I love "Classic" !

Actually, I should write this post 2 years earlier, unfortunately those days were a bit messy, so today is the time to share this experience with you, and hopefully it's not too late :)

Well, you may already know that we have an espresso machine, that was bought 5 years ago. For people using it daily, sometimes twice or up to xxx times  a day meaning, it is quite heavy loaded.

Basically, daily cleaning and occasional back flush should be good enough, plus a yearly descaling process will be perfect, too.

One day, it stopped working, totally - no more coffee comes out from the blew head = clog as assumed ?! Even though I went through all basic cleaning and checking procedure, it refused to work again.  You may think sending back to the manufacturer will be the only solution......

......the magic happens to Gaggia Classic because it is a mechanical machine, i.e. no chips or complicated computerize parts and therefore, we can try to repair ourselves. But, how to start??? This is what I've found from the Internet

reedsmeals.blogspot.hk

A detail step by step guide to teach you how to open the machine, what to check and what to clean. So, I tried by ready all tools + the print out guide and began with the "operation".

It took me 4 hours to complete the task and make sure no clogging inside the solenoid (detail please refer to the above link as the picture are much more clear), then re-assembling everything together, started the de-scaler process, that took another 2 hours......

I have to say the "Overhaul of Gaggia Classic Espresso Machine" blog post is gorgeous, but,  still not working. It's a frustrated before a clue that suddenly woke me up : the group gasket was deteriorated, Yes! it was as hard as a metal after four years working. So... a replacement makes everything alive !

If  there is not a good blog post to guide me, I can never using deduction method to reduce the affecting issues; and if this is not a true CLASSIC,
I can never try to repair it on my own.

Thank you Christopher Reed and Gaggia !

 

Making Pictures in the Rain

shelter

Before I write anything, I would like to share this article that really inspiring and  
Making Pictures in the Rain  a lot more fun :)

I am not a professional photographer thus can only shoot when not in work, plus "a Sunny Day"......which I thought it should be, at least to be easier to deal with the light source; in addition, I don't have any waterproof accessory for my camera, so it may be a disaster if it get wet.

May 2015 was so humid and kept rainy all days, even though I was free, I could only stuck inside house. By chance, I read the above article and fascinating to the photos inside, I wondered, might be I should try one day...so I charged and packed my stuff, I told myself no matter what the weather tomorrow would be, I was ready to go!!

Ha Ha! God gave me a big challenge! It was Black Rain Signal when I saw the notice at MTR station, what I've got was an umbrella and a towel with my camera, then I thought, why not, just go......

To capture the special color tone and mood, interesting passengers' behaviour, or try using the "vivid" mode to brighter your target...these are wonderful experience that difference from taking pictures in sunny weather. 

Forgettable places express their emotion strongly in the rain, color appears more attractive when dust are clear from the dead air; a soft melody presented by rain drops act as your companion, the street is more remote for you to make use of every corner to set your camera, no one will bother you as they are sheltered inside store ......

A truly tranquil and enjoyable moment that I would like to experience more in this year ! Hope you get your moment, too !

no holiday 02

                                            

做個氣定神閒的設計師

話説最近呢幾年有幸參予一D成人興趣班嘅教學. 有同學覺得我(好似)好斯文, 奇怪我點同師傅溝通仲可以支持佢哋D "問候語"?

首先要澄清唔係個個師傅都咁"粗皮"嘅, 尤其而家, 好多都好斯文有禮. 我同同學講, 如果想係裝修期間大家做得開心, 令工程順利完成, 有三個人好重要:-

一個將心比己, 明白事理 嘅顧客
一個有專業操守, 氣定神閒 嘅設計師
一個細心老實, 尊重自己行業嘅師傅

當然, 時間/ 金錢/ 各方面嘅能力就不在話下喇. 始終一個住宅裝修工程由設計到完成分分鐘搞成五六個月; 除咗要兼顧大小事項之外, 突然期來嘅問題都唔少. 基本上顧客同師傅都承受一定壓力.

