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龍舟 Dragon boat is an important part of Chinese culture with over 2000 years of history. Dragon boat races are traditionally held as part of the annual 端午節 Duanwu Festival held on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar (usually in June on the Gregorian calendar).
While ‘competition’ has taken place annually for more than 20 centuries as part of religious ceremonies and folk customs, dragon boat racing has emerged in modern times as an international sport, beginning in Hong Kong in 1976.
Pictured is one team practicing their rowing skill today at Tolo Harbour—four months ahead of the game. I suspect that more will be seen in coming months, and I look forward to the spectacle. I was born in the Year of the Dragon and I suspect that my affinity to this watersport is not completely without grounds.
For more information, visit Wikipedia:
+ EN: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_boat
+ ZH: zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/龍舟
# SML Translate: 端午未臨 龍舟已到
+ 端午: Duanwu Festival
+ 未: not (yet)
+ 臨: arrive
+ 龍: dragon
+ 舟: boat
+ 已: already
+ 到: arrive, here
+ 端午未臨 龍舟已到: Duanwu Festival has not arrived yet but the dragon boats are already here.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-23 10:50:05 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/10
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 320
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'11" N 114°13'20" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130223.7D.24605.P1.L1
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 體育 Sports, 寧 Serenity, 男 men
“端午未臨 龍舟已到” / 香港體育之寧 Hong Kong Sports Serenity / SML.20130223.7D.24605.P1.L1
/ #體育 #Sports #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #男 #men #SMLMen #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #自然 #Nature #水 #water #龍舟 #dragonboat #人 #people
A bizarre triangular configuration landed in Tolo Harbour tonight. I saw it in the dark and had no idea what it was, so I mounted the camera on a tripod and did a long exposure to see if I can make out what it is, but I cannot.
And this is what the “Bulb” mode is for. To do it though you need to use the Canon TC-80N3 timer remote control. Yes, you can do it by hand but if you do bulb by hand then you risk vibrating the capture.
Again, you see the lens flair sparkles, yes? These are results of small aperture captures. To do photography well you do need to know how the machines function and how to achieve everything you need. And so you learn by trying new things. Do things manually. Everything is manual here: exposure, ISO, focus (when it is dark like this you can’t rely on anything automatic). And when you do things manually it is always so much more fun!
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-20 23:18:15 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5153 x 3435
+ Exposure: 60.0 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 70 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3, tripod
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'23" E
+ Altitude: 153.9 m
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130320.7D.35743
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature, 山水 Landscape, 長時間曝光 Long Exposure
“不明飛行物體降落中國 UFO Landed in China” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130320.7D.35743
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #山水 #Landscape #長時間曝光 #LongExposure #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #夜 #Night #城市 #Urban #UFO
It has been cloudy the past few days in Hong Kong so I did not notice the moon. Tonight when I went out to do some panorama shots nearby I noticed the moon in a clear sky. It seems larger than usual.
Later tonight I saw on Louis Seigal’s Facebook feed [1, 2] that supposedly there would be an extreme super moon this weekend. Perhaps that is why?
I had my 7D + 100-400 out with my tripod anyway so here it is. I am learning more and more about moon phases working on these photos. In this almost full configuration, it is known as the Waxing Gibbous Moon (盈凸月).
# Notes
1. www.facebook.com/louis.seigal
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-06-20T19:54:24+0800
+ Dimensions: 2518 x 2518
+ Exposure: 1/640 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 400 mm
+ ISO: 1250
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3, Manfrotto tripod
+ GPS: 22°25'13" N 114°13'40" E
+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山恆康街1號馬鞍山運動場 中国香港马鞍山恒康街1号马鞍山运动场 Ma On Shan Sports Ground, 1 Hang Hong Road, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Subject: 月 Moon
+ Serial: SML.20130620.7D.42930.SQ.BW
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
盈凸月 Waxing Gibbous Moon / 香港夜之寧 Hong Kong Night Serenity / SML.20130620.7D.42930.SQ.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #天 #空 #Sky #月 #Moon #盈凸月 #WaxingGibbous
Purple and gold are the school colors for The Chinese University of Hong Kong (香港中文大學 CUHK), and so I feel that it would be fitting to process this night-time long exposure as such.
In ancient times, purple was the color worn by Roman Emperors and magistrates, and later by Roman Catholic bishops. Since that time, it has been commonly associated with royalty and piety. The color gold is likely to represent the phoenix in the university’s emblem.
This is a 60-second long exposure using the 6D + 24-70 f/2.8L mounted on Manfrotto tripod, remote release with the Canon TC-80N3.
# SML Translate: 春夜霧朦朧 紫空燦金輝
+ 春: spring (describes the season).
+ 夜: night (describes the time).
+ 霧: fog, foggy (describes the weather).
+ 朦朧: fogginess (descries the scene due to the foggy weather).
+ 紫: purple (the color).
+ 空: sky.
+ 燦: sparkles (with).
+ 金: gold (color).
+ 輝: bright lights.
+ 春夜霧朦朧 紫空燦金輝: On a foggy spring night, golden lights shine brightly under the purple sky.
# References
1. Chinese University of Hong Kong: Wikipedia: EN: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_University_of_Hong_Kong
2. Purple: Wikipedia: EN: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple
3. Gold: Wikipedia: EN: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_(color)
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-13T22:48:09+0800
+ Dimensions: 5318 x 3534
+ Exposure: 60.0 sec at f/11
+ Focal Length: 24 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 remote release, Canon Angle C Finder, Manfrotto tripod.
+ GPS: 22°25'14" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: 香港馬鞍山海濱長廊 Ma On Shan Promenade, Hong Kong
+ Subject: 香港中文大學 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) + 吐露港 Tolo Harbour
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130513.6D.06547
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 長時間曝光 Long Exposure
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“春夜霧朦朧 紫空燦金輝” / 香港中文大學夜之寧 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Night Serenity (60-sec LE) / SML.20130513.6D.06547
/ #寧 #serenity #SMLSerenity #LongExposure #LE #SMLLE #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #Landscape #夜 #Night #城市 #Urban #中文大學 #CUHK
To further make the point that you do not need an expensive camera for photography, here is a long exposure shot using the EOS M with EF-M 22mm f/2 STM prime lens which came with the camera. The main reason that I don’t use this lens is because it requires a lot more work for me when processing—and as you can see the leaves against the sun is really not very well exposed with a lot of chromatic aberration.
But certainly you do not need to use a DSLR with an expensive lens to do long exposure. Just play with the settings. Also I should note that this was taken without a tripod—just banked on the fence.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-04T12:21:44.14+0800
+ Dimensions: 4471 x 2981
+ Exposure: 2.5 sec at f/22
+ Focal Length: 22 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS M
+ Lens: Canon EF-M f/2 STM
+ GPS: 22°25'8" N 114°13'16" E
+ Altitude: 21.9m
+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山恆明街2號聽濤雅苑二樓花園 Garden, 2nd Floor, Vista Paradiso, 2 Hang Ming St, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130404.EOSM.03736
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
“假山流水 Water flowing amongst rockery” / 寧 Serenity /SML.20130404.EOSM.03736
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #水 #Water #石 #Rocks #山水 #Landscape #longexposure
I have originally sequenced this as 4K cinema output, but it seems that not a single video sharing site supports beyond 1080p so to save some bandwidth and rendering time, this is hereby rendered as 1080p.
Each frame in this 24fps videography is a full-resolution RAW capture. The photographs have not been tweaked so I have a record of what the RAW capture is like.
A total of 1,014 frames full resolution RAW files are used to create this video which span 42 seconds during playback at 24fps spanning 10080 seconds or 2.8 hours in capture time.
This is mainly a technical proof-of-concept so I can validate my hunch that working on time-lapse videography by enables better source as well as final render. Also, there is no way that I would be able to photograph something spanning 3 hours on video. But doing this at 10-second intervals only took up 11 GB on the 32 GB card.
I will try to do some capture in longer intervals in the future.
# Soundtrack
These counterpoints were written in 2007 as a remix—writing I like writing counterpoints but I don’t really have time to write something original for this video so it is stuck here for convenience. soundcloud.com/seeminglee/arcus-sml-alto-recorder-solo-sy... (mainly as without music it might be too boring for most to watch).
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-08 16:52:54 GMT+0800
+ Time: 16:52:54 to 19:41:44 (10-second time-lapse intervals) GMT+0800
+ Exposure: 1250 sec at f/4.0 to 1/10 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 29 mm
+ ISO: 100 - 3200 (If I did not use automatic ISO the exposure at night would go beyond the 10 second limit)
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EOS 17-40 f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'8" N 114°13'26" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 香港中文大學 The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
+ Setup: Manfrotto tripod + Canon TC-80N3 timer remote
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4 for RAW import. Output directly without tweaks to Premiere Pro CS6 as 24fps.
