Haris Bahrudin

(2 weeks of) Fall in Tokyo

2010-12-10T08:09:00.008+09:00

After living here in Tokyo for almost 4 years now, I can say Tokyo has almost no spring or fall. Spring or fall here only last for about 2 weeks. This year was a very good example. It was summer (of death) till the end of October this year. Then it was rainy season. Two weeks ago, the weather was just fine, not too hot, not too cold (a.k.a fall season?). But now suddenly the temperature has fallen. You can't really call it winter here. First, because there is almost no snow in Tokyo and second, the temperature rarely goes below zero. Here's my guide to Tokyo's 4 seasons.

So 'winter' is here, but what happened to fall? Here are some photos (and video) of fall foliages in Tokyo that I managed to capture. The peak time to see fall foliages in Tokyo is early December. Enjoy!

Fall is here!

2010-11-25T17:22:00.003+09:00

I'll let the photos speak for themselves. These photos were taken at Mt. Takao during a photo outing organized by Malaysian Photographer in Japan flickr Group. This is just the teaser. Will upload more photos of fall foliages of Tokyo Metropolitan later. So stay tuned! ^^

Visit my Flickr

Happy Eid Mubarak!

2010-09-12T00:06:00.006+09:00

Happy Eid Mubarrak! May you be guided in your faith in Allah and shines in His devine blessings!

My Photo Published!

2010-08-21T20:18:00.016+09:00

Ever since I started this hobby, I received a couple of request from companies or individuals for permission to use my photos and I usually give them the permission as long as they link it back to me. All the request I received are for online use. Until 2 weeks ago, I received an email from the editor of No. 1 Shinbun asking me to have my photos featured in their printed magazine. I couldn't agree more. Plus, they also agreed to pay me some amount of money for my photos. It is always exciting to see your work printed. I haven't receive the printed version yet but here are the digital version. Click for larger view. Original photos here.

Click here to go to No. 1 Shinbun website and download the full magazine.

*I'm adding new code/script to this page for the light box function. Larger photo with dark background should appear if you click on the photos. If you notice any problem or browser incompatibility please let me know.

Mt Fuji: I come, I see, I conquer.

2010-08-15T14:53:00.005+09:00

Mt Fuji. Taken with my iPhone from inside the bus.

There is an old saying about My. Fuji. "If you never climb Mt. Fuji, you are a fool, and if you climb it more than once, you are a fool." I made it to the top, and will climb it again if there is a chance. (so I'm a fool or not?) I started climbing from the 5th station at around 9.30 PM and reached the 9th station around 3.45 AM. As the horizon began to to turn orange, I decided to stay at 9th station and wait for the sunrise there because the route to the top was too crowded, and my priority was to set up my camera on a tripod and enjoy the sunrise. I was lucky as I didn't suffer from altitude sickness as I reached the summit. Here are some photos. Enjoy. Erm, sorry, I'm more to nature photography, so no photo of people.

p/s: Salam Ramdhan to all muslim!

Video: Homeless Trip

2010-08-10T16:01:00.005+09:00

Short video of my recent trip to Hokkaido, northernmost part of Japan. A must go place for all nature lover. This video was captured and edited using only my iPhone 4. It will definitely replace my Nikon D90 as my main video cam. Will upload the photos later.

From my iPhone 01

2010-07-19T23:29:00.006+09:00

Hi. Sorry for not updating this photoblog for the past month. Went to South Africa (via TV) to watch the world cup. I want to share my favorite photography quote from one of my favorite photographer, Chase Jarvis. Here's the quote:

The best camera is the one that's with you.

My DSLR is not with me all the time so its not the best camera i guess. The camera that is always with me is my iPhone. So i would like to share what i saw through my iPhone lens. This is the first part of 'From my iPhone' series. Did all the post processing on the iPhone itself. More photos to come. Enjoy.

Pretty lady

2010-05-17T00:10:00.002+09:00

Don't laugh at me, but this was the first time ever i met with a ladybird here in japan (after 3+ years). Luckily i had my macro lens with me. It wasn't planned. I was waiting the right moment to take a picture of a bee taking off when i saw this pretty lady who was too busy to pose for my camera.

Sakura Season

2010-04-06T00:02:00.005+09:00

It's early april and for the japanese, this is the best time of the year because sakura blooms at this time, marking the beginning of japanese fiscal year. It also means that i'm officially a final year student here in Tokyo Tech. ^^

I'm still in my spring break (lucky me) so i was able to go out to shoot some sakura. Like the japanese, i also enjoyed hanami (picnic below the sakura tree) with some of my friends. Here are some photos that i was able to capture. Enjoy!

And here is some scenery at my university during sakura season.

Spring Colors: Prologue

2010-03-14T20:45:00.003+09:00

The long wait for spring and new colors has ended. Say goodbye to depressing winter colors. The world will be at its finest moment of the year. And this is just the beginning. Enjoy your spring for this year. May you see more new colors in your life. ^^

Here are some colors that can be found just outside my house.

*for the third photo, I accidentally changed the white balance setting to tungsten, but kinda like the result.

Salaryman

2010-03-12T19:50:00.005+09:00

Salaryman is the term used to describe white-collar male employees but does not include Japanese executives or directors. They make up a sizable chunk of Japan's middle class. More info here.

Took these photos for my photojournalism class last semester. I'm still an engineering student. Just took the class to fill up my extra time. Enjoy.

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Back from hiatus

2010-03-11T20:57:00.011+09:00

Random photo. First Mt. Fuji sunrise of 2010.

I'm back from hiatus. Didn't even realize that my last post was on last september when I was back in Malaysia. It's not that i'm not taking pictures, I deactivated this blog last October because I don't feel like updating this blog again. Lots of things happened. Mainly because I broke my camera (but still functioning, i guess) plus I want to focus uploading photo to just my flickr account. Thanks to my friends who encourage me to reactivate this blog, now i'm back and hopefully can come out with more pics. Stay tuned. ^^ One more thing, I think you've realized that this blog just got some extreme makeover. Hope you like this new design. For comparison, here's the old design. Please let me know what do you think of it.

