Macro shoot at Lower Peirce Trail 17 Nov 2015

Testing new simple lighting setup on the MT-24EX.

Alone at 12 midnight in the Lower Peirce Trail sure reminds me of the good ol' army days.

Somehow, there was no fear, despite all the weird noises the secondary jungle was making.

The only fear was of the weather.
Because rain will definitely put a stop to my late night outing with the critters.

Click on each picture to see the close up of their eyes

Slideshow of photos taken at Lower Peirce on 17 Nov 2015

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Solo Midnight Macro along Sungei Serangoon in Sengkang 6th March 2014

Amaze and Awe of Nature by Tiny Eyes

When we were younger, we are often amazed by tiny things seen by our tiny eyes.

Perhaps it's the height and eye level of young children that makes them more observant about the flora and fauna around them.

Or maybe it is because as we grow older, our eyes, together with our materialistic desires, are set to see only bigger things.

As we eradicate more and more of our natural environment to build taller offices, condominiums and shopping malls that will awe the grown-ups, we tend to forget to leave some space for the younger generation.

Space for them to be amazed by the simple things such as an eight legged spider weaving its web, a colony of ants building an anthill, a host of shield bugs huddling together under a leaf, a grasshopper molting away its old skin or watch a stick insect slowly revealing itself from its camouflage.

While we had the chance to be amazed by the flora and fauna around us when we were younger, our next generation of children might not be able to experience the amazement of catching spiders, grasshoppers, butterflies and blowing dandelions.

Conserve what little nature we have left, so the children can continue to be amazed the same way that we had been during our younger days.

The pictures below were taken along Sungei Serangoon, on one of the Sengkang Park Connectors.

See other macro photos taken along this water way here.

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Night Macro Lower Peirce 3 Aug 2013

After another round of setting up my lighting, I was ready to go macro shooting again..

This was done late after midnight at Lower Peirce Reservoir.

It's not everyday that one gets to spot a stick insect...

2 were spotted on the same night along the trail..

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Venus Drive Solo Afternoon Macro 10 Aug 2013

It was a lazy afternoon with the threat of dark clouds hovering over the entire Singapore..

I couldn't think of a better place to go for day macro except Venus Drive.

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More Lower Peirce Reservoir Night Macro Expedition 29 Sept 2012

I ventured deeper into the reservoir park at Lower Peirce.

The sound of the jungle at night was creepy and there was a risk of meeting wild boars as there were some spotted there in recent years.

The air was thick and so was the undergrowth but the man-made track was wide enough for me and my gear without having to brush and disturb the insects as I walked along the track.

It was a nightful of spiders yet again.
See other spider shots of Lower Peirce Reservoir here..

Some greenish shield bug

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Lower Peirce Reservoir Macro 21 Sept 2012

It was a misty night as it had just rained in the north part of Singapore early that evening.

I was disappointed along the way to see wet roads as the rain would have chased the insects into the depths of the undergrowth of the reservoir park.

But it was fortunate that some of the insects were still at the edge of the undergrowth, unwilling to move deeper in because they have taken much time to create their large webs and habitats.

More of my Lower Peirce experience and how to get there at this link here!
Read Wikipedia's entry on the Huntsman Spider.

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Lower Peirce Reservoir Macro 19 Aug 2012

Solo trip to Lower Peirce Reservoir Park.

Managed to see some other macro photographers there but they were already packing up at 12am when I reached.

Here are some selected shots..

For more previous treasures found at Lower Peirce Reservoir, see here.

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Macro shoot Lower Peirce Reservoir Park 21 July 2012

Was alone for a midnight macro shoot at Lower Peirce Reservoir Park.
The forest was pitch dark when I was under the foliage of the secondary forest of the park (see map below).

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Somehow I was fearless and had only my mind on getting good shots that night and nothing else..

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Blue Dragonfly @ Bedok Reservoir Canal 23 June 2012

Found this blue dragonfly perching on a cool weekend night at 2am around the Bedok Reservoir Canal area..

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Took a snap but I moved too close on my second attempt and the dragonfly actually CHARGED at me... knocking into my exposed forehead before taking off and abandoning the perching branch.

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Jumping Spider Lazing on Curry Leaf Plant 25 April 2012

As an avid insect macro photographer, I also try my best to be a botanist at home.

I have accumulated more than 10 potted plants outside my house, along the common corridor and it proved to be quite useful when trying to look for insect subjects to shoot without having to travel into any forest.

Before I left the house for dinner last night, I was watering the plants. I noticed a relatively big jumping spider hopping away as it sensed the drizzle from my watering can onto the curry leaf plant that it was perching on. I was hoping that when I return after dinner, it would still be there.

When I did reach home, it was waiting for me on one of the outermost leaf of the curry leaf plant.

Without much delay, I set up my flash brackets and gave it several portraiture shots.

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Bukit Timah Nature Reserve ( Dairy Farm Entrance ) 24th March 2012

Feeling the need to try something different, I took the courage to use the Raynox DC-250 with my 100mm macro lens.

This Raynox magnification adapter had been lying in my dry cabinet for the longest time. The reason why I have not been using it because it is unable to allow the lens (coupled with the adapter) to focus to infinity.

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Spiders Along Sengkang River 3rd March 2012

Was with Elwyn and Kai.

Location: 160 Rivervale Cresecent
Time : close to midnight

A impending passing shower stopped us short.

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Back from the Dead

I thought I was dying back then when I posted this post.

But I didn't die.

Though I sold off all my camera equipment in Nov 2011, I bought all back in 2012.

With my newly purchased equipment, I went macro shooting again!

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Anchorvale Park Macro 18th Nov 2011

This park near to Anchorvale Street is actually known as "Sengkang Riverside Park" and it is just opposite the Sengkang Sports and Recreation Center.


Met with new macro enthusiast cum reservist mate, Elwyn Ng, at this park and we went shooting bugs.

I am quite satisfied with my current lighting setup with this shoot.

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Anchorvale Park

Brought my family out for a swim at Anchorvale Swimming Complex and saw that there was a quiet park nearby and I went there later in the wee hours for a macro shoot.

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Sengkang Redux 29 Oct 2011

Combined both the Sengkang river macro shoots and picked out the best ones...

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Lower Peirce Reservoir Macro Night Shoot

Long Horn Beetle

Caterpillar with face of a baboon

Moth

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Spider enjoying Curry 12 Aug 2011

If the spider is ok with the curry, then anyone whom cannot stand the smell of curry are probably worse than a minuscule Jumping Spider.

This jumping spider was seen outside my house, making its home on the leaves of my potted curry plant...

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Bukit Batok Nature Park 1st July 2011

Planned a night macro trip to Bukit Batok Nature Park on 1st July with 3 other photographers but sadly only 1 made the trip with me..

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Studio Shoot for Jumping Spider outside House

Found this 8 legged critter sniffing up my curry plant outside my flat.

Wasted no time in getting a blue styrofoam as background and setting up my flash diffuser.

It was also great time to test my newly purchased Kenko 2x Teleconverter for Canon DSLR bodies.

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