+ Serial: SML.20130308.7D.27566-SML.20130308.7D.28579-Timelapse.001
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 延時攝影 Time Lapse Photography
# SML 1080p Simulcast:
+ SML Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8544957548/
+ SML YouTube: youtu.be/FdTjzRa1nNU
+ SML Vimeo: vimeo.com/61457285
+ SML Universe YouTube: youtu.be/II0W9f3GeaI
# Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Music / SML Universe Limited
“日落西山三時變 The changes within 3 hours of sunset” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130308.7D.27566-SML.20130308.7D.28579-Timelapse.001
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #延時 #TimeLapse #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLMusic #SMLVideography #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #城市 #Urban #Music #Soundtrack
Swarm of seagulls chase the back of the PL1 51 Protector, a police launch of the Hong Kong Marine Police. [1]
The Protector (Pacific Forum) class small patrol boats are vessels built and used by the Hong Kong Police for marine patrols off Hong Kong. They are based on the Pacific class patrol boat built in Australia for several Pacific island nations. [2]
Commissioned in 1993, six boats were delivered and in service:
+ PL1 51 Protector
+ PL2 52 Guardian
+ PL3 53 Defender
+ PL4 54 Preserver
+ PL5 55 Rescuer
+ PL6 56 Detector
# SML Workflow
Photographed handheld with the Canon 7D + EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + 1.4x. Processed in Lightroom 4.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-05 15:03:49 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'15" N 114°13'12" E (SML Universe HKG)
+ Subject: Hong Kong Marine Region Police Launch 51 Protector at Sha Tin Hoi in Ma On Shan, Hong Kong SAR, China. 中國香港水警輪51 號在馬鞍山沙田海行駛。中国香港水警轮51 号在马鞍山沙田海行驶。
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
+ Serial: SML.20130205.7D.21286
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
# Notes
1. Hong Kong Marine Police
The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, more widely known as the Marine Police. The marine police patrol 1,651 km2 (637 sq mi) of waters within the territory of Hong Kong, including 263 islands. The Marine Region with about 3,000 officers, and a fleet of 142 in total, made up of 70 launches and 72 craft is the largest of any civil police force. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Region
水警總區（副名水警；英語：Marine Region，副名：Marine Police）於1842年成立，隸屬於香港警務處行動處行動部，主要責任為維持香港海域及離島的公共安全，在香港海域範圍內執行水上巡邏，防止偷渡及水上走私活動，並且在香港及鄰近海域進行搜索及拯救。水警總區管轄香港1,651平方公里的海域及261個香港島嶼。水師有123艘輪艇，包括62艘警輪和61警艇，共2,424名人員，為世界上最大規模的水上警察。 zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/水警總區
2. Protector (Pacific Forum) class small patrol boat
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protector_(Pacific_Forum)_class_small_patrol_boat
“中國香港水警輪51號 HK Marine Police Launch PL1 51 Protector” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130204.7D.21286
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #水警 #marine #警察 #police #船 #ships #海 #sea #攝影 #摄影 #photography
/ #中国 #中國 #china #香港 #HongKong #Canon7D #Canon70200
For reasons which escapes me, my photo of the 警輪 Police Launch 51 [1] was crazy popular in Japan (as reported by Bitly click-throughs), but I don’t really know why. So I thought that I will post more of these ships as they are fun to see.
The 警輪 Police Launch 21 is smaller in size. I guess the Hong Kong Marine Police must have different uses for them, though I don’t really know what the categories are.
Good thing is, I recently met a guy who retired from the 香港水警 Hong Kong Marine Police force not a long while back. Next time I see him I will ask him what they are about. Like I said, knowing random people in the universe is useful.
# SML Workflow
Photographed handheld with the Canon EOS 7D + EF 70-200 f/4L + EF 1.4x Extender. Processed in Lightroom 4.
# About the 香港水警 Hong Kong Marine Police
The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, more widely known as the Marine Police. The marine police patrol 1,651 km2 (637 sq mi) of waters within the territory of Hong Kong, including 263 islands. The Marine Region with about 3,000 officers, and a fleet of 142 in total, made up of 70 launches and 72 craft is the largest of any civil police force. [2]
水警總區（副名水警；英语：Marine Region，副名：Marine Police）於1842年成立，隸屬於香港警務處行動處行動部，主要責任為維持香港海域及離島的公共安全，在香港海域範圍內執行水上巡邏，防止偷渡及水上走私活動，並且在香港及鄰近海域進行搜索及拯救。水警總區管轄香港1,651平方公里的海域及261個香港島嶼。水師有123艘輪艇，包括62艘警輪和61警艇，共2,424名人員，為世界上最大規模的水上警察。[3]
# Notes
1. “警輪51 Police Launch 51” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130131.7D.20782: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8430860695/
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Region
# SML Data
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
+ Date: 2013-02-04 16:28:53 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 200
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L USM + 1.4x
+ GPS: 22°25'22" N 114°13'10" E
“警輪21 Police Launch 21”
/ 寧 Serenity
/ SML.20130204.7D.21242
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #水警 #marine #警察 #police #船 #ships #海 #sea #攝影 #摄影 #photography
/ #中国 #中國 #china #香港 #HongKong #Canon7D #Canon70200
The 警輪 Police Launch No 51 rushes briskly by at the 沙田海 Sha Tin Hoi in Hong Kong outside SML Universe HKG. I love these ships. I have always wanted to get the model boats when I was little but my parents deemed model boats to not be “educational” enough so I don’t get to play with them. My mom said me that if I want a model boat I should make one from scratch from wood. Although I did do a lot of things which she asked me, I never figured out how to make a boat from scratch so I never did.
For more seriously wtf things which my mom made me do when I was little, see: blog.seeminglee.com/2007/09/moms.html
Photographed with the Canon EOS 7D + the Canon EF 70-200 f/4L lens. Processed in Lightroom 4.
# About the 香港水警 Hong Kong Marine Police
The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, more widely known as the Marine Police. The marine police patrol 1,651 km2 (637 sq mi) of waters within the territory of Hong Kong, including 263 islands. The Marine Region with about 3,000 officers, and a fleet of 142 in total, made up of 70 launches and 72 craft is the largest of any civil police force.
水警總區（副名水警；英语：Marine Region，副名：Marine Police）於1842年成立，隸屬於香港警務處行動處行動部，主要責任為維持香港海域及離島的公共安全，在香港海域範圍內執行水上巡邏，防止偷渡及水上走私活動，並且在香港及鄰近海域進行搜索及拯救。水警總區管轄香港1,651平方公里的海域及261個香港島嶼。水師有123艘輪艇，包括62艘警輪和61警艇，共2,424名人員，為世界上最大規模的水上警察。[1]
# Notes
1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Region
# SML Data
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
+ Date: 2013-01-31 09:17:23 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/1000 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 200 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'3" N 114°12'59" E
“警輪51 Police Launch 51”
/ 寧 Serenity
/ SML.20130131.7D.20782
A photo from the 寧 Serenity photo series got included in a gallery by Yahoo Editorial Picks and it drove 5,000 view traffic in a day. The best thing in life cannot be bought and are thus priceless. SML Thank You! You just made my day.
1
2 3
1. “空清水靜如龍鳳 夜夢金輝滿江紅” / 香港中文大學全景夜之寧 The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Panoramic Night Serenity / SML.20130306.7D.26377-SML.20130306.7D.26385-Pano.003.Rectilinear.90x94.P1.L1: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8532245225
2. Flickr: Yahoo Editorial Picks: Galleries: Plenty of Yellow: www.flickr.com/photos/yahooeditorspicks/galleries/7215763...
3. Photo Stats: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8532245225/stats/
“SML Flickr Stats Blogged Effect” / SML Data / SML.20130509.SC
/ #寧 #serenity #SMLSerenity #全景 #SMLPano #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects #SMLThankYou #SMLScreenshots
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #CUHK #夜 #Night #university #Blogged #screenshots
The Divisional Fast Patrol Craft (abbreviation DFPC) is 11m long, 2.5m wide with a 0.6m water displacement. It has 6 seats. It is driven by two 275-horsepower outboard engine with a water displacement of up to 4.8 tons. It get reach a speed of up to 50 nautical miles, and is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, including differential global positioning system, electronic compass, electronic charts, detectors and radars, etc. The boats are made in Australia with a price tag of HK$2 million (~US$125k). A total of 23 crafts were introduced to Hong Kong since 2008 in four batches to replace the harbor patrol boats which were in service since the early 1980s. [1, SML Translate]
分區快速巡邏艇（英文：Divisional Fast Patrol Craft，縮寫DFPC）船長約11米、闊2.5米、吃水0.6米，設有6座；由兩台275匹馬力的舷外機推動，排水量達4點8噸，船速可以高達50海里，配有先進儀器，包括差分全球定位儀、電子羅盤、電子海圖、探測器及雷達等等，澳洲製造，每艇價值逾兩百萬港元。於2008年開始分4批引進，共23艘，用以取代自1980年代初服役至今的港口巡邏艇等。[1]
Bonus: a marine police can be seen using his cellphone if you zoom up close. :)
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-05 08:57:36 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'12" N 114°13'8" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港馬鞍山聽濤雅苑對外的吐露港 中国香港马鞍山听涛雅苑对外的吐露港 Tolo Harbour outside Vista Paradiso, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130305.7D.26308
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Notes
1. Wikipedia: ZH: 水警總區: 分區快速巡邏艇 zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/水警總區#.E5.88.86.E5.8D.80.E5....
“分區快速巡邏艇 PV 8 Divisional Fast Patrol Craft (DFPC) PV 8” / 香港水警 Hong Kong Marine Police / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130305.7D.26308
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #china #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #水警 #marine #警察 #police #船 #ships #海 #sea
A bizarre sighting during sunset yesterday. Dark smokes appear in the middle of nowhere towards the brocade cloudy sky.
