David

2nd Singapore Flikr Meetup, Botanic Gardens.

I've been practicing doing portraits lately. I've discovered that of the shots that I've taken, the ones I find the most interesting, the most engaging to look, at are the ones where the person is looking back at me. There's a connection there that somehow makes the picture more personal and alive to me. It's like the conversation between David and I that was going on when I took the shot, continues when I look at the picture.

Getting to the point where someone is comfortable enough to let you take the shot is the tricky part. It's not easy to relax when someone is pointing a big honking SLR with a flash in your face. I've been lucky that the Singapore Flikr friends are quite understanding in allowing themselves to be photographed. I guess building a rapport and a friendship with the person being photographed is the key to getting that conversation and engagement going so that it shows up in the photograph.

Eyes

Eyes1997 at the Second Singapore Flikr Meetup, Botanic Gardens.

Twilight With Gazebo

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Taken during the 2nd Singapore Flikr photographer's Meetup 27 May 06.

Blessed Isle II

A panoramic crop of yesterday's shot. Ron suggested the crop and I think it does look better. Let me know what you think.

Blessed Isle

Tanker Jetty, Esperance, Western Australia.

Update: Ron suggested a pano crop for this shot which you can see here. Le t me know what you think about the revised crop.

What is the Matrix II

Selegie House, Singapore.

Part one is here.

Beached

Abandoned boat, Albany, Western Australia.

Update: J has asked to see the original pic without post production so here it is.

Light Flight

Bird in flight, Western Australia.

Sometimes that longing for freedom and escape seems so intense.

Water Gate

National Library, Victoria Street Singapore.

View the rest of the shots in this series as a slideshow here.

Before the Beginning

Prinsep Street, Singapore.

Behind the hoarding is the new location for the LaSalle College of the Arts.

Pharmacy

Singapore General Hospital. Looking surpisingly noirish in this photograph.

Scarecrow

Scarecrow, Singapore General Hospital Foodcourt.

I was surprised to see a scarecrow in urban Singapore. These fake raptors are used in the open air area of the food court to keep the pigeons away. They seem to work. I didn't see any pigeons while I was sipping my coffee there.

Red Door

Temple door by night. Waterloo Street Singapore.

Red Light

Red light district, Little India, Singapore.

To me, this is one of the saddest sights in Singapore. This door is on a back lane which is full of similar doors. At 11.00 in the morning on the May Day holiday, this lane was crowded with people. The first thing I noticed was that there were only men in the crowd. In Singapore, prostitution is legal but solicitation is not, so the red light is the sign of the trade plied within.

Petronas Tower

View of one of the twin towers from inside KLCC.