Archive for the ‘POTD’ Category
Saturday, April 19th, 2014
Good Friday is observed primarily by Christians to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Cavalry.
For Christians, Good Friday is a time for reflection. Photo taken with a Samsung GALAXY Note 3 smartphone at Pasir Ris Beach, Singapore. Photo credit: John Tan.
The year of the crucifixion is estimated to have occurred in AD 33.
A Christian friend of mine says that Good Friday is a time of reflection on what his saviour had done for him.
Good Friday is a public holiday in many countries, including Singapore.
Tags:beach, Christians, photography, photos, potd, seaside
Posted in Events, GALAXY, Holiday, Note, Phones, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Samsung | No Comments »
Sunday, March 9th, 2014
Photo of the Day: The River Safari in Singapore has a wonderful enclosure for squirrel monkeys, where visitors are allowed to wander freely within the enclosure and view the primates up close.
It’s also ideal for photographers looking to shoot portraits of these New World Monkeys.
Due to their smaller size, they are less bold than the larger macaques and steer clear of the visitors to the enclosure. Here’s one of them peering from behind some leaves. Photo taken with an Olympus E450 with 40-150mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
The squirrel monkey comes from the tropical forests of Central and South America, living in the canopy layer, and eats fruits and insects.
Here’s a squirrel monkey looking me in the eye, from the safety of the tree branches. Photo taken with an Olympus E450 with 40-150mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
These monkeys are actually slightly larger than squirrels but are smaller than the regular macaque that we’re more familiar with in this part of the world.
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Tags:animals, monkeys, Olympus, photography, photos, potd, River Safari, Singapore
Posted in Gadgets, Olympus, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Singapore | No Comments »
Friday, February 14th, 2014
It’s Valentine’s Day today. This year, it coincides with Chap Goh Meh – the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year – which many consider the Chinese Valentine’s Day. Here’s wishing all lovers a most romantic day/night!
Lots of lovey-dovey couples here, in the form of hugging salt and pepper bottles. I took this photo at the Hakaniemi Market Hall in Helsinki, Finland in summer. There were plenty of such charming craft stores for tourists and local Finns alike. Taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
In many places in the world that celebrate Valentine’s Day, boys buy flowers, chocolates and gifts for their girlfriends, wives, mistresses or lovers.
Actually, marketing practitioners should examine this so-called unique Japanese culture more closely.
Apparently, the practice has its roots in 1936 as part of the advertising campaign of chocolate makers in Kobe, but has captured the imagination of the Japanese populace such that it is widely practiced today.
Those chocolate makers must have been laughing to the bank, having created nation wide, recurring demand out of thin air.
Brilliant!
Sometimes the girl reciprocates.
In Japan, it is the girl who buys for the guys.
I know – because I received plenty on Valentine’s Day when I was in Japan.
The tradition in Japan is for girls to buy white chocolates (called giri-chocos – 義理チョコ) and give them to the guys.
This does not happen just between couples that are in a relationship.
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Tags:Finland, Finland 2013, Hakaniemi, Helsinki, holidays, Japan, NIKKOR, Nikon, photography, photos, potd, travel, vacation, Valentine's Day
Posted in Finland 2013, Holiday, NIKKOR, Nikon, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, travel | No Comments »
Friday, January 31st, 2014
It’s the first day of the Lunar New Year. Happy New Year to all the people from cultures that celebrate this traditional festival! And to all Chinese around the world, Happy Chinese New Year!
Auspicious red horse bringing good tidings as the Year of the Horse arrives in Chinatown in Singapore. Taken with Samsung GALAXY Note 3 phablet camera. Cropped and captions added in Photoshop CC.
It’s customary for Chinese to give out Ang Pows during the Lunar New Year.
These are red paper envelopes containing money that’s given to relatives and children.
“车水马龙” – 正好形容本地牛”车水”迎接”马”年新春的盛景(包括这些灯”笼”及马路上的交通长”龙”)。上星期与家人一同闲逛牛车水,到处人山人海,车水马龙,洋溢着迎春的气氛。这枚照片, 利用 Samsung GALAXY Note 3 手机手持拍摄。
It being the new year, you’re supposed to use crispy new notes in these red packets.
