This is Germany.... really!

I went to Munich about a month ago, took hundreds of shots and realised that just about all of them sucked. Well, they're not ugly or anything, just unspectacular - the sort of pictures you'd find on a postcard (the same 'ol buildings and shit).

So it's kind of funny that the two best pictures I've taken in Germany really could've been taken anywhere in the world. There's absolutely nothing distinctly German about them. And these pictures weren't even taken in Munich.

A large number of Germans are Catholic, which is evident in their souvenir shops. There was this shelf with a whole lot of tiny biblical character figurines carved out of wood. I snapped this in some small town during a Gray Line tour to a couple of big German castles - one was made by King Ludwig II (Neuschwanstein Castle) and the other was his residence (Linderhof Castle, I think).



This was taken near Neuschwanstein Castle. At the bottom of the hill, there are loads of people sunbathing and taking a swim at the nearby lake.


And just for the sake of completeness, here's Neuschwanstein Castle. Find out more about it here. Take note that photography was strictly prohibited during a guided tour of the castle, so the pictures of the interior (on the linked website) were probably scanned from some official guide book or something.


(All pictures taken with a Nikon D70 and an AF-S Nikkor DX 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED)

Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa is a really pleasant place to visit in spring, thanks to the Tulip Festival. Around mid- to late-May, thousands of tulips go into full bloom throughout the city. It's quite an amazing sight, especially if you head to one of the Ottawa's many parks.


This was taken in front of the parliment building. I like that one tulip that looks as if it was pushed out by the others...


These were a group of young students playing in a jazz band. They were playing in one of the parks while people sipped coffee and ate hotdogs while enjoying the music.



Anakin's new legs weren't quite as long as they should have been...

(All pictures taken with a Nikon D70 and Nikkor AF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF ED lens)

More birdpark photos!!!

Dug up more photos from my KL birdpark trips. The first picture here is a Brahminy Kite. As for the next two, i dunno. There weren't any cages with bright, cheerful signs on them... Hey, I'm a tech writer, not some National Geographic photographer :)

(All pictures taken with an Olympus E-300 and a kickass Zuiko ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 lens)

The streets of Seoul

There are loads of little roads in between the tall buildings in Seoul. And, unlike in Kuala Lumpur, they aren't hangouts for prostitutes or drug addicts. Rather, they're one of nicer places to visit in the city, with loads of restaurants, bars and shops.

(Both shots taken with an Olympus Camedia C-5060)

Korean subway

I like Seoul. It's one of the few big cities in the world with such a vivid night life that DOESN'T necessarily involve drinking. Plus, it's safe to walk around the streets at night with a camera hanging off your neck...

(Taken with an Olympus Camedia C-5060)

Wooden owl

The KL Birdpark in Lake Gardens is one of the hidden treasures of Malaysia (if you like taking pictures of birds, that is). This cute little fella was locked up behind a cage, but he didn't seem to mind me poking my lens at him.
(Taken with a Nikon D2Hs and Nikkor 28-200mm G lens)

Fiery plant

Took this in my backyard with the help of a bounceflash. I particularly like the way this flower (no idea what it's called) seems to glow. Taken with an Olympus Camedia C-8080 with a cheap Sunpak flash.

A bird and some big bridge...

I took this in San Francisco. If you know the name of the bridge, please let me know :)
(Taken with an Olympus E-1 and Zuiko 14-54mm lens)

Macworld San Francisco 2005

Macworld San Fran 2005 at peak hours. Oh, dear...
(Taken with an Olympus E-1 and Zuiko 14-54mm lens)

A wayang picture of Steven Patrick

To most people, he's a journalist. But in certain circles, he's regarded as a movie star. Really!
(Taken during the annual office dinner with a Nikon D2Hs and 18-70mm DX lens with a SB-600 for bounce flash.)

Korean theatre

Taken at the Korea House theatre, Seoul with a Nikon Coolpix 8400. If you ever travel to Seoul, make sure you attend one of these performances. Click here for more info.