Ho Hum.

Dum-dee-dee-doo-wah.

It's Sunday and another week has passed yet again. I didn't really do much but it was relatively pleasant. I met new people, had some fun moments and took some photographs. Most importantly - the sun is back. Yes, bright sunny days during the afternoons for a change. Beautiful blue skies, I fucking love you.

Before I continue, allow me to showcase some of my B&W photos which I developed recently.

I went out last night. Beer, burgers and bowling - it was surprisingly fun I'll have to say. Met a really interesting, artsy (and cute!) girl named Leanne who did nothing but smile all night. Met a bunch of mid-30s Greek men who acted like kids after a pint or two. Scored a measly 57 points in the game. Ate an expensive burger which tasted rather ordinary. Drank a Central American beer which on the other hand, was great. Caught a stunning woman in her early 20s winking at me on the dance floor, though all I did was smile back and walked away. Bad move, Ralverd - you could have nailed it. Women, oh well.

So far so good. Ho hum...

The Wild Fox.

Funny things happen now and then.

Life is full of interesting surprises, really.

To be honest I'm actually pretty tired now. Have been awake since 2 a.m. and it's a true pain the ass - sleeping at 8pm didn't really help. However now that I have recently developed a roll of film taken with my awesome plastic camera, I thought it'd be great to share it with my dear readers. Yes, you there. I have lost track of who actually visits Ralverd.com anymore, but to those silent fans out there - thank you for reading my blog. I did delete the blog 3 times (or 'reset' it) over the years but Starting Ralverd.com has been fun and looking back on the previous posts I realised that I changed, albeit little by little. This blog records (some of my) my slumps, progress and even random rantings. Blogging has already become a habit or perhaps a chore at times, but Ralverd is always prepared to share his shit with the world.

Before I continue, I'll leave you to appreciate the artistry of photography by yours truly:

Ah, film photography. What a love affair it has been. If only all those DSLR fellas would discard their digital gear and revert to old school shooting. Anyway, I actually wrote an article on a forum which I'd like to post here as well. Obviously it is related to photography but let me assure you - this is definitely good stuff.


How to take better photographs:
1) Know your camera. My Nikon D700 came with a 400-page manual and I read every page of it (it's time consuming but definitely worth it). Knowing all the slightest settings and menu functions allows me to utilise the camera in the best way possible. Flash sync speed settings? Easy. 3D track focusing in AF-C mode? Piece of cake. Some amateurs make the grave mistake of not reading the manuals/guides, know nothing about their camera and stick to the Auto mode for the rest of the camera's life. Don't be like them, be better.

2) Learn about light. It's a wonder what the matrix metering systems of DSLRs can do nowadays. Most of the time we can simply stick to auto metering functions and get by - but it is great to know more about lights in general: e.g. exposure, dynamic range etc. Learn to read histograms and understand what highlights, midtones and shadows are. Know how to deal with difficult lighting conditions. Don't be the sad fellow who asks, "What does this button (*Exposure compensation) do? "

3) Engage your subject. You see something you like? Then think before you shoot (unless it's something that'll be gone in an instant). Look around the subject - would it look better from another angle? Is the background too messy? What depth-of-field will fit the image? Is the lighting adequate? Is there eye contact? Explore your subject and the surroundings before you actually click on the shutter button. It makes a huge difference to your composition.

4) Shoot film. Shooting old-school is great because you learn a lot. Why? Film costs money and every time you click the shutter a few cents go down the drain. You can't take it back and no, there isn't a LCD for you to view what you've taken. This generally changes your approach towards photography because most of us do not really want to waste a roll of RM20 film on rubbish. Besides, nothing beats the excitement of having your film developed.

5) Be critical. I'm relatively harsh towards my photographs. I always point the camera around and end up not taking anything, even with digital. I delete what I think is subpar. I always think, "This isn't good enough, how can I improve it?" I'm not exactly a brilliant photographer but I'd like to make my photographs as good as possible (and within my own standards). Most people just shoot with their DSLRs, post them up on facebook, receive half-a**ed compliments and become content. These people never improve.

