tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289855562011-10-17T22:52:30.676+08:00The Spine aspires to be the central axis of all things interesting. Sebastian Song, a senior librarian at the National Library Board, selects 56,000 volumes of new books, dvds and audiobooks annually. of which, he read a hundred, watched another hundred and listened to dozens. an avid photographer, he needs and wants to build his own gallery but 'til then please visit http://www.pbase.com/sebastiansongSebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-46406210345571161132011-03-21T11:50:00.001+08:002011-04-26T07:14:58.082+08:00

My first digital camera was an Olympus. The C-2100 UZ. Maximum resolution,1600 X 1200, i.e., 1.9 mp. Maximum shutter 1/800 with a 1.8 inch 114,000 dot LCD and coupled with a 38-380 zoom. It was a joy to shoot with. In our constant pursuit for technological advancements, whether in more megapixels, faster focusing systems, and superior lens coating, we may have neglected the obvious. As a tool,

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-65389621015703478462011-02-05T10:59:00.000+08:002011-02-05T10:59:00.613+08:00

Joe’s seminar is as much a demonstration of lighting possibilities as well as a sharing of philosophy. Due to field constraints, Joe’s lighting solutions have to be deployable quickly and effectively. He travels with an equipment load of 240 kg, consisting of a wide array of lighting tools as well as backups of backup kits. He shoots RAW + jpeg, the former format for archival and the latter for

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-21609939250852625942011-02-02T22:45:00.001+08:002011-02-03T15:54:02.339+08:00

Let’s face it. It’s tough being the opening act for Joe McNally’s Let There Be Light Seminar. Louis doesn’t hide from the fact, instead he embraces it. The show must go on and as we soon learn, it’s never the size of the act but that of the heart which matters. Louis was most kind to extend a seminar invite to Clubsnap and I was the fortunate observer. Having won eight Wedding and Portrait

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-48308192756448459892011-01-14T09:57:00.003+08:002011-01-14T15:51:07.725+08:00

As a moderator of Clubsnap, Singapore's biggest online photography forum, I was privileged to help host Joe McNally during his inaugual Asia Tour. Joe will be conducting his Let There Be Light Seminar on 15th January. Remember to Enter this discount code LASTMINUTE to enjoy a 20% discount. The following is an aftermath article for I wrote for Clubsnap. Note Please refer to Joe’s The Moment It

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-71812765972664614412011-01-10T00:09:00.003+08:002011-01-10T00:17:14.888+08:00

The following conversation took place recently, “Seb, recommend me a good book.” “What do you like to read? Area? Subject?” “Anything.” In short, any good book. Pages worth reading. It was Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964). When challenged to define pornography, Justice Potter Stewart remarked “perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it.” While brutally

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-3568088585870735302011-01-06T23:35:00.010+08:002011-01-07T00:12:09.147+08:00

I am seldom caught without a book. While I have indulged in my fair share of video games and dvds, reading remains as my first love. Friends and colleagues often pose these questions: Why do you read? What are you reading? How many books do you read (month or year)? The holy trinity of questions, however, reveals very different aspects. Why? Though seemingly philosophical, the answer is

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-91633181213553398782011-01-05T22:42:00.001+08:002011-01-05T22:43:59.298+08:00

Was spring cleaning my hard drive when I came across an (unpublished) article I wrote a year ago... Overcoming Adversity A colleague remarked to me, “Why aren’t the libraries getting more copies of (insert: your-favorite-self-help-guru’s latest title)? Our readers can’t get enough of them.” Self-help books are popular. We are taught to embrace change, be positive and shape our destiny. We are

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-32165587468890349132011-01-05T21:56:00.007+08:002011-01-06T11:55:49.157+08:00

A big thank you to PLATFORM, a gathering of Singapore-based photographers keen on visual storytelling, for the kind invitation to feature my works for The Year in Pictures@Platform. 2010 was a most eventful year for me. A close brush with Death put things in perspective. You quickly appreciate the smallest things, mobility and appetite, things you used to take for granted. You grasp firmly how

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-10983931406388324802011-01-05T21:19:00.004+08:002011-01-06T00:31:23.179+08:00

First Off, It's 2011... Happy New Year Everyone If “All Chinese know kungfu,” hold any truth, then the populous country of India can definitely trump that saying with the fine art of Mallakhamb . The word "Mallakhamb" is composed of malla which denotes a gymnast or a man of strength and khamb which means a pole. Mallakhamb can therefore be translated to English as pole gymnastics. (More on

