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Need for speed when shooting drama

On Day 5 of Samsung's NX Traveller 2015, Motion & Speed was the theme our photographers grappled with. Both teams were in the south of Korea as their epic adventure entered its action-packed conclusion. Here's what transpired...

TEAM A LOCATIONS: Jeju - U-do Island

Getting creative in a canola field on U-do Island, Jeju. Fraser Morton

In what was undoubtedly the most dramatic day’s shooting Team A’s photography skills were put to these test on the holiday jewel of Korea - Jeju Island.

The volcanic island is a premier destination for both domestic and foreign honeymooners due to its natural splendour and spectacular black sand beaches, jagged cliffside coastline, waterfalls, caves and the world’s longest lava tube Manjanggul, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The highlight of the day was a trip to Seong San Il Chul Bong, or Sunrise Peak, where in a small cove in the shadow of the gargantuan volcanic mountain the team witnessed the Jeju Woman Divers fishing for shellfish.

Known as Haenyeon, meaning women of the sea, these elderly divers are the stuff of legend in the region. With the oldest diver 87 and the youngest 53, the average age is 71 years young. The women have earned a living their whole lives submerged in frigid water free-diving for abalone, octopus and other sea morsels.

Blogfather of Singapore and experienced photographer Mr Brown (instagram@mr_brown) said it was a dramatic scene to try and photograph. With Motion & Speed in mind his equipment of choice was the Samsung NX1 with telescopic 50-150, 2.8 aperture S lens.

“That lens really allowed me to get close to the action even though I was standing on the shoreline and the divers were quite far out. Getting that extra reach makes all the difference and I was able to get the perfect shot I wanted. It’s a sharp lens across all apertures and allows me the speed and accuracy I need in split-second situations, like the diver wading out of the water.”

Experimenting with the Samsung NX500 on Jeju. Photo by Fraser Morton

The NX1 and NX500 ready for action on Jeju. Photo by Fraser Morton

After trekking up to the peak of Yongnuni Oreum, another dormant volcano on the island, the team rounded off the day with an unexpected encounter.

The bus driver decided to pull over at the side of a field where some horses were grazing and in the distance the skyline was dotted with windmills. The sun was dipping over hills in the background casting a warm glow over the entire scene.

“It was such a dramatic moment,” said photo winner from Malaysia Izham Ariffin. “I was so glad I had my 50-150 S lens. It’s very quiet and when you are just a few metres away from horses or other animals the last thing you want is a noisy lens and camera scaring them off! I got one of my shots of the day in that moment.”

Another photo tip Mr Brown offered aspiring photographers who like to capture horses in fields is to watch where you step. “It can get messy,” he said laughing.

Team A getting good at group photos. Photo by Fraser Morton

TEAM B LOCATIONS: Yeosu - Busan Gamcheon Culture Village – Busan Harbour

Groupie at Gamcheon Culture Village. Photo by Michael Sainsbury

Photo by Michael Sainsbury

After something of a false ray of hope on Day 4 - which saw Team B lashed by rain - the weather gods finally delivered in the harbour city of Yeosu on Friday morning.

Only three early birds had the morning speed to catch the first genuine sunrise opportunity of the trip from the funky roof garden of the Mathieu Hotel. Singapore photographer Wilson Wong was first on deck.

“I thought…yes, yes, at last it’s going to be a nice day for shooting pictures,” he said.

Speed & Motion were the order of the morning; first a cable car ride across one of the world’s most spectacular natural harbours, followed by a self-pedalled rail bike trip around one of the scenic headlands that dot the coast.

“When you are moving you need to focus on the shutter speed. The faster you or the subject moves, the faster the shutter speed has to be to capture the movement without blurring,” Bangkok-based photo editor Karn Samanvarowong explained.

“In the cable car I used a Samsung NX1 with a S16-50mm OIS lens and a shutter speed of 1/400 which is 1/1400th of a second. If we were moving faster you would need a faster shutter speed.”

“But if you were shooting a waterfall for instance and wanted a blurred effect you would use a slower shutter speed and keep the camera still.”

Karn weaving his magic. Photo by Michael Sainsbury

There were plenty of sore legs, already weary from two days of non-stop walking, so the long bus ride to Busan, South Korea’s No 2 city, was greeted with relief.

But the legs – and Samsung NX cameras - would soon hit the hills of Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village, a mishmash of narrow lanes and steep, often endless steps, dotted with arty installation galleries and coffee shops.

“It was very colourful and enchanting,” said Filipino competition winner Ana Marie Bacul, who snapped lots of street art (instagram@viajieDora81) with her Samsung NX3000.

Appropriately for the day spent ogling coastal vistas, the evening’s entertainment was a dinner cruise showing off Busan’s towering cityscape – slowing down what had been another very fast day in motion.

Don’t forget to check in for tomorrow’s report and find out what happened on Day 6 of Samsung’s NX Traveller Korea. Meanwhile, here’s a selection of just a few of the shots our photographers caught on Day 5 in the theme of Motion & Speed.