Final Words

As fickled as a baby....

After I took nm2208, I wanted to be a graphic designer in the future.

After I took nm3223, I wanted to take up photography seriously.

haha.

So, the conclusion is, I wanna get a job which allow me to do both. I can take my own pictures and incorporate it in graphics design! Nm3223 has taught me alot. The basics of using a camera, which I never knew. It also gave me the best reason to psycho my dad to get me DSLR camera! I don't know what would I get for this module, but the investment will paid off.

I think my photography skills have improved. I no longer carry my compact camera but my dslr. Who can switch back to to compact cameras after experience with dslr? simply awesome!

Even though commercial photography is not the main focus in this module. It is still gonna be my pursuit in the future, and this module have sort of helped me alittle in this aspect. (low key high key)

But the most most important benefit from this module... is that it allows me to take take better, clearer photos of my precious niece. Babies grow up before you know it, photography will allow us to reminisce the past, the awesome moments with the young ones.

And every photo can be precious, as time goes! Even if I cant do photography in the future. I will still use my dslr to record memories of my family. <3

Exhibition Marathon

Exhibition Marathon is very interesting. However, I find it difficult to get the conptual meaning of the photos.

My favourite piece in terms of visual/techniques will be this:

Landscape and Figures by Massimo Vitali

The colours and landscape gives a very soothing feeling. The blueness gives a calming feel. Panorama view of it has a visual impact.

My fave piece in terms of conceptual:

In case it rains in Heaven by Kurt Tong

This one is about chinese myth about burning paper items to the deceased. These items have become a reflection of social trends, paper iphone, ipod appears. The meaning of this chinese tradition has changed.

The trip is quite different as I expected. I guess it is because I am always more toward the commercial photography. Hence, the artistic elements at the exhibition sort of blew me off.

But still, very interesting~

Bbk's 1st Birthday Party

I was the photographer for bbk's 1st birthday party! But I didn't take alot of nice pictures. Here are some pictures:

This one is when our family celebrated alone:

Bbk is sicked now. I hope she get well soon. I am going to take more pictures of her after exams!

Final Project: Romancing Men

My initial idea was to take photos of plus-sized people who has a special passion, interest or success. I wanted to show how size doesn't matter when it comes to professionalism. However, I faced lotsa problems when getting peopl to be my model

So I came out with a new idea. To confess, I have no gay friends, so this idea is merely derived from brainstorming. I would like to bring out the fact that homosexuality is becoming more and more prevalent, they might be doing things that normal couples are doing. Some people in the society, like me hadn't come across any homosexuals. I hope to use my work to let them understand themselves: whether they are acceptant with regards to homosexual. For example, if they find my work being strange and ridiculous, means they are still notready to accept it. But some might feel no big deal, I guess they have accept the fact about homosexuality. I also included religions elements in some of the photos, to further explore the potential of homosexuality.

Jing helped me to send my photos to her homosexual friend. He's remarks are actually very calm and gave a very practical understanding about the photos. At least I know, it doesn't offend him.

To me, I am not against homosexuality. But after doing this project, I feel that homosexuality can become a norm. But it is still impossible for it to be "fairytale" like a normal couples' relationship. The items shown in my photos, I would feel it would be only considered romantic if it is done among girls. I guess this is my stand. Here is the series of photos!

This photo... I wanna portray the idea of having to guys growing old together... we always say "ah gong" and "ah ma" going old together, what about "ah gong" and "ah gong"?

Assignment 6: The Moment

It was my precious niece's birthday during October! So I was thinking I can take some photos that fit the "Moment" theme. We brought her to Swensens, and ordered a kids meal for her (thats her first kids meal ever!) and also a birthday ice cream for her. Initially she has no idea what was happening. And then, when everyone sang happy birthday to her, she smiled!!! and then laughed. ^^ So cute. Here is the series of photos I took. And the last one is the chosen one.

Assignment 5: Appropriation

This was my first version of Appropriation. I replace Tigger and Pooh with real animals to create a contrast between the reality and and cartoon.

My idea is to let audience reflect on their process of growing up. When we grew up, we know what is reality and we realise those cartoon we watched are not realistic at all. I guess most of us would wanna go back to our childhood, where Pooh is the cuddly one and Tigger is the bouncy one.

When shown to others, some commented that the animals are not scary enough to have the contrast. Therfore I have made some changes:

Actually I felt that the animals are not very scary still. I think I was reluctant to select very scary picture myself. Maybe I still prefer the original Winnie and Tigger. Haha, I don't wanna grow up.

Class Exercise 6: Artistic Concept~

This could have been mine!

