It seems that the fortune cookies I get from Panda Express, a popular Chinese fast food chain back in the US, know so much about me. I always get a message that has something to do with my life. Or maybe it's just a coincidence.. I got these while I was back in the US more than a year ago.
I Used to Be in the US Air Force
I happened to find a picture of myself back when I was in the US Air Force. Even after all these years, I am still aiming high (Air Force slogan: “Aim High”). I don't regret serving in the military. One thing it gave me was discipline. And at the same time, it gave me a chance to go to college through the GI Bill. It didn't pay everything for my college, but it helped quite a bit. Yes, I did pay for my own college. No one helped me. Well, my Mom helped a little bit later on. But for the most part, it was all me. Having been obsessed with photography and eventually, fillmaking, I pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema and Photography despite my Mom's objection. One thing I realized, as long as you're the financing your own pursuit, you have a lot more freedom. Up until now, some of the photography and video projects came from my own pocket. Everything I do is with passion. If there is no passion involved even with a lot of money, then it is not worth it. I have to love what I do and do what I love. For the most part, everything I've done so far involves passion. I gotta have passion for everything I do. It's my fuel that gets me from point A to point B.
Considering Doing a Photography and Video Project about Malaysia.
Come to think of it, I think doing a photography and video project about Malaysia would be very interesting just because of its multicultural and multi-ethnic society, which is comprised of the Malays, Indians and Chinese. It is like a melting pot just like in the US but here in Asia. Majority of the population is Muslim (Most of the Malays are Muslim), and yet other religions such as Hinduism (Most Indians are Hindus) and Buddhists (Most Chinese are Buddhists) exist here; nevertheless, they respect each other. What do you think? Should I do this photography and video project?
If you want to donate and help this project, please go to my Patreon page and contribute whatever you can. Thanks so much for your support.
https://www.patreon.com/chrisrevon
Christmas is also celebrated here in Malaysia.
Who Are Your Real Friends?
Before I had tons of friends, but as I grow old, the number starts to dwindle until I only have a handful of friends. What happened to those other friends? Then I realized that those other friends, they were not truly my friends, they were just passing through. Your true friends are those who stay up with you through the ups and downs of life until now. They are not there because you've got something they need you for. They are there because they want to support you and in return, get your support when they need it. To help each other as you go through the ups and downs of life. If they are still there even when you are down, then it shows that you truly are their friend and appreciate your friendship and will be there to help you go back up. If they are only with you when you are up on the seesaw of life, then they're not really your friends. You are only their friend for the good times. Oh yes, this also applies to family.
(I wrote this in 2013 and yet it still holds true)
My Philosophy in Life
My philosophy in life
Just do my best, and then after that, it is beyond my control, and just pray and hope for the best.
Do what I love, love what I do. No excuses. It is my life. Not theirs. It is now or never.
I used to do things for people, but then I realized later that most of the time, they won't do the same for you. This applies to your family too. Most of the time, it is also your own blood that betrays you and puts you down. So do things for yourself first. Your own happiness comes first. One great piece of advice I've heard: treat yourself like someone you love so much. For sure, with women I get to like, I don't buy them expensive gifts or treat them to some fancy restaurants just to win them. Of course later on, you could do this for her but only if she's really worth it. The thing is if they like you enough, even your little gesture such as a piece of rose counts a lot to her. And I met women who are not materialistic and superficial and did a lot for me, especially here in Asia. My thing is if you start doing a lot for a woman, then that's a problem. It should be an equal exchange. Relationship is a two way street. But of course, based on my experience, external factors such as family and friends get in the way of the relationship. Well, that's another topic.
