So. You'd like to see some photos?
You're in the right place. Here, I've put on display the last few dozen of my favourite photos for you to look at - as new photos are added, old ones are pushed out. Each image is thumbnailed and described so that you have an idea of what you're looking at before you open the full-size version. If there's a photo that you think I've taken and you would like to see it on this page (so that you can save it for yourself too), all you have to do is ask me, and I'll put it up here as soon as I can (usually once every couple of weeks, depending on whether exams are on, or if there are big assignments due... all that jazz).
Now, a few words before you jump straight in. As I mentioned earlier and you can see below, I've thumbnailed every picture that I upload to the site. To make them all look pretty and fit in with the colour theme of the site, though, I've applied a special filter to each one - it makes everything look more orange (you can see the effect straight away).
The full version of each photo, however, is in normal colour - all you need to do is click through on the link that says [ Large Rainbow Version ], and you'll see it in sixteen million colours, as well as the bigger picture. Also worth noting, the thumbnails only show a small part of the image - for example, the face of the subject instead of their whole body - it's just a habit I've developed. So, when you see the thumbnails, realise that what you see there is not the whole photo.
Now, it just happens that it takes a while for photos to get from the camera to the website. First, I have to get home and pick which ones are good to put online - and then I have to write a description for each one. There's all sorts of things I have to do before a new gallery pops up on the website. The point is this - online photos will be out of sync with reality. Photos here in the gallery can be anywhere between a few days or a few weeks 'late', because of all the things I have to do to get them online. So long as you remember this, you won't be asking questions about current photos that don't seem to be online yet. The reason is because I usually have other things that are much more pressing than a website I provide free for everyone. ;)
Thanks for your patience in reading that. And now... the photos, the photos, the photos!
"Beneath A Large Palm Tree" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Finishing up our trip to the Gardens, we headed on back to the car. But with the Sun still surprisingly high in the sky, I found a nice posing spot - this palm tree - then placed the tripod and positioned the people. Click!
"Cascade" [ Large Rainbow Version ] As the family moved off and I untelescoped (I love inventing words!) my tripod, I spotted a large clummp of flowers a bit off the beaten track. Three shades of almost the same petals, lined up almost like a waterfall! Nice.
"Sunny Side Up" [ Large Rainbow Version ] When I was a (smaller) kid, I was very fussy with my food. I liked my eggs scrambled. My sister liked them sunny side up - that is, not broken up, yoke intact in a sea of albumen (ie. egg white). It only takes a small amount of squinting to fathom why I named this photo as such.
"Slowdance To Train" [ Large Rainbow Version ] I freely confess, I'm not particularly into dancing... due in no small part to the fact that I'm terrible at it - anyone with decent vision who has seen me at a dance can testify to that. But it's a simple task to tell "dancy" music from "not dancy" music. Train falls into the latter category. But, as always, Andrew and Ashwin adapted brilliantly (shown here, slowdancing to "Drops Of Jupiter").
"One More Moondance" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Harry the performer. I can never seem to come to grips with being in the constant presence of amazing talent - you'd think I'd get used to it after five years, but it's still a source of amazement for me. Here's Harry and his rendition of... ahhh, "Moondance".
"Miss Samill Can SING!" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Multiple Images Imagine my surprise when good old ignorant me discovers that he's standing next to a singer/songwriter - our drama student-teacher. And she's pretty good, too! Here she is singing to the class - never mind that black box in the middle of the second picture, that's just Shanthi (blacked out on request).
"Rehearsal" Multiple Images [ Large Rainbow Version ] Being a part of any type of drama production and seeing it from within is quite a different beast from watching the final "polished" performance. I, for one, was somewhat surprised to find that sometimes a production can be better described as "Ants Going Crazy In The Rain" than "A Lean, Clean, Performance Machine". Here's a couple of shots of the rehearsal process.
"A Unique View Of The Roof" [ Large Rainbow Version ] On one of the full-run-through rehearsals, the Set Crew and support staff found themselves no longer needed for service; so a few of us set up camp in the hall and snuggled into our blazers for a bit of a nap. As I moved about putting people to rest (providing pillows, blankets, the like), I looked upward and stretched my back for a moment and saw - this. "Well," I thought to myself, "...never seen the roof like that before."
"Wessex Senior & Wessex Junior" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Oh, how strangely fate is wielded! This photo was taken around 3PM on the afternoon of the second performance. This was after Ashwin had taken his fall and I had filled in, so he was in crutches and I in costume. And so: the two Wessexes!
