A whole new look for my blog

For those who pops by my blog before, you'll noticed that I am giving the blog a new look. I just wanted to freshen things up a little - frankly I have gotten bored of the previous blog template & set-up (it was dark and grey - kind of gloomy). Also I have recently subscribed to SmugMug, so this is also an effort to create a seamless surfing experience into my SmugMug website. 


The website is not done yet (still quite scratchy & needing a lot of work... I guess I know what I will be doing this weekend), hopefully my interest in building the site doesn't diminish too quickly. Yes, it is a lot of work. I have already been working on the website for about 2 weeks now & it still look very scratchy. The end game that I am trying to achieve is to continue to have my blog located here while expanding on my website in SmugMug. 


At the moment, I feel that Blogger has a much better blog interface compared to SmugMug. It's template for blogging is a lot better than those offered by SmugMug. Things are also a lot less complicated in Blogger (kudos to the guys who build this blog site) compared to SmugMug. This is an area where SmugMug is lacklustre in - honestly I am not sure why they haven't done anything about it. I will probably put a write-up of my SmugMug experience soon. At this stage, I would say that anyone wanting to use SmugMug should be prepared for a rather steep learning curve. I had some experience with html during my schooldays but those little knowledge seem totally insufficient to get my website going. Most of my time was spent going to Dgrin forum to source for solutions. Fair to say that so far my experience has been rather average. But, I will withhold judgement for now and give it a little more time.


I just made a trip to New York City, so there will be photos coming up shortly.

I think the wall sums it up pretty nicely...

Alright, take a look at this photo - what do you see?

If you are like me, you'll see a lush green field and a dilapidated building (which is almost at the point of collapse). In Detroit, an abandoned building like this would sometimes be referred to as a nest for the homeless ... In short, it's an "eye-sore". 


I don't know what was the name of this building or it's significance. To be perfectly honest, the only reason why I took this photo was because this run-down building provides a great visual contrast to the high-rise buildings in the background. 


In fact, when I took this shot, what goes on in my mind was ... "how to make this building as small as possible & the skyscrapers as tall as possible". I was trying to provide a visual contrast by making this building look as "out of place" as possible. 


Never have I imagined that what comes out of the post-processing would be completely different...


You see, I sometimes take a photo with a preconceived idea of how I want the picture to turn out. Sometimes while taking the shot, I would have already decided what kind of post-processing I would do. The shot above was no different - just do a simple visual contrast... *clicked!


It wasn't until I started processing the photo that a different message came through. I started reading the graffiti on the walls. Usually, in my experience with graffiti, around 60% are random signatures of street kids with a spray can (and too much time) on their hands and the remaining 40% are a variety of "street art" (ranging from aliens, spaceships, monsters... to flowers and trees).


This one was different. 


As I read, it felt like the writings on the wall verbalized the yearnings, hopes and dreams of many Detroiters. Here, have a closer look.

Some of the writings include "Rebuilding... Keep God in America... My Family Safe... Bringing the Troops Back... The Price of Gas... My Father's Cancer... The Working Class... Being Able to Retire at a Reasonable Age... Supporting Local Merchants ... A Good Coat for Winter... a better childhood... I care that so few people care." And the writings go on.


Strangely, as I read, my original intention to provide a visual contrast slowly melts away. This wall that carries the yearnings, hopes and dreams of so many Detroiters deserves to be the "hero" of the shot. 


Lastly, "someone's aching Lord... kumbayah..."

It's not about the equipment ...

Recently I got back into golfing (guess what - golf courses here are cheaper and better than those found in Melbourne!). My wife always say my hobbies rotate in a cycle... golf, badminton, cycling & photography - most of them are quite invested (aka expensive). Maybe I should take up running to save some money. Anyway, not to digress - an idea came to me ... I thought since I haven't got any new clubs for a long time & my drive is starting to deteriorate with some funky slices & hooks maybe it's time for me to retire my Ping G5 & get a new driver... something with a stiff flex to deal with the slices & hooks! Sounds like a great idea at first, so I decided to go to a local golf shop. That place was wonderful! The golf shop is located right next to a driving range, free practice balls are provided for any potential buyers who would like to give the clubs a couple of swings. After trying out 4 different drivers (including Ping G20, Callaway Diablo, TaylorMade R11 and TaylorMade Burner 2.0), I decided that I would buy the TM Burner 2.0, it was on sale (about 30% discount) and looks pretty sharp. Honestly, I thought it was a good buy! Why? Because I was driving very well with that driver - long, straight... inspiring! After buying the driver, I immediately got a large bucket of range balls & continued practicing.

