It has been on my photography's agenda for past weeks ~ go for a photowalk at Chinatown! First album for 2012! Due to the unpredictable weather, I had to watch out for the weather before heading down... today turn out to be super sunny & hot! This is my 2nd year doing the pre Chinese New Year shot. Last year, i used my wide angle & telephoto lens. This year I only used my telephoto lens for the main Dragon decoration on the overhead bridge. As for the rest of the shots, I decided to challenge myself wif juz using the small & mighty nifty-fifty (50mm Prime lens).
The curious Dragon over-looking Chinatown!
This year's main Dragon decor is nice & also a bit tricky to shoot... luckily, i found a good spot & shot a close-up wif my zoom lens. Started the photowalk at around 5pm & as I navigated thru' Pagoda street, I saw cute Dragon soft-toys! I think i have a super gd memory as last year's scene flashed across my mind... I remembered which was the unfriendly stall & avoided shooting there! The stuff sold were almost the same, not much of novelty! Even the stalls positions were similar. Hence, it also pose another challenge for me ~ to find interesting angles!
Besides looking out for Dragon inspired decor', I also observed the people. Last CNY's shot, my fav was a father carrying his young son on his shoulders. Sometimes, u need to be at the right time & at the right location to get 'The Shot'... As I strolled the streets, I saw a talented artist drawing portraits by replicating a photo from his laptop.
Next, I passed by the Hindu Temple & got an interesting shot of an Indian drummer. So happen, there's a strong contrast of shadows & light at that time too! Photography is a play of light indeed!
PaCe
As I strolled thru' the crowded lanes, I met a monk & my first instinct was to turn-back & shoot his backview... Juz as I pressed my shutter, a young lad tried to squeeze his way thru' the narrow lane. I like the 'feel' of this photo, which i captioned "PaCe''. As city dwellers, we r so used to moving at face pace. In fact, we should learn from the monks by taking a more leisure pace to enjoy the little things in our lives.
I enjoyed playing wif the aperture of the 50mm, as it allows me to create photos wif depth of view as it can open to a wide F1.8. Along the way, i saw traditonal paper-cuts & the famous waxed ducks/preserved sausages stall is a hotspot for photo-taking. As dusk falls, it's the perfect timing as I got a few more shots around the Relic Tooth Temple. Got an interesting close-up of the temple's door & i noticed the metalic knobs were made up of intricate lotus design! Do avoid the unfriendly stall-holder selling artificial flowers near there! He shouted ''No Photography'' in mandarin!
Lights of Spring
Ended my 2 hours photowalk by returning back to one of the lanes & I saw the same uncle selling balloons last year! Omg, this year 'Angry Birds' rules?! Out of all the shots today, I like the portraits fotos best!
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