a strobist photoshoot in progress , yesterday …

Sila lah lihat gambar di atas… #TedAdnanBilang “Direct Flash Pun BOLEH!” (Biar gambar yang berkata-kata, tidak perlu chakap berdegar-degar di Wall FB semata-mata).

Kru photoshoot kali ini…

The Photographer, The Art Director and The Assistant at the ASMA photoshoot in Putrajaya, yesterday …

Whoah hahahah ..sekali lihat gambar di atas macham photoshoot band lah pulak kan? Memperkenalkan dari kiri, “Ted Adnan” (yang dikhabarkan sudah tahap dewa-dewa penataan cahaya lampu denyar 44 petala langit dan bumi suka Lightroom™ tak minat Photoshop™ sekali petik gambar boleh pakai file SOOC – “straight out of the camera”! Ko ada?”

(Editor: please excuse Ted’s erm, “wording” in the above paragraphs, he had waaaaayyy to many Nescafe™ tarik kurang manis in his system today lah)

Berdiri di tengah : Tuan Shahren, Art Director, Client dari ajensi pengiklanan tersohor Fluorescent Squid. Kawan baik semenjak 1998 (zaman saya masih bekerja di sebuah studio di sekitar Ampang Point dan dia pulak di sebuah agensi pengiklanan yang lain pula).

Berdiri di kanan dan belakang sambil pegang tiang lampu dipasang lampu denyar Nikon SB-900 yang disambungkan pula kepada picu tetuang udara Pocket Wizard® Plus II : Enche Izwan, pelajar praktikal dari IKBN Pertak.

Soalan Ted Adnan berbunyi begini:

“Ted Adnan sudah berkecimpung di dalam bidang fotografi komersial semenjak tahun 1998, tuan pada masa itu sedang buat apa ya?”

(Ted Adnan tersenyum “nakal” sambil menaip soalan di atas itu lah…)

A used Canon 5D Mk2 with a mint pre-enjoyed Sigma 50mm f1.4 lens, yesterday …

..sorry folks, I’m not shipping it overseas, hence am selling it in Malaysia only.

Reason for sale?

Why, I’m upgrading to a Nikon D800 (that can do video too!) to complement my current Nikon D3 workhouse lah.

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P.S. When we meet face to face, if I happen to like your personality, I might throw in a FREE “Melaka Advanced Lighting Workshop” scheduled on the 4th of May 2013 oso yo.

P.P.S. The above image was lighted with Nissin MG8000 & Di 622 Mk2 . Gear review coming up soon-ish

Red shirts & Blue jeans, straight out from the camera, at The Barebone Studio, yesterday …

To me, it’s a “back to basic” kind of experience. When I first started out doing commercial photography, all I have were a couple of Nikon SB-26s Speedlights, purchased used, one at a time, from proceeds from a few assignments. It was only a couple of years later that I can only afford to invest in some Bowens lighting gears (of which I still have and use them till today!)

Even tho I already using the Bowens for most of my commercial shoots, those SB-26 units , with it built-in sensor slave, were still handy in some tricky lighting situations, like when I was shooting interiors and I had to throw some back light onto some part of the scene but there’s no space for a studio monoblock. For some assignments that involving people, the small form factor and footprints of the said Speedlights unit were a God-send when I need to do a super qwik lighting set ups. Using my then Fujifilm S2 Pro DSLR camera preview screen as my “polaroid test”, once I sort out the composition, within 4~5 shuuter actuations later, I turn around and said to the said Client, “okey dapat gambar sudah!” and we concluded the shoot and went for a teh tarik session.

(Editor: *ahem* ACTUALLY what Ted meant to say is that couple with his on location lighting skills and compositions that were already pre determined by the Client, usually an Art/Creative director who accompanies the shoot, storyboard/moodboard , he delivers the required imagery/visuals that the Client needs, on time and within budget and still managed to inject his visual style to the said project. Go on, give him a call at +60122315654 or email him at tedadnan@gmail.com if you have an interesting photography/video project to be execute in a professional manner)

Once the article is published (all I can say is that it’s a local magazine with a regional presence. Eh, Mr Editor dewd, can I say that much? I’m not breaching Natioal Security or something isnt it?) I’m going to write a Bahasa Melayu version here in my blog, maybe I made it available as a downloadable PDF only version oso.

