1,2,3,say cheese

White Pagoda, Beijing, China

2012-04-30T18:40:00.000+08:00

Here's another tourist attraction in Beijing, China, White Pagoda. Again it has a huge compound, landscaped into a park just like other parks in Beijing. There were performers, dancing non-stop. There are also wishing temples where people write their wish on a wooden tag and hang it at the trees outside the monastery. It is a nice place to hang out, especially when there's bright daylight. After the shivering cold winter, this is definitely a place to enjoy.

Accumulated photos, Beijing, China

2012-04-25T22:37:00.002+08:00

Here are some accumulated photos over 2 weekends. As we always head out late, the sunlight is most of the time too strong, which kills the amazing colours. Here are some from different places such as YuYanTan (a park full of peach blossoms), Temple of Heavens, and Forbidden City. Unfortunately, we went a little too early, most of the plants in YuYanTan have not bloom yet. What a bummer!! We also headed to Temple of Heavens but spend most shots on my film camera. On Top of that, we also headed to the Forbidden City, like its name stated, it's "forbidden" to go on weekends. We were frightened by the crowd and went some other less populated places.

Outermost Door before the entrance of the Forbidden City

Temple of Heavens

Bubble fascinated kids

Blooming peach blossom

The photo below has nothing to do the above places. I'm just very amazed by the sharpness of the Minolta 35-70 f4 lens also known as Mini Beercan. This photo was cropped at 100% zoom.

798 Art District, Beijing, China part 2

2012-04-09T21:12:00.001+08:00

The place is also a very popular place for photoshooting. I have seen several photoshootings carrying on during my visit. Here are some to share.

798 Art District, Beijing, China part 1

2012-04-06T23:49:00.001+08:00

The weekend after Hou Hai, we headed to the 798 Art District. The district is an area of decommissioned military factory buildings of age 50-years old. It's famous for its unique architectural style buildings. I somehow couldn't find the entrances of the factories. However, there are plenty of interesting stuffs around the District.. Here are some photos to share.

Hou Hai, Beijing, China

2012-04-04T11:39:00.000+08:00

After the great wall, we continued our day at Hou Hai. It's an area with 3 lakes connected with narrow stream. It's indeed a very nice place to hangout during the evening for recreational activities and also night time. The reflection of LED lights during the night make the lake very colourful but I did not have my tripod with me so I missed out a lot. Here are some to share..

Great Wall of China(Badaling stretch), Beijing, China

2012-04-02T12:18:00.001+08:00

I believe it's a must to visit the great wall when you visit Beijing, it's one of the 7 wonders of the world. It was really nice to experience the steepness of the path ways. There will be a lot of question marks in your mind while you walk along it. One of the question that I had in mind was, how fit soldiers have to be to stay put on their guard or maneuver along the wall. However, the Badaling stretch is just too crowded for me, and the scenery aren't that nice, I think there are other stretches of the great wall which are much better. Here are some to share.

Summer Palace, Beijing, China part 3

2012-03-27T22:59:00.000+08:00

Foggy scenes can also make a very nice view. Although we couldn't see the scenes clearly, but they produce a mysterious, dreamy feel where I think very nice silhouette photos can be produced. Here are some to share. Sadly shortly after these shots, it started raining, and that night we have snow in Beijing.

Summer Palace, Beijing, China part 2

2012-03-25T00:04:00.001+08:00

The ancient China architecture always amuses me. The fine artwork and workmanship are so impressive, and they always embed their culture and believes in their work. Seeing through these artifacts really tell a lot about its history. As we walk around the palace, there are uneven landscape changes which we found it hard to walk from one corner of the palace to another in fast pace. Putting this in a slave's shoe at the ancient time, just how much energy they need daily? Here are some photos to share..

Summer Palace, Beijing, China part 1

2012-03-22T22:53:00.000+08:00

It was a fine day when we decided to head to the Summer Palace in Beijing but when we enter the palace, the weather turned foggy. First time entering a palace, It looks normal when I first step into the compound. However, as time pass, I start wondering just which corner are we located in the palace. Well, it's a palace after all. Having a look around the palace, I can imagine how powerful an emperor was. Such uneven landscape and yet, there's a palace on top of it. I've used both my Minolta 7000AF and Sony A100 during the visit. Here are some photos from my A100 to share.