It is good then perhaps that I am not a religious fanatic, otherwise I would see this as a sign that something dark is coming.
That said, nature has a way of talking to me all the time. Maybe it is a sign. You decide.
# SML Translate: 日落雲錦現髒霧
+ 日: sun.
+ 落: down.
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 錦: brocade.
+ 現: short for 表現 reveal.
+ 髒: dirty. Describes the color black.
+ 霧: fog, smoke.
+ 日落雲錦現髒霧: a strand of dark smokes appears near the brocade of clouds during sunset.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-28T18:39:38.31+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/160 sec at f/2.8
+ Focal Length: 70 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'10" N 114°13'26" E
+ Altitude: 83.7 m
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130328.7D.37018
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“日落雲錦現髒霧” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130328.7D.37018
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #雲 #Cloud #Cloudscape #自然 #Nature #WTF
A fisherman sped through calm waters on a lazy afternoon at Tolo Harbour in Hong Kong.
I love the forms on water she is left behind. In many ways it is not dissimilar to the slow-motion time-lapsed photography of gun shots tearing wooden planks.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-23 10:50:43 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/10
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 400
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'11" N 114°13'22" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130223.7D.24625
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 形 Forms
“子彈漁船速渡江 Bullet Fisherman boat speeds across the sea” / 寧之形 Serenity Forms / SML.20130223.7D.24625
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #形 #Forms #SMLForms #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #自然 #Nature #水 #water #人 #people #船 #ships #速 #Speed
When I was at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade photographing the Victoria Harbour yesterday, a gigantic celestial object appeared near the mountains. At first I thought that it was the sunset, but it appeared in the east. It is of course the full moon. A rather unexpected yet very welcoming sighting.
I photographed this handheld. The 100-400 was affixed on the 7D, which is fairly noisy (perhaps the 7D2 would fair better?) Technically full moon is tonight, but the moon could not be seen in Hong Kong’s cloudy sky. So I thought I would process this capture instead. It is eerie yet wonderfully magnificent.
The Art Basel 2013 photos will continue after this short break.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-24T18:35:00+0800
+ Dimensions: 4840 x 3201
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 400 mm
+ ISO: 400
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: 香港尖沙咀海濱長廊 Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Hong Kong
+ Subject: 月 Moon
+ Serial: 22°17'35" N 114°10'10" E
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“滿月 Full Moon” / 香港夜之寧 Hong Kong Night Serenity / SML.20130524.7D.42095.C23.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #天 #空 #Sky #月 #Moon #滿月 #FullMoon
Although nothing seems to be moving when I photographed this, it does appear to be moving quite a bit. There is a slight time gap in the middle because I had to change cards but it’s not like that you can see it.
# SML Photography
+ Date: 2013-03-11 15:41:32 to 23:59:59 (10-second intervals) GMT+0800
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM
+ Video: H264 MP4, 1920x1080 (1080p), 24fps, Progressive
+ Audio: AAC, 320 kbps, 48 kHz, Stereo
+ Length: 51 sec
+ Color: Color
+ Location: SML Universe Limited, Hong Kong, China
+ Subject: 香港科學園 Hong Kong Science Park + 吐露港 Tolo Harbour
+ Photographer: See-ming Lee 李思明, SML Photography
+ Soundtrack: SML Music: Highest Mountain - Robert G feat. Kate Lesing (SML Baroque Symphonic Electronic Remix)
+ Media Production: SML Universe
+ License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CCBY)
+ Copyright: 2013 See-ming Lee 李思明, SML Universe Limited
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 延時攝影 Time Lapse Photography
+ Serial: SML.20130311.7D.28769-SML.20130311.7D.30915-Timelapse.001
# SML Music
Written in 2006: Highest Mountain - Robert G feat. Kate Lesing (SML Baroque Symphonic Electronic Remix)
soundcloud.com/seeminglee/highest-mountain-robert-g-sml-b...
“吐露日與夜 Tolo Day and Night” / 寧 Serenity 延時攝影 Time Lapse Photography / SML.20130311.7D.28769-SML.20130311.7D.30915-Timelapse.001
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #延時 #TimeLapse #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLMusic #SMLVideography #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #城市 #Urban #Music #Soundtrack #科學園 #SciencePark #吐露港 #ToloHarbour
Here are those fishermen seen earlier in the stream [1]. And it appears that they are in fact not one man but two women. They sailed all the way towards me so I took a series of videos of them—to be posted. Soundtrack is a big issue for videography. I am so sick of writing music just to go with these tracks. But if I don’t write them they become very boring to watch…
This is a bit of an extreme crop—lens not long enough. If I photograph enough of these I will go get a 100-400 sooner or later.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-21 17:25:20 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 2674x1783
+ Exposure: 1/250 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 3200
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'7" N 114°13'29" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港吐露港 Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130321.7D.35780.C23
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 香港人 Hong Kong Humans
# Notes
1. “霧中獨釣寒江水” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130321.7D.35777.P1.L1.BW: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8576393367/
“漁農 Fishermen” / 香港人 Hong Kong Humans / SML.20130321.7D.35780.C23
/ #香港人 #HKHumans #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #水 #Water #sea #人 #People #Humans #女 #Women
Sunset by the sea. The texture on the water surface looks like cotton. In my mind water is not supposed to look like that, and yet it does.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-16 17:00:50 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 3456 x 5184
+ Exposure: 1/1250 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 98 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'11" N 114°13'18" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港馬鞍山聽濤雅苑對外的吐露港 中国香港马鞍山听涛雅苑对外的吐露港 Tolo Harbour outside Vista Paradiso, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130316.7D.35146
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
“日落水影金黃浪 Sunset golden reflection on the sea” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130316.7D.35146
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #seascape #水 #water
A seagull extends his wings and glides along the water surface at Tolo Harbour / Sha Tin Hoi near the Ma On Shan Promenade in Hong Kong, China.
一隻海鷗延伸他的翅膀，在中國香港馬鞍山海濱長廊附近的吐露港/沙田海水面滑行。
一只海鸥延伸他的翅膀，在中国香港马鞍山海滨长廊附近的吐露港/沙田海水面滑行。
My mom suggested that instead of photographing seagulls from the 27th floor, I should just go downstairs and get a better view. Seems she is right—kind of. The aerial view is still good to get a macro view, but it is easier to photograph them in this side view.
I have always wanted to photograph birds, and in New York it used to mean that I have to venture far out in a special trip. But now that I am in Hong Kong, I just go downstairs. Super sweet!
@Mom SML Thank You for the suggestion!
# SML Translate
鵬程萬里
引類呼朋
+ 鵬: Peng (simplified Chinese: 鹏; traditional Chinese: 鵬; pinyin: péng; Wade–Giles: p'eng) or Dapeng (大鵬) is a giant bird that transforms from a Kun (simplified Chinese: 鲲; traditional Chinese: 鯤; pinyin: kūn; Wade–Giles: k'un) giant fish in Chinese mythology. In comparative mythology of giant creatures, Peng is likened to the Roc or Garuda and Kun to the Leviathan. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peng_(mythology)
鵬，又稱大鵬、鵬鳥、鯤鵬，是世界許多傳說中其大無比的神鳥。 zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/鹏
Here used to mean birds.
+ 程: journey.
+ 萬: ten thousand. Metaphor for large number.
+ 里: miles.
+ 萬里: ten thousand miles. Metaphor for long distance.
+ 引: 吸引. Attract, lure, draw.
+ 類: class, family, kind.
+ 呼: call out, shout.
+ 朋: friends.
