Alice's Adventures In Wonderland

This is a story I meant to finish when I was ten years old.  Alas, that never happened.  Through the years I have been wanting to just finish it but without success.  Thanks to eBook I was able to finish it on and off on a tiny screen while on the bus or on the train.

And truth be told it's one big literary nonsense.  Of course, it's considered great nonsense as opposed to bad nonsense like the stuff yours truly cranks out.  It's just a freaky story from a freaky old man I suppose and somehow it got freaky good reviews and got passed down from generations to generations.  And now the freakiest Tim Burton is having it done one more time in 2D and released in 3D.  Honestly I am pretty tired of freaky Johnny Depp done up in crown made-up and acting all freaky.

Chimping

One of the things about film is while taking pictures you can't chimp.  You just keep taking pictures instead of instant reviewing on the LCD monitor at the same time.  Once upon a time, it's considered a good thing to have instant feedback on the LCD, but people tend to overuse it and totally break the picture taking process.  And sometimes it just looks downright unprofessional and lacks conviction on the part of the photographer.  With film, there is nothing to chimp even if you want to.  You just have to pre visualize the picture in your head.

Year 2009

 

© 2010 laichungleung

Student of The Month February 2010 

I think many of the pictures I like happens to be on the very last frame of the roll.  It's like I shot the whole roll just waiting for the very last frame, that's all.  The "modern" camera just doesn't allow me to shoot an extra frame or two.

Picture taken on Nov 10, 2009.

Year 2005

I am a static person, I normally don't do any panning.  This is one of the few exceptions.

Grand Central

Another one in b/w.

Snowstorm In NYC

Captured using a Yashica Mat-124 G.  Kodak E100G.  Scale and level in GIMP.  Again my 1976 Yashica Mat-124 G proves to be snowstorm worthy.  Woo hoo.

Snowstorm In NYC

Yellow Cab
My Canon P proves to be weatherproof.

Bill Cunningham of The New York Times

© 2010 laichungleung.

Canon P, Canon RF 35mm with optional viewfinder. Kodak 400NC.
Shot outside the two tents in Bryant Park where Fashion Week 2010 was taking place.  It's an orchestrated mess.

UPDATE:
I like the picture.  It works on some level because Mr. Cunningham is the only one who is looking at the camera and all others are either on their backs or look elsewhere.  He looks in focus and I think I must have set the lens at hyper focal point at f8 and 1/125 of a second and composed through the optional viewfinder.  Mr. Cunningham seemed ill at ease being taken the picture and out of respect I did not come close to him.  The man was at work.

Sean Lennon

©2010 laichungleung. If you were to use it for editorial purpose, please feel free and give attribution. Thank you.

Me the paparazzi ... Sean Lennon photographed using a 1959 Canon P, 1951 Canon RF 35mm f2.8 with optional viewfinder.  Film was Kodak NC400.

UPDATE:
I took a few pictures of him and I like this one the most.  The partially obscured face on the right doesn't bother me.  I like it as a candid.  The focusing, exposure, expression seem pretty spot on no matter none of them is automatic.  I like the fact that my estimate is on the ball park and somehow captured the moment.  The 35mm lens doesn't prevent me from getting a close up picture.  Really getting close on foot is important.  Yes, I am touting my own horn.

Picture taken outside the two tents in Bryant Park where Fashion Week 2010 was taking place.

November 10, 2009

I think this was taken on November 10, 2009.  Kodak E100G.  Before I drove them off to school.  Every day is a special day.  When it's gone it's gone.

Lysacek vs. Plushenko

I did not watch the actual competition.  But just for the hair, I think Lysacek's slick hair won Plushenko's mullet by a mile.  Plushenko's official website at some point said he won Platinum in Vancouver.  I think that was pretty hilarious.

Mr. Toyoda Comes To Washington

And Mr. Toyoda actually apologizes and he is "deeply sorry."

I don't remember any executives from Wall Street saying sorry.  I could be wrong.  They took the bailout money and they now even reward themselves with big fat bonuses not saying either Sorry or Thank You.  I guess that is the American way.

Disneyfication Of Apple App Store And Criminalization Of Google

Apple, in total disregard of its developers' First Amendment Rights, is removing any already approved apps that it deems objectionable: read smut.  Unless you are Playboy or Sports Illustrated, then your freedom of speech is readily thrown out the window by Apple.  Analysts and pundits think it's Apple's attempt to clean house before rolling out the the very sanitary iPad, to make the App Store more PG for the textbook market demographic.  Apple is more Disney than Disney.

