New Toy - Polarizing Filter

It was a pleasant trip organized by my company to Macau and Hong Kong.

However, I still do not find satisfaction of my pictures taken. 

It seems like the colours are pale and not attractive enough.

After doing some research on the internet, it seems I found my solution. :D

(www.dslrtips.com is really a great website to understand the basics of digital photography.)

Oh yeahh~ I got myself a polarizing filter!

HOYA Polarizing Filter

It says at the back of the cover that the polarizing filter eliminates reflections and increases contrast and colour saturation.

Well, let's check it out.

Close up of Polarizing Filter

We can see that  the image we get is darker and more colour enhanced in a way when we see through the polarizing filter.

Again, 'nuf said. Let's get down to real application.

The photo below was taken without using the polarizing filter. 

Bright and dull.

Before using a Polarizing Filter

The effect is slightly different when we use the polarizing filter.

Effects of using Polarizing Filter

It worked!! Blue sky and white cloud is really well enhanced.

Some of the pictures I have taken using the polarizing filter.

Testing the Polarizing Filter on a Dried Fish Maw

Cage

The polarizing filter is indeed useful to enhance the colour for a landscape photograph.

I can't wait to test it out for my next trip.

Cheers.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong here I come.

After having a 2 days 1 night in Macau, we arrived back in Hong Kong.

It is a very busy city. So busy that the people keep moving around as they are restless.

Homo Sapienssssssssssss

We arrived Hong Kong in the afternoon and we were soon transferred to a local restaurant for lunch.

Soon after that, we checked into Eaton Hotel at Nathan Road. 

We certainly didn't expect such a comfortable room in the heart of Hong Kong.

Cozy bedroom with a good view and LCD Tv.

They have a small garden and a koi pond which makes the hotel ..environmental friendly. 

A Koi Pond at the lobby

Sun bathing tortoise

We had a short break getting refresh and all set for the afternoon self-arranged trip.

To Tung Choi Street a.k.a. Ladies' Market.

Road Signage to Ladies' Street

For your information, Tung Choi Street, or well known as Ladies' Market is a street of paradise for ladies.

Look at the smile :)

You can find bags, T-shirts, pants, accessories and almost everything u can wear here.

Accessories and T-shirts stall

Bags

Wrist band stall

It did not take too long for the group to look at the merchandise. And...

Trying on wristband

Sold!!

Leather wrist band

Tung Choi Street is a very long street full with stalls selling a lot of things.

However, when it comes to the end of the street, u can find food stalls and drinks.

You can get food.

Uhmmm..

And drinks.

Mineral Water/Beer/Green Tea

Soon after that, we headed to The Peak. 

The tram will bring us up to the top of a hill where they say its the best place for night views of Hong Kong.

Tram crowded with people

It was raining that night :( 

But it didn't stop me from taking a few pictures of the amazing night views of Hong Kong.

It was exhausted to travel in the rain but everything worth it.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

You might ask me, did we go to Disneyland Hong Kong?

Oh yea! 

Note the window and handler *Mickey*

I'm sorry I didn't took much pictures of Disneyland due to some technical error. 

Please don't ask. Sigh.

On that very same day, we rushed back to Hong Kong to witness the Symphony of Light at The Avenue of Stars.

The Avenue of Stars have foot prints and hand prints on concrete blocks on the ground along the avenue. 

Yes. That's a professional filming device...in bronze. Gotcha!

This certain star should be quite well known to us all.

Bruce Lee's Memorial Point. No hand prints. Guessed he didn't have the chance to leave one.

Bruce Lee's bronze statue.

To be honest, we arrived quite early to the Avenue of Stars and we got ourself a good spot.

Looking..

It's also a good opportunity to take some long exposure's night view. It was pretty good I would say.

Oh. I brought something for myself in Hong Kong.

Inspiration.

Welcome to Little Dog Lane folks!

Macau Part II and The Venetian

Here we are. All of us at Macau Tower waiting to go have our buffet lunch.

Ground Floor of Macau Tower. With a MINI Macau Tower.

Macau Tower has 61 floors. However, we can only reach the 360 Cafe at the 60th Floor.

61st Floor is meant STRICTLY for extreme sports activities....

Bungy Jump? Sky Jump? Skywalk X? Mast Climb? *Gulp*

And for those who want to enjoy the last view of Macau/Earth (Just joking, please do not try that over there. I could not bear such heavy responsibility for any incident happen XD)

The 360 Cafe occupied the 60th Floor. It is a revolving restaurant at the core of the Macau Tower. 

A similar example is just like the Atmosphere Restaurant over here in Kota Kinabalu Sabah.

Nice....

You could not deny that they claimed the 'best buffet with the best view around'.

This is why.

The restaurant serves all range of great food from western to eastern. 

Japanese Food Counter

Varieties of Dim-Sum

Roast Pork, Char Siew, Steam Chicken for Non-halal

Fruity Fruits Selection

Dessert in a cup

While having their delicious food, you get to enjoy the view of Macau at any angle while the restaurant revolving.

The lunch was satisfying. You get to taste local food and also 'international' food.

Time to move on to the famous St Paul Ruins!

St Paul Ruins

Front Steps of St Paul Ruins

A job well done by the government of Macau to preserve such historic site.

The ruins has only left the front/main entrance of St Paul Cathedral. 

It still attracted the crowds to gather around here to enjoy the view.

We then moved on down the street towards Macau City Hall and a saw this graffiti/logo

The logo has a chain and two spanners which aligned like an 'A'. Reminds me of the game 'Assassin Creed: Brotherhood' by Ubisoft Inc. (AC's fan, this point is the entrance to a hidden treasure of the century! LoL!)

It's a Hot Hot day. And trying to be Cool.

In front of Macau City Hall

Crowds in front of the City Hall.

There is a shop selling Steam Milk just around the corner. Very recommended by the locals.

Rumor says that it can make your skin so white and smooth that even a fly will slip when landed on your skin.

Steam Milk with Red Bean Toppings

We continued to venture the city and headed to a casino which operated by Jacky Chan. 

Hmm, I'm not attracted by Jacky Chan. Its the gold and jewelleries they kept there for display.

"World BIGGEST Diamond!" says the tour guide.

999.9 1kg Gold Bar with many many big diamonds. Real? 

One is fascinating right? What about a whole bunch of them lying on the floor?

*Stunt*

Nuf' said. 

Lets move on to The Venetian.

Buses to The Venetian

The Venetian is a very grand and luxury place to stay. 

Look at it from the outside, you can tell that it's no simple casino.

The Venetian at night. Credit to JLo

At the main entrance, you can feel that you are somewhere in Italy.

The arts, the carvings, the design. Marvelous. 

The Venetian is designed in a way that the place has almost everything.

Besides casino,

They have shops for branded stuff.

They have food.

They even have artificial sky that will never go dark!

They want to make that there is no night in the Venetian. It will always as busy as day time and suck all your money into their bank account !

From time to time, they have performances from bands to singers from all over the world.

The Venetian is making me feel like I'm in another town and I can stay there forever.

Nice Instrument. Hollow Body.

I am not much of a gambler so I did not stay long at the Venetian.

But I can do a little bit of 'The Venetian Don't Like' magic.

Hocus Pocus~

Adacadabara~!! Turning Day to Night!

And walk back to hotel to sleep.

Next, Hong Kong!!