The only thing that puts me out… is the drive inside me!
Oh yeah I must be crazy.
But I believe it's my destiny.
What am I on about? Marcel Woods is what I'm on about coming down to Australia for a short club tour. Was privileged enough to be covering this event and I must way I was impressed by what the Masif Saturdays and Genesis guys did to the venue. Quite a bit of effort into the production with LCD screens, more lasers and lights, walking into the main room, you know it's gonna be a good night.
Start of the night
Marcel Woods, I know him for being a little bit dark, driving and rather electric, a few of my favourites would be Advanced, Inside Me and The bottle.
Here's inside me:
In short, I had some pretty big expectations and when he started off it was amazing, but a few songs later and I'm thinking no way... (not the good no way either). I start to hear the lyrics of something rather familiar, something rather cheesy. I hear 'I turn the music up, I got my records on...' and think what the fuck. Now don't get me wrong, I love Coldplay and the remixes of Every Tear is a waterfall, but this was Marcel Woods! How does a guy that produces songs like Advanced and The bottle play this crap in his set?!
He makes up for it by dropping some killer darker and electric (note electric, not electro) and faith in humanity is restored. See the video below:
But not for long a familiar intro comes a long, it builds a lot slower than usual, I'm thinking oh no... but then it starts to shift and change and I'm thinking perhaps Funkagenda's What The Fuck, but I'm wrong. Turns out, it was LEVELS and I'm standing there with the biggest what the fuck look on my face. Some more wtf is him dropping Warp by Steve Aoki, see video below:
We're in a club gig here not an Aussie festival, I expect hard driving trance from this man, look at the photo on his album... that does not look like the face of a man who plays LEVELS!
Cover for reference
Overall it was an okay night, definitely some highlights during the night, some remix of 'hardcore vibes' definitely brought out the kid in me, definitely never thought I'd hear that one out live.
The extra production at Space made for some nice photos and many thanks to the techs there for helping me out by adjusting the par cans pointing at the DJ from a horrible blue wash to something more neutral. Made the photos a million times better.
Click here fore the rest of the Marcel Woods photos
Older photos – part 2
Next up we have my partial attempt at Sculptures by the Sea at Bondi Beach, partial in the fact that I only got half way before having to leave to head to dinner. Definitely need to make more of an effort to go, more than once preferably as it's one of those events that is always so much fun (photographically). So much choice of subject and in varying environment makes it a challenge to capture something different.
Would love some comments on this photo, bit of an experiment with the composition and the post (and funnily enough, not even a sculpture itself!)
Below is my take on Sculptures by the Sea 2011.
Click for the rest of Sculptures 2011
So the reason the photos from above were cut short was the need to attend Steve's and Janet's birthday at Hurricanes in Darling Harbour. Photos from the night below, nothing too fancy seeing as I only had my 35mm f/2 and no flash with me (I've been pretty lazy these days).
Click for pics of Steve and Janet's 23rd
First the Vengaboys, now AQUA!
What has Sydney become? It's like the 90's is coming back again and we're able to relive those childhood hits. Just to refresh your memory (in case you've forgotten or you're in denial) they were the ones that made 'Barbie Girl' and a whole suite of other lollypop pop songs (see what I did there?)
Aqua - Aquarium
I know you're all shouting, tell me more! I want to know when and where they're coming. Well their first show is sold out! (cue sounds of sadness and disappointment) but you'll be glad to know there is a second show up for offer!
When? 16th & 17th of March
Where? The HiFi, Sydney
How much? $60.50
Want to know more?
http://www.inthemix.com.au/news/aust/52000/Aqua_sell_out_announce_more_shows
http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=53728&ref=moshtix&skin=
And just to re-live some memories, here's a couple of YouTube videos:
Aqua - Barbie Girl
Aqua - Doctor Jones
Aqua - Cartoon Heroes
Godskitchen 2011 – Photos
The long weekend in Sydney means a night of trance music under the Godskitchen banner. This year was to be a trance odyssey with the journey being led with locals VLN and Thomas Knight before blasting off with Binary Finary and continuing forth with Ben Gold, Marco V, Richard Durand and finally with John Askew to end the journey.
Godskitchen 2011
Had an absolute blast that night and probably one of the most fun I've ever had while taking photos at an event like this. Great atmosphere and all the international DJ's seemed to just love it, was lovely to meet them and got a few snaps with most of them 
.
Me and Ben Gold
Me and Marco V
Me and Mr. Durand
Event was a bit smaller then it has been with the side seating curtained off, but with that done, the venue looked quite full. Production was pretty good (much better than the woeful 'Angel in White party' for those who were there 
) with plenty of coloured lasers with lighting extended to the rear of the crowd (as opposed to just on stage).
