Photography Happenings!! Issue #25

                        **************************************************
                        *      PHOTOGRAPHY HAPPENINGS !!     *
                        *        Photography news in Singapore       *
                        **************************************************

Greetings all photo enthusiasts !!

1) This a private mailing list for photographers in Singapore, so that we
can all be kept informed of the latest happenings in the photographic circle, eg. any courses, outings, interesting websites, and new products in photography.

2) If you wish not to receive any mails, or if you have any photography
enthusiast friends who wants to be added onto this list, pls e-mail me their
e-mail addresses. All the recipients on this mailing list will not be listed, so your address will be kept private and confidential.

3) Depending on the amount of news, you should be receiving one update every
two weeks or so. If you have any news of photographic interest you wish to
share with the rest, pls mail it to me !! Remember, this mailing list is only as good as the info I receive !

4) I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information posted, but I'll try my best to verify the information before putting it up. I will not be held responsible for any inaccuracy of information in the newsletter.

5) The official "Photography Happenings !!" homepage is located at:

http://lioncity.s-one.net.sg/~photo/index.htm

Best regards,
Nelson Tan (Editor)

***************************************************************************

Issue #25 Dated: 17th August 1999

*** CONTENTS ***

Okay, and in this issue of "Photography Happenings !!", we have:

        1) Announcements
           - Editor's note
     - New Photography Forum
           - Invalid E-mail Addresses

        2) New Products
     - New Nikon focusing screen for F5 and grey AFS lenses
     - Kodak DCS 330
     - PhotoMontage

        3) Website Reviews
     - Chris Bitmead's TechPhoto.Org
     - Scanner Shootout: HP S20 vs Nikon LS-30
     - Dan Schmidt Photography Page
     - Adobe Photoshop: PC or Mac?
     - NUS Photographic Society Website Revamp
     - Eye-Light Gallery
     - Landscape photography
     - Hasselblad XPan Product Review

        4) Events
     - World Camera Fair 1999
     - Basic Photography Course
     - The Commonwealth Photographic Awards
     - Zone System Workshop
     - Largest Kinokuniya Bookstore in SouthEast Asia opens
     - Photography Gallery at Four Seasons Hotel

5) Special Offers and Bargains
- Cathay Background Paper Sale

        6) Photography tips
     - Taking better portraits
     - Shooting butterflies
     - Using diffusion cloth to improve your nature photos

___________________________________________________________________________

* ANNOUNCEMENTS *

Editor's note
-------------

Welcome to another bumper issue of "Photography Happenings!!"

The recent National Day celebration for Singapore had been a great photography opportunity for many local photographers, especially to shoot the rare firework displays. "Photography Happenings!!" would like to take this opportunity to thank Frederick Foo for guiding the many subscribers who turned up for the NDP shoot. His contribution had been most invaluable. Frederick had in turn expressed his appreciation for the cooperation and the fun during the shoot, so we might be organizing more of such outings in future!

"Photography Happenings" would also like to express our thanks to RGB Color, Singapore's premier colour lab, for providing our members with special discounts for the National Day shoot. It is through such generous gestures of commercial firms like RGB Colour, that "Photography Happenings!!" is able to promote photography even further.

The World Camera Fair will be held in Singapore this weekend, and many photographic companies will be displaying their latest equipment at the fair. Don't miss this opportunity to check out the newest toys on the market! See the "Events" section for more details on the Fair.

New Photography Forum
---------------------
Do you have a question or an opinion on photography?

"Photography Happenings!!" now has its own photography forum for photography enthusiasts to post their queries and doubts, or simply to express themselves! This new forum is not meant to replace traditional sources of information, but to allow enthusiasts to exchange ideas and information. There are not many rules governing the use of the forum, except that users must be civil and courteous to the rest of the community! Please feel free to post your queries and opinions to get the ball rolling!!

