Happy Steamboat

Steamboat is the famous cooking style among Chinese. It is a way of enjoy our meal by a group of friends or family seated together on a round table, at the center of the table, a hotpot of simmering soup will be placed there. Then we will add in raw ingradinets such as sliced meat, lefty vegetables, seafood, wantan, dumplings, fish balls, mushroom, noodle and many more .... The soup usually is chicken stock but some of us love to replace with curry soup or tong yam thai soup ... Wow! hot and spicy !! That the best way of enjoying our meal!! While chatting with friends, we are cooking the food directly on the hotpot.

Yummy !!

I don't really like steamboat because of the heat, I prefer having it up in Cameron Highland where the place is cooling. Nevertheless, this steamboat I'm having is damn great and yummy. Is not the steamboat but is the people that made it great!!

I even called it a "happy" Steamboat dinner ... why!!?

Simply because I am having dinner with a group of awesome buddies, my camera buddies !! BTW, thanks to Koon Yik for buying this dinner. The reason that he is buying us dinner because the hit rates on his blog review on EP3 Olympus Camera achieved his target.

 Look yummy, isn't it

 Added onto the hot pot, surely yummy. Yeow is really happy, laughing loudly. He brings many joy to us... He always the center attraction.

This is the three fellow I used to have secret TT ... hahaha... Mun Keat, Yeow and Simon ... the three KAI SIN KUO, it means happy fruits that bring joy to many.

Ban ! ban! The fanny side of Simon.

Yong always has his won unique character ... you you .. I unfriend you !!

Wonder why is Koon Yik keep clapping his hands ... maybe he is giving himself a pat at the shoulder  ... Brovo.. , well done for hitting the hit rates in the blog review !!


Thian Jin is expert in buying cameras ... from E620, to EPL1, then E5 and now he is having EP3 ... one of the expert in photography.

Robin is my friend cum my mentor in photography, he has tough me many things about photography. BTW, Robin is very famous in Blogging, quite international standard liao, many people know about him and his review. And meow meow (Gerald) is very friendly to others. I think he has the most patience heart ... both are from East Malaysia.

CCC is the only fellow without PEN, but we still welcome him because he is a very nice person .... we all hope one day he can repent and return to PEN family ... Wakakakaka !!

In fact, I have taken many photos during that night ... however, it is impossible to attach all photos in this blog. Therefore, I decided to upload all those photos to my flickr accounts and copy the html code link to my blog so that you too, can share the happy moments with us.

The End :)

Changes in life

It has been a long time of not updating my blog. There are many changes in my life. First, I quit my seven year's job, secondly, I moved into a total new industry. I am jumping from hospitality industry into agribusiness and food service equipment industry.

My new job is full of challenges, but I think I will survive. Hee hee, this is called confidence mah.

I just gone thru a 5 days intensive orientation, and it is just the tip of an iceberg. I need to understand more about the businesses and products. So, I predicted the coming months will be busy and tune into heavy learning mood, and blogging will become secondary. I hope you can bear with me.

In hand, I have two blog post materials but until today, I still couldn't find any opportunity to write it down. one is the happy steamboat that I wish to share, the other one is the recent TT (Photowalk) in KL. The uniqueness is Yeow managed to loan 3 units of newly launch EP3 camera and a 12mm f2 lens from Olympus for testing. I also asked Yeow to loan the 3 lens converter, ie., wide, fisheye and micro lens converter for testing because I have intention to buy.

Now, blogging is become easier because I purchased an IPad. The add on blog press, an IPad blogging application, is very useful for me. I can now write blog offline or anytime, any place I like. It is going to be easier for me.

Wow.... Infact this blog post was written using iPad blogpress.

Below photo was taken just now while I was having a cup of coffee.













Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Google+, an alternative to Facebook?

Lately I have upgraded my mobile phone to an Android phone. My friend introduced the Google+ to me, another social community network like Facebook but work well with the Android phone.

