This is Part 2 about a Wild Bird Photographer video. The second scene I followed Kiah for wild bird photography in Penang Island. I do not know the exact name of the place, but I know many condominiums surrounded the area. As usual, I used my Canon 550D, Canon 24mm f1.4L, Canon 24-105mm f4L, and a Manfrotto Monopod to shoot the video. I also used an external microphone (Audio Technica AT 9941) to capture the sound in stereo format. Kiah used his Canon 1D MK4, Canon 800mm f5.6L, Flashlight, and other supporting equipment for Wild Bird Photography. Check out the video below to know how kiah open shot with his gadgets. Some photo to share:
The method used by Kiah in Part 1 to shoot Wild Bird in his Mitsubishi Triton 4 wheel drive truck, I name it a Car Spinning Method. Actually I made that up to create the meaning or purpose for Part 1 video. I needed a topic to piece up the video clip into a complete sequence for the viewer to understand. In Part 2, I made up a story again. I name it a Sitting Duck Method. In reality, Kiah used this method quite often too. Sometime he ended up shoot nothing for sitting there the whole day.
Part 2 is quite lengthy; I hope you will enjoy it without fall into sleep. It is a 9 to 10 minute video presentation. The original video format shot in Full HD 1920×1080, 24fps, PAL system, and manual focus. I downgraded to a 720p video format due to the limitation of file size in Youtube.
This is the first video I shot using an external microphone. Previously I mention about Audio Technica AT 9941 brought from Taiwan by a friend name Mr. Laurence. I promised that I will test it and post the result in my blog. Well, check out Wild Bird Photographer Part 2 video below. I am happy with the overall quality and performance, it let me captured nice birdie sound with this microphone.
Actually I have two version of Wild Bird Photographer Part 2 edited. One using iMovie, and other was using Final Cut Express 4. There are pro and con again. Easy way, use iMovie. Hard way, use Final Cut Express 4. However, Final Cut Express 4 gave many option for image and color grading to create cinematic look. In fact, I have the final version of video in Final Cut Express 4 rendered, but the after rendered output dropped too many frame. All the sequence especially the cut away clip all goes upside down. I don’t know why, but I suspected it could be the hardware efficiency problem in my computer. The rendering took about one hour for a 10-minute video clip. Can you imagine how frustrated I am to start over again? The video presented here is using iMovie completed with color and image grading. I purposely increase the contrast to create a little cinematic feel.
Don’t forget to visit Kiah Wild Bird Photographer’s Diary to view his work. Believe me or not, if you are not a bird lover, you can’t even name a single bird in his collection. Indeed, Kiah became a walking Wild Bird Encyclopedia.
This is a two part short film about Kiah Ng, a Wild Bird Photographer, in Penang Malaysia. Part 1 of the video shown Kiah performed wild bird photography and videography. He used his Canon 1D MK4 and Canon 800mm f5.6L lens mounted on the window in his Mitsubishi 4-wheel-drive truck. You can find Kiah’s Wild Bird Photo collection at WildBird Photographer’s Diary.
This is one of the method Kiah use it often for wild bird photography in the field. His Canon 1D MK4 and Canon 800mm f5.6L lens mounted on the door for fast and easy wild bird photo shooting. For me, it was tough but fun to have such experience with Kiah. The trucks spin and spin and spin in the field for better positioning and hunting for wild bird in the area. I was almost vomited because I was so concentrate on the focusing and handheld my Canon 550D+24mm f1.4L+16-35mm f2.8L+70-200mm F4L for this videography.
Sharing some information about editing. I edited this video with Apple iMovie, plus little adjustment of brightness. As you view the video, you will notice I used more Cut Away technique in this video editing. Most of the scenes were not shot at the same time at the same location. I used only one Canon 550D, so I have to used Cut Away technique to provide multi-angle look in postproduction editing. It made the video look dynamic with more stories telling rather than a dull video sequence.
I almost edited this video with Apple Final Cut Express 4. This software is powerful editing tool, but the rendering process really wastes a lot of time. Video editing using Apple iMovie (No rendering require) is far faster and cheap (Come together with all Apple computer) than using Final Cut Express 4. However, Final Cut Express 4 is equipped with powerful tool to convert the video into cinematic look. I will use Final Cut Express 4 in future video editing, but after some hardware and software modification into my Macbook Pro and iMac. The purpose is to make the video preview running smoothly during editing in the unlimited RT mode (A video preview without rendering in Final Cut Express 4). For window user, if you want powerful editing software, look into Adobe Premiere Pro CS5. I found the editing software work with most of the DSLR video format, without rendering during the video editing. Please make sure your computer is able to support it before buying the software. I hope Final Cut Express 4 will make easy for DSLR format without rendering in the future update. Watch out the up coming iPhone 4 in Malaysia, iMovie is available to purchase from Apple iTunes Store to use in iPhone 4. Too bad, this software is not available for iPhone 2G, 3G, and 3GS. It is a video editing software on the go.
