Vintage Red

In New Zealand you get the opportunity to see many old vehicles still being used and many of them are kept in tip-top condition. This school bus, named Vintage Red, is used in the small town of Picton at the north end of the South Island.

Red Phone Box

These classic old red phone boxes can still be seen in a few locations and this one was photographed in the small village of Plockton in north west of Scotland. This image was post-processed using Silver Efex Pro 2 from Nik Software and the red colour of the phone box recovered back to create impact.

New York Mini

This bright red Mini with the distinctive yellow Empire State registration plate and  the raindrops on the paintwork and chrome provided a good opportunity for a close-cropped photo. Driving in New York wasn't as bad as I had imagined as with the grid layout of the streets it is very easy to navigate the city and to be honest if you've driven and survived in KL then New York City should be a breeze!

Three Umbrellas

These brightly coloured Chinese umbrellas were hung from the roof of a shop in Huangzhou as decoration. Always remember to look all around you and especially up as you never know what you may find to photograph.

Wing Wah

The bright red shop of Wing Wah really stood out in the surrounding drab buildings of Guangzhou, China. Wing Wah is a famous food manufacturer and specialises in moon cakes. This image was post processed using Aperture and by reducing all the colour saturation sliders to zero except the red colour slider I highlighted and emphasised the red colour.

Break Time

This shoe shiner in Madrid, Spain takes a break to read the paper during a quiet spell. I loved the contrast of strong colours between the red of his chair and the green wall behind.

Raise The Red Lantern

This photo taken in Shanghai, China reminds me of the famous Chinese movie Raise The Red Lantern, which is one of the very few Chinese movies I have watched and enjoyed.

Raise The Red Lantern is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It is an adaption by Ni Zhen of the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. The film was later adapted into an acclaimed ballet of the same title by the National Ballet of China, also directed by Zhang.

Set in the 1920s, the film tells the story of a young woman who becomes one of the concubines of a wealthy man during the Warlord Era. It is noted for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colours. The film was shot in Qiao's Compound near the ancient city of Pingyao, in Shanxi Province. Although the screenplay was approved by Chinese censors, the final version of the film was banned in China for a period. Some film critics have interpreted the film as a veiled allegory against authoritarianism.

Chinese Firecrackers

Today I'm hearing many firecrackers go off as the Chinese celebrate the start of the New Year. A firecracker (also known as a cracker, noise maker, banger or bunger) is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound. Firecrackers, along with fireworks, originated in China.

These decorative red crackers are very popular Chinese New Year decorations and were seen in a small market in Shanghai. You can also see the decorative red chillies which are also very popular. 

The Year of the Rabbit

Gong Xi Fa Cai .... It's Chinese New Year .... and the start of the Year of the Rabbit. The Rabbit (also translated as Hare) is the fourth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Rabbit is associated with the earthly branch symbol.

In the related Vietnamese zodiac, the cat takes the place of the rabbit. The Chinese symbol 卯 for the Rabbit sounds like (mão, mẫu, méo, mẹo, mẻo); the word "mèo" is cat in Vietnamese. Therefore, cat was translated from Chinese to Vietnamese as fourth zodiac sign instead of Rabbit.

These colourful red rabbits were seen in a market in Shanghai which was full of New Year decorations.

Sri Lankan Life Guard

Along the beachfront on Galle Face Drive in Colombo these lifeguards were on duty to ensure the safety of those people venturing into the waves of the Indian Ocean. Their bright red uniforms stood out as they took their position on the watch tower.
In the background of this photo you can see the Galle Face Hotel which sits on a prime spot overlooking the beach and ocean.

Colombo Tuk Tuk

The tuk-tuks of Colombo, Sri Lanka are very bright and colourful as well as providing a convenient and cheap way to get around the city.
Every year they have the  Lanka Challenge where intrepid foreigners drive these local tuk tuks over the island of Sri Lanka - this has got to be the best way to see Sri Lanka. The Lanka Challenge is by no means an easy affair; contestants will embark on a true test of character, resourcefulness, endurance and navigational stupidity. It is a real maker of men and a genuine quest for wonder woman. This usually requires you to patch up your three-wheel mean machine in the most extreme of weather conditions, marooned in the most remote of locations and wearing the most ludicrous of outfits.   

Red Maple

The strong red colour of these maple leaves really stood out against the cool blue sky and made a lovely splash of colour against the drab colours of winter. This photo was shot on the banks of the West Lake in Hangzhou, China.

