Have I stopped going Mirrorless?

First of all, I would like to apologise for the lack of new materials on my blog this year. To be on Mirrorlessons.com's list of Top Ten Blog to watch out for in 2016 and with nothing to show for immediately after, is nothing short of an embarrassment. Well, let me explain.

The past couple of months have been really hectic with new projects at work plus a few life developments, like moving into my new apartment. Most of my free-time in the last 6 months were spent filming and photographing spiders, meeting my interior designer to work on the house, or maintaining my website. Everything else like my blog and travelling had to be placed in the back burner. I just could not find the time nor the motivation to do anything!

One thing that I wasn't willing to compromise (Thank God!) was my weekly sessions where i spend 4 to 6 hours, every Friday, out in the field looking for spiders to photograph and film. I call these sessions 'Spider Therapy'  simply because of the therapeutic experience i get from studying and documenting the behaviour of these 8-legged beauties, and being around Mother Nature in general. For that brief moment, I find myself being able to disconnect from the everyday stressors of living in a fast-paced cosmopolitan city like Singapore. Earlier this year, around the same time I stopped blogging, I started a series of short videos aimed to provide viewers an intimate look into the natural behaviour of some of the more interesting spiders. The videos have been aptly-named, you guessed it, "Spider Therapy". Here are some videos from the series, for you to sample. Don't forget to click HD!

          Spider Therapy Ep. 6 : World's Largest Jumping Spider (Male Hyllus sp.)

Spider Therapy Ep. 5: In Search of Psednocnemis cf. jeremyhuffi (Malaysia)



Spider Therapy Ep. 1: Viciria Praemandibularis (Male)

Apart from this, I have also been working very hard on my website www.mirrorlessmacro.com which I started earlier this year. I have been so blessed with the overwhelming support that i have received since its launch. So yes, to say that I have taken a break from my Spider and Macro-related pursuits would be untrue. In fact, I think it is the complete opposite! I have received emails from you asking if I have stopped using the Mirrorless Camera System for my photography work, thus explaining the lack of related materials on my blog. Don't be Silly, of course not! Once you go Mirrorless, you will never go back to using an electronic brick. ;)

I hope this explains why I have not been updating my blog. While my posts have been pretty much non-existent, I certainly have not cut-off all communications with my readers. Your feedback, questions, and comments are important to me - I am pretty confident that I have replied to most, if not all of your emails and Facebook Messages. Anyway, keep 'em coming!

 I started this blog back in January 2015 with a simple objective of proving that it is indeed possible to produce high-quality macro photographs with the Mirrorless Camera System. Never would I have imagined that my humble blog would end up playing an instrumental part in the conversion of many others around the Globe. Moving forward, I can assure you that this blog is far from dead. Amongst other things in the pipeline, I will be looking into some of your requests like a step by step tutorial on building a collapsible diffuser, etc.

Thank You so much for reading. I will leave you all with some of my best shots that I have amassed over the past few months, to make up for the lack of Anything. Enjoy!

Close up shot of a male Bathippus sp., taken with the Raynox MSN 202 attached. What a beautifully-strange looking jumper! They must have really strong flexor muscle to compensate for the unusually long fangs.

 Omoedus cf. ephippigera. This species has got to be the cutest jumping spider in Singapore, both in size and appearance. It measures in a a 'gigantic' 3mm.

Close-up shot of a "Long-jawed" Jumping spider, with the Raynox MSN 202 attached.

Portia's favourite food? Other spiders, especially Orb Weavers. I had the privilege of witnessing not one, but two successful hunts in the wild. They appear to be very calculative in their hunting approach, preferring to enter the web from the rear to prevent from being spotted by the host. The tarsus (first segment) of each leg is very slim like those on a Orb Weaver, allowing it to move nimbly across the web, undetected.

A male Bavia cf. sexpunctata, taken with the Raynox DCR 202 attached.

Highly-cryptic mommy and babies. See how many of them you can find!

Psechridae? Freshly moulted, with a legspan of about 20mm.

The closest thing we have to a Peacock Spider, here in Singapore. Siler cf. semiglaucus, Male.

An intimate look at a Telamonia sp., carefully attending to her precious eggs.

Another look at the Male Bathippus sp.

A juvenile Cocalus sp. looking very pretty. This species is pretty unique because unlike most jumpers under the Salticidae Family, the Anterior Lateral Eyes (ALE) is positioned lower then the Anterior Median Eyes (AME)!

Close-up of a Ctenus cf. floweri, a species of Wandering Spider commonly found on the forest floor.

An unidentified Jumping spider.

Close-up of another very pretty Mangrove-dwelling jumping spider; Cosmophasis sp.

