Liewwk Nature Photography

a new site .... http://liewwkphoto.com/blog/

2011-01-14T17:24:00.000+08:00

will be slowly migrate posts here to the new site which allow make different categories ... and allow easier management and looking for info...

http://liewwkphoto.com/blog/

My Gear - Mac Book Air

2011-01-11T17:07:00.000+08:00

finally I am also a Apple user ... I am totally new, not use to the OS for the 1st tough ....

but the screen great ... the weight of the MBA just amazing ....

- it even thinner than my Lumix Len cap ...

but too bad it is smaller by 50% of my workstation

not much thing attract me now ... have to test myself and will update how fast I adopt MAC OS after ~15years of Windows and UNIX users ...... 1st question is how I maximise my browser ??? :D

News - Colorless

2011-01-07T14:27:00.001+08:00

I do prefer colorful especially the beauty of Nature... I love the green, orange, golden color of the sky... leaf ..............

But I have to admit at certain view and weather.. it is always good to capture it as mono ... but I still not agree those unwanted picture to be convert to Mono instead .... we should always plan what we want to PP while we plan our shooting (but this do not mean we have to shoot in Black and White) but we can plan it, shoot it and convert it ..........

still long for me to learn ... it is totally new to me ...................................time to look around for expert and books .............

this was beautiful morning with golden Sun ray

mono make the mystery feel

weather was real bad ... no color at all on the sky .... I play with 10 stops filter to create the line .

I had create new set @flick

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157625640480407/

and had started a new category in my web site

http://www.liewwkphoto.com/gallery7.htm

(still empty as busy schedule , will try to get some update here)

News - Publish @WWF-MALAYSIA 2011 Calendar ...

2011-01-05T09:07:00.001+08:00

For 2010, I had few work published at few commercial photography magazines either from local or oversea... but this is my 1st time have my work publish in Calendar and it is for WWF-Malaysia. As part of the nature lover, I feel sad that feel of my usual MACRO ground had been destroy for development ......
e.g.
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/06/news-another-sad-news.html

Wild life need our help to protect them, WWF-Malaysia is one of the most active society that running conservation projects such as saving endangered species, protect forests, river, sea and etc .....

WWF-Malaysia 2011 Calendar

The Frog

this picture show while my last trip @BELUM Rainforest
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2009/10/2009-oct-23-25-belum-rainforest-outing.html

and the day before I went this outing, I got new that my work had published into an education book @Netherlands (previous post @
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-macro-pictures-are-published.html )

New Found - "Long Horn" Tree Hopper

2011-01-04T10:55:00.001+08:00

thanks my Gang shunfa to find this interesting Treehopper ... a beautiful one but too bad it's body got attack by mites just like my previous posts

a long-horned beetle full with mites

not only beetle, wasp, damselfly ....

even a tiny jumping spider

too bad, can't help much on the mites .. as it loo real small to remove ... and for the tiny jumping spider I tried to help but the mites jumping around me feel unconformable...

2010 MACRO Favorites | liewwk

2011-01-03T20:46:00.001+08:00

not really give a lot of effort on MACRO this year .... (>50% had use for travel and landscape)

but then think I still got few favorite shots myself

1. ... there is something on my body...Apple , egg ??? ..., 2. ... I want to fly ..., 3. ... a Killer !!! -1 ..., 4. it's always good to look close 33 - Ant-Mimic Crab spider, 5. ... ... it's always good to look close 46 - bee face ..., 6. Hello, this way please ..., 7. long-horned beetle in love - 1, 8. ... mama love ..., 9. ... hello , my name is lacewing ...

New Found - Owl Fly Family Ascalaphidae

2011-01-03T12:19:00.001+08:00

a new discover near my In-law garden ... I thought I lost them after the incident
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/06/news-another-sad-news.html

http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/12/they-are-back.html
but then I found most of the bugs back with new discover Owl Flyand this real rare to me .. 1st time saw it and not much ppl saw it wild in MALAYSIA too

My Gear - New Family Speedlite 270EX

2011-01-03T10:01:00.002+08:00

http://www.leephoto.com.my/http://www.fotopro.cn/products/accessories/468.htmlPlan to own this flash long ago not only plan for my Old MACRO setup

Bracket

Due to the light source is bigger and the softer effect is my preference so far but the weight and the MP-E65 long extend ... I had decided to change to Canon Mt-24 twin flash

With the 65mm, light is easier to control and much better than long focal length lenses but it make failure rate approach certain bugs higher ... so I never stop try and error for my SIGMA150 Macro len. [discussed @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-i-shoot-macro-new-lighting-test-for.html ]

so I had below item to start off new lighting for both short and long macro lenses

1. Speedlite 270
2. Fotopro twin flashes arm
- Malaysia Distributor is Lee Photo
3. Pixel TTL wireless trigger
4. Vellum Paper as diffuser
5. paper cup

so let's look close on my new member

- a small flash
- easy to use paper bowl to make diffuser

- not much control
- no manual setting
- just on off button

- my 5dm2 need a flash ... and it is small and fit nicely

- not only direct but can have bounce to ceiling too ...

result of the flash
- indoor 24mm, F8, ISO100, 1/60

#################################################
what surprise, it fit my Lumix Lx5 too

but then think TTL never work ....
- indoor 24mm, F8, ISO100, 1/60 - direct

but with bounce

look ok ... to use :D

I will build this cheaper/lighter new lighting ASAP and share to u all with another share.....

Panasonic DMC LX5 MACRO picture

2010-12-31T17:51:00.001+08:00

managed to try out 1cm MACRO today

it is fun to use PnS to do MACRO .... Liveview focus so easy ... AF ...... no need flash :D
non edit, non crop(shoot in Square), non curve, no change saturation .... noise reduce and resize only .....

this was shooting with my new gear family
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-gear-pns-camera-panasonic-lx5.html

My Gear - PnS Camera Panasonic LX5

2010-12-30T16:00:00.000+08:00

Mr 1st LEICA !!!!

finally I had make decision for my spare body .... a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5....

think too many people give review to this camera, and I am not going to share one now but my 1st hand experience

1. a solid point and shot
2. 1cm macro is fun (I am back with so much of DOF now)
3. image quality , from the screen is great
4. size much smaller than my 5d but slightly bigger than my Ixus700
5. for a new user (1st time using Panasonic camera), I understand and know where to set most of the basic requirement setting in ~10 minutes .. so this is consider a very user friendly PnS

will shoot more pictures using this camera to share more actual IQ concern :D

Full Specification can easily get from google or http://www.dpreview.com/news/1007/10072110panasonicdmclx5.asp

the main specifications that make me choose this
1. 24mm wide angle
2. aperture f2.0
3. proven IQ LX3
4. shutter speed 30-60s (24mm F2 @60s ... good for star :D)
5. 1cm MACRO

.....

New Found - a Mayfly in Hotel room !!!

2010-12-29T18:29:00.002+08:00

was surprise last trip to Terengganu, where we found 3 types of mayflies, soldierfly, beetle, ... in the hotel room itself ..........................

this is like other mayfly, not really move a lot and quite small ~5-7mm long .....

more flies pictures

How I shoot MACRO - Patient to wait

2010-12-28T15:14:00.000+08:00

love to do night macro but some of the insect may not active or sleeping in the night and it is good to shoot them while sleeping as in daylight you may not possible to shoot it .. e.g. bee, the bee use to flying around non-stop and not easy to have a capture of it in the day light but at night it will sleeping as

- it seldom move, or we can move it any location/direction to capture a beautiful sleeping style

but I getting bore after a while looking at this beautiful bee sleeping .. so I decide to mark the location and go back in the early morning (just before the bee wake up) , what I going todo
- wake up early (~6-630am)
- go back to the mark location
- use tripod to aiming or pre-focus to the bee
- wait ................................. it may wake up 1-1.5hr later :D so patient is important here
- the moment it wake up, it will stay still for ~5-30s depend on luck
- do not touch it to make it wake up this will make it flew off within 2-5s after we touch it

then with all the efforts above ...

or recently

News - Basic MACRO Workshop (Jan 2011)

2010-12-27T20:41:00.002+08:00

As special requested for Jan 2011, I have additional workshop happen on 16- 17 Jan near Genting, Pahang area.

it going to be 2days 1 night sharing, which include

1. travel from/return PJ/KL to Genting area
2. max 5 participants but 3 are fill so 2 left
3. accommodation include
4. 1 breakfast, 2 lunch, 1 dinner included
5. theory sharing for basic requirements for Nature - MACRO photography
    - gears basic
    - setting basic
    - lighting advices and DIY diffuser base on participant current setup
6. Basic Post Processing with Photoshop
    - WB correction
    - color cast remove
    - sensor dusts handling
    - basic curve and saturation
    - cloning
    - noise reduction
7. practical shooting with recommended method
    - basic MACRO shooting skill
    - flash shooting and natural light

Who should attend
- those have basic knowledge of photography and would like to know more on MACRO

What should bring
- Camera (DSLR will be recommended)
- MACRO len, if no MACRO len let me know more what do you have and we will arrange loan equipments
- flash (external prefer)
- tripod and monopod
- clothes for change
- notebook is recommended

for more details, contact me here

They are back !!!

2010-12-27T00:32:00.001+08:00

Cuckoo Bee - Thyreus sp

found back those bee use to stay near my In-law garden ... and most of them back !!! for what happen previously for this "small jungle" pls refer
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/06/news-another-sad-news.html

but too bad for Wee & Tan who missed this as we only found them 2nd day ....

I also found Owl-fly which is 1st time for me to see it in wild and it is so near to me ....

New Gallery for www.liewwkphoto.com - Slow Shutter

2010-12-21T15:30:00.000+08:00

http://www.liewwkphoto.com/gallery6.htmWe need to give good respect to people doing a lot of slow shutter photography... their patient to have better work need to respect ......

every shots could toke easily from 15s up to minutes... or even hours ... but it may not come out good due to composition, light change affect final output, wind shake, wave shake ....

every one extra stop we are talking in slow shutter could be in minutes ...

e.g. while we have correct exposure @30s but as for the light change (getting dark) due to sunset, we may need to have extra 1-2 stop where we are talking
30s extra exposure for 1 stop and 90s extra exposure for 2 stops .... as long as the calculation is wrong .... then everything have to reshoot, re-calculate again .......

I am shooting slow shutter witheither
1. night scape
2. B+W ND1000x
3. Lee Filter - Big Stopper

where discuss before @
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-gear-10-stops-nd-filters-b-w-nd100.html

after few shooting, I start love the slow shutter photography and promise to shoot more and share more .... and a New Gallery create for www.liewwkphoto.com

Slow Shutter - Gallery 6

thanks all ....

New Found - A Ant ? Katydid ? Hopper ? Cricket ?

