Today methinks

Had to start planning for my personal photography folio. Take the game to the next level. So methinks that I’ll start with still life subjects, as this is what I wanted to build my future career with, and its a great subject to study lighting and composition (in that order). Stay tuned.

Jakarta

I've been rarely making photos these days. Could be the weather, the lack of good location or simply I'm turning lazy.

A few weeks ago I was at Jakarta for a studio shoot. The schedule was tight, so I didn't have much thought for anything else. Suffice to say that Jakarta is a strange city. This is not a city for the feeble minded; even the most adventurous will find it a little daunting. Not a nice place for a regular trip, but once you soak yourself in its air of pollution, poverty, and chaos, you'll catch a glimpse of its magical blend of mysticism and aura.

The shot above was one of the few I manage to make. This is the lobby area of Hotel Alila. A safe haven separated from the unknown devouring depths of the city just outside.

A Statement of Intent

Lay the ghost

It's almost a year since I traveled to China. Shanghai, and the Yangtze still lingers. Few days ago I looked through the images and picked some 36 frames which I felt strongly conveyed what I've experienced during my stay. I'll be back there some time in the future. Wishfully.

More at http://bit.ly/aCxmvr

At the other end

How do you approach someone when he or she is already within your reach, but you’ve procrastinated too long with the process? That you thought you need time to observe and understand more? Do you really need to do all that?

Of empty rooms and sorts

Sorry, no pictures this time.

Just finished moving all the stuff out of my SS2 room. I feels kinda sad tho. I’m not that fond of being a nomad. There’s always this feeling of connecting with the places I’ve stayed.

Maybe that’s why I took a hell lot of bleeding (pocket-wise) prepping the new place. I hope it works.

Giddy for a tiger year?

It’s three weeks to Lunar New Year and everyone in the studio is working like a dog tiger!

I salute the men and women who are “battling with the tigers” in the studio even as I wrote.

Timed out at Golden Sands Resort, working

Lobby, Golden Sands Resort, Penang, originally uploaded by onejassed.

It’s all job job job for the past few days!

Just finished a shoot last weekend at Golden Sands Resort Penang. Had a pleasant shoot and stay. I’d recommend this resort for any family out there wanting to splurge and swim. Loved the ambient. Too bad all the images I captured was somehow corrupted, so the above shot is one in a million!

On another note, it’s another year older for me. Haven’t had any plans or crazy wishes yet.

My 2009, in pictures

It came slowly, then suddenly 2009 gained so much momentum that I sometimes find it hard to follow. Had a great year actually. Although there was the bit of gloom, grief, and anguish. Here’s the monthly highlights for the past year, the rest as they say, is history.

Winning the Festival Filem dan Video Pelajar Malaysia 2009 was sweet. My uni had a good sweep of the main prizes, one of which is the Best Film won by Gareth Chin’s Rewind. I was DOP of the production (which I still think shoulda get nominated for Best Cinematography HAHA).

Then there was the travel to China in February. Of all places, I still miss Shanghai. Maybe I still haven’t had enough of this city. It’s a place of imperfections and beauty, fast and slow, gentle yet full of energy. Words cant describe.

Back in Malaysia was a bit depressing. Knowing that the China trip could be much better (photographically), and knowing that you don’t have a job and you need money for everything.

So off you go again, to travel! A short trip to Singapore on April was a bit of a refresher. Probably because we had the best lycheetinis, steaks, and burgers in our lives! I love cities, as much as I love the non-cities. It lives and breathes in cold glass and concrete.

May is full of contradictions. Questions of choice and direction came and go, and came, and go. Had to find work, but had to think of what I’m going to be.

And so I did - a photography assistant spot at probably the busiest commercial photography studio in the whole damn country.

Busy to the point that I find it hard to spend time for anything else (photography included). But then,

it wasn’t that bad of a vocation. My work takes me to places and situations that I never been before. It’s tough and demanding. I repeat that sentence again – tough and demanding.

Wish life was simpler?

No way. But again, if you look beyond the complexities and juxtapositions, simplicity is all right over there. Hopefully that’s what I’m trying to.

It’s not like I dumped everything else aside and immersed myself in working hell. There’s still those time-outs with friends and (the very occasional) family. A couple of trips with colleagues and new-found friends in November was fun (at the cost of simmering heat and drenching rain).

And so, 2009 came and go. At the end, a lot of stuff went off with the year. But thanks for all the memories – bitter, sweet, and everything in between.

Here’s a toast to the new decade!

CHEERS!

New Year, for some

Homelessness, originally uploaded by onejassed.

While you were having the time of your life, don't forget that somewhere somehow there are others whose new year may not even mean a thing to them.

Cherish those important to you, and give to the needy ones.

Goodbye 2009, hello 2012 -2

Here’s how I spend December 31 2009, all fresh from a completed car shoot.

Happy New Year anyways.

The last day of 2009 is maybe as insignificant as the other 364. Nevertheless, 2009 is quite a feat. Few things came up, and some came down. Still are many things to be sorted out; lots of wasted moments; lots of thoughts.

2010 is definitely a continuation. No closure yet. So how’s yours?