For me though, it was a time to prepare for the rest of 2013 and Q1 2014.

I have always been fascinated by stories about how this is now the age of the mobile devices and how it would change our lives. As someone who loves gadgets, I am on my 2nd smartphone and 3rd tablet; and as such, I have experienced first-hand the usefulness of mobile apps on as well as how they can potentially change people’s lives.

Why not get someone to develop a mobile app then? Having used third-party developers for my website twice before, I can safely say that is out of the question as they never actually produced anything that is up to my expectation. The alternative would be to the application myself but I haven’t done software development for nearly 10-years now.I was from the world of C, C++ and Assembly; had zero experience in doing anything involving a GUI (Graphical User Interface) and not to mention Java or stuff that ran on-top of a Unix-like operating system like Android or iOS. So the plan for a mobile app was put on hold until I could find a better solution.

There are things in life however that is somehow fated or is meant to be done… as it turns out getting a mobile app was one of those things for me.

One fateful day, a month ago… after I played with a sub-standard Android app made for one of my industry partners which was written by “professional” app developers, I got the final push to develop an app myself. “After all, I can’t do any worse than those “professionals”, right?” I told myself.

The following day, I sat beside my laptop and Googled, “How to develop an Android application”. And the rest as as they say, is history.

For those who are wondering why I didn’t start with a iOS app, it is simple, Android is a platform that I am more familiar with.

Google to its credit, have made it incredibly easy to develop apps for the platform; providing a very good and free development environment and built-in debugging on any Android device via USB or network. In all honesty, Java though initially seems quite foreign to me, it is still C or rather C++ based; and writing stuff in XML is so much like HTML and CSS.

Yes, software development have evolved so much over the last 10 years; not in the sense that new programming languages are developed but in the way of the tools to improve the efficiency of the developer, in the usage as well as quality of API (Application Programming Interface) and the wealth of information on the Web. I can imagine myself enjoying software development a lot more these days than I did those years ago.

After much researching, learning, hacking and rewriting code, the app is finally ready. As of last night, an app called “Steven Leong Photography” is on Google Play Store. I hope it will provide a good enough an experience to everyone.

And if you are in possession of an Android device running Android 4.0 or higher, hop over to the Play Store HERE.

EOS 1Dx with EF 16-35L II @ 16mm, f/16, 20sec, ISO200; camera on tripod; no adjustments during RAW conversion

With a puff of smoke, lots of gasps (and an occasional moan ), tens if not a hundred or so smartphones and tablets raised up into the air, the CEO of Canon Marketing Malaysia took the Canon EOS 1Dx out of a safe.

Yes, it was exciting, it was great… and as far as anyone could tell from the working protoype, Canon Inc’s new EOS flagship is ready!

But then… the wait started; first it was early January 2012… then it was pushed back to April 2012 and finally, 8 months or so from the announcement, a production Canon EOS-1Dx finally reached my hands in late June, barely a month before the opening of the London 2012 Olympics.

So, did Canon drop the ball this time? Releasing an imperfect camera? Or releasing it too late? Or BOTH?

Canon EOS 1Dx with EF 100mm f/2.8L IS @ f/2.8, 1/1000sec, ISO100; no adjustments during RAW conversion

I can’t say for sure if this is the perfect Canon camera for the London 2012 Olympics since I haven’t really shot any sports with it as of now, neither am I an experienced Olympics photographer to provide anyone with credible comments with respect to that, but…. what I can say is this :

“The Canon EOS 1Dx is the best Canon EOS camera I have ever used in nearly every aspect”.

And yes, I have owned and used many throughout the years, from the EOS 10D, 20D, 7D, 1Ds, 1Ds Mark II and 1D Mark IV.

Now… you can stop reading right here if that’s all you wanted to know.