We actually got the word jacuzzi. We first thought of jacuzzi as a luxury. Something not everyone can afford. So, I thought of Africans who are normally portrayed as poor. Our initial idea is to put a rich woman into a jacuzzi of diamonds with hungry and poor looking africans staring from outside. But Jing mentioned it is too direct. Provocative statements are not made to be direct. So she suggested us to put a poor african in the jacuzzi instead. Therefore we came out with this statement: This could have been mine! Because diamond company like DeBeers has been getting diamonds from Africa but selling them rich countries. Have we ever thought that these diamonds could have been the African's because they are from their country. Why are we stealing their diamonds and why are they so poor despite having diamonds in their country.

Hopefully this is provocative enough!

Ayway, I must praise Luo Lan for her Photoshop skill!

My first photography job!

My sister's friend invited me to take photos at their son, Samuel's birthday party! I was told to use Samuel's dad(a photographer)'s tamrone lens. I was not very used to it though!

This is Samuel! Cute! The theme is cowboy! The colour of the photos are so pretty. I learnt how to manuel set colour balance from Samuel's dad.

Baby K! indulging herself in the ball pit.

Playing games with daddies and mumies!

I was sitting down. Quite a cute angle!

Many babies squeezing into a ball pit!

He is such a handsome baby.

Lights was turned off during cake cutting. I was unable to change settings asap. So I did think I did a good job with the photos of cake cutting!

Happy Samuel.

Sharing food!

It was very tiring and stressful, to be honest... I didn't take any nice good group photos as I was too shy to call for attention. May I be better next time!

Class Exercise 5: Different positions of lighting

Findings during the class experiment!

We made use of the computer screen to cast different colour on Yingqi's necklace. The effects on the mood are rather different!

The blue gives an emo and eerie feeling.

I felt that red is abit bloody. Like someone just use the necklace to kill some one! Haha.

Positions of lighting:

Lightning is at the left side of the bag. Shadow casted on the right side.

This is shot with lighting in front. As you can see the shadow is casted behind, similar to the above picture. But the bag is whiter (more exposure) when the light is shining directly on it!

I like the effect of this. Lighting is at the back. Shadow casted in front. This give the bag a "superior" feel.

Lighting is on top of the bag. The texture pattern on the bag becomes more visible and shadow is casted around it, like a spot light!

The position of the lighting gives very significant effect to the photo. I find the back lighting very interesting, and I like how the shadow is formed there!

Baby K's Playdate 2

This time round is at Royce @ Liang Court. 4 babies attended!

I accidentally deleted the soft copies of these (unedited ones). ALWAYS BACK-UP.

Babies over loaded.

Would it be nicer if aperture in smaller?

Smiling!

Killing the doll.

He loves the camera!

Took from a higher perspective.

Freeze action. haha.

I guess this is my way of practising camera skills!

Class Exercise 3: Experiment on Background

Small aperture makes the background look further from the subject!

Taken with small aperture:

The clock looks far from the cap.

Taken with bigger aperture:

We realised that the clock seems nearer to it!

I am amazed~!

The beauty of aperture, that is why everyone is seeking from small aperture!

Class Exercise 2: FunnyPanning Shot

This was my panning shot in class. Cute, isn't it? We played cheat cos I was on a chair and she was spinning me!

Baby K's Playdate 1

My sister asked me to go to Baby K's playdate to take pictures! Here is some pictures I took with my D90!

Blur Baby K.

Baby K's friends!

Baby K is so violent!!!!!! Poor baby got punched!

Candid shot!

Kinda like this composition in the photo.

Babies are fun! Sometimes, taking pictures of them make me miss some adorable moments of them. If I can choose, I rather not to take photos of them, but to "admire" their KAWAII acts!

Assignment 4: High and Low Key

Miss Jing said that seeing high key and low key photos of a photographer will tell how good and bad he/she is at photography. This totally made me abit stress about this assignment! Haha, joking. I try to make use of things I can find in my house to create the low key feeling. This is my setup!

Torchlight, black cloth and box cover! I sweated like mad after taking hundreds of shot.

(F5.6 ISO1600 1/200)

I thought liquor is a good subject as the light can pass through the transparent liquid for a pretty effect. So I did a few shots and with some liquor I found at home.

(F5.6 ISO1600 1/200)

This one is a bottle with blue liquid. Perhaps effect will be better if white light is use. So that the label is not so yellowish!

(F6.3 ISO1600 1/40)

I thought a high key is easier than low key. This is my bag, I imagine that I am doing an advertisement for it. I really like product photography. This is one of my fave photo I have taken!

I need more practice on high low key. Product photography, commercial photography are areas I might like to pursue in the future!