As a supporter of Facebook user, though got some problem here and there especially not satisfy with the speed in mobile Facebook and not quite users friendly, overall, I am happy with it. Last thing in my mind is to join another network to start all over again. Nevertheless, out of curiosity, I decided to accept the invitation from my friend to join the Google+.

The first impression is the clean and simple design of the menu screen, bigger icon with larger font that makes old people like me easily to read. The Google+ separates into Circle, Photo, Huddle and Profile and the common platform is called Stream. I found it is easy to manage it. Using the mobile Google+ application made it easier and the response time increased almost instantly. Surely is faster than the Mobile Facebook.

The Circle is allowing you to set up various circle of friends; the best part is allowing you to refrain from sharing certain information and photos to your entire friend list. You can easily decide which circle(s) of friends that you want to share with. Especially when your bosses or colleagues are in your friends list, you may get “penalize” for sharing some wrong information and to un-friend your boss is the last thing to do because it is equal as suicide. Ha! Ha! Ha! But Google+ Circle has resolved this issue.

The Photo, photo sharing is easier and instantly upload. You can take a photo directly from the Google+ camera icon which immediate upload to the site. Or you can easily share photos using your Android photo album. If you want to host your photo in web album, you may sign up with the Google Picasa Web Album which link to Google+. All you need to do is just click “share” in photo album, select your photos and type the comment, the photo will be easily uploaded and share with your circle of friends.

The Huddle, it's private chat group. You can set up private chat with your friend(s). The messages in the chat are instantly update. Notification to your phone is instantly sent to you when your friend add a message. It is like SMS except you can add friends into the group. History of Chat can be maintained. It's fun and can connect your “loved ones” 24/7. i.e, 24 hours 7 days .. walau!!

There are other functions which I have not tested, the Sparks and Hangout. Sparks is allowing users to watch video or read articles that share in Google+. Whereas the Hangout which more interesting, you can activate it and your friend can just drop by to “see” you. Ha! Ha!, it allows cam to cam chat that you can see each other face to face. Isn’t that nice. This is especially useful for parents who have children study overseas.

Wow, I am getting to like Google+, presently I think it is in testing stage. You can not join on your own. You need friend to invite you. So, if any of my friends wish to test Google+, please PM me in my Facebook. If you are in Google+, just search my name, I think you can find me easily.

Hoh! almost forget to mention this point ... Google+ allow users to edit their passed comments which is very good to me as I used to have many typo or grammer mistake in my comments. It save me from embarrassment.

Now, I am busy with Facebook and Google + and also busy in Blogging… am I living my life to the fullness or What!!? Wakakaka !!

The End.

Review of Olympus Pen E-P3

I have a friend who I called himself as photography enthusiast. Olympus Pen is his favorite toy. He even started up a PEN LOVERS group in facebook, his name is Koon Yik.

It was an excitement time for Koon Yik during the recent launch of the new generation of Olympus Pen E-P3. It was a privilege for him to be selected to do an product review on the new camera. He was given an E-P3 earlier to test before the launch of the product. Below is the link of his e-book about the review. I believe the review will help you to have better understand the camera.

Click below download icon for access the review report. 

OLYMPUS PEN E-P3 - Boat Version

Olympus Users' Gathering for PEN EP3

Olympus launched their new product PEN EP3 on 30 June 2011 last month. I was invited by Olympus to attend their Users’ Gathering at Fullhouse, Sunway Giza on 16 July 2011. It was a great gathering whereby I have a chance to meet up many PEN USERS who used to chat or communicate in facebook but now we are actually meeting face to face and acknowledge each other physical appearance as human and not something digital in facebook…. Hee hee!!

Before the gathering, some of us even took the opportunity to have breakfast together at Paparich …

At Fullhouse, we were greeted by friendly Olympus staff, look how warm and friendly Phoebe (right) welcoming us!! Off course the K-poh Jamieh (left) was given us a bigger huge !! Ha Ha!!~

Taken with EPL2 with Art Filter - Soft Focus

After registration, we were given a piece of paper which printed, “It’s Love, it’s Pen”

This is too much, Pen camera has built in SKII, it made my skin so damn smooth ... walaueh!~

Wow, that piece of paper was a door gift coupon and can be exchanged for a special gift from Olympus ... See !!

