Some photography tips from the web

Source: PixelatedImage Blog

Histogram

The best digital negative was the one with the most information and the right half of the histogram is capable of storing exponentially more information in it than the left half. There isn’t much information at all in the dark. More information means better image quality and more flexibility in the digital darkroom before noise becomes an issue.

White balance

it’s important to remember that for most of us it’s more critical that the colour balance of the image be an ally in what we’re trying to communicate than to be perfectly accurate. It is, to put it another way, completely subjective. It’s a matter of interpretation. Want to know the top-secret way I deal with colour-balance? I set the camera to Auto White Balance. I shoot in RAW. I bring the image into Lightroom and push sliders around until it looks the way I want it to.

Timing

When we create an image, from the split-second difference between blinks to the 5 minute difference between sunset and dusk, is no small matter. It doesn’t help make the image better, it makes the image. Period.

Sensor-size

Photography is an aesthetic art and when something – whether that’s gear or settings – affects the aesthetics of an image, it matters as much as the painter’s choice of brush does. Sensor size affects your potential depth of field. Why do some images look more film-like and “professional”? Better glass, yes, but I’d wager that the images had a better-than-good chance of being shot on a full-frame sensor.


Source: Pixsylated

The exotic is easy. The common is hard.

If you really want to hone yourself as a photographer, then point your lens at the people, places and things around you everyday. When you can routinely craft an image that captures a new way of seeing the common, then you are truly growing as a photographer.

The manual should be read several times

No matter how smart you are, no matter how much you use your gear, there will come a day when a mental hiccup blocks out that one technical step that gets you the shot you want. Today’s DSLRs and speedlights have so many features that it’s no longer manly (or smart) to ignore the manual.

A hot and sunny day at Marina Barrage

在ECP上从Marina South的出口一直驾一直往南走，你就可以到达那个处在好多的建筑工地之中的Marina Barrage了。Marina Barrage是新加坡的第15个蓄水池，也是最大的喔！Marina Barrage有三大作用：第一，当然就是蓄水啦！储蓄多点水我们就可以少点依赖某地方卖我们水，就不怕他们整天就地起价嘛！第二，下大雨的时候，它可以把比较低的地带的雨水都带到海中，这样子就不怕Chinatown, Boat Quay, Jalan Besar and Geylang等这些地方淹水咯！第三，公众可以在这里戏水，玩帆船，划龙舟，虽然那天我只看到有人在野餐和放风筝...

不过Marina Barrage是个可以拍到漂亮照片的地方哦！这里蓝天白云绿草地，拍出来的照片会让人心旷神怡，同时拍黑白照也可以显示出不一样感觉的立体感！





















之前的照片是用DSLR的广角镜头拍摄，但接下来的几张都是用我的手机上的5MP相机拍的！只要用心，傻瓜机也可以变聪明啦！

Cloudywind Podcast (Cantonese) #24 - When all went for a tour

The Travel Fair is back and all have rushed there for great travel deals, some even reached an hour before the fair started! While the H1N1 virus scaring the hell out of everyone and making them stay at home previously, now they are all eager and all ready to rush out of the country! But is it really such a good idea to have so many tourists visiting the same old tourist places? Or maybe it is not so bad to stay at home after all?

旅游展今早举行就有好几百人提早一小时排长龙，前往参观！因为之前H1N1甲型流感肆虐，导致很多国人已许久未出国，所以现在国人要离家出走的心情可以说是“一发不可收拾”！可是同一个时候有这样多人出国，这真的好吗？当每个景点都出现滔滔不绝的旅客的时候，这种旅游真的还会好玩吗？其实如果不出国的话，也是有好处的喔！

PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast (Cantonese) #24 - When all went for a tour

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3) Type in "http://cloudywind.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
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Singapore through my N97 - Durian Bun

从West Coast Mall里的其中一间面包店买了一个durian bun。据说那个用D24榴莲做的durian bun是他们的镇店之宝，通常一到下午就会卖光光了！

下午茶时候，我悄悄的把它拿了出来咬了一口。突然之间，坐在后面的同事IM我说“你在吃durian bun吗？”。天！不得了！不到一个面包的时间（因为讲一顿饭的时间好像有点不大对）我周围的同事都闻到了那个durian bun的榴莲香！汗~

应该建议那间面包店在他们的durian bun的纸袋上注明：NSFW。

Nokia N97 Camera Test - Food photos

会促使我买一架好的camera phone是因为有太多次出国的时候，偶然去了一间特别的餐厅，或点了一些特别的当地菜，却发现忘了带相机。所以这次我要做一个室内的试验，看一看Nokia N97拍出来的室内照片如何，尤其是white balance标不标准。

第一次去City Link里的台湾茶餐厅，叫了一盘糖醋鸡扒饭和鳝鱼羹配米粉。后来看了隔壁几桌点的菜后发现，怎么他们的好几种鸡扒饭都是一个样子，只有酱料不同而已！不过好在鸡扒脆脆又够入味，还不错吃的！鳝鱼羹本来看起来好像很小碗，其实里头的鳝鱼肉还蛮多的，米粉刚好淡淡的，用来配味道比较重的鳝鱼羹刚刚好！


用Macro近距离拍的结果，部分的鸡扒和后面的饭都朦了，有助于把鸡扒的表面显得更加粗燥，好像更脆了。


白色米粉配白色的碟子会很单调，却反而很巧妙的把注意力都推到鳝鱼羹那边去了。

后来我再尝试多拍几张食物的照片，Nokia N97的auto white balance都可以在不一样的灯光下调整出正确的white balance。拍食物的照片不一定得用Macro，比如那张Starbuck cafe里拍的照就没有设定scene了，因为咖啡杯还是离我一段距离的，不必用到Macro。不过拍食物的照片时就尽量别用闪光灯，因为采用周围的灯光的话，食物的颜色才会看起来比较自然，比较好吃的样子。


拍这种有酱汁的食物时别用闪光灯，不然酱汁会看起来很plastic！


Starbuck cafe里用的是黄灯，还好照相机的auto white balance把黄色的tone中和掉了。

总的来说，Nokia N97绝对可以是出国用餐时拍照的好伙伴哦！

Up close and personal with all kinds of birds at Jurong Bird Park

在踏进Jurong Bird Park前，觉得很纳闷，为什么入门票要$18这样贵？鸟的饲料有这样贵吗？朋友更纳闷的问，笼子里的鸟有什么好看的？但游了一个下午的Bird Park后，我们都要收回那时讲的话！

其实飞禽公园的入门票真的很合理。第一，那里的鸟类是多到一天也看不完的！我们已经很后悔说不应该午餐后才去了！反正那里的停车费是$2 per entry的，所以我建议打包好午餐和足够的水（因为那边的食物和水是tourist price），然后从早上他们开门的时候就立刻冲进去！第二，企鹅和猫头鹰们需要吹24小时的冷气，电费水费应该很恐怖，我们就帮补一下吧！

由于小气的我们没买$5的panorail票，到了五点钟的时候我们已经走到累到不行，路途后面的那些鸟如Hornbills，Scarlet，Ibises，Spoonbills和Kingfishers，我们都是很敷衍的走过当作看过！真对不起它们！不过也还好我们没买panorail的票，因为那个panorail只有三个距离超远的站，中间的那些景点还是得走过去看啊！只坐车不走的话就只可以看到penguin和flamingo（第一个站），African Waterfall Aviary里的小鸟和人造瀑布（第二个站），跟Lory Loft里的鹦鹉（第三个站）！这样子逛Bird Park，两个钟头就敷衍完了吧？


像不像三大男高音？


为了等它伸懒腰，我可是和它一起在那边愣了好久哦！


天气热啊~ 泡泡脚呗！


这样子king-king-kiang-kiang的接吻不会痛吗？


它会功夫的喔！Dun pray pray ah!


很高贵的居高岭下！


小鸟吃香蕉！


鹦鹉吃橙！


这只大大只的blue bird真的是满街乱走咧！


Crowned pigeon - 高贵的皇族鸽子


Take cover!


来飞禽公园不拍它们好像有点像去动物园不拍猩猩那样

Are you a Mac or a PC?

