Gaki N Me If you love to talk about the world, love Asian idols, this is the place.

My father was a very good photographer and I would like to pay tribute to him.

My dad was a very lively person who perservered.  He went through a tough life of not having enough to eat for many years to slaving away to make ends meet.  During the Japanese occupation in Hong Kong, he  who was no more than 10 years old  narrowly escaped death while chopping wood in the hills of Kowloon.  To make ends meet, he sold popsicles in the melting sun walking from North Point to Central and called through the night selling his throat soothing Chinese plums when his own voice was cackling.  When sent to Australia, he carried his shoes to school so that they would not wear out and waited on many tables for the Adelaide crowd.  Starting a family was tough but he didn't mind shouldering 100 lbs fish tanks in deliveries climbing many stories of stairs.  When the oil crisis hit, his garment business tumbled but he managed to somehow hold the family finances together for the next 30 years.

I am glad that in the last 20 years of his life, he got to do what he was most passionate in.  He loved taking photos of common looking girls.  His life goal was to make unspectacular looking girls alluring and enchanting.    He made many girls very happy as he handed the photos to them free of charge.  He reminded them that one day when they become old, they could take the photos out and see how pretty they once were.   Over 200 girls ranging from students, sales attendants, secretaries have benefited.  Too bad my father refused to publish his works.  But then, it's fine too.  Recently I learnt from my mother that before he went on these outings, he always sketched some poses for the models. I am eagerly waiting for her to send me some copies of it. No wonder why I like to draw. It came from my dad too, on top of having an eye for photography. So happy to know I take after him!!!

I found only some of the old photos from his collection and there were hardly any scenery shots.  Perhaps next time when I visit my mom again, I could go through the cases and cases of photos and find more.

This was a family outing that stood out as my father shed his everyday worries and played gunfight with us.  The oldest girl sitting in between myself and my older brother in the photo is my young aunt.  My mom is the forever capable wife who could provide food for a few dollars.

My father loved to go to Lau Fau Shan where the tide goes out at sunset on some days.  I remember having to wait in the car with my mom and my brother as my dad caught a few last shots of the day.

Another place that we often visited was Aberdeen.  We didn't go to the Jumbo Restaurant.  We just visited relatives and had yang chow fried rice in the ship building side of Aberdeen traversed only by little putt putt boats or sampans. 

And now I save the photo of myself last.  He has taken many photos of me but I was not a very natural model.  This is the favorite photo of myself and true to his words, my dad has beautified me in this photo that I now see I was once a pretty girl (through a lens anyway...hahaha). Thank you, dad.  Now if only I could take as good a photo for my daughter.  (Double over laughing!)