Water fountain is one of the most commonly shoot photo. The Expression of the water flow is the soul of the whole picture. To me, smooth water flow represent peace while drip flow means tempestuous mood.

Anyway, it depends how to look at it. Let’s compare the effects and how I shoot the photo?

First photo has been taken in normal “P” mode. Fountain drips were freeze in the photo.

To capture the smooth water flow, extend the exposure time (shutter speed) to 1/2.5. But the problem comes, long exposure cause the photo over exposed.

ND Filter should be use to shoot long exposure under hot sun light. I don’t have one, then guess how I did it? Haha…I used my sunglasses to cover the lens as a filter. I know the lighting is not so perfect, but acceptable.

It doesn’t mean that I like the dragons. It is just a technique to capture lights in the night.

The lights are combination of moving cars’ light and lamppost light. They are looks like flying Dragon light in the night sky. Can you count how many dragons in the photo? More than 9, maybe. I say 9 dragons to tell there are many.

(2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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How to capture the Flying Dragons effect? The photo was taken in a moving car. Means you need a driver at first place. Adjust aperture as low you can, so that you won’t see weak light beside the road. Extend the shutter speed to 4 seconds.

The light curves was due to uneven road surface and car moving shake. This awesome effect is 100% original photo without Photoshop.

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Light box is useful in product photography. Because it distribute light on an object averagely, to produce sufficient light in capturing clear image.

However a branded light box is not cheap. Since I don’t plan to spend on it, I decided to DIY a home made light box! Although there are lots of tutorial on the Internet, I believe this is the EASIEST and CHEAPEST tutorial.

What do you need? An Empty Box,White Paper, Scissors, Blade, Cellophane Tape, Pencil and Ruler.

Mark a rectangular on both side of the box. Cut it off and make sure your papers are big enough to cover the holes.

Cover with White paper to make semi-transparent windows. This is to allow the lights come in and illuminate the object well.

Cover all inside surfaces with the white paper. So that the flash light distribute averagely.

It is time to capture the first image in DIY home made light box. Look at the Nikon cap, not bad huh?

In fact, I didn’t use external light at the semi-transparent windows. Maybe next time can use study lamp to try out better result. Perhaps you have bigger box (CRT monitor) for better effects.

Thousands of beautiful flowers come into my eyes at Taman Seribu Bunga (A Thousand Flowers Garden). Don’t miss the chance to capture World most beautiful orchid flowers, one of the difficult to plant flower type.

The Purple Orchid looks like the King of Orchid. It is big with sharp color.

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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The BOKEH background effect has made the White Orchid outstanding.

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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This is not orchid but they look nice standing straight on the ground.

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Do you like Orchid flower? I’ll be appreciate if you tell me which photo you like the most among these three?

Follow by Melaka Tallest Bridge night photography, I have captured more Melaka night scene in the town. Post up one by one for your eye viewing pleasure.

It is not easy to capture night scene saturated with car drifting light. Timing is vital. Set the shutter timer to 2 seconds to avoid button touch movement. Estimate when the cars will pass by the scene and shoot before the car lights are in.

I tried different settings and these are the most satisfied Stadhuy’s (Red House) night scene, without Photoshop ok.

(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Five to six seconds exposure is enough to capture car drifting light with sharp town lights. Longer time might get your photo over expose. I like 2nd photo the most, the lights are averagely saturated. Which one you like the most? Please tell me in comment below.

My best City night shoot so far. We went out that night purposely to capture the night view of city.

I’m sure you know the tallest and longest bridge that linked old town and the heart of Melaka city. It is beside one of the famous shopping mall – Mahkota Parade and Eye of Malaysia. Best location to describe the looks of Melaka town.

(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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To capture the lights in star shape, definitely need a tripod. By extend the shutter speed, managed to get the lovely purplish dark sky. I shoot at aperture f/8.0 to get sharpest image of night photo on Nikon D60. In fact, it process best image in between f/8.0 to f/11.0.

The photo give me a feeling of Healthy, Clean, Peace. What do you say?

If you don’t know what is HDR, read my previous post “HDR Photography at River side” to give you better idea. The method was more “Manual”, it should be easier. How? Read on.

Auto Exposure Bracketing Trick

In fact, AEB should be use to generate image under various exposures. AEB or known as Auto Exposure Bracketing is a trick to force camera take same image with different exposure. Different DSLR model may work differently, suggest you to check out the operation manual. But too bad my Nikon D60 don’t have AEB!

Use AEB if your camera allows. Let’s say camera don’t have AEB and you don’t want to capture same image with previous method, what can you do? We have another method to generate different exposure on the same image.

RAW Image Format

What is RAW image? The name itself explain it is Raw image created by camera’s image sensor without process. Therefore are not ready for edit with bitmap graphic editor or printing.

Open the RAW image and adjust the “Exposure” with the help of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8. Save a copy each for exposure -2, 0, +2. Then generate HDR using Photomatix Pro .

My Two Cents

The fake exposure generate from RAW image has limitation. The quality and color not that satisfied when zoom in. Overall still acceptable. Acceptable means OK only, not that perfect.

Left one is HDR photo, right one is RAW image.

Take a look on the HDR mouse photo generated from RAW image. How you feel? Please give your opinion in the comment below.

HDR or High Dynamic Range Imaging is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image. (Wikipedia)

Today is my first experience to compose HDR photography. Actually it is NOT so difficult to compose a HDR image with some help below.

• A blue sky with hot sun and clouds
• Tripod
• HDR Imaging Software, eg: Photomatix Pro

How To Compose HDR Photo?

With the help of tripod, let your DSLR stand firm on the ground. Snap the same image with 3 different exposure (+2.0, 0, -2.0). Make sure you carefully adjust the exposure without moving position of the camera and tripod. If the photos not in exact position, ghost effect will exist when HDR software combine the photos.

My experience is strong wind might slightly move your camera angle if the lock not tight enough. So, tighten the tripod screw before capture. If you’re not sure, capture a few sets to have backup.

Go back home and transfer photos to computer. Open Photomatix Pro > Generate HDR > Load at least 3 photos with different exposure > Adjust Tone mapping > Process > Save the image. Adjust the tone mapping settings according to your need.

Finally my first HDR image is here. Hope your enjoy and give comment below.

(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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Which one you think the best HDR image? I like the third one most.

PS: Some photographer took 5 photos at different exposure to have more details, but I think 3 photos is enough for beginner.