Black & White Street Shot with Panasonic Lumix LX3.

The LX3 is fairly well known to photographers who appreciate manual controls and the fast and wide angle Leica lens. However, it’s not a camera for everyone, some photographers want more of a zoom range, since the LX3 only has a 2.5x zoom from 24-60mm (in 35mm equivalent), nor does it have a standard viewfinder. Those are of course limitations for some photographers; however, it does have a large, high resolution LCD screen that seemed to be easy to use under most conditions and outside. I even thought that it was a bit bright, so I turned the brightness down. I also appreciate the fast (f/2.0 max) lens with image stabilization that allows you to shoot wide in dark environments with no flash.

Local coffee shop in old part of Kuching City in Sarawak.

Street newspaper vendor .

 As I usually take color photos and later convert them to B&W in post processing, I thought it would be interesting to see how the LX3 did with the built in black and white preset setting. There are two to select from in the camera. One is a standard B&W setting that looks very good, and another more contrasty setting called “Dynamic” that creates a bit more contrast. I decided to use the Dynamic setting along with center-weighted metering with an ISO set to 400. I probably could have used the auto ISO setting with a maximum set to 400, but I didn’t think of it at the time (I was thinking of the old Tri-X settings!)

Street scene in old part of the city.

Medicine man on business in old part of Kuching City .

All the above  photos are caught while I was walking around in old part of the city. As a side note, all of the LX3 “films” can be adjusted to the users preference. I think in the future, I might turn the Dynamic contrast down a bit to get a bit more clarity in the shadows, but then I do like a high contrast B&W image.
So, do you like to shoot in black and white? Do you use the built-in settings in your camera, or do you like to do it all in post processing? Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the effect you get with the built-in settings on the LX3, so I’m sure I’ll use this setting again in the future.

Telephoto Street Photography.

Whether or not the photographer uses a telephoto or a wide angle also depends on if they plan to ask the person's permission to take the shot. Chances are you are not going to ask permission with a telephoto because whatever inspired you to take the photo in the first place occurred at some distance from the subject. If you were inspired to get closer to the subject before taking the shot, then it doesn't matter what lens you used.

Shoot with telephoto 70-300mm @ India Street in Kuching.

 

 Many photographer and experts like to say that you should use wide angle lenses because they require being close to the subject. This makes street shooting a “fair” game. It seems dishonest to use a telephoto by hiding from a distance.However, we are photographers and our goal is to make great images. We are not in a contest with people on the street or with each other. The choice of lenses is governed by artistic considerations, feasibility, or convenience, not by some superficial notion of machismo.Often I use lenses from wide to short telephoto, including small zoom. On occasion I have fun with my  telephoto 70-300mm.

Shoot from distance using telephoto 70-300mm @ waterfront in Kuching.

70-300mm telephoto @ India Street in Kuching.

 

 Long lenses can flatten an image. The point of the candid shot it to invite the viewer into the reality of the subject. A wide angle draws the viewer into the photo and makes them almost a part of it. This is subtle, but can often be the difference between a good shot and a great one.

The boss reading newspaper @ old part of Kuching City shophouses..Shoot with wide angel lens from Lumix LX3.

 

 Use any lenses that you think are most appropriate for your situation.  Don’t concern yourself with artificial rules that many candid street photography experts try to push.
Happy Photographing....

Coffee Lover.

I am NOT a Starbucks coffee lover. My current favourite drink is dark mocha .Shall i name it just black coffee or locally known as "KOPI O".

Mobile Coffee kiosk in Kuching.

 A coffee kiosk can be a great way to make money as the coffee industry is big business and more and more people seem happy to spend money to get a quality cup of coffee.The great thing about a coffee kiosk is that it is small . One of the favorite drinks of people of Malaysia is coffee. Coffee is treated more as a sacred beverage than a mere drink by Malaysians. They begin their day with a cup of coffee and they even like to sleep at night sipping their coffee mugs.  Coffee is so much a part of the lives of Malaysians, that it is totally indispensable. Malaysians have invented different ways for the preparation of coffee. A typical Malaysian coffee is prepared by filtering hot water from cloth. Its unique, strong, and bitter taste is intensified by adding condescend milk to it. It is either drunk hot or iced. This form of preparation is very popular in rural areas of the country. This form of coffee in Malaysia is called 'KOPI'.

