On Monday, I was featured in the Tech & U section of the News Straits Times daily. Friends started asking about my pageantry days. Ive blogged about it years ago here. It was a combination of excitement and frustration; not for the importance of winning the coveted titles but for the way the contestants were being treated. I bet those who were there would know what exactly Im talking about. I’m thankful I came away with a sash each time, some congeniality titles, clothes, prize money and my dignity. It opened doors for me but it didn’t make me favoured over the others who could probably do the job better than I could. I would never bank on beauty to get me through life because I know I can’t fight the signs of times. You are only as beautiful as how others see you, if you have no substance, no principles, no love, you have nothing at all.
When you fight for what you believe in, you are keeping your principles alive. Where does one build these principles? From life’s great experiences and God’s grace to know what’s right from wrong, what’s good from bad and what’s just from the unjust. In a time where people choose to sit on the fence to watch the battle, you can choose whether you want to be with the allies or the opponent. Whatever you choose, it would be a reflection of who you are and what you represent and to me, it speaks more than the many titles that one holds in their lifetime. What use would it be if a Datuk or Tan Sri acquire the title and not use their influence to make the lives of the people who are less fortunate a little bit more decent? Or what use would the CEO of the company be if he doesn’t influence his circle to give back to the society? What good would my titles be, if I don’t use what I’ve learnt to bring cheer and hope to those who are lost and joy to those who are sullen? It doesn’t even have to be a big effort. It starts with the sweeper on the street who keeps your driveway free from dry leaves, the rubbish man who diligently empties the bin for you, the stallkeeper who serves you drinks and the toilet cleaner who keeps the lavatory in your office building clean. Your smile and greeting would mean the world to them. Bringing them a drink or some cookies would let them know how much you appreciate them for their thankless service. Asking them about their day would make them get by theirs a little better. It makes you a better person for coming down from your self-raised pedestal.
Life is only temporary but life in Christ is eternal. What I sow I also reap, what is given away would be replenished and what is taken would be restored ten fold. What have I got to withhold from those who’s got nothing??? I have a roof over my head, food whenever I need, a Mac to keep me entertained, a camera to capture my fascination and a dog to keep me company at home, what else can I lack??? God has given me everything and it’s time to give back. Come join me in my little missions!!!
Note: You can read about the NST article here.
wahh…lemme go read the article ;).
i was featured too during mother’s day kekeke
Heheheheh! Send me a copy please!!! I wanna read about this mama!!
Hi pummkin. I read the NST article, and recognised your nickname from PhotoMalaysia.
I read with interest that you used the 5050Z. My wife just bought me a Canon P&S (IXUS 80) with an underwater housing. Can I ask how you would get a strobe to synch with the camera? I ask because it occurred to me that you might have faced the same issue with the 5050Z. Presumably you did not use a cable to synch the flash.
Hi Joe!
You would need to get a fibre optic sync cable to attach to the diffuser plate of the housing. I had to cut a black-out piece to cover the diffuser piece on the housing completely & punch a little hole to attach my cable. Having said this, the strobe is almost redundant because I hardly use flash. It’s reserved for shots under rocks & crevices.
My C5050z just got stolen & it was a big drama at the office yesterday when the police came to investigate. It was an insider job. Sigh….
Wow, yesterday must have been a bad day for cameras, as my wife got her Lumix pickpocketed out from her handbag.
Sorry to hear about your loss. We have the 4040, and love the f1.8 lens. IIRC, the award winning Magnum photographer, Alex Majoli, uses a 5050.
Thanks for your reply. Does it make a difference if the camera is sending out pre-flashes with the flash? The IXUS has very limited manual control.
My goodness, so sorry to hear of your wife’s loss. We are living in a mad world.
If the camera is sending pre-flashes, there are two things you could do:-
1) Turn off Red Eye Reduction mode.
2) Set your strobe setting to ignore the preflash which is what mine does. You must set your flash on your camera to force flash and not Auto Flash.
How deep do you plan to take it to?
Hi Pummkin. Good question. I see what you are getting at.
Can I ask another question instead: How deep can one go before a strobe becomes necessary? Assuming good visibility of course.
Hmmmm…….it’s not a question of depth but of the availability of sunlight. You lose your reds in the first 5 metres, then orange, then yellow & so on as you descend deeper. A strobe is only good as far as it illuminates so it depends on the ‘throw’ and how wide the throw is. I normally take most of my wide angle shots without any strobe & the only time I use it is when I’m shooting something in the crevices or when I’m shooting at 25 metres depth (seldom). You might want to upgrade to a camera that allows you to do a Custom White Balance reading once you get the hang of shooting underwater. It would change your perception of colours!!!