It took a six months wait for the sun and the Wilayah Mosque to align in a way I thought might be interesting. The resulting highlights and shadows on the archway can only happen in that one moment in time.
While the elevation and angle of the sun can be calculated in advance, the good weather and the two persons walking across were a factor of luck. This is the challenge and fun of photography.
See previous post on surveying the sun.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f11, 1/320 sec.
I have photographed Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan under different light since its opening in year 2000. Fascinated by the intricate architecture and how sunlight interacts with the interior arches and stairs, I always enjoy walking around the huge mosque to look at the shadow play.
It was only recently, that I was able to quickly calculate the exact position and declination of the sun with a mobile Android app from location. At one of my favourite angles, the app projected a perfect sweet spot but only in six month’s time. The sun’s relative angle in the sky changes over seasons.
I waited and that moment arrived two days ago. However, there remains one unpredictable variable; the weather. Resulting picture in the next post.
Overlaid screenshots from Sun Surveyor app’s 3D and 2D view of the sun’s position over Wilayah Mosque. Satellite Imagery copyright Google Map.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f11, 1/800 sec.
Choice is good. You can have a RM 58 high tea at the fabulous revolving restaurant on top of the KL Tower. Or you can have a RM 1 tea at a hawker gazing at the sun setting over KL Tower. Never mind that the table is not level and the drink will slide down hill. The view is just as superb. High tea, indeed.
Precise sun spotting and trajectory calculation via GPS and Sun Surveyor app on Samsung Galaxy phone. Photographed with the Olympus E-5.