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Back in Malaysia

2009-09-05T17:47:00.003+09:00

Whee~ I'm back in Malaysia. Just arrived yesterday but already miss Japan (blame the damn slow streamyx connection) Will be here until the end of September. I can shoot many beautiful things/places in Japan but those are nothing compared to what i'll be shooting here in my home sweet home.

Candid 02 : Mother's Love

2009-09-01T05:18:00.002+09:00

A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. -Agatha Christie

To a child's ear, 'mother' is magic in any language. - Arlene Benedict

*Can't wait to go back to Malaysia to see my mother. Really miss her.

Reflection

2009-08-26T11:34:00.003+09:00

3 exposures HDR (handheld)

location: Hama-Rikyuu Garden, Shiodome, Tokyo

MERDEKA 52

2009-08-18T11:05:00.006+09:00

Merdeka day and hari raya celebration organized by MSAJ and KUJ. Prizes up to 40000 yen to be won!! For more information, go to www.msaj.net or www.kelabumnojepun.com

70-200mm f2.8

2009-08-17T00:39:00.007+09:00

Added to my wish list. Somebody, buy me a 70-200mm f2.8 lens. Please. I promise I'll take a lot of good photos with that lens.

*Photos taken with 35mm f1.8 lens. Credit to apiddo for lending me his.

How to convert color photo to black and white?

2009-08-13T18:16:00.012+09:00

There are several ways to convert a color image to a black and white one . The easiest way is to change the setting of your camera to take black and white photo. In Photoshop, the most popular way is to desaturate the photo. It is easy but we don't have control over the colors and contrast. It leaves the photo looking flat.

When converting to a black and white photo, i prefer to use channel mixer feature in PS because i have control over the colors. Here's how.

1. Open the photo you want to convert. I'll use this photo.

2. Duplicate the background layer by right clicking at the background layer and choose duplicate image or go to layer>duplicate layer. You can just use shortcut key ctrl+j for windows or cmd+j for mac. Your layers window should now looks like this.

3. Now add channel mixer adjustment layer above the duplicated layer. To do this, click on the round shape at the bottom of your layers window and choose channel mixer. You can also go to Layers>New adjustment layer>color mixer.

4. Here's the main part. A channel mixer window will appear. Select monochrome and adjust the RGB percentage until the photo looks good.

There are no rules on the percentage of the colors. Just adjust it the way you like. Some knowledge about RGB color can help you on adjusting the percentage. For example, if you have a landscape with a blue sky as its background and you want the sky to looks darker in black and white photo, just decrease the percentage of the blue channel. Make sure when you sum up those percentage, it will be equal to 100%. It is not necessary though but if the total percentage is larger than 100%, the photo will washed out. When done, click OK. Your layers window should now looks like this.

5. Here are some examples:

R:77% G:18% B:5%

R:71% G:-14% B:43%

R:18% G:65% B:17%

I personally like the first one because i love how the photo draws my eyes directly towards his face without distraction from the blue lining on his cloth. The name of the university on the degree folder also stands out. Again, this is only my personal preference. There are no exact rule on how to adjust the color percentage.

6. Done! you can stop here if you want. But if you want to add more depth to your photo, here's how. First, merge the duplicated layer and the adjustment layer by selecting both layers, right click and select merge layer, or you can use shortcut key ctrl+e or cmd+e. Your layers window should now looks like this.

7. Now duplicate the merged layer (channel mixer 1) then change the duplicated layer's blending mode from normal to color burn. Blending mode option is on the drop down menu on the upper side of your layers windows.

8. Next, change the opacity to about 10%~20% (personal preference) and you are done! You can also add vignette effect (see here) to spice up the photo. Here is the final result.

Hope this tutorial will help. Of course, the are many other ways to convert a color photo to a black and white one. Mr. google knows better ;p

Dentsu Building

2009-08-12T11:38:00.007+09:00

Went to Shiodome (汐留）to shoot some photos. Located near Tokyo Bay, it is one of Tokyo's most modern area, similar to Skyscraper District in Shinjuku. Its spectacular skyscrapers accommodate many Japanese famous company, most notably Dentsu Incorporated (株式会社電通). Here are some info about the building, taken from wikipedia.

The Dentsu Headquarters Building (電通本社ビル Dentsū Honsha Biru) is a high-rise building in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo,Japan. The building houses the corporate offices of Dentsu. 48 floors rise to 213.34 m (700 ft), it is the eleventh-tallest building in Tokyo and second-tallest in Shiodome. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and completed in 2002. It was built over the site of Tokyo's first train station, and sits aside the Hamarikyu Gardens, formerly the site of a Shogun's vacation home. The Dentsu building is an exemplary picture of modern architecture, featuring collectors on the roof to utilize rainwater for its plumbing system, as well as ceramic dots on the windows which, in concert with computerized window shades, control climate control expediture. The Dentsu building has 70 elevators, including a special elevator reserved only for VIPs and executive management. With the exception of sludge, all waste materials produced in the construction of the Dentsu Building were recycled.

I can say the second photo was illegal because we are not allowed to take picture around the building complex. But hey, i'm not doing this for any commercial use so i think it's not that 'illegal' :p

Addicted to panorama

2009-08-11T02:08:00.003+09:00

Panorama photography is fun! You can shoot anything from wide-angle shots to full 360deg wrap around.

Odaiba Fireworks

2009-08-10T00:56:00.003+09:00

enjoy (^_^)

Its hard to choose sides when you know the earth is round...

2009-08-04T17:19:00.003+09:00

This is my first attempt on creating my own little big planet.

How to do it?

Shoot a couple of photos and make a 360 degree panorama (i use photomerge in PS) and then use distort>polar coordinate feature in PS.
Use cloning and stamping tool to touch up your sky because it won't cover the whole canvas when you apply the polar coordinate feature.