See how goes looorrr…..

Not complaining tho, with every storm clouds there’s always a silver lining, for example, on some pre-pro site recce, I got to ride my Project:Orange  motard. Like this morning, I headed out to a remote location in Hulu Langat. I get to get meself reacquinted with some long forgotten back roads in that area. This particular stretch connects to Selangor 2nd most famous spot (after Fraser’s Hill) for 2 wheel rides, namely, (what we affectionately dubbed) Kuala Kelawang International Circuit. Not quite feels like the Isle of Man TT course, but since I never been there I say that the KKIC is the best-est open road for two wheelers in Malaysia.

( On a side note, I just got back from a 1,200km plus plus weekend ride from Kuala Lumpur to Kenyir, via Gua Musang, and back to Kuala Lumpur, via the old Kuantan-KL trunk road, with a couple of Friends. THAT will be another blog entry tho. Just watch this space )

While I went all out 10/10 on the road  (ehh, on the Demak, with my *ahem* weight and the big fat Pirelli tyres, it topped out at indicated 110kph ony…), I spotted this old rundown house while exiting this nice long corner . Almost missed it tho ! Saw the beautiful dappled lighting thru the trees, I hit both brakes and turn around and park the motorbike right in front of the dilapidated building. How I love the contrasting orange against the greens & the blues. I had to take a picture!

( went across the road and took this picture…)

As I took this pic I praised the Almighty Allah for the bountiful harvest that has been given to me, am truly grateful, after all these years (the earlier years practicing wedding photography, the hard couple of years making the transition into commercial photography, being conned out of jobs, being cheated by “partners”, now dabbling in video production again and there’s the workshop series that i’ve been conducting and there’s the one again, off again book writing *whew*, that us te HARDEST challenge ever, that book writing bit) , I’m still here today, and insya-Allah, as a Visual Artist, I will be around for a long, long time …

Project:Orange , 1 year, 2 months, twenty seven thousand(and counting!) kilometres , while on a site recce ride, earlier this morning

… Subhanallah Alhamdullilah Allahuakbar !

#TedAdnanBilang like this yo ! *winks*

…

…sigek lampu pun BOLEH!”

Download a free Wall paper here lah Whoah hahahah !

We’re kicking off the series with a 3 days seminar in the City of Kuching, Sarawak this 8th, 9th & 10th March 2013 …

Bengkel Pemantapan Industri Lensa, organized by EBZA di talian SMS 019.48.55.224 untuk tempahan tempat

(donwload a bigger file HERE lah!)

..and I will be back in Kuching on the 5th & 6th of April 2013 to conduct a one day  advanced lighting workshop dubbed “Ted Adnan’s Borneo Tour 2013 : Advance Lighting Workshop”

One Day “Advanced Lighting Workshop”

(download a bigger file HERE!)

Here’s a BONUS (please read carefullt, as I will only type this ONCE *grins*) : when you sign-up for the 8th, 9th & 10th March 2013 lighting seminar for RM250.00/person , grab your spot on the ONE day Advanced Lighting Workshop for a mere RM50.00!

Yes, you read it right, you pay ONLY RM50.00 per slot, only if you signed up for the March 2013 3 days lighting seminar!

So hurry, slots are limited, contact Mr Ebza (text only) at 019.48.55.224 to GRAB YOUR PLACE NOW!

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Sekian marketing hari ni. BTW, have you seen this image in my gallery?

It made the 500px popular page within 3 hours oso yo!

I ‘ve made a vow to ride Project:Orange to Burappa Pattaya Bike Week 2013 meself, wether in a group, or a solo run, belasah ajer. The point is that I MUST ride to a Bike Week on a motorbike NOT riding an Airasia Airship lah!