Google may not be be evil but the Italian judicial system certainly found it criminal.  The Italians have had enough of Google and knock it down from its high horse.  Google vouches to challenge this "astonishing" verdict.  Essentially what Italy is saying is Google as a host is legally responsible for monitoring the content of its servers.  Three Google executives were found guilty of violating privacy laws for hosting a video depicting the bullying of an autistic child.

The Unstoppable Toyota Saga Continues

Another day, another piece of bad news on Toyota.  An article in The New York Times seems to suggest Toyota put cost savings number one priority over any other things, like passenger safety or pedestrian safety.  It certainly reads to me Toyota, instead of really fixing any mechanical or electronic problem on stuck gas pedal, just blamed it on the floor mat.  And it patted itself on the back for saving millions.  Well done Toyota.

Read it yourself.

Miller Time

The Miller time came in four year late but as they say better late than never.  And it has the added dimension of a redemption after he screwed up in 2006 in Turin Italy when Bode Miller was expected to win but ended up coming home empty handed.  With almost no expectation entering the Vancouver Games, Miller finally struck gold in men's super combined.

The Hurt Locker Is Hurting The Avatards At BAFTAs

The Brits like Avatar but just not enough to bestow it the best picture and best director.  Instead, crazy woman director, Kathryn Bigelow won the top honors with her movie The Hurt Locker.
If you have more time to waste you may go and read my review on The Hurt Locker.

Wow

Wow this blog stands the test of time.  It won't just implode under its heavy content and traffic.  Me being the sole contributor of posts here never ever shut the hell up in good times or bad times, in sickness or in health.  Well you get the idea.  I vouch to continue to post more crap because I just can.  Stay tuned.

PS:  This is another meaningless post because I just can.

NYC Fashion Week Is Over

I mean like forever.  Fashion week is moving uptown to Lincoln Center.  For me, that's not Fashion Week anymore.  At the same time, people around Bryant Park can breathe a sigh of relief.  They don't have to be reminded twice every year how fat and ugly they are by these fashionistas.

上得山多

終 PK.

Since life is not a spectator sport, I shall remain doing things I am not supposed to do to live the life I want to live sometimes foolhardily.

Olympics Fever

Super girl Lindsey Vonn lived up to the hype and won the gold.

Shani Davis defended his 1000m and won Gold back to back.  He backed up his bad ass reputation with his bad ass on the ice performance.  Well done.  Davis actually looked and sounded surprisingly affable during a post match interview on TV.  Well what do I know anyway?

Shaun White also successfully defended his Gold on halfpipe.

Obituary

The unapologetically flamboyant and deliciously kitschy Chau Kai-Bong passed away.  Other people might have his wealth but none can match his unique sense of aesthetics.  His larger than life persona together with his golden toilet bowl shall leave an indelible mark in Hong Kong and the rest of the world.  He shall be fondly remembered as a true fashionista long before fashion is fashionable.  He was 75 years old.

Good Taste is the Enemy of Creativity
-- Pablo Picasso

The Chaus as photographed by Terry Richardson.

The Unstoppable Toyota

Toyota has been unstoppable and it still is.  It's just that it used to be its sales, then its accelerator, and now its bad press.  US seeks recall documents to see if Toyota has handled the recall in a timely manner.  If not, Toyota can face fines of up to $16.4 millions.

Olympics Fever

China sent out a couple of senior citizens to the pair figure skating competition.  And look what happened.  Old people rock.  China took home Gold and Silver in the competition.  They put the youngsters to shame.

Film To Be Developed

The New York Times Sucks

New York Times doesn't give a f.u.c.k about Chinese or Chinese New Year despite New York City has one of the biggest freaking Chinatown on Earth and it calls itself The New York Times.  The event wasn't even covered in their regional area section.  Anyhow, I did my part and "covered" the event as much as I could which is hardly good or enough.  The New York Times sucks ass.

Big Wong

The Obligatory Big Wong shot on Chinese New Year Day. No, he is not Big Wong, the restaurant is. Big Wong and some Chinese restaurants are just better in more than one way. Like the wait staff would automatically give the kids glass of water instead of tea or let you ask them. Something simple like that a lot of restaurants don't do.

Kids Playing

Wow, there are just stylish people everywhere in NYC.  Look at the dude in the background.  If that's not cool I don't know what is.  Wow I wish I could look more like him.