2010-12-16T12:34:00.000+08:00

I found a Ant head but hopper/hopper look alike leg .... still need to verify it's ID ...

anyone can help ?

about ~10-12mm in size

New Found - A cute weevil

2010-12-09T10:02:00.000+08:00

An old picture or capture while I was at Kota Kinabalu Park (KK) , this beetle is ~5-8mm in size and look real cute ...

not really move alot may be due to cool weather ... but still floew off after ~3 shots, may be my diffuser is too close to it

more beetle/weevil collection
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157605373755899/with/5245543500/

Landscape Spot - Sunrise @Pantai Cermin, Port Dickson

2010-12-08T13:09:00.001+08:00

last weekend, have few good discover.. few good spots for sunset... and another wonderful sunrise spots found beach @Port Dickson (west coast of Malaysia) think many people will ask why can shoot the sun rise from the horizon ... :D

so the simple answer is as for now, the sun rise from east south so as the beach location it face east south and a river on east if we move ourselves along the beach ........

not only the sunrise surprise me but the reflection of the beach ..... I wonder why it call Mirror Lake (Pantai Cermin) while I was there few times .. but now I may know why it call such name ... the beach itself is nature mirror of the beautiful sky/sunrise, while I look for better foreground (sorry not much foreground can be found here especially high tide), I found the beach itself will become reflective after ~2-3 s after the wave hit the beach and it will disappear in few seconds too (after the water dissolve/penetrate into the ground).... the sunrise not really beautiful but I still share few pictures of this outing due to the nature beauty of this beach ....

and a series of pictures show how's the reflection come and go

I will definite will re-visit this place ...and share more soon....

location
- from Kuala Lumpur, South (Melaka, Johor, Singapore) from North south Highway
- look for Port Dickson out
- then look for Port Dickson (highway will be much easier/faster to access this beach) so follow Port Dickson (green board)
- follow the highway, you should reach to a roundabout ... don't worry look for Tanjung Tuan lighthouse direction
- before reach Tanjung Tuan
it is a right turn to famous Tanjung Biru (Blue Lagoon) and Pantai Cermin is on yours' left instead

My Gear - GND and 10 Stops ND filters

2010-12-06T14:52:00.001+08:00

just a quick share why I use GND or 10 stops ND filters in some case

1. the sky and foreground always have different of exposures and I do not want to use exposures blending, HDR and black card method to correct the exposure ...

e.g. original shot , no PP no filter, the sky look lost some highlight details especially the clouds

2. to get the correct exposure of the sky then foreground will look under

3. to correct the exposures, I normally use
i. Lee Filter GND filter
ii. Exposures masking (shoot multiple pictures to merge it)
iii. HDR
iv. black card, only apply while long exposure

but for this I only want to disucss 3i (Lee Filter GND)

4. to correct it normally I use Graduate Nature Density filter (GND) to correct the exposure of the sky or get more details of the sky without changing the foreground exposure

- with the help of the GND I have both sky and sea at right exposure with minimum effort

5. but for this type of weather, the sky may look dull and not so attractive.. so I make use of the bid stop ND to make the water look silky and the cloud movement ......

the exp from 1/5s to 140++s which allow us to see the movement line of the clouds to create more attractive sky and silky sea

and with proper planning here is my result

I will share how to use exposures masking, Photoshop GND ... in future ....

Landscape Spot - Port Dickson 1 [Pantai Pasir Panjang]

2010-12-06T10:23:00.000+08:00

it is not my 1st time visit this place .. but last week we make final decision to drop by and spent a wonderful evening with my gang [shunfa, Lio, Xiao Yi & Ken]....

it is locate almost end of famous beach Port Dickson where almost reach Melaka.
direction
- from Kuala Lumpur, South (Melaka, Johor, Singapore) from North south Highway
- look for Port Dickson out
- then look for Port Dickson (highway will be much easier/faster to access this beach) so follow Port Dickson (green board)
- follow the highway, you should reach to a roundabout ... don't worry look for Tanjung Tuan lighthouse direction
- then look for Pantai Pasir Panjang (which is ~12km to the destination)
- this place locate near Ikan Bakar Pantai Pasir Panjang

this place facing sunset so this is a good sunset spot with Tanjung Tuan Light house locate at far (but after dark you still view the light house lihgt)

e.g.

few advice .
1. take note of yours' tripod .. many fisherman walk around .. so may accident "kick" yours' tripod into sea
2. do not look for 2nd seafood store (the center one).. it took hours to serve even not much customer (ouckesssssssss, we are 2nd table and wait ~1.15 hours for our dishes to server)
3. mosquitoes after dark
4. plan with tide level if you want different view of the pier
5. beach is further in the ikan bakar store so if bring family have to plan for this as this spot do not have beach
......

an old shot

happy shooting .........

My Gear - LP-E6 (a.k.a Battery)

2010-12-03T10:03:00.001+08:00

As mentioned, slowly discuss all my equipments so I can't remember what I use after years later :D

from 3++ years ago, Sony a200, a700, 50d... all previous experience I did minimum own 3-4 batteries but until I own Canon EOS 5dm2, I still own 2 as today .. why .. this battery is so expensive .. ~RM330 (USD100) per pcs .. wow .......and there is no proven real good oem battery so far ... hmmm but recently someone told me another brand (OEM), and I just ordered online and hope it is real good and then I will share it here again....

so what so great of this battery ? the % .... it tell truth ,mean it tell you 5% mean you only have 5% to use not like previous battery even you see 1/3 bar but then it could just turn off your camera in 30s, you won;t know yours' actual remaining capacity. but for this .. it is so accurate ..

and how lasting ? hmmm if I shoot macro (non Liveview) with moderate preview .. it can easily shoot up to ~400-500 pictures ..... but while I shoot landscape, where I 95% use liveview and preview moderate, it only can last ~150-200 pictures and depend on the places I shoot (highland ... cold season .. all count too) ....

and why suddenly I want to share this before other accessories, because to let other know ... don't save xx dollar and you may already spent xxxxx dollar on gears .. it is so important ... and let's me share an experience (yesterday)...

I was went out for a discussion, and we decided to choose a place where I shoot a ok ok picture ... (as my client would like to shoot too)

but then, while I reach .... I have my tripod, lee filters , lenses ready .. and spot ready ... while I turn on my battery .. my battery sign blinking .. aikssssssssssss.. goiks .. and I went check .. it left 4% ........................................... and the sunset look great ... so I can';t resist to shoot few .. but the sky just turn amazing ... and I know I left last chance, may be last shot or even less than 5 ............and the SKY keep turn so dramatic , and I ask where is ALEX as he use to be here everyday and he is my the only hope . but he didn't turn up as busy with work .....and I use my last battery available to capture a video to share

so look at this view , do you still want to save $ on yours' battery ????

My Gear - 10 stops ND filters (Schneider - nd1000x vs Lee Filter - Big Stopper)

2010-11-30T18:18:00.002+08:00

I will start to slowly review my gear (those camera, lenses, accessories) slowly here to share some experience ..

some may not be mine but belong to my gang or Lee Photo , thanks Lee to allow me to test or special order some of the accessories so far and I managed to compare, test or know the quality of my purchase before I really own it ....

today I will start with one of my important Landscape accessories, ND filter ... but I refer to ~10stops filter ....

I own bot Schneider ND110 & Lee filter big stopper so I will show some samples here... sorry for not able to rent a nd400 (HOYA) to test together ....

Schneider nd1000x

- own this ~2 year ago
- screw in
- same as other 10 stops filter total dark

Lee Filter - Big Stopper

- just got this with special order .. world wide no stock ???? for months
- square so can use with my standard Lee filter bracket or Cokin Z series holder
- same as other 10 stops filter total dark

as mentioned above, total dark .. so how to use this ????
1. custom functions to 1/2 stops ass appose to 1/3 as it comes on default
2. without the ND filter, set to MF
3. focus and read the exposure time (remember it with aperture)

if screw in type
4. if use screw type, remove UV filter and screw in nd filter
5. if GND need to be use put on filter holder and put in GND (not easy to handle this as you not really know where to position yours' GND

if square type
6. position yours' GND
7. slot in the Big Stopper (this is where I prefer to use my Big Stopper now !).. it is so easy to use together with other filters

8. from the exposure reading above, use below method to calculate the right exposure

1/4000 1/2000 1/1000 1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15 1/8 1/4 1/2 1(second) 2s 4s 8s 15s 30s 1(minute) 2min 4min 8min 16min 30min 1hour 2h 4h 8h

if you have exp
15s at F8 , ISO1600
why I use high ISO
- easy to get exposure reading even with 10 stops
- for ISO1600, and I know from ISO1600 -> ISO100, I going to brighten in 4 stops

if with 10 stops filter the reading is 15s @ISO1600
- so while I use ISO100, I need 4 stops brighter
- then I need 4 minutes exposures to get it right @ISO100

so is this easier ? just make a table print it and bring it with u any where :D

or if you purchase Big Stopper , the table will be included in the package ..

9. if ~30s then bulb require to make the right exposure
10. please take note while shooting dawn and dusk ... light change very fast .... you may manual compensate +-1/3 stops base on the time you shoot and light

after above how I use the nd filter, let's look at the filter samples

1. all above shoot very close timing with tripod, AWB, same ISO and sam aperture... same raw--->jpeg setting

- without any filter
- no correction of WB or color cast

2.with Schneider nd1000x

- the magenta cast is bad for me

3. with Lee Filter Big Stopper

- the blue cast look bad to me too

so both give a bad cast to me .. so I have to shoot in raw (I always shoot raw some how), and correct the WB and color cast simply use the camera raw WB tool (click on the white point and move around)..
by simple click

both above pictures below are corrected pictures(exposures may be different due to the light change or the filter still have slight stop different

even-though both still provided different result but it look close to the original WB and color cast make use of grey card/white paper or some manual adjustment may help to approach more natural WB and colors .....

for me , I prefer Big Stopper as I can easily combine to use with GND filter ... even though

How I Shoot Landscape - Shoot under the rain

2010-11-29T22:58:00.000+08:00

we having real bad weather recently .. either cloudy, hazy ... or rain almost everyday ... but again and again , we never give up and we managed to enjoy beautiful sunrise and sunset for last weekend ....

Every time rain, I telling my friend .. "no worry, canon weather proof mah .." so do I shoot under rain? Yes and no ... I never know how to verify how many ml/m or ml/feet .. :D so I judge myself every time... is it worth to shoot even rain ? and I continue shoot most of the time if the rain do not hit on to my len :D

so when I 1st meet horn-frog in wild

it was heavy rain in the jungle ... I saw it ... how I resist to have few shot .. :D

last Saturday, I went out for a sunset outing and most of my gang never give up even raining. We setup our gear and wait for the light to appear ....

so how I call weather proof :D

haha .. normally I use rain coat for my camera so I will be all wet while waiting for the moment .. but this time I use umbrella .. thanks Suzanne Chew for the umbrella (think it was for me but end up I use it for my camera)...

both pictures above also capture using Canon :D (Canon Ixus :D )

so what I waiting for ?

... never give up ...

worth the wait ?

some of my "crazy gang waiting shot (different date) and thanks Alexander Poh for the lake location and the capture ....

*** please do not follow their action .. if you love yours; camera :D

How I Shoot Landscape - shoot the stars

2010-11-28T20:01:00.000+08:00

last 2 nights, spend hours to chase star and trying to capture in .... again weather not really at our site .. seem the cloudy days will be still with us ....

it is not difficult to shoot stars, and let me share some of my experience

if you do not have extra telescope equipment (e.g.Losmandy G11 with Celestron C8), we can either shoot a star trail or max ~30-50s else the star will be look like a small lines instead of blinking stars

- I do not own one those equipment so I do not know in depth .. but basic is those equipment will auto trace the stars so we can have longer exposure (which really need it while in real dark environment and do not want to shoot super high ISO

so ... I shoot as below
1. star trail

a. in real dark environment, make a rough estimation of exposure with setting below
    i. biggest aperture as possible
    ii. infinity focus
    iii. manual focus
    iv. mirror lock up
    v. high ISO normally I use ~400-1600 depend the environment
    vi. for the exposure depend on the light pollution ... may need few try to get right exposure
    vii. shoot 2 picture .. the sky one could be very long and make the foreground over expose. so shoot another exposure for foreground

b. not so dark environment
    i. biggest aperture as possible
    ii. infinity focus
    iii. manual focus
    iv. mirror lock up
    v. high ISO normally I use ~400-1600 depend the environment
vi. shoot 10-30s depend how bad is the light pollution
    vii. set shooting mode to continuous shooting, and use remote to continue shooting for >20mintues (you should see some line or curve depend which direction you face)
    viii. shoot 2 picture .. the sky one could be very long and make the foreground over expose. so shoot another exposure for foreground
   viiii. use a software call startrail.exe (google it) and it can auto stack the all shots into single frame which combine the star as line/curve
     x. shoot north and south :D , if possible... if you prefer circle/curve compare to lines
     xi. I use a software load into my android call skymap .. real coold application, you should have it , if you love night photography

or .. for both shooting for sure you need a clear sky which mean better planning and luck :D

sample from last 2 nights
1. sample at not so dark or even quite bright area ...
canon 5dm2 +1635L@16mm+168 exp
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 8/1 second ===> 8 second
# Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 28/10 ===> ƒ/2.8
# ISO Speed Ratings = 400

which I do not have luck

... Time-lapse while waiting for the clear sky ...

or better view @
http://www.liewwkphoto.com/still/Putrajaya/28Nov2010/Putrajaya28112010.htm

2 sample under bit dark area

a. long exposure method
apply with some black card method
5dm2, SIGMA 1224@12mm, tripod, cable release
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 727/1 second ===> 727 second
# Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 5/1 ===> ƒ/5
# ISO Speed Ratings = 400

images stack method

hope this give some ideas how I shoot stars ..

