Crepuscular Rays Over Upper Seletar Reservoir

D700 70-300mm @ 98 ISO400 f/11 1/1000

Crepuscular rays are often seen through the narrow breaks that separate strato cummulus. From the huge collection of photography books available at the National Library, I had picked up "Photographing Weather" by Storm Dunlop some time ago. The book inspired me to experiment when the light was going to be right. Here it was.

Changeable Lizard - Khatib Bongsu

D700 70-300mm @ 300 + 20mm ext. tube ISO400 f/11 1/250 built-in flash -0.7EV tripod

Another common inhabitant of Khatib Bongsu is the changeable lizard. Here in a striking orange livery.

Little Heron Hunting - Khatib Bongsu

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/1000 tripod

This little heron was hunting on mud flat of Khatib Bongsu at low tide.

Scaly-Breasted Munia - Khatib Bongsu

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO200 f/6.7 1/500 tripod

During a morning walk within the Khatib Bongsu area, a group of scaly-breasted munia were feeding on tall grass. The low light, hyperactivity of the bird and wind made the shot difficult.

Flammable Liquid - Singapore Kampong Life

D700 70-300mm @ 250 ISO200 f/11 1/125

This is a detail of the van used to supply the bunker fuel to the boats kept off the jetties at the kampong. I liked the soft color combination.

Where Boats Grow On Trees - Singapore Kampong Life

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO200 f/4.5 1/250

A fancy natural boat hanger!

The Weighing Scale - Singapore Kampong Life

D700 70-300mm @ 220 ISO200 f/5.3 1/500

The kampong is mostly populated by fishermen and boat keepers. This scale might still be used to weigh the catch. A play on color and depth of field here.

Awaiting Higher Tides - Singapore Kampong Life

D700 70-300mm @ 82 ISO200 f/8 1/500

A walk in one of the latest kampong located on Singapore island (beside the Seletar dam) yielded some pictures that will be posted over the next few days. This first trip was made at relatively low tide. I should return at high tide for another photo session.

Radar Tower At Sembawang Park

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO200 f/4.5 1/30 handheld

A higher ISO should have been used on this picture to avoid a take at 1/30. The VR behaved well and the resulting picture was sharp.

Keep To Starboard

D700 70-300mm @ 200 ISO400 f/11 1/1000

A sign to help guiding ships in the water channels around Singapore.

Danger Deep Water

D700 70-300mm @ 165 ISO400 f/8 1/1000

Back in Singapore, there wasn't much time for walks with the camera and subjects seemed to escape me... Let's see what the next few days will bring.

Snow Over The Bridge

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO200 f/8 1/125

It was a snowy day. A perfect day to try walking with rackets and reach places covered in fresh snow. Really hard to keep the snow away from the viewfinder as one keep the objective down to avoid snow flakes to land on the glass...

Blackbird In Flight

D700 70-300mm @ 300 ISO200 f/8 1/1000

It is hard to take a picture of a bird in flight. I had the impression that the camera was never fast enough to focus on the subject... Maybe it was the cold weather... Maybe it is just that more practice is necessary!

Sun Through The Snow

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO400 f/16 1/125

No comment.

Winter Landscape

D700 70-300mm @ 180 ISO400 f/16 1/125

No comment.

Rock, Ice & Wind - Glacier in Saas Fee

D700 70-300mm @ 95 ISO200 f/11 1/500

Just one take of the glacier of Saas Fee. The day was not best for photography as the sky looked just like the snow - all white. It was cold and rather windy. While the area is rugged and inhospitable, the glacier provides breathtaking sights.

An Old Larch

D700 70-300mm @ 70 ISO400 f/11 1/500

It had been snowing during the night and in the early morning. A break in the cloud cover brought some sun and provided the opportunity for the above shot.

A Blackbird in the Snow

D700 70-300mm @ 110 ISO200 f/5.6 1/250 built-in flash -1.0EV

Blackbirds spend the night at higher altitude and come down over the village at a precise time every morning. It is the largest common birds roaming the area. A clear challenge to the photographer due to the strong contrast between the bird and the background... Flash with some compensation is helpful.

Touch of Red in the Snow - Mountain Ash Berries

D700 70-300mm @ 170 ISO400 f/11 1/60

Adding a dash of colour in the otherwise monochrome winter landscape, the mountain ash berries are also a source of nourishment for some of the birds.

Chamois - A Portrait

D700 70-300mm @ 300 ISO200 f/5.6 1/125

Another picture of this beautiful wild mountain goat.

An Old Water Wheel - Saas Fee / Switzerland

D700 14-24mm @ 24mm ISO200 f/16 1/60

An old water wheel built in the 1800 over a stream from the glacier is covered by a fresh carpet of snow.

New Year In The Swiss Alps

D700 14-24mm @ 24 ISO200 f/16 15sec tripod

Group of friends and families carrying torches gather on the side of the mountain to watch the fireworks in the village below. Some bring bottle of champagne to celebrate the New Year.

Happy New Year ! Fireworks In a Snowy Mountain Resort

D700 14-24mm @ 17 ISO200 f/16 15sec tripod

Happy New Year to all the followers of this blog!

At midnight on December 31st, private fireworks start flashing all over the quaint mountain village of Saas Fee in the Swiss Alps. With a clear sky and a full moon, there was a great opportunity to try to catch the show on film.