One of my favourite species with a funky hairdo! Here is a Mature Male Epeus flavobilineatus.

A Male Sword-Bearing Jumper (Thorelliola ensifera) with a legspan of about 4mm. Check out the 'horns' on its clypeus!

A female Sword-Bearing Jumper. Unlike the males, the 'horns' are less obvious on the females.

The Giant Bronze Jumper (Carrhotus cf. forsulatus)

A backlit Scorpion-tailed spider (Arachnura sp.)

Close-up of a Mature Male Cocalus sp.

Rhomphaea sp.

The last time I found a Cyriopagopus schiodtei in the wild was in 2013 in Pahang, Malaysia, where my late Grandfather was originally from. Capable of reaching a legspan of 8 inches, this arboreal (tree-dwelling) tarantula, locally known as "Labah-Labah Hutan", preys on anything that it can overpower, from small snakes to Towkay geckos. Believe it or not, we have a similar-looking arboreal tarantula (Lampropela violaceopes) that can be found in the forest of Singapore, and it measures 9 inches full grown!

Another Epeus species, probably Epeus cf. sumatranus.

A mature male Phaeacius malayensis.

A mature male Pancorius cf. petoti.

Harmochirus sp., commonly known as "Popeye Spider" for their disproportionately-large front legs, are pretty hard to spot in the wild due to the minute size and habitat. These jumping spiders can be seen amongst the leaf litter, and are often mistaken for ants. Finding one in its tiny home (and subsequently a few other nests) was such a pleasant surprise, confirming that they are indeed a specialised ground-dwelling species, living and feeding off the forest floor.

A flattened Pandercetes sp., commonly known as the Lichen Huntsman.

A juvenile Eight-Spotted Crab Spider (Latythomisus octomaculatus). Very rarely seen!

Back view of a Wraparound spider (Dolophones sp.)

A wide-angle shot of a Male Hyllus diardi in its natural habitat. Shot taken with an OMD EM1 Body, Samyang 7.5mm lens, and a Meike MK 302 flash with DIY Diffuser.

An unidentified Hunstman spider from West Malaysia, most probably Heteropoda sp.

A highly cryptic mud-mimic spider (Cryptothele sp.) that isn't the usual brown but green in color. This spider was probably less than 5mm in length and since depth-of-field is a problem at this magnification and size, I had no choice but to focus stack 2 images.

A female (?) Ligurra cf. latidens, another species of Mangrove-dwelling jumping spider.

A male Ligurra cf. latidens

Seldom-seen perspective of an Ogre-faced Net Casting Spider (Deinopidae) that clearly shows 2 horn-like structures directly above the larger Anterior Median Eyes. This particular specimen had a body span of about 20mm.

Meet the World's Largest Jumping Spider! A Mature Male Hyllus cf. diardi

Another shot of a Mature Male Phaeacius malayensis.

A gravid Plexippus cf. paykulli.

A beautiful female Telamonia cf. dimidiata

Dorsal shot of a Male Thiania bhamoensis

Portrait shot of a Male Thiania bhamoensis

Pristobaeus sp. - Unlike the other 'Wide-Jawed' Jumping Spiders like Bathippus sp. and Viciria sp., this Genus is officially unrecorded here in Singapore. It is quite common in Malaysia but not here, with only one documented sighting from Mandai, last year.

Telamonia dimidiata, the "World Famous" Spider that is a product of a silly Urban Legend. Since 1999, this spider has been the subject of an email hoax xlamining that it was a fatal spider found lurking under toilet seats in North Florida. This is absolutely ridiculous considering that:

1) Jumping spiders, or 99% of ALL Spiders for that matter, are harmless and don't go around biting people for a laugh. Even for those that possess medically significant venom, you would have to be extremely unlucky to get bitten because they would rather flee and hide that have to deal with you.

2) This spider is from the other side of the World!

Male Viciria cf. praemandibularis

Female Viciria cf. praemandibularis 

Thwaitesia sp., commonly known as the Mirror Spider from the Theridiidae Family. As its common name suggests, they have mirror-like reflective scales on their abdomen that can change size depending on how threatened they feel.

Update: My next post would probably be based on my upcoming overseas expedition happening at the end of July, where I spend a couple of days finding a rare and extremely gorgeous spider. Stay Tuned!

My Camera Equipments for Herpetofauna Photography

First mistake this year with the watermark!

