The Evergreen Nikon 50mm f/1.4

I had another lens in my jacket pocket when I was shooting our office bake-off two days ago.

I like to call this "old glass" my "evergreen prime lens", the lens is the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AI, a manual focus gem.

This lens was very popular in the 70s, it came as the "standard lens" with some Nikon models.

I like it because it is very fast and really sharp images can be capture after f2.8!

Bounced Flash and Bake-Off

I dislike using flash in my photography, but most indoor lighting condition are not really bright enough for even illumination.

Direct flash can cause even the most flattering photos to turn out bad, direct flash is harsh and highlight in photos are "burn out" and lack detail.

If you are serious about your photography, the first technique you must learn is how to BOUNCE your flash!

Sadly, virtually all the smaller, so called "point & shoot" cameras came with tiny, fixed flash that you cannot tilt and bounce! Even if it can, the output is just too weak for that purpose.

What you need then is an external flash that is equipped with a movable "head" which you can tilt and turn to direct the light up or sidewards.

What is the advantage of bounced flash then?

This is where the BAKE-OFF part come in...

"Mana Ada Sense" - Part 3

After blogging our eventful trip to Auckland a week ago, I received a super fast reply from Sky City; I am very impressed with their response!

Today I got a response from Air New Zealand, here it is in full:

Good Morning Mr Leow,

Thank you for your email received.

It was very concerning to read of your experience onboard during your flight to Wellington.

To read of your wife falling sick during turbulence is a discomforting experience in itself. I appreciate the disappointment you felt with the performance of our crew at this time. I apologise the action to rectify your situation at the time was not sorted in a hasty way. 

A rubbish bag would have been the convenient thing to bring to you for the sick bag, and some cloths to help clean up and for your wife as well. It clearly seems our crew member did not utilise any common sense in this occurrence or empathy for your wife.

Candid - SHY KIDS

One of my avid fan complain that I do not post enough of my work, by doing that; he can appreciate the photography I done and hopefully learn something from it :)

I am honoured indeed, so I have decided that I will post one of my better shot every week!

Good picture got to be seen big, so do click on it for a better view!

"SHY KIDS" was a candid shot I took in Kuching, Malaysia.

"Mana Ada Sense" - Part 2

KUDOS to Sky City! They reply a day after I lodged a complain about my disappointment! Here is their reply in full:

Dear Mr. Leow,

Thank you for providing me with your reservations details and giving me the opportunity to look into this further.

From your reservation details I can see that you had booked under the "PARK" rate code for a Standard Room.

As you say from your email and your internet blog upon arrival you were advised that the room type you had booked was not ready yet. Your room type would have been ready before our standard check in time of 3pm.

You checked into your room at 12.38pm. On check in you were offered if you wished to upgrade into an "refurbished - upgraded room" for the quoted fee of $30 per night. I have to clarify this amount is including GST, and not as you state excluding GST. You are welcome to check this on your invoice provided upon check out.

Auckland Revisited and Mana Ada Sense?

**** "Mana Ada Sense" - a tongue-in-cheek, translate to "Where Got Sense?" or "No Common Sense!"

The last time we were in Auckland I was 60 years young :) It was Feb 2007... and last week end we find ourselves in this busy city again.

We were flying Air New Zealand, our tickets were bought on-line; at our Wellington airport we learn how to check-in ourselves! The wonder of technology!

What do not make sense to us that our local flight luggage allowance was 25 Kg, wheres my sister in laws who are flying MAS (Malaysia Airlines System) to Kuala Lumpur were only given 20 Kg each!

Come now MAS! What is going on? Local flight 25 Kg and international 20? A case of "Mana Ada Sense" ??

Nyonya food at its best, in Auckland ?!

Yesterday (2 Oct 2009) I was informed by Charles and Janet that they are closing Sri Intan effective 11 Oct! To all their fans they are offering special $250 for ten table which showcase TEN of their best Nonya dishes! Adios Sri Intan, you will be missed!

The Sri Intan story...

The General and I were in Auckland sending off her sisters back to Malaysia, we decided to hang around Auckland for a couple of nights to catch up with friends.

The last time we met up with Charles and Janet in Auckland was in March 2007! Janet introduced us to the Gyuto Monks and I wrote about them in "An Enlightenment Journey" in my old blog.

This time round we are very excited to savour their latest creation, some named it "the most authentic Nonya cuisine in New Zealand"!