:00

Joann Tan
JasmineJasmine (during talent showcase round)
Catherine

Date: 13th Mar '10 (Sat.)

Time: 5.45pm onwards

Venue: Esplanade, Penang

Go Kart!

2010-03-14T22:36:00.004+08:00

Date: 13th March 2010 (Sat.)
Time: 3.30pm onwards
Venue: Esplanade, Penang

Anuar Zain

2010-03-10T23:26:00.009+08:00

Anuar Zain sang just a few of his hits that night at Big Jam and my personal favorites were 'Keabadian Cinta' and 'Lelaki Ini'. Being ballads, the lighting were simple to suit Anuar's type of music. He was in his element as he hit the high notes with not much of a problem with the trademark roll of his eyes.

A nice and non-flashy performance by Anuar to get the crowd wanting for more. It's always good to see an artiste making an effort to engage the crowd with some light banter while being generous with smiles.

Anuar Zain did just that!

Hot FM's Big Jam 2010 (Part 2)

2010-03-08T22:38:00.008+08:00

Fotograf
Alyah

Hujan
Bunkface

Hot FM's Big Jam 2010, Penang (Part 1)

2010-03-07T23:56:00.005+08:00

Faizal Tahir

Bunkface
Stacy

M. Nasir
Mawi

BPR

Hujan

Date: 6th March 2010 (Sat.)

Time: 3pm onwards

Venue: Esplanade, Penang

The afterthought: It was a great night for all music lovers! It was tough but wonderful being in the photographers' pit to witness and capture some of our best local artistes in the flesh.

Tua Pek Kong Procession

2010-03-04T07:51:00.004+08:00

Date: 28th Feb 2010
Time: 6pm onwards
Venue: Armenian Street and along the streets of George Town
For more images, please click here.

MY Penang CNY Celebration 2010

2010-03-01T22:12:00.009+08:00

Taiwan rock duo Y2J (above & below)

Lai Ming Wei of Y2J

Jane Huang Mei Zhen of Y2J

Chen Keat Yoke

Malaysian Idol Danell Lee
Kah Fai

Thomas & Jack

Alvin

Elton Lau

Genie Chuo
Cindy Yen

MY FM DJs

Date: 27th Feb 2010
Time: 8pm onwards
Venue: Esplanade, Penang

A big thank you to the organizers and the Penang State government for making this event possible. It was a wonderful evening with great entertainment by foreign (Taiwan) and local artistes!
Note: Please click here for more images.

Pai Thnee Kong - Hokkien New Year

2010-02-23T20:23:00.004+08:00

Date: 21st & 22nd Feb '10
Venue: Chew Jetty, Penang
Time: 10pm (21st Feb) onwards

For more images, please go to the official Visit Penang Facebook.

Penang CNY Cultural Heritage Celebration 2010

2010-02-21T10:37:00.004+08:00

Date: 20th Feb '10
Venue: Heritage enclave, George Town

For more images, please click here.

Featured Foto: Digital Camera Mag - Feb '10 issue

2010-02-15T10:29:00.004+08:00

Cultural Show - Esplanade in Action

2010-02-10T00:06:00.004+08:00

Date: 6 Feb '10 (Sat.)
Time: 8.30pm
Venue: Esplanade, Penang.

For more images, please click here

Featured Fotos: Esplanade in Action

2010-02-06T13:05:00.008+08:00

Esplanade in Action is back tonight with a cultural show.
Time: 8.30pm

For more details, please click here

p/s: Images featured in the article taken by shutterspeed Photography.

The Silver Chariot - The Return Journey

2010-02-05T12:44:00.006+08:00

Date: 31 Jan '10

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: Along Disted College / SGGS

Thaipusam Day - 30 Jan '10

2010-01-31T09:29:00.002+08:00

The image above is also featured in Visit Penang's Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/40007294@N05/4318587197/

Venue: Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Lorong Kulit, Pg.

For more images, please go to Visit Penang's official Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/pages/George-Town-Penang/35880687452?ref=mf#/album.php?aid=143377&id=35880687452&ref=mf

Thaipusam '09 Revisited

2010-01-26T22:37:00.004+08:00

HAPPY THAIPUSAM!

With Thaipusam just a few days away, I take a walk down memory lane as we count down to this year's Thaipusam.

Ponggalo Ponggal!

2010-01-16T22:00:00.011+08:00

501 Pots Kaanum Ponggal Fiesta

Date: 16 Jan '10

Time: 5.01pm

Venue: Hill Temple, Waterfall, Pg.

For more images, please go to the official Visit Penang Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=113504&id=1840863616#/album.php?aid=139766&id=35880687452&ref=mf

This series is also featured in the official Visit Penang Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/40007294@N05/sets/72157623096712209/

PDC's Appreciation Dinner

2010-01-14T20:43:00.004+08:00

Date: 11 December 2009

Time: 6.30pm

Venue: Grand Ballroom, Vistana Hotel, Pg.

1st Penang Annual Offroad Buggy Challenge

2010-01-10T16:38:00.004+08:00

Date: 10 Jan '10 (Sunday)

Time: 8am - 5pm

Venue: Bayan Mutiara, off Pulau Jerejak jetty

For more images, please go to the official Visit Penang's Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/album.php?aid=138023&id=35880687452

Ryan Turns One!

2010-01-03T23:45:00.005+08:00

Date: 20th Dec '09

Time: 7pm

Venue: Poolside buffet, Dong Hai Restaurant, Paya Terubong, Pg.