The forum was up about two weeks ago, so there is already lots of postings there. I get about half-a-dozen of photography questions from subscribers daily, so you guys could just post it on the forum, so that the answers can be shared by everyone. I encourage both experts and novices to visit the forum frequently, so that more knowledge can be shared amongst everyone!

"Photography Happenings!!" is grateful to Singapore-One Community for hosting the website and the technical services provided. The homepage and forum will not have been possible without their generous and kind assistance. Check out the new forum and start posting your messages at:

http://forum.s-one.net.sg/forum/288/list.pl

Invalid E-mail Addresses
------------------------
The following receipients were removed from the mailing list because the e-mail addresses were no longer valid according to automated replies from the server. If you find your e-mail in the list below and think that it is a mistake, please contact me via e-mail. As for other subscribers, please inform me to remove your name if you are changing or closing your accounts. Thanks!!

<teobengtee@pacific.net.sg>, <cupid22@singnet.com.sg>, <bable@pacific.net.sg>,
<nunis@hpsgmx18.sgp.hp.com>, <Kristen.Poe@dstm.com>, <artp8175@nus.edu.sg>,
<medp8042@nus.edu.sg>

[Total list membership stands at 993]

***************************************************************************

* NEW PRODUCTS *

New Nikon focusing screen for F5 and grey AFS lenses
----------------------------------------------------

Nikon F5 owners who always wanted the lighted focusing points of the F100 had their wish granted when Nikon recently announced the release of the EC-E screen for F5 cameras. The grid screen is equipped with lighted focusing points like the F100, enabling F5 users to determine the AF point in use. The list price of the EC-E screen is approximately S$160 or US$100. Check it out at:

http://nikon.topica.ne.jp/camera/new/index2.htm

In addition, Nikon has announced that the AFS versions of the two super telephoto lenses 300mm f/2.8 and 400mm f/2.8, will be available in grey bodies. This deviates from the conventional black Nikkor lenses, but the grey lenses will be available in Japan only.

Kodak DCS 330
-------------
Kodak is striking back at Nikon's intrusion into the digital areana by introducing the new Kodak DCS 330. Soon after Nikon launched the Nikon D1, Kodak upgrades the DCS 315 to the new DCS 330. Like the original model, the Kodak DCS 330 is based on a Nikon Pronea 600i body, and using a 1.5 megapixel CCD design. Some of the improvements include a 3 megapixel sensor, boasting an image size of 2008 x 1504 pixels, a lithium niobate low-pass filter to eliminate color artifacting, and a PC connector for external flash connections. One of the most significant enhancement is the use of Kodak's new ITO (Indium/Tin-Oxide) gate electrode technology, which improves overall quantum
efficiency, and boost blue-channel responsivity by an absolute factor of 3, and a factor of roughly 2 relative to the also-increased responsivity of the green and red channels. Full-sized bitmap files from the DCS330 are fuly 8.65 megabytes in size. The CCD on the DCS330 uses 9 micron pixels, and has a rated sensitivity range of ISO 125-400. The effective lens focal lengths are multiplied by 1.9x relative to a 35mm frame, a considerable improvement over the DCS315's factor of 2.6x.

Check out the interesting "adventures" of the author as he ventures into the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) Annual Convention 1999, and read about his comparison and comments of the new DCS 330 versus the Nikon D1 at:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/EVENTS/PPA99/PPA99A.HTM

PhotoMontage
------------
PhotoMontage is a computer program which creates a montage full of thumbnails into a complete picture which is visible when seen from afar. Scan in one of your images into the computer and run the program, which will insert in some of the 20,000 thumbnail images to recreate the original image. The result is a stunning picture which seems like your original image when seen from afar, but you can see the individual images when you look at the image closeup.

