French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent once said that Fashions fade but style is eternal. I think many would agree because style is something that comes from within. You need not be wearing the most expensive designer clothing but if you have style, you can make even the cheapest clothes look good and well matched.

In case you’re wondering just what we’re looking for, let’s take a look at some of the stylish personalities we’ve talked to for some inspiration. We asked them “What is style?”

“Style is an extension of one's personality. It is not really just what a person wears, but how confident he or she is in pulling it off. A person can wear the most expensive, fanciest, loudest clothes but if the individual's personality can't pull it off, then he or she becomes just another wannabe. It's a combination of charisma, confidence and good taste.”

Jack and Rai – Local Musicians

“My style is to not have a fixed style, and this also mirrors my eclectic music creations. Musically, and fashion-wise, I hate to be labelled because that is boring and stifling. I like clothes which show a certain attitude – it can be an asymmetrical hemline, or patterned buttons, which stand out. Generally, I prefer clean cuts and warm colours, and I'm also beginning to embrace femininity and softness more and more.

I like quirky patterns or prints too, but I'm careful to make sure they look balanced on my body because I don't want to look like a walking graffiti! What I choose to wear for the day largely depends on my mood and the occasion. I don't believe in donning awkwardly tight clothes, which makes it difficult for me to breathe and maneuver, because I believe that I am most attractive when I am comfortable.”

Bevlyn Khoo – Local Musician

“Fashion is ever-changing and we are allowed to portray our individual styles without inhibitions, through the work we do. We love to experiment with different looks and one day we hope to be trendsetters in our own ways.

In the end, it's more than just looks but substance through your individual style. Very much like the Canon IXUS, infusing these 2 elements is true style.”

Viola, Rachel and Velda – Founders of local fashion label: Love, Bonito

So do you have the IXUS Factor? Well if you think you do, then we’re looking for you!

Simply flaunt your IXUS Factor and stand a chance to win a Canon IXUS 230 HS*! What’s more, one lucky voter also gets to walk away with a Canon IXUS 11 HS*!

To join the IXUS Factor Contest, you’ll need to send in a photo that you feel best represents your IXUS Factor along with a short description of why you think you have the IXUS Factor. Don’t forget to include your contact details too because you might just be the lucky winner!

For full details on how to join the IXUS Factor, simply click on the contest tab at the top of the page.

*Terms and Conditions apply

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

This issue, our Trendy Trio, Jeff, Jasmine and Hellven take a trip to a classy and exquisite restaurant located at Mandarin Gallery – Antoinette.

When you enter you will find that the sofas and tables are huge. Trust us, those sofas are very comfy and you will feel pretty good while inside the restaurant, perhaps because the decorations are in complementary colours. With such interesting decorations we decided to use the Toy Camera Effect Mode on the Canon IXUS to capture the entrance and cabinet of the boxes to give a more vintage feel, which was in line with the ambience of the place.

Unfortunately the restaurant does not allow reservations so when we arrived it was full and we had to wait for quite a while before eventually getting a seat.

2 hours later, we were seated and our orders were taken quickly. Even though the restaurant was packed, the staff kept up their prompt and attentive service which was a plus point for them. Let us give you a rundown.

Jasmine

For the main course, I ordered the Marinara Pasta. The pasta is served with scallops, mussels, squid and prawns. They used fresh seafood, the prawns and mussels were sweet but the mussels were slightly chewy.. Although I’m not really a big fan of seafood, I was pleasantly surprised with the taste.

Rating 4/5

The sauce matched the spaghetti and the seafood well but it was a little spicy so I wouldn’t recommend it to people who can’t take spicy food.

I ordered the Earl Grey d’Antoinette tea. The tea was served in a teapot so you can pour it into your cup and drink it at your own pace while the teapot keeps the tea inside warm. It was actually my first time trying Earl Grey tea and I found it to have a citrusy taste with a very nice fragrance. I’ve got a sweet tooth so adding 3 cubes of sugar was perfect for me.

Rating: 5/5

Earl Grey d’Antoinette is one of their popular flavours for tea. Definitely a must try!

Desserts are a MUST HAVE after every meal! I had vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream, strawberries and biscuits. I had slightly mixed feelings because the strawberries were quite sour but the biscuits were nice and crispy.

Rating 4/5

It was quite satisfying (as desserts should be) except for the strawberries.

