The Billingham Stowaway Compact Bag. Made in England. Handmade to last forever. The best everyday carry and tech bag money can buy for men and ladies alike. See here USA https://amzn.to/2QGTG1lUK https://amzn.to/31LN3kB
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
Aqua Utopia|海の底で記憶を紡ぐ

ellievsbear

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Monterey Bay Aquarium

if i look back, i am lost
Not today Justin
Three Goblin Art
Cosmic Funnies

祝日 / Permanent Vacation

titsay

PR's Tumblrdome
RMH

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Kiana Khansmith

oozey mess

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Jules of Nature

Janaina Medeiros
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seen from Germany

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@jesuise
The Billingham Stowaway Compact Bag. Made in England. Handmade to last forever. The best everyday carry and tech bag money can buy for men and ladies alike. See here USA https://amzn.to/2QGTG1lUK https://amzn.to/31LN3kB
Make the Ocean Great Again: Destination Sabah
1 Introduction
Many of you know something about marine conservation but only a few really understand how accountable we all are for it. Or what we as individuals can do about it.
Reading up helps obviously but it will be sorely insufficient to progress anyone into action. Eg. if you are told that our oceans are the biggest ecosystem supplying half of our oxygen need, you may get an intellectual understanding but chances are you wouldn’t be moved into marine conservation anyway.
However, if like me, you are put to experience a pristine beach teeming with exotic sea life one moment, and then made to clear a nearby beach filled with decaying debris next, you will be impacted somewhat. Yes, you will seriously begin to stop taking things for granted or refrain from using plastic bottles again which, by the way, takes 500 years to disintegrate.
2 How I got involved
So how did a rather un-marine person got into this esoteric subject far from the typical city dwelling mind?
I was privileged to be sent by the USA Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for a mind opening marine experiential trip as a winner of their Save The Ocean 2016 contest.
Together with a few fortunate others, we visited the amazing marine parks off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on the northern tip of Borneo. It was my very first eco-sustainable “vacation” (more about that definition later) and it blew me away with overpowering and insightful knowledge of environmental issues.
Therefore, I hope my sharing will highlight to you the vivid impressions we learned about our nearby marine environment, the global conservation challenges and possible solutions vital for yours and others’ existence. More so, I wish to stir you to go experience what we went through so that we can be enlightened to stop the degrading of the vital supply chain of food, medicinal and eco-sytemic needs.
At the end, I propose some suggestions how we can propagate these messages more effectively to the general public.
Fig 1: The pristine Tunku Abdul Rahman Marina Park from afar, off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah at dusk. Its sustainability is dependent on our collective effort. (Pic by me)
3 Going to Sabah.
The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu takes a total time of 3 hours on AirAsia (the region’s biggest budget airline). AirAsia flies regularly to Kota Kinabalu from KLIA2 with pretty much full flights in and out. The new terminal of KLIA2 is impressively efficient and overall it was a pleasant ride with spectacular view of the coastline of Sabah visible on a clear day.
Fig 2: View of coast line from flight approaching Sabah from Kuala Lumpur (pic by me)
4 Discovery
With a total of three and a half days, our team were well taken care of by our host, the professional diving company of Suba Junkie, based out of Kota Kinabalu and Mabul Island, on the eastern coastline.
Our activities were spread out between presentations by marine specialists and diving instructors and actual snorkeling cum diving in the deep blue sea. We also picked marine debris in between and more about that later.
So it is not a sightseeing tour but a seriously intensive discovery and learning trip.
(By the way, Scuba Junkie has some truly dedicated marine biologists and professional dive masters which makes even the novice swimmer enabled. Even if you are not sporty and have never touched the ocean before, you are in good company.)
Although all of us have some knowledge of climate change and environmental pollution, none has direct experience on ocean conservation, marine life and marine biology.
As such, the presentations were truly useful as we got to the details on a scientific level as well as the local human conditions of people depending on the sea for their livelihood. We also learn about the impact of over commercialization of tourism and measures to prevent environmental damage.
