First Skyscraper Of Latvia

The Latvian Academy of Sciences in Riga. Photo credit: Sarah Chua.

This was a hasty snapshot as Sarah whizzed by on her way to the airport. There were originally three unevenly lit coaches parked in front of the building. We had these cropped off in post for a cleaner composition.

Blue Chalk Sticks

Senecio Mandraliscae occupying their place in the Succulent Garden. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

The prostrate stems seemed like a nice complement so they were included in the composition here. Exposure was biased a stop darker to tame highlights.

Riding In The Heat

A hot ride in the park. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

Lighting was very harsh off the mid-day sun. Thankfully, I had the bright ground to provide fill-in light for the child’s face.

Sunny-Side-Up

Trailing Gazanias popping up in the Flower Dome. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

Yellow Beauty

A beautiful yellow orchid blooming in the conservatory. Photo credit: Eleanor Chua.

Nell caught this beautifully and placing the orchid in the centre of the frame. Post work involved only the ‘burning’ of background foliage on both sides of the orchid.

Enter The Anthers

A Daylily baring its anthers in the Flower Dome. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

Reflection In Covid Times

One of the few folks still out and about sitting in silent reflection at the height of the Covid pandemic. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

I had tried out the HDR mode in the Lumix one-inch sensor bridge camera used here. It’s a jpeg only mode and involved capturing 4 images in quick succession and merging them together for improved dynamic range and less noise. At ISO 3200, the noise produced in this capture was surprisingly at just 2.

Celebrating Nationhood In A Pandemic

Singapore celebrating nationhood in the thick of the pandemic in 2020. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

Photographing handheld, even underexposing 1-1/3 stops, the shutter speed that could be had was a mere 1/8 second at ISO 800 (the maximum I would usually go for this one-inch sensor camera). Thankfully, everything was tack sharp with the help of the stabilization.

In The Galleries

Folks taking in the sights in the Peranakan Museum. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

The folks in the original capture were actually in total darkness. Brightening up the area raised ugly noise in the shadows that was removed somewhat lazily by darkening the affected area with the burning tool.

Belle de Menthon

The Belle de Menthon shining brilliantly at Rose Romance here. Photo credit: Eleanor Chua.

This hybrid was apparently dedicated to the southeastern French town of Menton-Saint-Bernard in 2017.

A German Rose Hybrid

A Calizia Sedana making a presence in the conservatory. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

It looks like we would be seeing roses from a number of countries at this year’s edition of Rose Romance in the Flower Dome here.

Seven Prayer Plant Flowers

Calathea Loeseneri of the prayer plant family gracing the Changi International Airport. Photo credit: Eleanor Chua.

Nell had captured these at ISO100 under a overcast sky. It was actually pouring outside. The camera had given her a shutter speed of 1/100 second for the equivalent focal length of about 500mm but Nell had still managed to come away with a sharp image.