For the best result, make sure you get constant exposure for all the photos. It might be hard when shooting towards the sun.

Location: Shiodome, Tokyo

I'm back!!

2009-07-14T18:47:00.003+09:00

sorry for not updating my blog. didn't have much time to spend on my blog. but now i'm back..with my first ever time lapse video!! enjoy!!

*700 shots, 15seconds interval (2 frame per second whenever the train pass by)

**location: maruko bridge, tama river (on the right is tokyo metropolitan, on the left is kanagawa prefecture)

***those trains passing by are from tokyu toyoko line tokyu meguro line

****not enough gigabyte to stay shooting until the sky gets dark though =( blame myself for shooting in RAW..duh!!

New tree in shinjuku

2009-06-11T07:55:00.001+09:00

Nishi-Shinjuku's 'skyscraper forest' got a new tree!! This futuristic 203.7m building was completed in October, 2008. You can see this 'giant cocoon' from west exit of Shinjuku station. This building is the home of Tokyo Mode Gakuen (Art and Design vocational school) and was designed by Kenzo Tange architecture firm, who also designed the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

another building designed by Kenzo Tange, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

*Architecture always look nice in black and white, don't you think?
** Credit to my fellow malaysian friend in Tokyo Tech, yeo for inspiring me to shoot the cocoon.

hakone: ashi lake （芦ノ湖）

2009-06-03T00:48:00.000+09:00

Located in in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in Japan, Ashinoko, (Lake Ashi) is a wonderfully picturesque lake formed in the caldera of Mt. Hakone after the volcano's last erruption 3000 years ago. On clear days you will have incredible views of M. Fuji beyond the lake. Cruise boats, some of which look like pirate ships, are an interesting means of transportation along the lake where there are hotels and small towns located along the lake's shores. Well worth a visit.

Tun Dr. Mahathir

2009-05-24T18:13:00.005+09:00

Most Malaysians would agree if i say that Tun Dr Mahathir is the most influential person in twentieth century Malaysia, and he still has enormous stature and influence as we near the end of this first decade of the twenty-first. Ok, i'll stop here. Not going to talk about politics. Got the chance to meet him personally recently...and a photo with him too =D

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T02:20:00.000+09:00

happy mother's day

i love u mom!!

mmmmuuuaaaah~

Futsal KUJ

2009-05-04T12:35:00.006+09:00

My first time shooting sports event.

Futsal Tournament organized by KUJ (Kelab UMNO Jepun)

Credit to Apun for lending me his 70-200 f/2.8 lens.

Result: 1st - Nagaoka, 2nd - Muroran, 3rd - Toyama, 4th - Utsunomiya

Candid 01 : Photographer wannabe

2009-04-28T20:51:00.006+09:00

Just noticed that my blog lack of 'human being'..lol

so here they are..

Candid series 1 : photographer wannabe.. XD

enjoy!

cameraphone also can ah? :p

After the rain has fallen..

2009-04-27T16:09:00.000+09:00

After the rain has fallen..
After the thunder's spoken..
After the lightning bolt's been hurled..
After the dream is broken..
There'll still be love in this world.

*i noticed that some of my photos uploaded to flickr have slight color desaturation, including this set..is it because of the flickr image compression?? can someone tell me why..?

XD

2009-04-26T07:31:00.002+09:00

After the sakura has fallen..

2009-04-19T22:41:00.004+09:00

..its time for tulips!!

I'm not a 'mat bunga' but when it comes to photography,

flowers are my favourite subject.

Here are some tulips for you.

Random 05

2009-04-18T22:05:00.002+09:00

JR Yamanote Line, Tokyo Station.

New Semester, New Hope.

2009-04-07T23:58:00.003+09:00

Time flies.

New semester starts again.

It will be my fifth semester in Tokyo Tech.

2 subjects that interest me the most : Mechatronics and artificial intelligence.

Why? Coz its sounds 'kakkoi' =p

Will start going into 'kenkyuushitsu' to do research on my team project.

Gosh, I can see myself busier than before =(

桜 is Sakura

2009-04-06T16:21:00.002+09:00

桜の花びら散るたびに
届かぬ思いがまた一つ
涙と笑顔に消されてく
そしてまた大人になった

Every time a cherry blossom petal falls

another unfulfilled love
Is wiped out by tears and smiles
And I’ve grown up more.

Yup, its sakura season again here in Japan.

Sakura is Japan's unofficial national flower. (Japan has no official national flower)

It has been celebrated for many centuries and holds a very prominent position in Japanese culture.

In Japan, April is the beginning of the school year as well as the business financial year.
Therefore, sakura blooming is a symbol of new life.

Japanese celebrated it with hanami (sakura viewing) party under the sakura tree.

*my life as a third year student begins here*

心の花を咲かせよう

2009-04-05T00:56:00.002+09:00

testing out my new iMovie 09

ご卒業おめでとうございます

2009-03-26T22:57:00.002+09:00

went to my university graduation day this morning to congratz my senior.

me? i'll be there on march 2011..promise!!

Random 04

2009-03-21T12:41:00.003+09:00

Just another random pic.
Testing out my ND filter.

Busy schedule ahead.

Helping the embassy in doing orientation program for new students.

Btw, what do you think of my new blog layout?

Japanese beauty, Hokuriku (part 3)

2009-03-15T01:16:00.004+09:00

Tojinbo Cliff

Tojinbo is a place of scenic beauty located in Fukui Prefecture in the northern part of central Japan. It belongs to Echizen Kaga Coastline Quasi-National Park. The cliff is a natural collection of giant pentagonal and hexagonal columns of rock eroded by the waves of the Sea of Japan. Called columnar jointing, this geologically rare phenomenon can only be seen in three places around the world: Geumagang San in Korea, Norway's western coast, and here at Tojinbo. It has been designated a Natural Monument in Japan. It is also famous for the number of suicides committed there every year. So much so that they have a suicide counseling center right near the cliff.Some even believe that this place is haunted and there are ghosts lingering around this infamous cliff.