Still feeling very enthusiastic with my buy, I head straight to a golf course the next day! The course was crowded as I got paired with two Koreans. They looked like fairly seasoned golfers. The first hole was a par 4, so I pulled out my newly acquired driver, lined up my shot towards the flag & fired a shot... ... ... it was a slice. Must be the nerve. Thankfully, the ball didn't land too far from the fairway & I was able to continue. The second hole was a par 4 as well, keeping the faith I took out the TM Burner 2.0 again. To make sure that I make the shot, I was doing the pre-shot drill a lot more consciously then before. "keep your knees shoulder length apart, slightly bend your knees, take a deep breathe and then breathe out, draw a straight line on the back swing ... etc" Then, I fired the shot... it went right again. This time it went into the opposite fairway. "Oh Vincent, what are you doing?" I murmured. "This is going to be a long day if I keep producing this type of shots."

Anyway to cut the long story short - the rest of the 16 holes were as bad if not worse then the first two. I left the golf course with a real sense of post-purchase dissonance. Why did I think that getting a new driver would help me play better? It doesn't make sense, it better shots are delivered through new clubs with supposedly more advanced "technology" then I should have played the game like a pro... after all, my equipment didn't seem too shabby! In contrast, those two Koreans that I played with, were using much older clubs ... I didn't even register the brands of the clubs they were playing with. Yet, they are playing at par on every other hole.

Lesson learnt... I am yet humbly reminded of the fact that it is not my equipment but the human behind those equipment that matters! It's not the clubs, it's the golfer. It's not the camera, it's the photographer. It's not the bicycle, it's the rider. It's not the badminton racquet, it's the player. Big Sigh!

Why would anyone think otherwise? Mostly because companies fuel this "make believe" nonsense. If you think a LEICA will make pictures like Cartier-Bresson, or a Nikon D800 will shoot pictures like Galen Rowell, you're more likely to buy that camera... I actually still feel very much about adding a Leica to my collection some days. Right now, I am happy with the 5D MkII.

So, what is the point of all these? I think I need to practice more & buy less. I think the equipment does help, but it only brings you 10% of the way... it's time to stop focusing on the 10% & pursue the remaining 90%. I need to hone my craft & not my equipment.

Night scene in Melbourne - along the Yarra River

Took this photo during a photo walk I did about 2 years ago. Really like the way the lights get reflected in the water & the city skyline.

Happy Feet!

This little duckling really reminded me of the movie Happy Feet... it's extremely curious & animated. If not for the very protective parents, I would have loved to spent more time capturing all its antics!

Kensington MetroPark, Milford MI

I was at the Kensington Metropolitan Park - Nature Center yesterday. I don't have all the facts about this park, but it is a huge park with lots of wildlife... chipmunks, squirrels, birds, turkeys, snakes, rabbits... etc. 


Once I stepped into the Aspen Trail at the Nature Center... I was immediately greeted by a sweet sandalwood-type aroma. I decided that I will put photography second and experience first. About 15 mins after I started the trail, I met a group of "Bird-counters". No kidding, that's what the lady in the group told me they were ding - "we are counting birds..." You could imagine the first thought that came to mind (that's the Accountant in me)... "how would you know that you have not double-count" (I wondered). Anyway, I thought... maybe this "bird counting" business is not really a science, perhaps it more a past-time or a way of relaxation. So I let the question slide. The group seemed really engaged... all of the sudden, I heard a distinct bird serenade... I can't really describe it except that it was more melodious than the usual chirping - I think the "ah-pek" (older man in Singapore) calls this "water tune". 


"It's there..." a boy said excitedly (his eyes light up). "Yeah... it's there" replied the woman. Then, the entire group turned their gaze into the dense vegetation. I followed in hope of catching a glance of where that melodious sound came from. After about 2 minutes of searching... eyes darting to and fro, I gave up... I could only see leaves and branches... but no bird?! The rest of the group seem to be still engaged as the bird continued to call. 


