Choose your Vespa

1953

London in Film?

12 Days of London... is not enough I was under prepared and had things I had to prioritise instead of sight-seeing.

I didn't like London very much...

But heres the rest of the photos that didn't end up on Tumblr but I thought was pretty decent:

Asleep

Sign

More Signs

Found it! 

Me!

Hyperlapse

There's been plenty of impressive, mind blowing timelapse on Vimeo, Youtube and other video sharing websites.

This video is a bit different... because of the technique comepared to the usual timelapse.

Watch the video and you will see.

No Internet for a Year

How does that feel? I don't think most of us are up that challenge so it's best to let someone else do it and we'll see how it affects them.

Paul Miller is an online tech write for The Verge, he works with the internet in many ways.

The video documents his year without the internet and his feelings towards his own personal life and how it has affected him as a person.

I thought the outcome is an interesting insight to a person without access to the internet for a year. I would agree on the thought but I would never live my life without internet again...

Brief Job Description

Many of my friends ask me

"So what exactly does your company in Hong Kong do?"

I've decided to answer this question here so I don't have to answer it over and over and over again... Right now I've been shooting videos, for many purposes.... the one that I most frequently shoot for is Hong Kong's FashionTV.

Shot & Edited

Not my proudest edit nor shoot but... the nicer ones hasn't been uploaded yet... But that's what I'm doing now... going to shows and events to video and document for FashionTV.

Second type of video I make is for Dragon-i... a nightclub in Hong Kong.

Shot & Edited

Second time shooting nightclubs... first one was the one with Akon at Club Cubic located in Macau. you can also find this video on their Dragon-i Website

Third type of video is for our own production house... called Xin Wang. Right now what we done is we've bought two DJs Paul Oakenfold and Afrojack and I've edited a little promo video before they arrive in Hong Kong.

Edited

Surprisingly these video has been getting 20,000+ views on Youtube and s by for the most popular thing I've edited.

So these are the three names I work for mostly. Xin Wang (my employer), FashionTV and Dragon-i...

Macau Once More

I don't know if I can call it coincidence/fate/god/luck/karma/life/chance or whatever synonym there is to explain my past week.

On Tuesday I went to a day trip to Macau with my dad. We bought the ticket at a shop and headed to Macau. The weather was pouring rain, foggy and we could bare see what was happening. We explored casinos and walk around the city central for 7~8 hours. I took my Nikormat film camera and shot 1.5 rolls of film... around 50 shots of Macau and 20 shots of Hong Kong I shot earlier.

On Wednesday I headed to my camera shop early in the morning and took my film to develop. In the afternoon when I went to collect it the shop owner said my 2 rolls were blanks... ... nothing was in the rolls... and I was left with two blank exposed film and had to pay $50 for nothing... The shop owner told me to return with my camera for check up... I couldn't believe that since I know I took a few good shots and a few shots of my dad when he was going to leave Hong Kong soon and I didn't know the next time I will see him... I couldn't capture my moments with my dad because of my rookie mistakes...

On Thursday night I got a phone call from my boss telling me that we are going to Macau for a shoot on Saturday.

On Friday the camera shop owner lectured me about film and taught me techniques to avoid the same mistakes...

On Sunday I stayed in Macau after the shoot and try to relive and retake some of the shots I took on Tuesday. The day was cloudy... so I didn't get the nice effect on Tuesday where I had the wet ground full of rich reflections.

On Tuesday I developed my film... this time... they all came out nicely!!!

The best ones would be at: http://visualdocumentary.tumblr.com/

Feels like Hong Kong

Dead End School

Don't Cross the Yellow Line

Everything is happened at such a right timing that I'm surprised myself... When I receive a film camera, the 2 months contract job, The film production company opportunity, returning Macau. I mean the time slots fits in so perfectly that it freaks me out a little... Although I wasn't able to retrieve photos of my dad I think it made me even more careful next time I take photos with my fim camera.

Mistakes are the process of success right?!

3D Printing Firearms?

People might think I'm pretty late to be amused by this technology but damn this is incredible. In this month I've came across two videos discussing 3D printing.

Printing objects with plastic according to 3D design software you will have boundless creations just within your house. Almost everything can be built and print straight off from this printer and in an instant. What's so great about it is that you can forge/design experiment items straight away and customise things to suit yourself. I think within 5-10 years when it becomes a common household hardware it will change the way we interact with products. It will become a threat to many brands. Although it seem beneficial for us, it always have its side effects and threats towards the community.

