Preparing for Photography Competition--5 (post no.104)

THE THEME:  The theme is generally categorised as Colour Prints, B&W Prints, Nature Prints(flowers,birds,raptiles,macro of these etc), Wildlife Prints(Animals of jungle, birds, crocodile etc), Travel Prints, Photojournalism, Digital Imaging etc. Digital Imaging is the new category included in the competitions. However, the organisers specify that the print shd have originality of the subject with few tools of photoshop used. They need the sanctity of the image, not a mutilated image.

2) Check the lighting of your picture. It shd look realistic...Avoid snapshot camera flash look. While outside or inside, make the light works well according to a competition category. This can be decided while shooting, the angles of lighting, harshness,softness of lighting. It shd not kill the subject. If necessary use reflectors, like a white towel, cloth, newspaper. thermocol, wall etc. To slightly darken the subject, use of black reflectors may also help,like black cloth,card sheet etc.

3) PRESENTATION OF PRINT IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT POINT....Care shd be taken when sending the print to lab...U shd personally instruct the lab technician to further crop image and the tonal range,colours u want in the final print,if u get a proof first. Poor quality of prints have no excuse before a judge and ur print may see a corner of the table......The competitions generally need unmounted prints. But still some photographers send their prints duly mounted. If u think so, use proper mounting, clean cut cardsheets, masks, cardboards...Check the prints of any spots. They shd be duly finished.

REMEMBER, PHOTOGRAPHY IS A RECOGNIZED ART....BE AN ARTIST.

Preparing for Photo Competitions--4 (post no.103)

PICTORIAL TOUCH:...This is ur artistic capability in regard to having a good use of balance, colour, composition,cropping and creative use of space. The photo should  have a good use of contrast i.e. neither the effect shd be dull nor the highlights washed out.....In normal terms a correct tonal range, showing details in the highlights and shadow areas, so the judges have the option to give ur pic full marks....There are normally 3 judges so if 2 agree on a print, it is selected for further comparison with more effective photographs. Therefore,keeping in mind the above, your print shd not lag behind.

In the above picture, I used cropping...Since she is a prominent danseuse, she is kept in centre, surrounded by other fellow dancers (u can see around her)....Her pose is diagonal -most important to depict the sense of dynamism-her important dress and the whites of other dancers have the folding details.....that tell the story that they are the part of a troupe and in action....that is the balance. Her eyes not looking into the camera but where her concentration shd be, i.e. immediately to get up for another steps...The colour of her face shows the originality of the make up plus the well saturated colours of her dress, so the viewers' eyer stay there.Important also are ''LEADING LINES'' (AN IMPORTANT PART OF A COMPOSITION)....The hand(of another dancer above), the lyrical designs of other dancers' dresses all account to her. Even if u move to right to another of her colleagues's hand, u will hv to come back to her forceful pose......to continue

Preparing for Photo Competitions--3..(post no.102).

To go further for preparation for photo competitions.....There are simple rules to guide you to be a better photographer to be able to make your name in photo competitions...thus winning the hearts of judges, the audience, the newspapers, magazines and to obtain photographic degrees/diplomas in exams. There are hundreds of schools, colleges having photography as a full time course.

Just come along to look for things in your photographic entries:::. IMPACT: Your photograph has a main subject with other elements. When the audience view it, they shd stop and say 'vah', but make every effort to give full attention to the main subject avoiding the less important or distracting objects. However, ultimately, they shd have the full picture in mind with good composition...that is ur success.

As in the above photograph, there is impact of boats, creativity of making a triangle, the main centre of interest-- the boatman approaching the halting boats, supporting boats lying vacant, the reflection in water to say 'vah', dull evening light to make mood for boating, leading lines of small ripples take attention to the human element, whole perspective as an artist painted the view etc.

CREATIVITY: Your picture shd make the viewer think how u achieved your photographic image, if he is a photographer, he will think of focal length, the shutter speed and aperture u used, with ISO rating according to ur choice and lightings conditions. ......to continue

Preparing for Photo Competition.......(post no.101).

While submitting a photograph for competition, you may be in the thinking of telling the judges/experts that this is my best work and I can do no better.....haha...Is it true?....No it is not if you seriously believe that it can be further improved....You belie yourself if u say that u cannot improve...Improvement skills are there in your mind, thinking in the direction to make picture much better.

