Get that shot

Being behind China great big firewall that blocks off any access to blogspot, wordpress and Facebook can be rather frustrating. Although I have signed up and paid for a proxy to access these websites, I was having difficulties updating a new post for quite a while recently, which is partly the reason why this blog has not been updated for a while. But I have not stop travelling especially around China and neither have my Nikon taken a rest. In fact, I am spending more time taking pictures and the opportunity to learn more post-processing and editing with my newly installed Lightroom 4.3.

Now that I am back blogging, I promise that I would play catch up and write about some of the interesting and amazing places I have been in China besides sharing some other interesting pictures I have managed to captured from time to time.

Although I am passionate about photography, there were many times when I have missed good opportunities for a good shot simply because I was too lazy to either get down to grab that shot or to take out my gear and set it up for that one shot which at first glance to me, presents a rather interesting picture. Time and time again, I would tell myself that that opportunity would come again and so far, the same opportunity have never come twice.

Now that I have more time in China, I am more impulsive when it comes to photography and I have learnt not to miss those opportunities when I see them. Such was the case recently, when opportunities presented themselves and because I did not hesitate to grab my gear and patiently take and retake the same scene or object over and over again, I was rewarded with several interesting shots that I am happy about. They might not be the best pictures that I have taken but I was satisfied that I have at least tried and not let the opportunity passed me by.

First example was last night. It was one in the morning and as I walked to the kitchen to wash my cup, I noticed cooking oil floating on the water in the plate that I have left in the kitchen sink. The reflection from the kitchen ceiling lights on the oil swirling and their patterns looked particularly interesting. I drop the cup, grab my gear, change my lens to my trusty Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 Macro HSM, steadied myself and clicked away, trying different angles and settings. The above shot is by far, one of my most satisfying capture.

Second example was several nights ago. A thunderstorm was brewing in Beijing after days of terrible haze. Flashes of lightning brightened up the skies. I had always wanted to try capturing lightning strikes because I have seen beautiful postcard pictures of such amazing wonders of nature. Without hesitation, I set up my gear at the balcony of my  apartment and stood there for an entire hour, just shooting at 30 seconds interval. I was rewarded with the picture above, a stroke of bold lightning in the distance against the foreground of our apartments. Not the best composition but I was delighted, knowing that my efforts have been rewarded to some extend and spurs me further to look forward to the next thunderstorm.

The third occasion was as I was walking out from my kitchen one evening. My eyes caught the sight of the orange and amber glow of the setting sun and the skies being reflected on the glass windows and doors of the apartments at the opposite block. I literally drop everything, ran and grab my Nikon and change to my Nikkor 18-105mm lens and captured the above reflection.

The above few instances taught me one thing. Photo opportunities are everywhere. I just need to open my eyes to see them and my heart to feel them. And when I do, GET THAT SHOT!

One last parting picture ..... an inspiration as I sipped my red wine in the middle of the night ...