tentang My Raya Report (2010)

today is the 6th of raya.
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri! eid mubarak! happy eid!
to everyone and maaf zahir batin :D

the preparation
our raya this year is to me the best raya in adelaide so far. we made some kuih raya (well.. my wife did. i provided the moral support). got some kuih last month when we transit at KLIA too. we got 3 kad raya (proper ones, not digital/text) and stuck it to our board. bought a raya furniture and some other stuff for the house for raya.

1st of shawwal
we did not cook anything special today as we plan to spend the day in the city visiting friends. so early morning we went to al-khalil mosque for the eid prayers. unfortunately, we couldn't make it in time so we went to the city mosque instead. the prayer in the city was 30 mins later. after the prayer, we stayed at the mosque and had biryani rice, some roti and various dessert. there was nobody that we know there but we made some new friends.

we then head to bonython park where a group of malaysian post grads are meeting up to celebrate raya. it was not a huge group but there was plenty food for everyone. we have never taken part in their activities before (although we've been in SA for almost 3 years now) so i had to make a formal introduction.. which was embarrassing and unexpected. but it was not too bad. there we met Kak Gina (blog sweet like candy). my wife loves to read her posts

after bonython park we went back to the mosque for friday prayer and then went to an aunt's place. the aunt and her family were going to a malaysian student's open house so we tagged along. turns out, the hostess, a student, is attached to UM. the place where my wife went to for her degree.

the earlier beautiful day is starting to get cold again and rain is on the way. at about 4 we decided to go home. we were full and kinda tired anyway. so we went home, cleaned up the house and started cooking for the next day. we're having our closest friends over to celebrate raya with us

the open house
because it's raya, we invited our dearest friends over on the 2nd day of raya. my wife made ketupat, lemang, rendang, chicken korma, peanut sauce, the kuih raya, and fruit cocktail for desert/drinks. Since that is sort of aussie culture to bring a plate, the guests brought vegetable curry, steamed rainbow trout, a carrot cake, a chocolate cake, ice cream, and juices. that is a lot of food!

the firsts to arrive were the group of malaysian-chinese undergrads who live in roseworthy (where we lived before). the had other plans later that day so they had to come early. then an aussie friend (who is really like our foster mum) arrived with her steamed fish. our chinese friends, the newlyweds, arrived later followed by another chinese couple (also from china); and another aussie friend. the last to arrive was our taiwanese friend who used to be our neighbour in roseworthy college.

so no malay friends? no, our closest malay friends have gone back to malaysia for raya, and some for good. the indonesian family have gone back to indonesia a couple of months ago. we kinda miss them, they were like family to us.. we used to have tarawikh together at their house, we celebrated raya together and because they are a lot older then us, they would look after us and helped us whenever we had any trouble.. and when we're being naughty

the day went really well. we ate and chatted. we showed pictures of our recent trip to the UK and France. and when everyone was done eating, we played wii games - wii play, wii sports, and finally guitar hero. it is really fun playing simple games with a fun group. especially boxing! XD

3rd hari raya
the malaysian carnival 2010 was held that day in victoria park, which is right in the center of adelaide city. we only heard about it the week before, and because of the location, i expected there to be a lot of people. but the sight that greeted us that day was way beyond what i thought it would be like.

we arrived there at around 12pm. the carnival was set up in a simple way - the food stalls on the left, the stage in the middle, and other stalls and booths on the right.

there was not too many people at the 'other stalls' area except for the cooking demonstration tent. the runner-up of 2009 australian masterchef, Poh, was there to do some malaysian cooking demo. a lot of people went to see her and later ask for her autograph.

at the stage area, there were many people, just not too packed but the large opening behind the seats for the stage, people with their food sat down on the grass making the whole carnival look like a massive picnic!

finally the food stalls. there were people everywhere. the lines were super long and the food wasn't prepared quick enough.

after saying hello to friends that was there, we decided to line up for food. we planned to buy a nasi lemak and karipap from one stall and a ramly burger (ala burger special tepi jalan), muar chee and some kuih talam from another. so we each stood in a line and waited. after over 1 hour my wife finally got her turn and then she found out only the nasi lemak is available, and there was another 20mins wait for that. since she waited in line for so long, might as well buy it. just a little later, my turn came and almost the same thing happened. only the burgers were available. so i bought one and waited for the burger.

we walked around to other stalls to see what else is there (and with the shortest line) and got samosas, chee cheong fun, tau fu fah; came back to the earlier stalls to claim our nasi lemak and burger. then we head to the picnic area and sat down to have our lunch in the midst of the mostly malaysian crowd :D. we went home stuffed and happy

4th hari raya
it is a monday so my wife will have to go to school today. i started blogging again and check the many updates on facebook. uploaded a few raya pics for our family to see. but 4th day is still raya right? i was still in raya mood because of all the raya vibes online blogs and such. it was great. for dinner, my wife made an awesomely hot lontong with even spicier sambal ikan bilis! it felt like raya all over again.