Reptiles and Amphibians are some of the most captivating groups of animals to observe and photograph in the wild. There is something so alluring about them that naturally draws you in. Having said that, they are certainly not the easiest to work and produce aesthetically-pleasing photos with! There are many factors to consider while photographing them.The most important one has nothing to do with the gears that I am using; It concerns Safety. Animal-related accidents happen when the lack of knowledge meets carelessness. Therefore, it is important that you educate yourself about the animals that you're working with especially when they could potentially bring harm to you and vice-versa. This is particularly true for snakes, for obvious reasons.

Before I begin sharing my camera gears, please allow me to also share some simple practices that I undertake before/during each herping trip to ensure the my safety and just as important, the safety of the snake.

1)Is it venomous? Carry a snake identification guide-book with you whenever possible. I always carry an identification book with me on all of my local and South East Asian trips. There is a fundamental difference between a mock-viper and a viper. Learning to differentiate between the two could save your life!

2) Should I touch it? Never attempt to handle a snake either by hand or snake-handling equipments  unless you are 110% sure that it is absolutely safe to do so for both you and the snake. eg. venomous species, snake in the state of moulting or feeding, etc. 

3) Bring Someone along if you can and have the emergency telephone number on your speed dial. If that snake doesn't get you, something else just might, like the rock that you just tripped on. Resist the temptation to herp alone - This is a hard one for me because I work in an environment where I deal with people a lot and it could get rather mentally draining at the end of the day. I find wildlife photography to be therapeutical and nothing is more relaxing than going out into the forest alone at night. This is easier said than done!

4) Don't tell your spouse or parents. Just kidding... Have them on speed dial. 

Now that I have gotten this off my chest - Let's move on to the Fun Part: Gears i use for herpetofauna photography!

TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND CORRESPONDING GEARS

Gears that I bring with me on my trips. No Pro lenses here!

The best thing about owning OM-D camera gears is knowing that everything is tiny and lightweight! Case in point is that almost everything fits snugly in a tiny protective case measuring just 26 X 18cm! I keep the rest of my stuff like my collapsible snake-handling equipments and batteries in other compartments of my waterproof bag. I only bring a small Gorilla Pod with me to minimise the overall weight.

There are 3 main types of Herpetofauna Photography that I enjoy doing:

(A) Close-up (to highlight the intricate patterns or colours)

(B) Half or Full-body shot (to document behaviour and general outlook)

(C) Wide-Angle (to show it in its natural habitat)

I am not a fan of switching lenses out in the field and as a result I always carry two mirrorless camera bodies, the OM-D EM1 and EM5, with the appropriate lenses and lighting set-up for (A) and (B + C) respectively; My current EM1 lighting set-up has been optimised for close-up photography while the EM5 is tuned more towards lower magnification work. To find out more about these equipments, click here.

Do I really need 2 different bodies and 3 different lenses? Of course not. I could probably make do with just one body and one lens with a versatile zoom range like the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 14-140mm f4-5.6 (with the appropriate lighting set-up for all focal distances). Whatever your choice is, having a properly diffused lighting system is key in getting good images of our cold-blooded friends, due to the reflective characteristics of their skin. You can read more about proper light diffusion here.

My OM-D EM1 set-up consists of the following gears (For Close-up Shots):

1) EM1 Body

2) Olympus 60mm lens

3) Olympus fl-14 Flash

4) Raynox dcr-250 converter lens (optional; for additional 2.5X reach)

5) DIY Diffuser & reflector

I use this set-up for my close magnification work. For 2.5 times the magnification power, I clip the Raynox dcr-250 onto the step-up ring attached to the lens filter.

I attach a square piece of white foam to reflect the light from the flash, upwards, eliminating any unsightly shadows.

Due to the relatively low Guide-Number (GN) of the Olympus fl-14 flash and the downward-pointing design of my DIY Diffuser, the EM1 set-up is used for close-up shots - mostly head shots of snakes and other smaller reptiles, amphibians and bugs. To understand more about Guide Numbers and how it can affect your photography, do check out my previous post here.

My usual camera-settings for close-up work:

1) Native ISO - 100: I seldom find the need to crank up my ISO. My current flash and diffuser system is perfect for my usual working distances.
2) Aperture: f8-f13
3) Shutter Speed: 1/80 - 1/120s; It depends on how much of the background I want in the picture.
4) White-Balance: Auto
5) Picture Mode: Natural
6) Metering: Spot
7) Image-Stabilisation: All Direction Shake I.S
8) Focusing: Manual

Some examples of Close-up shots taken with my EM1 Set-up:

A full-grown gecko that measures only 5cm from head to tail (Hemiphyllodactylus cf. typus). Without the reflector, the underside of the branch would have been much darker.

Close-up of the Blue-eyed Robinson's Forest Dragon (Gonocephalus robinsonii), taken with the Raynox dcr-250 attached to the lens.

