Sight to Insight

I am back from the China trip, and I took along my K7, Pentax 40mm f2.8, 100mm and Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6. I brought back a set of photographs. Am I satisfied with them? If yes, why, and if no, why as well? This is the start of looking backward to prepare forward. Let me start by asking myself, which photograph do I like the best that could be posted for critique at Clubsnap? There are also casual social photo which any pns could have done them. There is no need for an expensive DSLR for this purpose. There are shots which were taken in the car, as we will not stop just to take pictures. There are shots taken which were not composed properly, as they needed to be done before the people react to being photographed. Then there are the composed shots where time was given to figure out the best shot. I will like to summarize the shooting situations as the following: (1) Impromptu, (2) Intentional, (3) Interesting, (4) Memory. Impromptu is when you just want to shoot away and hoping that some...

Before I go onto an photographic journey, whether on purpose or part of a bigger event; I ask myself what theme do I want to focus on. A DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) is different from a PnS (Point and Shoot) compact. Whoever decides to use a DSLR does not stop with its kit lens (offered by the vendor) but will purchase many more lenses to suit the occasion and accessories. One is likely to purchase an UWA (Ultra Wide Angle); zoom (eg 70 - 300 mm), and perhaps even a macro. Accessories like tripod, monopod, flash, filters are common tools and they all are fighting for "space" in the camera bag; yet another accessory. Since the last entry, I have now gotten into the habit of preparing my bag for any trip. My favorite lenses are my Pentax 100mm f2.8 WR, F 300mm f4.5, 40mm f2.8 limited and of course a kit lens 18-55mm. I have a couple of other zoom, alongside with my UWA, Sigma 10-20mm. I am lazy when it comes to tripod and monopod, but at times you just have to have them fo...

  Hobbies are heart and mind engaging. They provide the fuel to keeping the body going. The fuel to do research, practise and improve to appreciate the end result. Photography has been in my blood for a very long time. The earliest recall is when my father lent me his camera, which then used the 120 roll (if I am not mistaken). The camera was like a big Lumix LX3, except that when you pressed a button, a flap came down 90 degrees with the lens. There was only twelve negatives. I must have been 12 years old or so. Then I went to France, and I had enough money to buy my own Yashica camera, which is like a point and shoot, except it used 35mm film. It was in France that I bought my Canon AE-1 (SLR) from a Japanese adult student who was going home. I had a 50mm lens and I then bought a Tamron zoom as well as a doubler. I bought many filters (50mm) and experimented with Kodak filters; which I could buy and cut the film. My Vivitar 285 is still with me; except it cannot flash; though the...