Sunday 29 June 2008

Please head on to this site click on this title

If you have seen this blog thanks...

I have decided to move my blog to word press.. please click on the link above to go to my new site...

Thanks to Blogger.com

Blogger has been great... but people change.

Its not you its me... seriously.

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the Generic Asian

Friday 27 June 2008

Blogger, wordpress and the wonderful world of the internet

It been 3 days plus a couple of hours now that I have spent looking reading surfing and just finding out how I can build a "better" website that I will like and that I can effectively be able to use, manage and organize properly.

I am not a tech geek, however I do know how to use computers and many other techie stuff. But I feel like fish out of water when it comes to blogging and making websites.

The wonderful world of the internet, the final resting place of all useful information, has proven to be quite a difficult space to navigate. I must say after spending all this time researching, I am more confused than ever!

If you do not want or have the means to spend on hiring a web designer or a website developer, I think we have pretty much narrowed down our options to two choices.

Blogger.com and Wordpress.org

Blogger.com is great! I seem to be able to use it and its by Google. That's the reason why this blog is here.

It just does not have the coolness factor which I am looking for, but hey it works! It might not be a Blogger.com limitation. It could be just me.

Then there is Wordpress. I like the message on the first page on the website http://wordpress.org/. (If you click on the article title, it links you to the website too!!!)

and I quote

"WordPress is what you use when you want to work with your blogging software, not fight it."

I like that and the templates are just cool from the get go...

We'll see how it works out. But for now Blogger.com is for me. Wordpress.... well let's just say it a work in progress... and its not Wordpress I am talking about. : )


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the Generic Asian

Saturday 21 June 2008

Welcoming Pepper


Yes we have a new addition to our home.

His name is Pepper. He is a adult domestic short haired cat or DSH fo short.
He is looking a bit shy and timid, but hey i would be if I got scooped out of a shelter just like that.

Click on the headline to get to his photo!!!

Anyway, if your planning to get a pet. Adopt one.

Here in Bangkok, there is http://www.scadbangkok.org and do your share.


Anyhow, I am too excited to write right now and I think we need to calm the cat down a bit...

So TTFN!



_________________

the Generic Asian

Saturday 7 June 2008

I love food


I have been very very busy lately... work, family & me.... Everything seems to be getting in the way.

Don't get me wrong, its probably one of the most interesting times in my life, but boy do I miss the little things...

By now you all know how I feel about food. It ranks very high on the list of things I really enjoy.

I love eating. But lately, my wife has lovingly reminded me to start watching what I have been eating. It's not an outright ban on certain foods... just a tactical reduction.

It's not looking too good though. I starting to get a crave.

Oh well, let's see how it goes and bon appetit!


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the Generic Asian

Monday 26 May 2008

Back on track


This is not blogger fade... I have been busy lately traveling on business and you can say work got into my way.

Good thing though that I got a chance to go home at the same time.
Life is good and times are good... its just I am a bit busy now.

Going home has made me remember a few things... more on that later... right now I have to go... I am busy being a father and a husband...

TTFN...

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the Generic Asian

Friday 9 May 2008

Picking yourself up



Hello guys...

If you've seen this blog for the first time... thanks for really really really looking hard to find this blog... Even my wife can 't find it.

To those who have for some strange reason is back to read the ramblings, welcome back...

You all know I love my Ipod. And for the millions who've read my blog, you know it died on me not so long ago...

But God bless Apple.. I sent it there to have it fixed and they said $ xxx.xx to fix it, but if you pay $ xxx.xx we'll get you a new one that's god as new...

Yes it was slightly cheaper than having it fixed but hey... its a new IPOD... same make and model though... so it really crashed my evil plot to buy a new IPOD... but then again I am not exactly a complete tragedy.

Speaking of tragedy, I downloaded my usual podcasts... and one of them was this Podcast called Tips from the Top Floor. The host of the show is also going through tough times...

Seems like everyone is going through rough times now and so is Allen Rockwell.

Ok guys I do not know this guy. In fact I completely forgot his name as I actually once did download his podcast.

Well, he recently got robbed of about US$ 10,000 worth of photography equipment. I won't go into specifics here, but if you need more info, please click on this link .

So ok guys you know I am far from rolling in cash and I really do not care who this guys is... and maybe the poor folks in Myanmar deserves my money... but a few buck here to help the guy out won't hurt.

I live in Asia. From where I come from, when you see someone who has been knocked down.. You help them in your own little way.

Give him a few bucks... download his podcast and think of it being the fee you paid for enjoying the podcast he shared to all of us.

And as for Myanmar... Give them more than a few bucks.... help them out too they are our brothers and sister too...

Tuesday 6 May 2008

Pricing your work and the never ending story of lust







In photography, it seems the lusting never stops.... its like a never ending story of lust greed and more lust. I am constantly being seduced by more and more stuff.... a new lens, a new body, a new filter, cleaning kits, tripod, it seems like it never ends.

