Lomo-Junkies

Lately, I really get myself into the lomography. From searching for Lomography cameras to learning how to make a "lomo-look-alike" picture.

In Lomography, the most significant things are, saturation, vibration and vignette effect. Now, you could either buy one of those "vintage lomo-cameras" (such as Holga, Diana, Lomo LC-A...etc), or a more modern version of lomo-cameras (fuji mini 7s and 25) then you are only one step away from showing your lomo-masterpiece. Please be aware that, all the vintage lomo cameras are either using the 35mm film (standard photography film which are easy to find at your nearby shops) or a medium format - 120mm film (it's quite difficult to buy it directly, but you could easily purchase them online). On the other hand, Fuji mini 7s and 25 are using the instax (instant film) which work like polaroid. Apart from the instant film, Fuji cameras are considering more affordable than those vintages one, but of course you can attract more attention when you walk around with your "grandma" camera around your neck :)

The last solution for those who don't want to invest for "another" camera, you can still use your current digital camera, but then you just need to venture your photo editing program to get the precise "lomo" feeling on your picture. Just remember what I wrote above, lomography is all about saturation, vibration and vigenette effect.

Have fun.....

Novita
PS: pictures above I took during Fètes de Genève 2010.

Fêtes de Genève

I spent my whole day at Geneva. Stroll along the lake, Geneva has changed it face to something looks more like Santa Monica than any other city in Europe LOL. Lake side filled with mostly food stalls and attractions. Very unfortunately, I didn't stay for the fireworks, kiddos got knocked out before 8 PM.

This picture was taken in the middle of the crowd using my EF 24-70mm f 2.8/L USM. This is actually one of my favorite lens for this kind of event, it has a decent focal range, nice bokeh, and "wide" enough to catch up sorrounding's ambience.

Destination Monday : China

I like to travel to see other part of the world that I've never seen, but sometimes, it's good to go back to the roots, that's what exactly what I will do, I will visit the land of my ancestor, the Middle Kingdom - China. My trip will begin from the capital city, Beijing, and continue to the extreme west part of China - Urumqi, Xinjiang, continue to Kashgar, and ended up at China's cosmopolitan - Shanghai.

I've been prepared my camera bag with my "can't live without" camera - Canon EOS 5D mark II, plus some lenses like EF 15mm f1.8 (Fish eye), EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM, EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM, and EF 70-300mm DO IS USM (to reduce the weight of my backpack, I have to leave my EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM behind). And for in case of emergency, I have my G11 with me in my pocket.

For now, I am in my train from Sion to Geneve Airport. I write to you all again later on today, during my transit in Charles De Gaule (if I have time LOL), otherwise, talk to you from Beijing.

Novita

Hunting the Light (Part I - Arrival in Tromso)

Some people think, still until now, I am a bit strange, while people try to avoid the cold, I was looking for one, with my idea to travel to the northern most part of the europe. But I am kind of "snow" girl type, I love cold, especially snow, and I am not a big fans of sunlight, so this trip should be perfect for me.

Begun with "late" train to Geneva airport, thanks to the so-called "accident" in Geneva city, my train was 20 minutes late, and I was already tight for my check-in time. The line in front of the SAS was so long, I was afraid if I will be the one who delayed my flight LOL. But I made it, the lady gave me all the documents I need, checked my luggage (half hearted) - my camera bag was about 15 kgs (about 33 lbs), she wasn't very happy to let me carried it with me but she couldn't bear the consequences either if I let her checked my camera's bag.

So, it was a super long trip for me, I started with my flight from Geneva at 11.55 am, and finished at Tromso at 7.30 pm. The exact route is Geneva - Copenhagen - Oslo - Tromso, and all with Scandinavian Airlines (darn...I forgot to give my star alliances FQTV number!! Will do later).

The stop at Copenhagen was quite fast, just had enough time to got my Coffee Mocha from Starback at the transit. Then, I hurried to the gate to caught my flight for Oslo, while during this flight I said good bye to the sunlight for the next week.

"I said good bye to the sunlight on my way to Oslo"

As ruled, all international passangers had to carry out our own checked luggages and drop it back on the check-in area. So basically I had to pass the custom area (with no one care what I did) and drop my bag on the check-in area, and did all the creepy security check all over again.

