Home Cooked Hainanese Chicken Rice With A Difference

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I got my driver’s license in Australia back when I was there pursuing tertiary education. I passed the driving test on my very first attempt, much to the envy of my classmates who flunked it more than once. The feelings that followed that day were a mix of happiness, fear and nervousness. Many years later, positively inspired by a Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe I had come across on the web, I thought I would give it a go and make a mess of the kitchen. This was back in 2007 when photographing food was a huge motivation that fueled my desire to cook. Like my driving test, my first attempt at cracking the code of succulent tender Hainanese chicken rice was a success. I cannot, however, take full credit for this accomplishment as I attribute the success more to my ability to follow the steps outlined in the recipe (with slight variation, of course). I am happy to take full credit for the pictures although given an opportunity to do it all over again, the styling and composition will be much improved.

I love lots of ginger, garlic and onions in my food. Family members may not agree to my generous use but for this first attempt, I wanted to make sure I use plenty to get a fragrant chicken rice.

Not exactly a Chubby Hubby recipe recommendation I stuffed the chicken a choke-full and rubbed generous helping of light soy sauce and black pepper.

I think I took my love for ginger a tad too far with fried ginger shreds mixed with garlic.

@pondoksariwangi @JanShim @MrBakerBakeshop jans chicken rice look impressive!

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Thanis Lim (@thanislim) February 19, 2012

@MrBakerBakeshop the taste of chicken prepared by @JanShim and @thanislim can't buy from anywhere in Brunei!

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Pondok Sari Wangi BN (@pondoksariwangi) February 19, 2012

It's hard to imagine u can actually cook. The chicken was nicely cooked and well displayed RT wp.me/p2aT2-3Gi via @JanShim

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Mr.Baker's Bakeshop (@MrBakerBakeshop) February 24, 2012

Juxtaposition: Hong Kong Causeway Bay

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The word “juxtaposition” is a mouth full and not the easiest word to explain without the help of a picture. Basically it means subjects in a photo close together or side by side for comparison or contrast. Going through my photo archive this morning, I came across a photo I took in Hong Kong that best explains the meaning of the word — the contrast between one lone wooden boat against a fleet of million dollar yachts.

With just an EFs 10-22mm lens on my EOS 20D camera, I explored Wan Chai on foot with absolutely no clue where I was going or what I could expect to discover. Walking along these rusted fences, I came across an opening, composed this frame and captured a moment of juxtaposition. (Click to see larger version).

Phottix Odin Rocks But Not Ditching the PocketWizards Plus II Yet

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When you step outside your one-flash comfort zone to explore creative lighting opportunities, wireless radio remote triggers are really the only things that matter when it comes to getting  work done. My first wireless investment was a Canon ST-E2 infra-red transmitter that works well indoors but fails miserably outdoors. Because I work with two 5D Mark II bodies and I own not one but two ST-E2 for obvious convenience. Over the years, I found myself shooting a mix of indoors and outdoors that involved great distances and larger venues, I needed something better. I first went with the PocketWizard Plus II a much reputed non-TTL wireless trigger that works flawlessly but quickly got tired of its inherent inconvenience.

Mounted on the 5D Mark II is a Phottix Odin transmitter and a Speedlite 430EX II mounted to an Odin receiver strapped to the side of the tripod. The visible cable is a PocketWizard camera shutter trigger connected to a PW Plus II unit.

With the Phottix Odin Wireless TTL Flash Trigger for Canon the pair of ST-E2s are officially retired and collecting dust until they find new owners. Although I have very little use for the Plus II, I’m keeping them as a camera shutter trigger — the Phottix and PocketWizard work beautifully together like that. It’s always good to find ways to revalidate  the original investment in them. An assignment where the Phottix Odins were used to light up Radisson Hotel’s main entrance.

A close-up view of the PocketWizard camera shutter trigger cable connected to a PW Plus II unit. Ever since I adopted the Phottix Odin TTL trigger for flash while the Plus II duty is limited to camera trigger for now.

If you’re wondering why I hadn’t gone the PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 TTL route let me just sum it up in a few words. I have never come across a company that tries so hard to make a gadget so incredibly difficult and confusing to use like PocketWizard has with their Canon ETTL-II compatible triggers. I followed initial developments of the Mini/Flex until it began to look less and less promising — at one point PocketWizard even blamed Canon Speedlite’s Radio Frequency noise when things didn’t pan out well which incidentally is a true story. Things took too long before PocketWizard decided the best way to counter this is to wrap things up in the literal sense of the word. Phottix, on the other hand, worked on a solution quietly and rolled out an incredibly user-friendly product they named the Odin.

PocketWizard CM-N3-P cable connected to the Canon 5D Mark II N3 remote terminal.

A even closer view of the PocketWizard CM-N3-P camera trigger cable with Pre-Trigger switch.

Recent assignments where the Phottix Odin had been instrumental:
Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam Fine Dining at Deals Restaurant
The Gryphon Gourmet Tea Experience At Tasek Brasserie Radisson Hotel
From The Deli Takeout to Tasek Brasserie Dine-in at Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam