Slim Bottle

I received a gift and once again it's a great opportunity to make something beautiful. I've got a tricky bottle situation - dark bottle and shiny lettering.

Times like these having several light sources to light the different parts of the product would have made this shot easier. Since I'm limited to only two lights, I had to do with what I have and do the rest in post.

I wanted a shot glass with this photo but the lack of if made me pick some leaves and use it as something to accompany the bottle. Until now I still don't know why I prefer to have those leaves in the image than without it. I guess it would be too simple with any "garnish" in the image.

Would you say those leaves are distraction or something that adds to the image?

Nazdrave! Cheers in Bulgaria.

Photo Progression

One of the best beers for me. Shall we drink?

Here's sneak peak of how I progressed with the photo.

And an extra shot.

Related Posts:

• Water Drops and Splashes

A Walk In The Park

This afternoon the weather was great to have a walk in the park. I was initially planning to do this walk tomorrow but the forecast says that there could be light rains and therefore wouldn't be a good day to take a walk and do a little photo walk.

On my way to the park, I saw these beautiful pink flowering trees on the side of the road.

Here's a setup shot of me to show me taking a walk in the trails of the park. I did by using the 10-second timer and running to the spot I need to be and pose and pretend that I was walking. I nailed this photo on my third attempt. I'm glad it didn't take too much photos to have a photo I like or else I'd be puffing tired.

I've noticed that there were a lot of these yellow flowers and took some sample photos.

Walking the trails made me a bit tired and I just relaxed and lounged in one of the benches in the park.

Wishing my family filled up the empty space...

See you around.

Water Drops And Splashes

Recently, I followed Alex Koloskov at G+ and their site MasteringSplash. They've got truly inspiring photos on water splashes and I thought I should give it  a try. Before I went on splashes, I revisited some water drops and see what I can come up this time -- a 'Growling Bear'?

Growling Bear

A Night Of Food And Photography

A couple of days ago, some from our photography group had some sort of a mini-tutorial/sharing on food photography thus a night of food and photography.

Happy New Year with New Color Scheme

Recolored my blog to a fresh color theme for the new year and hoping for a brighter days, months, and years to come!

Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all and welcome the New Year!

Cheers!

Playful Session

I had a chance to take photos of great comic character toy figures a few weeks ago and it was indeed a playful photo opportunity. I then wanted to try to do composite editing. I would like to share the result of my effort on one of the toy figures and here's what I got. It's not that great but it's a start.

Yellow and Green

This photo has been long overdue and it was only last night I was only able to check on it. After doing my levels adjust on the converted RAW to JPG, I just can't help but be amazed on the output of this flower shot.

I'm loving the colors, sharpness, and DOF so much. I don't know if it's just me but I really do love the outcome on this photo.

Canon EOS 1000D + defective AF 18-55mm kit lens @ 49mm, f/8.0, 1/160sec, ISO 800

Thank you for looking.

Happy New Year!!!

A Happy, Prosperous, and Wonderful New Year to all!!! 2010 was surely a challenging year and I'm sure that 2011 will be one too.

I just realized that I had no entry last December 2010. I did take lots of photos to share but I guess I was too much preoccupied with my beloved kit lens losing it's AF (Auto Focus) function in the middle of a birthday celebration. Oh well, it gave me a chance to take full control of my camera this time: I'm in Manual Settings plus in Manual Focus!

I guess it's not too late to share some of my favorite shots during the holidays:

Close Encounter with Exotic Birds at Residence Inn, Tagaytay

Santa Claus

Of course some Fireworks

  

And our very little own Firworks display in our front lawn the night of 1.1.11 for the kids

Again, Happy New Year to all!!!

Flutter flutter

Flutter flutter.. flutter flutter..

I have seen for the past few days several butterflies flying around the garden.. I really want to get some decent shots of them but every time I sneak on them they fly away and flutter about. I guess it's really time to get some telephoto/macro lens for the job (sadly can't yet, but soon!).

Anyway, I have to do with what I have. With my beloved kit lens I was able to snap a photo of this butterfly.

It was perching on a high leaf and thus the angle of view. No time to get a stool or anything to prop myself higher as this will surely fly away again.

The following day, I tried camping on the grounds and wait some butterflies to perch somewhere near me but to no success, I wasn't able to get any photos that day. Then the next day, I went out again this time I was able to take photos something different though not totally different as this was on it's second stage of it's growth cycle. Do you have any guess? This was easier to take photos as it would stop on the sense of motion.

It's a caterpillar!

I was able to snap more than enough of this crawler but only a couple passed my taste for technical aspects of photography -- exposure, image quality, and composition. Here's another view of it:

Now, I am on the hunt on what kind of specie of butterfly this is. And yesterday morning, I was able to collect three of them and placed them in a glass enclosure with twigs and leaves. I am hoping to rear it into a full blown butterfly. When I got home, only one was left. I guess the other two was able to crawl out.


I'll try to search the grounds again for others and I think I'll be able to find some. It's butterfly time!

Spring Time

It felt like it was spring time this morning. Looking at the lawn filled with weeds reaching at most 5 inches due to the onset of rainy afternoons. Not only the weeds are thriving but also our flowering plants in the lawn. Though I think the flowers are a bit struggling due to the weeds.

