Bali Photography Tour 9-13 Sep '10

[limwhow]

The Bakso seller outside Tirta Empul. Bakso is basically meat ball noodle soup. Sometimes with rice (longtong). Each bowl typically costs around Rp1,000-2,000. If you are a tourist, you'd pay about Rp5,000-Rp10,000 per bowl. This uncle was kind enough to charge us Rp5,000 per bowl.

Ah... he must have seen that simple, honest, boy-next-door look that you use whenever you want people to go easy on you... HAHAHA...!
That's why only 5000rp.
You, as the SNAG (Sensitive New Age Guy, for those not in the know), if you just squeeze out a few tears (just take from the sky... it was raining already...),
he would have given it to you for 3500rp!:bsmilie:

 

[SgTrekker]

Here are my devotee shots at Tirta Empul. Spotted this pretty lady in yellow who stood out from the other devotees wearing white


Devotees @ Tirta Empul by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

I can sense the fervor in this one, very intense praying, probably for the safety and harmony of his family

Devotees @ Tirta Empul 2 by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

The Head Priest telling the devotees to start praying... was rather stern, check out the glare in his eyes :sweat:

Head Priest @ Tirta Empul by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

Was taking cover from the rain when i spotted this little kid next to me. He seemed so fascinated with the dripping water... i took quite a no. of shots of this young mischief

Fascinated by Rain @ Tirta Empul by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

 

[SgTrekker]

Ah... he must have seen that simple, honest, boy-next-door look that you use whenever you want people to go easy on you... HAHAHA...!
That's why only 5000rp.
You, as the SNAG (Sensitive New Age Guy, for those not in the know), if you just squeeze out a few tears (just take from the sky... it was raining already...),
he would have given it to you for 3500rp!:bsmilie:

Yes you are right WHow, i reserve my simple honest tearful look when (1) Buying corn, (2) Buying Bakso, (3) During Rainy Weather so i don't kenna so jiat lat from you guys... haha!

 

[limwhow]

limwhow #97
We all either stood, half-squat or sat at that small little recess on the left side of the pond for quite a long while.
All struggling like mad to focus, search, look up into the crowd, and then look back into the view finder.
But at least for me, I was overwhelmed by the number of devotees and the rapidity with which they move forward.
It was really not easy to capture a single nice, proper shot of a praying person.
So, I thought, heck.... let's just shoot flowers first. At least flowers don't move.
And here are stacks of offerings placed atop the water sprouts.
These small little trays of offerings are called Banten in Balinese. And we see them everywhere, often with a stick of burning incense.

limwhow #98
I still remember our good friend SK1968's words ringing in my ears:
"It's so difficult to shoot! Cannot isolate any single one subject! There are people all over the place and they block my subjects."
Indeed. Nothing can be further away from the truth.
It's a nice place to sit down and shoot, if there weren't so many devotees.
But I can only blame my own impatience.
Here is a humble shot. I think it is the only one that I think can show a little bit.

 

[limwhow]

Here are my devotee shots at Tirta Empul. Spotted this pretty lady in yellow who stood out from the other devotees wearing white

AIYOH!
You are So Lucky!
She is indeed a most pretty specimen of the Balinese homo sapien.
The way she closes her eyes and lifts up her hands in prayer....
My, you do have an eye for pretty young things, don't you, Adrian?

EDIT: To my horror, I just discovered - BUT she is already taken!!! Look at the ring on her left ring finger!

 

[SgTrekker]

AIYOH!
You are So Lucky!
She is indeed a most pretty specimen of the Balinese homo sapien.
The way she closes her eyes and lifts up her hands in prayer....
My, you do have an eye for pretty young things, don't you, Adrian?

EDIT: To my horror, I just discovered - BUT she is already taken!!! Look at the ring on her left ring finger!

No wonder that guy to her right kept giving me the 'look' :sweat: Luckily for my 300mm zoom, give me a headstart if kenna chased! :bsmilie:

 

[acpical]

AIYOH!
You are So Lucky!
She is indeed a most pretty specimen of the Balinese homo sapien.
The way she closes her eyes and lifts up her hands in prayer....
My, you do have an eye for pretty young things, don't you, Adrian?

See, the difference between Adrian then and now is the camera!! :bsmilie:

 

[limwhow]

No wonder that guy to her right kept giving me the 'look' :sweat: Luckily for my 300mm zoom, give me a headstart if kenna chased! :bsmilie:

See, the difference between Adrian then and now is the camera!! :bsmilie:

Well, Adrian he's a changed man.
Nowadays he is a little bit more practised and refined in the Art of Acting.
He can and he knows how to see girls from afar.
But he also knows how to siam.
And how to manja old man to sell him food cheaply by showing his innocent and poor-thing look... ,

 

[limwhow]

Finally the sky opened up and the rain poured.
Gallons and gallons of Balinese rain pelted us.
Terrible, this rain.
Rained and rained an rained.
Many of us without poncho got caught at Tirta Empul Temple and can't move a single inch.

limwhow #99

limwhow #100

limwhow #101
What can the General do?
Even the General can't do nothing but stayed seated in the Pavilion looking at girls from afar and shooting them.

limwhow #102
Even the Balinese ran from the rain...

limwhow #103
But some devotees are totally staunch and devout.
Nothing can move them.