Me? I got bored & quietly planned my retreat.

After leaving the group, I quickly found a nice bench & sat there for about an hours to take it all in - the scenery, the sound of birds singing, leaves rustling in the wind, curious birds paying me a visit (yes, they fly right up next to you in a playful fashion)... Fortunate for me, the first half of the day was sunny... yes, it was a good weekend for me.


Oh, I have some photos of a duckling that reminded me of the movie... Happy Feet... will share later!

My wife - the talented photographer :)

Still going through the photos that were taken a few years ago... I stumbled upon an album which was taken by my wife while we were in Cambodia. These were taken with a point & shoot Canon G12.. a bit of touch up were necessary in Photoshop, sharpening, cropping & saturation...


I think my wife has a good eye for composition & capturing the moment!

Have you recently process photos that you took many years ago?

Singapore has never fail to amaze me with its rapid speed of change... the skyline for one has gone through numerous refurbishments over the past 5 years. This photo was taken about 3 years ago... I think the skyline would have changed again by now. As a Singaporean, I have mixed feelings with this rate of development - proud & sad. I am proud of the fact that as a nation... it is progressing at a rapid rate yet sad that there are so much unfamiliarity each time I return to the country...


Anyway, recently, I met a budding Michigan photographer at his photo exhibition in Ann Arbor. He is obviously quite talented & his type of photography is rather... "unconventional". I can't remember his first name ... his last name is "Dennison". We were happily chatting & sharing about our different approach to photography. I am a self-professed HDR-freak (although I have "tone" down a little recently), Dennison is more a paint-photographer - while the photos I take places emphasis on colour, contrast & sharpness, Dennison is more "out there". His end product... looked nothing like the original photo. They looked more like some abstract "dark age" paintings. You'll have to see it to appreciate it.


We started sharing our workflow and he said something that sticks with me until today. Dennison's approach is that he will refrain from developing or processing any of his photos until 3 months later. His rational is that he wants an unbiased appraisal of all his photos before he processes them. The logic is that while shooting during the day - you may have thought that you've shot some really good photos (natural bias) & you charge straight for those photos for processing. As a result, you may have missed out some really good shots that may not grab you attention initially... 


I tried that approach today - and got this photo process. I am happy with the end result - and the only reason why this photo ever made its way into this space is because of Dennison's advice.

May 5 & 6, 2012 will go in history as one of my best weekend in Detroit!!

Let's see... this weekend I've accomplished the followings:

1. Visited the Detroit Institute of Arts (see my earlier post) - yes, I posted on the same day... could hardly contain my excitement.
2. Played 18 holes of golf at Sylvan Glen - ok, I'll leave out the score ... but hey, it's a great workout!
3. Visited Guardian Building in Detroit - the art deco hallways are a true inspiration! (more photos to follow)
4. Visited Fisher Theatre - I'll have to give special mention to a security guard who told me to go up to the third level to get better pictures! 
5. Watched the Blue Man Group - this is a first class entertainment! I enjoyed every minute of it! Aaaaweesomeee!!!
6. Finished out the week with a 2km jog around my estate!

Hopefully, more of such fully occupied weekends...

Inside Fisher Theatre... by the hallway.

Dancing Feet

Really like this photo, I think it is about the way the feet dances naughtily around the basket - realistic depiction. This is really an example of the importance of lighting - I think under bright harsh direct sunlight, this photo will not have the same ambiance & "feel".

Taken in DIA with NEX 7.

My Favorite Photo in DIA

This one is crowned as my favorite photo of the day. 

Is the Sony NEX 7 good for wide angle architecture shots? Let's find out in DIA...

I would give the NEX 7 a 7 out of 10 for wide angle architecture shots - I would have given a higher rating if I could use a really wide angle lens on this camera (eg. 12mm). Unfortunately, the widest lens available to the NEX system is only 16mm... somewhat still inadequate for architecture. 


Under low light conditions, the noise level also becomes more obvious... generally, I find that ISO 800 and above on the NEX system generally lends itself to much noise on the photo... I tried taking a few shots using the RAW function in the camera. I realised that in order for me to open and edit Sony's RAW format... I need to use their proprietary program called "Image Data Converter v4.0". This program is one of the worst in picture processing - it's slow, slow and slow!