所以, 如果身為設計師嘅我哋唔能夠凌駕壓力, 毎次落地盤都令氣氛變得過份緊張, 搞到D師傅好似樣樣都做得唔好咁, 係"委屈"或"不被尊重/信任"嘅感覺下面, 好難令整件事美滿咁完工.
而我認為氣定神閒 嘅設計師擔當好重要嘅角色, 因為我哋係顧客同師傅嘅橋樑. 經驗話我知如果我哋可以心平氣和, 恰如其份咁處理整個工程運作, 好多時D問題都係可以解決到嘅.

雖然要集齊以上三個人辧, 有時都要靠彩數, 咁我就祝願大家好運啦!

月光光 Up Up in the sky

送你一個不會受天氣影響,

隨時隨地也可見的滿月.

中秋節快樂:D

Whatever the weather is going to be,

here is the full moon that will always

shine in your heart.

Happy 

Mid Autumn Festival 

:D

意料之外

It's Summer

2015年6月, 非常炎熱的一天, 一早經東涌乘車往大澳, 己經忘記了有多少個年頭没有到訪......

那種久違了的魚村風貌隨着年日消磨, 亦己改變了許多. 正當艶陽高掛, 我不知不覺間歩入了村民的"後花園", 被這從樹梢垂吊下來, 隨着熱風擺動的"小燈籠" 吸引着.

懂得攝影的你也會知道毎當要拍攝正午下背光景物時是需要稍為曝光過度オ可以把主體反映清晰, 所以心知這張照片會over. 

或許是我的壞習慣 : 喜愛正午影相卻又不大喜歡在電腦做太多後期調較； （因為雖然現在科技便利, 但仍然會眷戀着菲林時代的那種曝光限制）不過最基本的level 檢示是必需的, 但結果......我卻保留了沒有調較過的這一個版本.

Nikon D300
ISO 320
f 4.5
1/80
+0.3

或許是一些意料之外的色彩浮現，令我很喜愛整個漫不經意又有點懷舊的感覺；也許這就鏡頭内外，兩個世界令人着迷之處！　

這是調較還原的色彩
你會喜愛那個版本呢 ？

Nikon AF600 : my second camera

You may wonder after my first 120 roll film camera, it's normal that an upgrade of 4x5 format should be used...ha ha!

This is what I bought at last: a 35mm roll film camera for "dummy", i.e.: fully auto. 

As far as I've remember it is a tiny size negative of 24nos. picture film, very cute when you compare with the 120 format side by side.

That's for sure it is a very handy camera, not much to be adjusted, absolutely risk free snap shot expert, easy to use and light weight. 

I used it not only for leisure but when capture site work when I was a junior......long...long...time ago :D . Look at the bottom right corner, see that "Panorama" mode? Yes, this was her strongest feature that attracted me; I still remember how she did her good job but unfortunately I can't find those old photos in my file. But no matter how, she was my best assistant...thank you!

P.S.: Even thought a fully auto camera or "A" mode can do most of the job, remember to use the focus lock (or half press shutter release) to lock your target image before framing - otherwise a blur image as a result but it's not the camera's fault.

Alone

Creative works can be in team but most of the time, we are alone. Like many of other photographers, writers, sculptors, painters, designers...,etc. That's why we love the moment after mid night.

There is always another "world" for us to enter, once the shutter wide opened, writing paper and pen are ready, colorful acrylics are on the palette.....and, we are ready to be "Alone"!

Not everyone like this feeling, especially when we are not in good mood; but it definitely gives us an environment to have free thought, no burden, no reality, no right or wrong, just concentrate...so concentrate onto the next move, bit by bit, so quiet that it seems we are the only living creature at that moment.

I love to do editing of what I've shot in the day at night, too. When photos appear on the screen, they were framed not only the scenario, but the background "music", aroma, people and things happened around at that specific moment...now, "act" once again in front of me..."at Night" "Alone" !

You will be surprised to see there are much more other then what you've intended to capture, take your time, enjoy!