One Face Fits All

After photofunia, this is the only time I tinker again with a photo crop application.

I think this look suits me, isnt it? :)


Another laugh trip picture:
Too bad April Fool's Day is over, I'm gonna send this to my sisters and tell them I have secretly married here in a quickie setup. I'm too sleepy to tweak it properly! And yeah I dont know who this groom is until I asked a friend, he's Siwon from a popular Korean band Super Junior (known for the song Sorry Sorry)... Hmm parang bagay ata kami noh? :))

Enjoy and play: http://www.faceinhole.com/us

Supermodel Dream

My previous post seems to have some sad undertones which I would like to take back. Today I woke up at the right side of the bed, started my day in good mood. :) In general, I just want to appreciate whatever comes my way and dont want to take the past 4 years worth of blessings for granted. Here's an entry to offset the vibes :)

2006 Shanghai, the first time I was approached randomly in the streets whether I wanted to join some modelling agency. (It should be among my very first few blog entries). I was on business trip then, didnt have much time to tinker with the idea to attend an interview. (I was partially afraid someone might ask me to strip off :p, well yeah in a place like China, I dont know)

So after 4 years, I was approached again randomly in SG by some agent, handed a namecard in the streets. She asked me for my age in Mandarin, I said 二十九. She clarified, 十九? I said no, 二十九. She was shocked and told me I didnt look like it. I was too shocked to be happy, come on, it was too much, I wanted to cry. :) Translation: she took off 10 years from my actual age.

p.s. I dont wear make-ups and I dress lousily when I'm strolling alone, and people my age here would normally dress up prim & proper, complete with make-up and false eyelashes - so probably that's why the confusion, the fortunate misleading confusion

It was Dec 18 Sat (the day when most of my friends are rushing home a week before Christmas, I was there rushing to go to this so-called agency). Before going, I've already researched online that this agency exists and they have wholesome clients from telco, food chain, insurance, banks, schools, etc, but there were reviews that they are quite notorious in their marketing schemes, or some call it modus operandi -and that is to make their candidates pay for their own training and pictorial fee which is an amount of like 1.2k (approx 36k). In a safe place like this, I am almost 101% sure that nothing really can happen to me, sa liwanag ng araw. Curiousity kills the cat. Ok I can kill an hour's time to hear what they have to say to me.

I was there, and then a lady in her 40's came up to me and did the usual business-as-usual money talks, I have to stress that it's in a 'cold' way. You know people here are so good in selling anything. They explained that I have to invest in myself as they invest on me. I have to pay this 1.2k to have them take photos of me, of which will be used by them when they advertise me to their clients who source models from them for print ads. I'm really awed how good this business is, they earn 1.2k from their models and then again another few hundreds or thousands from their prospective clients

Ok here's the fun part. I wounldnt go there without 'bala' right. I brought those glam shots that I have. I showed them a few samples and told them, cant these be counted as your portfolio pics? This lady finally stood up, adjusted her eyeglasses, and became very warm and friendly. She told me 'hey you have very nice shots'. - Her expression is worth a million, hah! Pagkatpos mo akong taasan ng kilay ha. Wow kahit papano, barely pasado ako for her consideration. :)


In general, I dont like it when people are too sigurista! Well it's supposed to be a mutual trust and collective effort of teamwork and taking risk together. Nothing is certain, so it's a bit strange to be put at the loose ends from the beginning.

Still she did some convincing powers to persuade me to sign but she didnt waive off this 1.2k. She said that I could earn that back anyway if I get picked for any ads.

Maybe if I am extremely bored, papatulan ko lol, I'm not. But then again, I dont want to be tied everyday hoping some company would pick me so I could recover my investment. Pano na mga weekends ko, matutulog pa ako, maglalakwasta. So goodbye to you.

http://www.createtalentsandmodels.com/

Here ends this fun dream of being a supermodel. Even if its totally insane, nobody dies from trying. :)

p.s. Ganon na ba kalayo in person and from the pictures! Ok ok I concede. It's not me. Fine. :)

And I Miss You So

Test Shot:

Caption: Does it make a difference if I tell you I really miss you?... Psychedelic! :)

Aww mangoes from Thailand, better than SG or MY, but still not good enough as Ph.

