4057. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: GODSEND. A Magpie Goose jumped on feeder tray, chasing away two parrots

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: A GODSEND FOR A PHOTOGRAPHER.
- A Magpie Goose jumped on the feeder tray, chasing away two parrots
Dr David Sing. 4 Nov 2025. +65 9668-6468, 99pups@gmail.com

SINGAPORE - 2 NOV 2025: 11.26am. Bird Paradise.

The Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) is a large black and white waterbird with orange legs and feet, a prominent knob on its head and naked red skin on its face. Its knob grows bigger as it ages. It has partially webbed feet.

Drainage of wetlands in Australia and New Guinea leads to loss of habitat and hence breeding areas for the Magpie Goose.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: A godsend for a photographer.

On 2 November 2025, I went specifically to Bird Paradise to photograph the emu. This Magpie Goose suddenly leapt to the feeder tray to feed chasing away two small parrots. Normally, the few Magpie Geese are on the ground making it difficult to get a good photo of the full body including claws.

The perching of the magpie goose on the elevated feeder tray was a godsend for a photographer as he is able to shoot the FULL body view of the large waterbird at around eye-level.

However, the mouldy spots of the metallic leaf cover of the bird feeder are very difficult to photoshop away. Therefore, I do not have a great photo unless I get rid of the moulds or the leaf via Photoshop.

Canon R5, 53mm, 1/160sec, f/4, ISO 100. AV mode. 

P.S.

These moulds should not have been present as they will affect the lung health of the birds.

Godsend:  A desirable or needed thing or event that comes unexpectedly;

BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2025/11/4057-photography-magpie-goose-jumped-on.html

TO BUY PHOTOS:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

MORE EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS:
www.youtube.com/@99pups

 

 

 

4056. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Full body view of an emu.

As I don't have a full body view of the emu at the Bird Paradise, I asked Mr Brian Peck who does professional photography to send me one. 

"The eye looks abnormal?" I texted.
"I have not edited the image. I shot it while walking."
"Compared your image to my red-eyed emu," I flashed.
"So it could have been some shake (of Brian's photography).
"I just went to magnify the image," Brian texted back. "Its sleeping. Haha, that's why."
"Emu could be dozing off," I commented.
"Possibly," Brian replied

So, was the emu sleeping or dozing?

I leave you to decide.

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SLEEPING IN THE Tucked posture: They often lie with their legs folded beneath them, neck curved back toward the body, and head resting on or near the ground. This compact position helps conserve warmth and reduce visibility to predators.

  

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PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:  Full body view of an emu.

Emu Sleeping Behavior

* Ground sleepers: Emus do not roost in trees or elevated places. They sleep directly on the ground, choosing open areas that allow for quick escape if needed.

* Tucked posture: They often lie with their legs folded beneath them, neck curved back toward the body, and head resting on or near the ground. This compact position helps conserve warmth and reduce visibility to predators.

* Alertness: Even while sleeping, emus remain semi-alert. They rely on their keen senses and social awareness to detect threats. They may sleep in short bursts rather than deep, prolonged sleep.

* Environmental factors: Emus prefer sleeping in areas with good visibility and minimal obstruction. Temperature, lighting, and safety influence their choice of sleeping spot.

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Create image of an emu sleeping on the grassland during the day

Create image of an emu walking on the grassland during the day

4055. AI. Create a video of an emu running across an Australian desert during daytime

 

 Create a video of an emu running across an Australian desert during daytime

Gemini AI 

 

 

Title: Desert Sprint

• Setting: The vast, sun-baked heart of the Australian outback. The ground is a mix of reddish-orange sand, sparse spinifex grass, and low, dusty shrubs. The sky is an intense, cloudless azure blue.

• Lighting: Harsh, midday sun, creating long, sharp shadows and a shimmering heat haze on the horizon.

• Subject: A single adult emu. Its feathers are a dusty grey-brown, blending almost perfectly with the landscape.

• Action: The emu is running at a full, powerful stride. Its long legs pump rhythmically, and its body tilts forward slightly for speed. Its wings, small and vestigial, flap slightly, perhaps for balance. Dust trails lightly behind its powerful feet.

• Mood: Epic, wild, and untamed. A pure display of speed and survival in a harsh environment.

 

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I cannot directly create or generate videos.

However, I can certainly provide you with a detailed description of the video you're imagining, which you could use as a script or prompt for a video creation tool or a search engine:

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📽️ Video Description: Emu Run in the Outback

Setting: Midday in the Australian Outback. The sky is a vast, cloudless blue. The ground is flat, reddish-orange dirt, sparsely covered with dry, yellow-green spinifex grass and low-lying scrub. Heat haze shimmers faintly on the horizon.

Action:

1. Opening Shot: A close-up, low-angle shot focusing on the powerful legs and feet of a large, adult Emu. Its dark, coarse feathers ruffle slightly as it moves.

