This s the 101th blog post and we’re happy to be still blogging after 1 year and 3 months. First I would like to thank my dear readers who frequently visit this site; and if you’re here the first time, welcome! Secondly, I wish to thank my dear White Bear, who has continually supported me through my photographic endeavors, hiking with me and laughing with me, and being there with me through the stressful times. Most of the gear I didn’t buy myself, so I have benefited immensely from her wallet! (or purse?)

And this one year and three months is a period of growth. For me, it is a photographic journey, from owning my first mirrorless camera, the Sony NEX-3 with the kit lens to getting more lens (second handed and new ones) and then upgrading to Sony NEX-6 this year. Not long ago, on my wishlist there were a wide-angle, a portrait lens, a long zoom, and a macro lens; I am lucky to have them all now.

And growth is also a personal one. After four years and five months of starting our relationship, White Bear and I are getting married early next year. Young as we are, there are differences between us, and conflicts that need to be ironed out, and I truly appreciate that my future wife has always respected my wishes and understood me better than myself. And so, fortunately we had fewer arguments than we thought we would have had. I wish to start a new life together with her, and one of understanding and love, and there would not be a day without her, in happiness and even more so in sadness. I think there are two bible verses that I would like to share:

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

and:

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.

Thanks to you, my dear readers, that we have recently been nominated for two awards!

The first one is from Samina, and she has kindly given me a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. We are very honored to have inspired someone in the world.

And the second one is the Super Sweet Blogger Award from Geraldine. Thank you so much! It moves me to post more sweet posts!

To accept the Very Inspiring Blogger Award, we have to post 7 things about ourselves and nominate 15 other bloggers. To accept the Super Sweet Blogger Award, we have to answer 5 super sweet questions and nominate 13 other bloggers (bakers’ dozen).

7 things about ourselves

1. We like to sleep in on the weekends
2. During other times in holidays, we love to hike and take photos
3. White bear is the laziest person on Earth
4. Black bear loves detective novels, and his favorite author is Agatha Christie
5. Our favorite color is blue
6. We plan to have our honeymoon in New Zealand
7. … Read “about” for more

5 super sweet questions

1. Cookies or Cake?   Cake
2. Chocolate or Vanilla?   Chocolate
3. Favorite Sweet Treat?   Orange Souffle
4. When Do You Crave Sweet Things The Most?   Weekends and at night          
5. Sweet Nick Name?   Honey!

Our nominations for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award (I enjoy reading their posts and their words and images have special power):

• http://agraciouslife.wordpress.com/
• http://mysmallstillvoice.wordpress.com/
• http://shainbird.wordpress.com/
• http://servingwithjoy.wordpress.com/
• http://sweetrains.wordpress.com/
• http://speakingabouttravel2.wordpress.com/
• http://everythingaussie.wordpress.com/
• http://revjeffmunnis.org/
• http://theblacktwig.wordpress.com/
• http://throughmylens365.wordpress.com/
• http://thirteenthknight.wordpress.com/
• http://leanovadesigns.wordpress.com/
• http://leannecolephotography.com/
• http://yichinglin.com/
• http://exxtracts.wordpress.com/

Nominations for the Super Sweet Blogger Award (they all feature amazing imagery and beautiful content; I am so happy to have stumbled upon their blogs in the first place):

• http://ascatteredfocus.wordpress.com/
• http://allegrainitalia.wordpress.com/
• https://goldenhoneypress.wordpress.com/
• http://joshidaniel.com/
• http://markshimazuphotography.wordpress.com/
• http://funandfabulousness.wordpress.com/
• http://photoadayblog.wordpress.com/
• http://www.appleledgephotography.com/
• http://robertkusztos.wordpress.com/
• http://talkingexperience.wordpress.com/
• http://albertmoyerjr.wordpress.com/
• http://atlanticcus.wordpress.com/
• http://ajaytao2010.wordpress.com/

Thanks everyone from around the world!

The Sony E-mount 35mm f1.8 is a capable walkaround prime lens. On the cropped APS-C sensor of the Sony NEX camera bodies, it has a large maximum aperture and also an equivalent focal length of 52.5mm and can be considered a “standard lens”. These features make it suitable for indoor and low light photography e.g. party events as well as for street photography. Among the three Sony E-mount prime lens, it sits right in the middle in terms of price & focal length. Its “bigger” brother 50 f1.8 is more affordable while the Carl Zeiss 24mm f1.8 is much more pricier.

In this review, I shall explore the usefulness of this lens in daily photography. I am an enthusiast photographer (definitely not a professional!) and I shall write the review from my own point of view. I do not do “brick wall” shots or 100% pixel peep reviews (although you can click on the images for a high resolution image).

Technicalities

In brief, it is a compact, light and stabilized lens. Size-wise, it is bigger than the 16-50 pancake zoom but smaller than the original 18-55 kit zoom. Coupled with my NEX-6 it is a comfortable combination. Like other Sony lenses, it is quite light too, with metal coating and premium build quality. It has optical steadyshot (OSS) which helps with low-light photography (anti-shake!) and also for video.

