Got A Bad Case of G.A.S.

In the last few weeks, I met some incredible shooters…..of birds & nature. I’ve also been acquiring gear. I got a 1984 Nikon FG20, that’s really compact & cute. A pristine condition camera & lenses which I bought off several enthusiasts helping me shoot with film. We had been exchanging ideas & methods & I’ve also been attending a lot of TTs (teh tarik sessions) to learn from pros. Some offering very sound advice, some offering a lot of adventure stories & excursions that one can only dream about. I met a very interesting scientist who hybridises orchids & other plants as he’s a geneticist. He is also a collector. I learnt from Dr. Eddie Teoh, how a bee sees a flower…….they only see the pollen streaks in the flower which can only illuminated through ultra violet rays. Amazing.

Some of these TTs are just an excuse to exchange stories & skills & a chance to snap & play with equipment. I like these excuses, anyway.

I also met birders who has lenses the price of my Pammobile. Hmmm…..I didn’t get to touch them yet but I’m sure it would perpetuate my G.A.S., Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I am looking forward to trips with these birders with my setup even though I know I will never be able to get full frame shots unless the bird lands in front of me. Just seeing them shoot is good enough. Chien, Kelvin & Nelson have influenced me so much with their pictures that I’m looking at every unidentified flying object from my bed as I wake up in the morning. I got myself a Lowepro Micro Trekker 200 bag to house my toys & I’d been influencing people to get gear as well, particularly Nigel, who managed to get an Olympus C5060 & a housing to start shooting.