Decent production
Only thing would probably be the lack of theme, personally I think if you're gonna give the event a name like a 'trance odyssey', there should be some effort into incorporating it into the night. All in all, quite happy with the night and pretty happy with the photos this time.
Click the image below for the full gallery.
Click here for the rest of the photos
Defqon.1 2011 – Photos
September means that time of the year again, you all know it. Defqon.1! Was photographing the event again this year and it never ceases to impress. The quality and effort which is put into this even is simply stunning and from this point of view, one of Australia's best festivals.
Defqon.1
I don't think I'm the happiest with my photos this year, for some reason felt like I was lacking a direction or purpose with these photos. Felt like I wasn't too sure what I should be aiming for, but it's all part of the process. Definitely with next year will have a bit of a think of what the aim is for the day and execute.
Anyway less babbling, the day itself?! Fabulous, the weather was great and the sun was out to play. Unfortunately for us photographers, we're stuck with a black shirt, pretty cool shirt, but I don't have a pic of the front to show you, it's got this year's stage in a wireframe at the front, very cool.
Defqon.1 crew, don't mess with me
Note to self, get some bigger arms for next year, would make a photo like this much better. Like usual with defqon, it's pretty big with a whole heap of stages available to suit everyone's taste in hard electronic music.
The blue stage had a interesting setup but it's a shame that it was along a dusty patch and there was dust being kicked up everywhere! Not a good feeling after you've been sweating it out from fist pumping all day. The white car bonnets acting as a pseudo projector screen, very cool idea.
Blue stage
Black stage was a real pain in the ass and it was more like a red stage, inside red lights simply flooded the stage making it next to impossible to get a decent photo. Although as night fell, the lasers in here were simply spectacular, very bright and very vivid.
Black Stage
The rest you can check out in the rest of the photos, but there's no way I'd be neglecting the red stage, simply massive and definitely a work of art.
Red stage
Looks much better at night.
Red stage by night
For the rest of the gallery, click this epic photo below.
Click here for the rest of the photos
Enjoy the photos 
and see you again next year 
My Graduation
Last week would be one of the last times I'd ever be back at Uni and it was for my graduation. After a strenuous 4 and a half years of study, it was time to claim my prize and take home that precious piece of paper that would certify me as a bachelor.
Ceremony was an early 10am start meaning to register and collect my gown, I'd have to be at uni before 9am, something I hadn't done in a long time. Certainly don't miss the terrible traffic driving up.
Waiting for my gown
Once inside, I was already feeling hungry and the graduation ceremony was to be a big one, the entire auditorium was full and the number of people graduating overfilled the front rows into a section of the audience. There's a sense of nervous-ness as you stand there waiting for your name to be called out for you to collect your testamur, as for me, I was a little unique in getting a Bachelor of Information Systems (as opposed to a Bachelor of Science I would initially sought out to achieve. Quite lucky to have graduated with a couple of people I knew, I had feared it was to be a lonely graduation as I was a bit of a lagger. Congrats also to Winnie Tran, Suching Wong and Sumeet Kukar.
Collecting the testamur
After the ceremony, it was the obligatory rounds of photos across the various landmarks of the university. First is one with the family.
Family photo
Then the library lawn (with the UNSW library in the background)
Library lawn stargate
Then the lookout above the quad, as well as the obligatory flying cape photo.
I can fly!
And at last, the main walkway, or in this case, being on top of the globe!
On top of the world!
To top it off, you've gotta have some drinks to end the day, and this would be my chance to check out this white house place they built while I was no longer at uni during the day time.
Punch at the white house
Thanks to Jimmy Lam for the photos, you can see the rest of the album below, there's also a few photos of my cousin who handed in his thesis, marking the completion of the work required for his PhD, so congrats to him!
Click here for the rest of the photos
To end the day would be some dinner and more drinks and generally a good time
Masif Saturdays present Simon Patterson
Saturday night was one of some bangin' trance with tech trance giant Simon Patterson coming down under to Space Nightclub. Late start to the night with Simon scheduled to come on at 2am, but not actually arriving until 2.30. Not neccessarily a bad thing as I had later discovered with a DJ by the name of Jordan Suckley ripping up the decks.
Was very impressed by his style and his manic ways of creating a storm via Traktor and cutting up beats like a samurai, even bringing some scratching along. Simply stunning and I was gobsmacked.
Jordan Suckley
Simon Patterson came on with his thumping style shortly after and he seemed to love every moment of it. His set was the usual hard and fast and unfortunately I didn't stick around for the whole thing, so not sure how he progressed later on into the night, was pretty tired by 4am.
