After thinking about it for quite some time, and after going through a few financial setbacks in setting my darkroom, i would just like to nudge =) those who read this LJ, if you like my pictures, and would like to donate anything, feel free to.

Those who do will be sent a print of any pictures in my gallery, according to the amount donated. USD1-15 will receive a 4R, USD16-30 will receive 5R, and everything above USD30 will get an 8R. Other sizes are also available, and depending on availability of paper, ranges from 8R to 20"x24". All will be signed by me, plus numbered. All 8R and above sized picture will be printed 50 times only, and the numbers will reflect the order of which they are sold. In case the print is out of circulation, i will email you for a second choice. Each print is selenium toned to stabilise the silver, and all will be printed on Ilford paper, RC, unless specified.

cheers! =)

...how you guys been? OK, i dont really have a good reason for droppping off the face of LJ-sphere... its mostly because its a new year, and I was looking for new opportunities which didn't pan out the way I want it to be. Also, i've been busy compiling and planning new shoots, and those things takes time and money - to me at least. (any idea how much it costs to get a riot police gear? apparently a lot!!!) Hopefully I can be more productive after this... =)

All this, and I have to contend with health issues as well... I was stricken by acid reflux 2 months back, and been diagnosed by either IBS or GERD - the doctor's still cant make up their mind. luckily for me, I got myself an MHI plan a few weeks before it happened.  Unlucky for me, that means no more chugging soda's or plowing through red meat like the carnivore I used to be. Nope, that means careful planning and MORE exercise than I'm used to. That means with every meal i have I take a plate of salad to go with it. Also means instead of 3 square meals a day I have to take 6 smaller meals a day. Not very satisfying but it beats waking up at 3am with a burning sensation going up your throat. And not to get stressed... *SIGH* 

What else? Oh, i just watched Monsters Vs Aliens 3D last night instead of Terminator like I planned, and it was the best decision i made that day!!! If you haven't, WATCH IT! If you have, WATCH IT AGAIN!!! the 3D is just awesome and i was squealing with delight and joined the chorus of OOHs and AHHs whenever the action looks...well, 3D!

Anyways, I hope you guys are well, let me know how you're doing if you're still reading this... and please, eat more greens and salads.  It could save you the heartburn... >< 

I read somewhere that most pictures, most good pictures, can be found within 5km of your house. I tend to agree. Everybody should go for a walkabout and carry a camera - you never know what your going to find. =) 


Oh, and im an addict to gossip girl. Now watching season 2, eps 7.  what can i say? im a sucker for anything new york!!! or at least NY, fashion and more fashion. 


Been looking for some locations for the next shoot btw - hopefully i can do that before i run out of willing models... 


Meanwhile, here's what i shot while making an unsuccessful jaunt for lunch today... the last picture though, are  one of my cat (the tortoiseshell) and a stray my cat seemed to have picked up. naughty naughty... 

 

 


 

..to write actually, for this new year. The irony is,  Ive actually been pretty busy in fact, i was down with fever, a day after photographing my bro's  wedding. (his wedding was on the 27th actually) so ive been recuperating for a week. After that, got myself a background support to shoot a mother and a baby... 

So, rather than boring you with my words, id just show you what i shot the past few weeks...


This is my brother's glamor wedding photoshoot... the first picture is inspired by Quantum Of Solace poster....



The second one is going for the Kawaii look, like a shoujou manga cover...

	Quantum Of Joy
	Too Hot!

Too lazy to say anything - after a shoot in the afternoon sun my skin feels like its on fire and i feel very, very sleepy (for only sleeping for 4 hours in a 48-hours period")

"Why So Serious"

 

311 - Amber
The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go
Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When Your Naked
CocoRosie  - Tekno Love Song
Peter, Bjoern And John - Young Folks (love the melody for this one - the vocals are haunting but soothing)
The Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away
Chungking Express - Fornication in Space (Theme)
Eef Barzelay - Girls Don't Care
No Doubt - Running

songs are here. password is sounds

and i wish someone would upload rocketship by kathy mccarty - saw Bender's Big Game and was intrigued by the song ... =P

Is it just me or is it just everytime an island holiday comes and goes, you will definitely get sick? Right after i got back from Bali, i felt lousy. 3 days after that, i got sore throat, and the day after, a mild fever thats still running its course. I think ill be fine tomorrow but this bloody sore throat is killing me! 

