A BI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF SAFRA PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB

A BI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF SAFRA PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB
May 2009
3
Editorial
Club Operating Hours:
Mon – Fri
9.30am – 12.30pm
2.30pm – 5.30pm
6.30pm – 9.30pm*
*Not available on Fri
Sat
2.00pm – 5.00pm
Closed on Sun and
Public Holidays
Club Staff
Andy Tay
Tel: 6377 3681
Email: tandy@safra.sg
Editor’s Page
Whenever I come to SAFRA Photographic Club
(PC) at Mount Faber, it eases my mind and makes
me happy because of two primary reasons. Firstly,
I will be doing something photography-related, be
it meetings to plan projects, doing studio shoots or
printing black and white images in the darkroom.
Secondly, the surroundings are unparalleled.
Which photographic club is located in a clubhouse
with a swimming pool, bowling alley, gym and
billiard room? There is a Japanese restaurant,
Potter’s Café and Ya Kun Toast at the ground level
too. SAFRA Club at Mount Faber is a cheerful
yellow building located at Telok Blangah Way, five
minutes drive from Vivocity. It is a dream premise
for our members!
Our instructors here are so passionate about
photography that they teach on a voluntary basis.
It will be so much fun to meet up with fellow
photography enthusiasts! Do visit our clubhouse
at Mount Faber and expand your photographic
skills. We welcome you to be part of the club!
Check out the newly-launched SAFRA portal
www.in2it.sg, where Photo Club's activities and
much more can be found!
See you soon,
Edmund Low, Assistant Editor
SAFRA PC is also the best-equipped club for
people taking up photography. Black and white
purists have two rows of enlargers to print their
images. The studio’s ceiling is two-storeys high
and fully-equipped with a variety of softboxes.
After you are done with your shoot, feel free
to proceed on to the digital room with a host
of computers and software to enhance your
pictures. The only thing you need to add is your
creativity. And guess what is the best part? We
are a non-profit organisation and the prices for
classes and use of facilities are very affordable.
Cover page photo by
Danny Kwan Sai Hoe
www.safraphotoclub.com
29th SAFRA Photographic Club Committee
Name Email Appointment
CPL (NS) William Tan Wee Liang
willtan1972@yahoo.com
Chairman
Mr Desmond Teo Puay Chuan
desmond.teo@rajahtann.com
Vice-Chairman
MSG Joseph Lew Yeow Koon
stealth@starhub.net.sg
Vice-Chairman
Mr Bernard Teo Tiat How
bteoth@starhub.net.sg
Advisor
Mr Raymond Chua Seng Chye
scray@starhub.net.sg
Advisor
Mr Eric Goh Wee Seng (PBM)
binsingm@singnet.com.sg
Advisor
CPT (NS) Dr Looi Hong Cheong
hclooi@singnet.com.sg
Advisor
2SG (NS) Guek Peng Siong
guekps@gmail.com
Secretary
Mr Victor Chick Wing Hang
victorid@starhub.net.sg
Editor
Mr Tan Kay Hian
takahi88@hotmail.com
Member
Mr Bernard Luey Kwong Yuen
travel67@singnet.com.sg
Member
1SG (NS) Andy Lau Chiang Hwee
jubilee@pacific.net.sg
Member
CPL (NS) Robin Ng Teck Hua
wisdom_photography@yahoo.com
Member
1SG (NS) Calvin Ng Weng Wah
hangdog@gmail.com
Member
2SG (NS) Felix Tan Thiam Kim
photophilosophy@yahoo.com.sg
Member
Mr Edmund Low Meng-Yu
ledmund@hotmail.com
Assistant Editor
CPL (NS) Stuart Giam
nikeiansg@yahoo.com
Member (Co-opt)
3SG (NS)Then Chih Wey
ceramic@hotmail.com
Member (Project)
CPL (NS) Victor Yeo Thiam Huat
victory@pacific.net.sg
Member (Project)
LCP (NS) Wong Weng Keong
ahwongwk@yahoo.com
Member (Project)
LTA (NS) Pher Chi Khing
chikhing@gmail.com
Member (Project)
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Competition
Champion
9th SAFRA Photographer
of the Year Competition
The biennial SAFRA PTY Competition has successfully
ended another season. This time we had 139
participants with 1244 photographs submitted. SAFRA
PTY is the first local competition to incorporate the
requirement of having a set of 4 images from selected
different themes and yet be presented as a coherent set
of images. SAFRA Photographic Club is also known for
its open-door judging policy, where the public can be
present to view the entire judging process. All winners
are announced on the spot. This year’s winner is Mr
Danny Kwan.
