bLog By Pixels

Rainbow Falls

2010-10-06T00:16:00.001+08:00

Back in June, the bunch of us visited Rainbow Falls in Sungai Lembing, off Kuantan, Malaysia. Here's a shot of the mist waterfall that allows sunlight to refract to form the rainbow.

And some shots of the rainbow that you will see every morning.

An uncle drawing his power from the rainbow

Berkelah Waterfalls 2010

2010-10-05T14:06:00.002+08:00

I was out in Malaysia trekking up Berkelah Waterfalls. Here's a shot from the usual base camp.

Nicholas & Jenni's Wedding Day

2010-10-04T13:38:00.003+08:00

Seeing Nicholas and Jenni's friends fly from all over the world to witness their emotional, personal and sweet wedding in itself was a great testament of how special this couple is to their friends and family. Here's wishing them great first steps in their lifelong journey of marriage. :)

Nicholas with his dad and his Groomsmen in the church.

The wedding planners with their angel wings.

One of the flower girls.

Jenni, just moments before walking down the aisle.

The bridesmaids prepping Jenni up.

I like the way the page boy looked intently at the couple. :)

The groom's mother could not hold back her tears.

Blessing

In their own moment of bliss. :)

Friends of the couple who came from all over the world.

They were a sporting bunch.

Portrait session!

Something a little abstract. :)

One of the hottest families that attended the banquet.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen having fun!

The bridesmaids and the couple having fun!

Marching in to the ballroom.

The groom catches a glimpse of his tearing mum. The expressions say so much about their mix of emotions.

One of their lovely and open display of affection.

Auntie tearing as she views her son's childhood photos.

Kewei singing at the wedding.

Well wishes.

Toasting. And I like the "photobomb" effect.

Making their way to prepare for their second march-in.

Guests enjoying themselves.

I thought it was really cute to see both fathers chatting. :)

The second march-in!

Having their first dance.

A toast during their rounds.

The dance floor opens for everyone!

Click here for more of Nicholas & Jenni's Wedding Day.

Walkins?

2010-09-14T09:57:00.002+08:00

This was a queue ticket from ICA and I am a little peeved by their new little word.

Patrick & Chunhao's Wedding Day

2010-08-31T02:16:00.001+08:00

Congratulations to Patrick and Chunhao!

View more photos from this wedding at the album or in facebook.

Oh Yeah

2010-06-30T19:23:00.003+08:00

Click on the image to read the article from MyPaper.

I was immensely humored by JJ Lin's retort and wrote this...

Robin & Candy's Engagement

2010-05-24T10:42:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Robin and Candy!

This assignment was challenging due to the time constraints, but I'm glad they liked the shots.

Also, I've set up my facebook page! So I'm shamelessly asking everyone to "Like" the page.

Star Trails in the Night

2010-05-18T10:00:00.001+08:00

Kelong

2010-05-17T23:01:00.001+08:00

The view from Hot Boys Kelong is nice. Can't say about the rest of the stay there though.

Kko Kko Nara

2010-04-19T09:58:00.001+08:00

Had dinner at Kko Kko Nara recently. Pretty good stuff, but the price might be a little the high side.

Kam Chuen & Hui Fen's Engagement

2010-04-07T20:00:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Kam Chuen and Hui Fen!

The function room at Gallery Hotel.

Details on the table...

Gifts for the guests.

Lighter moments

And for the main event! The Ring Bear-ers!

Dr Phua briefing the couple about the proceedings of the solemnization.

The engagement ring.

Dr Phua was his usual jovial self.

Love the way the couple look so excited and happy reciting their marriage vows.

And let's proceed with the paper work. :)

"Don't look high and low for this one, because I will send it to ROM for you."

After the reception, we went around the hotel for portraits!

To the poolside!

They gave me a great You-owe-me-money look.

And hearty smiles too. :)

Lingchuan & Shirely's Wedding Day

2010-04-07T19:00:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Lingchuan and Shirley! Wasabi Rice Dumpling made with love! A very very bitter concoction, but very good for the body too. The Mei Po suffering from rheumatism begged her way in. But the rowdy groomsmen exploited the "security lapse"! Some even went through the window! Kids and women were the main casualties here. So take note! The guys had to make up for the injuries... Lingchuan was really into it! The grrom making promises to Shirley's mom, who couldn't stop tearing. The Lucky Number! SURE WIN! MUST BUY! A light-hearted moment during the preparations. A guest tries to ambush the couple with the fire extinguisher! Looking the part of a veteran Yam-Seng-er. (Not that there is such a word lah) Toasting is a team effort. A bit of a Malaysian Wedding Banquet in Singapore! Notice the new red glow on the groom's face! Doing stuff less ordinary! With the guys... With the girls... All together now... HUAT AH~!!!

