Yesterday a couple of friends and colleagues of mine organized a bowling activity. It’s tough getting directors of your own companies together for such an event at times. Especially during the really busy periods. Periods like now when I’m even forced to work weekends. Argh!
Anyway, we had a bowl of a time.
My friend's feet
It’s been ages since I picked up my bowling ball. Yes, I own 2 balls as I used to be pretty active in sports back in school. Those were the really good old days of my sporting life.
And the highest game I’ve ever gotten in bowling was 285. In visualization, that’s approximately 9 strikes in a row. I don’t think I’ll achieve that mark again unless I go and get some coaching again.
Oh well. I’m not that serious in the game anymore but sure would like to be active in it once again. I’ve totally forgotten how should I aim anymore. LOL!
By the way, serious bowlers need to be wary of the UBowl (1Utama) alley because one my balls was damaged with a scrape between the finger holes. I don’t think I can use this ball now, ever. 🙁
Nuffnang’s introduced a new program for its Gliteratti members. It’s called the; Evangelist Program. It’s for brand lovers to shower their love for, brands. Doh.
Evangelist section
According to their blog, brand evangelists get the low-down and inside information of new product launches and other exclusive stuff from the brands.
I would be an awesome brand evangelist because:
I love branded stuff.
I love free stuff.
I trust branded stuff.
I value their customer service more if I were their brand evangelist.
I would tell my parents, my brothers, my relatives, my friends, my friend’s friends and tell total strangers about the brand.
I would convert as many of the above to be on the same brand.
I would blog (almost) daily about the brand.
I would love to attend all the happening events of the brand.
I would protect the brand.
I would make the brand my own.
In short, I’d be the most awesome brand evangelist. 😀
Now, can I get that with an Apple iPhone 3GS? ROFL!
Disclaimer: It’s not my fault if your product or brand doesn’t meet my expectations.
You can’t buy my brand evangelism or loyalty. But you can improve further. And I’ll support that. 😉
Quickie on Jenny Sun. She’s a Malaysian wedding photographer who shoots couples in Sydney and KL. Jenny’s distinctive style is to shoot into the sun. It goes against the rules to have the sun behind but I guess if you can pull it off, why not.
Shot by Jenny Sun Photography
Not so long ago, Jenny ran a contest giving away a ShootSac slingbag for photographers. The slingbag’s by Shootsac are designer inspired and look seriously awesome. Maneuvering on the go is easier and access to an added lense is 1 less zip to worry too.
Though I didn’t win the Shootsac contest. Jenny gave surprise gifts to other commendable submissions. Besides me, Nigel also won this gift too.
So what was the gift?
Jenny passed it to me in a brown envelope when I met her at the Got Mojo? seminar. She was planning to post it to me but I saved her a few bucks. 😛
Inside the envelope was a nicely bubble wrapped package containing a silver box, silver CD case and a personal handwritten note from Jenny. Sweet!
Post-processed to B&W
Still wondering what was contained in the ribbon-tied box? Well, ta-da!
Photo printouts and CD
It’s hand-picked photographs Jenny took while she was traveling. In the CD, there was high-resolution images which I could use for wallpapers. And seriously, I love the Eiffel Tower shot. Just look at that beam!
To me as Cameranoob, they’re simply beautiful photos. 😀 Thanks, Jenny.
P.S.: This is Jenny.
Jenny Sun
Hope she doesn’t shoot me when she finds out this was from her blog header. LOL! 😛
I attended the Got Mojo? photography seminar by Red Ninja on Friday. While photography has been a long standing hobby for me and my 3 year plus Canon 400D, I do plan to have this passion pay for itself.
Let me introduce to you the emcee of the night.
Alex TheBackpackR
Get a Ruum
And before the official speaker came up to help us find our mojo, James from Ruumz came up to share a few things about their social network and the campaign they’re running now.
James from Ruumz
Ruumz is in support of the ongoing AIDS Aware campaign. It was also shared there’ll be a photography contest run in support of this campaign. Plus if you didn’t know, Ruumz also offers photo printing services.
James talking about AIDS aware
I should also quote. It was said, Ruumz kicks Facebook’s ass in terms of photo compression – quality and size. Though I’ve not personally tried it out since I’m more connected on Facebook. 😛
Introducing Wiki Lee
After James was done, the speaker of the night; Wiki Lee, came up to share his life experience turn IT Project Manager into wedding photographer. I was really looking forward to take back the answer on the all important question:
How to find your unique photography style?
Wiki starting his talk
Wiki calls it, how to find your philosophy? As he spoke more in depth of it, slowly but surely I already knew what it meant was to find the answer of why you want to do what you are going to do.