All photos taken with neutral density (ND) filter to achieve the 'glass' and motion blur effect on the water by using slow shutter speed, about 20 to 30 seconds for each shot (i have to carry my tripod while 'climbing' those rocks). And yup, its a HDR image (3 exposures each).

Japanese beauty, Hokuriku (part 2)

2009-03-12T23:33:00.003+09:00

Back to 'The Last Samurai' era

Photos taken in Nagamachi, Kanazawa. I edited the color of the pics the make it feels 'aged'.

Nagamachi was a samurai district located at the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle, where samurai and their families used to reside. The area preserves a historic atmosphere with its remaining samurai residences, earthen walls, private entrance gates, narrow lanes and water canals.

Japanese beauty, Hokuriku (part 1)

2009-03-12T00:15:00.002+09:00

Currently in fukui, running away from hasty metropolitan life in tokyo.

more photos to come..

Perfect scenery

2009-03-08T20:34:00.000+09:00

Picture this..
Blue skies, covered with fluffy clouds..
White Snow, lays outside on the ground..
The trees with no leaves and it's freezing cold outside..
And colorful houses, all along the road..
What a perfect scenery.

took those photos on my last day at niseko, hokkaido..very nice and beautiful place to live..

Spring has sprung?

2009-03-07T02:45:00.000+09:00

Its not yet spring but the sign of springtime rebirth are starting to be seen. Global warming has been hastening the bloom of spring flowers and sakura will bloom about four to six days earlier than usual in many places around japan this year. Check out this website for the prediction on when the sakura will bloom.

Ichigo Gari

2009-03-06T23:15:00.003+09:00

We drove from tokyo to the most southern part in Chiba, Tateyama and paid 1400 yen for 'eat as much as you can' strawberries. The strawberries are so fresh and sweet, so its kind of worth it to pay 1400 yen for it. But i didn't ate much. I enjoy shooting the strawberries more than eating it..hehe

Mt. Asama erupted..again

2009-03-02T23:46:00.000+09:00

A small-scale volcanic eruption occurred on Mount Asama, which stands over the border of Gunma and Nagano prefectures, early Monday, the Meteorological Agency said.

The eruption, which occurred for the first time in six months, neither injured anybody nor damaged agricultural products on farmland at its foot.

However, the agency has warned that there may be further eruptions that could affect areas within about four kilometers from its crater, and has kept the five-point alert level at three, at which entry into the mountain is restricted.

A volcanologist pointed to the possibility that volcanic activity will continue for the time being.

"Since July last year, magma had accumulated in shallow places of the mountain within one kilometer below the ground, and an eruption could have occurred at any time. There is a possibility that the volcanic activity will continue for the foreseeable future," said Setsuya Nakada, professor of volcanology at the University of Tokyo Earthquake Research Institute. "Caution is necessary as snow may melt and cause an avalanche of mud," he warned.

The eruption occurred at around 1:51 a.m., agency officials said. Volcanic smoke went up about 2,000 meters above the crater of the mountain and small amounts of ash fell in extensive areas leading to the southern Kanto region. Fallen ash was observed in downtown Tokyo for the first time since September 2004.

However, the frequency of volcanic temblors, whose focus is believed to be located just below the crater, has declined since the eruption.

The Meteorological Agency has begun observations of the inside of the crater, ejecta and ground temperatures from a helicopter with the cooperation of the Nagano Prefectural Government.

In a separate development, the agency raised the alert level on Sakurajima, Kagoshima Prefecture, from two to three on Monday following eight eruptions that sent volcanic cinders 500 to 800 meters since Sunday.

By the way, these are some pics of the mountain..before the eruption..posted it before [link]

When will the rain stop?

2009-02-28T01:06:00.004+09:00

It has been raining for about a week now. Its a kind of weather that one just wants to sit down on the couch with a cup of hot coffee while watching movies. And that's what i've been doing for the whole week. Got no chance to go outside and shoot.

*tokyo just got their first snow of the year yesterday morning.

When i'm bored..

2009-02-14T22:40:00.005+09:00

i play with matches =p

i used my table and bed lamp for the lighting effect

random 03

2009-02-10T21:40:00.002+09:00

just some old photos.

still have 2 more exams =(

JR Kyoto station

ISO400 18mm f/3.5 2sec

Kyoto Tower

ISO 400 28mm f/4.0 0.067sec

keitai

ISO800 50mm f/1.8 0.025sec

bird

ISO400 135mm f/5.6 0.08sec

sakura

ISO400 135mm f/5.6 0.02sec

i want this..

2009-02-01T22:15:00.004+09:00

Good news for me

2009-01-23T20:54:00.005+09:00

Good news!! My photos are being published at Business immo website. Business immo is a french press group running an internet b to b news and resources portal dedicated to professional real estate. The jury of the Emporis Skyscraper Award has announced Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower as its choice for the 2008 Skyscraper of the Year and they want to make a portfolio about the building. They contacted me yesterday to ask for the photos and i give them permission to use it for free it long as they credit me and link it back to me. Click here.

exams are coming..

2009-01-22T05:32:00.003+09:00

sorry..currently busy with my final exams + reports + presentation..this blog will not be updated for a while..

旅立ち

2009-01-12T20:17:00.005+09:00

i don't know why..but..from all my photos, the one that i like the most is...

this photo was not taken with a DSLR camera..but with once my beloved PnS digital camera, SONY DSC-T100..i was just trying to play with the manual setting on the camera and shoot the tower..and it turns out to be, not bad i guess...i said to mysefl, wouldn't it have been much nicer if the photo was taken with a DSLR..i didn't know that i have interest in photography until that point..so not long after that i sold the camera to my friend in Saitama and after learning some basic things about photography on the web i bought my very first DSLR camera (about 16months ago)..and thats the beginning of my journey in photography =p

random 02

2009-01-11T00:19:00.002+09:00

random photos..part 2

waiting for my food

photography while cooking..its fun!

petronas twin tower at night

anyone know the name of this flower?

nagoya port

random 01

2009-01-03T22:23:00.002+09:00

docomo building in shinjuku..taken from keio plaza hotel

akarenga, yokohama on new year eve

metropolitan autumn..

unintentionally intentional

just another random macro shot

*going to hokkaido for snowboarding..yeah!!*

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-01-02T02:22:00.002+09:00

too late maybe..but..HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!!

