November 2009 Archive

November 28, 2009

Can I be your Daily Snow Reporter?

So, I've applied to a competition so that I can get myself a Best Winter of Your Life in Niseko this year! icon:w_4_snow

I'll have to be the Daily Snow Reporter icon:w_4_snowman

if I won.

Like them.. icon:a2_down2

Can I be the one? icon:an_mushi

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I've never been a reporter.. icon:an_c_hiyoko

I've no experience at all to present in front of a pro-camera.. icon:an_c_hiyoko

(been presenting just for fun in front of my own compact digi-cam though..)

I,...I don't know whether I can even memorize all the given script and speak properly in front of the camera.. icon:an_c_hiyoko

I, I,...I'm worrying... icon:an_c_hiyoko

Not many entered this competition somehow...which means I've fewer rivals this time.. icon:an_mushi

I've uploaded my video on the 14th November 2009, a day before the due date.

20091126_statistic_data_1

It's exciting every time the View counts got updated. icon:a2_up

though very slowly..

Since I'm always just stick to my computer most of the time, I've been reloading the page very often to check on the Views..

It was very disappointing at first for it never goes up at all for hours.. (though I know it's usual..)

And then, about a week later..

20091126_statistic_data_2

All of a sudden, my video is viewed from about 200 views to 2000 views icon:mark3_sign03

But WHY is it popular in Korea and India icon:mark3_sign02

instead of Japan icon:mark3_sign02

Did my video got linked to some websites and got recommended icon:mark3_sign02

But oh well, as long as my video got popular! icon:face3_kao07

I was sooooo excited when it gone up that much icon:mark3_sign03

(Although, the winner is not decided just base on the Views or YouTube popularity..)

But...

about another week later...

20091126_statistic_data_3

My video obtained 8,852 views in such a short period icon:mark3_sign03

(It's understandable if I'm already popular in YouTube like Michelle Phan, etc...but I'm NOT )

And OMG, according to the statistic graph up there, 178 people favorited my video and 185 people rated my video icon:mark3_sign03

It was really surprising for this happened in just one day! icon:face4_kao-a17

Why~

I was getting suspicious though...

Is my video getting popular just purely? icon:an_c_hiyoko

or is this just some YouTube spam? icon:an_c_hiyoko

or like maybe someone did this..? icon:an_c_hiyoko

..................................................................................................

Anyway, I'm still very excited whatever it is for I was announced as the Winner on the 23rd November 2009 icon:mark3_sign01

Yay

Thank you so much for choooosing me! icon:face4_kao-a18

Thank you so much for all my friends who supported me too!! icon:face4_kao-a02

20091126_best_winter_backstage_supporter

LOVE YA'LL~ icon:face4_kao-a05

I'm still worried whether I can cope well being an internet TV reporter and everything, but will definitely try my best and will bring my Best Winter in Niseko back to everyone who have supported me on my blog

Visit me in Niseko if you can!! icon:h_heart08

Pics obtained from Niseko Photography

http://www.nisekophotography.com/

| (3) (0) | 4:49 AM

November 18, 2009

Best Winter of Your Life in Niseko!

I have once created a video application for the Best Job in the World organised by Queensland.

Speaking of the Best Job in the World, I did had a great experience when I was trying to think something out of a box to make a wonderful video, communicating while competing with the other contestants, weeks of just sticking onto my computer checking other videos on YouTube days and nights...

At the same, I spent all my precious time dreaming about
the beautiful ocean~ icon:yb_wave

the tranquil of the island~ icon:yb_see

the white beach sand~ icon:h_kira02

the clear blue sky~ icon:w_2_kumo

the fun on the island and the excitement under the sea...the Great Barrier Reef icon:face3_kao04

Pic source: http://www.islands-n-beaches.com/rec/56

Yeah, just dreaming.. icon:face4_kao-a12

Coz I did not even made through the first stage~ icon:w_3_ame

But I LOVE what I've experienced icon:h_note

And I LOVE my video. icon:o_v_movie

And so that was only a story in the past..

