The last time I've actually blogged was 5 years ago, and when I went to visit my old blogs I couldn't stand to stay at the page any second longer than necessary (which means clicking X immediately.) If it comes to it, I might have to change this theme to something else (after searching & selecting & deciding for three hours but that's life huh)...
I apologise for my ramblings, but let's get started with today's topic of interest - Outdoor Figure Photography. I've recently started collecting figures, and after seeing several amazing photographers capturing them in living landscapes, I've decided to join in the fun. Why not, right? We've paid so much just to leave them on the computer desk, the least I could think to do is to attach some fancy background to commemorate their awesomeness. That way it would no longer be just a 'toy' collecting dust, no; owning them is something to be celebrated over, something to be proud of! It is a piece of art to be admired and sought after, just like any other form of artworks.
I've read that the best time to do outdoor figure photography is during the spam of sunrise and sunset, and decided to go with the former. It was Tuesday (19/05), and I've set the alarm clock to do its thing at 7 in the morning. I hate waking up early with all my heart, but for the sake of my passion such sacrifice is excusable, and definitely worth it.
I'm no expert on scouting for the perfect spot, but when I saw this I knew this is it. It has a balance of four of the five elements - earth (the rocks), water, wood and metal (of the gabion walls), and the water reflection really adds on to the tranquility of this scenery.
Here's a closer look at her awesome physique and a sneak preview of our second model. Can you guess who's that?
I have never owned a camera in my life, and everything here are shot form my iPhone 6. So far I have no plans of investing in a camera, so I just have to work around the limits of that white little device.
This is the second venue, a moderately big Lily Pond tucked at the extreme end of the park. Just next to this holy spot were a huge congregation of middle-aged men and women flapping their arms to a radio audio instruction by the fitness corner. You can also see a lot of non-members of the exercise committee camping by the pathway following the member's cue, truly living the community spirit.
Jun watching over the pool of lilies.
A stroke of luck! Just as I shifted my butt off the boulder to try a new angle, the pile of cumulus that were shielding the sun moved! I was able to capture this sunset-like shot before the clouds quickly overtook the sky once again.
Don't be fooled by her sweet smile - she's actually a cold-blooded assassin, drugged since young by an underground force to mold her into the perfect killer. And she's Irish, but slightly shoujo-fied to match the rest of the Tekken Bishoujo series.
Also, she looked a lot younger (or for a matter of fact, 15 years younger) than she is. It isn't surprising since she was put to a cryogenic sleep as part of an experiment.
I was sitting on the bus on the way to collect my graduation gown when I saw this groove of weeping willow in the middle of the asphalt roads. I almost wanted to return to that blazing hot place just to borrow the trees for my photographs, but to my relief they have it here at Bishan Park.
This has to be my favourite shot of Nina, looking seductively into the camera as I snapped away in hopes that the leaves will stop swaying and blocking her face.
Oh and there's Jun again, all grace and soaking up the increasingly hotter sunlight.
I knew I have to get one with a tree in the centre, but I was having a hard time finding the right tree and I couldn't get the right scale (the sun was rapidly rising and I was running out of time). I had to shift the models around a couple of times while getting mildly distracted by an opera singer a few trees away (thankfully she was good) Well, this shall suffice for now.
Also, this clearly demonstrated one of the glaring problems of using a phone camera - handicapped exposure adjustment. To get the clouds I have to compromise on the exposure of the figures (hence the darker tones). Since this is not a close-up shot to showcase the figure's details, I could close one eye.
This gives me the feel of anticipation - we have Jun walking away after an inconclusive battle, her head slightly tilting back at a bellicose Nina, with an unspoken promise of another fight in the near future to settle things once and for all.
By the time I was done with the willow, it was 9:15AM, and I was dehydrated with aching muscles from staying in a crouching position for too long. Despite that, I was still brimming with energy and wanted to take more but it was too late. I was too late. This last shot had the worst over-exposure and my arms were on fire from the sun. However I really wanted to get this grassy background so I hurriedly shot this, bagged the figure and risked out of the park.
That concluded my first outdoor figure photography: Nature Edition. Overall it was a tiring and time-consuming experience (by the time you shot 5 satisfactory shots half an hour had passed) but a really fun one. You have to live with the wet grass and buzzing creatures since we're technically trampling on their territory. Apologise if necessary, they will understand. Also, don't be discouraged by the sun, it's actually a good opportunity to take in all those Vitamin Ds and detox, all while indulging in the joy of being a figure collector!
Hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did, and if you don't mind, share with me your thoughts on this below. For more HD shots from this shoot, check out my Flickr photo stream here.
Till the next post and have a great day ^^
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