A Korean family portrait in the palace

Caramel Machiato, Beijing, China

2012-03-21T13:26:00.000+08:00

There is a coffee shop just outside my office, but none of my colleagues tried before. Hence, me and my friend went for a try. The environment was so nice, where you have leather seats everywhere, very cozy. Looking at the menu, I didn't know what to order as the price is considered expensive in the campus. Then something came to my mind, since I didn't spend much on my birthday, I think I should give myself a treat. Thus, Caramel Machiato was my choice. It taste great! with the fragrance of the coffee with the sweetening caramel, it's simply nice. Here are just a few photos I took.

Beijing, China part 4

2012-03-19T20:11:00.001+08:00

Street food still taste the best, despite the reviews about cleanliness. Although there are repetitive stalls, I still enjoy the same food.

and here is an evening view of the unnamed lake in Peking University..

Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China part 3

2012-03-18T03:51:00.001+08:00

Was so eager to go to the bears' section, but I was welcomed by 2 bears only. How sad was that. The black one wasn't so attractive, hence I paid more attention on the brown one.

Also here are some of the other animals.

Looking at the photographs I took using the Minolta 35-70 f4 lens really makes me happy, it can be so sharp!! The two things that bother me is the Minimal Focus Distance and its range. 35-70mm on a crop sensor is just too tight for me, who likes landscape more than others. With this limitation, my photographs moved towards portraiture more than landscapes. Well, it's good in a way that I can improve my sucky portraiture skills.

Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China part 2

2012-03-17T01:29:00.000+08:00

There's a white tiger napping under the sun at a corner of it's reservoir, it was quite hard to get a shot of it hence i twisted to 35mm (widest focal length that I have), and got something like this. Most animals prefer to nap under a shade, but it's quite rare to see animals nap under a bold tree.

There's also a big lake at the center of the zoo. It was semi frozen, and the trees just make a good match with it. Of course the mother and her son was another complementary.

There's also a huge tiger statue near the lion and tiger's den. It was very well crafted if i were to judge.

Another scene that attracts me the most in Beijing is the view where you see a straight and never ending pathway in between 2 rows of bold and dry trees standing along the pathway.

Spotted a kid put on an elephant statue to be photographed by her grandparents, but she was so scared that she wouldn't let go of his grandfather.

Beijing Zoo, Beijing China part 1

2012-03-15T00:21:00.001+08:00

After 1 week of work, my friends and I headed to the Beijing Zoo to check out how amazing is the largest zoo in China. It was quite disappointing. I was expecting a lot from them because it's the largest zoo in China. Well, I can't blame them because the weather is cold over here. Even the pandas sleep like a log under the sun. Everything was so slow that day. Here are some shots to share.

Zoo Main Entrance

Big lazy panda

Small hungry panda

Peking University, Beijing, China

2012-03-13T23:02:00.001+08:00

It's the first time I'm in China, and the first time I enter a foreign university. Peking University, Beijing, is a huge campus and there are several lakes within the campus. Campus tour seems to be available for visitors, where the tour guide will lead the visitors to significant places and explain the history of it. Before the ice melted, in fact, it started melting already, I managed to get several shots during my lunch break. Here are some to share.

Closer look at the frozen lake

Beijing, China part 3

2012-03-12T22:10:00.000+08:00

Here are more street photographs.

When I look out of the window every morning from my room I can have a good view of old folks doing some exercise. Was wondering how many old folks in Malaysia does exercise every morning.

And noon over here seems so dull. Unlike the burning hot sun in Malaysia, I can simply sit on benches in the open parks without breaking a sweat.

Children always get a chance to play around the park during the evening.

the moon is always up and visible before the sunsets.

Beijing, China part 2

2012-03-10T21:20:00.000+08:00

My work started on Monday and I have to walk around 30 minutes to reach. I have special urge to take out my camera every evening and snap some street photographs. Here are some to share.

Beijing,China part 1

2012-03-09T10:36:00.001+08:00

And so, I'm currently at Beijing, China. It is my first stepping in to China and also the northern hemisphere. This trip is full of excitement!! First, I boarded a plane with a beautiful air-stewardess. Next, It's my first time to request a stranger for a photo, but she was at work so it was not a good timing and then I missed the chance to take photo with her. Next, I boarded a high speed train having a sit in the first class carriage, but my luggage blocked my feet from stretching them.