Danny’s first motivation to take up photography
was the exhibition of an international photography
competition held at Raffles City many years ago. He
was so intrigued and impressed by the photographs
that he signed up for a course at SAFRA Photographic
Club, which he considers as one of Singapore’s
reputable photographic clubs.
Since his first monochrome course at SAFRA PC in 1988,
he has never stopped challenging himself to try different
photographic genres. Danny persistently reflects on new
concepts and perspectives in the art of his photography.
The key element in his winning prints is the concept of
“motion versus tranquility”.
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Prizes: Champion
$1000 Cash, Nikon D300
Epson Stylus R1900
Bali 3D2N Hotel Stay
Gitzo Series 2 Tripod
15mins GP PowerBank Charger
4pcs 2700mAh AA Batteries
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Competition
Merit
1
2
3
4
5
1
Leow Kah Chuan
2
Low Soon Leong
3
Ng Ching Poh
4
Tan Choon Wee
5
Tay Sui Kok
Prizes: 5 Merit • $200 Cash, Nikon CoolPix S550 • Epson Stylus R290 • Tamrac 3380 Aero 80 camera bag • GP ReCyko+ Fast Charger
• 4pcs AA ReCyko+ Batteries
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Consolation
1
2
3
4
5
1
How Seow Hong
2
Lester Koh Meng Hua
3
Michael Ee
4
Steven Tor
5
Teo Yong Kang
Prizes: 5 Consolation • $150 Cash, Nikon CoolPix S210 • Epson Stylus R230 • Tamrac 3350 Aero 50 camera bag • GP ReCyko+ Fast Charger
• 4pcs AA ReCyko+ Batteries
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Members’ Competition
Colour
1
4
2
5
3
6
Winner
1 Danny Kwan
Merit
2 Liang Huan Chuan
Prizes: Champion $500 & Canon Selphy CP770 Photo Printer
3 Low Soon Leong
Merit $100
4 Tan Choon Lai
5 Koh Wee Liam
6 Tan Choon Wee
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Black & White
1
2
5
3
6
4
Winner
1 Yap Kim Hock
Merit
2 Bernard Poh Lye Kiat 3 Danny Kwan Sai Hoe 4 Liang Huan Chuan 5 Tan Choon Wee 6 Toh Say Jen
Prizes: Champion $500 & Canon Selphy ES30 Photo Printer
Merit $100
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Members’ Competition
Alternative
1
2
3
4
6
5
Winner
1 Low Soon Leong
Merit
2 Toh Say Jen 3 Liang Huan Chuan
Prizes: Champion $500 & Canon Selphy CP760 Photo Printer
Merit $100
4 Bernard Poh Lye Kiat
5 Danny Kwan Sai Hoe 6 Tan Choon Wee
11
Thinking Aloud
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)
I’m not sure about you, but one thing I know for sure is that I am beginning to feel the pressure
of this new digital age. When I first took up photography about 10 years ago, I could only afford
a humble film SLR (single-lens reflex). Little did I realise that within only a matter of a few years
film photography was already moving towards the direction of the ‘morse code’ and ‘latin’. The
days of film photography was already in its twilight years, and ushering in is the dawn of the
new era in photography – the digital age.
From compact cameras to DSLRs, I, for one, do not really know what’s the fuss is it all about
digital photography. But that said, I do own a DSLR and it’s not just the price that matters, but
also the convenience of it all. It definitely saves time and money spent on rolls and rolls of film
before getting that ‘perfect’ shot. Plus, no more long hours fumbling in the dark and then reeking
of chemicals just to develop a print. Furthermore, as one who teaches photojournalism, I feel that
it becomes almost essential, and inevitable, that digital photography is part and parcel of the
changing curriculum and the photography landscape, especially when time is of the essence.
When digital photography was in its infancy, many were merely fascinated by the megapixels
that the cameras can produce – first, it was 2.0, then 3.1, then 5.0 and the numbers simply grew.
But in those early years, very few were aware of digital cameras or were even able to grasp the
impact it would make. But the boom time for digital cameras, especially for those longing for an
SLR, only really begin in 2003, when the very first consumer-oriented 6-megapixel D-SLR was
introduced into the market, pricing way under US$1,000. The race has thus begun.