Fig 3a Views of gorgeous Gaya Island / Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (Pics by me).
5 Key Highlights
5a. Support conservation projects, marine protected areas and cleaing efforts in Malaysia and around the world.
Sabah has shown us some of the most amazing marine protected wonders, rated as one of the bests, if not the best, place for marine life and diving. The collective region of Coral Triangle stretching the whole of eastern Borneo to the Solomon Islands contain more than 70 percent of the world’s coral species. Corals are most important as it is the feeding ground of fishes which in turn forms the food chain of larger fishes.
Eg. Sipadan, Sabah, has been voted the no 1 diving spot in the world for many years running. It is not something to enjoy for divers alone but also a reference of marine health which other conservation efforts can be based on. And like us, just dipping into the shallows of Pulau Gaya will give you an idea of what marine nature is all about.
Fig 4: The Coral Triangle (by Scuba Junkie)
Therefore, a great ocean is not just for tourism but also for the many thousands of people who depend on the sea for a living and all of us who consume seafood and medicine derived from the seas. Not to mention the oxygen we breathe and rain that falls into our reservoirs.
As such, we need to be actively involved in making sure marine resources are sustainable and renewable. We are the solution for ourselves. How you live daily has a direct impact on the environment and your existence.
5b. Do your part to make the ocean great again.
There are a million ways to be accountable. Some simple steps require no extraordinary effort.
Be a responsible consumer and do away (or reduce use of) with plastic and non-biodegradable products. Remember that it takes 500 years for a plastic bag or bottle to completely disintegrate!
Choose sustainable and eco-oriented travel. It is wonderful to be aligned with nature.
Avoid seafood that is unsustainable (ever wondered why the fishes in the market are getting smaller? It is because we humans have eaten the bigger ones and they are not reproducing fast enough).
Experience the problem by cleaning up a beach like we did. Only by doing that you can learn the severity of sea pollution, our self-inflicted problems. We can stop the degradation by staying away from plastics and unsustainable seafood. If you cannot see the debris on the water or your local beach, it just mean that the debris is polluting the seabed or some other beaches in the world.
Picking up plastic bottles and rubbish on the beach (pic by Scuba Junkie).
5c. Spread the word to your friends and public about the need to preserve the seas and the environment.
(Slide by Scuba Junkie)
6. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
(Slide by Scuba Junkie)
Below are some information on the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park taken from www.sabahtourism.com:
“The Marine Park is a cluster of islands; Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug.
Pulau Gaya hosts the Gayana Eco Resort, Bunga Raya Resort and the Gaya Island resort by YTL. Visits to these premises require prior bookings.
Pulau Sapi, Manukan and Mamutik host beach activities as well as snorkeling and diving. Island tours can be booked on the spot at the Jesselton Jetty except for diving which requires prior arrangements with a dive center. Island hopping is also an alternative.“
7. Under The Sea
Although we are novice snorkelers (with audacious hearts no less), with the guidance of Scuba Junkie, all of us witnessed amazing creatures and floral blooms of the coral bed. I was so surprised by the variety of fishes that swim right up to the beaches that in the city would have to be seen in aquariums. By the way, those fishes in aquariums are caught from the sea and is a no-no for conservation.
Below are some pictures taken of the brief encounters. You can of course find much more captivating videos on Youtube in the Sabah waters.
Thriving Coral Bed (Pic by me)
Finding Nemo! (Pic by Scuba Junkie)
Giant Squid (Pic by Scuba Junkie)
7. The Sabah Cultural Heritage
We had a very useful last day visiting the Mari Mari Cultural Village which I must recommend for any visitor to Borneo. Here you will take an exciting and learning journey into the lives of the tribes in Sabah and experience their daily activities. You will get to meet the natives and indulge in their food, customs and natural traditions. Below are some photos of the various activities I captured in between the marvelous presentations by the professional guides.
Summary
First, I would like to say that the trip to Sabah really was positively surprising to me and I am sure the rest of the team. Living in South East Asia, people here tend to focus on faraway destinations to experience prestigious attractions in cities of Europe, Japan and the Americas. Many tour operators push commercial trips with higher pull factors often drawing greater profit. Nevermind the “niche” sector of eco-tourism, a much smaller market where visitors are expected to learn.