Ok back to test shot feedback :), quality is not bad, the picture is clear. Yay!

My New Digicam

I realized that it is true digicams have a lifespan of 3yrs+. After having mine exposed in snow weather, the lens seemed to have depreciated at that moment, the shots then were blurry. When I got back here, it seems to be ok but I dont know for how long. Anyway, looks like it's time to retire my 3.5year old IXUS Cam, goodbye my beloved camera for giving me good memories, including an award-winning shot :)


It was IT fair second week of Mar, here's what I got.. still a Canon IXUS cam :)) It's from the new IXUS HS series which boasts of performing well in low-light. Mine is 115HS with these specs: 12.1MP, 4x zoom 28mm focal length, DIGIC 4 processor, several funky modes to play from including Movie Digest. And it only costs 299sgd with freebies like case, 2pc 8GB SD Card and flash drive.


Dialogue:
Friend: Bkit yan binili mo, ndi man lng S95?
Me: ah dami ko ng spare batteries.. pumili ako ng kaparehas
Friend: Haha practical ka naman masyado
Me: at tamad mag-isip!

One Year Again!

Tomorrow marks my 1yr at work. Hmm this is a milestone :D Time really flies.

I have so many things to say about this year! but too little time to blog. Still busy packing my balikbayan box at this second for my take-home goodies + disposal of my unwanted garbage as well :) As my sister puts it, 'wag mo na isama basura mo!' But what can I do, I dont have enough space!

Work is a little manageable now, no more instances to piss me off (keeping my fingers crossed). I suddenly become a release manager for the upcoming release next year, whatta name, but yeah I still prefer to be a follower, really! And oh there's occasional layoff (a dramatic one, I will blog next time). I care less now, kung matanggal man, SO? I'm really getting old, dont have the energy to waste time on these rants :D

Sharing one of my fave pix from the cheongsam shoot (aint over with it) :p I love this shot, my friend has labelled this as 'Wishful Thinking'. There seems to be elements of hope and tint of positivity. - exactly what I need, or everyone needs if I may say so. :)



Happy holidays!

P.S. I think this song suits the picture, one of my LSS last month

蘇打綠-無眠

你現在想著誰　有沒有和我相同的感覺
固執等著誰　卻驚覺已無法倒退
曾經想一起飛　在自己心中蓋了座花園
把你的一切　都種在這個地點
卻像魚守在裡面

Quick Translation:

who are you thinking of now, do we feel the same way
stubbornly waiting, yet knowing there's not much turning back
dreamt of flying together, grooming a garden in one's heart
have all about you, planted in this spot
and be like a fish, guarding inside it

It was too artsy, I am not sure how the garden relates to the fish, perhaps there's a fish pond inside it :p. But yeah even if I dont get it, anything catchy catches my attention. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2TtliknCEA

Ooops dont dwell too much on the voice/gender or whatever, I dont know the gender too, but I like the lyrics and melody :)

I Feel Like A Celebrity!

At the ripe age of 29 :p, I feel like a celebrity for the first time. :D

My photographer friend and I have been planning for a photoshoot for quite some time. With the numerous chinese movies and series that I have watched, I've always been curious how I would look like in the olden times of China. So here is the unique theme I have chosen: cheongsam! :D

This is a serious shoot with effort, I went for professional hair and make-up. Setting is at Chinese Garden.

I probably have never been this dolled up all my life. It was a holiday and there were a few tourists in Chinese Garden. While my friend was changing her lens and adjusting lights, a few of the tourist went up to me and asked to be taken photographs with :p. One from China told me 'hen piao liang'. Whew it's the first time I heard that compliment. :)

When I was doing another set for modern theme near the grassland, there was a leisure photographer taking scenery who suddenly change his theme from nature to me. We just let it be. Weird and unethical guy who didnt bother speaking to us for chitchatting or asking permission, basta na lng naki-shoot (nang matagal) at umalis :p.

Another couple asked me 'are you from a modelling agency'.