EOS 1Dx with EF 40mm f/2.8 STM @ f/2.8, 1/80sec, ISO800, EC -.0.33; in artificial lighting & AWB; no adjustments during RAW conversion

Cons
Cost – What? You mean you don’t need to pay for the camera and that it will NOT just appear on your desk one fine day without you paying for it? At USD6,799 (price as of today at B&H), it is no small change. You can get 2x 5D Mark.III for the price OR 4x EOS 7D OR 7.5x EOS 60D. How’s that for perspective?

Weight & Size – The heaviest, most conspicuous Canon DSLR you can buy; lugging around a 1Dx is like lugging a piece of brick when the 1Dx has wide-angle lens attached… and its like carrying a one-year old child around when it has a mid-range telephoto zoom plus flash attached.

In short, the EOS 1Dx Weighs nearly 2x as a 5D Mark.III and nearly 3x as much as a EOS 60D.

So if you are looking to travel light with your camera and not having everyone run away or start following you around for a chance to rob you, stop reading here.

EOS 1Dx with EF 40mm f/2.8 STM @ f/2.8, 1/40sec, ISO100, AWB; backlit with sunlight and artificial lighting in front; no adjustment during RAW conversion & uncropped

To put it simply; the photos straight out of a EOS 1Dx looks absolutely gorgeous.

The amazingly good auto white-balance (yes, I USE AUTO white-balance) and a great sensor + processor + firmware combo ,coupled with the excellent auto-focus system produces sharp, accurate and natural looking images. And this statement holds true from ISO 100 (which is the base ISO for this camera) right up to ISO 12800 (which is the highest I have gone so far).

Canon EOS 1Dx with EF 16-35L II @ f/2.8, 1/80, ISO6400, AWB; no adjustment during RAW conversion

Images are still amazingly sharp at both these ISO settings with good dynamic range and natural colors, so removing the grain during post-processing have always yielded very good results.

Oh… do note that the statements above are all based on shooting RAW with NR (noise reduction) always set to OFF and processing the RAW file using Adobe Lightroom.

Canon EOS 1Dx with 16-35L II @ f/2.8, 1/100sec, ISO12800, EC -1, AWB; Exposure pushed by +1/3-stop during RAW conversion, subjects flash lit using on-camera 580EX

And yes, in case anyone would like to know, you can have a AF system that is deadly accurate but slow like a mollusc AND vice versa; the Canon EOS 10D was a good example of the former and the EOS 1D Mark III (ahem… in certain situations) is an interesting example of the later.

So, what is the 1Dx AF system like?

First of all, it is like bloody nothing I have ever seen; it has so many modes that will make anyone who hasn’t used a Canon EOS 7D before go crazy AND it is complicated enough to even make actual EOS 7D users’ heads spin.

Having used mostly spot AF with a bit of area AF + auto AF point selection for both still and tracking moving targets, I think I can safely say the 1Dx AF system has none of the tendency to hunt of a certain Canon Mark III nor the slight hesitation in low-light like the EOS 7D.

The AF system on the 1Dx is like the 1D Mark IV’s AF system with more options; is faster and more accurate in good to average light. In low-light / available darkness, the AF system of the 1Dx is much more accurate though might be a little slower in attaining focus lock when compared to the EOS 1D Mark.IV.

Canon EOS 1Dx with EF 24L II @ f/1.4, 1/80sec, ISO400, One-Shot AF, E-TTL flash; no adjustment during RAW conversion

RTFM is one of the best advice to any new 1Dx users that I can giive. And by that I mean READ it from cover to cover… don’t just flip through it; after you have done that, try to understand every function. Then you should go to sleep, wake up in the morning and read it again… and repeat again the next morning.

Canon EOS 1Dx with EF 100mm f/2.8L IS @ f/2.8, 1/50sec, ISO6400, IS on, EC -0.3, flash on E-TTL; no adjustments during RAW conversion

Some say Canon’s ergonomics are the worst among the different camera manufacturers and I am sure those critics will find the 1Dx’s ergonomics to be worse than all the Canon cameras that came before it.