Europe Trip 2010 Part 1 - The Preparation

ok before i start, apologies for the late post. i kinda promised this last week but did not manage to make it. gomen~

oh how good it is to be back and to have broadband again~!

the beginning
the whole trip was planned because of a conference in Edinburgh. so because neither of us have ever been to europe before, and all the friends and families living there, we decided to spend a few weeks in the UK and France.


the plan
we wanted to go to a lot of places, but the reality is, we can't really afford it. and not enough time anyway. the initial plan was to have this reunion with wife's closest friends, now living in Netherlands and Germany, in Paris but unfortunately in the end everyone couldn't make it and so we planned to go visit their cities, but even that was tricky.

so in the end we did not visit Amsterdam, Rome, and this town in Germany that i could not remember the name. maybe next time, if we ever have the opportunity to go over to that side of the world again.

to prepare for all the places we were going to, we bought some books, these Lonely Planet's guidebooks to Edinburgh (Lonely Planet Edinburgh Encounter Travel Guide), London (Lonely Planet London Encounter Travel Guide) and Paris (Lonely Planet Paris Encounter Travel Guide). initially i didn't think we really need them (i guess that's just me being a guy) but it is not too expensive anyway (and my wife thinks those books could come in handy) so we bought them. turned out to be a good call because it helped a lot in our trip.. especially the Paris and French Fast Talk. small light books, makes you look like the tourist you are, but they help you out a lot especially when you have no idea where to start and in some cases, how to communicate. i don't mind looking like a tourist.


the trip
we went to Newcastle first, then headed north to Edinburgh for the conference and stayed a couple of days more for sightseeing. After that we went to Glasgow for a few days and flew to Paris. After a few days in Paris we went to Disneyland Paris and spent 2 days there. Took an early morning flight to London where we stayed for a few days before going back to Adelaide.

i enjoyed the trip so much that i wished we had more time to spend there. and that we did not come down with a flu during the trip and that we did not have bought so many books so early into the trip.


the thanks
i have to say, there are some blogs that my wife and i referred to when we were planning this trip. and to them i would like to express my gratitude and thanks. please visit their blogs for me :D. the blogs are the very famous redmummy.com whose very detailed travel report provided heaps of insights, kenwooi.com whose trip to UK was rather inspiring to me, my wife's friend sagittariuswifey.blogspot.com whose husband takes lovely pics, as well as to shilashower.blogspot.com and ladyverde.blogspot.com for posts about their trip to europe as well.



i'll do a more detailed post later about each place that we went to. this is sort of like the intro to everything. so if you're interested in reading about it, just drop by this blog again later in the week. or comment and ask me to stop slacking off and post the next part already. ^_^

in the mean time, here's some of the pics that i took during the trip.

my pics are a little gloomy aren't they?

^_^

5 Things to Know If You Have a DSLR (and consider yourself a photographer)

this post is meant for people new to SLRs and people who share the same opinion about 'photographers'. i have written quite a few entries before about my annoyance toward wannabe photographers. but each and every one of them was left unpublished. i hate posting negative posts.

i know people have heard of this before, but i just wanna say it: 'owning an SLR (digital or not) does not make you a photographer'

ok enough with the negativity. i am starting to feel like an elitist jerk who thinks that i am better than everyone.. which i am not, not entirely. maybe just a little but i prefer to deny it. just to be clear, i like photography, mostly about the design aspect of it. so i don't care much about the tech and the proper use of lenses etc. as far as i'm concerned, even someone with a compact camera can snap awesome pics. i am only a hobbyist.

if you just bought an SLR, or planning to, or maybe have it but still feels a little weird (or perhaps shy to use it in public) when using it, i suggest practice and understand what all these mean :

1 - the correct way to hold an SLR
once i saw this malay drama on tv and her character is supposed to be a photographer or something. then picked up her dSLR, and held the camera like a n00b. tsk tsk tsk

2 - learn the SLR basic functions
ISO, aperture, shutter speed, light meter, and the most important of all (and also the easiest way to identify wannabe photographers).. focus. i think focus is the most important because a blurred picture is a complete FAIL. if photography is a language, then focus would be the proper grammar.