It is a miniature pen camera with two exchangeable lenses …. Isn’t that cool!

The objective of Pen Users Gathering is to brief us the features of the newly launched Pen EP3. The presentation started by the Olympus General Manager, Mr Kee Nyap, a young and energetic guy who is also very friendly to all of us. The presentation was simple but very informative. It was presented in point form which straight to the point. Later followed by Robin Wong who claimed as non-professional photographer but no one is agreeing with him … hahahah, he was just too humble, this is because the photos that he had taken (www.robinwong.blogspot.com) are much better than many so called professional. Last but not least, the Pen Lovers founder, Koon Yik who has shared some of his experiences of using the new EP3. All of them had given a great and wonderful sharing and advise to us.

I called this type of sharing as poisonous sharing because they are very contagious, the feeling of "buy buy buy" are so strong. The EP3 is a fantastic product; the fast auto focus is unbelievable fast, we have tested onsite and no one had disputed about it. Robin did say it is real good for street shooting because even the subject matters notice you are taking their photo, but they couldn’t even reacted, you have finished taken their photo. “Wow!!” is the only word I can think off.

Robin Wong

Koon Yik Chin

The 12mm lens with f2 also another poisonous lens, deep inside me wanted so much. … Ah yai, expensive hor!! So, control control control … nice to see, nice to try, nice to hold, once you are not careful, you will be ended one at home …….hahaha, LOLs!!~ and Olympus will be laughing all the way to the bank with your money !!

I purposely don't want to post the photo of the 12 mm lens here, so that "see no evil, think no evil" LOLs ...

But for those who are looking for a good camera with good lens, but thinking other brands are better, you better give a look at the EP3, because you don’t know what you have missed!!

It was a fun session; beside listening to the sharing, we have the opportunity to meet up and chit chat with some old friends, some are “long time no see”, and also meeting some new friends ……

A long time no see friend :)

It's like a big family …. Especially when you join the famous PEN LOVERS in facebook, you started to be able to know friends who have the common interest and you also have the opportunity to share your photo with them and learn from other sifu around in the group.


The end.

What is the True Direction?

What you think may not be the same of what you do.

What you do may not be the same of what you said.

What you said may not be the same of what you think.

Walau .... this is damn complicated.

Lately, a friend showing me something that I never thought off, it is just a simple wine cork, and by placing it on top of a table with various light sources ... can you see what I mean?

Look at the photo, the direction of the shadow arrow is pointed differently comparing to the small arrow on the cork. It is against each other directions. Just like a person telling you he is going east but his actual intention is to go west, the shadow arrow is just like a hidden agenda ....  Sometime we need to be careful, thing can be different from what you see, our eye can be deceived easily, use your heart to see.


I have another photo of the two corks, but they gave a different feel. The little arrows pointing each other is just like husband and wife chat with one another. The best part of the photo is their shadows. Both shadow arrows are pointing to the same direction, it gives me strong sense that the husband and wife are thinking alike and at the same directions. The two small arrows facing each other is just like they are communicating.

It is hard in today's life, many failed married is that the husband and wife are no longer communicating, they are not thinking to the same directions. I guess communication is the key of the married. So, to all husband or wife, don't neglect your spouse, do more chating with one another. Let share a common interest or direction.

The End.

A Non-Stop Masquerade Party

I’m working in a workplace that is stressful but bearable, sometime works  can be difficult but not that bad because 17 years of experiences in the industry are sufficient for me to pull through. Although salary is not high but slightly better than many people.  Living in a steady working life which many would dream of … 

Life just continuing passing-by ….

But ….

Something had happen in my work place and it turned my world upside down.

I have the desire to share what happen to you, or rather the burning feeling to rant about it, however, due to the sensitivity of the issue .... I guess the time is not ready. I think better for me to keep it deep into my heart.

