get arty!

This October National holiday week, i decided that it was way out of our budget to travel. J and i had grand plans to visit southern Yunnan / Sichuan / Zhangjiajie. Alas, after painstakingly outlining my itineraries (again with Lonely Planet China in hand), i had to shelve plans till the next holiday (probably Chinese new year).

Instead, with all the money saved, I decided to buy myself a Fisheye Lomo! i had been EYEing (pun not intended) it for the longest time, back when my friend got her Holga. One by one, my friends got their Colour Splashes, their Holgas, and their Polaroids i told myself, i'll get my Fisheye on my next birthday. Four years later, and after a random stumble upon a lomo shop in shanghai, i decided fate has called upon me to get one -- my One-Eyed Jack (named after my favourite, hardiest Neon Tetra)

I had the most splendid afternoon walking around the back streets of Shanghai. I avoided busy and crowded areas like Huai Hai Road and instead, turned into XiangYang road and Fuxing road, looking out for colourful scenes to capture. I realised, all of a sudden, i am aware of so many more things around me. The buildings / architecture, the patterns on the sidewalk, the colours in the stores, the activities going on. I think i've been walking around, too busy and absorbed in my own world that i have forgotten how to stop and just look around me.

Carrying One-Eyed Jack around makes me want to go up to people and ask, "Excuse me, but can i take a picture of you?" Most of the time, i don't carry it through. I see a group of old Chinese people sitting by the roadside just by my house playing cards. I see them every day, on my way home after work, yet i don't think twice about it. Right now, i actually feel they make good picture material! I did however, muster up enough courage to ask a couple if i could photograph their 13 month old baby who was crawling on the ground in the park. I can't wait to develop and see those pictures!

When I first saw and fell in love with the Fisheye, I thought to myself, hey i could bring this camera to school and take up-close and personal shots of the babies i love! i'm waiting for party week when i'll bring One-Eyed Jack in and go trigger happy!

Pictures soon!