Alvin and Felicia's Wedding Day

2010-04-06T19:19:00.001+08:00

Congratulations to Alvin and Felicia!

Shaohui & Jiawen's Wedding Day

2010-04-06T18:00:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Shaohui and Jiawen!

At the wedding banquet...

The bride's nephew and niece recited a really nice poem for the couple.

The very enthusiastic emcee

Love this father and daughter portrait.

I love the Michael Jackson socks. ;)

Family Life

2010-04-04T08:32:00.000+08:00

Here's a recent trial layout I did.

Click on the image for the larger, richer experience. :)

Jason & Liyan's Wedding Day

2010-03-29T16:17:00.001+08:00

Don Quijote Spanish Restaurant: Splendid Spanish Surprises

2010-03-01T16:27:00.003+08:00

Address: 17 Lorong Kilat, Singapore 598139 | Tel: 6465 1811

There has been a bit of a talk about visiting Spain. So the girlfriend brought me to this obscure restaurant for some Spanish fare. Don Quijote isn't exactly accessible by public transport, (with exception of the taxi, that is) but it is worth the walk from the bus stops at Jalan Jurong Kechil and Upper Bukit Timah Road.

First Impressions

The restaurant is nicely done up with nice warm lighting. No deliberate and pretentious welcome phrase from the wait staff, (doubly awful if it is in badly pronounced Espagnol) just a dignified greeting and we were ushered to our seats. Family friendly and Romantic at the same time.

Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (Acorn)
Spanish Free-Range Acorn-Feed Iberian Pig Ham that has been cured for 36 months

I added this item to my "to eat" list after a few travel and dining shows and articles featuring Spain and her legendary ham. Curiosity had the better of me and I decided to give it a try. I like it for the way the rich individual flavours from the fat and fibres permeate the palate. The fat seems to melt in the mouth, releasing this pleasant, nutty flavour. The meat fibres provides this firm, resilient texture that you would play on your tongue for a while before swallowing. Definitely an experiential food.

It costs $27 for 5 paper thin slices and a few sprigs of salad greens. Not bad, considering it is actually bits of a 3-year-old pig carcass.

Berenjenas al Horo
Oven-Baked Eggplant

The girlfriend and I thought this would a "dry" dish consisting of the main event (the eggplant) with a little thick gravy on top. What the kitchen served up looked more like an oven-baked crockpot of clear vegetable soup with a halved eggplant. This dish was surprisingly flavourful. The eggplant was soft and mushy as it should be and the clear soup provided the needed taste for what would be a plain tasting dish.
The only grouses: This dish was quite oily and the skin on the eggplant was rather tough. I'm guessing the eggplant was deep fried or sauteed with lots of oil before going into the oven.
Nevertheless, an enjoyable dish.

Paella Negra
Spanish Style Seafood Rice with Shrimp and Squid, in Ink

I like to think paella as the Spanish equivalent of the local claypot rice. At first look, this dish looks like rice with with too much blackened poison. Mixing the rice around reveals the generous condiments of shrimp and squid. The squid ink blackened rice had a nice, unique and robust seafood taste to it. Some might find this taste a little over-powering and tasting like some stale seafood. But if strong flavours are your thing, paella negra is for you. Of course, the fun part of all squid ink dishes is always about achieving that timeless blackened lips and teeth look.

Sangría Tinto (Red)

Yum. This alcoholic drink was fruity, tasty and surprisingly potent. The slight fizziness and the chunky bits of fruit was refreshing with the generally heavy tasting food. Best to avoid it if you are driving. It would have knocked both of us out if not for sharing.

Last words

I think Don Quijote serves up pretty decent Spanish fare at reasonable prices. Service is brisk and unpretentious. Dishes like paella will require waiting (25 - 35 mins) as advised in the menu. Bring friends if you like to try a variety of dishes.

