I don't actualy know her name, just know her by the name "orange". Met her a couple of times here and there. She's friendly and have a wide ring of friends. This is her 21st, and she have like >50 people attending her barbeque session.

I went there with Josh and Joleen (haha....next time call then Jo-Jo lah...) and chyoli. Met up with Corn, M@rimo, and their friends there. And the guys, don't really have any idea as ... we ain't really close with the birthday girl.

Not much good shots taken today, just go there and try out the internal flash, and how to operate it at total darkness. Had a couple of chicken wings, and a few meatballs. Kinda get filled up easily tonite. Nothing much to blog tonite, juz missed my Irene. Can't wait for her to visit me next weekend when there's holiday in Penang.

Slept rather late the night before. Called Irene to tell her the good news about my friends getting together. And we also have small chats about some other miscellaneous stuffs, nothing of general public's concern. But chatting wif her is a comfort for me. She's my motivation, my inspiration and my choobee. :P

As today morning there's no pit walkabout, so I drove there after having breakfast at a nearby dimsum shop. I won't repeat the same mistake like yesterday - going for a whole day's shooting with an empty stomach. Reach there around nine, but the crowd still haven't flock in yet. Start by taking some car shots, while enjoying the VROOOMMM....! surround sound in both sides of the grandstand.

Today's shot is harder to capture compared to yesterday as there's 4 times more people going down the pit. But i managed to get a few lucky shots, and imitate other's composition after studying my photos taken the night before. There's improvement, but not critical yet. People take years to master photography, i can't just expect to be a professional over night right?

Waited for the opening at 3pm. According to TeeToo, last year they are allowed to go down to the runway before the race starts. But this year, the chance is only given to VVIPs who have paid enormous amount of money on sponsorship. Even with those VVIPs only, the starting line is already filled with crowd. The grandstand is so packed that i can't get a good position to shoot the starting.

Today's 3pm race, both 500 Series and 300 Series cars run simultaneously. Meaning to say that every minute, you can see a car passes by no matter which part you're sitting at. It's not a toy car kinda race, I can feel the heat burning thru the skin of the drivers, and the sound of engine breaking their ear drums. I din stay back for the race to finish as i've to rush back for Wushu training at night. Met up with a Black British on my way back, he's also leaving early as he have a 7pm plane to catch.

This guy is not any joke. He's using an analog Nikon D2H with a 70-200 f2.8 VR with another Nikon D2X attached with a 28-70 f2.8. These two cameras already sufficient to buy a car...a decent Saloon. Wonder how long would i take to need that much of a gadget, and enjoy travelling half way around the globe just for a racing event.

I've finalized the photos, and you can view it from my Fotopic Gallery. Critics and Comments are much welcome. I was told that my composition is very bad, so if you know how i can get better pictures, do give me a help. Lastly, enjoy the photos. [GT Girls 2005] Before i forgot, i did a lot of panning shots as well, but those still need time to filter, crop and photoshop before it's good for viewing. Keep your eyes on the blog for updates.

These past two days have been a great experience for me. I didn't really sleep well the night before as I was over excited for the event. It's my first time going to Sepang International Circuit and i've high expectations of the event. Since Linkin Park's concert in Singapore last year, I think this should be the other event that really gives me good memories. Yes, i do love the experience first time i step into IKEA, and visited the Malaysian Philaharmonic Orchestra as well.

Set my alarm at 6.30am, but i woke up 10 minutes before it rang. Get myself ready and drove up to Sepang with only one cup of milo. After exiting the Nilai exit, only i realised that my tank is empty. Rush to the nearest Petronas to fill up the tank while asking for direction. I'm suppose to exit at KLIA instead of Nilai/Sepang. But by exiting from Nilai i only need to pay RM12.40, instead of RM15.60 if i exit at KLIA. The whole journey only takes about one and a half hour from my house to the circuit.

When i reach there, the securities just gathered and have their morning briefing. Saved up RM5 on the parking ticket. The ticketing booth is yet to be open. I considered myself lucky as a student as i only need to pay RM75 for a RM150 ticket at the grandstand. For your information, the grandstand tickets are the most expensive tickets for a race. You can hear cars driving by both left and right when you are at the mall area. If it's a F1 race, the tickets can go up over a thousand ringgit for 3 days tickets. That's not including pit walk tickets. According to the security there, F1 tickets would be at the range of RM1k ~RM1.5k. That's like a ten times more expensive than GT tickets!!!

