[ ping ■ ]

be proud & be a control freak

2012-02-09T04:32:00.001+11:00

Control Freaks Rock!

Bad control freaks are intimidating, they attemp to dictate every single thing around them. This is simply because they are lack of confidence on others. While good control freaks command with precise visons, and more importantly, they restraint themselves through the time.
And, of course, a good designer is always the good control freak!

Spontaneous

2012-01-30T04:24:00.001+11:00

The Curious Object - III

Seeds never know where they are landing, but they always find their own ways to live. Sometimes, you just have to be spontaneous; follow your heart & go with the flow...

The Other Perspective

2012-01-21T05:04:00.002+11:00

The Curious Object - II

I think she has never been cropped like that...as what I know...
The most obvious feature of one kind might be strong enough to signify itself, but it never represnts the whole.

2012

2012-01-16T03:57:00.006+11:00

The end. The end?

I simply like the way it ends, a fluid solid form...
Contradictions, the spices.

2011-12-28T01:48:00.010+11:00

Printing Emptiness

'印' means printing, while '白' means white, space or emptiness.
I simply like the contradictory between the combination of the characters. Can you print space? Space can't be created nor destroyed, but it can be defined... And that is something I need to nail it!

I always wanted to check out the letterpress shops at Sheung Wan, but I was too chicken to do that alone... One day, I came across an article about letterpress printing in Hong Kong, and find out one of the shop is now running workshops for the public!!!! So, these are what I did on boxing day ...

2011-11-28T02:06:00.006+11:00

The Curious Object - I
Something ordinary but strange,
something familiar but different...
It added some extra spices to my peaceful Sunday morning!

2011-11-15T04:24:00.006+11:00

It's time...
I have been real bad on managing this blog, it's time to get this blog rolling again. People, every second counts, don't let it slip away...

2011-04-03T02:51:00.018+11:00

Rush?

Bali is beautiful.

It would have been more beautiful,

if we get to see it slowly...

Life can be short if you rush it.

Just take it easy!

2011-03-13T05:03:00.003+11:00

hello

It's spring time in Hong Kong!
I guess it's a good timing to get the blog rolling again ;p

2010-08-22T00:27:00.002+10:00

Burnout I

Burnout II

We sneaked in an abandoned TV production factory couple weeks ago. The little adventure was actually quite fun. Lots of random objects that I like...

I start feeling the "helplessness" of designers in Hong Kong, or maybe it is a global thing... Everytime when I look at real nice designs from zines & websites, I ask myself "why can't I do something like that?" Sometimes I just feel my little design pride is burnning out slowly...I am getting commercialised and becoming a design machine. That is what I really hate to be...

I really need to do something else to balance out...something doesn't involve computer definitly!

2010-05-15T12:40:00.004+10:00

the harmony and conflicts

The suburb I live is an interesting place. It is quite country where
you can see ponds, fields and lots of birdies, but at the same time you can also see abandoned cargo containers or machine parts nearby. It's a place of natures and pollutions while these two things somehow fit quite well together. I have always wanted to explore the surrounding and finally I did. Even though it was just a little tryout,
I was so inspired!

2010-04-25T01:50:00.008+10:00

Pantone 186

A quick trip to Melbourne last week made me realised that memories maybe are hard to lose completly, but they can fade out in a short period of time. I barely remember how does nice coffee taste; how does driving feel with sky window wide opened; how enjoyable it is to do paper crafts; how good it is to have friends around. Time is powerful, so does the commercial world.

I really like my work place and all the lovely workmates. However,
I realised that I will be pathetic if I just let myself fall into this commercial world and do nothing. I need to find my way out, do something without thinking, no business involved, and turely just
for me!

I always have a thing to red; not necessarily wearing red but using red and collecting red objects. This is a snap of the station which
I get off to work every morning. I guess this is a good reminder of going to the commercial world and not forgetting who I am ;)

2010-03-29T03:06:00.004+11:00

Bound

The blog has been left behind for quite a while because of the recent photos crisis. Luckily, I found this shot which was taken last year while travelling Hong Kong with my friend. Who would ever know that I work nearby this place a year later. A mirror bounds light back; and the photo of mirror bounds me back to this place .

sluggish days

2010-02-22T02:53:00.004+11:00

Hornless Fight

A fight without weapons. You can read it as a harmless, honour and respectful contest if the fighters decide not to have weapons themselves. On the other hand, if they are forced to, then it will be an other different reading. The fight becomes a resolute, confornting and indomitable battle. (just a little random thought... ) I am getting drunk with this lazy holiday atmosphere. It's time to tidy up myself and get ready to fight!

Holiday

2010-02-07T02:57:00.004+11:00

circles

I like simple things.

I like to find them, look at them and collect them.
But making things simple is not a simple task.

The idea of simple is easy to find but difficult to create.

hike seriously

2010-01-21T04:53:00.005+11:00

we are so close!

I never know I can feel so close to the sky when I get to the top.
I felt it was even closer than when I was in a plane.
Maybe it is not about distance but space!

