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Thank Goodness for Weather Sealing (Shots from Hong Kong)
Posted By: alamo5000, 04-21-2017, 10:04 AM

Today I got a break from work so I was out shooting and I went to a famous park here in Hong Kong. Unfortunately the weather was terrible! Thick fog and dark clouds...and then all the sudden the bottom fell out right in the middle of me shooting. It was a total downpour. Did I stop taking photos?

No way man! It's all about chasing the light. It provided some interesting opportunities for some interesting shots just before, during, and after. It got so dark, it was like it was 9pm but it was only 4pm. I was having to use really high ISO in some shots it was so dark out.

The first shot and several of the others here were shot in that torrential rain storm.

The funny thing is I finally walked over to take a break and got under and overhang. Some guy was looking at me like 'WHAT is this guy doing?!?!' So I examined my camera, looked it over... walked over to where the rain was pouring off the building and rinsed my camera off! The guy's eyes were gigantic! He gave me a 'are you nuts!?' look... but I just smiled and fired off a few more shots...



More from the series below. As always suggestions, ideas, critiques, compliments, all are welcome!





















Last edited by alamo5000; 04-21-2017 at 04:28 PM.
Views: 1,605
02-21-2018, 09:17 PM   #16
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I can not agree more ! so there is a market for 4K even 8K video, for those who too lazy to think before shoot !

QuoteOriginally posted by photoptimist Quote
Excellent images!

People obsess about AF and frames-per-second in getting "keepers" never realizing all the awesome images they lose because they can't take their camera outside. Your story and images prove the value of Pentax.

-----

A good rain enhances color in two ways:

First, it washes away the film of dust that is typically found on leaves and other surfaces.

Second, the thin film of water on the leaves (and other objects) acts like an anti-reflection coating. Both wax and cellulose found on leaves have a higher refractive index than does water (1.5 vs. 1.3). Even if the water film seems shiny, it's actually about half as reflective as dry leaves. The result is a much better view into the color inside the leaf. The effect is even stronger on materials like rocks.


02-21-2018, 10:33 PM - 1 Like   #17
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Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by photoptimist Quote
Excellent images!

People obsess about AF and frames-per-second in getting "keepers" never realizing all the awesome images they lose because they can't take their camera outside. Your story and images prove the value of Pentax.

-----

A good rain enhances color in two ways:

First, it washes away the film of dust that is typically found on leaves and other surfaces.

Second, the thin film of water on the leaves (and other objects) acts like an anti-reflection coating. Both wax and cellulose found on leaves have a higher refractive index than does water (1.5 vs. 1.3). Even if the water film seems shiny, it's actually about half as reflective as dry leaves. The result is a much better view into the color inside the leaf. The effect is even stronger on materials like rocks.
I have a grizzled old hardcore war zone photographer that mentors me from time to time. He's been published in Nat Geo more times than I can count. Trust me, you don't want to get on the wrong side of him.

"Your camera gear doesn't suck! YOU SUCK!" followed by a few choice words..."WTF! Are you scared of? Dirt!? &%^$!! MUD?! &%^$ I can't believe this %^$&#! And you want to be a photographer?! You're not gonna melt! Get your &%^$&# %&$ out there!"

Believe me man, he only holds back with me because he likes me.

On the other point-- the rain is sometimes it, but at other times it's the clouds. It can create hundreds of different atmospheric conditions that you will get no other way. Light that is softened and filtered onto so many other things.

One thing I learned over time and still try to pay careful attention to---is LIGHT. Where is it? Where is it coming from? What direction? Where is it not at? What KIND of light? Is it harsh? Is it soft?

There are hundreds of things you can ask or observe merely by PAYING ATTENTION. I figured a long time ago, "If you're gonna do this photography thing, if you don't pay attention to the light around you, you will forever suck at what you're trying to do..."

A lot of shots are simply shots of opportunity base on the subject matter, but also the weather, time and all sorts of stuff.

I can tell you one thing for sure... compared to 5 years ago (before I started taking photos) I walk around a regular normal day seeing the world in an entirely different way because I am looking at the light.

I also finally learned that the sensor on your camera will exaggerate whatever light or lack of light you see. A bright light will be 2-3 shades brighter on a digital camera. Something dark will be 2-3 times darker. The sensor on your camera doesn't have the same capability to pick up contrast as your eyeball does.

When you know that you can frame up your shots and get a lot more keepers just from that understanding alone.

