As Chinese New Year is getting closer we went to the Curve Mall to pick up some new year goodies. Last month we were quite happy with The Curve's 2012 Christmas decoration. Naturally we are eager to check out what they have for the 2013 Chinese New Year as well.
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| The Curve Mall's 2013 Chinese New Year theme called the Celebration Of Spring look beautiful from one floor above. --- Camera: Olympus Pen E-P1, Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42 mm f/3.5-5.6 II standard zoom lens, setting lens at 28mm f/4.6 1/25s and ISO 800. |
This trip to The Curve Mall is mainly a shopping trip for Chinese New Year goodies. However we are also prepared for some photo shooting opportunity when something nice pops up. Thanks to Olympus for pioneering the Mirrorless Cameras System and reinventing the Digital Pen Micro Four Thirds Cameras.
This small system camera with big features is so light and small we can carry it with us almost anytime. Any Olympus Pen camera together with a pancake lens plus a standard kit zoom can slip into a Camel Waist Pouch without any problem. A two Micro Four Thirds camera body with several lenses can easily fit in a messenger type sling bag. That is how we carry our Olympus Pen cameras and most of the time no one knew we had a system camera with us and from experience not even the salesman in the camera shop noticed it.
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| This garden patio part of the Chinese garden of the Curve Mall "A Cerebration Of Spring" 2013 Chinese new Year theme. -- Camera: Olympus Pen E-PL2, Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42 mm f/3.5-5.6 II standard zoom lens, setting lens at 26mm F/4.5 1/40s and ISO 1000. |
When we arrived at The Curve my wife was initially unimpressed with The Curve Mall's Chinese New Year decor. The set up is supposedly of an ancient Chinese Garden in an imaginary rocky mountain amidst a bamboo garden that also includes a Chinese garden patio complete with wooden garden walkway. On first look there is really not much we can say about it but a little imagination goes a long way. Like looking at rock formation one needs to exercise some imagination otherwise a rock is just a rock.
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| A make believe rock Garden in the center court of The Curve for the Mall's 2013 Chinese New Year decoration. -- Camera: Olympus Pen E-PL2, Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42 mm f/3.5-5.6 II standard zoom lens, setting lens at 14mm F/4.5 1/60s and ISO 1000. |
The title of The Curve Mall 2013 Chinese New year theme is called "
A Celebration of Spring". Since last Christmas The curve festive decoration is linked to their in-house production stage play. Therefore if we look at their festive decoration as a stand alone artwork we only see half of the story. Too bad we were there on a weekday and with a shopping mission as all their performance and activities are slotted for weekends.
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| This beautiful veranda walkway is part of The Curve Mall 2013 Chinese New Year Cerebration of Spring decoration. --- Camera: Olympus Pen E-PL2, Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm 1:4.0-5.6 telephoto zoom lens, setting lens at 40mm F/5.6 1/40s and ISO 1000. |
A few minutes after walking around the Chinese Garden and taking some photos Elaine has gathered a more positive opinion of this "
A Celebration of Spring" decoration. She found that the artificial spring blossom flowers at this artificial Chinese garden looked quite lovely and beautiful. She also commented that the textured surface of the limestone rock of this artificial rock garden were well crafted and looked realistic on camera.
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| "Celebration of Spring" is the theme of The Curve Mall 2013 Chinese New Year decor at the center court area. -- Camera: Olympus Pen E-P1, Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/2.8 Pancake lens, exposure blend with two images setting at F/7.0 1/30s and 1/8s ISO 200. |
The many red lanterns hanging from above the ceiling framed the Chinese Garden decoration quite nicely viewing from the first floor. First look can be deceiving but it turned out that the 2013 Chinese New Year decoration at the curve is a photogenic setup. With a little imagination, a bit of walking around to look for the right view point add some creative perspective control we discovered the hidden beauty of The Curve Mall's Chinese new Year decoration. It offered lots of opportunity for framing and composition. If you spend a little bit more time here you will see its beauty coming through.