3 - learn the photography basics
composition (balance, rule of third, point of interest, negative and positive space, depth of field), lighting (using flash, not using flash, reflectors, natural light), colours (colour temperature, white balance, understanding the colour wheel helps a lot too), and bracketing.

4 - read tips, look at inspirations, practice, practice and practice.
i am sure a lot of SLR owners are already doing this. to be good at it (or everything else anyway), a lot of practice is needed. if you're using dSLR, make sure you have a lot of disk space and keep all the photos.. but by all means delete all the out-of-focus and ugly-as-shit ones. if you are using film, keep the negatives in a safe place. and tips, although it does not sound important when you have been taking pictures for years, are always a good thing. i still read photography tips before i go somewhere to travel. it's like a revision and sometimes, you come across simple tips that you never heard of.

5 - learn the advanced techniques
ok this part is not really important, but will help you improve. but start this only when you have mastered the basics and have done these things :
- sunrise and sunset photography (with silhouette)
- light trails
- panning and zooming effects
- multiple exposure
- marco photography

when you have done these successfully, most likely you have enough experience in photography. so move on to the more advanced things like:
- panorama (and vertical panorama)
- extreme macro
- HDR
- tilt shift photography

i think tutorials and examples of any of these techniques i mentioned are easily found on the net. lots to read right? yes, but it is a lot of fun too. just don't do everything at the same time.


omg this has become a long post. no matter. if you have read it i hope, in any way, it has been beneficial and not too much of a waste of time. again.. i'm no photographer. so all this are things i know about photography from reading, uni, internet, mags, and friends.. and blogs too.

and owh.. there's lots more photography techniques out there too. obviously.

^_^

tentang Mascot Adelaide Fringe 2010

the adelaide fringe is an arts festival held here in Adelaide, South Australia. this year begining Feb 19 till March 14, the city of adelaide will be buzzing with performances, everywhere. buskers from not only around australia, but around the world would come here and perform in the middle of Rundle Mall. a very interesting time to come visit adelaide.

and around the city, massive blow-up astronauts, the mascot for Adelaide Fringe 2010, can be seen in the park, on top of buildings and one is crawling on the side of a building.



that massive thing is blocking the view for someone's office window. heh.. sux to be that person huh?

click to visit Adelaide Fringe 2010 website

tentang Basic Photography Tips - Flashing

i posted the tips about strictly not using flash for normal point & shoot digital camera (link). i almost never use flash to be completely honest. but there are situations that using flash (direct flash) will improve the picture taken.


Flash as a Fill Light
the idea is to brighten up details that are in the shadows.
1) outdoor shooting under the bright afternoon sun.
2) indoors where the subject is standing too close to the window where all other artificial lights isnt enough.

when i first heard abt this i thought it doesnt make much sense using flash for an outdoor picture, under bright daylight. but after trying it out myself, i realize if the shadows were too strong, this is where flash could help create an even better picture.

* without flash *

* with flash *

the example above is not the best example. when using flash, dont rely on flash to light the subject (as main light) but as fill light only. the pictures above shows that i rely heavily on the flash to light up the little mr. roo there. sorry i'm a little lazy to go outside now to make a better example :P

pro photographers will use flash NOT directly, but by bouncing the light off surfaces around the subject. average everyday hobbyist like us, using point&shoot digital cameras, we dont have to do that.. but just keep in mind when using flash -
1) keep a distance from the subject (some guides say around 4-10 feet). not too close or too far.
2) dont flash into a mirror or other equally reflective surface. that will create glare.
3) practise and keep experimenting. nobody instantly becomes an excellent photographer overnight.

so yeah.. have a go and have fun ^^

tentang Basic Photography Tips - Don't Flash

whenever i snap a picture.. the first snap will will not have flash turned on. if the whole picture is a blur.. i'll snap another one and try my best to stay still.. and if the subject is blur then i'll take a series of snaps (bracketing). and if that doesn't work.. i'll consider turning on the flash.