I paid an extra RM100 for the pit walkabout tickets, and that's one of the main reason i'm there...to take pictures of/with the GT babes from Japan. To my disapointment, the babes are not all that "young". There's a lot of "senior babes" (if you get wut i mean). Tried out a few angles and composition that i've no chance to try out last time, and new angles that i managed to learn on the way. There's a few girls giving away their own passport size photos. One of the aunty have quite some assets in front of her chest, a lot of perverts try to make her bend down to show her cleavage. Guess that's how these aunties can keep themselves in the industry - having surgically added silicons.

I prefer the local babes more, those promoting for Leica, Marlboro and...Nestle. Luckily i've met up with TeeToo, Fuminari, Jaselee, and the other penang kakis. Approaching those ladies is easier when you go in groups. Learn from TeeToo by observing his previous works, and imitate from there. The group is really friendly, and the peer pressure isn't really there as most of them are using Sigma APO or Tamron LD. Only 2 guys in the group comes with Canon L lens. But they are already old players. Not like a newbie will understand the power of 17-40L and a 70-200 f/2.8L rite? For me, i'll start with the Sigma APO before advancing for Nikkor VR lenses.

Alrite, enuff of those crap. I was suppose to stay over at YeeJen's cyberia townhouse Saturday night. Everything was arranged, but i decided to drive back to Malacca after 3.30pm. Since it's only less than 2 hour's drive. I was so terribly hungry when i reach melaka. The "yong tau fu" was already closed, but I've a reason to try out the desserts served in front of my friend's house. That shop also finished selling their bee hoon. So, just settled for two bowls of bean soup.

When i talk to YeeJen online at night, i found out that my best friend Wan Choon, is now "going out" with my god sister Ming Zheng. I was :-o (shocked) at first. I tot he's joking or just teasing wan choon. I don't really believe it because AhMint jz moved into WanChoon's place for a mere 2 weeks!!! But when you're in love, time doesn't really count. For I've only fell in love with tfmmuaa only after knowing her since primary school.

Bryant came back before i call it a day. Passing me the DVD+R that i asked YeeJen to help me buy. He confirmed with me about the story. Choon and Mint,hope your love will be an everlasting one. Good night

My sister have been doing nothing for the past 6 months or so. She doesn't want to do anything and stayed home since she finished her STPM paper last year. From her results and interest, she's really serious want to get into Microbiology. Finally, after 6 months, she got the course that she wanted. Studying Science in University Malaya, and futher her studies later in Microbiology.

Supportive or not if you ask, Yes and No. I support her in this course because i just can't take it that a person with fully functioning hands, legs and brains does not contribute to the society, and rather choose to lie around playing games and spend money. On the contrary, i don't really like her to take this course because it's not productive in nature, as R&D is not really a profitable business in Malaysia. There's nothing much she can do locally, and she might end up working with Japanese, Taiwanese or Koreans like my cousin.

Well, as long as she likes it...i'll give her my support. Doesn't really matter to her i agree or not lah, we haven't really see eye to eye in all situations. Never heard her calling me "koko" ever, but even without the respect between siblings, we still have some fun time together, laughing on nothing at all. Good luck Qi...study well, enjoy.

My phone is out of battery last night when i was halfway eating my durian. Irene can't wait for me to get back home to call me anymore since she have to work the following morning. She decided to leave me a voice message. At first i can't really listen properly to the mail as her mouth might be too close to the mic that causes a lot of disturbances.

In a sleepy and tfmmuaa voice, "I'm tired dy...call me when you get back" then she starts singing Moffatt's "I miss you like crazy" before ending the phone call with the usual format. I only got to recognize it the second time cause i was feeling dizzy after the durian session earlier. I missed you too cute. Counting down the days till we meet again.

When I told others about 1U, a lot of my friends never heard about that place before. To me, i'll prefer to go 1U compared to Midvalley. Car park is cheaper, and i believe it's easier to find a parking lot. But my personal fav is still the triangle combo of IKEA, IKANO PowerCenter and The Curve. Have been there twice in the holidays, and i believe there's still more trips there. Love the place loads!

Alrite, about this event. I was thankful that M@rimo and her friends are joining me for this trip. My photography kaki are all reluctant to make the trip there, even though after dividing the petrol + tolls, one person only have to pay less then RM15. Doesn't matter, i enjoy these group of companion also, at least they keep me awake throughout the trip.

Arrived there at 5pm, but the "celebrities" will only be there around 8pm. Waited and walk a while before they started with the drifting competition. Met up with eric, cheewooi and MyD70, another few that i don't know their name. Too bad i ain't close with those people, if not, i'll juz leave those gals with the "My Jay fan club" while i jump inside the ring with those photogs.