I currently have a decent set of equipment... Let's just say in theory, I can shoot just about everything I can think of, yet every time I walk into a camera shop, there's always something.

Right now its all about filters. I always had a UV filter of some kind in front of my lens as an "insurance" of some kind. I figure that if there was any glass which was going to be scratched it better be my filter.

After all, I only have three lenses. A fifty prime which I love to bits and two zoom lenses, that I have are the well regard. These are the slightly more expensive 2.8 Canon L grade lenses

So I figure its about time to go lens filter shopping.... a bit of research here and there has shown a complex multitude of options... the range in price is quite broad, but unlike the lenses themselves, filters tend to be a bit ambiguous.

There have been a few markers of quality that I am aware of. Normally a reputable brand is a good start, the build feel of the filter when you touch it, is it made of glass or plastic, is it multi coated, etc.

There is a fundamental flaw to my approach. It assumes that I know a lot about these markers of a good quality product.

When all else fails, the solution I find to help me decide is ultimately the price.
If it is too cheap, then its suspicious. If its too expensive... then its just plain too expensive.

This made me think. How much is my body of work be worth if I tried to price it?

What I have seen so far and I think this is so true with many of today's photographers and artists. I see commercial photographers who ask for almost nothing just to get a job and then there the "artists" who think too highly of their work who tend to over price their work.

I am not a professional photographer, but until recently, I never really looked at how I can, if asked, price my work?

Do I price my work like most "bargain" shops here in Bangkok. Price high and always ready to drop 50% off the retail price at a winks notice.

Oh well, just a thought, I do not intend to sell my work nor could I ever imagine anyone wanting to buy my work...

So I gues the question sticking in my mind is do I really need to know how much my body of work is be valued? Or is it just like filters for the lenses, would I even bother using one at all?



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the Generic Asian

Friday 2 May 2008

Realising you are deaf, mute and blind

I am tired today, so this might be short.

I realised today that being in a foreign country is tough.

This is especially true where my native language or a language which I am familiar with, like English is not a commonly spoken language.
I also found that the gestures and signs I have grown to know sometimes means absolutely different due to culture differences.

To me, its like being blind mute and deaf.

What is interesting though is that photographs sometimes tend to get a similar response.
Everyone has an interpretation of the meaning of the photo and each person sometimes tends to evoke a different emotion as a response to seeing a photograph.
BUT... the great photos, the photos that inspire, the classics... they tend to have something in common. No matter where you come from or who you are, these masterpieces tend to convey a clear and definitive message...
It could be love, hope, despair, anxiety.... but because they are clear and concise. Maybe its just me, but these great works of art are clear in their message...
They are as what one advertising company's slogan goes....
"Truth Well Told"
Have a great weekend,
the Generic Asian

Saturday 26 April 2008

Organization and organizing


I recently attended a meeting of like minded folks talking about banding together to form an organization to support, in my mind, the development of their individual photographic talents to its fullest.

The meeting went on and many views were exchanged and at the end of it all a concensus was formed and a set of rules and a group of indivuduals emerged as the guiding force who will be behind the building of this organization, to the benefit of the group.

What amazes me is not that we had accomplished this task in a couple of hours, but the fact that the group, people who hardly new each other, found the need to organize themselves.

I guess as this group becomes better organized, it is believed that their respective skills would improve as a consequence of this action.


Moving back to photography.

My digital photographs work right now is as organized as my processed film files.

To help you visualise, think about close to a thousand rolls of film 135, 120s... and just shovel them into a big brown carton box.

What struck me was key to developing my skill as a photographer is to find a way to get better organized.

In todays digital world, this should not be too difficult. But then again, I was never known for my organizational skills.

I am as what they say...

A person who likes taking the bull by the horn!


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the Generic Asian

Wednesday 23 April 2008

Organic Photography



I once bought an excellent set of studio strobes from a good friends of mine...

They were made by White Lightning. I had 3 heads with I think 900 watts of pure light love. Since he was a really good friend, he threw in a number of things... 3 beauty dishes, 3 barn doors, 3 snoots, 2 soft boxes (one was about 4 feet x 6 feet. 3 power transformers... the works.

In theory, I could do whatever I wanted with those strobes and by golly I did try.

But you know what... I always ended up using one head at 1/8th the power...

Sadly I miss my white lightings... I had to give them up when I moved to Singapore about 4 years ago.

First of all I am not a professional photographer. Heck I do not even call my self a photographer... Let's just say I am a Smelly Snapper.

So here we go again... As with part of the phase and in line with the times. Strobist lighting seems to be the hottest thing... Whilst I think I have been doing this Strobist thing for about 4 years now.

