There are times that the picture that you just took is not at the right position, perhaps not facing the right direction or maybe not inline with the text in the document which you want to put into. Well, this may sound a little too easy for some of you but I do get such question sometimes.

Let’s just say i need the lotus to face to the left instead of right as i need to print a Chinese proverb on the left side.

One easy way to do it is to flip it … flip horizontally. It may not work in all cases especially for human portrait. The left and the right side of a human face does not exactly look the same. That is why sometimes you hear people saying either their left or right side looks prettier (for photo shooting purposes), if you don’t believe me try flipping a portrait picture and I am pretty sure you will get a good laugh.

To do it, just click on Image on the top menu, select Rotate Canvas > Flip Canvas Horizontal. You may try Vertical, to have that anti-gravity look … totally unnatural but depends on your theme and creativity.

The end product. If you observe closely, this is also a mirror effect too … except the text (as I did in a separate layer).

Did this tutorial helped you? Share with me your end results!

*The lotus was taken during a Dana session outside a shack where a monk lives.

Calling all Alpha users ….

There is an up coming convention for all Sony Alpha users from the 10th to the 12th of October at Le Meridien, KL. Topics to be covered on those 3 days are:

• Fashion Photography
• Architecture Photography: Subject, Form & Sculpture
• How To Start Your Wedding Business
• The Working Photographer: Life Experiences
• Automotive Photography
• Location Portraiture
• Digital Workflow
• Thinking Out Of The Box

I am hoping that I can make it there! Maybe get a car load of Alpha junkie to share a room or something.

Wohooooooo here I come!!!! (tentatively). Coming along?

For more information, check out http://www.amc.com.my/convention

There is something about me and sunrise … its painful to wake up at 5-ish in the morning, what more just to shoot a couple of photos for half an hour and head back home. Well not really home, usually for some breakfast first. Still painful and yet I still love to do it once in a while. I guess it gives me a really good feeling watching the sun slowly rises up, changing every scenery and color combination by the seconds – yes I mean seconds. We have sunrise and sunset everyday, how often or when was your last time seeing it?

By the way, do observer the cloud formation, they are rather interesting!

I spotted 5 sea otters along the coastline; they were ‘sliding’ back to their burrows near to the sea banks. They were literally sliding as it was low tide and the area was muddy. Initially I thought they are some huge mud skippers (the usual default little errr ‘fish’ during low tides) but on second thought they were too GIGANTIC to be mud skippers’ hahaha.  Couldn’t get a good picture of them as they were too fast and far, hence I got their footprints instead.

Click below for an enlarge view.

Location: Along Jelutong Expressway, before Tesco if you are coming from Georgetown

Alright, you got a great photo and you want to create a frame for it just like the pros. The simple ones e.g. the black / white strip that surrounds your photo, usually seems to give the image a sense of masterpiece. Alrighty Picasso, it’s not too difficult. Just follow the step by step guide for a simple yet elegant enhancement to your work of art!

1. Create an extra layer

2. With the new layer still selected, go to Image in the top menu and select canvas size

3. Increase the width and height, this is up to you how big or thick you want it to be. Click on ‘OK’

4. With the new layer still selected, on your key board – press shift + backspace.

5. Select ‘Color’ under Use and pick the color of your choice – black / grey etc. Click on ‘OK’.

6. Voila

An example of the end product:

Do share your masterpriece if you’ve tried the tutorials!

Since my last blog post on the simple action items to help mother nature, how many of you actually made the change? The need to start the small yet simple adjustment has been long delayed and it is up to us human to make the difference before it’s too late. It is not the government, your neighbors, your friends, ‘ROI’ etc but YOU. START by as simple as saying ‘No’ to plastic bags or at least minimize the usage or bring your own bags!

If the reasons are not obvious yet, observe the videos below…

So … is it important now?

This has to be the most hilarious site ever! Ever wondered how you would look like from the latest fashion of the yester years from 1950 to 2000. I uploaded my photo up and I was laughing away. Ah hem … nope I am not posting my picture here (I’ll probably do it in facebook or something). Anyway do try it out, it would be very kind of you to share it with me.

Year book yourself now at http://www.yearbookyourself.com/

I just had my dinner at Secret recipe yesterday evening, feeling a little adventurous I decided to try the durian cake. When it was served … it looks a bit dry, maybe it’s the design or something. Well, on the first bite … my face had an instant transformation – a sourly awful looking face. I told my mom, “I think this cake has gone bad”. My mom replied, “not you think, it is bad”. Well that was the first and the last bite, the waiter defended a little that durian cake actually taste that way (by default I guess what he means), I just don’t think durian cake should taste sour-ish. Nevertheless they exchanged with a new cake – thankfully it still taste ‘ok’. Next come the main course, I had the Irish stew. It wasn’t all that fantastic compared to what I had a few years ago when Secret Recipe first started. I can’t complain much though except the ‘supposed’ whipped potato. I am assuming (probably I am wrong) that whipped potato should be fluffy not hard or old, as if it was regenerated / ‘resurrected’ for a zillion times.

That’s not the end of the story … YET. I did some grocery shopping after dinner. My stomach started to churn a little from time to time and massive gasses was ‘produced’, it was not chronic yet and I could still wait till I reach home. As soon as I unload my grocery at home, I had to sprint to the toilet. It was mini diarrhea, I guess for that one mini bite of the cake. Although it was just a mini relieve, it is very very toxic and polluted the air in my room. Ok ok enough for the details.

I don’t know about you, but personally I am going to stay away from Secret Recipe for a while.