“今天是大年初一，在此恭祝大家：新年快乐，万事如意，身体健康，龙马精神！” – 科技点心（微薄）
I had to go on a little round-the-island this year to exchange for new notes, because I found that – unlike some past years – the ATM machines were dispensing old notes.
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Tags:Chinatown, Chinese New Year, Galaxy, holidays, Lunar New Year, Note 3, photography, photos, potd, Samsung, Singapore
Posted in GALAXY, Holiday, Note, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Samsung, smartphones | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 1st, 2014
I was just chatting with an Indian friend who works for an MNC yesterday and I remarked that New Year’s Day must be the most prolifically declared public holiday in the world – even more so than Christmas Day.
As we step into the first day of 2014, here’s wishing everyone a great year ahead! Taken with a Nikon D600 with 24-120mm lens, at Suomenlinna, Finland.
He agreed but duly informed me that in India, it was not a public holiday since the country observes the New Year at different times of the year, depending on the local calendar.
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Tags:greetings, New Year
Posted in Events, Finland 2013, Holiday, NIKKOR, Nikon, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 25th, 2013
Merry Christmas to all who celebrates X’mas!
Santa had a chat with Justin on his lap when we visited his “hometown” in Rovaniemi over Summer. He gave Justin this little toy at the end of the chat and it’s become one of Justin’s most prized possessions.
This is a little toy car that Santa gave to Justin when we visited Santa in Rovaniemi, Finland during Summer.
Now it’s the children’s most cherished ornament on our little Christmas tree at home.
Tags:Christmas, greetings, Xmas
Posted in Events, Finland 2013, Holiday, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD | No Comments »
Saturday, November 2nd, 2013
Deepavali, or Diwali, is the Hindu festival of lights and is a public holiday in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
This is the signboard at the entrance of my residential estate – wishing Hindu residents a Happy Deepavali. Taken with an HTC One max smartphone – which debuted in Singapore today. The two flare spots at the bottom are due to two spotlights shining on it.
The word “Diwali” is the shortened form of “Deepavali” which literally means “row of lamps”.
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Tags:Deepavali, Diwali, festival, Hindu, holiday, HTC, Singapore
Posted in Android, Daily life, events, Gadgets, Holiday, HTC, HTC One, Phones, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD | No Comments »
Sunday, October 20th, 2013
Photo of the Day: This is probably what a hunted mouse last sees before it realises that it is being hunted by this cat.
This adult brindle was the ugliest of the litter of cats that roamed the bushes near an HDB estate. But long after the cuteness of the other cats and kittens has worn off, I find myself coming back to look at this cat – it’s so full of personality! Photo taken with a Nikon D7100 with AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Crouched low and inching forward, I really wouldn’t want to be a mouse staring this feline in the eyes.
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Tags:animals, cats, D7100, kittens, NIKKOR, Nikon, photography, photos, potd, Singapore
Posted in Cameras, DSLR, Gadgets, Lens, NIKKOR, Nikon, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 15th, 2013
Here’s wishing all Muslim friends: “Selamat Hari Raya Haji”!
Masjid Sultan, or Sultan Mosque, in the Kampong Glam district of Singapore. Shot handheld at f/1.8, 1/100 sec, ISO800. Photo taken with a Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II compact camera. Photo credit: John Tan.
It’s Hari Raya Haji. The festival is also known as Eid al-Adha in Arabic, which means Feast/Festival of the Sacrifice.
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Tags:festival, greetings, Haji, Hari Raya, Islam, mosque, Muslims, night, photography, photos, potd
Posted in Cameras, Compact camera, Holiday, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Sony | No Comments »
Sunday, October 6th, 2013
Photo of the Day: This kitty had just woken up from its afternoon nap and has rolled over on its back to invite others to play with it.
Kitty says, “Come play with me!” Photo taken with a Samsung NX2000 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with a 20-50mm lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
This was one of four kittens in a brood that I’d discovered at a void deck under an HDB block.
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Tags:animals, cats, kittens, NX2000, photography, photos, potd, Samsung, Singapore
Posted in Daily life, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Samsung | 1 Comment »
