I am not a landscape photographer. There is no escape from that. Visiting Nai Chung to look for birds and bugs has however reminded me that even locally there are some decent places to have a go at landscape photography. This morning I was out shortly after 5.30am and I took the X-T1 and the wide-angle zoom.
Here is a selection of the images.
Only the last 2 I still like even though I felt I had more keepers at the end of the half hour of good light.
Looking at them on the monitor I noticed that the left side of the images looked a little dark and I have had to pull the exposure up to get a better balance. I am not sure whether this is natural or the lens. It looks one-sided rather than pure vignetting. I also noticed that I had some dust bunnies and on one at least what appears to be a smudge. Those have been healed away. I was using the 10 stop ND filter again. I love the effect on the water but I think I am in danger of overdoing it – new toys and all that. It is quite tricky seeing the focus peaking with the ND filter, even using the LCD. It also results in rather odd clouds as they can move quite a lot in 30 seconds. I want to go back and try similar shots with the 14mm prime and if I do I won’t be using the big stopper as it has a different thread size but I can use a polariser. I was also not the first on site today. A woman was also out there taking photos of the sunrise. Maybe I have started a new hot spot.
For those still following the washing machine saga, it is not over yet. Mrs. Ha has still not given the 3rd machine her blessing as it does not rinse properly. I am on inspection duty to do a suds-check at 11.45 precisely. She has gone out to meet other ladies who lunch. So I am at home cleaning my lenses and filters. The sensor looks pretty good. Everything has to be sparkly clean before we go off to Venice next month. I am hoping the Brillo pad will add a lovely shine to my pictures. We have been to Venice before. This time I want to do a bit more and yesterday booked concert tickets. We need a break and I am glad to say that M will not be joining us on the trip.
TBC.
All downhill from here 
Only yesterday, my husband was regretting that we will not see Venice this year – enjoy! Speaking as a non-photographer but with an arts background, photos no 3 & 6 have the most satisfying composition, with all the elements gathering towards the horizon vanishing point. Personally I love the stillness of no 2.
The first pic is also my favourite – pure quietness of a lovely morning. I don’t think you can sort of overdo the use of long exposure as IMHO it is the key factor to atmospheric and calm water photos. All the mystery and mood would be gone with choppy water and the photos don’t look pleasing anymore (at least for my eyes 😉 ) However, you don’t always have to use an extreme Big stopper, a normal 3-stop is usually enough to extend exposure to about 5-10 seconds and if it is not a stormy day, this should be sufficent for a nice water surface. And fixes the problem with the clouds 😉
Good advice Sandra. I don’t have many filters – or at least not to fit each lens. I think I may just blog about this 😉
Landscapes may not be your main focus 🙂 but you don’t have much trouble adapting, I’d say.
Nice double sunstar.
The double sunstar was good Steve even if I say it myself 🙂
Remarkable how the sense of distances changes in different ways in different shots. Wonderful.
Thanks Simon
Everyone is thier worst critic.
As many above me have stated. . Wah!? You look like a landscape photographer to me!
I am very misleading 😛
I like the panorama with loose composition the most, the image is very pleasing to the eye and the colours are great.
Thanks Ben. Its hard not to like the colours at sun up.
Like many others I was very taken with image 1. I like the darkness to light showing the area the sun will make its morning appearance. The Big Stopper with the wide angle certainly worked well. The scene is warm, peaceful and inviting.
I think if it was my washing machine the suds I would be checking would be in a nice chilled beer stein
Looking forward to some pristine images from Venice.
I love these, Andrew! I rarely take landscapes either, but always tell myself I should. My holiday shots invariably document the local wildlife quite nicely, but anyone looking through my collection would be hard pressed to get an idea of the surroundings. I leave that to Mrs B, who has quite a flair for that sort of shot! Super compositions and I do love the long exposure effect on the water. Lovely starbursts on numbers 4 and 5.
Enjoy Venice. Mrs B and the little Bs are in Florence right now.
Florence is magical. They will have a wonderful time. We did a day trip to Pisa from Florence. Well worth it. Your turn next?
A wonderful collection of landscapes Andrew. All very good artists I have met are self critical and self effacing, so here is another excellent artist who fits into the criteria, but what that demeanour seems to produce is some exquisite results. keep up the good work.
On the washing machine front has anyone mentioned the Miele Miglia ?
As you will know the Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before the war, eleven from 1947).
The endurance description seems to apply well to your white goods experience.
Was that a 24 hour race, Geoff? Because we are now almost into a week of endurance. It feels more like the race across the desert unaided, Marathon des Sables. But the MIlle Liglia is the perfect description and I may ‘borrow’ it, with attribution of course.
Not a landscape photographer? hah, I’m not accepting that – you most jolly well are. These are stunning images. Really interesting views that draw the viewer in with the shapes and angles – they are BEAUTIFUL, Andrew. The first one is my favourite but they are all excellent. I hardly dare ask but how did the suds-check go?
It was negative, Lottie. But the boss isn’t back from lunch yet so I don’t have a final verdict. Thanks for the kind comments. I can still see things I am not happy with in each of the images 🙂
as a ‘creatives’ we always find fault with our work – that’s the nature of the beast, it is what drives us. The day that you are 100% happy with your work, is the day that you stop making it. Much better to be critical and make work than to be satisfied and stop. I cannot find fault with your first photograph, to me it is perfect.
All very nice Sir but the first image is the one I scrolled back to several times. My initial reaction when I saw it was “wow, I’d walk over and work that pier”… guess what! Nice work Mr. Ha.
Did you learn a way to extend past 30 sec. without using Bulb? I don’t think it is possible. Very interested to hear if you did.
Be well.
No Bruce, I am still maxed out at 30s. I think the only other option is bulb. The rocks / pier always gets my attention. At sunrise it is very photogenic. Later if the tide is right the birds sit on there and pose for me. At high tide everything disappears so the birds sometimes fly around. The sea path is good for insects too. So all in all its a good place to hang out.
Yes, I’d be pretty pleased if I had shot these landscapes, especially #1 and #6!
I beg to differ, Andrew. I think you ARE a landscape photographer…a very good one.
Great shots Andrew. I loved the muted coloured ones. We are going for 11 days to Bali.
Check it out.
http://www.agoda.com/en-au/pradha-guest-house/hotel/bali-id.html