2010-01-08T01:54:00.002+11:00

case closed

I finally got the boxes done...yay! I was working on this gift box packaging for Chinese New Year and there were issues of people, communications, box structures...which made me alter or actually redo the boxes again and again. It did drive me crazy a little bit especially when they killed my lovely 'tiger' box. Well, that is not uni assignment anymore, it is reality. Hopefully the boxes can go straight to printer and print out finely. No more changes please!

Back to the photo here, I was back to my home town, Fujian, to visit my grandmother and attend a wedding few weeks ago. When I was shooting the house, like a happy tourist, my aunt showed me this beautiful wardrobe from my great grandmother.

2010

2010-01-01T03:45:00.003+11:00

Banquet

A very overwhelmed year ended with lots of overwhelmed banquets...Well, actually there are more to go. Hmm...I really need some time to sink and to think, what I have done and what I am going to do. Hope you can find yours!

I paint

2009-12-08T22:26:00.003+11:00

Ginkgo

I can't even remember the last time I picked up a paint brush... probably 3 or 4 years ago? I used to paint every week when I was in high school (as part of painting assignment of course), we stayed in the art room after school and painted until sunset, it was one of the best moments of the time.

I don't paint well but I feel happy when I paint (so do photography). This is what matters, right?

2009-11-26T11:48:00.004+11:00

be focused

a procrastinating shot while exegesis writing...

when I am busy with work, there are always so many ideas about what to do, what to shoot after work, but actually, when the work is over, the urge is also gone. Time to change...

100th Post

2009-11-19T00:28:00.004+11:00

Exegesis cover

Exegesis cover foldout

Hurray~I am finally up to the 100th post! And hurray again becuase the exegesis is also done and dusted. A publication of 150 pages with 7000 words and over 100 images, from writing, photography, editing, design, printing, finishing were all done within 10 days... Apart from exploring the potential of paper this year, I think I also explored my last-minute potential. Dear my futher employers, I work well under pressure...
There are 2 copies of the book, one is being assessed and one is at Art & Design Graduand Showw 2009. Yes! I am having exhibition again. It is the third exhibition I have this year, I am abit overwhelmed honestly. But, I am always interested in seeing other people's work, should be fun ;)

My Origami Friends

2009-11-14T13:02:00.007+11:00

Kanagroo

Rabbit

Frog

Pig

Bear

Dinosaur

Hen & Egg

Sausage Dog

Elephant

Cat

The little firends are finally up here after the return of exhibition.
As you may (or maynot)realise that they are made with scrapped
papers, mostly the back of envelops. It is not necessary to have
fancy paper to do paper crafting; if you pay enough attention to
paper all around, you will be surprised by what you find!

I am still putting my exegesis together. (slowly & sometimes sadly)
Assuming I need to work it through the weekend and rush straight
to printer and bindery before the uni door is shut on Monday.
Risky, exciting and very last-minute...

Paper Play Game

2009-11-07T17:44:00.006+11:00

Paper Play packaging

Opened package

Game instructions

Fully opened package

Game board (transformed from the package)

Die

Card set

'Make it' card

'Learn it' card

Let's play game

It's a wrap...not quite yet

2009-11-03T23:37:00.007+11:00

It's a wrap.

This is one of the exhibits for my honours show. If people still remeber this super last-minutely made wrap from last semester, here are the proper photos that I promised to put up before.

Exhibition Catalogue

2009-10-31T09:05:00.007+11:00

Curiouser & Curiouser poster

catalogue package - front

catalogue package - back

catalogue package - box

Finally, the show ended this Thursday, and so did the fabulous business plan. I spent whole friday afternoon photographing all my paper friends, the process was super tiring but so exciting at the same time. Then, it's up to the editing part which will need a while to get them all done, so I am going to put photos up along my long and sad editing process ( I think I have over 100 photos on the waiting list...)

Well, first up is the Curiouser & Curiouser exhibition catalogue. The identiy,the lovely big line ball, is done by kristy, and I did the poster and the packaging for the catalogue. The poster is folded up to carry our project posters which make up the exhibition catalogue. Unfold the sides of the package and push them towards each other, it will become a box!

I think because of my willfulness, I made everyone do quite abit of folding ;p

The Paper Journey

2009-10-24T18:08:00.005+11:00

The overall look

Paper Play

Well, here they are, my paper things at Curiouser&curiouser!
Left to right: Paper Play, Black Christmas Trees and It's a wrap.

I spent almost a year mucking around with paper, and I had so much fun with it. I think it would be nice to share the fun, so I summerise what I have learnt and designed this Paper Play game. The green cards, make it, are paper handicraft tasks and the yellow cards, learn it, are some interesting facts or stories about paper. The little white animals are the tokens for the game. The photos next to the game is how the game board looks like when it is folded up. (yes, no extra packaging or container, the game board itself is the container!) I am not going to explain how the game works here unless you really want to know. It is abit hard to get it without playing. ;p

For the little paper things on the Trees, they are more challenging to make, so I didn't include them in the game, but I guess they deserve to be shown. They would look nicer to be shot individually, so photos will be up when these little friends go home.