This is what all program reviews should be like. The reviews contain screen shots of the program to show you what the interface looks like, and the "before" and "after" images, allowing you to make comparisons. In addition, the author writes in concise and clear English, with little computer jargons. In addition, there are lots of illustrating pictures to let you see the program in action. The author ends off with a good observation/evaluation of the program. Check it out at:

http://www.focus-online.com/Reviews/photomontage.html

***************************************************************************

* WEBSITE REVIEWS *

Here are this issue's recommended websites:

Chris Bitmead's TechPhoto.Org
-----------------------------
Chris Bitmead's TechPhoto.Org has undergone a big revamp, and is now looking brand new with better surfer interface. This website contains lots of links to many interesting reviews and articles, which you should check out for some surprises. With the better and jazzier look, this site seems set to break into the big time!

http://www.techphoto.org/

Scanner Shootout: HP S20 vs Nikon LS-30
---------------------------------------
Thinking of purchasing a film scanner? With so many choices on the market, from the budget Canoscan to the mid-range Minoltas to the top-of-the-range Nikon Coolscans, the digital enthusiasts have never been so spoilt for choice. Check out this review article as it pits two of the most popular film scanners on the market against each other - for specifications and value-for-money.

Click the link at the bottom "View Test Images" to see a total of 10 images.
Notice that the film used for testing the scanners are either negative films or Kodachrome films (which very few people actually use nowadays). There are no tests done on conventional E6-based transparency films, which means you should look for other reviews if you plan to do mass scanning of E6 slides. There is no obvious in this case, and although Nikon produces more vibrant colours, the HP S20 wins in reproducing skin tones.

I'm not sure I agree with the testing procedure of treating the scanned images with the same adjustments in Photoshop, because the inherent difference of scanners will definitely lead to favouring of a particular scanner if any particular method is used. Check it out for yourself at:

http://www.spectracomputing.com/scan/scantest.html

Dan Schmidt Photography Page
----------------------------
This site contains the kind of images that makes you want to quit your job, get a large format camera and migrate to the States. Check out the images of the Death Valley and Santa Barbara sections, and you will automatically pick them as your next travel destination.

http://www.qi.ucsb.edu/schmidt/www/Photography.htm

Adobe Photoshop: PC or Mac?
---------------------------
A sure-fire way of inducing conflict amongst a group of photographers is to ask innocently "Is Canon/Nikon/Minolta the best camera around?", and then stand back and watch them insult each other. As for digital enthusiasts, you should ask them "Which is better - Mac or PC?"

For serious digital enthusiasts with S$7000 and nowhere to spend, check out this unique review of the PC vs Mac. Pitting the best of the two systems, see how well they perform using Adobe Photoshop:

"In our quest to find the ultimate digital dream machine, we rounded up two of the hottest systems on the planet: a Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) 320 Visual Workstation, powered by Intel's new 500-MHz Pentium III processor, and a top-of-the-line 400-MHz Apple Power Macintosh G3".

Sounds interesting? Check it out at:

http://www.publish.com/features/9906/machines/machines.html

NUS Photographic Society Website Revamp
---------------------------------------
The National University of Singapore Photgraphic Society (NUS P.S) has just revamped its website. One of Singapore's biggest photographic organization, the NUS P.S had been very active in the local circles. The new website is modern and surfer-friendly, and it sure looks good!

http://scicblc.nus.edu.sg/~photosoc

Eye-Light Gallery
-----------------
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to the best virtual photographic gallery I've ever seen:

http://www.eye-light.com/

Simply put, this gallery puts others to shame. The site is very well-designed, with great Java scripting and images! The photographer Sharad Haksar is a professional photographer in India, with a impressive line of clients. The images are his personal work, allowing him to express his creativity and individuality to the fullest. The virtual gallery looks really good and feels like a real gallery. However, surfers with slow internet connections or older version of browsers with no Java capablility will not enjoy the site to the fullest.

If you thought the images look good in the site, they're even more gorgeous in real life! The prints are now on show at Notices The Gallery (at Four Seasons Hotel), and you can order your own copy at only US$150. Each print comes with a certificate and will be signed by the the photographer himself. They are well worth the money, and they look really good on the walls of your hall. See the "Events" section for info on the gallery at Four Seasons Hotel.

