Monday, May 30, 2016

Europe Travel Light & Easy

For all my trip to abroad, one of my the headache usually start with what equipment to bring for the coming trip.

For my last Europe trip, I decided to go light & easy as this trip is not my usual leisure wildlife watching trip but a working trip. I decided to just carry 1 bridge camera. The bridge camera will give me some zoom power for wildlife and my iPhone as a very handy camera to use it mainly for landscape and selfie. I also carry a carbon fiber travel tripod.

Can I survive without my usual DSLR with 500mm lens and a sturdy tripod? Below are some of the photos from my recent trip.
RAI, Amsterdam
This was the very first landscape photo that I took for my last Europe trip using iPhone. This was taken just beside the hotel I stayed near Rai, Amsterdam.
Amsterdam, Love cruise
This macro shot with a huge bicycle parking facility at the background was taken before my cruise.
Keukenhof
When in Amsterdam in May, how can I not visit Keukenhof - the most beautiful spring garden in the world and is open only once a year!
Tulip, Keukenhof
If you are visiting Keukenhof in future, you must make sure that you have enough memory cards & batteries for whatever camera that you have. This place is so beautiful that you would want to capture as many photos as you could. Don't let your memory card and batteries stop you...  :)
Wind mill, Amsterdam
Windmill, this is how I know about Holland when I was still in my primary school. Good to see one in action.
Amsterdam
Another macro shot (in door) at the souvenir corner inside the windmill by using my iPhone.
London
These are the pictures taken in London.
Big Ben London
Appear in many movie lately...Big Ben
Big Ben
I took this photo with the help of apps. Just search for light trail or pro cam in app store. There are many apps that can do this.
Eye of London
Shoot this at the same location on the West Minster Bridge but different angle.
Grey squirrel, London
This is where my bridge camera come in handy... I get the zoom power that I want to bring this squirrel appear so close to me.
Common Terns
One of the better flight shot that I have taken with my bridge camera.
Amsterdam
This is all I carry for my Europe trip. A sling strap for my bridge camera ready for action anytime! I brought extra batteries, power bank & memory cards in my back pack also act as carrier for any souvenir that I bought along the way. I got all the shot that I wanted and survive without my DSLR! Haha...

For a DSLR user, I spend sometimes before my trip to get use to the slower response of the bridge camera compare to a DSLR camera. One of the big difference is the focusing speed, especially when the target is the fast moving object, e.g bird in flight. This is the same to any new camera, you have to know the camera well in order to make full use of the camera. I'm glad I spend sometime with it without rely on my DSLR before this trip. I will post more photos on the wild life I taken coming soon...

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Force Mating of Mallard

I was in Amsterdam attending an exhibition. Took some time to side track visiting a garden near the hotel I stay.
Mallard, wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
 Mallard is very common in this part of the world.
Mallard, wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
 They can be seen in garden, park...
Mallard, wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
Even in the canal right in the city center of Amsterdam!

This trip indeed an eye opener for me, I didn't know Mallard can mate in water!


Another thing that I'm not sure is if mating in water is only happening during force mating.