Despite of this situation, the flowers are in bloom. The leaves are green and the flowers are bright.

The photo looks like a field of wild flowers. Some are yellow, white, orange, and even red. Add to that the tall weeds that makes it really a field of wild flowers. I guess what's lacking is the bright blue sky.

What made more feel like spring time is that the lawn had several visitors taking advantage of the flowers in bloom. There were several butterflies frequenting the lawn. I guess about three of this specie presented below.
Another specie of butterfly was also in the garden but wasn't able to take a photo of it as didn't rest much on the blooms long enough and it/they was/were relatively small than the ones in the photo.

The edges of the wings of this butterfly are jagged. It looks like strong winds or something else damaged the wings.

Even this butterfly have jagged wings, it's still beautiful and it's not always that these lawn visitors let me take a photo of them enjoying the wonderful blooms.

I think I would like to have a butterfly garden but I'm not sure if it's the right time as I feel the rainy season is just around the corner.

Well, I guess that gives me some time to research and get to know more about having these beautiful winged creatures that enjoy the blossoms.

I have sighted a couple of dragonflies too but didn't have the patience to follow them around in the hot sun. I think I had enough chasing with the butterflies.

That's it for my spring time -- or I should say my spring day!

Revisiting Water Drops

Last February 2010, I once revisited my Water Drop project where I used the nifty fifty prime. Just the other day, I went back again with the Water Drop project but this time back with the kit lens and the 580EX II flash.

The setup was kit lens plus the 580EX II flash on camera. I was able to get some water drop photos but weren't good enough. I was a bit unsatisfied with the results so I guess I have to go back again to the Water Drop project but with the nifty fifty prime plus the 580EX II.

Anyway, here's a few of the best (I think) that turned out different from the other water drops that was formed.

Settings: 55mm, f/22, 1/200 sec, ISO 100, cropped, post processed the "green-ness" and for contrast.

Again, here's the album of my Water Drop project:

Water Drop Project

Pine Leaves???

A couple of weeks ago, I took this photo of a pine tree.. actually not really the tree but only a part of it.. the leaves??? Just see for yourself... By the way, I love how green this is.. very refreshing in my eyes. :D

Wish Had A Macro Lens On This

Last week, while looking around the garden, I saw this tiny grasshopper lounging in the midst of a cosmos plant. It was a windy afternoon and how I wish I had a fast lens. Oh, I have one, the 50mm 1.8 but it wasn't  for the job. As it was tiny, the kit lens just can't provide enough reach. I was only a few inches away from it and since the afternoon was windy, a little breeze introduces some blur. I pushed the ISO to it's max so I can work the shutter speed up.

I guess this is the best I got out of more than 20 shots. :D

I think a good  macro lens could have helped in this situation. :D

Well, it's saving time for that lens. Macro lens here I come!!! :D

Very Strawberry

This a post-valentine entry for me as I had a chance to have some strawberries -- a handful of it, for my disposal. I believe it was nice to have a handful of strawberries that I can take photos of unlike my first attempt which I had only two pieces to work with. After I have processed my new strawberry photos, I believe I have improved in my photo taking. Okay, that's only my opinion.

Here's my first attempt on strawberries:

And here are some of my new strawberry photos:

I think the new photos look tastier than my first attempt. What do you think?

By the way, you can take a look at more strawberry photos in my Food (Fruits, Veggies, Etc.) album but they are towards the end of the album:

Food (Fruits, Veggies, Etc.)

Back To Point And Shoot

It's been almost two weeks since I parted with my DSLR, that is in for service for flash repairs, and I spent again time with my P&S (Point & Shoot). I have to admit that taking creative photos again with my trusted P&S seemed a little bit challenging. It's kinda awkward -- in terms of size, weight, control, speed, and handling.

Despite of these temporal adjustments, I believe I was able to get some decent photos as shown below. Hope you can share some C&C.

Red Flowers

It's been a rainy week. Occassionally, there would be some gusts along with the rain and there times when it just drizzles softly. I took advantage the drizzling and cloudy morning today. Took some photos of the red flowers in our garden which was quite blooming a lot lately.

Here are my favorites:

Catching The Rain - actually, it just caught the drizzles as at this time it was only drizzling. Of course, I had to be under an umbrella to protect my beloved gear -- 1000D + Kit Lens!

Watching The Cloudy Skies - A pair of red flowers looking up above. Not a trace of blue.. only white clouds sending some drizzle.

Not Alone - This one is not alone in the drizzle. There's quite a few of these beautiful red flowers that are so much in bloom. All of them catching the drizzle.

Some Dragonflies

Last weekend, I spent an afternoon on my knees and elbows on the ground. I played with some dragonflies on our newly trimmed lawn if I may say so. I had several chase-sneak-crawl for these fliers. Sharing with you some of the best I was able to capture:

Thanks for viewing!

It's Green

It looks refreshing.. Cool to the eyes.. Color of youth.. That would be green.

Did a little something on Photoshop after I took a photo of this clover with three leaves only... Wished it was four so I could have been lucky as one of the beliefs says that having a four-leaf clover is a lucky charm.

I guess I would be spending sometime on the lawn and look for these green stuff and hopefully I could also get some "green" on my hands for a macro lens. That would be really nice.