53 | Film Series II

(Taken with Pentax K1000, Kodak Portra 200 Film)

Working with a manual film camera was the most challenging and exciting thing ever. Bring it along with me to a city that I've never been to before adds to the whole challenging thing. It's never easy carrying a camera around. It weighs you down, quite literally. And it's always a risk. A risk to take that one shot, praying hard that you are in focus, your hands didn't shake up or that someone didn't run right into your lens because that would really be a bummer. But I did got out of focus, shook up and had someone walked right in just as I hit the button. I also had the pleasure of experiencing the top woes of shooting on film - wasting a roll of film. I was devastated but I expected it. However I'm glad I at least got a roll of films to look back on and it encourages me to continue learning and challenging myself. Cause hey, nobody said it was easy; you just got to try try try.



(I contemplated hard whether to edit these or even align them properly but I decided to just leave them as how they were captured, I think I like them better that way.)

44 | Hong Kong Diary

Hong Kong was hot. And half the time it felt so much like Singapore - the crowd, the weather and the rush from one place to another. The one thing I never got used to was standing on the right of the escalator instead of the left, like we do here in Singapore. I ate non-stop, walked almost everywhere and soaked in the blazing hot sun, wind and sights. I wouldn't say I recharged on this trip or slowed down much but it felt great snapping away on my camera instead of punching numbers on my calculator. I wasn't too much into getting more clothes, just more nanoblocks and scarves. Besides, with a three month 9 to 6 office job coming up, pretty clothes just seem so uncool for the office.

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I didn't have much time to retouch any of the photos above, okay maybe partly because I'm extremely lazy to do so, VSCO cam is too brilliant and convenient that PS seems like a chore now. The extremely bright sun played a part in the photos looking almost flawless without edits so okay sun, you do deserve some credit apart from tuning me ten shades darker. And I finally got down to manually adjusting the aperture and shutter speed for my photos so although I took less photos than usual, I'm proud to say that these weren't auto mode photos 

*pats self on back*

Shot with Olympus E-PL6 42mm

41 | Seas and Silhouette

Although I came back looking like a lobster and most probably an ache in my thighs, I'm so grateful for the much needed break from camping and cramping at Starbucks for the past two weeks. Nature serves as the best therapeutic remedy with the energy from the sun, cool air from the wind and oh, the constant sound of waves crashing again and again on the rocks are like music to my ears. 

It's been a long time since I cycled and cycling for the whole day up and down the slopes are no longer a thing for someone my age (or maybe it's just my lousy stamina). I gave up the slopes and dismount whenever one loomed in front of me although I did conquered a few not so life threatening ones. And the ride down hill is the best thing in the world making you feel like you're gliding down a roller coaster ride with the wind gushing by and the sun above your head. 

Saw two monitor lizards busking on the road before hustling and escaping to the sides as we zoomed past, two monkeys that were so agile hopping from tree to tree upon such thin branches I fear they break under their weight. Countless of dogs and storks. And the butterflies oh there were so many fluttering around just minding their own business flying so low I fear I crush their beautiful wings as I ride by. 

Saw a family of wild boar going on a food hunt and everyone was left frozen in awe and fear of the sight. Climbed over a locked gate for a better view of the sea and just soaked up the sun, wind, waves and the majestic sight before us. 

Made friends with a couple who moved from England to Hong Kong, currently taking a break in Singapore. "I would come here all the time if I lived in Singapore. It's beautiful here." Amen to that sister. 

Felt so sad leaving this tiny island that's packed with so much goodness (and mosquitoes), a day trip felt like a few hours and as cliché as it sounds, time does fly by when you're having fun and I loved every moment of it all, I truly do.

39

A little break between digesting information.

Throwback to 2008, Shanghai.

I need a getaway soon.