next level

2010-09-25T15:37:00.001+07:00

FUN FACTS about SUNFLOWER

2010-03-11T11:12:00.006+07:00

Sunflowers are a great choice for planting to attract birds to your yard.
Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants. They can grow 8 to 12 feet tall in rich soil within six months.
It require only 90 to 100 days from planting to maturity.
The daily orientation of the flower to the sun is a direct result of differential growth of the stem. A plant-growth regulator, or auxin, accumulates on the shaded side of a plant when conditions of unequal light prevail. Because of this accumulation, the darker side grows faster than the sunlit side. Thus, the stem bends toward the sun.
Sunflower seeds are rich in oil, which they store as a source of energy and food. Sunflower seeds are crushed to give us oil. We can use sunflower oil for cooking.

And....for sure...it's beautiful to be captured in photography...;)

I used Casio Exilim to capture these beautiful flowers.

Your comments are welcome!!

Karli H.: Grab A Tissue...

2010-03-05T13:45:00.001+07:00

Karli H.: Grab A Tissue...

also check this link.

Life in a Fish Bowl: Explanation of Derivative Markets - Dennis Fishit

2010-03-03T12:04:00.000+07:00

Life in a Fish Bowl: Explanation of Derivative Markets - Dennis Fishit

EndleSS hoBBies!!: A WinDow wiTH a vieW

2010-03-03T11:56:00.000+07:00

EndleSS hoBBies!!: A WinDow wiTH a vieW

Always Canon

2010-03-03T11:40:00.004+07:00

awww..... looks interesting.. this is a gresh camera from Canon. I always like Canon :)

Here's the introduction of this series...

Less than a year after the launch of the EOS Rebel T1i (500D) comes the latest in Canon's hugely popular consumer SLR range, the Rebel T2i (EOS 550D). With the 450D and 500D Canon appeared to be pulling away slightly from the real 'entry level' (a sector driven almost entirely by price), and the EOS 550D - on paper at least - is no exception, outgunning many of the 'upper entry level' and mid range SLRs on the market today in terms of spec. To ensure it doesn't lose out at the price-sensitive DSLR entry point Canon is once again introducing its new flagship Rebel as a 'sister' product to the camera it ostensibly replaces. The EOS 500D (Rebel T1i) will be staying in the range for the rest of 2010 (at, one presumes, a more attractive price point). We would assume that the new model finally spells the end of the line for the current 'bargain' Canon, the venerable Rebel XSi (EOS 450D).

In many respects the EOS 550D is a 'baby EOS 7D'. As well as getting a resolution boost to a class-leading 18 megapixels and a significantly upgraded movie mode (which now offers full HD capture at up to 30 fps, has full manual control and the option to use an external stereo microphone), the EOS 550D gets the 7D's sophisticated new metering system (bringing it a lot closer to similarly positioned Nikon SLRs). It also sports a new widescreen (3:2) LCD panel, has improved button design and finally offers the ability to customize the Auto ISO function.

It's clear Canon has been feeling the heat from the aggressive competition it faces from the numerous feature-laden cameras offered by Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Olympus in this market sector, and has decided to throw down the gauntlet with the most highly-specced Rebel we've ever seen. We'll reserve judgment on whether it's destined to be a class-leader until we've got a final production sample in for review, and I'm sure there's plenty of you interested to see how well it does too. As it stands we've managed to get hold of a pre production sample for a day in order to produce this brief hands-on preview to tide you over.

Headline features

18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
Exposure compensation +/-5 stops (although viewfinder scale is still +/-2 stops)
Select maximum value for Auto ISO
External Microphone socket
Movie crop function
Eye-Fi connected functions compatibility

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos550d/

MARCH 2010

2010-03-01T12:31:00.005+07:00

Today we enter a new month... March 2010. I always excited with something new. This morning I made my self a month calendar. Take a look, and if you want a copy, just leave a comment.

Have a blessed new day!!