From compact cameras to entry level D-SLRs; from semi-professional ones to 50-megapixel
professional medium format cameras – the ‘madness’ has begun. But just when we think that
this has brought digital photography to a whole new level, we’ve now got a D-SLR with a
movie function. The new 12.3 megapixels’ Nikon D90 that puts a whole new meaning to digital
imaging. Possessing the world’s very first D-SLR movie function – the D-movie – it can select
from 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels or 1,280 x 720 pixels in AVI format. This certainly has redefined the concept of digital photography and changed the fundamental notion of what an SLR
camera can do.
Well, it sure seems like the competition has just gone a notch higher and tougher. But I still
stand my philosophy – it’s not the tool, but the one handling the tool that matters. But this, then,
is the new era in photography – the new digital age. This is evolution my friends, and it is only
beginning. And we certainly haven’t seen the end of it just yet.
"I do own a
DSLR and
it’s not just
the price
that matters,
but also the
convenience
of it all."
So, have I become a convert? Well, call me a purist, but I am still waiting for one that is able to
match up to the quality of film – maybe one that has multiple infinite megapixels that we can
easily select for various subject(s).
Text by Felix Tan
Felix Tan is a committee member of SAFRA Photographic Club. He lectures photojournalism at the School of Film & Media Studies, Ngee Ann
Polytechnic. Felix is also a freelance travel writer for MediaCorp’s TODAY paper. And yes, he owns a film AND a digital Single-Lens-Reflex (SLR).
You can view some of his pictures at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90277731@N00/
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Travel Tales
The Ati Atihan Festival – “Mother of All Mardi Gras”
Known as the “Mother of All Mardi Gras”, the Ati Atihan Festival in Philippines aptly
deserves this moniker, as this year is the 797th celebration! It is held annually during the
third weekend of January, in the quaint town of Kalibo. This is one of the major festivals in
Philippines.
There are a few differing accounts of the festival’s origin but here is the most popular one.
In the year 1212, ten Datus from Borneo crossed the sea to escape from the unpopular rule
of Sultan Makatunaw and landed in Panay Island in the Philippines. They brokered a deal
with the indigenous race of Aetas. In exchange for the plains of Panay, the Aetas retreated
to the hinterland and was also presented with a golden salakot (wide-brim hat), brass
basins, bales of cloth, a long gold necklace and the harvest for one summer of the sea.
The grand celebration to seal this deal was the first Ati Atihan event. The Malays, in their
effort to show sincerity and assimilate with their dark Aetas friends, smeared themselves
with soot to look like the Aetas. The term “Ati Atihan” actually means to look like the Aetas.
The religious aspect of the Ati Atihan was infused in 1750, when Fray Andres de Aguirre,
a Basque priest accompanying explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, came to Madyanos,
and baptised 1000 locals in one day. This
eventful day is celebrated with religious
fervour and often associated with miracles
of healing.
Throughout the day till night, the streets
are filled with dancing people, and the
atmosphere is filled with thunderous and
rhythmic drumbeats. Groups of people
form “tribes” and don on their homemade
costumes. The costumes are elaborate
and colourful, mostly hand-made from
nuts, shells, leaves etc. It is truly amazing
that the people of this small town has so
much energy, creativity and music in their
blood. On the last day, groups representing
different tribes compete. The highlight is
a dance procession of tribes and devotees
carrying bamboo torches and different
images of St Nino (Holy Child). The contest
winners are announced at a ball on Sunday
evening, which officially ends the festival.
Quoting from my friend, “As I joined
the tribes in dance with the streaks of
charcoal on my face, I realized that I
blended perfectly into the party of the
people of Kalibo. I finally understood the
saying that goes, “at the Ati-Atihan, there
is no audience or tourists, everyone is a
participant!””
Text and photos by Edmund Low
Editor’s note: Another big festival in the Philippines will be the Lenten Crucifixion Rites during Easter. Check out www.safraphotoclub.com for the coverage.
Cebu Pacific has regular flights to Kalibo from Manila. Flight time is approximately one hour. For more information, visit www.kalibo.gov.ph
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Boracay – A different kind of paradise on earth
The bangka docked at Boat Station 3. I yelled “Salamat!” to my friendly boatmen, and
gave them a huge smile for dropping me off at paradise. I had just arrived at Boracay,
a national treasure of the Philippines. Exhausted from a week-long carnival of raucous
dancing at the Ati-atihan festival in Kalibo, located on the adjacent Panay Islands, I
looked forward to having a relaxing time at Boracay.