These are my first two Wild Bird Photography. These photo shot using my Canon 550D and Kiah’s Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM. The photo is cropped in Apple Aperture 3 without any touch up and modification.
Here is the video Part 1: Wild Bird Photographer. I have no time to edit Part 2 yet, but I hope you enjoy Part 1 first.
I have a business trip to Jakarta Indonesia recently. Unfortunately, I do not have extra time to take a lot of picture; I only manage to take some during break time. I barely like Jakarta, mainly due to the heavy traffic jam in the city area. As a Malaysian, I am proud of our infrastructure, well build and maintain compare to other Southeast Asia country. I voted our Malaysia highway system the best in Southeast Asia. Try to experience and compare yourself.
Anyway, the food shown in the photo below is called Nasi Padang, some sort like our Mix Rice (雜飯，經濟飯) . However, a little different in rule the way they serve compare to our Mix Rice. You do not have the chance to pick what you want, they rather serve what they have and put everything on your table. You charged for what you ate, they kept the left over and uncharged. Sound fair and good? For example, three pieces of fried chicken in one plate, you consume one piece, and they charge only one piece. The rule also applied to a bowl of curry fish or chicken with gravy. The rule not apply to the vegetable, they charge the whole plate once you touch it. So, I kept asking my local representative which one I can eat partly. In fact, I did not feel very comfortable with the rule they apply, how I know whether the last person treated the food nicely? Did they leave any saliva on the food? Not to worry too much, the food really taste good. Something taste very different, not the saliva right? I spent a few hundred thousand for the Nasi Padang, but in Rupiah.
There is one shop selling Nasi Padang near Subang Parade Subang Jaya. I do not know whether they apply the same rule here. I might want to try one day in Subang Parade.
I had a lot of fun activity during my last visit to Penang Island with a Taiwanese friend. I visited several places including Spice Garden, Sunset Bistro, Mansion 69, Upper Penang Street, Terminal One Queenbay, and the new opening of Neway Karaoke in Queenbay Mall. I uploaded some photo and video took in the location mentions above, please read through this write-up if you want to view the photo and video. Your comment is welcome.
I enjoyed very much in most places I visited, but the places that gave me the least fun was the Spice Garden. It was a place you enjoy mosquito bite. However, I took some photo and left the place immediately.
We headed to Sunset Bistro located at Batu Ferringgi Beach for happy hour. We had beer and some local food while chatting about business and camera equipment. Sunset Bistro is a good place to hang out, for family, young couple, or friend to get together. The sandy beach, salt water smell, the sunset in the evening, and the sound of wave, all added up for the relaxing environment. I like Sunset Bistro very much; it is a best place in Town. You must come to this place if you have the chance to visit Penang Island. Unfortunately, I cannot show any picture at the moment, I was taking video more than shooting photo this time. I took mostly video clips this time in Sunset Bistro, because I wanted to make a time-lapse film about the sea.
This is me, checking on the Audio Techinica AT 9941 Microphone, it was hot out of the box.
We have three buckets of beer, one bucket per person. We ordered some local food, Satay, and Chicken Wing to share, and completed with a Black Pepper Chicken Chop for each person.
I visited Mansion Sixty Nine the next day evening. It is located not too far from Sunset Bistro; you reach Mansion Sixty Nine first if you headed from Georgetown. This time with my sister Ginn Ng (Photo on left talking to the phone), She was the documentary video editor in 天下雜誌 Taiwan. She had her Master degree in Documentary Video Shooting in England many year ago. Her friend Miko is on the right, the Interior Designer.
Mr. Laurence, the Taiwanese who own 5D MK2, on the left of the photo. He is doing “coloring” business for plastic industry. Look at his ID; can you imagine how powerful he is in the street of South Taiwan? If you watch the famous Taiwan movie 艋舺, then you know what I am talking about.
Someone told me Mansion Sixty Nine was the hottest place in town recently. But I like Sunset Bistro better; it let me feel more “Natural”. Mansion Sixty Nine is a modern clubbing place, compare to Sunset Bistro where the building made mostly using coconut leaves and you sit on the sandy beach. No local food served in Mansion Sixty Nine. However, the uniqueness of Mansion Sixty Nine, you sit in the pool. Not recommended for people who had 風濕病, long dipping under water is not favorable. For convenience, I suggest to wear something simple like sandal (Asadi is the best choice) to this place. It is easier for you to take out your shoe and dip you feet into the water. Check out the photo below, you even can jump into the pool if you feel excited enough. These photo took using Canon 550D, Canon 16-35mm f2.8L, Canon 24-105mm f4L, and a Manfrotto tripod with long exposure.