Space cop Gaban drops by Planet Earth during his break patrolling the Galaxy against Evil Space Harley Davidson riding “7-11 biker” gangs…

Didn’t happen tho. A series of scheduling conflicts and lack of fund (too early in the year to travel oso as 1st Quarter collections is always slow. Got bills to pay and kids to feed oso and a pair of hamsters AND a Guinea pig we call “Panda”. Kuat makan si “Panda” tu yo!)

Oh well, there’s always Phuket Bike Fest in April heh heh heh ..

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Anyway, last weekend I head down south to meet a few old and new Facebook friends. A qwik whatsapp conversations netted a Duke rider that went along for the ride. A 6 speed street bike with higher top end speed travelling together with a slower motard motorbike? Strange travelling companion no? Hahah I know I gonna have a hard time trying (and failed miserably) to keep up with the Duke, even with my “head and body tucked in behind the small Demak fairing slip streaming behind double story interstate warp drive equipped express buses, The Duke leaves me on the Demak like I’m tied to a TNB post.

Mula lah berangan nak pakai higher capacity engined bike plak! Like the KTM690R with full Akrapovic system and adjustable WP Suspension. Fuhh taste tinggi tuuu…

or maybe the waaaaay cheaper Kawasaki Z 250. With motard styling. See how goes lah!

Anyway, to make a long (*winking at Tuan Amir Rodof, the KTM owner whose motorbike pic shown here*) 6 hours ride short, on the Demak, filling up the miniscule tank at Nilai netted a 176km ride (didnt even reached Reserved yet) to Pagoh, where I filled the Demak again which lasted for 192km when we reached the Kempas Toll just outside Johor Baharu city.

Total cost : about RM30 worth of Ron95 petrol (and about RM2.80 worth of Nescafe™ tarik at Pagoh R&R).

I didn’t drop my bike this time yo.

A Demak and Duke, motard not of the same feather, with a couple of Oranges, sat side by side, together-gether …

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That was a nice ice breaking session, that Teh Tarik Session that was. I smoked a few kreteks (none of that battery powered “E-ciggy” stuff. Those things are up dangerous to your health, like Futsal oso yo! It should be outlawed or sumthing befor emore people get hurt!) and downed a few Nescafe™ in the course of a couple hours. Shared some ideas that is collaborative in nature, hopefully something fruitful will come out of it. An old friend (he joined my 1st ever lighting workshop in Bagan Lalang back in 2005! And joined another one in 2007. He’s a professional in his field. He’s an Accountant, a partner in one of Malaysia’s accounting Firm lgik. There I said it. I was in the accounting line oso but was a ‘mere’ clerk ajer in one of my past life heheh *grins* Say, what did YOU do back in 2005 lah? In London selling trinkets and stuff when you failed your studies and failed as an “artist” oso? isk isk.. ) once shared with me…

“idea is free Ted, go on, share it with as many people as possible. If you can make it work then that idea is yours”.

or sumthing like dat laarrr, this was in 2005 after all (Editor: Showing your age, eh Ted?)

Where was I?

Oh!

Well, shared some ideas that is collaborative in nature, hopefully something fruitful will comes out of it lah  insya-Allah.

(Editor: You’re definitely showing your age, you just repeat yourself, in print some more!)

Interesting enough, the “ultra low bajet” accommodation that we stayed had a “day rate”. That certainly leaves one with imaginations, what with the thin partition and the “shower only” room (toilet kena kongsi, last door on the left down the Hall, you can’t missed it, it’s right across the room were some beautiful looking men spend the nite.

At Melaka R&R we came across this WOW Campaign Van (workshop on wheels thingies), since the comely lady nicely asked us to participate in making a pledge, I pledged that I’ll : “Saya berikrar akan mengundi Barisan Nasional, Pembangkang di Selangor, di PRU-13 yang akan datang ni lah!” Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak : chepat-chepat lah umumkan bila “Erection” ni tangan dah gatal nak buang undi ni lah!

The ride back was uneventful, just of out Larkin (where we stayed in the aforementioned “ultra low bajet accomodation”), a dewd on a Modenas GT128 with black and orange livery (just like my Demak!) comes alongside when I stopped at a Red light and lean over and asked “are those standard forks?” I had to ask him to repeat his Question again because I can’t be sure I heard him right the first time. When I’ sure that he was indeed asking about the Demak fork I shouted thru my SOL full face helmet

“Yeah! Why you ask laar?”

