Returning from Agra to Delhi by road is quite a long trip but there are some interesting things to see along the way. This nicely lit carnival was crowded with people having a good time. There were tuk-tuks everywhere cars and trucks parked at all angles.

There is something about India which strikes a chord in your heart, I cannot quiet pin it down. But it is melancholy, beautiful and sweet all at the same time. Despite the chaos and all the difficulties, the people really love their country and enjoy simple pleasures like this carnival.

One other thing, if ever you happen to be traveling between Agra and Delhi there is a little shop, apparently famous all over India, that sells an absolutely incredible sweet that melts in your mouth. It is a little like a Turkish Delight, but far better than any I have ever tasted before. I do not recall the name of the shop right now, but if anyone reading this knows, drop me a line and I will update the post. In any case your driver will certainly know about the shop.

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The new Lightroom 4 looks pretty good. Some very clever improvements to how things work and some changes in the algorithms behind the scenes.

In this Adobe Lightroom 4 Review I will briefly highlight the main changes that I have seen so far:

So taking it from the top:

1. Localized Adjustments (image right) are much improved and now include noise, temperature, shadow and highlight control among other things. So you can brush in an adjustment to the shadows and at the same time add a noise reduction, pretty cool.You can also make localized temperature adjustments, so you can warm up the shadows.

2. The Basic controls Exposure, Recovery and Fill Light have all been changed to a new mix of Highlight, Shadow, Blacks and Whites (image below). The key change is that each of the new control covers just a portion of the histogram. The adjustments seem smoother and more intelligent, than the old ones.

3. Clarity is much improved, in that you will not get halos now.

4. Curves are also now more like Photoshop CS5 in that you can create as many anchor points as you like, but the biggest change is that you can now adjust the curves for each of the RGB channels. So you can use this to warm or cool an image in the shadows or highlights or even overall.

5. The auto lens adjustments are similar to before, but the chromatic aberration control works simply and independently and is much more effective.

6. Video digital management and basic video editing is now included.

7. Create a book and publish to Blurb, all in Lightroom!

8. There is new process (algorithm) to apply the development settings to the images. It is possible to compare the before and after images using the new process (algorithms) versus the old. The changes are quite small and should not cause you nay inconvenience. since the changes are small I simply updated the images in the batch mode for the filmstrip I was working on.

In summary big improvements, with a lot more scope for doing almost all your image development in Lightroom. Only small thing was that I noticed the sharpening has not been improved as much as I was hoping. So for sharpening and noise reduction I will keep using CS5 and NeatImage. Also I was expecting an update to the lens list to include the Canon 800mm IS L, but alas this lens is not listed yet.

I searched for a while to find an upgrade button in Adobe, but all you have to do is click on the “Buy” button and it will offer you an upgrade option. My local download took ages, so eventually just downloaded the trial version and it will ask for the new serial number, and somehow automatically detects the old Lightroom serial number.

When you start Lightroom 4 asks you whether you want import the old catalogues, it converts them nondestructively and uses the old previews until you refresh with the new process.

That’s it.

All up, a highly recommended upgrade.

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The mk I version of this lens is very good so it was surprising to me that Canon should choose this lens for an upgrade. As it turns out the new IS II series of lenses are truly remarkable, the improvement over the previous version of Image Stabilization is almost magical. Combined with the wide maximum aperture of F/2.8 and the closer minimum focus distance this is a very versatile lens.

The lens is slightly heavier than its predecessor and some folks have said that the out of focus bokeh is not as nice as the previous version or that the out of focus blur is not as smooth. I can see what they mean but really it is just slightly different and still good. Another feature of this lens that reflects its quality is that it remains sharp wide open and throughout the zoom range.

This is a top travel lens, and there are a few things you can do with it that make it well worth taking with you. The mk II has a closer focus distance than the mk I which is great and also means that you can almost use this as a macro lens as is, however if you add an extension tube and/or a D500 screw on close up lens you have a pretty good macro at little additional cost or weight. When using it as a macro lens you will want to generally stop down the lens to increase the depth of field and here it still performs quite well.

Another option is to use the lens with a 1.4x mk III or 2x mk III extender. Of course extenders result in slight loss of contrast and sacrifice 1 and 2 F stops respectively. However I have seen some tests that show that even with a 2x extender the lens is quite close to the same quality of a 100-400 L IS which is itself a pretty nice lens. However, generally I recommend limiting use of extenders to 1.4x and even then only on high quality lenses.

To summarize this lens review, the 70-200 mm F/2.8 L IS II is great lens and excellent for travel photography. The alternative is the lighter F/4.0 version of the lens, but for my way of thinking the faster lens is worth it.

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Swimming in Jellyfish lake Palau is a fantastic experience. There are many chances to obtain interesting photographs, but I was looking for something a bit different. As I was snorkeling along the surface, shafts of light flickered past me and down into the depths leaving the impression of my shadow in the lake.

To capture this image a reasonable depth of field was needed, I used F/14. Also the shutter speed needed to be fast enough to capture the moving columns of light, so 1/30 did the trick and then ISO 400 to make all that work.