How to find your photography style?
Quick tips on how to find your philosophy:
Find a role model
Identify your customer
Know your customer
Then, Wiki had a slide defining what style meant to him. The title said:
Style = Customer approach + Post production + Photography style
When he elaborated a little more, the customer approach from my understand was about art direction. The photography style is the uniqueness you bring into your photos. Which can take time before you find it.
Wiki standing behind the podium
By the way, Wiki shared it took him 3 years to find his style. Which made me think, how long would I want to take?
Are you a Samurai or Ninja photographer?
Wiki also mentioned there were 2 types of wedding photographers – samurai and ninja.
The samurais are known as portrait types. Their aim is to capture beauty in an editorial style. Wiki jokingly said the samurais can be control freaks. LOL! But they’ve got to have good communication skills and they know what they want.
The ninjas on the other hand are photojournalist types. They’ve the skillset of being unnoticeable.
It was being said, it’s fine for you to be both. But it’s important to know which is really your path. I guess for me, it’s how you could translate your style into both if you were really a samurai and ninja.
Marketing yourself as a wedding photographer
Wiki and his wife; Illona, emphasized it’s important as a wedding photographer to know how to market your difference. He said in short, be yourself and be interesting.
Illona and Wiki
You’ll pick up clients by being unique. And it’s better to target your segments with this uniqueness. Wiki defined segments as different communities of people. I’m sure the attendees during the bootcamp got a more detailed explanation on this. Sigh.
An important note Wiki shared was when you have a unique style, not everyone may like it. However, ones who can relate to it will love it.
Then, in another slide came this line:
Know what you get and get what you want
The important lesson I took back here is something which I practice in my BNI meetings. Don’t be greedy and target everyone. Be focus and know what you want.
It was mentioned being a wedding photographer isn’t only knowing how to take your photos, but how you creatively market your business.
Bonus tips from the Q&A session
Wiki was joined by his wife; Illona, during the Q&A session. The both of them had experiences to share as Wiki is now focusing on the wedding photography side while Illona is managing the photography studio.
Illona and Wiki loving the questions
One of the questions was, what if the client only knew what style they want after you had shot the wedding? Wiki said we (photographers) need to educate our clients of our style. One was of doing this is to ask potential clients to point out the styles they like from your portfolio. And I do know where he’s coming from. Because even in website design, the corporate style can be very different from retail.
When asked how did he kickstart his wedding photography service, Wiki said he had past experience doing it on a freelance basis. However, he was suggesting for us to get some practice and build our portfolio by offering a form of favor to our friends.
A number of attendees still vaguely understood on how to find their style.Well, to be honest, I too vaguely had an idea. But I do hope the attendees of the bootcamp did find their answer.
When I asked Jon Low about workshops, he shared that he attended a number of them. It did burn a hole (somewhat) in his pocket but he personally found it beneficial. He feels he’s improved further after attending them. Well, I guess besides gear it’s also about education. 🙂
Here are some additional random shots whilst at the event.
Grace the ShootDivaJon the official event photographer
And, I also met saimatkong at this event.
Thumbs up
Well, that’s basically what happened at the Got Mojo? seminar. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go look for my style. *looks under rock*
P.S.: Met the hot Jenny Sun and will be sharing the surprise gift I got from her for taking part in the ShootSac competition. 🙂
A long time ago, some forumers and bloggers had a meetup at Starbucks, KLCC. Near to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre where the PC bargains turned into a conquest of promoter photography.
Yes, it became a quest and challenge for some people to not only snap as many pictures of promoters but to retrieve as many contacts. From their name, email and even, phone numbers.
This year the crew I was rolling with at the PC Fair was:
Me, Justin and Jeremy camwhored because I was telling them, how can you expect to camwhore with a Canon 400D and battery grip mounted with a 24-70mm f.28L lense. Seriously, it ain’t light.
My camera in Jeremy's hand
Jeremy pulled it off. LOL! Think Jon and Azrin were walking in front of us, that’s why they weren’t in the shot. Though not sure where’d we squeeze them later. 😛
Besides a picture with the boys, I did manage to snap a picture with some promoters. Which is very rare. LOL!
Just keep staring at their hair
And I guess, all of you want to know who and where the PC Fair babes were this year. Here’s a wall of photos for you.
Wall of PC Fair babes
Upcoming post will be the photography talk I attended by Red Ninja called; Got Mojo? The main speaker was an Indonesian Wiki Lee who’s a wedding photographer in Australia.
All I can say is, after the talk I’m now going to work twice as hard to forge my own style whenever I even take PC Fair booth babes. 🙂
