Pen Lovers 1st Anniversary Luncheon

Wow… what a day!!

We had a successful celebration of the Pen Lovers 1st Anniversary Luncheon on 29 October 2011 at Pizza & Satay Restaurant at USJ, Subang. The turnout was awesome!! All together, we have 40 Pen Lovers turnout for this event. 

Looking at the group photo, Man! We have broken our record high with 40 Pen Lovers there. 

All these started from a simple man’s vision, i.e, in love of Olympus Pen Camera. And now, it has been developed into a great Facebook Group called PEN LOVERS, which started from a humble beginning from one person and now, it has increased to 325 members as of to-date and the numbers are continuously growing. Thanks to our founder Koon Yik Chin who has this vision and made all these possible. He has successfully pooled many Pen Camera users together. 

PEN LOVERS FOUNDER - KOON YIK CHIN

Time flies…. The Pen Lovers are one year old now….. 

I salute Yeow for his initiative to lead on this project to organize the 1st Anniversary of Pen Lovers. Only people who had high enthusiasm would be generously volunteered to take on the extra responsibilities without any hesitation to organize the 1st Anniversary. I still remember his worries on the poor response from members. He was so grumpy like nanny about not enough people to meet the minimum pax of 30 for booking of a restaurant. One week before the date, the numbers were still not enough … I think he has a few nightmares because of this .. ka ka ka… 

Yeow Chin Liang - Important Soul in Pen Lovers

Worse still, many committed but yet to pay, he started to worry about people FFK or “Fong Fei Kei”, it’s literately saying “Flying Aeroplane”. In Cantonese, it means people didn’t keep their promise although agree to attend but failed to turnout eventually. 

Luckily, he has many friends’ support to release some of his worries. 

Yeow’s buddies in Pen Lovers have extended helping hand to him. People like, Gerald, Simon, Thian Jin, Robin, Mun Keat and Koon Yik have been given helping hands in many ways. Pen Lovers is like a big family, the core team worked with good team spirit and with willingness helping one another to get things done. For sure, you won’t be alone. Look how happy they are …. 

The event started with a sharing session on Photo Editing Technique on HDR photos, conducted by our beloved Thian Jin, he was voluntary to conduct a short course on HDR for members who wish to learn. This is one of the benefit of joining Pen Lovers because we have the opportunity to learn from other fellow members. 

Koon Yik wanted to let many of his vintage lenses and accessories for members to test. He always proud of his collections. I knew he had spent a fortune of getting all those items. Thanks to him, he was kind enough to let us play with his toys. BTW, Koon Yik was joking with us saying “PEN Lovers bring lots of equipment... even one idiot bring luggage bag, damn gila guy lor …. hehehe”.

LOL!!

The idiot guy he referring is himself because he was literally using a big traveling luggage beg with rollers to host all his camera, lenses and accessories …..

(Where can you get such a leader? You tell me lah!!) 

We acknowledged the help from Olympus to loan us one unit of 12mm lens, the newly launched Olympus EPM1 and 3 units of converter lenses (wide, macro and fisheye) for members to try on. As for the most talk about Olympus 45mm f1.8 lens, Yeow was generous enough to let his own precious baby (lens) to let other members to molest …. I guessed that is why he was famous of poisoning people …. Wakakaka. 

Beside those loan units, Olympus sponsored 11 T-Shirts and 9 fiber micro cloth as lucky draw prizes. Other team members also contributed their own gifts for lucky draw … the prizes were so many until we need to have 2 times lucky draw to finish it. Oh yah, we should thank two members who couldn’t make it but they have contributed gifts for lucky draw, they are our Pen Lovers’ buddies, Ronnie and Zeejay. 

It was indeed a wonderful event; I believe everyone have enjoyed themselves. I have taken some photo to share with you … hopefully, one day; you too, can also join Pen Lovers group in Facebook.  (Please click here to link to Pen Lovers)

With happy faces and satisfied feelings, many Pen Lovers are looking forward more PEN LOVERS EVENT … I wonder what’s next …hee hee hee …. and who can organize it ?

Hey, Hello...!!? Why is everyone runaway (except Yeow standing there wondering what’s going on ….) 

................................. ?

Yeow, I think they all want you to be our chief organizer for the next 2nd Pen Lovers Anniversary ….
Good job, Bro!! We support you…….



The End :)

My New Olympus 45mm F1.8 Lens

Poison – can kill.

But Poison in term of photography enthusiast is not to kill but worse than that ….

It means "buy buy buy" !!

