Lomo random - test-driving my fisheye lens

As the focal length of Holga is about 38mm on 35mm film (mine is the 135 version), which means I can only take clear pictures of objects at least 1m away, it doesn't allow me to take close up shots. To help make up for it, I bought Holga a fisheye lens, which I intended to use like a macro lens to take close-ups (about 4cm away), which will then turn out to look normal. Anything more than 4cm away will produce a distorted effect, which actually is the whole point when people use this lens. For me, it works both as a pseudo-macro and a fisheye lens. Have to judge the distance carefully though, otherwise the subject can turn out to be blur, while the background ends up being clear, which may not be the intended effect.

Lomo random - test-driving my Seagull

These are some of my first shots using the Seagull 4B-1, the entry level TLR fully manual camera. I am still figuring out the right combinations of aperture, shutter speed and film ISO in different light conditions. Sometimes, I even get the focus wrong (like in the picture of the door), which actually is the easiest bit. Medium format film produces more vivid shots than ordinary 35mm, and is even better on Seagull because of the glass lens, which results in a very sharp HD effect. Somehow the shots look better in the 6x6 square frame. I don't think I ever use much of the 6x4 frame!

Yogya trip (3) - Prambanan

Prambanan is a 9th century Hindu temple which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is much lesser known than Boroburdur, which receives more tourists (than it can actually handle) and has been featured widely in travel literature. Some parts of the temple were destroyed by earthquake tremors a few years ago and the loose stones were piled neatly at one side, waiting to be used for reconstruction. Apparently, the stones have been sitting around for a few years now, presumably because the government is waiting for funds to come in for the reconstruction works.

Seagull 4B-1

Yogya trip (2) - Boroburdur

Holga 125 and Seagull 4B-1

Yogya trip (1) - around where we stayed

We had great coffee at this backpacker hide, which also has pricey but nice-looking rooms.

Bahasa is full of these "self-madevup" words. Warung + English = Ang moh grub place.

A street outside our hotel

Oink turned out to be a local streetwear brand. I was surprised to see Porky in a Muslim country.

The roof-top of our "hotel" which doubles up as a hostel for students of a local university. At 7 floors high, this was one of the highest points in the city, where buildings are generally no more than 4 storey in height. As the hotel was situated near the north part of the city, we had a view of Mt Merapi. Unfortunately, the weather was mostly foggy so the grand dame was partly shrouded in mist.


Empty water tank on the roof-top.

Holga 135 and Seagull 4B-1

Leaving Kurt Wallander

After spending the past two weeks in the world of Inspector Kurt Wallander and his crime encounters, it was difficult to extract myself out of Ystad, the small southern Swedish town and jump into other books by Henning Mankell. I managed to do so by bringing along "Italian Shoes" onto the plane bound for Yogyakarta and settling down to explore a completely different genre - aging and death. The book is a moving account of Fred Welin, a retired surgeon living in semi-exile alone on a small island, who is forced to confront his troubled past, when the woman he abandoned forty over years ago suddenly appears and makes him honour a promise made many years ago. Harriet is dying of a terminal illness and hopes to make a final journey across the desolate snowscape together with Fred in search for a beautiful pool among the forests of northern Sweden. It is also a journey where the two re-visit the poignant memories of the past and reaches a cusp when Harriet uncovers a little surprise for Fred at the end of the journey.

Transported

Faceless Killers

The Dogs of Riga

The White Lioness

The Man who Smiled

Sidetracked

One Step Behind

Before the Frost

Return of the Dancing Master

Italian Shoes

Kennedy's Brain

Depths

What I have been up to

Haven't posted anything for more than a week now. Have been absorbed deeply in some reading and will probably be like this for the coming weeks too, at least before 13 Feb when we will be leaving for Yogyakarta. (Well, I can still read over there..) We have more or less decided to drop climbing Merapi, maybe some hiking at most, because husband is not confident that he will come out of it with his spine intact. (A slipped disc is always tricky.)

Anyway all this while, I have been reading Henning Mankell, another Swedish writer. His Fifth Woman and Firewall books are good and I have 12 more to go. Most of his novels have Kurt Wallander, a police inspector, as the protagonist. The novels are as much his vehicle for presenting well-developed fictional crime stories as social commentaries about the darker and colder (according to the author anyway) side of Swedish society. His writing (translated) while better than Stieg Larsson's, depresses me. I think it's because of the detail and attention he gives to painting Wallander's personality and life: A 50+ year old crime buster with a heightened sense of intuition and sensitivity but struggling with issues and is disillusioned with his life, who ends up having Alzheimer's towards the end of his career.

Coffee Addict

Illustrated coffee guide from here

Segafredo @ China Square is the best in town. They only have one outlet in Singapore, unfortunately. They make very good and very strong cappuccinos and I go there when I want to get away from work for a bit.

DIY project

My couch was due for a make-over. Letter cut-outs from $2 black felt (DAISO) + $4.90 x 3 white cushions (IKEA) = A new look.