The Start of 2009

As it is the first day of 2009, and the first post, I shall start off this year on a high note..(well not really, its just another post with fancy pictures..)


Anyway I really hope 2009 will be good to everyone..especially me (ha). To tell you the truth im actually not really looking forward to 2009, i've grown used to the days where i just wake up at 11 and use the computer until 2am. The days where you spend the whole day out and come back wasted. I love the freedom of having no set schedules, no school you have to attend everyday, i love the fact that i can go out anytime i like, and not worry about other things. I dont want this to end...

But well you cant turn back time.. dont dwell on it, my mind says.

So into 2009 we go...

New Year Resolution for 2009? Screw THAT! It never has worked for me. So lets just skip that and go straight to...

First things i saw in 2009...



Fireworks! A good thing to start off 2009 with, some celebrations! My first try at capturing fireworks to be exact, and its indeed really tricky to capture them.

Come to think of it, i spent the last 5 hrs of 2008 waiting for 5min of fireworks.

To recount, i met clement and proceeded to the photographing spot. Laid out trash bags and then laid a picnic mat over them. Heres a picture later in the day:

clement and his huge earphones in the dark, on the mat, on the grass in 2008

clement with his nikon, with tripods and another group of photographers behind us.


me trying out his earphones.


picture of buildings behind us.

There wasnt much to do during that 5 hrs camping, so we tried playing cards...


And tried taking photos...


However, most of the time, i was just enjoying the view.

The two other guys joined us a while later and we started chatting about cameras and audio stuff.

The place was filling up rapidly at 10pm, when my mom came and joined us.

A quick group photo..

Close to twelve we got ready behind our cameras, checking and rechecking settings, trying to make sure we did not screw up.

Close to the hour, the people crowded behind us started wolf wisteling, the atmosphere was really good, it really felt like a big party there (to me at least). Then the Fireworks came.. Ill just let the photos do the talking..


First Shots, Little Smoke, Slightly Overexposed.



Second Burst, not as nice...


Middle bursts...


More middle bursts..


Again...


After the lull, one of my few best shots


Another good one.


One more good one...


The reason it was tricky was because the picture gets overexposed when there is lots of fireworks happening. Getting the correct exposure is equivalent to guess work. My Best shots so happen to be when i opened the shutter for a short time.. Most of my shots were VERY overexposed as i opened the shutter for too long, resulting in this:


Finalae, where theres lots of fireworks and lots of overexposures.


Nonetheless, ive gained lots of experience from my first photographing of fireworks, and cant wait for the next one, where im sure ill get more keepers that time.

And Finally, to all the readers of this blog, i wish you a happy new year!