MIA

Dear readers,

It is most unfortunate to inform you that I would be serving the nation as a proud Singaporean Son (no sarcasm intended) for the following days/weeks/months/years. My camera would hence be rotting away in a corner of my room. I would definitely try to make time for shoots and stuff if possible, but till then all the best with your respective lives!

Regards,

Sean

street streak

Haven't really been doing photoshoots with male subjects (that's not myself), so I decided to do one this time round. Was a really casual shoot with my friend Jun, was going more for a street style kind of shoot. Really like the one where Jun was standing on top of that electrical control box thing, we are both weird and crazy that way haha. I really had fun on this shoot, it's great shooting without a concept once in a while and just let everything go with the flow.

I'm doing a shoot this weekend with two gorgeous models in stunning dresses, but I still have not thought of a location that fits my concept, oh well. I got callbacks for my auditions! Really stoked about it, since it's an actual theatre production with a big local company (sort of, as compared to the small school productions I've been on). But I'll be stuck in the army during the callbacks, so not sure how things are going to turn out. Might just give up on this opportunity. Army. Sigh.

Two more weeks before I enlist. Not cool.

being human

So what makes us human? To me, it is the ability to emote, the ability to feel, the ability to love, the ability to rationalise, the ability to create. 

This set of photos was a pain to create, what with white body paint and black chinese ink being smeared all over your face and body while running to and fro to the camera, but I really like how everything turned out in the end. It has a very Japanese horror feel to it, I think I really went overboard with this series. Sometimes I think I'm mad. But then again, all the best people are. Oh well~

Was going through an emotionally rough week, apologies to my friends who got a scare from my tweets haha. Though I've ended my contract last week, I've been working again, but this time round it's a really good opportunity. I'm designing for a national (kind of) campaign/book launch, I'm creating the merchandise as well as illustrating some pages in the book. Quite excited for the launch in a few month's time haha. Army's in less than a month's time and I'm still rolling around in bed most of the time, whilst studying for SATs and preparing for auditions and planning for shoots. 

Busy month before everything gets military for me, and congrats to all my friends who are POPing tomorrow. You survived 2/4 months, and it's now my turn. Rawr~

girl next door

Had the pleasure of shooting with Chantel Bay today, it was a really fun experience doing different styles of shots in one shooting. Shot all of these in my alma mater, so yea anywhere can be a photoshoot location as long as the right backdrops are chosen.

Looking forward to my next planned shoot for a competition organised by Harper's Bazaar and ION Orchard. I've finally ended my contract with my boring job and would be catching up on my artistic practice as well as my physical fitness regime. One month before enlisting into army, dayum~

easter

Happy Easter Day, hope everyone had a great holiday the past few days. I am planning a shoot for a magazine competition right now, and have been cracking (like an egg hur hur) my tiny brain over the shoot. Really hope it turns out great.

Sigh, and, university decision stresses me out. Which course to choose and what not, what with it being a large determinant for my future. Practicality (choosing boring safe courses) versus unrealistic ambitions maddens me. Sigh, why does the arts scene in Singapore have to be so unappreciated and under-developed. 

I am actually excited for the Arts Manifesto to be published. But till then, enjoy life, YOLO~

i watched gypsy: a musical fable

Just watched the most amazing musical in my life, so much so that I'm composing this post straight after watching the show. It was Gypsy: A Musical Fable performed by Lasalle College of the Arts.

I initially went for the show with a totally different intention, but hehe I really did not regret going for this show at all, it's totally worth more than the mere $11 I paid for the ticket. I mean seriously, the effort that went into this production is worth so much more than that. I am in such a fanboy mode now that I don't know where to start. The costumes, the sets, the live ensemble, the light designs, and the amazing cast with those powerful voices and dance routines. I admit. I think dancers are really sexy and suave. And if you add acting and singing to your bucket of talents, I'm in love with you. Oh and it's a Sondheim musical (kind of, he wrote the lyrics for Gypsy), the first musical I ever watched was Into The Woods, and I loved it, even till now. So another Sondheim musical made it all the more exciting to watch!

