Happy New Year to everyone

Happy New Year to all my relatives, friends, colleagues and blog readers! May the year 2009 bring lots of happiness, prosperity and good health to all of you!

May all of you soar to greater heights in your career and whatever you undertake in 2009, just like the eagle in the picture!

White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

This series of White-bellied Sea Eagle pictures are especially dedicated to my colleague Mr. Ben Sim.

Last week before I went on leave my colleague, Mr. Ben Sim, gave me a photographic assignment to photograph a White-bellied Sea Eagle. He said he saw some very nice White-bellied Sea Eagle pictures taken by a Club Snap photographer and he recognized the location was a lake beside Lakeside MRT.

I went to Lakeside one afternoon while on my way to a friend’s house in Boon Lay. I was disappointed because I did not have any luck in catching a glimpse of the majestic bird of prey let alone taking any picture! I continued on my journey empty handed! I gave up on the thought of capturing any White-bellied sea eagle this holiday because it is unlikely I will make another trip from Ang Mo Kio all the way to Lakeside carrying all that heavy photographic equipment.

Yesterday morning I was out photographing birds at Venus Drive after an early morning shower. By noon, it is getting too hot so I began walking home. As I was walking pass the slipped road to Lower Pierce Reserviour I caught sight of a “big bird” circling above the Reserviour. I was sure it must be a eagle judging by its wide wingspan and the way it glided through the sky. I quickly climbed over a railing and took a short cut into the Reserviour area.

As luck has it, it was a white-bellied sea eagle circling above the Reserviour looking for fish! I quickly pulled out my Canon EOS 40D an the 100-400mm lens and waited patiently in the hot sun at the water edge hoping to capture the moment the eagle dive down to make its catch! My quest was answered within 20 minutes of waiting; the eagle began zooming down to a spot in the middle of the Reserviour. I took aim and triggered my camera at full blast of 6.3 frames per second as the eagle hit the water and struggled off with it catch! The action was over in a matter of few seconds!

When I examined the shots on the little LCD on my EOS 40D I was rather disappointed. Some of the shots were blurred, due to my handshake in the spur of excitement to capture the split second actions! The images were also far too small for my liking because my lens is not long enough. Hmm, maybe it is a good excuse to invest in a new 600mmf4 lens. That is if I could fork out $12-16K!

One of the shot in the series showed that a fish has slipped through the eagle’s claws as the eagle began ascending after the catch. Initially I thought the eagle has gone empty handed but when I examined the shot on my computer I could see the eagle has another fish in its claws. This eagle has probably picked up two fishes at one go!

I stayed on for about an hour more to photograph the eagle then made my way home as my stomach was grouching for food! After my shower, only did I realised my face is red like a big “Ang Ku Kueh”! Hope Ben will like these series of WBSE pictures even though it is not taken at Lakeside and it is no where near those great shots taken by the Club Snap photographer!

The Little Nyonya Fever

The latest 9pm Channel 8 drama series, The Little Nyonya (小娘惹), has been very successful and well received by Singaporean of all ages. It was rated one of the most watched drama series in recent years!

Last Saturday, 27th December 2008, The Little Nyonya artistes were out in full force to attend the road show in Sengkang Compass Point. A capacity crowd of five thousand supporters filled every storey and escalator of the shopping complex.

When the artistes arrived, thunderous cheering began filling the complex from ground level up! All the supporters started jostling and pushing ahead towards the stage area to catch a close up view of the favourite artiste! All of a sudden cameras, video-cameras, handphones and banners were raised high in the air to capture whatever images there were to be captured and to show their support for the artistes!

There were photographers on two-steps ladders shouting out to supporters in front to lower their banners as it was blocking their view. Yet again the people behind the photographers were shouting to them to come down from their ladders as it was also blocking their view! The whole situation appeared rather comical to me and luckily it did not lead to any sour situation, otherwise it will be a big chaos and there will be many people injured!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my relatives, colleagues, friends and my blog readers! Have yourself a blessed Christmas and a joyous holiday. I wish you the all best in the coming year 2009!

Yesterday I went down to Orchard Road to take some pictures of the Christmas lights up and to soak in the Christmas atmosphere. The streets are full of people, some were busy with their last minute Christmas shopping, while others strolling with their love ones and enjoying the lights up and taking pictures.

The crowd is really overwhelming, I spent around three hours there and I only managed to cover the junction of Scott Road and Orchard Road to Forum Shopping Center! Here are some pictures to share with all of you, have yourself a Peaceful and Merry Christmas!

Anonymous Exhibition

Eleven years ago, a photo enthusiast by the name of Marcus Mok came to the now defunct Photographers’ Choice to enroll in my People and Portraits photography class. Now, eleven years later, he is a very sort after wedding photographer, and a lifestyle and stock photographer. He is one of the very few photographers, who are capable of taking good pictures and being a model for the camera! His self-portrait life-style pictures have been used by OCBC, UOB and many other organisations for their promotion purposes.

Last Friday, 5th December 2008, Marcus held his very own Anonymous photo exhibition at Studio 83 on 83 Kim Yam Road 3rd Floor (along Mohammed Sultan Road). This exhibition features lots of hunks in various masculine poses. Marcus uses creative lightings, props and unique camera perspective to enhance the masculine bodies. Some of the photographs were further enhance in Photoshop to give a surreal feel. Marcus is currently based in Melbourne and it is good to meet up with him again after all these years!

Marcus's Anonymous exhibition is opening daily from 10am to 6pm and it will be on till Sunday, 14th December 2008. Do visit the exhibition to support our local photographer Marcus Mok.

All for a good course

We have often seen MediaCorp artiste Christopher Lee (李铭顺) acting on television but have you seen him washing car's wind screen for others? Well, that was what Christopher Lee was doing two weekends ago at the Mocca Full Throttle to raise funds for some children homes. Well done, Christopher!

Mocca Full Throttle

Two Sundays ago, I was down at the National Stadium Park G to catch the drifting demonstrations by some expert drifters. When I was walking towards the car park I was rather disappointed because all I saw was rows of family sedan cars and some promoters giving out sales leaflets.

As I was walking along the booths, suddenly I heard the revving of a powerful engine. I'm very sure the distinctive sound must have come from either a Lamborghini or a Ferrari. I quickly run towards the direction of the sound at the end row of the tentage.

Just as I reach the clearing of the last tentage, I was delighted to see a row of six Lamborghinis. One of the drivers has started his engine. At this very moment my spirit was lifted and I'm starting to enjoy the car show. This is what I call "The Real Cars!”

As I was busy taking pictures of my favourite cars, the remaining five drivers also came to start their engines. To hear the roaring of one Lamborghini’s engine is exciting enough for me, and to hear all six Lamborghini engines powering up at one go, boy I was in heaven!!

Slowly one by one the Lamborghinis drove away and I was standing in the middle of the drive way shooting as they left. All of a sudden, behind me came another distinctive sound of the Harley Davidson motor bikes! Boy, just as my favourite cars left, my favourite motor bikes were rolling in. This has to be the best Sunday for me!

Off course, I also love the Mini Coupe-S and the drifting, but nothing really comes close to my favourites Lamborghini cars and Harley Davidson bikes!