this is not first time I shoot Milky, but this is my very first time see it clearly … it was just above us and we can use our eye to see it … am happy able to make this outing [my East Coast visit | April 20100] and thanks for my friends going with me (Shunfa, Jason, Siah, Seesy, Xiao Yi, Ismail, Norhana & Lio) . We had wonderful trip … and could be most memorable trip for me ….
beside standard tools tripod, release cable, ….I using different filter for different situation and effect … e.g. I use super ND to clear silky effect on sunny day which discuss here.
I also make use of CPL to get better colors contrast, reflection, shot the clearness of the water …. sometime I do use it as ND filters too (2 stops) …
e.g. of the highlight of the coconut tree leaf on sunny day
the usage of the CPL just like Photography, it never have right or wrong … it just what you prefer to see … but above e.g. is to show how we use to reduce the highlight of the reflective part of the coconut tree leaf
another e.g. to show the water reflection and the saturation of the overall picture
both sample above show different effect can be archive by rotating the CPL…..
For me, if you serious in Landscape CPL is a necessary tool that always near you so you can have what effect you would like have which not easy archive by other filters or post processing ….
sample
a sample of using CPL
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good news is the Marumi DHG CPL/DHG Super CPL are in-stock now… and thanks LeePhoto bringing in the such a good filters into market
contact me for price for COD near Kuala Lumpur/PJ/any place I reach …. or by courier service here
since last year July till now, I had travel to Malaysia East coast for 4-5 times but it never slow me down to make another visit but it rather make me feel I should visit there more often as a Landscape photographer .. it is a “heaven”, I would say I only explore <5% location up to Kuala Terengganu from Kuantan…. 31 March – 4 April 2011, me with other 8 friends decided to make a quick trip from Kuantan –> Pantai Kemasik (sunrise) –> Kuala Terengganu (Pantai Pandak & Masjid Tengku Tengah Zaharah) –> Kota Bahru (meeting www.photomalaysia.com event, Sri Tujuh…) –> Dungun (star, sunrise ….)
short 5d4n trip, we traveled ~1500KM, managed to capture beautiful sunrise, sunset, reflection, stars …. and Milky way from 2 places …
it going to be slow to share all pictures .. but let’s start this thread and I will be slowly post up the pictures into Terengganu series.
but let’s me start with 1st capture at Pantai Kemasik …
and another after sunrise shot before we continue our journey …
stay tune for more update pictures from beautiful East Coast, Malaysia
Update 6 April 2011 – everyone seem success capture the Milky way … congraz …
1. stronger arm that can handle heavy flash like 430EX , sb600 etc …
it is always good to bring flash closer to the object which help to freeze the object even wind or hand shake (for more info please google “Inverse-square law for Light”)
1/128 power = 1/36313 seconds Flash Duration —- SCALED to REPORTED DATA
1/64 power = 1/25341 seconds
1/32 power = 1/19232 seconds
1/16 power = 1/12914 seconds
1/8 power = 1/9151 seconds
1/4 power = 1/6107 seconds
1/2 power = 1/4019 seconds
Full power = 1/833 seconds
Canon 580 EXii – Distance from Flash to Sensor: 2 feet
1/128 power = 1/52718 seconds Flash Duration —- SCALED to REPORTED DATA
1/64 power = 1/38845 seconds
1/32 power = 1/26887 seconds
1/16 power = 1/18626 seconds
1/8 power = 1/13039 seconds
1/4 power = 1/8447 seconds
1/2 power = 1/5006 seconds
Full power = 1/871 seconds
simple compare, the lower the power mean we have faster virtual shutter speed which help to freeze the moment (due to wind, hand shake and etc) … so if when we do handheld macrophotography, it is always good to make flash closer to the object …
so some of my testing are base using the flash bracket (which bring the light source closer to the object)
to make my life easier, I always keep this table with me while I use my 10 stops filter
10 stops exposure
1/1000
1 sec
1/800
1 sec
1/640
1 sec
1/500
2 sec
1/400
2 sec
1/320
3 sec
1/250
4 sec
1/200
5 sec
1/160
6 sec
1/125
8 sec
1/100
10 sec
1/80
12 sec
1/60
17 sec
1/50
20 sec
1/40
25 sec
1/30
34 sec
1/25
40 sec
1/20
51 sec
1/15
68 sec
1/13
78 sec
1/10
102 sec
1/8
128 sec
1/6
170 sec
1/5
204 sec
1/4
256 sec
1/3
341 sec
0.4
409 sec
0.5
512 sec
10/16
640 sec
10/13
787 sec
1
1024
for anything before 1/1000, our camera should able to give correct exposure … and for me anything more than 1000sec is almost too long to wait for .. so I will only use the filter
a ND must have when you really into a slow shutter or long exposure photography which give you 10 stops down …and easily create silky, motion of flowing objects e.g. water, wave, clouds …
Even on day light ? At bright condition how we can get silky feel on sea/lake/river etc ….so normally we will use a big stop of ND and in the market have few well known
At daylight (Malaysia), even with smallest aperture & lowest ISO … we still will get something 1/400-1/100… e.g. even with 1/100 we will never get the silky effect
and this was shoot early morning where already bright enough to fail you to make silky wave…by using the “Lee filter – Big Stopper” I shoot with exif below
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 116/1 second ===> 116 second
# Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 11/1 ===> ƒ/11
# ISO Speed Ratings = 200
# Original Date/Time = 2010:12:18 07:26:43
or with sun still on the horizon, I still able to make the shutter to 20s to create the silky as exif below sharing
5dm2 + 1635@18mm + Lee Big Stopper + Lee .9s GND
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 20/1 second ===> 20 second
# Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 9/1 ===> ƒ/9
# ISO Speed Ratings = 100
previous share on this super ND with some compare among Big Stopper vs Schneider
I will have a mini workshop for long exposure so I decide to make one South (Muar – Batu Pahat, Johor) …
this is not a full Workshop but I will share some tips
1. what tools - filter explanation - which filter to use
2. how to shoot Long Exposure
– how do we calculate the exposure time
– some experience what setting
– what’s best exposure for different effect
3. what accessories require for Long Exposure
4. Post Processing tips (my Long Exposure and Star PP workflow)
5. How I shoot Stars
this trip will limit to 4-6 participants and now 2 have been fill …..
*** update 23 March 2011 , 4 seat had been fill …..
*** update 28 March 2011, 6 seats had been fill … and this is close now !!!
RM499 will include
1. travel from KL
2. accommodation (we will have quick rest after sunset) (3 stars hotel 2 share 1room)
3. monitor calibration, if you bring yours notebook along
*** this is not a basic class, will assume participant already know basic of DSLR, A-mode, M-mode, exposure, Aperture, ISO, Bulb-mode (will share how to calculate for right exposure)
Contact me for different fee, if you arrange yours own transport …
Me and my gang was crazy with nightscape with stars since last year but too bad year end is not a good season for stars photography due to weather … so we stop for months and now we are back with full actions where we are thinking, dreaming of stars every moment .. and we also try to plan as much as possible stars chasing outing 😀