the random adventures of jojo

boxed up lives…

I got out an old Nikkor lens I have sitting around and tested it on Kiera today. Yes, my D5000’s name is Kiera. Hee hee.

Anyways, the lens works perfectly on my camera, just without auto-focus. It’s 75mm – 240mm! So odd right? I’ve never seen a lens with these focal lengths before, haha.

Seeing as how I didn’t go out and shoot again this week, I stuck my camera out the window and looked for something to photograph when the gloomy and and clean lines caught my eye.

The weather’s been pretty nasty the past month, and all I wanted to do is curl up in an air-conditioned room all day long and just play games on my iPhone. Hahaha.

The gloomy sky and cooler temperatures were a huge welcome today! I don’t like taking photos of the sky if it’s not blue, but today just seemed different. I really hope the weather lets up and cools down soon, although apparently this disgustingly hot weather is supposed to last all the way til May. Sheesh.

It’s nice to know that I now have a zoom lens I can play with! Contemplating getting another lens. I’d originally wanted to get a zoom lens to take candid shots of people because I can’t do that with my 30mm unless I go up to their faces but I’m guessing that’d warrant a whack from most people. Haha.

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silent contentment…

This was taken at my birthday dinner at Da Paolo’s on Saturday. I like how calm and serene it feels, and perhaps, that mood and photo effectively sums up how I felt by the end of my birthday.

Saturday turned out to be pretty great, which was rather unexpected, judging by my ranty emo outbursts the week that proceeded it.

Brunch with the ex-es at my favourite brunch place, incidentally introduced to me by them, was the perfect beginning to that day. Good food, and great company! It was nice catching up, and laughing at the various senses of humour that I’ve missed terribly.

I got a pedicure after that, with Charm and was pleasantly surprised at the expansion my now-favourite nails place has undergone. It’s now even more comfortable than before, and of course, there are few things that make me happier than getting my nails done.

Dinner was a quiet affair at Da Paolo’s with the ex-es, and Dawn and Clara who came down. My pasta was yummy yummy yummy! Even nicer than I’d remembered it to be, last I had it.

My Holland V walks are now complete, with the opening of Daily Scoop at Chip Bee Gardens!

Up in the Air with Clara after everyone left was awesome. When I last saw the trailer, I thought it was a typical Hollywood movie, and it totally confused me when it was mentioned that they were nominated for Best Picture!

Totally no regrets catching it – I was impressed with the movie. In fact, I really really love it! The editing and directing were both good, with a feel that was real and yet surreal at the same time. The script was good, with intelligent and funny dialogue. I hate slapstick, have I mentioned that before?

Acting was good as well, and George Clooney is just easy on the eyes. I adore his laugh lines! Sexy.. mm.

The movie was easy to digest and yet, so real but not in a sickeningly pretentious way.

Watching it, and being filled with the knowledge at the back of my head that I was going home to end my birthday with a conversation with Pinkie was just…. I don’t know how to put it. I just remember feeling totally content with my life at that point.

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Yes, I know this is late, AGAIN. Sorry! It’s been a maaaad week of school!

ANYWAYS!

As part of one of the projects we were doing for school, we got Daniel’s lil 3 year old cousin and his older brother to come by and be models for some photos.

Here’s Luca, the super duper cute lil boy!! *squee*

kidnap attempt…

And yes, I harboured intentions of kidnapping him the moment Daniel showed us photos of Luca the day before we met him. I suppose that could be why his dad came along for the shoot… dang!

My first black and white photo for Project 52 so far, partly because i adore black and white photographs and mostly because I couldn’t get the colour right for it. Haha!

I just have to end off by saying…. THIS SHOT WAS TAKEN WITH MY KIT LENS. Hahahahahahahahahaha.

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Sorry the photo for the 6th photo is late by a couple of days! It’s been a craaaazy weekend, what with the shitload of work we have to complete as well as Chinese New Year of course.

Although my family typically doesn’t do as much visiting doing Chinese New Year as most people I know, it still took up a couple of days over the extended weekend we had. I tried to find time in between to get work done, and thus totally didn’t have the time or energy to head out to shoot.

