Merry belated Christmas everyone! Before I start, I would like to spend a little while remembering those innocent souls who’ve perished in the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, those heroes who’ve risked their lives to save people who they don’t even know (like the Brave Dane, who sadly perished after saving the lives of many villagers), those brave volunteers who trudged through mud and debris to provide water, food and medication to remaining survivors, those philatropist who poured money into the disaster zone and anyone who has helped in rebuilding the devastated ground zeros in one way or another.
I returned to my university dorm on Christmas Day itself after hitching a ride with my aunt’s car. I did feel a little homesick on Boxing Day, but the cleaning up effort later in the afternoon helped to keep the sad thoughts at bay. The three weeks at home was well-spent, and I’m thankful that my stay at home lasted so long, unlike a few friends of mine who had to shuttle between two countries due to prior commitments.
What makes this post really unique is that all the photos were actually shot as RAW image format (.ARW for Sony dSLRs). Basically images stored with RAW image format contain exactly all the data that the processor receives from the CCD/CMOS sensor, but there is no processing by the camera’s chips in one way or another. Photographers will then process the photos using the RAW-editing software provided alongside with the camera, where they can tweak the photo, either by the camera’s default settings or otherwise. The RAW image format is exeptionally useful when you’re shooting under certain lighting conditions that might mislead your camera’s white balance – so by shooting in RAW you can adjust the white balance with the editor later.
*Note: All images in this post are clickable, except for portraits (there’s only one anyway). Have fun clicking!
Before I returned to Singapore, I made myself to at least dine once at Chili’s after reading Sue’s constant rambling about her fantastic afternoon tea session at the restaurant/bar. She’d go there with her friends just for drinks, which I think is a fantastic idea since their fruit juices are really awesome and that they’re bottomless (miser mode activated). In the end I dragged my poor brother and cousin at Chili’s One Utama branch:
At Chili's. Looks like I've fell in love with selective colouration using photoshop lately, haha!
The restaurant/bar was a little packed and deep inside me I give thanks for having only 2 people with me. A huge crowd of 12~14 that was in the queue waited for half an hour for a table. We waited for 10 minutes. We got a table, and then the manager transferred us to another because they have to combine tables – he did it very politely and with all smiles. I can’t help but keep saying it’s okay while he apologised profusely for the hassle (I swear that Chili’s didn’t pay me to write this :razz: heh).
We placed our orders for their bottomless fruit juices. I settled for apple while my cousin and brother went for orange – why on earth would they order the same fruit juices? They could always swap, and it’s not as if somebody didn’t order (which is against the ‘bottomless ethics’).
Chili's famous bottomless fruit juices!
We even ordered the chips but since my brother and I were so stuff, my cousin finished the whole plate of chips. He is indeed an awesome eater and a convenient, urm, mobile food processor.
And then last Monday, my mom brought us (including our cousin since he was staying over) to Sunway Pyramid Mall and we settled for a canton restaurant near the cliff overlooking the water theme park. The view is awesome! I took a photo through the window and blurred out the background subjects using masking to create the miniature effect:
Sunway Lagoon Water Theme Park, Miniature.
Later at night, my parents brought us out for a walk around Sunway Hotel and here are a few really nice night shots that I’ve got:
Sunway Hotel, the front entrance.
Pyramid Tower Hotel, a serviced apartment.
Oh and there’s an interesting update to look forward to! I went to Sentosa Island two days ago and I’m still in the midst of selective the nice photos out of the 600+ photos taken – in a SINGLE day! Wow.
ooh there’s chili’s in m’sia! haha you went there just for drinks and chips? man you need to try their terlinga chili, ranks among the best, and their grills :D
Check out lix’s latest blog post » life after insanity
@lix: Yea I’ve heard the divinity of their chili from my cousin (he thought we went there to eat and not just for a drink). Initially my brother and cousin were a little apprehensive about the fact that we’re only going to purchase drinks and chips and nothing else, but I managed to convince them that as long as we order something, the waiter wouldn’t chase us out. Hah!
Their grills are definitely awesome. I once dined at the Suria KLCC branch before, with the tasty lamb chop complemented by a smashing view of the KLCC garden and fountain display. If you’re visiting KL, that restaurant is a must to visit!
Amazing photos once again, Teddy! I’ve always thought you shoot in RAW, as with most dSLR users I presume?
I really love that tilt-shift effect you used on that Sunway Lagoon shot! I’m a great fan of miniatures and tilt-shift photography is gonna be one of the first tricks I’d try when I get a dSLR! =D Very neat!
Check out ember’s latest blog post » Seasons greetings and updates.
@ember: Thank you so much! It has been a long time since you last plurked or twittered, so I was wondering how are you doing. I rarely shot in RAW because I lack the expertise of handling the data with the proprietary software that came with my camera and that RAW files take up too much space in my card.
Although I have 8GB of storage space, it can only take up to around 400 photos with RAW. If I do shoot with JPEG (highest possible quality), I can take up to 1400 photos – that’s a threefold difference :D
Thanks for reminding me of the name – tilt-shift. There are actually tilt-shift lenses out there but are extremely expensive! So I guess I’ll just stick to using Photoshop for the moment being, heheh.
You should really get a dSLR – you’ve got the talent and the creativity. And you’re a quick learner too, I bet you’ll be snapping away like a pro after playing around with a dSLR for a few weeks. It took me around a month to get used to it.