People have already use the printer to produce firearms thats just as powerful as guns purchase from stores. With new technology there are always lots of unclear laws to control the use. A great example would be the internet and music... It will always serve as a lesson to be revied on whenever a big new invention gets created.

First video talks about the future of 3D printing and it's great potential.

Second video is a documentary on 3D Printed Firearms across America.

Being Press

Uma Thurman & Donnie Yen

I've been working in Hong Kong for 3 weeks now, running around chasing celebrities. Holding on my monopod, camera, microphone, headphone and cables everywhere I go. Getting told off by staff about recording intellectual property and all kinds of madness. Then I return to the office edit out all the shaky footage, videos where I forgot to stop recording, weird moments of celebrities.

The jobs are fun, you get to see people you admire, you look up to or even had a crush on. You see how they try to bring out the best of themselves to the camera, for the reporters and for the audience. Downside is that you don't really have time to look at your stars in awe, most of the time you are concentrating on the camera shot and trying to get the best out of the celebrity before they are gone, and when they are gone you'll be unhappy that you didn't get a chance to do what you'll like to do as a fan and all you can do is brag about who you saw.

Amanda S

In this field you really try to be efficient and fast. Shooting only necessary things to save battery, time. Travelling light for running around locations and editing a video within a certain timeframe.

Quantity  > Quality

Being able to shoot around 3-5 events and edit around 3 3min videos a week forces you to compromise quality. You need to supply content therefore you can't make a finer edit.

Although this is a wonderful experience I do not want to be in the field being a reporter.

Beatrix Kiddo vs Snowman

P.S. Another advantage being press is that you get access to most events and most of the time you get the front row seat or the best spots in the house. Front on in fashion shows, red carpet, store openings etc.

Yarrrdbird

Stussy is breaking into the food collaboration, having doing a collab previously with Plan Check restaurant in West Los Angeles the second one was at Hong Kong and I was lucky enough to take part of it. Stussy chose Yardbird for their second food collaboration.

I was there around 12:20am and the first seatings were filled already, we wait for around 40mins before we headed in. The place has two floors, we were at the basement level where the kitchen was so we were able to see some of the preparations. The seatings were pretty jammed as they try to fit as much people as possible, which was a good thing since I prefer the pack, loud and busy environment with people chatting along, laughing and having a good time. The food was great there were highlights such as the Twice Fried Chicken, Popcorn Gizzard, Crispy Ramen Salad, Fried Chicken Fillet and Sweet Potato Gratin... a lot of highlights I know... but the food was great! The portions were definitely enough if not too much. It was a once off menu but I sure hope that they keep the ones I listed above. The staff were all friendly and trying to social with everyone.

It was def a pleasant experience and be sure to check out their regular menu some other time.

Unfortunately the photos I took were taken with my film camera so I will upload them once I get the processed. Meanwhile enjoy this inspiring video they did with OTHERS x HYPEBEAST.

33-35 Bridges Street Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

No Reservations

Hours: 6 til Midnight | Closed Sundays

Thoughts on shooting with film

I apologise for not posting enough these days when I'm in Hong Kong. I haven't had much time to sit down to scan at videos on websites or to type out something worthy of posting.

One thing I had time for is the film camera I take around Hong Kong to shoot as I travel around town. I take it almost every time I head out and looking like an absolute tourist.

After processing three rolls of film I had built up some sort of an idea I want to write down about the difference in film and digital photography.

Film has it own charm. It forces you to teach yourself about photography basics and getting a better fundamental. When I shoot in film I didn't know how my image look until 2 weeks later when I retrieve it from the photography shop. 80% of the images were horrible, I had to learn why and what mistakes I made for this to happen.

"You were too dependent on the exposure meter!"

"ASA 200 can't take indoor or night shots, it's too dark."

"You are looking a lot of detail on the dark sides."

"You can't point your camera towards the sun!"

Those were the comments of the shop staff and owner. When they told me that I've already taken 3 rolls of film and in the back of my mind thinking "Oh shit, I've wasted 3 rolls of film." Each shot taken by my film camera I had to think carefully and how the image would come out 3 weeks later. I had to start remembering what I've taken, how I took it and how to correct it next time. It excites me every time opening the patch of photos I've developed and seeing which ones came out best and sharing it with others.

