GX GARNERINGS

(Camera: Ricoh GX200) The slightly spreading torsos, a lifting foot and her raised tone in speaking to the guy could suggest that she was attracted by her colleague.

Lookalike, but this is not the real thing. The photo is a screen capture of a shot by Willis Lim .  A further demonstration of the GXR with the mount plus the Voigtlander and CZ lenses is here: Time to save up money.  Or is it too late?

(Camera: Ricoh GX200) The fun thing about photography is that the way to document a scene is limited only by the photographer's imaginations, aesthetic sense and, to a lesser extent, skills. This is the same staircase posted some month ago. Now, several minor tips about the composition of this shot: The areas showing the railings on the upper left corner and the upper right margin were included for a good purpose -- to make the final image less dry and drab. Unlike the previous bird's eye shot of this staircase, a frame covering the staircase alone from this angle can only produce a monotonous and suffocating image. The purposeful inclusions have some merit by giving viewers a sense of where the staircase and the passer-by came from, hence enhancing the flow and continuity of the whole picture. Moreover, the lower end of the staircase is cropped as such but not with the last flights of steps across the entire lower frame for a purpose too.  While the latter composition ...

(Camera: Ricoh GX200) The most challenging aspect of doing snapshots is that while the photographer has to actively seek out the photographically worthy part of a scene, the final image should reflect not the interpretation of the photographer but the culture or spirit of the place as it is. But just because one has to observe this rule of thumb, doesn't mean that subjectivity cannot be displayed in the final image to make it visually more intriguing. All one has to do is practise more to achieve the balance. As with most other techniques, practice makes perfect is a surefire way to make improvements in doing snapshots. The practising, however, can take months or even years. Another important thing is that an unassuming camera is a must. It follows that prospective buyers need to make their pick with that in mind.

(Camera: Ricoh GX200) With light, the vista is shown to its fullest possible extent.  But it is the areas with no light that make the "fullest possible extent" meaningful. It is with good contrast, not just with light, that an image can come alive.  In other words, when taking a shot, the photographer should allow in the final image an adequate balance of light and no light or, to be exact, shadow. So, light is not just to illuminate a scene but a component working with shadow to make a photographic work tick. For sure, a photographer should also be appreciative of the different qualities of light. The orange glow of the setting sun is always paradoxically powerful, giving the hope of life prior to the coming of darkness or, figuratively speaking, hopelessness. The big gray cloud coming in on the upper part of the frame and the sun beaming its last rays vigorously beyond it may be regarded as a visual representation of this philosophical theme.

(Camera: Ricoh GX200) The shot was taken on the ground floor of the HSBC headquarters building, now the reinstated citadel of its global business with its Chairman relocated to Hong Kong in 2009. The realignment of its business positioning was said to be a show of appreciation of the Hongkongers' support to it during the bank's Waterloo in the U.S.'s property market. Which is a kind of publicity bullshitting. The movement had to do more with the increasing importance of the Chinese financial market. The ground floor under the head office building is an idoit-proof place to take shots of silhouettes. If the contrast is too wide for the camera's sensor, the structural overhang could be made use of to reduce the brightness of the sky.

(Camera: Samsung WB600) This is Sunday.  Go hiking or whatever to a higher ground.