Good Distortions

With a wide angle lens, the vertical lines distort by diverging outwards when you hold the camera pointing down. You can use this effect to your advantage in your compositions. In this picture, I let the vertical candle and worshiper form a V-shape. The elements became an inverted triangle when the arm and joss sticks connect with the flame. Only problem with a wide angle lens is that almost everything falls into sharp focus. This is the time to use Snapseed’s Foggy Filter plus Vignetting selectively to feather the messy background. Photographed with the Olympus OM-D and Panasonic 7-14mm UWA lens at a Hungry Ghost festival prayers session in Hot Springs New Village just now.

Good Distortions

Por Tor

From last night, a montage of the Hokkien ‘Por Tor’ celebrations held in conjunction with the Hungry Ghost Month. Clockwise from top left:
(1) Every one seems to be taking pics with tablets.
(2) This cute cabbage patched dog is made from fresh cabbage.
(3) More tablet cams.
(4) A miniature Shaolin monk on flower seeds.
(5) Rows and rows of liquor bottles offered as sacrifice to thirsty ghosts.
(6) Lighting a joss stick for the Por Tor Kong deity.
(7) The 1Malaysia Hungry Ghost effigy. Yay!

Por Tor