Chap Go Mai Moon

Chap Go Mai... is that how you spell it ... hmm anyway Chap Go Mai marks the end of Chinese New Year. For some it marks the end of CNY gambling and for others it starts their search for another reason to party and drink..... wait a minute ... i thought you didnt need a reason for that.... anyway ...for some it brings about the Luna Eclipse.

Thats when the moon goes thru all of its phases in one night. I believe this time it was a partial luna eclipse. It was to happen between 5am to 6am on sunday... I wanted to sit up for it but I like most of use... i was fast asleep. Took a few pictures of the moon yesterday though. If you are trying to do the same with your compact digital or otherwise, Try using a faster shutter speed instead of night mode or automatic mode. Zoom-in as much as you can. In my case my camera can zoom up to 10x optical zoom. But if you dont have a big zoom, you can try setting to the highest capturing size your camera has. If you have interpolated... go for it.

So lets say you take a shoot in 6 megapixel, After taking the shoot use the play/view mode. Zoom into the picture that you just took. Your LCD screen would show a 'trim' option to crop the picture using the zoom button (this is digital zooming). Although it is not as clean or crisp as optical zooming...it is usually good enuff. Usually you can trim till the picture is 1 megapixels and save it, but some cameras have the option of keeping in to 6 megapixel after you have cropped it. But using this method will resultin too much noise in the picture.

Of cos you will need a tripod to take a good clean shoot. I did not have a tripod so what i did was i rested the camera on my car roof and tilted it up with my fingers. I zoomed in maximum and also used the trimming function in my camera to get a closeup of the moon as seen below.

(This is what happens when its in automatic mode; 1/10th of a sec F3.2 )

(at 1/250th of a secF3.2 )

(this is what i mean when i say a picture is too noisy. BTW toke this shot on CNY )

..

END

Filler-Flash Indian Grasshopper

It was a lazy saturday and sunday. I burnt a few photos and playing around with the camera. Also went and bought a few DVDs so i managed to watch Snakes On A Plane and Little Miss Sunshine. Snakes was enjoyable if you left your brain in the next room and Sunshine was interestingly funny. Snakes 4/10 and Miss Sunshine 7/10.

The two pictures below is to illustrate the need for filler flash. As you can see the first photo is underexposed. Sometimes even when you select automatic, the camera will not be able to decide when to use flash and when not too. This occurs when you are faced with a back lite object or when you are under a shade in the freaking sun. The camera detects that there is enough light in the area, so it will not activate the flash. This can be easily fixed using Filler-Flash or by changing the flash settings in your camera. (usually has a lightning logo in your camera).

---------

(Backlite by sunlight coming thru the door)(Me in the lastest head wear from KIOKS)

If you are wondering whats that plastic bag doing on my head, well my wife was going to put it away and i exclaimed that it was 'my' plastic bag. So she came over and put it on my head and said "then dont leave it laying around the kitchen". I looked in the mirror and thought hey! it kinda looks good.... 100% rain protection and 68.3% UV protection for my head.

We decided to have the Mcdonalds Breafast yesterday. We had one Big Breakfast set each and it was the first time i had eaten it. It was really good. I dont know why they even call it sausages when it looks like a little burger but i loved it. The Hashbrowns were good too. The scabbled eggs were ok only lah. They werent kidding when they called it Big Breakfast because I felt full the whole day after that ...and it did not help that Daisy was celebrating her birthday that afternoon. After Mass we headed over to Daisy's place and had a vegetarian meal ....Idly and mee hoon, saambar and vege. There was chicken curry too but i refrained cos i was still full from breakfast... no nothing to do with lent.... but i did have cake :) ... i am such a pundi!! BTW Happy Birthday Daisy!!!

That everning I looked around the garden to check on my curry leaf plant. You see ... i found that a lot of the leaves were being eaten but there were no caterpillars on it. So i suspected a grasshopper... and true enuff i found one munching on the curry leafs. Took a macro shot of it where you can see its guilty face looking at me like saying ..."oh-o, i am busted"..... just before i sprayed it to dead. Felt guilty afterwards :( .... but hey you mess with my curry leaf you as good as dead! Strange thing is that it did not eat any other leaf from my garden. It only ate the curry leaf. was it Indian? Anyway..... Rest In Peace, Grasshopper....

END

Back' Again

I had an interesting short weekend which started with me hurting my back yet again, a wedding and two sunday masses.

A friend had a play (theatrical) at the KLPAC which is located at Sentul Park. I tell you... sentul does not look too shabby these days... The KLPAC building itself is a converted Railway Warehouse and office blocks and see how well it has been detailed i am guessing no cost was spared when picking the materials and finishes for the building. Even the exposed ducting system was nicely incoperated into the building. KLPAC is situated in an English lawn, a sprawling garden of sort. Did not have alot of time to look around and take photos... but i manage to shoot a few shots before going to the bistro with the rest and grab a quick drink.


