Slowpoke

Boring, uneventful and painfully slow day.

U + I

Who would have thought we'd be together ? I certainly didn't. It wasn't because I didn't fancy you, it was because I didn't think I could live up to anyone's expectation. As the days goes by that we've been together, your virtues of life have given me the sort of bright light hope that I was seeking all these years. A person that is genuine. A person that had equal or more hardship than I could ever imagine. A dependable person. A person that can criticize and take it too. You thank your God for showing us the way. I thank my God for showing us the way. :) Either way, it's been a great blessing to have you beside me through the good and bad times. You accepted my every flaw, my every mistake. Thank you so much for being there for me and given me the opportunity to redeem my faith in myself.

Simple Watermarking

Before you publish your photos online it's always good to actually do some simple watermarking beforehand. Watermarking may seem to be a way for us to protect our work from theft, it also enhances the overall presentation of a photo. There are various ways to add watermark on a photo but I usually use photoshop to do it.

Open the photo in photoshop. Add a new layer.


Click to add text.


Select the font type. Windows might come with limited choices, you can download fancy fonts from 1001Fonts.


Type whatever you want as the watermark.

Be careful not to overdo the watermark because it would look bad if people admire your watermark skill but not the actual thing that you wanted to present in the first place. Yes your photos of course!

The Blind Musician

While waiting for someone to "let's get this over with now!", I could have sworn I heard it somewhere before. really. Anyway, while I was doing all the waiting, I started to pay attention to all the people and things happening around me which I usually ignored (sorry, my social skill never grew past my infancy). My attention was diverted by a sweet sweet acoustic sound of John Denver's classic Take Me Home, Country Roads played by a blind musician. He didn't exactly complete the whole song, but it did impress a few passerby that they gave donation to him including yours truly. I snap a few photo of him strutting his stuff before leaving.

Incompability

A few year ago when I pretty much in a big dilemma whether to take the seemingly affordable Sunpak PZ42X (Which I handily reviewed) or splurge for the pricier 430 EX (Mark II wasn't around that time) or even the 580 EX II which had a much larger guide number (means more powerful and cover large distance ler). Today I found out the hard way why always sticking with original manufacturer accessories is a safer bet in the long run, even if it's pricier.

Make no mistake that the Sunpak PZ42X have serve me very well for the EOS 400D although it lacks the slave capability, the 2nd curtain functionality and finally the x-sync (high speed sync). Those functionality aren't necessarily a deal breaker for photographer on a budget like me. :) But to find out that it isn't compatible with newer camera hit me like a brick (No i'm not bleeding, metaphorically speaking :)).

After searching the internet for answers turns out there is a solution for this incompatibility, but it's not feasible as you need to send the flash unit back to the manufacturer to get it's firmware updated. Well in this case good old China. The flash still can fire in the new camera in manual mode, just not E-TTL II. I heard the newer version of the flash in the market is firmware upgraded to support newer camera. I might never want to buy 3rd party flash ever again unless I only wish to use the flash as an off camera unit which E-TTL is irrelevant if you use the china radio triggers. Should have gotten 580EX II in the first place. Drats ....

Tea Time

Before I went on a trip to China, I never would have imagine that drinking tea can be such an exquisite and artsy experience. I didn't even know some of my friends actually indulge in such a fine drinking session. I never knew tea came in a "Frisbee" shape and could cost more than few thousand depending on age. Makes me and my cup of coffee feels inferior. haha.

Stand a chance to win Canon EOS 550D

Currently there is an ongoing competition by Canon Singapore which the winner stand to win a brilliant Canon EOS 550D. Just have to submit a photo with caption very simple. Good luck to everyone. :) Click the photo for the links.

Effects of using different F Number or Aperture

F1.8 is call a large aperture number

F22 is call a small aperture number

Confusing isn't it ? I was back when I started learning about photography without actually owning a camera. Now it's almost like second nature.

A large aperture number, meant ....

• the aperture blade is widely open.
• because it's widely open, more light can fall and hit the sensor which allow faster shutter speed.
• it also causes a great deal of subject to background separation due to the shallow depth of field. The blurring effect is also known as Bokeh.
• A large aperture lens like F1.2 - F2.8 are call fast lens. Fastest Canon prime are the 50mm F1.2 (F1.0 is no longer in production, hence a rare gem), while fastest zoom have F2.8 ( probably due to the complexity and more glass element construction)
• A large aperture lens is expensive except 50mm F1.8 (also call nifty fifty)

A small aperture number, meant ...

• the aperture blade only left a small opening, hence lesser light hitting the sensor.
• lesser light means longer shutter, which can introduce blurring if handheld or subject got movement.
• subject and background should be in focus throughout.
  

Some sample of different aperture effect on subject and background on similar focal length.

Shallow depth of field

As F number decreases (larger number), things start to get more and more in focus

Where Have You Been ?

Green is epitome of serene and grace.

I woke up every morning wondering what's going to happen in the next few hours or so. If I reach the office safely then I would sat on my chair and the first thing I would always do is nod my head, clear my mind and proceed to pray. Uttering the word softly in my heart that I'm glad I made it again today to the work place without any mishap and praising the Mighty One. Funny it may seem that I'm paranoid but on the notion that life is so short by itself, wouldn't it be a pity that we never get to cherish the people around us if we'd rather unfortunately to die unexpectedly the next second, minute, hour ? Wouldn't it be a pity, if we never get the chance to say sorry to the person we hurt, regardless of whether they accept it or not.

Being Christian, Living as one, Solving problem as one have shed a lot of light into my wrong ways previously. Though it may seem that getting Baptiste would mean sins are forgiven, it never cross my mind that I'd consider those sins to be forgotten. I dwell on it from time to time thinking what would have happen if I do things the right way from the beginning. Would I be better off than I was now ? There are times where I ask myself, I deserve worse punishment than this, and rightfully so. Though man makes mistakes through their life, I am still unable to contemplate why I do the things I do even when I'm fully aware of the rationale behind all those doings. I really wish to undo it. I pray for those I hurt everyday, so they could find it in their heart to forgive me.

Life is just like an endless rotation, when life is brimming, the rotation spins the fastest. when life is full of hardship, the rotation spins slower and slower. But no matter what, it keeps rotating. It stops when there is no power, when that happens means we've given up on life. Life is full of up and down, so what if we're knock off our perch, there is always plenty of chance to stand tall once again.

Sunset While Drive

Yesterday and the day before that, after sending my gf home on my way back I saw a beautiful scene through my side window. It was a golden sky coupled with crisp silhouette, unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me. Today was a blessed day, the condition was almost the same as yesterday and I finally got my camera with me. Snapping the shot while driving can be pretty unpractical at times especially when your framing blindly. Though the shots are blurred due to car induced handshake .. hehe. It pretty satisfying to capture scenery during golden hour times.

Growing Pains

Growing up can be quite a handful experience especially when you still haven't grasp the whole economy thing that revolves around us. Life is so much simpler and everyday is a new adventure. When I look at my nephew with his daily funny self, I quite miss those time when I didn't have to worry about money and other stuffs. It was just the world at my feet and what I would like to do today. Oh how much I miss those golden years.

ISO 3200

Toyed with the idea of using ISO 3200 in broad daylight. Also tried some BW post processing in Lightroom earlier today. I didn't have any theme for today, hence a lot of random stuff shot.