My To- Day Photography.

Oranges or Lemon Mandarin,

Tangerines and Mandarin oranges are two fruits which are shared generously with friends and family during Chinese New Year. Tangerines are symbolic of good luck and mandarin oranges are symbolic of wealth. Like so many Chinese symbols, these symbols have developed through a language pun, as the Chinese word for “tangerine” sounds like the word for “luck.” Similarly, the word for “mandarin oranges” in Cantonese is a homophone for “gold” and “wealth."

Oranges street vendor in Kota Samarahan,Sarawak.

Street Vendor .

Photo shot this morning (27.11.2011) .
Camera: Panasonic Lumix LX3.

Shooting the Night Sky .

Some people focus strictly on photographing the moon, or the remarkable beauty of sunrise and sunset. 

Some people like to capture dramatic moments of extreme weather or “sweet light” where the sky and objects on the ground attain a radiance or glow they don’t usually see.

Desa Ilmu 

Desa Ilmu

DEsa Ilmu.

Many other people want to capture just the stars, and there are many simple methods used to do so successfully. 

The basic settings for a camera to capture evening sky effects are ISO 50; f/stop is 2.8 to 3.5. 

If you choose to set the camera at ISO 100 the exposure times can be shorter. The f/stop settings are to allow the most starlight in as possible in order to record the many stars, and the smaller the f/stop or aperture is set the fewer the stars recorded.Before dark it is best to set up the camera on its tripod and make sure that the camera’s settings are appropriate to the event. Most of my photos above shooting with shutter speed of 15sec,30sec and 60sec.I am not an astrophotographer in any way, shape or form, nor do I have any expensive equipment. I simply read several tutorials, picked a dark spot on nearby my place and tried to do my best.

Ducati Multistrada Borneo Experience 2011

Have you ever dreamt of experiencing nature, wildlife, and virgin rainforests all on your Multistrada?
Now you have the opportunity to join other Ducatisti from Asia-Pacific regions on their Multistrada to explore the natural wonders of the world’s 3rd largest island
The island of Borneo is home to many unique and endangered species, such as the orangutan, proboscis monkey, the Borneo Rhino, the Pygmy Elephant, as well as the Green and Hawsbill Turtle.
Ducati Malaysia is hosting this event from November 25th-December 4th, 2011
Multistrada owners all over Asia-Pacific regions are invited to participate in this amazing experience.

Photo Credit to Ducati Malaysia.

PHOTO CREDIT TO SMF DAILY GRINDS.

 Click here for event details.
Full Story HERE ,



 

Tapang Tree.

Tapang Tree in Semban Village,Sarawak.

Tapang Tree in Semban Village,Sarawak.

The Koompassia excelsa tree is among the tallest trees in the world, and also one of the most prominent trees in the tropical rainforests of the Sunda Shelf. It is found in Sumatra, Borneo, South Thailand, and Peninsular Malaysia. The grey, whitish bark of the tree, large bole, and often handsome crown makes it stand out amongst the other trees (usually). It is known by different names in different regions – Mengaris in Brunei and Sabah, Tualang in Peninsular Malaysia, Sialang in Indonesia, and Tapang in Sarawak. The name tualang comes from the Malay words of tua – old, and helang – eagle. More info The Tualang Tree or Koompassia Excelsa
The tapang tree is a revered tree for the indigenous people of Sarawak. There is a taboo in Sarawak against cutting down the tapang treee. Only naturally felled tapang trees (usually by an unusal storm or a  landside which might be natural or even unnatural) can be used. Furthermore Ibans do not cut their tapang tree in their temuda (farm) because it is a valueable source of honey and a home for the Great Kenyalang or Hornbill. Hornbills on the other hand control the snake population in Sarawak and Borneo. Without the hornbills our habitat may become dangerous actually...(sources from Sarawakiana@2)..Thank You credit to Sarawakiana@2 & Jungle Dairy.