Hot Summer Nights Car Show 2012 - SM Mall of Asia

It was a case of "to go or not to go" given the bad weather that has been going on the past few days.  But the calling to take part in the Hot Summer Nights Car Show was too strong to pass up rain or shine!  So off I went with my wife to the SM Mall of Asia Bay Walk in the hope of getting me some pictures of the cars and the gals.  

We arrived a little pass 6pm and it was drizzling and with the wind blowing storm strength it was useless to use an umbrella.  The venue was compact and it was hard to navigate through the crowd.  A strong smell of testosterone permeated the air overpowering the smell of the sea.  The cars were drenched from the rain but tents housed the gals from the elements except from the throng of men who gathered around them like bees in a honeycomb!  The tent rendered my retractable LCD display useless as it neutralized my camera's capability to make an overhead shot.  Deym!  With the more prominent babes walled up, I didn't get any shot.  Good thing that my new favorite model was there to satisfy my itching trigger finger.  Unfortunately, I was ready to get long shots and got my 55-200mm lens on and unable to change lens with no shade to do it in.  Good thing my good old Nokia N8 saved the day and got myself some pictures (although not the crisp and clear images that I want but still...).

  

My wife and I then went for an early dinner at Hooters (details on a separate blog) to while the time before the 10pm HSN Bikini Show.

It seems that the weather was also keen on watching the parade of bikini clad women and the night was drizzle-free for the duration of the show.  However, the organizers were not confident that the weather will hold since the show short of the usual pomp and circumstance like they had last year.  Missing was the pre-show entertainment and the show itself was done in haste as the models strutted and exited as if in a hurry to go to another event.

The cramped venue immediately filled the stage area and lost my usual perch at the front of the side stage.  I was four rows behind but the vantage point seemed to have a high potential for taking quality shots---that is, until the official photographer blocked my view from the stage and I was left only open shots of his back side!  Double DEYM!  Over head shot was also not feasible with all those in front of me were also doing the same and I was way behind!  I shifted to capture the event via video from my N8 but that too was difficult to do!  

The decision to brave the weather would have been all for naught if not for the great time we had a Hooters!

Anyway, sharing with you the pictures and the video of the event.

Video Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYno48vTPOo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWliQvz1loY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdd1c_zmB-A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTq-BtAUw_Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZvPUDEDrnA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5RkzGdZ-To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-shwq7BF0mc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75H268qgpNQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y3-kSMZH6A