+ 鵬程萬里 引類呼朋: a big bird journeys across long distance to attract friends similar to himself. (what SML is doing in social media: finding awesome crazy people to meet with eventually in real life)
# SML Workflow
Photographed handheld with the Canon 7D + 70-200 f/4L + 1.4x Extender III. Processed inside Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-08 11:14:49 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 4609 x 3073
+ Exposure: 1/400 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 228 mm
+ ISO: 200
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L USM + EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°25'10" N 114°13'22" E
+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山海濱長廊 中国香港马鞍山海滨长廊 Ma On Shan Promenade, Hong Kong SAR, China
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
+ Serial: SML.20130208.7D.21427.C23.P1.L1
“鵬程萬里 引類呼朋” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130208.7D.21427.C23.P1.L1
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #鳥 #鸟 #birds #自然 #nature #海 #sea #攝影 #摄影 #photography
/ #中国 #中國 #china #香港 #HongKong #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan
I have been experimenting with using my own photography as a source image to influence image generation with Stable Diffusion. seeminglee.com/blog/serenity-ai-purple/
The rationale behind this is straightforward — I have taken lots of photos over the years, but the conditions under which they were taken were not always ideal. Photography is subject to a myriad of influencing factors, and even with a specific vision in mind, nature may not cooperate to allow that vision to be captured perfectly. Similarly, the ideal setting we imagine might simply not exist in reality.
That’s where the power of AI comes in. I’ve discovered its phenomenal ability to materialize the concepts I feed into it. A potential point of contention is that since these images are AI-generated, they might be perceived as the product of AI rather than my own creativity. This viewpoint occasionally arises among those unfamiliar with AI work. I personally disagree, but I’ll reserve that discussion for a separate post.
Considering these images are the fusion of my original photographs and my descriptive text prompts, the notion that they’re devoid of human creative input seems baseless. As such, in my opinion, they are completely entitled to copyright protection.
I plan on experimenting this further, exploring diverse series and themes. My archive is filled with photographs that I find intriguing but seem to be missing that final touch to elevate them. I’m optimistic that by leveraging text prompts, I’ll be able to address these shortcomings and conceive new creations that blend my photography and the power of imaginative prompting.
1-9. Night Serenity 夜之寧
Stable Diffusion with SDXL, using my own photography as source image.
- 50 Steps, DPM++ 2S a Karras
- SDXL Base 1.0, SDXL VAE 1.0
- Automatic1111 Version: v1.6.0
10. 春夜霧朦朧 紫空燦金輝 / 香港中文大學夜之寧 CUHK Night Serenity (60-sec LE) / SML.20130513.6D.06547
- Canon EOS 6D
- Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L
- Manfrotto tripod
- Remote release with Canon TC-80N3
- f/11, 24mm, 60 sec, ISO 100
The incredible cloudscape today after the storm has passed.
# SML Translate: 雨過藍天白雲錦
+ 雨: rain.
+ 過: after (the rain).
+ 藍: blue.
+ 天: sky.
+ 白: white.
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 錦: brocade (describe the clouds).
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-30T11:26:10+0800
+ Dimensions: 3553 x 3553
+ Exposure: 1/3200 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 17 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'3" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130430.6D.03713.SQ
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
“雨過藍天白雲錦” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130430.6D.03713.SQ
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #雲 #Cloud #Cloudscape #自然 #Nature #CUHK #SciencePark
I have been cheating and doing time-lapse videography with video sped up at 1000% but it does not have the quality which I seek. So now I am doing things the proper way.
Pictured is the Canon EOS 7D + the Canon EF 17-40 f/L USM mounted on tripod and set to shoot at 10-second intervals using the Canon TC-80N3 remote.
This way I get full resolution RAW for every frame, thus good enough even to play as a 4K cinema movie while having the sharpness I needed for the video and require no unnecessary time spent rendering the 10x speed increase inside Premiere. Not to mention that it saves space also.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-08
+ Camera: Apple iPad 3
+ Workflow: Snapseed
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130308.IP3.09675
+ Series: Workflow
“Serenity time-lapse work in progress” / SML.20130308.IP3.09675
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects #workflow
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #Landscape
To help you get a sense of where everything is located, here is a screenshot of The Photographer Ephemeris (TPE), an iPad app which is designed for the landscape photographer to get the natural light source bearing as well as other goodies like shadow length etc.
The blue point is where I take most of the photos for the serenity series, where SML Universe HKG is located at. The great span of ocean is the Tolo Harbour in Hong Kong. And the pin point location is where Yim Tin Tsai [1] seen in the previous photo is located at.
The luxury residential area is midway between the golf club and the pin drop. It is actually quite far away from the burial grounds. Telephoto lens have a way of compressing distance so this is why you feel that they are very close away but in fact they are not.
1. www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8703994950/
TPE: Serenity map / SML.20130503.SC.TPE
/ #SMLScreenshots #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLOpinions #SMLSerenity #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse
/ #Hongkong #China #HK #CN #Maps #TPE #Ipad #Apps #photography #opinions #ThePhotographerEphemeris
Why should you invest on a good tripod? Well, for situations like these where you need to give 100% trust that your camera won’t accidentally drop from the sky and fall onto people on the street.
Pictured is the Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 70-200 f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender mounted on Manfrotto tripod + doing aerial timelapse of 1-second intervals of people jogging + bicycling down on the Ma On Shan Promenade 27 floors below.
I am shooting JPEGs for this round so hopefully I won't spend the whole day exporting JPEGs from Lightroom again.
Photographed with iPad 3.
“Aerial timelapse setup” / SML.20130314.IP3.09791
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #延時 #TimeLapse #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLVideography #SMLProjects #Workflow #SMLLab
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #setup #config #Canon #Manfrotto IP3
30-second long exposure on tripod with ND400. This was mainly used to illustrate more clearly how blurry the leaves can get with just a little bit of breeze.
With this capture, I figured out why it is that people who does ND LE always have a bit of architecture or rocks in the scene that sit still, as they provide interesting contrast to an exposure which looks almost fake otherwise.
It is an interesting way to show motion also, as I have learned.
I will take my tripod to the shore as requested. Stay tuned.
# SML Translate: 輕風綠葉水流間
+ 輕: light (describes the wind).
+ 風: wind.
+ 綠: green.
+ 葉: leaves.
+ 水: water.
+ 流: flow.
+ 間: in between (the rocks).
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-10T14:41:57+0800
+ Dimensions: 3439 x 3439
+ Exposure: 30.0 sec at f/22
+ Focal Length: 24 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 Remote, Manfrotto Tripod, H&Y ND2-ND400
+ GPS: 22°25'8" N 114°13'16" E
+ Altitude: 21.9m
+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山恆明街2號聽濤雅苑二樓花園 Garden, 2nd Floor, Vista Paradiso, 2 Hang Ming St, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130410.7D.37678.SQ
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“輕風綠葉水流間” / 寧 Serenity (ND LE 30-sec) / SML.20130410.7D.37678.SQ
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #水 #Water #石 #Rocks #山水 #Landscape #longexposure #ND
The sand is a super sturdy tripod for the Canon EOS M, apparently.
I discovered today that there is a beach near me in walking distance. So I took my EOS M to see if it is too far to lug my SLR with me. 15 minutes. Not too bad at all. Expect to see some long exposure photography with water soon.
Photographed with the iPhone 5, processed in Snapseed.
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“Canon EOS M on the beach” / 寧Serenity / SML.20130407.IPH5.11326
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects #SMLSetup
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #夜 #Night #山水 #landscape #IPH5 #CanonEOSM #beach #water
Daily drama theater outside my window. Cloudscapes tend to be tricky to work with so I did most of my processing in Photoshop CS6.
# SML Transalate: 山河怒雲天
+ 山: mountains.
+ 河: lakes.
+ 怒: angry.
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 天: sky.
+ 山河怒雲天: mountains and waters with a vigorous cloudscape in the sky.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-29T18:57:26+0800
+ Dimensions: 5212 x 3475
+ Exposure: 1/30 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 170 mm
+ ISO: 250
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG (Vista Paradiso, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China)
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130529.6D.15289.BW
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
山河怒雲天 / 香港中文大學日落之寧 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Sunset Serenity / SML.20130529.6D.15289.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #雲 #Cloud #天 #空 #Sky #山水 #landscape #CUHK #sunset
This is a night-time panorama of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK 香港中文大學).
It is stitched together using 7 RAW captures of 20-sec long exposures mounted on a tripod near my bedroom window. This time I braved it and stuck my camera all the way outside the window so I was able to do it at the same position without using two windows.
Floating on the sea on the left you will see the floating light anchor seen earlier in my stream [1].
# SML translate:
空清水靜如龍鳳
夜夢金輝滿江紅
+ 空: air, sky.
+ 清: clear. Describes the sky.
+ 水: water. sea.
+ 靜: quiet. Describes the water.
+ 如: (appears) like.
+ 龍: dragon.
+ 鳳: phoenix.
+ 空清水靜如龍鳳: the sky is clear, the harbour is quiet, the colors make the scene looks like dragon and phoenix (because of the lights of the Tolo Highway).
+ 夜: night.
+ 夢: dream.
+ 金: gold, golden. Describes the color.
+ 輝: shiny. Describes the light.
+ 滿: entire, full.
+ 江: lake. Tolo Harbour.
+ 紅: red. the color of the lake.