Last, but not the least. It's a wrap (see close up) is also displayed. I made this as a concludsion of what I have done in semester 1. I still feel so glad that I didn't take it to laser cut machine and got it done by my hands. I think that is what make it more meaningful to me and to my poject. Hope you like them!

curiouser & curiouser

2009-10-20T18:34:00.001+11:00

curiouser & curiouser

20th -28th October
1000 £ Bend
361 Little Lonsdale Street
Opens daily 8am-8pm

see you there!

2009-10-20T18:08:00.005+11:00

found shadow
a snap shot after set up for our honours exhibition,
what a sunny afternoon (before the storm)

2009-10-13T00:16:00.005+11:00

blur

Sometimes you're just stuck in the same thing for so long that you can't really tell it is good or not; or sometimes you just have so little time to do the thing that you don't even have time to make any judgement. It is still fine if either of them happens, but it is not so fine when you actually realise it.( And yes, I am at this stage...)
I didn't mean to spread out the negative energy around, I just need to spit this out and do work. I miss my truth teller housemate...

Working Mode

2009-10-07T19:23:00.004+11:00

buttons

black Christmas tree

While I was building up these black Christmas tree things for the exhibition... I had the thought that they would make good photos. And they do! These trees are actually the shelves for my paper works to sit on. Aren't they cute? Maybe I should just put them in the show without other origamis, hehe :p

need some colours here

2009-09-30T01:58:00.006+10:00

Finally, here is something about my honours project. I am making
a game to conclude this project and these are the posters or part of
the exhibition catalogues that will be given out on the opening.
150 copies ONLY ( because they are hand-folded by me :p )
So, be there early if you want one.

I have alot more foldings and drawings to do....

The mid-sem break is never at mid semester and it is never a break!

My Schedule

2009-09-26T01:17:00.006+10:00

Scream
I will be screaming through September,
October and a bit of November because of
works, the honours exhibition, presentation,
exegesis and the fabulous business plan.

Snap
Then, I am going to pick up my film camera
to do more snaps. There is also something
in my mind that I want to do. (surprisingly,
this time I have a plan for photos, can't wait!)

Gather
After that, I am going to have some gatherings
with my family and friends! See you soon.

a busy week

2009-09-12T23:19:00.007+10:00

spaced-out

I finally made it to here!
This is the laundry place where I always want to photograph.
[see previous post]
The interior and lighting there somehow remind me the movie Chungking Express, by Wong Kar Wai, although there isn't any scene about laundry. They have similar mood, maybe?

2009-09-06T00:48:00.007+10:00

the bigger picture

I am always attracted by reflections. Yesterday when I was on
my way home, I saw the reflection of a pole from the ditch which
I found quite interesting to photograph since they are both long
and skinny :p I was struggling for a while and still couldn't get it.
It was just too dark. But, when I stepped back, I found something even nicer!
You are only able to see the bigger picture when
you are willing to step back.

September

2009-09-01T12:32:00.004+10:00

mandarin

September! The first day of spring!
Again, I didn't intentionally make it look like a bow, it just came out like that! I guess I have built up my reputation of photographing interesting things that's why they always come to me. I am looking forward to meet the next thing.

2009-08-26T00:50:00.002+10:00

muse

Framing is something tricky. It drags all your attention to anything that is within the frame, and it blocks anything that is outside the frame. But the trickiest thing is that it makes you believe what you see in the frame is everything. Photoraph is a good tricker. It seems to reflect reality, but in fact, it reflects the selected reality.

my way of being here

2009-08-19T16:09:00.007+10:00

enjoy the show :)

Exhibition & exhibition

2009-08-16T17:20:00.007+10:00

wynn's switches

I found these cool switches at one of our potential honours exhibition sites on Alma Road (so close to my place).

sneak peek

This week is all about exhibitions. I finally installed of my work for eight ways of being here exhibition. I realized how tiny my works are comparing to other artists' works in the massive exhibition space. hmm...maybe my works won't catch your attention from distance, but they will make you slow down and hopefully smile when you see them closely. I will put up the close up shots on Wednesday, so for my friends who are not in Melbourne can also see the works on the opening day. For those who are in Melbourne, please drop by and say hello on Wednesday. :)

Eight ways of being here

19 Aug - 2 Sep 2009
open daily 10am - 5pm
opening 19 Aug 6pm

Museum of Chinese Australian History
22 Cohen Place
Melbourne VIC 3000
03 9662 2888
info@chinesemuseum.com.au

2009-08-09T23:46:00.004+10:00

waiting...

This was taken weeks ago, but somehow I didn't transfer the photos until today when the memory card is full. I have a film camera and I only use it when there is something really worth to be photographed, so it normally takes months or even half year to finish the film. The finished film will be left until someday I realize I haven't got it processed which will be another month later. At the end, I will see photos that I've taken but I don't really remember I took them. I guess it is the beauty of film camera—waiting...
Film is my time capsule.