あけましておめでとう！
今年もよろしくね。。。

2008 in photograph..

2008-12-20T12:18:00.002+09:00

2008 has been an eventful year to say the least..it is difficult to sum up the thousands of stories in just a handful of photographs. The Big Picture has a story to tell in photograph..check it out..

2008 in photograph - Part 1
2008 in photograph - Part 2
2008 in photograph - Part 3

-hopefully i can shoot another fireworks on new year-

Winter Break!!

2008-12-20T00:32:00.003+09:00

Yahoo!!..i'm free from engineering books..till 8jan at least..
looking forward to snowboarding..

10 more days to say goodbye to 2008..pic was taken on 01.01.2008, 0000 JST.. but i feel like it was just yesterday..

anyway, the best kanji to represent 2008..

Lunch with TYT dato' Ambassador

2008-12-09T16:36:00.004+09:00

I was invited to 'Majlis Berdialog bersama Duta Besar Malaysia ke Jepun' on 7th december at Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku..its more like 'makan2' and 'borak2' with Mr. Ambassador actually..I don't want to write much about the 'makan2' here..let the photos do the talking..as usual, full size photo can be downloaded via my flickr.

speech by Mr. Ambassador..

but not all are paying attention actually..hehe

yeay..its 'makan free' time

En. Zakri

the main objective

ごちそうさま〜

shinjuku view from the 47th floor of the keio plaza hotel..more photos on my next post

with Mr. Ambassador

Frenz from Saitama

Otsukaresama~

On the way back..famous spot to meet up with your girlfriend in shinjuku.

SALAM AIDILADHA..part 2

2008-12-08T22:14:00.004+09:00

the embassy is close..but not their residence..
thanks to en. zakri and kak aini for the foods..and bento =)

p/s: i've uploaded full size photo on my flickr..please download it from there

SALAM AIDILADHA

2008-12-07T22:44:00.001+09:00

SALAM AIDILADHA
but no 'kambing' this year..
embassy is close for renovation

Should i?

2008-12-04T08:54:00.002+09:00

I'm flattered by the nikon d90 specs..the ISO quality, dynamic range..and the most important thing, the capabality to record HD video..
And i know someone wants to buy my D80, although i still love it =p
Should i...get the D90?

twilight..taken from musolla at my university

Blog Re-Design

2008-12-01T18:36:00.003+09:00

I've been using the old layout for a long time, so its time to change it..love this layout because of its 'wideness'..i can post my photo here up to 600px wide..plus, black and white will make my photos's color really pop out (i think)..tell me what you think of this new layout

some random photos from my archive..bigger than before..hehe

*comment section of this new layout is at the top of each post..

酉の市 (tori no ichi)

2008-11-30T19:52:00.004+09:00

Tori no Ichi Fair (open-air market) is a famous annual event in November on the day of the Tori (Rooster) in Chinese calendar and this event has continued to today since the Edo period.
Tori no Ichi is held at Temple of Tori (Juzaisan Chokoku-ji) in Asakusa, Tokyo or various shrines of Washi (Eagle) and many people come to there to pray for a health, good fortune and good business.

well actually, i don' know why i was there that time..just following my boss..its a festival to pray for good fortune and business..so, while my boss praying for his good fortune and business, i'm acting like a 'gaijin' (i'm gaijin..no need to act =p) shooting here and there, like i know nothing about what's happening there..hehe..luckily i'm not the only one gaijin there..here are some photos..

my boss (bosses actually, husband and wife) run an internet shop, selling goods from Ghibli Studio, (Ghibli Studio is a japanese animation film studio). my job is just to manage their website..i do the design, update it when there is new stock, and sometimes handle the order from customers..Its quite an easy job, i just have to sit in front of the computer with a cup of coffe and some snacks, dealing with photoshop and HTML..no need to use too much energy..i can still focusing on my study when i done with my work..click here to go to their website..

*gaijin - foreigner

robotto

2008-11-26T00:34:00.005+09:00

japanese nurse robot, 'twendy one' developed by researchers at Waseda University in Tokyo..cool!! but will it be cheaper than hiring a human nurse?

and this is the most popular robot at my university..it has many possible applications, even though the structures are simple.

Mt. Takao autumn color

2008-11-23T23:15:00.004+09:00

Mt. Takao (599m), located within an hour of downtown tokyo is a popular spot for Tokyoites in need for fresh air and greenery. Considered a sacred mountain, Takaosan has been a center of mountain worship for more than 1000 years. The attractive temple Yakuoin stands near the mountain's top. Visitors pray there to Shinto-Buddhist mountain gods (tengu) for good fortune. Statues of the gods, one with a long nose and one with a crow beak, can be found at the temple and all over the mountain. It is a popular spot during 'koyo' season.

at the peak

i think i can see shinjuku..

the hike to the top is relatively easy, even for children.

thanks to my junior for being my model of the day..hehe

japanese and their fuji-san

thank god there are still plenty of wildlife in tokyo

momiji (maple) leaves

even in the jungle, tokyo is overcrowded =p

rich in colors

紅葉

golden color

taken with my iphone..tokyo-tech-ian?? oops, how to pronounce that? hehe

click here for more photos

room panorama

2008-11-20T21:10:00.003+09:00

not much shooting lately..its getting freezing outside + i'm kinda busy with my 'student life'..practicing on my skill on programming and auto-CADing (mechanical design) coz that's the only way for me to challenge the japanese..they are very good at the other subjects (or i'm the one who is 'not so good' here? huhu)..plus, its the most important thing for me to make a real robot from scratch next semester..so, instead of camwhoring (which is obviously not me..hehe) i shoot my own room in panomaric version..(sorry, it's a lil bit untidy..hehe)

