ACJC vs RJC Rugby Finals 2005
ACJC vs RJC Rugby Finals 2005
Pictures Here
Remember 2002?
So much can be said. So great an amount of thoughts and philosophies stated. I don't even know where to begin. I don't even know where to end. I know that whatever I type here will not be enough to fully express what I have on my mind. Therefore just wait for the page to load first please. Then scroll down to view them. I don't think I've duplicated any of these shots on my pbase site. For more pictures go to Neil's site here. Other than that. I'll put in commentary as the pictures go on.
Much to say photographically between this year's match and last year's match. Much to think about about this being the last time that I will probably do this. Much to be said in terms of the times that came up till today. Incredible frustration would be one key word. Then again, the camera remains the same, the photographer is still the same. He just has one year more worth of experiences, a little bit of ups and downs in his journey for a vision. And a notable improvement in his framing. Post processing was simple - nothing fancy. In fact, I think I used too much sharpening. But I can't be bothered. Its the image that counts. Not how picture perfect it might be. As usual, 7:3 crops and a couple of squares and one or two normal crops.
Many things on my mind even as I type this down now. Much thoughts bug me and questions of the future linger in many directions and places. Encouragment has started to come in, so that's good. Other than that, let things be as they are. Photography. Do enjoy what I have. Not much of sports images because I can't accquire the 200mm f/2.8 that I would love to gain some pictures. Then again, it doesn't matter since most of my shots are about the victory parade. I'm happy that AC won 23-0. The same score we won with in 2002. Three years ago. I was just a JC2 kid at that time. It felt good. Perhaps that was the same day that it seared in my memory to at least keep coming back for this match every year. Its the one thing that I can relate to as AC. Its good to mingle with the crowd.
Greatly discouraged halfway through the match. I stopped taking pictures for at least half an hour and wandered around the muddy field in a dazed mind. So many thoughts about photography and all. Frustration mounts at times when I realise that its a lens that's limiting my framing rather than myself. For sports, good lenses are important. Wondering much about doing a little bit of photojournalism. Perhaps study to be a journalist. "I can write" as some say. "I can speak" as other tell me. If I add "I can take pictures" to that. I guess more or less it'll be good. Though I'd probably not make as much money as I'd like to in this life. I'm not sure. Stil ironing out the priorities of life. Perhaps it is time to let the past go. "To withdraw from AC" as another puts it. To move on in life.
Then again, I can easily see myself as one of the grey haired old men on the spectators stands. Still cheering. Still feeling passionate even though I'm probably double and a half of the age of everyone else around me. Maybe that's why they say that the AC Spirit is mysterious. It works in ways that we don't understand. It makes us do things that we won't consider logical. Then again. This is life. We'll see how things go and how it turns out. You be the judge. To me, we might have won a trophy. Yet my pictures, in my opinion, show resilience, love, joy, sadness, confusion and strength of character and love for school. Whatever will be will be. I guess this will really be the last update for this blog. No need to write anymore beyond this entry. This was originally the final entry that I have planned. I guess it can be it after laying off blogger for two months. And now blogging is becoming hip in fashion.
I arrived early at Police Academy. A place familiar with many memories of NS. Nothing much had changed really. Coast Guard reservists still sat around the old drill shed in their ever bored and lazy fashion. This is what reservist does to you. It takes you out of work to sit around and zuo bo. Nevermind them. The student councillors were busy applying face paint in the colors red, blue and yellow. A sight of interaction and of unity. Preparations had already been completed and this was the final stage. Banners were up. Notably was the new banner. "More than Conquerors". Wonderful.
ACJC started busing off the students at about 3.30. Most arrived closer towards 4.30 and started walked to their positions through the very muddy fields. It had rained the day before and thank God that I was wearing sandals. Not too bad. Still washable despite allowing copious amounts of mud to mire my feet. It was good. Old boys were still around. Its like, deja vu everytime I see it. We're always on the same side of the field. We're always on the same place. Doing the same things. Everything thing looks like a watching a home DVD again. Yeah. Usually the ending's pretty good - AC wins. Just that last year's referee was pretty much kayu one.
