Photography project - Lian Villas

I am proud to present you my property photo shoot I done for Saville.

Here's the link.

Here's my thought for this beautiful and amazing place.

This private property is definitely a good place to stay at if you like to have neighbor that is close to you. Facing in front is the swimming pool; it look really beautiful when night falls.

You feel so tired after a long hard day at work, after parking your car in the basement, which is in front of the unit. The thought of climbing up the stair to the bedroom is no longer a hassle! There's a lift in the unit! Heh, you need not to worry about carrying heavy things up to the room in future!

I love the area when I was doing the night shoot, the place is very quiet. With the sound of the water gushing down on the pool make my mind feel so relax. You can even do your gym while viewing the pool.

It is really a great place if you love such an environment.

Nevertheless, do enjoy the images I took as well.

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Property photography

Do you have the thought that property photography is easy?

The answer is easy: no.

You may be wondering why would I said that, isn't it just putting your camera on tripod, doing a long shutter speed? And... that's it!


Coordinating and communication is very important.


Before heading down for a photo shoot, it is always advisable for the photographer to go down on site to check out the entire area: whether if there's still touch up, defects or even the painting too. (Though you may do it via photoshop, it is always great to use lesser time during DI stage)

To do an outdoor shoot with the building, you can do it during afternoon and evening time. So that you are able to compare before deciding which image to give to your client.

As an ex project engineer before, I know that coordination is very important. Informing beforehand is a must to let both the client and the on site manager about your whereabouts on site. This is for safety purposes.

If there are workers moving within your frame, get the manager to inform them. It will better for them to go for a break.

Always rem to tell the workers to move their items away as well. This is give you less pain during the DI stage.

If the client gave you the instructions already, do walk around the specific area they want to get the good view/ composition. Call up to your client if there are some major issue not done yet as it may greatly affect your photo shoot day.

If there is a need to, try to communicate with the on site/ project manager on which date you will be doing the shoot. At least this will minimize misleading instruction. End of the day, you just have to inform your client on the date you will be there.

So as you see, this is just the first part before the photo shoot.

Next come to what you should bring.

Personally, I will bring 2-3 type of lenses, zoom, wide and fish eye. End of the day, I only use my prime wide angle lenses to do the shoot. It is wide enough to capture everything. If you have the tilt/ shift wide angle lenses, that will be even better! You will spend lesser time to the correct perspective view.

Do more homework and research via website. Be it you are doing for landed, condo, factory or any type of building, it is good to keep yourself updated for building photo shoot,


I am very happy to complete one major property photography recently, so I decided to share the thoughts with you.

If I am able to get hold of the advertising images, I will definitely post here to share as well.

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HRDI handbook review

HDRI handbook, which is highly recommended by one of the Facebook user in a group, is great for understanding the HDR and the panoramic shoot.

In order to understand more about individual HDR program, this is the book for you. Please refrain from getting this book on Kindle. Basically, it is nothing but just grey tone, even for the image.

If you are using on Kindle Fire, good for you.

The author of this book, Christian Bloch, literally provide all the information that you need to know. There are steps to follow in order to achieve that look. Overall, it depend on individual liking towards the program.

Since I already had Photomatix, I literally skipped pages after pages.

For this book, the author also tells you about panoramic shoot, setting up, nodal point and what kinda lenses to use.

This is the book that you should get if you are so interested in HDR panoramic.

It contain what I had blogged before, but with more details.

Get this book in your nearby book store, or download it to your kindle fire now. It is a book that you should not miss it at all.

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Invitation to Cityblis, the media center for independent designer and fashion updates

Thank you CityBlis for inviting me as a blogger to their site.



This is an interesting media center whereby you can find a lot of independent designers and fashion updates.

I would love to talk to these designers because of my work related - being a photographer. I have always wanted to do a light hearted fashion photo shoot or even video.

If you are a good designer that want to showcase your work, or a model who wanted to gain more experience, feel free dropping me a message. Calling out to models who are in Singapore or Malaysia.

Rather, if you have any idea for a photo shoot, come to my email. I will also put up a video to share throughout as well.

Appreciated.

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Panoramic talk #2

 Let's continue from panoramic talk #1

A good rig is a must to do a nice and beautiful 360 view. As there are many such head in the market, do take your time searching for it.

So, what is Nadir and Zenith.

A picture worth the thousand of words.

This is Nadir (facing down)

Camera lense facing down is known as nadir.
Photo credit: Nodal Ninja

This is Zenith (Facing down - left)

Left: camera lense facing up - Zenith.
Photo credit: red door vr

This is nadir adapter

Nadir adapter
Photo credit: Nodal Ninja

If you have realise something. I can shoot zenith without any tripod in my view, how about nadir?!

The tripod is right in the frame, how do I remove that?

Yes, you can do that by using content aware on Adobe Photo shop! That's awesome, right?! But... not entirely correctly! If you are using on grass, cement floor with no lining or pattern, you are safe!

If there are patterns on floor, you will be scratching your head seriously.


Look for  Florian Knorn on Youtube video
He teaches a lot - framing, photo taking and calibrating to your nodal point.

You may want to check out his website as well.


So, now let's get back to nadir adapter. How does it actually work?

It is very simple, and I can assure you!