Anyways, i managed to finish a shoot, sick and all, in about an hour...and i figured, I need bigger lights... this was shot using a single metz 45 cl-4 at half strength and an umbrella.   

...and im dead tired... go to the gallery for more =)

Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me
The Bug - Angry ft.Tippa Irie
Lenka - The Show
Raphael Saadiq - Just One Kiss (feat. Joss Stone)
Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes
Jack Johnson - Flake (acoustic version)
The Greenhornes (feat. Holly Golightly) - There is an end
Smashing Pumpkins - The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning
Violent Femmes - Crazy
Michael Andrews Feat Gary Jules - Madworld

Melancholia sets in and im left with nothing. Just straws.

songs are here. password is sounds

Just thought id share some of my homemade solution in the darkroom as well as other things. This should serve to show that photography/darkroom is not THAT expensive as long as youre willing to think out of the box and get your hands dirty once in a while...

SAFELIGHT TORCH - GBP$15
DIY - RM15
Materials needed: LED torchlight, opaque film canister, RED nail polish (the cheapest you can find; the cheaper, the better!)



I use this to snatch lith prints. Because lith developments are very slow and you need to see how far its development is before you snatch it. Also usable with other papers, but i wont hold it so close... =P

FOOT SWITCH - GBP$13
DIY - RM1
Materials needed: Mini Stereo Jack, Foot switch (i got mine from the garbage heap; comes with a Playstation Light Gun)



The foot switch is connected to my RH Stopclock Pro timer. I bought mine of ebay, and it does not come with a foot switch, so i had to do something about it. =P

Some other stuff thats not Darkroom Related but interesting to show...

HASSSELBLAD CABLE RELEASE-USD91
DIY-RM5
Materials needed: A length of wire (I used an old stereo cable, you can also use CAT5E or anything else you have ard the house), Film Canister, Button Switch, 5-pin DIN-connector

CLOSE UP
 

Ever felt like taking a picture of yourself from your Hasselblad 12 feet away, but cant be arsed to wait for the timer?? Now with this, you can!

VIVITAR 283 VARIPOWER MOD- USD65
DIY- RM5
Materials needed: 100k Potentiometer, Film canister, Vivitar 283 sensor



IN USE

I use the vivitars for events and weddings, but sometimes i use it for modelling session as well. And for that, i expect some variable power output from the vivitar. This mod allows me to get variants from 1/16th power to full blast!

PC SYNC - POCKET WIZARD - HOT SHOE BOX - N/A anywhere
DIY- RM5 (if you include the China Trigger, RM135)
Materials Needed: A strong length of wire (i cut these of a dead mouse), stereo jack



CLOSE UP


Since i use vivitars and metz together with a pocket wizard, i need to make them able to "talk" without using too many gadgets to achieve that. PW can trigger anything attached to the hotshoe or PC Sync. Also, i cant be arsed to change my Vivitar hot shoe feet into a PC Sync friendly connector... 
 

...i did some prints Azrul K. Abdullah, for an exhibiton. So far the review has been good. Go and see it!!! =) Took me 48 hours to print 12 prints for his triptych. Consecutive hours!

Here's to the day when my prints are exhibited instead... =P

CHEERS!

A preview of what i shot on 30th August for Battle Royale, Dodgeball.

A Preview, since i still need to PP a lot more...



Hani In A Hat.

more pics here...

...now its events!" says a friend, when i told him im shooting for a dodgeball league. First dodgeball league in Malaysia too. Its not so much of the money, but rather, the experience. And yes, i know its a clichéd thing to say, but thats how i see it.

