Photos Make you Blogs Go Pop - Part 2

Just by walking in to the hotel, the "classy ambient" flows. It not like Marina Bay Sand or Fullerton hotel those "$$$" dollar sign fly around type of luxury and spontaneous "Gold Deluxe" feel. Use imagination and time travel back to around 70's, the hotel gave a scene of "authentic" type of luxury. Anyway, to solve your curiosity I dump some of the hotel photos here.

Albert Court Village Clock Tower (From Goggle)

Luxury Room

Authentic Beds

Hall Path Way

Fabulous Night Scene

So can understand how the Luxury here? Can start to plan for a romantic valentine there.
Back to the workshop, I do a quick check with the customer service for the room location, immediately proceed for level 2 for registration.

Function Room (Demo)

Saw the big "omy Panasonic "sign board, I knew it the correct place. A "thick" for the registration and I collect the goodies bag from the organizing staff. We are required to change up the sponsored black "Panasonic Lumix" jersey for easy identify on the street later.(Luckily was black, else probably will not wear a 2nd time by own preference). I choose to select a center seat in the function room, so that I could have a "closer view" with the guest. But base on the nice sitting arrangement, 3 peoples in a row do give us sufficient space to move around and will not block others too much.

What inside the "Goodies" bag?

I believe till now, you all are curious about the "goodies" in the bag ? (Actually me too)..here are some quick snap  of the freebies!

*Took with the LATEST Lumix G - prepared on the table! (Without knowing the function, just try with a program mode).

1. Panasonic Multi-card reader - (At first I though was thumbdrive)

2. Panasonic Evolta Batteries- Eco ideas (Wolrd's No.1 Long Lasting)

3. Panasonic Lumix G Lanyard - Kinda Cool (but to hang ez-link?)

Panasonic DMC - GF 5X LUMIX 5 Series!!! (Favorite+ Stars Stars)

The camera was "loan" to us after sign the loan form (Haiz, how I wish it can be the "freebies"). Let's see in camera in REAL!

TADA!!!!

Stylist Red LUMIX G

The metalic casing makes the body very steady and firm, seems quite tough! Love the compact design, felt very SOLID. (Imagine - Compare iPhone & Samsung S3, this is like iPhone)

LUMIX G from TOP

It comes very handy in size, kinda slim is take out the lense. It come with a kit lense that support HD recording, basic mode for most DLSR, having it own brand of iA function (yes is iA not Ai), Additional iA+ function amazingly strong, the most valuable features that will tempted you to get this camera (will describe more on the feature in a moment), changeable lenses (for lense lover), touch screen shoot and display... and many more! Last, I repeat this again. If you bought this camera, you will love the grips !! Because I also love it so much!!!  

*(If you wanna ask how I took "my camera" photo? Answer was - I took other people's camera photo.)

I test run the camera with below:  (First Shoot!! )

Complimentry from Village

Notes: that cup and mineral water was always good to target. (Since this the only object on top my desk)

Anyway, workshop have started on time. Lucky that as all the participants were very punctual, we did not waste too much time on waiting.
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WORKSHOP BEGAN!

It head start from some basic introduction by the organizer  from omy.sg & Panasonic about  the initiatives.

We have a quick start with the special guest!

CHRISTINE NG - MODEL BLOGGER (Direct Blog Link)

no photoshop, no push-up bra, no fake eyelashes... but real life situations.

She sparks every body eyes when step in to the function room (Woot!!)

So she begin to explains about her experience into the blogging which started about 7 years ago, however it get "noticible" by people only since 2 years ago. Not every blog will pop just the day you create it - to all the bloggers, the popularity doesn't justdrop from the skies.

Christine Blogs - Sexy Photo By Omy

Christine Ng - Explains how to "Keep it Simple"



Pretty & Cheerful Christine Ng

Mentioned by Christine, in general - these day do no need to expert in article writing but use more in photos that giving more details to the story. Some key points she shared as below:

1. Using vivid color for food photographing. (Eventually the easiest way to start with)

2. Make it simple with all the details .

3. Making portraits its a challenge to capture the eyes that sincere and u can use even animal photos.

4. Find a good camera and light so you bring that you having the advantages to get a better photos than a compact camera but not as bulky.

Sad to said that some of the points I missed out, caused I giving too much attention "into" her speech - Sorry Christine...= <
Her speech was short & sweet, just like the person simplicity. Most of the time,  her "eyes" spoke the most.

Soon, the mic passed down to Jesome Lim.

Recap the Speaker from the previous post on the invitation email??

Jesome Lim - Journal blogger

He been writing article and submitting photos like the "Last of the Railway" which suddenly remind be of him. He do bring up a lot of memories via photos (sorry that I forgotten his name, but I do remember his articles - now)

Below were some of the key notes I took during the workshop, summarize everything.

