Screenshots

Again, I was in the company of LensaMalaysia photographers yesterday to do our tiny bit for charity -- taking photos without charging fees. (We are selective with the beneficiaries of our pro-bono work, though.)

It also allows me to take a break from the meetings with the lawyers preparing for my court hearing this Tuesday. As my homework started way back in 2004 when I was at the receiving end of a clear-pattern vilification by certain parties, I am quite relaxed and I found the weekend so soothing, shooting the kids.

It's the usual VIPs come-a-calling, and the kids were hosted to privileges for a day, but the hosts' networking with their counterpart in Singapore and Japan has resulted in a seed fund to start a Budding Artists Foundation.

LensaPress photo by Steven Sum

The fund is meant to nurture the hidden talents among the orphans, who are often victims of broken marriages and child abuse. Several verticals have been identified, like painting, performing arts and photography, to help the kids build their self-esteem, confidence and perhaps career path in their chosen fields. Approached by the hosts, LensaMalaysia has agreed to play a role in the capacity-building of the kids by leveraging an area that crafted our vices in life -- photography.

I am glad to see that former diplomat Razali Ismail was there to give the project a needed push of the sail. He even had to play stand-up comedian to pacify a little kid who cried, intimidated by the dancing lions.

LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi

There were four of us who covered the launch of the Budding Artists Foundation, while another group of LensaMalaysia photographers went to Putrajaya to cover the Floral Parade, held in conjunction with VMY2007.

Our exclusive pictures on the grand launch of VMY2007 and the fireworks surrounding the Eye On Malaysia have been very well exposed. We even detected some of our photographs being lifted without the authors' consent and floating on commercial websites in the Internet.

Doing our bid to celebrate Malaysia @ 50, we plan to chronicle the cultural colours of Malaysia to shoot Thaipusam this Thursday.

Here are some pictures of the loving kids.

LensaPress photo by Jeff Ooi

LensaPress photo by Steven Sum

Picture courtesy LensaMalaysia photographer Dr ChenWS

BTW, more candid shots of the kids are in LensaMalaysia. Orphans or no, they are all so adorable. You just need to help them touch the future.