I just want to share a photo in my facebook and quoted my feeling :

Wow, Masquerade is my favorite party theme. But I didn't expect everyone loves it so much and enjoying it days and nights. The party is so much fun until nobody is interested to take it down ..... party all the way (>o^) ......... hahahaha ...

Someone did said, if you can't bet them, join them …….. is it !?

Suddenly, I heard a song circulating in my mind and I would like to share with you.

Tear coming down from my face when I keep playing the song. I am touch by the song because He had made a way for me. Yes, Jesus had made a way for me.. Praise Him.

The end.

Olympus EP3, EPL3 & EPM3 - More toys for people like me!!!!

If you have been visiting my blog, you would know I am crazy about photography!

Yes, I used the word - Crazy … hee hee hee. 

Why I said so? I can wake up as early as 6 am to go out for photo shooting with my photography buddies …. We can walk and walk a few kilometers without feeling tired and still excited to talk about photography and cameras …. We love photo shooting and we share our photos in facebook and give each other a “pat at the back” and made one another siok sendiri (self entertaining)…

All these were possible because of one word, ie, PEN

YES, PEN! It is not the pen that you use to write your secret love letter to your darling, but it is a super brand of OLYMPUS camera series. Do you know the FIRST PEN camera from Olympus was born in 1959, man, I am not even born yet, the brand is one of the oldest brand and now, still around in the market but move on from film camera to digital camera.

You may check with this link to know more http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Olympus_Pen.

Because I have purchased a PEN camera EPL2, I got the opportunity to know other Pen users through some workshops. Through their recommendation, I have joined a facebook group called the PEN LOVERS.

And this is their tag line,

“PEN LOVERS, WE CAPTURE AND SHARE LIFE IN A MIGHTIER WAY”

This group was established by Koon Yik in 2010, he has great passion about the PEN Camera. He has taken initiative to pool all the "Penian" together to sign a "big big big" poster and gave it to the Olympus and the poster now is hanging in the training/conference room in Olympus office at Kuala Lumpur.

If you happen to own an Olympus PEN camera, I would like to invite you to join this group.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_172539382761934

It is a close group but you can email the founder (remember to quote me lah) and I believe he will be glad to add you in. You may share your photos taken by Pen with us. If you are staying in Kuala Lumpur, we welcome you to join us on the TT (photowalk) in future.

By the way, Today, it is a GREAT NEWS as Olympus is launching a few new Pen Products …. ie, E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM3. Yeah!!~ many of my buddies shouted with joy because they have been waited for this model for a long long time.

I check out the write up and I think the new models are so-so-so cool!!

I love the Pen Mini E-PM3… it is so CUTE !!!

I bet it is going to be number one choice for the ladies. It is not only cute but easily place in their handbag. Can easily take out to shot and forever ready to take picture!!

For me, it is a torture for a lady to carry a huge DSLR camera, even men had found difficulty to carry a huge DSLR camera around. Huge camera destroys the lady-like of a lady.

Come on, imagine in a photo, a lady with smaller hands with polished and beautiful nails, well dressed but holding an ultra large DSLR camera, what a “sinful” looked and destroy the beautiful image of the lady and even the whole photo.

That why, I am predicting the Pen Mini E-PM3 is going to be super “LIKE” by most ladies. 

For those who are looking for compact size camera with DSLR photo quality and allow changeable of lenses, EPM3 is going to be the BEST CHOICE ….

(Suddenly, feel like buying one for my wife …..OPS! Choi choi … no no … got to save money for other thing (like new lenses) … wakakaka… forget forget FORGET ABOUT IT ….. hehehehehe … for those who have $$$ and looking for a camera, please do consider getting one… hahahaha)

Another new model is EPL3, which is one step higher than my EPL2. I am not sure about other enhanced feature but I notice one big change is the flip out widescreen LCD … WALAU-EH …. How come my EPL2 doesn't have this feature? My saliva is flowing out liao :) It is so useful with a flip out LCD screen, any angle can be taken easily, especially those shot require low angle shot ...I am so envious-lah.