All weekend, I’ve been caught up in making gigantic ice cream scoops and cones, cutting and spraying and going a little insane. And oh, saying hi to relatives and collecting ang baos, and being particulary stunned and overwhelmed (and very very pleasantly surprised) by my visit to Pinkie’s mum. Haha.

And this… is typically what I face when I am stuck at home, at the dining table getting work done…

microscopic world view…

Haha, sadly enough, that has been my world view for awhile now. It is my cutting mat, and I just placed a bright bowl of happy paper clips on it to make me happier. Which reminds me, I need to buy more happy paper clips…

It’s back to school tomorrow, for the extended weekend ends today.

My birthday is in a little over a week, and………… I don’t feel like doing anything, mostly because most of the people I would want to spend it with won’t be in this damned country. Bah.

That, and that everything I want to do involves money which I do not have. And no, I am not going to use my ang bao money because that goes towards London Fund. MEH.

(Basically, all I wanna do is sit around in a nice air-conditioned place and BE PAMPERED… which then equates to a nice pedicure at the place I like at Holland V, followed by a nice dinner at Da Paolo’s.. *sulk*)

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After contemplating for ages between what little photos I have taken in the past week for the 5th Project 52 photo, I chose this one because it amuses me…

king raj..

Introducing my classmate, Daniel. Or King Raj. Haha!

He is also my YPBFFHWB. In other words, my Yak Pak BFF Homework Buddy. HAHAHAHA.

This photo was taken one day in school, whilst waiting for class to begin. He is insane and ridiculously funny. And also angsty and angry this semester because of the workload.. Hahaha!

We both love ABC chicken rice, and he is also king of the palace which serves the best Indian food around, as the photo below suggests…

AHAHAHAHA King Raj is nuts and awesome fun to have around in class!
And yes, he is part of the group of peeps involved in Project 52 with me! Check out his photos.

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http://project52.rumpledoodles.com/

Do check out the other photos by the people joining me on Project 52!
Alex
Pris
Daniel
Winnie
Zhan

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grumpy old man..

Whilst I was trying to get started on my school work at the dining area today (actually, the whole of today was spent trying to get work done) Russell came along and plopped himself right behind me, just under the ends of the curtains.

He was asleep when I turned around and spotted him. I grabbed Kiera my camera and snapped a few photos of him, thus the half-asleep glance he is shooting me because he heard my camera go off.

Russell is 13 this year, in human years… and he hasn’t been in very good health lately. Ever since I’d gotten him in 1997, every time I thought about him passing on, I’d cry. Sigh, I wish dogs went to heaven..

My parents finally agreed to let me get a puppy because I was going for my back operation that year…

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http://project52.rumpledoodles.com/

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It was about 5pm, but because it rained earlier in the day, the sun was scorching. We walked down a path at East Coast Park for about an hour plus or so and I couldn’t take it anymore even though it was still bright and there were more photos to be taken. Ack.

It’s amazing how slowly we walk down a short path when we’re taking photos and just observing the tiniest details along a seemingly boring stretch of road. I love that.. heh.

One good thing about the sun being so bright was that the shadows were nicely defined, making for lovely shades and shadows in pictures.

faeryland

Doesn’t the grass patch look like little faeries and pixies will appear and dance around? Hehehe. Much like in an Enid Blyton story! I’ve been re-reading The Faraway Tree stories before bedtime these days..

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http://project52.rumpledoodles.com/

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joy in strangers

This was the second time Zhan and I met him. He owns a little shop space in Chin Swee where he repairs watches at that small wooden desk.

Across him along the corridor are a few fish tanks of random fish. He must love them lots, because he has a security camera installed at his store just to watch the fish.

Last week, we simply asked if we could photograph his stuff. This week when we went back, we started talking to him and he was quite happy to chat with us. Pleasant surprise for me, because I never know how to talk to the elderly much.

It turns out he used to take photographs too! He used a Nikon FM2, and had taken wedding photos amongst other stuff. I think he was a hobbyist. He mentioned being at Sungei Kadut (spelling?) trying to take photos of birds too. I asked if he had any of his photos around and he dug out some to show me.

