Sunday, January 31, 2010

Passing By

Taken with the SuperHeadz camera on my way to the CUTMR show.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

CUTMR

Last week, my friend E & I were invited to check out a friend's installation (you can check out their progress on their blog) at the Gladstone Hotel, Come Up To My Room.

I can tell you that it was one of the best art shows I've been to in a looong time! Each room & installation piece had a strong vision with excellent execution. I don't always leave an art event feeling engaged and conceptually satisfied, so I was quite pleased. Well done :)

I also bumped into a few familiar faces that I haven't seen for a while, which was an extra bonus! It's like the cherry on top of a sundae ;) Overall, it was a great day!!!

Here are some of my favourite works from the show:

Undertaking Acquisition - Chronicles of Our Time
(Maggie Greyson, Christine Lieu, Phoebe Lo)


A Piece of the Pie
(Edward Lin, Kira Varvanina)


Untitled
(Jamie Webster, Berkeley Poole)

Untitled
(Lisa Keophila, Jon Margono, Fiona Lim Tung, Kristen Lim Tung)

Can You Remember My Dream?
(Julia Hepburn)


The night ended with some good eats (nom nom nom!) and a super bargain on vintage sherry glasses (not shown):

Friday, January 29, 2010

Camera Love

I've been playing around with one of my new toy cameras lately (a yellow SuperHeadz camera), which I carry in my purse with my P&S. I'm still experimenting with the right film and light conditions, so not all of my images turned out. Such is the way with toy cameras ;P

Even so, there's something about the element of surprise I get from each roll of developed film - the moment captured and forgotten, coupled with some wide lens love & vignetting makes me *heart* this little camera :)

I'll be posting more images later. Stay tuned.

Happy Friday!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Monday Nights

Until last Sunday (the season 8 premier), I never bothered to watch this show. Not because it wasn't good - since I've heard nothing but how "OMG, this show is AMAZING!!". It's just that I have a lazy habit of not watching a series if I've missed the first episode. Weird, I know.

But between 24 and the Golden Globes, I figured I'd give this series a shot. It also helps to have a brother who LOVES this show, give you a full review in under 15 minutes. And now I-am-addicted.

I also have a slight crush on Jack Bauer....Kiefer Sutherland's alright too ;)

(But don't ask me why he's in a dress...watch the interview):

Monday, January 18, 2010

Ham & Eggs

Again, this post is long overdue. Sorry girls!! Oh, what can I say about these two? Fun, crazy, energetic, silly...sisters! Ugh....so energetic....hahaha....I don't think I've ever been more worn out from a photo session before, and I've shot 16 hour weddings! You two are definitely down in my books for one of the most memorable shoots I've had :P We ventured to a nearby park in the summer for some definite good times.

Hello. Meet Bonnie & Katy. Can you tell what kind of sisters they are? If you guessed TWINS, ding ding ding! Who do you think is older? ;)


Some of the more serene moments I captured (which was a special feat, since they were constantly moving - haha!):



I thought it would be fun to play with some props, and what better way to enjoy a summer day than to play with bubbles? Yes, please:




LOVE. IT. That is all:

One of my favourite portraits of all time! *side note: they actually don't like hugging very much, but you couldn't tell with this photo! Love, love, love:

This shoot was so much fun!!! The girls really made my job so easy!! Gah, I just love you two! They remind me of why I feel so privileged to document such precious relationships between people with my camera. We'll hang out again soon ;D

***Happy Belated Birthday Ham & Eggs! I hope you had a good one!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

CCYAA 2009

This year, I was invited to be the official photographer for the Chinese Canadian Youth Achievement Awards at the CCCYC. They opened the ceremonies with a traditional Lion Dance, performed by the Christian Wushu Fellowship, which made for an exciting start! :D

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect since I've never been to a CCYAA. By the end, I was left completely blown away. The 13 award winners certainly deserved to be recognized for their talents and contributions. I was AMAZED by how much these youths have accomplished at such a young age (most of the winners were still in high school!!!).

What was I doing at their age? Watching television, playing video games and participating in a few club activities. As far as my future, I only knew that I wanted to be in the arts. But I was nowhere as far along as they are.

The Visual Arts winners had some beautiful art on display in the foyer - Amy Wang (left)/Stephy Chang (right):

Eric Yam (2009 Youth of the Year) - he was recognized for his achievement as the Grand Prize Winner of the 2009 NASA Space Settlement Design Contest:

Laura Suen - in high school, she volunteered at a African refugee camp as a journalist. When she came back, she started her own non-profit organization, Over Bounds, which aims to abolish illiteracy, hunger and poverty :

The Performance Arts Winners gave a spectacular performance of their musical talents that left me pretty speechless (I almost forgot to take pictures - haha!).

George Fan (saxophone):

Ariel Kwan (violin):


Helen Lu (classic guitar):

Guest performance by Shulammite Chow:

Of course, the night ended with some light refreshments :)

Thanks again to the CCCYC for the opportunity to document such a great event! And a bigger thanks to all the winners - for your dedication & devotion to your crafts, and spreading such inspiration to your community. I wish you nothing but great success! You've definitely left a lasting impression on me :)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

A New Year

Well, another new year is upon us. How time really flies! Where did 2009 go? I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the incredible experiences from last year. And remembering some of the sad ones. It's been a year of change, that's for sure....

Did I manage to accomplish all the things on my "To Do List" for 2009? Yes...and no. I totally failed in the 'posting one-picture-a-day' resolution. Or to lose those stubborn 10 lbs - yes, a futile resolution :(

But I did try to shoot as much as I could. I bought myself a P&S for those 'in-the-moment' everyday pictures (a Nikon Coolpix S52, if you're curious) and made huge developments on focusing my vision & style of shooting.

I've also met lots of new friends and colleagues in the photo industry, shot some CRAZY FUN weddings & lifestyle sessions (with a good friend in tow - thanks!!), booked some pretty awesome (my Mom says I use 'awesome' too much...but I like the word!) weddings for 2010, got some new 'books' in the works, added a few more toy cameras to my collection *cough*......and a whole lot of other stuff I can't quite remember.

What do I hope for twenty-ten then?
  • To be happier.
  • To remain inspired, motivated and spontaneous.
  • To stay productive. To keep moving.
  • Shoot more. Travel more. Laugh more. Love more.
  • Enjoy life to the fullest.
So dear readers, what are your hopes for 2010?