My first ever Photo Exhibition!

Over a year ago, I had joined the Nikon Shooting Stars programme, which was aimed at mentoring enthusiast photographers who wanted to improve their skills and project work. Lead by top Malaysian professional photographers, we had monthly meetings where our photos were reviewed and we were guided on clarifying our storyline and vision. It was harder than I thought it would be, and the year-long programme was too tough for many to endure, till only a handful of us survived at the end. However, we were rewarded with being able to exhibit selected photos that went on display at the Kuala Lumpur Gallery (beside Dataran Merdeka)! To top it all, the entire programme and expo was free!

Here are some pics during the exhibition launch....

A Pocket Rocket!

I think my search for the pocketable digicam is over...my previous ones like the Lumix FX55 and Sigma DP2 both had image quality issues, but with this Sony RX100 that I purchased in Aug 2012, not only can it fit in my trouser or shirt pocket, but it produces amazing pictures through its wonderful Carl Zeiss 28-100mm (equiv.) f1.8 - f4.9 zoom lens. Very easy to use and filled with an incredible amount of advanced features, from multi-frame auto-aligning mergeable photos as well as HDR to automatically generating a second image cropped according to what it thinks is a better composition than your original person shot!

Sony did some fantastic tricks to ensure that although it packed 20MP into a 1" CMOS sensor, it can control noise to a minimum even at high ISOs and give us fast response in AF and continous shooting or video.

You need a pocket-sized digicam because 1) the best camera is the one always with you, and 2) the need for discretion at some events, like visits to the hospital, going to funerals, attending meetings at office, etc... yet you would like to capture moments of these scenes. So far, the RX100 has done an excellent job!

More cool pictures of my Sony RX100...

Storytellers

Jerod Foster, 2011 [Technique]

This is a refreshing take on approaching photography by applying the art of storytelling. This book guides you to develop story themes and how the photographer can use his craft to tell great stories. Jerod does this by explaining the language of storytelling using the visual elements and shooting techniques, and covers the process of story design and workflow. Each chapter contains a storyteller profile that is an interview with professional photographers and how they do their storytelling. There are also a few exercises and case studies scattered throughout the book to strengthen your skills and understanding.

More information on Amazon.

X100 Firmware v1.21

Fuji has recenly released an update to the X100 firmware - I've installed this and it has made much improvement to the usability and performance. Focusing speed and accuracy has got better, and you can now reprogram the RAW button, just like the FN button! Here's a photo I recently snapped:-