I’ll be printing this out to give to him one day. He’s such a nice old man! Hehe.

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http://project52.rumpledoodles.com/

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Can I just say that I am really insanely excited about this project?! Hahaha!

And it makes me even more excited when people tell me they’re looking forward to seeing the photos each week. Hehe thank you, lovelies. I are loves yous. Heh.

So after sorting out my photos and trying to pick one that I would like to start off this project with, I made my choice…

drawing blood from stone…

One of my favourite shots from this week. I picked this because over another photo I like as well, because although at first glance the other photo was more visually pleasing, I felt this one commanded more attention – from the subject to the photo in its entirety.

Like Zhan had mentioned to me, I also like that this shot has enigma and mystery to it.

What do you think?

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http://project52.rumpledoodles.com/

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Aside from the simple resolution I made for 2010, I decided to start on something that I’ve never done before – a personal photography project.

Project 52 : one photo a week for the entire year.

I’d previously thought of taking up the 365 project, but I know myself well enough to know that there is no way I can keep up with taking and posting a photo every single day for year. Maybe I will take it up next time, but for now I can’t handle that.

Project 52 begins this week. I’ve set a few rules for myself, and a couple of friends (lovely snarky people hahaha) for this project : the photo has to be taken new each week, and posted up online on Sunday night.

That’s it. Free to shoot anything, any method, any type of photography.

Each time I go out and shoot, I learn something new. Each, and every single time. It may be something small, it may be something bigger and more substantial, but I learn something new every time. And if I learn something each time I go out and shoot, imagine how much I will learn and pick up if I shoot at least once every single week for a year? The thought of the rewards reaped at the end is kind of breathtaking.

Joining me are…

Pris of http://www.alexisthetiny.com/
I just got to know her recently, over Twitter, and she is awesome to chat with. Hehe. She has a cat plotting to take over the world. Awesomeeee.

Quick link to her Project 52 photos : http://www.alexisthetiny.com/category/project52/

Daniel of http://greatsocialevil.livejournal.com/
He’s my Indian Harry Potter classmate who makes me laugh by comforting me and telling me he will help vomit on stupid people who annoy me. Haha! You can also call him Gregory.
Quick link to his Project 52 photos : http://www.flickr.com/photos/greatsocialevil/sets/72157623055948473/

Zhan of http://biteme.rumpledoodles.com/
According to the About section on his blog, he was “forcefully vagabonded by a pink cotton candy into cyberspace” and refers to me as his “MOST gracious friend who knife-pointed him to the blogosphere.” HAHAHA.. One my favouritist snarky people to talk to and take photos with! He’s also the second person I offered to host on my server.
Quick link to his Project 52 photo : http://rumpledoodles.com/biteme/?cat=6

(edit: a couple more people are joining us on Project 52!!!)

Alex of http://ipwnyou.tumblr.com/
He’s just started dabbling with photography and I thought it’d be a good time for him to learn more as he takes more photos for this project! He claims I dragged him into this, though.. hmpf! It was encouragement please! Haha.

Quick link to his Project 52 photos : http://ipwnyou.tumblr.com/tagged/project_52

Winnie
She’s one of my blog readers who I started talking to because she very kindly offered to help me purchase my vanity products. Hehe.. She recently got a dSLR and thought that she’d take up this project too. Heh heh awesome!

Quick link to her Project 52 photos : http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelildromer/sets/72157623053463649/

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Quick link to my Project 52 photos : http://project52.rumpledoodles.com/

52 photos a year doesn’t sound like a lot, but one a week is quite a commitment, especially since we all are busy with school and our lives, but I believe that this simple project has a lot going for it.

Honestly, it’ll take me a fair bit of discipline to stick with this, especially when my weeks get mashed with each other and school gets crazy but I really hope I manage to end 2010 with 52 photos I am proud of.

We’re beginning this week, but I may start with a photo for last week as well, because technically the year did start last week. Heh.

Leave a comment if you’d like to join me on Project 52 – I’ll link you, and we’ll watch out for each photos each week..
And then go off and shoot – your first deadline is this Sunday!

*hops about*

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