sgtret’s Friends

Scott Bourne's tips for photographing wolves and birds

nobody@vox.com(InsideTWiT) — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:33:29 -0400

Scott Bourne of MacBreak Weekly (and many other podcasts, including the ApplePhoneShow and TWIP, This Week in Photography), recently wrote two articles for JPG Magazine, including "10 Tips For Avian Photographers" and "Photo Essay - The Wolf." Scott also sat down with Leo on TWiTLive.tv last week after MacBreak Weekly to talk about some of his shots and techniques.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Nice Camera for Kids, None Exists

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:31:47 -0400

Interested in Camera Too?

Today's short trip to Vietnamese afternoon tea: My son was carrying my Rollei 35SE camera with a Lomo LCA leather carrying case. Instead of just viewing the result of a digital camera, he seems to start getting interested in all those cameras sitting in the glass case in our living room. So I picked one and allowed him to carry it for me.

Son Holding Polaroid

I was looking at my glass case full of analog cameras and he asked "may I get that one?" So I pointed to a plastic camera and he said "no no, that one". "This?" I said pointing to yet another plastic camera, "no the big one". He aimed at the biggest, a Polaroid Highlander. It was too heavy for him to hold up to eye level so finally I laid it on sofa for him to play with the shutter. After 30 seconds playing with the shutter he switched his attention to the flash unit. "What's this?" he said. "It's supposed to be a flash unit but we don't have the bulbs here so it doesn't work." Then he made canon firing sounds by clicking on the switch. Time to go afternoon tea, that's when I shortened the strap of the leather case to fit his size and made him carry a Rollei compact for me.

Tonight I searched on the net and found some cameras for kids. But none of them looks good enough. All but super colorful and weird shapes like game controllers. Why don't they make some classic looking digital cameras with colorful shells? I hate to see game controllers invading into a kid's world.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

I am a TWiT by Geoff Smith

nobody@vox.com(InsideTWiT) — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:07:44 -0400

This is a great song by Geoff Smith. You can also buy it at his website TheGeoffSmith.com, or in his store here.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Rickshaw's Moleskine Case Update

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:39:45 -0400

Here's an update from Mark Dwight (Rickshaw's Founder & CEO) on his progress to make a case for Moleskiners. His messenger bags will be available online in about 3 weeks' time, do check out his beautiful web site and sneak peek on some of the very distinct designs. In the mean time, please comment on the Moleskine case by posting on this or youtube site or email to him directly. I will meet him at NYSS/ICFF next week to check out the actual sample.

Rickshaw Moleskine Case

Here's a history of its development: M.bian Moleskine Case - an abandoned project, Responses to M.bian Moleskine Case, M.bian Case Meets Rickshaw's Mark Dwight.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Moleskine Moly_x_10 Group: My Book

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:36:05 -0400

Here's a Moleskine Japanese Album I started for the Moly_x_10 group. The topic here is: What has nothing to do with TIME. I'm going to send it to the next artists inviting them to add their drawings/writings to enlighten me.

Moly_x_10 My Book

I believe TIME is the greatest invention by human consciousness to cope with the ever changing world of uncertainty. Many of the things we all treasure have nothing to do with TIME. What are they? Imagination is one of them I contemplated. "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world - Albert Einstein".

Moly_x_10 My Book

For this Moleskine I punched a hole on the front cover and added an eyelet holding a string. I found that many of my old Moleskine have problem with the elastic band deteriorated, so I customized this one this way, not as handy but won't be ugly in *time*. The external pocket was also fixed on the cover, which holds a tag, a note to other artists and a scrap photo.

There are two ways to do the enclosure, like an envelope or like a parcel. I hope it will travel safely back to me opening new windows of my consciousness.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

String/Ribbon/Cloth/Bead/Button Streets

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:00:27 -0400

Strings From Sham Sui Po

I had an a great day-off today. Went to look for some strings for a friend and market researched several stationery, art/craft stores. Strolling in Sham Sui Po area where there are hundreds of outlets selling all sorts of fabric/fashion related materials, I rediscovered the area which once were part of Hong Kong's textile industry success, feeding 625,000 residents directly or indirectly in 1960s. There is no place in the world having such high concentration and variety of textile materials. If you are not familiar with Hong Kong, we even have streets full of retailers dedicated to selling birds, flower and fish.

String/Cloth/Button Street in Sham Sui Po

I could've spent hours but the weather was so hot I had sweat all over. So I just bought several yards of interesting strings, some coated with PolySomething (wax they said), some leather and some Polyurethane based. I couldn't even concentrate to take better photos due to the heat.

