Hi Flexers,Esther and I have been away again - first with a stop over in Singapore (where we were married 35 years ago and where three of our four children were born) and then on to Manado in Northern Sulawesi where my former Chinese business partner sponsors an orphanage and a university which we also support. Before we get to the orphanage and university convocation pictures here are some panos from the spectacular scenery.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/Lightning_Volcano.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/coh4gsOne evening there was a thunderstorm around the base of Mount Lokon - a supposedly extinct volcano - from which steam continually rises on the far right side of the mountain (from our vantage point). I set up the M8 on a railing - set exposure at 8 seconds - using the Tri Elmar at 50mm - and used the timer at 2 seconds. The noise reduction on the M8 - which takes 8 seconds for an 8 second exposure - meant that I could only expose every 18 seconds. It took many tries to have the shutter open when the lightning flashed.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/FishSunsetw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/dxvh8xSometimes the elements just come together for you. This one was made easier using Esther's Pana G1 and the 45 - 200 zoom.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/LilypadVolcano2PanM8Tri.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/czpxomWhen I got bored with all the kodachrome skies I screwed on my B&W IR filter and took some some IR shots with the M8 Here is a 2 panel of the Lily Pond at the Gardenia Rest house with the Lokon Volcano in the background.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/LilypadVolcano2PanM8Tri.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/czpxomHere is the view from the Manado ferry terminal taken from the top of the Hotel Celebes - which is owned by a classmate of my Chinese partner. You expect Somerset Maugham to be sitting in the hotel bar - it is that kind of place.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/6panviewHotelCelebesM8Triw.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/ctgnotAnd here is a sunset from the Manado water front with Bunaken Island to the right of the 5 panel Pano taken with the M8 and the Tri Elmar. Bunaken is a world famous diving area and a national park in Indonesia
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/BunakenSunset5PanM8TriW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/dx23roThe air in Manado when it was sunny was so clear that you could see the edges between objects and the sky - just like the emulsion ridges on a kodachrome slide. Coming from smoggy Hong Kong it was simply incredible. I hope Manado never gets any industry!!
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/5panLokonVolM8Tri50W.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/dz9u7oAnd lastly here is the fishing pier facing Bunaken Island. The locals find time to fish every day at all times of the day but the fish seem to bite more at sunset.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Manada/4panM8TriFishBunakenW.jpg.html http://tinyurl.com/dgjclk Please enjoy, C&C always welcome Cheers Howard