6) Learn to take advice. At times we might think that we are an authourity on a certain subject but do remember that there's always someone who knows more. Learn from mentors or experts and take mental notes of what they have to say. We should never stop learning. However, never take advice blindly from those who take rubbish photos.

7) Read. Photography isn't just about learning to use your camera. Sometimes reading up can give you insights which you'll never receive otherwise. Borrow/buy some books on photography, be it magazines, material on technqiues or photobooks. Be inspired - there's tons of superb material out there and I'm confident that there will be some that will take your breath away.

8) Go out and shoot. In general the more you shoot, the better you get. Provided if you actually learn from your mistakes/feedback and apply your new-found knowledge everytime you shoot. Go to new, refreshing locations and shoot different subjects. Explore macro or food photography. Do some studio or portrait shoots. Never ever stop shooting and maintain your passion. In fact, bring a camera everywhere you go (I do even when I go to class). As you gradually learn to see the world through a lens, your photography might just be taken up a notch.

I hope you kids learn to take better photographs and hopefully at a point, be as good as me. Be a wild fox, my friends. Or be the fucking walrus. Just don't become the common weed.

The World And Me.

I'm bored.

Like many of us, I'm always looking for excitement in life. When I don't get it life feels 'stagnant'. As though nothing is progressing. Some people are the simple minded, happy-go-lucky kinds - they receive their daily pleasure from little things, perhaps a good bowl of soup or great weather. They put on a genuine smile most of the time. My thumbs up to them - they're probably really happy. Unfortunately I've long graduated from that state of mind so it takes a little wee bit more to satisfy myself. I need to dragged out from my safety zone, be thrown out on a fucking battlefield, and endure every moment as rounds of lead graze through my skin without mercy. Not literally, but that's an option too.

OMGz, good weather! Gosh, I'm happy!

For the past week I havent been doing much aside from staying at home (and surfing the net). Perhaps watching some TV and going down to Starbucks for a Grande-sized Latté, but nothing more really. Some people suggest that I head to a game store and buy one of those awesome, highly-acclaimed computer games. But no, I swore myself off games half a year back and never looked back. Games don't excite me as much as they used to, unfortunately. Punching someone and getting punched in the boxing ring almost renders everything else 'mild' in comparison. Throwing a 3 pointer at the court? What about throwing a triple left hook at that ugly bastard in the ring? Honestly I still enjoy many activities that I do, but it just doesn't give me the occasional 'oomph' as easily anymore.

My holiday ends today. Tomorrow is the start of a new 'half-term' and it means more work coming up. Four essays to be exact. I don't particularly dislike going to class,but it's been such a slow moving week for me. I just don't feel like doing anything yet. On the bright side this might get my blood running at a slightly higher pace, before my brain shuts down and says 'I quit, you suck'. The weather's crappy today. I think I shall take a shower and buy myself a coffee. Or two. Happy fucking holidays, my friends.

The Green Skirts.

Valentine's Day.

Ah yes, the overrated, commercialised celebration on the 14th of February every year. Coincidently in 2010 it is on the first day of Chinese New Year too. So happy holidays to those who have them. I personally have my 'reading week' but it doesn't seem that I'm getting to the books yet. So what do I do when I have a good week off (and without a 'valentine')? Get the fuck out of London, obviously! And I did for a day - to Edinburgh, Scotland. Honestly, I have not been there so it was undeniably refreshing. Then again, it wasn't TOO amazing. The train engine died (fucking East Coast rail) on the way to Edinburgh and I had to wait 2 long hours for them to get it fixed. British efficiency letdown #2.

Edinburgh Castle (I think).