Must Tries: Paella, Iberico, Sangria

My Foldable Bicycle - Dahon Vitesse D7

2010-02-21T20:41:00.000+08:00

As requested by a few friends, here are a few shots of my new foldable bicycle.

I bought this bicycle mainly because I wanted to cycle to and from my current workplace. It turned out to be a great way to beat the traffic and the crowds on the train. Plus, it is a decent form of exercise.

Using Endomondo's mobile app, (GPS-enabled phone required) I can track the distance and route I take, and it automatically uploads the information to the website for records once I stop the application. Check out my daily route here: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts?w=igGNp96YYTg

For safety purposes, I almost always ride on the pavement, as it is along main road of my usual route. The ride usually takes about 35 mins. I make it a point to arrive 10 minutes before office hours to haul my folded bicycle to my cubicle and grab a quick shower at the gym in my office building.

Oh, a little more detail on the benefits: I sleep better, have more energy throughout the day and I get to plan my days ahead. Plus I think I am slowly slimming down.

Backlight Goodness

2010-02-14T01:24:00.001+08:00

Love the way the light wraps around her for this shot.

Have a look at the original shot here.

Anyway, Happy New Year!

Teck Heng & Peiling's Wedding

2010-01-28T12:00:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Teck Heng and Peiling!

The wedding took place in Singapore and Pekan Nanas in Malaysia, so it is sort of my first overseas assignment. :p

Weddings in Malaysia are somewhat different the ones in Singapore. Firecrackers are set off to welcome the arrival of the newly weds; 50 tables at banquets are sort of the norm; Guests double up as wedding singers to add vibrance to the occasion.

What I particularly liked about this assignment was the unique opportunity to capture the hint of Pekan Nanas' simplistic, old town charm with all the oxidized zinc and old provisions store as the setting.

Banquet Venue: Tang Court Restaurant, RELC Hotel

Trioon's Opening at Mandarin Gallery

2010-01-08T20:00:00.000+08:00

Just some shots of friends of the owner.

Jae & Wendy's Engagement

2010-01-06T23:15:00.003+08:00

Congratulations to Jae and Wendy!

Having a ROM Solemnization says relaxed and fun all over!

Everyone thought the rain would ruin the day, but it subsided just before the ceremony started.

Preparations!

I liked this decoration detail...

Jae and Wendy had their crazy smiles during their ring exchange

We went around the chalet to for a photo shoot!

It turns out that the chalet don't allow their guests to hold ceremonies there.

Back to the chalet to entertain their friends and guests.

Almost always, the groom gets bullied...

They were practicing for their wedding day and banquet.

There was even the pyramid of glasses, but it was made up plastic disposable cups.

Lastly, what's a chalet without mahjong?

Kung Fu Fighting Couple

2010-01-06T19:28:00.001+08:00

A little bit of fun for the couple. ;)

Aaron & Sharon's Wedding Day(s)

2010-01-04T14:00:00.003+08:00

Congratulations to Aaron and Sharon! Your camera ready family was a joy to work with! :)

The details!

The preparations!

All psyched up for the gatecrashing!

The gatekeepers!

The battle of wits with wrapped bottles of coke.

The universal hand sign recognized at all gatecrashes.

Reading out the imperial edict!

Sharon is a Chinese teacher, so she had Aaron do an Chinese oral test - Picture composition.

They bumped into friends at the Registry of Marriage in Fort Canning.

The lucky serial numbers for the coming weekend(s)!

Before the wedding banquet...

The petrified page boy.

It is always about having fun couple shots to laugh about!

And just when you thought everything was over...

School

2009-12-28T20:00:00.000+08:00

Spinning Wheel

2009-12-27T20:00:00.000+08:00

Tree

2009-12-26T20:00:00.000+08:00

A tree in the home stay in Cambodia.

Snacks

2009-12-25T20:00:00.000+08:00

Wet Market

2009-12-24T20:00:00.000+08:00

Home Stay

2009-12-23T20:00:00.002+08:00

A glimpse of the home stay I bunked in at Baray, Cambodia.

Painting in the Alley

2009-12-22T20:00:00.001+08:00

Dessert Stall in The Russian Market

2009-12-21T20:00:00.001+08:00

Tailors' Alley in The Russian Market

2009-12-20T20:00:00.001+08:00

Not in Russia, but in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Belly Dancing

2009-12-19T20:00:00.000+08:00

Red Grass

2009-12-18T20:00:00.001+08:00

Nice drink, but I won't reveal the place you can find it, because they don't deserve publicity.