However, to someone who has been using the 1D-series since the Mark.I(s); the 1D-series were NEVER designed to be easy to learn or to use, they are cameras that are designed for people who wants things done as fast and as reliably as possible; these are people who will likely be handling the camera more than they “handle” their spouses or partners… hehe… but I digress.

We LEARN to use the camera, peroid. Though, it might seem strange and non-intuitive to have to move this finger to press this button and use the index finger to push another; all those actions eventually are eventually honed reflexes through hours upon hours of using the camera, so the number of buttons and their functions doesn’t matter much as long as our fingers can reach the controls any time we want.

EOS 1Dx with EF 100mm f/2.8L IS @ f/2.8, 1/2000sec, ISO100, E-TTL flash; no adjustments during RAW conversion

The Dual CF slots; many lament why NOT twin SD or even the CF+SD like the previous 1D or have a slot of one of the newer storage options? I shall not address the why NOT(s) and tell you why Dual CF is good.

Dual CF slots allows you to use just ONE type of card which is interchangeable between the 2 slots, allows you to only require support for ONE type of card reader and these slots actually use cards that care fast enough for the camera and you can actually buy CF cards (unlike some more exotic memory card types) off stores practically anywhere now.

With 2 dual CF slots, you can have 2 COMPLETELY IDENTICAL copies of your images… think about it, the most important thing to a photographer are our images, our photos which are contained in the memory cards; having double redundancy on that can’t hurt, can it?

Canon EOS 1Dx with EF 16-35L II @ f/4.0, 1/160sec, ISO1600, AWB; lit by artificial lighting plus remote flashes on E-TTL mode; -0.3stop during RAW conversion

Who is this camera NOT for?
- It is NOT for those who are basically looking for an upgraded camera phone or digicam.
- It is also not for anyone who can’t understand why “those” photographers need to spend enormous amounts of cash on a huge, heavy monster that is the 1Dx (or any other professional DSLR) when other cameras are “smaller”, “better” and “cheaper”.

Here are some additional shots taken with the Canon EOS-1Dx; all shots are direct RAW conversions to JPEG using Adobe Lightroom 4.1 :

Oftentimes, you will come across a chance to photograph a unique or special event; be it cultural, social, commercial or sports or you may have an assignment involving one. Here are some basic guidelines to follow to ensure you get better photos :

0. DON’T FORGET TO CHARGE YOUR BATTERIES : Can’t stress the importance of this; and yes, even the most seasoned professionals sometimes forget they only have a near empty  battery in their cameras or flashes.

1.  Be Prepared : I can’t stress the importance of this, know what you are going to shoot before you actually start packing your gear or doing anything else. Research. Research and research. Ask or beg for details about when, where, and how the event is going to start and end.

2. Planning : Plan your shoot based on whatever information you have, you have no information and have to play by the ear? Try to do a short 5min recce of the location(s); have a mental picture of what is going to happen and where you should be to get your shot, what equipment you need to get the shot. Need to change to a different lens halfway through an event? Please have that easily accessible. Need to make heavy use of your flash? Have extra batteries readily available and/or better yet, have an extra flash with fully-charged batteries stowed away in a waist pouch.

3. DON’T FORGET TO CHARGE YOUR BATTERIES : And bring your batteries and memory cards. Enough said’

4.  Follow the Rules, if any : Certain events will have certain rules you might have adhere to, i.e. what locations you can shoot from, whether flashes are allowed. Do note that flashes are a big NO-NO in most sporting events. DO NOT try to break or bend the rules, the fact that you might not get chased out and/or you are carrying a huge white lens doesn’t mean you can do what you please. Rules are there for a reason, you may not understand or agree with them but FOLLOW THEM. e.g. flashing an athlete in the face might not seem like a lot to you but you may have just broken his/her concentration. Photographers are at an event to photograph the event and NOT to disrupt it.