How I Shoot Landscpae - some basic

2010-11-25T12:02:00.001+08:00

I think this is my 1st share on "how I shoot landscape", I am still far to learn at landscape photography. for me it is real challenge compare to what I did before ..... while you shoot landscape you need

1. luck - weather not control by us
           - you have right weather do not mean you at right place
   - need to understand the light .. what's the best time for this angle ... sunset , sunrise ... magic hour etc ... need to know what light you need but then it is very much depend your' luck... even though sometime weather forecast do help

2. need more understanding of yours' camera
    - how to change WB (which I seldom do this previously)
    - what is hyperfocal distance of each focal length
    - need good skill to control yours' tripod. the light could be just appear for seconds ...
    - exposures bracketing (need for exposure masking, HDR ....)
    - calculation of exposure under bulb mode

overall we need to understand our equipment especially our camera ... so read manual, internet guidance .... before go out else you may miss the great view ....

3. composition
    - one of the most challenge ... nowadays, think many of us try to no shoot the main object directly but with add on some blocking object thought it is composition then we are wrong .... it is just call foreground inside the frame but not composition
    - this sound very simple ... some thing make viewer feel comfortable ... simple ???? but it is not
    - it should have some line (U, L, J, triangle ....) leading from sky to object to the foreground, symmetry, rule 2/3, keep in simple ... you may come with it , learn it from forum, pictures sharing web site , books ......(but prefer to learn from few peoples or forum instead one ... )
    - do not fully addict to one style while learning, try learn all methods or understand then choose yours' style later after build all the foundation. e.g. shoot basic landscape before learn exposures masking then HDR ... then use filters ....

4. environment
    - need to study what time the sunrise and sunset
    - tide table
    - moon table especially for nightscape
    - temperature

5. stamina
    - need minimum hiking, jungle trekking to get to the beautiful places

6. choose right equipments
    - tripod .... choose those withstand salt water, mug ...weight will kill while have hiking
    - lenses .... need full focal length else you may miss out what you want. weather seal is recommended
    - camera .... good dynamics range, weather seal is highly recommended.. weight
    - beg .... multiple begs require for different location, weight of the beg
    - filters .... need different filters for different effect or capture. CPL, ND, GND ....
    - transport .... eventually you may need 4WD to access some beautiful places

7. post processing
    - it really help to improve the final output
    - not doing the super impose
    - clone dusts, increase contrast, increase saturation, masking for exposures ... noise reduce are basic requirements
    - shoot raw in case WB need to be change so it can be done easily
    - color cast remove easier by using RAW too
    - calibrate monitor

so all I learn now ... may keep update while I find something I need to add on .. and will discuss each in details slowly in future ...

other - missing the star

2010-11-10T08:27:00.000+08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157625036722574/with/5160885453/my star chasing have stop for months, and due to I stay in a town full with light pollution so I need to travel far to see stars clearly..... the weather also stop me to do so....

my last star shoot ... and I miss this place very much ~3.5 hours travel from city .. so should I plan one this month ? but weather just bad ...90% of the sky cover by clouds for weeks...

Kemasik beach, Terengganu , Malaysia

more picture for beautiful Terengganu click here

Landscape Spot - Masjid As-Salam

2010-11-09T09:24:00.001+08:00

a beautiful gem found near by city where I live, all the this while I had miss DQ Mosque and dreaming of the beauty of the mosque (last visit March 2010).... below are some beautiful pictures of the mosque

Selangor

more pictures from the same Mosque click here

but I didn't know another beautiful Mosque (Masjid As-Salam) just ~15minutes drive from my house .... this Mosque is some where near Puchong Perdana, Puchong .... (can easily search Masjid Terapung at Puchong) and it have a lake just infront of the mosque which good for sunrise ...

- ~20minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur center

The lake give beautiful reflection while the wind is not strong ......

few capture from the beautiful mosque

more Kuala Lumpur (the city I stay) click here

Travel -Toba Lake 2010

2010-10-28T09:42:00.001+08:00

a visit to Toba Lake on 21-24 Oct 2010 ....

################ brief description from wiki ########################
Lake Toba (Indonesian: Danau Toba) is a lake and supervolcano, 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide, and 505 metres (1,666 ft) at its deepest point. Located in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra with a surface elevation of about 900 metres (2,953 ft), the lake stretches from 2°53′N 98°31′E / 2.88°N 98.52°E to 2°21′N 99°06′E / 2.35°N 99.1°E. It is the largest volcanic lake in the world.^[1]
Lake Toba is the site of a supervolcanic eruption that occurred 69,000-77,000 years ago,^[2]^[3]^[4] a massive climate-changing event. The eruption is believed to have had a VEI intensity of 8. It is believed to be the largest explosive eruption anywhere on Earth in the last 25 million years. According to the Toba catastrophe theory to which some anthropologists and archeologists subscribe, it had global consequences, killing most humans then alive and creating a population bottleneck in Central Eastern Africa and India that affected the genetic inheritance of all humans today.^[5] This theory however, has been largely debated as there is no evidence for any other animal decline or extinction, even in environmentally sensitive species.^[6] However, it has been accepted that the eruption of Toba led to a volcanic winter with a worldwide decline in temperatures between 3-5 degrees C, and up to 15 degrees C in higher latitudes.
#######################################################

4days3night spend as below
Day1
1. arrived Medan
- driver is ready for us
    - the driver skill must be really good, the road are small, but they are like driving F1!!!

2. Shooting cows with Mt. Sinabung (another Volcano recently erupts) as background
- so close to the Volcano ... we were late for the sunset as day light end bit early
    - not really good weather
    - but the experience look at the volcano is different

[reserve pic]

Day2
1. Sunrise at Mt Sibayak
    - 45minutes hike...
    - hiking on volcano is real good experience
    - the sound of the pressure from the ground just amazing
    - the sulfuk smell ...

     - not a perfect sunrise but the experience let me vote this as best of the trip....and I think I fall in love with volcano

2. driving from North Toba Lake
    - meet up Indonesia Photographers
    - the lake just amazing

    - again, driving here is not fun ... if you plan to drive. Please get ready of it

3. great sunset at Balige.
    - a bad weather
    - no one expect to have good sunset
    - but sky change dramatically... every like WOW ...
    - most beautiful sky among the trip

- people here very much depend on the lake even water source.....

4. great dinner at Toba Art
    - meeting Indonesia photographers, media, artist ...
    - they are all here celebrate Pesta Toba
    - the dinner was GREAT .. the fish is delicious

Day 3
1. Sunrise Tara Bunga & Dolok Tolong in the morning
- but again weather was bad
    - the view make me decide , I will go again !!!

2. the ferry ride to Samosir
- good experience , ~45minutes on a lake ... with car on the ferri .. wow
    - to park yours' car while in the ferry... judge yourselve rather listen to the guide :D

3. shooting human interest near Pangururan
- weather is not good
    - but here is another place , make be say "I will be coming back again !"
    - people here peace, friendly, they play without worry .....

more pictures will be continue upload and share @
Toba Lake 2010 | Liewwk

Travel - Pulau Pinang , Malaysia

2010-10-19T19:11:00.002+08:00

I had spent 3d2n at one of the northeast state of Malaysia. a non stop photo shooting with my gang (thanks to all of you - Shunfa, Jason, Wee, Suzanne, Phooi Teng, Lio, SP, Sky & Seethoe [special thanks for the accommodation] )

travel from Kuala Lumpur ~3.5hours to arrive to the Island with non-stop ... (hmm think not too far but between the journey few speed traps were set :D )...

day1 - arrive in the afternoon, went to Seethoe & Sky extra apartment and rest
        - Sg Batu for sunset
        - dinner with Lou Lou ... ohhhhhh a wonderful meal
[image pending]

day2 - woke up 4am to Jelutong Expressway for sunrise
        - bit too early as sunrise should be ~7am
        - rain ... so no sunrise shots :(
        - simple breakfast
        - Canon Marathon ....
[images pending (my submitted pictures)]
        - lunch ... sister fried kuey teoh
- after submitted the pictures rush to Sg Burung for sunset
        - dinner - hou chian , satay, lobak .......

day3 - tired but still woke up for Jelutong Expressway for sunrise
   - town round trip and some biscuit buying ......

beside have a wonderful sun chasing (we had go for 2 sunset and 2 sunrise outing in total), we had wonderful foods, Canon Marathon event ....

day2 sunrise

day3

and 3 of my marathon pictures .. :D sorry for bad picture

eye on EOS

Humanity

Delicious ....

while I am tired......

more pictures will share @
Pulau Pinang series

other - color ... or black & white

2010-10-15T09:29:00.001+08:00

I am not a fan of black & white but do enjoy viewing other beautiful black & white pictures ..
am busy for week and not really process my picture or choose a good one to share so siply convert 2 pictures of mine to black and white to reflect my view/mood of this week ...

... where is my color ...

... between ...

Review - Canon 2470L vs 24105L vs 1635L

2010-10-04T16:40:00.000+08:00

a short and quick compare of 3 lenses
left most - 2470
center - 24105
right - 1635L m1

1. tripod same position and angle
2. timer
3. LV manual focus center
4. standard JPEG straigh out
5. no UV filter
6. AWB, Aperture mode

do this for my friend .....

physically
1. 2470 most solid
2. 2470 very heavy
3. outer build 2470 is best
4. all are 77mm thread (1635L m1)

below is the results
24mm @F4

1635L

2470L

24105L

100% crop of above pictures (pls ignore the exif .. as I use stacked method and the eixf is refer the base picture ...

1635L

2470L

24105L

at F4@24mm, I can see small different of sharpness which 2470 make a lead at the center

but the vignette is bad for 24105 and follow by 2470 .... and 1635 is a different range of len ... I leave it here just to see some different but we shouldn't use it as compare .. (which is not a fare comparation)

24mm @F8

1635L

2470L

24105L

for the center sharpness still do not have big different but 24105L show weak at off corner ... even as close at the "speaker" area

2470 produce less vignette compare to the other 2 lenses at F8 ....

a single picture consist all 100% crop at center
24mm
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5050500576_e1b624113d_o.jpg

35mm
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5050554670_a4ee23326d_o.jpg

70mm (only 2470L & 24105L)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/5049964925_6fb0221f67_o.jpg

if you need more pictures to compare do let me know so I will post it here ASAP ...

New Found - Mantis [Metallyticus splendidus]

2010-10-03T21:15:00.002+08:00

new found and confirm the mantis
Metallyticus sp

http://tolweb.org/Metallyticus/12500

it had been long, I stop macro and found a new bug from my collection list ...

saw this funny bug (look like mantis, cricket ....)on a tree trunk (found 2 of them), they move real fast but not really fly and jump ... so still checking what's the ID of it

a mantis look for sure

the tail ...

New Found - a scary looking wasp

2010-09-27T21:10:00.000+08:00

a big wasp ~2-2.5inch with the long and scary tail... it look like Ichneumon but need confirmation

even found it summer time, it move slow ...manage to capture few angle of this scary looking wasp ...

and for full view .. no chance to change len .. so use stitch method again

more wasp

Landscape Spot - Kuala Abang, Terengganu

2010-09-27T12:08:00.000+08:00

sunrise is not common for me especially seascape sunrise, as I stay @west coast of Malaysia. I had plan east coast to look for sunrise spot since early of the year 2010 .. but I was too busy to work out one ....