I noticed that the front element of the lens is concave, instead of convex in other lens designs that I am used to. A little detail is that the lens cap is better designed than the previous lens caps on E-mount lenses with a depression over the ridge where you pinch it, so it is easier to hold and the cap is less easy to fall off.

Sharpness

Wide-open at f1.8, it is reasonably sharp but definitely pales in comparison with the E-mount primes 50mm and 24mm at the same aperture. The next four images are shot wide open.

When stopped down, sharpness improves markedly. The following shots are taken at f4 – f5.6 I think. Corner performance is only good when stopped down.

Color reproduction

The color from the lens is on par with other Sony E-mount lenses, but definitely not superb (for example, it cannot compare with a legacy lens, the Contax G 28mm which I also own). It has natural skin tones but the blues and greens are a bit flat. You can judge for yourself in the following shots in the Prahran district, Melbourne. There is some chromatic aberration at the corners (quite easily corrected but I am lazy to do it).

I especially like the last of this series, with the biker in the foreground and graffiti wall in the background (this is as close to a “brick wall” test that I can do!).

I think from the above “brick wall” sample you can appreciate that the distortion of this lens is minimal. Of course, I had the in-camera distortion correction turned on.

Purple fringing can be evident sometimes, as pictured above.

Bokeh

The quality of out of focus highlights, or bokeh, is superb. The out-of-focus areas are rendered smooth and blurred as I desired it to be, while the subject remains sharply in focus.

I can’t find attractive models to pose for me, so I resorted to the next best thing… food photography! The samples are for you to judge the bokeh.

As you can see from the picture below, the background is of the busy pattern scattered with lines and shapes, but it is blurred smoothly by the lens. I really appreciate its bokeh.

More bokeh to come!

My friend has kindly agreed to be a model. This was taken in a dimly lit restaurant.

Low Light Performance

Here it really shines. As a standard lens, it is a suitable focal length for street photography, and with a bright aperture and stabilization, I find it quite easy to take pictures at twilight or even at night handheld without tripod. You can see two samples below.

Panorama

Of course, when you don’t have a wide-angle with you, these modern Sony cameras have a feature you would love … panorama! I can easily shoot a wide angle picture with the 35mm lens, just have to “pan” the camera across a 180 degree arc and multiple images will be stitched into one.

Conclusions

It is not the sharpest, widest, or cheapest lens, but it is currently my favorite walkaround lens. For a good reason, too. It is compact and light and fits nicely on the NEX-6, perfect for my hand to hold. Colors and contrast are great when stopped down for landscape shots. For portraits, I would not hesitate to recommend this lens for its beautiful bokeh. Compared with its brothers in the line of Sony E-mount primes, I find the 50mm f1.8 too narrow a focal length to use indoors and the 24mm f1.8 (which I don’t own) too pricy.

This lens is a compromise, and one that satisfy my needs very well.

I sincerely hope this will guide you through your decision in buying a new lens! I will update this post at my leisure, e.g. post some video and portrait samples.

Gallery:

Reblogged from :

I had the privilege to visit the RBG, bathing in the autumn sun. I walked through the many different zones, which were distinctly different from each other. I was amazed by God’s Creation, which could be so beautiful beyond words. I was also impressed by the wonderful landscape in the great park, as I sat there on a bench, appreciating the scenery of the lake and the many different pavillions, with unique styles. (This is the first post of these series, and the architectural and landscape pictures will be covered in another post.)

It was not spring nor summer when I visited Melbourne. However, the plants and flowers I found were no less breathtaking than they ever could be in any other season.

For my dear readers would know, I have a special interest in macro photography. I always enjoy the pleasure in showing the utmost detail of the small things in nature. Unfortunately I have not yet mastered the skill to capture the tiny bugs like ladybirds or bees, but the skill would be there some day.

Apart from flowers, the trees and leaves were lovely subjects to photograph. I love the way the sun rays shone through the leaves.

And in the greenhouse, there were two orchid plants. Charming flowers they were.

To end this post, I would like to share a few pictures taken at the entrance of the park near the Shrine of Remembrance. More to follow next week!

We treasure your comments and thoughts below. Here is the gallery of the above images:

Related posts:

• Alexandra Gardens
• 7 Things you must do in Melbourne
• Fitzroy Gardens & Treasury Gardens

The first question is, how do I get there? Google Maps told me that I just need to follow the Bayside Coastal Trail from Sandringham Station and walk 2.5km down south to reach the place. It should only take 30 minutes. From my own experience, it is hard to walk briskly on the Coastal Trail, it is lined with wonderful landscape and beautiful cliffs and beaches, and you can find my photo tour in my previous posts.

Once you arrive at Half Moon Bay, you cannot miss the two things. One is the the Black Rock Pier, from which you can look back at the Coastal Trail, and pictured below is the view of the pier with the Red Bluff in the background. The other thing is of course, HMVS Cerberus.

