Thoughts On My Night Photography

Ghost Town
© 2013 Martin Liew Photography
Nocturnal info: Nikon D300 on Tokina 11-16mm at 30 seconds exposure. Post-processed and cropped in Photoshop. Monochrome conversion in Silver Efex Pro 2.

Well needless to say, it's almost 6 months now since my last blog post in March and once again I'm on hiatus and it's getting longer than the first one. So am I getting lazy or got driven away with daily work life and other activities that I forgot all about it? No not at all. Absolutely no. That doesn't mean I'm going to give up writing blogs here. No excuses for my absence though I was juggling between my day job and doing lots of street photography on most weekends and a few freelance photography assignments along the way. Busy? Yes of course and I'm enjoying it.

Well tonight I want to share some thoughts on my night photography and here's a teaser night photo, shown above. Make the jump to read on.

Abandoned Playground

It seems like I'm on a hiatus again, for 3 months since my last nocturnal activity last November. So I'm back again with a little blog post tonight.

In March 2012, I embarked on a night photography project on old school playgrounds and I took the opportunity to make some night images on film. I recall my last black and white film night photography took place 2 years ago in July at the defunct Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

In fact I got so many back-logged negatives that are developed but not scanned. It's Easter today and so I took the time to tidy up and edit all those negatives. I chose to scan this abandoned playground as shown below.

Abandoned Playground

On that same night after exposing a few frames, I switched to digital and made some interesting light-paintings.

How interesting it is to compare the images with each using different focal length. For monochrome, it's simplicity and the visual induces a mood with mystery and tranquility. For colors, it's vibrant, playful and whimsical. Both medium have its own visual impact which I like very much.

Well, more negatives on night photography are yet to be scanned and in the next couple of months I would spend more time editing and scanning the best work to be featured on my website. Will definitely post some updates here. So stay tuned.

I hope you enjoy viewing the three photographs shown tonight. Good night!

Demolition of Nissen Huts + A Tribute

Nissen Huts

It came to me as a sad news that one of the abandoned military bases is undergoing demolition at the time of writing this blog. Demolition started since August I think. Yes the Nissen Huts along Kranji Road, formerly known as Ordnance Supply Base, OSB in short or aka Woodlands Camp I, is making ways for some new land redevelopment scheme or something else. Read on for more images as I pay tribute to this great abandoned place.

My First HDR Night Photograph

Dove Playground in HDR

Since my last blog post on a sculpture in a park 3 months ago, I've picked up on HDR photography, primarily for my video project on old school playgrounds which consists of 3 parts. On the side track, you can watch the videos on my website here, or over at my Vimeo channel here. You can also read my other photography blogs on these old playgrounds, too.

The image shown above is my very first attempt on HDR for night photography. If you have already seen my videos, you would notice some HDR images in it which are all made in the day time. There's really no difference in terms of technical aspects i.e. exposing the subjects with multiple shots of five, seven or nine for more dynamic coverage with each image exposed in one or two f-stop interval of timing. Of course the variety of HDR results during the post-process, either in Photoshop, Photomatix or Nik Software's HDR Efex Pro, can be of great difference on subject to subject basis.

For this HDR image of a Dove playground, I made a total of seven exposures. Images are merged in Nik Software's HDR Efex Pro and some tweaking with its Tone Mapping settings. Lastly, some retouching in Photoshop. I wanted to create a "realistic" image that represents the actual night ambience or atmosphere I experienced. Yes, not entirely the same as normal long exposure shot but not too edgy or over-saturated. Most HDR "Surreal" effects that I've seen, look horrible with heavy ghosting halos and over-saturated colors. To each his own. Some people like it, some people don't. To me, it doesn't work for me.

After working on this image and compare with the rest of the images of the same playground, I'm not too sure if I want to do more HDR night photography. The downside is that I spent more time tweaking the Tone Mapping settings to find the desired result than the time I spent on my usual light-painted night photographs. However on the flip side, it's helpful to do it when there are mixed lightings surrounding the subject. Not every night photograph has to be light-painted or in HDR effect. It' depends a lot on what the photographer wants to achieve. For me, it's all about capturing that ethereal night atmosphere for dramatic effect.

On end note,, do check out my new work of this Dove playground on my website.

BTS Video: Sculpture in the Park 2 (Night)

Prometheus

Yes finally it's out. The much anticipated BTS video on the making of Prometheus. Well not the actual Hollywood movie by Ridley Scott though it got the same title. In my previous blog I expressed my interest in this sculpture and thereby I incorporated the Instillation concept into the making of Prometheus and everything seems to fit in perfectly well. So make the jump to watch the BTS video.

