Life, The Universe and Everything

• Bomas Saturday

  Posted: July 29, 2008, 3:45 pm by egm

  
  
  Saturday I got to cover my first concert type event. And what a challenge that was! This was the live taping of the Idols Finale. Though I was on the front seat, that didn't make it any easier! You see, we were not allowed to stand at any time during the entire 90 minutes it took to record the show. Nor were we allowed to use flash. Failure to adhere to those two rules meant immediate eviction from the place. That's when I came to appreciate some of the features of the D200 which make it less difficult to capture photos in certain conditions. This experience farthered my resolve to get my hands on a D3. And some prime lenses.
  
  This was my first time watching Idols. I've just read bits and pieces here and there by various writers about it. That was the extent of my knowledge of it. I didn't even know who the contestants were! So it was interesting being in this place I had almost zero knowledge of.
  
  The show was nice. The two sang very well. The other contestants that didn't make it this far sang very well. The finalists of the previous competition sang very well. And they all looked good.
  
  After the show there was the press conference for the finalists, the sponsors and the judges. Some interesting questions were asked. Journalists can be a cruel bunch! One of them asked Eric if he felt good that it was Nicollete and not Trina he faced in the final. Whether he found he could take it easier since he faced a lessor opponent. How do you ask this in the presence of someone that doesn't really feel the good about losing out in this competition? Eric put him in his place. He stated that Nicollete must have been superb to have gotten to where she was, and so he was at the same level of attention with her as he would have been with Trina. Whether his statements concerning Nicollete were accurate or not, the fact remains he made her feel good by that response, given the circumstances. I admired him for that.
  
  I also got a chance to cover some of the chilling at the tent set up for the competitors and M-Net's guests before they went to Galileo's. It was interesting how everyone was clamouring to be next to these people. I met a lady there I went to school with who I told that this was my first time ever watching anything to do with Idols. She asked if I lived under a rock vile it was all over tv. I told her that I didn't own a tv, and that if I did, I could be least bothered by Idols. It meant nothing to me whatsoever. This, contrasted with everyone around me who wanted to be next to them.
  
  The thing that jazzed me most was how Eric got super bodyguard protection. Yaani surrounded kabisa with people being pushed away. There was this guy who approached rather enthusiastically asking for an autograph. The guy was roughed up, lifted up and dumped on the side. This guy has just won Idols! He isn't a superstar! I guess people are banking on the fact that he will become a superstar someday, and so they want something to show that they were with him at some point.
  
  This clamour to be associated with them was not limited to just the fans. Even the bodyguards themselves wanted that. A couple who saw me taking photos asked if I could email them any pictures where they appeared with Eric. I guess this is a human thing. I wonder who I'd want to be associated with. Definitely the musicians don't do anything for me, as shown by zero interest in Idols. Mabye some well known photographer.
  
  Anyways, I now leave you images as a slideshow taken at the event. Enjoy!

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Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

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The end of the fish cakes