woah woah woah when did time pass so bloody fast?!! It's already June. ahhhhhh nooooooooooooooo. Haven't been here since march (like forever) cos of all the stupid things going on in my life. School has been hard, done better at some subjects, some just as bad. Demoralising results everytime but that's for another story.... On the other hand I've gotten to know many awesome friends and had really great out-of-this-world days. But that's also for another story... Getting pretty hyped up cos I have so many things I wanna say and share!
Shall try to blog more often, if I can. Anyway this post was drafted way way way way long ago and I realised I never got around to posting it LOL. No one can deny that I'm the worst (best?) procrastinator ever. Got to get your act together woman. 

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A couple of weeks ago few months ago our club sent 3 teams for the competition organised by Objectifs and our team (Ee Lynn, Soek Hui, Me) won the "Most Creative Team"!
Guess it wasn't grand enough a competition for us to have a prize ceremony during morning assembly... I mean, even when I won Canon Photomarathon in 2012, the school didn't give me a prize ceremony either -_- And we actually have prize ceremonies for school activies??!! so lame, whatever, screw them, back to the story!

We had to reach Malay Heritage centre super early and the rest of the day just consisted of walking and walking and endless amounts of walking. At least we walked off some calories, I hope!

My bro brought the camera overseas so I had to borrow one from a senior, who very willingly lent me a 30mm lens! For those who don't know, this lens will give a nice blurred background without the frame being too tight. I was so excited to use it especially since I predicted that we would do a lot of street shots since it was around the bugis/arab street area.

Also, got to thank soekhui for joining our team so last minute because Weixian had an emergency family matter to attend to. After much persuasion and pleading soekhui agreed to join us haha xie xie ni la~ 

The competition was split into 2 parts, in the morning, and in the afternoon. Since it was an amazing photo-race, it was just like an amazing race where they gave us clues and we had to solve the clues, search for the different places and do the different tasks. There were a total of 6 locations and 16 tasks (photos) that day. While we had to complete all the tasks, the judges will only judge on the best 5 photos that we've chosen to submit. Thus, technically, you didn't have to go all out for all the photos, just the best 5 would suffice. Being the good-hardworking students who strive for our best (HAHAHA I'm so lame I know), of course we did our best for all the tasks. KIDDING.

*note* the photos with captions are the ones submitted but I'm not gonna show them all here

The whole area surrounding the Malay Heritage centre is huge and the organisers really made us walk everywhere for this competition! I know that one of the other teams took cab all the way but well, we decided to explore and get to know more about the area. I'm proud to say, I know this area now like the back of my hand. Maybe I can be a part-time tour guide or something haha.

First up, we headed to the Objectifs Office as it was the nearest. Honestly, I can't remember what the various clues were, and neither did I keep all of those papers they gave us, so... oh well.

The first 3 tasks we received was "Lines and Patterns", and to take some interesting shots at the Rochor Centre (the place which holds the iconic 5 coloured buildings) and at Haji Lane. Exact details of tasks of which I can't remember plus they were ambiguous so it's up to your own interpretation and your creativity!



The colours and patterns and prints from the textile shop drew my attention immediately and I had to walk inside to talk a look. Aren't they gorgeous? There's a desperate want for these cloths to be draped all over my room, as my bedsheets, as my curtains haha.



Soekhui checking out the various textiles they have in the shop and also making conversation with the shop owner

This is me trying to make the pigeons fly and look all high and mighty HAHA I look like a complete fool

Lady luck was truly on our side because we met this really kind and friendly uncle who allowed us to shoot in his textile shop! After knowing that we were shooting for a competition, he even said things like "oh, shouldn't look at the camera if not will look too posey", in Mandarin. So he was just going about his usual daily activities, folding and packing his fabrics, all natural which was perfect! He told us how he's been in this business for a long time now, I can't remember how long exactly lol. Thanks uncle for supporting us and allowing us to take photos!


Haji Lane was next up on our list and looking at Ee lynn I just immediately thought of "YOGA!" and wanted to do some multiplicity shots. Found a bright colourful spot with tables to do different levels!

This is the final product after editing (yeah the competition allows for editing) featuring our yoga guru with the top-notch flexibility. I can only wish I was that flexible. The maximum I have gotten for sit-and-reach was...... 40cm T_T 






This poor thing was so hungry it was digging the concrete floor for food...

