The Little Golden Book

We are collecting Little Golden Books. Remember them? So wonderful and nostalgic.

Unglam moment

This is an unglamorous moment of me (third from right) running after the media bus to photograph the Youth Olympics Torch relay along Orchard Road. Thanks Gavin Foo for the photo. And note the pair of pants I was wearing. A week later, I tore them which left me broken hearted when that happened. sigh.

Random Thought.

I still want to have 4 kids in my lifetime. (but then again when would i have them otherwise?) But not just yet. Still wanna do my ironman race (but training is always interrupted by travel) and I still want to have a dog (but we need to move into our own home finally, soon I hope) and I need to have enough cash to actually feed them.

WHY? OH! GEE...

Or the correct version is Y.O.G (Youth Olympic Games) which just ended a couple of days ago.

Here are some images (above) that I shot during the games. Don't mind the Associated Press watermark. For copyrights la. As for the Opening ceremony photo of Darren running with the torch, that's a different frame from what I filed.

It was 2 weeks of hard labor for us photographers, dragging all the lenses we have (300mm, 400mm, 70-200mm, 16-35mm, EOS 1D Mark III, EOS 1D Mark IV, EOS 5D Mk II, extra batteries, flash, remotes, clamps, CF Cards, Laptop, Power cables, CF Card Readers, Locks, Water-Proof gear) I bet there's a lot more stuff which I missed out on.

Needless to say, we all have bad backs right now. I feel like my body has gone through some really hard labor in fact, I honestly feel more physically tired now than after I had given birth to Nate. Honestly. I also fell one day after missing a step and sprained my ankle with all that camera weight on my shoulders. There was no way I could counter my fall. Resulting in a wet butt from the rain! But we had big Photo vests which were compulsory and it covered my fall evidence while shooting table tennis.

I started craving for carbs, like fried rice, anything with rice. It's like coolie food. And I understand why.

Having said that, I feel like efforts to cover this event has paid off. I'm happy with my coverage and the opportunity to shoot world class sports. Yes it was world class. These are your future Olympians, the same faces you will see in the next Olympic Games, in fact some of the athletes like in Gymnastics, or Diving, are at their peak at this age-group. They were such pleasure to watch out there.

At first, we were all pretty skeptical and cynical about the Youth Olympic Games. It was to me, something that would be like a school event. But I was so wrong.

I think that this has been a very good thing that happened to Singapore. Everyone was involved, volunteers were given a chance to be part of history.

I'm sure when the Olympics started out, it didn't receive that much attention, and in fact, i'm sure it received a lot of skepticism. But look at it now... Many years later, after all that recognition and attention it gets, everyone wants to be part ot it. I'm sure the same will happen.

On my part, I was given directive to cover this as highlights. We didn't have to chase every medal and every action.

I decided to use this as a testing ground. A chance to shoot sports the way I have always enjoyed sports for its beauty, its rhythm, and flow. No need to worry about tight bright and wide action and jubilation shots as we always do. Also a good chance to try shooting some of the sports I would otherwise never be able to shoot again in Singapore. Best time to learn. If it fails, no one will know!

I told myself. I can either not care at all and just cover some pretty looking sports or I could do something completely different and make it work.

There was quite a bit of self motivation involved since no one cared about the Youth Olympic Games. And like I said, it paid off.

I was so encouraged when my desk started moving the photos that were taken worldwide, reinforcing my passion as a photographer to continue doing different things with my images. I'm very encouraged at the culture of photography which is being accepted out there today. And it also reinforces the fact that interesting photos can always be made out of most situations if you try hard enough.

Having said that, there was also a fine balance in being arty and self indulgent.

I know I gained something from this games along with many many hundreds of other volunteers that put their heart and soul into really being part of this historical event.

And to all those of you who can't seem to see past yourselves and the small inconviniences that you may have suffered because of road closures or venue closures, I say move on and try to be more positive.

So let's see what the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China 2014 brings!

Congrats Singapore. I am proud.

More images can be found at www.apimages.com

Visual Record

Once in a while I like to keep a visual record of what Nathanael looks like.

So this is him, on Saturday August 28, 2010 at 1730hrs at Pasir Ris Beach, pottering around the sand while I help his day care teachers with some group photos as a Teacher's Day present.

Need to Sketch

Now that i'm done with the YOG and have prolly shot enough photos to feel saturated for a while, I shall resume my sketching. Ju I owe you one!

Another Random

Here's another random photo i took some time back. Why? You ask.. I don't know. Just miss posting photos up and because, I can.

Be Right Back

It's been awhile and i've got so much to catch up on, in the mean time with no relation to this post at all, here's a photo of a once scary fish i had that ended up eating up all the other fish's fins.

Back since my days in Bkk on assignment, then to East Timor and now the Youth Olympic Games.

But in that time, God has blessed and is continuing his blessings.

Will update with photos and funnies when the Youth Games is over, which is tomorrow!

In the mean time, Be good,

xoxo

Old

Covering the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is making me feel old.

Irony

Yesterday, a day before the whole "Give Way to Youth Olympic designated vehicles" came into effect, one of those vehicles had to give me way because it was blocking my car from leaving the parking lot.

Luckily for me, the driver was in the van. (:

Prayer

When we pray, God hears. Have a good week, what's left of it.

Resident Cow, Oe-cusse

Didn't Moo once.

Facebook

Hi some of you were wondering where I have disappeared too as my facebook account has temporarily been deactivated without warning

Sorry I didn't mean to alarm anyone.

Firstly i'm not dead, i'm still alive, neither have I been arrested for speaking openly about my objection to handcuffing photographers.

I just decided that it was time I gave myself a re-boot. Internally.

I found myself glued unecessarily to the computer screen when I should have been spending time reading to my son or spending more time researching work projects when I instead got distracted by someone else's status.

Nothing personal or neither is this over reaction on my part, but I just thought it be nice to detox for a while and not allow myself to unintentionally compare my life with others through their statuses or pictures. At the end of the day we are human. Nothing wrong with seeing what others do etc.. And it's good to keep up with one another.

I don't think that facebook is bad either. I think its a WONDERFUL way of being in touch. I have met up with so many old classmates and made new friends through Facebook.

However, this is a period for me to internalize things happening around me. To also reset, take stock and get back on track with life and living simply and getting closer to God's plans for me, with as little distractions as possible.

I will be back and will re-activate my account and i'm sure i will enjoy it.

Otherwise i'm updating my blogs (which is my visual diary) and I stay on twitter (mayersINsg) for updates especially the news because yes, life does still go on!. Yay! See you around.

Wet

Those of you Singaporeans who live abroad and wonder what the weather's been like these 2 months?

I got one word for you : "WET".

We've been experiencing December Christmas weather and it's glorious. The breeze is strong, the temperaments of people are better but there are many hazardous events related to this like flooding and falling trees.

Otherwise I likey.

Oe-cusse on paper #2

This was the entrance to our "hotel". The entrance had a huge tree guarding us, and on the right hand side, a big soccer field which is home to some resident cows in the morning and happy children in the evenings.

Sometimes, you can hear the soccer coach shouting funny names like "Nyamuk" which translates to "Mosquito" - that normally happens when they fail to dribble the soccer ball right.