Actually most visitors to Jellyfish lake will not see this because they visit in the morning or afternoon, since the jellies bunch up more as they follow the light, but I visited a couple of times and once in the middle of day.

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For me this image captures something of the mystery of Varanasi. The fisherman is one world and he is reaching across the shimmering mirrored surface into another dark and mysterious world.

This fisherman is a metaphor for the paradox of Varanasi, on the one hand the city provides the infrastructure to carry out the rituals demanded of the spirit world and on the other it is a living city.

A city that has been shaped by these rituals for thousands of years. Huge castles and mansions have been built by the devoted on the banks of the Ganges and then crumbled back into the river as they are reclaimed by time.

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The Canon 5D Mk II is a great travel camera. I really like the full frame low noise and good resolution 21.1 mega pixels. It is not too heavy and has more than enough options for most travel photography. Because it is a full frame camera you will need at least a few different lenses to cover a reasonable range of focal lengths. (I will talk about what lenses I carry in a later blog.) You also need good quality lenses and to use those lenses in their optimal ranges to take full advantage of the sensor resolution.

I like the 5D’s ability to get low noise images that preserve the mood of low light. I usually limit my ISO to 800, but many folks are happy to use much higher ISO and for an image that does not reply on detail higher ISOs can work well.

The 5D mk II has auto ISO which will set the ISO so that the shutter is kept at least 1/focal length which is appropriate for hand held. This is not a bad option, but you should realize this does not account for image stabilization, which will give you around 3 stops and is getting better all the time. If you are shooting wildlife and you are using a tripod or a beanbag and you use auto ISO you will often be using a higher ISO than you really need.

One of the new options now for Highlight Tone Priority, which uses a different tone curve and will give you around another stop if dynamic range when shooting jpeg. Another new option is the “Auto Lighting Optimizer” which increases the detail in the shadows. It is mainly useful for jpeg shooting. There things sound great and they have their place but I have usually found that if the lighting is a bit tricky it is often easier to use the manual mode of the camera.

The 5D mk II also has pretty decent video capabilities, however you should consider using an off camera microphone for better sound. Also have a think about what format you want to record your video in, for example NTSC , PAL and 30 or 24 fames per second in HD 1080p. Unfortunately, the 5D mk II lacks a 60 fps video mode for fast action or creating slow motion shots. It would be nice if the next version of this camera had full HD at 60 fps.

Although the camera sensor performs well in low light it can sometimes be hard to achieve focus in these conditions. You can generally improve the ability to focus by mounting the small infra red ST-E2 on the hot shoe and or using the central focus point. Of course faster lenses like F 2.8 or better will also more easily acquire focus, in low light.

In conclusion the 5D mk II is a great camera for any travel photographer. If you have a big trip planned I would recommend it. It is compact, durable and can help you take great images.

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Fisheye lenses are small and light, so they are easy to travel with. Judicious and selective use of the fisheye can yield results that perhaps could not be obtained any other way.

Generally they are excellent in situations where the distortion caused by lens either adds to the composition or where the distortion will not be noticeable. I like to use the distortion looking through columns to help frame an image like the pavilion shot at the Udai Villas, Udaipur Rajasthan India.

The 15mm fisheye is excellent for underwater photography, since usually there is not too much geometric structure worry about. However you have to get extremely close to the subject, to get a good shot with a fisheye underwater. In general something like 2 or 3 feet at most, should work well. Fortunately the 15mm fisheye has a good depth of field making it easier to get all of the subject in focus.

There are only two problems with the 15mm fisheye, firstly the lens cap is pretty sketchy since it does not positively attach to the lens. So it always feels as though it is about to fall off and expose the bulging and vulnerable lens surface. The other less serious issue is that the build quality seems a little plastic like. Having said that my fisheye lens is still in mint condition after years of use.

Addressing the relatively minor quibbles I had about the 15mm fisheye is a new fisheye zoom lens 8-15mm F/4.0. However more about that lens in a later blog.

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I remember learning about the stone money of Yap about the same time as I learnt about the pyramids of Egypt. These things can live in your imagination for so long that seeing them in real life can give you a sort of shock, as the details are filled in, and new unexpected features are revealed.

The mystery of why and how stone money (called Rai) is used gives us some insight into our own culture and the meaning of money. Even today stone money has value. You might think that the larger the more valuable, but this is not necessarily the case.

Hundreds of years ago the Yap warriors undertook hazardous ocean voyages to Palau and other distant islands, where they cut the stone money from the hard crystaline (calcite) rock using hand tools. Then they sailed back with these heavy pieces of stone. Sometimes lives were lost in storms, or they were blown far off course and vanished in the vastness of Pacific. So it has come about that the value of the stone money is proportional to the story of heroism and the difficulty in obtaining that particular piece of money. The stone money really serves as a carrier of culture from one generation to the next, as the stories are told and retold. The most interesting stories survive and the value and status of the money associated with these stories increases.

Stone money is not used to buy everyday items, instead its value is reserved for traditional purposes. It may pass from one family to another as a wedding gift, or as part of the price of land. Rai given in this way is not usually moved, instead the knowledge of who now owns the money simply becomes part of the collective memory. That is not so different to how we use money.

