Victoria Park in "snow"

Victoria Park, Regina, SK, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/50 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 08:05 27 November 2005
Image skewed, level changed and enhanced in B&W effect.
The snowing effect photoshopped by Xi Zhu (西竹)
Are you able to determine that above is an artificial image? :) The incredible snowing effect is added by a certified member and senior reviewer nicknamed Xi Zhu () at Xiangshu, one of the most popular photography communities in China.

Victoria Park in winter

This is a picture I shot five years ago today at Victoria Park in Regina, SK, Canada. That was the coldest place in the world that I have ever been...

The original picture was skewed in Pixelmator 1.5.1 for correcting minor distortion, then was processed using the Tone Mapping function of Photomatix Pro 4.0 in various enhancement effects including Deep, Smooth, Painterly, Grunge, and Black & White.

This was an experiment of using HDR software to enhance a single image, rather than multiple images in different exposures. Thanks to the new design of Preset Thumbnail Panel and Preview Window of Photomatix Pro 4, users may visually see the Tone Mapping results and adjust the effect instantly. That's a great user experience. The same work with the previous versions were painful, and that's why I chose to buy this version 4.


Image skewed, and enhanced in Deep and Smooth effect.


Image enhanced in Painterly, Grunge and Black & White effect.
War Memorial, Victoria Park, Regina, SK, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/50 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 08:05 27 November 2005
Based on the last B&W image above, the following image was processed in Picasa 3.6.7 in turn to represent some of my personal feelings on that winter in Regina. Finally all images were published from Picasa as well.


War Memorial, Victoria Park, Regina, SK, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/50 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 08:05 27 November 2005
Image skewed, level changed, enhanced in Sepia and Warmify effects, sharpened and cropped

3 Wise Monkeys Pub on George

3 Wise Monkeys Pub on George Street, Sydney, NSW
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.9, 1/25 sec, 17.4 mm, ISO 50, 4:3, 13:44 31 December 2009
Image skewd, cropped, resized, sharpened, and level adjusted

Historic building in winter

Saskatchewan Legislative Building, Regina, SK, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/320 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, +1/3, 4:3, 12:19 27 November 2005
Image skewd, cropped, resized, desaturated, and level adjusted


Saskatchewan Legislative Building, Regina, SK, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.9, 1/200 sec, 17.4 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 12:13 27 November 2005
Image cropped, resized, desaturated, and level adjusted

The Sydney Life

Sydney CBD view from Broadway
Canon IXUS 50, F/10, 1/200 sec, 17.4 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 16:07 1 Mar 2009


QVB on George at noon
Canon IXUS 50, F/5.6, 1/320 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 12:51 2 Mar 2009


Cahill Expressway on Harbour Bridge in peak hours (Desaturated)
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/640 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 08:37 3 Mar 2009


Intersection of Macquarie Street and Martin Place in peak hours
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/125 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 08:41 3 Mar 2009


The Clock Tower of Central Station
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.0, 1/160 sec, 12.1 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 19:12 4 Mar 2009


Pedestrians at southeast corner of Hyde Park
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/125 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 18:43 6 Mar 2009


Pedestrians at the intersection of Liverpool and Pitt Street
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/13 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 18:49 6 Mar 2009


A vagrant begging at the intersection of Liverpool and Pitt Street
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.9, 1/3 sec, 17.4 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 18:50 6 Mar 2009


People at Town Hall Square
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/320 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 15:26 19 Mar 2009


Girls at Hyde Park
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.9, 1/4 sec, 17.4 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 17:42 19 Mar 2009


A girl walking in Hyde Park
Canon IXUS 50, F/3.5, 1/10 sec, 10.1 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 17:44 19 Mar 2009


Cafe at UTS Library in Ultimo
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.0, 1/30 sec, 12.1 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 13:24 27 Mar 2009


Chat, Corner Quay Street and Ultimo Road
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/50 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 13:25 27 Mar 2009


Blake Library (City Campus), Corner Quay Street and Ultimo Road
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/30 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 13:25 27 Mar 2009