My favourite software

2008-11-15T00:44:00.003+09:00

Nope..not photoshop..i only use photoshop for 'hardcore' editing and repairing..i use Adobe Lightroom..its a simplified version of Adobe Photoshop just for photography purpose..If you got the exposure wrong and your photo turn out to be a bit dark, just adjust the slider for some adjustment to make it brighter..easy.. More than that, if you have collection of thousand of photos, it can manage all your photos just like iTunes do for your musics. If you are a mac user and use iPhoto, you will be feeling at home using this software because there are many similarities between them in term of photo management..here are some snapshot of the software (mac version)

tokyo station

2008-11-12T03:13:00.002+09:00

Some old pics from my archive. Tokyo station is the busiest station in japan in term of number of train (over 3000 trains per day). The main station facade on the western side of the station is brick-built and was fashioned after Amsterdam's main station. The station building was designed by architect Tatsuno Kingo as a restrained celebration of Japan's costly victory in the Russo-Japanese War.

Tokyo facts

2008-11-11T00:36:00.005+09:00

Some fact about my 'hometown' tokyo..these are some facts that came up in my mind right now..

Tokyo is made up of 23 special wards (ku in Japanese), 26 cities (shi), 5 towns (cho) and 8 villages (son).
Tokyo was named Edo 400 years ago.
Tokyo firebombing in 1945 caused more civilian deaths than the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In Tokyo bicycle are faster than a car for a journey up to 45 minutes.
Total length of Tokyo railway network is 286km with daily average number of passengers about 7.2 million..compared to new york with 4.3 million along 420km. Railways in Tokyo have the most extensive urban railway network in the whole world.
Shinjuku station is the busiest train station in the world in term of number of passenger. Tokyo subway Toei Oedo line have 2 different station in Shinjuku station (新宿西口駅 and 新宿駅)
There are many remote islands in Tokyo, which extend as far as 1850 km from central Tokyo.
Tokyo tower is 9 meters higher then the Eiffel tower but only weighs about 4000 tons, which is extremely light compared to the 10100 ton Eiffel Tower. It is the tallest self-supporting iron tower.
Tokyo has had 24 recorded instances of people either killed or receiving serious skull fractures while bowing to each other with the traditional Japanese greeting.
The most visited place in Tokyo is Shinjuku, followed by Ginza.
Ginza was the first Japanese attempt to implement Western architecture on a large scale.
Shibuya crossing is the busiest intersection of the world.
Shibuya crossing Starbuck is the busiest starbuck in the world.
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea are not actually in Tokyo. They are located in Chiba prefecture.
I live there..LOL =p

tokyo aerial view from mori tower, roppongi.

interesting fact

2008-11-10T16:23:00.006+09:00

Got this from 9to5mac.com..kinda interesting..barack obama is not only the first black US president..but also the first president to be a mac user..LOL

tagged!

2008-11-09T04:29:00.000+09:00

ok..lets go out of topic for a while..been tagged by sabah & en. neng recently..i'll combine those 2 tags in 1 post..hehe ok..

first one from sabah.. 7 things about me..

i love photography..but i'm doing it as a hobby, not career..i'm a visual inclined person..
Wanted to be National Geography photographer when was a small boy..love to watch the program on tv..but that was just my childhood dream..
My birthday is on february the 29th..very special date..and i think everyone know it..LOL
NEVER WANTED TO GO TO JAPAN..have no idea why JPA sent me here..japan is not even in my choices list..but never regret that i accepted the offer though..
i'm very 'pemalu'..its not a joke..i won't talk if you don't open ur mouth first..hehe
love to cook but hate to clean it up..ask my housemates..i'll only cook if there is someone to clean up the kitchen..hehe..
love to watch investigation drama/movie..CSI is my favourite

ok..lets move to en neng's tag..

Law & Order:

Take a recent picture of yourself or take a picture of yourself right now.
Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.(but go and wear tudung first la for the girl.hehe)
Post that picture with NO editing.
Post these instruction with your picture.
Tag 7 people to do this

zzzz~

now be prepared to be tagged..these are the lucky person..

ckyn
nashriza
sabah (just do the 2nd one since u've tagged me for the 1st)
neng (do the 1st)
edhuan
dr. nurafiqah farhana
cikun sama
anyone who read this

hakone: Ōwakudani (大涌谷 )

2008-11-04T17:27:00.004+09:00

Ōwakudani (大涌谷 ), or Great Boiling Valley, is a volcanic valley with active sulphur vents and hot springs in hakone. A popular tourist site for its scenic views, volcanic activity, and especially, Kuro-tamago (黒玉子) a local specialty of eggs hard-boiled in the hot springs. The boiled eggs turn black and smell slightly sulphuric. Consuming the eggs is said to increase longevity. Eating one adds seven years to your life. You may eat two for up to fourteen years, but eating a third is said to be highly unadvised. Access to Ōwakudani is via an aerial tram, Hakone Ropeway.

Why Wii?

2008-10-31T17:11:00.002+09:00

Just wasting my time on youtube and i found this..

just wondering..why Wii? Anti-japan policy? LOL!

Toilet shortage?

2008-10-29T22:59:00.003+09:00

What if earthquake hit Tokyo, home of 12million people? If you live there (like me) be prepared for a toilet shortage.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's disaster prevention panel said hundreds of thousands of people would be unable to find a toilet if a major earthquake were to hit Tokyo on a weekday.

The panel studied a simulation that imagined a magnitude-7.3 quake striking Tokyo at noon on a workday. A temblor of that size would send 12 million people spilling out of their offices, forced to walk home from the city center.

