Colour – Page 9 – Hong Kong Lucida

Things As They Are

Posted on February 9, 2015February 9, 2015 by eddietay in Colour

Wallace Stevens: “You have a blue guitar,/ You do not play things as they are.”

I suppose the whole point of the visual arts is to get us to see things as they otherwise are.

And perhaps be unlikely.

Wallace Stevens: “Things as they are/ Are changed upon the blue guitar.”

This is not a bicycle.

This is not a ladder.

These are not sacks waiting to be moved.

Things as they are not are directions and lines of force.

Things as they are not are relationships between lines, textures, and light.

With things as they are not, we learn the background of things.

Camera: Spotmatic F

Lens: Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 35mm F 3.5

Film: Fujifilm Superia Venus 800

First Roll of Film from Spotmatic F (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on January 30, 2015January 27, 2015 by eddietay in Colour

So – vision, shot precision, follow through.

As with weapons training (see previous post), so it is with street photography.

It’s giving me an insight as to what constitutes expertise.

There is expertise that comes with knowledge of the field – where you’re situated, what you have to offer in relation to what other people in your field have to offer, how it all fits in with what society (and the market) demands, and whether or not (or how) you would adjust to that demand.

Related to that, there’s the kind of expertise (i.e. skills) that can only come with painstaking preparation, training, multiple failures, as you move from naivete and self-ridicule to familiarity and finally (hopefully) to mastery.

It’s a journey from innocence to experience.

And with experience, hopefully, one could be innocent all over again.

You don’t truly master anything. As you can see, I’ve read my William Blake.

Do I dare disturb the universe? (I’m quoting T. S. Eliot here.)

The above gentleman spotted me right after I took the shot.

He put on his hat, walked right up to me, snarled, laughed, tapped my shoulder, and then walked away.

So naturally I felt compelled to carry on.

I stood at one spot and aimed at the wall.

I’m really not sure why I do things like this.

I suppose this is where art comes from.

Camera: Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic F

Lens: 24mm S-M-C Takumar F 3.5

Film: Kodak UltraMax 400

First Roll of Film from Spotmatic F (Part 1 of 2)

Posted on January 27, 2015January 27, 2015 by eddietay in Colour

Holding a Spotmatic F reminded me of my first encounter with an M16 rifle.

Could something that felt so clunky really work?

After having learnt how to disassemble the rifle and put it back together, I felt no better.

It looked suspiciously uncomplicated – I actually understood how the rifle worked.

How could that clicking sound when I pull that trigger be taken seriously?

As I eventually discovered, after zeroing that rifle (aligning the sights to my eye for projectile accuracy) at a 300m range, it was powerful indeed, and not something to be taken lightly. I’ve never forgotten that feeling (and the recoil).

It’s the same with a camera – after all, it involves training, preparation, positioning, proper gripping, sighting and shooting.

And you’ll need to control your breathing to maximize shot accuracy.

The rifle (and camera) is supposed to be an extension of your self and will.

Did I mention I was a marksman in my previous life (2 decades ago)?

In case you think I’m some kind of gun-crazy nut, it’s actually a common experience, if you’re a combat-fit Singaporean male who had to do national service (30 months of it in my time).

As you can see, I’m sublimating all that weapons training, channelling it into street photography.

It’s all about vision, discipline and decision points.

You are what you shoot.

You are how you shoot.

Street photography, especially with film cameras, have taught me to respect mechanical tools and appreciate the history that came with them.

The evolution of Leica, Asahi Pentax, Voigtlander, and so on, is a history of modern life.

It is this history that gave us our Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivien Maier, Diane Arbus, Martin Parr, Bruce Gilden, etc.

Thanks for reading.

Camera: Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic F

Lens: S-M-C Takumar 24mm F 3.5

Film: Kodak UltraMax 400

Shamshuipo

Posted on December 29, 2014December 25, 2014 by eddietay in Colour

Shamshuipo, as you can see, is my other haunt.

There’s enough bustle for street photographs.

The colours can be interesting too. The red and green combo is nice.

He didn’t even notice me.

In contemplation.

I was testing out a generic rectangular lens hood on my lens to make sure there wasn’t any vignetting.

This is one of two flea market stalls selling film cameras.

It’s a low volume high flow business. The offerings change every week.

Occasionally, you could see a few Leicas. I saw an X Pro 1 here once…

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Legacy Lens: SMC Takumar 35mm f 3.5

Fare Well Occupy Central

Posted on December 12, 2014December 11, 2014 by eddietay in Colour

All images were taken with one camera on a single roll of film on the same day.

Fare well, Occupy Central.

At Causeway Bay.

Freedom under watch.

At Admiralty.

Camera: Contax TVS II

Film: Kodak UltraMax 400

Merry Christmas Occupy Central

Posted on December 10, 2014December 10, 2014 by eddietay in Colour

An early Christmas for Occupy Central at Causeway Bay.

Fare well.

People are packing.

Amidst Christmas sale.

Installation with steel resolve.

Imagine what might have been.

Freedom under the eye of the clock.

At Admiralty.

Unpoetic translation: even if there’s disappointment, one cannot lose hope.

There’s a time to pack up.

A time to plant fresh hope.

A time to remember.

Time to take stock.

Sacrifice.

Hope.

Restrain.

Hunger strike zone.

Merry Christmas Occupy Central.

The central government offices are overwritten with desire.

Home is Hong Kong.

A time to build up.

A time to let go.

A time for nostalgia.

Merry Christmas Occupy Central.

Fare well.

Photos in previous posts have been featured in the following literary journal articles:”Whither Hong Kong?“, Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement: Four Poems” and “The Umbrellas and the Tear Gas“.