Yap was not really known to the world until the mid 1800′s when the Irish trader David O’Keefe began using modern tools and ships to mint huge pieces of stone money in return for copra and bêche-de-mer (sea slugs). The result was akin to inflation, with the result that the O’Keefe stone money lost its value.

Scuba Diving

Stone money is not the only unique attraction of Yap, there is excellent diving. The “Canyons” is a quiet dive with little current and a labyrinth of corridors and swim throughs that are just fantastically good fun to explore, with some interesting critters.

Travel Photographer – Matt Considine.

Manta rays are one of the other key attractions of Yap. The manta rays come in great numbers and return to the same coral outcrops year after year. Small cleaner wrasse pick off the parasites that live on the mantas’ skin in a symbiotic relationship.

Yap Culture

I have many more Yap underwater images, in the Yap Gallery, but before checking that out, I want to talk about the Yap culture. Since my visit to Yap was only for a limited time I thought I would rush in get the shots I wanted, rush here, rush there…but the island had other ideas. Heard of island time? Well Yap culture has embraced island time in its own charming way. For example, I found out there was a traditional dance through word of mouth, and then had to visit one of the resorts to be told that yes there will be a dance but that no one really knows exactly when it will be held. I had to call each day and they would let me know if it was going to happen, also they might call me since they know where everyone is staying. At first this could seem a bit frustrating, but once you accept the idea of island time it is quite endearing. I also like the fact that when Yapese do a traditional dance it is on their terms.

The Yap dancers are among the most skilled and authentic Pacific dancers I have seen. The dancers include people of all ages, and everyone has a lot of fun.

Some places can only be visited by obtaining permission from the traditional owner, who sometimes cannot be found and probably does not have a phone. As it turns out this actually gives you a chance to talk to the locals and absorb some of the culture. At one stage while waiting for a lift to see some of the old world war II relics I had a chance to chat to an old man who had sailed as far as Japan in his younger days using just the stars and wave direction to navigate. Since the islands were occupied by the Japanese for many years, some of the older folk are part Japanese and can speak Japenese.

Do check my gallery Yap – Micronesia Gallery (images of Asia Collection)

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Palau is a group of incredibly beautiful islands located in Micronesia.  Palau is also a divers’ paradise, certainly one of the best diving locations in the world. You can float through huge light filled caverns like Blue Holes or hook on to the reef at Blue Corner and watch as the sharks patrol the current for prey.

The diving in Palau is a close up wildlife experience, sharks can come as close as a meter (3 feet), while turtles wobble their way along the reef and schools of fish swarm around you.  However the most amazing experience was having two manta rays continually loop around us as though we were not even there.  The mantas perform loops of around 10 meters (30 feet) in diameter and sometimes pass so close you could almost touch them (though of course you should not do that).

The key to having the best diving experience of your life in Palau is to be with a good dive guide.  All the dive guides were good, but I was particularly lucky to have Jonathon as my guide. He seemed to have a sixth sense for knowing where to look for mantas and sharks, and he knew from experience what dives to do at what times, and that really made a difference.

Of course most divers will have heard of Blue Corner, and it is fantastic to hook on to the reef and get that feeling of effortless flight as the current flows past, while watching the show.  However, there are other dives which are just as good and sometimes better.  Peleliu Cut is also a reef hook dive where sometimes the current is so strong it can feel as though your mask is about to be ripped from your face, giving the dive an extra level of excitement.  The strong current also pushes schools of fish up off the wall into the open space above the drop off, giving the sharks a chance at lunch.

Ulong Channel is a drift dive down an underwater valley with a huge bank of lettuce coral on one side.  Ulong Cut is a lesser known but good reef hook dive, that is where the sharks were closest for me.  German Channel is where you find the mantas and Siaes Tunnel is an alternative to Blue Holes.  There are many more, I have been to Palau twice now and still have not done all the dives.

Palau created the world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009 and in October 2010, extended that protection to dolphins, whales and dugongs in an area covering 600,000 square kilometers (230,000 square miles).  Palau is a beacon of intelligent marine resource management that others will hopefully follow.

Palau has a lot to offer the visitor apart from diving.  The country has hundreds of islands, many of which are the quintessential tropical paradise you dream about. Most of the islands are not much higher than a 100 meters (300 feet) and usually have an interesting mushroom shape with the sides eroded by the sea.  The islands and beaches are rimmed with a bright light aqua water typical of coral reefs.  The climate in Palau is also a pretty constant 30 degrees C (85 F).

Anyone who sees the wonders of Palau first hand will never forget it and I think will see the value in preserving the marine wildlife and environment.  Palau is quite simply one of those places and life experiences that should be on your top 10 list of things to do.

Here are some images from Palau, you can see the entire gallery by clicking on this Palau Gallery link.

Palau – Micronesia Images by Matt Considine Travel Photographer

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This slideshow of varanasi is set to music chosen to elicit the feelings evoked by being in Varanasi. Varanasi may in someway seem a sombre city, but it is full of life and there is something profound in the contrast between the reality and the unflagging faith of the believers. I hope I have caught some of that magic in the video.

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