I’ve tried to get the 平仄 right this time. Not sure if I did though? :)
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-06 12:41:54 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 4801 x 2290
+ Exposures: 20.0 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 19 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ Panorama FOV: 90 degree horizontal, 94 degree vertical (though cropped further in Lightroom so actual vertical degree unknown)
+ Panoramic Projection: Rectilinear
+ GPS: 22°25'10" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 香港中文大學 The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
+ Serial: SML.20130306.7D.26377-SML.20130306.7D.26385-Pano.003.Rectilinear.90x94.P1.L1
+ Workflow: Hugin 2012, Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 全景攝影 Panoramic Photography
# Notes
1. “冬夜萬物寧 金輝獨詠春” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130208.7D.21344: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8455872022/in/set-721576...
“空清水靜如龍鳳 夜夢金輝滿江紅” / 香港中文大學全景夜之寧 The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Panoramic Night Serenity / SML.20130306.7D.26377-SML.20130306.7D.26385-Pano.003.Rectilinear.90x94.P1.L1
/ #寧 #serenity #SMLSerenity #全景 #SMLPano #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #CUHK #夜 #Night
GettyImages: gty.im/166771257
As promised, here is the panorama shot at the same time earlier. The clouds are the focus here so it is exposed for it instead of the buildings on the mountain (which is part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong).
Technically speaking it should be possible for me to do an HDR to expose for both, which I will try in the future. The last time I try to do HDR with panorama though it was insanely complicated, as I ended up having 100+ images to stitch then HDR with and I feel like that it was not really worth the trouble after working on them for a while. But if I have a day’s time I will probably try to do it again. And definitely for this series I would because some images are worth the trouble, and the scenery like this most definitely is.
Stitched using eight 7D full-resolution RAW captures.
# SML Translate: 日落雲錦 水靜山寧
+ 日: sun.
+ 落: down.
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 錦: brocade (describe thickness of clouds).
+ 水: water (the ocean).
+ 靜: quiet.
+ 山: mountains.
+ 寧: serene (also title of series)
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-02T18:12:22+0800
+ Dimensions: 9583 x 3651
+ Exposure: 1/60 - 1/80 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 40 mm
+ ISO: 125
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3, Manfrotto tripod
+ Panorama FOV: 76 degree horizontal, 50 degree vertical
+ Panoramic Projection: Rectilinear
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130402.7D.37445-SML.20130402.7D.37452-Pano.Rectilinear.76x50.P1.L1
+ Workflow: Hugin 2012, Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 全景攝影 Panoramic Photography
“日落雲錦 水靜山寧” / 香港全景之寧 Hong Kong Panoramic Serenity / SML.20130402.7D.37445-SML.20130402.7D.37452-Pano.Rectilinear.76x50.P1.L1
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #全景 #Pano #SMLPano #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #雲 #Cloud #Cloudscape #自然 #Nature
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8613908994/
www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8613908994/sizes/o/ (9583 x 3651)
The moon shines brightly amidst the cloudy dark sky from last night.
# SML Translate: 黑雲掛明月
+ 黑: black, dark.
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 掛: hang, hanging (verb).
+ 明: bright, clear.
+ 月: moon.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-24 00:05:18 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 3086 x 4828
+ Exposure: 1/50 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 3200
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 Time Remote, Tripod
+ GPS: 22°25'8" N 114°13'27" E
+ Altitude: 59.7 m
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130324.7D.36231.P1.L1.C23
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“黑雲掛明月” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130324.7D.36231.P1.L1.C23
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #夜 #Night #月 #Moon #天 #空 #sky #雲 #云 #clouds
An island was discovered near the water surface yesterday when I was testing with my new toy—the Canon EF 1.4x Extender III which turns my 70-200 f/4 L lens into an effective 98-280 f/5.6L lens.
I don’t really know what it is. From the angle I was shooting from on the 27th floor, it is hard to tell exactly how closed by it is. Is the Hong Kong Government doing some deep sea research? WTF is that? This “island” spans at least 100m in length and is seen very close to shore (10m). It first appeared yesterday but it is no longer present today.
# SML Translate
+ 海: sea, ocean.
+ 中: centre, middle, inside.
+ 島: island.
# SML Workflow
Photographed handheld with the Canon EOS 7D + EF 70-200 f/4L + EF 1.4x Extender III. Noise reduction in Lightroom 4. Processed in Photoshop CS6.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-4 16:30:03 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/400 sec at f/5.6
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 640
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + 1.4x
+ GPS: 22°25'11" N 114°13'24" E (SML Universe HKG)
+ Serial: SML.20130204.7D.21254.P1
“海中島”
/ 寧 Serenity
/ SML.20130204.7D.21254.P1
/ #寧 #Serenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #海 #sea #沙田海 #ShaTinHoi #吐露港 #ToloHarbour #香港 #HongKong #中國 #中国 #China #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #自然 #nature #山水 #landscape #WTF #攝影 #摄影 #photography
Two hours later, and it is still going. Let’s see if there is enough footage for now:
10-sec interval = 6 frames per minute.
6 frame per minute x 120 minutes = 720 frames.
If playing at 24fps then I should have approximately 30 seconds worth of video.
The full sunset should have been captured. Now at night time not much is happening and I need the camera to go photography later tonight so I will stop it soon. This is just a first test after all. If this works well trust that I will be doing more of it in the future. :)
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-08
+ Camera: Apple iPad 3
+ Workflow: Snapseed
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Serial: SML.20130308.IP3.09690
+ Series: Workflow
“Serenity time-lapse work still in progress 2 hours later” / SML.20130308.IP3.09690
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects #workflow
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #Landscape #夜 #Night IP3 SQ
Clouds move quite a bit, and if exposed for long enough, they would look like a blur. In broad daylight, it is marginally possible to expose for up to maybe a second without using any filters, but this is not enough to get the clouds to blur. Al most it would look like a mistake.
To do this, I use an ND2-ND400 variable filter set to the max. By using variable filters (which is essentially a stacked adjustable circular polariser) I can set to min to focus on the image and then dial the ND to the max to expose. A better setup which I prefer is to just drop an ND filter in front when I wish to expose, but I do not have something like that right now, so the variable filter does its magic—which allows just enough light for me to see what I am photographing.
The Canon TC-80N3 timer cable release is used to manually set the shutter speed, 19 seconds in this case, and minimize vibration of the setup.
# SML Translate: 龍窩雲海藏電纜
+ 龍: dragon.
+ 窩: nest.
+ 龍窩: dragon’s nest, though here used to designate the name of the mountain 九肚山 Kau To Shan, which as Wikipedia suggests is the ancient name of the mountain [1].
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 海: sea. (describes the vastness of the cloudscape).
+ 藏: hides.
+ 電: electric, electricity, power.
+ 纜: cable.
+ 電纜: power lines.
+ 龍窩雲海藏電纜: power cable lines hide amidst the vast cloudscape on the dragon’s next Kau To Shan.
# Notes
1. 狗肚山，雅稱九肚山，古稱龍窩，是香港一座山峰，位於新界沙田區火炭之西北，海拔399米。 zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/狗肚山
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-19T15:01:40+0800
+ Dimensions: 5472 x 3648
+ Exposure: 19.0 sec at f/32
+ Focal Length: 200 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote Release, Manfrotto tripod
+ GPS: 22°25'5" N 114°13'16" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 香港九肚山 Kau To Shan, Hong Kong
+ Serial: SML.20130519.6D.06935.P1.L1.BW
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, Long Exposure 長時間曝光
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“龍窩雲海藏電纜” / 香港九肚山之寧 Hong Kong Kau To Shan Serenity (19-sec ND LE) / SML.20130519.6D.06935.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #LongExposure #LE #SMLLE #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #Landscape #ND
GettyImages: gty.im/170023914
An unexpected effect from working on the serenity series (which is scenery outside my window) is being able to predict weather based on cloud formation and wave patterns on the water surface.
Last night based on pattern recognition alone I predicted that it will rain this morning even though it was very sunny outside. No one believed me. And it poured heavily today. I did take photos before the storm also but it was not really interesting to look at. But some time when I have a moment I will show you what I meant.
Pictured: A white yacht was seen sailing alone after that storm has passed during sunset. I am particularly drawn to how every small bit of sunlight from the cloud creates a smudged bits on the seascape.
# SML Translate: 暴雨停 帆起航
+ 暴: stormy.
+ 雨: rain.
+ 停: stops, has stopped.
+ 帆: sail (of the yacht).
+ 起: up, lifted up (describe the sail).