Since I had no opportunity to get a telephoto zoom. I had to wait till the players came really really really close before I could get a shot of them. How close? Well, in this case, they were about at the line at the end of the field on the Police Academy. I stood there side by side with Neil, ex-AC boy and member of the 25th student's council who was shooting with his Canon and a 300mm lens (argh!). He kept chimping to show me all his great shots of up close and personal action. Everyone shoots canon now! I think I really have to make that switch. You cannot imagine how slow the autofocus is on an average nikon prime lens. Noisy too! And Canon has USM (Ultra-Sonic Motor) on almost everything else. The referee was pretty good. Very impartial I'd say.
A bland crowd shot from where I was standing. No chance to go past the line to snap pictures of the crowd, where the perspective would have been many times better. Come to think of it, I'm sure everyone knows the really nice PE teacher Mr Mark Ng right? Yeah, he's finally upgraded to a Canon 20D and his 70-200mm just kept firing away at five frames per second. Clackclackaclackaclackclack. Argh. How I felt! Its like a cheese grater going over your heart as he photographs all th sports action up close. Sports photography is something I really enjoy. Its, pretty fun! And Neil and I joked about one of the guys who owned both the 400mm canon and the 400mm nikon. Haha. Too bad he's 10,000 miles away.
Ex-AC students who came down to support as well. Its good to see so many familiar faces. Its like, I used to pass by them in the Void Deck or New Canteen every now and then but never said hi. Then again, its like a warm fuzzy feeling when I see them again after so long. Its like, there's this "connection" or something like that. Oh well, on the right is our soon-to-be scholar at Imperial, Terrence. Who claimed that "I only heard about the match at 4 O'clock". And the kick off was to be at five. Interesting theory. Word still gets around fast. Wonderful brother of the CF as well.
Medals. Nothing more. Boring picture.
It looks like the Raffles waterboy is expressing his frustration at something. I don't know. Don't ask me. I don't understand why they pronounce "Rafflesians" as "Rare-Flea-Sians" when they cheer "Rare-Fels". Shouldn't it be "Rare-Fleas"?! Well its just an honest question. And as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure lots of AC guys I grew up with almost always pronounce "Rafflesians" as "Rare-Fel-Sians". No flea nonsense here. I guess its true what someone once told me. "If AC doesn't win, nevermind. As long as raffles doesn't win it can already!".
You can almost hear him say, "Hey! Where's my tip?!"
Instead of craning their necks, they are crouching to have a better view of the game. Honestly, you can't even see the score board from the VIP seating position. Its like they are too short that they get blocked really easily. If only the organisers invested in higher supports. Then these gusy won't have to crouch and everyone would be able to see the scores much more easily. Oh yeah, AC scored a few minutes into the game. So that was pretty good!
Truth is that they only started cheering when I pointed the camera at them. But nevertheless, if no one knew. It'd make a pretty good wayang of a picture. Its been a while since I wore those white and blue. We should have a reunion party where everyone comes in school uniform. Ah... Ah....
Banging on the drums. Creating the mood and setting the atmosphere. This time you have five persons banging on one used drum. Solid!
Coming very close to the final whistle. I was hiding in position to photograph the prize presentation.
The final whistle goes off! AC WINS! The crowd is elated! Instead of staying behind their lines as every other year. ACJC bursts forwards to congratulate our champion ruggers! And I'm stuck behind my own line at the prize presentation area! Oh well! I'm sure other people will have gotten pictures of that mini-victory parade as well.
The whole crowd just walks around aimlessly for a few moments. And then the coach shouts for the guys to go to the prize presentation area.
Yeah, it was something like THAT.
"Woudn't it be nice..."
A photo for posterity's sake.