All you need to do is loosen the screw below, push the entire top head till the end (showing in the photo - nadir adapter)

Then, loosen the turning knob on the nadir adapter, move the entire top head (see photo below)

After loosing the turning knob, you move the head 180 degree. It is very sturdy

See? That is so simple! But this is not the end yet.

Remember you are on nadir view, seeing the tripod? Now with the nadir adapter, you will not see any tripod blocking you anymore! (just a little bit)

Wait! Hang on first before you go on and try it out.

When you are shooting nadir, you need to shoot at the exact spot where your lense is initially pointing to. If the floor have a star design while your tripod is on it, you need to shoot that star without the tripod - the same spot again.

Now, all you need to do is move the tripod backwards. You need to be certain where the lense is pointing initially, then ensure the lense is pointing at about the same point while moving the tripod.

Here's some photo in case you are going crazy and having headache!

Nadir adapter
Photo credit: Nodal Ninja

What is what I am trying to explain. Looking at the image (the bottom tripod), that is the initial point. The top tripod in the image is using the adapter, trying to get back the same position so that it stitch well in the program.

Look at how they do it - tuck in the tripod, and how they position it.

It is wiser to have the leg spread out as seen in the image because, if one of the leg is open fully or so, you will get the tripod merging together.

But that is the not the scariest part since we can DI on photo shop or using content awareness.

The only headache I often have is the shadow. Tons of DI to be done because of that.


Here's another illustration for better understanding:

Photo credit: Nodal Ninja Forum

All thanks to Nodal Ninja who had this nadir adapter. It helps a lot when doing nadir shoot.

When you have done enough of 360 view panoramic, you will tend to get more of your own idea. How to solve individual issue, what cause the main problem when doing pano.

I will be glad to share my thoughts with you.

Thanks for supporting my blog.

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Panoramic talk #1

Rig I used for panoramic

Panoramic is one of the most interesting photography in my humble opinion.

It is most suitable for landscape photography which allow to cover from extreme left to the right. Other than being a landscape, it can be turn into a 360 x 180 sphere, which allow you to make it as a virtual reality, commonly used for residential, commercial agents and interior designer firm.

Now, it had evolved to retail stores, operation room, restaurant and many more.

It had been created for people who had not been to the location before, and yet wanted to see the place badly.

There you are, a virtual tour.

Now, before I get into this VT (virtual tour, I named that in short form) there are a lot of rules and standard to follow while taking a shot. (it depend on what rig you are on, you may require more than 6 shots for each panoramic view)

The most common rig that people know is: Nodal Ninja.

When you get into the site, you will be confused and not knowing what to get first.

Unless you know your work well, and wanted to get into Google business, you should be getting the Google setup rig.

If not, just follow what I am using now. Of course, I can answer your question if you require any of those.

Right now, I am only concentrating on the introduction for the rig.

The rig I am using is Nodal Ninja 4, known as NN4, with a RD16 and a EZ-leveler II.

EZ Leveler II


Nadir adapter




NN4 Package



There os another way to get it ship to Singapore. Either order from them in US, or from KL, Malaysia. (easy, huh?)

But considering that I need the stitching program, PT GUI, I decided to get it from Nodal Ninja official site as they did include the software as a package. 

I had been using this rig with my trusted Canon 5D2 and a Samyang 14mm lense. Given the light weight of the camera, NN4 is more than enough. There's no need for the ultimate series, unless you feel like getting it.

The next thing you may want to get is the EZ leveler and the nadir adapter.

EZ leveler II is meant for you to adjust the balance by turning the 3 blue beauitful knobs. The adjustment is so precise that you can get it balance within seconds. Unless you are using ball head triod, you may want to go without this, but you need to be skillful on that.

I hate giving myself pressure and need to get things done within seconds, hence the must equipment.

Next, nadir adapter. This is also another must to get item. If you do not know what is nadir, it is actually preferring to 'bottom'. (I will explain more in detail in the next post, I will skip for now)

For zenith, it is referring to top. So, if you are reading via forum or group online and they were referring about nadir and zenith, you will totally understand what it meant now.

I had been using this rig for the past 6 months and get it on my shoulder through air con, harsh sunlight and rain, it is still working well. I have no regret getting this beast, seriously.

I will talk more on my next post regarding the usage of nadir adapter, lenses and set up.

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Adobe Lightroom 5 is here!

I am fascinated and excited about the new Adobe Lightroom 5 after watching the video here.

It is going to save me a lot of times and it is what I am really hoping for! The upright straighten tool!

I had been a great user to Capture One Pro 6 trial before I ended up with Adobe Creative Cloud. I kept thinking, when will Adobe is going to give us that straighten tool? And there it is!

The Lightroom 5 is here for all of us!

The marvelous tool can be bought individually or via Creative Cloud. Now, that is the wise choice for being a Creative Cloud user, I do not need to worry about the upgrades from individual software, with this, I get it anytime and free (of course via subcription!)

All thanks to internet information, I was literally blogging this while trying to update my Adobe apps manager! Viola! I saw the word installation, and hoping whether if I can get the LR5 (it claimed that it will be release on Tuesday, so I just gamble anyway.)

And, after installation, I saw the upgrade to LR5! Yes, it is going to be a happy happy day!

Welcome to Adobe Lightroom 5!
Hello there!

I'm going to do some trial shoot (my usual shoot) and give my opinion on the new tools!


For those who are on Creative Cloud, get to LR5 now!

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