A Lotus Flower - The Pond at Ang Moh Kio Park

D700 500mm ISO400 f/11 -1.7EV 1/500 tripod

A lotus flower with a slight back light. Taken at the pond of Ang Moh Kio Park. The 500mm was an overkill but the extra reach helped the composition as one is not quite allowed to wade in the pond.

Ang Moh Kio Park - The Lotus Pond

D700 24mm PC-E ISO 200 f/22 1/8 tripod

First visit to this park. While the purpose of the trip was to photograph the lotus flowers, a landscape shot seemed appropriate.

Green Crested Lizard at Lower Pierce Reservoir

D700 70-300mm @ 300 +12mm ext tube ISO200 f/11 1/30 built-in flash -0.7EV tripod

It always seems that the the green crested lizard has looked through binoculars with ink on the rubber (the old prank). This picture was taken at Lower Pierce Reservoir.

Walkways At Lower Pierce Reservoir

D700 70-300mm @ 92 ISO400 f/22 1/15 tripod

Another interesting park with wooden walkways within a secondary forest and along Singapore's second largest fresh water reservoir. Here, the first rays of the sun piercing through the canopy.

Rain Forest Mini Series 4/4 - The Bird Nest Fern

D700 14-24mm @ 14 ISO200 f/16 -0.3EV 1/4 tripod

These ferns are quite common in Singapore. I thought that this one deserved a picture anyway!

The undergrowth in a rain forest is restricted by the lack of sunlight at ground level. This makes it possible to walk through the forest. If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned, the ground beneath is soon colonized by a dense, tangled growth of vines, shrubs, and small trees.

Photography in this environment presents a few challenges:
- low light,
- requirement for high depth of field,
- difficulty of access (muddy forest floor, insects…)
- high humidity

For the low light and high depth of field, usage of wide angle lens and tripod is recommended. A burst of flash might be useful to bring up some colors, maybe with some compensation to decrease the output if subject to brighten is close to the camera. Just choose old shoes and be prepared to be muddy from head to toe. Use insect repellent and avoid stepping on ants’ path… To keep the camera dry, a towel is useful, perfect as well to wipe out the sweat… These are just some ideas, as I am still learning the trade!

Rain Forest Mini Series 3/4 - Young Fern Leave

D700 14-24mm @ 14 ISO200 f/16 -0.7EV 1/4 tripod

A young red fern frond.

Rain Forest Mini Series 2/4 - The Bat Flower

D700 14-24mm @ 14 ISO200 f/16 -0.7EV 1/4 built-in flash -3.0EV tripod

The bat flower [Tacca chantrieri] in its natural environment.