“What am I talking about?”

Yes, this is the common jargon that we used to tease our fellow buddies when one is being influenced by another person thinking to buy some new camera gears such as lenses, accessories etc. 

When one said something in the FB that he is interested in something, the rest of us will response by encourage him to “buy, buy, buy” the thing!! So, ended up the person will buy the thing finally.

The best way for not being “poison” is to practice “See no evil, think no evil” ……. If you don’t see it, the desire won’t be awakening. 

However…. Can you really stand it?! I think chopping off finger also doesn’t work. 

With the recent launch of Olympus 45mm f1.8 prime lens, many of us have been poisoned by those who bought it earlier. Special thank to people like Yeow, Robin, KY and also some Pen buddies …. With their persistence, intentionally or unintentionally, they kept telling us how good the 45mm lens is. They post many beautiful photos using 45mm lens in FB or their blogs, it makes you crazy about it. They are “so kind” to let you try and play with it … Once you accepted their offer … THAT IT!! NO TURNING BACK! YOU HAVE BEEN POISONED!!

Below is one of the photo I took using Yeow’s Olympus 45mm f1.8 lens, photo taken on Yeow himself, look at the result …. Beautiful isn’t it? (Tricia see this photo, immediate wanted to “BAU” him… wakakakakaka … LOL)

Capture using EPL2 with 45mm f1.8 Lens (in low light condition without flash)

I keep my desire deep-deep into my heart, try not to spend any money .... but Today! OH!~

Today, I ended up in Mid-Valley Shopping Mall visiting Olympus Product Road Show. I decided to drop-by at one of the Olympus shop in Mid-Valley to check out the 45mm f1.8 Lens … In fact, the shopkeeper didn't even push hard on the product, I already being “sold” mentally by my Pen buddies.

Capture Using EPL2 with 45mm f1.8 Lens

The 45 mm lens is made for portrait shooting. It is perfect for portrait shooting. However, for Macro shot, it is not suitable, this is due to the nearest distance from the object to the camera is 1.64ft. Then I recalled that the lens diameter is suitable for the macro converter lens … so I asked the shopkeeper for trying, after I had hooked up the macro converter, wow!! The result was fantastic, I think I can get as near very near from the subject.

Without hesitation, I bought both the 45mm Lens with the Macro Converter Lens.

I tried to take a few photos using the 45mm Lens with Marco Converter at my Pentax CCTV Lens and I truly love the result. It's awesome as blurring effect had made the lens like floating on the air ...

I really love the blur background, my CCTV Lens like floating

My journey of buying did not end there, I was having a good time checking and admiring display of camera in Olympus Booth. There are many skin designs on Pen Cameras at Roadshow Booth. Some camera skins are so beautiful and cool. I have taken photos to share with you …. It is really fun to look at those cool designs.

At the end of the day, My beloved Pen have changed a new cloth, it looks wild, sexy and extraordinary.

My EPL2 with new skin

Now, I think I need GREAT COURAGE to take my camera out as this is too sexy for a Man to carry around ..... Hahahaha.

The End.

Shutter therapy at Scott Kelby International Photowalk

Have you heard about Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk? Recently, a friend sent me a FB event invitation to join a photowalk activity at central Kuala Lumpur. After going through their website link, I realized the photowalk is famous not only locally but internationally too. The Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk is well known. It attracted many photo enthusiasts from all over the world to join their website. It encourages member to be leader leading photowalk group. The event will then be published online. Team members are welcome to participate photowalk nearby their cities.

Thank to Raja Indra Putra who had started a Photowalk activity in Kuala Lumpur on October 2, 2011. Out of curiousness and also "some push" from my "K-poh" Pen Lovers buddies, I decided to join them.

It was a perfect sunny Sunday morning. Approximately 50 participants gathered at Central Market. It was a big group, majority were using Big Big DSLR especially the N and the C .... but as a Pen User, our camera size are much tiny ... Luckily, we knew the true power of what our PEN Camera can do, at least non of us are having inferiority complex while standing side by side with those "giant camera" man. Hahahaha ..... (Honestly, I sympathized them for carrying such a heavy camera gears walking around Kuala Lumpur).

Look at all these people, they are so eager to rush for Shooooooooooting.... Wakakaka! By the way, few of my Pen Buddies were standing at the right hand side, some with the V peace sign, they are the PEN BUDDIES that in love in Olympus Pen cameras, we called ourselves as PEN LOVERS. 