Landscape photography
---------------------
This webpage gives an intro to basic landscape photography, touching on the basic aspects of shooting landscape. You can't expect author to cover everything about landscape photography, which comes up to a book! Anyway, the illustrating photos could be nicer, but thise serves as a nice primer to landscape photography. The article covers various areas such as lighting, techniques and equipment required. Due to the length of essasy, it's a touch and go situation. But it does give you an idea of the areas of landscape which you can look into.

http://www.picture-perfect.net/landscape.shtml

Hasselblad XPan Product Review
------------------------------
The Hasselblad Xpan is a unique product, being a electronic rangefinder panoramic mm camera made by a medium format specialist. It is indeed a rare little gem, and few people actually own one, not to mention writing a review about it. I was surprised to find a moderately complete review about it, so I thought it may just interest enough readers for me to post the link here. So check it out if you are interested in finding out more about this cute camera.

http://www.focus-online.com/Reviews/x-pan.html

***************************************************************************

* EVENTS *

World Camera Fair 1999
----------------------
The World Camera Fair is back again, after an absence of five years. This year, the fair is held at Ngee Ann City forum, from 20th to 22nd August. The major camera brands will be represented at the fair, and you can expect the latest goodies from the major brands to be there! During the last five years, digital photography has taken a huge leap forward, so prepare to be amazed by the digital products! Admission is free.

   World Camera Fair 1999
   Ngee Ann City Shopping Center forum
   20th to 22nd August 1999
   1030h - 2200h daily

Basic Photography Course
------------------------
NUS Photographic Society will be conducting a Basic Photography Course this coming Saturday. This course is targeted at enthusiasts who do not have any knowledge of photography at all, and wish to pick up the skills of using an SLR camera. The four-hours course will teach the participants the basics of photo taking, such as using a SLR camera and composition skills. The course will include hands-on session, and an outing on another day to allow the learners to practice their skills with instructors to coach them along. You do not need to own a camera to go for the course, since Nikon cameras will be provided by NUS P.S. Probably the best thing is the price -$4 for NUS students and $6 for members of public.

    NUS Photographic Society
    Basic Photography Course
    21st August 1999
    1-5 p.m
    NUS LT9

Check out the website for more details:

http://scicblc.nus.edu.sg/~photosoc

The Commonwealth Photographic Awards
------------------------------------
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the modern Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) is presenting "The Commonwealth Photographic Awards". This competition is open to all Commonwealth residents, and the theme is "Freedom". Entrants are invited to interpret the theme as freely as they like. Only prints are accepted (both colour and B/W), and participants are expected to include a paragraph (approx. 50 words) explaining why you think this photo is significant and giving details of what it shows. Although entry is restricted to Commonwealth residents although pictures may have been taken anywhere in the world.

Closing date is 30th September 1999. For more information, check out the website at:

Http://www.oneworld.org/cba

Zone System Workshop
--------------------
The Zone System is a precise system of exposure pre-visualization developed by the great American photographer Ansel Adams, as a method of visualizing a scene as it will appear on a print. Unfortunately, like Einstein's theory of Relativity, it is often quoted but seldom understood.

Adam Seow, one of Malaysia's top commercial photographer, and fine-arts photographer HS Lim, will be conducting two 3-days workshop on the Zone System. The aim of the workshop is to demystify the Zone System, enabling you to harness the method to achieve B/W prints with greater control. The workshop will walk you through the process through theories and hands-on practice.

The syllabus includes:

DAY ONE 9.30am - 6.00pm
What is Zone
Pre-visualization and Placement
Measuring Light
Sensitometry: Finding the Exposure Index
Film Processing
Evaluating the Exposure Index ( Densitometer )

DAY TWO 9.30am - 6.00pm
Sensitometry: Finding the Normal Development
Controlling Contrast
Metering for Optimum Exposure & Development
Using the Zone System
Reality Test

DAY THREE 9.30am - 6.00pm
Developing the 'reality test'
Darkroom Work
Contact Printing
Basic Enlargement
Review and Summary

All darkroom equipment and chemicals will be provided, You need, however, to have your own camera, exposure meter, film and tripod. The class size will be limited to a maximum of 6 participants per workshop, to maximise the benefit for all involved. The course fees is RM. 950.00 per person, inclusive of daily refreshment breaks, lunch and all darkroom resources.