Lion Dancer

Rehearsing for the dance.  Visualizing the jump.  FQNY is much better than shitty DKNY for a fraction of the price, just so you know.

This Just Rocks

On Leong

Cotton Candy Vendor In Chinatown

Cotton candy vendor with cavernous eyes.  Chinese New Year on Mott Street.

Lok Bok Goh

This was made on New Year Eve. One big Lok Bok and almost a whole pack of rice flour. That's it. No measurement no nothing. Just feel it. And it came out pretty good actually. One of the better one I made.

Happy Chinese New Year

I hope you like the red hot chili pepper background.

PS:  I can't stand the color myself.

Shani Davis vs. The Orange Dude Kramer

... I can't even see Davis.  It's the orange dude all the way now.  Davis is no where to be seen.  The orange dude is just blasting away now.  So the American bad ass Shani Davis has the bad attitude but don't have yet the performance to back it up in the Olympics, at least not yet--assuming wrongly that you can get away with bad behavior if you are good at what you do.  Davis is 6th now.

Winter Olympics Fever

Do you have Winter Olympics Fever ... you want to put out?  Then watch NBC.  I don't know but the guy, that is Al Michaels at the studio seems to be very talented at making everything boring.  Want to have an afternoon nap, watch the guy talk and no doubt he will put you to sleep in seconds.  Sleepy monotonous tone, sitting on a leather upholstered armchair.  It's like listening to good old Grandpa except he's on TV hypnotizing everybody.

Happy New Year

Happy Chinese New Year my dear readers.

Google Just Can't Keep A Secret

Holy cow, I just found out I have 13 subscribers, including myself probably.  I can't believe there are actually 12 people who subscribe to my Blog.  Initially I was trying to pretend I have a large readership like a million or something.  Now I just can't because Google just wouldn't shut up.  Any John, Dick and Harry who has a Google reader can find out the details.  Oh well, honesty is the best policy as they say.  After I found out I have 12 regular readers--even the subscriptions were most likely tests or accidents, I got so psyched up that I just churned out post after post today.  Because you know I write for you guys.

Winter Games Opening Ceremony

Live Blogging on location ... I mean on the couch in front of the TV

路人甲, did you see the opening video footage, showing a boarder ripped down the mountain?  That's exactly how I ride.  I hope that answered your question on my previous post.

The rest of the ceremony like any other opening ceremony is just bullshit.  I can't stand it.  Let's just cut to the chase and let the athletes do their things.

Was the flag bearer of the Chinese delegation chewing gum when he led his fellow teammates into the stadium?  I don't know his specialty but he definitely succeeded in one area: looking like an asinine American.

Wow, Hong Kong has one athlete in the Winter Games.  At least the girl has more common sense not to chew any gum and look like an ass.  Smart girl.

Chinese Taipei, one athlete, no gum either.

I am waiting for the United States now ... 216 athletes, wow.  I don't see people chewing gum.  Wow, people here are getting smarter and know a thing or two about etiquette.  Even the snowboarders aren't chewing gum.  The team uniform looks reasonably smart from our trusted American designer Mr. Ralph Lauren, even the polo logo isn't ostensibly large.  A navy blue puffy jacket with red trimming over a creamy white turtle neck cable sweater, white pants and black short boots.  All American and more importantly sans gum.  So the Chinese actually out American the American by chewing gum.  Well done.

The Super Duper Chinese New Year Cake

The Lonely Branches

The world just needs another picture of snow covered tree branches because I say so.  The last picture I took before I headed back home.  That's all there is, folks.  For more pretentious black and white pictures, check back soon.

The Canon P, made in 1959 together with the 35 RF f2.8 proved blizzard worthy.  Thumbs up.

Park Bench In The Snow

I am telling you, the world just needs one more picture of a park bench.  One more, that's it.

I was thinking to crop the picture in post production--I just like this big word, POST PRODUCTION, WOW.  But I decided to leave it as it is.  I remember it was just so cold and after this I just didn't bother to take another frame.  My fingers were frozen stiff.  Actually I did take one more now that I confirm by looking at the negative strip.

