Bali Photographer / Thoughts and Portfolio

When we do macro photography on small products like jewelry, light tent or light box may remain the best option. But when we get into a situation where dragging the subject on to the table is not at all possible we have to use either ambient or portable lighting.

The easiest setup is using the flash. But there are many issues in using flash for macro photography. When the object is too close and falls into the shadow of the lens, on-camera flash may not be able to illuminate it. Taking the flash off the camera - either wired or wireless - can somehow overcome this problem. The second issue is that for macro, even the smallest flash power can be too harsh and burns out details in overcast. Read the rest of this entry …

I have been interested by infra red photography for quite a while. Unlimited possibility to unique tone is the main point here. Ever since I have been researching online resource on the issue, including technical how-to and digital post processing techniques. Without any attempt to go into technical detail on light wavelength and all these kind of stuffs, I understand that blockage of different wavelength results in different tone, into which digital post processing pops in. There are two ways in getting into infra red photography.

The first one is using a filter attached in the front of the lens. It is perhaps the easier way to start with, as all we have to do is buy an infra red filter, attach it on to the lens, and off it goes. The problem is that the filter blocks the light, and therefore we have to shoot in very low speed. In almost all cases, usage of tripod is definite must as we can go as low as about a second in a bright sunny mid-day. Read the rest of this entry …

Canon announcement of EOS 50D replacing its predecessor 40D - which has only introduce less than a year ago - instead of the three-years-in-existence Canon EOS 5D has invited both disappointments and hopes. Disappointments were obvious. Hopes came from beliefs that by introduction of 50D, the long awaited 5D Mark II will carry an even newer technology than what 40D has. On September 17th 2008 Canon pays off loyal user who have been patience enough to wait. Canon EOS 5D Mark II which brings along the most advance technolgy was officially anounced.

Looking into specification I belief it exceeds every expectation people have ever had - at least among many of them I read in online forums, blogs, and articles. 21.1 mega pixel CMOS sensor, Digic 4, ISO 50-25,600 are among the most significant leap over the three years old 5D. Attached to this posting is Canon’s official press release.

Contrary to beyond expectation specifications, price tag was by far below expectation. Whilst most columns predicted it to come in similar price of 5D in its annoucement, which was $3,300, Canon puts estimated retail price of $2,699 for body only and $3,499 as a kit with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS. First delivery was scheduled as close as end of November 2008.

“Will I get one?” Definitive question is NO, at least not in the near future, even if I have $1,300 to be invested in photography gears. There are still lightings and glasses at my higher priority than replacing my 5D with a new one.

Attached is full release. Read the rest of this entry …

Keeping interest in still life especially product photography, I made my time to continue with another session. Getting experience from the first session, I completed the setup quite quickly, from unwrapping the tent to getting the lights stand up and powered.

I have tried all lenses I got and knew what works best for this purpose, I attached my manual Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4. White balance went to auto as I knew that any other preset would not work. I know that the light temperature if household spot lights I was using would require 600 points of temperature offset on post processing. Lighting too, aperture priority, -2 exposure compensation, and keeping in mind that I may need to change apertures for desired DOF. Well, exposure compensation was actually the first parameter to set when needing different amount of light, however I took -2 to start with, not 0. The camera was tripod attached, so I was not worry about slow shutting. It was still life, I got all time I needed by the shutter to completely flips. Read the rest of this entry …

For some reasons which I did not quite understand, my magazine supplier did not update their inventory for quite a while, so I was forced to go back to the old way, Periplus. I have stopped buying photography magazine from Periplus since I got in contact with my supplier offering fresh issue in very reasonable price of less than a half of Periplus. Unfortunately I found Periplus collection of photograhy magazine has changed as well. They only had two whilst in the old days they used to have 6-8 different publications.

The good side was that it took no time to choose. I took October issue of Digital Camera World without really examining the content as the other one features new DSLR generation from Sony and new Canon’s entry level 1000D, which I had no interest at all.

Back home I got a pleasant surprise, the issue I chose was Digital Camera World’s special issue of Fine Art Nudes, featuring the issue in detail through about 20 pages, it also gave away a CD with raw images in very high resolution. What a gift. The bad side however was the passion to bring it into practice.

Containing thorough exposure of the issue including engaging models and studios to technical details like lighting, posing, and digital post processing, it was absolutely not at all about pornographic. However I guess amateur like myself can be compared to ordinary human being with professional gynaecologist. Could I manage the other passion if I have a chance to be in nude photography session?