ACJC parts like the Red Sea and the ruggers walk through it, triumphant with great applause and cheers and just overwhelming respect. They have restored the Honor and the Glory! I know I keep harping about this. But the rugby trophy is one that belongs in only one school's cabinet. For life everlasting!
After a few minutes of the processional victory walk. The ruggers head into the prize presentation area to congratulate the losers for a game well played. Oh well. It was pretty one sided most of the time. Raffles had no time to even come in for a try. Their supporters had no chance to cheer for a point scored. I guess its so true that the rivalry gets really bad only on the sporting field. Any other day and its no problem conversing with your average highly educated Raffles school educated student.
The Best Is Yet To Be! I didn't turn on my flash at this time. And I pretty much like the picture as it is.
The former captain of the rugby team, Lee Wei Kong, is wheeled into the prize presentation area. Beyond this, practically every picture I edited gave me goose pimples.
"Cut? What cut? Its only a scratch mom!"
Let's see. Standing, from left to right. Nikon D70, Nikon D70, Canon 20D, Canon Powershot Pro 1 IS, Nikon D1H (ST Photographer). Seated from left to right. Canon 20D, Canon 20D and Canon 1D Mark II (I want). I guess he is the youngest owner of the Canon 1D Mark II. The legendary camera. The fastest dSLR camera in the world. And he's just a 17 year old JC1 ACJC boy! Hmmm... I guess it does upkeep the myth that we're a rich man's school to quite a tune. But that's good.
Wei Kong is pushed, along with his parents, to receive the trophy from the Commissioner of Police. Its good that CP is an old AC boy. Not to mention that his Son is a friend of mine, and also an AC boy. Amazing. It runs in the family I tell you.
Commissioner Khoo lifts the trophy and prepares to hand it over to Wei Kong. I like this picture. The Commisioner is the dividing line between a contrast of people who are free to work and slaved to work. Strange juxtaposition of things.
Commissioner Khoo presents the Trophy to Wei Kong.
ACJC Cheers!
The ruggers perform the Hakka Maori War Dance in celebration of our victory.
To many more years of holding this trophy. To God be The Glory. The Best Is Yet To Be!
Pictures Here
Remember 2002?
So much can be said. So great an amount of thoughts and philosophies stated. I don't even know where to begin. I don't even know where to end. I know that whatever I type here will not be enough to fully express what I have on my mind. Therefore just wait for the page to load first please. Then scroll down to view them. I don't think I've duplicated any of these shots on my pbase site. For more pictures go to Neil's site here. Other than that. I'll put in commentary as the pictures go on.
Much to say photographically between this year's match and last year's match. Much to think about about this being the last time that I will probably do this. Much to be said in terms of the times that came up till today. Incredible frustration would be one key word. Then again, the camera remains the same, the photographer is still the same. He just has one year more worth of experiences, a little bit of ups and downs in his journey for a vision. And a notable improvement in his framing. Post processing was simple - nothing fancy. In fact, I think I used too much sharpening. But I can't be bothered. Its the image that counts. Not how picture perfect it might be. As usual, 7:3 crops and a couple of squares and one or two normal crops.
Many things on my mind even as I type this down now. Much thoughts bug me and questions of the future linger in many directions and places. Encouragment has started to come in, so that's good. Other than that, let things be as they are. Photography. Do enjoy what I have. Not much of sports images because I can't accquire the 200mm f/2.8 that I would love to gain some pictures. Then again, it doesn't matter since most of my shots are about the victory parade. I'm happy that AC won 23-0. The same score we won with in 2002. Three years ago. I was just a JC2 kid at that time. It felt good. Perhaps that was the same day that it seared in my memory to at least keep coming back for this match every year. Its the one thing that I can relate to as AC. Its good to mingle with the crowd.
