GX GARNERINGS

(Leica D-Lux 5)

(Ricoh GX200) Taking a shot in the street is like a very informal party.   There are no rules of prudence, no defined limits of hospitality, no invitations.   You roam the streets and, when hooked by a spot intriguing or a person interesting, you simply go closer to shoot before the scene disappears.   Sometimes, you may be so urged and engrossed in shooting repeatedly that it has become intrusive to those appearing in the final image.     Maybe we need some rules and customs to prescribe a certain degree of restraint?   But then, when a photographer stumbles upon a photo worthy scene like the shot of today, how could he or she possibly resist to be like in a very informal party again? I was brightened up when coming across this scene and stayed at the spot for a while, finally taking six shots before ending up with this better last image.   When I reviewed the shots at home, I noticed some frown faces.

(Leica D-Lux 5) With the habit of photographing whenever an opportunity presents itself, I have likely sharpened my photographer's eye. Possibly because of this, I was able to notice and feel captivated by the melancholy look in this man's empty gaze as I moved quickly past him. It was as if he was making some trouble go away from his mind. I was with my camera ready while walking, as always, and snapped the shot at a high ISO number.  The grains go right with the mood of the subject and the scene overall.  The pole on the left and the street furniture (the metal box) on the right margin can be taken together to reflect or represent the isolation he was in, which is also accentuated by the contrast of the busy and lit-up background.  It is always exceptionally touching to look at the sad face of a man than that of a woman as it is like the melting of a symbol of adamancy and it feels ultimate and irreversible. Which reminds me of this song:

(Leica D-Lux 5) The Obvious Cue   by Nevin The big arrow lying in meekness points the way to those who follow never minding or sighing for those choosing to pursue a doctorate or be a laureate in the iPhone they own

(Ricoh GX200) It is turning cold and wet in Hong Kong. I usually bring along the GX200 mounted with the wide converter in such a weather as the raindrops will less likely get into the lens barrel while I shoot in the street. If you wonder, the blurry background is not a result of extravagant cook-up from post-processing even though the primary subject has been sharpened and warmed up a bit. The technique to bring about a blurry background and a comparatively sharper primary subject in the final image is actually an old trick, which resembles achieving the swirling visual effect by way of slightly zooming the lens while pressing the shutter release. But instead of zooming the lens which is impossible on a camera like the GX200, one just needs to set the shutter speed barely lower than the safe value (and turn off the anti-shake), and push forward the camera gently while snapping the shot. Then, just try and err to find the best result you wish. Mind that this trick best suits a sta

(Leica D-Lux 5) Recent years have seen renewed interests among locals in the cultural heritage of Hong Kong. Such a wind of change has even been raffling the young minds as evident in yesterday's Cantonese Opera Day when young learners of the art staged free performances in the foyer of the Cultural Centre. The dancing and singing were well-received and warmly applauded by the hundreds of spectators, both locals and foreigners, crowding around the stage and watching with great gusto. There are tons of things to write about Cantonese Opera which cannot possibly be contained in this confined space. But the best way to admire it is not in words but in deed -- go to Yaumatei Theatre in Yaumatei and Sunbeam Theatre in North Point, the special venues to watch Cantonese opera performances. The Yaumatei Theatre is housed in a historical building which used to be a theatre notorious for showing porn movies. It is a medium-size venue designated as a cultivating ground for fledging t