Anyways, my pc died for the third time this week, and since I'm getting a field camera from a photographer friend by installment, im flat broke this month. B.R.O.K.E. So i cant even repair it to even post-process my pictures. When i first started working in my present place about 7 years ago, i started at a really low salary for someone with a college degree. I survived by eating breakfast, lunch and dinner in the office pantry, where the pantry girls would prepare (some says) the best tuna egg sandwich in KL city. I would be there stuffing my face with like 2-3 helpings while in my hands i would be carrying a plate for 3-4 more to go! Now it really feels like that all over again...=P

So thats why ive been laying low this month and the last. Every weekend ive been shooting dodgeball. Last week i shot a former judge's mother's birthday. Ive been busy, but still, its been a fairly dry month. I need to get in gear but im plodding because of the pc. Grr. right now im using the office's macbook to blog this, and also do some basic post-processing (resize, contrast, but never color.)

Ok ok, rantings over. On to the pictures.



"Good Game Bro!"



Target Practice



Revenge

as always, more pics here

Just repaired my pc - the last few days it kept on restarting by itself. Changed the PSU back to its old one and its back running like new. My only problem is, the old PSU does not have an extra power socket for one of my hard drives, the one that contains all my images. I suspect the problem was the LED lights of my PSU.

As some of you know, i run a sort-of hybrid darkroom, and this pc runs the timer function for my wet works. since i cant see in the dark, it lets me know when i need to put the print into another tray. and this psu comes with like 4 xmas light style led...theres green, red, amber...and all those lights are making it a bit too bright for my taste.

so i ripped the leds off.

so now i think the led connection is short circuiting somewhere, making the pc restart when a current goes through the casing. Lets just see if im correct - its just speculation and deduction for now. will leave the pc on for a few days.

...til then =)

...but its been fun, really... Im talking of course, about the recent ARTFORGRABS event in Central Market. Its quite a pleasant experience meeting people.. =)

If you got here by way of my gallery page, thanks for your time spent looking at my artwork - its not much now, but i learnt a lot from you guys in that two days. Yes! That means you! I learnt that girls dig a lot of cute pet pics, and are more likely to buy pictures that has meaning or some emotional fixation, rather than guys, who would just love to chit-chat but buy nothing...+P i cant fault you guys, im also looking for a more coherent way to present my art, so yeah, the next time ill be more prepared!!!

Now i need to shower and crash. Im exhausted!

Just did my taxes!!! And really, i wouldn't have thought its so easy, using the new e-filing system. Just 5 minutes!!! Sad part is, for the first time in 7 years i hav to pay taxes. Damn...must get some charitable organisation to write me some donation receipts...+P

And am still learning the better parts of the new darkroom timer. Its nice to know i can do some neat stuff with it like auto pre flash and fogging. Now i m just waiting for the calibration kit before i can really use it. =)

BTW, this first May weekend, i will be selling my stuff at this artforgrabs do and if you're reading this, and you're available, come on over to Central Market KL and have a little piece of art. Doesn't have to be mine, can be others...everything under RM100!!!

And Doll, let me get back to you what i really need, before i confuse myself and you... =P

So i leave you guys with another pic...




Dance Ira Dance!

Finally got the Analyser Pro up and running! And a set of EU pocket wizards! The pic below this post was done with the PWs. So i can scratch these two off my list... =)

The Analyser Pro was every much i expected it to be, but it has a bit of a learning curve, and the one i got is not the latest, so it does not come with a calibration kit. I had to wait until a client paid for a big rush job the other day so i can pay for the PW AND the Analyser Pro. My only concern is my timer runs on 110v, North American Version, but i as told its alright to run it off a voltage transformer.

The other problem i had with the timer is it runs the devices using those PSU cables you would expect from a computer, not something from a darkroom! It came with three cables, one cable is used to connect the timer to the transformer. This is the one that uses the female pin to go into the timer. The enlarger and safelight device PSU is powered by the male connector unit. I am frustrated with that, because i had to cut the safelight plug i have and replace it with a male pin cable to connect to the timer. I have a 110v portable lamp, but the plug is the North American 2-pin plug, and if i install the 3-pin male PSU cable head, it will halve the output from the safelight, making it very dark. Its something im experiencing now.

Anybody from the US of A wants to send me the 3-pin male head? +P