When you enter the lobby there is a glassed room on the left where you can see the stage guys make their props for the shows.... i think thats a cool concept thats gives an accessible feeling between us normal folk and the theatre. They are mortal after all.

The play was called Six Characters Looking For An Author. The plays concept was very interesting but hey i am not into theater. The only thing i know was i was bored and the play was basically on the same topics as any other story. Who we are? Where are we going? How do we become what we what to be? (taken from a short description of the play) Who, Why, What, Where, When, How, Bah!!! i am hungry!!!

Lets now talk about what i like, Photography!.I would like to incorparate a few tips on photography in all my blog entries. As you know there is no flash photography allowed in the theater yet alone concerts and other stage perfomances. And i am sure for those who have a digital camera would know, that if you take a picture without flash you would almost always ruin the shot when there is movement because of motion blur. Of cos there are those who ignore this and just take the shots with flash anyway... without another thought. (Rude disgusting people). So how do you counter these problems? I mean, on the Non-Flash Photos and not the rude dunggoos. Well first thing you must understand is that photography is all about LIGHT. So like the saying goes ...Keep Your Friends Close But Keep Your Enemies Closer.... you mush keep a watch on LIGHT even more closer then your enemies because it is both your friend and your enemy....

(Automatic setting is 1/4 and aperture at F2.8 so i set it at 1/6 at F8.. nope not good; Dont worry about 'F' aperture. for now just play with shutter speed and let the camera decide on the aperture)

(1/13 sec F4 still not good.... then bammm!! at 1/30 sec F4 it was clear)

Stage lighting is more likely to be very bright.... so all you have to do is go to your camera settings where the shutter speed is very very fast. Either Sports mode or Shutter Priority (with a S symbol on the dial). You will notice that the camera will automatically set the shutter speed at between 1/4 to 1/16 of a second which is considerably slow. Motion blur will occur when people in the frame move or you move . This can look nice if u are lucky or if you know what you are doing ....but most of the time it will look like shit. If the stage lights are bright enough then set the shutter speed to between 1/20 to 1/100. Take a few test shots to test and view the results. Zoom into the frame and see if the picture is clear and sharp. Pick the best speed and then shoot away. Of cos if the lighting changes then you have to change the shutter speed also lah.

Ok now for the bad news... there is a high chance that you will still get motion blur so pick your shots carefully. You can also avoid motion blur by holding your hand steady. Rest it on a railing or fold your legs and use it to support your camera and practice pressing the shutter release button without moving the whole camera. Of co you could get a high speed camera or an SLR with a bigger aperture (lets not talk about aperture today) oh no... its going to be lunch and i am getting hungry... what to eat ah?

(I continued taking in the 1/30sec range and got some nice results but as you can see in the next photo there was still motion blur but that guy did run across the stage really really fast)

oh i better get to the how i hurt my back thing... I was taking the last shot of the play right at the end when I suddenly lost my footing over the edge of the platform where our seats were ..... but i was saved by the hand railing. I took this picture as i fell....;Not bad ah. a lucky shot that looks intentional but is not........ 1/30 seconds was good enough that there was no motion blur oso... Oh and i was also lucky that the railing caught my fall, otherwise i would have fallen 5 feet on my head. But my whole left side back area and my chest got bruised as I scraped on the railing and an old back injury started acting up... You see, I was backing up to the left to get a better shot before falling. ....Ahhh... the things i do to get that perfect shot. ...I once slipped on wet stone and slide down about 20 feet over a very small waterfall. I was ok but my old point and shoot camera got all wet and even after RM300 fixing it... it never worked the same again. kekeke... but thats not how i hurt my back....

You know those pictures you see on how to carry heavy things.... always follow them because i did not and my was rolling on the ground moaning in pain. This was about 3 years ago. I did not injure my back bone, i had pulled a nerve and a few muscles. The nerve which ran to the left of my waist (kidney area) down over my left butt around my left thigh over my leg down to my toe. I was walking around like a robot for 8 month after that. Ever since then, it acts up from time to time. A few weeks ago i had another episode and i was just recovering from that. Then i go jumping off platforms... i need to be more careful next time. Its very strange really...this back thing... i can do all kinds of heavy stuff and be ok... but then suddenly sneeze and my back would lockup... 'sigh' i am going to be an old man in a wheelchair...oh well.. as long westcoastcustoms pimp my wheelchair... it will be all good...

Oh yah one more thing, APM played for a wedding mass on Saturday and we played for the 6.45am and 11.15am mass on Sunday and just like that the weekend is over....