 

[limwhow]

limwhow #104
Even foreign devotees braved the rain.

 

[SereneXMM]

Serene, nice colour variation for the baju, mine somehow all wearing white kebaya type... very err flat. You really have a knack for taking photos at the right moment!

Haha. Adrian, it's just my lucky shot!:embrass:

 

[MGohzxc]

Hello MGohzxc, thank you for your compliment. As per Limwhow, I'm also very impressed by a young lady like you who are already into the world of photography.
Why am l using so many cameras? It is because it's ideal not to change lenses. Why? If you change lenses dust may enter your camera. As for my camera, I used my Canon 50D with my zoom lens of 70 - 300mm to shoot portrait, My Canon 5DMKII with 16 - 35mm to shoot landscape and my converted Canon 20D to shoot Infared photographs.
Yes, I'm using both full frame(5DMK2) and crop camera(50D) to shoot. I hope I've answered your questions.:think::bsmilie:

Hello Auntie Serene,
Thanks for the explanation. You have answered all... Only how did you convert camera to IR which I dont understand.
Btw, you are a very good photographer carrying so many heavy loads and I admire you.

 

[MGohzxc]

limwhow #96[/B]
This old lady could be found at the village where we shot Winny.
Everyone was packing up and leaving already.
And this lady buay gam guan. Also wants to be photographed.
Everyone just shot and shot and shot her.
When I was about to leave, she asked me for money. I gave her 3000rp.
She shook her head and said not enough.
I gave her another 3000rp and she face black black...
If I could speak Balinese, I would tell her my Trek Leader General Adrian told me I can't give her any money one...

[/QUOTE]

Of all the pictures, I vote for this one. This lady says it all.....:thumbsup:

 

[SgTrekker]

Last stop on the official itinerary was the Tanah Lot temple. The weather was toying with us again, a little clearing of clouds giving us the illusion that there would be a sunset. Alas it was not to be, but there were sun rays towards the end...


Sunset @ Tanah Lot by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

Our extension program brought us westwards, towards the village of Palasari. Enroute, we stopped by a number of beautiful padi fields:


Banten Flower Offerings by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr


Golden Padi Fields by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr


Golden Padi Fields 2 by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr


Photographers @ Work by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

 

[stevepow]

Last stop on the official itinerary was the Tanah Lot temple. The weather was toying with us again, a little clearing of clouds giving us the illusion that there would be a sunset. Alas it was not to be, but there were sun rays towards the end...


Sunset @ Tanah Lot by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

Our extension program brought us westwards, towards the village of Palasari. Enroute, we stopped by a number of beautiful padi fields:


Banten Flower Offerings by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr


Golden Padi Fields by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr


Golden Padi Fields 2 by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr


Photographers @ Work by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

Hi Adrian, thanks for sharing again
Above shot with the 28-300 VR ?

If so, it seems pretty good

Probably will consider getting it and dispose off my other lenses to travel light

 

[limwhow]

Hi Adrian, thanks for sharing again
Above shot with the 28-300 VR ?

If so, it seems pretty good

Probably will consider getting it and dispose off my other lenses to travel light

Stevepow, that sounds like a very good idea.
Once you have done that, then maybe i can have the honour of your company for our next trip again?

 

[limwhow]

Last stop on the official itinerary was the Tanah Lot temple. The weather was toying with us again, a little clearing of clouds giving us the illusion that there would be a sunset. Alas it was not to be, but there were sun rays towards the end...


Sunset @ Tanah Lot by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

Our extension program brought us westwards, towards the village of Palasari. Enroute, we stopped by a number of beautiful padi fields:

Adrian, this one is so darn good!
I must say we had loads of fun at this paddi field on that 4th day.
I haven't done my photos for that.
Will post up mine once done.

Photographers @ Work by Singapore Trekker, on Flickr

Wow... James Bond movie like that!

 

[SgTrekker]

Hi Adrian, thanks for sharing again
Above shot with the 28-300 VR ?

If so, it seems pretty good

Probably will consider getting it and dispose off my other lenses to travel light

Hello Mr Pow, Yup, i was using the 28-300mm all the way. So far from the reviews, its pretty sharp (for that price), although LowLights did mention it is a little slow in focusing under low light. 300mm is quite sharp too and with the VRII, it helps alot. We also got the Nikkor 24-70 F2.8 and comparing side by side, the G lens (with the Gold band) is still sharper, although at S$1300++, i can't complain la...

 

[SgTrekker]

Adrian, this one is so darn good!
I must say we had loads of fun at this paddi field on that 4th day.
I haven't done my photos for that.
Will post up mine once done.



Wow... James Bond movie like that!

Tks WHow, the James Bond shot was inspiration from Serene's shot of us at Vietnam...can't beat hers la...

By the way, I just got the Corkin Z Pro series with an ND8 + 4, hoping to organise a sunset shoot in preparation for our upcoming Jiuzhaigou tour. Will update you guys soon

 

[SereneXMM]

SereneXMM #52