Changing Lanes

My Mom screams out to me from the kitchen asking me to get rid of the house flies buzzing around her head as she cooks some fish. I hurry to the kitchen and spot a house fly and manage to somehow make it fly out the door (leading to the balcony). I look around for some more flies but spot none. I walk back to the computer. After some time my Mom tells me there is still a fly buzzing around. I get back to the kitchen look around but can't spot the fly. I looked carefully at the food and spotted a fly walking on some uncooked fish completely wet and unable to fly. I take a dry tissue, managed to get the fly to walk onto it and laid it down outside. Then I stood there and took a few shots while I watched the fly for a good 10mins as it dried it legs, eyes, wings. It was fascinating to watch such a small creature go about drying it self.Shooting Date/Time : 12/31/2008 12:35:23 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/60
Av(Aperture Value) : 4.5
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Focal Length : 50.0 mmShooting Date/Time : 12/31/2008 12:35:54 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/100
Av(Aperture Value) : 4.5
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Focal Length : 50.0 mm

Spotted this guy buzzing around in the front yard of a villa in Jumeirah next to Ijaza cafeteria...Did you know that a Wasp is a social or solitary hymenopterans typically having a slender body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk and having a formidable sting (off google search)....'formidable sting'...hmm....Shooting Date/Time : 12/19/2008 8:45:17 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/250
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Focal Length : 50.0 mm

A shot of shattered glass lying on the ground behind a bunch of schools in Garhoud opposite Lifco supermarket....Shooting Date/Time : 12/23/2008 3:27:07 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/640
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Focal Length : 50.0 mm

Wrote this poem last night. Don't like it too much apart from the ending I guess.....

Read to understand live...
16/12/2008

Read between the lines
To survive in this world
Understand how it works
Live the normal life

Read between these lines
To see what I feel
Understand my emotions
Live through my eyes

Read between any lines
To just kill time
Understand what it depicts
Live believing it fiction

Read between my lines
To see into my eyes
Understand that I cannot read
Live without seeing the lines

-Stained

This is a shot of the sunset last evening taken from the roof of my building. It's a three shot panorama.Shooting Date/Time : 12/16/2008 5:24:17 PM - 5:24:21 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/50
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Partial Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

Got my self a new lens. A Sigma 50mm f2.8 Macro. Not the best lens around though optically amazing and it was being sold second hand at a bargain price of AED450/-, so I picked it up.

Here's a picture of a flower growing in my balcony.Shooting Date/Time : 12/14/2008 12:13:44 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/125
Av(Aperture Value) 2.8
Metering Mode : Partial Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 50mm f/2.8 Macro
Focal Length : 50.0 mm

On the 6th of this month I went for an off-road trip with some other local photographers. A trip to see the sunrise from the desert and to visit a mountain/hill called fossil rock. Unfortunately we could only managed to get to Fossil Rock Minor due to inexperience off road drivers though we plan to tackle the tracks to the Large fossil Rock another time.

1) A two shot Panorama of the sunrise over Maliha Mountain.......btw the two dots on the right are hot air balloons and not dirt on my sensor... Shooting Date/Time : 12/6/2008 7:01:39 AM - 7:01:41 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/400 - 1/320
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed 100
Lens 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length 35.0 mm

2) I tried a different approach to process this pictures. Might look like an HDR but it isn't. Well not completely. I played around with the Exposure and highlights/Shadows option in PS3. Btw the white glow on the right was mist rising as the sun rose....was very cool to watch it....Shooting Date/Time : 12/6/2008 6:58:39 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/125
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 24.0 mm

3) 6 shot panorama of Fossil rock minor....I know it doesn't look like much but the view was great...also a bit too much sky for my liking but I wanted to frame that plane into the picture...Shooting Date/Time : 12/6/2008 7:34:46 AM - 7:34:53 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/320
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

Note: Been kinda lazy to make any new posts...so didn't post much over here.

Took this shot after I had exited the Big5 exhibition and was waiting for the signal to turn red so that I could cross to the other side. Would have taken more shots but this man started questioning me(out of curiosity) about my cameras cost and stuff.....Shooting Date/Time : 11/23/2008 2:43:08 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/50
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

I was busy editing pictures for a client (who seems to be happy with my work) so couldn't post these pictures earlier. Anyway, everyone knows about the Atlantis Opening. Here's my version of it...

I was planning a trip to watch the fireworks for ages. Initially a guy living on the Palm invited me and some others to join him to take pictures but than Nakheel decided to the lock the Palm up for outsiders. Then I thought of every possible spot to take pictures from. I even thought about breaking into a Media/Internet City or Knowlege Village building roof. But in the end decided to make my way to Sufouh beach (or Dead Beach as I like calling it). On my way there, Fud calls me up and tells me her uncle works in Nakheel and is taking her into the Palm. Lucky her!!!

Anyway I reached Sufouh Beach at about 10:45pm and found it surprisingly emptier that I had expected. Having a 4WD, we parked on the edge of the beach and I set up my tripod to be ready for those fireworks. We were in a place where we could just see a part of Atlantis and my siblings kept asking me if I wanted to shift to another spot from where the Atlantis was more visible. I said no because the rush there was kinda more than where I was and I didn't care about Atlantis, I was there for the fireworks. At 11:30pm I get another call from Fud who tells me she in on top of a 40 floor tower in Media City and I can join her if I want. Now, not knowing when the fireworks were actually scheduled to start, we lingered around for about 10 more minutes on the beach and then made our way to Media City. As we entered the main road, we saw that the police were not letting more people into the beach because by now it was full.

