Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund

Over the past month, I’ve been working as a recipient of the Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund  on this project to help educate and inspire the photography community.

My commissioned project

I’ve been sharing a collection of photos to Lightroom’s Discover feature where you can see a step-by-step of how I edit photos.

All you need is to sign up for a free Adobe account and download the free Adobe Lightroom app.

Who can apply?

If you’re a creative especially, a creator in an underrepresented group, this is an amazing opportunity to showcase your perspective and work with Adobe. If you meet the requirements (there are just 3), then go apply!

Don’t forget to apply for the Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund! It’s easy to apply and if you don’t get selected this upcoming round, your application will automatically roll over to the next. So the earlier you apply, the more rounds you have to be selected

The next deadline is Sept 7, but apply now.

Many thanks to Katrin Eismann, the Adobe Lightroom and the Community Fund team for giving me this amazing opportunity.

What to Do When You're Stuck Creatively

I’ve been asked if I’ve ever been in a creative rut before and how I get out of it. The answer is yes. It probably happens to most (if not, all) people who are constantly creating for work.

But I don’t see it as a rut. I think of it as a landing before the next set of stairs. A temporary place to take a break before continuing on.

These are a few ways that have helped me get to the next creative level:

• Take a break. Just step away even for a short time (an hour, a day or longer if possible).

• Do something unrelated. Visit a new place, eat new food.

• Start a personal project. It can be a photography one or something different (like this custom backdrop I made).

• Return to our roots. The thing that made you love what you’re doing.

• Or experiment. Try a new creative technique, even if the result is terrible.

• Collaborate with others. It can kickstart new ideas and grow from there.

When that creative muscle is tired, let it rest. I’ve always found that coming back fresh is when I do my best work.

Happy New Year

Learning new things, trying new things.

Before the end of last year, some friends and I were talking about some side projects and personal goals we wanted to work on and discovered that we had some common ones so we started on them as soon as we could.

Hopefully, I can share one of these projects with you soon because I have a feeling it may be helpful to you.

Travel: San Francisco, California

[Updated January 2019]

San Francisco is known for its many tech companies, landmarks and its mix of the old and new. There is a lot to see, eat and do, but a lot can be done in less than a week!

Karl the Fog greeted us as we drove into San Francisco

Chinatown

Financial District

Cable Car

I loved riding the San Francisco Cable Cars. Two of the lines, Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde, run north/south which is a fun way to see the city. I prefer the southbound route because it goes downhill, giving you a great view.

There are a few ways to get your ticket:
1. Cash: If you need to buy your ticket when you board, make sure to bring cash ($7 USD at the time of writing).
2. MuniMobile
3. ClipperCard
4. CityPass

Tip: Make sure to get to the terminal stop early so you can choose your seat. You can sit outward-facing or stand. Don’t forget to hold on tight.

If you don’t have time to ride the cable car, you can still see them at their turnaround at the end of the line on turntables that are manually operated. The one at Powell St. and Market St. is a popular spot.

The Cable Car Museum is a small and free museum that explains the history and shows how the cable system works.

Kin Khao Thai Eatery

Kin Khao Thai Eatery
55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA

Mount Davidson

San Francisco Bay Ferry

On a nice day, take the San Francisco Bay Ferry to Sausalito.

Coit Tower

Cliff House

Sausalito

Sutro Baths

The Sutro Baths was a large saltwater swimming pool that was open to the public. Unfortunately, it burnt down in the 1960s but the ruins are still worth visiting. It was cloudy and gray when I went but the site looks very different when the sun is out.

Golden Gate Park

Fisherman’s Wharf

Golden Gate Bridge

Travel: Portland, Oregon

Portland is divided into 5 neighbourhoods or quadrants (yes, QUADrants), each with its own personality. The food scene is huge, especially the food carts and food parks all around the city. Getting around by car is convenient, but biking, transit or walking in the downtown core are other options as well. Whether you spend a weekend in Portland or explore the rest of the beautiful Oregon coast, there should be something for just about everyone.

What to eat

First stop: The famous Nong's Khao Man Gai

Hainanese chicken rice (really, any variation of this) is of my favourite dishes.

Breakfast at The Egg Carton

Grab a cup of Portland coffee from Stumptown Coffee

Hillsdale Food Park

Mexican hot chocolate

Cointreau Creme Brulee

Grab some donuts and coffee at Blue Star Donuts.

Where to Shop

Visit Notary Ceramics to pick up some beautiful, handmade ceramics.

What to see

Whether you love flowers or not, the International Rose Test Garden is a garden with hundreds of types of roses. You can find a quiet spot to read or to enjoy the

Mount Tabor is a mountain and park within the city. It’s great for running, hiking, picnics or seeing the city from afar.

Lost Lake, Mount Hood National Forest at sunset