Amateur Digital Photography

More Sunset

Sunset is one of my favorite events. Here are some more sunset photos that I took. I hope all y'all enjoy it.

Tips for taking sunset photos:

1. Use low ISO

2. Use a good tripod

3. Don't use lens filter

4. Keep shooting. Sky color changes before and after sunset

5. Experiment with several EV settings or use exposure bracketing

6. Try different focal length or move around for different angle

7. Most importantly, use your artistic eye and be creative. Use the surrounding/foreground (trees, water, pets, people, clouds) to compose the photo

I haven't got much chance to take sunrise pictures. I think sunrise would be interesting as well. Anyone have any favorite sunrise photos? Also if you have any favorite sunset photos that you want to share. Please do email me (or web link). I would love to see them. My email address is sidarta@gmail.com

Happy Photographing!

Beach

This is one of the place where you can just have fun in the sun and not a care in the world. :)

Tennis

Here are some Tennis photos that I took at the Genworth Childrens Advantage Classics, featuring Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, James Blake and Lindsay Davenport.

Fast shutter speed is needed to freeze this topspin motion

Love is in the air

Nascar

Taking picture of race cars moving at more than 150Mph is not an easy task. As you can see from some of the sample photo that I took from the Chevy Rock And Roll 400, which are mediocre at best (when the cars are racing and when the sun has set).

Dale Earnhardt Jr's #8 car pre-race (Pit Pass)

Jeff Gordon's crew and the Pace Car

Pre-Race shows (Daughtry Band, Parachute team, US Air Force etc)

Jeff Gordon racing Jimmie Johnson off the pit road

Congratulation Jimmie Johnson for winning 2007 Nascar Nextel Cup!

A steady hand and high shutter speed (1/500 or 1/1000 or faster) are keys in taking a good photos on a very fast moving object. The longer the focal length (Zoom), the faster shutter speed is needed to avoid blurry photos. The usage of a tripod is recommended. For more advanced photograper, try panning technique.

The panning technique is used to suggest fast motion, and bring out foreground from background. In photographic pictures it is usually noted by a foreground subject in action appearing still (i.e. a runner frozen in mid-stride) while the background is streaked and/or skewed in the apparently opposite direction of the subject's travel.

Night Shot

Taking pictures at night is interesting. You will need to make sure there is enough light which often means long exposure photography. Flash usage will help increase the amount of light but natural light is often more appealing. Remember those night pictures of tall buildings with colorful light and their reflection on the water. They are beautiful, aren't they? I haven't got a chance to take that kind of pictures yet but here are some of my night shot work. Enjoy!

The key to a good and steady long-exposure shot is a tripod. Image stabilization feature helps but nothing beats a good tripod. Keeping your camera steady is the key to sharp long exposure result.

Also try to play around with several exposure value (e.g. -1EV, -2EV, +1EV, +2EV etc) and several white balances. Either use bracketing feature or manually take the photos with different exposure values and see later on which one looks better.

Now, it's your turn to experiment with long-exposure night shots. It's fun and you'll be surprised how nice the result might be. Just don't forget to bring a good tripod with you. Feel free to email me some of your work.

Drawing is Fun

Ed, am I cut out to be an artist? :)

My friends from the hundred acre wood.

Backyard Critters

More photos from my backyard. This time I'm looking for the critters.

Ok this one isn't from my backyard. Koalas are in Australia

Animal lovers, enjoy!

© Sidarta Tanu

Backyard Plants

Sometimes, we don't have to look far for objects to photograph. Here are some samples that I took from my backyard.

Holiday Lights

A combination of colorful lights display are beautiful and inspiring.

Season Greetings!

Happy New Year everyone!

Happy New Year everyone!
Hope 2007 will bring even more success, health and happiness!

I did the countdown and watched the giant ball drop (not the one in NY city) with friends which is good times, and then afterwards we sat down (get a coffee) to reflect of what we have done in 2006 (lots of good memories flashback. and 2006 went by pretty fast) and what we want to achieve in 2007 (to get in shape is always one of them).

I always believe in the philosophy of there is no such thing as a free lunch, but one funny thing is, we started 2007 with a free lunch.. well it's a coffee (a nice irish cream coffee)... A friend of mine told me, though it's just coffee, maybe this is a start of many good things to come.. I said confidently, "I believe so."

Last but not least, adieu Brett Favre. Thank you for the great 16 years. and for the amazing passion that you showed for the game. Superbowl champion and 3 MVP titles are just bonus (or residue of your skill and for playing your heart out). I hope him (and his family) the best.

Take care,

Sidarta Tanu
PS: the free coffee is also the reason I'm still up now :)