Jeff

Beouf Bourguignon is braised wagyu brisket in red wine. It was served with their rendition of mashed potatoes and vegetables. The wagyu beef was good and a personal favourite of mine.

Rating 4/5

My favorite part of the dish was the mashed potatoes. It was lightly salted and it really triggered my taste buds, leaving me craving for more.

The Ice Chocolate was very chocolatey but I felt that the cocoa taste was a bit too much that it brought out the bitterness of the chocolate Perhaps I prefer sweet stuff, this drink was not really to my liking.

Rating 3/5

Well even though I didn’t quite like it, I must say it was still quality chocolate.

I ordered Tahiti for dessert and it was simply delicious. You can find this strawberry-flavoured delight under the sweet crepes section of the menu. Every bite of it was fulfilling, and it is a must try on the menu!

Rating 3/5

Watch out though, because it can be quite filling, do leave some space for your stomach so that your tastebuds have a chance to indulge in this.

Hellven

I had the carbonara for my main course. It is a very common type of pasta that you can find almost anywhere, hence I decide to see if their carbonara would stand out from others that I’ve tasted and it didn’t disappoint. It had a poached egg placed on top of the pasta and cheese slices instead of the usual powdered cheese.

Rating 4/5

The cheese blends in perfectly with the creamy pasta.

Similar to Jeff, I also had the Ice Chocolate. It had a really strong chocolate and cocoa taste which wasn’t too appealing for me.

Rating 3/5

It’s nice but because it was so bitter and thick, I had to add sugar syrup to lighten the extremely thick cocoa flavour.

For dessert, I ordered their speciality – Earl Grey Ice-cream. There are limited restaurants that actually sell earl grey flavoured ice-cream so I was very keen on trying it. It tastes just like earl grey tea but slightly sweeter.

Rating 4/5

Each mouthful of earl grey ice-cream just melts in your mouth and gets better with every spoonful.

When we asked for the bill, the waitress brought us a jewellery box with the receipt inside which was quite interesting. The entire experience at Antoinette was unique and different from other restaurants we’ve been to. The waitresses were very friendly and helpful in assisting us.

The only down side was that we had to wait about 2 hours before we could were seated. Although the food was nice, it might not be worth the wait if you’re feeling hungry so unless you’ve got some time on your hands, you may want head down to Antoinette 2 hours before your meal time.

Capturing the delicious food is a piece of cake (pun intended) thanks to the IXUS. A simple touch of the controls and the IXUS goes into macro mode which allows you to shoot closer to the subject. Photos come out nice and sharp and being close to the subject also means you can place more “emphasis” on a particular part of the dish.

Here’s a tip: With the macro mode, don’t be afraid to zoom in all the way. This would help to isolate the area or part of the dish you want to focus on by adding an out of focus blur to the rest of the areas which adds a touch of style to the photo.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

As someone who developed a liking for sweet delicacies thanks to my sister (who during her magazine days would recommend lots of delicious dessert places), I was thrilled when I read in the news that Singapore would be having its first ever Ice Cream Bash.

So armed with my trusty Canon IXUS I made a quick trip down to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Held at the Central Fountain Square at Clarke Quay, visitors to the event were spoilt for choice, as 20 homegrown ice cream brands were there to showcase their sweet and savory flavors. From soy-based ice creams, organic vegan ice creams to even the first ever Halal ice cream, there was something for everyone.

Entry to the event is free for the public and you only have to pay for the ice cream that you want. Ranging from $3 onwards for a scoop, I had no qualms, as the prices were very reasonable. There was even a guess “The number of ice cream sticks” contest for visitors at the event to try out.

Local bands, like Black Forest as seen in the above picture, were also at the event performing for the crowd during different time slots while you enjoy your ice cream. This was turning out to be heaven for ice cream fans.

Oh, and since it was held close to Christmas, there were these pretty little Christmas decorations around which I couldn't resist snapping with my IXUS. Even thought it was hung on the roof, all I needed to do was to zoom in all the way and the photo came out very decent. In fact I think it would make a nice picture for sharing online, just to get others in the Christmas mood.

But of course, the star attraction of the event was still the ice cream so I am going to dive straight in and review the ones I got to try, starting with the coffee hazelnut and masala chai from Brownice. Something interesting to note is that while the ice cream is made from brown rice, there is no compromise in taste compared to your regular ice cream.

