The one that was separated
This is millet, nice and up-close
I've taken the opportunity to document a wedding as a guest.
Q: A photo a day?
A: we'll see.
The busy scene was featured essentially because of the shadows.
HDR is one popular technique used as post processing.
Well, recently I took an interest in seeing good HDR and later tried to apply it on my own. This style is not done by commercial software such as photomatrix, topaz, etc. It was post processed with CS2 by eye.
I used one jpeg image to convert this into roughly speaking 4 images for the combination. The layers were used to capture details and shadows. First few layers were for sharpening and the last few was for noise reduction. One of the disadvantage of using single jpeg (not RAW) is the noise upon HDR-ing.
Needless to say, I had to dodge it (brighten it manually) with a mouse and a stylus pen. This helps the overall image and eliminates some noise (digital) mentioned earlier.
Summary : Start from scratch ! Working with a single jpeg image is indeed challenging as it robs us luxury of RAW files and multiple exposure. However, it takes some understanding to work with simple JPEG to discover it's limitation. It's benefit is, you do things manually and not let the program do it for you. Things like dodging and burning and minor details are all in your controls.
Dear Blog,
While there is sign of recovery, my nose is filled with mucus, each inhalation consumes a lot of energy for the moment. Sometimes, resulting in brain freeze/hang.
" as I lay awake, my mind drifts into oblivion, the matter could not decipher thoughts due to this illness that resides in the lungs and in my esophagus. "
My appetite is building up, despite this illness that momentarily blocks the sense of smell and hence theoretically reduce the urge to eat. (this may be a new slimming theory).
So until I fully recover, I'll keep blogging short. Well, I have also officially resumed work. (that's not too bad)-relying on off the pharmacy rack medication.
Thanks for your support in reading my blogs too!
Closed eyes? Yellow gown with purple motivesKUALA LUMPUR: Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Victoria, which now has national heritage status, reverts to its old name of Victoria Institution (VI) from Saturday as it is world renowned.
"The world already knows its name as Victoria Institution so it is my pleasure to announce that its name, beginning today, will remain as Victoria Institution," said Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (left) with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique are looking at the national heritage declaration scroll at Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur. Speaking at a cermony Saturday to declare the school's national heritage status, Shafie said the school was chosen as it met the criteria of the National Heritage Act 2005.
Shafie, who is an alumnus of the school, said VI played a role in the country's history when it was used as the administrative headquarters by the invading Japanese army during the Second World War.
The school, he said, was also the first English secondary school in the country, was prestigious and had produced important personalities from Sultans, leaders, ministers, corporate figures, politicians to sports luminaries and professionals.
He said the school was the first in Southeast Asia to have cadet corps and a school band.
Shafie called for the school's heritage to be conserved as each characteristic "be it a wall, a window, balcony, roof, tower or its field has its own story."
Founded by Sultan Abdul Samad, William Hood Treacher, Loke Yew, Thamboosamy Pillai and Yap Kwan Seng on Aug 14, 1893, Victoria Institution has steadfastly maintained a record of academic excellence and produced many leaders and luminaries.
Those who passed through its hallowed halls include Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Cabinet ministers then and now like Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique, Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen and former judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar.
Other former students include corporate giants like Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir, T. Ananda Krishnan and Tan Sri Francis Yeoh while in the field of sports the school has produced luminaries such as Datuk Dr. M. Jegathesan, the late Mokthar Dahari, Datuk Misbun Sidek, Foo Kok Keong, Datuk P.S. Nathan and Ishtiaq Mubarak.
Shafie said till today there were 172 items listed on the National Heritage List.
He said there were four sites in the country accorded 'World Heritage Site' status and several manuscripts were in the 'Memory Of The World' register.
"Such recognition surely adds value to our heritage and Malaysians should be proud that our heritage is shared with the world," Shafie said.
Meanwhile, VI ParentTeachers Association (PTA) chairman Raja Amir Shah Raja Abdul Aziz said now that the school had been bestowed national heritage status, with its illustrious name restored, a strategic plan needed to be formulated to chart the school's future direction.
"After the heritage do and getting back the VI name, all of us the PTA, old boys, the teachers and community should make VI the best in everything.
"We can have the Raffles Institution in Singapore as a benchmark," he said. - Bernama
As always, Valentine's day marks a romantic evening. In Chinese culture, there is an older observance related to lovers. It is called "The Night of Sevens" (Chinese: 七夕; pinyin: Qi Xi). According to the legend, the Cowherd star and the Weaver Maid star are normally separated by the milky way (river) but are allowed to meet by crossing it on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Chinese calendar.
An observance on the same day in Korea is called Chilseok, but its association with romance has long faded.
In Japan, a slightly different version of 七夕 (called Tanabata, which is said to mean 棚機 a weaver for a god) is celebrated, on July 7 on the Gregorian calendar. The legend behind it is similar to the Chinese one. However, it is never regarded that the celebration is even remotely related with the St. Valentine's Day or lovers giving gifts to each other.
...Ouch
Five cold dishes-for starters
...Huat ah....lou hei (note: missing one because the waiter likes to chop off friends)
The Cod looks spanking delicious.
For much of the film era, 35mm portraitists opted for focal lengths between 70mm and 135mm. Why? Because they flatter the human face -- they're neither long enough to compress space, which flattens contours, nor wide enough to expand a large nose. This pushed the 50mm lens out of the portrait business.
But then came digital. Because of the lens-conversion factor associated with most DSLRs, the too-wide-for-faces 50mm converts up to 75-80mm -- perfect for half-length or even head-and-shoulder portraits. (Don't get any closer, though.)
With its bright apertures of f/1.4, f/2, and f/2.8 funneling generous amounts of light through to the image sensor, the 50mm f/1.4 affords shutter speed
Don't automatically work at f/1.4. Closing down a stop lessens vignetting and expands the depth of field for sharpness, while still delivering softness beyond. And, since 50mm f/1.4 lenses are typically least sharp when used wide open, if detail is important (as in flower close-ups or eyelashes in tight portraits), again, stop down a bit.
Second, the compact dimensions of the 50mm lens are -- compared with more long-barrelled lenses -- less apt to magnify camera shake.
Can you guess this place? 
This photo was taken in the common streets of Hat Yai, Thailand
This was a blur shot but I just love her pose, so I did some processing
Get all the models and the designer together for a group shot!
Fierce pose but I love the dress, simple and elegent desgin.
Dinner gown in blue themed
Simple and long
8 years old young designer
Dressed in red by "white elite
in a trance
The crowd at Batu caves, we were brave! 
These are the kavadi bearers. 
Carrying potted milk on shoulders or on the head walking up batu Caves. 
Pulling kavadi. These are the scenes
The view 
we got vegetarian food service.