Wait a minute... it maybe even more than 4 years ago... I first experimented in this kind of lighting when I saw a video of how the late great Dean Collins many years ago with his great hammer flash. Hmmmm... in fact I copied for many years his lighting style.

Another side comment. The best complement I ever got trying to copy his work was... "Hey your shot looks like Dean Colling lighting"... I thought I would be happy hearing this, but somehow it did'nt feel too nice.

Anyway, back to my Strobist journey.

I now have three Canon 550ex flashes and still working on my hobby, but guess what... It does not matter if I shoot with 900 watt white lightnings or a whimpy Canon 550 EX flashes... I am still finding myself using just 1 light.

Then it hit me...

The reason I like using one light or the appearance of using one light is that I am so used to the biggest available light I have been so used to seeing.

Everything just feels natural to me this way. It feels more organic.

So to all of you my millions of readers, I declare...

the Generic Asian is an Organic Photographer!


See ya!

Saturday 19 April 2008

Of MP3s and men!

I really enjoy having my Ipod. Its like a really good friend to me.

Its been a friend to the Generic Asian's family for the last couple of years... Its always been on my side, except for the time I sent to Apple for repairs which took them a full 3 days.


For no apparent reason yesterday, my Ipod just stopped working. It has stopped.

This made me think a bit more about why I took its photo not so long ago.

I was really taking its photo as a challenge to a topic on an internet forum that I had been following lately.

Let's just say it was a bit of a shallow reason to photograph something as mundane as an old outdated Ipod, but now that it has crashed and I presume past its life expectancy, I find that the photograph has a few new meaning to me.

I won't go onto what loving memories the Ipod has brought back, but needless to say the photograph of my Ipod is jam packed full of memories.

Now this leads me to my world of photography.

As of April 19, 2008, I now have about 85 - 100 gigs of photographs and maybe about the equivalent of it in color negatives. Now, not all of these photographs are memories of past that may have any special meaning to me now...

Again, not all these are photographs that may have no meaning to me NOW.

In 5, 10 or even 50 years, I cannot begin but wonder what sort of memories my photographs will bring.

But in this age of MP3s and digital photography, will I even be able to access these digital photos? Will my children, my grand children and my great grand children be able to access these memories? Will they even want to access these images?

Only time will tell.


- the Generic Asian -

Thursday 17 April 2008

Two Worlds Collide!



There are many things I love doing. High on the list to this things I love to do is eating (Almost the same league as breathing air... )

As some of you know, I am on my photography phase once again...

So I had an idea! How can I merge these two loves into holy matrimony! How can these two worlds be combined!

But before that... a little backgrounder.

When I was about 4 or 5 or maybe 6... I can't remember exactly when, but my Mom always reminded me to to ask questions. No matter how tough or stupid it may have sounded, I was encouraged to ask.

As time moved on, many an interesting thing happened to me... my voice changed, I had hair growing in places, gone to school, met other people, gone to school... All of these things driving me towards a strange little thing called adulthood. I grew, changed and had become what I would stereotypically cast as an Asian.

Now this may read controversial, but the "standard" Asian mind works this way...

Don't ask, just do. Come to think of it, the Nike campaign could have been written by an Asian... "Just Do It!"

Anyway, back to my point... As I grew older... I asked less questions.

Now, back to my even earlier point...I needed to feed my photography addiction a bit more... I needed to feed my "passion". In my experience, feeding my passion meant putting my wallet on a diet...

But being the true cheapo... my inner voice was whispering... "follow your Mom..."

So following my inner voice, mother's wishes and believing on her superior wisdom... Low and behold, the Generic Asian mustered up the courage and walked up to a total stranger and asked them... "How would you like it if I take a photograph their restaurant."

Low and behold! Ladies and gentlemen..... She said... "Are OK to shoot on Sunday? I will prepare 5 to six dishes and you can shoot in my restaurant for about 3-4 hours no charge."

Yummy!!!

I did it.. I had become my mothers child once again!

By the way, the food is good here too!


p.s. photos to follow... I am sleepy already : (

Monday 14 April 2008

Welcome to the Generic Asian


Welcome to the Generic Asian weblog.

I am a person who is what they refer to as a "phase" person.

I have been into many phases... the hi-fi phase, gym phase, driving around phase, investing phase.... so let's see what the cat brings in next time.

Right now, I am into my taking photos phase... so hang on to your pants and expect photos from me...

As we are in the photography phase, many of my Asian brothers and sisters go through a thing called camera envy... its like a manhood extension. I wonder what it is for women though.? Hmmm...

Anyhow, as soon as the latest longest biggest heaviest new camera gadget is out... it automatically becomes a must have product that will surely revolutionize the way we take photos... I must admit I have gone through this occasionally and until recently, I have not gotten a hold of how to control the urge... you right now, I am officially broke!

So I pledge no new camera gadgets for now... until the next paycheck and then all bets are off!