Check out the HD video below shot at Sunset Bistro and Mansion Sixty Nine near Batu Ferringgi beach. Basically it is a time-lapse video about the sunset near the beach. Shot using Canon 550D, Canon 24-105mm f4L, Canon 24mm F1.4L, Canon 16-35mm F2.8L, Cokin ND Graduated Filter, Cokin ND 8 Filter, and a Manfrotto tripod. This is a 1080p video shooting at 24fps with PAL system, and manual exposure.
Every time I came back to Penang, my high school friend sure asking me to meet up somewhere for fun. After hanging around Mansion Sixty Nine, I went to Penang Upper street to meet up my High school friend, my High School Alumni Chairman and Deputy Chairman. Luckily, I stayed in Cititel Hotel, just a walking distance to Upper Penang Street. Many Pub and Bistro around this area, it was full of people sitting on the street when I reach there. Everybody were watching World cup live on TV. The Chairman is on the right of the photo, and Deputy Chairman (Female) is on the left of the photo. The other female on the photo, I can’t figure out whether she was our high school mate. Nobody wanted to let me know.
It was nothing special in Upper Penang Street, no sandy beach and no pool. I found some pub equipped with Karaoke system, you can sit inside if you want to sing.
My third night in Penang Island, I went to Neway Karaoke in Queenbay Mall (The only one in the island so far beside Red Box Karaoke). We had buffet dinner, drinking, and singing there for the evening. They charged RM 35 per person for buffet with two non-alcohol drink. One compulsory fruit platter serves for every 4 person, and 3 tidbits for every 4 person. They charged RM 20 per fruit platter, and RM 11 per tidbit. After added and average up everything, the buffet, singing, and 2 non-alcohol drink was actually charged at RM 45~50 per person. If you decided to change the non-alcohol drink to alcohol drink, they added RM 3 for each conversion. However, check up the photo below, no complaint for the charges after knowing they serve good food. Look at the oyster and prawn, the duck meat and sashimi, and other delicious food, what else you want at this price? The photo took using Canon 550D, Canon 5D MK2, Canon 16-35mm f2.8L, and Canon 24mm f1.4L.
The only thing that I was not happy about it, the charges and room was only allow from 7PM till 10PM. They charged again per head count for extended hour, but provided with two drinks again. I wanted to extend the hour, but we have to leave the place because someone had book the room. Actually this incident was quite similar to the time when Neway and Red Box Opened in KL. When supply is limited and the demand is high, they will ask you to leave early even you want to order more drink and extend the hour. However, I hardly face this problem lately in KL area, too many Neway and Red Box available in the area. Mostly they beg you to stay as long as you want. When competition comes, I believe Neway Penang will do the same, let wait and see.
My sister suggested some place near Queenbay area, the Terminal One. I did not drive my car from Cititel to Queenbay Mall that night. My sister friend was driving her limited edition Malaysia made Mini-Cooper, she asked me to drive. Five of us packed in the car and with me driving like a “Xiao Kia” (傻仔), a term used in Teow-Chew or Hokkien to describe craziness or dumb. Thank to Mr. Laurence Canon 5D MK2 with 16-35mm f2.8L, a full frame with wide-angle lens captured me in the picture.
Here are some photo took in Terminal One Queenbay.
Check out this video shot in Terminal One too. This video is to show how difficult to focus properly using DSLR to shoot video when moving the camera under dims light. I manually set the exposure with f1.4, ISO 1600, and adjusted the shutter speed until the exposure compensation at the middle (no + or -). I manually adjust the focusing before start shooting. When come to HD shooting with DSLR, focusing is the main issue. For me, I found it is hard to focus continually when shooting something like the video below. I am still trying to figure out what is the best method to shoot video when come to a movement like in the video under dims light. I believe f8 would give slightly better result, as you will see the video in my next post about wild bird photography. I found it was easy to focus and get clear focus to the subject with f8 when moving the camera. But the light condition must allow the camera to set the aperture at f8 to get proper exposure. I could be wrong, but I will test it and find out what will be the best solution. I knew Panasonic GH1 and GF1 are able to capture and focus continually with moving object with Panasonic HD lens. Canon DSLR is not equipped with such function; I hope Canon will include it in the future update. This video was shot with Canon 550D and Canon 24mm f1.4L, 1080p with 24fps PAL system, manual exposure, and handheld.
Well, that about it for the 3 nights stays in Penang Island. If you want to check the complete photo in this write-up, please click on my Flickr site and locate the album folder Penang 3-Nights Stay. I will post Kiah’s Wild Bird Photography video next. Check back later.