+ 航: glide, sail (verb, describe the yacht can glide on the sea)
+ 暴雨停 帆起航: after the stormy weather has passed, the yacht was able to set sail to glide pass the waters.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-16T18:24:43+0800
+ Dimensions: 5472 x 3648
+ Exposure: 1/40 sec at f/9.0
+ Focal Length: 40 mm
+ ISO: 250
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'29" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 香港中文大學 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) + 吐露港 Tolo Harbour + 香港科學園 Hong Kong Science Park + 八仙嶺 Pat Sin Leng
+ Serial: SML.20130516.6D.06572.P1.L1.BW
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“暴雨停 帆起航” / 香港吐露港日落之寧 Hong Kong Tolo Harbour Sunset Serenity / SML.20130516.6D.06572.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #雲 #Cloud #Cloudscape #自然 #Nature #seascape #sunset
In working on the “寧 Serenity” series, I observe that photographing “無 nothing” often is more interesting than “有 something”. It seems counter-intuitive. But photographing “nothing” reveals patterns which are unobservable when intentionally photographing “something”
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-01-29 16:29:46 GMT+0800
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
+ Dimensions: 3192 x 4789
+ Exposure: 1/250 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 122 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Handheld
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E (SML Universe HKG)
+ Subject: 中國香港馬鞍山沙田海 Sha Tin Hoi, Hong Kong SAR, China
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# SML Workflow
Photographed with the Canon 7D with the 70-200 f/4L lens, processed in Photoshop CS6 + Lightroom 4.
“無 Nothing > 有 Something”
/ 寧 Serenity
/ SML.20130129.7D.20734.C23.P1
20-second nighttime long exposure. Exposed for the sky + sea below. It is windy, so the clouds are blurry. The architecture shows that the scene is very in focus. The weird patterns on the sea is very present even well after the ships have long gone.
# SML Translate: 江寧山明
+ 江: lake, river, ocean.
+ 寧: serene, serenity.
+ 山: mountains.
+ 明: bright (from the city lights).
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-13T23:26:36+0800
+ Dimensions: 3265 x 4897
+ Exposure: 20.0 sec at f/5.0
+ Focal Length: 23 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ Accessories: Manfrotto tripod, Canon RC-6 Wireless Remote
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'27" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 香港科學園 + 大埔工業村 + 八仙嶺 + 吐露港 Hong Kong Science Park + Tai Po Industrial Estates + Tolo Harbour
+ Serial: SML.20130413.6D.00610.TM.BW
+ Workflow: Photomatix Pro 4.2.5b, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 長時間曝光攝影 Long Exposure Photography
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“江寧山明” / 香港吐露港夜之寧 Hong Kong Tolo Harbour Night Serenity / SML.20130413.6D.00610.TM.BW
/ #寧 #serenity #SMLSerenity #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #LongExposure #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #夜 #Night #自然 #Nature
Since posting the photo where I described how I am now able to predict stormy weather based on patterns on the sea [1], a few people commented that they would like to see what those patterns look like. It does not look like that it will rain for a couple of days, so I looked into my unprocessed archive to find an example.
I did not post it previously because I did not really like how this looks at full resolution, but it does illustrate the patterns quite well so here it is.
# Observed patterns
+ The wave forms are disjointed. Compare this to a sunny day, where the lines are continuous and smooth
+ The waves have heights and they are very closed by to each other. And so on a photographic capture they look almost like a dessert.
+ Clear wind patterns. You can see the wind blowing the water into these valleys (white on photo) in very thin lines. These thin lines then break the thicker wave forms (going horizontally).
Because how fast the water is traveling, it seems that I need to up the shutter speed next time, so I will remember that. I might also try an ND with this as it might be interesting. On a normal day it makes close to no difference photographing this as a long exposure or not because the water remains relatively still.
# SML Thank You
I am surprised by how many people actually read my photo descriptions, as evidenced by the comments left behind in direct response to things which I wrote. Thank you for your gentle encouragement and support. You rock! Lots of SML Love to you. :)
# Notes
1. “暴雨停 帆起航” / 香港吐露港日落之寧 Hong Kong Tolo Harbour Sunset Serenity / SML.20130516.6D.06572.P1.L1.BW: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8743553289/
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-30T14:44:19+0800
+ Dimensions: 5333 x 3555
+ Exposure: 1/40 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 40 mm
+ ISO: 250
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'8" N 114°13'24" E
+ Location: SML Universe (Hong Kong) Limited
+ Subject: 香港吐露港 Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong
+ Serial: SML.20130430.6D.03726.BW
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“暴風前水的形態 Water patterns before the storm” / 香港吐露港之寧 Hong Kong Tolo Harbour Serenity / SML.20130430.6D.03726.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #seascape #水 #Water #暴風 #Storms #自然 #Nature
GettyImages: gty.im/175635205
Many of the photographs shot for the serenity series suffer from one problem: the buildings on the horizon lack details as they are technically facing against the sun.
There is a need for HDR in these instances, mostly so you can get the necessary details of the clouds (the star for this capture) as well as the necessary details of the buildings (the shadow area). By compressing the luminance information spanning -3 to +3, you get something like this.
In processing HDR images, I am not interested in creating “effects,” I am only interested in getting the details which are otherwise lost in a straight 14-bit range afforded by the camera RAW.
I used to use Photomatix but increasingly I am finding its quality to be favoring the artificial looks rather than pure tone compression, so for this I used Photoshop HDR Pro, which lately has been giving fairly promising results.
P.S. Per request I will post some unprocessed RAW capture info to see the before and after so you can clearly see that there is a need for HDR processing to get the results which I want.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-07-26T17:02:49+0800
+ Dimensions: 3577 x 5184
+ Exposure: 1/400 sec (0EV), 1/3200 sec (-3EV), 1/50 sec (+3EV) at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 24 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'12" N 114°13'27" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG (Ma On Shan, Hong Kong)
+ Subject: 香港吐露港 Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong
+ Workflow: Photoshop CC, Lightroom 5
+ Serial: SML.20130726.6D.24188-89-90.HDR.P1.L1.BW
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
風暴 Storm / 香港吐露港之寧 Hong Kong Tolo Harbour Serenity HDR / SML.20130726.6D.24188-89-90.HDR.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #HDR #SMLHDR #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #自然 #Nature #cloudscape #clouds #storm
Since posting the waxing crescent moon [1], Tom Giebel (aka Atomische) [2] commented on Facebook that the movement in the full res might have come not from the vibration of the camera but rather from the transmit of the moon [3]. That is, the moon moves quite swiftly and he thinks that 1/4 sec is probably not fast enough to track it properly.
So I put on the 1.4x again with the 100-400 on the 7D again tonight but dial it up to ISO 2000 to expose at 1/40 sec. This seems to fair quite well. I did not use the mirror lockup even though I said I would—mostly actually because I couldn’t seem to find it in my settings so I just shot and see if it works. And it works well with this higher shutter speed. The cavit is that ISO 2000 on the 7D is noisy.
The capture is exposed manually. Lightroom has some limits as to how I can “extract” more details using its very generalised controls so I processed this photo mostly inside Photoshop using multiple USM settings layered on top of each other and afterwards tweak some more inside Lightroom. That “clarity” setting is particularly sweet in controlling local contrast within areas which are clustered around shadows and highlights, as I have found, and is a good match when combined with Photoshop’s Shadow+Highlight adjustments.
# Notes
1. “娥眉月 Waxing Crescent Moon” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130513.7D.41748.BW: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8746961665/
2. Tom Giebel (Atomische): Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/atomische/
3. www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151416705462544
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-18T22:15:43+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/40 sec at f/11
+ Focal Length: 560 mm
+ ISO: 2000
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote Release, Manfrotto tripod
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 月 Moon
+ Serial: SML.20130518.7D.41851.P1.L1.BW
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“上弦月 First quarter moon” / 夜之寧 Night Serenity / SML.20130518.7D.41851.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #天 #空 #Sky #月 #Moon
GettyImages: gty.im/161735622
It is hard to decide which white point to balance to in total darkness. This is one the challenges I face everyday. It is very subjective. In rendering these I usually try to develop the mood which I seek. Having a POV matters. And yellow/magenta seems to work well for this foggy night.
# SML Translate
+ 紅: red. Describes the color.
+ 夢: dream, dreaming. Metaphor for foggy view.
+ 尋: to seek and to find. Metaphor for finding oneself.
The reference to the Chinese classical literature titled 紅樓夢 [1] Dream of the Red Chamber [2] is intentional. The Chinese character 樓 means building / chamber, and is depicted as architecture seen here in the foreground (科學園Science Park [4]) and the Tai Po district in the far back.
