Bali 4.0

This is a 5 minute exposure over-looking rice fields. Notice the faint star trails

I am not sure what these things are but I think they are involved in some Hindu ritual/offering. They are often constructed over roads.

Little shops that sell various paintings dominate the streets of Ubud. Many painting styles/paintings are often copied and reproduced.

A Hindu offering. It's not directed at the skull:-)

A Vespa shrine and a bridge at sunset

Yesterday I purchased the Nikon SB-600, an external flash.  I am looking to broaden my night shots with artificial light.  Particularly, using the flash to light up subjects at various angles.  Last night I practiced lighting up an old vespa that was mounted on top of some boulders.  I set up my camera for 10 to 15 second exposures.  During an exposure I went around the vespa and fired the flash several times at different angles.

Another cool feature about the SB-600 is that it can be triggered wirelessly.  The flash came with a stand, which I can use to position the flash within 33 feet of the camera.  This will be helpful for my night shots as well as portraits. 

A vespa and a cracked filter

Last night I was shooting and I accidently knocked over my tripod while reaching for my cell phone.  When I turned my body my backpack hit the tripod. I heard the crack and immediately thought, oh crap, my camera!  luckily the lens filter took most of the impact.  The filter cracked and I am hoping that the lens is not damaged.  I could not get the filter off so today I dropped it off at a camera shop.  I hope the lens will be in working condition.  Luckily it was my least expensive lens, a Nikon 50mm f1.8, but unfortunately my fastest.  The camera body is in good condition and still working.  A local Indonesian came up to me when he saw the tripod fall and taught me the word broken, "rusak".

Before the I knocked the tripod over I was shooting a cool looking vespa at sunset.  Vespas are popular here, however, they are slowly fading out.  A friend of mine tells me that some people from Europe come down to Indo and buy used vespas, fix them up, and then sell them in Europe for a substantial profit.

I like the hood ornament, is that a jag?