Sweater Lickin' Good!

In the teething months of each boy, we will often begin to see the corners of our home furniture chipped, books being mutilated with saliva and bite marks, toys been nibbled off, crayons been halved etc.

And when those targets are not readily available, they will conveniently turn their small teeth on their own hands and clothes! Here, we have Devon munching on his own sweater.

India's Favorite Pancake - Roti Prata

One of the most classic staple food for over one billion mouths in the world - Roti Prata, is also one of the most favorite breakfast option for Singaporeans.

Here, we start with a dose of flour, being flown into the air with a pair of skillful hands in a circular motion, expanding the dough into a circular sheet of flour. You then choose what you want with that base - cheese, banana, onion, eggs etc. before it being pan fried to crispy perfection as shown.

Curry or simply sugar is available on a separate plate to eat these golden pancakes with. Hmm... time for one tomorrow!

National Day and the Many Red Flags in August

Putting up a national flag in your front porch here would typically mean its again, the time of the year, where the country celebrates her national day. In fact, its the only time of the year where you are allowed to do so, without a visit by the police (no kidding). Six strokes of horse whipping awaits anyone who could not explain themselves well. This would usually be followed by twenty hours of work corrective orders for the victim, together with another twenty for intensive counseling sessions (kidding).

Here, a floor standing version is seen erected by someone who probably belongs to the town council.

Indian and Chinese Food - All the Same

Its my day to enjoy it with my family over lunch today, and its also the time to pick an interesting place to have something different. Well, the indians have their version of oily nun bread called "Flat bread" while the chinese have their pan-fried spring onion pancakes. They both taste almost the same except that one is eaten with spicy curry while the other with vinegar-filled pork dumplings.

It's also a treat to the boys who love each variants of such in the restaurant today. Shot with the Nikkor 60mm F/2.8D.

Yummy!

Father & Son Self-Portrait

Its one of those moments where Devon decides to climb behind my back and ride the "dinosaur". And since I was cleaning my Nikon D90 assembly then, I decided to raise it into the air facing us to capture that moment.

I thought it came out alright...Nikkor 35mm F/1.8G.

A Walk in the Park

I just hope all those who has placed order for their Nikkor 35mm F/1.8G has received them with the recent worldwide replenishment of this severely backordered glass. It sure is a joy to shoot with one, every now and then, with her lens characteristics being identified as sharpest among many other top Nikkor lens.

Here, we have a maturing lizard being photographed this morning in my exercise routine...as crisp as it can go I would say!

One of the Fifteen Thousand Species of Orchid

My walk with the boys brought us to a field of potted orchids yesterday and its indeed a beauty to see them in their full blown splendor. Just another point and shoot moment I guess.

And if my memory serves me right, there is just about 15,000 types of orchid in the world! How is that possible?

BTW, Its also the national flower of Singapore!

Dave is Three!

Being the second boy in the family, they often learn much faster from the eldest, and master the skill of articulation at a much earlier age too. He is much feistier, playful, daring and does not fear expressing himself.

Sometimes, when you look at them, you know that they are deep in their thoughts, based on their expression. Some say 100,000 neurons are formed daily in their brain at the age of just three! That's some serious ability to think in that small brain of his!

Squid Monster Attacks!

In a bid to attract more visitors, much of Singapore is undergoing radical transformation, from shopping to the weird water-sprouting squids. Stopping the shutter down to 1/4000 seconds over them does create some special effects off them!

The Impact of H1N1 is Orange

Out of a sudden national initiative to contain the outbreak of the flu pandemic, we begin to see a rather old icon reappearing on almost every public square. A little recall seem to identify these orange friend in an old courtesy campaign some twenty years ago when social grace is almost non existent on the island.

Well, at least, even the government is consciously showing their cost cutting mindset to the public, in reusing what's once familiar. Shot with the Nikkor 18-200mm lens.

Side Track #8 - Eclipse of the Sun Shots?

From where we are, its not a total eclipse along the Equator line, and hence not as spectacular as it should be for those readers on the northern hemisphere. In fact, it was raining for the whole morning! Sigh...

The last one I saw was back in 1999 when I was working in London. I can still remember that all of us stopped working that few hours while viewing it via a bucket full of water! Ah...the good old days!

Any of you manage to catch it with your camera?

Happy 3rd Birthday, Dave!

Every superman has his day! And when it comes to his birthday, with tons of cakes, candies and toys before his eyes, its alright to see him drool with joy. However, on any other days, he will still wear his white cloak with a more serious attitude to catch baddies and report violations committed by his siblings.

Little Devon Is A Happy Boy Today

Its a treat when you see them smile, a little token and means that they use to show their appreciation to the love you shower upon them. Little Devon is just over a year old and he grins all the time. In a way, he's trouble free, baggage free, even from all of the world's concern over the fragile economy. I want my milk and I don't care what will happen tomorrow!

And there's where photo taking also can become a rewarding experience too.

Transcending Photo To An Art

Once in a while, your mind wanders into the artistic realm of photography and you decide to set things up into a nice little scene before depressing the trigger. Like with a chair or something...and voila! And an interesting scene soon emerged.

Just a bit of dining fun I had this evening.

Again, shot with my Nikon 18-200mm lens. Frankly, I am beginning to like this lens.

All Works No Play Rot Your Brains

I kinda like that slogan and tend to want to live it out once in a while. What's the whole point in life if your only entitlement is to work and eat, so that you can go back to work again? Well, unless you have really setup for yourself some very unrealistic goals that is, like dying to have everything that is called new.

But for me, chilling out is an important part of my life and I do that in a private yacht club. Here, I relax and recharge, while the boys enjoy a game or two in the game room. With a kick into photography, I have decided to shoot a few shots today while there. Taken with my Nikon 18-200mm lens under the swelling heat wave.

Favorite Image of 2009!

A photo that prompts me to want to get the Nikon D40 immediately!

The Lighter Side of Haw Par Villa Park

Freakiest Park in Singapore

If the belief of obedience to parents is left unheeded by defiant children, there is a park on the island that most parents may contemplate bringing them to, one that depict hell (all 18 levels of it according to Chinese mythology) and its gruesome acts to those who has been wicked and disobedient!

A park that I decided to bring one of my boys to today (not that he needs it bad)! You would not want to mess with the intense details of those full-sized figurines and vicious creatures found in it, as they can be quite realistic to small children. And yes, it sure serve its purpose in reminding those naughty and stubborn hearts of theirs the rightful place in the family!

Shot with the Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens with Nikon SB-900.

Haze Sets In from Indonesia...Photo-taking Sets Out

Each year, we would expect our Indonesia neighbor to create some haze from their plantation burning exercise throughout the land for a couple of months, all while messing up the air of the island from July to September.

And it would be wise to tone down our shooting spree down a bit during this period, so as not to turn our lungs into the haze's air filters. So, its also a good time to consider a higher ground approach to continue shooting. One such possibility is to drive up to Malaysia highlands, where these haze seems unable to pollute.

Cameron highland is one such place I frequent during the haze seasons. And could well be the place I will escape too in July for a week at least.

Fun Sunday - Laugh or Gasp!