Last weekend, I had a chance to stay there 3d 2 nights... (a wonderful weekend I had), finally I can spent my time slowly to look for spots for the days and future. the time pass fast so I manage to spend time for
Kuantan -> Kemasik --> Kuala Abang --> Pantai Chendering --> Kuala Terengganu --> Kuala Abang --> Paka .... (and some beaches in between....)

back to the days... I was lucky , managed to
i. 2 sunrise
ii. 1 beautiful sunset @ Floating Mosque
iii. beautiful night sky .. but too tired to have star trail

for this I am sharing a place call Kuala Abang, it locate ~1.5 hour (normal speed) drive from Kuantan, Pahang. this place full with beaches, homestay, inn , hotel..... so no worry for the accommodation. even you can't find one, it is not far to Kemasik or Kuala Terengganu.

I spend one of the morning near (few steps away) Kuala Abang Guest House, it have a beautiful Island opposite , big rocks near by , coconut tree ...... sunrise for sure (if you lucky enough) .

few thing to remember ...
i. not much food variety ....and have to drive out to look for
ii. beaches are dangerous to swim ...
iii. many sharp rock ..

some fisherman and cleaner wil pass by the sea in the morning ...

will go again for sure ..........................

New Found - a Orange Long-horned beetle

2010-09-23T07:51:00.000+08:00

a cute and beautiful beetle , but it harm the plantation .....

it move slow while I see them .. in group (Northborough, MA, US) .......

more
liewwk beetle collection
liewwk 2010 US collection

Landscape - the waiting

2010-09-21T22:59:00.002+08:00

not too sure what is my feeling on the waiting moment for the sun to be out or disappear.. because every time it happen just too fast and I never able to record down my feel of the moment ....

one of the e.g.
the sky show it going to be beautiful day for sunrise but the mist full cover the dam/lake ... it going to be confuse feeling where I hate to mist but I could love it too as it make make a wonderful misty feel sunrise ........(what am I saying !!!!)

so do you enjoy the waiting or hate it.?

and I am sure I enjoy the moment to wait ........................

updated 22 Sept 2010...

Landscape - a Cold Sunrise

2010-09-21T14:17:00.000+08:00

While I have my US trip April 2010, I managed to capture few beautiful and cold sunrise which discuss before @ Coldest landscape outing I ever have

beside the good experience to feel the cold sunrise (while I am talking about cold mean it was ~<10C). I did capture few 2010 Landscape favorite .... and one of it publish and won a challenge in a local Photography magazine challenge (July 2010 Challenge HDR, Digital Camera Malaysia, DCM)

and it publish

and yesterday one of my gang request me to re-work the picture without HDR ... so I just did a simple exposure mapping from 2 pictures ... did some contrast, saturation

*** could be different by few minutes of both picture but same angle, time and setup used.

More @
US 2010 series
2010 liewwk Landscape
liewwk Sunrise series

other - where is the Milky ?

2010-09-13T09:47:00.000+08:00

I was trying to capture a Milky Way since early 2010 till now ... may be my living place have too much light pollution and my luck is always not with me (few times staying in total dark place also having bad weather...)

but this is little close (or I could be wrong...) the note I added seem is park of the Milky Way ....

and this was from Ulu Geroh, Gopeng... which I wrote a share on this place before .. click here

other - happy week ...

2010-09-04T16:07:00.000+08:00

I had wonderful friday dinner ... my gang celebrate my birthday (aiksss am one year older now) ... we laugh non stop , delicious food (seafood) and we have long never gather like this dinner ... think we should have this once every 2-3 month .. (man the food little pricey lah but good)

after the wonderful dinner (we reach home >12am today) and then most of us woke up 4am to hike to Bukit Tabur again (my Bukit Tabur collection) for sunrise ... even it was a disappointment's weather which make me have ZERO worth landscape/sunrise picture (again ... the forecast say whole day clear but we have whole day cloudy now !!!!) .... but I would say today is another happiest photography outing day I had for 2010 ...

but we (KD, Lio, Real, Shunfa, Phooi Teng, Jason ... miss out a girl FFK) were enjoy the moment while we rest on the area we normally capture sunrise shot ... and have some funny shot with the new toy ...

-- handsome Lio
-- look at his handsome face with the beautiful view

-- fit Real Ho
-- he spent <30 minutes to hike uo to Bukit Tabur
(I spent ~60minutes today)

-- this gentleman very famous ... almost every trip to here.. some girls will pass phone number or fb contact to him !!!!
-- he is Hero today, he safe a girl fall into a hole (on this picture right of the orange color girl stand position). the girl fall into deep ~10feet, he safe/bring her up

*** please hike with experience hiker for few trip before lead or hike to this mountain .... it is quite dangerous and need experience hiker for guidance ...

--- this is me .... :D
--- handsome ? cute ? leave some comments lah :D

miss out Jason on :( aikssss but let me share who is Jason

--- this cute, handsome.... funny looking guy call Jason or Xiao Ming (小明)
- the other lady call Phooi Teng, who don't want to appear in my FB or blog ... (may be ... hmmm :D )

a group picture .. miss out
KD & Phooi Teng

more Bukit Tabur Pictures

Travel - National Park Endau Rompin, Johor, Malaysia 2

2010-09-02T20:58:00.000+08:00

continue from previous post
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/08/travel-national-park-endau-rompin-johor.html

not a very good picture but still prefer to share this picture (show off how I shoot this :D )

we are at the Pantai Burung of Endau Rompin (Peta) , while we shooting the beautiful reflection ...

and I also busy to check out where will Sun raise .. and found out it will raise behind us .. then how ? so ...

--- cross the river to the other side ....

and this is how I shoot the sunrise ....with the travel tripod !!!! (I love my new tripod alot .. and ohh forgot to give some report on the tripod.....)

how I shoot ... the "Dreamy Path"

more Endau Rompin pictures click liewwk Endau Rompin Series

Landscape Spot - Bukit Tabur

2010-08-31T18:17:00.003+08:00

this beautiful water dam locate @ Gombak, Selangor.... 20 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur center city

###############
this place may not be available after 3-4 years from now .. as the planned KL Outer Ring Road (KLORR) will cut through this Klang Gates Quartz Ridge dragon backbone citing this option has the minimum cost compared to other alternative. which report by theStar here

###############

a not really a tough hike (from west), it should be ~45-60minutes hike to the spot to shoot beautiful sunrise. And it should be ~90-120minutes for the total hike ...

this hill is not tough but little dangerous or challenge, especially after rain...
i. the sharp rock
ii. deep hike, might need to use hand to hike up .. so please tight yours' tripod on the beg
iii. initial hike is deep , so slow on 1st 10 minute
iv. many hiker or visitors so be careful while moving yours' tripod
v. not advice to go raining season for non experience hiker or rock climber :D

today is my 4th or 5th times for 2010 up there and today is most beautiful so far ....

but I almost failed to hike up, ......
little too old to hike ? almost fail to repeat to climb this mountain and late for the star trail shooting (but still early for sunrise) ... not too sure why, could be not feeling well after knowing a jealous guy that can do any thing on you and I am not sure what happen ??? and what make him do so ??? ... or do I feel sad ? nope ... I am happy while with my gang ... my Jie Xi ... wife .. family ... and important thing is I still enjoy my hobby .....

life still go on for me no matter what happen .. so just ignore people that selfish, jealous ... world still full with good peoples with right altitudes .....

I was late for the stars but still alright for the sunrise ... thanks for the friend support ... I really appreciate ... what you do for me

this moment make me forgot almost everything ....

add on

added 6th Sept 2010

more pictures will be sharing @

Bukit Tabur Series

other - what will you doing while waiting for the sunset ...

2010-08-30T18:09:00.000+08:00

it depend on the location , some place I can order "Ikana Bakar" (Grill fish) , some I need to bring my own coffee ......

last weekend, I spend 2 places (Tg Bidara @Melaka & Jelatek @Kuala Lumpur) to spend my evening for sunset .....

so what I did .....

Saturday @Tg Bidara.. this place full with this Tiger beetle

Sunday, @Jelatek ... nothing much I can do at the corridor .. and forgot my coffee .. so

patient is important and the wait may not give you any worthy shots .. but we still chasing, waiting ... every weeks.......... this is Photographer patient ...

other - landscape not always need good weather

2010-08-30T11:38:00.000+08:00

last friday, it was a cloudy day and rain in some area too... but I still drive ~40KM to meet up few friends for sunset shooting .... and I had plan for worst, which mean I will shoot nothing or press the shutter ......

but while I reach there, even the tide is high.... the cloud look bad ... no color on the sky but I still trying to look for a spot to get some "no so" sunset feel pictures ......

Just before the sunset, the sun did appear (20-30%) out from the thick clouds ..... and I manage to get some orange color over the dull color look sky ... and with the high tide ... I would say few worthy pictures are capture .... and I keep this with me, "it is depend how we shoot the moment but the moment show us what we should shoot"

thanks ... a busy and tired morning .. just want to share this before I forgot :D

more pictures from this beautiful place @ Pantai Jeram series

MACRO PP - When you meet a big bug (photomerge)

2010-08-27T10:18:00.000+08:00

this is mostly sharing for MP-E65 user but it do apply for other user too when there are few occasion which need this Photomerge technique.

For MP-E65 user, one of the problem is we only have minimum magnification of 1:1 and while the bug >35mm (for Full frame user) or >23mm (APS-c user)then the object will never fit into single frame .. but we need it to be fit sometime (big is not always GOOD).... there are few suggestion

i. easy way , get another normal MACRO len which can do <1:1 (which I do it too)
ii. but sometime the moment may not allow you change len as it may leave you .....then photomerge will be better/quick solution

it is not difficult to shoot macro for pano/merger and I did a sharing once @ here. but today let me share little more on which option I use in CS..... here are the step

i. shoot with same magnification and need some cross area
- shoot more so you can stack
- incase miss out some portion

ii. use CS photomerge option

iii. use auto ... most of the time

iv. choose the pictures you wish to merge

v. it is done .....for few sec/min

vi. and crop away what ever area you fill you don't want or if you want the area but not able to cover (those white area) ..then you can use "clone" option to recover it.

or just crop as

then caterpillar is done ....

New Found - A Hairy Jumping Spider 2

2010-08-26T10:38:00.000+08:00

previously I found a hairy jumping at Petaling Jaya, Selangor , Malaysia and discuss @ New Found - a Hairy Jumping Spider. But after I met this one from Kota Kinabalu park.. then the previous one become so hairless ....

I found a lantern bug but let it flew off.. then I was trying to find another one nearby ( ... :( )
... with my help of my wife and Jie Xi . Instead lantern bug , my wife found a real big and hairy jumping spider ... and I spent ~an hour on this jumping spider alone...

here are few angle to capture this beauty ...

shoot this @1:1 with MP-E65 .. I would say easily 20mm at long side

while look close

Other - Do not simply Give Up !

2010-08-24T16:05:00.000+08:00

this is for those need some momentum to continue to their patient (for work, hobby, wish ....)

while I was shooting beautiful sunrise/sunset for pass, I experience while we had give up and almost leave the place .. and the sky just have dramatic change make the normal view become a WOW .......

and while me spend my time with my wife and Daughter @KK park in the evening (~6:30pm) the sky look just normal. while almost everyone give happy with the "ok" sunset shots ....... all a sudden the sky change dramatically ... it is like flaming red with blue ... purple .. and every is like WOW and taking picture of the beautiful view non-stop but it only appear within few minutes and get dark .....