Taiwan [05]

2009-08-02T01:09:00.003+10:00

Tree also likes typo.

Way to go...

Graphic desingers care about type and some trees also do. I wonder how long does it take to make an '8'. It's August already! I recently got a lovely book from a friend which is about roads. I like to photograph things on the ground, too.

Taiwan [04]

2009-07-28T23:30:00.006+10:00

steam, dumplings, heat & crowd

The number of people waiting ouside is probably more than the number of dumplings inside.

I hate the English word dumpling. It is applied to every single dish with dough skin on the menu of Chinese restaurant. It can be wonton, gyoza, tangyuan, xiaolongbao.... For people can't read Chinese, I guess they never know what they have ordered until they eat it. Why can't it be more specific?
Well, the dumpling from the photo is a kind of steam dumpling with soup inside, called xiaolongbao. Mind the hot soup spurting out when having GOOD xiaolongbao.

Taiwan [03]

2009-07-26T23:22:00.003+10:00

17 Yong Kong St.

Is beauty always from beautiful things? And ugliness is always from ugly things? Keep your mind opened, people.

Taiwan [02]

2009-07-21T02:30:00.002+10:00

It's not what you think it is.

It's not raining.
It's absolutely dry and hot out there.
It's a layer of melted transparency on the car window.
It's something I hated so much in the morning.
However, it's the one brought me alot of fun at the end of the day.

It's a simple neutral thing that causes contradictory.

Taiwan [01]

2009-07-13T01:11:00.003+10:00

don't think, just eat it

I (finally) went to Taiwan...
Taiwan is as crowded as Hong Kong, but the people there are way more friendly :p Thanks for my lovely friends, my stomach was filled up everyday.

a rainy HK

2009-06-30T03:36:00.006+10:00

a serene day...

I always like rainy days, especially rainy days in Hong Kong. It always washes off the heat, the dirt and the noise.

2009-06-18T01:16:00.003+10:00

It's a wrap.

I came out with this to summarise what I have learnt and done in semester 1. It is not only a wrap that literally wrap up the paper works I have made, it also represents my happy paper journey. I have been copying other great designers or artists' works, learning and studying their amazing creations, and finally, I am able to use what I have learnt and make it to my own. The wrap is folded with one big square sheet (540x540mm), and all the patterns are cut by hands. It contains 2 pop-up cases which hold documentary photographs of the paper works.
Sometimes I really amaze my last-minute potential (even though this is not something good to be proud of...) From designing, photographing, retouching, printing, cutting to putting everything together, I really pulled the whole thing off in 3 days with very limited sleep, of course. Because it is so last-minute that I didn't get to photograph the interior, I will put it up once I have it back.
So, it's a wrap.

2009-06-13T22:02:00.005+10:00

meteor shower

I guess this is a little treat for my pathetic essay writing week,
I finally got to touch my camera and did some happy random snaps.
Honours is fun, casual and very independent, but it also makes you feel lost and stressed very easily. 2 more days to go, and I only have 1 day left to get the whole thing done...wish me luck

2009-06-05T00:03:00.002+10:00

Essay

My eyes tend to look at things I don't like first...
and I found a book with a stylish cover called the Art of Quilling while the book hunting for essay. Arh!! The paper quilling looks so nice, but I can't spend too much time on it at this stage.
I am still being tortured by essay...

I've got my artist book done!

2009-05-27T01:24:00.004+10:00

drying

meanings

excess is excess,
difficult is difficult,
ping is ping ping

a quick close-up from the printings above,
and I found something interesting...

2009-05-21T00:47:00.002+10:00

Hummingbird

I finally got Origami Design Secrets by Robert Lang after waiting for a month. The person who had this book before me must be having a good time (or a hard time) of doing the origami. This hummingbird is definitely the hardest origami I have ever made. I can't imagine how hard the creation was... Robert Lang is a crazy physicist and origami genius.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_J._Lang

2009-05-11T22:17:00.002+10:00

Stripy

I was doing some strips printings for my artist book assignment and they turned out fine. After finishing the printing, Micheal told me to print couple more times with scrap papers to use up the ink so it would be easier for cleaning. This is what I came out with. I think I like this most...

2009-05-10T03:15:00.004+10:00

Falls

It's getting cold and getting red, that's why falls is always the season I like best. I was again doing something werid on the street. I don't know why I felt like lining up the leaves suddenly, so I just did it.
I could tell many cars slowed down when they passed by me, one of them even drove around me... Sorry neighbours, I am a little bit stubborn sometimes.

2009-05-02T00:39:00.005+10:00

Aged

Low quality printing and dust are not generally welcomed. But when they merge in this shot, they give it an aged look. It was taken on the Christmas day, 2008, which is less than 6 months ago. Sometimes bad things are not necessarily bad.