Amazing pictures…the quality is really great. What does bottomless mean? I have never been to Chili’s…
Check out Wendy’s latest blog post » Fear and Respect are Two Different Things…
@Wendy: Bottomless means that the drinks can be refilled unlimited times. Usually there are rules in place that prevents the sharing of drinks between patrons, but usually it’s an unspoken ethic ;)
I don’t think there’s Chili’s in Singapore, but I know there are a few outlets in Malaysia! There’s one in KLCC overlooking the fountain display – awesome view!
its been quite some time since i last visited your blog. nice layout i must say. very clean n neat. i like.
teddy the neat freak, wishing you a very happy new year 2009. all the best in whatever you do ok! take care.
Check out yanni’s latest blog post » A Big Farewell to 2008.
@yanni: Hey Yanni! Long time no see! It has been a long time since I’ve been to your blog too! I guess we were too busy with our own lives, haha. Thanks for your compliments!
How did you know that I’m a clean freak? :razz: Oh, and thanks for your wishes. May you have a smashing year ahead too, and all the best in your future endeavours in life. Take care, and have fun!
p/s: Congratulations for passing your driving test! It’s a little late, but that’s really great news!
happy new year in advance bro…hope you’re not home sick on new year…LOL
@|1f34|-|1r3: Thank you ;) haha I’m actually feeling a lot better when I busy myself with things. I guess I feel homesick for a little while after leaving home only… afterall, I’ve been living away from home for 7 years and counting, I should have got used to it, heh.
wow…the miniature effect was spot on indeed…good one ;)
looking forward to the sentosa post since i have not been there before
glad to meet up with u when u were back..happy new year coussie!
@med: Thanks! The Sentosa photos might be a little late because I still have a final 2008 post to do :D hah!
Anyway, happy new year to you (it’s 23 hours away!) and all the best for everything! It’s nice to meet up with you back in Malaysia too!
omg =,= u actually, went to CHILLIS! haha! Let me tell you a secret, you can actually try more than one juice flavour.
All u need to do is just drink till all you can see is ice =D Then tell the server you want to refill and then tell him your flavour of choice =D
Not failproof tho, I failed a few times but the easiest is mango and orange, same coloured =D
Check out sue’s latest blog post » Early Christmas Party with the Closest of Closest Friends
@sue: Yes! You were recommending your readers to try Chili’s (subtlely, that is) and I kind of got brainwashed by you lol! Yea I actually thought of that trick too because when we ’summoned’ the waitress to refill our glasses, she asked what fruit juices did we previously had. Ah, I should have been a little sneakier. Like you!
Haha, Chilis isn’t truly one of my favorite places, but they always have the most common spots. I am jealous that you got to go away again while I am stuck in this blizzardy weather :) Either way, I guess I am still appreciating the snow!
Your time at the water park seems phenomenal!! I haven’t been to a waterpark since I was just a wee little child!! Swimming used to be the biggest challenge for me until I continually dropped myself into the wave pool and got pushed under by each wave. How deep did the poo go?? Are you a good/great swimmer?? Since you’re over there, is the water of the pool warm?? Hahaa, I had to ask, because over here, it’s still cold even in the summer when you jump beyond the sand into the water!
Anyways, if I am not able to comment again for the remaining days of 2008, I hope you had a fantastic 2008!!!
Check out Destiny’s latest blog post » A Melodramatic Holiday
@Destiny: Wow there are Chili’s in Canada too? Awesome! By local standards the food they serve can be considered top-notch – maybe the food in Canada is way tastier than what we have over here. Haha!
I hope the weather over there isn’t too bad! I’ve been hearing news of severe, paralyzing snowstorms in the US and Canada, I pray hard that you’re not badly affected. It sucks to be quarantined at home because of the lousy weather when 2008 is coming to an end. I am actually envious that you have snowfall over there – in the tropics, the snow melts kilometres above ground and turn into nasty droplets of rain…
I didn’t enter the waterpark – I dined in a restaurant and we got lucky by having the waitress to assign us a seat next to a window overlooking the water park. In fact, I’ve never liked the water park (especially their management), but I shall leave the ranting for a future post exposing crappy management tactics.
When I was a kid, I was afraid of wavepools not because of the waves but because how the constant vertical movement nauseated me. I remembered having a bad episode of vomiting after a visit to a wave pool – and nope, I didn’t throw up in the pool. I managed to keep everything inside me until I reached the toilet.
The wave pool in the photo is the shallower one out of the two wave pools in the theme park – the deepest end is around 1.8~2 meters. The larger wave pool measures around 2.5~3 meters at the deepest end, but usually the lifeguards will drag a buoy across the pool at the two-meter mark, to prevent drownings.
I’m not a really good swimmer but I love swimming – as a hobby, and not in a competitive way :) the water of the pool is warmer I think, but under the scorching sun, the pool water feels a lot cooler than the air. That’s why we love the beach, the sea, the clubhouses and public pools (minus the crowd) so much!
May you have a great year ahead too Destiny! All the best in your future endeavours in life, and take care!
wahhhh! thanks lazy pig! It was fun compiling what you did in a year lahh! You should try it!! I kinda forgot half the things I did until I reread through my blog..
HAPPY NEW YEAR, again! ahha
Check out sue’s latest blog post » Post-PMR life. For better for worse, I had fun
Hello there Teddy! Came here from Ember’s blog. You have some quality shots right here, man! I really dig the Sunway Lagoon photo. Subscribed! :)
Check out Fahriee’s latest blog post » Sunset in Kuching
@sue: Yea I’m quite lazy when it comes to summarizing what has happened in the past year… my bad. If it isn’t for my blog, I wouldn’t have remembered things that happened years ago :) the archives are so useful!
@Fahriee: Hello there! Thanks for dropping by and a happy belated 2009 to you. Thanks for your compliments too!