Read the rest of this entry …

After getting disappointed with two cheaper choice of telephoto lenses I finally got something which I am happy with. My first Canon telephoto lens Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM was quite capable to bring amazing pictures when it got the right shooting condition. Its replacement with shorter range but recommended by many happy users Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM brought even more disappointment at the same area of concern AF, regardless its decent plus of image stabilizer which did work well.

I have to admit that I have always been comparing telephoto lenses with the brilliant Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D I owned during my Nikonian days. I guess that was the honest reason on me being nuisance in choosing optical equipments. Unfortunately my pockets are shallow. When I put my hands in to draw some money, it is very easy to reach the bottom end. So the luxury to get the best option available is just not mine. As always, I have to dance among need, passion, and money.

My first grab on Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L belongs to my fellow Bali photography enthusiast was impressive. Noting absence of IS I had similar impression with my old Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D. But it was a Ferrari in its own species, and as anything else in life, there is price for every bit of excellence. Another issue I was considering was weight. 1,310 grams of Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D was a real burden in active outdoor sessions, in many occasions giving enough reason to go out without it. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L is even heavier at 1,470 grams. Finally presence of IS which I consider nice to have but something I can live without, especially when the price of having it quite significant. Read the rest of this entry …

I continuously amazed with products shown on magazine advertisement, and very much interested on how those appealing shots of - in most of the cases - very simple products have been made. Whilst large products like cars will definitely require expensive extra-powered lightings, I started to pay my attention to small products like stationaries, jewelries, small electronic devices, and other stuffs at similar size.

Exploring available resources on the net I found that photography for small products needs specific lighting equipment, which I found even harder to find than larger-powered studio lighting, at least in the country I live. Of course I can order from Adorama or BHP, but enormous extra cots for shipment and import duty have forced me to immediately wipe it as a possible option. As I thought small products would not need high powered-ligth, I decided to start with normal house-hold tungsten spot-light, keeping in mind that I would have to be careful with white balance setting. Read the rest of this entry …

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is the third lens I resold within the only few months of my Canon days. All of them only stayed in my dry box for few weeks, less than a month. Money I spent on lenses was definitely hard-earned, and therefore reselling which in many cases involve a little - or big - loss, was something I was hesitate to do.

The first one I resold was Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II which I replaced with manual focusing Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4. The second one was Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, which I do not get a replacement yet, but looking into either the weight light Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM (non IS) or reasonably priced Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG Macro HSM. I occasionally resold lenses during my Nikon years, but none of them was reasoned by disappointment. Read the rest of this entry …

After postponed a number of times for various reason, I finally had a chance to go to Taman Ujung, a historical sites on the coast of Karangasem, East Bali, which was the heritage of ancient kingdom of Karangasem. My main intention is outdoor model photography instead of either landscape or architecture. It was actually the reason why I desperately insisted my girlfriend to go along as the model, whose out of a sudden seems to loose her camera mood in the last few weeks. It was actually cloudy when we left home, but thinking how rare the chance was, I decided to go and hope that sun would eventually come up.

Winding trip through scenic country road took us about an hour and a half, plus an awful breakfast break at a little cafe on Candidasa beach. Candidasa water garden which normally quite a scenic place for landscape seemed rather dull, so we just passed. Getting to the destination without any hassle we found the weather was quite nice, with deep blue sky especially on the direction towards the sea. The holly Mount Agung behind the site remained cloudy though. Read the rest of this entry …

When I decided to trade My Nikon D200 into Canon EOS 5D, I also reversed the strategy in lenses assortment. With Nikon, I had rather cheap wide-angle lens and top-of-the-line telephoto lens. As my experience shown that most of my professional works falls into wide angle category, I went the opposite way round, I chased for good wide-angle lens and accept mediocre telephoto lens. Hollow space in the mid-range was filled in by super-fast 50mm prime.

Main lenses in my Nikon day was as follow:

• AF Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D (last gen. w/tripod collar).
• AF Nikkor 50mm F/1.4
• AF Nikkor 35-70mm F/3.3-4.5
• Sigma EX 10-20mm F/4-5.6 HSM

Changed into my Canon days with the followings:

• Canon EF 17-40mm F/4 L
• Canon EF 50mm F1.8 Mark II (replaced later with Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm F/1.4)
• Canon EF 35-80mm F/4-5.6 (sold later)
• Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM (sold later)

Trusting a number of reviews on the net - which proven to be true - saying that even cheap crappy lenses result in better pictures in full frame cameras compared to top-of-the-line lenses on APS-C cameras, I comfortably decided to go for Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM to replace my brilliant AF Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D for portraiture and telephoto. Read the rest of this entry …