There will be two workshops:

29 - 31 August 1999
15 - 17 October 1999

For application and reservation please contact:
Adam 012-2152391 or Lim Hock Seng 019-2247323
adamphoto@hot,mail.com or hszone@hotmail.com

Largest Kinokuniya Bookstore in SouthEast Asia opens in Singapore
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kinokuniya opened its largest branch in SouthEast Asia at NgeeAnn City, Singapore. The new branch occupies the entire third floor of the complex, and boasts of millions of books. Especially impressive is the art section, managed by Page One (formally at Marina Square). The section holds hundreds of photography related books which one can hardly find elsewhere. Although the prices are not cheap, many of the books are valuable resources and worth the price. While you are at the World Camera Fair, why not check out the bookstore as well?

Photography Gallery at Four Seasons Hotel
-----------------------------------------
The latest events all seem to be centred around Orchard Road!

From now until 15th Sept., photographer Sharad Haksar will be holding a photography gallery exhibition at Notices The Gallery, located at the Four Seasons Hotel (beside Borders).

The prints cover 11" X 14" image area on a mat of 16" X 20". Each print costs US $125, and comes with a Certificate of Authentication signed by the photographer himself. All the prints are mounted on acid free, archival quality boards.

My recommendations for all local photographers will be to pop down to Orchard Road this weekend, to check out the Camera Fair and Kinokuniya bookstore, and end off the day with a viewing the gallery at Four Seasons Hotel!

   Photography Gallery by Sharad Haksar
   Notices The Gallery
   Four Seasons Hotel
                     1200h to 1900h

***************************************************************************

* SPECIAL OFFERS AND BARGAINS *

Cathay Background Paper Sale
----------------------------
Cathay Photo is having a clearance sale on background paper. With various choices such as marble paper, scenic textures, printed seamless amongst many others, the background papers by Superior Specialties Inc. will start from S$40.00 onwards, while stocks last!

***************************************************************************

* PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS *

Taking better portraits
-----------------------
People photography is one of the most popular topics, and yet not everyone is able to do it well. Marci Cooke talks about some tips which will help you achieve more attractive portraits without the need to buy more equipment. The twelve tips offered by Marci are not exactly technical tips, but rather some techniques you can use for more natural pictures. Check it out at:

http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag5-6/MC_portrait.shtml

Shooting butterflies
--------------------
Jakub Jasinski is a expert on butterfly photography. As anyone who tried to photograph the creatures will know that these insects are extremely difficult to capture on film, due to their shy nature and small size. Jakub shares his knowledge on the finer points of butterfly photography, talking about the nature of the butterflies and the best place and time to find them. In addition, he also discusses in detail the technical aspects of the shooting, giving good and clear advice on how to best capture butterflies on film. I find that many of his tips apply to general insect photography as well.

http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag1-6/mag1-8insects.shtml

Using diffusion cloth to improve your nature photos
---------------------------------------------------
This article by John Gerlach discusses the use of diffusion cloth (basically a small piece of cloth) to diffuse the light for close-ups of nature. Not only will it give your photographs soft diffused lighting, it also helps to block the wind when you are trying to photography delicate subjects such as flowers. It is a practical and useful tip, without you having to spend a cent at all!

http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag2-6/mag2-6jg3.shtml

______________________________________________________________________________

That's all for this issue, folks!
Happy shooting!!
Your friendly list-maintainer,
Nelson Tan

Visit the official "Photography Happenings !!" website at:

http://lioncity.s-one.net.sg/~photo