苹果说...





微软说...



云里风说...

• 我买的是PC，因为它比较便宜。


• 我用的是Vista，可是我超讨厌这个史上最不讲道理的OS。我不可以自由自在的做我要做的东西，它什么都要管，从来也不跟我好好的解释，却又不能给我我要的东西，整天只当我是小孩，总是说“It's for your own good”。哦... 对不起，说最后那句话的不是Vista。


• 我上网用的是Firefox，因为它比较容易用，也比较有用。


• 我听音乐时用的是iTunes，因为它比较简单，歌曲资料一目了然，而且最重要的是，我要听我的podcasts。


• 我看电影时用的是Quicktime，因为它比较灵活。


• 我整理照片用的是Picasa，因为它会确保我一下子就找到我要的照片。


• 我打字，做统计用的是Microsoft Office。可是那是工作。

Singapore through my N97 - Morning sun on the road

早上的太阳真的很刺眼，尤其是当你还在睡眼朦胧地驾车的时候。但早上的太阳也可以是很漂亮的，尤其是当它遇到了美丽的云朵！

驾车去上班的时候别那么烦躁，偶尔看一看路上周围的景色，可能会遇到美景也不一定！不过如果要用手机拍照的话，记得要等红灯哦！

Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #23 - It's the yearly Sing Gang meetup again

It's that time of the year again, when the Sing Gang celebrates its anniversary, when the leaders gather to hear what Boss has to say. Boss has a couple of things on his mind. Should his treasurer explain to the men why an external guy was brought in to take care of loans and yet left suddenly? How can they prevent the men from falling off lorries when they rush to fight scenes? What can the older gang members do to stay alive?

又是新帮的创办周年纪念的时候，又是龙老大召集所有分支的负责人回来开会的时候了！这回龙老大跟其他的兄弟一样好奇为什么放高利贷的新负责人突然跑路。他也很担心最近弟兄们搭罗厘去火拼的时候，常被罗厘抛到路上去。他更加想知道帮会可以怎样帮助老一辈的弟兄们向孩子要钱！各分支的负责人可以给龙老大完美的答复吗？

PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #23 - It's the yearly Sing Gang meetup again

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1) Go to [Advanced] on Menu
2) Select [Subscribe to podcast]
3) Type in "http://cloudywind.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
4) Enjoy~~

Little Merlion has an umbrella

小小鱼尾狮每天在山上超闷的。虽然时不时有游客来跟它拍拍照，但生活还是有够单调的说。住在Fullerton那边的母子俩就不错了，除了可以吹海风，去探望它们的游客也比较多，国庆日的时候还可以看到典礼！

不过山上的小小鱼尾狮却有一样东西是它们没有的。它有雨伞一大把！不怕日晒，不怕雨淋，只怕闪电！

Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #22 - We love our food and aircon

Food has a VIP seat in our heart, so VIP that we greet people with "Makan already?". So VIP that we're never short of TV shows that talk about food - most importantly, not how to cook them, but where to find them. Aircon is another VIP sitting next to food. We're always traveling, eating, working and shopping in aircon. Extensive aircon underpasses are there to ensure you don't see the sun when you shop from one shopping mall to another. In the future, you could even travel on a covered travellator in aircon from mainland to Sentosa, so that you won't break a sweat before you reach the beach for sun tan.

“吃”在我们的心目中是何其的重要！所以我们见面时说的不是“你好吗？”，而是“吃饱了吗？”！所以电视台确保我们有无数的永不间断的美食节目。而且还是教你去哪里找吃的那种，不是教你怎么煮的那种！除了吃，冷气也很重要哦！从公共交通到公司到咖啡店和食阁，冷气无所不在。就算是血拼的时候也可以通过无数的冷气地下道从一间商场跑到下一间。不久之后，就连你去圣淘沙做日光浴之前，也会有冷气加上电动扶梯的走道把你从本岛送到沙滩去，包你不流一滴汗！

PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #22 - We love our food and aircon

To subscribe to Cloudywind Podcast on iTunes...
1) Go to [Advanced] on Menu
2) Select [Subscribe to podcast]
3) Type in "http://cloudywind.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
4) Enjoy~~