Here are some of the horrible ones I've taken with my camera.

The good ones ends up on my Tumblr Blog: http://visualdocumentary.tumblr.com/

Located too dark, losing detail

The outdoor was too bright

Night, not enough light

Exposure compensated for the sky

P.S I really hope Nevets start posting his roll of film series again.

Disney Merges

Disney has always been the industry standard for the animation industry and now they have created a short film with CGI and hand drawings.

Classic Black and White, set in New York a simple love story. Using brush stroke type of drawing and CGI for the 3D effect i really shows where Disney is heading in the future. This type of animation still contains the classic Disney animations also catching up with technology but it separates itself with Pixar and Sony Pictures.

Your City

I might have over posted enough videos and things  Hong Kong. But hey! I'm here so i'm surrounded by the cool things here lol.

Anyway I saw this video and not to my surprise a lot of creatives do set their feet here in Hong Kong and because it's has such a unique connection with China and the Western world. It is pretty fascinating here and things get done in such a pace that it surprises people.

First Film Camera

Weird how things can just fit in so perfectly.

At the end of last year I was thinking of getting a film camera for photography and my digital camera for video but because most of the quality film cameras and film was pricey I hesitated and continued with my digital camera. Last year I've built a fundamental knowledge with my Panasonic GH2.

When I returned to Hong Kong my Uncle told me that when they packed they discovered an old Nikon film camera and asked if I wanted it. He said he bought the camera ages ago and never used it. I said yes right away :)

Still looks dusty as these were taken before service.

I took it to get it serviced and picked it up today :D Apparently it was in very good condition despite the camera's old age.

Cannot be more excited to go out in Hong Kong and take some fabulous film photos!!!

Galleries at Central

I saw advertisements everywhere about Takashi Murakami's Gallery at Central and I asked my friend Ollie to come along. It was hidden on Pedder St's Pedder Building a small narrow entrance and up the lifts we went. It was on the 7th Floor and while other exits on other floors we peeked and saw other galleries. As we went onto 7th Floor it was the GAGOSIAN GALLERY showcasing only Murkami's artworks. The guards were very cautious that we don't stay too close to the originals as we might spit, sneeze onto the masterpieces.

guys, from a girl's perspective

Ok, so let's take the focus off career and education, and turn to the direction of love and relationships. This is an area that I have largely and deliberately tried to avoid, I guess because I wanted to focus on my career first, or because I didn't understand it and think it was important. But it matters now- for girls anyway. For guys, they've still got a few years ahead of them, so lucky for them they don't have to think about it yet.

There is a guy that I'm interested in. He's the type of guy that is very career focused and lucky for him, he doesn't need to think about relationships yet- how unlucky for me. I'd like to see myself as someone who values intelligence, tenacity and ambition. He's really outgoing, driven and organised. He doesn't even want a relationship and yet he seems to get all these girls floating around him. He's not that good looking, he's body type is not favourable, he's not rich either. But there is something about him that I'm intrigued about. Then there is another guy, who really wants a relationship so badly. He's the committed type. He's not that good looking, he's body type is not favourable, he's richer, and he's taller. But I'm not interested. From a girls perspective, what changed? Why the first guy and not the second? Its not because the first is a player and girls like bad boys. I'm looking for a serious relationship and am conscious to avoid those types. The differences boil down to these:

Guy A is confident. He knows how to speak, hold a conversation, make me laugh. He's got good posture, stands defiant, dresses well-ish. He's assure of himself, never speaks a word of self-deprecation, never hesitates between issuing the idea and taking the action. He may not be confident on the inside, but his image projects the feeling of confidence. And that is most important.

Guy B is awkward. He's got zero game. He slouches, keeps saying 'maybe I just suck', does not even try to make a good impression of himself. Even small things, he doesn't walk to my pace, isn't absolutely sure about what his plan is. (Both guys had no plan but guy B just kept going back and forth, 'should we do this? maybe this? are you sure? I'm sorry...'). Guy B had very poor presentation. And I can confidently say that the reason he did not get the job at one of the big 4 was not because of HR but because he had TERRIBLE presentation. He was like, a child in an adult's body. Guys, even if you are focused on your career, please take the time to improve your social skills- I now understand how important it is.

So in light of this, I take heed. What sort of things do girls need to focus on in terms of self-presentation? What would put girl A over girl B?