Slack

2009-04-28T23:39:00.006+10:00

the feet

Sorry, I have been slack. I was being toured by the essay last week, my brain was fully occupied by miniature & gigantic, even now, they still stuck in my head. So, I didn't do much paper work apart from drafting essay on papers. I went to Chinese Museum on the weekend, where I had never been to before. It was actually better than what I expacted. I was assuming there would be big vases, some chinese painting, some Chines penmanships or other kitsches. In fact, there are mainly commodities from the old days, old photos, publications, shoes, toys, something little but meaningful, something intimate...

I have no intension to make this shot look creepy. I just found the reflections of my feet look interesting there. It was the lighting problem, the dolls looked fine, they are very delicate, especially the embroidery.

a little reminder

2009-04-17T11:28:00.006+10:00

Your can read it if you use...

This is a poster I printed last week at the Melbourne Museum of Printing. My friends and I were cleaning and tidying up the wooden types and we picked up some which got mixed up. I wanted to
make a poster for a poster friend who used to work at the museum
so, I started playing around with the homeless wooden types, and here it is. You just need to make it up if you don't have it. :p

Melbourne Museum of Printing

http://www.printingmuseums.com/museum/

Before the Nightmare Comes

2009-04-17T10:59:00.006+10:00

Always watch out the back

A day trip to the Great Ocean Road. 8 hours driving in a day, I felt lucky that I was not the one driving... I've got lots of nice landscape shots. They are nice probably just because the views are great, nothing to do with me. Besides, I found this shot up here is more interesting to look at (maybe just me). I like to play with light, reflections and angles, and they are all here.

Give me a break!

2009-04-09T22:21:00.007+10:00

Rainbow

This is a shot from Sydney. Yep! I went to Sydney two weeks ago right after the graduation ceremony with my parents and sisters. Both the ceremony and the trip are good, except it's abit rush, but that's how thing should work when dad is around. I didn't have time to go throught the photos until now.

This is one of my favourite from the bunch. The sunset and the magic of 5D mark II and the wide angle 17-40 mm . . . This shot just looks so relaxing. It seems like I finally have a short break, eventhough I have an essay to catch up during the break.
Happi Easter people!

I am drained.

2009-04-03T00:32:00.005+11:00

Drain

I was so not sure what to do with my poster that I start doing other things, such as transfering photos from my camera to the laptop. When I was flipping through the photos, I was stopped by this shot.
I was staring at it for at least 20 seconds or even more. It looks like an ore!! It is just beautiful and stunning! (Let me know if you think this is too sick...) I bet no one can tell what kind of material it is.

Well, the task from last week was paper making.
So, it is a paper.

Paper is ordinary but also full of surprises.

cutting

2009-03-25T01:31:00.007+11:00

Insecurity

It's cutting week. This is a traditional Mexican papercut pattern of calaveras (skull in Spanish), which associated with the celebration of the Day of Death in Mexico. Not only Chinese make delicate paper objects for people who passed away, Mexican also make these amazing papercuttings for them.
I found myself tend to light up the paperworks I made.
hmm... long way to go.

a new friend

2009-03-21T00:23:00.002+11:00

Rosanne

I met this new friend in my backyard last night. She was hiding under my washed shoes when I was picking up them. I was totally freak out at first, but then, I found she is actually quite cute. I couldn't tell what colour she is since it was quite dark there. Another big suprise came after a long exposure shot. Wow! She is pink!!!

Darkroom

2009-03-15T12:25:00.005+11:00

The Only Light Source

All the lights in my room died, and I am now technically working in drakroom (poor me). The little lamp becomes the very powerful
(and the only) light source in my room. Everything just glows and looks nicer when they are lit. I guess this darkroom is not totally a bad thing?

Kirigami

2009-03-10T21:56:00.013+11:00

Out of Focus

I 'pre-made' this kirigami which belongs to 28/03 because...

Actually, there is no because.

I just hunger for new challenges,
and this 3D kirigami seemed challaging.

[Project Status] blurry, unsure, but still fascinating
(exactly like this shot)

Earthquake

2009-03-07T22:58:00.005+11:00

Earthquake

I like this picture alot!
I wasn't thinking much or watching anything special.
I guess I just felt like to press the button?

taken at 6 March 09 around 9pm

It started.

2009-03-03T18:25:00.006+11:00

Motions

Something I found in the backyard after dinner.
They look like the moving lights from a long exposure shot.
They are actually leaves or grasses with the shadows of blinds.
The honours year started.
These plants could be the potential 'raw' materials for my project.
I am doing something about papers by the way...

Something can't miss

2009-02-27T02:33:00.006+11:00

un, deux, trois

Trinh Vu
Izabela Pluta
Matthem Perkins

26 Feb-27 Mar

Alliance Francaise Melbourne
51 Grey Street, St Kilda
VIC 3182

Trinh' amazing paper works
You seriously gonna be so regret if you don't go.

