lightronin

Video Montage: Urban Tranquility - Abu Dhabi, UAE


vimeo.com/9102729



Hi guys, this is my first personal video project. I'm a Filipino from Cagayan de Oro City, currently working in Abu dhabi. First time with video shooting and pretty lucky its with the Canon EOS 7D. I never had a video camera of my own before until now. I'm still trying to learn this thing thru good ol' self-learning and getting inspiration from a lot of people all over the internet. But oh well, there is a first time for everything I guess. Please don't be too harsh on the critiques! hehe.

All shots done in abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Using up 2 separate mornings and one cold afternoon for video timelapse. I also tried to shoot when there was nobody around, like early morning or when everybody else are working and in the office. Even tho I have a lot of things in mind, I was not able to really stay long out there and shoot. I have a very busy schedule and very little free time.

All shots using Canon EOS 7D.

LENSES
Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 L USM
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D

(I just wish I had at least a fluid head, a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 coz 24mm on 7D is not very wide; because of 1.6x crop factor on Canon, and if somebody would let me borrow a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM for a few days, that would be great! -oOo-Shameless plug-oOo-)

Editing was in Adobe Premiere Pro CS4. Very n00b Color grading done in Adobe After Effects CS4, preparation of EOS 7D Videos using MPEG Streamclip for windows.

System used was an average laptop called HP Pavilion DV6. It has intel Core 2 Duo P800 2.53GHz but still very slow to render and convert Full HD 1080p. It's "slowness" frustrating. But it still gets the job done, it just needs a little more time tho.

Music: Chill Sessions Chill in Arabia: Snow Desert - Speechless Project (TQT Mix) (So! sorry I forgot this one on the video ending credits, shame on me)

Special Thanks:
Friends and family. Erwin Magbanua for being my mentor in this Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects thingee. Titz Tizon for being my on-call consultant for all things about Nikon, Canon and beyond. Ratfobya for being my drive and inspiration. Wella Maria Hong for being my trusty assistant.

(Sorry for the letterbox on the video. Will upload a larger version later.)

Hi guys. It's been a long time. I got pretty busy with work and all.

Anyway, just dropped by to say hi.

You may find me here. webmungkey.multiply.com

Take care. Don't drink too much, aight.

UPDATE: Weeee! Leigh countess has featured me in her blog! here is the breelee.wordpress.com/2008/01/…

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SHAMELESS PLUG: Any model, group or just about anybody who want their picture to be taken for online gallery or model portfolio in the uae area - Abu dhabi message me. perhaps we can arrange somthing in our freetime.


WRITE:

Weee! Two months now in photography. The EOS 400D is the first dslr camera ive used and its the first time I get to use this type of camera! the slr! before this one, i thought all camera's are the same. Big or small or whatever brand or manufacturer. But i just figured out now that this type(slr), we can exchange lenses. So when i bought it there was a small lens that came with it 18-55mm. I took all my first photos with it. It was very lightweight and great to take with us on the streets.

A few days after we bought the camera, I was sent to Kish Island, Iran to have my visa fixed. I stayed there for a week in a hotel. It was there where i studied how to use the camera. I read part of the manual everyday. every time i read a few pages. I go out and try it out. on cold mornings i go out, to take pictures. On hot afternoons I still go out and take pictures. Take pictures. Practice. Read the manual, and try it out. No internet. So i was forced to just stay with the camera and look around. I befriended a lot of people there. I also befriended people different countries who stayed there for visa fix I took pictures of them. They asked me to send their pictures to their emails. I told them, they have to wait when i get back in uae. hahaha. I didnt have internet access in iran. But yeah, i was happy as they are. Pictures do wonderful things.

As I continued with the week in iran, I met people on the streets. It was in iran, where i chatted with a person for thirty plus minutes wihuot understanding a thing. He was speaking irani and i could even  decipher his gestures. They he went to a doorway of a very nice hotel and pointed to my camera and then pointed to himself. I took his picture and he was happy. And he went away smiling. I told myself ... "what was that for? all for the picture? hehehe ... funny happy guy"

I also saw many other photographers there, the jetty port is a very very nice place. People go there morning till night to see the view. Most of them would go fishing. And id go there everyday from 4am to around 9. and then again in the afternoon around 2-4 and onwards. Almost regular fisher knew me as "My Friend" and I also call them "My friend" .. no names, just faces and smiles. I take pictures of their day's catch.

At around 4 days before my flight back to abu dhabi, i met Mr. Hassan. He worked at konica store in Paradise Mall in Kish Island Iran. He was a peaceful looking person with an EOS 350d and a very nice lens. He was not like other photographers who shun me and just boast about their camera and fight about their camera brands names and features. Mr. Hassan approached me and shook my hand. He asked me if i was a professional, I humbly said I am not. I told him I had the camera for less than a week and its my first one. And he said, its good that i have decided to try photography. He told me that taking pictures is his profession. He asked me nicely  to let him examine my camera. When I gave it to him, he fixed the straps and wiped the lens and the camera body which was having too much dust and fish blood that time. He returned it back to me and said, "This is a good camera". I told him that people say nikon is better, as what ive heard from people here. He told me, nikon has also very good cameras. He has tried many types of camera's for he was a professional photographer working in a camera shop. I thank him for showing me that its the passion to take a piece of time, and save it in memory, an instance, a slice of time, in a picture. He told me many things about the slr and cameras in common.he told me most of the things common to all cameras, and also the options on my camera and what they mean and how to use them and adjust them, and some tips on how to handle different lighting situations, he also explained to me the aperture and the shutter by giving the example of the opening of the human eye and the blinking of the eye as aperture and shutter. we had a brief meeting when i visited his store a day before my flight to abu dhabi. He's a good teacher. I found a new friend in him.

