Agfa Isolette III ...my first camera

As far as I've remember, up to now, I am using the 8th camera in my life and the one above is my first "lover", which was also my dad's partner in his good old days.

Agfa lsolette III - produced in 1951-1960,  made in Germany. It is a Compact Horizontal Folding Camera using 120 type Roll film, and this one was designed for 12nos. 6x6 cm roll film. Cast aluminum top housing, i.e.: a Post-War design....COOL !

My first roll of film was almost a "total lost". 

My father taught me all basic operation at the night before my first "date" with Mr. Isolette; the location was Lamma Island in Hong Kong. It was a sunny day, the scenery was awesome, even thought a black and white negative should did a good job. I shot seriously because I've only got 12 chances, ISO setting, exposure combination, framing, lighting...step by step and it took almost the whole afternoon for me to complete those 12 shots.

Then, what's next ?

My first Film Processing lesson : all tools and chemical were ready, unloaded the film in total darkness , while developing not even fixing........" OMG!!! Where are the landscape gone?" 

There was only one image appeared within the whole roll of negative! = film rolled unsuccessfully inside the the cartridge :( because I rolled too little from the beginning which didn't securely winded and this was my first photography "lesson" in my life . Ha Ha !

But truly speaking, l love this camera even though the first experience was a bit
embarrassing. Not only because of the overall design is so elegant, the shutter sound is amazing, mechanism of 100% manual operation is so attractive by only one careless move, you failed....

one of the breathtaking feeling that 
you will never have by using a digital camera !

Vacation is over

It's been almost one and a half years - such a long vacation from posting; sorry for leaving so long, but sometimes, you have to go... when you was stuck into something; life's changing, lack of inspiration, losing your mind...whether you are willing or not!

Same as design, even thought there are new technique, new material, new design firm, new client , new trend in every minute ...when you discover the circle was kept rotating but sucks...you have to go!

Simply leave everything behind, time will do it's job, not only to the matter but you.

Blogging is very interesting, when time pass by, it's not a matter of take it or leave it. Most of us imagined to earn a living from here sometimes before, or should say long time ago; but once you've found the great difference between a commercial blog or a really sharing blog, you will have to choose and face the reality. 

Blogging is very attractive, especially you can "almost" post anything you want, no instant reaction that will interrupt your next thought, just share generously. 

But Blogging is also very energy consuming if only if you write it by your heart......so let's see what's next :)

做個自給自足的設計師(二)

首先必需向大家道歉一聲, 原來轉眼又一年多了. 生活上不能自控的變化也就是我們這些業餘博客所遇到的最大問題; 如果你是一個"自給自足的設計師", 被逼暫停"副業" 更是無可避免的; 畢竟...要生活嘛 :D

希望你仲記得上年呢篇網誌(一), 老實講, 我都要睇番先記得自己寫過咩??
"自給自足"係一段日子之後己經唔多適用係室内設計師身上, 如果你要佢學呢學路仲要自己攪, 真係睬你都儍. 一係叫公司發俾 Freelancer, 再唔係就師傅自己地盤搞掂. 

返工一定準時收工, 唔想亦唔期望升職, 去學點樣有效快速咁捉多隻精靈好過. ..我諗, 咁會啱聽D. 

點解我唔想繼續寫點様自給自足法呢? 一方面係社會環境, 客人需求同新一代年青人係心態上都改變咗好多. 係有限時間入面揀去做D咩同學D咩, 已經唔係咁理性. 要去趕科技, 例如3D 打印, 環保物料應用; 調較人際關係去改善見客或者工程管理等等... 似乎學得嚟又有新嘢, 面對面遘通更加係最無興趣, 既然對呢行無慾無求, 咁又何必搞咁多呢!

不過聽完以上一段"現實感歎" 之外, 又唔好太灰. 因為有部份無論係在職或者打算入職嘅一群, 仍然好有心想學多D, 做個全面一D嘅設計師. 不求人或至少危急時自己都頂得住嘅DNA仍然會令佢哋至終擁有自給自足嘅條件, 絶對會係終極求生嘅優勢, 加油!!!

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist

Hey pal, some more reading this month. 
As far as I've known this is a very popular novel that seems inspire a lot of peoples around the world. So I finally grab a copy and read it within 6 hours one day.