~625pm

and we(me, my wife, Jie Xi and other visitors) almost leaving ~640pm... the sky change dramatically

and everyone then busy again with the beautiful magic hour view (which only last few minutes)

these were from my 2010 Aug KK trip

Travel - National Park Endau Rompin, Johor, Malaysia

2010-08-24T14:49:00.000+08:00

finally I step into this National park - Endau Rompin after years ... (my very 1st time to Taman Negara after in photography)... I would say is not really a very good trip for photography due to weather and some unplanned activities that took up our time and make us tired enough ....but I really enjoy the trip with my photography gang ... (Jason, Tan, Andy, Philip Wee and Maureen). the moment the environment make me start plan another trip there and hope it can be early of 2011.

so my advice is to plan the trip there properly, it is a big jungle and plan where you want to visit then where you want to stay .. (either chalet, camp ...)

something to plan out
i. what you going to interest to ? hiking ? camping ? photography ? for landscape , wild life, bird, macro, orang asli ... etc

from #i decide where you want to stay

i. do you need electricity
ii. do you prefer to have daily long walk (~3hours return) for different activity

there are few place to stay
i. Kg. Peta
   - a place with Chalet (not too expensive)
   - Dorm (real cheap but sharing with other)
   - electricity available
   - "cold river" water for bath
   - chalet is good for family trip too
   - Botanical garden is good for birding, macro
   - Kg Peta Jetty , saw alot of butterfly
   - Pantai Burung , good for landscape (sunrise, sunset)... might need to cross the river
   - near by the Dorm, not much thing found by this trip but do believe it may due to weather
   - Orchid Garden can find a lot of mushroom

ii. Jasin
   - another place with Chalet and Dorm
   - little far (boat ~40minutes and ~15minutes walk)
   - just like Kg Peta
   - nearer to Upih Guling (Waterfall) [~1.5hours walk]
   - Tasik Biru [~1.5hours walk]

iii. Tg Marong
    - camp site
    - 4 wheel reachable
    - ~15minutes to either Upih Guling and Tasik Biru

--> Upih Guling

    - a real place for wild life and macro
    - still far to Buaya Sangkut [~3.5hours walk]

iv. Batu Hampar
- last camp site and closer to Buaya Sangkut
    - not much details
    - next planning to here

--> Upih Guling

--> Pantai Burung

--> little adventure here

--> Kg Peta

--> while on the boat

--> simply a snake

Some Warning
- mosquitoes !!!
- leeches !!!!!!!!!!
- long walk is require for most of the location
- porter is not really expensive , if you want can arrange one for daily basic

more pictures for this trip will be share @ liewwk 2010 Aug Endau Rompin
and pictures will be upload part by part due to my busy schedule

let's wait for my next visit for better experience for this great place

Travel - Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

2010-08-20T10:55:00.000+08:00

Last week I make family trip (plan for long) to Kota Kinabalu (KK) and we spent 3 days at Kundasang which near Kota Kinabalu park enjoy the coldness, beauty of the Mount KK .....

and we stay in Puncak Borneo Resort which is locate ~5min drive to KK Park .. this is a highly recommend hotel , it is clean, not really expensive, the worker there friendly, food here have wide variety and not expensive....most important choose the room with Mount KK view... and this is what I see from bed while I wait up

we went
i. KK Park for enjoy the air, shoot some beautiful mountain view, macro ...
ii. Poring Hot Spring .. wow it is long drive but nothing special ....except many pretty girls around :D

after spent days @Kundasang, we went down to KK city to join a Island trip to enjoy the beautiful beaches, sea .... (Ohhhhh my phone jump into sea to dive so I end up with new phone now :D ).... We didn't spend much time in the city (only 2d1night)

but the sunset and sunrise just amazing

and my wife & Jie Xi 1st time join me to wait for beautiful sunset

the next day, I went to KK Mosque to wait for beautiful sunrise and the lake reflection is real gem for KK photographer .. it is amazing.. I end up burn 4GB memory ~1hour :D

more pictures will be uploaded to 2010 Aug KK Visit

How I Shoot MACRO - Cheaper version of Wimberley Twin Head Bracket

2010-08-19T21:56:00.000+08:00

I was impress with my previous testing Jul 2010 as show below

Canon MP-E65 + Canon MT-e4 + Wimberley Macro twin bracket

as mentioned previously , the setup were
i. little bulky
ii. difficult to control the position as need to adjust the screws for different magnification
iii. costly (do I mentioned this ?)

but I really need the flash to be backward little bit to have better control of the light (better angle and make bigger light source)... so I am looking at alternative for pass 1month... finally I found a similar accessories to have similar setup as above but

i. 1/10 of the owimberley cost
ii. and better and easier adjustment of angle (without need to losse and tight the scews)

a twin flash clamps ...

so I have similar setup

I may not have time to test this setup this week... preparing to go another jungle for coming weekend. But will definitely share results of this twin flashes setup ASAP to you all ..

New Found - beautiful Caterpillar

2010-08-09T10:37:00.000+08:00

finally another wish list clear .. one of the most beautiful caterpillar (even not the picture, and this found at night and it stand at real ugly leaf :D )

and thanks Jason Loo (who found it) and Andy Paul for the ID ... thanks .. and I really enjoy to shoot with you all .. learn a lot and happy ..............

ID still on progress of verify .. but is between T. iapis or T. pelea

How I shoot MACRO - Lighting result for SIGMA 150mm macro (2010 Aug)

2010-08-03T11:05:00.000+08:00

As agree, I am sharing result of the new flash lighting for SIGMA150 Macro len as discuss in 2010 Aug - SIGMA150 lighting.

The intention is not compare lighting with my MP-E65 lighting setup but design a acceptable lighting setup for long MACRO lenses use (I use SIGMA150 F2.8 + 1.4x TC & 36mm ET).

more details for above setup can view @ 2010 Aug - SIGMA150 Lighting 1

for this setup 36mm ET + 1.4x TC + SIGMA150 @1:1 give magnifcation ~2:1 as shown below

....... so the test result
0. with only my Concave Diffuser (the flash head cone without the light Tent)

F9, 1/160, ISO100

i. a full body shot which not possible for MP-E65 and the Background color (F8, 1/160, ISO100)

ii. with only ET @full magnification

iii.plus 1.4TC

iv. full magnification front view

*** if like to view larger view 2500pix @ longer side, there is link after click the picture above

*** to show the real results, picture only raw-->jpeg with conditions
i. no sharpen
ii. no light/exposure related change
iii. the side view with 2 picture stacked (eye & body)
iv. no dodge and burn
v. no highlight and shadows change
vi. non crop
vii. all handheld shot

Overall, I am pretty happy with the results and can be improve
1. the light is not really harsh but need to fine tune with the setting
- we can;t just use what we have with MP-E65 which have different focal length
2. background, it is so easy to get the Background color instead the MP-E65
3. it is so easy to approach the bug which almost not possible with MP-E65 or shorter len

4. something I need to work on is the highlight on the eye still strong
5. need reflective beetle to test further

How I shoot MACRO - New Lighting test for 150mm macro (2010 Aug)

2010-08-02T16:06:00.000+08:00

am doing quite alot of testing and still looking for time to share the end result but I feel it is important to solve the lighting for my SIGMA 150mm F2.8 which is a good range for macro but due to the distance to the object, flash use tent to be harsh so far and it only use for fill flash/Natural Light macro so far.

I make use one of my test with MP-E65 , a UV + light Tent which mentioned before @ 2010 Jul new lighting testing

I will get few good test and share the result by end of this week ...

and I just got my SIGMA180 and hope I have some time to give it a try

so for test 1 - 2 Aug 2010
i. SIGMA 150 F2.8
ii. Canon 5dm2
iii. Kenko ET 36mm & 1.4x TC
iv. UV Diffuser (picture below show how U.. but V still a hidden secret)

v. Light Tent with Vellum paper (previously use for MP-E65)

UPDATE .... I am trying to drawing what I going to achieve

not a very good diagram, but it show I trying to avoid direct my flash light toward the object and why I have the long "U" diffuser is to provide little light to the background.

pdate result from this setup @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-i-shoot-macro-lighting-result-for.html

New Found - Harvestmen

2010-08-01T12:45:00.000+08:00

Harvestmen look like a spider but there are different order (spider belong to order Araneae rather than the order Opiliones - Harvestmen). they use to have long leg move real fast while see something get close and not a easy macro model for me so far... but I finally found a friendly one (even got one having it's breakfast) ....

in chinese
############################################

盲蛛目─在生物分類的階級屬於《動物界→節肢動物門→蛛形綱→盲蛛目》，雖然也有八隻腳但不是蜘蛛，蜘蛛身體構造分頭胸、腹兩部分，盲蛛則頭胸部和腹部間無明顯分隔，大部分的盲蛛步腳細長，不吐絲。盲蛛依食性可分為植食性與肉食性兩種，植食性種類步腳細長，上顎及觸鬚無明顯特化，肉食性盲蛛步腳粗短，上顎及觸鬚特化成鋏狀之捕食構造。台灣已知有28種盲蛛。

############################################ from http://gaga.jes.mlc.edu.tw/new23/9411/166.htm

another one previously found @ Malaysia

more Harvestmen click here

Nature Outing - Starchaser

2010-07-30T14:28:00.000+08:00

after stop the "star chase project" 3 months ago , this week I have few plan to get some stars shots ... and I am ready to go ... just waiting.... 2hours to go

*** above picture miss out a compass :D

last few star job ...

and 2 still motion

Landscape - Confusion sss

2010-07-30T11:04:00.000+08:00

you can see most of the lake in MA, US give a good reflection ... and it is not easy to have it here ... so I had stop by few lake/pond... to capture those reflection. These reflections are so clear sometime it can me compare to the actual view .. that's why I have an idea to capture and PP those picture upside down to make this collection ...

1. 1st one while my April 2010 trip... I shoot this ~3-5C in the morning and with no PP of the picture (no rotation)

2. shooted @ Maine while I just finish my shopping :D

3. while I am looking sunrise spot

there are few refllection capture
1. beautiful place but got warning by Police ... hmmmmmm

2. after long day driving and shopping but still stop by for this

3. a cold sunrise

4. bit windy ... and a late sunset

Other - time to do more ...

2010-07-30T08:30:00.000+08:00

got many DIY materials and hiking equipment, lighting ... many many more and after time adjusted back to GMT+8 (from EST which is 12 hours different)... time to move on DIY more MACRO diffuser (even I have some new try @US which really good for me , and I will slowly share it here)

but I might slow down on MACRO as I miss lovely sun and stars .. so wil spend few weeks to get back some beautiful sunrise, sunset... star view before I have a real DIY..

1. gaffer tape (black and white)
2. aluminum foil sticker
3. few types of vellum papers

....

New Found - A Orange + Black Sawfly

2010-07-28T19:57:00.000+08:00

this is a Sawfly (Tanyphatnidea sp.) | 三節葉蜂.
Sawfly is not a easy model so far , and not much chance for me to get close to this insect. But I was surprise while hundred of them on a single tree while my trip @ Massachusetts, US.

there are not really move a lot especially before 7am (and day get bright ~5am) ... so this is a very easy model for macro ...

I missed out the mating picture, even I saw it on the 1st day but it was without my camera ...

and it is easy to shoot >3:1

some additional info from http://gaga.jes.mlc.edu.tw

(三節葉蜂科)體長11mm，觸角黑色3節，末節最長，端部棍棒狀，頭部黑色，前胸背板橙黃色，翅膀藍黑色，前胸腹面藍黑色，腹面橙黃色，各腳背面藍色具褐色分布，內側褐色。外觀近似中華尖鞘三節葉蜂 Tanyphatnidea sinensis 但本種各腳黑色，分布於低海拔山區，常見於葉面活動，雌蟲產卵管器扁鋸狀，能像鋸子般鋸開葉片組織後產卵於內，又稱鋸蜂，幼蟲食植性，外觀像蛾類但腹足不具鉤盤，腹足多達6-8對。

Other - .. let guess who am I (previous post) .. the head

2010-07-23T03:18:00.000+08:00

ok .. I am thinking to share more after I back .. but think it is too long (only arrive MAL coming Mon) . so let share more of the "Tail" shot

here is another close up .. and with it's face , you should know what is the bug ....

I missed out, he trying lick his finger due to my magnification is over .. else will be another good action shot ..

and ok .. this is a Scorpionfly which I recently post my New Found ...(it is a female) and this is a male where the tail will tell ..

for the full body shot , I only share after I back to my workstation (as I need to stack ~5 to 1, where my
current nb is really slow on that)...

Other - ... ... let guess who am I ??? ...