For sure, things change. People change. You can lose things such as money, a job, a real estate property, a phone, a camera, etc. You can lose people such as through divorces, break ups, end of friendship, and even death. Even your looks, your fame, your popularity fade away, and new younger people will take over your spot. Wealth does not even make anyone happy. My French ex-wife was quite rich with a vacation home right on the seaside of Normandy, France, a winter home up in the French Alps, a nice apartment in the best part of Paris, but even that did not make her happy. From what she told me, she was at the happiest when she was with me. That was kind of nice. It made me realize that everyone is special in their own way. I might not be special to everyone or any other people, but to her, I was. If you bring joy to someone, and she appreciates it. Do the same for her and let them know about it. Definitely learn to appreciate the people who appreciate you, especially for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons. For sure, there are people, even your friends and your relatives, who only appreciate you because of what you have that will be beneficial for them and what you can do for them, but once you can't do much for them or you stop doing things for them, you're out of the picture. It is now all about "what's in it for me" kind of attitude. That's why I love China. Maybe people will say China is like this or that. Don't judge a country by what you hear on the news. Maybe you don't like the government, well the government is not the country. It is the land and the people in addition to its unique culture. Besides, all governments are not perfect. Even the US does some crazy things. When it comes to a country, foremost I look at the people. For the most part, I had the best impression of the people I've met over there in China and made a lot of great friends who were there for me when I needed it the most, and with no hidden agenda, they were just willing to help. And as I continue to travel, I try to be friends with the locals, eat their food and appreciate their culture and respect their religions. Travel, for me, is not about me just enjoying the sights. If it is only for the sights, I would probably just go stay for just three days, see the sights and leave, but instead I stay at least for two weeks to a month and even longer. Traveling for me is definitely more than the sights. It is about assimilating the cultures and meeting the local people and knowing their stories. It is about the full experience. For sure, I learn so much about life and about people just by traveling. Along the journey, I've met a lot of people, not just local people but from other countries. And a lot of them go out of their way to help you if you're lost or want to know more about the place. Also quite a few also have also helped me with my project, expecting nothing in return. You really realize that you are just a speck in this world. It is not just about us. You are just a small part of this world. It's not all about you but everyone. You are just a small part of it. Anyway in the end, definitely experience and knowledge are something you would never lose. Even when your memory fades away, at that moment in time, you were right there, experiencing it. It is all yours. Not anyone's. No one can take that experience from you. It is forever indebted in your psyche as an everlasting experience. If only it can last forever, but that's wishful thinking because nothing lasts forever.
And this is now what I am trying to do with my book, photography and film project and exhibitions, to show this experience to the world and take down the wall that exists among people and build a bridge that will help us understand each other. In the end, we are just one race, the human race.
Maybe if everything works out according to my plan, my next project will probably be about South America and Europe. Even Africa. The world is a book with a lot of pages that need to be read.
Google Keeps Track of Where I Travel
While trying to find my missing phone, I found out that Google keeps track of where I travel. Check out this screenshot. This helps just in case I lose my memory. At least I know where I've been.
Traveling is Not All Fun
Since traveling, I lost one action camera, broke two cameras, broke a laptop, broke two suitcases, broke one backpack, broke one camera backpack and broke a gimbal. During this time, I bought one new action camera, one new mirrorless camera, three new suitcases, one big backpack, one new laptop, bought a new camera backpack, a new gimbal and got two broken cameras fixed. Finally, yesterday I lost my phone. Good thing I have three more phones, but the one I lost is my most expensive one. And so the adventure continues with my travel. So pretty much, traveling can be overwhelming and stressful, not just fun, considering I am also doing this for work on my projects.
My Photography and Video Equipment, Gadgets and other Accessories
As a photographer and a filmmaker, I don’t believe that camera matters. It is the person behind the camera that matters. On the other hand, the cameras are your tools, so make sure they are right for the work that you are creating. Having the latest cameras and gadgets are not necessary. My rule is: buy only the equipment if I really need it. There has to be something I need from it in order for me to buy it. For example, I just bought the Canon M50; even though, I already have one DSLR and one Mirrorless camera. So why did I buy this? Well, first of all, for vlogging, my Pentax camera is not easy to use for vlogging. It is quite heavy and bulky. Also when it focuses, it makes a lot of noise. As for my Olympus mirrorless camera, it does not have a mic input, so that cannot be used for vlogging too. And before I bought the Canon M50, I read a lot of reviews about it and see if it is really good for vlogging, and for the most part, a lot of vloggers recommended it for vlogging.