So we reached Media City, we found the tower and slowly made our way in. The security guard just glanced at us and didn't say a word. Now I'll just clarify that I'm scared of heights and lifts and being in this building earlier, I didn't like the fact that the lift in this building shakes a bit. Btw this is the Shattar Tower (or something like that) with the DU office in it. So we reached the 40th floor, took the stairs to the roof. I found Fud there standing next to a wall as tall as her. This was nice because I felt less scared. About 30-40 people were already there and crowded around the spot where Atlantis was easily visible as there was a tower next to it that partially covered the Palm. I set up my tripod at maximum height which did not allow me to use my viewfinder. I tried to find some space in between the crowd but most seemed quite annoyed. In the end I set up my tripod in a place where I annoyed no one and also would get decent shots.

So here we were waiting for the fireworks, me taking random shots now and then. And then at 12:30am it started. We were all awestruck by the magnitude of fireworks being launched. I over exposed a lot of shots before I realised I was doing it all wrong. I then changed my settings and got a few good shots. I think I prefer the Atlantis shots over the fireworks shots and there I was saying I didn't want any Atlantis shots...Silly me!!!

Anyway here are a few of my shots. Hope I didn't bore you with my long story...
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:17:54 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 30
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:30:13 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 10
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:30:46 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 10
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:33:09 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1.6
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 35.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:33:23 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1.6
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 51.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:33:34 AM
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1.6
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 63.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:33:40 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1.6
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 42.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:35:48 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 10
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm
Shooting Date/Time : 11/21/2008 12:51:35 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 30
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 134.0 mm

A 12 shot panorama of a building on Sheikh Zayed Road....Does anyone know the name of this building???Shooting Date/Time : 11/15/2008 9:21:06 - 9:21:22 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/800
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed :100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

It rained at 5am on Sunday.....a sign that Winter is here. I hope this is a sign of a wetter winter ahead cause it sucks t look at all the dried wadis and dams...

These are not the best pictures possible but this is the best I could manage....need more practice...

This is an out of focus (OOF) shot of the droplets on the plastic sheet on the construction site cabins. The poor labourers had to put the sheets up while it was raining.Shooting Date/Time : 11/16/2008 5:22:11 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 13
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

Rain visible in the street light.
Shooting Date/Time 11/16/2008 5:16:49 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 0.6
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

While walking from Crown Plaza Hotel to Trade Centre Roundabout I passed a several flowers buzzing with bees. So I got my camera out, got on my knees and slowly moved closer to get a few shots. Here is one of those shots...Shooting Date/Time : 11/15/2008 9:40:48 AM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/400
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

Took this shot of the lamp at my sisters place with the nifty fifty...came out surprisingly well!!!Shooting Date/Time : 11/12/2008 11:54:07 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/400
Av(Aperture Value) : 8.0
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

Winter is almost here so it's not a bad idea to visit the beach now. Took this 13 shot panorama from the so-called 'Dead beach' opposite Dubai College off Sufouh road. You can see Burj Al Arab on the right side and the building being constructed on Palm Jumeirah in the horizon.Shooting Date/Time 11/9/2008 1:36:17 - 1:36:31 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/800 - 1/1600
Av(Aperture Value) : 5.6
Metering Mode : Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed : 200
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

Lately when I think of a poem, it stays in my head for a very short period of time and I forget about it before I can write it down. Luckily I had my mobile around the last time I though of a poem in my head and quickly typed it out on my phone(All hail Qwerty keypads on mobiles).

Posting one after a very long time and this one is quite simple/basic in comparison to my older poems though the depressing theme continues...

Dreaming Again
30/10/2008

I wish I could say what I want to say
But those words are too harsh for your tender ears
These days go by dreading that determination
That will hit you someday
After it annihilates me...

I stand here waiting in astonishment
How could this happen to us
Watching the time rattle away
Are we getting closer to the end
Or maybe I'm just dreaming again...

-Stained

Taken on my way back homeShooting Date/Time : 10/30/2008 2:11:43 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/400
Av(Aperture Value) : 6.3
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

A 4 shot vertical panorama of the building called 'The Tower' on Sheikh Zayed Road.Shooting Date/Time :10/26/2008 7:32:38 PM
Tv( Shutter Speed ) : 5secs - 25sec
Av( Aperture Value ) : 8.0
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 200.0 mm

Taken of the foot bridge that passes over the Sheikh Zayed Road.....Shooting Date/Time : 10/26/2008 7:46:11 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 10 secs
Av(Aperture Value) : 8.0
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : 18.0 - 200.0 mm
Focal Length : 18.0 mm

My dad got grapefruit for my sister. So I cut it up and made a glass of juice for her...Shooting Date/Time : 10/24/2008 1:06:27 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/200
Av(Aperture Value) : 2.8
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 100
Lens : EF50mm f/1.8
Focal Length : 50.0 mm

The Baynunah Hilton Towers Hotel in Abu Dhabi used to be the tallest building in UAE before the Burj al Arab was built in Dubai. Now it is dwarfed by several buildings in Dubai though it still remains the third tallest(completed)building in Abu Dhabi. This picture was taken by me a year back. You can also see the tallest building in Abu Dhabi, The Abu Dhabi investment authority tower in the background on the left sideShooting Date/Time : 10/13/2007 6:15:09 PM
Tv(Shutter Speed) : 1/15
Av(Aperture Value) : 3.5
Metering Mode : Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed : 800
Lens : EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Focal Length : 18.0 mm