2010-07-22T04:50:00.000+08:00

sometime it is fun to share what I found , especially those rare bug ... and last year I share a tail before name ... let guess what is this ??? ... or picture below

and after ~8 months later I found another great tail to share ...

so anyone know who am I ? a real beautiful bug .. one of my favor bug ... and so happy to got few shots (even it is not really awake (could be sleeping.. pretty sure it sleep as it flew off after few shots) :D

another angle to guess

Other - something on my body 2

2010-07-20T23:30:00.000+08:00

last 2 weeks ago, I found a damselfly with mites on it's body ... which I feel real sad and pain for the damselfly .. and the mites is big and can easily view by human eye

yesterday , I found a tiny jumping spider (~>5mm long)... trying to figure why it is orange color (and thought it is poisonous due to the color)... but I am wrong after the 1st picture snap

what do you feel while you see this ??? and think without a MACRO len, we may not able to see this as it is too small to be observe ..... so let's MACRO :D

the face mite...

more liewwk Spider series click HERE
more liewwk 2010 US trip series click HERE

New Found - Robberfly ?

2010-07-18T23:22:00.000+08:00

Robberfly definite not a new to me, but this one look different where the tail is curve .. and found 2 of them look a like ... it is always good model for macro photographer (it easy to shoot, compound of eye, details of the body .., always get prey ......)

#########################
nsects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide.
All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista.
######################### from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asilidae

#########################
robber fly - 食虫虻

亦作assassin fly。

双翅目(Diptera)食虫虻科(Asilidae)食肉昆虫的统称，约6,750种，分布全球。长度不等，大者几乎有8公分(3吋)，是所有的蝇中最大的。体多褐色而粗壮，通常多毛，形似大黄蜂。眼面大，两眼之间有一刚毛。足长，能在飞行中捕食，在进食时用足握住食物。

######################### from http://baike.baidu.com/view/266932.htm

sample while it get something we don't like as prey

New Found - Scorpion Fly

2010-07-15T09:16:00.000+08:00

Common Name: Scorpionfly
Scientific Name: Panorpa nuptialis Gerst
Order: Mecoptera

Description: These unusual insects have four similar long, narrow, membranous yellow wings with dark brown marking banded patterns. The head bears long, thread-like antennae and the mouthparts are at the end of an elongated "snout." The body is up to 1 inch long. Males have abdomens with an elongated end that resembles that of a scorpion.

##############################
ok , I found it again and surprise she is not found mountain (which previously I found them >500m from sea level ...and this is just a garden outside my hotel ... and saw them few times (all female ...) and only able to get close once.

this is one of my favorite insect which look awesome and I always look for it and so far I found it Malaysia (highland), Indonesia (highland), Taiwan (highland) & US (garden outside ...) Ohhhh .. why I call it New Found.. :D as this is an insect I feel I would like to share more to you and this is my 1st female scorpion fly.

this fly is very shy and not easy to get close , for those 1st time see it , prefer to shoot from far get a ID shot before trying to get close ... and it is harmless to human even the tail to scary ....

previously saw

Malaysia (a real record shot as not way to get close)

Indonesia

- this look little different may be it from >2500m from sea level

more 2010 US pictures click here
more fly collection click here

Travel Report - Hampton Beach

2010-07-14T02:22:00.000+08:00

Hampton Beach is a village district and beach resort within the town of Hampton, in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located on the Atlantic Ocean. Hampton Beach is located in Rockingham County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of Portsmouth. The community is a popular tourist destination and the busiest beach community in the state. Ocean Boulevard, the main street along the beach, includes a boardwalk, many shops and businesses, several seasonal hotels, and the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. The Ballroom hosts many national acts throughout the summer months.

source from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Beach,_New_Hampshire

it is not too far from Boston which should <1 hour drive toward north east. here are few things from the beach
- beach is clean
- wave is strong
- sea water is cold (~55-60F)
- plenty of parking along the road but ~USD5 every 3 hours
- it will be pack if weather forecast a good sunny day
- seafood and a Chinese food store call Ocean WOK (something like this) are good

I didn't managed to get the sunrise as the sunrise is too early to get everybody to be there so earlier .. (now sunrise here ~540am) and either the sunset due to the storm coming and we had to leave the beautiful beach earlier ... :(

but I still got some pictures captured to share with all of you ..

1. beautiful beach

2. lifeguard

3. few bikini shots

4.

5. there ar enot many photographer around but managed to capture few have similar interest while the storm reaching and the sky become dynamics
i. except him who use a DSLR

ii. a PnS

iii. even a phone camera

6. but a bird have different interest

a collection of the 2010 , MA, US trip click here

How I shoot MACRO - New Accessories and Lighting 2010 Jul

2010-07-13T10:44:00.000+08:00

After trying Stephen lighting @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/9578475@N02/

i. light tent @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-i-shoot-macro-new-start.html
ii. concave + light tent @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-i-shoot-macro-new-accessories-and.html

I am happy with the results for few months, and managed to modify the light sources as below
i. concave & V
ii. concave, V & Light tent
iii. UV & Light tent

some result as below
i. concave, V & Light tent

ii. UV & Light tent

(will share more details and results after I back from MAL)

Even I am happy with the result above, but I still need to do something to avoid the light tent which may not suitable for some of the shy/sensitive bugs....so I am starting another version - BVCL version

all are same as "V" (secret V) with concave & Light tent but I add on a bracket to tent to move the light little backward so I can create bigger diffuser (so my ylight source is bigger and softer) until a point I can remove the Light tent.....

here is the picture of the setup, it look huge but light and result will be share later (stay tune)

sorry for the picture quality as using my HTC .. WB and quality all out ..

.... more result of the new lighting will be share ............................................

[updated 13 Jul 2010 after 1st try on the setup on field....

- light look great as other combination discuss above
- little bulky (still)
- while MP-E65 change magnification, it create in-convenient where I need to adjust both site for different angle and distance
- better shadow and highlight

will share result later

Other - something on my body

2010-07-10T03:02:00.000+08:00

after years shooting macro, I had saw many mites on insect body and first time I saw a "apple" or "ball" like mites on damselfly (ohh , I have no ID on the damselfly and it should belong to my new found)

again, while I first saw it I thought it carry the egg (I could be right) and eventually think this should be mites on the insect body .. and ohhh the mites is cute :D

and for before this, few shots still in my mind (which I feel pain from the picture) ...

a long-horned beetle

a beetle .. a terrible one

a not too bad one

even a wasp have it

look close to it

sometime , i feel pain while seeing it but again this is nature survive rule ... it happen .......

New Found - Green Metallic Bee

2010-07-09T01:14:00.000+08:00

I am currently at US and manage to meet up a US MACRO gang (amazing, photography actually link us up thousands mile away ....) - Peter @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/galadial/ and not only share me a wonderful place - Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

a place where can easily found birds, bugs .. and it is bright compare.. and I managed to clear one of my wish list ...green bee or Augochlorini ....

this is not a touch one even it keep moving and make us not easy to compose out shot ....

more shot from US trip of 2010 can view through here

News - I am little slow this month ...

2010-07-06T18:47:00.000+08:00

I will be little slow in my photography (sharing pictures, info ...) as currently work @ US for weeks ...but again I will still shoot sunrise (man, sunrise ~530am after shoot still have plenty of time before start work ...), sunset (after work & eat ..think the sun still up there sunset @ ~830pm) and look for some bugs for sure :D

ok ... let me share one last weekend while I was driving and the reflection grab my attention and let make another confusion to you here

more for 2010 April & Jul - US trip click here

News - another Sad news ...

2010-06-29T16:55:00.000+08:00

was been Taiwan for a Nature outing and found out those nature lover will buy over lands which original plan is to develop the land and do nothing on those lands .. (my respects to some people I meet up while my May 2010 Taiwan Trip....

Last week, after my wonderful family trip with my wife, Jie Xi and father in law to Muar .. while we reach in law house, my daughter say 　恐龙...怕怕。。...　"Dinosaur，　scary"

then we look out an Excavator actually destroying my MACRO ground ... (will share what I got from the small little jungle for pass 1-2 year and just outside my in law garden) ....and my father in law just get the info from neighbor the land had been sold and they will use it for some other purpose instead leave it there for nothing except use by me :( ... and price is little too high for me .. else my wife say "you can buy it so no body can disturb the good "avatar" " ..... but it is too late ...

within <30 minutes the whole jungle gone ... all trees done .. green wasp, blue bee... flying into my in law kitchen (me without any macro len ....)

I understand it is not possible to stop development which = destroy of jungle or nature environment but I just feel sad for this .. not only for my MACRO ground but for future my daughter Jie Xi or next generation will have lesser chance to enjoy the nature environment and nature creatures ...

some history insects I found at this little jungle

1. it is so near to wait for them wake up..(i use to wake up 6am and walk around , sure you can see some bug still sleeping)

2. immediate after rain .. can easily look for dews

3. a common bee here :(

4. an ant mimic crab spider ...

5. sleeping shy tiger beetle

6. a very cute bee

7. crab spider

8. butterflies

9 some funny moment

10 ..some flying one

11. long time no see one

Landscape Spot 5 - Bukit Panaroma (Sungai Lembing)

2010-06-29T09:52:00.000+08:00

again, I was stop sharing this due to my work and family commitment... but today I wish I will be in one of the place I went few months back Bukit Panorama locate SG Lembing (or Chinese name 林明山 )

this place locate near Kuantan, Pahang , Malaysia

direction
i. drive from Kuala Lumpur toward Kuantan Direction (it is ~3++ hours drive)
ii. while before Kuantan, you should see Sungai (sg) Lembing sign board and it is only single way to there.. drive ~30minutes and please drive slow here as many cows will passing by
iii. reach to the small village (only one direction) and reach Market on left (Pasar)just immediate the market turn left on to the little up hill . then the stair case to climb up to the Bukit Panorama is there
iv. climb up to ~400m form sea level and it should take ~1hour max (for poor little photographer like me)

few things to take note,
- many hiker in the weekend and at the initial part is very steep and small so please walk slow for the 1st initial part especially raining day
- just single stair case trek, won;t easy to get lost
- very easy hike
- not many spot for this beautiful view and you may need 30-150mm range for the sunrise (it is little far from where we look for)
- it face east .. so it is good spot for sunrise but again it have the other direction face west which I never explored ..

more picture from this beautiful place
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157623557997201/with/4743851929/

News - My closest experience to Snake

2010-06-28T21:09:00.000+08:00

I always worry of snake .. and I have a experience with help of Orang Asli (local people of Taiwan) to get close to a (med poison snake) ... of course I am still far from it (~2feets away) but I still got my record broke ... my closest experience to the poison snake

and while we see it from dark

Other - Do You need a "Good Eye" to shoot Macro ?

2010-06-23T09:03:00.000+08:00

there are some bugs really good in Camouflage... you will never notice them if you not really spend some effort to look for it ... but not all of them are difficult to spot and below are some my found which I feel ...we need good patience and "eye" to look for it ....
1. always stick on tree body

2. leaf look alike ...

3. very small insect always hide on tree body which same color

4. always on the rock .. same color :D

5. this is one real tough one . small and 95% same color with the tree ...and seldom move

6. not really toght but not easy too

7. so far .. this is most difficult to spot spider .. I keep look for it within the same tree ...

8. this mantis love to go into plant with color with white .. and patient need to spot it ..

9. if this guy drop into the leaf area .. don;t think we can easy to find it

Nature Outing - Ulu Geroh Report

2010-06-21T17:00:00.000+08:00

I am glad that Andy Paul (and his partner Maureen)brought us to wonderful place Ulu Geroh.. where close to Gopeng, Perak , Malaysia and further details

#########################################
Kampung Ulu Geroh is located approximately 175 km north of Kuala Lumpur – the capital city of Malaysia. The village is located in the state of Perak. The nearest town is Gopeng and further north is Ipoh – the capital city of Perak. If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, head towards to Ipoh (capital city of Perak) and then towards Gopeng town (about 25km south of Ipoh). From here, arrangements can be made with Orang Asli tourist guides to pick you up to the settlement. The dirt road leading to the settlement requires four-wheel drive vehicles, so unless you’re driving one, please ensure prior arrangements are done first with locals. To make transport arrangements, please check the Resouces section.