Well, anyway I list some of the cameras, photo equipment, gadgets and accessories I use for my photography and video right below. If you feel like using the same camera, gadget or accessory as I do, please click the link right next to it to buy it from Amazon. By buying from Amazon, , it will give me a little bit of commission, and this will be able to contribute to my photography and video projects and support me as an artist. even though I have a little bit of sponsorship with my projects, every additional funding will definitely help me do a lot more for the projects.
Disclosure: Some of these product links are Amazon affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission if you decide to purchase them. Anyway this commission will help me with my projects. Though I might get sponsors once in a while, every dollar counts.
So here is a list of my stuff. Click to see its description from Amazon.
My Vlogging Kit with the Mic and Small Table Top Tripod
Description of the Canon M50 from Amazon with all the accessories you need in one package.
Description of the Rode Mic I use from Amazon. Very light and effective.
Below is one of my old cameras which I still use. Yes, it isn’t Canon, Nikon or Sony, but I started with a Pentax film camera as a photographer, and I’ve always trusted this brand. Most of their camera bodies are tough compared to the other name brand cameras. For example, this has weather seal and dust proof since I do use my cameras a lot in a rough situation. For photography, it does its job. The video is not bad too, but unfortunately it only shoot 1080P.
My first mirrorless camera:
Just like my old Pentax Camera, it is splash proof but not as tough as the Pentax. I just wish that Olympus cameras were built like a tank just like before.
This camera I love: Pentax K-1 II because it is tough, weather resistant and has a 35mm full frame format sensor with a maximum resolution of 36.4 megapixels. Yes, some new phones have sensors with resolutions higher than that, but in the end, they still have sensors which are smaller than this one. As for its video, unfortunately it only shoots 1080p, but if you are just straight photographer, this is great. And the great thing about it is that you can use the old Pentax lenses with a K mount, which has been used since 1975. Pretty much you can buy some old used lenses for it. You never know you might like the look that comes out of those old lenses.
Well, I do have some more new cameras, gadgets and other accessories, and you will learn more about them as I do a review about them in my upcoming blogs and maybe vlogs, so please follow my Social Media Channels and make sure to bookmark this. Thanks again.
Why I Love to Travel
Countries I've been to: UK, France (where I lived for about a year because of my ex-wife), Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Canada, Belgium, Spain, Puerto Rico (which is actually a part of the US), The Netherlands, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Afghanistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and also all over the US, my home. This includes Washington State (Seattle); Portland, Oregon; San Francisco and the Silicon Valley; New Jersey/New York; Florida (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami, Key West, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Daytona Beach); Chicago, Illinois; Saint Louis, MO; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Antonio, Texas; Dallas, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; New Haven, Connecticut; Rochester, New York; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; etc. As far as other countries, I gotta ask my Mom where else they took me when I was baby. My Dad used to work as a mechanical and electrical engineer for the USAid, an NGO, so we traveled a lot even when I was a baby. That's probably the reason I tend to be nomadic and a wanderlust 😁 In addition, I was also in the USAF, so this also gave me a chance to travel too. So now my next destination might be Japan and Taiwan and then focus on traveling in South America and Eastern Europe and the Scandinavian countries. With no responsibilities ( not married, no children, no mortgage, etc ), I can do this 😁🌍 But of course I can also do this with someone special too. And if I ever have a child or if my other half has a child, we can also bring her with us.
Please like/follow/subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects. Links are right below.
Train Ride in China
When I was in China, I rode mostly speed trains and they go everywhere, but one day my partner and I missed the train, so we ended up taking this train, and it was an experience. I wish I had taken some pictures and videos. Having been in China, I feel that I haven't really experienced everything and should explore more. I definitely need to go back.
Anyway the link below is an interesting article about another photographer in China.
Great Book on How to Live
I highly recommend this book. Somehow everything the author says in this book, I apply to my life.
Here's a little summary of the book:
"Because when we give too many fucks, when we choose to give a fuck about everything, then we feel as though we are perpetually entitled to feel comfortable and happy at all times, that’s when life fucks us.
Indeed, the ability to reserve our fucks for only the most fuckworthy of situations would surely make life a hell of a lot easier. Failure would be less terrifying. Rejection less painful. Unpleasant necessities more pleasant and the unsavory shit sandwiches a little bit more savory. I mean, if we could only give a few less fucks, or a few more consciously-directed fucks, then life would feel pretty fucking easy."