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-43337120839536127132009-02-25T21:53:00.006+08:002009-02-27T19:17:32.694+08:00

Consider this, a bank can only safely loan before it soon runs out of credible borrowers who are willing to service their debt. Fortunately, for bankers, this is the age where commitment to quarterly increases in share prices holds paramount over ethics and preservation of capital. In other words, bankers can turn to creative measures like continual and sophisticated rebundling of debt via credit

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-72088396431386825302009-02-25T10:34:00.004+08:002009-02-25T22:30:13.476+08:00

There were a total of 12 workshops and seminars on the subject of graphic novels. The state of comics has evolved. Its no longer whether libraries need to stock comics but which comics to stock and how many. Saturday was officially dubbed “Graphic Novel Day.”Diversity. From attempts to lure in both younger (pre-teen) and older (post-teen and beyond) readers, to changing the formats in which manga

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-23029195893390117992009-02-25T10:27:00.003+08:002009-02-25T22:30:32.872+08:00

How Libraries Buy: Librarians Reveal Their Methods for Collection Development[Moderator: Nora Rawlinson - Founder, EarlyWord.com, the Publisher/Librarian Connection]Librarians need to recognize the goals of selection like patron satisfaction. The library system should be able to generate shelf list report to allow close examination of the collection. Staff can then use weeding to fine tune the

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-43664127318697984392009-02-25T10:14:00.004+08:002009-02-25T22:31:12.397+08:00

How Travel Guide Publishers Continue to Connect with Travelers -- in Print, Online, and Mobile Platforms[Moderator: Ensley Eikenburg - Assoc. Dir. Marketing, Frommer's Panelist: David Lytle, Frommers.com; Sarah Winter; Whatsonwhen.com; Tim Jarrell, Fodor's Speaker: Brice Gosnell, Lonely Planet]The world is becoming ever more accessible with globalisation and greater information flow. The paradox

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-79028086566968088672009-02-25T09:55:00.003+08:002009-02-25T22:31:25.334+08:00

The Future of Reading[Moderator: Christopher Kenneally –Dir., Author & Creator Relationships, Copyright Clearance Ctr. Panelist: Paul Dry - Publisher, Paul Dry Books; Irene McDermott - - librarian and author, The Librarian's Internet Survival Guide; Randy Testa - VP Education, Walden Pond Press]“It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore,” he said

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-44303576619260843342009-02-25T09:38:00.003+08:002009-02-25T22:31:41.763+08:00

Upfront & Unscripted Spotlight: Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon.com with Chris Anderson, Exec Editor, Wired and author, The Long TailThis was Jeff Bezos' return to BEA after 8 years. First off I was disappointed that Chris took a very back seat throughout and didnt contribute to the discussion. To set the context, the biggest buzz surrounding Book Expo was1) Borders to cut $120 million in operating costs

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-46713097216496104342009-02-25T09:30:00.003+08:002009-02-25T22:32:13.339+08:00

Green Is the New Red, White and BlueKeynote Speaker: Thomas L. FriedmanFriedman is a Pulitzer winner and author of best sellers like The World is Flat and Lexus and the Olive Tree. The New York Times journalist who has been the strongest supporter of globalisation and its merits gave an arousing speech on his new book and the urgency for a green revolution.The premise of his new book, Hot, Flat

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-84594009514287371352009-02-25T09:21:00.004+08:002009-02-25T22:32:31.001+08:00

The BookExpo was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May 29 – June 01, 2008. It is the largest publishing event in North America and the second largest book fair in the world. There were over 2,000 exhibitors with a total registration of 28,494. This was a 22% decline from the 36,112 registrants from New York in 2007. BEA Spokesperson Roger Bilheimer said the decline was due almost

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150346087776290962006-06-15T12:19:00.000+08:002007-01-26T09:12:26.250+08:00

Mr. Galloway Goes to WashingtonUp front, I am against the War in Iraq. It was not a war against WMDs. It was not a war against terrorism. It was a campaign of waste, of lives and of resources. 'Nuff Said.George Galloway, a newly elected member of the British Parliament, was summoned to Washington, D.C., to appear before a Senate subcommittee that claimed -- without ever communicating with him --