Camera: Canon 600D

Legacy Lens: SMC Takumar 35mm f 3.5

Mostly Monochrome Singapore

Posted on December 3, 2014December 3, 2014 by eddietay in About Singapore, Colour, Monochrome

I’ve lived in Hong Kong long enough such that I could see Singapore with a fresh set of eyes.

Some of the buildings have become rather futuristic.

And public housing flats are beginning to look very homely.

Singapore is home, a comfortable grid.

We’re all fitted into grids.

Nice looking public housing.

Was at Hard Rock Café with my family.

An amazing acoustic set – it’s nice to listen to local acts with my wife… while trying to get our children to eat their broccoli.

The HRC I know were Saturday clubbing nights, 2 decades ago.

As I looked around at the various tables, I saw expat families with kids, tourists and middle-class locals out for dinner.

Times have changed – or perhaps I have changed.

Once upon a time, I wanted to be a rock star with my acoustic guitar.

The lyric he’s singing: “I’m all about that bass, about that bass, about that bass…”

Subsequent serious research (Google and Wikipedia) tells me it’s really a very cool song.

Now, I see HRC as an F&B outlet using rock music as a marketing tool, reaching out to customers like me who’ve come of age with the likes of GnR, Bon Jovi and Skid Row.

Perhaps I’m getting older and more cynical.

Still – it’s good to be young and idealistic.

HRC still looks impressive.

The colour is wonderful.

Orchard Road is gearing up for Christmas.

Hilton façade with a dash of nature.

A Martian landscape in full colour.

Equally interesting in monochrome.

It’s nice to be young…

An empty bus looks somewhat disturbing, like an unfulfilled promise.

This looks better – all blurry and full of promise.

Thanks for reading!

Camera: Canon 600D

Legacy Lens: Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Lydith 30mm f. 3.5

Memories of Mong Kok

Posted on November 28, 2014November 26, 2014 by eddietay in Colour

So, here’re some memories of Mong Kok.

They were trying to create a better community.

The streets announced their will.

The exhibits were playful: this looked like an umbrella carousel.

There were thoughtful moments like this at Mong Kok.

There were hard hats with a tough message.

There was a clear intention.

There was energy.

There were tents.

There were floating umbrellas.

Pretty umbrellas.

The streets belonged to its people.

The signs and umbrellas were there.

There were ominous moments.

The graduates were there.

They were preparing for an eventuality.

Yellow and blue went well together.

There were selfie moments.

He told me to take a picture and share it.

Goodbye tents, goodbye Occupy Mong Kok.

Camera: Canon 600D

Legacy Lens: Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Oreston 50mm f 1.8

Yuen Long Wet Market

Posted on November 27, 2014November 24, 2014 by eddietay in Colour

We were at a wet market in Yuen Long.

I walked past this shed and felt I really had to take a shot.

If you’re in construction, you have to be a bit of a Spiderman.

They’re very agile.

Chicken rice stall.

We walked through a wet market.

Straw hats for sale.

Very fried and oily calamari (or were they oysters)?

I thought the wall was rather beautiful.

I was having a William Eggleston moment here.

The second floor of a village house.

Dried seafood.

More dried seafood.

Some more dried seafood.

Dried seafood, anyone?

Last chance to buy dried seafood!

Scaffoldings offer lots of compositional possibilities.

I walked around to obtain different angles.

I have so many others but I’ll stop here.

The underside of awnings too, can be beautiful.

Check out the lines, colours and shadows.

Sometimes the most common of things can offer up beauty.

The blue and yellow above go very well together.

The arm offers a quirky variation to the scene.

Bamboo scaffolding.

Some more scaffolding.

Parking lot signage.

Thanks for reading!

All photographs here were taken with the now classic Canon G11.

Yuen Long: Hello Kitty Organic Farm and Harbin Ice Festival

Posted on November 25, 2014November 24, 2014 by eddietay in Colour

So, my family did the excursion package thing again and we went to the Hello Kitty Organic Farm and Harbin Ice Festival.

First stop – Hello Kitty Go Green Organic Farm.

Check out the landscape here – I’m beginning to think it’s a myth that Hong Kong does not have enough land.

This is usually cited as an explanation for high property prices.

I’m beginning to think: if this is indeed a myth, then who benefits from this?

There’re activities for kids here – they get a map and they’re supposed to get stamps at various stations.

There’re handmade toys for sale.

Plants for sale.

Turn left for Hello Kitty.

Turn right for Hello Kitty.

Walk ahead for Hello Kitty.

Run for Hello Kitty.

Hello Kitty refreshment corner.

It’s actually a very beautiful and intriguing place if you’re into (street) photography.

Shady scarecrow.

You could rent a plot of land here for a few months to tend to your crops.

It’s all very properly laid out, with your name written down so you won’t end up tending to someone else’s plot.

Feed the goat!

Ditto what I said earlier about land in Hong Kong.

Look at my clever composition.

Tiny windmill, tiny scarecrow.

Ah – the pastoral life…

Chrysanthemum tea for sale.

Washing hands after feeding the goats.

My very suave shadow.

Our cheerful excursion guide.

Boredom in the tour coach.

Yes finally, we arrived at the Harbin Ice Festival.

The colours and lines look well-balanced to me.

Nice looking cable tower…

We were in the exhibition hall at Harbin Ice Festival.

It’s minus 10 degrees Celsius in here.

Psychedelic penguin.

Everything here is carved out of ice.

I paid close attention to the colours.

I’m having a Martin Parr moment.

Bye bye and thanks for stopping by!

All pictures were taken with Canon G11, which you could now call a classic camera.

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