Category: Photography

Conjunction of Jupiter And Venus 2015 – Part 1

Conjunction of Jupiter And Venus 2015 – Part 1

The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, are appearing close together for a rare and dramatic event known as a conjunction. OK. For those in countries where it is now already or past twilight, go to your window or balcony to look. Come back to read Part 2 about photographing the mating planets.

If you are an Android user, install Google Sky Map. It is one of the best reasons to own an Android phone or tablet. Turn on your GPS and search for Venus or Jupiter in the app. Point your phone according to the guide arrows and you will find the two planets in just a few seconds.

Depending on your location, time and phone’s GPS accuracy, the two planets may not be as close or in the exact position shown on screen. The orientation and perceived separation may also vary from that of pictures you have seen. This is because the pictures are most likely photographed from a different location and time.

Nevertheless, the handy app gives you an idea as to where to look. In this picture, the two planets are hidden behind clouds. I know where they are and what they are going to do this summer.

Next: Photographing the conjunction or planetary copulation.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 400, f4, 1/60 sec.

Sungai Bil Waterfalls

The calming sight and soothing sounds of the river belie the ferocious battles that was fought beside it during the Second World War. The road outside was littered with casualties from the British Indian Army attempting to thwart the invasion.

It was on this road that invading Japanese tanks rumbled through in its drive to capture Singapore in the south. This was the old road going north or south until the tolled-Slim River highway was constructed in the 1960s.

74 years later, the actions of the brave men are mostly forgotten or ignored. The river that bore witness remains as stoic as the giant, mossy boulders.

The stoical stance lessens the pain of indignation, I guess. Its banks are now littered with styrofoam boxes from disregardful picnickers.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 50, f22, 1/2 sec.

Ulu Slim Hot Springs

Just when I arrived at this secluded hot springs, a damn tour group came charging in. These package or group tours are getting out of control.

The tourists are herded everywhere. Before they can enjoy the steam, the tour bus driver was already sounding the horn. What’s the hurry? Next stop; Moo Cow Frozen Yogurt or what?

I wanted to take a dip but that tour leader or tour guide in the middle wasn’t too friendly. What’s with staring in this area, anyway?

The hot springs at Ulu Slim is nice in that it wasn’t turned into an ugly cemented pond or worst, proclaimed as a spa, as with many other exploitable hot springs in the country. I like that it remains a (free) natural pond within an idyllic country setting.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/250 sec.

Love Wins And Rainbow Colours Abound

This is a rare natural phenomenon known as a rainbow cloud or fire cloud. I photographed it last July from Bukit Beruntung near Federal Route 1. It was my second time seeing and photographing this beautiful weather phenomenon. The first time was from the old Bentong road.

I discovered something new when I re-opened the image in the updated Photoshop software today. Rainbows and cloud rainbows benefit greatly from the new Dehaze filter in Photoshop CC 2015. The rainbows colours became more vivid and clearer when Dehaze was deployed under Camera Raw Filter.

With another image of a regular rainbow arc, I was able to bring out the so-called double arc or secondary rainbow that was otherwise invisible. There is payload though. It is at the cost of noise increasing in the blue spectrum, especially that of the sky.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f11, 1/1000 sec.

Meeting Jabba The Hutt At Mokhtar’s

In a darkened room, I met the monster Mokhtar keeps as a pet. I nicknamed it Jabba the Hutt. Built by Mokhtar’s father in 1954, the brick oven is similar in design to those used in villages in India. The masonry oven known as a brick oven or stone oven dates back to medieval times.

Jabba has an insatiable appetite for firewood. Mokhtar’s father used to feed it rubberwood when rubber trees were plentiful in Malaysia. It is now fed with discarded wooden furniture. I asked Mokhtar and his response was: “Kayu getah sangat mahal sekarang, bro” (Rubberwood is very expensive now, bro).

So whenever someone in Slim River wants to discard old furniture, they send it to Mokhtar. The bakery is like a recycling center for wood. He turns wood into ashes and bread.

Mokhtar is a media-savvy person. He knew I wanted to capture the ray of lights spilling out from a hole in the ceiling. He waited patiently as I fine-tuned the power of the Sony HVL-F60M wireless flash.

He (Mokhtar, not Jabba) is a celebrity. I understand he appeared on all local television channels from TV1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to TV 36 or something. He took me to his house nearby to show me newspaper cuttings and pictures framed and hanging from his living room wall.

While there, I noticed furniture was unusually sparse. In my mind, I wanted to ask Mokhtar:

“Bro, if i were to give you a nice IKEA wood table for your birthday, will you promise to assemble it and use it as a table?”

I didn’t ask in the end for I can’t bear to hear his answer. To be continued…

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 2500, f4, 1/60 sec.