Verdict: I enjoyed the coffee hazelnut and did not think twice about finishing it. The Masala Chai was one flavor that really caught my attention, but is probably not one I would get second helpings for.

Next up was a two-scoop combination of Horlicks, Tim Tam and the limited edition Earl Grey Brownie from Salted Caramel.

Verdict: Being the sweet loving sort, these two flavors went down with ease and left me craving for another round. While both scoops had two flavors mixed together, each one still tasted distinctive and the combination definitely complemented each other.

Last but not least, and also my favorite from the few that I tried was the Dark Chocolate with Rum on a Stick from Chocolate & Gelato.

Verdict: This is an ice cream that all chocolate fans should try. Sweet enough to make you feel satisfied but not overwhelmingly so, this ice cream does not leave your taste buds with the feeling of sugar overload. Plus the real clincher is that it’s fat-free hence this is one ice cream you have for seconds without feeling overly guilty.

I enjoyed myself at the event even though I only managed to try a handful of the many different offerings from the various stores there. Somehow, even though the area was a bit cramped as the crowd came in, the event had a festive carnival ambience with the live bands and the Christmas decorations all up. This kept everyone in a good mood, even when the queues were long.

I am also happy with my IXUS 300 HS as even though it was not easy to take shots of the ice cream with only one hand (my other hand was holding the ice cream), the Image stabilizer on it played a big part in ensuring that my shots did not turn out blurry thanks to my shaky hands. The shots in macro mode also turned out very decent and I would have no second thoughts about posting the photos online to show my friends what they have been missing out on.

I am definitely looking forward to next year's I Love Ice Cream event and you can be sure I will be there to try out even more flavors and capture them with my Canon IXUS.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

Organised by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA), Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore has been held annually since 2002 and is a key highlight in Singapore's calendar of established international running events.

I took these photos really early in the morning at 7am using the Toy Camera Effect mode on my Canon IXUS, the mode darkens the edges of the image to give it a vignette effect.

Now what were you doing at 7am on Sunday 4th December? My guess is taking it easy in bed on a weekend. However over at the Padang, many participants and supporters turned up for the 9th installment of The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.

This year, some 65,000 runners participated in the largest marathon in Singapore. It is, of course, one of our marquee sports events! With each passing year, the Standard Chartered Marathon has achieved record participation numbers. I was doing a bit of research and realised that it started with just 6,000 runners in 2002 and then jumped to 24,000 in 2005 and 50,000 in 2010.

Stage activities began at 8am when I was called into action. There were 6 other emcees who started hosting their segments as early as 5am at various starting points for the different categories like Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km run and even a kids dash. My job was to handle the prize presentation ceremony, which was being broadcasted on cable TV networks across the region.

No prizes for guessing that The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore remained an all-Kenyan affair, with Kenyans taking both the men's and women's Open category titles. Men's Open winner Charles Kanyao breasted the tape in 2hr 14min 33sec to take home the winner's cheque of US$50,000.

As he came backstage to wait for his turn to receive his winners’ medal, he looked very pleased with his result and he still seemed so full of energy. I couldn’t believe it, that after running 42km and he still appeared so fresh.

After stage activities came to a close, the sound guys stood up and applauded my co-host, Tingjun and me as if we had run the 42km. It was a nice feeling too as we returned the applause to them. Hosting the event wasn’t easy especially with all the information on winners coming in just minutes before we had to go on stage, then there was also the coordinating with the TV crew who had to make sure the main studio was aware and ready to cross over to the stage for the prize giving segment.

So yes, in a way after all that action on stage, it did feel like I had run the marathon and as I headed home to get some rest, I saw scenes of people congratulating each other on completing the marathon, comrades smiling and taking photos with each other and some tired runners getting encouragement from passers-by.

Since Canon was the Official Imaging Sponsor, I decided to capture a few scenes of the participants on my way out. I like this picture in particular which I took using the colour accent mode. The IXUS picked out yellow and retained it in the photo while taking the rest in black and white. To me it shows a picture of people doing their best to cross the finish line yet at the same time order is maintained with the yellow barricades making sure the participants don’t just stop and crowd at the finish line but move further up in an orderly fashion.