The people around me, made my experience a good one instead of a boring stay at kish island, iran. When i came back to abu dhabi, i sent the pictures to all their emails and they wr very happy.


The dslr is a very powerful camera and really it was very hard for me to control it. I'm not really very good with camera or taking pictures. I dreamed about it before but I never had much of a chance to really pursue photography. I was able to use compact digital cameras before but never held most of them long enough to really practice taking better pictures. I was able to borrow ixus many years back.I borrow the camera for 1 day and return it back. Just one time, in one year. It was the early versions of this ixus camera. and i was also able to use a630 for a short period of time. and even now with the dslr camera, even with its speed, power and flexibility to go full manual, i think, anybody can take good photos with any camera.

Cameras don't take pictures. They don't take photos. People do.

And good photos are always good photos. They do not rely on manufacturer or camera brand.

I always get these comments from "wannabe professional" photographers that their camera brand is better than the other. And therefore im no good for them just because i have this camera having the brand that they hate. Some would just approach on the streets and tell me that my camera is good but his camera is the best because of the brand. Some would even ask me to throw mine or sell mine and get a dslr as "good" as his dslr brand. And he tries to make it a point that he is better than me or any other guy using my brand just because his camera is from the "BEST" brand/manufacturer. You might think this is exaaj, but hey, i tell ya, its true. they stop me, call me, when they see me on the street taking pictures, just to tell me they are better because of their camera. hehehe. I jsut let these things pass me by ...

And i always tell .. "Nah, I'm no Pro. I just take pictures so i can send some to my mom." and they go ..."ah, well, im a pro... I don't use low quality dslrs like this. See you around." and i say, "yeah, see you around."

And for some who tell me that i should throw my crappy camera, I just tell them with a joking tone ... "Im not rich. I saved money for months and months to get this thing. Im a beginenr and its all I can afford. Why should I throw it if I'm not 100% sure you are going to give me yours." And I laugh...

Its good to joke around with these people and not fight with them. Its going to be a never ending battle of useless lousy pride. the tirck is to let them feel good. They feel good when they know you accept... they are the best. So, yeah. Theyr PROs im not ... but i know i am and i accept that. That's why i take pictures now, to practice and have fun. I hope i will not become one of those guys who know they are good and professional at  photography, but who are addicted to having somebody else tell them over and over that they are ... better than all the rest.

Its true I'm a beginner. But I don't let my camera take the pictures for me. I can take pictures with any camera from any manufacturer or brand. Or use a camera that suits my needs. All I wanna do is take photos and memories. To present them to other people who might not have the luxury of time and freedom of space to see these things for themselves. So they may know more about the world they live in and the world outdoors.

I am trying my best to practice with this 400d that i have in my hands ryt now. I take a few everyday, even on busy days. Afterwork or on weekends i go out with my wellamaria to take pictures of the places and people around us.

I recently installed a Sigma 18-200mm DC OS lens to the camera and it works great. It can take wide and then also take subjects from afar. A good one. the manufacturer Canon does not have an 18-200mm zoom lens. Only Nikon have this 18-200mm. My Canon dealer friend Ahmed, suggested the sigma version of the lens and pointed out where to get it. And now we have it. Its not as good as Canon or nikon lenses, its obvious with the price. There are special glasses inside the canon and nikon lenses, also there is a sonic wave motor for canon and nikon. for this sigma, wave the motor, the full time manual control for the focus, the extra special glass is jsut not there. the aperture at the long end is also 6.3 in the sigma. so its kinda dark. and I know feeling "professional" photographers will again whine and hate me when they see me with this. But i don't care. I love what i have. I'll experiment and do the best that i can with what i have. Its cheaper and it can I can take photos with it, can i not? At this stage in my photography, it will do. Its not a top notch lens, but its not useless either. Yes it has lens creep, but i can deal with that. I use both hands when taking pictures, im no expert with one hand photography. It's really a secret weapon if you shackle ur raging pride and try to learn how to use it. Hehe.

I cannot state the reason about why i suddenly have a dslr. I never planned this. But its here now and so we take pictures. I will tell, when the time is right.




P.S
Its raining heavily here in abu dhabi and dubai ... there's flood all over the emirates. I dream about a weather sealed camera like the Olympus E-3. But the 400d will do for now. I'll be careful not to slip and fall down. 400d hates swimming in shallow water. Hahaha...
Im writing this down so that santa claus can take note. Phhft!




~ Live free. Love free.



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My Digital Art Account: mungkey
my First Photo Account: EOSyosero
And this account: lightronin

This is a new account. I have moved in from the old one. eosyosero.deviantart.com/

if anyone can suggest how to delete or what to do about the old account please help me.

Thanks everyone!