Oh yeah.... just play a bit in www.freekibblekat.com ....it's a meow trivia..a funny phrase about weather in march... in like a lion out like a lamb... i just know that phrase...

Zebaoth Blogs: Manusia sia-sia

2010-03-01T00:40:00.001+07:00

Zebaoth Blogs: Manusia sia-sia

CHILD Photography Tips

2010-02-26T11:11:00.004+07:00

The field of child photography is challenging but also both enjoyable and profitable - if you like children. Don\'t bother pretending, if you really don\'t. You may fool a parent - but not the little one.

Tips to help are: The techniques used in most other fields of photography do not always apply in child photography. The phrase "hold it" or "freeze" carry very little weight with children. They typically do as they please and if they please. Your assignment is to anticipate what a child may be about to do and capture it.

YOU can turn this into your advantage: Since children don\'t always do what you want them to do, or what you expect them to do (actually they rarely do!). A solution often is: don\'t expect them to become a cooperative little adult merely because you want to take their picture. Trick them - expect them to act like children. Don\'t expect anything in particular. DO this and you can enter the fun and profitable field of child photography.

Know your stuff - Before you start booking sessions with children you must know exactly what you are capable of doing - what your camera is capable of doing - what all your equipment is capable of doing. Operating your camera and equipment must be second nature. Have your style of photography down pat, so when you start a session your mind is on the children). This takes your complete focus. This is not the time to be fiddling with you camera, or trying to figure out your light setup. Children take 100% of your concentration. For some children the entire shoot may only last 10 minutes - though you feel you have just run a marathon - so you have to be able to get in position , get the most cooperation from the child, get great shots. At times, this has to be done very quickly, BUT you cannot make the child feel they are being rushed.

Know your subjects - With children, you must expect the unexpected. At different ages children are capable of doing different things. The more you know what they typically do during some of these stages, the better images you are going to capture. And the happier you make your clients - which, in turn, makes you financially happy.

During a session photographing children you can get a variety of poses, expressions and antics. In no other field of photography are you liable to get such variety. The more you learn about little ones the better child photographer you will be. Children are not just children until they become adults -they come in all sizes. Between four months and four years you can place them into quite a few categories: 4-6 mos, 6-12 mos, 12-18 mos, 18-24 mos, and then you can lengthen out the age span. Awareness of these ages are needed to help you - the photographer - be aware of the limitations children (especially little ones) have.

Listening to the parent can help toward a successful session. You can learn specific things about their child that will make it or break it: Are they afraid of certain things or sounds? What are their special likes? Do they like books? How comfortable are they with a stranger approaching them? You do NOT want to spook a little one; the scheduled time may not allow for you to win their confidence.

Be ready with that camera when you first introduce something new -you do not get a second chance to get first reactions!

In most areas of photography a tripod is great for sharp photos. However with child photography you do not always have such a luxury. Once they reach the moving around stage, a tripod limits your ability to capture expressions and poses. Be mindful of your camera settings - keep that shutter speed fast enough to prevent blurring - and be ready to move quickly!

Child photography allows for close-up portraits as well as the child engaged in some activity - taking their socks off - in a box / tub with toys - climbing on or out of something. There is really no limit. As you continue to gain experience in working with children of various ages you will become more adept at learning what typically works with different age groups.

Child photography is a challenge - but don\'t worry sometime it turns into children photography. Mom has twins - big brother / little sister - maybe three little cousins. The list goes on! Imagine two sister and they both have triplets! Other than the obvious difficulty of getting multiple little subjects in any semblance of position, conducive to a memorable photo you need to bring everyone’s eyes to a central focal point. Tricky, but not impossible. Adding something NEW to catch their attention, at the moment you press the shutter, can work. Use this sparingly, because when child photography turns into children photography getting all their attention on the same thing is quite a feat. The beauty of digital is no limits to the exposures you take and you can take a quick peek on the spot.