While doing that I remembered how two years ago I was supposed to run this marathon but pulled out a few days before the event due to a serious medical condition. I felt distraught especially because I had trained and was really looking forward to running. A close friend of mine who was supposed to run the marathon with me dedicated segments of the run to his family and close friends. He texted me when he completed it and said he dedicated a km to me and wished me well on my recovery.

That pretty much prompted me to take this photo in monochrome mode because I related what these two chaps had done to a memory I had.

We talked a lot about how this year’s tagline – Run For A Reason was a really appropriate one, as you don’t just have to run for the sake of running. There were people who were dedicating their run to their newborn kid, their newlywed and some even ran for charity.

It’s amazing how sport can bring people together and instill hope to one another. I’ve recovered now and soon I’ll be running marathons again.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

This issue, Style Council member Yutaki examines the style behind Antoinette as the exquisite French-styled restaurant makes our cool list.

A touch of fantasy with fake tree branches, unique wall paintings, strings of red pearls, and roses covering the mantelpiece were the first things that caught my attention when I arrived.

Walking into Antoinette is like walking into Alice’s home from “Alice in Wonderland”


It is not exactly a traditional Baroque-styled interior, as it is essentially a modern interpretation of the actual traditional décor during the days of Marie Antoinette.

The lighting of the restaurant is warm and dim, creating a relaxed atmosphere. It’s no wonder the customers who were there that day looked like they didn’t want to leave.

Every single table is paired with differently-designed chairs, armchairs or a long three-seater sofa. This breaks from the traditional restaurant rules that we’ve grown used to and makes the dining experience much more interesting.

I think it might have been more fascinating if the waitress' uniform were perhaps more creative.

Overall, I love the graphics and logo designs that match the theme of the restaurant very well. From little details on the menu to the receipt box, everything, including the dessert boxes and prints on the napkins, were very distinctive, leaving you with a strong impression.

The restaurant’s name is based on Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France who was so often revered for her fine taste and lavishly indulgent love for an excess of meticulously crafted pastries. The phrase "Let them eat cake" is often attributed to Marie Antoinette. However, there is no evidence to support that she ever uttered this phrase though it remains a large part of popular culture.

Antoinette’s repertoire of exquisite Parisian offerings will tempt even the most discerning of palates with her takes on time-honoured French classic desserts and savouries! The restaurant is located at 30 Penhas Road and at Mandarin Gallery #02-33/34.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

After completing her studies, she left Australia to pursue a career as a model internationally – living and working in New York, London, Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and China.


Recent years have seen her shifting her focus from modeling towards her true passion, acting. Among her achievements, Tara became an overnight online star, securing the role of Charlie, the fun-loving and fearless heroine, on the London based interactive series KateModern, which was a BAFTA nominated and Press Guild award winner for innovation in broadcasting in 2007/2008.

Since relocating to Singapore in late 2010, Tara has worked with the charity Habitat for Humanity, been nominated as one of Singapore's 'Most Inspiring Real Women' as part of International Women's Day 2011, and served as a Judge for Miss Earth Singapore for the past two years.

In this edition of Style Personalities, Style Council member Elliott Danker enjoys a cup of coffee with Media personality Tara Rushton as she talks about her adventure in the media industry so far and a daredevil stunt she'd like to accomplish in future.

1. Tell us about how you got into the industry?

I was 15 and went to a magazine exhibition for Cleo magazine in Sydney, where they were holding a model search there. Initially I didn’t want to enter; in fact I was petrified about joining the competition.

But I came back the next day and entered and won a contract with the biggest agent in Australia. I modeled part time whilst completing my high school and university studies and then got into acting whilst living in London when I was 22.

I started working on a drama series there and I caught the television and performance bug. From there I worked on my own projects as producer and also presenter in London, Australia and now in Singapore.

Since living in Singapore, I have worked as a magazine ambassador, shot campaigns for Canon, Bread and Butter, Far East Condominiums, shot editorials for various magazines and presented Tiger Goals on Sunday and E-Buzz. I have taught for John Robert Powers and written for Mio Stadium on the Barclays Premier League, VIP Magazine and CLIVE.

2. Sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure. Starting off as a model, you've done acting and now more TV hosting. Is this something you have always wanted to do?

I have always been interested in reporting – I studied Journalism and Media and Communications at university, so I have always dreamt of becoming a news anchor or reporter.

I absolutely love presenting though. It’s challenging. You have to think on your feet and always be ready for the unexpected.

