I created a new domain

Sorry for didn’t update this blog for over a month, as most of you know that I have changed my profession from System Engineer to professional photographer. It has been a very interesting and refreshing change for me. Before that I actually intend to use this blog to continue my blogging journey in regard to my photography. But after a long consideration I decided that I will create a new site, and I will focus all my blogging in regard to photography over to this site.

However I will continue to keep this blog active to blog more of my personnel life and whatever topics that cross me. Please kindly show me your support by visiting http://samueltanphotography.com or click on the image. Other than that, God bless.

International Tattoo 2011

Thanks to Esther, I actually got the chances to visit International Tattoo Brunei 2011. If you don’t know what International Tattoo Brunei is about, you can visit the official site HERE. Basically is an event organized by Ministry of Defense where various international military band come together and perform.

It consist of various nation like Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, USA, Indonesia and some other countries. If you think military band performance is boring, I can beg that your perspective will change after watching the show perform by various band. Every single band just bring different thing onto the table, and Brunei as a host nation have perform marvelously. There is also booth that display some of the various military equipment where they allow the public to touch and feel about it.

Here is me got a chance to held a M4A1 and pose >w<

It was also a chance for me to try out my black rapid DS1 by dual wielding my Canon 30D and Canon 7D, and I am completely satisfy with it. Bringing 2 camera with ease and able to cover 2 range (17-50mm & 70-200mm) within sec just make shooting this kind of event that much enjoyable.

Overall, International Tattoo is really an entertaining, enjoyable events that shouldn’t be missed! If you missed this one, then just have to hope that they will organize another one next year. I will definitely attend it if they host it again, hopefully I can get a media pass when it happen >w<

My Hong Kong & China Trip

To be honest I never though that I will travel that often in a year, especially when I am officially jobless and work as a freelancer now. In fact, this year along I am travel ways more often that how I was few years ago, usually I will only flight at most once a year, and look at me now I have travel to 5 country in 5 month! I wouldn’t mind to fly various destination, the only issues is that so far all this travel don’t bring foods to my table. Nevertheless I really enjoyed the trip.

It is my first ever trip to Hong Kong & China, it is a exposure trip with me & my friends, I didn’t have a lot of chances to take photo since we are constantly walking, train and bus.

This is a hill view from the hostel we stay while we are in Hong Kong

Here is the night view

On the journey of bus /train / foot

Arrived Shenzhen 深圳

We have our lunch at one of the local stall for ramee, ramee taste so so much better than the one we have in Brunei! Absolutely no comparison!!!

Another lunch we have in Shenzhen 深圳

Checking in one of the Dongguan东莞 hotel. It take about 2 hour from ShenZhen to arrive Dongguan by bus.

After a overnight we have in Dongguan, we took a MRT from there to arrive Guangzhou 广州, and we go straight to this restaurant. Apparently this restaurant have been operate over 100+ years or more and their policy is to keep the foods as authentic as possible. The foods taste really really good.

After that we have about 2 hour plus of shopping in the Guangzhou shopping street. For those love cheap and fashion clothing (without brand name intact) this will be your paradise! Anyway, almost everything in the world is made in China. From one end walk to the other end is like walking from Bandar town all the way to Seri Complex.

My only time to have some quick street candid

Now, this will be my first encounter of photo bully. The moment when I hold up my camera to snap the shoot. This guy wearing red T-shirt was shouting and screaming at me if not mistaken. I just continue walking without any care, since I am well aware that near by me there are 2 policeman and worse case scenario I just have to delete this photo. Well, only those that did something wrong will be very conscious of peoples taking photo around me, so maybe he is so sort of mafia? Whatever? Move on ^w^

It take 2 hour express train from Guangzho to reach ShenZhen station, from then on we walk back across the immigration to HongKong for the night.

And no Hong Kong trip is completed without a HongKong DimSum!!!

Through out the journey I have Canon 7D gripped  with EFS 17-55mm for most of the shoot couple it with Black Rapid strap. I can honestly said I will never go back to conventional neck strap anymore as far as I am concern now, it is really flexible, versatile, secure and fast!

All in all I really enjoyed this trip, and definitely wouldn’t be my last! While it is really rushing to go from place to place, and losing a lot of opportunity to take photo, but I gain the experience of how vast is China. Surprisingly the road traffic here in better than my experience in Indonesia, however the air pollution is way worse than Jakarta so kind of balance out between the two.

No sure when will be my next trip to Hong Kong /China but I wish I will have more time to take photo on my next trip ^W^

You can view more photo from my facebook album

Endry & LuLu wedding

For those know me, will know that I went to Jakarta for a 9 days holiday, and one of the main reason is to attend one of my best friend Endry wedding, and I also have the honor of being his best man.