Chat, Corner Quay Street and Ultimo Road (Cropped)
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/40 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 13:27 27 Mar 2009


A heritage wall, Corner Quay Street and Ultimo Road
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/250 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 13:27 27 Mar 2009


Ruins of a heritage building, Corner Bathurst and Sussex Street
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/200 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 18:30 28 Mar 2009


A girl walking on Sussex Street
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/10 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 600, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 18:31 28 Mar 2009

3 Wise Monkeys Pub - The Inside (Part 1)

Canon IXUS 50, F/3.2, 3/5 sec, 7.1 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 22:27 21 Jan 2009


Canon IXUS 50, F/3.5, 4/5 sec, 8.5 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 22:29 21 Jan 2009


Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 3/5 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 22:31 21 Jan 2009


Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 22:32 21 Jan 2009


Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 22:35 21 Jan 2009


Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 4:3, 22:36 21 Jan 2009
3 Wise Monkeys Pub - The Inside (Part 1)

An old man performing at Chinatown

An old gentleman performing
at the intersection of Gouburn St and Sussex St, Chinatown, Sydney
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/3 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 20:21 24 July 2008

King Street at night

The Grace Hotel
77-79 York St, Sydney, NSW
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, +1/3, 21:23 10 July 2008

The intersection of King St and Pitt St, Sydney, NSW
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, +1, 10:09 10 July 2008

The iPhone Eve on George

I went to the Apple Store on George Street tonight, on the iPhone eve.


The Apple Store on George Street, Sydney, NSW
Canon IXUS 50, F/3.5, 1/50 sec, 8.46 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:10 10 July 2008

The steps inside the Apple Store on George, Sydney, NSW
Canon IXUS 50, F/3.2, 1/8 sec, 7.11 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 20:52 10 July 2008
The iPhone devotees I saw on the TV were still there. :-) They were staying in a line at the door of the Apple store in the Sydney CBD, regardless the crowd passing around them and the cold at night. They are real enthusiasts. :-))


The iPhone fans at the door of Apple Store on George
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1/5 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:05 10 July 2008

Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 3/5 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:07 10 July 2008
As per the store staff, the Apple Store would not sell iPhone tomorrow, they would only demonstrate the cool features of the newly revealed flag product. One store representative pointed at the Telstra shop opposite their store and told me that, that shop would be opening to sell iPhone tomorrow morning, not them. He said he had no idea why the fans were waiting there at the door.

There was only one guy staying at the door of that Telstra shop at that moment, the guard. The guard told me that the Telstra shop would start selling the first iPhone handset at 6am tomorrow morning, whereas the Apple Store should open at 8am, two hours after them. He was also really curious why no any of those fans came over there, though the shop already prepared tapes to partition the crowd they expected. But, no one was there!


The Indian guard at the door of Telstra Shop on George opposite the Apple Store
Canon IXUS 50, F/3.5, 1/8 sec, 8.46 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:08 10 July 2008

Seattle at night

The Space Needle
Canon IXUS 50, F/4.5, 1 sec, 14 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 20:27 16 Apr 2008

The Guitar Gallery, The Experience Music Project (EMP)
325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 20:59 12 Apr 2008

The Sky Church, The Experience Music Project (EMP)
325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 1.6 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:05 12 Apr 2008

Victoria, BC at night

Victoria West, Victoria, BC, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/4, 1/30 sec, 12.12 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 20:02 12 Apr 2008

Victoria Harbour, Victoria, BC, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 2.5 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:00 12 Apr 2008

Victoria Harbour, Victoria, BC, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 3.2 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:01 12 Apr 2008

The Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/3.5, 2 sec, 10.09 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:12 12 Apr 2008

The Legislative Buildings, Victoria, BC, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/2.8, 2 sec, 5.8 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 21:14 12 Apr 2008

The gate of Chinatown, Victoria, BC, Canada
Canon IXUS 50, F/3.2, 4/5 sec, 7.11 mm, ISO 50, Pattern Mode, 22:37 12 Apr 2008