Or I should say, what remains of HMVS Cerberus, for it has been decommissioned in 1924. After disassembling what could be disassembled, the warship wreck sat unceremoniously to serve as a breakwater for the Black Rock Yacht Club. I have summarized the long tragic story below (Courtesy: Wikipedia):

• Cerberus is from Greek mythology. It is a three-headed dog that guards the gates of hell, also known as hellhound.
• HMVS Cerberus (the warship) was constructed in 1866, measuring 225 feet long and powered with 2 steam engines, for the purpose of shore-based fortification against potential Russian navy attack
• It served as a “monitor” ship for coastal defense, with heavily armored plating, and moved at a slow speed. It was not fit for ocean travel. And for this reason, it never left Port Philip Bay.
• After being decommissioned, it served as a breakwater at Half Moon Bay. Over time, it became a popular destination for scuba diving. There have been plans to restore the warship.

And after my lengthy research findings we come to the Beach House itself. As you can see, the two-story Beach House dominates the panoramic ocean views.

The interior of the restaurant is classy and relaxed. The staff handed me a menu and they were very helpful. I decided to order the daily specials.

Bruschetta of warm creamy garlic mushrooms – it was a wonderful starter. I love mushrooms and their taste blended well with the silky smooth cream sauce.

Over-roasted duck breast with red wine lentils: I once read from a novel that when a husband went overseas for trips alone, he would order the dishes his wife loved, to remind himself of her while they were separated. How very sweet and true! White bear loved duck breast, and it reminded me of her. The duck breast was crispy and crunchy on the outside, and juicy and tender on the inside. It was a marvelous job. And to add to the crunchy texture, the prosciutto chips were delicious. The celeriac puree was buttery smooth and combined with the red wine sauce it was heavenly.

I then understood why this restaurant was famous. Everything about it was great – including the views, the service and the food. If I had the chance I would certainly return. After lunch, I began to explore the Half Moon Bay. Pictured below is the other side of the Bay, as the clouds set in.

Seabirds were everywhere at the pier. I was lucky to catch a bird in flight!

A look back at the Beach House from the Black Rock Pier. Also, you can see the yachts.

The wide-angle view over the painterly clouds, colored sheer cliffs, and the sea.

A closer look, as people began the voyages into Port Philip Bay in perfect weather.

The rusted ladder at the pier.

A pack of herons as they fought their lives for food. Why don’t they all go inside the Beach House to have a decent meal?

More of them after the fight.

More birds again as the posed in front of the cliff for a shot.

Panoramic views of the pier with amazing clouds and the Cerberus wreck in the background.

To end this post, I wound like to give you this photo I love, for its composition and the touch of colors of the mother and son in the background, while the bird’s eye is sharply in focus.

Hope you enjoyed the photos (and forgave me for the long narrative)! You can visit the following links, and leave a comment if you like.

• Official website of Cerberus Beach House
• Bayside Adventure (Episode I)
• Before Sunset at Brighton (Episode II)
• 7 things you must do in Melbourne

Reblogged from ryanmcnabphotography:

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A great weekend of shooting some creatives while testing out my new Nikon 105 2.8VR Micro. After a long break of not shooting this beautiful weather was a welcome incentive to get behind the lens again. I headed over to Edwards Gardens (one of my "go to" spots). I didn't expect to see too much colour but was pleased to see a lot flowers in bloom.

Read more… 159 more words

In the next set of images, you can see there is the sign “Run, Leon, Run”, and curiously the next picture shows “Leon” running away from me in the background.

Last year when I went to Melbourne, I was awed by the jaw-dropping ocean landscape at the Twelve Apostles. This time I was attracted to the sea-side once again. Brighton Beach is sometimes coined “the face of Melbourne”, that shows how beautiful it is; and in summer there are numerous colorful bathing boxes which made the place famous. I couldn’t find any bathing boxes (perhaps I missed them carelessly) during my walk.

Palm trees by the beach, and a blazing sun – this is what I imagined Gold Coast or Florida would be! Although I’ve never been to either. I’ve never seen a sunset as stunning as this – I am sure I would miss this place a lot.

I immersed in the breathtaking scenery as the air began to feel cold as the skies darkened. Reluctantly, I knew it was time to leave the place. Before I left, I took a picture of the exquisite houses by the bayside, the people inside are blessed with such an amazing view each day that made me jealous.

Next week, I’ll post more images of a wonderful beach house restaurant and more pics of the sunset. Thanks for watching! Please kindly leave a comment below if you like these images.

Related content

• Bayside Adventure (Part I of the series)
• 7 Things you must do in Melbourne
• Treasury Gardens

I first headed to the Conservatory, designed in the Spanish mission architectural style. Right after I took this photo, it was filled with tourists. Inside, it was packed with the usual flowers, with one to two orchids exceedingly beautiful. But I hastily left the place since the crowds of tourists broke the serenity.

Cook’s Cottage 

As the British Explorer who discovered Australia and New Zealand, Captain James Cook’s achievements include the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand. The Cottage have stood as a historical link to Captain Cook. Originally the Cottage was situated in the village of Great Ayton, Yorkshire. It was believed that Captain Cook was once lived there with his father in the cottage in the winter of 1771 on his return from the Australia voyage.