Lomography

2009-02-22T02:08:00.004+11:00

New Home

I found my lomographs a new home. Instead of being hidden in a shoe box, now they are on the doors of a cupboard! They are three individual shots, but the white blinds are across two frames accidentally. I love lomo! They are always so random and unpredictable, you'd never know what you are going to get until seeing the photos. mr. mystery

With Frames

2009-02-19T16:51:00.004+11:00

In Jail

Escape

Here are 2 snaps from a short trip to JCCAC (Jockey Club Creative Art Center), the hub of local artists and desingers studios which were converted from decommissioned factory in 2008. It's nice to sneak in so many studios at once. I was having fun with the factory elements, especially the fences and the nets.

A Dreamy House

2009-02-11T03:04:00.006+11:00

I know it's hard to believe, but it is Hong Kong

I went to get some feeds for my carps with mum yesterday, and this is the shop and the house of the seller. The colourful flowers, wooden doors, the brick wall, the antique trailer and even the red things, they are just so perfect. After that, I can't stop thinking to have my own studio in a place like this. How great it gonna be!

Tokyo

2009-02-10T02:43:00.002+11:00

Involve in the Tokyo Scenery

I like to photograph touists because they are always interesting to watch. The other reason is that they were so concentrate on something else, and didn't notice me! This is one of my favourite shots from the Tokyo trip. What the tourist was photographing reflected right on the windows. So, in this shot, I've got himself in the Tokyo scenery without any photoshop work :P yay

Lights

2009-02-04T12:19:00.006+11:00

Stereotype

Experiment I

Experiment II

Experiment III

See you in 5 days...

A Foggy Day

2009-01-30T03:48:00.003+11:00

The Foggy Victoria Harbour

It looks dreamy and peaceful.
The very rare adjectives for Hong Kong.
Photographs seems objective and realistic, but are they really do?

Chinese New Year

2009-01-26T03:19:00.004+11:00

Fai Chun

These are the real Fai Chun for Chinese New Year. I was lucky enough to find them in Stanely, because it's quite rare to see hand written Fai Chun nowadays. The four-words blessings in each Fai Chun were written as one compound, and they are still legible and well balanced. Chinese penmanship is AMAZING.

Since a friend of mine stopped by Hong Kong for a few days, I had a chance to be a tourist in Hong Kong. I love to be a tourist. When you are a tourist, you are always curious with everything around you. You have the motivations to observe, to think, to compare and always want to know why, and these are hard to keep up in a familiar environment. I want to be a tourist everyday.

untitled

2009-01-17T02:24:00.003+11:00

RGB

I finally scanned the photos which were taken months ago...
I really like the form and the RGB colours. The red is from the reflection of the brick wall; the green is from the trees; and the blue is obviously from the sky.

Letterpress

2009-01-09T16:02:00.003+11:00

Shake

I went to priting museum yesterday to help out my friends abit. We are aiming to finish a big task before I leave Melbourne. Hopefully, I would be able to post it here before I jump on the flight.
Back to the image, this is a set of letterpress after cleaning. They are so colourful, which actually is not a good thing, but the colours are just so dreamy. In order to make the image blurrier and more pastel-like, I shook the camera when the shutter was opened. After a couple shoots, it worked out! yay

See

2009-01-06T18:01:00.008+11:00

conspicuous

subtle

Normal is easy but sometimes boring. Next time when you see things, maybe step back, close one of your eyes or do something else (just don't make it too easy), you will have surprises.

Coincident Cracks

2009-01-04T16:07:00.008+11:00

TOUGH

mild

Shot at Hanging Rocks.
I enjoy looking at trees.
They are always similar but never the same.

2009

2009-01-02T17:49:00.004+11:00

New Year 09

Fai chun, a piece of red paper with written greetings, which people usually put on the front doors in Chinese New Year. It's not Chinese New Year yet, but I still felt like to make one. It's a modern fai chun on the door of fridge.

This is the last thing of 2008 and the first thing of 2009 I did.
Paper cut, something I love.

Wish you can do something you love, too.

Christmas Day

2008-12-29T18:26:00.010+11:00

I tend to keep away from crowds on Christmas Days. This year I decided to go somewhere random. The rule is get on and get off the train whenever I feel like to, just purely following the feelings... This is what I always want to do and now I did it.

The trip started at Armadale station...

I found this happy cyclist with red shoes when the train passed by somewhere station...

then, I found this twisted bark at Diamond Creek...

after that, I saw these 'repaired' bars on the road at Ivanhoe...

an eaten apple and empty Pepsi on the rail...

finally after going to Hoppers Crossing, I felt like to go home.

{If there is something you want to do, do it now, otherwise it's never going to happen.}

Nathan Gray

2008-12-23T17:25:00.004+11:00

Origami with Nathan Gray

I went to Nathan Gray's workshop at the Narrows last Saturday. He shared his experience and interesting things he met in Brazil, and then we did origami together. We made this massive origami out of 30 sheets of his exhibition poster, which is designed to be used as origami paper. At the end, I was lucky enough to take this origami home when the exhibition ends. yay
Love the idea of reusing the poster and of cousre, the workshop.

