PS. Cafe at Ann Siang Hill Park. Love the cakes, and the lighting. The second floor has a very romantic, nostalgic atmosphere. Great place to play with the 50mm F1.2.

I settled on a Sirui tripod about a week ago but had zero time to take it out for a test run. Tonight seemed as good a night as any, so I took a walk around the Esplanade and picked a few good locations to shoot. This is a great tripod. I never thought to spend money on something like…

Had dinner near Chinatown and managed to catch the midnight fireworks. Wandered the catacombs of the shopping centers a few hours before, taking some candid shots and dodging the rain.

Lau Pa Sat in Raffles is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots to hang around for late night photography. It does have a touristy vibe, but that doesn’t change the fact that the architecture, lighting, and late night patrons all fit nicely into my list of personal criteria I use to judge good spots for candids. The washed out…

Easily the best bartenders on earth, serving the best cocktails I have ever experienced. Nurul introduced me to Bar Stories near Bugis this evening. My first cocktail was just brilliant. My bartender lit aflame a branch of rosemary in lowball glass. After burning for a short while, they poured over the branch a marvelous concoction of liquors of which I…

Within seconds, a downpour. An hour later, sunshine.

Lately it has either been the 50mm or the 85mm, so I decided to brush off the 35mm and take it out for a ride. It’s a great, sturdy little lens. Decent bokeh and fairly sharp at F2. I can’t say 35mm is my favorite focal length though, if I’m going wide, 20mm or 14mm is more my taste. This…

There are several towers going up around our apartment which appear to be very close to completion. They are absolutely creepy during the day and during the night. Daytime they look like completed apartments, but entirely vacant. Then when night rolls in, the cranes light up on their rooftops casting an eery light on the dark buildings. I shot this…

I spent a few hours absorbing Little India a few days ago. It was one of those rare moments when I could peel myself away from my computer and Skype and do what I love by examining every possible corner of a particular area, camera in hand. I had a special moment finding, behind the very colorful house that everyone…

My third home, Singapore, is just as deep and fascinating as my second home, Tokyo. There are so many colors and secrets and hidden spots here, and it seems nobody is taking any notice. The alleys I’ve explored so far, the hidden outdoor food courts, no one seems to take notice. I love it. It’s warm, the food is cheap…

The 50mm F1.2 ais continues to blow me away with its performance. This lens is a sturdy beast, and a reliable one at that. I find myself in the minority that actually likes the donut bokeh and odd almond shapes produced by out of focus lights. You need to love your lenses and learn about their qualities and what they…

50mm and 85mm have quickly become the only two focal lengths I find myself extremely comfortable in at the moment. Like having a favorite pair of socks that you can rely on for a day of good walking. I know I’ll nail the shot every time with my 50mm, and that my shots will have that “cinematic” feel I love when I shoot with the 85mm(F1.4). More and more I feel myself getting lost in my photography, losing interest in other things that previously occupied most of my time. I love the night, exploring the alleys and streets, looking for the right mix of subject, color and light that fits my imagination’s whims.

Still working on my technique for street photography. Stealth is really something that can’t be translated over from video games. Pretend to hide and you’re going to attract the wrong kind of attention. The key, I think, is in the way you hold the camera. Shooting from the hip is one way to get exciting street level shots with people…

Since joining Flickr about two years back I’ve been steadily following other members, trying to find a niche that I could flow with and get into. Cinematography has lately drawn me in quite deeply. I find my eye fishing around my surroundings for the next frame of a story I’m telling with photography. Wong Kar Wai and classic Hong Kong…

I get the feeling the only buzz word people seem to care about this year is “bokeh”. Whether it’s in reference to the “cream machine,” the 85mm F1.4, or the coveted 50mm F1.2, “bokeh” is all the rage. I had tea the other day with my good friend Alfie and the topic came up. What exactly is bokeh? Do you…

After much debate and research, I settled on taking a Nikkor 20mm F2.8 N out for a test drive on my D700. For years I’ve run with a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 on my previous D300. Since moving on to FX, my Sigma 10-20mm can no longer serve my needs and thus I sold it to a good friend. Initially I’ve…

The other day was spent near the ocean fishing, then grilling at a friends house. I decided to shoot the entire day in black and white using Nikon’s in-camera processing. I usually shoot with a custom Vivid setting, but for this occasion I shot with monochrome set to black and white, with sharpening set very low. I’ve never felt so satisfied.

Shibuya is a great place for an office. It doesn’t matter what time of day you’re walking to or from the station, there’s always something to look at, something odd or eye catching.

It took a while before I realized the sounds coming from down the street were not from our local cult temple but from a late summer matsuri procession marching around our neighborhood. I grabbed my 85mm and ran down the street to catch up to them. Took some nice shots, this one being my favorite, but I still can’t wrap…

When I picked up my Nikon D80 years back, I felt like I had jumped into the middle of the ocean without care or hesitation. For years I had been using a plastic Sony point-and-shoot thinking it was simply the greatest thing. I took photo classes in College, grew up with parents who did photography as a profession. I just…

I can’t put down this 135mm F2.8, it’s a little annoying. It’s just such a strange lens, the lens hood is permanently attached to the front of it, and slides up and down with this really nice, smooth motion. After the Nikon Service Center had their way with it, the focus ring is super smooth too. It’s just such a nice lens. I feel like my kit is really complete, I’ll only ever go traveling with my 50mm, 85mm and this 135mm, that’s it.

Adrift in Shibuya with the 85mm F1.4 and my new trusty D700. I could do this all night, just photographing odd people.

Dealing with this boiling hot Tokyo summer hasn’t been easy. It’s difficult to concentrate, difficult to not be dripping with sweat, and difficult to avoid drinking copious amounts of beer.

Traded in my beloved D300 at Map Camera in Shinjuku for the coveted D700. I’ve been amassing a sizable collection of ai and ais lenses and felt it was time to move up to FX. I’m overloaded with work at the moment, so I’ve only had a few minutes to really play with it today, but it really feels like I’ve not only upgraded my camera body, but my entire lens kit feels completely refreshed.

Showing David and Sarah around Tokyo today on their honeymoon. Hit Yurakucho for the recently infamous yakitori alley. Love sitting outside on a little stool drinking cold sake along the alleys. Truly one of the best places to observe Japanese culture at its finest.

Worked from home for the last two weeks. One of the perks of being your own boss. Downside being I’m in the same room 24/7 and it gets tiring. Decided to go wandering around Mita this evening and take a few candid shots. Photography gives me a release from a lot of daily pressures. It almost feels like I’m living…

Alex and I hit up the 8-Bit in Shinjuku. I hadn’t been for a while and it was good to be back. Drinks are all named after Famicom games, I had a Doctor Mario which I chased with a Metroid.

Had a good time at the Shots Magazine Party at M Event Space & Bar in Tokyo. Met a lot of people doing exciting things in the creative industry.