In 1933, the last owner of the cottage, Mrs. Dixon put the cottage up for sale. As a patriot, she rejected wealthy American buyers, insisting that the cottage should remain on British soil. A prominent Melbournian persuaded Mrs. Dixon to let him buy the Cottage and present it as a gift to the Victorian people, and she finally agreed since Victoria’s claim on the cottage as Australia was, after all, still “in the Empire”.

On the other side of the park, I enjoyed the lovely scenery of ancient-looking buildings and lines of trees.

I was amazed by how beautiful the sun rays shone through the leaves and created the shadow on the grass. On the lower left picture you can see my shadow as well!

The Dolphin Fountain

The Fitzroy Garden is not big but there’s always something exciting just around the corner. Exciting for a photographer for me at least. At the Dolphin Fountain, I attempted to capture the water drops in mid-air as the afternoon sun lit up the dolphins.

At a nearby pond, the ducks swam happily in the water. Carefree creatures they are.

Anonymous bug

I love macro shots and I think I am still on the steep part of the learning curve. In order to capture the fine details of close-up subjects, you have to balance what is in focus and what is not, as well as the composition of the image (one becomes easily bored if the subject in focus in in dead center). So, it is a challenge! I don’t know the name of the bug below, but it vividly red color stood out from the patches of green and white and served as a good subject for practice.

Macro Love

Some more macro shots of the day, hope you enjoyed this photo tour as much as I did! If you have time to walk around Melbourne, don’t forget this enchanting garden just around the corner of downtown Melbourne. It’s just 5 minutes’ walk from Collins Street (where the exquisite shops lie) and it’s definitely worth a visit.

Shots were taken with Voigtlander 15mm, Sony E-mount 35mm and Tamron A-mount 60mm Macro on Sony NEX-6.
Other related posts: Alexandra Gardens, Things to do in Melbourne, Bayside Adventure.
Please also take a look at the gallery below and we appreciate your comments.

Reblogged from Confessions of a Boy Toy:

In his new photo book, Vertical Horizon, photographer Romain Jacquet-Lagreze has captured the density of Honk Kong from the ground up.  While images of Hong Kong’s crowded skyline are common enough, Jacquet-Lagreze’s abstract take on the city’s elongated architecture from a worm’s eye perspective give the urban landscape a new sense of awe.

After breakfast, I took the train south, towards Sandringham. Sandringham station lies along the Bayside Coastal Trail in Melbourne, and the trail runs from Brighton to Beaumaris and there are many cliffs and beaches along the way. Two years before, I was struck with awe as I stood on the cliff watching the jaw-dropping scenery of the Twelve Apostles, part of the Great Ocean Road tour; and now I have travelled to the seaside south of Melbourne in an attempt to rekindle that feeling.

Sandringham was not like downtown Melbourne, to my pleasant surprise. It looked more like a Mediterranean city, especially on this bright sunny day. The chilly autumn breeze beckoned me on the long walk along the Coastal Trail.

Although there are numerous beaches and cliffs by the seaside, I could not stop taking pictures because they were so beautiful. With a little difference in composition, adding to it the changing hues and moving clouds as the day went on, every beach and every cliff looked different in photos! Thank God it was not a cloudless sky, otherwise I would be sweaty exposed in the sun.

Among the many pictures I took that day, the following one was my favorite. Two elderly people looking at the seaside. One day, when Black Bear and White Bear grew old, we hope we can be like them too, holding hands, relaxing under the sun, watching the waves and cuddling in each other’s comfort.

As I strolled on, the “Red Bluff” came into sight. It was one of the more prominent cliffs that stood outward from the mainland overlooking Port Philip Bay. It did look red!

A tree trunk, with its peculiar shape, obstructed part of the road.

The Red Bluff, true to its name, was a marvelous lookout of panoramic views over the entire ocean. Strangely, there were so little human activity on the sea and beaches that day. It was serene.

Another look at the Red Bluff. Further in sight is the Cerberus Beach House, a wonderful little restaurant that I must recommend. I shall write more on this in another post.

I have named this chair “The Million Dollar Chair”. It costs nothing to sit on it. But the spectacular view over the harbor is worth millions!

I ventured down the side walk down to the beach, and was stunned by the enchanting clouds that created this moody picture.

Unstable cliff – beware! It was fun looking back at the landscape from this angle.

This particular cliff attracted me. It looked like a man’s face screaming into the sky.

To be continued…

The long story

Back in early 2012, the Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f1.4 is the first lens I bought after using the kit lens on the NEX-3 for 6 months or so. I didn’t have much experience in photography before using the NEX as I had never used an interchangeable mirrorless camera before. I decided to try something new, something different after using solely the kit lens for quite a while.

The NEX system is indeed a great platform to adapt rangefinder glass. I soon learned that M-mount lenses are expensive and exquisite materials, but I still desired to own one of these lenses because of their small size (the reason why I bought a NEX in the first place – for the image quality that comes together with such a compact system).

Voigtlander lenses are relatively more affordable among the M mount lens choices. From the web I learned that the history of Voigtlander dates back to the 18th century and it is one of the oldest camera and lens makers. Today the brand is owned by the Japanese Cosina, which has no relation with the old Voigtlander other than reviving the old company name.

