Pretty In White

I was driving in town this afternoon when my attention was captured onto a glossy white sports car, cutting through the city air like a sharp blade. From afar, I was sure it was a BMW because I could recognise the front nose grill. As I drove closer to it, I was certain it was a two-door coupe. And by the time I got next to it, I was pleasantly happy to see the numbers reading 335i at its tail.

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It was a blardy handsome white BMW 335i Coupe!!! From that moment, I was almost certain that IF I were to get one, it would almost definitely be a white one. Black is stylish but too common. Even my current Suzuki Swift is black! Nowadays, almost every new car is black. The metalic grey is kinda dull at certain light angles, infact, I saw one on the road some time ago and it didn't give me the "wow" effect.

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Did a check on the internet for white sportscars and I found that many high-end luxury sportscars promote white too. Aston Martin uses white for its DB9 catalogue. Even BMW uses white in their BMW M3 brochure. And the Maserati GranTurismo looks sexy in white!

Aston Martin DB9

Maserati GranTurismo S

BMW M3

Black Or White?

If I have the money to buy a BMW 335i Coupe, which colour should I take? Black or white? Or should it be a metallic grey? Your feedback, please. Thanks!

When Would It Happen?

I suddenly feel a lil emo! Not too sure if I am happy or otherwise. Not too sure if what I am having in life is the best for me or can things be better. Not too sure if I have done my best in everything or could I have done better. Wondering what would happen if I had taken the left turn instead of the right. Wondering if I had made the right turn or not.

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I spent the whole day alone today. Spent some time thinking of "life". Wouldn't it be great if I had millions and had auto-piloted businesses running, generating a six-figure monthly income? I wouldn't want much, I guess 150 grand a month would be nice. Thinking of how would life be if I was a millionaire. Would I still serve the church (I believe I would)? Would I turn to be a playboy (I think I don't have the necessary qualities to be one besides having lots of money)? How many fast cars would I own?

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Spent some time watching a movie, "Fool's Gold", starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. Exotic locations with lots of beautiful beaches, clear waters, undersea treasure hunts and some laughs here and there. And suddenly, I realise I actually love the beach. My last beach trip was to Pulau Perhentian some few months ago and I kinda miss it now. I am seriously thinking of going again to an island resort and just relax for a few days. Do some diving and snorkeling and perhaps some island hopping. Just doing nothing but the sea and sand!

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And then I put on my laptop, went online, dropped in to some friends' blogs. Checked out my favourite clothes designer, Jhanes Barnes and her news updates at her site. Fell in love with some of her new collections. Mind you, her stuffs ain't cheap at USD250 for a short sleeve shirt. Again, wondering when I can start affording her line of attire. A few clicks here and there, and I landed at my local tailor's site. Lord's Tailor offers make-to-order men's attire (mainly), from shirts to pants to really expensive suits. They have a strong list of celebrity customers in their book, namely Tun Dr Mahathir, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza and many more. I am proud to have two suits and two pairs of slacks from Lord's Tailor.

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Looking at their success story, I began to wonder if I am actually "successful" in what I do for a living. I began to wonder if I am anything close to being a good and professional photographer! I have seen many great works of fellow photographers who also specialise in weddings and concerts. Shooting corporate events, I would say, is considered easy, i.e., whatever happens, just point and shoot. Nothing tricky, no difficult lighting conditions, no fast moving subjects. While shooting weddings require creativity and "the moments". And shooting live concerts is, of course, super challenging and I am sure you know why.

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So, have I been a good photographer? Have I been delivering good images? Have I been creative? As far as I know, I don't use the Photoshop a lot, unlike some pros who would twitch and switch, adding a really cool touch of creativity to their pictures. Do I still have passion in photography or am I just taking pictures to earn a living. I think I might be leaning towards the later. I don't really know.

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It began to rain very heavily and I could hear thousands of rain drops smashing onto my room's window. That rattling sound brought a sense of peace to my mind while listening to Yiruma's piano. I looked out of my balcony, admiring the view from my 17th floor condominium and I asked myself, "What exactly do I want in life?" How do I want my life to be like? What kind of "me" should I be? Do I still want to be a photographer or something else? Do I have what it takes to be "something else"? Start a new life again? What would I be? Where would I be?

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And most of all, when would it happen?

Babyboss @ New Zealand

The "Babyboss @ New Zealand" group account has been created at Facebook. Go search for it and join the group. For all photographers and photo enthusiates in New Zealand. Even if you are not in New Zealand or if you are not into photography, you are also most welcome to be a part of this group.

See you in Facebook!

What Camera Equipment Do You Use?

Hey guys, I have just added a new discussion topic at the Facebook Group "The Babyboss Gang". Its called "What Camera Equipment Do You Use?" You are asked to share with us on what photographic equipment you have and what new gears you plan to get. With this, I hope we can all get encouraged to excel in our gears. Also, we can see who has what!

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If you have not already joinned this group, you are most welcome to do so. Come and be part of The Babyboss Gang!

"Be The Boss" - An Evening To Remember

I was playing around with Facebook and my new "The Babyboss Gang" Facebook group and stuffs, and suddenly, a really cool and out of this world idea just dropped into my mind. It was like a spiritual impartation, like as though God just spoke to me. It was so real, so full of excitement, so "have-to-do-liao" kinda passion. Nothing else was more important than to immediately pen down every final intricate detail of the vision that I just received.

