ROBIN WONG

This is a continuation from the previous blog entry, sharing more images I have taken on Day 3 of Davis Cup hosted by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was quite an interesting experience, shooting from the audience seats, surrounded by fellow Malaysian fans and supporters, and the aunty that sat besides me literally screamed many times on top of her lungs chanting "MALAYSIA BOLEH!". It was one thing shooting the game, but knowing that it was my country against another, I could not help but feel something was at stake, and the last few points were nerve-wrecking. I joined in many gasps with the crowd, and also cheers, and had my fair share of Malaysia Boleh chants too. It was a good game, though I hope Malaysia would have better luck next time! All images were shot with Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Olympus 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II. 

Malaysia's Naufal Siddiq Kamaruzzaman falls to Vietnam’s Dai Khanh Nguyen in the first singles match, 6-3, 0-6, 2-6. 

I was at the recent Davis Cup hosted by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, watching Malaysia vs Vietnam on Day 3. It was a match between Naufal Siddiq Kamaruzzaman (Malaysia) vs Dai Khanh Nguyen (Vietnam), and Nguyen won 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. I brought along a simpler, entry level setup to shoot this name, the Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Olympus 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II. I wanted to prove a point - you do not need super expensive and most advanced gear to get great results shooting sports photography. I also share some tips on how to maximize your potential using entry level, budget Micro Four Thirds setup for shooting sports in my latest video here (click). 

During recent trip to Bangkok, of course I did some shutter therapy and I did my best to approach some local Thai for their portraits. It was always thrilling getting to meet new people, and being able to photograph them was a bonus. This man was sitting out on the streets, reading the morning paper. I believe he worked at a nearby gas tank distribution center. I was hesitant to approach him for a photograph because he was shirtless, but he had such a warm smile that I was drawn to him. We had a short chat, I understood maybe 30% of what he said, but he agreed to have some shots taken. I used my Panasonic GM1 and Olympus 25mm F1.8 and took some quick shots. I cannot help but smile when I saw the portrait of this man!

I have been enjoying the Kodak Charmera so much - it is truly small, beautiful in design, shoots lo-fi images and is so simple to use being 100% point and shoot with zero adjustments on the camera. It works, the Kodak Charmera original was a massive hit, it was the most popular camera in 2025. I am sure Reto is making the next Version 2.0, and here are my suggestions on how to make it even better - make the startup time faster, increase battery life at least 200%, add Kodak's own film simulation and film grain effect and also bump the resolution of image sensor up to 3.2MP, which will significantly improve image output while maintaining the lo-fi vibes that the Charmera is so well-loved for. I shared all this and my POV street shooting here (click). 

I originally wanted to just make a simple video to share real tips on how to improve photography - not just oh what camera or lens to upgrade to, or some quick shortcuts on special camera features or tricks, or overly aggressive image editing. I wanted to share the truth, there is no shortcut in photography, and if you really want to get better in the game, you have got to put in the work. Get to know your gear inside out, improve your shooting discipline, and spend more time shooting than scrolling through endless Instagram feed or YouTube videos. I thought it would be great to accompany all that dry chatter with some POV street shooting around Kuala Lumpur, using my Olympus E-M1 original and Olympus 25mm F1.8. You can find the video here (click). I am sharing the images from that session in this blog entry. 

I did this flow chart about my street photography workflow 10 years ago! I am sure the formatting can be improved and optimized, especially for smartphone view but I realized that with advancement of AI, I should take pride in my original work and leave all the imperfections in. Strangely, though the chart was made 10 years ago, it is still 100% relevant today, at least for my own street photography, and I would not change a thing! Yes, I still stop and pet the cat, and yes I still end my sessions with an overpriced cup of coffee. 

My relationship with the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 is quite interesting - I have bought the lens and sold it off twice. Recently, I found one in such good condition in the used market at a price I could not refuse, so I re-purchased it. Technically I don't need it, the Panasonic 15mm F1.7 does everything I need for wide angle (almost 28mm equivalent) shooting - for my paid jobs, filming YouTube videos and as the live streaming lens. However, I must admit there is something so thrilling about using such a tiny lens, and yes the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 is just so much smaller than the 15mm F1.7, while knowing it can deliver beautiful results. I paired the Panasonic 14mm pancake on my Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1, the smallest Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera and did some wide angle street shooting in downtown Kuala Lumpur. I made a POV video for this session too if you are interested (click here).