Raja Indra Putra was given a briefing before we start. He is dedicated and responsible person. He photostated many road maps. I think he worry us will get lost in the concrete jungle  ... hahahaha ... Nevertheless, this is not an easy job for him especially we are so mischief . We appreciate his efforts ... to stand our "monkey business". LOL!

The best time for street shooting is at the morning, you are not only getting some warmed sunlight and lesser people on the street but you can also captured many hardworking people busy setting up their store ... You will feel the heart beat of a city life ..... It's wonderful feeling.

A friend told me that he doesn't feel comfortable shooting people at the street. He worries people would be ticked off with his action and scolded him. So far, my experience told me this type of incident is very rare especially when you take photo in Kuala Lumpur. People at the street are generally polite and friendly. They are used to tourists taking photo in the city. As long as you are carry with smiling face while you're shooting, they would response positively. Just be polite to them, when they notice you, give them a generous smile. Sometime, if you want to capture their responds, you can ask permission first or do some small talk with them. Let enjoy each other company ..... it is one of the fun thing we do while we are in street photography.

The Scott Kelby International Photowalk has a photo competition after the event, participants are encourage to submit their best photo for selection. Well, I have submitted the above photo  .... this is actually a signboard on a Bus and it happen that my friend was walking by ... I took the opportunity to snap the photo ... just a split second ... luckily I was fast enough to capture this moment. I kind of like this one. Unfortunately, not being selected ...... Wahahahaha ..... cry !!!~ 

If you wish to view what photo has been submistted ... you may check out this link. 

The whole journey took approximately 3 hours .. It covers Petaling Street, nearby, there is a Indian and Chinese Temple .... We also walk to the St John Institution, one of the oldest school in Kuala Lumpur which established since 1904. 

Well, before we end our session, all our Pen Buddies decided to do our "Signature" Jump Shot to signify the End of our PHOTOWALK SESSION.

The Jump Shot is so funny ... and all of them are DAMN CUTE LAH ~!

Wakakakakaka .. hahaha ..... non-stop :)

(That's why I said it is a De-Stress Shutter Therapy) 

If you want to view more photo, please visit my flickr side .... click here

The End.

Wonderful moments in life.

It has been a long while for not updating my blog. I felt sorry for it as if like a bad mother who gave birth of a baby and leave the baby without proper care .... Isn't I am like that now being overlook my beloved blog? Haha...

I am running out of idea what to write because I am busy with my new job. Being in senior management team, it is not just a nine to five job, extra efforts are required to put in. It is not just follow a simple job description but responsible to think of new ideas to increase business in the organization. In addition.... Need to spend time on system and manpower issues so that the company is running efficiently. The list can go on and on....

Therefore, It is simply NO TIME to blog .....

Ding, Ding, Ding ..... Stop thinking NO TIME !!!

Life is like that, the more you said no time, the more you find no time. I always joke with my friends, never say you have no time, because only dead people no time, as long as you are alive, you have time. It is matter of priority, maybe sometime we had too engrossed into something whereby your time has dedicated too much to a particular areas and regretted many wonderful things in life.

It is good to pause your life for a while to look at some beautiful things in life....

Recently, I brought my younger son for a swim and it was a wonderful moment to see my kid enjoying the cold dip in the pool. I took the opportunity to capture some wonderful moments using my camera. Children grow up very quickly, just a blink of eyes, they will all grow up. Don't miss this golden opportunity to spend time with them.

Thank to my Olympus PEN EPL2, at least I have captured those images....

One day when they all grow up ...... And I become an old man, those photos that I took, will be my great companions in life.

Never miss those wonderful things in life... Especially with your kids. Please pause and look around :)

A Day Trip to Tanjung Sepat

I always wanted to go Tanjung Sepat …. 

This is because I have been hearing people talked so much about this place and also seeing many blogs reviews. Therefore, this year’s Hari Raya public holidays, I decided to bring my family for a day trip to Tanjung Sepat.

There are two routes to the place, I can go either travel the Klang route via Banting or take the north south highways via KLIA . After my research, I opted for Klang route, simply because I can stop by for a nice breakfast at the famous Klang Ba Kut Teh.

What can we do if without google map ? It is so convenient to know places around. I just type “Klang Ba Kut Teh” … Walahhhh!! … here come the Klang map that pointed out various places selling Ba Kut Teh … Through my local friend Carina’s recommendation … she suggested the famous Teluk Pulai (Claypot) Ba Kut Teh.

