Minolta XD : My third camera

First of all, I have to apologize for your waiting to the review of my third camera, because it had already gone to somebody years ago, and that's why I need to find a photo online and thanks to WIKI.

O.K., here it is, my Minolta XD, actually in black. Yes! it's model no. is XD in Japan version :D

As far as I've remember I bought this in a kit set together with a standard lens of 50mm, which cost me a total of HK$1,600 something. My first 135 camera in almost 30 years ago; well, that's why there is no more "Minolta" today; but Konica Minolta. 

It's handy, rigid, easy operate, affordable price range that suits me as a design student. When I save enough money, I bought another Minolta zoom lens 70-210mm; followed by a Fuji 19mm wide....is that strange? Ha ha! 

As you know, wide angle is expensive but I do need one for my interior shot, and I was lucky because by the help of Ricketeer's friend who modify his second or even third handed Fuji mount to fit into my XD, Voila' !

1 Body + 3 Lens became my companion and partner for almost five years. So, they were my good memories of my "Good Old Days!" Thank you Minolta :)

It's HOT!

let's swim 02

Yesterday, what a sunny weather for me to act : Ping Shan Heritage Trail. 
Well, obviously it was a visit for the traditional Chinese architecture, a village mainly developed by the Tang's generation at Hong Kong in the 12th Century.

The temperature was over 30 degree C, there were merely people around. I was attracted by the the reflection of a pond nearby, while I was focusing thru' my viewfinder;  a few school boys passed by and said "hello" to me, followed by some very noisy "UFO" language that I couldn't classify until three of them appeared into my screen range.

After a vigorous discussion, they had decided to cool down in the pond...enjoy!

 

let's swim 01

This immediately reminded me another scene, well, actually to call it as "set" may be more appropriate - when I was visited the Wet Land Park at Hong Kong in February this year.

Same hot day,  tranquil pond, three of them...relaxing!
if only if you can imaging :)

How to dress up your mini note?

To Kill A Mocking Bird

To Kill A Mocking Bird

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (from Chapter 10)
Each time when I've hanging around in a book store, I will come across this little book, and every time I have to leave it behind cos' my quota only allows me to grab others; but this year, I've decided to get it.

To those who study Literature is for sure, will be familiar with it, right? But not me, I don't have the idea of what it's related to and why it is a famous American Classic! That's why I want to read it and find out the answer myself.

The first few chapters makes me feel that I am entering 3 kid's world (Scout/ Dill/ Jem)  in a small town call Maycomb. They live with their lawyer father Atticus, who looks a bit emotionless ; and a black maid Calpurnia.

School life, teacher, classmate, neighborhood...every thing happens day by day as usual together with a routine adventure of tracing the mysterious Boo Radley; not until these kid facing the real life of mercy, humanity, death, races, unfair, righteousness......they are actually grown up under Atticus's role model and love.

They are kids, helping us to view in the angle of purity which we had once before. We may not intend to but kill a mockingbird while achieving our goal somehow. In this book, you will discover those "mockingbird", they are really touching and inspiring; hopefully we can all find those in our real life and treasure them with our greatest effort. 

P.S.: highly recommend to read it :)

不遷不拆水瓶座 Aquarius

最後一套電影是巴西作品, 除了有風景怡人的海邊小樓, 還有非常悦耳動聽的配樂及精湛演技的女主角Sonia Braga. (雖然已經年華老去, 仍然美麗動人!) 此外, 便是一個普通的地産迫遷故事.

如果不是被主角牽動 着我的思緖, 相比之前的兩套, 感覺略嫌遜色!
幸好故事結尾有個較為震感的twist, 令整套電影留下較強烈的控訴性.

總結今年小試參予學習欣賞第41屆國際電影節的經驗, 感覺還是很不錯的 . 雖然偶遇一些"發燒友"在狂買戲票之餘, 忙於趕場及評論的有趣情景. 也有不乏獨自靜心享受, 或即興入座的朋友; 又或是打扮很"文青"的女生/ 男生...電影内外, 人生百態.

也許, 不論你我屬於那一類觀衆,撇開影評, 親身顴賞後所帶給我們, 或喜、或悲、興奮又或失望的體驗......オ是最寳貴的得着!

最後的藝術家庭 (The Last Family)

從來都很奇怪，為何有些朋友即使本身不是從事電影業，卻對每年的國際電影節如此著迷？今年是第41屆國際電影節，為此，終於積極地＂撲飛＂，盼望可體會一下箇中滋味。

今天下午欣賞了第一套外語片，是波蘭作品，講述知名畫家兼攝影師 Zdzislaw Beksin'shi 的人生。本身熱愛藝術，因着有位賢內座，即使有個躁狂抑鬱的兒子及兩位需要照顧的年邁母親及岳母，仍能得以專心作畫。但隨著身邊一個一個親人的離世，即使本身豁達又富幽默感的他，也無法理解命運、死亡這一回事⋯⋯而他自己的結局，也充滿着悲情。

電影這門藝術對我來說是陌生的，但也正因為這樣，更能單純地感受到戲中對人物、現實、生活壓力、惶恐、無奈…的細緻描繪； 尤如主角的畫作一樣。

全套戲的結構，人物或背景也很簡單；雖然是外語片，訴說著的人和事，卻令人如此親近。燈光、畫面及色彩，雖然帶著一種淡淡哀愁的感覺，卻又如此令人依戀，彷彿交織著人生的種種回憶和片段。

期待着欣賞下一套電影作品的日子！

愛美麗的今生 A Quiet Passion

昨天迎接着第二套電影，單看觀眾人數，明顯比上一套多，甚至有不少是即場購買的。也許是因為假日，又或許是這套電影的題材較易接受。

坐在我身邊的是兩位女士， 開場不到三分鐘， 左邊的一位已睡著了， 右邊的開始她的＂脆脆＂小吃時間 （斷斷續續地歷時個多少時）...... 

這是一套關於一位美國女詩人Emily Dickinson 的人生，由少女時代至離世。她率直、敢言、詞鋒鋭利、感性，總覺得自己不夠美麗在感情上有所退縮；亦覺懷才不遇，生不逢時......

說到這裏，或許你也會說，怪不得有人睡着，有人要靠小吃調劑；甚至有人中途離場！

不過我想說的是，姑勿論你喜不喜歡主角的宅女性格，整套戲的感覺是自然流暢，燈光鏡頭說故事；加上女詩人自己的詩句讀白，美麗、純真又帶點憤慨和唏噓；足以把觀眾從現實帶進詩人的內心世界，再加上 Cynthia Nixon 出色的演譯，把它放在大師級系列是肯定的。

期待著最後一套電影！