But it seems that the Voigtlander lineup does contain some great, fast lenses that earned a decent reputation, including the 35/1.2 and 50/1.1. People seem to have written rave reviews about these. However, I don’t have much to spare and I consider myself as a beginner in the world of camera and lenses, I bought an affordable CV 40/1.4, mainly to learn (1) how to manual focus and (2) how to use a fast lens to take pictures with a shallow depth of field.

 Bokeh - derived from the Japanese ボケ - is the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.” Because all I had before I got the NEX-3 was point-and-shoot, I could only envy others taking pictures with a shallow depth of field and a nice blur of the background – effectively highlighting the subject in question. I began to grasp the meaning of “bokeh”. The CV 40/1.4 is known to have harsh bokeh, but some people find its character unique and somewhat pleasing. A similar effect is also found in the CV 35/1.4, which costs slightly more. Because of its large aperture and a suitable focal length (60mm on a cropped sensor like NEX), I find it quite a flexible tool in portraiture both indoors and outdoors. But of course, it is a matter of habit or taste, regarding whether you like wider (35mm) or more tele (50mm) lens, but the CV 40/1.4 lies interestingly somewhere in the middle.

It is my first time using a manual focusing prime lens. Manual focusing on the NEX is not hard to learn. Two handy features (1) focus peaking – which you have to enable in the menus, and (2) focus assist – offering a magnified area of the image for you to focus make it less of a hassle. I actually enjoyed manual focusing, because I can “feel” physically which point I want my focus to land on; and I also enjoyed shooting with a prime lens as it encourages me to think what to put inside a fixed frame and what not to.

Field of view

Well, 40mm is not a favorite focal length of traditional 35mm shooters. It is not wide enough for indoor shooting or general snapshots, and it is not long enough for portraiture or adequate subject isolation. It is simply an odd focal length to use.

Sharpness

It is not a sharp lens. Wide open at f1.4, the subject glows in a dimly lit background. This property, although some may say it can mimic the “Leica glow”, makes it a poor lens for serious photo taking. However, it can be used for a “toy effect”, or when you wish to blur your subject more than usual. When stopped down, sharpness increases a bit, but still not tack sharp.

Colors and contrast

The contrast is low compared to other lenses I used. Color is a bit dull and washed out. I would not be surprised if it does not offer you the 3D pop you desire. Although it has a wide aperture, it does not compete with the bigger M mount brands of Leica/Zeiss. This lens (although at a fraction of the price of its counterparts) simply does not offer enough microcontrast and color reproduction of higher quality M mount primes.

Bokeh

Bokeh has character, it is not good or bad. There are doughnut shaped rings on out-of-focus highlights. It can be used creatively at night e.g. enhance the effect of colorful Christmas lights, but in most situations, it produces a busy bokeh that is not very pleasing to the eye.

Now I have the NEX-6, purchased recently in early 2013. After I have purchased more lenses, like the Sony E-mount 50mm f1.8 and also lately the Sony E-mount 35mm f1.8, the Nokton has fallen out of favor. But I still remember the good old days enjoying the fun of manual focusing with this lens. Also, coupled with a special close-focusing adapter, the lens can focus up to 0.3m; still not exactly a macro lens but good enough for my food photography.

I would like to share with you some of my favorite photos taken by this lens:

1. Cake and Bokeh

2. Pork Cutlet

3. The Cone and the Cage

4. Busy Bokeh at a restaurant

I love how the sun shone through the leaves on the first photo. The sun-star produced from my beloved Voigtlander VM 15mm is eight-spoked. For a Chinese like me, the number 8 conveys a “lucky” charm.

I sat in the park, and watched nature worked its wonders. As autumn came, leaves turn yellow, and they undergo a magical transformation into gold under the sunlight. The silvery plant blended well with the green grassland. What a gorgeous mixture of hues!

The brick house on the right is a toilet. I bet it’s one of the most beautiful toilets in the world. =)

After two days in Melbourne I have grown accustomed to strolling in the shadows of tall trees full of green leaves. In the parks back home, our trees are scattered and have long lost their grandeur. How I miss the smell of grass!

Above: The city boasts an oasis among the skyscrapers in downtown Melbourne.
Below: On an autumn day, with a cloudless sky, it is perfect for sports and picnics.

It is hard for me to imagine, back home where I come from, that nature and urban landscape can blend so well with each other.

The northwest across the river is where the Olympic Park is.

Hi darling! Even the geese and pigeons are enjoying the sunshine.

I was lucky enough to capture the action that day, a rowing boat on the Yarra River.

The Albert Park, 3km south of city center, is also known as the site of the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. It is just a stone’s throw from my hotel. An artificial lake is central to the park and jogging lanes run along the perimeter of the lake.

I have brought three lenses to travel. I decided to travel light and I am recently attracted toward prime lenses. On APS-C cameras (cropped sensors as opposed to “full-frame”, as geeks would know), I have brought a wideangle (Voigtlander 15mm Super-Wide-Heliar), a wide-normal (Sony E-mount 35mm f1.8) and a macro lens (Tamron 60mm f2). Those who follow our blog know that I love photographing flowers and landscapes. I hope I have put my combination of lenses into good use!