"In Performance" [ Large Rainbow Version ] This and the next two shots were taken on the first night (since I was too concerned with my cues and lines on the second night!). Here you can see the audience watching as Will (Patrick) writes on his desk at home and Henslowe (Andrew) wanders around in his theatre, the Rose.
"Stirring Audience" [ Large Rainbow Version ] When I was free to roam around with my tripod, I hopped up onto the stage just before the lights were hit to grab some shots of the audience. Eventually, all the rows filled out and everyone settled down - then the lights went down.
"Drama Production Canteen Crew" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Somehow, I found myself as canteen co-ordinator for the production. Now, it's still a mystery as to how, but I only ended up serving half my time - on Saturday I was Wessex, and couldn't come out in my costume to help - but here is the crew (Mon, Shannon, Esther and Rachel) that basically took care of it all. Oh, plus Dennis and Vincent, our loyal (but lobsterless) customers.
"The Cast Of Shakespeare In Love" [ Large Rainbow Version ] When the last of my scenes was complete and I followed the Queen (Gloriana Regina, God's Chosen Vessel, the Radiant One who shines her light upon us... rats, I'm still doing that!) out the Hall's front doors, a great weight lifted from my shoulder. I could stop sweating and start breathing again! And after the curtain call, we all went backstage for full cast shots. As if I'd miss this kind of opportunity! (Thanks Rose for taking the shot with my camera!)
"Combined Jazz" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Multiple Images Time warp five days forward to the Year 12 Farewell Ceremony, and we find the Jazz Ensembles of Year 11 & 12 performing "Lean On Me" in tandem. Incidentally, I snuck into an almost-front-row seat with our year's Jazz Ensemble - but when asked whether I was singing or not, I simply laughed. ;)
"Mrs. Kowalski" Multiple Images [ Large Rainbow Version ] Year 12 Year Advisor for 2002. I still don't know how they select Year Advisors - but in any case, these people are extraordinary, to be able to manage an entire rgade of growing individuals. Mrs. K is no exception (and I had her for Peer Support last year - she rocked!). So, where do I sign up?
"Final Roll Call" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Multiple Images I was talking to Rachel Hung recently about her completing high school, and she related the fact that she "felt ready to move on... but not allowed to, yet!". With the exams still to do, these gifted people are still stuck with us for a little while longer. Pray that they might be able to make it through this checkpoint and beyond!
"Clearing Out" Picture-In-Picture [ Large Rainbow Version ] As Ms. Wratten gave the order to pack up the chairs, I was at the back of the hall with the sound and light crew. And as everyone began to move, I thought I saw something. I pointed the camera and made the shot. Then... I forgot about it...
Then, when I opened the photo at home. I spotted it again. I've magnified it for you in the inset; do you see it? It's Bao! I don't know what happened to you, brother - could you shed some light? (Yow... whatever it was, it looks painful!)
"Big Happy Families" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Multiple Images As I roamed around outside the Hall just after the Final Roll Call, I found so many people in nicely organised groups posing for photos. So I joined in the merriment and snapped away! (The top right group reminds me of my group... it even has Harry & Goonie in it.)
"Mice" [ Large Rainbow Version ] The whole school tok a momentary break from the Year 12 festivities after that, and so shall this gallery. Here's a nice show of my new mouse - the old (broken) one is next to it. (The new one is a Microsoft Wireless Optical Blue - the chunky blue thing is the receiver. Curiously, the last mouse probably kicked the bucket because my brother and I frequently swapped it from one side of the keyboard to the other (he is left-handed and I am right), and the constant swapping probably messed up the wire connection on the mouse. But this mouse is both ambidextrous and wireless, so we have (hopefully) little to worry about.
"Fun With A Book About Pi" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Dennis is a clever fellow, so it came as no surprise when I found him flicking through the pages of a book about Pi in our free period. That's Yaywon (ahh, I mean, Yewon) taking shelter underneath its covers.
"Dance Lights" Multiple Images [ Large Rainbow Version ] I hadn't been to a school dance for many months, I know. But I thought I'd pay a visit as a Prefect and lug my camer along too. It turns out that Dances are not the best places to take photos - a little too dark for that - but the lights looked pretty cool..!
"Three Years" [ Large Rainbow Version ] When we received our photos back, I didn't have to look at mine to know they were pretty poor. That said, I was silghtly surprised to find that these photos were something of an improvement over last year. (Though, an improvement over "A Drowned Fish" still lands me solidly in Poorland.) It might have been because I got my braces off; my Mum tells me that Year 9 & 10 are slways a little funny, because our faces are changing from a child to an adult, and at that we're neither. See these two photos side-by-side: one in year eight and the other in year eleven. Just three years!