There were some rain drizzles and fortunately, my friend still managed to capture some good shots for me. Here's a teaser again :)


The shot ended well and I treated my friend for dinner (of course back to normal daily wear). The power of false eyelashes - it is quite strange to be stared at, including a guy on a date with his gf beside our table who kept on glancing every so often. This guy needs some serious spanking!

Everything felt so surreal. I know I am not really pretty or slim, but I am glad for once in my lifetime, I feel like a celebrity! :)

Artsy Bitchy Shot

I guess it's better I dont know the technicalities of photography, so I can just shoot subjectively and judge with fresh eyes. :p Like Ellen with her judging stint in American Idol. Everyone doesnt have to be an expert, she can just do it, simply based on gut feel and from a regular audience's viewpoint.

Referring to camouflaging the fats, I like this picture I took for a friend, I find the pose sexy :p.


And showing an ordinary shot of her that I didnt post in fb.


Angle makes a difference right? Or if you still cant see my point or deny that it makes sense, I guess it is better to just donate your camera to charity. :D

P.S: I wonder why some people have to post hundreds and thousands of pictures of a same event same background same everything, cant you filter and choose the best shots, do the audience a favor that they only have to scan through the best shots. hahaha

Photography and I

I submitted some beach photos in an online contest and unexpectedly won first prize! I am fondly coined as 'award-winning' among my close friends from then on. :)


What I get for a prize, a free 3d2n stay in Angsana Bintan Resort for two, worth 800sgd! I couldnt believe this can happen to me, I have never won anything this much by luck! Hearing about the good news, it was so amazing where u feel tickles all over you!

Nowadays there are so much people into photography, investing in more lens and other powerful tools. I am still using my 3yr old p/s digicam. Living by my simple ways (i.e. kuripot?), why buy when you can borrow :p Kidding aside, I dont want to develop a new addiction, I am satisfied to just be a leisure photographer. With the p&s, I am only limited to take nature shots, where the sun helps me a lot in achieving good scenic pictures. I am happy enough when some people say I have a potential in photography :))

I am not good with taking portrait shots. Ok with the numerous times I was taken portrait shots in a studio in binondo ;p, I guess there are simple secrets a photographer needs to know about taking portraits, especially women :)

1) Vanity and not reality
It's not just about how over-clear your picture is. No one wants to be taken over-clear pictures where big pores, pimples, blackheads, scars, fine lines are clearly visible. I've heard of male photographers responding back 'eh ganon naman talaga hitsura nyan'. If you are a taking a photo of a bride, I am sure she wants you to find her best angle and work on it, make it prettier. I am not spending 100k+ for a wedding package and posing for you to take pictures of reality.. I want it to be closer to fantasy.

2) Forget about lighting
Isnt it obvious that sometiems, over-exposed pictures always make a woman prettier? The skin becomes very fair and smooth. The imperfections are hidden. The overall face shines with a glow. Same with those in dim lights. Just dont overdo and overfollow lighting rules.

3) Forget about the rule of thirds
If you can take a closeup picture of me with symmetrical perfect 10 score, I guess I probably wont be talking to you and paying you, I should be a model and you should be paying me. There are only a luckly few common people who can look so good with the camera that you can fill the whole picture with her face. Refrain from doing this so often in prenup for ordinary-looking couples. And besides, most likely the women might have splurged on her gowns and some accesories that she wants to be captured altogether rather than just her face occupying 70-90% of a picture.

4) Camouflage the fats
Fats are the worst enemy of any woman. Avoid avoid focusing on any problem areas, big belly, big thighs, double chin and big shoulders.
Shoulder fats seem to be the hardest part to get rid of, and is also the most visible in a normal half-body picture
My friend shared to me what she learned in a paid workshop. (oops I am not supposed to share then) but who cares. :p An efficient photographer should naturally camouflage the problem areas by using other elements. If the bride has big shoulders, then have poses where the groom is hugging her or putting his arms on her shoulders. Sounds witty to me.

Here are some of the latest shots I had taken while enjoying my prize in Angsana resort :) On the contrary, I guess I won because only a few people joined :p. Who cares, the best things in life are free!