Greatly discouraged halfway through the match. I stopped taking pictures for at least half an hour and wandered around the muddy field in a dazed mind. So many thoughts about photography and all. Frustration mounts at times when I realise that its a lens that's limiting my framing rather than myself. For sports, good lenses are important. Wondering much about doing a little bit of photojournalism. Perhaps study to be a journalist. "I can write" as some say. "I can speak" as other tell me. If I add "I can take pictures" to that. I guess more or less it'll be good. Though I'd probably not make as much money as I'd like to in this life. I'm not sure. Stil ironing out the priorities of life. Perhaps it is time to let the past go. "To withdraw from AC" as another puts it. To move on in life.
Then again, I can easily see myself as one of the grey haired old men on the spectators stands. Still cheering. Still feeling passionate even though I'm probably double and a half of the age of everyone else around me. Maybe that's why they say that the AC Spirit is mysterious. It works in ways that we don't understand. It makes us do things that we won't consider logical. Then again. This is life. We'll see how things go and how it turns out. You be the judge. To me, we might have won a trophy. Yet my pictures, in my opinion, show resilience, love, joy, sadness, confusion and strength of character and love for school. Whatever will be will be. I guess this will really be the last update for this blog. No need to write anymore beyond this entry. This was originally the final entry that I have planned. I guess it can be it after laying off blogger for two months. And now blogging is becoming hip in fashion.
I arrived early at Police Academy. A place familiar with many memories of NS. Nothing much had changed really. Coast Guard reservists still sat around the old drill shed in their ever bored and lazy fashion. This is what reservist does to you. It takes you out of work to sit around and zuo bo. Nevermind them. The student councillors were busy applying face paint in the colors red, blue and yellow. A sight of interaction and of unity. Preparations had already been completed and this was the final stage. Banners were up. Notably was the new banner. "More than Conquerors". Wonderful.
ACJC started busing off the students at about 3.30. Most arrived closer towards 4.30 and started walked to their positions through the very muddy fields. It had rained the day before and thank God that I was wearing sandals. Not too bad. Still washable despite allowing copious amounts of mud to mire my feet. It was good. Old boys were still around. Its like, deja vu everytime I see it. We're always on the same side of the field. We're always on the same place. Doing the same things. Everything thing looks like a watching a home DVD again. Yeah. Usually the ending's pretty good - AC wins. Just that last year's referee was pretty much kayu one.
Since I had no opportunity to get a telephoto zoom. I had to wait till the players came really really really close before I could get a shot of them. How close? Well, in this case, they were about at the line at the end of the field on the Police Academy. I stood there side by side with Neil, ex-AC boy and member of the 25th student's council who was shooting with his Canon and a 300mm lens (argh!). He kept chimping to show me all his great shots of up close and personal action. Everyone shoots canon now! I think I really have to make that switch. You cannot imagine how slow the autofocus is on an average nikon prime lens. Noisy too! And Canon has USM (Ultra-Sonic Motor) on almost everything else. The referee was pretty good. Very impartial I'd say.
A bland crowd shot from where I was standing. No chance to go past the line to snap pictures of the crowd, where the perspective would have been many times better. Come to think of it, I'm sure everyone knows the really nice PE teacher Mr Mark Ng right? Yeah, he's finally upgraded to a Canon 20D and his 70-200mm just kept firing away at five frames per second. Clackclackaclackaclackclack. Argh. How I felt! Its like a cheese grater going over your heart as he photographs all th sports action up close. Sports photography is something I really enjoy. Its, pretty fun! And Neil and I joked about one of the guys who owned both the 400mm canon and the 400mm nikon. Haha. Too bad he's 10,000 miles away.
Ex-AC students who came down to support as well. Its good to see so many familiar faces. Its like, I used to pass by them in the Void Deck or New Canteen every now and then but never said hi. Then again, its like a warm fuzzy feeling when I see them again after so long. Its like, there's this "connection" or something like that. Oh well, on the right is our soon-to-be scholar at Imperial, Terrence. Who claimed that "I only heard about the match at 4 O'clock". And the kick off was to be at five. Interesting theory. Word still gets around fast. Wonderful brother of the CF as well.
Medals. Nothing more. Boring picture.