The ideal way of getting to Ulu Geroh is by reaching Ipoh first and then heading towards Gopeng (also the easiest way). For those traveling from Kuala Lumpur or driving on their own, may opt to reach Gopeng straight away. Whatever is your mode of transport, Gopeng town is the gateway to Ulu Geroh.
####################################### from http://www.esemai.org/transportation.html

for the accommodation, you can either stay resort near outsite the village (there are few which name "My Gopeng Resort", "Adeline Rest House" or contact local people from here

this place famous with Rafflesia (biggest flower in the world), Rajah Brooke Birdwing Butterfly, wild life, insect (I can easily see foot long stick insect any part of the village) durian (depend on season as been told) ... if you enjoy nature life, this is a place you won't want to miss out.....

people here is friendly , helpful (Orang Semai).... and I serve by a experience and great nature guide along the trip name "Ngah"... (check out him or say hello to him while you are there).. and thanks him for the great service

let me share some of my 2days 1 night capture ... and more will come ...
1. a Moon Mushroom (they call Cendawan Bulan) which will glow in green in dark .. and it is normal fungi in the day time ....

day time it will look like

and an animation show the change

cup mushroom (Cookeina Sulcipes)

off course I found insect and bugs which is rare and quite common .. saw crab spider, few type of new jumping spider, 3-4 types of Stick insect (some of them foot long), inch big leaf beetle, butterflies ..... and let's me share 1-2 here and left other later

a dead-leaf mantid

off course I meet the Rafflesia but the shape of the flower is not look good and I may share it later in the link of my Ulu Geroh Flick Collection

there are few things need to take care
- no phone signal in the village
- need ~20min offroad drive (4wd is recommended) from the resorts area (or you may call up local people pick you up from the resort as mentioned above)
- need guide to bring you any where you want.. and no worry on the cost .. it is really low
- leeches... :D this is jungle :D
- if you want to meet up Rafflesia, please get ready to hike (~1-2hours) but it worth it and I will go for it again as I didn't get a picture with the flower
- if you wish to have night walk (shooting), torch light.. it is a no light pollution jungle (you know what I mean..)

ok... I will write more on this for next visit... as this trip I actually spent only ~23hours (8 hours sleep)....

more pictures from this Ulu Geroh click HERE

Other - it had been long I didn't get a shot that I am happy with

2010-06-18T10:59:00.000+08:00

It had been long I didn't get a satisfy MACRO shot ... I shared a post before "How I shoot MACRO - Compo, Angle ..." ... I would not be satisfy just to get a "technically" good picture which with good focus, clarity, BG, DOF but without any action or pose ... I will call those shots as "science book"/record shots...

e.g.

- this shot is technically good in term of light (flash), DOF and think the angle is pretty good to show this bug characteristic in single frame.
even-though these few shots were not easy ... (discuss here before ) but it still call as "science book"/record shots (as it is good to show people how this bug look like)

And I was trying my luck to wait for it for some action shots (mating or flying), and I was lucky it is almost ready to fly and I managed to capture few focus shot with BG.... and I think this could be most satisfy shot up to now for year 2010....

an non crop picture

more beetle from liewwk Nature Collection click here

New Found - A Hairy Jumping Spider

2010-06-17T22:01:00.000+08:00

I am happy to find a new jumping spider (a hairy one) and it is from the tree trunk instead leaf as common jumping spider do. this one instead is very beautiful and move non- stop ....

a closer view ... and you can see how hairy it is

and see it use it's hand to rub it's eye/face .. make this funny animation

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4709171966_6d8cd7c831_o.gif

more spider collection click here

other - a not so easy closeup

2010-06-17T15:56:00.000+08:00

I am shooting for Macro for ~2.5 years now and few bugs I still having problem to shoot their close-up (face in close without cropping) and share in my flickr @ It's always good to look close xx

2 of my wish to shoot their face are Tiger Beetle and Giraffe Weevil

both this bug very shy, not easy to get close and I managed to get close to one the giraffe weevil (wild) and shoot 4:1 without any crop .. one of my happiest capture in 2010 even not a best picture ... but I am happy to have it get close ..

more beetle from liewwk flickr click here

Bird Series 19 - Taiwan Yuhina | 冠羽畫眉

2010-06-08T20:28:00.000+08:00

one of the most beautiful bird I ever see so far... a friendly bird and endemic for Taiwan too.. found from highland >2000meter from sea level

###############################
The Taiwan Yuhina (Yuhina brunneiceps), formerly known as "Formosan Yuhina", is a small songbird endemic to the island of Taiwan. The Taiwan Yuhina is 13 cm in length with a deep brown chestnut-coloured crest and a black beard stripe descending from its beak. The bird's back, wings and tail are olive brown, and its lower breast is lighter in colour. Agreeing with other typical yuhinas in habitus, its colouration pattern is rather uncommon among the genus (Cibois et al. 2002).

Like other yuhinas, it is closely related to the white-eyes and if these were considered a distinct family Zosteropidae, it would be placed there. Otherwise, it would belong together with the white-eyes into the Old World babbler family Timaliidae (Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006). The closest living relative of this species appears to be the Black-chinned Yuhina, which occurs on the Asian mainland (Cibois et al. 2002).

This species is found in temperate forests, 1000–3300 m in altitude in its native habitat. It is gregarious, active and quite tame. It keeps to lower forest and often joins other species, especially tits in mixed flocks. The flocks, while feeding, make a constant soft chatter. The call of the Taiwan Yuhina is a sound somewhat like twi-MI-chiu, which resembles the phrase "We MEET you". The Yuhina's diet consists of mainly nectar, berries, flowers and small insects. Taiwan Yuhina may sometimes be observed hanging upside down on cherry trees. These songbirds are particularly fond of the flowers of the Chinese tulip tree and the fruits of trees of the family Elaeagnaceae and the genus Idesia (Salicaceae).

Breeding season for the Taiwan Yuhina is from May to June.
############################### from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_Yuhina

Chinese :

俗名：尖頭仔

特有狀況(種)：留鳥(特有種)

命名者：Ogilvie-Grant

原始文獻：Ogilvie-Grant. 1906. Bull. Brit. Ornit. Cl. 16:121-122.

分類：雀形目畫眉科

學名：Yuhina brunneiceps

保育等級：無

命名年代：1906

外型特徵：身長12公分。頭頂具明顯上翹的冠羽，冠羽上方暗褐色、下方灰白色。臉部灰白色，略帶黃色，嘴黑色。頸側有一弧形線斑與過眼線、顎線相連，使臉部成為明顯的一黑圈。背部大致為橄灰色。胸腹部黃白色。腳黃褐色。

分布及棲地：台灣特有種，棲息於海拔700~3000公尺間之森林中，對林相的要求不高，幾乎各種型態的森林皆可見。喜愛在森林中層或較低矮且細枝較多的樹冠層活動。冬季會降遷至低海拔。

生態習性：本種活潑好動，不畏人，適應力強，是台灣最常見的山鳥之一。叫聲婉轉似「吐米酒－」。雖然常見成群活動，但並不常和其他山鳥混群。以昆蟲、果實、花蜜、花粉為食，花期常可見其倒掛在枝頭吸食花蜜。具有「合作繁殖」的特性，也就是數對親鳥共用一巢，且所有親鳥都幫忙養育所有的幼鳥。繁殖期為4~9月，研究者發現冠羽畫眉的合作繁殖以2對親鳥共同繁殖的例子最多，產卵數為4~6顆，且同一群親鳥可繁殖多達3窩。

畫眉亞科的冠羽畫眉，為台灣特有種。在台灣常見於海拔2,000 - 2,500公尺附近溫帶林，亦出現於海拔3,000公尺附近，冬季降遷至海
拔數百公尺處避寒。本屬在台灣之外，亦廣泛分布於雲南、四川、西藏、喜馬拉雅、緬甸北部、中南半島、婆羅州高地和蘇門答臘山
區。冠羽畫眉以昆蟲、果實、花蜜為食。有三、四對共同營巢、育雛的習性。營巢於樹叢裡，以草莖、蕨類、蘚苔為材，築碗形巢

Bird Series 18 - Taiwan Tit - 黃山雀

2010-06-02T20:26:00.000+08:00

it's science name Parus holsti but think the chinese name is much better as this is endemic for Taiwan. found from mountains ~1000-1500m from sea level (mid way up to DaSyueShan, Taichung |台中縣大雪山)

#########################
Body length—about 13cm, wing length—about 6.5cm. Bill and feet are gray. Male: head to nape are black, has crown, behind crown and nape are white centered; back is dark grayish-green; flight feathers are black with blueish-gray edges; tail is dark gray with whitish-blue outer edges; face and belly are yellow; around anus is black; undertail coverts are yellowish-white. Female: plumage is similar to males, except that underwing coverts are paler and around anus isn’t black.

Formosan Yellow Tit is an endemic species in Taiwan. It is usually active in solitary or in pairs, blending with other birds from Subfamily Timalinae and Family Paridae. Its voice is quick and resonant, melodious and varied, sounding like: “shishei—shishei—”, “zijide, zijide”, and “jijiang—jijiang—”. It feeds on insects primarily. At breeding season between April and July, it builds its bow-shaped nest using dried leaves and fur in a natural treehole, each nest contains about 3 to 4 eggs.

from http://www.birdingintaiwan.org/bluegate/birds.htm
#########################

this is a easy shoot bird as it will come close but again it will still moving non stop near by ....

another shot of this bird

more from this Taiwan Trip @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157624164515962/

Bird Series 17 - Taiwan Blue Magpie - 藍鵲黯凌

2010-06-02T09:14:00.000+08:00

a real beautiful bird (an endemics for Taiwan), while 1st day morning immediate after my 1st landscape view from previous post

http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/05/travel-report-taiwan-may-2010-1.html

this bird flying by and I told my friend this is one most beautiful bird I ever see .. it is so beautiful with it long tail and action ..

some info get from www
#######
全長約65公分，算是蠻大型鳥，碧藍身軀，朱紅嘴喙，尾巴末端為白色。分佈於三百至一千二百公尺的低海拔闊葉林或次生林，最近網路票選國鳥第一名，正待立法院同意正式訂為國鳥的第一號候選鳥！
喜群居，有共同育雛的習性，叫聲沙啞，雜食性的鳥類，大如蛇、鼠、蜥蜴、蟾蜍都是牠的食物。
在陽明山前山公園常有藍鵲定期上演洗澡秀，是近距離觀察的好地點。
#######

- long ~65cm
- consider big bird
- blue body, red mouth and tail with white
- found from 300-1200m from sea level
- group

some record shots

Travel Report - Taiwan May 2010 (1)

2010-05-30T16:10:00.000+08:00

I was invited to go Taiwan to have a Nature Photography Trip by 大鬍子 [Director of http://www.chiuhua.com.tw/] ...within 5 days we travel from Taipei --> Wulai --> Syueshan (台北 --> 乌来 http://travel.network.com.tw/tourguide/twnmap/taipeicountry/Wulia.asp --> 大雪山 http://tsfs.forest.gov.tw/DM1/index.asp)

We meet quite a lot of Nature photographer & book writer (from all over the Taiwan , south, east....) and all of them are good nature lover and photographer...from the discussion and conversation , I do learn a lot from them ... not only on photography but how to appreciate the nature ....

There are a lot of hit and miss (photography) e.g. I got plenty of endemic birds and wild life from Taiwan which I do not expect ...... but I do missed out some of the creatures that I able to see but failed to capture ... :(
i. plenty of Scorpion flies around ...easily >10 among Wulai & Syueshan 乌来 --> 大雪山
ii. green metallic Giraffe Weevil .... it is still as shy as Malaysia GW
iii. a bird call Doraemon (小叮噹)
iv. lophura swinhoii (藍腹鷴) .... a endemic bird from Taiwan ...according to them ... it is most easy bird ever but then we still miss it due to the bad weather on last day in the Syueshan (大雪山)
v. Star ... even good weather but the star are not really bright due the bright moon

But again this was a wonderful trip and thanks Mr Chai [大鬍子] for the accommodation , time spend , nice foods ....