Rice Processing

2009-12-17T20:00:00.002+08:00

Fear Factor Kind of Food

2009-12-16T20:00:00.001+08:00

Deep Fried Tarantulas

Deep Fried Crickets

Garden Party

2009-12-15T20:00:00.000+08:00

Black laced back dress

2009-12-14T20:00:00.000+08:00

Clothes by: Trioon
Model: Agatha

Premium Seats

2009-12-13T20:00:00.001+08:00

Children of Cambodia

2009-12-12T20:00:00.000+08:00

Everything with Fries

2009-12-11T20:00:00.000+08:00

The Girlfriend and I went on an "excursion" to the east during the weekend and came across "Everything with Fries". The curious taste buds ordered the Vanilla Mille Crepe and Garlic and Herbs Straight Cut Fries.

The place mat was simple, functional, minimalist and rather cool.

I liken the Vanilla Mille Crepe to a westernized tribute to kueh lapis. The vanilla cream sandwiched between the thin crepe oozed out invitingly at every bit of pressure applied on the top-most caramelized layer.

could hardly taste the Garlic and herbs though. More like some generic chilli flavoured powder with fries. Nice bite to every piece of the fries though.

Manicure Salon

2009-12-10T20:00:00.000+08:00

Not as sophisticated as the ones we have locally.

Floral Print Tube Dress

2009-12-09T20:00:00.003+08:00

Model: Agatha
Clothes: Trioon

Sea Coconut

2009-12-08T20:00:00.001+08:00

The sea coconut palms.

The sea coconut fruit

Cutting the sea coconut up.

The edible bit.

With the layer of husk removed.

The texture is much smoother and softer than the usual canned variety. Tastes rather bland but refreshing and slightly sticky with a little hint of sweetness.

Fresh Lotus Seeds

2009-12-07T20:00:00.002+08:00

The lotus pod has this rather fibrous and rubbery texture to it. Tear it open to get to the seeds.

For the lotus seeds that we are familiar with, just tear through the green layer and you will get the fresh lotus seed that has a mild and pleasant sweetness to it. Just remember to remove the bitter tasting heart from the centre.

Smiles

2009-12-06T20:00:00.000+08:00

She just ran after our vehicle. :)

Motoring Efficiency

2009-12-05T20:00:00.000+08:00

It is common in Cambodia to put as many people as possible on a motorcycle.

Bullock Cart Ride

2009-12-04T20:00:00.000+08:00

Fishing

2009-12-03T20:00:00.001+08:00

A youth prepares his net for casting.

Fishes that get stranded in the small pond aren't exactly easy catch. It is common for people to spend a whole day casting their nets into such ponds yielding little results.

Agatha

2009-12-02T20:00:00.000+08:00

Helped my friend on her line of clothes as she prepares for her boutique's opening in Mandarin Gallery. Agatha was gracious enough to model for her. This was the first outfit.

蛤蟆功？

2009-12-01T20:00:00.000+08:00

Backflip

2009-11-30T20:00:00.000+08:00

Taken in Baray, Cambodia.

Photography is not a crime

2009-11-29T00:25:00.001+08:00

I chanced upon a really nice chill out place today.
But I won't tell you the name of the place and where it is.
Because I was told that I can't publish any photos I took of the place.
If I did, I would receive a lawyer's letter.
So, to make things really easy for myself, I won't write about it.
Because any place that make photography a crime does not deserve publicity of any sort, from anybody.

Vincent and Lijuan's Wedding Day

2009-11-23T06:54:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Vincent and Lijuan!

Location: Oriental Hotel, Singapore. Plenty of lines, lights, blurs, textures to work with. :)

In the morning...

The gatecrashing...

Things you can put into the ang pow.

Waited for them to step into the spotlight along the corridor for this shot.

Flash remotely fired from the left of the camera.

Just before their first march in...

Vincent enjoyed his wedding thoroughly!

He was friendly with everyone!

More photos here!

Groovy~

2009-11-09T00:57:00.000+08:00

It's a long story... But at least I got back the rental cost and a little more.

Peter and Jeraldine's Engagement

2009-10-27T14:28:00.002+08:00

Congratulations to Peter and Jeraldine! Thank you for sharing the compliments you've received on the photos! For me, it is always the details that make a wedding or engagement special. It definitely makes any photographer's job easier too.