Last but not least, is the EP3, I think this is the taikoh (highes range), one obvious hhighlighted in Olympus website, it is proclaimed “World Fastest Auto Focus” … Hey, No joke!? … Is world hor !? …. True or not!? Is that means no other brands, not even the C and N can bet it Hor? …. I have no idea, but you can obviously walk into Olympus office to challenge them loh ….. 

Anyway, I am not expert in camera review. My “broken Malaysian English” with half cooked standard, I am not writing any review like my friends did. If you want to know more about the PEN camera, you may click my friend links … 

You may amaze what stunning quality of photos taken with these cameras. They are really beautiful. No wonder many experts told me, Olympus photos do not need much touch up because when the photo is taken, it is almost 90 over percent cooked … you do not need to enhance the photo quality from photoshop or others photo editing tool.

I was told that there is an enhancement of 12.3 MP sensor, it has improves further the dynamic range of the photo and now, I believe it stopped other N or C users to condemn  sensor of Olympus is small.

Review by Koon Yik

Review by Robin Wong

Furthermore, the camera came out with new art filter effects … I especially like the starlight effect, I have obtained permission from my friend Koon Yik to share his photo taken by EP3… You can see how beautiful the effect of starlight appearing in the photo, straight from camera!! … It is really stunning, isn’t it?

Photo taken with Pop Art with Starlight effect, Using EP3 (Credit to Koon Yik)

Oh, Men, make me feel like upgrading my camera ........ hahahaha...

The End.

Advance Photography Workshop - Still-life and Light Effect

Great !!

No Regret !!

Although I did not make it for the full session but I still think it is worth it!!

What am I talking about??

I am referring to the recent advance photography workshop organized by Olympus Malaysia on 11 June 2011. Initially, I signed up but regretted later because I have other appointment at 4 pm, the class is starting at 12 pm to 6 pm and I have to leave at 3 pm which mean I only attend 50% of the class, who would waste money like this knowing only attend half of the session?

Nevertheless I still go because something I want to learn ……

Yes, my philosophy is simple, if I go, I gain 50% of knowledge and if I miss it, I gain zero of knowledge, though I can save the money but I think money can be earned back but knowledge gone will not come back.

Some of you may argue that there’s maybe next session … yes, is “maybe”, maybe got or maybe no-lah!! I don’t want to wait and wonder when to have the next session whereby all my friends “sudah” moved on to advance stage liao….

Gaga!! Look like I am kind of kiasu-lah like Singaporean Wakakaka…..

Check this out! … these are some experimental photos I took during the class :-

How to make-love using an object…. ops, Soli!! Wrong phase, it is not that sexy x-rated there!!

… is how to make love shape using an object …

Interesting , right !!?

Yes, I’m talking about the advance photography workshop with the title of “Still Life & Light Effect”. I am glad that Olympus has organized this type of workshop because it will help his users gaining more knowledge about photography. The workshop covered the following areas:-

- Creating 'Heart' shaped shadows

- Smoke photography

- High speed photography

- Light graffiti

- Commercial still-life using cosmetics and other miscellaneous products

The workshop leader is Mr Sanjitpaal Singh, who is a professional photographer. He worked in a local advertisement company. I like some sample photos that Sanjit had shown us. I especially like the one with a broken glass that the red syrup was flashed on top of the glass and it blasted out like a small wave ... so stunning!! I also like the one with a man (he himself) that water pour out to his face … he was using a fast shutter speed and all the water droplets were just freeze in the air … wow! Beautiful!!

Mr Sanjit has given us a lot of ideas … like how to capture smoke effect, how to capture still objects with different light sources and backgrounds. Even the reflective glass table would give an impact to the photo. He has demonstrated using sound to trigger the flash for high speed photography … wow !!

However… I am like the Cinderella story whereby when time is up, Cinderella has to rush back home before she turned herself back to normal, so I am seeing my watch hitting 3 pm … Ting! Ting ! Ting!