2. Mid-Shot: The camera pulls back slightly, showing the Emu in a full, magnificent run. Its long neck is stretched forward, acting as a natural counterbalance. The bird's huge stride covers ground quickly and effortlessly.

3. Wide Shot: The Emu is now a smaller figure in a huge, imposing landscape. It is running at a fast, steady clip across the immense, sun-baked desert plain. The only sound is the rhythmic thump-thump-thump of its feet and the whistling of the wind.

4. Tracking Shot: The camera smoothly tracks alongside the running Emu, emphasizing its impressive speed and endurance. Dust lightly plumes up behind its powerful legs, catching the bright sunlight.

5. Final Shot: The Emu continues its straight-line sprint until it gradually becomes smaller and smaller, disappearing into the heat haze and the endless expanse of the Australian Outback.

Suggested Keywords for Search/Prompting: "adult emu running," "emu in outback desert," "wild emu running Australia," "daytime desert emu."

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Would you like me to try and find an existing video of an emu running in the Australian outback for you, or help you craft a more specific prompt?

4054. Creative Non-Fiction. Wildlife at Yishun Pond Park on 31 Oct 2025:

 

 

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Creative non-fiction makes true stories from the raw material of experience, and settings are an important part of the storyteller's craft. Time, place, weather - they can be much more than just the background against which the action of your story plays out.

(Weather and other elements in your Settings can intensify the mood or power of a scene.)

CREATIVE NON FICTION
1. Use the weather and other elements in your setting to intensify the mood or emotional power of a scene.
2. Show, don't tell

 

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Alertness
Territorial

 

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22 July 2025. 9am. Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital Botanic Garden. Morning. Blue skies, 

 

A gentle breeze blew ripples over the clear waters of the Yishun Park Pond lake. Not many passers-by. I felt the peace of the silence of this hospital garden.

A small bird chirps and flies away. Clean air as no smoking signs are prominently displayed. 

A Botanic Garden for sick people. Small one. Running water. A plopping sound along the walkway across the small pond. Was it the sound of the suction pump? A few small fishes. No dragonflies or butterflies seen at first.

 

One young man exercising in front of me - facing Pond, hands up and stretched out, jumps up and down, repeats.

Senior over 80s, tanned, slim, with phone in his left shirt pocket listening to his audio --- no need to carry it. Heart affected by phone's EMF? 

Women wearing head scarves zoom past me on the PMAs. Bright sunshine. A glorious day to be outdoors. Joyful to be alive. 

Looking for dragonflies and butterflies to photograph. Only one was seen hidden. It fluttered to another branch in the shade of the plants and leaves. 

An overweight female Security guard in her 50s, round face,  bespectacled, white blouse on black pants sauntered to me, authoritative demand, "What are you doing here?"

A tripod with Canon R5 pointing at the middle of the Garden. She thought: "Was this Senior trying to spy on some patients walking past me?". 

"I was taking photographs of the dragon fly," I said in a patient manner as some security guards do exercise their duties to prevent photography by individuals carrying a large digital camera and tripod. If they use their handphones, the guards usually do not feel a need to exercise their authority as such acts are common.

There is no warning sign prohibiting photography in this ground-level Botanic Garden of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. A tripod helps to shoot sharp images of dragonflies, hence I used it.

The Security Guard backed off: "It is okay if you just take dragonflies." Who was I shooting? Patients? The morning sunshine filters onto the leaves of the Botanic Garden. I got a good photo of the rare dragonfly.

To buy a photo of dragonflies:
www.shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

4053. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Exposure value.

 One increase in EV (EV1, 2, 3, etc.) indicates an increase of "one level," meaning an aperture value increase of "one aperture" or a shutter speed increase of double (2x) or half (1/2) speed. EV is an abbreviation for "Exposure Value."

The Pinwheel flower is difficult to photograph. I used a tripod, CanonR5, lens 105mm, 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 using AV mode. 

I reduced Exposure Value (EV) to -1 to get a better image as the setting sun over-exposes the white petals.

Then I used Photoshop to burn the "yellow" star TO A MORE YELLOW colour.

 

 

4052. PHOTOGRAPHY: Control Tower Changi Airport

1. SINGAPORE - 30 APR 2024: 8.51am. Road to carparks at Jewel Changi Airport Mall and Terminal 1 behind the Control Tower. Less traffic early in the morning.

 

2.  

 

3.  SINGAPORE - 2 JUN 2021. The Changi Airport Control Tower may be replaced by digital control towers that use artificial intelligence and video overlays to  guide air traffic controllers landing planes 

 

 

4.  SINGAPORE- 10 MAR 2024: 8pm. The Control Tower, Changi Airport is brightly lit at night. Viewed from Terminal 3, image is sharp and taken from Canon R5, Manual Mode.

4051. iPhone 16 Pro Max - black Shine Muscat grapes in Japan

 

Why is Shine Muscat so expensive?