My decision was wrong, really wrong. Flocking with thousand of fans, people pushing here and there. To make things worse, m@rimo, corn and the others are being stampede among the crowd. I've to take out my monopod to threaten the crowd only can the gals managed to get to "save ground". After making sure they are save, then i squeeze into the crowd again to try my luck. Too bad nothing much comes out, here are some of the pix [initialD @ 1 Utama]

Later the evening, I dropped by IKEA to get table matt for Irene. It's running late, and the cantin almost closed, only drank 2 classes before going downstairs to grab her stuffs. Kellen bought herself a large frame for the poster we got earlier from the "fan club" while marimo bought some small 4R size frames.

Justin and Josh invite me over for "durian festival". Haven't taken any durian since Wesak Day as i've been coughing non stop. It's already been one year since the day when me and my friends have such a feast. [Stories here] Today have the luxury of eating a few "biji" per person. This time Ming Zheng also joined us.

I was having fun chatting with Alex's computer. Teasing a gal she knew and tried to make a date between these two. Haha, luckily that gal is sporting enuff to accept the offer. But i'm not sure if Alex really wants to go out with that girl or not. Juz hope that he's not angry with me lah.

I've been planning to go visit zoo melaka after failing to take photos of moving soccer players. At least models in zoo melaka are in an enclosed area, they won't move far. Just that i don't have the right equipment, Chin Huat's Tamron 70-300 LD isn't sharp enough, neither fast enough in low lights even at 3pm afternoon. Might be my skills to blame also, haven't mastered manual focusing, i don't really trust my eye sight on this, rather i leave it to the computer to decide the best focus for me.

The place looks small from the outside, but there's a lot of animals inside. I'm being greeted by 2 dozen of parrots in the entrance, then there's kancil, monkeys, tigers, and also crocodile. After looking at those pictures, i've only kept around 60 frames in my computer, out of those, only 10+ is good enough to be shared and displayed over here. Well, hope you guys will enjoy these pictures though.

The place is not really well maintained, though most of the animals are adopted by companies in Melacca. I feel pity to see those animals caged, you can read from their eyes if they are happy or otherwise. They looked at me in an odd manner as they are wondering why is there an idiot holding such a big camera coming on a monday afternoon. According to the keepers, there will be a new construction for the lions to stay. It will be ready by next year. With just RM5/entrance/adult, i'll be visiting Zoo Melaka more often, as it's so near to Bukit Beruang, where i'm studying.

For the 8 other pictures i mentioned about, please [Click Here]

I've taken a lot of pictures on portraits, landscape, and holidays. But all these while I never taken pictures of sporting events like football. With my previous camera, the autofocusing of the camera is not fast enough, can say don't have such function at all. I lend a telezoom lens from chin huat on tuesday and this is my first time taking it out to the field for a "test drive".

The lighting is not strong enough, i was only at the field at around 7pm. I tot i can shoot till 8pm like what i usually did taking sunsets. But i was so very wrong, I have to boost up the ISO speed to 1600 yet i still can't get a good 1/60 shutter speed, the good approximation which won't give me much camera shake. Tested out the lens for like 30 minutes my hands are already aching. My first thought was to try panning with the monopod i bought from Mr.Han. But the actions are so fast that i can't even get a good zoom in and out for a good frame.

Once i managed to get a good frame, i can't get a good shot. Either the ball is already kicked off, or the autofocus doesn't work fast enough. This is one of my regret choosing Nikon. Canon, being faster in terms of autofocusing is already a fact i knew before purchasing D70s. But i never aspect the difference to be so huge. There's another explaination to the slow focusing. I'm using a cheaper "consumer lens" rather than the constant aperture that is offered by professional lens that we usually see beside the football field.

I guess i'll rather spend more time practicing to get good pictures if u ask me. Fast lens are too expensive for a student like me. At least need another RM3000 ~RM5000 to get a 70-200mm f2.8. And that's one without "vibration reduction"...have to pay over RM5k for the VR function. I'll need to be at the field a little bit earlier next time, maybe at 6pm or so. At 7.30pm the sky is already so dark you can do much unless u have a powerful external flash.

Learnt my lesson, came back empty handed with only a few terrible shots. Will share it up only when i'm satisfied with the shots myself.

