Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Surprise! Surprise!

Surprise! Surprise!
4th of January annually is a meaningful day to me but for most of the years, it wasn't really much celebrated. Since I was little, I wasn't hoping for any present or celebration on that special day.

I remember a photo of me, standing in front of what it seemed as a birthday cake, complete with 3 lit candles and a very familiar table fan at the background, the fan that I've been trying to keep as it was the only tangible thing I can hold on to that reminds me of that sweet moments in the photo, until I lost it somewhere few years back. There's a note at the back of the photo, like an EXIF data stating it was taken when I was celebrating my 3rd birthday. At least, I know long time ago, my birthday was joyfully celebrated.

Years after that, only few times worth remembering on this special date. One was when I repeatedly begging to be bought a toy as my birthday present - a Matchbox-like trailer sold at a stationary shop I passed every day returning from my religious study, which I presume in present value is only about RM10.00, and I really had to beg for it.

The other birthday celebration that I remember was when my only sister brought me to a fast food outlet in KOMTAR at my hometown - because she was asked by my mother when she just got home after an hour ride from work in a public bus - at that KOMTAR, so basically she just had to repeat the same journey just to make it a special day for me. At that time, it was really really a big deal for me (and my family basically) to be able to eat at fast food outlet.

Then came my varsity days, when this date was still special but scary at the same time. I had to endure the unimaginable tortures thrown at me. At worst, I had my back splashed with chill water (real cold water) and later with hot water. Later, I felt my skin was burning and discovered that someone had poured lacquer all over my back. My cloth literally glued to my skin and it was hell painful to detach it. But hey, at least that's the way they celebrated me and I really enjoy it until today.

Nowadays it is celebrated differently unless my wife opted to celebrate like how I had stated above LOL. For this year, like any other before this, there's no cake for me because I am no fan of it. However, as I lay my head on my sleeping mattress when I wanted to go to sleep, I felt there's something boxy beneath my pillow.

Thank you dear for the manly present for my birthday :)

Outdoor Session for Johanna & Shafiee

Platform of Love
This post of them is very much overdue as I had covered the solemnization months ago and yet I'm only posting the casual out door session done recently. They were just lovely throughout the whole session despite being the attention of the public for dressing up to kill.

Location was at the old Kuala Lumpur railway station as it has that nostalgic and classical feel. I've been wanting to at least captured a few shots inside the KL Heritage Hotel but it has now been closed to public. I've done some researches online and discovered that the previous owner/management really embrace the idea of having newlyweds shoot their wedding memorabilia there. Such a big loss to have it closed without any clear indication of what future lies ahead for it.

Anyway, to the couple - you guys rock!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Happy New Year 2011

Yesterday was the first day of the year 2011. In a way, I found the time lapsed so fast that I am writing again to mark the coming of a new year after the previous writing to mark the end of the last decade (http://digitelwerk.blogspot.com/2009/12/another-decade-gone.html).

The year 2010 wasn't really a great one as I was still uncertain of the path I'm going to chart. At one point, I was almost certain of becoming a civil servant until I was deemed unqualified by a team of two interview panels at the final stage. As I slowly accept the fact, I found out that I am too unqualified to make some stupid decisions as proved by the top officials in making some of the crucial decisions for the country.

That was for the so-called premiere management post. While on the technical side, it was really a contrary for the government to urge more professionals to serve the country when I (and quite a number of my fellows) who were (and are) waiting to be absorbed as a permanent staff in the public service. Having worked on award winning project and in an award winning corporate company does not really guarantee a place in the public service, where to construct a single storey building is still a big challenge for their engineers, let alone the contractors who are busy calculating how to divide the contract sum, within the safe factor amongst the parties involved, that in return will secure them of more future contracts (so they'll continue to be called contractor). What? To build? They just don't care. That's why it's a big challenge to build that single storey building at the first place.

2010 was also the year that matured me in photography. Not that I'm saying my photos are getting better and better (in fact it's stale) as I don't really have the chance to learn more. I am made to believe of a better prospect to be a good photographer but in the end it was all lies. Always, I was left behind whenever there's any opportunity for a photography session that could result me in learning anything new or just improves my skills.

Worse, I am feeling of being cheated financially to take up jobs that are up until today, I am yet to receive the full payment. Worst, one of them is acting as if I never did him any favor by being his photographer for his wedding in the last minute with the fee he repeatedly suggested for me to accept, and yet until today, he still keeps me in the dark over the payment for the work delivered.

Now, I am back at the private practice and hoping that it will bring me to a new level in my career. Photography will remain as my hobby, as what it started as and most likely no more than that. Probably that will make me more happy this year hence the title - 'Happy' New Year.