As tourism and eco-sustainability go hand in hand, it is here that I believe that a more concerted plan and outreach can be coordinated by Asean countries through joint promotional planning. There is a need to both leverage the special eco-tour agencies as well as touching community directly via both the web and exhibitions by regional tourism authorities.
The message of knowledge and learning is lost if outreach is centered on tourism and pushed by tour operators.
Therefore, my proposition is that outreach must be enhanced with joint public-private collaboration. Also engaging the online community such as photographers and bloggers will help to reach not only nearby countries but also the larger global market.
I hope this article and proposition will result in many more successful tours to the far outreach of South East Asia and in particular Malaysia.
Below are the contacts for the various entities mentioned in this post.
The United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur: https://www.facebook.com/usembassykl
The Scuba Junkie https://www.facebook.com/Scuba-Junkie-194941142120
The Mari Mari Cultural Village https://www.facebook.com/marimariculturalvillageborneo
The Sabah Tourism Board https://www.facebook.com/TMSabah
You may follow my journeys at instagram.com/edphi
Azure sunset watchers mingling in Singapore. It's a hot period in June. #nature #azure #sunsets #sunset_madness #instagood #weather #alien #dry #summer #holidays #travel #skyline #landscape #instagramsg #exploresg #igaddict #backpacking #iger #asian #singapore #bestoftheday #chaosmag #resourcemag #summertime
How about a smoke free zone for dogs next?... Cutemax is his name, lol! #schnauzer_of_instagram #schnauzer #pets #dogsofinstagram #dog #cutedog #canine #instawoof #instalove #igaddict #doglover #smokefree #nature #woof #instago #instagood #instamood #superdog #doggy #woofwoof #dogoftheday #terrier #hairy #cat #epic
Ramadan fasting month. TOURISTS from Thailand passing by the Sultan Mosque area in a bus. #hariraya #arab #muslim #newyear #happy #Singing #malay #religious #islam #Mosque #textgram #family #instago #igaddict #awesome #instagood #music #drums #boy #festival #musicians #celebrate #adilfitri #middleeast #peace #thailand #tourist #ramadan2016
As I was walking along the bank of Marina Bay, suddenly a strong streak of almost blinding brilliance shot across the sky. Set against the dark slanting skyline and bursting yellow summer sunset, it's looks like an Independence Day movie scenario. Gladly it was a supersonic jet of the Republic of Singapore Air Force on duty. #republicofsingaporeairforce @marinabaysands #independenceday #pcgame #airforce #detence #singaporeairforce #meteorite #jettrail #fly #sunset #silhoutte #skyline #myfeatureshoot @marinabaysg @bbc_travel @bbc #summer @independencedaymovie #movie #independencedaymovie #leica @leicacraft
The Pictures at an Exhibition
The #AnnieLiebovitz New: Women Portraits exhibition is currently touring in Singapore till May 22 2016.
I am impressed as usual with these great works of Annie.
But even more so, I was actually quite fascinated with the rather old and decaying building of the Malayan Railway Station at Tanjong Pagar. Having been there many times in its earlier and more glorious days, it was just another transit point or place of meet ups.
The place seemed dilapidating fast. But the real quality of it lies just beneath the layers of peeling paint revealing congruent structures. Eg., marks left by a taken- down notice board looks like a giant TV. Another room has a pseudo-chair in concrete built into the wall.
The curators of this exhibition must have spent a great amount of time figuring how to make the gungy place work. They placed designer lamps and furniture in a way that really contrasted with the overall crumbling facade.
By the way, if you dont know, the railway terminus has been classified as a national monument in 2011. That means its unique stature will be preserved for future generations.
I managed to soak in the ambience of Annie’s latest women series as well as the place. With my interest piqued, I took some shots away which I believe makes sense of the old and new. I am hopeful that this place will become an art venue that will rival our new National Gallery at the Padang.
If you are going, the WOMEN: New Portraits' by Annie Leibovitz exhibition is held at the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, 30 Keppel Road.
It runs from 29 April to 22 May. Free entry!
The weather is very hot these days. Daily highs have broken decade old record.
But the sky is pretty nice to people. So, people, go out, look up and around. It’s a rare El Nino gift to mankind!
If you want to know how the new Nikon 200-500mm works, maybe you should watch this...
Teckell: The Ultimate Football Tables in the World
I was recently invited by Singapore Tatler Homes to preview the new luxury furniture boutique, IN ITALY at Ion Singapore, which is both a B2B and B2C business group.