High speed train in China

We walked around the shopping complex and spotted food republic, so we settled down and treat ourselves dinner. The portion of the bucket rice is so satisfying.

Bucket rice - 1st dinner in Beijing

And this is my lunch during my 2nd day of stay. Hot and Spicy Tofu Rice. Delicious.

Hot and spicy Tofu rice

Cold meat seems to be a popular dish in Beijing too.

Cold meat

There are plenty of stores just under our residential area, and we found sweet strawberries with cheap price.

Sweet strawberries

Food doesn't seems to be a problem for me in Beijing. Only thing that worries me is the weather.

Jalan Tun HS Lee, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2012-02-28T20:51:00.000+08:00

I came across a television program introducing this street named Jalan Tun HS Lee in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Since my dad have not walk through it thoroughly before, we made a visit over there. Since my dad need my help in guiding his way, I have not much time to grab better shots of the small details along the street. Here are some to share.

The main entrance of the Indian Temple in Jalan Tun HS Lee

Door knob of the Guan Di Temple in Jalan Tun HS Lee

Yong Bee - an oldtimer coffee shop

Yong Bee is an oldtimer coffee shop operated by a Chinese old man. This shop is located at the junction where Jalan Tun HS Lee intersects with Jalan Sultan. The shop, like the 3rd photo above, is extremely narrow compared to the shops around; all due to the expansion of the street, Jalan Sultan. The windows of the shop attracts me the most as it gives a retro feeling which, I think, a traditional Chinese operated coffee shop should have.

1st roll of film

2012-02-23T23:54:00.000+08:00

I've finished my 1st roll of Fujifilm Xtra 400 35mm film on my Minolta Maxxum AF7000. Seeing the output, I really admire analog photographers a lot. It's hard to get things focused correctly, it's also quite hard to get exposure correct and it's so hard to get a correct depth of field; well, at least for me. our of 36 exposures, I've only got a few shots that merely passed my lowest benchmark of being a photo. Most photos suffer from handshake while others suffer from shallow DoF. Here are some shitty photos to share. I've done slight editing to the photos in terms of contrast except the last.

last exposure for the 1st roll

this is the original scanned copy, note that the contrast is so must lower and i wonder what are those white patches

Strobing

2012-02-22T21:53:00.002+08:00

At last I am back home. I took out the Olympus EPL-1, tried taking photos since I barely touch it since i bought it. In the midst of trying out the functions thoroughly, 1 of the forum members in Lowyat.net started sharing his Panasonic GF-3 photos taken by his Sony A77 with off camera flash. Hence, I tried playing with that technique as well. So, here's some to share. Thank William Leong for the ideas.

Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside Hotel

2012-02-21T21:07:00.001+08:00

Went for a simple picnic at the artificial beach in Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside Hotel before Chinese New year. Spotted an adorable kid and his father. Here are some to share.

Chinese New Year 2012

2012-02-21T00:16:00.001+08:00

Hi again!! My blog was literally dead for quite sometime due to the exam. Now that the exam's over, It's time to revive the blog!! This post features the shots I've taken during the Chinese New Year. The celebration wasn't as great as the previous years though. Here are some to share.

Homemade dishes for reunion dinner

Ready to take off

Busy January

2012-01-11T23:16:00.000+08:00

What a bad way to start my 2012. Staring at my laptop monitor thinking how to complete the assignments. While most photographers will be doing Chinese New Year themed model shooting; I stayed inside my room, in front of the laptop doing assignments and lucky enough i spotted a bug. So, I started shooting it with using Tamron SP90 with Raynox DCR250 attached. Somehow I irritated the bug and it flew away before I got an satisfied shot. Here is some to share.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to my elder brother!!

End of year 2011

2011-12-31T15:10:00.003+08:00

We have less than 12 hours before we end the year 2011 over here at GMT+8 time zone. Let's see What have I hauled this year and allow me to share 2 more photos from my Cameron Highlands trip.

and so, i got myself a minolta AF7000 film camera

and also a Olympus EPL-1 for my family

So, new year is coming. Everyone is talking about new year resolution. I don't have any specific resolution but just try my best to get the best of the best out of year 2012. :-D Wish you all have a pleasant new year celebration and a prosperous 2012!! cheers!!