Merdeka Jumps!

Brought my camera for the MIFC08 Grand Finale but couldn't make it. The event clashed with a colleague's farewell dinner.

Anyway, it's not a total lost as I managed to capture a parachuting from office window.

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/2000 sec, F5.6, -0.3 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

Practice Shot - Bracketing and Metering

I am having a problem where I tend to shoot an under-exposed photo most of the time. Rarely I have a photo that required no post processing touch up. Well, today I managed to squeeze 10 minutes for a practice on bracketing and metering, before the sky went dark.

The result is I believe that I finally managed to make a progress on capturing the actual lighting condition on the particular moment as I seen. It's not perfect as I still need to adjust the brightness and contrast, but to a very less degree.

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 125 sec, F5.6, -0.3 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

Pirotecnia@MIFC08 - Team España

I learned from my last mistake and managed to reach PICC around 815pm, but there are one factor that I can't control - it's been raining for the whole day and yet it refused to stop!

This is the first time that I attempted to shot anything in rain, and I am glad that I prepared for it. I wrapped my camera and lense in a plastic bag, however, the lack of experience still caught me in the end.

#01

36.6 mm equiv, ISO 100, 6 sec, F22, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#02

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 8 sec, F22, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#03

39.5 mm equiv, ISO 100, 6 sec, F20, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#04

39.5 mm equiv, ISO 100, 6 sec, F20, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#05

39.5 mm equiv, ISO 100, 6 sec, F20, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#06

39.5 mm equiv, ISO 100, 6 sec, F20, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

As you noticed by now, there are fogs in my photos. I wonder if I can spray some anti-fog treatment to my UV filter as I did to my swimming goggles. Maybe I should just hire a bomoh?

Feu d'artifice@MIFC08 - Team Canada

In short: improved techniques but bad spot. I was late and considered lucky enough for able to watch the whole show. Must go early this coming Sunday.

#01

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 4 sec, F22, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#02

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 5 sec, F16, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#03

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 6 sec, F22, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#04

27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 10 sec, F22, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

Hana-Bi@MIFC08 - Team China

I never made it to any of the MIFC07, mainly due to the entrance fee. Now with free entrance for this year event, how can a kia-su like me to miss them? ;)

All of the following photos are taken with relatively large aperture and relatively fast shutter. I should have experiment with a much smaller aperture and slower shutter.

#01

27 mm equiv, ISO 400, 2 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#02

27 mm equiv, ISO 400, 0.5 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#03

27 mm equiv, ISO 400, 0.5 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#04

27 mm equiv, ISO 400, 0.5 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

#05

27 mm equiv, ISO 400, 0.5 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

And finally, a heavily touched-up Hana-bi snap.

27 mm equiv, ISO 200, 1/3 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

When will you call it a cheat?

I went to Putrajaya for some sunset practices few days ago. It's quite late at the moment I reached, so I missed the golden chance to shot a glorious sunset scene.

However, there are few presentable shots, with some touch up of course. Here's one of the resized original version.

27 mm equiv, ISO 400, 1/10 sec, F3.5, +2.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

Now the touched up version by using Picasa (PS idiot here).
Personally I prefer the modified version, but it's not "original". It's kind of debatable as thousands of software are readily and cheaply available, while if one insists to do all this via the camera, it might cost more than a vanilla setup, i.e. filters.

So until which level of touch up will you consider that a photo is a cheat? Even more, will you consider HDR a photography?

Recreation

I am no purist on digital photography who see the usage of software manipulation as cheating, and I enjoy tweaking and experimenting with photos that I took. While you might have different view on this, yet I hope that you enjoy these processed photos.

Manipulations were done in Picasa2, except resizing.

Congratulation, Wing Hoe & Pauline!

94.5 mm equiv, ISO 200, 1/180 sec, F8, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


102 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/250 sec, F4.5, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


75 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/250 sec, F4.5, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


109.5 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/125 sec, F4.5, +0.0 EV. Cropped.
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


240 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/180 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


75 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/60 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV, Flash comp. +1.0.
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


207 mm equiv, ISO 800, 1/125 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


132 mm equiv, ISO 800, 1/60 sec, F4.5, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


75 mm equiv, ISO 800, 1/15 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II

Practice Shots

I am going to be one of the photographer for my colleague's wedding ceremony and dinner tomorrow, and today's just the 3rd day I got myself the Pentax K200D. Time for practices!

Shoes shopping is always ladies favourite form of exercise.
187.5 mm equiv, ISO 800, 1/125 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


A fine mini was being fined for illegal parking.
75 mm equiv, ISO 800, 1/60 sec, F5.6, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED


The view of KL Tower from the window next to my seat.
27 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/750 sec, F8, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II


A close-up of the Gundam on my office desk.
82.5 mm equiv, ISO 800, 1/10 sec, F8, +0.0 EV
smc DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II


Night view from my house's balcony.
207 mm equiv, ISO 100, 30 sec, F11, +0.0 EV
smc DA 50-200mm F4.0-5.6 ED

Cendol trip to Melaka

Melaka is no strange place to me, as I've spent almost 2 years there for my Form 6, yet I am no frequent visitor to her after I've left 10 plus years ago.

I've returned briefly for a short break last week, and noticed that time does little on her.

A lady walked passed the Kampung Kling Mosque under the bright hot tropical sun.76.6 mm equiv, ISO 100, 1/400 sec, F8, +0.0 EV
Olympus SP510UZ