The Tiny Little Lonely Tree

Friday Trend Watch

The fad caught up with me, finally. I read the lumberjack and logger boots (just in case you wonder, I look 100 times betterworse than the dude in the picture then and now--humility prevails) combo is totally in vogue or at least since last winter. I had them since I don't remember, when I was single and weighed 128 pounds. I bought my Woolrich checked lumberjack woolcoat at Paragon downtown when it was maybe less than $100, like $79 and honestly crafted in America. My Georgia logger boots I think I bought in David Z or the like about 13 years ago.  One of them was defective and it broke when I was in Hong Kong.  I wrote to the company with a photo, yes that was before Al Gore invented the Internet, and they sent me a new pair all the way to Hong Kong.  I do have effective writing and picture taking skills, the most lethal and enviable combination one can get.  Now I put my killer skill set to good use, writing this highly acclaimed blog.

Now since they are in vogue, I am too embarrassed to wear them out in the open.  I just wear them to shovel the snow or something.  In Flushing, Queens.

The Sartorialist At Work

© 2010 All rights reserved.

Fuji Neopan 400 shot as rated and developed using Kodak HC-110 at 1:63 for 10 minutes. This is the 37th frame of the roll.  The very last frame.

UPDATE:
This pictures grows on me.  I like it.

Google Hasn't Had Enough

So Google is still procrastinating in China, what are they thinking anyway?  After initial hyperbole of declaring non censoring search results and pulling out of China, they are still censoring and still in China.  Where is the supposedly shitstorm that I am hoping and waiting for?  Just give us Nexus One Chinese native support for "finger input" already and get the hell out of China if you are so gungho about free information flow.  You talk the talk and it's time to walk the walk.

Snowpocalyse Aftermath

I know all my readers are dying to know if I survive the first snowstorm of 2010. Seeing my post here pretty much answered your question. Sorry to disappoint you I managed to live through this horrid storm. The truth of the matter is if you don't need to go out it's all fine. If you needed to go out and get in touch with other New Yorkers like on the roadways or subways, then it's an entirely different matter.

Today I needed to get back to the routine. The snow got plowed to our side of the street so basically we were snowed in by the snow plower. But lucky me, I got this super powered snow thrower. I brought this sleepy machine to life by gushing it with gasoline and motor oil and it's alive. It roared through the snow with gusto, chewed up the packed snow and spit it out to the side of my neighbor all done in no time, just like me eating roast pork and duck over rice. I was able to pull out my Odyssey the best car ever built (for people who can't afford German or other fancy things in life) except it doesn't have the Toyota's unstoppable gas pedal. Oh well, you can't have everything, Can you? The side streets were so so but major roadways were very drivable. So I say the sanitation department actually did a very good job. I salute you guys.

And you know what (not your butt)? Even the Fashion Week is on schedule in Bryant Park. All the beautifully emaciated people are congregating there so if you are not beautiful don't even go near the place, you will feel even more fatter and uglier than usual. I am not going near that place except when I feel like to take some pictures for the sole enjoyment of my readers.

Snowday No More

Every good thing must come to an end.  As such, tomorrow there shall be school.  I don't know how much Queens is considered to be part of New York City but I just hope by the time I need to ferry the boys to school the roadways are as clear as they can be.  The bus and the subway, they have live of their own and they come when they are ready irrespective of any schedule or complaint.  So I shall remain hopeful that tomorrow the commute won't be all that bad.  I have faith in myself.

Snowman On Snowday

Snow Day

Kissena Lake in the middle of the snowstorm.

Snow Day

Snow Day

Most of my shots are in landscape mode. If God intended us to see portrait He would have put our eyes in a vertical line. I totally bullshit as I am sure you are well aware of MO. I am just too lazy to flip my camera and flip it one more time when comes to editing. So most of my pictures are just plain landscape, because it's just convenient. I am a lazy photographer so by default I am no good--I am fishing for sympathetic compliments again. I am just pathetic.

Snow Day

I should have overexposed it by at least one stop to make it white. Or should have done it in GIMP. But I goofed. And so be it.

Worker Bees

For those worker bees who brave the snowstorm and prop up the ailing US economy.  I salute you.  You know who you are.

Snowmageddon In NYC

Tomorrow's news today:  no school tomorrow.  Mayor Bloomberg preemptively closes NYC public schools.  Kids shall stay home and so will I.

The only thing I care about:  Can the Fashion Week in Bryant Park still open on Thursday?  Can the emaciated human specimens brave the surly weather and walk the walk?  Is Fashion Week still even in Bryant Park?  I am confused.

Me The Poet

Can you believe that?  I know I can't.  But here are the two "poems" I have ever written in my entire life.