One of Singapore's most elegant snake, the Kopstein's Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis kopsteini).

Gorgeous female Tropidolaemus wagleri, commonly known as Wagler's Pit Viper.

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My OM-D EM5 set-up is more dynamic and versatile, with several possible configurations (Wide-angle and Full-body shot):

1) EM5 Body 
2) Olympus 40-150mm f4-5.6
3) Samyang 7.5mm f3.5 (Full Manual Lens)
4) Olympus fl-600r Flash
5) Olympus fl-LM2 (bundled onboard flash) ; Used as master flash for off-camera lighting
6) Lambency flash diffuser
7) Godox Collapsible Pop-up reflector

My wide-Angle set-up consists of the EM5 body, Samyang 7.5mm f3.5, Olympus fl-600r Flash, the Lambency flash diffuser and the Godox Collapsible Pop-up reflector.

I have recently started experimenting with half water, half land style of wide-angle photography in my attempt to document amphibians ands aquatic snakes in their natural habitat. More on that in my future posts!

My usual camera-settings for Wide-angle shots:

1) ISO 200 - 600: I would bump up my ISO whenever I shoot with available light during daytime or with flash at night, especially when I want to include more of the background in the picture.
2) Aperture: f 5.6 with the focusing dial set just shy of infinity
3) Shutter Speed: 1/15s
4) White-Balance: Auto
5) Picture Mode: Natural
6) Metering: Centre-weighted
7) Image-Stabilisation: All Direction Shake I.S
8) Focusing: Manual

Some examples of Wide-Angle Shots taken with the above EM5 set-up:

Wide-Angle close-up photography requires far more patience and finesse to pull-off, and these added challenges are the reason why I find it to be so addictive. After spotting the animal, you first have to make a quick scan of the environment and adjust your equipments and camera settings accordingly. Secondly, after making all that adjustments, you have to approach the animal slowly because any sudden movements will trigger its flight response. Once you have taken your spot, pray that no mosquitos, leeches (or anything with biting mouthparts) will come your way because scratching that itchy bum of yours is not an option, especially when your front of lens is barely centimetres away from your subject. Take your preliminary shots, re-adjust your settings, take your shots again and pray that they will come out okay. If you're lucky, the animal might just reposition itself (like this frog) and offer you a few more clicks of that shutter button. I have spent nights after nights without producing a single usable photo but that has never stopped me from trying again. Madness, I love it!

The same frog from a slightly different perspective.

Just a blue-tongue skink strolling around; Southern Queensland.

Spotted this Kopstein's Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis kopsteini) crossing the jungle track. What a beauty! A large pop-up reflector was used to deflect some light into the background. Without it, the background would be completely dark.

I would normally use either the white or gold slipcovers on the pop-up reflector.

Although very little is known about Boiga dendrophila's venom affect on humans, it is comparable to that of a death adder. Poorly evolved fangs and a poor delivery system make this snake's bite likely less than life threatening. I was waist-deep in water and destroyed my shoes and pants in the process but it was worth it. She was a big one. The front of lens was a mere-2 inches from the snake!

For half or full-body shots, everything remains the same except for the lens - I switch to the Olympus 40-150mm f4-5.6, as seen below. Unlike the Ultra-Wide angle Samyang 7.5mm, I have the luxury of standing further away from the subject.

My usual camera-settings for Half-or Full-body shots:

1) ISO 200 - 1600: How high i go with the ISO depends on how far away the snake is and how much available light there is.
2) Aperture: f4
3) Shutter Speed: 1/80 - 1/320
4) White-Balance: Auto
5) Picture Mode: Natural
6) Metering: Centre-weighted
7) Image-Stabilisation: All Direction Shake I.S
8) Focusing: Auto + Manual

Some examples of half or full-body shots taken with the above EM5 set-up:

Asthenodipsas lasgalenensis (Loredo et al, 2013), a recently described species, occurs in highland areas of Peninsular Malaysia, but lacks banding and is mainly arboreal. This was shot with  pop-up reflector placed slightly to the side to illuminate the background even more.

Very little is known about these water-loving snakes, commonly known as the Red Mountain Keelback (Amphiesma sanguineum). They are highly elusive and have been observed to dive underwater to escape, making them incredibly hard to photograph. This was shot without the pop-up reflector. Notice how much darker the background is when compared to the previous photograph.

Commonly known as the Dog-faced Water snake (Cerberus schneiderii), it occurs in coastal areas of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and the whole of Indonesia (excluding New Guinea).

Another benefit of using a zoom lens is the additional reach - an invaluable tool for photographing venomous snakes from a safe distance or arboreal snakes perched high up in the trees.