The White Beach, a long stretch of white sand on the west coast of the island which
shimmered with sparkling water. There are various sports ranging from kite-boarding
to diving and para-gliding. However, I decided instead to try the All-Terrain Vehicle
(ATV). The ATV was a rugged open-air 4-wheel drive for a single rider. After a
10-minute crash course on a small roundabout, I took the ATV up the winding roads
and to the peak of Mt. Luho, the highest elevated viewpoint of the island. The view of
Boracay at the top of Mt. Luho was worth every bump of the way here. Meanwhile,
Crystal Cove, a tiny island 10 minutes by boat and south of Boracay, was also another
must-see. Once you find enough courage to creep down the winding and steep rocky
steps, you would find a fascinating sight of emerald green waters gushing through the
opening of a cove, big enough for a small party.
The island boasts a rich offering of cosy restaurants and pubs. From the thinly crusted
yet doughy pastrami pizza at Aria, to the Saganaki, a flaming cheese dish personally
served with a resounding ‘Opa!’ by the chef at Cyma. Pubs like Hey Jude, Summer
Place and Juice Bar along the White Beach are popular with celebrities who visit
Boracay. If you take 15 shots consecutively at Cocomangas Shooter Bar, your name and
country will forever be inscribed on the Cocomangas Wall of Fame for “Still Standing
after 15”.
After 3 short days at Boracay, it would be hard not to fall in love with the genuine and
friendly people on the island. I read before I came that Boracay was one of the most
beautiful islands in the world. Standing here with the waves gently splashing against
my shins, I could not agree more.
Text and photos by Kathleen Ng
Useful Information: Boracay is reachable via a 15-minute boat ride from the Caticlan Jetty Port, and the port is a 1–1.5 hours minivan ride away from
the town of Kalibo, or a 10-minute minivan ride away from the town of Caticlan. Cebu Pacific flies from Manila to both the towns of Kalibo and Caticlan.
For more information, go to www.boracaybeaches.info
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People
Eric Leong still remembers vividly how this underwater photography love started..
Before I took the plunge – with underwater camera in tow. I was a sport fisherman trying to
catch a fish... something which I never accomplished.
Those fishes that I tried to bait and hook never seemed to ‘get the idea’ that they were meant for
that fate, and that fate only. Instead, I would always end up with an empty hook. The only way I
could determine how they always contrived to steal the bait from under my nose, was to simply
dive in and find out for myself.
Some kind of “bug” bit me and it was the “Photo Bug”. Instead of catching them (fishes) what if I
could capture them on film? Yes, at that time (2000) film was still the only affordable way to go.
In no time I decided that underwater photography was for me. From that moment on, if I did
not have a camera then I would not dive. Murphy’s Law – I seemed to encounter the best fishes
when I did not have my camera. Darn!!
Finally and reluctantly, I have stepped into the dark side of photography – digital photography
2007!! Do not get me wrong, I did not give up my film photography.
As this passion deepened, an opportunity came along in 2005 and got me started on a travel
agency with a few good friends. We are proud to call the company OCEAN2U (S) PTE LTD –
meaning we bring the ocean closer to you with wonderful images taken from the underwater
world.
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Low Soon Leong has always shown a deep interest for
the arts since school days, namely oil painting. As he entered into the
workforce, time constraints led to the joy of painting becoming too
intermittent. In 1988, he ventured into photography. The fruition of
labour can now be instantaneous, a clean slice of time delivered just
the way he wanted it. With his background in painting, Soon Leong
had already developed the masterful approach of studying his subjects
and compositional elements.
In the period of 1990 to 1992, photography became an obsession. His
weekends hardly saw the light of day. Everything that he saw was in black and white. In his
private darkness, experiments were recorded and done repeatedly, endlessly. The objective of
every week was a perfect tonal range and contrast.
21 years have passed since Soon Leong picked up his first FM2. His exploration in photography
has been rewarded with prizes from local and international competitions. What is his
motivation? “For the sake of beauty.” A consistent quest to seek beauty in life. Of his large
collection of images, his favourite is street photography, where the spontaneity, beauty and
human factor are as one.
For budding photographers, Soon Leong
hopes that they will learn to appreciate their
pictures frame by frame. Study the subject
in detail first before shooting. To take their
time and train their eyes to capture images
that are of a different perspective from the
normal view. Most of all, strive for more art in
photography.
As for his personal direction, Soon Leong still
hopes to continue teaching photography.
One of his greatest joys is to see his
students win prizes in competitions and
progress beyond his expectations. “Continue
to experiment and take more beautiful
pictures!”
