Photography is one of my favorite ways to see the world.

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    • One Shot: The Farallones

      Published on January 7, 2023

      Sometimes you have a bad photography day where there is no light or poor light, you don't get any of the shots you want because you haven't had coffee, or you just don't know your equipment very well.

      In this case, I had a borrowed Fujifilm XT-30 and telephoto lenses and.. boy, I did not have fun. I'm still not sure the Fuji digital cameras are for me, though many people love them, but I did come out with this one shot I love.

      I had a wonderful trip to the Farallon islands just off San Francisco. We got on a boat with a birding crew from Half Moon Bay and, many, many seasick hours later, got close to the islands. We saw pelagic birds, porpoises, and even puffins. We got to hover near the rocks full of spectactular marine life, where the deafening chaos of thousands of sea lions and birds overwhelmed us with the sounds of life, thriving.

      If you ever visit, it's well worth trying to join a trip to the Farallons. We had a good time with Alvaro's group, where we had some scientists onboard including a scientist who was previously stationed at the Farallon Islands himself, so he had a lot to share. Remember to pack the Dramamine, though.

      Dozens of penguins sitting on a huge rock, next to sea lions. Overhead, a bird flies past. Some gulls too.

      The scientists told us about how colonialism led to the decline of many birds in the area, but that conservation efforts of the past decades are starting to help them flourish again.

    • Five Frames: Chinese Gods

      Published on January 6, 2023

      Singapore is technically a secular country. A large number of its ethnic Chinese population practices traditional Taoist rituals, though evangelical Christianity is encroaching quickly. As an ethnic Chinese person raised in Christian traditions, I felt surgically removed from these practices and I wanted to document them and learn about them whenever I could.

      You'll find signs of faith everywhere you go. Outside local 'coffee shops' (kopitiams), inside wet markets and hawker centres, under trees, in a street corner somewhere. At various Taoist festivals. At 'void decks' (the ground floor of a public housing building), especially during funerals.

      From my archives, some photos of how faith is professed in black and white. First photo is a film photograph, the rest are digital (some kind of Sony Nex camera from 2012).

      A black and white photo of a Taoist altar

      The ground floor of a public housing building is used for weddings and funerals. Here, a scan of a film photograph taken with a Leica M3. The Chinese characters are a call to prosperity.

      A black and white photo of an altar of Chinese gods

      Even in downtown Duxton Hill, hipster central in the middle of the Central Business District, you can see altars everywhere if you look. They tend to be hidden away.

      A black and white photo of an altar of Chinese gods part 2

      There are different hierarchies of Taoist gods. The ones on the street tend to be lower ranking, and serve different functions from the 'higher class' gods.

      Black and white photo of two women singing on stage

      At big Taoist festivals, like the Hungry Ghost Festival, we have traditional singers on stage. Many traditional Chinese arts are deeply entrenched in Taoist practices; or is it that Taoist practitioners tend to be the keeprs of many traditional Chinese rituals and arts.

      A black and white photo of a close up of Chinese gods

      A close up of a Taoist altar with various deities.

      Here's a link to an interesting story about how some of these deities are made by craftsmen.

    • Touching Grass: Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

      Published on Invalid DateTime

      Taiwan's Taroko Gorge near Hualien is a place of great beauty.

      I spent a fun day here in 2006 with my family, with my Leica M3 and some black and white film (I am guessing it is Tri-X 400, which would have been what I was using a lot back then).

      I don't photograph nature or landscapes very much, so am very out of my depth here, but I do like the way these photos turned out. Taiwan is a place of great natural beauty, and I don't feel like I've seen enough of it even though I've been many times. (I haven't had enough of the food either, which is in my opinion one of the best in the world.)

      In 2023, I am far more into being outdoors in nature than I was at the time. I will take more photos of the Californian outdoors shortly.

      A black and white photo of water rushing through Taroko Gorge in Taiwan

      Taroko Gorge from the top.

      A black and white photo of rocks and sand in Taroko Gorge in Taiwan

      Water enters the gorge from the Liwu river.

      Photos taken on Leica M3, 50mm Summilux, probably Tri-X 400, probably processed at Ruby Photo in Singapore

    • Well Fed: Two Artisans

      Published on Invalid DateTime

      As you may know from elsewhere, I love food. I am obsessed with it. I love eating, I love food stories, I love writing about food, I love writing about people who make and eat food.

      I did that more actively in the past where I wrote a few travel guidebooks and cookbooks, and also published a few articles about Asian food culture and chefs in various publications around the world.

      From my archives, photos of two true artisans. One in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the other in Roses, in Spain's Costa Brava coastal region.

      a satay seller fanning the flames in Malaysia

      I maintain that you haven't had satay / sate until you've been to Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand. The quality and artistry of this type of grilled skewer is on a whole other level. Xinjiang style BBQ skewers are also very good, but in the realm of well spiced, fatty satay Nusantara style, this is my favorite. Unmarinated and unseasoned chicken breast satay in Asian restaurants in America make me weep.

      A fishmonger weighing seafood in Spain

      I had the opportunity to eat at the 'best restaurant in the world' (El Bulli) in 2008, shortly before they closed. It was a memorable meal, but the ridiculously great seafood at Rafa's in the town of Roses was even better. Here, Rafa himself weighing the seafood he's about to feed the hungry patrons of his tiny restaurant.

      Photos shot on Canon 350D and 50D, with a 17-40L lens, probably one of my all time favorite lenses.

    • What I’m Shooting: Nikon F3HP

      Published on Invalid DateTime

      I started out in film photography in 2003 using a little Nikon F-601, and to many people (including me) the pinnacle of SLRs in the Nikon world is the F3HP.

      Built like a tank, this thing will outlive me, I’m sure of it.

      A black and white photo of a Nikon F3HP SLR camera

      The mirror slap of an SLR feels a bit anachronistic at this point. I simply haven’t used a camera with a mirror in years.

      With a good old tank camera and a good lens (I love the 28mm f2.8), it’s like being reacquainted with an old friend. Or riding a bike for the first time in a long while. There’s something in muscle memory, and all the pleasures of the thing you loved come back quite quickly.

      I’ve not had such a nice film SLR, though. Even as dated as it is today, it is a joy to use. Everything about it feels right.

      More on this after I get back my first roll from this baby.

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