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150179957413044912006-06-13T14:18:00.000+08:002006-06-13T14:52:38.610+08:00

Florilegium Imperiale: Botanical Illustrations for Francis I of Austria by H. Walter Lack (ISBN 3791334921)My lecturer used to comment that the Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy nor Roman. Nevertheless being an Emperor does have its advantages. Francis I of Austria, the last monarch to rule over the Holy Roman Empire, was also obsessed with flowers. His Imperial Gardens, where he realized his

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150130547940029302006-06-13T00:37:00.000+08:002006-06-13T07:26:04.533+08:00

Snacks taste better with MeijiThe gingerbread man has been a marked man ever since Shrek.CreditsClient: Meiji MilkAgency: BBDO SIngaporeCreative Director: Francis WeeWriter: Andrew McKechnieArt Director: Goh Wee KimPhotographer: Jonathan Tay

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The 2005 Creative Rankings by Campaign Brief AsiaHey, this is Singapore and we love rankings... especially those that celebrates our achievements. The complete ranking consists of 150 agencies.#1 Ogilvy & Mather Singapore (Sonal Dabral) 1738#2 BBDO Singapore (Francis Wee) 1287#3 Dentsu Inc Tokyo (Toshiaki Nozue, Akira Kagami) 1186#4 BBDO Bangkok (Suthisak Sucharittanonta) 1181#5 TBWA Singapore (

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150126583090102072006-06-12T23:29:00.001+08:002006-06-12T23:36:23.090+08:00

Cannes Lions 200653rd International Advertising Festival (18-24 June)39 seminars, 10 workshops, 5000 commercials, 6700 press ads, 4700 outdoor ads, 2200 websites and online ads, 1200 media solutions, 1700 direct marketing entries, 1500 radio entries, 200 Titanium entries, 4 award ceremonies and 2 galas.This is the world's largest advertising festival, so if you are into creative work , bookmark

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150125738124942122006-06-12T22:56:00.000+08:002006-06-12T23:27:40.143+08:00

What A Rush! The Tornado Series by Accord FansIf you ever need a new fan, you can't go wrong with Accord. Created by BBDO Bangkok, writers, Wirat Charoenwiwatchai, Juntiga Nasunee and Suthisak Sucharittanonta with art directors, Aniruth Assawanapanon and Vasan Wangpaitoon, cleverly employed an over the top treatment for the fan's velocity. Writers, Wirat Charoenwiwatchai and Suthisak

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150046627721340012006-06-12T01:05:00.000+08:002006-06-12T01:23:47.736+08:00

Japan's Twelve Modern Masters of PhotographyIt is always heart warming to see a gathering of talents, especially when it is for a good cause. The 'Friends of M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation in Tokyo' has initiated a portfolio project in which all proceeds will be used to aid "Mission 2007. Every Village a Knowledge Center" or the establishing of a village knowledge centre in each of the

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150045339434052622006-06-12T00:33:00.000+08:002006-06-13T07:36:54.706+08:00

Being There: Harry Benson's Fifty Years of PhotojournalismTo quote John Loengard, former picture editor of Life and People, "Harry knows where it is important to go and what it is important to see. What he sees informs us all."Harry Benson has always been at the right place at the right time. He has photographed all the American presidents from Eisenhower and was just next door to the Twin Towers

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150038100704392962006-06-11T22:19:00.000+08:002006-06-12T00:31:46.260+08:00

On this Earth: Photographs from East Africa by Nick Brandt (ISBN 0811848655)I first came across Nick Brandt's work in a 2005 Chronicle Books catalog. Amazed by the grace and beauty his photographs bestowed upon the magnificent beasts roaming the vast Africa, I placed an order for a personal copy. Nick's interview and a showcase of 14 images in the November 2005 issue of Lenswork made me ever

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150031054514602442006-06-11T21:00:00.000+08:002006-06-12T07:21:03.686+08:00

Think Different(ly) about 1984During the 1990s, Apple commissoned ad agency, TBWA, to create the Think Different slogan. The one minute black-and-white television commercial was narrated by Richard Dreyfuss and featured footages significant historical people of the past, including Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King Jr., Richard Branson, John Lennon, R Buckminster Fuller, Thomas Edison

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1150028694701609722006-06-11T20:16:00.000+08:002006-06-11T21:20:48.253+08:00