I didn’t really have a lot of chances to take photo through out the day since I have to juggle my duty as a best man during the ceremony. So Endry literate give me a nick name called “3in1” for being “Best man, Best friend, Photographer” for the day. My! What a bargain he have XD

It was my first time to attend a chinese wedding in Indonesia, and I was pleasantly surprise with how the flow go. For once, they don’t do door knocking like the chinese in Brunei or Malaysia do, basically We just went in and take the bride, not need to go through suffering and torture for the bride bridesmaid or friends. Then we went back to bridegroom house for tea ceremony, after that we went to the chinese temple for the rest of the ceremony. The one thing that surprised me the most is that even Buddhism ceremony they actually go through the marriage vow like the christain did. You know? The speech where you mention in sickness and in health, in richness and poorness you will not break this vow? Even though they are speaking in Indo, but fundamentally it is still the same.

Finally, after the ceremony and headed to hotel, that was the only time I get the chances to take some photograph of them during the rest time and the dinner reception.

Here is a group photo of some of the friends we meet when we are in Perth, Australia.

Best man & Bridesmaid, they took the moment when I wasn’t smiling :\

And Kevin! You are suppose to be in here!!!

I was dead tire after the whole wedding is over, but indeed it is a privilege to be part of Endry wedding event, so when next time come when I get marriage, both Franki & Endry have no excuse but to come to Brunei to attend my wedding. But their favorite phrase now is “Boon, get an Indonesia wife! So we don’t have to fly to Brunei!” Hmmm… by then I think I will said “I don’t care, you are coming to Brunei for my wedding like it or not!” >w<

Easter Sunday

24th April 2011, I think will be the first Easter Sunday that I experienced that didn’t fall on the first 2 weeks of April. In regardless of when is the actual week of Easter Sunday, the real meaning of it still haven’t fail to amaze me of what Jesus has to go through in order to save my life from eternal condemnation. He who was condemn as sinner when He have not sinned, abandon by His disciple, accused by others, been crucifix on the cross, yet He is risen on the third day!  That Jesus said on John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. “

While you may not choose to believe in Jesus, but for me He is the one that I know I can run to when I am in times of need, whom I can have faith to sustain me, where His will is higher than mine, and His strength and power beyond my comprehension.

While I am not saying that when you became Christian all your problem will magically disappear, or He will make you became instant millionaire. I think the only difference between Christian and a non believer is that we acknowledge that we are sinner and only Jesus can cleanse our sin.

Pray and hope that you have a great Easter Sunday. God bless you all ^w^

Dad birthday on 15thMarch

While we are not into big celebration and inviting other relatives and friends over for a birthday party. It doesn’t mean that we will skip the celebration at all. As 15th of March is my beloved dad birthday, we continue to have a quite meal together as a family and bought him a sugar free fruit cake from Bakerlyn. For some reasons, I actually love this cake even though it is on the expensive side, but it is some money that I think you shouldn’t skip on it.

My dad continue to be one of the most important person in my life, and I’m glad that I can continue to journal his life as much as I can.

After conference

After attending the conference, the way I view photography have changed dramastically! One of the obvious change is when I look back some of my photo and I think all of them suck! XD I began to be more critical towards photo, but my way of composition and vision is still kind of lacking, I suppose this have to come with more practice? But one thing for sure, I started to see more detail in the view finder compare to last time where I will just happily snapping away.

While this look like a normal dog portrait, this was snap without into the view finder and holding it below my knees almost touching the ground. It was one of the technique that I learned during the conference, it is a technique make you more versatile and able to come out with more interesting angle. I actually tried a few other technique that I learned from Michael; the more I tried, the more I know how good Michael is, the flash in one hand, shooting without looking at view finder and his signature panorama shoot is a skill and ability that show how much time he have spend to master it / his ability to photography it. Of course I don’t expect to be like him right after the 2day workshop, but I know what I learn from him is something that I can continue to work on.

Other than the conference, my another objective is to be able to meet up with some of my old friends from Perth. Is kind of waste that Shen Han unable to join us since he have to go back early. But indeed it was a joy to be able to meet them face to face again and caught up with how they doing in their life. I have a good time chit chatting with them and I am pretty sure I will try to caught them out again whenever I visit KL.

Creative Asia KL, Michael Greenberg workshop

Creative Asia Conference, Michael Greenberg workshop are the main reason that I decided to make my ways to KL. If you not sure about his work, you can go to www.phototerra.com, his work will astound & amazed you.
While being excited, I was also a bit of skeptical of fearing that the speaker cannot really deliver. While you can be among the top in your field, it isn't necessary mean that you can teach as well as you perform your job.  Ok, he is not those dynamic, charismatics speaker with lots of movement and action. In fact, most of the session he just sit down and talk, and answering our questions; but the amount of depths of information, though processes, how he work, and how he make use of locations bring you to the reigns of possibility to almost infinity. Putting into the facts that 15 participant can sit in his class all the ways til 6pm with minor break in between show how much we are trying to absorb from him (The class suppose to finish at 5pm)

A group photo of the participants with Michael GreenBerg, if you are from Brunei, you will realized Jason from Masamichi Studio & Sazali from Moments. Of course there are others from UK, Middle East and mainly Malaysia photographers. Great peoples to talk with!