1. take a photo, tell a story

2. Paint a thousand words

3. Simplicity - keep it single so draw attention to the subject

4. Off-center subjects ( try to putting it to center it became static for your information)

5. Rule of thirds - not hard and fast just draw the imaginary line to locate for the object proportionality.

6. Leading lines - reading line for people to "focus " on the line.

7. Diagonals - include diagonal elements bring the attention to the subject.

8. Framing - frame your picture by blurring the side or use architecture element like doors, windows.

9. Isolation - way to draw the attention to the subject by blurring it away with large aperture , to focus on the specific path. E.g. Chinese new year orange taking.

10. Movement - take with slow shutter speed. E.g. Chin gay period on water splashing and blurred emotion.

11. Light- use the light on exposing the lighter part and shadow have a big contrast to display the model dress with dynamic effect. Else to focus on people, draw the focus by shadow the people way.

12. Texture and colors - color like red very catchy, with nice accompany with green.

13. Capturing the moment - things that happen in split seconds, to tell a short story.

14. Look for unexpected - capture the reflection of the car for a building.

15. Speaking through your photos - took a walk of the morning after the railway, show the story with the nice composition on the object and building. The human train that notifiable place that walking at the old track as a human train. The green corridor on the story to to tell "how green in the corridor "

16. Stories are everywhere - like the rail way bridge and a lady to shoot the bridge but other was focusing at other items..

He is a very Experience and Intelligent person, we learn a lot of local history and photography technique from him. He is also l shown a lot of his famous articles, the effect was amazing (can't believe also without photoshop)

The 3rd Intructors will be James Lee,  from the Panasonic

James are very Passionate on teaching us to use Lumix G

He start up with patching up on the Jesome speech, on how we could use the feature of the camera to get the same effect (and he shown the photo on how to get it). Very soon we are directed to start our hands on. (Apparently my hand was already busy trying out the features), as such I did not manage to took much notes on it. From above photo, the focus "accidentally" flow to Christine...(again just a side story)

James teaching us how to use the "one colour' touch & Shoot (New Feature)

Apparently Lumix provide a lot of wonderful features. But I choose to describe a bit the more on the  impressive "iA Plus" features, quite interesting. There are some combination of the "advance targeting" features and quite a number of setting to manipulate the colour setting "when it shoot" (No before or After you shoot). Will mentioned these features below.

He is focusing on his gf I think...

This was "Trying" to use the "One Color" feature - But Failed

This photo was took to try out the "one color" feature, it actually let you to pick a color on the screen use as main and discolor other colors. Thanks for the big guy, I choose the color on his back and so the photo became all dim. Wasted that did not manage to try much on this feature as I am a "slow" shooter. Continue testing on other feature.

"Touch & Shoot": Models Kurumi & Sharudin

I was trying the "Touch & Shoot" features on them, and also this one of the best feature I like on the iA Plus. You can touch to focus the object, and it will auto blurred away the side. As the default camera focus was on Sharudin but I "Touch" Kurumi instead on my camera LCD. "Snap", it blur away Sharufin and made the focus on Kurumi. I am so Impressed!!

Janet from Omy.sg

Janet gave some speech about the program later and show us what we gonna do next.

I also took a photo for the "sexy" lenses!

Quite a number of lenses!

 Before the we proceed with out door, "Villages" actually prepared a nice tea break for us. Janet also advised us to drink more water before we get on the road.

Shoot before the Food Gone!

The tables setup near the function room, just couple of steps away.

Wonderful Mushroom Bread! (With avocado)

James gave advice to try the "Touch & Shoot" Feature here

Wonderful Tuna & Ham!!

The effect was just NICE!! It the makes the photo can really speak out from themself.

Wonderful Cheese and Bacon!!

This really something I need to compliment to the Village chef (or who ever that make these bread), it was so nice & smooth! In fact, I hate to eat  sandwiches. Normally only will eat it while "no choice", for me - bread = breakfast. However, I love these sandwiches!! (Initially I thought it might already "harden", which happen to most of hotel). The sandwiches were fresh, tasty, yummy... till the it actually all finished after I took the photos.

Apple Tarts

A bit sweet and the taste acceptable, not a great fan off sweet stuff so I tried just one. And "Ok"... I took without the "skin", however I got throw after the photo (I think).

You can see the food clearing fast or gone (James only took 1)

Others were busy interacting with our special guest. (I am just to shy to approach them).

"Bikini" - By "unknown- me"

Don't ever buy "OUT OF ORDER" brand of coffee machine

Testing to take some ligthing - Nice Neon light"

Beside the coffee machine

Nice designed lantern - Trying to get some reflection out there

After the satisfying teabreak , we started on our journey out to little india.

Big applause to Far east organization & Villages!

The part we went for the Photo shooting which link to my other post - At the Part 3