Sight to Insight

Ah, another photo-opportunity will arise, when my family and I go back to Subang Jaya to celebrate the 60th anniversary of my brother-in-law. Indeed, we have come a long way from the 50s; where we were born just after the Second World War. My mother and my mother-in-law tell me about the hardship, the atrocities, the fear and the hunger in the 40s. The baby boomers of the 50s are indeed a very lucky generation, despite the lack of many modern amenities. Despite all that, we survive and thrive and arrive into the 21st century. It is an achievement for many of us, to have live and bring up the next generation. Celebrating this achievement is both meaningful and sending a message that we will continue this great journey of life. How can I use the camera to capture this celebration? His kids have decided to hold a big dinner and ensure he has the fish which he likes on the plate. There will be a table for fourteen members and hence will be tight in space. This environment will call for my ...

I have selected and uploaded pictures taken during the festive Chinese New Year which falls on Feb 14, which is also Valentine's day, and a Sunday. The CNY lasts for 15 days and will end on Feb 27. This year is year of the Tiger; and very auspicious for me, as this day was the birthday of my wife, who is born on Feb 14. I was told this comes once every 60 years! Anyway, the family had a great celebration at a hotel in Petaling Jaya, which used to be Asia Jaya, many years back. The location brought back good memories, as I spent quite a few years in this location. With the planning as written in my last article, I have focused on using the appropriate lens (18-55mm and 40m f2.8 for close up shorts); while the 50-200mm was used for shots in the shopping malls and on my way to Bentong, which is just about 20 min away from Genting Highland. In my picasa web album, http://picasaweb.google.com/ys.leong under the title "Moods and Foods" - I tried to depict the atmosphere of the ...

I have examined the photographs that I took during the Chinatown outing and I notice that I missed out the people part of it. I have few photos showing them either buying, price haggling, smiling or tourists being curious about this festival. With this learning, I want to prepare for the upcoming Chinese New Year, where I will be going home to Subang Jaya in Malaysia. What will be the atmosphere be like before, during and after Chinese New Year? What are the key descriptions of the events? What will show that it is Chinese New Year versus a normal day? Based upon these few guiding questions, I will see the following: * My mother and mother in law smiling on seeing their children coming home to celebrate the new year with them. Portraits of them smiling both in color and monochrome could bring out this emotion. The pancake can do the trick or the zoom of 80-200mm; using the 80mm to create the bokeh. * Children are happy receiving ang-pows (red packets) and the act of the out-stretched h...

  Hobbies are heart and mind engaging. They provide the fuel to keeping the body going. The fuel to do research, practise and improve to appreciate the end result. Photography has been in my blood for a very long time. The earliest recall is when my father lent me his camera, which then used the 120 roll (if I am not mistaken). The camera was like a big Lumix LX3, except that when you pressed a button, a flap came down 90 degrees with the lens. There was only twelve negatives. I must have been 12 years old or so. Then I went to France, and I had enough money to buy my own Yashica camera, which is like a point and shoot, except it used 35mm film. It was in France that I bought my Canon AE-1 (SLR) from a Japanese adult student who was going home. I had a 50mm lens and I then bought a Tamron zoom as well as a doubler. I bought many filters (50mm) and experimented with Kodak filters; which I could buy and cut the film. My Vivitar 285 is still with me; except it cannot flash; though the...

I had been working on an acquisition over the last three weeks and it was the most tiresome experience ever. The target being a public listed company means that any news leakage will drive up the share price. The purchase price of a public listed company will carry a premium on the share price. In Asia, I noted that the premium given is about 10~15% but in the USA, it is between 20~40%! Just imagine, if you spotted a target and you buy into it, and you hit the bull's eye! You could make quite a bundle. Of course, your guess could be wrong, and if so, expect that share price to go down, when the news is announced. For those working on such a deal, expect tons of information to be provided to you, and most of this could be outdated. However the bank (usually) engaged to do the job wants to impress you with documents. After all, more means "we are doing something" compared to "less but quality stuff". So, I have to keep sieving lousy information, to get out what is...

I have been with the company for twenty three (23) years. I have seen four (4) CEOs and seen the management scenes changing like a fast forward motion picture. I have seen its best and perhaps now seeing its worst. In the past where loyalty to the company was toasted by a show of the years with the company; today anything longer than five (5) seems way too much! It is viewed with lack of experience and exposure to continue to be of value. The company culture has changed because of leadership or perhaps a better description could be powershift. The power vested in the CEO when pushed strongly down creates a generation of zoombies who will start off each conversation with the following; "the CEO said..." even though they are paid millions of dollars and supposed to know how to think. They do not think anymore. If if they did, they are not showing. My journey of 23 years is almost ending, and the destination is barren land, where all the respect and pride are stripped off. It st...

  Bought this plant in Pantai Klebang, Melaka. It was too attractive not to be noticed. I was assured that it can be easily maintained. It has 2 opened flowers and 2 flower buds when we first bought it. Due to strong win at the balcony; these original two are cut and placed in the vase; while two more have blossomed. There is now a 5th bud and growing. It is such a joy to watch its brilliant color at the balcony. Ah, simply this moment, so says my monk, Ajahn Brahm!