The preparations!

The families and guests!

The specially made cage for their rings.

Their entrance showered with petals.

Dr Phua is one of the most popular Justice of Peace around. It is nice that he always takes time explain to the guests and families present about the proceedings, even when he is running a tight schedule on a popular marriage date. Not to mention his very condensed marriage-counseling-in-a-handshake.

And we carried on for more photos!

More photos here!

Jeremy and Mabel's Engagement

2009-10-27T11:43:00.004+08:00

This was a really fun shoot for an engagement session. :)
Venue: Changi Village Hotel and Changi Golf Club

It's always the details that make the event special.

The champagne cork popped prematurely, so Jeremy was flicking it into the air for this posed shot.

And here's the final parting shot at their Changi Village Hotel room.

More photos here!

Thomas & Adeline's Story

2009-10-27T00:24:00.003+08:00

THOMAS & ADELINE'S STORY from Kor Shu Yen on Vimeo.

Spent countless sleepless nights to come up with this animation as a presentation for my friends' wedding. Figured it was something worth sharing. So, enjoy!

4 DIY Photography Hacks You Can Do With Boxes

2009-10-08T10:06:00.001+08:00

Definitely want to try out the first and second improvisations. Maybe even the fourth one too. Link: 4 DIY Photography Hacks You Can Do With Boxes

Keith & Carolyn's Engagement

2009-10-02T22:00:00.000+08:00

Ok, now that she has uploaded the pictures to facebook, I show the pictures here. :p

My "signature" shot! :p (Just kidding!) But I did tell them to hold it there till it feels awkward.

Note to self: With so many lady friends who aren't keen on catching the bouquet, I will make them pose like they saw a rat or mouse or cockroach or something.

Finally, the last shot of the session! :)

More photos here!

Keith and Carolyn's Engagement (Teaser)

2009-09-27T19:35:00.003+08:00

Because Carolyn says I cannot anyhow-ly post pictures with people's faces. :p

The nails, though pink, look equally tough.

The Tea Dress

The Bling Shoes

Wedding Favours - Shot Glasses

The Ring Bear-er! Geddit?

The Joy of Wedding Shoots

2009-09-14T14:12:00.001+08:00

I really enjoy the stories behind every client I've come across in my wedding photography sideline.
Their courage to love despite their differences.
Their readiness to give beyond their means.
Their determination to make the marriage work despite the odds.
Real, gritty fairy tales of love.

Jason & Jiangyu's Wedding Day

2009-09-12T12:21:00.001+08:00

Congratulations to Jason and Jiangyu! They have got to be the brainiest couple I've met.

Rather funky, this partial get up.

The gatecrashing!

I like the "phantom" hands and foot in this one. That's how you achieve the fluttering gown effect!

A little bit of technical details here. The living room area (right side of the photo was much brighter in comparison to the room the bride was in. So a remote flash was placed on top of the door and triggered to light the interior and the bride.

I actually like the furniture on the right of the picture even though purists will find it an eyesore.

More photos of the newly-weds here!
Didn't upload as many photos this time. But if you are interested, I can show them to you if we meet.

Brenda Overload

2009-09-10T02:26:00.000+08:00

Yes, it is some kind of a joke for Kelly, Amanda and of course, Brenda, the model.

All apparel from chic-aloud.livejournal.com.

Almost like Deja Vu

2009-09-08T22:49:00.001+08:00

I remember in my schooling days, I would sit at the coffee table in the living room with the television tuned to SBC channel 8 while doing school homework.

12 years on, I am sitting at the coffee table in the living room, with the TV tuned to a cable channel, while trying to do some work on the laptop.

The only difference - there is a lot more distraction, thanks to the Internet.

Chris & Lilian's Wedding Day

2009-09-07T14:13:00.001+08:00

Congratulations to Chris and Lilian!

This was a miracle wedding that happened with only 4 weeks preparation! Plus, they even persuaded me to do a morning highlights montage for them, which is another miracle in itself! :p

Click here for more photos!

Darren & Danessa's Wedding Day

2009-09-02T22:13:00.000+08:00

Congratulations and a big thank you to Darren and Danessa!

Make up

The gatekeeper - she's on a first name basis with Singapore's first president!