This whole photography thing is for people who THINK and for those who are keen OBSERVERS.
02-22-2018, 03:48 AM - 1 Like   #18
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Nice pics and stories to go with it.

If you can recall, where did you focus for these sorts of images?

Assuming an aperture around f8 or higher given the wide depth of field in them.

Where was the park in Hong Kong?

Sorry, so many questions 😉
02-22-2018, 03:53 AM - 1 Like   #19
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A very successful series of captures in the face of adverse weather conditions...well done alamo5000.

02-22-2018, 09:20 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by richandfleur Quote
Nice pics and stories to go with it.

If you can recall, where did you focus for these sorts of images?

Assuming an aperture around f8 or higher given the wide depth of field in them.

Where was the park in Hong Kong?

Sorry, so many questions 😉
Don't recall where I focused. Sorry. I normally use single point focus. That point was probably in the middle.

The park is called the Chi Lin Nunnery. Google it and you can see where it's at. Very easy walk from Diamond Hill Station.

Yes my aperture was around f8 I think but I have to check. My camera at the time was a K3 with a 16-85 on it. I have since upgraded to the K-1 with a 24-70.

The real trick to shooting in the rain is to try and keep your front element from getting tiny splashes on it. Those come out looking like you have a dirty sensor.
02-22-2018, 09:20 AM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by photomax7 Quote
A very successful series of captures in the face of adverse weather conditions...well done alamo5000.
Thank you!
06-14-2018, 09:55 AM   #22
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I like pictures 1, 3, 4, where conditions make the modern buildings look so ghostly. I'm glad you were willing to trust Pentax's WR.

06-14-2018, 07:39 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
I like pictures 1, 3, 4, where conditions make the modern buildings look so ghostly.

It was a pretty fun time shooting around Hong Kong. I really need to get out there again. I need to get out to a lot of places! LOL!


QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
I'm glad you were willing to trust Pentax's WR.
Shoot. That's nothing. I can justifiably say that I have given WR a solid testing. On one of my trips to Africa we went off roading way out near Tanzania somewhere. The dust was like baby powder. It got on EVERYTHING. I came back looking like a raccoon. LOL. When I got back home I walked straight into the shower, clothes, camera, and all. I left a mud puddle in there.

In the Philippines I pretty much gave it the salt water test. Sailing and getting salt spray, heat, dust, sand...on a few occasions I was swimming with my camera in one hand holding it above water as best as possible out to some little islands.


I have a lot of WR stories. That's how I usually wind up with pictures halfway worth keeping. I can definitely say the WR works. I would not abuse your gear but it is built tough. Especially after a lot of salt water spray I recommend wiping everything down with a damp cloth or something. Don't submerge the camera if at all possible. I bought a dry bag so when I go to places like that I can put the camera inside and swim out if I need to.


I don't intentionally try to break stuff at all (I baby my gear really) but I am not going to let dust, dirt, rain, snow, or whatever stop me from having fun. NO WAY!
06-14-2018, 07:56 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by alamo5000 Quote
It was a pretty fun time shooting around Hong Kong. I really need to get out there again. I need to get out to a lot of places! LOL!




Shoot. That's nothing. I can justifiably say that I have given WR a solid testing. On one of my trips to Africa we went off roading way out near Tanzania somewhere. The dust was like baby powder. It got on EVERYTHING. I came back looking like a raccoon. LOL. When I got back home I walked straight into the shower, clothes, camera, and all. I left a mud puddle in there.

In the Philippines I pretty much gave it the salt water test. Sailing and getting salt spray, heat, dust, sand...on a few occasions I was swimming with my camera in one hand holding it above water as best as possible out to some little islands.


I have a lot of WR stories. That's how I usually wind up with pictures halfway worth keeping. I can definitely say the WR works. I would not abuse your gear but it is built tough. Especially after a lot of salt water spray I recommend wiping everything down with a damp cloth or something. Don't submerge the camera if at all possible. I bought a dry bag so when I go to places like that I can put the camera inside and swim out if I need to.


I don't intentionally try to break stuff at all (I baby my gear really) but I am not going to let dust, dirt, rain, snow, or whatever stop me from having fun. NO WAY!
There are several threads here at PF from people who had issues of unknown cause. I do know that zooming can cause a vacuum that can suck water past the seals, so I zoom very gingerly, but the other stories are scary in their own way - but not enough to cause my camera to become a "fair weather friend" as my Canon Rebel was.
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