Nathan Gray Exhibition Poster
www.thenarrows.org/current/index.html

Accidents

2008-12-22T18:14:00.004+11:00

Accidents

Yesterday was the last working day of 2008. yay
Since we were workig for celebrities, everyone was stressed out (including the flashes) One of the flashes burnt three times during the function, which never happens before. It's a new record!!! So, I kept the fuses. They all have different looks. Lucky me, found something interesting again.

a real break

2008-12-15T23:23:00.004+11:00

Undiscovered Island

I found this island while I was doing random cooking. It is the last bit of Chinese cabbage. I have seen and eaten so many of them, but I have never found an island before. Isn't it cute?
A piece of A4 sheet and a good spot with natural light give me a mini studio at home.

night snaps

2008-12-12T12:07:00.004+11:00

Camera Modes
[top] manual
[middle] macro
[bottom] auto
I was just having fun with my compact digital camera. Even though it's not a professional camera it still brings me lots of fun. Fault is always more interesting than perfectness.

Warner Bros Pictures
When I saw this reflections on the window, Warner Bros movies opening was the first thing in my mind. If you dont knonw what I am talking about, the link is here
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=nFDRoOIK780

Hello, Sunrise

2008-12-09T10:53:00.007+11:00

Sunrise @ Hume Highway

I saw this beautiful sunrise on the way sending Jane to the airport.
I think the last sunrise I saw was also on the way to airport (from Prato to Rome). Sunrise is always fascinating and ravishing (when assignment is not due on the day)

I saw the reflections of sun light on the windows in the mirror through the window. Does it make sense? One more, the frame of mirror frames the back windows in this frame. I just like the tricks and the mutiple reflections and framings :p

Black & White V

2008-12-03T14:58:00.003+11:00

Ned Kelly

I have been hearing his name all the time, but I had no idea what he did and why he became an icon. I thought he might be someone like Robin Hood, but after googling him, seems not... he just a bandit, right?

Black & White IV

2008-11-29T11:43:00.006+11:00

Before Frozen @ Flinders Stree Station

I feel I am a bit tricky to post one photo per post, even they are from the same roll of film. Each photo is so individual by itself
and doesn't relly go with others. That's the better way to present them...
getting picky.

By the way, I think this photo sells the boots very well, it has the potential to be an ad image. And also it reminds me Darren's phrase, '...graphic design people leave space for text in their photos...'
very true.

[Black & White] III

2008-11-27T16:10:00.002+11:00

I'm not that fragile

I haven't shot with black and white films for ages... most of them were shot under very bad conditions (super dark, super windy and super heavy rain etc...) I am so pleased that most of the photos turned up okay. Eventhough they are not sharp, some of them are pretty blurry and grainy, but I reckon these 'natural special effects' do make the pictures more interesting.

[Black & White] II

2008-11-25T23:49:00.004+11:00

Storm @ Wangaratta

Things happened.
It's hard, but I still need to move on.

[Black & White]

2008-11-23T19:38:00.009+11:00

frozen @ flinder street station

I have been wishing time could be frozen recently.
I need a quiet moment to think...

EOY 2008

2008-11-23T00:39:00.011+11:00

I was on duty for the exhibition yesterday and the weather was real bad... [Positive thinking: there would be less visitors which would be easier for shooting] Suprisingly, alot people came! And most of them were not only flipping the books but also actually read the books. I recived quite alot positive feedback :) btw, I was awarded for the strength & development of my design ability.Yay.

The task for myself from last week is to take proper photos for the exhibition. I found that the exhibition space is hard to shoot. The spot lights and the ceiling were the things that annoyed me the most, and also I rarely shoot space. Maybe my skill is getting rusty as well... so lots of the photos didn't turn out good... anyway here they are.

getting personal...

please come, have a seat and read...

this book belongs to me

2008-11-16T00:50:00.012+11:00

Monash Art & Design Degree Show 2008

Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) Graduation Exhibition

these books belong to...

15—28 November

Monday—Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Art & Design Building (G)
Caulfield Campus
Monash University

Yay, we made it!
This is our lovely graduation exhibition. As a graphic design student, the most we made in the past 3 years are books. WE MAKE BOOKS. This is where the theme of the exhibtion came from. The show is presented as a reading room which exhibits the books we made for this exhibition.

We finished the set up on Thursday afternoon, I was so excited to show everyone our exhibition. However, I only had my compact digital camera in my hand and the room was quite dim... Sorry, for the poor quality photos...

I think my task for next week is to take proper picture of the show, so that I can show my parents and friends who cannot come to the show. I need a proper camera!!!!!! I am saving money for 5D at the moment... [working hard]

Exhibition Lamps
I made 6 lamps [screwed up one >_<] last week for the show.... It's a great fun to do paper folding, but not so fun to do 6 at once and all of them are half meter tall. Anyway, they look great now. Thanks to the person who invites the folding, you are amazing.

