This website is a long time coming. From late March, I travelled around Asia for 6 months. Before setting off, the thought of a travel blog crossed my girlfriend and my mind's. At the time, it seemed too tedious to bother. Alas, 9 months later here I am, sharing our photos and their stories.
We begin with the 28th of December, 2014. Simply because the pictures are ready and I am eager to begin posting. Back dated posts are to come, however slowly that may be.
Photo Take: Pitt St Mall, Sydney. 1/200 sec, 12mm, f/5.6, ISO100
This B&W picture started off the street photography session. After my girlfriend parted me to go shop at UNIQLO I saw this heritage-looking chemist and thought it quaint. Nestled in the metropolis of Sydney and hugged by two other heritage-styled buildings (you'll see what I mean later). The contrast of old and new seemed to be a nice theme, but the clouds above weren't being kind. The original colour image was harsh and flat, so I remembered a photographer once wrote that if you find a picture boring, convert it to black and white. Now I think the picture is wicked!
Photo Taken: The Strand Arcade with a Christmas Tee. 1/10 sec, 12mm, f/8.0, ISO500.
Photo Taken: The Strand Arcade level 3.1/10 sec, 12mm, f/8.0, ISO100.
Photo Taken: The Strand Arcade level 3. 1/3 sec, 12mm, f/8.0, ISO100.
The Strand Arcade and Queen Victoria Building have an amazing interior when you stop to admire them. I am also sure that they have been photographed to death. Though likely true, I did not want to dampen my motivation to take a few interior design photos and see how they turn out. I am quite pleased with them. The Christmas tree picture has a nice yuletide feel with tones of christmas red everywhere. The latter two images were from the same position on level 3. Both trying to capture the ornate nature of the building from different perspectives. The last image had a longer shutter speed as I was aiming for slightly blurred people. As you can see with these pictures, the use of leading lines and composition was weighing heavily on my mind as I was taking the picture. Ensuring symmetry and neat borders. I was predominantly alone most of the time, meaning I could take my time without feeling pressured [without a tripod :( ].
Before reuniting with my girlfriend, I went out to Pitt St Mall again and noticed the clouds and parted and the original shot I wanted to take with a more symmetrical theme was possible. So quickly snapped a few before heading to UNIQLO.
Photo Take: Pitt St Mall, Sydney. 1/100 sec, 12mm, f/8.0, ISO100
As you can see, the chemist building is sandwiched between two other heritage styled buildings. They are then dwarfed by Sydney's skyscrapers.
Once I met up with Martina (my girlfriend), she was lamenting the fact that UNIQLO sizing has been adjusted for the larger Australian population. Meaning what she previously bought as a size S, she now has to purchase a size XS. Furthermore, because UNIQLO is from the northern hemisphere, the Australian UNIQLO is one season behind and more expensive than Singapore or Hong Kong. :S
Photo Taken: Hunter St (I think), Sydney. 1/160 sec, 12mm, f/4.0, ISO100.
I don't have much to say about this picture. We were just walking to Circular Quay and came across this wedge shaped building. I appreciate their peculiar shape and reminisce my time at Sydney Central Dental Hospital and touring New York to finally see the Flat Iron Building.
I think this was a rustic whisky bar I went with a friend to 2 years ago? I actually wanted to take a picture of the alleyway it was situated in, but the sun was shining directly through the alleyway, creating unforgiving light trespass and flaring. This picture differs in comparison to all the other pictures taken as most of them are landscapes, sweeping vistas or large buildings. I am looking to purchase a 25mm fixed lens in the near future and hope to take more detail or still life pictures. In an attempt to improve my artistic eye. This was the intent behind this picture - just to appreciate the little things.
I'll leave you with the final picture, which is us on the way back from Manly by ferry. As you can tell, there are no pictures of Manly. But I had to get a picture of the harbour despite it being just an okay picture.
Photo Taken: Sydney Harbour Ferry from Manly. 1/200 sec, 12mm, f/5.6, ISO100.
Till next time...