The gatekeeper had to settle for an IOU, unfortunately.

The ring bearer

At their church reception

Worship

Chopsticks are unbreakable together.

"You do understand that you can never return to the Bachelors' Club, right?"

To their suite in Marina Mandarin!

Danessa got the hotel to add a romantic touch to the room...

...but this was way more fun!

So is this...

...and this

We tried out falling petals too.

Then we moved around the hotel for a shooting session.

Do NOT Disturb!

More photos here!

Willy & Cheryl's Engagement

2009-08-02T20:17:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to Willy and Cheryl on their ROM Engagement! Thank you for bearing with me during the shoot. Really glad you liked the pictures. So I guess the suffering nonsense I made you go through was worth it. ;D

Moving on to The Darker Side of Development

2009-07-28T01:00:00.000+08:00

After 21 months of static microsites, microsites and even more microsites, I will be moving on to the darker side of development.
I relish this opportunity to take on a role that requires competency in totally different skill sets. And even more, the challenge of constant change.
I'm definitely sticking around to witness my accelerated hair loss to something more stressful. More importantly, to see what I'm made of.

Yogyakarta - Borobudur

2009-07-25T11:19:00.005+08:00

Right after what was essentially a quick look-see of Prambanan, we were whisked to Borobudur. Suffice to say, this ancient site is was magnificent to behold. Built in the 9th century, this Buddhist temple withstood the tests time and theft. We were there at a time of a public holiday, which explains the huge crowds.

Yogyakarta - Prambanan

2009-07-22T00:00:00.004+08:00

Yogyakarta is probably better known for the ancient temples or candis found in the region. Since I am at that word, I would share that I made quite a little boo-boo while in conversation with one of the hotel staff: I had pronounced candi as how an African might say "candy" only to be corrected subtly that it should be pronounced chan-di. So don't anyhow-ly pronounce, yah?

After the accidental adventure at Mount Merapi, we opted for the more common attractions that draw tourists to Yogyakarta. First of which we visited is Prambanan, a Hindu temple built in the 9th century.

While it withstood the earthquake in 2006, some of the structures are at risk of collapsing and were sealed off.

We didn't have a lot of time at Prambanan as we needed to rush to Borobudur in time to catch the sunset. But I managed to get a few quick shots of this ancient relic.

Proof of presence.

Yogyakarta - Mount Merapi

2009-07-08T21:57:00.003+08:00

I was in Yogyakarta a few weekends back.

The girlfriend and I had planned the trip but not the itinerary. We had only a rough plan to visit the candi in the area, notably Borobudur and Prambanan. Everything else, we would decide when we find the local tour operators. We ended up on an unforgettable, accidental adventure from which I would dub the girlfriend, "Merapi Super Woman."

We sort of squandered day one walking through Malioboro not buying any of the handicrafts on sale as we couldn't think of any use for them. By chance, we ventured into an alley teeming with backpackers' lodges and tour operators. The complex network of alleys within alleys beckoned adventurous spirits to weave through them and discover for themselves the secrets of Yogyakarta and Central Java, one tour operator at a time, one faded poster at a time, one quaint eatery at a time.

Night falls by 6pm in Yogyakarta. Not wanting to search aimlessly for tours to go for, We sought advice from an independent tour operator found in the alleys. He recommended that we could go up Mount Merapi, an active volcano to catch the beautiful sunrise. We took his word that it would be "a relatively easy 4-hour walk" the mountain and that a windbreaker would be sufficient to fend of the sub-ten degrees temperatures and signed up for the "guided walk."

The "guided walk" would start off at night so that we could reach the summit in time for the sunrise. We returned to our hotel to rest till the tour operator came by to pick us up at 10pm. The journey took over 2 hours to reach Selo, a settlement at the foot of Mount Merapi.

The chill of the night took us by surprise and we quickly donned the rented windbreakers to fend off the cold. We were allowed to rest a little, but I just could not miss looking up to the skies above...

Full of stars

Before long, the guides led us on the "walk" which tuned out to be quite an expedition. The gradients were consistently steep, the trails were narrow and flanked by even steeper slopes, and did I mention that we were equipped with torchlights to walk in the dark?

So it wasn't exactly a walk as the tour operator said. And it took us longer to reach the near the top as we struggled throughout the journey up. The group we were in split up and left us behind so that the rest could move up the mountain faster. To keep ourselves warm in the chill, we kept moving up slowly till reached the ridge line where we had a clear view of the day breaking at the horizon...