What's great in Scotland? For starters, if you don't have a camera you're basically fucked, e.g. extremely bored. If you do (and 2 great ones at it), you'll be lugging your gear along with a tripod out at 6a.m. to catch the sunrise by the hills. That's what I did anyway. Besides that, you can always opt for the weirdly named local cuisine: haggis, cullen skink, neep & tatties (what the fuck?). Of course last but not least, the whiskies. I had a measure of 45-year-old vintage single malt and it was fucking brilliant. The flavours, the aromas, the smokiness, the smooth finish... Best £14 spent on a shot of alcohol ever. And yes, if you ever visit Edinburgh, go to a restaurant named 'Haldanes' - superb food. Period.

The dark alleys (aka 'closes') which are all around the city.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to do much considering that I only stayed one night in the city. The Scottish accent was funny, the food was good, the booze was excellent, and so on... It's a decent place to go if you've never been there, but would I go again? I'd probably think twice. You see, bagpipe rock really isn't my thing. The spooky, haunted horror stories are way overplayed and the Scots only wear kilts to please tourists. Things move rather slowly around there and it becomes really quiet at night. Typical of European cities, I suppose.

Next time, I'm going on a whisky trip.

Between Right And Wrong.

The times, they are a changin'.

Hello, this is me. The dark framed glasses. The unmistakable messy moptop. The cold, sadistic stare. They call me Ray - but on this blog I'm Ralverd. I'm the 21 year-old fucker who just don't give a shit about everything (which doesn't matter). I'm the bastard who takes pleasure in seeing the little fuckers waste their life away for nothing. Life is a game to me and I intend to play it like a pro. Hey, that's a good quote.

Well, I woke up at 2 a.m. today. It's been like this for almost 4 days - is it insomnia? I had to skip class today because my eyes just couldn't open anymore, however hard I tried. I need some quality sleeping time, so if there's a god up there - do grant me this wish. Now that I think about it, I have no reason at all to sleep late. I'm single, have loads of time and have nothing much to do anyways. Besides taking photographs once in a while.

But wait, I'm going to Scotland this weekend. Firstclass rail. Scotsman Hotel. Single malts. Chinese New Year. Expect some brilliant photos to be up here by next week.

But fuck Valentine's Day.

Animal Instincts.

I went to the zoo.

It all started when a friend mentioned that he wanted to see a llama. Yep, the weird-looking camel clone dressed in fur. He went, "I fucking love llamas, man... I really do... Let's see some llamas, man... Let's go to the zoo to see some fucking llamas, all right?" And so a few friends agreed and there we go. A short trip to the unsurprisingly quiet London Zoo which ended with light rain. I did have fun though - I haven't been to a zoo in years to be honest. The hightlight? Screaming otters.

Here are some of the better photographs which I took at the zoo. Surprsingly, I brought along my long telephoto lens for this trip. It was heavy (over 1.5kg) but definitely worth it. And digital at it too, finally! What do you think? You decide.






Animals are awesome. I probably would go to the zoo again, albeit in much better weather. I think I might have just caught a cold in the rain. Damn. And my body still aches like crap. Talk to you soon, my friends.

The Society.

Nothing beats a good ol' photo walk.

On weekends, public transport in London is a true pain in the ass. Somehow the mayor decides to fix all kinds of crap on Saturday and Sundays, which inevitably screws up people who are trying to use them. Our beloved Malaysian public transport is without a doubt light years behind the UK, but unlike the Malaysian one - the expectations are pretty high. Anyway, it took 4 hours worth of commuting time to travel to my destination today (including return, of course). I couldn't make a pre-planned lunch appointment but hey, I had a good time. Met a few interesting people which includes an Arabian man named 'Sultan'. No shit.

A part of my Photo Society.

We go to the unfamiliar places in London.

And take random snapshots.

And more snapshots?

It is fun being part of a society. Especially one where people share the same interests and hobbies, rather than sharing the same nationality or pathetic mindsets. Why go to England and not meet people of different ethnicities? That's a waste, sadly. For once in a long while, I am glad to say that 'things are looking better now'. I met great people and got to know them better. Things and objectives are getting sorted out one at a time. Progress - it's here.

Life is great. And it should only get better from here. All I need now is a good book and a good smoke. Coconut, you hear me?