I've heard wan choon keep talking about his new housemates, and says he wants to bring them out to INTRODUCE to us. Initially, it doesn't really bother much as i thought it got nothing to do with me. But i did once asks wan choon if i knew those new girls that came to occupy ying san and siew lee's room after they graduate. He told me i don't know their name, and at another occasion i ask how did these 2 girls look like, he answered me "so-so". At first i suspect if it's Ming Zheng moving to their house, but I tot a gal that's "so-so" only won't be my Ming Zheng wut...she's tall and beautiful, talkative and sporting, mature yet childish at times. (Haha...i must be having too much Wine Floats tonight)

What are wine floats? It's juz something i take as supper when i'm back in penang. I fill my mug up with ice-cream, and juz pour red wine to fill up the gaps. No, dun worry...u won't go running toilets all night as #1 the ice-cream fills my hunger #2 the wine fills my thirst. There's ice-cream for the wine to react with, so it din harm my stomach (so far). And why wine instead of soft drinks? Wine lets me calm down, so that i can have a pleasant night sleep.

Okok... let's come back on track. Yesterday, we were informed that Wan Choon will bring one of his housemates out to introduce to us. I even told Corn the story that i believe was true - " i don't know that Miss So-So". And today...when i reached Mahkota Parade, i saw these group of friends walking towards me. Then there's a shadow of my Ah Mui...i ask myself, "eh, possible or not". When they got closer i'm so sure about it that she's the Ming Zheng i've been knowing for the past year or so. How could she?!! Gives me a shock so bad that i can't supress my cough. Have been coughing since i met her. Till now, i still can't connect wan choon and ming zheng...I honestly can't. Wan Choon, you gave me the surprise of the month!!!

Oh, so let's talk about the movie. I wasn't really feeling like goin to the cinemas for Angelina Jolie's shows. They usually can't get away from the scissors of our Censorship Board. But turns out this movie is better then i aspected, it's not the sexy appeal of Angelina that became the main attraction of this play, it's the funny joke, sacarsm, secrets, and the love story about 2 assasins. Brat, as handsome as he is, doesn't snatch the audience away from the main actress. Both of them are equally good in this show.

It's a story about a couple, bored of each other, bored of hiding secrets of each other that finds out that hired to kill each other. They wanted to finish the job, but their love for each other make them work together, and understanding each other again. This story proves again that troubles makes people come together, and work together to archieve a common goal.

One most memorable quotes from the movie
A: My parents died when I was 5.
B: Then who are those couples that attended our wedding?
A: Hired actors.
B: No wonder I think I saw them before from Fantasy Island
B: (Again) Shit! I regret asking my real parents to our wedding.

Well, that's about all for tonight. Sorry for not blogging that constantly. More will be posted...soon. :)

Microsoft has launched a public beta for a new piece of software, code named 'Acrylic'. Acrylic is a design tool that will feel reasonably similar to anyone familiar with Adobe Photoshop. Acrylic offers the more advanced editing features (layers, etc) not currently found in the standard imaging program bundled with Windows, Microsoft Paint.

Microsoft describe "Acrylic" as "the codename for a new professional design tool that brings together the richness of pixel-based painting and the flexibility of editable vector graphics for a more fluid and flexible creative workflow. With Acrylic you can create sophisticated designs and graphic elements for your on-screen, Web, and print projects.."

Microsoft is offering the software on a 180 day trial basis, and are welcoming feedback via their online forums. for an extensive list of features, click 'read more'. Microsoft's long term plans with the software are somewhat unclear; the company already offers a photo editing product, and has imaging capabilities in other programs. They have have yet to make clear whether it would be sold as a standalone product, or bundled with a future OS release - i.e. Longhorn. [Source: WinCustomize]

To download the software, i've searched up and down yesterday. Here's the link. Download Expression

It's the second book that i've read this holiday. Compared to the previous book, "The Rule of Four", i still prefer the style Dan Brown writes his books. There's a sudden twist in the book, but after reading from his last book to the first, I can roughly guess the "bad guy" at the middle of the book.

This book talks about NSA, an US government intelegence agency and their 3 million parallel processor working together to decode intel received from intercept transmission from spies and foreign intellegence. Codes that before TRANSLTR would take a regular 3GHz P4 computer about 90 years to decrypt, TRANSLTR breaks them in under 10 minutes. [La Oreja de Van Gogh]

It only took me a week to finish this book, considered quite a brief time as I've been travelling, taking photos and spending time with my girlfriend. She accompanied me for one whole week in melaka. She has graduated, but came back just to accompany me, making sure I take my meals (i'm losing a lot of weigh).

Missed her hugs and kisses a lot. Take care ChooBee, we'll meet again in less than 60 days.

It looks like an interesting book when i read the cover before i purchased it. Initially i tot it's a suspense story, smth similar to Dan Brown kinda story with a lot of twist and ancient secrets revealing one after another.