3. Being a model you have been exposed to so many different styles, what is your personal style?

I have to say I just wear what I love! If I see a piece of clothing whether it be Dior or Zara if I like it I’ll buy it. I love Australian designers especially Zimmerman, Shona Joy and Sass and Bide. There is a free, summer spirit with bright bold colours that I love and suit my style.

4. What do you do to unwind?

I love body combat and dance classes. They are a huge de-stress for me. I also love to go running and watching football. I write and read a lot and love to watch films.

5. You've done modeling, hosting and acting. Is there anything else; you would like to try as an artiste?

I want to write a novel! That is one thing I would love to do – and also learn trapeze.

6. Haha I’ll be there to watch if you get on a trapeze for sure! Tell me, what are your plans for 2012?

2012 is going to be a great year! I can feel it! I am still shooting Tiger Goals on Sunday for the remainder of the 2011/2012 Premier League Season. I am also shooting episodes of E-Buzz for AXN. I am also a regular writer for a couple of magazines across South East Asia such as Clive - Malaysia which is keeping me busy.

Hopefully in the course of my work I get to travel more, shoot more shows, write more and perhaps start that novel of mine.

While a coffee joint is no studio for taking portraiture, the IXUS can still get the job done by selecting the portrait mode. With this mode selected, the IXUS will decide for you the settings to use that flatter your subject while ensuring a balance is preserved so that the photo comes out right.

This helps a lot in times like this when you don’t want to keep your interviewee waiting as you fiddle through the different settings.

You can catch Tara Rushton on E-Buzz on AXN covering the latest Hollywood and celebrity news as well as Tiger Goals Sunday rounding up all the Barclays Premier League results every Sunday morning on Singtel Mio.

For more information about Tara, check out her website at www.tararushton.com or www.facebook.com/TaraRushtonFanPage

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

Recently I had the good fortune of landing a set of the newly released Canon IXUS 230 HS. At first glance, you can tell that it is a sleek digital compact camera that suits someone who wants to make a bold fashion statement. You'd definitely stand out in the crowd with its sexy curves and eye-catching vibrant colors: blue, pink, green, purple, silver & black.

Just like its predecessor, the 220HS, it has a very slim design making it easy for you to slip it into your pocket. At the same time, the build quality is to a high standard so I’m sure it can survive the everyday knocks especially if you are the type to always bring it along to capture pictures and videos of everyday moments. That is a very important personal consideration since I usually carry many gadgets and it would be a hassle to carry a bulky DSLR everywhere I go.

In terms of image quality, I’m a big fan of Canon’s HS technology because of its low light performance. The combination of the lower resolution, high sensitivity CMOS sensor and DIGIC IV processor allows me to capture a very accurate reproduction of colours while keeping noise well under control. Many times, I found myself shooting at ISO 800 in low light and was very satisfied with the image quality. Hence, it’s a breeze to take everyday photos that are well exposed and sharp.

Apart from image quality, the IXUS 230HS is also jam-packed with features. One of my favourite features is the macro function because it has a very impressive minimum focus distance of just 3cm. Couple that with the interesting suite of fun creative modes (fisheye, toy camera effect, monochrome) and I was able to take many interesting shots of my figurines.

Canon has made a clever move by shifting some of the buttons (main menu button, auto/normal modes) to the side of the camera so that the back now accommodates a lovely 3 inch LCD screen. A larger screen is definitely better to view your photos on and the high-resolution screen makes it much easier to see regardless of whether you are standing under the bright sun or in a dark room.

The menus on Canon cameras have always been easy to navigate and the IXUS 230 HS is no different with good, clear explanations of all the settings. Most of the frequently used features (e.g. resolution, ISO, aspect ratio) are easily accessed via the functions menu and you simply use the navigation pad to work your way around and press the middle button to confirm. The main menu covers the less used modes (e.g. adjusting the focus frame size, flash settings, and setting the date and time). Shooting in video mode is also quick and straightforward because there is a dedicated button. In conclusion, using the 230HS is so easy I’m sure anyone with or without any photography experience would be able to familiarise themselves with it within a day.