I should say, Oslo airport wasn't as what I had expected. It's quite small and "empty" per say for the international airport of one of the richest country in the world, thanks to their oil deposit. Finally, I decided to change more of the Norwegian Krones and hurried to my gate which is only 20 meters away from the money changer LOL.

I was quite lucky, in all my flights (except from Geneva - Copenhagen), I had a very nice neighbour who like to share some stories with me. The nicest one I got was for my flight to Tromso, the final flight. I forgot her name, but she was a Kenyan now living and working in Norway. She explained lots of things for me about Tromso, including where to go, what to do, etc. She even shown me the beauty of Oslo from our window just before the flight landed.

I should say, the first time I saw Tromso from the sky, that's the time when I fell in love with it. It's beautiful, one of the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life. Seriously, I even thought it's prettier than Swiss Alps LOL.

So we arrived at the airport, I hurried to one of the luggage belt (there were only two, so it wasn't give me too much trouble to find mine LOL), grabbed my luggage and got to the Flybuss which will took me to the city center (Sentrum) in 10 minutes and cost me NOK 55 - best of all ,the bus stop is right in front of my hotel - Rica Ishavhotel.


(To be continued...)

Trip to Tozeur (Part I)

Since I am already back here, I think it's time for me to reveal what I visited during my 4-day trips to south of Tunisia, Tozeur.

First day, 19 November 2009, I left at 4.10 am to catch my plane at Geneva airport. After 30 mins ride on the trained, it announced that the train might be late to arrive at Geneva airport, couple of minutes later, it announced that we actually had to change train at Geneva due to the locomotive problem. Well, 5 minutes spare time wasn't bad at all.

Arriving at Geneva airport, I hurried up to check-in and met those unfamiliar eyes of my soon-to-be travel mates. But honestly, none of them looked very friendly to me, which I don't really care either. Got my seat, 4A, luggage checked, followed by a little visit at the airport. Wow....now they have Starbucks installed at the end of the 2nd floor which is awesome, I don't really think I could ever cure my addiction to Starbucks LOL, anyway, a wish of good luck for my trip with a cup of warm Caramel Machiatto :) With or without Starbucks, my luck wasn't close enough to me, the flight was 30 mins late than scheduled and I already desperate to get to the plane for my siesta.

Make the long story short, honestly I don't think any of you will interesting to hear how I got transported from Geneva Airport to Tozeur-Nefta Airport, it's quite a boring 2-hour so flight since I know nobody and the food they served were pretty stink, cold rolls and croissant, strange smell hot plate, none of the items on my tray was appetizing. Arrived at the Tunisia, the immigration person got very unfriendly with me, they hold me longer compare to other, what a shame. And worse, out from the airport, since I knew nobody, I just went to the main exit, and somebody put me straight away to the transport car with the destination of my hotel , Sofitel Palm Beach Tozeur. While I was entering the door, that's when I realized I got to the wrong car without any chance to change to the other car :( I was ended up sharing the car with 3 other Swiss-German people. Technically speaking, Swiss-German doesn't messing around with Swiss-French people, which is me, or versi versa.

The hotel itself wasn't too far from the airport, once got there, I looked for my room's key, and without patient, I went straight to it, skipped all the welcome cocktail and gathering. My room number is 343, located on the ground floor of the wing after the pool, to be exact, first room on the right after the enterance. It's a good-size room, with a quite standard 3/4 stars amenities, considering I am staying at the 5* hotel. My bathroom is big, but with now cold water, means, I couldn't even flushed my toilet, forgot about taking shower with a boiled water. The safety box was so tiny, I couldn't even put my whole camera inside. I gave up, just used it to put my ID cards, and 2 lenses. Worse of all, one of my window was unlockedable. Tell me if I was paranoid, luckily the minibar-tv cupboard was not too far from the window, I pushed it to right in front of the window, just in case someone tried to enter my room, he or she at least had to try to broke the TV first.

It was a huge lunch, with a big "local food" buffet, even so, I tried to be prudent with  my stomach. I skipped all fresh salad, eggs, and lambs (since I am allergic to it). When I came over a big BBQ place, I saw a big chuncked of meat, which looked very intriguing, when I asked for the name of the food, they told me, it was camel's leg, I was....hmmmm..., and that guy, I didn't know if he was tried to be nice or just being an idiot, he even reframed the phrase he told me earlier, "...it's not a big camel, it was actually baby camel". Basically, during that big lunch, only thing I ate was "BREAD", tell me how gourmet I was.

(To be continued...)