Hmm, what should I say, it is an attractive, imaginative, inspiring of life and desire, easy reading novel, but not as highly expected than I used to thought of. 

May be it's what usually happens, if it is an Oscar Award film, you will expect more and, that may distract the outcome as a result. 

A story about a young shepherd to chase his treasure and dream, a prophet that leads him to leave his familiar homeland to the wild and unpredictable desert, where he met the Alchemist and learn his lessons of life.

If you have your dream, if you like desert and want to feel it's power, read this, it will take you there.

Life is Only One - Yoshitomo Nara

Yesterday I've introduced an exhibition about sound, today, I would like to talk about another exhibition that was introduced by my friend earlier in April, and is still on show until 26 July 2015 in H.K.

I must confess that I am not a fans of this artist, but I went to Admiralty by chance and remember this show was held nearby, so I went to have a look in a cold rainy day.

Life Is Only One - it seems a bit "serious" as I've original thought, by entering the hall after waiting outside for 15 minutes in wet air, a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere was suddenly echo around when a song was heard from a small room somewhere behind.

This girl -  I shall say is the artist herself being painted on raw materials, pure and sensation; message delivered touches life and death but in another way......through the eyes of a child......by the imagination and interpretation of the visitors.

Other media such as photography, sculpture and multi-media are also presented as part of Nara's work simultaneously. 

If you have a minute, go and have a walk, you may be inspired by this little girl.

Le French May - Beyond The Sound

I have to say we are really lucky as living in Hong Kong even thought it is only a small city, it's easy for us to reach different culture such as Le French May.

Yesterday while in the black rainstorm signal date, I 've visited  Comix Home Base (7 Mallory Street, Wanchai, H.K.), an exhibition : Beyond The Sound was held there, a scheduled exhibition for myself in this May.

It's a small exhibition hall which was transformed from a Grade 2 historic tenement houses, so the original structure of the building that were reserved are worth visiting. Although each floor area is quite small, it's good fit for such kind of extraordinary exhibition that require an individual and isolated space.

Usually I won't have high expectation to new media or arts exhibition because I am not an expert or well trained in these fields, but this time it is a bit of surprise. 

There are total 17 pieces of art related to sound, most of them are found on 3/F, may be it is so true that "sound" is no boundary like "music", you can easily touch and driven by their presentation. The no8, 11 and 13 are my favorite pieces, especially no. 11 - Distorsions by Pierre Laurent CASSIERE. 

I was so lucky that the black rainstorm resulting minimum visitor, so I can occupy the whole room by myself and feel how those three stainless steel liquify the concrete building under it's roar......very interesting and unforgettable experience. 

For the others, I will leave them to you. 
A highly recommended exhibition that is worth to take a walk, enjoy !

For Whom The Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway

For Whom The Bell Tolls

I am not a classic novel fans, especially those related to war; may be it's because English is not my mother tongue which means, it will increase my difficulties to understand / enjoy my reading if there are too many vocabulary or "old language". 
You may say, then why not read the translated version? Truly speaking, it's usually not as good as the original written language or, at least in English. So I've finally decided to give a try, just in case if needed...I grab a dictionary in hand.

This is a very famous novel as we've known, not only because of it's poem inside by John Donne, where the name of this book that comes from; but also the way of the author who written and lead his readers to once again review of ourselves in such a special scenario.

When I started to read the first page at a coffee shop in one hottest afternoon...it attracted me, I was immediately fell into the pine-needle floor of the forest..., and it took me along to the year of Civil War in Spain , 1937.

It's a simple story about a dynamiter Robert Jordan who needs to blow up a bridge in Segovia, and therefore he requires the help of a band of local anti-facist guerrillas to lead his way, as well as to assist in terms of man power. It is a clear straight forward duty if he didn't meet his girl Maria and the people of this band.

A four days three nights trip conclude Robert's entire life, evoke the meaning of life in a battle. Every one he met within these few days become the one who trigger his deep thought of others. 

I will not tell you the entire story but it is a real good one that I've ever read, the way Hemingway express is not only the message of war, but the overall emotion, that are beautiful, human nature, romantic, inspiring......

As Robert said at last " You can do nothing for yourself but perhaps you can do something for another."
 

p.s. - The book links to the ebook with a new cover design, but I love the one above, may be it will appear in physical book version only :(