If you want to order it, just click on the image. This would give me a little commission and definitely will be used to good use for my projects. Thanks again.
Please like/follow/subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects and possibly a book, which I am considering writing just like this book but about my travel and what I've been learning along the way. My social media channels’ links are right below.
Chiang Mai, Thailand - A Place to Chill in between Travels
During my overnight twelve hour bus to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, Thailand, I was surprised by the number of foreigners who were in the bus with me. Listening as they talked to each other, I could hear different languages from different parts of the world, Portuguese, Spanish, French, English, Korean, and Chinese.
So what made these foreigners decide to go to Chiang Mai? Was it because we all read the same on-line article that lists it as the world’s second best city according to Travel and Leisure. To say that Chiang Mai as a city is an overstatement. With a metropolitan population of just under 1 million and the city itself having no more than 150,000 inhabitants, this place felt more like a small town to me and never felt like a city. It was very relaxing without the hustle and bustle of a big city, but at the same time, it still has almost the same infrastructure as any other major cities. No wonder this city has become one of the most visited tourist spots in Thailand.
On the first day I got there, I could already see how popular this place was in the world. Foreigners, both tourists and ex-pats, were everywhere. If it wasn’t for the obvious signs of a typical Southeast Asian country, I would think I were in some kind of a tropical town somewhere in Europe due to the high number of tourists and expats from Europe, Americas and Australasia. And with the addition of other tourists from other Asian countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea, I felt the place was overrun by foreigners as if they all came here and just invaded the whole town.
But what made these tourists flock to this city up in Northern Thailand? For sure, it is not the beach because there are none. Instead what they have is the beautiful nature nearby. The highest mountain in Thailand is actually located here. So I guess it’s because it is an outdoor paradise, and if you are into outdoor sports, this is definitely the place to be. Here you can do zip-lining, trekking, climb mountains, do mountain biking and other outdoor activities.
As for its nightlife, it also has a laid back atmosphere. Most of the bars are set up outdoors, so literally, being in those outdoor bars are like a breath of fresh air in contrast with most bars in any other city, where most of the time do not even have windows. The great thing about these bars in Chiang Mai is that you can really feel the tropical climate that we associate with Southeast Asia, so it does not feel like you are just in another bar. It definitely creates a different mood as if you really are in a tropical paradise but without the beach, just the nearby mountain and nature.
Somehow I can compare this place to Key West, Florida, where I have been before. For any wanna be Ernest Hemingway or any other creatives, it is such an ideal place with cafes everywhere, and the prices of the real brewed coffee are much cheaper than what you would expect to pay in other Asian cities such as Seoul, South Korea. It is almost the same price as what I would pay back in the US. Sometimes even cheaper. As with other things such as accommodations, food, and transportation, everything is even way cheaper than you would also expect to pay in Bangkok. It was this reason that I had stayed longer over there than any other cities as I traveled all over Asia this last summer. It is probably the reason why also a lot of digital nomads and entrepreneurs chose this place as the place to do their business. Because of this, Chiang Mail is being considered as a Creative City at this moment. I would not be surprised if some great novel gets written or some new startup is created in this place. Not as noisy and crowded as any other cities or towns you typically associate with a tourist spot, this place will definitely get you focused on whatever creative pursuits you are doing.
So if you are looking for something other than being in a seaside city such as Pattaya, Krabi or Phuket or an urban center such as Bangkok, I highly recommend this place. Definitely less expensive than Bangkok or one of the coastal towns or cities I mentioned especially if you want to stay longer. Very laid back and not as crazy as the seaside towns I just mentioned. And for those who are adventurous and into outdoor sports and activities, it is definitely where you want to be.
Please like/follow/subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects. Links are right below.
Going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Since I am going to Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Malaysia, I am now considering doing a photography and video project over there too. I think it has a great history and culture which I need to learn and explore. Considering that I am doing a project on mostly Buddhist countries, zI think it would be good to showcase a Muslim country too. Also knowing that Malaysia is a multi-cultural country with Indian and Chinese people, this would be an interesting topic to explore too. As I do this, I will document what I discover with my camera, capturing both photographs and video footage along with it.
