Archive for the ‘Lens’ Category

POTD: An imposing Irish Wolfhound on the streets of Helsinki

Sunday, August 18th, 2013

My family and I were walking back to our hotel in Helsinki when we spotted this Irish Wolfhound across the road.

Gigantic Irish Wolfhound along the streets of Helsinki. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Gigantic Irish Wolfhound along the streets of Helsinki. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Its owner was taking it for an evening walk and both of them were waiting at the traffic light to cross the road.

(more…)

POTD: Colourful flowers at Hakaniemi farmers’ market

Friday, August 16th, 2013

The stalls at Hakaniemi farmers’ market are set up every morning for the locals to buy groceries and fresh flowers, amongst other things.

Two types of fresh flowers vying for space and attention at the Hakaniemi farmers’ market. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Two types of fresh flowers vying for space and attention at the Hakaniemi farmers’ market. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

By afternoon, however, all that’s left of the market is a large empty plaza, as stall holders tear down their stalls and call it a day.

POTD: An old couple cycling down the path on a Summer day

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

We’d just gotten off the ferry from Helsinki to the off-shore sea fortress of Suomenlinna. While the excited tourists and local families with children hustled and bustled around the pier, I spied this old couple quietly cycling away from the hullabaloo into the tranquility of the island’s interior.

An old couple cycles slowly down a gravel path on a hot summer’s day on the fortress island of Suomenlinna in Helsinki, Finland. Taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

An old couple cycles slowly down a gravel path on a hot summer’s day on the fortress island of Suomenlinna in Helsinki, Finland. Both photos taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Suomenlinna actually comprises eight islands, five of which are connected by bridges and sandbars. There are about 850 inhabitants on the island, while 400-500 people work there.

(more…)

POTD: Variations on a theme of cool sunflowers on a hot Summer day

Tuesday, August 13th, 2013

We were driving from Cordoba to Granada in Spain back in the summer of 2009 when we spotted this field of sunflowers along the route. So we pulled over and ran amok among the gigantic sunflowers.

The sunflowers were as big as a real person's head! All three photos taken with an Olympus E-450 with 14-42mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The sunflowers were as big as a real person’s head! All three photos taken with an Olympus E-450 with 14-42mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

These were some of the largest sunflowers we’d ever seen.

To show how big they were, we donned some of them with my son’s favourite cap and my wife’s shades, taking care not to damage the flowers.

(more…)

POTD: Street Jazz Dance routine by Tina Wang

Sunday, August 11th, 2013

Tina Wang was one of the judges of the Street Dance segment of the Casio G-SHOCK “Shock the World 2013” dance competition in Singapore Sentosa last month.

Showing off her Street Jazz dance routine as a judge in the Shock the World dance competitions. Photo taken with an Olympus E-450 with Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4-5.6 kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Showing off her Street Jazz dance routine as a judge in the Shock the World dance competitions. Photo taken with an Olympus E-450 with Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4-5.6 kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Tina started dancing at the age of 16 and presently teaches at Recognize Studios and NRA (Ngee Ann Poly Dance Club).

POTD: Visiting Kusu Island on National Day

Saturday, August 10th, 2013

We took a boat to Kusu Island on the National Day holiday for a family picnic.

Splashing along the way to Kusu Island on a sunny morning. Photo taken with an Olympus E-450 with Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4-5.6 kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Splashing along the way to Kusu Island on a sunny morning (back in March). Photo taken with an Olympus E-450 with Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4-5.6 kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

We’d visited Kusu Island back in March on a weekday and found the island almost totally deserted, except for a few people manning the Chinese temple on the island, and a few fellow visitors that came on the same boat.

(more…)

POTD: Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Thursday, August 8th, 2013

Here’s wishing all Muslim friends: “Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri“!

Custom designed twinkling lights specially for Hari Raya Puasa. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Custom designed twinkling lights specially for Hari Raya Puasa. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

It’s Hari Raya Puasa today.

(more…)

POTD: Fresh flowers at Hakaniemi farmers’ market in Helsinki

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

Hakaniemi is a part of Helsinki city centre traditionally associated with the working class and workers’ associations.

Fresh flowers being sold at the Hakaniemi farmers’ market. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Fresh flowers being sold at the Hakaniemi farmers’ market. Photo taken with a Nikon D600 with AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Every morning farmers set up stalls at the farmers’ market selling groceries and flowers to the locals.

(more…)

Nikon announces new NIKKOR 18-140mm lens & Speedlight SB-300

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

The new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is an approximately 7.8x high-power normal zoom lens compatible with Nikon DX-format digital SLR cameras; while the Speedlight SB-300 is a compact and lightweight camera flash unit that can easily be taken anywhere.

Just announced in Tokyo by Nikon. Price and availability TBA. Not shown to scale.

Just announced in Tokyo by Nikon. Price and availability TBA. Not shown to scale.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR high-power normal zoom lens covers the frequently used wide-angle 18mm to telephoto 140mm (equivalent to 27-210mm in 35mm [135] format) range of focal lengths.

(more…)

POTD: Smiley and cool cupcakes

Monday, August 5th, 2013

Here are some cheerful cupcakes to light up your day.

Take your pick of favourite vibes from these cheerful cupcakes. Photo taken with an Olympus E-450 with Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Take your pick of favourite vibes from these cheerful cupcakes. Photo taken with an Olympus E-450 with Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Got a box of these cheery cupcakes during the launch of the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone in Singapore some 2 weeks back.

Have been saving this snapshot to cheer up the day.