5. Shoot and GET OUT OF THE WAY : Never, ever stand in one spot for too long, especially if you have gotten a prime location for a good shot;  once you have gotten a shot, move out of the way so that someone else may shoot; you may have a bigger lens or a press pass but you don’t own the place! If you do this, other photographers might do the same for you and allow you to shoot from locations that you normally can’t.

Besides that, moving around more will let you see more angles and find better shots.

6. Be alert and be observant : Always keep an eye on everything that is happening around you, watch what others are doing (especially more experienced photographers) and understand why they are doing it, you might learn a lot by doing so. Observe what on-lookers are looking at too, they might well spot things you are not aware of. Be alert of any potential safety issues too, oftentimes, inexperienced photographers get pushed onto fences or even drains when shooting.

7. The weather / environment can change : Particularly important for outdoor events, be prepared for sudden changes of weather… if it might rain, prepare raincoats or at least get ready to move to alternative shooting locations if it rains.

8. Water is important : Carrying a bottle of drinking water with you is always a wise thing to do when photographing.

9. Rest  : There are 2 facets to this… (1) always have a good rest before an event and (2) always try to catch some rest (and I didn’t say sleep) during long events

10. Enjoy : Most importantly, enjoy yourself while photographing… trust me, your photos will come out better this way.

Here are the winners for the online contest :

1st Prize
- Actual day photography for up to 4hrs AND
- Pre-wedding (or bridal) photography* by Steven Leong Photography
- Winner : Violet Lim

3rd Prize
- 16″ by 24″ (~A2 in size) unframed print
- Winner : Lee Wenli

Thank you to all who have participated and for those who did not win, do remember to watch this blog for any upcoming online contest in the future!

Question 1 : What is the location of the photo taken for the cover photo on the Steven Leong Photography Facebook page?

Question 2 : On what category did Steven Leong win the 1st Prize at the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) 2011 competition?

Question 3 : Besides being a wedding photographer, which Asian organisation is Steven Leong the Official Photographer of?

Question 4 : Why would you want Steven Leong Photography to be your photographer instead of another wedding photographer?

Question 5 : What is the dream location for your pre-wedding photography?

Please email the ANSWERS to all the questions (question 1 to question 5) in ONE email to thebest@stevenleong.com WITH your favorite photo with your partner/fiance’.

CLICK HERE for a list of prizes as well as other terms and conditions of the competition.

So, what are the prizes you say?

The 1st prize winner will receive FREE actual day photography for up to 4hrs AND FREE pre-wedding (or bridal) photography* by Steven Leong Photography

The 3rd prize winner will receive FREE 16″ by 24″ (~A2 in size) unframed fine-art print.

*for photography locations outside KL/PJ area, the winner shall provide trasportation / accommodation

So, how do you take part? Its easy, just look out for the questions that will be posted on THIS BLOG after 12pm (GMT+8) on Monday, 9th April 2012. The FIVE (5) questions shall be posted FIVE (5) minutes apart.

Find the correct answers for them on this blog as well as the Steven Leong Photography Facebook page and follow the instructions that will be posted on Question (5) about how to submit your answer.

The person that submits the first email that contains the correct answers on question 1-3 wins the 1st prize, the 2nd email with correct answers wins the 2nd prize and the 3rd email with correct answers wins the 3rd.

In the case if emails are received at the same time containing the correct answers, answers to questions 4 & 5 shall be used as tie-breakers with the most creative or interesting answers winning.

The winner of this competition shall be announced on 13th April 2012.

9th April 2012 UPDATE : The list of questions have now have all been announced, there are listed HERE for your convenience; send in your entry as soon as possible for a chance to win the amazing prizes!

It is indeed an honour to receive such recognition for my work from an international organisation. This is a milestone and it will not be only one; I will both be hoping and working towards being better in the future.

p.s. hope you guys like this image as much as I do and for those who are wondering, neither the sunset nor the motion blur on the bride’s dress are digitally enhanced or added in.

Being mid-day, and only have so few speedlights, I barely had enough power to fill the entire group but overall it was a nice experience and I quite like those photos. And here is the one I liked best :