Parents can be quite helpful during the photo session. Children often are more confident with a parent nearby. Also, do not overlook the value of older brother and sisters. They have a relationship with the little one like no one else! Often they can get their little brother or sister to giggle, make faces, hold things and a host of other things that may be exactly what you need. Plus, you have the opportunity of including more subjects in the photos, which translates into a larger photo package for the customer!

As you advance in child photography you will want a lighting setup and a backdrop. A three light setup - consisting of a main light fill light and a background light - is ideal. However if you are just beginning you can do great photography with a lot less. Experiment, and add as needed. If you are using a backdrop keep the child at least four feet from the backdrop (if possible). This eliminates shadows and prevents the backdrop from competing with your subject.

Take your act on the road - You can do child photography at the park - on the beach - in the backyard, just as easily as in a studio or home - maybe more so - and nature will take care of the lighting for you, as long as you select open shade.

Items to have on hand: Depending on the ages and whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors you need a supply of items to catch and keep their interest and that look great in a photo: rattles feather dusters soft toys dolls hats mirrors a telephone (the bigger the better) a big whistle duplicate toys (for twins & overly competitive little ones) treats & snacks.

She Wears Red.....

2010-02-26T11:02:00.007+07:00

One of my favourite little girl....little princess... she's so beautiful in red shirt :)

Captured by Canon EOS 450

Location : Pangandaran, West Java

The Other Little Princess....

2010-02-25T16:40:00.005+07:00

This is Annabel Karla... the little princess...:)

Wait for the complete images.... will be uploaded soon!

Ten Tips for Better Flower Photographs

2010-02-20T20:58:00.010+07:00

BE SELECTIVE. At a flower show , there is an enormous number of beautiful flowers. Don’t rush to photograph the first blossom you see. Find a plant with the best combination of form, color, lighting and background.

COMPOSITION. Pay attention to the position of your subject in the viewfinder. Putting the subject in the dead-center of the picture is often the first instinct, but is not always the most aesthetic composition. Concentrate on what you see in the viewfinder, and recompose the picture until it looks the best to you. And don’t forget to try vertical framing, as well as horizontal.

ISOLATION. For impact, isolate your subject. Find a camera angle that minimizes distracting elements, such as other flowers or spectators. Take the time to try low angles, high angles, or moving to the right or left. A wide lens aperture ( a lower-numbered f-stop on and SLR camera) will enhance this effect by softening the background.

ENVIRONMENT. Wonderful photographs can be created by showing the relationship of you subject to its environment. A simple way to achieve this is with a wide- angle lens on a SLR camera, or the wide mode on a dual-lens or zoom lens point-&-shoot camera. Position your subject as close as possible in the foreground.

PATIENCE. When photographing flowers outdoors, be aware of small breezes that might set the flowers in motion. Likewise, breezes can be caused indoors by the opening of a door or the brisk movement of people. For sharp picture, you must be prepared to wait for all movement to cease before releasing the shutter.

TRIPOD. Because the light in parts of the Conventions Center (or building) is varied, you may be forced to use slow shutter speeds. In this situation, hand-holding your camera might result in vibrations and unsharp pictures. Use a tripod to steady your camera if it has a tripod screw-socket. If you don’t ( or can’t) use a tripod, try to steady your camera in other ways- nestle it on a bean bag or your coat; brace the camera against a wall; or at the very least, take a firm stance while shooting, with your legs slightly apart and your elbows braced. When using and SLR camera on a tripod, cable a release can significantly reduce unwanted vibrations.

EXTREME CLOSE-UPS. Flowers take on an entirely different look when viewed in extreme close-up. Use your viewfinder indicators to move in as close as possible, while still maintaining sharp focus. If you are using a 35mm SLR camera, your macro (close-up) capabilities can be extended with accessories such as a macro lens, a macro teleconverter, or even screw-on supplementary close-up lenses or extension tubes for your present lenses.

THE WHOLE PICTURE. Consider the whole plant when you photograph, and not just the colorful bloom. Examine the fascinating textures and geometries of leaves, seed pods and fallen petals.