# SML Workflow
Photographed with the EOS M + EF 17-40 f/4L mounted on tripod. Processed in Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-06-13 02:09:06 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 3411 x 3411
+ Exposure: 8.0 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 40 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS M
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'39" N 114°12'36" E
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
+ Serial: SML.20130206.EOSM.01653.P1.SQ
# Notes
1. 《紅樓夢》，原名《石頭記》，是中國的一部古典長篇章回小說，亦是中國四大名著之一。 zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/红楼梦
2. Dream of the Red Chamber (simplified Chinese: 红楼梦; traditional Chinese: 紅樓夢; pinyin: Hóng Lóu Mèng; Wade–Giles: Hung Lou Meng), composed by Cao Xueqin, is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. It was written in the middle of the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. It is considered a masterpiece of Chinese literature and is generally acknowledged to be the pinnacle of Chinese fiction. "Redology" is the field of study devoted exclusively to this work. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_of_the_Red_Chamber
3. 香港科學園（Hong Kong Science Park，縮寫HKSP）位於香港新界大埔區白石角，處於吐露港沿岸，毗鄰白石角海濱長廊，鄰近香港中文大學。第一期發展佔地22公頃，第二期及第三期總樓面面積達330,000平方米。第二期工程於2006年竣工，第三期預計於2013年至2016年竣工。 zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/香港科學園
4. The Hong Kong Science Park is a science park in Hong Kong, located in Pak Shek Kok, New Territories, on the boundary of Sha Tin District and Tai Po District. It is also next to the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Ma Liu Shui and is on the Tolo Harbour waterfront. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Science_Park
“紅夢尋” / 夜之寧 Serenity at night / SML.20130206.EOSM.01653.P1.SQ
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #霧 #fog #雲 #clouds #夜 #night #空 #sky #山水 #landscape #攝影 #摄影 #photography
/ #中國 #中国 #china #香港 #HongKong #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #CanonEOSM #Canon1740
If I can pair traditional Chinese poetry with photography, surely there is nothing wrong pairing music with images? :)
Photographed with the 645pro app on iPad 3, 6x6 back, E6K film, processed in Snapseed. Taken at SML Universe HKG.
“Venus as a boy”—Björk #HK #夜
/ 夜之寧 Serenity at Night
/ SML.20130203.IP3.08361
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLMusic #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #夜 #night #bokeh IP3 SQ #645pro #E6K #攝影 #摄影 #photography #香港 #HongKong #中國 #中国 #china #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #bjork #venus #boy #pairing #music
The forms from nature is never changing, and it comes as quickly as it goes. Sunset is a perfect time to do photography, so it helps to be living close to the action.
When I lived in New York, I did not really have a view, so I do not really get to take a lot of photographs like this. In that regard I am thankful for the place I am living right now.
It is quite spectacular, and I cherish every day of it.
# SML Translate
+ 日: sun.
+ 落: falling, down.
+ 日落: sunset.
+ 血: blood, bloody. Here used as adjective to describe the color red.
+ 雲: cloud.
+ 怒: angry. Here used as metaphor for the vigorous forms of the clouds.
+ 海: sea. Here used as adjective to describe the sea of clouds which looks like waves of the ocean.
+ 空: sky.
+ 日落血雲怒海空: As the sun sets, the clouds reflects the redness of the sun and form a vigorous cloudscape which spans as wide as the sea.
# SML Workflow
Photographed handheld at SML Universe HKG with Canon EOS M + EF 17-40 f/4L USM. Noise reduction inside Lightroom 4. Processed in Lab color mode inside Photoshop CS6.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-04 18:06:33 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/100 sec at f/4.0
+ Focal Length: 35 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS M
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'3" N 114°13'25" E
+ Serial: SML.20130204.7D.21635.P1
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“日落血雲怒海空”
/ 寧 Serenity
/ SML.20130204.7D.21635.P1
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #日落 #sunset #雲 #clouds #cloudscape #空 #sky #山水 #landscape #攝影 #摄影 #photography
/ #中國 #中国 #china #香港 #HongKong #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #CanonEOSM #Canon1740
As promised, here is the black and white rendering of the color photo you saw earlier [1].
I have taken the opportunity to also crop out the bits which I do not like. Other than the bits which create an imperfect seams, my intention for this photo is to show the mountains sandwiched between the clouds, and all that scenery on the left hand side, while interesting, distracts from the overall composition.
As you can see, you can push + pull quite a bit in black and white. People often think that black and white is more difficult—the reverse is true. It does take some artistry to get a beautiful black and white, but it is mostly because color photography often contains way too much distracting information which makes them troublesome to work with.
If you want to get better at photography, I recommend that you work with B+W first before venturing into color territory. Learn to walk before you run, so the saying goes.
Since the photograph is cropped the horizontal FOV is no longer 50 degree but I don’t really know how much it is anymore. Lightroom, unlike Hugin, is not smart like that, unfortunately.
# SML Translate: 雲內有山 水中無人
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 內: inside.
+ 有: has, contains.
+ 山: mountains.
+ 水: water.
+ 中: inside.
+ 無: no, does not have.
+ 人: people.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-20 18:25:13 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 6497 x 3350
+ Exposure: 1/60 - 1/125 sec at f/2.8
+ Focal Length: 67 mm
+ ISO: 400
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ Panorama FOV: 50 degree horizontal, 37.1 degree vertical
+ Panoramic Projection: Rectilinear
+ GPS: 23°43'27" N 111°17'43" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港八仙嶺和吐露港 Tolo Harbour + Pat Sin Leng, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130320.7D.35728-SML.20130320.7D.35734-Pano.Rectilinear.50x37.1.P1.L1.BW
+ Workflow: Hugin 2012, Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature, 山水 Landscape, 全景攝影 Panoramic Photography, 黑白 Black and White
# Notes
1. “雲內有山 山中有雲 Mountains inside clouds, Clouds inside mountains” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130320.7D.35728-SML.20130320.7D.35734-Pano.Rectilinear.50x37.1: www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8573813969/
“雲內有山 水中無人” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130320.7D.35728-SML.20130320.7D.35734-Pano.Rectilinear.50x37.1.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #全景 #SMLPano #山水 #Landscape #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #雲 #Clouds #山 #Mountains #水 #Water
www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8575087266/
www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/8575087266/sizes/o/ (6497 x 3350)
When I first started the 寧 Serenity, I expected that it could not last too long because how much could someone photograph the view outside one’s window?
But I was wrong. In every single capture, I observe how the same become different, and how I am getting better at photographing something as mundane as the view outside my window—simply because my standards also go up as a result of doing it over and over again.
Some artists I see will try to paint / photograph something different every time they utilise their medium. I think that trying new things is great, but so is doing the same thing repeatedly. Like nature, life never really does repeats itself. And so when you do things repeatedly it also tend to be different each time. When you add all these minute differences over time you will see a dramatic difference to your art over time.
I believe in that. So this series will continue. It would, I think, be interesting 10 years from now to look back and see just how crappy these photos are…
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-09T13:11:18+0800
+ Dimensions: 3158 x 4737
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 17 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港八仙嶺和吐露港 Tolo Harbour + Pat Sin Leng, Hong Kong, China
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130409.7D.37534.P1.L1.BW
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“雨過雲海山乍露” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130409.7D.37534.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #自然 #Nature #山水 #Landscape #山 #Mountains #水 #Water #雲 #Cloud #Cloudscape
As always, I prefer natural looking HDRs, but then this sky is calling for drama—mostly courtesy of the full frame body + 17-40. To be frank I am super happy with the 6D purchase, and am very glad that I finally get to photograph scenes on the wide end. Nature can be so dramatic.
This is handheld—banking on my window, so the +3 shot was at ISO 320 but it is close enough that the moving boat did not cause too much of a ghosting thanks to 6D’s decent 4fps shooting.
# SML Translate: 日落彩雲孤舟渡
+ 日: sun.
+ 落: down.
+ 彩: colorful.
+ 雲: clouds.
+ 孤: single.
+ 舟: ship.
+ 渡: sail.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-04-12T18:06:10+0800
+ Dimensions: 3647 x 5471
+ Focal Length: 17 mm
+ Exposure
++ SML.20130412.6D.00366: 1/80 sec at f/10 - ISO 100
++ SML.20130412.6D.00367: 1/640 sec at f/10 - ISO 100
++ SML.20130412.6D.00368: 1/30 sec at f/10 - ISO 320
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'10" N 114°13'26" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 香港中文大學 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) + 吐露港 Tolo Harbour
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4, Photomatix Pro 4.2.5b
+ Serial: SML.20130412.6D.00366_7_8.HDR
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 高動態範圍攝影 HDR Photography
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“日落彩雲孤舟渡” / 寧 Serenity HDR / SML.20130412.6D.00366_7_8.HDR
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #HDR #SMLHDR #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #山水 #landscape #雲 #Cloud #Cloudscape #自然 #Nature #Photomatix
I went back and shot some more photographs of the manmade waterfall downstairs. I did not have a tripod with me so I placed it on the fence and used the new keyring Remote RC6 to release the shutter. It is a small nice gadget.
This one is a four-second capture. I will try and see what I can do with an ND filter any this day now.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-31T16:11:39.46+0800
+ Dimensions: 2570 x 3855
+ Exposure: 4.0 sec at f/22
+ Focal Length: 24 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'31" E
+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山恆明街2號聽濤雅苑二樓花園 Garden, 2nd Floor, Vista Paradiso, 2 Hang Ming St, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130331.7D.37395.C23.BW
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature, 黑白 Black and White
“石中水靜流 Water falls among rocks” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130331.7D.37395.C23.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #水 #Water #石 #Rocks
I walked by Sai Sha Road on my way home. It was June 23rd, 2013 — the weekend where there was a super moon.