A rather surreal view, at least for this city dweller.

The sunrise soon came and I scrambled to set my camera up to automatically take pictures at regular intervals. My fingers were all numb from the cold and figured it would be a better idea to just leave it out in the open to do its automatic thing while I hide behind some rocks to shield myself from the wind chill...

Then I had a little fun shooting some portraits...

Soon after, everything got brighter. This was the ridge line we stayed at. Ahead was the clear trail up to the crater...

The view on the west...

The "little" mountains to the east...

Close up of the mountains to the west...

The visibly tired girlfriend with the view of the west...

And just when you thought going up Merapi was tough, the road down was worse. The girlfriend, though tired, was sporting enough to have this grumpy photo of hers taken...

By the time we reached the bottom where we started out, our thighs were sore and our toes, bruised. We were treated to a surprisingly pleasant breakfast of a banana pancake/crepe thingy that the rest house whipped up before we were sent back to Yogyakarta city. Along the way, the driver even made 2 brief stops for the shutterbugs to take a clear shot of Mount Merapi for remembrance's sake...

So now the girlfriend and I can say that we were accidental mountaineers who have climbed an active volcano. Have you?

Reservist: Best 2 weeks of this year! (1-13 June 2009)

2009-06-14T22:27:00.000+08:00

I was attending to matters of national importance (i.e. reservist) for the last 2 weeks and it was the best 2 weeks of this year. The following is a quick run-down of activities.

1 Jun: In-process. Met up with old and new camp-mates. Visited the eMart for a shopping spree with 11B credits and returned with a backpack that’s more suited for travelling, very high-end earplugs and a very good LED torchlight. Ended the day with an 8km route march.

2 Jun: Lecture and IPPT training.

3 Jun: Weapons training and IPPT.

4 Jun: TSR questionnaire and IMT.

5 & 6 Jun: Go for range.

8 Jun: Infantry Gunnery and Tactics Simulation

9 & 10 Jun: Field mission

11 Jun: Virtual Battle Simulation – like playing CounterStrike or Call of Duty.

12 Jun: Out-Process and Cohesion Dinner

13 Jun: IPPT

I’m already looking forward to the next reservist training. I liken it to an military-themed vacation. It makes me feel young again, because everybody behaves in a hilariously juvenile manner. No I can’t blog about it because the details are classified.

Nudibranch

2009-06-02T00:00:00.000+08:00

These small creatures in the sea are usually spotted by the sharp eyes of experienced dive masters. Beautiful things, they are.

Wasn't able to get an exceptionally good shot of this one, but at least I got a shot for recording.

More to come!

Clownfish

2009-06-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

Here are some pictures of clownfish taken in the waters around Redang.

More creatures from the not-so-deep coming up!

Junk Food Girl

2009-05-27T19:52:00.000+08:00

The sure-fire way to sell junk food and tidbits that are bad for health.

Actually these were taken during the lunch break while I was helping out to shoot this blog shop's catalog. More to come once I deliver the photos. ;)

Sebastian and Cindy's Wedding

2009-05-23T00:49:00.001+08:00

Cindy is a long time friend from my SP Rover days who is finally married after 8 years of pak-tor-ing. Best part is, most of us from Rovers have never met the groom in these 8 years. Anyhow, here are some pictures from the wedding banquet held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront.

Yes, we were rather creeped out by the ultra-pale floor manager "floating" around

Another new idea for march in - balloons giveaway!

Liked this shot very much for the accidental effect.

A shot that captures her personality. Ha ha!

The champagne pouring...

Diving Trip at Redang

2009-05-15T09:25:00.002+08:00

I will be overseas in Redang for a diving trip from 17 - 20 May. In case of the very obscure possibility that you might be there during the same period, I would be glad to provide my photography services for free.

So if you are interested, do contact me via email (kormmandos@gmail.com), sms or phone (mobile: 9457 9930).

Will return with my first attempt in underwater photography, using my Olympus 1030SW with its underwater casing.

Had beer at Paulaner Bräuhaus

2009-05-13T00:19:00.002+08:00

Yum.

Leonard and Ivy's ROM

2009-05-07T21:05:00.002+08:00

Congratulations to Leonard and Ivy! Keep having fun!