The Canon IXUS 230HS makes a great compact camera that I would use for my daily photo documentation of activities, regardless of whether I’m travelling or going to a party. Of course, it’s a great camera for the holiday season as well and I’m sure it will work well capturing the beautiful Christmas decorations around town or at home when the children are unwrapping their presents around the Christmas tree. At the same time, it’s so simple to use that you can be confident enough to hand it to a fellow stranger who is a novice in photography and still be able to capture great shots for that memorable group shot during important events.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

In this issue’s Compact Guide, we follow Style Council member Kenneth Wong as he takes a walk down Orchard Road during one of the best times for some night photography when the streets are decked out in Christmas decorations.

Thanks to the nice people at “Celebrate Christmas In Singapore”, which is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, Orchard Road was filled with the festive atmosphere. From Christmas carols being sung by live choirs to lit-up displays telling the Christmas story and even volunteers giving out Christmas themed flyers with details on the various performances, you could really feel the warm Christmas Spirit all around.

The first thing to note for night photography with the IXUS is to never be afraid to use your flash. While some have commented that using the flash (especially when the subject is near to you) can produce harsh lighting, there is actually a workaround for this inspired by my time spent shooting with my Canon EOS DSLR system.

With my Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash, I use what is called a diffuser, which covers the flash output and results in a softer light being produced. This allows me to still shoot directly at my subject without having harsh lighting. You can apply the same concept of a diffuser on the various IXUS cameras by using one of the most common things people carry around – the Tissue Paper.

Most individual tissue papers today come in at least two-ply so what you need to do first is to separate the sheets. Next, carefully cover the flash with one of the sheets but remember not to cover the lens. Make sure the flash is on and shoot away. The tissue paper will diffuse the light from the flash and what you get is an effect similar to the flash diffuser.

This is extremely useful for situations like in the picture above when the background is very bright and you need to expose the subjects in front of it as well.

The next tip I have is for those of us who like to take photos of the many displays to share on social networking sites like Facebook for our overseas friends to check out how we celebrate Christmas in Singapore.

One problem faced when taking a shot of lighted display sets like the one above is that sometimes there are just too many light sources. While this is visually good as a display, it can sometimes be bad for the camera.

In such situations, I would suggest using the flash with the tissue paper technique I shared above, stand back and use the zoom on your IXUS to frame the picture you want.

The reason for this is that because you are further away from the display set, you allow the flash to spread over a wider area. While this means the strength of the flash will be weaker as it hits the display set, it also means that there is a lesser chance the flash will overpower the light source on the display set.

This technique helps to preserve the overall fill of the display set and their light sources and ensures that the parts without its own light source will also be exposed in the final picture.

One of the best parts about Christmas is listening to choirs sing the many traditional Christmas carols. Every night along Orchard Road during the Christmas season, various choirs would perform along different parts of the stretch. My next tip will be especially useful for family and friends of the choir members who are helping to take photos for their performing friends. It’s also something I picked up from my event coverage duties with magazines.

I would like to suggest taking wide shots of the performances. I know most of the time we would want to zoom in and take close up shots of the choir and its members in action. This is definitely important, as you want to capture the priceless expressions of the members as they sing their heart out.

But do also consider taking shots of the audience as well like in this shot. As someone who recently covered the largest Anime concert in this side of the region, one shot I will always try to take is the stage but from way back in the audience. This helps to give an overall feel to the performance, showing both the large crowd and the stage.

I definitely had fun walking the streets of Orchard Road and capturing the many sights to share with my friends on Facebook. I do hope these tips would also help you get more out of your IXUS as they can be applied to many other situations.

Be creative, think about the photo and let your IXUS take care of the rest!

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

It also makes for a great subject when it comes to photography. To capture the best sides of the figurine just as you would for a human subject. This year’s Anime Festival Asia saw all sorts of colourful figurines on display and with thanks to Canon, Style Council member Alafista conducted a Figurine Photography workshop that catered to both compact and DSLR users, teaching them the best technics for capturing the colour and culture of figurines.

Anime Festival Asia is one of the most important annual events on my calendar in November, besides my own birthday. It’s a great event that lets me run wild with my friends, network with new comrades and also share my photography experience.

Last year I had the opportunity to conduct a short sharing session at Canon Figurine Photography Workshop and it was a rewarding experience to share some of my knowledge in figurine photography with fellow enthusiasts who enjoy the same hobby. Thanks to Canon and the organisers of AFA’11, I was once again invited to share some of my experience in figurine photography.

This year, I was tasked to conduct two 30 minute sessions, with one geared towards compact camera users and the other for DSLR users. This arrangement was to cater to different crowds that not only utilise different equipment but also had different levels of understanding of photography.