The efforts of looking for this place pay off after we tasted the food. Wow!! Mamma Mia … the soup tasted so good. Rich taste of herb and the meats were so tendered soft. Yummy! I really enjoy it. I specially love the dry Bah Ku Teh, it added some dry sotong floss to make the food taste better. It was an excellent breakfast. No wonder this place is so packed. This place has at least 5 to 6 Ba Kut The stores but the one that I eat, is fully packed with people, many people standing beside the table waiting….

This place is highly recommended.

After a heavy breakfast, we continue our journey to Tanjong Sepat . One the way, we stopped by Morib beach. In my memory, this place is very much “deserted” because I don’t find the beach interesting at all. The landscaping is too flat. During low tides, the ocean tides went off so far from the beach. I can’t even see the tide when standing at the beach.

Nevertheless, the place was nicely done up with food stores, convenient shop and wash room facilities. It is a great place for family outings. Many people took opportunity of this holiday season to visit here. You can see many children were running around.

I see many people are flying kites there, even the adults. It is a beautiful scenery that made out with family bonding …. 

We continue our journey to Tanjung Sepat.

Before long, we reached our destination … Well, it wasn't so much that I expected, it was just a small fishing village and gave me the feeling that it looked like Jinjang Chinese Village nearby my house. Majority populations here are Chinese. There are many Chinese Seafood Restaurant around, I guess we Chinese love eating … 

First thing we do is to look for the very famous Pau Shop that everyone blog about it. In fact, it wasn’t difficult to find. However, when we reached there … Oh My Goash !!! The queue was so long and so packed, I admired people enthusiasm for queuing under the hot sun. I tried to spy around at the counter, the queue wasn't moving. Workers were rushing to do the Pau, customers were standing there waiting for the Pau to be steamed, worse till the counter has one big signage stated everyone can only buy 5 pieces of Pau !!

Long Queue of People buying Pau

Making of Pau, even little boys helping up family business

Being an impatience person and decided not to queue. I rather visited nearby shops. I spotted a Coffee Shop, according to the shop owner, they have been selling the coffee for more than 40 over years. So I bought some, hopefully it will taste good. (P.s. i just tasted it, super rich in aroma and taste excellently, best coffee standard.)

I saw a hawker store selling frying ice cream, out of curiosity, I asked the store keeper to show me how he hot fried the ice cream .... In fact is very simple, the ice cream was wrapped with bread, and it only fried in the hot oil for a while until it turned golden brown. The ice cream is still solid inside when first bites.

Oil Fry Ice Cream ... Unique way of making ice cream

We drove surround the place, we found Ganofarm, famous of selling Ling Zhi mushroom. Beside doing the mushroom business, the owner turned the place into resort with accommodation and restaurant. They built wooden bridges extended out to the sea … it is quite a cool set up.

Ling Zi Mushroom - Famous with Health Properties

Colorful Bridge

Unfortunately, the cleanliness of this place was disappointing, everywhere is so dirty. Many tables were left unclean and things left overnight from yesterday dinner. Plates, beer bottles, cups, waste tissues  and bones were everywhere. It was a terrible scene. I guess could be short of helpers during the festive seasons?

I paid a blind eye for all those and looked for some nice spots for photo shooting … this place is kind of unique for photo shooting, unfortunately, the weather wasn’t good at all. Although it was a sunny day but the sky looked hazy and grey white … emmmm...

Where is my blue sky and white clouds ….!! (I shouted !!)

I'm blaming our neighboring, every years in certain time, the monsoon wind will carry the farm burning smoke from Sumatra to Malaysia … it is so so so hazy and unhealthy. All my photos come with pale white … 

Ah Yah~~

We also visited the Lover’s Bridge …. It is a long bridge and I think it has the length of approx. 0.5KM to 1 KM out from the mainland. Toward the end, fishing boats were parked there. In fact, the Lover’s Bridge is a good place for photo shooting, but due to the heavy crowd, too many people walking in and out at the bridge … makes me difficult to capture some nice photos.

The weather was humid hot, my family cannot stand the heat and we decided to go home early. So, I can’t wait for the sunset … Ah yah! So I leave the place around 5 pm …

Before we hit the road, we drove back to the Pau Shop again hoping lesser crowds.

OH!! OMG!

The queue was even longer than the morning session … I can’t imagine that, wondering how nice is their Pau … I decided to leave without eating their Pau, maybe it tastes better in my imagination then actually eat it! LOLs.

During the way back, we stopped near the Restaurant Asam Batu Laut to shoot some fishermen boat ...

Maybe one day I will re-visit this place again but definitely not on a public holiday……