The posh, yes Italian, shop is located on the 4th floor of ION. Immediately upon entering, you will be met by some of the best names in Italian furnitures. As we know, Singaporean and the local expatriate community love things Italian especially lifestyle products, home designer furnitures and cars (think raging bulls and rocking horses).
So it naturally awed me when I was greeted with of all things table football machines that lined almost the entire floor area of In Italy! These are not your childhood wooden and plastic tables but exquisitely crafted, glass and metal kind befitting your grand living room. It is almost unbelievable how the smart people at Teckell, the company that produces these football tables, could take a simple mechanical childhood game of baby boomers and turned it into objects of desire that actually can be played on.
By the way, Teckell also makes fantastic billiard tables fit for royalties and sheiks. A rare artisan-driven company, it is reminiscent of an era of renaissance imagination. As they state on their web “ “I always say that you shouldn't care how much work is required to achieve excellence. If you are going to do something, do it well. Otherwise, it's not worth it.” This means perfection.
Let me now show you what I mean by amazing football tables by Teckell.
In one line, I say “Crafted by Artists, Played by Professionals.”!
You can find more information about Teckell products here at www.teckell.com and their retailer in Singapore www.initaly.sg
Review of New Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 Telephoto
This is the lens I have not expected when Nikon suddenly announced it back in early August 2015.
Background
I have wanted a good megazoom for sports, aerial, motorsports and wildlife that is built to last, fast enough and gives excellent image quality for an acceptable price.
As a serious photographer with a hefty collection of Nikon bodies and lenses, I guess Nikon heard my wishes loud and clear.
And came up they did with such a marvellous creation just in time for my satiation. So I am thrilled to write this special review. I don't often write enough as I am first an image creator and all else falling in after that.
But then this lens and this time is different. I am willing to write, so hear me y’all!
Competition
The competition is hot in this range of lenses. You have the Nikon 80-400mm ED G VR (which I have used on loan from Nikon this year) and then similar offerings from Tamron and Sigma (Contemporary and Sports). I have not used these till now well-regarded third party lenses but have tested the Sigma Sports on a Canon 5DsR recently. I always wanted to see what Nikon will offer even though some were willing to sell me their Sigma Sports at an unbelievable price. I find the Sigma Sports with good built and weather sealed but too heavy for city use or handheld.
Patience Pays
First, a few words on the Nikon 80-400mm with a good 3+X range. I have some lovely pictures to back it up. But it is expensive for what it offers and suffers from a less than great feel. The lens creeps and it has a weak short tripod foot and a wobbly hood. I just feel irritated that the hood has to be put on before you can zoom. Otherwise you have to pull and push. The lens starts slowing down to f/5.6 at about 200mm onwards. Little imperfections on a premium item?
The unit I had was much used as a loan set but still works perfectly even after so much handling. The price was just too high for me and I was spoilt with the incredible quality of the 70-200 VR2 which I shoot often with. So my standard was set way up there.
Built Quality
Then comes the new Nikon 200-500mm f/5/6 VR.
What really got my attention is the constant 5.6 aperture and its great built (with shortcomings on the 80-400mm resolved). The tripod leg is long and sturdy, hood well designed and the body has a good feel to it. The zoom is assuringly firm with no creep at all. The 95mm front element makes an impressive presence (but does require expensive filters).
A quick overview of the lens from Nikon Web:
Compact super telephoto zoom lens for birding, wildlife, motorsports, events and more
500mm of zoom power on FX-format DSLRs; 750mm equivalent on DX-format DSLRS
Fast f/5.6 constant aperture for beautiful out-of-focus backgrounds and low-light performance
~4.5 stops of Vibration Reduction with Sports mode
AF compatible with optional TC-14E series teleconverters and DSLRs that offer f/8 support
First Impressions
Nikon delivered on its spec sheets and more. With a price that is almost half of the 80-400, and less than the 300mm f/4 PF, this is a winner.
Images are crisp. Focussing is more silent than I ever expected. The tripod leg is long and firm enough. It also has natural clicks where you can swing between horizontal and vertical easily.
The zoom mechanism is steady and firm unlike other long range zooms. The weight is not too heavy but a monopod is much needed for long shooting.