I usually carry two camera bodies + the 17-40 + the 100-400 everywhere I go but the Manfrotto 303SPH and the tripod together added a lot of weight so I did not have it with me. So I could not take a photo of the super moon with the super telephoto. Instead, I took a panorama with the 6D + 17-40 photographing people walking home.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-06-23T23:57:25+0800
+ Dimensions: 18463 x 4748
+ Exposure: 0.4 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 17 mm
+ ISO: 400
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 Remote release, Manfrotto 303 SPH pano head, Manfrotto tripod
+ Panorama FOV: 360 degree horizontal, 96 degree vertical
+ Panoramic Projection: Spherical
+ GPS: 22°25'19" N 114°13'40" E
+ Location: 香港馬鞍山西沙路 Sai Sha Road, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong
+ Workflow: Autopano Giga 3, Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130623.6D.16533-SML.20130623.6D.16547-Pano.i15.360x96
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 全景攝影 Panoramic Photography
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
夜半霧濃 月下回家 Going home under the foggy moonlight / 馬鞍山西沙路 Sai Sha Road, Ma On Shan / 香港全景夜之寧 Hong Kong Night Serenity Panorama / SML.20130623.6D.16640-SML.20130623.6D.16654-Pano.i15.360x96.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #全景 #Pano #Panorama #SMLPano #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #城市 #Urban #landscape #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan
Rainy foggy days like these—with a really low contrast over the whole frame—is best for photography.
# SML Translate: 風雨晦暝 霧暗雲深
+ 風: wind.
+ 雨: rain.
+ 晦暝: dark, obscure.
+ 霧: fog.
+ 暗: dark.
+ 雲: cloud.
+ 深: deep + dark.
Yes they pretty much all describe the the gray and dark colors—but the characters are different. Unfortunately, to translate a poetic language such as Chinese to a relatively more descriptive language such as English is not very easy. Chinese are pictograms and ideograms—so mostly it needs to be “interpreted” and not really very “direct”. Its meaning can be rather obscure. To appreciate it best, learn it. :)
# ZDic: 風雨晦暝
指風雨交加，天色昏暗猶如黑夜。
唐·王度《古鏡記》：“遂起視之，則風雨晦暝，纏繞此樹，電光晃耀，忽上忽下。”
www.zdic.net/cy/ch/ZdicE9ZdicA3Zdic8E8574.htm
# ZDic: 霧暗雲深
迷蒙渺远。比喻相距之遥远。
www.zdic.net/cy/ch/ZdicE9Zdic9BZdicBE20482.htm
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-03-30T12:27:21.35+0800
+ Dimensions: 2999 x 4499
+ Exposure: 0.6 sec at f/11
+ Focal Length: 35 mm
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
+ GPS: 22°24'56" N 114°13'20" E
+ Altitude: 30.0 m
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港八仙嶺和吐露港 Tolo Harbour + Pat Sin Leng, Hong Kong, China
+ Serial: SML.20130330.7D.37143.C23.BW
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
“風雨晦暝 霧暗雲深” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130330.7D.37143.C23.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #自然 #Nature #山水 #Landscape #山 #Mountains #水 #Water #霧 #Fog
In the middle of the night, factories at the Tai Po Industrial Estate (大埔工業邨) across the Tolo Harbour is still pumping smokes non-stop. Under this long exposure, they are rendered as fans in the air.
# SML Translate: 春夜微風煙如扇 水靜江寧霧滿天
+ 春: Spring (season).
+ 夜: night.
+ 微: soft.
+ 風: wind.
+ 煙: smoke.
+ 如: (looks) like.
+ 扇: fan.
+ 春夜微風煙如扇: the smoke appears as fans under the soft breeze at night in Spring.
+ 水: water.
+ 靜: quiet.
+ 江: ocean.
+ 寧: serene.
+ 霧: fog.
+ 滿: full.
+ 天: sky.
+ 水靜江寧霧滿天: The water is quiet and the sea is serene while the fogs covers the sky.
In essence the couplet describes exactly what you see. I still need to work on this. Hopefully be able to write out some real Chinese poems in the future with the correct 平仄 syntax and everything.
# SML Workflow
People say that they don’t like the EOSM because it has no electronic viewfinder. To be honest when it is so dark at night it was easier to to manual focus on the LCD while zooming in 5x then using a viewfinder. I think that I lost my remote cable release so I photographed this on the EOSM because it was easier to just do a 2sec countdown and snapped it without adding much vibration to the capture.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-02-25 22:58:43 GMT+0800
+ Dimensions: 5174 x 3450
+ Exposure: 30.0 sec at f/8.0
+ Focal Length: 280 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS M
+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ GPS: 22°27'17" N 114°10'55" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 中國香港大埔工業邨吐露港倒影 中国香港大埔工业村吐露港倒影 Reflection of the Tai Po Industrial Estate on Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, China.
+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130225.EOSM.02490.P1.L1.BW
+ Series: 寧 Serenity
“春夜微風煙如扇 水靜江寧霧滿天” / 夜之寧 Serenity at Night / SML.20130225.EOSM.02490.P1.L1.BW
/ #寧 #serenity #SMLSerenity #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #夜 #night #水 #water #山水 #landscape #霧 #fog #城市 #Urban
I bought the 100-400 originally not to photograph birds but to photograph the moon. But I do not often see it because it was always so cloudy in Hong Kong and even if I have a full view of the sky, I do not see it.
But I did finally. I shot this with the 7D, because it has a crop-frame factor of 1.6x. I used the 1.4x Extender also. Altogether this gives me a 400 x 1.6 x 1.4 = 896 mm equivalent on a full-frame.
The cavit of sticking the 1.4x on the 100-400 is that you lose AF completely because with the exception of the 1D line which can focus at f/8, none of the other camera bodies can. With this in mind I might actually buy a 2x extender to see if I can get any closer.
I used a release cable for this shot but I can see some vibration at full-res. So next time I see it again I will use a mirror-lockup. I am also thinking of buying a geared head for the tripod because it seems that even on the tripod the camera still moves after some adjustments—no matter how small.
The Chinese name is quite descriptive as 娥 is a goose and 眉 is the eyelashes — it describes the moon as looking like the eyelashes of geese.
# Moon phases 月相
The Waxing Crescent Moon is the phase between the new moon and the first quarter, where its right 1–49% visible from the northern Hemisphere.
娥眉月: 北半球可見右側的1-49%
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_phase
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-13T19:44:37+0800
+ Dimensions: 5184 x 3456
+ Exposure: 1/4 sec at f/11
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D
+ Lens: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III
+ Accessories: Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote Release, Manfrotto tripod
+ GPS: 22°25'9" N 114°13'25" E
+ Location: SML Universe HKG
+ Subject: 月 Moon
+ Serial: SML.20130513.7D.41748.BW
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Series: 寧 Serenity, 自然 Nature
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“娥眉月 Waxing Crescent Moon” / 寧 Serenity / SML.20130513.7D.41748.BW
/ #寧 #Serenity #SMLSerenity #自然 #Nature #黑白 #BW #SMLBW #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #天 #空 #Sky #月 #Moon
I have been experimenting with using my own photography as a source image to influence image generation with Stable Diffusion. seeminglee.com/blog/serenity-ai-purple/
The rationale behind this is straightforward — I have taken lots of photos over the years, but the conditions under which they were taken were not always ideal. Photography is subject to a myriad of influencing factors, and even with a specific vision in mind, nature may not cooperate to allow that vision to be captured perfectly. Similarly, the ideal setting we imagine might simply not exist in reality.
That’s where the power of AI comes in. I’ve discovered its phenomenal ability to materialize the concepts I feed into it. A potential point of contention is that since these images are AI-generated, they might be perceived as the product of AI rather than my own creativity. This viewpoint occasionally arises among those unfamiliar with AI work. I personally disagree, but I’ll reserve that discussion for a separate post.
Considering these images are the fusion of my original photographs and my descriptive text prompts, the notion that they’re devoid of human creative input seems baseless. As such, in my opinion, they are completely entitled to copyright protection.
I plan on experimenting this further, exploring diverse series and themes. My archive is filled with photographs that I find intriguing but seem to be missing that final touch to elevate them. I’m optimistic that by leveraging text prompts, I’ll be able to address these shortcomings and conceive new creations that blend my photography and the power of imaginative prompting.
1-9. Night Serenity 夜之寧
Stable Diffusion with SDXL, using my own photography as source image.
- 50 Steps, DPM++ 2S a Karras
- SDXL Base 1.0, SDXL VAE 1.0
- Automatic1111 Version: v1.6.0
10. 春夜霧朦朧 紫空燦金輝 / 香港中文大學夜之寧 CUHK Night Serenity (60-sec LE) / SML.20130513.6D.06547
- Canon EOS 6D
- Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L
- Manfrotto tripod
- Remote release with Canon TC-80N3
- f/11, 24mm, 60 sec, ISO 100