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Now wouldn't it be so damn cool and happening if one day, hopefully sometime end of this year, the Babyboss Group consisting of Babyboss Pictures together with The Babyboss Story (the blog) together with The Babyboss Gang (Facebook Group) were to organise and host a thanks giving celebration gala dinner for all its readers and members?!!!! It will be a time of getting together, a time of fellowship and a time of giving and sharing. Maybe do a Christmas thanks giving dinner.

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Maybe we'll theme it "Be The Boss". Perhaps the morale or message of the event centers around being your own "boss"...don't let anyone look down on you because you are young but be an example in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. We want all our guests to be winners in their own ways, to be successful in life and in whatever they indulge in. To be a boss of their own. And most of all, to know who the real and ultimate boss is.

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Dress code - all dress like a boss! haha...

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Maybe we'll target for 500 guests? 50 tables? KPOP forums, how many members do you have? At 500 guests, we'll need a Grand Ballroom of say, maybe, Renassaince Hotel, Kuala Lumpur or perhaps The Shangri-La Hotel? Something porsh, something 5-star. Cause the event is attended by all "bosses".

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Maybe even get some media coverage, society magazines or something. I can try Malaysian Tatler! Maybe we can even bring in, say, TVXQ as part of the evening's entertainment? Just for the 500 of us! And maybe even invite them to join us for dinner? You think can do ah?

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There will be games, lucky draws and most of all, since its Christmas season, we will have gift exchange as well. Of course, I will be rendering my golden inaugural speech together with, maybe, one or two more VIPs. Who would you like to hear from? Tun Dr Mahathir, since he is also an active blogger? Who else would you like to see on stage that evening? Drop me your comments.

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Don't bother to bring your your cameras and stuffs cause we'll probably be having 10 official photographers during the event. Every picture will be uploaded to the Babyboss website for free downloads after the event. So, come in your best suits and dresses, you may walk away as the evening's Best Dressed Male & Female.

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Of course, for crowd control and management purposes, only invited guests and guests with confirmed RSVP are allowed to the event. So, how does one get an invitation? Through KPOP forums, affiliated websites and forums, through responding to the online invitation at The Babyboss Story blog, and of course by being a member of The Babyboss Gang in Facebook.

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So, there you have it. A heavenly vision imparted to me just like that. Of course, you may ask, who is gonna pay for all these? The cost will be so intensly high. Or are we selling tickets. The answer is "no", we are not selling tickets. Everything is free and strictly by invitation only. Babyboss Group will sponsor everything. That is why I said a "thanks giving" cum Christmas cum get-together dinner...the spirit of giving. Always remember, "Give, and it shall be given back to you".

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So, lets pray that all of my projects kick in as planned, and my funds come in as planned, and we will have this special dinner as planned. We will see, we will see. I am already very excited. Are you excited too?

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Erm...am I day dreaming?

FIR @ Taiwan - Celebrating Faye's Birthday

I was assigned to cover FIR's promo concert showcase in Taipei, Taiwan sometime in 2006 (or was 2005, I can't exactly remember). I went there together with 8 other media reps from our local magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations. I was the official photographer and my duty was to supply the concert's pics to the 8 media reps for promo publication back here in Malaysia.

The concert venue was very far away from our hotel in Taipei and the journey took about an hour or so, literally arriving at another town. It was by the sea, something like an esplanade or so. I don't know the name of the place (they were all in Mandarin anyway) but it was very windy with the sea breeze gushing in (very sticky face after that).

The concert was great with good sound and awesome lighting effects. We were late for the show, though the concert has not started but the crowd was already at its peak when we got there. So, the Taiwanese rep from Warner Music ushered us to the main control (sound & lights) console area and I was instructed to shoot from there! It was like some 150 feet away from the stage!

For the benefit of readers who are into photography, I mainly used my 80-200 lens most of the time with an occassional 17-55 for wider shots of the stage and crowd. On my D2X, I can set the crop size to "High Speed Crop" giving it a 2X magnification factor instead of the usual 1.5X on DSLR. So, on my 80-200, I got a maximum of 400mm! Luckily I brought my monopod.

Well, after the concert, we were invited to join the FIR team to a restaurant to celebrate Faye's birthday! It was a cool opportunity to get up-close and personal with them. Guess what...Faye and Real are faithful Christians who love Jesus! Hallelujah! Here are some pics...

The main control area for sound and lights. They basically use the same equipement as we do here in Malaysia. I was standing just infront of them.

This is the closest shot I can get at 400mm f 2.8, no flash (won't reach, anyway).

The sea breeze was so strong that even the spraks from the pyrotechnics were blown to one side.

You seldom get to see Ian (in white) play the guitar! He is always on the keyboards.

And you also seldom get to see Real (the guitarist) sing and play on a piano!

Video crews from local Taiwan TV stations are "wild". They go all out to get the footages and there are many of these video crew everywhere. These guys here are all set and ready, awaiting for FIR to arrive at the restaurant. This is another team of video crew, totally different from the ones at the concert venue. So, these guys arrived way before we did!

FIR...just got out of their van (the white one directly behind them).

They were immediately interviewed by local medias and TV stations. You can see the amount of stations represented there by counting the microphones!

Faye's chocolate fudge birthday cake. Not sure how old she was.

Both guys, Ian and Real, gave her a pair of earings for her birthday.

Trying their best to put it on for her.

Here is a toast from FIR to all the crew members at the restaurant!

A huge birthday card from the crew members!

Faye says, "Hey, that's Babyboss's signature!". LOL

A private interview session with the Malaysian media group. My job was just to snap, snap and snap!