Before the show started we were greeted with triangles with brick tiles plastered on them with posters stuck all over. I was like meh, such boring sets. Plus it was a live musical...the previous musical I watched live was Once when I was in Broadway, New York, and I fell asleep (I'm sorry I was suffering from jet lag), so I was scared that history might repeat itself, considering I was rushing my portfolio the entire day today. But woah three hours just went past without me even realizing, and the revolving triangles were a sweet touch to the entire theatrics of the musical.

Each scene was so entertaining, bringing the audience on a roller coaster of emotions, from rolling in our seats in laughter to being all sappy and emotional. 

Gypsy is based largely on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist. It revolves around her mother, Rose, the ultimate show business mother (think 881's Lian Yi haha if that helps) and her dreams and efforts to groom her daughters into stars. 

I loved the portrayal of Mama Rose by Vanessa Powell. From bubbly energetic to emotional and slightly craycray, and those vocal chords of hers. Her singing was as varied as her acting, with each rendition of each song perfectly capturing the emotions of each scene. But seriously, is there a need to make out with Herbie in almost every scene haha. But I guess it's written in the script, very convincing and professional acting I must say.

Another powerful performance was by Emma Etherington as Louise/Gypsy. Her switch from innocent banal Louise to imastripperbitch Gypsy Rose Lee was convincing and wonderfully built up. Who says strippers have to be all lean bag of bones, as the busty top heavy actress proves us wrong. I especially loved her performance of 'Little Lamb'; a mixture of tears and mucus, hitting extremely high notes, long sustained belting, and little animals really brought out the lovable nature of Louise, which was in stark contrast to Gypsy later on. Her performance was well deserving of the thunderous applause from the audience!

And amongst the sea of angmoh cast, Singaporean Renfred Ng (I was wondering why he looked so familiar, he was one of the final few contestants from the previous season of Campus Superstar) as Tulsa really stood out for me too. Not because of his cute guy-next-door get up, and definitely not because of his acting or singing (I'm sorry haha, he's really really talented but sigh pales in comparison to his angmoh peers. Dayum angmohs are somehow always better than us Asians) but because of his amazing dance moves. He's got hips that make a woman jealous (a tad bit too much of ass shaking though haha), and the tap dancing routine in 'All I Need Is The Girl' can win a girl over anytime and anywhere. Sigh, he can dance, sing, and act, plus he's blessed with good looks. Not fair.

It was a really amazing show, I apologize for my limited vocabulary but I have never watched anything as amazing as this. The wonderfully directed stage directions and transitions, the little nuances in the acting and singing, the colorful over-the-top costumes (Seriously a jewel encrusted g-string and bras and panties that light up, way cool. Everyone should own undergarments that light up, provides extra entertainment hehe~) and I am so going to be judged after saying this but I loved the Burlesque scenes. Disco balls and Garden of Eden themed strip show with the male actors prancing about nearly naked in small tiny briefs with artistically placed leaves and the ladies retrieving apples from their bosoms, wow really turned the temperature up in the theatre. 

I really did enjoy Gypsy very much, undoubtedly the best musical I've ever watched (sorry, I'm that unexposed to great musicals, someone sponsor my tickets now please). Considering how this is a performance by university graduands and undergraduates who are merely a few years older than I am, they are so so talented and professional albeit unmatchable in the lights of American Broadway. But still...really great job to the team at Lasalle!

Have never done a theatre review before, but the show was so good I had to write about it, so pardon my amateur writing. It does not do the musical justice at all. And here's some behind the scenes from the musical~

Sigh, it's already Sunday by the time I'm done with this post. Oh well enjoy your Sunday and have a great week ahead! Here's a drawing I did yesterday, rock on~

work in progress

This is what I've been busy with recently, doing up my portfolio for art school. Trying my hands on papercut for the first time, my hands are dying from all the slicing as the material is really hard paper card. Planning to do an entire series of papercuts, to create a fusion between art and fashion, so yep excited to complete this project.

Another project is a photoshoot inspired by the title 'Change', have a rough concept and got the materials for the shoot, but have not thought of the exact composition and stuff. So yep, I'll be busy busy with all the university jargon till the end of the month~