How to create better photos by Dr David Sing Kong Yuen

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP. Night photos. Use M mode. I use Canon EOS R5 for most of my photography nowadays. It is mirrorless which means it is lighter but has high performance. 45MP resolution compared to Canon EOS 5D MKIV (30.4MP resolution). It shoots 20fps in full-resolution raw and works effectively on high ISOs meaning it is good for low light. Photo below was shot using the Canon R5 on tripod, Manual Mode. Lens 24 - 105 mm Focus in on the MRT Station sign. Canon R5, Tripod, M Mode with Auto ISO. Actual settings are:   1/15 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800 (auto ISO), 53 mm focal length.       TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATES AT: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/48-photography-camera-canon-eos-r5.html

SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY. iPhone 13 makes excellent images, lighter and is more convenient to use as compared to the DSLR cameras.  An example is shown: SINGAPORE - 14 JUN 2023: Sun rays at 7.29 am cast a golden glow on the top of one Housing Board (HDB) block in Sengkang.  Multi-storey car park (L) and HDB flats (R) are seen. The image is sharp as the iPhone user is experienced in taking photos. She sent to me the  original files.    iPhone 13 Pro Max   14 Jun 2023   14 Jun 2023   7.29am1/750 sec, f/1.5, ISO 50. Image by Shah.    TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATES AT: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/47-smartphone-photography-iphone-13-pro.html      

PHOTOGRAPHY WILDLIFE SINGAPORE - Oriental Garden Lizard in Lentor Place 1.  Best to use a tripod as handshakes can blur the eye sharpness. 2.  Be observant. I saw this young lizard on the tree trunk. It was eyeing me closely. I did not move my tripod too near as it might just scurry up the trunk or jump onto the grass and disappeared fast to other hiding places 15 Jun 2023  11.40am  Lentor Pl Playground  Canon R5  TV  1/1000 sec  f/4.0  ISO 320  Tripod A young Oriental Garden Lizard     TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATE: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/46-photography-wildlife-singapore.html    

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY OF FITNESS TRACKER WATCH: National Steps Challenge in Singapore. 1.  BIG WATCH I used Manual Mode & tripod, ISO 200, f/4.0.  14 Jun 2023, 9.33 pm   Actual is 1/6sec, f/4.0, ISO 200. Canon R5. Photoshop to get white background   2.  SMALL WATCH (Will post info later). TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATE AT: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/45-travel-photography-of-fitness.html

 PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Non-stop fluttering butterfly. Use TV 1/1000 sec not 1/400 Non-stop fluttering. Use TV, 1/400, f/4.5, ISO AUTO (actual is 500). Canon R5,  15 Jun 2023, 11.25amHand-held. Eye focus.  Better to use 1/1000 sec. Several shots.  TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets . UPDATE: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/44-photography-tip-non-stop-fluttering.html         -----------------------      

PHOTOGRAPHY OF WHITE FLOWERS.  8.15am sunlight AND tripod. 8.15 am sunlight is good for white flower photography. Esplanade Rd central divider. 11 Jun 2023 Sunday, no cars. Use tripod. Canon R5, AV f/16 ISO 100, 1/80 sec.   TO BUY PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATES: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/43-photography-of-white-flowers-815am.html    

PHOTOGRAPHY: Indoor food court. Kopitiam Terminal 4, Changi Airport. Use tripod and f/11. 14 Jun 2023,  12.34 pm Terminal 4, Changi Airport   No Wed lunch crowd Tripod. Canon R5 AV f/11 ISO 200 1/5sec. Focus “KOPITIAM”     TO BUY PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets  UPDATE:   https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/42-photography-indoor-food-court.html      

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: 28 May 2023  11.24pm Tsuen Wan Nina Hotel Hong Kong 12,571 steps for one whole day outing     I used a tripod but the AV Mode is not very good as it takes 1.0 sec shutter speed due to the poor lighting of the hotel room. Canon R5, AV, f/11, ISO 400, 1.0 sec In retrospect, I could have tried Manual Mode as the lighting inside the hotel room was poor. Walks prevent sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) in the elderly. At least 5,000 steps per day are advised by Singapore's Health Promotion Board. TO BUY PHOTO:  www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATE: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/41-national-steps-challenge-in-hong.html    ---------------------------------------------------

Merlion tourists - Sunday 11 Jun 2023 A much more vibrant tourist scene since the opening of borders in April 2022. More tour groups and tourists were seen today esp. near the Merlion. This makes photography very difficult as tourists just walk in front of you. 1. PHOTOS.Merlion tourists Merlion, Sun 11 Jun 2023, 9.32am   Use tripod, focus on the eye of MerlionCanon R5, AV, f/11, ISO 100. 1/250 sec   TO BUY PHOTO:  shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets VIDEOS.  9.19 am tourists around the Merlion   TO BUY PHOTO: www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATES AT: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/40-photography-video-esplanade-tourists.html      

