Congrats, we've all made it into another year. Hopefully a better one than the previous for many. It still amazes me how time flies as fast as a SR-71 Blackbird. Time after time and year after year goes by when some of us come to the realization that you should've taken that chance early on when you had the opportunity to. No excuse now as it's still early on in 2013 to make those dreams of yours a reality. Pick up that phone and make that sales call to those companies you have always wanted to work with. Stay in while others are out at the parties and focus on your art. Send out those emails to your editors and offer them a few good story ideas. Go out and shoot that project that you have longed put off. Get off your comfortable chair and experiment. Make those mistakes and learn from them. Don't limit yourself only to work in the region you live in. Reach out to the global market.
I look forward to the unknown of not exactly knowing what lies ahead in this world of uncertainty but as far as I can tell, it's always to keep charging along. Back to picking up the cameras, sitting on trains and planes this year. There's no stopping over here. Look forward to working with the wonderful new folks this year that I have connected with in 2012.
With this being the first post for 2013, let me take you on my little adventure when I was just in Hong Kong (again) right after Christmas into the new year eating all that cheap delicious food out there. I can't say it enough but it's a great place to see a bit of the old and the new. People are great and did I mention the food is superb too?
Victoria Harbour with good light on December 28, 2012. View never gets old...
Met my hero on the Avenue of Stars...Bruce Lee. And a bored man on the railing.
Lots of development have been going on in HK.
POP ART IS FOR EVERYONE.
The Lin Heung Tea House is such a cool spot for dim sum. Thanks to a friend who took us there for the great food and experience. Definitely a must go back.
Getting started with our table of guests...
Let the chow down begin!
It's almost like back home at some of the traditional restaurants in the LA area that my family used to all go to but it's just a bit better in HK.
Lin Heung Tea House. G/F., 160-164, Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong.
Seated for some good coffee at a local spot.
My 7 Up and 12 inch cheese pizza for about $3.00 USD from Paisano's Pizzeria. It was so good that I went back twice at different time in the same day and had two more slices.
New Years Eve countdown...
Cruising through the streets on January 1st, 2013 at 2:00am. Streets are jammed packed.
The Sham Shui Po area waiting for friends.
It's the first day of 2013 (Year of the Snake) and what better time it is to eat some snake soup. Something I haven't tried before but it was actually quite good and would definitely go back!
After having snake soup we all went around the block to a local Michelin star restaurant for more amazing food.
One of the perks of being a photographer (or any creative artist for that matter) is that I get to travel every so often, experience different cultures, meet up with friends I've connected with in various places and eat great food. It's almost like you're not actually working but you are working. I used to concentrate heavily most of my work only in the region I'm based in but why try competing with several others competing for the same type of work? It really didn't make much sense for me when there's others who will either do the work much better than me, will do it at a much cheaper rate or hell, even for free. I came to the realization that my advantage is using my locations to branch out into other regions which makes sense in my case with the people/companies I work with and I don't have to worry about the majority of those fighting for just the local work.
Street food on Stanley Street with the crew! After all that eating I still can't put on any weight for some reason and I don't even hit the gym. McDonald's, junk food, greasy fatty food, sweets, coffee and I still eat like when I was 16.
The secret is that I carry a lot of camera gear (not pictured above) almost on a daily basis...cameras, lenses, laptop, accessories and I walk a ton. Keeps you in tact to a certain point. I do the chiropractor's office every two weeks or so for back and neck adjustments...feels great and keeps your entire body balanced.