String Wholesales/Retail in Sham Sui Po

Price sold in small quantity varies from HK$1/yard to HK$5/yard for those I selected. Many stores allow you to cut a maximum 2 inches piece per style for sampling.

Later I went to Tak Cheung Stationery in Sham Sui Po, Chung Nam Book & Stationery in Mong Kok, Hands ARt & Craft in Wan Chai and lastly Paper Art in Central. Believe me, in such a tiny little place, Hong Kong is truly a shopping heaven. I turned out bought over HK$1000 Hero Arts stamps from Paper Art and became their permanent member :)

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Moly_x_10 Entry

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:34:02 -0400

Moly_x_10

Participated in Moly_x_10, a group to draw stuffs on each other's Moleskine Japanese Album. Today I received Kelly's book and drew these pages based a theme she specified - the view from here. Her drawing is a girl sitting on hilltop in front of a tree looking at clouds. I added clouds to continue her theme, but two of the clouds became breasts stemming out from a female tree body. The words: Human and Nature is all but one, imagine recomposing our reality in most unusual and creative ways, all but really possible.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Lomo Workshop Today

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:22:31 -0400

Lomo HK Mailbox

During Lomo Neverland event we collected dozens of newbies who would like to learn more about shooting skills, today we finally have the workshop held at Lomography Asia's shop. Hidden beside the old building's staircase, their mailbox looks beautiful contrasting their orange/red storefront. Dream said the mailbox was brought from Malaysia. This Polaroid photo was shot with one step brighter on 600 film using SLR 680.

Ming Hui sharing double exposure fun

Senior Lomographer Ming Hui shared with us the fun of doing double exposure xpro by swapping films with friends in different cities. Dream and Alex talked about long time exposure and film types. At the end we played some games and the atmosphere near the end was great. I wish I joined their Pinhole Day.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

St. Louis School - Unforgettable Years Which Shaped My Life

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:48:58 -0400

It was very emotional for me to attend my secondary school's 80th Anniversary Thanksgiving dinner tonight. A lot happened back then before and after I graduated 20 years ago. Looking at the 'school uniform' souvenir already brought back a lot of great memories, it was such a kind and loving school to me. From club scout to venture scout to being a leader/instructor training up the next generation, I had great unforgettable adventures (wild camps, 3 days hiking camp, competitions, knotting, foot drill, crafting, hiking at typhoon #8, etc etc) and learned survival skills and leadership. Was vice chairman of the photography club which rooted my love of photography and journaling. Being a debate team member I exposed my weakness - public speaking, and learned to face it, now I am proud to do impeccable presentations to anybody. Was a treasurer of student council (I.C.A), my first financial management experience. All these....... really shaped my life. I was never good academically, in fact I was the number one student counting from the last, but this school really opened up my life in all aspects, gave me chances to discover who I am. I love SLS!

St. Louis School 80th Anniversary

And Father E who passed away several years ago was such a great person. I was never religious but I had great time going to his room listening to him preaching, such a loving Father, he taught me that I could be a good person. He also organized Sunday activities, which was amazing. Anybody, not only schoolmates, could go to our school to play snooker, ping pong, cycling, drink ugly but tasty cold orange juice from concentration camp type of container in the summers, oh man those were the days. One great success of the school is its policy "The school door is always open" and it is so true. We had some great overnight adventures in school too, chit chatting with seniors on roof top, movie nights, oh so much happened. I wish I could fly back to see myself and others to enjoy those stuffs one more time! Just one more time.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Dymo 1610 Embosser

nobody@vox.com(Patrick Ng) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:44:56 -0400

Dymo 1610

On last Friday I was composing a planogram to re-establish selling Dymo machines and tapes in our stores properly. In the smallest possible space we cramped Letratag, D1 and 3D tapes into drawers in an acrylic stand, while adding 2 electronic label makers and 2 embossers on display. I was particularly happy that I could find this great Dymo 1610 embosser, I love the color so much - Beige vs. Red.

6mm or 9mm tapes can be used on this embosser with a simple switch, the dial is changeable to a vertical letter dial too. I hope to get this into our store in about 3 weeks' time. There will be a few more surprises of new embosser tapes color/pattern as well. Tell you more later.

Dymo torture

Without torturing products, you'll never know their true quality. As usual, I put these tapes into roughest use and re-use, subject them to humid environment, etc. Results vary from tape to tape but one uncomfortable fact is that some of the tapes' adhesive were found to be a little bit acidic (~pH5). I will have to verify with Dymo with this coz their web site doesn't say anything about acidity. This is important for people who want their scrapbook or journals to stay as healthy and long life as possible.

Previously: Hard to Find Dymo/Herlitz Embossers, Dymo Commercial

Read and post comments | Send to a friend