Melbourne city center, the Southbank and Skydeck hidden among the trees as pictured below.

Autumn is not a season for flowers, sadly. Cliche as it might be, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. That day, I have found the leaves exceedingly beautiful.

A closer look at the lake and downtown Melbourne.

Panoramic views over the lake and the city.

Fawkner Park

The lines of trees and vast grasslands are no strangers in the parks of this city.

The Chapel Street Precinct

Lined with designer galleries and stylish shops, you can find  clothes, shoes, accessories and the Chapel St Precinct has one of the liveliest alfresco cultures in Melbourne. When the sun sinks, the area transforms into a whole different story. The dance clubs, theatre, movies, pubs, bars, live entertainment are all on the menu.

You can view the gallery below:

To my dear readers:

From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best quote: “I’m Back!”
Believe it or not, my favorite movie of all time is Terminator 2.

Black and white bears have been lazy and not posting for a couple of months now. We just want to say hello to all of our readers and tell you we’re back, stronger than ever. During the half-year hiatus, black and white bears have to face immense challenges at work, and have successfully passed their exams (which are so **** difficult)! So, we’re back to our usual publishing schedule, which is around 1 post every week (more or less).

This blog has brought us love and friends across the globe and we have remembered you all and missed you all during these months. I am sure we are equally missed! Hang on and we’ll bring you more posts about travel, nature, food, photography et cetera.

Best wishes,

Black and White Bears

Melbourne, Victoria, is beautiful, vibrant and clean. The city itself and its surrounding areas never fail to disappoint any traveller – from the bustling shopping district along Collins Street and Bourke Street, to the jaw-dropping natural wonders over the Great Ocean Road – you’ll find yourself amazed and awed.

I hope this post helps you experience what Melbourne is!

1. Take public transport

To travel around an urban city like Melbourne is an easy task. Of course, you can always take the taxi, but what’s the fun? Catch a tram that runs through the city, it helps you get through the cosmopolitan area. There’s even a city circle tram, free of charge, cruising along the iconic buildings of Flinders Street Station and St. Paul’s Cathedral. You just have to buy a MyKi card and “touch on” to travel. Topping up the MyKi card is easy enough. To get you further beyond e.g. some of the suburbs, you can take the train.

2. A picnic in the gardens

You’ll never be far away from an oasis when you take a leisurely walk in the city. Melbourne is not a jungle of skyscrapers. Parks, gardens, open spaces are dispersed widely across the urban areas. Pictured above is the Alexandra Gardens, a strip of parkland along the south side of the picturesque Yarra River. It’s the perfect place to picnic, row a boat, or to jog. You can see the skyscrapers north of river, as well as the Olympic Park.

(Above) The urban Melbourne dissolved in the foreground of park areas, and the lifeline of Melbourne, the Yarra River running across. (Below) A panoramic view over the Yarra River. A perfect day for sports.

3. The Shrine of Remembrance

Located on the King’s Domain on St. Kilda Road, the shrine commemorates the lives lost in the Great War of 1914-1918 and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war. The views from the viewing platform are amazing.

4. Lunch at the Taxi Dining Room

From the Shrine of Remembrance, take the tram up north towards Flinders Street Station. On the opposite side of the road, Federation Square both a civic centre and cultural precinct and has become Melbourne’s meeting place. There is a visitor centre and many bars and restaurants here. The Taxi Dining Room is extraordinary as it offers a breathtaking view of the Yarra River and world-class fusion between Japanese and Australian cuisines. I had a tuna sashimi for starter, and a delicious Roasted Atlantic salmon & yabbie dumplings. I don’t drink wine but I hear their complimentary wine list is superb.

5. Flinders Street Station

Well, what can I say? No journey in Melbourne is complete without taking a picture of the symbolic building. The St. Paul’s Cathedral is just opposite it. If you are an architecture person, personally I think St. Patrick’s Cathedral located northeast of the city is even more beautiful.

6. Shopping in the Royal Arcade

You can buy whatever you want to buy in the department stores of David Jones and Myers in Melbourne, but if you want to shop in style, you have to visit the Royal Arcade. Both a shopping center and a heritage building, it is home to a variety of shops. After shopping madly, for tea time, I must recommend Koko Black, which offers some of the best of chocolates and desserts in the world. I must say, its chocolate drinks are heavenly, silky smooth with cream and chocolate, and the flavor is beyond words, and to add to it there is an ice-cream inside to fill your stomachs with joy.

7. Southbank

Ah, you cannot escape from the Yarra River. On its South Bank, now a shopping center, entertainment complex and an array of extravagant restaurants, you can bathe in the setting sun and immerse in the lovely cityscape now colored in gold.

That’s not the end! Sit back, relax, and wait for more posts to come. Check out the gallery below:

An early Merry Christmas to you all! It is not that cold here in Hong Kong but there are always fabulous decorations all over the place in the city. Everyone on this Sunday afternoon was in a joyous mood.

Christmas is the favorite time of the year for bears. There are a lot of memories to remember and many warm moments to cherish.