EXPERIMENT! Don’t be afraid to shoot a few extra pictures. Try different angles and different lighting. Also depict your subject from several different viewpoints.

LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES. If your picture don’t convey what you saw in your mind’s eye, ask yourself: “What went wrong?” If you study your mistakes, you will be rewarded wit a greater number successful photographs on your next outing.

Hope you enjoy your experiment!!

Mom's beautiful garden

2009-05-09T21:18:00.007+07:00

a precious gift

2009-05-07T18:43:00.010+07:00

Now let me introduce you to my favourite little boy...Noel. Yes he is my favourite nephew. I have to thank this little boy for everytime he makes me laugh. He’s the one who first taught me how to deal with children. As his laugh brighten up my days, his cries and bad attitudes teach me how to get into children’s minds.

This pictures were taken on his second birthday. Look at his face... he’s very excited. He waited for his birthday for weeks. His mother was a lil’ bit upset before his birthday because she wasn’t able to held a party for this smart little boy. Then we... his aunties held a surprise party. Noel’s mother was very happy, and so did Noel. He was surprised and he was super excited saw so many presents for him.

This is a precious moment... I’m so glad I got that chance to capture that moment with a borrowed camera. It was a gift for us to see Noel tore up the gift wrap, and shout excitedly when he saw the present inside… it was a gift for me… I was so touched, no body knew I was shed tears behind the camera. You are a gift for me, Noel … a precious gift.

Wait for the next post !!

2009-05-07T14:43:00.004+07:00

I just finished editing some of my pictures. I was very excited when I browse in my hardisk and find some old pictures. Not really old though, but I was forget I took these pictures when I went to my parents home a year ago. I thought these pictures are soooo beautiful. But after I edited them in photoshop, I found the pics even more beautiful!
Just a trigger to make you curious about the pics I will post later :)
Here's one of my favourite.

...and GOD speaks it with flower....

2009-05-06T19:59:00.009+07:00

I always wondering... what is in The Lord God’s mind, when He created flowers?

As a designer, I always arrange everything and try to make everything looks beautiful, in the right order, good composition, good contrast, make a focal point, and so on so on. I believe, God creates flowers with hundreds or maybe thousands shapes and colours because He has reason for each one of it. Rose with it’s sweet fragrance and various colours, tulips with it’s unique shapes. I’m not a botanical expert. I don’t know much about names of flowers. My mother does. She knows a lot of kind of flowers, and everytime I visit her at her house, she always shows me her flowers. I enjoy the flowers, it’s beauty... but I don’t understand about each one of it. My mother told me which flowers like sun and which don’t, which flowers need a lot of water and which good at dryer soil, which flower needs extra attention and which will easily grow without too much treatment.

All those things makes me wonder. The Lord God creates and shapes every kind of flower with various colours with its uniqueness. Carefully, wisely, He designs each flower, give each one of it His beauty and brilliance. Once He said : ” See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” But at the same time He told us, not to worry about ourselves, He promises us that we are, His children are much more precious than all those splendor lilies of the field.

Wonderful… What is in the Lord’s mind when He created flower? He planned and designed the beauty and splendor and the uniqueness. Yes… but what is in The Lord’s heart? I can imagine He smiles everytime He sees those little flowers, warmed by the beauty of His hand made.

Sweet Little Lady

2009-04-28T19:57:00.010+07:00

I think she must be very tired, after a day full of activity. It was a late dinner we had at Glossis, a fine dining at Ciwalk, Bandung. Sweet little Lara was very tired, she fell asleep when her nanny held her. After enjoyed my late dinner with Lara’s parents and some friends, I couldn’t resist to photograph this sweet little lady in her sleep. She’s an active, attractive, talkative and smart little girl. In her sleep, she looks so peaceful, so gentle, so sweet!

The other series of pictures was taken when we had to wait for a prayer meeting. As we wait, once again I couldn’t resist this little sweet lady... she’s so cute, I really wanted to capture her funny acts.

