Photograph taken by NWC.
“...a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box.” ~HCB
What is HDR?
High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wider dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight. –Wikipedia
Basic Concept
Its main idea is: getting the best light from different exposures of the same scene. At least 3 exposures are good enough. In my case ( as seen below), I used –2 EV, 0 EV and +2 EV. Combine these three exposures, plus tone mapping, and you’ll get a good HDR.
I think this is more of a subjective process because the resulting image will result from your personal judgment – by that I mean, how you adjust the photo details according to what you want. I think of it not only as photography but a form of ART. The resulting image shows how I see the scene, or even the world. (^_^)
A ship in harbor is safe - but that is not what ships are for…
Like ships, we must set sail and go on a journey through life. Never cling too much on your harbor; go out and see the world! We may get hurt, our hearts may get broken, and we may even suffer… but let not fear control you. Don’t be afraid of the raging seas or the storms that you might encounter for it is through these adventures that we realize our true value in life. It is though these journeys that we know ourselves – that we find ourselves.
It’s your choice: Corrode and slowly disintegrate on your harbor or fire up your engine and set sail? Our Captain will take care of us – thank God.
Harborfront, Singapore
When we truly forgive, we do not merely forget but we should ACCEPT the situation. Forgetting could be tricky because it is possible for our memory to flash images of the past, whether we like it or not. However, when we accept the situation, we recognize it as something that has happened. We may forget or remember it, but one thing is certain, we have learned a valuable lesson from it.
Forgiving is love's toughest work, and love's biggest risk. If you twist it into something it was never meant to be, it can make you a doormat or an insufferable manipulator. Forgiving seems almost unnatural. Our sense of fairness tells us people should pay for the wrong they do. But forgiving is love's power to break nature's rule. ~Lewis B. Smedes
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 13)
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There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. Happiness does not come from seeking new landscapes, but from having new eyes on the same life you've always been living. |
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 Taking a little rest after… |
Red roses are to Valentine's Day what kisses are to love; they make it that much sweeter.
We sure are lucky to celebrate V-day freely, compared to other countries which ban the celebration of this occassion.
In Saudi Arabia, florists and gift shops were banned from displaying/selling anything RED around the time of Valentine’s day. In India, group of zealous fundamentalists known as the Sri Rama Sene, has issued an odd edict to avoid Valentine celebrations. They will secure that there will be no love in the air on Feb. 14. Too bad.
As long as we have freedom to show our affection to our lovers, family and friends, today and everyday, let’s not hesitate to share our love.
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And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. -Siddhartta
Busy.
Physically doing nothing but my thoughts run deep.
Unfathomable.
Across a million miles and between micro structures inside my mind, I lose myself.
Calm.
My vision’s blurred by the immense light from within. I close my eyes.
Recently I overheard a Father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.
Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the Father said, 'I love you, and I wish you enough.'
The daughter replied, 'Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.'
They kissed and the daughter left. The Father walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'
'Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'.
'I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' he said.
'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough..' May I ask what that means?'
He began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone...'
He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'
Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
He then began to cry and walked away.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.
From the perspective of others I am part of the world, but when I observe the world from my perspective I am nowhere to be found. To observe is to create perspective. I can never cease to be the point of origin from my perspective. I observe that which is not myself. This is the first principle to find. –Ergo Proxy
Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Browsing through some old photographs I took and post-processed, i found this “postcard-like” piece. It does look like a postcard… fine!… maybe i can switch to making postcards then…