He goes like, “I didn’t know you can fit those fat tyres on the standard fork!”

Bangga sekejap weh!

Once I hit the North South highway me on the Demak full throttle flat out at 138kph (indicated. I think I broke something, the Speedo stays at “00″ when I commute to the studio the very next day *sigh*) when performing the aforementioned slip streaming manouver. The Duke topped out at 138kph then went out of sight (hahah) on the way North. The Demak with the Pirelli tyres maybe great for Fraser Hill’s err, hilly twisties, but with a push-rod design engine from the what, 30′s? it’s waaay underpowered for highway use.

Am I glad when I’m back on old trunk road, #TedAdnanBilang… LAYAN KONER LAH SHIOK WEH!

…pekena teh tarik selepas parking Bat Pod depan Mamak Alavuddin di Pekan Kajang, semalam…

Gambar lebih besar di sini

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU CINA KEPADA RAKAN-RAKAN PEMBACHA LAMAN CITRAMAYA INI LAH.

SEMOGA TAHUN INI LEBIH BAGUS DALAM SEGALA SEGI DARI TAHUN LEPAS JUGA ADA NYA

“jikalau tidak ahli bermain-main dengan cahaya sedia ada, lupa kan saja niat mahu bermain-main cahaya petir dari lampu denyar 1, 2, 3 atau 4 bijik. Samada sechara terus menerus atau dengan softbox atau umbrella juga ada nya. Sebab akan buang-buang masa setting kuasa petir sana sini sampai subjek pun hilang mood juga ada nya kena pula gambar di rescue dengan Photoshop™ 44 layer* sehingga kelihatan seperti langit mau runtuh** juga tona lari tunggang langgang  maka anda akan kemaluan besar*** pabila di belakang hari pabila Dunia akan tertawa melihat hasil kerja anda juga”

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Che Zainefer Edlen di dalam cahaya sedia ada tona kekuningan di pantai Bagan Lalang, minggu lepas …

EXIF Data untuk “fotografer” yang ber-kampung di Facebook (yang kebanyakkan-nya minta disuap selalu):
Kamera : Nikon D3
Lensa : 24-70mm dizoomkan ke 50mm
Bukaan apatur: f Dua titik Lapan
Halaju pengatup: 1/200
ISO: 200
Pasca Produksi Lightroom™: WB, Exposure, highlights, whites, clarity,, vibrance, saturation
Pasca Produksi Photoshop™: unsharp mask, film grain, text

Itu sahaja. (<– Editor: Eleh! Nampak benar si Ted Adnan ni tak terer Photoshop langsung tapi siap perli orang yang senang berfotoshop sekeping gambar tak tidur malam esok siang pergi kerja kerani malam esoknya sambung fotoshop lagi lusa jadi Zombie plak sebab tak tidur siang malam)

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Nota kaki :
* Gurau sayang yang telah disalah ertikan
** Fotoshop gaya “langit nak Runtuh” : teknik pasca produksi bernama HDR di mana ahli nya taksub bercheritera perihal teknik tapi karangan gambar dan pengcherita’an (budak budak kampung Facebook bilang “kompo”) buang ke laut
*** disebut dengan gaya serta intonasi seorang ahlul politik yang pernah menjadi Menteri selama berbelas tahun juga adanya sama popular seperti M.G. Ramachandran seorang pelakon pelem di benua kechil India. (Marah pada AirAsia masih di hati sebab kensel flight ke Delhi padahal tiket sudah di beli mahu ke sana sudah patah hati poket juga pokai laa ni ada baik kerja keras carik lagik job beli beras untuk jaga anak bini)

Gambar lebih besar di sini lah

Che Zaineffer (Yang Rupawan™) bersama Abang Jay (Yang Feymes™) di pantai Bagan Lalang, semalam …

#TedAdnanBilang … “Gurau ajer maaahhh! Whoah hahahah!”

Gambar final (kali ini di-Photoshop™kan effect lighting nyar 4 layer ajer) di sini…