in this post.. i'm talking about the built-in flash on every standard digital camera. not the fancy ones :D



yes i dont like to use flash. apart from using a lot of battery power, it ruins the picture. how? -
1) the background will become very dark
2) the picture will look 'flat' (loose depth between foreground, subject and background)
3) if the subject is a person, most of the time his/her face will look shiny. sweaty.
4) the picture will look at least 50% less attractive (if attraction is a measurable subject)

example..


so personally, using flash is always the last option to me. unless i am in a studio or i have enough equipment and proper flash. else, i'll try to be really still when i snap. avoid using flash if u can.. trust me.. it'll do u good. and technology right now so advanced that you can not use flash and still get a pretty good picture.

anyone wanna add some things abt not using flash feel free to do so ya! lets share knowledge ^^


EDIT :-
i've realized there's some flash related things that i should add.. so here it is.
when u press the 'thunder' (flash) button, most camera will shuffle between modes-

1) Forced Flash -
the 'thunder icon'. turns the flash On. will always use flash.

2) Supressed Flash -
the 'no thunder' icon. turns the flash Off. will never flash.

3) Automatic Flash -
the 'thunder' icon with word 'AUTO'. camera decides if flash is needed or not.

3) Red Eye Redution -
the 'Eye' icon. when taking picture with flash On, will prevent eyes of the person in picture to look like a demon with red eye XD

3) Delayed Flash -
this is somewhat new to me.. prevents the background to look too dark when using flash. but must stay still to use this function.

tentang Photography Tips for Bloggers - Macro Function

sometimes i blog-walk and i find blogs that posts blurred picture of the food he/she just had. interesting stuff.. but the picture is a blur just like some criminal on the news. have this ever happen to ur blog entry before? if yes read on ^^

why? this happens because of the camera is too close to the subject and the camera cant focus. the solution is the macro function of your digital camera. this is a simple photography tip for bloggers to take better pics in the future



(left)without macro on. (right)with macro on

no u dont need to have fancy DSLRs or anything.. normal digital camera normally have this function. camera phones.. probably wont have macro (unless u have a really expensive one).

and btw, this tip is written not for any specific brand. i think all digital cameras that i have tried so far functions and is operated the same way.


the macro function
when - generally when taking pictures of smaller objects (books, wristwatch, psp buttons). food bloggers.. when u snap pics of the delicious food u just had (it is absolutely important to make food look pretty and fresh because people on the net cant taste or smell that food).


how
- set the camera mode to Macro (refer to ur camera's manual). normally it is the one with the flower icon.
- point the camera at the subject.
- press that button that snaps the picture (i'll call it 'take picture' button) half way and hold, wait for the camera to focus (look at the display)
- when the subject u want is in focus, press the take picture button all the way.

tips
take picture from an angle. u can easily get this cool 'depth of field' effect.


sounds fun? do a quick search for 'macro pictures' sample on google images and i think u'll get the idea how to use macro functions. now start experimenting and have fun!

tentang The Royal Adelaide Show

(kid in black tee with blue prints is not me)

when i was stuck in RL i managed to enjoy some RL events that was really fun. there was a 'Pasar Ramadhan' at Adelaide Uni, went shopping for baju raya at Harbour Town, Roseworthy College Open Day 2009, and The Royal Adelaide Show 2009

The Show (the name people here refer it as) is a yearly event. something like a massive fun fair that is held once a year at the Adelaide Showgrounds. when i say massive.. i mean that by comparison to the fun fairs the i have been to in malaysia. there were the usual fun fair things - rides, carnival games, bazaars, competitions

here's a little history of The Show i got from wiki and info from friends :P. the first ever Royal Adelaide Show was held in 1840 as an agriculture thing. it later grew over the years as more things and attractions were added. The Show used to be more on agriculture and livestock.. and the showbags used to be free. but nowadays it is more of a fun entertainment event.

this is a late post so at the time im writing this, the show has ended almost a week. it was only a 10 (or was it 9) day event :P. but the site is still up.. if you're curious, head to http://www.theshow.com.au

more pics ^_^

tentang the last 3 weeks

so what did i do the past 3 weeks? attended a wedding in Kelana Jaya and Marang. took whole heaps of pics and deleted almost 2/3 of it ^_^





these are some kind of summary of the wedding. selamat pengantin baru Ain & Red