The sharing session was a good opportunity to show my fellow hobbyists that with a combination of good lighting, some understanding of composition, and your own creativity, it was possible to take good photos of figurines. Of course, some of these were covered in the earlier article that I had written (link back to the figurine photography article).

This year’s session was conducted at the Canon Mini Stage within the Canon Cosplay Zone. Here’s a look at the stage in the early morning when the crew was still setting up the event grounds.

Having gotten some experience from last year, I found it easier to prepare myself for the talk on stage. I was a little surprised to see some excited folks coming up to ask about the starting time of the workshop and also, to chat with me before I went on stage. Furthermore, this year’s stage setting was more casual and somehow, seeing all the audience seated on the floor made me more relaxed.

It was a great experience to go on the mini-stage to share one of my favourite hobbies - figurine photography. I must thank everyone for spending their time with me on both days and I hope everyone had the chance to learn something new from it. I also wished I had more time so I could touch on more topics.

Moving forward in 2012, I promise to go out, take more beautiful shots and look forward to another opportunity to share my experiences again.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council

Boasting a bigger hall space than ever before and a visitor count of 85000, Kenneth Wong fills us in on the sights and sounds of AFA 2011.

Being an anime fan since the days where titles such as Slam Dunk, Flame of Recca, Macross and the original Gundam were broadcasted on TV, it was only natural that I had to check out this year's Anime Festival Asia. Together with my trusty Canon IXUS camera, I was all set to capture memories to keep and to share with my friends.

The first thing any visitor to this year's AFA would have seen upon arrival, was the sea of colours as cosplayers locally and from around the region were posing in their best costumes for huge crowds of photographers and passers-by.

There was also the Regional Cosplay Championship presented by Canon, which saw 5 regional teams from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand showcase their performances on stage to thrill the huge crowd present. Each team definitely gave it their best shot with fantastic costumes, ingenious lit-up weapons and background props, which really brought their individual performances to life.

Unfortunately, there could only be one winner and that went to Zhel & AC from Team March Omega (Philippines) who took home the title with their cosplay from the Dissidia Final Fantasy game.

The event also saw established Japanese cosplayers KANAME☆ and USAGI plus seasoned cosplayer Richfield, on the judging panel, making it a real treat for cosplay fans present at this year's AFA.

Canon also had a special area set up to allow visitors to take photos in front of anime-themed backgrounds. Props such as wigs and even replica weapons were also available to help visitors get into the mood of the theme. Cosplayers or any visitors could pose in front of the backgrounds and get their photos taken, which were then printed out using PIXMA printers.

That's not all, because the Selphy girls were also roaming the grounds taking photos for people and printing it out for them using portable Selphy printers.

Stage activities showcased various types of events, which included a Photography Workshop talking about Toy Photography on both compact cameras and DSLRs, as well as the AKB48 Singapore Café girls performance. In fact two AKB48 members appeared on the Canon mini stage as well.

I love art and at such events I always squeeze out some extra time to visit the local artist booths. At AFA 2011, an entire area was set aside for local talents to showcase their works. Ranging from original creations to fan art of their favorite characters, these booths added our local identity to the whole event.

No Anime Festival Asia would be complete without anime-related merchandise and if you were there this year, you might have spent hours just looking through the different figurines, toys and apparels both on display and for purchase. From a whole booth dedicated to the ever-popular One Piece series to Bandai's booth where visitors had a chance to check out model kits from the latest Gundam Unicorn series. There were even booths selling tee shirts with popular anime characters on them.

Overall it was an event any anime fan would enjoy and the numbers of visitors do speak for themselves. Add high profile cosplayers gracing this year's Regional Cosplay Competition, a same day release of the highly anticipated Gundam Unicorn episode 4 plus many "A" list guest artistes and you have a winning formula.

I enjoyed myself at this year's AFA and I’m glad my trusty Canon IXUS got the shots I wanted so that I could share them with you.

Most of the time I left it in Aperture Priority mode because it really didn’t need much intervention from me. Personally I think that at such colourful events, you want to really enjoy the whole experience thing and not get too caught up in fiddling with your camera's setting and missing the moment.

I am already looking forward to the next event with my Canon IXUS camera.

Another IXUS Experience brought to you by the Canon IXUS Style Council