Picture below is not mine. Photo by Izuddin Helmi Adnan on Unsplash
Photographing Hua Hin, Thailand with just Point and Shoot Camera
I don’t always show myself at work, doing photography and video, but here it is. In Huahin, Thailand. Enjoy.
My First IG Video of Bangkok, Thailand
For sure, Bangkok, Thailand is definitely depicted quite well by the song from the 80’s “One Night in Bangkok.” Somehow there is never enough time for me to explore and really enjoy this city. I wish I could stay longer. Anyway more videos about Bangkok are coming along with other cities in Thailand.
Go to my Instagram to see it. Also please like/follow/subscribe to my other social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects. Links are right below.
More Exhibitions Coming Up
More exhibitions are coming up for my project. Right now, please follow, like or subscribe to my social media channels in order to get updated about it. The links are right below. Try to follow Instagram too just because I do more postings there than any of my other social media channels.
If you are interested in having an exhibition of my work, please send me a DM on my Instagram: chrisrevon
Thank you.
Doing Photography in Hong Kong
In my opinion, Hong Kong is a Paradise for both photographers and filmmakers. Why? Because it has both the urban landscape, with a mix of modern buildings and old buildings, and the natural landscape with its mountains, islands and beaches.
Please like/follow/subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects. Links are right below.
How Did I Get Around Bangkok, Thailand?
In every city I live in or stay in, knowing which public transportation is available to me is very important, especially since here in Asia, I don't drive, which I feel liberating, having driven most of my life. For me, driving a car all the time is not environmentally friendly and not cost effective. In the US, it is a necessity, especially in Los Angeles, California since we don't have a good public transportation. That's why I like San Francisco, but then again, San Francisco is way more expensive to live in than Los Angeles. Anyway compared to Hong Kong, Bangkok is not as great as that city. But actually it is not as bad as I thought. It is just that it just takes a little bit more research and also unexpected discovery to find the way around in this city. Well, watch the video below and see how I got around while staying in Bangkok, Thailand.
How Hard Is It To Find The One?
There are 7.7 Billion people out there, so you ask yourself how hard it is to find the One. I did find her, and then for some reason, it didn't work out. Then I found her again, and then it didn't work out. And then again, same story repeated quite a few times. But there is still One who still makes my heart beat like crazy, and she's back in China. We still do keep in touch, but somehow it doesn't feel like the way it was before. The first time we met, it was like love at first sight. But then somehow it fades away. But then I do remember that when I was about to leave early in the morning to go back to the US, she called to meet with me, but I did tell her a few days before that I was leaving on that day. And she acted that she didn't remember. Then again, usually when she wants to meet with me, it is usually in the afternoon. This time she called me early in the morning (probably knowing I was leaving early for the Shanghai airport early that day). Was she trying to stop me from leaving? Later on, I realized she probably did. Maybe she is the One that got away. Someday I will be back in China, then maybe that's when I get to find out if it's meant to be. I still do love her. But for now, maybe the One is someone whom I haven't met yet. Could she be in another country I haven't been to yet or on the other side of the world? That's also the reason why I travel. In the end, after much traveling, and I still haven't found the One, then more likely the One in China is the One 😁.
Lomo Cameras
When I first started getting into photography as a kid, this was my camera, a plastic toy camera with no manual control and it uses analog film. A Lomo camera. Now it is very popular despite the fact that it still uses analog film and is not digital. The difference between what I had back then and what it is now was that it was inexpensive when I had it. Now these cameras cost a lot more money and even more than the digital cameras. Also now it is supposed to be very COOL 😁 to have this camera. Back then, my friends would ask me why I was using this plastic toy camera (at that time, it wasn't cool to have this camera 😂), and I remember telling them that its imperfections create pictures with unpredictable look. Besides, it's the eye that matters, not the camera. Well, this brings back a lot of memories. And to see that this camera is considered HIP😀 nowadays makes me feel like I was ahead of my time back then 😁
Please like/follow/subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects. Links are right below.