Great time, great peoples, and great workshop, so wish that we can extended  the workshop hour. Truly enjoy it and well worth the cost. Once I have enough time I will try to show and talk more about it. :)

My year 2011 resolution

I think this is my first time to blog about my new year resolution. Gonna see how well I will be fulfilling all of them.

Well, Happy Year 2010 to all of you!!! Will be a challenging year and stay tune for more to come ^w^

Merry Christmas to you all ^w^

Maybe kind of late, but I wanna wish all my family, friends, and my readers a happy blessed Merry Christmas! I been pretty busy for the last 2 week with works + preparation & practice for the Christmas Carolling. Also wanna post minor update.

Birthday Celebration for Majorie Tan + her friend

Majorie & KennethMy favorite for the day. I title it   人小鬼大For the last few days we been going around houses to houses and singing Christmas Carol, which the main purpose is to bless the family and to strip up some Christmas atmosphere and spirit. The practice itself is like a nightmare, thanks God the end result was alright >w<

Then 25th itself we have lunch at Orchid Garden Hotel for Christmas celebration. I didn’t took photo of the turkey, but IMO Orchid garden serve one of the best turkey in town; tasty and juicy without the dryness that usually associate with turkey. Great stuffs!

 Since all the major event has been cleared, now I starting to go into cruise mode for a while, and year 2010 going to come to an end. As the time draw close, I also have to get ready for what is going to unfold next year. But as for now, I’m looking forward to 28th since I gonna take a 3 and a half day leave, that’s mean that hopefully I can relax til the year end and get ready to kick my gear for year 2011.

Marilyn Birthday

Today is my nieces Marilyn birthday, so as usual. We have makan, birthday cake and etc. What make it unique is that we have the latest add on together with us tonight. My youngest nephew to date, the eldest son from my 3rd brother, Victor. Ezekiel Emmanuel Tan Ngee Ern!

 

It is definitely a joy to see that God has bless my brother with a wonderful boy and more years of responsibility ahead of him of coz :p But his presence has definitely bring joy to the household. Everyone just love him!!! But I think the dogs don’t really like him because of jealousy though :p

But for some reasons, today event actually kick me to reflect on my decision for taking up photography. I bought my first digital camera at the end of 2008 and first DSLR on july 2009; and in this 2 years I have learned so much on photography that I can never imagine I will 2 years ago.

Yet, I have never regret picking up photography, I think the only regret is I didn’t pick it up sooner. But at least it wasn’t too late. Photography in a way have change my life, it changed my perspective and also how I see things around me. As I look through photo that I took over this 2 year, it actually make me grateful with what God has done in my life, and also the decision of getting into photography.

The most important aspect of photography to me I believe is capturing the moment and memory. You may have the latest and the best camera equipment with you, yet it you fail the capture the moment / memory, it will be useless. Of course, it depends on the subject and the reason of your photo. When it come to family photography, personally I don’t believe any photo that you taken will be a waste. The photo that you took may not need anything to others, but for the family members it will be a monument that can last for a life time. When ever you flick open and see the photo, it will have the power to bring you back to that stage of event. For me that’s the power of photography can do, and for me, I feel grateful and privilege to journal down my family life into something that is tangible and memorial able. 

November Round up

For me November is really one of my busiest month for the year, both socially and in work. First and foremost is my birthday celebration with my family members, which I have already blogged about it.

This is a photo of us went to Tasek Lama for hiking.

A family carnival organized by La Vida

Jackson and his family came and visited us all the way from USA

Thanks to Betty for the invitation to attend the AIA seminar for Importance of Financial Planning, very informative and educating.

Then I have company lunch with the colleagues

A outdoor activity with the youth at Berakas Foresty

Then there are Smarter charity events and Let’s drive organized by Telbru and lot’s of other. It was a shame that I didn’t have the opportunity to go and participants. The other event I really missed is the BTclick photography meet up that I unable to attend due to commitment, hopefully I will be able to attend their next gathering.

Then this morning I attended an Open forum hosted by Asia Inc regarding IT security at ICC. A really short session, I wouldn’t said I learn a lot from there, but it is pretty interesting to know how much awareness the local field inregrading IT security.

I also watched “The Social Network”, real interesting drama that base on true story about Facebook founder. No special effect, no gun shooting, no action, just pure talk; yet the script is brilliantly scripted and acted. I can happily give it 8.5/10

Thanks to Gadong mall to make 3D cinema available in Brunei with a cheap price, I have rewatch Avatar 3D which came with extra footage. Even it is the 2nd time I watched Avatar, due to the 3D effect and great story, I was captivated through out the movie without boredom. Great stuffs! 9/10

I also watched Megamind 3D, great family cartoon with a interesting turn of event. 8/10

December I believe gonna be another busy month, especially need to plan and arrange for the Christmas event, activity and of coz GIFT!!! Yet gonna look forward to it. ^w^