Now, I've a new story. icon:face3_kao07

I've just created a new video to participate in a new contest which is quite similar with the above.

What is different is, the contest is limited for only people in Japan, and it's in winter

So instead of competing internationally, I'm competing only within Japan,

and instead of a blue ocean, I'm gonna see white powder snow covering the whole mountain so beautifully, that it shall makes me touched to cry
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Best Winter of Your Life icon:h_kira02

This campaign is organised by Hanazono Resort Niseko, a new ski resort in Japan icon:mark3_sign01

I adore the tropical island and the ocean so much that I've always make my ways to visit as many islands as I could .

But snow icon:w_4_snow

somehow makes me cry. icon:face3_kao13

The scenery covered by snow is just too amazingly beautiful. icon:w_4_snowman

It's...it's just magical icon:mark3_sign01

Our Earth is just heaven~ icon:o_wing

Pic source: http://konotabi.com/photoalbum/niseko2/snowcharm.htm

Therefore, I just thought I should not missed this opportunity. icon:h_shine

You know, if I won this contest,

I'd get paid icon:h_kira01

1,000,000yen (US$11,111, RM37,000) icon:o_dollar

to enjoy this lil' piece of heaven the whole winter icon:mark3_sign01

But then, you should also know that if I won,

I am needed to stay in the resort for 4 months presenting the Daily Video Snow Report (Monday to Saturday), presenting Weekly Video Blog 3 times a week, and participating in every promotion activities..

which literally means that this is a job icon:h_hatena01

1,000,000yen for 4 months.. icon:an_c_hiyoko

1 month = 250,000yen (US$2800, RM9,500) icon:an_c_hiyoko

...looks more like a basic salary in Japan kinda icon:h_hatena01

But hey~ MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING! icon:o_dollar

Of course we are not talking just about money here icon:mark3_sign01

Guess what! icon:h_shine

I'll be getting free Ski or Snowboard Equipment from K2 Sports icon:mark3_sign03

I'll be getting free winter wear from Burton icon:mark3_sign03

I'll be getting free ski and snowboard lessons from professionals icon:mark3_sign03

I'll be getting free memorable Photo and Video Album of my Winter by Niseko Photography icon:mark3_sign03

Most of all, I'll be getting the most amazing experience that I never had before icon:mark3_sign03

A chance for a Level-up ! icon:face3_kao06

If I got chosen of coz icon:face_sparkling_smile

(Nevertheless, still the 1 million yen is essential..)

Check out more about the competition here. icon:s_snowboard

So, there I go with my application video. icon:face3_kao06

Translation icon:body3_rip

Hi, I'm Ito Haruka.

I came from Malaysia but have been staying in Japan for 6 years.

I've grown up in a multi-racial country. Therefore, besides Japanese, I'm also capable in speaking English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay.

English icon:h_fukidashi

I can read, I can write, I can speak in English. My accent might not be excellent, but trust me, I'm quite familiar with English.

Mandarin icon:h_fukidashi

I know how to speak in Mandarin, I know how to speak in Cantonese as well.

Cantonese icon:h_fukidashi

But I'm not familiar with the words in either both of them.

Malay icon:h_fukidashi

I'm a Malaysian and that should proves my ability in Malay.

I love to blog. I blog about my daily normal life. I blog about my special experiences. I blog about stuffs I care about with my words, pictures, videos, and designs. This has eventually bringing me so much surprises and happiness of knowing new friends and new discoveries.

I of course love the outdoor activities and adventures. I've not tried ski or snowboard before but really hoping to experience the REAL powder snow if I got the chance to win this contest. I have full confidence in my enthusiasm.

I hope to tell everyone from all over the world about how amazing Niseko during my days in [Best Winter of My Life in Hanazono Niseko].

The winner will be announced on the 23rd November 2009 icon:o1_crown

But till then, judging will be based on the popularity and number of views in YouTube.

