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Saturday, September 02, 2006

My Nocturne Photographs

Orchids Spectrum
© 2006 Martin Liew


Orchids Spectrum

I first came across this art form of photography at The Nocturnes (www.thenocturnes.com) and I was really impressed by the works of many famous night photographers in US. I particularly like the works by Andy Frazer, Tim Baskerville, Troy Paiva, Larrie Thomson, Michael Frye, William Lesch and many more.

I was so inspired and motivated that I got myself all the essential tools for nocturne photography, such as colored gels, strong flashlights (torchlights in Asia term), external flash units (cheap ones from Yin Yan, China made which I bought online recently). I use a fully manual 35mm film SLR, Nikon FM10 with 2 lenses i.e. 17-35mm & 35-70mm. Well most of the time I use the former lens for a wider coverage and perspective on architectural structures and landscapes. The film I used is Kodak Ektachrome E100VS. For "Orchids Spectrum" I used an expired Kodak E100GX therefore there are color shifts but I still love the color it produced. I use E100VS becuz I like the color sdaturation it produces.

I never intend to record any "true colors" of the night or make pictures of the "real" world in the night. Nocturne photography, to me, is experimental and a creative way of expressing on how I see this world in another dimension. To create an unworldly pictures with bright colors. Making nocturne pictures isn't as easy as it seems especially here in Singapore, where stray light sources from street lamps, house lightings, traffic lights, etc etc. So it's hard to come by any area or spot that is in near darkness. Well I do enjoy the whole process of making nocturne pictures and it does make me see and feel things differently in my surroundings. Of cuz it challenges me on the technical as well as artistic aspect of photography.

Here's one of the many photographs I made early this year and I will post each picture from time to time. Do come back and check them out.

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