Patterson on the decks
He seemed to loved the crowd with smiles all round and and strange addiction to the camera.
Patterson and the camera
For the rest of the gallery, click the image below.
More pics here
Masif Saturdays pres. Roger Shah @ Space Nightclub
DJ/Roger Shah came to town on Saturday night for a 3 hour set at Space Nightclub to show off his new album entitled 'Openminded?!" and from his set, his style certainly has shifted from the slow gentle sets to something a little harder and with a stronger bassline.
Music for Balearic people
He still keeps to his Balearic roots with the ocean sounds as well as the guitar and piano riffs, nothing has changed in that department and in DJ Shah style, the midi keyboards come out as well.
Roger on the keyboards
Photographically, I tried out some more moody kinda shots without flash and tried shooting with the 70-200 for a longer perspective rather than my usual upclose wider angle type shots. Was a bit difficult with Roger as his two keyboards block the view and also the lights were at times, very strong in colour.
Roger Shah
Click the photo below for the gallery:
Click here for more
City 2 Surf – 5 weeks to go
With five weeks to go until the torturous 14 kilometer marathon known as the City 2 Surf, it's been on my list of things to do for a few years and this time I'm actually going to do it. The proof is below, the bib came today and I'm in the Westpac Yellow group, i.e. the one for walkers and joggers. Probably should have gone into the blue group looking back now but I'm just starting out so Yellow will have to do.
53973
Bib number is 53973, nothing special or fancy about it but I'm aiming for a sub 90 minute time and hopefully if I can keep up my training at the gym, I should be able to make it. I'm currently quite confident of making it the whole way without walking, whether or not I can maintain an average speed of just over 9km/h over the treacherous heartbreak hill will remain unknown.
Hope everyone else doing the run has been preparing for it, it should be a blast .
Godskitchen 2011 – A Space Odyssey
So the announcement was made last week about the lineup for this year's Godskitchen. I'm quite pleased with the lineup and it seems like it's gonna be a hard night with the international headliners being:
- Marco V
- Richard Durand
- John Askew
- Ben Gold
It's at the Hordern again on Sunday the 2nd of October, not to worry, the Sunday falls on the long weekend and you'll have the Monday to recover before heading back to work/uni or whatever.
Godskitchen 2011
Should be a good night and if there's one thing I'd be looking forward to, it'd be this epic remix of an epic song:
Richard Durand's remix of Art of Trance's Madagascar. Still brings chills down my spine.
two two with little lily
So thanks to everyone who made the night so (un)memorable, I had a great time from the bits that I do remember and so glad to have had so much awesome company to celebrate with. Hope to have another one next year and hopefully see you all there again!
Many thanks to Jimmy Lam who took these photos
Click here for drunken photos
Another year goes on…
and my liver takes another pounding and so does my memory. Had a killer night on Friday with plenty of holes in my memory but definitely a great time celebrating my 22nd birthday, feel so old! No longer able to be in denial and telling myself that I'm still 21. Celebrated the night with Lily Tran at the ever-so-classy venue of Sanctuary Hotel, because you know, the drinks are cheap. Here are the first lot of photos from my DIY photobooth consisting of my D700, flash and 17-35mm f/2.8 lens and a remote trigger, perfect.
Click here for the photobooth photos
Set up seemed to work okay, I think it didn't fire a few times but in the end I was just too drunk to notice but it seems like it did its job.
Vivid 2011
Bit delayed but finally got round to getting through the rest of the photos, cold nights and the projections were heaps dynamic and moved around making long exposures difficult. Vivid does seem to be growing in size but one thing I did notice was that the projections on the Opera House weren't as precise as the previous years, not sure why.
The display at Customs House was rather pretty though!
Pics below:
Click for photos
Magic City 2011 – It’s Showtime – Photos
So after snapping over 1800 photos, I've been able to cull that down to a lovely 250 or so for your viewing pleasure. It was a much better night than I had expected (probably because the hardstyle started later than usual.
Click the image below to see all the photos:
Thanks for looking.
Twins!
Ok, I'm not talking about the type of the jayesslee girls (I did get a photo with them at boombox though), see below =P.
twins and me
Jealous? But the twins I'm talking about are these...
:D
Yes, that's two D700's with battery grips and they're both mine =D
So that brings my gear whoring to the following:
- 2x D700 FX bodies
- 2x MB-D10 battery grips
- SB-900
- Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR
- Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8
- Nikon 24-120 f/4 VR
- Nikon 50mm f/1.8
- Zenitar 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
- Loads of other crap..
Gear whorin'
So, who wants to give me a test run to shoot a wedding ceremony? =P