Nokia N97 Camera Test - Video

Nokia N97的摄影功能其实还可以咧！在国庆庆典结束的时候用它拍了一下现场的气氛，将近1分钟的录影用了18MB的MP4。

亮度刚刚好，台上不会过分的曝光，观众席上也不会太暗，还可以清楚看到周围的人的脸。不过不管怎么说都是夜晚，多多少少一定会有noise的啦！Zoom的控制在电话的银幕上，用touch screen来控制还蛮方便的，不过跟普通的摄影机一样，在zoom-in之后，手抖就比较明显咯！

音量方面蛮不错的。虽然现场的音乐很大声，还是可以听到我身边的观众讲话，也就是说如果我那时候有讲旁白的话，应该也是可以清楚的听到的。

总的来说，出国游玩时是可以依靠N97来录影的喔！

Butterflies are hyperactive, dragonflies are super lazy!

一个星期六的早上（比上班还早！天！），我跟我那三个摄影师父一起到Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail拍蝴蝶。那个Butterfly Trail其实地方很小而已，就是在医院的Emergency Ward前面，巴士车站的后面的一小片地，但网路上说那里有整一百种类的蝴蝶喔！

兴致勃勃的去到那边后，我们才发现原来拍蝴蝶一点也不容易！那边的蝴蝶超活泼的！它们到处乱飞一通，穿梭花丛草丛，甚至还很拽的近距离飞过我们身边，就是不肯停下来让我们拍！有几回很难得的有蝴蝶肯停在叶子上，当我们把相机瞄准后，它竟然又飞走！哇咧~

结果，让园里的蚊子吃了将近两个钟头的自助餐后，我就只成功的拍到了三只蝴蝶...





追蝴蝶追到头晕目眩，我不禁叹道：“还是Hort Park的蝴蝶比较好拍咧！”。结果我们一伙儿又跑到Hort Park去。在Hort Park，蝴蝶园外自由飞行的蝴蝶种类不是很多，但它们还真的比Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail里的蝴蝶懒散！它们通常飞两三圈后就找花朵停下来休息了咧！

除了蝴蝶，Hort Park里还有蛮多蜻蜓的。拍蜻蜓就比拍蝴蝶容易好多好多了！它们整天就是动也不动的停在叶子上发呆，就算是飞走了，飞了一圈之后，又会回到同样的叶子上停下来！太喜欢它们了！

Weird sightings during NDP 2009

(1) Three F16 fighters just suddenly zoom past. Liddat only. Seriously, why were they there?

(2) Why were the finale fireworks concentrated at the right side of the stage? Because all the VVVIPs were seated there? Its not like there's a ticketing system and those people sitting on the dark green sector paid the least lor!

(3) Not all songs sound nice in remix, and those old ndp songs suddenly don't sound so familiar anymore!

(4) What is pole-dancing doing in ndp? To prove that we've "progressed" and we're not conservative?

(5) To have a solo WRX to come out just to race against the marina wave is... hmm... abit waste of time for the WRX right?

Taking pictures of NDP2009 from the audience seat

很幸运的从朋友那边拿到国庆庆典的门票，便兴致勃勃地全副武装的打算去大拍一场！但到了现场才发现，原来在国庆庆典现场拍照一点也不容易，尤其是从观众席上拍！因为...

• 坐得太高，我的小小镜头太短（只有到200mm！），台上的人都变成Lego人了！


• 当每个人都站起来时（如欢迎总统到来），发现我真的很矮，都被挡住了！


• 日落之后需要用到slow shutter speed，我的小小镜头又没有image stabliser，拍出来的都变成朦查查了！


• 位子太窄，没办法用tripod。座位本来就很窄了，还加上一个超大的fun pack就更没位了！


• 突然之间会有人站起来或走过！


• 烟花来得太突然，来不及准备只好乱拍一通！

如果明年有机会去NDP2010的话，我决定不带DSLR，只带个小小傻瓜机去那边拍一点video好了！这样子就不必那样一整晚紧紧张张的拿着相机，可以舒舒服服的欣赏国庆庆典咯~