So, pleeeaaaseeee rate and view and spread for meeeeee icon:mark3_sign04

Seriously

So that I can blog, blog, blog more about the powder snow~ icon:h_note

| (0) (0) | 10:35 PM

November 14, 2009

A genius called TX1

" Hey, no FLASH icon:w_5_l_thunder

pleaseee

"

I bet most of EVERYONE does not flavor camera's flash at all coz flash icon:w_5_l_thunder

make us look even uglier in the dark icon:mark3_sign01

Flash just ruins the whole romantic dim-lit atmosphere icon:mark3_sign03

Whereas if we shoot it without Flash, we got this icon:a2_down

Right

Yes

Everyone knows it, and the maker knows it too. icon:o_k_kougu

That's why they've now created a real genius compact-digi-cam for the era icon:mark3_sign01

The FIRST icon:h_shine

on earth

in a compact-digi-cam that came out with a function you might have longed for icon:mark3_sign04

This

Sony Cybershot DSC-TX1

Well, the design may look just normal as the previous, and I don't really like the series of colors of this model. icon:face3_kao21

(Pink looks nice here, but in real it's just so-so. I like SOLID colors now without the bling )

But, what makes this SPECIAL icon:h_kira01

is their new function ,

[Beautiful Images - Even in Low Light]

Trust me, this gadget is amazing icon:mark3_sign01

which able to capture a very unbelievable clear view even in the DARK icon:mark3_sign01

Anyway, this amazing function is known as "Exmor R" CMOS sensor.

Exmor-R CMOS sensor gathers source of lights from the surrounding even in dark with just a very dim-light.

Now you gotta see my experiment with this Exmor-R. icon:h_shine

To do this experiment, I off-ed all my lights leaving only some source of lights from Yapi's PC's monitor besides me. (I even off-ed my own monitor to experiment with this effect!)

First, with normal-mode.

20091113_harupi_TX1_normal_mode

As expected, can't see a thing but just a mere me. icon:face3_kao17

But with Exmor-R mode, I got this icon:mark3_sign01

Believe it or not icon:mark3_sign02

(no Photoshop at all!)

Even in the dark, I can see myself icon:body_shadow

And, it's clear icon:mark3_sign01

See Close-Up icon:o_pb_search

It's really amazing with just such a very low-light, I got this result. icon:h_kira01

Normally, it would just darkness. Or even if you are in a bar with brighter yellowish light, you won't see anything as clear as well.

Exmor-R performs in increasing sensitivity by 2x to reduce noise icon:mark3_sign01

That's why icon:mark3_sign03

Yeah, even Photoshop can't help a bit if you have a photo only with darkness. icon:w_6_newmoon

Of course, a DSLR or pro-camera is efficient enough to perform any respective effect and snap the perfect shot manually with pro-techniques.

But what we are talking about now is, we are not any professional, and we are now capable to snap a professional shot with an automatic compact digi-camera icon:mark3_sign03

Yay

for the new ERA icon:mark3_sign03

Anyway, I did another experiment with my henniya Blythe. icon:face5_girl

Certainly of course, to try out the effect more, I did the photoshoot in my bedroom with no lights on. icon:w_8_night

We can't have full darkness, so I leave my door open to let in a light source of light from the living room.

icon:mark3_check

Then, my henniya Blythe will be standing by the window for me to shoot. icon:face3_kao09

So, here we go..
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First, a snap with Normal-mode. icon:w_2_kumo

Darkness. icon:body_shadow

as expected.

Second snap with Flash-mode. icon:w_2_kaminari

So bright and hair looks so plastic. (though it is plastic..)
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Now, with Exmor-R.
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Nice

It's really brilliant. In a room so dark, I can still able to capture this kind of quality icon:mark3_sign04

I don't think we could do anything to the first snap even with the versatility of Photoshop.

Okay, we might able to edit the second snap to something nicer, but I guess, (even though, it may not need any edits at all) the third snap has the most efficient components to be edited.

Backgrounds, tones, atmosphere, mood, colors. icon:h_heart08

Anyway, though I think Exmor-R is the main, TX1 has more awesome functions still icon:mark3_sign03

The main features:

icon:o_camera2