So Winter Is Here
Snow Is Pelting On My Roof
Snowdrops Brags Haiku
[The last line is corrected by the exceedingly literate Snowdrops]


Winter Games Up North
Cruel Capricious Trails Break Bones
Safer Watch At Home

Since somebody is closing the shop early, I have to single-handedly provide entertainment for the entire Blogosphere.  It's a tall order but somebody has to do it.

The above is purposefully haiku, whether it's really haiku I don't really know for sure.

Nikon New Lenses

A Nikkor AF-S 24mm f1.4G.  For a mere $2,199.95.  More the reason for me to use old film stuff.  It just doesn't work for me.  I just use whatever I have already or from eBay.

Carousel

Best Subway Line In The World

The Price Is Right

Friendly Vendor

New Yorkers are incredibly friendly.  I feel enormously thankful to strangers.
Canon RF 35mm f2.8

Sometimes, I wonder I can probably put a coke glass in front of the camera and it's still be acceptably good.  Just kidding. I used to be very very anal about how clean the lens is.  I mean I still do.  But ever since shooting these two lenses from the 1950s I guess some scratches really don't mean anything.  Bottom line is the picture.  While scanning, I notice sometimes Dust Removal is just too smart for its own good.  Sometimes, some facial features are considered as dust and the result can be strangely appalling.  I can't do this to the nice people in my pictures.

Empire State Building

Neopan 400 shot as rated. Kodak HC-110 1:63 10 minutes at 68F.

Won't You Hate It

Won't you just hate it if Brangelina tells you beauty and wealth don't mean a thing?  I know I will.

Random Rant

I always thought I can count on the Japanese to crank out reliable consumer durables at a reasonable price.  Now even they messed it up.  It's all Toyota's fault.

Something About Myself

My tastes are simpler:  I am easily satisfied with roast pork over rice.
    ---laichungleung

Me And My P

Me and my P. Canon RF 35mm f2.8 with 35mm optical viewfinder. The optical viewfinder is nifty. It has a focusing scale to compensate the optical discrepancy between the lens and the viewfinder. I honestly don't think it's called parallax correction. Anyway, the distance adjustment tilts the viewfinder down if focus is close and flat focus to infinity. I know some other Canon rangefinders, there's a pin on the cold shoe connected to the focusing mechanism to do just that--moving the shoe mounted optical viewfinder up and down. I mean how cool is that?

When accurate framing is not critical. When accurate focusing is replaced by hyperfocusing. Rangefinder is the way to go. I talk like as if I know what I am doing, I don't really. I just enjoy what I am doing.

Mom, Look, There Is No Lens Cap

The lens has scratches and marks and it doesn't come with a lens cap. So it's naked. The upside is I never miss a picture because I forgot to take the lens cap off.

One good thing about the P is you can easily leave the film leader out without much guessing. Once the little red eye stop spinning when you are rewinding, you know the film is out of the take up spool on the right and not yet back in the cassette cartridge. Of course, if you want to micro adjust the the length of the lead sticking out, like getting 39 or 40 exposures out of a 36 roll, then you need to be more careful. But it's really great if you process your 135 roll film. I never needed to use a can opener because I always leave the film lead out.

Frozen Kissena Lake

Kung Fu In Kissena Park

Kodak 125PX @125, HC-110 1:49 for 8 minutes at 68F.  A lady practicing Kung Fu in the park.

+++++++

Once again, I was able to shoot thirteen frames using my C12 back.  So that's a bonus.  Though it's a little bit of a pain to file the orphan 13th frame.  Plus the 13th frame is just too close to the end that got clipped to the reel when developing.  The frame may very well get crinkled.

Last night I dumped my Kodak HC-110 after the above development.  It got kind of reddish.  The negative looked fine to me.

As an aside.  I don't know what's going on with the expired film market.  A year or two ago I was getting just expired 120 Portra for $1 a roll.  Now people are asking 120 color negative film expired in 2006 for $2 a roll.  I say no, thank you.

++++++

The 150mm CF is one of the two Hasselblad lenses I own. I like the out of focus rendition, it's pretty smooth. The 80mm CF is good, not crazy expensive and it's actually versatile but people tend to overlook just like the 50mm lens in the 135mm world. Then there is the 50mm CF which goes from $500 to $800 I think without the floating elements. The 50mm CF would be a nice addition to my Hasselblad.