I know I couldn't leave my shoe behind if I go, but I am sure I will leave my heart …

Oh !!! wait wait wait ……

3.15 pm …. okay, still can drag on a bit time …… tick tak tick tak ..

The unmerciful tick tak sound still going on ….. and how come become faster har !?

Ops!~ is 3.30 pm … all my “good” friends started reminding me is time up ….

Ops!~ is 3.45 pm need to go, otherwise I will be late.

Luckily, it was practical time, so, I quickly took some of the experimental photos … 

Then, I rushed out of the room … with tears dropping from my eyes, my broken heart fell in pieces and all over the room without people notice …….

I guess the final part touches on the light graffiti, is a subject that I like to learn more, even though I had learned once in a night photography workshop.

Luckily I still have a bunch of good friends there, so I am looking forward to ask them what had happen after I leave the workshop …

Although, they are now “tarik harga” keep telling me is SECRET …..

COME ON … MENS, WHAT SO SECRET ABOUT IT !!? Chairrrr!!!! You think is how to make-love with an object meh !

Wakakakaka!!

Photowalk at Kampung Baru Kuala Lumpur

In my last blog post, I mentioned about the Photowalk at Kuala Lumpur with a few of my photo enthusiast buddies, it was truly an enjoyable trip. We meet as early as 7.30am in Sentral KL and started the journey to Dang Wangi Station by MRT and having breakfast at the famous coffee shop, Kedai Makanan Yut Kee, Dang Wangi.

I have been hearing so much about this place. You can find many write-ups about this place by many bloggers. The restaurant started since 1928 which is my grandfather time. I think now is running by the 3rd or 4th generations of their family. It is a typical Chinese Hainanese Kopitiam (coffee shop) with wooden chairs and marble tables, you can find some antique decoration around the shop. This place is quite crowded with the locals as it’s located in a strategic location in downtown.

As this is my first time having breakfast there, I ordered the recommended Hainanese Chicken Chop and Roti Babi. As for Roti Babi, if you translate literately, it means Pig Bread …. hahahaha… unfortunately I couldn’t find any pig in the bread except some mince pork, lap chong and vegies … To be more appropriate, it should call pork bread ..

Chicken Chop

Roti Babi

I really enjoy the breakfast, it food is tasty (although I don’t called it the BEST), I like the moist texture of the chicken chop. The only weakness is the portion is small for a big eater like me ….. hahaha…

After breakfast, we walked around the place. I found quite a number of graffiti on some old buildings. Some people may critique this vandalism acts, but I rather amaze with the beauty and artistic drawing on the old building walls. I guess if the authority set aside some locations for them to perform their talents; they can turn Kuala Lumpur into a beautiful ART city …..

We walked toward the direction of Kampung Baru where mainly Malay community staying there. Old Malay architectural buildings or kampong houses can be still found there. Those houses / buildings have historical value and they have witnessed how a small Malay Kampung turned into a Metropolitan City, now the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

The high rise buildings surrounding by the Kampung Baru creates unique modern and traditional contrasts view. I guess you need to walk around to experience this impact.

KLCC - Cityscapte View

Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur

People there at Kampung Baru are simply amazing as they are friendly and approachable. Majority don’t mind we take photo of them, we can take the opportunity to make friend with them, and we do some small chatting with the locals to understand their living and cultures. I think photo-walk is not just taking photographs but rather the opportunity to interact with the local people there.

 

We found a number of stray cats and all these meow-meow becoming our photo shooting target. Look how close we are with these meow-meow … hahahaha

Even our PEN LOVERS (FB Group) founder also doing the same ... hahaha

This is my favorite shot of a meow meow …..

I ended my photo-walk earlier because I have other appointment. As for the rest, a few of them continue their journey to explore the Petaling Street ….

It was a fruitful day and I am looking forward for another photowalk in KL again … I am wonder which part of Kuala Lumpur would be good ?

Do you have any suggestion?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. By the way, we did some planking shot in Daya Bumi .. that would be another story. I hope I have the courage to write and show you some of these crazy planking shots that we did …… hahahaha …

What is planking … click here ….