Size Matters

I must have missed out some great news of some massive discounts on cameras lately (or some give-away campaigns by Nikon/Canon/etc); and I’m not talking about some smallish point-and-shoots, I’m talking about BIG and MEAN DSLR with the longest lens attached to it!  

Just when I realized how good an iPhone is in shooting pictures, I found almost everybody's neck on the street, at the parks or in the malls is hanging a camera with a protruding long lens, proudly screaming its brand name (and sometimes complete with the model) all over the neck strap and camera bag.  

Don't get me wrong... I'm really happy to see more people is into photography.  This can only bring good things to happen - newer cameras with more advanced features and perhaps cheaper prices to come!  My only 'grieve' is some of them who lack of some basic etiquette (or manners) when their weapons are drawn.

Like this cheerleader who brings his camera along while performing...

And he thinks he's the reason why all of us were there for.



Nevertheless, being not tall enough is one of the disadvantages :-/   I'd end up with only shadows in front of me!



Even worse when someone starts taking video using his DSLR, parking himself in front of you with his arms stretched high in the air and stay put forever (and pretend he's Invisible Man).






I was amused when I was at the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta held at Putrajaya in March, to find that access to the balloon launch site during the photo shoot session was granted merely based on the size of the camera one carried!!  


My daughter was denied entry simply because she was holding a point-and-shoot, while they didn't even blink as long as one's holding a 'big camera'  :( But some of my favorite shots were taken using my pocket Lomo LC-W film camera!








There will be no end to this, and it only gets worst judging from the growing numbers of this "Big (cameras) and Mean (people)" phenomenon... No, this does not hinder my fun in photography, I'm still very much enjoying my hobby and trying my best to co-exist with the rest of the (shutter) bugs :)

iPhone & Photography

Sunrise, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

Photography has come a long way since my first encounter with a Kodak Instamatic my father was using when I was a kid.  Later I grew up to my first SLR and then my trusted DSLR 10 years ago.  The 10-year old Nikon D100 is an excellent camera (except the smaller LCD screen's a little strain to my eyes lately as I need reading glasses now) even up to date.  I have even managed to buy a brand new original battery grip from eBay not too long ago.  


I was always tempted by the megapixels, super-duper sensor, and not to mention the glorious giant LCD screen with the newer models, but as age progresses, so does the financial responsibilities... thus this remains a 'plan', and it will probably stay at this status for a little while ;)

Lakeside, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.


I can't say I'm complaining because I'm actually quite happy to find an alternative with my iPhone! Check out all these pictures in this post which were all shot with an iPhone 4.


Explorion, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.


There's even a new term coined for it: iPhoneography.  With the numerous powerful (and relatively cheap) editing apps available, these photos were edited on-the-fly either on the iPhone or iPad.




Solitaire, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.


I have a blogger friend, YTSL, who is an avid trekker based in Hong Kong.  She has been a regular trekker to almost every 'trekkable' trails in HK, and that made me decided to try out a trekking trail to a reservoir not too far from my home recently.  I brought only the iPhone and it did not disappoint me at all :)




Woke up to a good morning, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.


No regret waking up early on a weekend and taking the iPhone along!


Trekking trail, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.


Of cause there are stuff the iPhone cannot do as good as the D100, but with the light weight, convenience, powerful editing apps, and fairly good picture quality (and BIG screen!), I'm into iPhoneography ;)

SkyWatch Friday

My Lomo Explore

Morning glory, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

This was shot with my Nikon FE, mounted with a Holga 60mm DSLR adaptor. This plastic lens works fine on my D100 DSLR in manual mode, but the fixed aperture somehow made it impossible on the FE; it's total darkness even under this very sunny bright morning.

I used it like a pinhole camera instead and it turns out magically :)




'T in the pool', a photo by horsoon on Flickr.


Every shot is a surprise...



Benches in the park

This is fun! And it's beyond any digital filters :)

Guardian Lion

Guardian Lion, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

There's a baby lion on her foot... do u see that?


SkyWatch Friday

The moon, sun and street light.

Moon & light, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

Switch on the streetlight, the moon and the evening sun together, and you get this beautiful cloud!

Trapped in the evening traffic can be an enjoyable moment too, sometimes :)

Speed of light

Lighted bike, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

Beautiful streak of lights in an otherwise boring dark street.

Silent Stage

Hainan, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

A story being told in silence.

Do you remember the school wall in the Peanuts comics?

In the village

In the village, a photo by horsoon on Flickr.

Simple life... Looks tempting to me :)