Assuming that each of those fleeing will need to stop for the bathroom every two hours, the report said 810,000 people will be desperately looking for a toilet within hours of the quake, even if half of the public facilities remained intact. Some might wait 17 hours before finding a toilet, the simulation said.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and experts believe Tokyo has a 90 percent chance of being hit by a major quake over the next 50 years.

The report, issued Monday, also noted about 7 million people will be unable to return home, and 4.6 million of them will seek public shelter if the event of a quake of that size.

Although officials tend to focus on providing food and water in the aftermath of a disaster, toilet needs should get more attention, said Masaya Takahashi, a Cabinet official in charge of disaster prevention. He noted that the search for toilets might cause unnecessary panic.

The city has said it plans to make toilets available at schools, convenience stores, gas stations and other public facilities, but the report urged further effort.

koudaisai 2008 工大際

2008-10-27T23:04:00.008+09:00

whoa!! just realize that this will be my first post for october..though its on the 27th..hehe..here are some pics from koudaisai a.k.a tokyo tech festival..since i'm the tanto (project manager) i was very busy for the last 4months..glad its all over..but we manage to get about 300000yen (about RM 11k) from our 'murtabak' sale..japanese like it very much coz its very mezurashi(rare) to see people 'menebar' roti here in japan..hehe

the making of koudaisai 2008 (pic by faizly asmat)

preparing the stall

マレーシアの味 (malaysian taste)

the main attraction (pic by faizly asmat)

one of the 'penebar'

kanban musume..hehe

the cashier

the 'flying murtabak expert' =p

silarasa malaysia

can you see the long queue?

SOLD OUT!! just after 5hours

tokyo tech family..thanks guys for all ur support..otsukarezzz!!

salam aidilfitri

2008-09-30T18:23:00.002+09:00

salam aidilfitri

maaf zahir dan batin

p/s: i'll start my pagi raya with engineering math..uwaa =(

dendang perantau..

2008-09-30T14:27:00.005+09:00

not feeling the 'hari raya' mood this year..same as last year..huhu

alhamdulillah..

2008-09-29T18:00:00.001+09:00

i passed all my exams =)
よし！４学期もがんばるぞ！！

a picture is worth a thousand words

2008-09-24T16:31:00.006+09:00

hi..sorry for not posting new photos for a long time. streamyx is very slow..it take very long time for me to upload all my photos..and i hate waiting..just want to share some awesome and inspiring photos..check out this LINK.

a picture is really worth thousand words.

Hamanako lake （浜名湖）

2008-09-05T01:50:00.003+09:00

from my archive..didn't shoot much lately..took this shot when i was on my way to osaka by bus..the bus stopped at hamanako lake and while everyone busy buying their meals i went for a walk to shoot some pics of the lake. i took 5 photos at different angle and stitched it together to make a panoramic photo.

click for larger view.

Salam Ramadhan

2008-09-01T13:46:00.002+09:00

need more macro?

2008-08-29T23:59:00.002+09:00

just some macro shot from archive. took these shots at my grandma house

click for larger view

ただ、ありがとう (only thank you)

2008-08-28T03:37:00.003+09:00

kinda like this song since the first time i heard it..nice melody and lyric

How to blur the background? (Part 1)

2008-08-28T00:16:00.005+09:00

When taking photo, we often notice that the background is very detracting. This is very important especially when taking portrait photo when we want the viewer to focus on the main subject. Their eye should be drawn to the subject in the final image, and the background must not be distracting from the subject. The right background can make the main subject stand out. How to choose the right background? The best way is to eliminate the background so the main subject will stand out.

How to do that? We need to throw the background out of focus. The depth of field (amount of in-focus distance) in your picture needs to be reduced enough so that the subject is sharp and the background is blurred. Notice that in the picture below the main subject stands out against its own background.

The most easiest way is to open your lens as wide as possible (low f number). Wider aperture yield shallow depth of field, thus its easier to blur he background. There is no such rule on how wide the aperture must be. Experiment it yourself for the best result. Picture above was taken at f/2.8. Experience is the best teacher!!

Below are few example on how the aperture will affect your photo.

This photo was taken at f/22. Notice that the background is very distracting and its hard to tell which one is the main subject here.

This photo was taken at f/3. Notice that it create blurred background and the main subject really stands out.

There are also other factor that can help you to blur the background. I'll write about is later.

shoot AVI video with DSLR?

2008-08-27T14:04:00.003+09:00

its not a dream. Nikon has announced the nikon D90 (probably the replacement to nikon D80) at 12.3 Megapixels and the ability to capture AVI movie!!!!

here are the exerpt from the release:

August 27, 2008, Tokyo - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the introduction of its newest DX-format digital SLR, the D90. More than just a new camera, the D90 represents a new era of digital SLR fun and creativity.

The first thing that will amaze photographers about the D90 is its stunning image quality, which takes its inspiration from Nikon’s flagship DX-format digital SLR, the D300. The D90’s image sensor and 12.3 effective megapixels combine with Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED image processing to deliver outstanding images featuring fine details, smooth tones, rich colors and low noise across a wide ISO sensitivity range.

The D90 is the world’s first* digital SLR camera with a movie shooting function that delivers genuinely cinematic results, enhanced by the creatively shallow depth of field made possible by the DX-format sensor. This is further refined by the optical quality and broad selection of NIKKOR lenses — the same lenses relied upon by professional photographers the world over. Thanks to the D90’s large image sensor, D-Movie images exhibit less noise than those of a typical camcorder, most notably in low-light situations.

Features
12.3 effective megapixels
Native ISO of 200 to 3200 with expansion to Lo 1(ISO100) and Hi 1(ISO6400)
Integrated Image Sensor Cleaning
EXPEED technology
D-Movie : Shoot 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels or HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels) Motion JPEG movies
Scene Recognition with integrated face detection with a 420-pixel RGB sensor
LiveView
Active D-Lighting
11pt AF
96% coverage viewfinder

so if u want to buy nikon D80 (like mine), go for it. the price will drop soon.....

