Zurich City Centre

It's time of the year again, well, getting close ... and the urge to travel started to crawl all over my mind, not to mention my ichy shutter finger.

Now I have equiped myself with a Sony HD camcorder as well as my well sorted Canon still system, I think I'm ready to take on some adventures. Before I start scouting for destinations, I couldn't help but going through my past captures.

This one was taken on Christmas day last year in Zurich, Switzerland. I booked last minute flight and spent a week there. Despite the expensive living standard, I had an absolute blast!

Weather wasn't particularly good on that day, it was grey, dark, blended with drizzle in the air, but it wasn't anything I have not experienced in Manchester. Maybe because it was in another country, a country famous for its "peacefulness"(some say cowardice), watch, chocolate and knife making, I did not mind it at all. Since I couldn't do anything to change it, might as well enjoy the most.

dancing music

My first commissioned work in near pitch black, a definite challenge for Canon 1D MK2's low light focus ability and endurance test for my hearing! It was also the first time that I get to play with my 580EX with delayed sync on camera(back in 2004), was I excited or what!

A few beers later, I felt the "creativity" rising through my spine, I started to play with zoom, different light bounce, light painting and other tricks I couldn't remember ...

Well, it certainly was fun for me, my client loved the photos, too.

Happy days!

forever gone ...

I don't know the artist who's responsible for this great piece of work, but I do know for sure it's no longer there, it's gone forever.

I captured this during my "purposefully aimless stroll" in the city, just me and my camera.

I did manage to bag a few shots that I was happy about, even more so now. Simply because someone-with-authority-but-no-taste-in-art decided the plain brick wall looks better than this one.

There are works like this all over the city, maybe not as good, maybe better, all you gotta go is take an afternoon off, grab your cam, and stroll through the city. Make sure you walk through the back alley way, look up when you're under the railway bridge, try walking through as much unknown part of the city as possible.

For all you mum's boy out there, if you think or feel that you would get robbed in a certain area, you're mostly guaranteed to find good graffatis while NOT getting touched by anyone who's slightly darker than white!

it's a manc thing

Due to a wrist injury, I've not been able to shoot much lately, so I thought to utilise my time and be more productive by going through the archive.

And I found this one.

"Belle Vue" - a Manc Rock band. From left: Nick, Anthony, Paul, Dan and Pete.

They have been together for god knows how many years, every member's got a day job, while do whatever they can to pursue the sound that keeps their hearts beating, blood pumping and face smiling. You can often bump into them drinking away in Corbieres or dance their shirts off in 42nd street.

Where are those places you ask? Well, you have to be a Manc to know that, I'm afraid.

Oh, they nicked that Belle Vue sign, and it has been turning up wherever the band goes, typical Manc, you gotta love it!

first image

Well, you can't exactly call this a photoblog if there isn't a photo, can you?

This was taken last year for a press photo call for "Pulp Magazine".

A sad story really. Ashley, the girl in the photo, was born with terminal disease. As a charity appeal, she was given an opportunity to be on stage with Russian ballerinas, to make her dream come true.

During the photo call, she did not smile at all, I guess she doesn't have much to smile about. Her saddened eyes tell me she knows exactly what she has, and how long she has to enjoy or suffer for the every minute of her remaining life.

The other photographer from Manchester Evening News, however, simply was there to earn his dime. The moment he stepped into the room, he started commanding everyone around him so he could go home with a perfect shot, including little Ashley.

Maybe it was the Russian ballerinas, maybe it was her own ballet dress, maybe it was her dream come true, Ashley did try to smile at camera once or twice. Almost immediately after the flash, her face turns sad. That was when I decided to press my shutter.

It is a photojournalist's duty to tell a story as truthfully as possible, and reflect the emotion of his/her subject, and I believe that is the very element which differentiates a great photographer to any mediocre working photojournalist, who call themselves "pro".

I am not trying to nudge my way into the professionals in any way, I am simply sharing the experience I had, consequently, my thoughts.

a small step ...

indeed, this is a small step for me, but the ripple of my words would travel far beyond the imagination ... well, at least beyond mine, it might even reach as far as Mongolia for all i know!

my interests are very diverse, from photography, filmmaking to business management, financial investment consultation; from tennis, golf, basketball to chess, cooking and reading; from buying, selling to philosophy, history.

i will gradually introduce myself bit by bit, all in good time.

finally, welcome and enjoy your stay!