I think she's thinking about something... but perhaps she saw a little lizard at the wall...
This I think, she's really thinking about something. What is in your mind sweet Lara?

This one really captured her. That's her...the very active and expressive little princess.
She's almost 3 years old now. Very girlie and sweet.

What a Miracle...

2009-04-27T20:00:00.014+07:00

What a miracle God made when a baby born in to the world. I was living with a dear friend when she was expecting her baby. I saw her pregnancy growing bigger everyday. And when it was the time to give birth, I was also excited to see the baby for the first time.

Indeed it was a miracle... I remember the first time I saw this little handsome baby boy, I held my breath when a nurse put him in my arms, and I saw a glance of gladness in the mother’s eyes. What a beautiful moment, I won’t forget!

It was an honour when a month later, the beautiful mother, a friend of mine, asked me to photograph her and her handsome baby boy. The location took place at the house we lived in. It was a beautiful cozy house. We enjoyed the afternoon taking several pictures, had a chitchat, and busy adoring the little prince.

It was more than a year ago. Now this little prince, Joshua has become an active toddler, still adorable, still make his mother proud of him.

My New Business Card

2009-04-07T21:12:00.003+07:00

This is the business card I designed for my company. I choose the colour black for the front side, and pure white for the back.
I tried to make it as simple as it could be.

9 Business Card Design Do's and Don'ts by Frank Salsa

2009-03-26T19:19:00.000+07:00

For professionals, their business card is an important part of their bottom line. A business card is how professionals make contacts and stay in touch with important clients. However, if you want your business card to do its job, you have to do yours first - and that means designing a business card that is memorable, not trash-able. Here are some of the dos and don'ts of business cards.

Do be Legible Your business card will not only form a branding impression of you and your company, but it is how many clients stay in contact with you. Thus, you want to make sure that it is easy to read. Avoid using all caps, italics, or too much underlying. Choosing a print font such as Times New Roman instead of a script font will also help. In addition, be aware of your font size and color choices. If a client needs to put on reading glasses to peruse your business card, chances are the font is too small. Don't Use Glossy Paper Often your clients will want to make a note on the card to help them remember who you are and why they have the card in the first place. If you use a glossy paper to print your cards, or a card that is too dark in color, they will not be able to write notes on the back - which may not bode well for your business. Choose a paper stock that someone can write on, and you can expect more client calls. Do use the Back of the Card The back of the card can be used for all types of information that will be useful to your clients. This can include maps to your location, a list of services, or even a coupon off your product or service. Even if you choose a card that is blank on the back, you can still write this information down for them when you meet.

Don't Stress Out Your business card can be redone as often as necessary, and you should not stress out if it becomes outdated. Simply recycle the old ones and have new ones printed. Your business card should be helping you to earn business, not get in your way of creating business.

Do be Professional When it comes to the design of your business card, you will want something that gives you a professional image. If you can, hire a professional graphic designer to design your card. If this is pricey, consider getting a consultation or using a stock format to make sure your business card looks its best.

Don't be Cheap While you could print your business cards yourself, the perforated edges that come with the business card paper look fuzzy and cheap. Don't be tempted by free offers either. Free business card services online often have printing on the back that advertises their company, not yours. Spend the extra money to make your business card look professional.

Do Highlight Important Information You want clients to easily find the information that they need at a glance. Bolding or otherwise highlighting important information, such as your phone number, will make this easier for them.

Don't Use Outdated Cards Nothing looks less professional than a business card that has an old number scratched out with a new one handwritten. Not only does this look cheap, but it gives the impression that your business is not performing well. If your information changes, you should immediately invest in new cards.

Your business card communicates a tremendous amount about you and your company. Make sure that it is saying all the right things.!

Shane Tjia

2009-03-23T00:51:00.001+07:00

2009-03-23T00:36:00.002+07:00

ARISE!! EGEIRO !!
Let's go from here... Let's go up to the next level!
It's a new season, it's time for us to move move move!