I may too busy to process all the pictures capture in 1-2 weeks time so let me share the view from 大鬍子 house @ Wulai (乌来) peak (this is a place locate at far high from the common tourist area and not all people allow to go out to this area as it do have a road block by police 7 x 24 @ entrance ... (Location map @ Flickr map)

Insect Info - 10.9 Weaver Ant

2010-05-30T07:05:00.000+08:00

this is new idea I have, starting now I will trying my best to share the info of the bugs here with help of some sites and my experience ....

details of this Weaver Ant
Order Hymenoptera --> genus Oecophylla --> family Formicidae --> subfamily Formicinae --> Oecophylla smaragdina

膜翅目 --> 蟻科 --> 蚁亚科 --> 织巢蚁属 --> 黄猄蚁

The weaver ants belong to the ant genus Oecophylla (subfamily Formicinae) which contains two closely related living species: O. longinoda found in Sub-Saharan Africa and O. smaragdina found in southern India, southeast Asia, and Australia.

Weaver ants are obligately arboreal and are known for their unique nest building behaviour where workers construct nests by weaving together leaves using larval silk.[1] Colonies can be extremely large consisting of more than a hundred nests spanning numerous trees and contain more than half a million workers. Like many other ant species, weaver ants prey on small insects and supplement their diet with carbohydrate-rich honeydew excreted by small insects (Hemiptera) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaver_ant]

该属蚂蚁主要分布在东洋区、非洲区、澳洲区等气候温暖的地方。全世界有织叶蚁2种及十几个亚种、变种。

织叶蚁属蚂蚁和同亚科的弓背蚁属、多刺蚁属的一些蚁在筑巢方式上有同样独特的习性。它们的巢主要以幼虫吐出的分泌物和植物叶子等粘结而成。幼虫是筑巢过程的重要工具。织叶蚁属的幼虫在营巢活动中被小型工蚁的上颚叨着穿梭于植物叶子间，从而使植物叶片被幼虫吐出的丝粘结在一起，形成一紧密的巢。老熟幼虫不参与建巢活动。
[http://sciencer.net/ant/data/Formicinae/Oecophylla/index.html]

This weaver ant queen was not move at all while I see it, as it seem like it trying to protect her eggs.

1. what - Weaver Ant queen
2. where - leaf @ garden
3. How - easy as it not really move while with egg
4. size - 8-14mm

News - another Overseas Nature Photography Trip

2010-05-20T16:40:00.000+08:00

Last year I make one to Indonesia, Cibodas come back with some good capture e.g.

or more picture from Cibodas, Indonesia click here

and this year, I have few more and Taiwan is coming hope I can bring more to share with you all

Taiwan I am coming ... :D

How I shoot MACRO - Results of 2010 May Lighting

2010-05-17T20:23:00.000+08:00

am busy these few days with works, family ... just want to share some quick result from the new lighting discuss in May 2010 Lighting
or

the light look amazing , it produce the softness and the natural look (flashless) which I think I will continue to use this minimum another better version is out

i. this little termite move non-stop and I found it will rest for 2-3 s every very move .. then this is my opportunity to use this reflective insect to test my new lighting

ii. a wasp just woke up

more will be coming ....

How I shoot MACRO - New Accessories and Lighting 2010 May

2010-05-13T21:08:00.000+08:00

after 2 month stop sharing my MACRO setup .. even I change/test it after few version but this is another workable Macro lighting setup for Canon MP-E65 & MT-24

My previous Lighting Share
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-i-shoot-macro-new-start.html

Some of the Accessories was bought and test on field few months back but I just not too sure it will be apply and busy to share it ... but now I am pretty sure these actually help me for macro shooting

1. gaffer tape
2. Wimberley Plamp
3. Kaiser flash Hot shoe
4. Vellum Paper
5. Japan flash hot shoe

and beside my above accessories below is my current light setup

more of my MACRO setup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157611341564765/

Landscape - how stars move?

2010-05-11T22:27:00.000+08:00

I am back from MA, US and will share some of my shots there ...

spent ~2hours @~40-50F and it was windy ...still remember the coldness and this is what I plan to have .. even the north start seem little out of my plan spot ..

a standard quality

but if wish to have better quality movie
http://www.liewwkphoto.com/still/MA/startrails1/MA-Star1.htm

missed out the picture

2 years after

2010-05-04T21:00:00.000+08:00

~2.5 years ago I am still noob for photography .. I had no idea what is ISO, Shutter speed ... aperture .. and the photography started while I had my long training @ US

most of the picture share @http://picasaweb.google.com/liewwk76 ... those were old days while I just shoot for my fun (and I miss those day .. while I can simply shoot thousands of pictures without worry too much... less PP time.. no worry on compo .. )

and 2.5 years later I went back to same place while I assign for a assignment back to same place here are 2 pictures I stand @ very similar location (which can see from my flickr @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/4576930872/ (look for Taken in

2007 Oct

From NewPort/Fort Adams

2010 May

If you ask me what is my feeling among 2 pictures,
1. I am improving even I know still far to improve
2. I was more happier last trip ... just the feeling .. could be 1st time and repeat trip
3. shoot less pictures .. much lesser

again ... time flight ... I had started my photography ~2.5 years

Landscape - Coldest landscape outing I ever have

2010-04-26T22:22:00.000+08:00

for weeks. and here is still cold for me while waiting for the spring coming .. (range from 38F - 62F or 3C - 17C)

for the very first few days , while I still having my jet lag and I woke up 3-4 am to go out and find sunrise spot with google earth assistant ... I got 2 spots locate not far from my hotel and managed to capture some pictures (but not really able to process those pictures as my notebook screen is not calibrate correctly.. so have to wait till I back to MALAYSIA)

but I do shoot RAW + JPEG and let's share 2 coldest sunrise shot (for me) to you all

1. a sunrise that really cold ... it is so tough to press the shutter .... but great experience for me

2. the next day ... where the weather was better (not so cold) but not really shoot a lot as I park my car road side and got warning form Police where I shouldn't park my car at the road side ... (hmmmm and had looking for near by parking after this but can't find one so this will be my last chance here :( )

*** a reflection ... picture non crop, non rotate, non edit .. so any one can guess how I get this ?

Other - a new Word for me "torpor"

2010-04-15T22:40:00.000+08:00

a new word to me .. animal sleep or rest sometime do not refer as sleep but hibernation or due the short period it also call short hibernation. and this normally happen at night while lower temperature and this is not call SLEEP but torpor ... for more details can refer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpor.

so these call torpor .. not sleep :D

Colorful world ...

2010-04-15T10:47:00.000+08:00

I didn't realize that I shoot so beautiful series recently ... but I am happy that while I try to view back my MACRO collection from my web site http://www.liewwkphoto.com/gallery2.htm

sometimes I feel macro photography not just details, sharpness & magnification which can easy achieve after lighting is correct setup .... with little practice .

But the opportunity to get the better composition is a challenge to MACRO (bug) shooter as we can't control the bug like other ... we can control the how, where they stand .... and how;s the dews fall on their body and we just hope for more luck ...(even I know some situation some photographer will make fake dew .. by spread the water on bug body , make BG but put some leaf behind... but these are not easy too who can make sure after water spread the bug won't flew off ???? So I always respect those shoot with good composition with good details and magnification ....)

here are some colorful pictures (last few object that I post...)

light Yellow

Pink

Yellow

Blue

Green

News - CS5

2010-04-12T16:47:00.000+08:00

look amazing the content-aware ...

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/photoshop/

How I shoot MACRO - Add on Dews ....

2010-04-12T16:23:00.000+08:00

I always admire LordV or Brian to shoot dews ... or look at his dews work @http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/sets/72057594101162264/

but I don;t have patient just do dews on un-move plant.. flowers ... so I always want to do it on bug/insect ....

last year, with help of my gang Kurt/Orionmystery (another great macro shooter I know...) I managed to shoot 1st bug with dews diffraction with Kurt help (he hold the flowers behind the bug for me and I shoot it with high magnification (~2-3:1) so I got

and I am waiting for raining season after the shot to make more dews shot ... after months wait, finally bugs are back to my in law garden and rain is almost drop down every evening ... so I managed to have many chance to shoot what I wish to do ....

and below are some pictures I shoot for last 2 weeks

1. a bore one without bug ...

2. found a ladybird in the morning and a large dew on it's body and I make shot with right hand press shutter (camera mount on tripod) and the other hand hold the flower behind the ladybird

3. and the ladybird moving around so I still able to shoot few more shots before it flew off

4. one week later ... heavy rain while I go back to my in law house . before the rain stop , I went out to try my luck and luck is with me ...found few bee and one with dewsssssss, I use one hand wto press shutter while the camera mount on tripod .. then the other hand hold the flower

*** all pictures focus stacked with few pictures .. no add on , with max ~10% crop ...

New Found - tiny Ant-Mimic Crab spider

2010-04-07T15:22:00.000+08:00

this is not 1st time I saw this spider but consider 1st time I manage to capture it's picture (last few round actually not so good)

a very tiny spider (~2-3mm in length) and it move non stop. found it while we looking for bee in dark with torch light. but it look cute and here are 2 pictures to share

1.

2. a green BG

Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Review - Canon 5dm2 vs 7d MACRO

2010-04-06T21:24:00.000+08:00

I got an unit of Canon 7d for testing last 2 weeks ago but the results were unbelievable so I send back to Canon service center for checking and yesterday they call for collect after do some "minor" calibration .....and today I went out for quick test (my testing only based on on personal standard/interest and may not a good comparative among 2 Canon bodies)

how I do the test
i. ISO100 & F13
ii. max flash sync speed (5dm2 - 1/200 and 7d - 1/250)
iii. I try to shoot very close magnification (but can't get 100% same ....)
- 5dm2 ~3:1
- 7d 2:1
iv. same lighting (full flash) - as share here
v. all pictures stacked with 3 picture which focus on eye, nose and mouth of the dragonfly
v. AWB
vi. no noise reduction
vii. no sharpening

1. after resize to 1200 @ longer size, we can;t tell much different
Canon 5dm2 - 1200

7D - 1200

2. and if you wish to have a look at full size
Canon 5dm2 - full size
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2688/4496329257_1b112e0eec_o.jpg

Canon 7d - full size
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/4496958894_8f1640c86b_o.jpg

3. a 100% crop
Canon 5dm2

or larger size http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4496967212_babd6190bb_o.jpg

Canon 7d

or larger size
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4496322417_2f774ce63a_o.jpg

personal view,
i. after calibration, IQ have improve and noise have reduce
ii. overall Canon 7d doing ok and not sure can it be fine tune any further or not
iii. Canon 7d noise still look bad @100% crop even at ISO100
iv. AWB, how could same brand camera have such different at same environment and using same lighting (flash)

I will do another test on landscape soon....

News - the Long Tongued Blue Banded Bee is back ...

2010-04-05T09:45:00.000+08:00

after missing for few months.. they are back can easily find them (5-6 of them) just outside my in -law garden ... and they sleep late this time (730pm still awake :D )
and I have no choice to go back later to shoot picture of this fast moving bee

and I have few different BG , may share in my flickr later but I prefer the black BG and another head shot ...

1.

or larger view @ http://www.liewwkphoto.com/image-viewer.htm?Fgallery2-15

2. a head shot

How I Shoot MACRO - Panorama ...

2010-04-02T10:50:00.000+08:00

these are some old pictures ... (I am doing full archiving and re-PP some "good" pictures to share @ www.liewwkphoto.com

while I shoot this , my gang ask why you need to do panorama for macro ??? I thought MACRO should shoot as big as possible ???and if not then just zoom out to smaller magnification .. then put the bug in full frame ... y ??? those want to know why .. may be email me :D or I will share later :D

I found a Huntsman Spider catch a Hoverfly (ohhh my lovely hover) and I could just shoot close to see how it eat as I only bring my MP-E65... so the smallest magnification I had is 1:1 .....so how I put this moment into a full frame ??? very quick, I lay on wet river ground, and with very fast speed I shoot 4 pictures with different focus point (right side, left side and 2 x center [in case I miss the focus] )...and here are origins picture I shooted

left

right

center

then I use Photoshop "merge" function to merge 3 into 1 .. :D .. so I got a large resolution picture in final a 7979 x 3387 :D

and a final image

or a large view click http://www.liewwkphoto.com/image-viewer.htm?Fgallery2-32