..

END

How to make Demon Horns in 2 hours

STEP 1:- Cut out a piece of card board in the desired shape to make a stencil.

STEP 2 :- Draw 2 layouts using stencil on a piece of Red Cloth. In this case i used the sleeve of an old red shirt.

STEP 3 :- Leave at lease 5mm extra when cutting out the two pieces of cloth. Also make sure to leave about 15mm of extra at the base of one of the pieces of cloth.

STEP4 :- Since I did not have a sewing needle, i stapled the two pieces of cloth together following the shape of the horns. Remember the extra 15mm of cloth, fold it at the base as you staple it as seen in the picture with the coin. Please note that sewing is much easier then stapling and it also takes a lot of time and effort to do. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 to complete a set of horns.

STEP 5 :- Turn the stapled pieces of cloth inside out. Again, please note that this takes more effort when you staple. So by all means sew it together yah!

STEP 6 :- Stuff it with cotton till you are satisfied with its 'thickness'. Remember the 15mm of extra cloth at the base which we turned into a pocket'. You can use this bit to cover the mouth of the horn so to keep the cotton contain in the horn.

STEP 7 :- Fasten in on a piece of wire or hairband or anything else you think that might work, and hey presto' you have instant Devil's Horns' (ok maybe not so instant lah)

END - I will not be liable for any injury or damage caused from any person or party repeating any or all steps listed in this post.

Halloween In February

Happy Chinese New Year!!...

....apart from spending chinese new year in Kapar (my wife's uncle is chindian) for reunion dinner and breakfast the next day, my wife and i were also invited for sheev's birthday last sunday night. The party was put together by his girl girl and a few of their friends. She even had a theme for the party which was 'Devils and Angels'.

... being the Malaysians that we are... most did not come in costume or even makeup... some even came in Manure United jerseys... being the Malaysian that i am...I made devil horns for Rose two hours before the party... I didnt have time to make another one so i just put on some makeup. It was an excellent party Sheena! good work guys!

(B'day Boy and his Girl; Father Dono and the Angel in Disguise; A demon trying to redeem his Soul)

(Sweet Angel Sister with Devil Brother and B'day Boy; Scary Tick-Tack-Toe Joe)

(The boys clowning around doing the china mali' pose; The stabbing of the cake)

(Wolfman and the She-Devil; Some didnot need makeup to look scary; Demon King and the Camera girl from hell)


END

Bon Voyage Rach!

Another APMer going off to study abroad today... Bye Bye Rach... dont worry.. im sure you are going to love studying (and partying) in Australia.

We had a little going away party for her last week with some wonderful local food... like Nasi Lemak (My wife's mum makes the most awesome ikan bilis sambal... the fried ikan billis is also the best i have ever tasted) and some really good Satay i bought from Old Town PJ. ...yumm yumm... The dessert made by Rach was nice too... What was it called ah? All i know was it was made using SilverBird Brand Instant Mix.. as Rach put it they deserve some credit too...

We are going to miss you lots, Rach... sniff sniff :( ... we miss Veron too (her sister who is studying in UK) ... hey VERON!! how are you? APM is not the same without the both of you... dont worry ...we shall continue to do well at mass... as 'Budak Scout' says ..."We are the best" (perasan betul). Anyways take care and thank you both for your efforts in APM... oh and also thank you for singing at our wedding... you guys (APM) made it the best wedding ever (perasan betul). You guys rock!!!


(from Left- Tequila shot, Stop eating the salt dono...you MSG lover you; We had to make do with whatever glass we had cos we dont have shot glasses... mental note: buy shot glasses)

(from Left- The Girls and Ultraman in the background- thats what happens when you eat too much MSG; A little going away present)

( I'll have what ever Sheev's drinking)

(One for the road- Bon Voyage Rach.. take care and keep in touch)

Mo

APM Dinner 07

Well... APM had this dinner almost half a month ago... so this entry is a little redundant lah...ok... Nyways... I was going thru some of the photos and thought i would blog about it... Well for one, there was way too much food ... ate like a pundi... and felt a little guilty cos there are people in flood stricken Johor who only have rations... ...oh well..... it was a pot luck dinner BTW and it was goooood.....

(left to right... The Food, The Sheevana's)

(left to right... some Hippitie Hop, and The Girls)

(left to right... 'G' showing his skills, Free Food & Free Counseling)



(left to right... The Not So Willing Hand, The Carpet that almost bit me, Our very own bollywood star & The not so willing hand cutting the highlight of the night... cheese cake...yummmm)

It was a good gathering (when there's food ofcos lah) and almost every APM member was there. Too bad i did not take a group picture.

END