Fushimi Shrine

Located about 2km south-east of Kyoto station, Fushimi Inari Taisha is without doubt the largest and most impressive shrine in Japan. 
Fushimi Inari Taisha was founded in the 8th century by the Hata family and is the head shrine of no less than 30,000 branch shrines nationwide. The sancturay is composed of several buildings, including the Sakura-mon Gate and Go-Honden Shrine, followed by a 4km tunnel made of thousands of red gates making their way through the woods.
The 4km walk through the torii tunnel to the top of the Inari-san hill can be a strenuous one, especially in the heat of summer. That does not discourage some joggers to use the place as a training ground, at the stupefaction of tourists. Two large ponds and several small waterfalls can be found in the maze of torii, depending on which path you decide to follow. 
Statues of menacing foxes, said to have the magic power to take possession of human spirits, alternate with torii gates. The fox is however reverred to as the god of harvest (rice and other cereals), and is often seen carrying a key in his mouth, which is for the rice granary. Foxes are said to love rice balls rolled in fried tofu, which are called for that reason "o-inari-san". They can be purchased in about any sushi shops.
Visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha in the late afternoon as the sun slowly sets can be a thrilling experience and is definitely recommended for those believing in the "spirits of the forest".

Red Hydrant in Red China

This red fire hydrant stood out in the streets of Guangzhou, China and the post processing carried out on the image has enhanced that effect even further. The image was transformed to black and white except the red colour.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers played a dinner concert on 22 May 2010 at the Hilton Hotel, KL for the Selangor St. Andrew's Society. The event was a sell-out with the band playing two red-hot sets which will be remembered for a long time to come by all that attended. You can view photographs from the event here and a video seen here.

About the Chillis
Winners of the Prime Time BBC One show 'When Will I Be Famous' with a blistering set Rock Bagpipes that astounded the viewers and critics!

"The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are sassy, sexy and hugely entertaining. They are enormously talented musicians who are so skilled they make it all look effortless. This album stirs the blood and will enliven any party." - Lorraine Kelly

"Bag Rocks! The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are great live performers with passion and enthusiasm that has captivated the world - great ambassadors for Scotland. I'm a fan!" - The Duke of Argyll

"It's a unique musical experience" - Max Clifford

Since they performed with The Darkness on T in the Park's legendary Main Stage in 2004 and walked away with the top prize on UK BBC One primetime TV talent show, 'When Will I Be Famous' in 2007, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers haven't stopped for a breath, other than to inflate their bagpipes!

Taking their signature 'Bagrock' to the masses, The ‘Chillis’ have fast become a global phenomenon, rocking farflung shores from Beijing to New York and everywhere in between.

Their first CD with REL Records ‘Bagrock to the Masses’ achieved platinum sales in Scotland and was the highest selling CD from a Scottish record company in 2007. 2008 saw the band record a brand new live DVD and album entitled BLAST! The Chillis showcased the addition of brand new elements The Chilli Dancers and The Horn Supremacy which cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting live acts around.

Featuring the classic Red Hot Chilli Pipers sound - a fusion of traditional pipe tunes and contemporary anthems - 'Bagrock' includes the likes of 'Clocks' by Coldplay, Queen's 'We Will Rock You' and a rock medley of Deep Purple's 'Smoke On The Water' and AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck'. 'Flower of Scotland' and 'The Hills of Argyll' get a look in too, Chilli style of course!

Responsible for the phenomenon of bag rock are the Chilli's founding member and musical director Stuart Cassells, who as well as rocking all over the world in recent years, was the recipient of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2005 and the first person to gain a degree in bagpipes from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Joining Stuart and proving that three pipers are always better than one, are Grade 1 pipers Kevin MacDonald and Willie Armstrong. Twice world champion snare drummer Steven Graham and Malcolm McEwan make up the band's percussion section with back up from rock 'n' roll drummer Steven Black.

Completing the line up are the youngest Chilli, Chris Russell on keyboards and Gregor James (otherwise known as The G-Man) on guitar.

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers have headlined huge festivals, packed out famous venues and performed at the biggest of corporate events.

Putting a modern spin on incredible piping and astounding drumming with an emphasis on showing off and putting on a show guaranteed to amaze any audience; The Red Hot Chilli Pipers really are a genuinely unique experience.

IT'S THE NEW JOCK AND ROLL!!!!!!!

Wild Red Ginger

This beautiful wild red ginger flower was spotted during a visit to the Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

Textures and Colours of Kyoto

It was December in Kyoto, Japan but there were still plenty of wonderful Autumn colours and textures to be seen with red maples, green bamboo, red berries and wonderful green moss on the many beautiful walks around the hills and numerous temples.

This was also the first real opportunity to field test my new canon 5D MkII and the way it reproduced the colour depths, textures and tones can certainly be seen in these photos. I will be posting some more pictures from this trip to Kyoto in the coming few days.