Musings

Last month I wrote an entry reporting that while Hannah’s all me in mannerisms and general looks, her eyes take after Ling’s. Well, here’s proof – got Hannah to pose with Mommy, with Ling making her laugh.:)

Looks like Hannah could eventually inherit Mommy’s crow-eyes too!

Taken using the 50mm f1.8 again (but gonna switch back to my usual 24-60mm f2.8 after this) yesterday night after her 7:30 pm feed.:)

If there’s one thing I miss on portrait lenses, it’s optical stabilization in low light situations typical of a restaurant. These were taken (badly) this morning during a brunch at Swensens @ Compass Point, and if you’ve been there for a meal, you’ll know how dim lighting is there. I didn’t want to drive the ISO beyond 800 (need… full… frame… DSLR!), and I didn’t want to shoot with a wide-open aperture either. So at f2.2 – the most I was willing to risk, and ISO800 – and at 1/20s exposure times, half of the shots had visible shake, and that’s not counting the fact that Hannah herself rarely remains still – now also got subject motion to contend with. It’s only now when I realize how spoilt I’ve become by optical stabilization LOL.

Hannah with her favorite past time when we’re out of home – chewing on her toy.:) 

These next were taken at the level four Kopitiam at Hougang Mall with warm lighting in the food court. Had to adjust tint levels and temperature, and even then the results still look a little off.

My first Nikon lens from 1985 was a 50mm f1.8. As those of us who’re amateurs in photography would know, this 50mm focal length lens is especially appropriate for portrait shots. While I did pick up my first zoom lens – a Nikkor 70-210mm a couple of years later out of my own pocket money – I spent more time with the 50mm taking portrait shots of my ACJC classmates than the zoom. Those pictures weren’t all good of course (though a couple turned out very well, including one of this classmate I was interested in back then!), but there were a lot of valuable lessons that I learned from trying out, and also from a fellow ACJC enthusiast back then, who today has his own photography studio.

Fast forward to 25 years: I’ve bought a second-hand 50mm f1.8 AF from a colleague in July 2008 but funnily never really used it much with the D300. I like the Sigma 24-60mm f2.8 lens better, what with its small but tremendously useful zoom range, and that it’s tact sharp after I had it calibrated at the Sigma Service Center. Either way, I took the 50mm out for a Sunday spin with Hannah as the test subject. And here’s the outcome after about 90 frames later – split into two posts. This one below was taken at home in semi-low light.

Yeah I’m all rusty, and I made a couple of noob errors. But the next couple taken at Hougang Mall turned out better.:)