Orchidaceae

2008-08-22T00:31:00.005+09:00

its been a while since my last macro shots..
i went to my uncle house few days ago and his garden is full with orchids..
luckily i brought my camera with me..

click for larger view

きみはペット

2008-08-20T00:08:00.002+09:00

just some pic of 'another member' of my family

old but not forgotten

2008-08-14T17:28:00.003+09:00

its not only me who can get to meet my relatives here in malaysia, but also my nikon d80..introducing my nikon d80 'big' brother, the 'legendary' nikon FE10..hehe..its a SLR camera, not DSLR. quite an antique camera..nikon introduced this camera back in 1996..woah!!its about 12 years ago..technology are really fast!!! it comes with the nikkor 35-70mm f3.5-4.8 lens but too bad i can't use it on my D80 because it won't autofocus. honestly i like the FE10 more because its not heavy as my d80 and i love the 'mehanical' sound when i press the shutter button..but you will have to really get the photo and setting right on the spot because unlike digital, you cant see the result until you finish processing the film. and yeah, its a digital era and people rarely use film nowdays. so, the FE10 will 'rest in peace' in the cupboard =p

home sweet home

2008-08-11T23:48:00.005+09:00

it has been 2 days since i arrived in my home country, but i'm too lazy to go out and 'merayau'..just wasting my time sleeping at home..haha..tried to make another panorama shot..this time i stitched 12 photos of my parent's house (6 photos about 15degree above the horizontal and 6photos about 15degree below horizontal). its just my second attempt doing panorama so the result might not be so good especially at the place where the photos are combined (if you see it carefully).

click for larger view.

1st attempt on panorama

2008-08-11T02:19:00.006+09:00

this is my first attempt on panoramic photography.
7photos stitched together to make 180degree panoramic photo.
there will be more panorama photo from me in the future, so watch this space =)

click for larger view. best viewed with larger view.

tadaima~

2008-08-09T22:50:00.001+09:00

i'm home!!!
back in malaysia..
9aug~24sept

Testing out my new macro lens

2008-08-01T08:51:00.002+09:00

woke up at 7 a.m..don't have any paper today so after taking out the garbage, i went out for some walk around my neighborhood, testing out my new macro lens..check out what i found..click for larger view

Sumida River Fireworks Festival （墨田川花火大会）

2008-08-01T01:17:00.000+09:00

Sumida River Fireworks Festival （墨田川花火大会）is the oldest firework festival in japan for which history record exist. On the last Saturday of July every year, Tokyo evening sky turns into a spectacle of dazzling colors from several tens of thousands of fireworks. its roots are said to lie in the Suijin Festival dedicated to the water deity held to appease the souls of those who had died of starvation or of plague and to drive away pestilence during the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa Shogun (1684-1751).Venue No.1 covers the area from downstream of Sakurabashi Bridge to upstream of Kototoibashi Bridge while Venue No.2 is located from downstream of Komagatabashi Bridge to upstream of Umayabashi Bridge.

I'm very lucky because my boss (i work part time as a webmaster of an online shop) has invited me to her apartment in ryogoku (one of the district in sumida city, tokyo) to watch the firework. Since her apartment is on the 9th floor, i can get very clear view of both the firework. Here are some of the photos. Larger view and more photo on my flickr.

Larger view and more photo on my flickr.

Welcome to MACRO world!!

2008-08-01T00:23:00.005+09:00

just receive my new lens!! Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 MACRO 1:1.
Welcome to the MACRO world!!
hopefully i can get a nice macro shot after this.
This lens can go up to 1:1 magnification..so can't wait to try out this lens!!!

*photo from www.alphamountworld.com and www.microglobe.co.uk

Yokohama International Fireworks Festival (横浜国際花火大会）

2008-07-25T20:06:00.003+09:00

These are some shot taken during the yokohama fireworks festival on 20th July 08. Full view and more photos on my flickr.

Full view and more photos on my flickr.

How to photograph fireworks?

2008-07-25T19:35:00.005+09:00

Summer is the best time for fireworks. Fireworks are fun to watch but even more fun to photograph. Here are some tips on how to shoot fireworks (based on my experience..inform me if i miss something).

1. Pick the best spot - Come early. You can scout the location to find the suitable place for you to shoot. Find a place where people won't be walking in front of your camera.

2. Tripod - Always use tripod. You will be using long exposure time. It will be better if you use cable release or remote control to avoid shaking the camera when you press the shutter button.

3. ISO - Always use the lowest ISO setting available to prevent noise caused by long exposure. For example, ISO 100 or ISO 50.

4. Focus point - Set your focus point to infinity as the fireworks will be high in the sky.

5. Shutter speed - Usually between 5-10 second. You can experiment it yourself. But i always use 'bulb' mode, which mean the shutter will always open as long i press the shutter button. I open the shutter at the beginning of the burst an close it when the fireworks reach its peak.

6. Aperture - There is no exact rule for apperture setting. You have to experiment it yourself. I always use f/8-f/11.

7. Shoot and enjoy the fireworks!!

the good old days

2008-07-24T19:13:00.004+09:00

me in primary school..LOL..still can't believe its me..credit to fyzliana for the pic..

coming soon...

2008-07-21T01:55:00.003+09:00

will post all of them after my exams...

sea life

2008-07-11T23:29:00.002+09:00

just some old photos..relaxing my mind after brain crushing session for my final exam..i just love the life underwater..one of my dream is to go underwater and take some picture of the creature there..someday maybe..

there are a bit noise in these photos that i couldn't avoid..since its dark, i have shoot in high ISO (most of them are ISO 800) to freeze the fishes and catch sufficient light..feel free to comment..larger view and more photos of this set on my flickr

exam mode - until 8august

2008-07-08T05:50:00.005+09:00

wish me luck!!

system design :: intelligent system :: fluid dynamic :: thermodynamic :: vibration mechanics :: mechanics of material :: programming :: mathematics(x3) :: logic :: japanese language

aaaarrgh!!

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