Headed to the mosque, the Sultan Mosque located at Kampong glam, (tbh I can't remember the order) after that and I wanted to do my trademark levitation shot haha. It's my trademark cos I won my first prize using that idea. But ofc by applying it in different contexts, you get different concepts. 





We tried to do a group levitation shot but it's too hard to get 3 ppl jumping in the air at the same time! If we weren't short on time, we would have tried to nail it (ANTM anyone? HAHA). Realised that we were standing in order of height hehehehe

This is the first time I've been inside a mosque because I believe they usually aren't open to the public? Or rather I never meant to go into one... The man i/c at the entrance was real friendly about us photographing inside the mosque. Of course we had to be bare-footed and we had to wear a long "coat"(?), pardon me I'm not sure of its exact name, to cover our knees and feet as a form of respect. The interior and exterior is beautiful and it would be interesting to take a look at the mosque if you have the opportunity. 

Next up, we walked to the Rochor Centre which has the iconic 5 coloured flats.



Trying to do a photo-ception here hahaha. If you haven't been to this place you really should because they would be torn down soon to make way for development. 


While everyone else went around shooting the places of worship, we've already taken photos around this area before so we went on to these shops that were just opposite the temples. I was trying to use framing but I think it turned out a little awkward... That's why, I learnt never to force such "techniques" it's always best to just follow your eye and heart because you will definitely get the photo that you want. 





The auntie so cute, she said she paiseh haha but still posed for us anyway!

Still, we went to the temples to shoot anyway. I think the people there are quite accustomed to photographers or just simply tourists taking photos so they are used to being photographed. All you got to do is smile a little, and nobody even flinches. The chinese temple didn't allow photographs but some people still shot there. 

Personally, I feel that we should respect such rules that places of worship set, especially because well, religion is holy and sacred to their believers so we shouldn't intrude in their space. But I mean if you can be fast and don't get caught, why not, as long as you don't offend anybody there or do anything offensive. In all cases, always err on the side of caution and just go anywhere that doesn't slap a "no photography" sign in your face.


There was a task where we were told to take a photo of the fat buddha, something along that line. Coincidentally, there happened to be this guy with a fat round tummy around the idea and we wanted to shoot him but he was in a rush... hahaha it was quite awkward and funny at the same time. Apparently, it's good luck and good fortune to rub the buddha's tummy! So for ppl who need some fortune/luck, this is the place to go! I was there trying to get a good shot and there so many people going forward to rub the belly, never ending flow.



You have no idea how many times we passed by this mosque. There was a family hanging outside the mosque after the children had their religious lessons. Initially we didn't even notice cos we were so tired already, but there were some tourists taking photos of them so we joined in! hehe they were so adorable posing for us. The parents were saying how they don't usually take photos with a camera so I asked for the mum's email address to send them the photos. Feels good to be appreciated 

Next up we went to Bugis Junction where we struggled to get a good shot because there weren't much to take and it was so packed! We wanted to take a silhouette of a person but that didn't turn out well. Long story short I almost broke my back HAHAHA too inflexible 




Don't be shock when I say we went to Golden Mile Complex after that. By foot :O :O 
The worst thing was we couldn't even take any photos there because the security guard didn't allow which was so lame la. oh pls manzz -_- I wanted to explore the area cos it looked so interesting! But fatigue was pulling us the other way.




There were many small coffeshops that were really old around that area. For a moment I thought I was in Malaysia! Anyway I know the photo is focused wrongly but aiya wtv I was sooo soo tired by then like how I am now. Shall go there another day when I'm free, if I'm ever free.

That was the very last stop of the amazing race and we were done for the day! Except that we had to choose and select a series of photos from our shots at the meeting point and edit them if necessary.





What to do with nice sort of green glass... jumpshot! We had to take so many shots and all of them still turned out unglam lol.

So thankful for them in my team! Though it was a competition, we also had lots and lots of fun running around, approaching strangers for photos, just being oddballs in public HAHAHA couldn't have asked for a better team :D


A photo of Team RV! If you're interested in looking at the photos of the other teams, do head to the official FB page of RV Photography Club (https://www.facebook.com/rvphotographyclub) to check them out. 

They screened everybody's photo series while the judges looked at them at the same time. Proud of the juniors' works, seeing how much and how far they have grown in terms of skills and creativity. I'm sure they will achieve so much more than we did :)



And so we WON! MOST CREATIVE TEAM AWARD ^_^ YAY US

Okie that's all for now! Till another time!

xoxo,
Gracia