This book talks about Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a five-hundred-year-old book which is famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it. This story by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason drags a lot in elaboration, and literature (which is not really my cup of tea). There's little cyptography and cypher-cracking techniques used in this book, only the "output" of the cypher is written down.

Maybe it's because i took too much time to read the book, that's why i have a feeling that this book is kinda boring. There's not much thrilled, as the thrilled doesn't keep you continue until the next exciting part of the book. It's a good first attempt by these two authors, i believe they must have read up a lot before writting, as they spent 5 years researching and writing this book. Congratulations to them being one of the New York Times Bestseller.

I tried check out if i can download a copy of the Hypnerotomachia, but it's in some mixed language which i don't understand. I'm not a western language student am I? Luckily there's an English version translated by Joscelyn Godwin in 1999. You can buy a used copy through Amazon.

Overall, can say that The Rule of Four is some sort of a summary from Hypnerotomachia by Francesco Colonna. The name of the author was not really mentioned on the original book, but historians and people in the literature world have decipher some of the codes hidden between the lines. It's really a pity that during those days where Florence, Italy was at its peak, there came a priest which burns up all the reading materials, smth like what the Emperor Qing in China did.

It's a good read overall, but not as good as Dan Brown and Mitch Albom's in my personal opinion. Not sure about the rest of you. Looking for some other titles to read next...maybe the Harry Potter's Half Blood Prince? Or The Curious Incident Of the Dog In the Night Time. I've just checked the Articles list from my university's Student Publication Board (neXus), those people doesn't seemed to be reading much book, or more specifically non-academic based books. My level of english is not really that good, but at least i constantly read to maintain my english from getting rusty. I wonder what will the next batch of students turn out to be...talking about computers and having fun in front of the TV all the time. It's time to get back to the old school novels my friends.

Those lovely ladies again. It's the third day in a row that I followed this event here and there. Not like I'm their official photographers, but just want to try out my new camera. Haven't really attempted much of it's function since i bought it 3 weeks ago.

Today, the ladies are supposed to be in Penang's Botanical Gardens at 10am (according to the schedule), yet later only i found out from my new friends that those ladies only embark from Juru at 10am. #$%!~ Yet, i calm down after i met up with http://khlee.fotopic.net/c568147.html. I remembered his face from the previous meeting with him near sunshine square. There's a monthly photographers gathering at one of the mamak. Don't really talk previously, but when you see a person walking every where with his camera, automatically it's easy to start a conversation.

He introduced me to the ever famous http://www.pbase.com/teetoo/supergtroadshow_garden, which managed to get good angels, great exposure and excelent bokeh almost on every click. Saw his portfolio dozen of time over the photography forum photokaki.com. He's kind enough to introduce me a few other members in their clique, which are into model shooting, namely fuminari, tklim, weikong, micheal, Sandy.

I've tried out multiple shots today. It's useful as i'm shooting in the morning, so i can actually shoot at ISO200, which is sufficiently fast enough for me to capture different expression in the split second between 2 pictures. After the shot only go back and choose the best pictures to keep. Those japanese GT girls are only here for like 30 minutes, managed to capture about 150 frames, but after filtering, only about 50 frames are kept.

**UPDATED** Photos can be found here http://www.neohsphotos.fotopic.net/c574391.html

Got up really early this morning to go to this event. Go pick Irene up in Ayer Itam before taking a 30km drive across the Penang Bridge to Juru.

Mana tau, when i reach there, the organizers only started to set up the stage. Aih~only realised i was there at the wrong time. The launching will only start tonite around 7.30pm. Disapointed yes, but since i'm there, i might as well take some pictures and look around the show houses. Auto-City is a shopping complex for car hobbist where there's a lotta selection from the local proton and perodua to hyundai, brabus and honda.

The newly launched MyVI is also on displayed on the Perodua show room. Noticed the glasses are "coated", asked the people in the workshop beside the showroom, found out tat the product called "air cool" was sticked on the surface to reflect away UV and IR rays. Got the address of the shop and found out that they are fixing it for quite an affordable price starting at RM250 for a whole car. Might wanna make one for my car some day.

End up goin back to Penang Island after lunch at "Magical Paradise" which Irene nicked name (black shop) when she was working in Pacific. We started quite late at night driving across to the mainland. Met in between a traffic jam which lasts for hours, have to go all the way to the ferry terminal at Weld Quay to cross over the other side.

When we reached Juru, it's already 2030 hours. Asks irene to find a parking lot while i start shooting, only managed to capture 100 frames. But if i'm using a P&S like my Canon Powershot S1is,i might not be able to capture half of this amount. Well, here are some of the pictures i've uploaded, and the rest can be found HERE