AI Overview

Shine Muscat grapes are expensive due to their luxurious quality, meticulous and labor-intensive cultivation, limited supply, high demand, and cultural significance in Japan as a premium gift fruit. Their price is driven by factors like the grapes' sweet, low-acid flavor, thin edible skin, and seedless nature, which are all achieved through very precise growing techniques. 

Cultivation and quality

• Meticulous cultivation:

  The grapes require intensive labor, including specific pruning methods to maximize quality over quantity, and are grown in highly controlled environments with strict guidelines on sugar content and appearance. 

• Specialized treatments:

The seedless and large fruit size are often achieved through the use of plant hormones like gibberellin, which require careful and precise timing and concentration. 

• Exceptional taste:

They are known for their high sugar content, low acidity, and unique sweet, mango-like flavor with a fragrant muscat aroma. 

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Market dynamics

• Limited supply: Original production is limited, especially in Japan's mountainous regions, which have limited farmland. 

• High demand: There is a high global demand for these grapes, particularly across Asia. 

• Protectionist policies: In Japan, powerful agricultural lobbies can lead to protectionist policies that keep domestic fruit prices high, explains Earth to Veg and The Straits Times. 

• 
  

Cultural factors

• Gifting culture: In Japan, fruit is often treated as a luxury and a high-value gift.

• Presentation standards: Fruit sold in specialty stores must meet very high standards for presentation, contributing to the premium price of high-quality varieties.

• Luxury status: Shine Muscats are often considered a luxury item rather than an everyday snack, which supports their high price point. 

4050. TRAVELS SINGAPORE. Sanad is a town in Bahrain. Flamingo birds.

 Sanad is a town in Bahrain. The town neighbors Isa Town, Riffa and Jurdab. Sanad is mainly a residential area. There is a mangrove forest on the sea shores of Sanad and the area which is environmentally protected attracts large flocks of flamingos.

 

 Video shows a residential area in Sanad which is a town in Bahrain.Sanad has an environmentally protected mangrove forest which attracts large flocks of flamingos. 

 

 AMERICAN FLAMINGOSWERE PHOTOGRAPHED IN SINGAPORE’SBIRD PARADISE

ON 14 OCT 2025

TO BUY OTHER STOCK PHOTOS OF FAUNA AND FLORA IN SINGAPORE: shutterstock.com/g/
toapayohvets

4049. PHOTOGRAPHY - half plane. Need to have wingtip.

 Good afternoon. 

iPhone 15 Pro image of Hawaiian Airlines plane in Seattle airport taken by Mitchelle. 

Sharp image such that I can read "Airbus A320-200". Such "half-plane" photos must have the wingtip on one side to make it attractive, otherwise, the plane looks chopped off if the wingtip is absent. 

Photoshop "removed" other planes or their parts to make this image focused on Hawaiian Airlines plane.

 

Original image

 

 

 

 

Edited photo

posted to shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets

 

 

 

4048. PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE MOON.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image taken in Singapore 

 

 

 

 

 

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METHOD 1. VIDEO MODE.

To photograph the full moon with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, use a tripod for stability, switch to the camera's video mode, zoom in on the moon, and then lower the exposure by tapping and dragging the sun icon down until the details become visible. 

 

1. Mount your phone: Place the iPhone 15 Pro Max on a tripod or a very steady surface to avoid any shake.
2. Open the camera app: Ensure you are in a dark location with a clear view of the moon.
3. Switch to video mode: Select the video option and choose a high-resolution setting like 4K for better quality.
4. Zoom in: Use the telephoto lens to zoom in as far as possible on the moon.
5. Tap to focus: Tap on the moon on your screen to lock the focus.
6. Lower exposure: You will see a yellow sun icon with a slider appear. Drag this slider down to reduce the exposure until you can see the moon's details clearly.
7. Record and capture: Start recording video and take a screenshot of the sharpest moment in the video. You can also take individual photos while recording. 

 

 Method 2: Photo mode (Night Mode)

Alternatively, use the photo mode's Night mode and zoom in, lock the focus by tapping the moon, then reduce the exposure and use the self-timer for a steady shot. 

 

1. Mount your phone: Stabilize the phone with a tripod to prevent any shaking.
2. Open the camera app: Point the phone at the moon and ensure Night Mode is on (it should activate automatically in low light).
3. Zoom in: Zoom in on the moon, preferably using the telephoto lens.
4. Lock focus and exposure: Tap and hold the moon on the screen until "AE/AF Lock" appears. This will lock the focus and exposure.
5. Reduce exposure: A sun slider will appear. Slide it down to lower the exposure and bring out the moon's details.
6. Use the timer: Set a self-timer to avoid any shaking when you press the shutter button.
7. Take the photo: Take the photo. You can then edit the photo using the built-in Photos app to adjust brightness, contrast, and sharpness further.