Surely after putting out such an outstanding product Sony would have thought about ensuring that its RAW format can be processed on more common programs like photoshop! Honestly, this Sony RAW format is a big turn-off for me! I like to shoot in RAW but I cannot process the image directly in Photoshop.


After a painful 30mins of waiting... here are the end results...

This image was processed in Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2

Noticed that the lens is just not wide enough! SONY - You need to do something about the lens variety & fast! 

 

I found a gem in Detroit - the Detroit Institute of Arts (Part 1)

The city of Detroit is rather confusing... before I came someone tried explaining to me that the city is like a "donut". Honestly, this "donut" concept never really gel with me until today. Like the shape of a donut... the centre of the city is empty. And by empty, I mean while there are buildings... blocks and blocks of them, but these buildings are unoccupied. They are empty. You really cannot tell from a distance, it is usually not until you are near these buildings that the broken windows and locked doors become apparent.

Outside the donut is where the activities are. And one such place is known as the "mid-town" - where a little gem is housed - the Detroit Institute of Arts (or more commonly known as the "DIA" by locals. From the outside, the building structure is somewhat lacklustre ... but once you go pass the ordinary facet, you'll find a little gem. The entrance is only $8 for adult (and all Singaporean say "cheap cheap"). This is a place where you can spend hours strolling up and down the galleries & hallways - engrossed in the exquisite exhibits.

Mind you, this place is not small - I spent about 2.5 hours and only managed to cover about 50% of the exhibit. After 2.5 hrs, I felt that my sensory is a bit overloaded & so I decided to leave the remaining 50% for another day - hey, the $8 is worth every bit.

In the spirit of trying out my newly acquired Sony NEX 7 - I decided to bring the camera into the museum to try out its low light capability. Note - none of these photos was taken with a tripod, simply because tripods are not allowed in the museum.

Honestly, the Sony NEX 7 does a very good job of delivering sharp photos.. the fact that this shot was taken with a kit lens... really blows me away. I did apply some de-noise adjustment to this shot, but the noise did not really bother me for this shot.

Look at this low light capture... the dynamic range is really amazing on this camera. This is a in-camera HDR shot - I did some cropping in photoshop.

One more shot of the NEX 7 - again no photoshop

Sony NEX 7 - real-life photos

It's a 90F day... I just returned home from work & decided to take a walk with my newly acquired Sony NEX 7. Along the way, I took the following photos. Without the exception of the black & white photo, the rest have only been cropped without doing any other touch up on photoshop.

This shot above was taken using manual focus - peeping function in the Sony NEX 7 is quite helpful for manual focusing. It's not perfect when close-up... but it'll do 90% of the job.

Well it is a 24mp camera after all... I am amazed that I can actually can see the reflector in the words... a lot of details from this camera!

This shot was taken using the kit lens. I had to crop the photo to bring out the subject... still the 24mp camera did not disappoint! 

Camp Ticonderoga

It was a cold Saturday (45F). I had a strong urge to go golfing & I thought having been in USA for about 2 months now... it's high time to give my dusty clubs a nice whack! So off to Sylvan Glen Golf course I went... the course was quiet as it was a cold & cloudy day. There were no more than a dozen people on the greens, so the marshall allowed me to play on my own.


After finishing the first 9 holes, I caught whiff of BBQ food... "heavenly" I thought! For the remaining, 9 holes I was constantly distracted by the thought of having dinner at Camp Ticonderoga. I have heard from friendly neighbour that it's famous for its roast & ribs!!! Wow... perfect, I was definitely in mood for a nice succulent (slightly charred) roast rib.

I could wait for the last hole before I made a call to the restaurant... ok, reservation was fixed at 730pm - table for one person! 


My first impression... very well-thought decorations. The restaurant definitely has a "camp" (like a hunt club) feel to it. Lighting decorations were made out of deer's antler - very cool.

There were heaps of diners around - I usually judge a restaurant by the number of patrons... clearly I have found the right place! The smell of BBQ meat in the air was clearly to much... I have to order something fast - my belly demands! And it needs to be appeased.

All in all - it was a wonderful dinner. The roast beef definitely lived up to its name - moist, soft & favor-some.