Decorative Books
Decorative Books are purely for decoration. Each book is folded from a piece of paper.They can be displayed in concertina forms, or cylinder forms by slotting the end to the beginning page.
The idea of decorative book is inspired by my random thought. I find some people buy encyclopedias, literatures and heavy text books to fill up and decorate the book shelves. They don't really read these books. So I decided to create a book which is purly for decoration.

doing nothing is not fun

2008-11-04T00:02:00.005+11:00

I have been waiting this moment for so long,
but it is not as good as what I imagined...
It's good to take a break and relax at some points,
but I think I still prefer doing works.
Since when I became a workaholic?

" OIN L DRY"
Finally, I took photo at this mysterious laundry place which is near the station. Don't know why I keep thinking a high fashion photo shoot at this place. Let's arrange it someday.

GUN
Found object at Armadale station platform 3

SHADE
I prefer working... and other paper thing. This is a paper lamp shade I made for the exhibition.

end? not really...

2008-10-27T22:52:00.007+11:00

Be Conscious
The most exciting part of folio production....cutting...

I made it

Finally, I made it. I did something I've been saying all the time. ' the weather is so nice...we should be in st kilda, not computer lab...' After the folio submission, we went straight to the beach!!!

Silk Road

2008-10-20T19:10:00.004+11:00

This is kind of freshly done. It's the a mapping project.
I mapped the products and techniques that were exported form China to other countries through the Silk Road. Each pattern represents one product and each fold represents one country. The map is read from right to left, east to west (from China to Europe). When the map is fully opened, it becomes a long piece of patterned paper, like a fabric.

Don't Be Pathetic

2008-10-20T18:04:00.010+11:00

Finally, I handed in my essay. It has been torturing me for a week.
This was not fun, seriously. After that, don't know why I felt sooooooo relax... even though I haven't done anything for the folio yet. Gosh......

Anyway, I can now fully work on my folio.

Light Reflection Practice no. 2
Since the weather was so nice today, I went out for a walk and practice my 'light reflection skill'. Well, these photos have nothing to do with the 'artificial' refletion tho... they're just something I found interesting while the reflection practice. Something abstract... The theme fits with one of the exhibition books I made Light & Shadow, but um... I got them done already, too late. Yea, the exhibition books have been done weeks ago, and I am quite happy with them. But I won't post the pictures for the finished books until the exhibition begins :p Wanna keep this suprise, so please check out our exhibition, details will be posted soon.

shadow

light

ping no.3

COUNT DOWN >>17 DAYS

2008-10-10T17:04:00.007+11:00

I kept saying how good the photos with sunlight were, and forgot to post those with flashes last week. I was so unexperienced, and took me ages to got the shoot done. I definitely need more practice...

Optic Nerve Exhibition Invitation Card
/Studio set up with proper lighting and camera
/Canon 5D (f/2.8 70 mm) + 3 flashes

Optic Nerve Exhibition Invitation Card (interior)
/Random snap shot with tungstenlight
/Canon IXUS 40 (f/2.8 5.8mm) + lamp

Ping Paper Cut
/Home set up shoot with Sabi's camera
/Nikon D70 (f/2.8 macro) + natural light

Ping Paper Cut II
/Random snap shot with tungstenlight
/Canon IXUS 40 (f/2.8 5.8mm) + lamp

17 days to go......

Mum is here...

2008-10-04T16:51:00.006+10:00

I did the photo shoot for my folio at Roei's place yesterday. He was so nice that set up the lighting for me which made the shoot go alot smoother. The lighting was real good, but still, it took us qutie a while to make it perfect. (super bright and clean)
The sunlight was so nice this morning, so I decided to shoot my jewellery work again with the perfect sunlight. And the outcome was so good and so close to the lighting we had yesterday...

The Power of Nature

The Power of Freezer

um... of course this is not part of my jewellery work. I just found the colour scheme goes well with the jewellery :p By the way, I found this fly in the freezer, poor thing...

this is life...

2008-09-27T14:17:00.009+10:00

[last week] sorry... I missed a week. I had 2 weddings on last Saturday and Sunday. Why so many people get marry recently? It's the most exhausted weeknd I have ever had. 12 hours a day, full on working. I was physically broken...

[today] A random snap from neighbour's wall while I was doing my light reflection practice with sabi. Aim to be the Master of Reflection!!!

still struggling with the book...when am I going to get it right?

Moon Festival

2008-09-15T01:02:00.002+10:00

Happi Moon Festival

something below eye level

2008-09-13T13:35:00.007+10:00

Charis

The Reserved Seats for DaDaDa Slaves

While the Slaves're out

Random Found Objects

Natural Spot Light

After Blossoming

Circle

it's good to do silly things sometimes...

2008-09-07T00:06:00.006+10:00

Well, I kind of feel bad of not doing any snaps this week and just post something I did before. Even though, I am not so sure how many people are actually checking my blog, (maybe none), I still feel like to post something more to reduce my guiltiness. Here are some of snaps I did today while having a walk with 'sunshine' walk
Spring and Flowers