This year, we had a wonderful buffet lunch as a family gathering. After that, we did some shopping at a nearby mall. This post is just about the casual photos we took during the day. Nothing too special at all!

These few months have been busy and we can’t afford to upload posts to the blog from time to time, hence the infrequent and irregular blog posting schedule. We hope to bring you a fresh new batch of nice photos when we are less busy early next year.

We wish the visitors and followers of this blog a Merry Christmas and warmest wishes for the coming new year. May all your dreams come true!

Aurora is located on the 10th floor of Altira, a five-star luxury hotel in Macau, the capital of casinos in Southeast Asia. The restaurant has panoramic views over the shores of Macau and the bridges that connect the major islands in the territory. Its menu boasts Southern Italian culinary traditions, and is deeply influenced by the surrounding Mediterranean Sea with a natural incline and focus on fish and seafood.

The design language of the dining place speaks of a warm, friendly tone. The staff were enthusiastic and professional, we were soon presented with the set lunch menu that is known for both its exquisite taste and remarkable value.

This post is way overdue and we had visited the restaurant in the Summer, hence the summery and fresh menu. The complementary amuse bouche was a welcoming spring delight, fresh shrimps and avocado were wrapped delicately in a thin sheet of orange flavoured gelo. It freshened our tastebuds and prepared us for the feast to come.

The Alaskan King Crab Roulade: Crab and cucumber  center wrapped in a thinly sliced sheet of white turnip, garnished by a Mesclun salad tossed in light lemon dressing.

Wagyu beef carpaccio and garden salad with truffle sauce: Intense beef flavours maximized by a tantalising black truffle sauce, it was truly a flavourful  and unforgettable appetizer.

The restaurant was very quiet for a weekday lunchtime, and we enjoyed the quiet and classy ambience of the restaurant. The bread was served warm in a beautiful copper pot, and we feasted on the abundant selection of pastries and bread; I particularly enjoyed the cheese flavoured bread and the bun crusted with sundried tomatoes.

For my Primi Piatti, I had the traditional “Caciucco” with black ink risotto, which is a seafood based squid ink risotto. I am a die hard fan of all squid ink dishes so I fell in love with this dish right away. The clams, mussels and calamari were all very fresh and the salty sea water retained in the shells of these beautiful seafood added a fresh marine flavour to the dish, not to mention, the perfect slightly chewy consistency of the risotto.

Big Bear tried the Artichoke and Ricotta Ravioli with Prawns, which was equally delicious. The cheesy ricotta ravioli was nicely set off by the freshness of the prawns and spiciness of the tomato pesto sauce.

We were already very full by now, but we ploughed on to our main dishes. The Slow cooked organic pork belly and fillet in coffee and apricot sauce was a dish worthy of accolades and Michelin stars. The pork belly was roasted to perfection and the meaty oils of the pork blended impeccably with the light apricot sauce. Words just can’t describe the rich flavours and textures embedded in this dish and I am dying to try this dish again!

The Pan seared cod fish with taggiasca black olive paled slightly in comparison, but nonetheless it was still very fresh with flavours of the sea.

As a dessert fan, I had to try out the creations of this restaurant, and after much deliberation, we settled on a White chocolate mousse cannolo with blueberry chantilly cream. It was artfully decorated and the blueberry cigar matched very well with the white chocolate mousse and vanilla cream.

This place is an absolute delight and their lunch set is an absolute bargain given the quality of the food and ambience of the place. We promised to come back when we next visit Macau and we set off for the next leg of our photographic journeys with rounded tummys and joyful hearts.

On a weekend, we visited a wetland area to the northwest boundaries of Hong Kong. It is a unique place because there is few other places like it in an ultra-urban cosmopolitan like Hong Kong where citizens live in the shadows of skyscrapers. This place, known as Nam Sang Wai to the locals, is a strip of peninsula bounded by two rivers running to join each other just north of the Yuen Long district.

The time has arrived when summer turns into fall. It is a transition when birds migrate southwards and their favorite resting place is one of these expansive wetlands north of Hong Kong. To me as an amateur photographer, I really wish to shoot (with a camera!) the lively birds in action, but I lack a long telephoto lens to do the job.

So, instead, like many others who have arrived at the wetlands on the same afternoon, we enjoyed the day as a valuable retreat from the busy city. Couples could be seen strolling along the hidden paths holding hands, families were picnicking comfortably on the grass. To the people of Hong Kong, the vast amount of foliage is a rarity, and this piece of land is famous for being “the Last Garden of Hong Kong”.

Perhaps to foreigners, this piece of land is nothing extraordinary. But to some local people, this garden symbolizes the last line of defense against the multibillion worth of land developers who wish to destroy the forest and wetlands and replace the green trees with tall buildings (which make them rich). A protest was held last year when the local people voiced their dissent with the government’s development plans that threaten to damage the natural environment.

It was a truly relaxing environment in this rural country with little modern structures to be seen. A large grassland welcomed us. From here, a small path lined with trees led us to the bank of the wetlands. On the far side of the waters, colorful houses showed us the signs of their age as the rust eroded into the sheets of metals covering their walls. Apart from the visitors who wandered, cycled, and captured pictures of wild birds, the atmosphere was serene and peaceful.