The myna is a pest in Singapore.  It eats leftover food in hawker centres and elsewhere. Compared to 5 years ago,  its numbers have had declined by more than 500%. Many animal lovers know the reason for the population decline.The myna is  trapped and poisoned by pest control companies engaged by the authorities such as the Town Council. All the shoppers were not bothered with this trapped myna fluttering back and forth high above the enclosed area above the escalators leading to and from the roof top.   The two doors to the rooftop were wide open. The myna had two escape routes to freedom. Why did he fly back and forth, landing on the window ledge above the doors?  A male and a female teenager stood beside the two doors to ensure they stay open to help the myna fly out. The Saturday shoppers streamed through the open doors without any concern for the distressed open-mouthed myna. The myna population knows that humans are a threat to their life over the years of encounters.T

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TIP S:  It is extremely difficult for me to take photos of squirrels in the past years, owing to my lack of technical knowledge and equipment. A good lens is very important. On 1 Dec 2021, 9AM, I sat on a concrete block marker in Yio Chu Kang Cres forest and saw a small dark brown mass on a tree branch some 50 m away. It was a young squirrel eating his breakfast.   Canon DSLR 90 EOS 90D, EFS 18-200mmm, P Mode , Focus on the head area as I couldn't see the eyes. Rare sighting due to habitat loss for development of N-S Corridor.  As at Apr 2023, this area is out of bounds for photography, with the government putting up signs along the length of Yio Chu Kang Crescent road. UPDATE ON 12 JUN 2023: 1. I don't use P Mode anymore as it is not reliable. 2. I use AV Mode mainly as light changes fast and my M mode may not be able to cope with changing light conditions. 3. I use TV Mode (shutter priority) if there is bright sunshine and I am nearby as I find it provid

10 June 2023, 11 am. This photo was taken by J... on her morning cycling in Ulu Sembawang PCN. Her photo of clouds was strikingly attractive with heart-shaped eyes seen in the clouds and water ripples. Her phone was an old iPhone. Her photo of her two bicycles at around 8 am is not as sharp. This photo has a strange "brick-wall" sky. Photographing the sun needs certain settings of the phone.

5 JUN 2023, 12.20 pm. Esplanade Forecourt Garden. Orange moth/butterfly basks. Rare sighting in Esplanade of an orange coloured small-sized moth/butterfly. Canon R5, AV, f/9, ISO 11, 1/125 sec.  Hand held. Moth is stationary as if I was not present as I focused on eyes.  TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATE:   https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/photography-at-noon-time-and-orange-moth.html    

COACHING YOUNG PEOPLE by Dr David Sing. I am Dr David Sing, a veterinarian now 73 years old. Over the past decades, I took bad photos as I was too busy to acquire good techniques. I just used the P Mode of the Canon camera, thinking that the camera will create good photos for me as this is "Program" Mode.  I had over 90% poor quality photos. I did not have mentors or handphones then. Many young people have the latest smartphones which capture excellent photos, but they rarely are interested in acquiring better photography skills. They shoot images of travel and leisure and do not bother about the quality or how to make better photos. Soon they accumulate lots of blurry photos that can be better shot. Dr David Sing will advise them free of charge if they wish to ask for advice. This blog also provides some case studies on how to create better photos and showcase such photos in shutterstock which accepts only high quality stock photos. www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets www.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP.  Insufficient space for editing. Roof top of playground equipment is cut off 10 Jun 2023. Latest smartphones from Samsung can produce very sharp photos. In this case, the original image is not acceptable as the playground equipment is tilting. As the photographer did NOT give sufficient surrounding space for me for editing, my edited photo shows the roof top CUT OFF. Always remember to shoot with more spaces surrounding the subject of interest. There is no need to crop your smartphone photo tightly.   Samsung SM-A226B. 7 Jun 2023, 8.08 am Focal length 4.71 mm, 1/110 sec, f/1.8, ISO 64 Hougang children's playground TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets UPDATE AT: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/34-smartphone-photography-of-childrens.html

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS. USE SHUTTER PRIORITY for butterfly photography as they flutter and moves fast. Moving butterflies and breezes blowing the leaves. You need to use TV (shutter priority) mode. I find that TV, 1/1000 sec, f/4.5 and ISO AUTO usually get good sharp images out of >5 taken. Hand-hold camera and focus on the eye of the butterfly. In this pair, I focused on the lower female butterfly and took more than 5 shots.   Tawny Coster mating. 6 Jun 2023, 2.10pm, Singapore General Hospital garden near SNEC building. Canon R5, Hand held, TV, 1/1000 sec, f/4.5, ISO AUTO (actual ISO 320) TO BUY PHOTO:   www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets     UPDATE: https://photographysingkongyuen.blogspot.com/2023/06/33-photography-moving-butterflies.html