This Used To Be My Playground (Video Part One)

This Used To Be My Playground

A Mosaic Memento on Old School Playgrounds in Singapore

Tonight I want to show you a video that I've just created, featuring some of the old school playgrounds in Singapore. Well, it all came about when I was looking at some of the videos and images I took during my location scoutings in preparation for my night photography project of the same title. In case some of you have not seen my nocturnes work, you can view them here.

I wanted to do an interesting video with a mixture of still images and footages. Honestly speaking I know nuts about video production and editing but I just want to do some creative stuff. I know there are lots to learn in videography and cinematography, let alone photography. Previously I've used Apple's iMovie with which I couldn't get much controls out of it. Hence I chose Adobe Premiere Pro.

At the moment I'm working on the second part of this video as well as one BTS video on the sculpture which was featured in my previous blog.

So do stay tuned. Meantime I hope you enjoy watching this video. Thank you.

BTS Video: Sculpture in the Park 1 (Day) + 1 extra news

An Enclosure For A Swing

Panorama made with Sony-Ericsson Vivaz phone camera.

 © Martin Liew Photography

Tonight I want to show you readers a short and simple video clip made during my location scout of this sculpture located in the newly developed Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Make the jump to watch it.

Stack of Zeros - The Making of

Stack of Zeros

Today I want to present the making of one of my nocturne images which is shown here, titled Stack of Zeros. In this picture, there are parallel and perpendicular lines, symmetrically speaking with the metallic shelves topples over the other like Dominoes.

So make a jump over the deck and I'll show you how I made this picture, step by step explanation with images.

Re-organisation

Space Bike

I have re-categorized all my nocturnal images into four separate galleries. All under one main title NOCTURNES: The Art of Surrealistic Landscape. The three new galleries are Railway Stations, Singapore National Stadium, Urban & Nature Parks, and Decommissioned. One new gallery is coming soon. So do stay tuned.

Meanwhile, you can check out seven of my new nocturnes work here. Displayed on the top left, first seven images. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoy making them. I will blog on the making of one of the images. So do come back for new blog post or you can subscribe to my blog site.

Thanks for reading and viewing. Cheers!

The Sketch Exercise & The Power of Pre-visualization + Photos (updates)

A week ago, I posted a blog on my other photography blog site, in which I talked about the power of pre-visualization using the sketch exercise. Click here if you missed it.

The sketch shown above is the one I have pre-visualized only after I made my first trip to the old school playground. Hop right in as I would show the final image I made on my second trip.

Sharing Session @ LIGHTOLOGY

Here it is. One of the few images taken by a friend of mine, Bryon Wee who was kind enough to take some shots of my nocturnes presentation last night at LIGHTOLOGY Photo Adventure: i Light Marina Bay 2012. BTW that's Juliana Tan from URA who is the host and person-in-charge of this event. Make the jump for more coverage.

LIGHTOLOGY: i Light Marina Bay Photo Adventure + 1 good news

Just a quick blog post here. My dear friend Calvin Huang called me last week and he wanted to invite me to share the stage with him in this great event iLight Marina Bay 2012 where we will be sharing and showcasing our own night photography work. Of course I gladly agreed. The sharing session will be held on this coming Saturday, 10 March 2012 from 6:30PM to 9:30PM. Registration is required but it is closed now. After the sharing session, we'll be doing a couple of light-paintings demo at the Marina Bay City Gallery. So come on down and you might get to see us doing light-paintings.

Good news is, this will be my second talk and sharing session in major public art event since Digital Night 2010 @ SAM. I guess it's a good way to publicize my work and reaching out to more audience.

I was invited to their Media Preview last night and the light art installations are beautiful. I wouldn't blog about it nor do I have any photos. But you have to see for yourself. Opening ceremony will be held on 9 March 2012, Friday. Check out their website for more details.

This Used To Be My Playground - a Teaser Nocturne

Home Sweet Home

© Martin Liew Photography

Hi everyone! Hope you are doing well. More than 6 months since my last blog post here. Apology for my absence. Weather wasn't really kind in the last few months of 2011 and it got better in the first 2 months of 2012. A brand new year and good weather, I hope, to kickstart my night photography again. Well so it seems. Come on in and let me share a little news with you.

Light-painting in the Day

Capitol Theater

© Martin Liew Photography

Last Sunday I gathered two of my friends to join me for the exploration of the old Capitol Theater located near City Hall MRT Station. I was there a day earlier for location recce. Some of the pictures I took with my mobile phone camera can be seen on my other blog site.

It's more than 10 years since the last time I visited the theater for movie screenings. It comes as a big thrill to me and I would like to share with you the pictures I've made. So come on in for some visual treats.

Night Photography with a Mystery Guest

Hereafter

© Martin Liew Photography

In early July, I received a message from a friend via Facebook. I was informed of his second trip to Singapore in early August. Yes he was in town last week and I showed him around. To my surprise, he discovered this abandoned dilapidated house (shown above), near the hotel he stayed. Make the jump and find out who our mystery guest is.