sidemirrorshooting

Some member in a photography forum commented on a particular set that I contributed.

You must really like the sky. Almost all your takes have the sky in them.

I would have to agree. Sometimes I feel a landscape shot wouldn’t be complete without the great big sky. I focus too much on the clouds, the hues of blue and probably the only shade of pink and orange that I absolutely adore.

On one fine day, Bai and I were talking at his apartment while sharing dried pork barbequed strips, microwaved 7-11 rice and Jjamppong (which I only found out yesterday that it was pronounced as ZHAM-fong…) I looked out his window and gaped.

Bai! Bai! LOOK AT THE SUNSET

Lo and behold as ribbons of pink and orange were waving across the horizon. I was jumpy and excited, as always. Sunsets were my favorite subject. There wasn’t much to do. They were always beautiful to begin with, so all you have to do is capture the moment.

Bai told me to get my camera and I did what I was told…

We went outside to one of the hallway windows and there was the start of the threads of color.

I really thought that the -1 EV would be enough, Bai told me to lower the EVs to the lowest setting (-2) just to get the appropriate sunset flair. :) and he was right :D

This was my personal little Northern Lights. It happens almost everyday, comes in the most unimaginable and unpredictable ways, and it never fails to take my breath away.

Plus I don’t think I have any budget to go to Norway. (whee! that all rhymes. LOL)

~

The other day before this magnificent sunset, and after one alcohol induced party at Sensei’s house, Bai and I met for a round of drinks at Beers Paradise. We got back to the apartment OK, after 2 hoegaardens for him 1 cherry beer and a hoegaarden for me (after some drinks of champagne and sake).

I saw his tripod standing on the living room when we went in, and the cityscape from his apartment window.

Half-drunk and slurry me said:

Can I try night shoots with Renault on your tripod? Long exposures!

I cannot remember the exact words. But I know that was what I asked.

Bai helped me setup the tripod. We adjusted the couch and tried to get a better view. Changed the color setting to AWB much to my protest of using “Sunny”, switched to Vivid mode, and set the Long Exposure to 10 seconds, switched to ISO 80 (which was supposed to be 100, well pardon me, my hands had a mind of their own :P) and did a custom timer of 5 seconds.

So after 15 seconds and some random fumbling. Here was the outcome.

let’s repeat: ISO 80 (due to drunk state), Long Exposure set to 10 seconds, Self-timer setting of 5, automatic settings of f/2.8 and 1/10 shutter speed from the camera.

It was funny to see my little camera mounted on such a big tripod. And how my heart swelled with pride to see such nice results. :)

Stumble it!