How to be an ArtistI came across this wonderful text from a workshop some years back. Unfortunately no source was given but thnx to Google, it is a poster from Planet SARK's Classics I Artwork Collection.How to be an ArtistStay Loose. Learn to watch snails. Plant impossible gardens. Invite someone dangerous to tea. Make little signs that say "Yes!" and post them all over your house. Make friends

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149909330793097352006-06-10T11:07:00.000+08:002006-06-10T11:16:20.603+08:00

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility This coming December, the ultimate training manual will finally be available. The 176-page Spider-Man Handbook (Quirk Books) complete with step-by-step illustration will touch on essential skills such as How to Deal with a Nightmare Boss and How to Live on a Meager Income. More importantly, the book will emphasize essential super hero skills (such as

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149865221577003192006-06-09T22:44:00.000+08:002006-06-10T08:04:18.226+08:00

J K Rowling's Da Potter Code (June 2005) The Sun Newspaper sent its reporter to meet the two gunmen who allegedly tried to sell stolen copies of the forthcoming Harry Potter book. The gunmen claimed to have copies for sale at GBP50,000. Police said they arrested a 37-year-old and a 19-year-old. Their names were not released. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is slated for release July 16,

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149604243986811642006-06-06T22:11:00.000+08:002006-06-10T08:16:20.706+08:00

Planet FootballThe World Cup is less than 2 days and some 18 hours away, the Goethe-Institut, has taken the opportunity to sponsor a wonderful photography exhibition, "Planet Football," consisting of a series of photographs produced by Magnum Photo. The excellent series, regardless of its urban or rural settings, serve to remind us that, football, is probably the one common language that connects

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149602200820329232006-06-06T21:47:00.000+08:002006-06-13T07:30:50.806+08:00

1st Sticker Award Stickers have become an essential element of contemporary street art used by the most underground of artists. With stickers, anyone can plant their flag, gain notoriety, recognition and attain instant coverage while the action itself is inconspicuous.The StickerAward book was released on 01.02.2006. The extensive 324 page full-color tome will feature more than 800 entries from

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149565868232437062006-06-06T11:40:00.000+08:002006-06-12T00:32:10.640+08:00

Pedals and Petticoats: On the road in post-war Europe by Mary Elsy(ISBN 1 84024 439 9)An interesting title I came across today about a road trip undertaken by four young and spirited girls. I have heard lots of friends and stangers saying that they will never get to see the world and its always been their dream to travel. Well, perhaps this tale will inspire them to.[Publisher Description]

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149168460409016632006-06-01T20:47:00.000+08:002006-06-01T21:40:15.603+08:00

It's Not About the BikeA Dutch investigator appointed by the International Cycling Union cleared Lance Armstrong on Wednesday (31st May, 2006) on charges of doping during the 1999 Tour de France, the first of seven he won consecutively, and strongly criticized international anti-doping authorities. Lance has retired from competitive racing to devote himself to the fight against cancer, has

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149114778494721902006-06-01T06:29:00.000+08:002006-06-01T20:45:35.493+08:00

The Glass Cube @ Fifth AvenueThe Apple Store Fifth Avenue, New York, opened on Friday, May 19, 2006. Cost US$9 million dollars, the distinctive 10 metre structure will serve customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."The new store offers more than 100 Macs and nearly 200 iPods for customers to try before they buy, as well as the world’s largest assortment of accessories to help you get the most

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149090807013007452006-05-31T23:32:00.000+08:002006-06-07T00:00:37.326+08:00

Big, Thick and YellowPhaidon Design Classics - The 999 ultimate design classicsThis beautifully illustrated three-volume set representing 999 industrially manufactured products. A MUST-HAVE for those who appreciate the finer things in life and are interested the history of taste and culture. From safety pins to clothes pegs, from the Rubik's Cube to Hasselbald cameras, the editors have done an

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28985556.post-1149086980217063982006-05-31T22:06:00.000+08:002006-06-01T20:43:43.553+08:00

Lost in TranslationThe Michael Kenna Exhibition @ the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography (the Images & Technology Gallery) from 20th May to 25th June, 2006. Entitled "In Japan", 150 photographic works of landscapes from all over Japan, such as "Hokkaido" the "88 Buddhist Temples in Shikoku", as well as a series of his previous works will be featured. Michael's photographs, often made at

Sebastian Songhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13790027639851829776noreply@blogger.com2