It looks like the Raffles waterboy is expressing his frustration at something. I don't know. Don't ask me. I don't understand why they pronounce "Rafflesians" as "Rare-Flea-Sians" when they cheer "Rare-Fels". Shouldn't it be "Rare-Fleas"?! Well its just an honest question. And as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure lots of AC guys I grew up with almost always pronounce "Rafflesians" as "Rare-Fel-Sians". No flea nonsense here. I guess its true what someone once told me. "If AC doesn't win, nevermind. As long as raffles doesn't win it can already!".
You can almost hear him say, "Hey! Where's my tip?!"
Instead of craning their necks, they are crouching to have a better view of the game. Honestly, you can't even see the score board from the VIP seating position. Its like they are too short that they get blocked really easily. If only the organisers invested in higher supports. Then these gusy won't have to crouch and everyone would be able to see the scores much more easily. Oh yeah, AC scored a few minutes into the game. So that was pretty good!
Truth is that they only started cheering when I pointed the camera at them. But nevertheless, if no one knew. It'd make a pretty good wayang of a picture. Its been a while since I wore those white and blue. We should have a reunion party where everyone comes in school uniform. Ah... Ah....
Banging on the drums. Creating the mood and setting the atmosphere. This time you have five persons banging on one used drum. Solid!
Coming very close to the final whistle. I was hiding in position to photograph the prize presentation.
The final whistle goes off! AC WINS! The crowd is elated! Instead of staying behind their lines as every other year. ACJC bursts forwards to congratulate our champion ruggers! And I'm stuck behind my own line at the prize presentation area! Oh well! I'm sure other people will have gotten pictures of that mini-victory parade as well.
The whole crowd just walks around aimlessly for a few moments. And then the coach shouts for the guys to go to the prize presentation area.
Yeah, it was something like THAT.
"Woudn't it be nice..."
A photo for posterity's sake.
ACJC parts like the Red Sea and the ruggers walk through it, triumphant with great applause and cheers and just overwhelming respect. They have restored the Honor and the Glory! I know I keep harping about this. But the rugby trophy is one that belongs in only one school's cabinet. For life everlasting!
After a few minutes of the processional victory walk. The ruggers head into the prize presentation area to congratulate the losers for a game well played. Oh well. It was pretty one sided most of the time. Raffles had no time to even come in for a try. Their supporters had no chance to cheer for a point scored. I guess its so true that the rivalry gets really bad only on the sporting field. Any other day and its no problem conversing with your average highly educated Raffles school educated student.
The Best Is Yet To Be! I didn't turn on my flash at this time. And I pretty much like the picture as it is.
The former captain of the rugby team, Lee Wei Kong, is wheeled into the prize presentation area. Beyond this, practically every picture I edited gave me goose pimples.
"Cut? What cut? Its only a scratch mom!"
Let's see. Standing, from left to right. Nikon D70, Nikon D70, Canon 20D, Canon Powershot Pro 1 IS, Nikon D1H (ST Photographer). Seated from left to right. Canon 20D, Canon 20D and Canon 1D Mark II (I want). I guess he is the youngest owner of the Canon 1D Mark II. The legendary camera. The fastest dSLR camera in the world. And he's just a 17 year old JC1 ACJC boy! Hmmm... I guess it does upkeep the myth that we're a rich man's school to quite a tune. But that's good.
Wei Kong is pushed, along with his parents, to receive the trophy from the Commissioner of Police. Its good that CP is an old AC boy. Not to mention that his Son is a friend of mine, and also an AC boy. Amazing. It runs in the family I tell you.
Commissioner Khoo lifts the trophy and prepares to hand it over to Wei Kong. I like this picture. The Commisioner is the dividing line between a contrast of people who are free to work and slaved to work. Strange juxtaposition of things.
Commissioner Khoo presents the Trophy to Wei Kong.
ACJC Cheers!
The ruggers perform the Hakka Maori War Dance in celebration of our victory.
To many more years of holding this trophy. To God be The Glory. The Best Is Yet To Be!
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