Nikon’s new SB-900 Speedlight

Nikon Europe introduced a brand-new flagship Speedlight - the Nikon SB-900 – that offers exceptional high-speed, high-power operation combined with an extended zoom range. The SB-900 incorporates a moving diffuser and light source that can zoom from 17mm to 200mm in just 1.2 seconds while maintaining an even light distribution. The versatile new flash provides a choice of three illumination patterns (centre-weighted/standard/even) that can be selected to suit a particular subject.

“Nikon Speedlights are widely regarded to be the best in the business” said Robert Cristina, Manager Professional Products and NPS, Nikon Europe. “The new SB-900 propels flash lighting into the future with really exciting creative opportunities available at the touch of a button” he added.

The SB-900 is perfectly adapted to both DX and FX formats, and will automatically select the appropriate light distribution pattern according to the sensor format of the camera to which it is attached. The SB-900 also automatically detects the fitting of fluorescent or incandescent colour filters, instructing the camera to switch to the appropriate white balance setting. Designed for today’s high speed digital image capture, the SB-900 handles repeated firing at high power with an improved booster circuit for high-speed recycling and includes a built-in thermal sensing system that protects the unit against overheating.

It is fully compatible with the other Speedlights and accessories of the acclaimed Nikon Creative Lighting System and can be easily incorporated into multiple-flash lighting set-ups. Bounce flash capability is provided through a head that can be tilted up by 90º and down by 11º and rotated horizontally through 180º, making the SB-900 an essential accessory that opens up many creative opportunities to the photographer.

The SB-900 will be available as of 25th July 2008.

Nikon Speedlight SB-900 Major Features

• Multi-step auto zoom covers wide 17-200mm zoom range (24-105mm：SB-800)
• Three illumination patterns (standard, center-weighted and even) are available to match each shooting environment
• Automatically detects Nikon FX and Nikon DX formats and selects suitable light distribution
• Improved booster circuit for high-speed recycle time: Recycle time using four AA-size batteries is almost equal to the SB-800 with five AA-size batteries
• New AF-Assist illumination covers a wide 20-105 mm focal range compatible with the new Multi-CAM3500 FX/DX AF sensor
• Firmware update via Nikon D3 and D700 is possible (world’s first*)
• Thermal Cut-out function limits the number of flashes to avoid deterioration of light emitting parts caused by continuous flash firing
• Automatically detects color filters (fluorescent or incandescent), enabling camera to control color temperature according to filter information from SB-900
• Improved switch panel for enhanced usability
• Improved GUI using a large-size LCD dot panel
• Bounce capability: tilts up to 90º, down to -7º, rotates horizontally 180º to right and left
• Advanced Wireless Lighting and versatile functions for up to three remote groups of SB-900s or other compatible Speedlight controlled through the master SB-900

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Close-up portraits

Close-up portraits usually have the subject's shoulders and head or less. They are basically framed around the face. These are the best to capture expressions and glamour shots. It is very important to have the light coming from a good angle for these. If you want to accent wrinkles or small details you should have the light coming from the side or from the top. If you want flattering pictures you should take these on a day that's cloudy so there is a lot of diffused light and therefore no shadows.

You will get the best results if the subject is brighter than the background so there is not much distraction. For these you should use a wide aperture (low f/stop) to make the background out of focus and less of a distraction. Professionals usually use a fixed telephoto lens that's 90 mm or a little higher for portraits for the reason that it de-emphasizes the subjects nose or any other unflattering feature because a

t that far away the nose or any other significant feature doesn't seem closer to the camera than the rest of the face.

Royal Cremation Ceremony, in Ubud, Bali on July 15th, 2008

A series of ceremonies will be held in Ubud, Bali, this coming month, culminating in a unique Royal Cremation (pelebon) procession and Celebration of Life, which will take place on July 15th, 2008. This Royal Cremation Ceremony promises to be an unforgettable event for spectators.

The Ubud Royal Family will hold this ceremony for the bodies of two prominent elders of the family:

• TJOKORDA GDE AGUNG SUYASA, who was head of the Ubud Royal Family and the leader of the traditional community in Ubud since 1976, and
• TJOKORDA GEDE RAKA, who was a senior office in the police force in Denpasar until his retirement in 1992

The effigy of GUNG NIANG RAKA, whose body was cremated in a smaller ceremony in December soon after she died, will also now be given a full cremation ceremony.

The cremation procession and associated ceremonies are important rituals in the Hindu rites of passage. The bodies of the deceased will be carried through the streets of Ubud by thousands of local people on top of a nine-tiered tower called ‘bade’. The procession will be accompanied by an elaborately decorated and venerated bull effigy (Lembu) and a mythical dragon-like creature (Naga Banda), with a five meter-long tail. The naga is reserved for only the elders of the Royal family and is thus seldom seen in cremation ceremonies.

Ngaben is the principle funeral rite in Bali's Hindu society which aims to return the remains of the deceased to the elements from which all living things are created and to release the soul from all ties to this life.

Ngaben is comprised of many rituals, culminating in the burning of the corpse in an animal-shaped sarcophagus, as well as the burning of the cremation tower (bade) whose sole purpose is to transport the corpse from home to the cremation grounds.

The Ngaben is not a sad event, it can even be happy, it is a way to make the spirit of the dead happy, and to avoid disturbing him by crying. However it requires an enormous amount of time, energy, and money! All of the relatives and friends share the cost but often months, or even years, will be required to gather enough money and to make the mountains of offerings involved. One solution is for ordinary community members to join the funerals of wealthier individuals of high caste, or to organize ngaben massal (mass cremation) among the villagers, to reduce the costs.

In Ubud, such ‘mass’ cremations are held only every 3-5 years. On 15 July, 2oo8 three members of the Royal Family of Ubud will be cremated along with approximately 70 other deceased from the local community.

This ceremony is very much a public one and visitors are welcome but everyone is reminded to dress appropriately, with legs and arms covered, and to abide by any instructions and announcements.