The following picture is my personal favorite. The broken bridge stood out from the scene. Shades of green and yellow dominated the landscape. A soft breeze cooled us under the cloudless sky.

The effect of light on the plants was magnificent. It was time to practice my macro shots. Although there is not even one beautiful flower to capture, the beauty that our Creator has entrusted to us was evident in even the smallest and most ordinary plants.

And going back to the water side, more colorful houses could be seen. The original farmers and villagers who lived here a long time ago have mostly moved into the city where everything is more convenient. Only a few tuck shops remained, serving traditional Chinese sweets. It was the chilled Tofu Hua (a beancurd jelly with syrup) that delighted us most.

An old house by the water, made of wood and metal sheets

A forbidden forest and a forsaken hut

Closeup of the old houses in contrast to the skyscrapers in the city

Wooden logs over the water

A Charming Branch

We must learn to relax from time to time, and be grateful for what has been given to us each day. We’re glad we found our peace of mind!

(NB photos taken with Sony NEX-3 with Tamron 18-200 and Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro; with HDR post-processing.)

Thanks for visiting. Check out the related posts and the gallery below:

• Shing Mun Reservoir Scenery in Hong Kong
• Tai Tam Reservoir Scenery in Hong Kong

Our adventures in Scotland were punctuated by times of bad weather. Thick clouds and heavy rain did not deter us from visiting one of the historic icons in Edinburgh, Scotland, and we set foot on the Calton Hill.

During the time when I started planning our trip to Scotland, I was amazed by the picture taken on top of Calton Hill, with the Dugald Stewart Monument in the foreground and the old buildings of Edinburgh in the background. When I finally had the chance to visit this beautiful city, it is a sight that I must see with my own eyes and capture with my camera.

From the above picture, in the distance far across the strip of sea is the Kingdom of Fife. Why it is called a Kingdom, we only have to refer to the rich and stormy events that happened through the Scottish history. Fife was once one of the major Pictish Kingdoms, and the Picts were believed to be the ancestors of the Scotspeople today. The stretch of water in front of this land is the Firth of Forth, which separates it from the port of Leith. I remember the joke our tour guide told us, that once a tourist asked the guide – what is that land across the sea, is it America? to which the tour guide coldly replied, no you cannot see America from the coast of Scotland, and you cannot even see France.

It was amazing to see the setting sun from the top of the hill.

These pictures were taken with the great Voigtlander 15mm Super-Wide-Heliar lens, which is small and sharp. But when coupled to my Sony NEX-3, unfortunately it had color problems in the corners of the picture. Still, I love what this little lens produces.

The City Observatory was shown in the above picture, taken at 7pm. Many of the visitors were leaving the Calton Hill to search for places to dine. Some stayed longer to watch the sunset.

The above picture showed another angle of the city. Interestingly, you can identify most of the icons in Edinburgh from here. From a distance, sitting on top of an extinct volcano is where the Edinburgh Castle is located. You can also see the gothic spires of the St. Giles Cathedral. The North bridge lies on the bottom left of the picture.

Another wide angle view of the city, which shows the Old Town on the left and the New Town on the right.

I hope you enjoyed these pictures! Due to the heavy workload these days, I could not upload as frequently as before. See you soon!

Related articles:

• Adventures in Scottish Highlands: Part I and Part II
• Scottish Panoramas
• Flowers in England and Scotland

Thanks for visiting. Please take a look in the gallery as well.

I. An Unidentified Loch — and the fifty shades of green trees

II. The Barren Mountainscape — and our fellow traveller in the foreground

III. Sky, water and land — and they become paradise

IV. Mountain Ranges

V. The South Side of Loch Ness — Nessie, where art thou?

VI. The North Side of Loch Ness — wait – is that the monster breaking the glassy water surface on the far left?

VII. The River Ness — in Inverness, with its castle on a hill

VIII. The Footbridge in Inverness — oh it was so beautiful that I don’t mind crossing it every day

IX. Houses in Inverness — and another footbridge on the right

X. On the footbridge — if my camera’s battery hasn’t run out I would have version of this during sunset

XI. The Urquhart Castle

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Extras

Although I meant this to be a post dedicated to the Scottish landscape, I would like to share a few panoramas shot in London (no offense my dear Scots). What a festival it is these days, with the hype of the Olympic Games. Let’s wish the athletes a fair and great Games!

XII. A Suburban Park in Wandsworth — after our marvellous lunch in Chez Bruce

XIII. The Admiralty Arch — only noblemen can go through the middle gates, if you feel rebellious, you can try walking through them

XIV. The Trafalgar Square.

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P.S.

This series bring back fond memories of our trip in England and Scotland in May this year. It is also the largest panoramic collection compared to my previous similar posts. If you find the images entertaining, please see the related posts:

• Panoramas in Australia
• Cherry Blossom Panoramas in Japan
• Chez Bruce
• Memories from Scottish Highlands Part I (Glens and Lochs)
• Memories from Scottish Highlands Part II (Inverness et al)
• Green Lungs of London

So, thank you all for visiting! And the full gallery (to try out the new features of WordPress):