BW + Sepia

Do you know that the very first permanent photograph was created in 1826 by frenchman, Nicephore Niepce?

Do you also know that the birth of the very first colour photograph, a tartan ribbon, was shown by James Clerk Maxwell in 1861?

It is amazing how the technology evolves from as early as 18th centuries.
For a more detailed readup on photography technology, you may explore the link below from Wikipedia.
Timeline of Photography

As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words. There is a story behind every image/ picture.

I had always been fascinated (and still am) by the evolution of visual arts, in particular, photography. I remembered we used to exhaust rolls of film to capture the happiness moments permanently. Of course, these images could also be etched in our memories but we are human afterall, limited by the capacity of our brains and how correctly these images are to be processed later. Unfortunately, it gets faded as time passed, our memory failed us and moments lost involuntarily. And then there were times of carelessness to expose the roll to the sunlight and the captured moments got lost forever.

There was this incident, I recalled vividly, where I volunteered to be the photographer for the gathering. But the images didn't get processed because the film was not inserted properly. But with the modern technology, we no longer have to worry about making the blunder. No need to fret about wasting $ to develop the film, only to find out that it was not taken properly. No longer needed to worry about how the photos would turn out because you can -retake and not worry about wasting the film like you used to. Or alternatively, there is Adobe Photoshop to do editing and beautify the not-so-perfect images. It is so convenient now and easily accessible to beautiful pictures, anytime, anywhere.

Personally, I am fond of Polaroid. To my dismay, it was announced to be discontinued in 2006. Though it has its limitations, but I find Polaroid shots more intrinsic, genuine and natural. And also how the image came out in seconds, and the colours coming into view shortly. There is a vintage edge to Polariod shots. Of all kinds of images, I love them most in B&W or SEPIA. Very timeless pieces. I have strong infliction towards them, as if, they (images) are calling out to me, into whatever it might be. Whether it is the landscapes, architectural works or human faces. I just find them very inviting, extremely beguiling.

What do you think is the story behind this picture?

I see LOVE/ COURAGE/ IDYLLIC/ TRANQUILITY/ QUIET MOMENTS and more....

(Image courtesy of Getty Images)

LUCKY

I fell in love with this song, by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

Do you hear me,
I'm talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky oh my, baby I'm trying
Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Oooohhhhoohhhhohhooohhooohhooohoooh

They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music, feel the air
I'll put a flower in your hair
Though the breezes through trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
As the world keeps spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooooh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Existentialist Angst

Existentialist Angst.Existentialist Angst.Existentialist Angst.Existentialist Angst.Existentialist Angst.Existentialist Angst.Existentialist Angst

Blues Monday Blues

I feel extremely lousy this morning, (I mentioned morning instead of day because I hope it get better as the day proceeds), very uneasy and queasy. Feelings quite nondescript, dull, lethargic, restless, foul mood...everything mix together...rojak...but in a bad way. Even I am not talking much sense now. Two things on my mind now that I think contributes to the lousy mood I am experiencing now. It is abit of the former, but I guess it is more of the latter. It never failed to let me dream endlessly, feeling tired as ever, longing for something so aimlessly. Draining all my energy to the very last bit that I had nothing left for the day. But yet, I cannot resist the lure and had to admit the effect it has on me, never able to put it away from my mind. It kinda pull me away from the reality into the other world that I am enslaved to be in, willingly. OMG....this is getting more morbid than I give credit for...urgh.

20.03.2009

We visited Dad's grave today, yes..all of us, including Mum. It was a long quiet drive, especially during the last stretch of the journey, when we passed by the ever serene reservoir just before reaching our destination. As I turned in, again, the silence consumed the surroundings. It is abit of both the serenity and scary type of silence. The quietness, away from the bustling traffic but also scarce of human activity.

大姐 bought some flowers, for both Dad and 3rd Uncle. Within minutes, we reached Dad's urn. He look the same (the photo of course), Mum cleaned it with a wet cloth, it turned out to be quite dusty. Within seconds, it was all dried up as the droplets of water evaporated as quickly as it was left lingering on the surface just awhile ago. Tried to re-arrange the flowers, squeezing and placing them together, both the fresh and fake ones, and also the only hand-made bunch by 二姐. We lingered there for awhile, not making much conversation, as if we were each enjoying a thought-provoking and silence chat with Dad. It seemed like just yesterday that Dad was with us but no, it had been exactly two years and a month since he left us. But the pain is still fresh and I had to fight back my tears and try to remain calm.

Then automatically, almost in the same motion, we set to walk to 3rd Uncle's on the other block just behind Dad's. Was I imagining things, but I thought the photo was little fading, or properly due to the reflection against the sunlight. Mum left the other side of the clean wet cloth to wipe Uncle's as she spoke to him, telling him she had come to visit. Fresh flowers were again, squeezed into the small space. We stayed for a brief moment, before we all proceeded back to Dad's. Again, we stood in silence. I guess, none of us know what to say. And then, we left. We will visit again soon, when Qing Ming arrived in weeks.

Next destination, AMK Hub for lunch. As I drove, I realised it had been some time since we all went out together....just the four of us..without the noisy kids and the boring-looking SIL(haha)...but it looks like only me and 大姐 are enjoying the sushi and sashimi. 二姐 is on a vegetarian diet, I don't understand why she had to torture herself...depriving herself of great food, lying right in front of her. Mum had already taken her lunch so I just ordered her favourtie Inari for her. It was a quick lunch and we walked a little. It was a nice and lazy afternoon to spend together. I realised I missed family time. And it was nice...without all the shouting and screaming at the boys...without the boring looks on the 2 SIL, and just us...simple and nice.

But time passed when you are having fun, having a good time, so we went home after 大姐 picked up a book somewhere in YCK. Then it was back home where all of the 2 sisters laze around and me going for a jog (it didn't end up in a jog as stadium was closed for sports meet)...and I went home and laze around like them, while waiting for the boys to be home, and the beginning of yet another crazy screaming/ shouting session ever....

Dreams

It had been quite some time since I last had a dream and able to remember it so vividly even after awakening hours. I dreamt of a loved one, who had passed on, I dreamt of dad. It had been 2 years since he left us physically, but he was never away from us mentally nor spiritually. I missed my dad, whenever I looked at the graduation photo that is hanging by the wall in the living room, I wished he wasn't taken away from us. I wished we had more time to tell him we love him, I wished we can show our filial to him. I wished for many things, I wished we had been more fervently in sharing the gospel with him. I wished...I wished for some more time with him. But no matter how hard I wish, I knew time cannot be turned back.

So, please, I beesech you, do appreciate the people around you. Love them while you can.