"Candles" [ Large Rainbow Version ] I was recently able to celebrate my seventeenth orbit around the Sun (birthday, in ordinary terms). I thought, "I've never taken a photo of candles flames close up before..." And so you can guess what I did next! They came out surpisingly well - this is the sort of thing you can't do on an ordinary film camera.
"Miss Vam" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Away from my house, and back to a day of many farewells. Miss Samill had already said goodbye, and our next student-teacher (Miss Vam) was actually going back to Vietnam to teach in her own country. She really is one in six billion - she came from Vietnam, without any English, and came first among all her Australian counterparts in a Pure Mathematics degree at Macquarie. Truly amazing! Godspeed, Miss Vam!
"2002 Gaysheet" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Here is a bunch of us Year Elevens reading the 2002 Gaysheet. On advisement, I've decided not to put the whole document online... I had photo'd it earlier because I had no time to read it then (too busy waiting!), but I found it more offensive than amusing, so it stays offline. I wonder what we'll put on our Gaysheet? Maybe we'll just have... Lai-sheets or Ray-sheets, just filled with photos of... okay, so it's a crazy idea... ;)
"Garcon!" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Here are a few of us drinks waiter guys having a break before the action begins. There's Kev, Ming-Chak, Jim, Zuo and Giblert - the last with his wonderful Blue Steel!™ impression. I felt like a bit of a goose being the only waiter actually wearing a black tie - but there was no way I was taking off this tie that was twice as old as I was. Booyah!
"There Was... The Other Guys" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Apart from the waiters and waitresses, there were also... well, the Other Guys. Here are some of them, in what I must say is a very well composed shot by Robbo - McHardy, Kashyap and Bao. Huzzah!
"Ankur Chaduri & CCBC" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Now, here are two year twelves who not that many people know, but for whom I have enormous respect. Ankur for one, is just plain cool and always willing to share his time, word and laughter. Clement and I go way back - we've known each other since he was 10 and I was 9! Clement Chek-Bong Cheung (don't you wish you had a name like that? It's like a Kung Fu name! Jackie Chek-Bong Chan, coming your way!) can be the strong, silent type sometimes - but when he opens his mouth, it's definitely worth listening. Farewell, Ankur and Clement - live good lives!
"Awards Day Ceremony" Multiple Images [ Large Rainbow Version ] These are the bane of any Ruse student's existence. For most, they seem to never end - award after award after award - and it can certainly drag on for someone like me who's never ever had to go up on stage to receive an award. But then again, I wonder what other school is like ours, that so many are recognised for so many high things? We must have pretty good teachers and classmates, don't you think?
"Cutting The Cake" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Multiple Images It looked good to start with. But as the top three dug in with the big chunky knife, the Ruse-green cake soon turned into a mush of sponge cake, icing, and other things I don't want to discuss in a public place. Well, it was nice while it lasted!
"Memories On Screen" Multiple Images [ Large Rainbow Version ] They do it every year. The house lights go down, the projector comes up with its infamous "No Signal" message, and after a few seconds, the slide show begins. Hmmm... when it's our turn, I wonder what part these galleries of mine will play in the slide show. Well, we'll have to wait and see!
"Major Nahm" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Lung & Nahm, our former School Captain. Having spent plenty of time around Nahm, I wonder: what is 2003 going to be like with Jono, our new Captain? Well, all we can do is pray and wait, I think. I, for one, can't wait...!
"Whoa - It's Mr. Canty!" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Mr. Canty makes a surprise appearance at the luncheon. Here he is, chatting with Mrs. Bal and Miss Samill. Remember all those people brandishing cameras in "Big Happy Families"..? Guess who they were taking photos of... ;)
"Wow. Look At The Cake" [ Large Rainbow Version ] Multiple Images Here is the cake a short while before it was, ahhh, massacred. I must have been the first to spot it, because when I came to it and asked Jono, Anupam and Ashish to pose for me with it, people started flocking. And here is the result...
"Unconventional Seating" [ Large Rainbow Version ] And as the luncheon finished up, Year Twelves their way out of the Hall and the cleanup began. Yet, some of the dudes didn't want to leave behind their beloved Auditorium - here are Nathan, Marcus and the boys occupying some unconventional seating inside... errr, outside the hall.