Soon Leong will be leaving to work overseas
for a period of time soon. He is a shining
example of our dedicated instructors at
SAFRA Photographic Club. We wish him
the best of luck in his future endeavours and
may he return to teach at the club.
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Trick & Treat
Getting the blurred image
While camera shake is not welcomed, a
coordinated movement of the camera can
produce interesting pictures. Panning is the
most common technique, where the moving
subject remains sharp in the frame while
the background is blurred. It is often used in
sports photography and other fast-moving
subjects.
Have you tried spinning your
camera on a tripod while
shooting a night landscape shot?
A tile and pan tripod head is
needed for this action. Ball head
will not work because it spins in
all directions at the same time.
Painting with lights is another technique for
night photography. When the camera moves
with the shutter open, the light source will
form a streak of lines on the frame.
To be able to see the building
sharp in the final image, the
camera must be kept still for
at least half the duration of the
exposure.
Whichever method and shutter speed, the
camera will have to be held steady.
Text & photos by Victor Chick
For this picture, I started the exposure with the camera in the vertical position. As the
shutter is opened for a 20 second exposure, the camera is rotated clockwise. When the
camera is at the horizontal position, I let it stay still for about 10 seconds, after which I
continue to rotation the camera till as far as my tripod head allows.
Zooming during an exposure is a common action we like to play with. The idea is to get
an “explosion” effect.
As with the technique above, depending on how sharp and clear you want the subject to
appear, you vary the “still” time during exposure.
You must have a distinctive subject right in the centre of the frame to have a clear effect.
For a 5 second exposure, the camera was “rested” against the window frame of the bumboat. As the boat changes its course, lights from
the shopping mall in the background form streaks of lights. Lanterns and window frame of the bumboat remains sharp. Be careful though ,
that the bumboat (or any vehicle you are shooting from) is not having a bumpy ride, or the lines with be bumpy as well.
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Activity Snaps
PTY09
Course outing
Sentosa outing model
Sentosa outing bird
Singapore
Young
Photographer
Award (2008)
Discussion
Final Round of Judging
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Activity Snaps
Monthly
Photo
Shoots
Course Assessment
19
Review
Nikon D90 DSLR Review
Nikon said it "represents a new era of digital
SLR fun and creativity".
Resembling the D80 with an output to match
its big cousin, the D300, the D90 comes with
a newly-designed 12.3M pixels DX-format
CMOS image sensor supported by the
comprehensive EXPEED image processing
technology, similar to a D300.
What attracted my immediate attention is
the very bright and clear 3" LCD monitor
with 920,000 dot high-resolution LCD
monitor, as used in the D300. This is a great
aid for the Live View and other functions.
Camera settings can also be displayed on
the LCD monitor. This is handy especially
when the camera is mounted on an
elevated tripod and you cannot see the top
display. However, the display will turn off
the moment you press the shutter-release
button. It will be nice if the info is still
displayed until the time a photo is taken.
Another review was done by photojournalist
Then Chih Wey.
“The focusing is fast and responsive.”
“What I love about the D90 is the wide ISO
range available and the ease of use. This
was especially useful during the night
shoot, where I shot without the use of flash,
at ISO1600. The noise was acceptable,
especially for newspaper publication where
the resolution is not as high as other forms of
publication like magazines.”
Focusing is done on the screen with three
different modes: normal area AF; wide area
AF and Face Priority, which detects up to
five faces and focus on the closest. Through
the viewfinder, an interesting focus mode
is the 3D 11-point AF system. It begins
with focusing on the subject with the
centre point. As the subject moves, or your
camera moves for framing, the 11 points
are activated to locate the new position of
the subject and maintain focusing on the
subject. Useful for sports as well as kids.
Live View is also the key element for the
first-ever movie from a DSLR. The motion
JPG format is shot at 24 frames per second
at 3 levels of resolution, including high
definition at 1280 X 720 pixels. Advantage
is the larger sensor in the DSLR versus the
sensor on camcorder. There is also the
support of the whole range of Nikkor lenses
to use. One drawback is that focusing is
totally manual on movie mode.
The first negative I want to note here is the
relatively small handgrip on my average-
sized palm. My thumb seems to out-reach
some of the buttons on the right back.
Creativity on the D90 goes beyond taking
quality photos. The big, bright LCD allows a
good view of images in playback. If you are
into post-processing manipulation of images,
you will like the extensive palette of incamera Retouch Menus. There is a total of
13 main selections with some sub-selections,
including converting and adjustments of
RAW files. There are more in the camera
waiting to be explored!
Text and pictures by Victor Chick and
Then Chih Wey