The VR works well and makes my handheld shots at 500mm just amazingly easy. The sample images are shot mostly handheld and some on monopod. I shoot them at 500mm with DX mode mostly (eff. 750mm) and some at 380mm, majority wide open at f/5/6. I am impressed with the potential returns on investment for this lens. If you look at other reviews on Amazon and Nikon Rumors, you can see some pros even selling their primes and teleconverters for this to stay versatile. This is what I call good price performance. The game is changing as optical science advance just like other electronic and scientific instruments.
Who is this lens for and why you should get one
Everyone who wants to shoot a high quality long zoom should get it.
A long zoom in events like sports and moving wildlife is very important. This lens makes for a complete range for a Nikonian starting with the 14-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm and now 200-500mm. This is a piece of art and you should see it to know that I mean.
For example, I have been shooting this lens at 500mm all the time in DX mode which makes it a whopping 750mm monster. The result is just so good. If you are like me and value good engineering and price performance, then wait no more and go get one.
I don't think there is any more stock of it in Singapore but do put your name on the waiting list which I know is getting ridiculously long. If you need help to secure one, feel free to write to me.
Lastly, I hope you will enjoy this lens as much as I do.
Images
One gigantic box with a mega lens landed on me.
Sample Images
500mm f5/6 ISO 125 D750 on DX mode (effective 750mm)
It is simply an easy lens to use, focuses fast, silent, producing pleasant and sharp pictures.
500mm f5/6 ISO125 D750 on DX (eff. 750mm).
380mm f/5/6 ISO1000 D750
Clemciz is a very talented singer from France.
He was in Singapore for the F1 and occasioned to sing publicly. I have the chance to come across him playing by the Singapore River whilst awaiting the next appointment. I have yet seen a more successful busker than him in Singapore. Scores of people stood around as he belted out one Beatles hit after another John Lennon’s.
I took some photos with the camera I had fortuitously. The F1 concert featuring some big mega stars in the Padang suddenly lit up the haze-filled skies. With the bright street circuit lights also beaming up, the haze wasnt at all a bad thing. It made the environment looked like central Paris Winter.
If I had to choose standing in the Padang and this, I of course will stick to Clemciz!
A Photowalk
A National Heritage Board organized walk along the historic area of Tiong Bahru, Singapore. The location is here: Tiong Bahru Market, 83 Seng Poh Rd, Singapore 168898.
The Singapore Night Festival is happening now. Go catch some unusual night shots like never before!
The new Capitol Theatre in Singapore is now completed and open to the public. Recently I went over to take in the sights and managed to capture some of her beauty and grandeur. I avoided the crowds which usually mingle in the open atrium by arriving at an early odd hour. Therefore, the pictures are really sans human and the overshot fountain area too. I hope you like these. I intend to publish more pictures as soon as I can find the time to revisit this grand old dame. If you have any question on this new development, feel free to ask.
All the pictures were taken with the Nikon D810. For more information on this new iconic landmark, visit http://www.capitolsingapore.com/capitol-theatre
Leica Q. It’s up to you now.
I will writing on my first impression shooting and test driving the Leica Q on this blog. Stay tuned and if you have any question for me, just post it in the comment. I cant wait!
:) #Itsuptoyou
Picturesque central business district can be a real treat or challenge.
Many photos abound on the the internet of the same old places that have been shot to death. Examples are the Marina Bay Sands and Marina Bay views. Sigh! How boring..Havent you had enough of the green lasers. Singapore Flyer and the Merlion?
Yes you need these pictures as first time tourists but image collectors, surely you must must want more.
For street scenes, tourists and locals converge almost universally on old quaint areas like Tiong Bahru and Chinatown. The assumption is that these areas are colorful and unusually bustling. Again, stunning pictures need never be the same old. And these places are any thing but new.
So my proposition to you is the Central Business District of Singapore.
Elegant and casual at the same time. Old and the newest. Nicest spanking facades within existing structures. All these uniquely packed in a dense area of exciting possibilities. People are on the move without ever minding your business. Tokyo? Yes with a little bit of Chinatown.
I uploaded here some photographs showing different times of the day and events. Now you know how interesting Raffles Place really is.
What about you? Will you try knowing the soul of Singapore where Sir Stamford Raffles first set foot on?
I think you should. If you need more information or guide on this trail around the Central Business District, just message me. I would be glad to offer you my suggestions of great scenes and timing.