Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #2

#2

At #2 is this photo taken at the Bukit Gambang Safari Park of the lion enclosure. One piece of glass separating man from animal. Everything is at peace because of the existence of this window. This was an opportunistic moment where beast and human aligned perfectly, facing the same direction. I love the contrast between colour and silhouette. The window provided the perfect frame to the picture. The handrail coming closer to the viewer gives a depth to the photo which I find stimulating. Incidentally, this was one of the very last photos I took before the focus on my camera busted and went to KL for repairs.

Top 20 Photos of 2013 - #18

#18

This dainty butterfly was perched on a fragile branch at the Butterfly Park in Kuala Lumpur. It remained still while I pointed my lens and zoomed in. Other butterflies were fluttering around through the air. The luscious, blurred, green background provided the perfect wallpaper. A number of times this day, I had zoomed and focused, only for the specimen to flap its wings and be off as my finger was on the button. There will be more from the Butterfly Park later in my Top 20.

Flies getting down and dirty!!

Spotted these two on the branch of my orchid plant, getting down to business! In fact, this particular plant seems to be quite the love-spot for these flies - I've spotted such incidents on numerous occasions.

At first my Panasonic Lumix DMC-F2 had real problems focusing on the flies. It persisted on focusing on the background. The only clear picture I could get was too far away from the flies to see them!

So I grabbed a piece of white paper and with one hand held it behind the flies whilst I focused the camera in the other hand  -and hey hey, it locked on to them beautifully! This is a decent little tip if you're having focus problems with small objects. Neutralize the background with a piece of white paper!