2) In case ur picture is critiqued, try to remake, crop, tint or redo into the style the judge/expert has recommended....Imp: AFTER you have done over the comparing  both photographs, previous one and another made on the lines/guidance suggested by the judge/expert, to understand that you hv a learning experience.If you are confident, then the competitions are for you....However, even during the year, if there is no competition and you make pictures regularly, there is no wait for judging in the competition. Are there no people/experts in you club,vicinity whom you respect for their knowledge and ability? Have advantage of their wisdom. YOU will be surprised, how easily and happily  they agree to offer you help and guidance and eagerly share their skills....That is the battle half won...........to continue.

Pl click on the ads beside and below.

Preparing for Photo Competitions.(post no.100).

Photo competitions are good platform showcasing your art in public....There may be excitement of getting recognition, awards, or to be declared a 'winner'.....Yes, it is there. But still, before taking part in a competition, which is arranged by your local club or outside it should be primarily the purpose to see if your photography is improving and what the judges think about the efforts u made to improve the photograph and observe and learn from the comments they give on your photograph (this is generally for beginners to know from judges the shortcomings, if the competition is held locally or near ur town)...A competition is primarily a learning experience. Yes, the acceptances, awards will certainly increase your popularity amongst the art lovers and the public, which will make you a known figure through newspapers, magazines.

2) Good photography is not difficult but certainly the 'great' photography will need a lot of more efforts, which may compel you to think whether you are really desirous to work at it and learn how to take better pictures....If ur answer is 'yes', then there is no better time to start studying, learning how to take a better picture than from now itself............to continue

Cheer with nature (post no.99).

Is this pic less fiery than the sunset. I am comparing with the vastness of colurs, we have on earth....You need not go to great distances...You can have fun having few flower pots in ur verandah,garden or in balcony and taste these colours....The beauty of nature is unpredictable. This vibrant flower is seen like this during day, but in the evening it shrinks. As u hv experienced with sunflowers, which generally face sun.....I am thinking that the painter did some best strokes of brush and colours in this flower.....This is part of nature photography and can create interest, if you are keen enough to hold the camera to just move out also to a nearby park. The different moods and versatility can help you make brilliant captures...There is always a fresh vision in nature. You hv to open your eyes to capture nature fantasies and magical views.

Shooting nature is like meditation, peace felt in the heart, as if you are celebrating life. Make various canvases of your efforts to have a satisfied way of living with nature beside you...Will never feel monotonous but cheering, cheering self and cheering others too.

Canon...........1/800, f3.4, ISO 100...sunlight.

Food Photography (post no.98).

Good food photography is the demand of the day...As with changing of times, the new recepies are being searched with hundreds of new items added every day. U can use home-made FOOD STUFF, from hotels, shops,bakeries, food competitions held every month here and there. The technique uses some good ideas of exposing eatables, food products.....It is now minimalist photography. That is not many things congested into one.

2) After choosing the item, u may be tempted to take a overhead shot.. That is not to be denied, as u are experimenting with ur techniques to give the best to customers or self-satisfying for further improvements. However, shooting on a level or just a few degrees above will give u a good angle. (As in the above photograph). Select a single item u wish to photograph. U can add props and they are best in the forms of ingrediants used in the foodstuff. (the photo above shows green 'dhania' leaves, tomato, green chillies with 'chutney', a good important part to taste the delicious poha vadas)....These items won't go with sweet dishes.....so using discretion will help getting good photos. There shd be SIMPLICITY in the decoration.

Using long focal lenses will help to emphasize on the subject, may be 200mm/300mm of prime tele or zoom lens, getting bg out of focus. This can be done in P&S cameras using their macro feature.

-A good tripod is always a good bonus, if u cannot manage in low lighting conditions HANDHELD or slow shutter speeds with lower ISO setting, light coming from north or south facing windows, in well lit room, verandah, side lighting, back lighting,even in a shaded balcony will give a diffused light (As I shot above in verandah.). Besides, experiment with differently placing the subject, using various type of lighting.will help u make a good FOOD Photographer.........to continue..(pl check older posts also).

100 Subjects to photograph--still lots r left to explore(post no.97).

Do you still feel dearth of subject and like to sit at home?....Here is a good list of 100 items which can be photographed, while on the move with camphones,compacts, prosumers or DSLRs, as it is convenient to you. Go out and find yourself involved in creativity. This will also help you to be a persistent perceiver. You can sell the photographs online, particularly shot with DSLRs. They render the best quality. The judgement is yours.....THIS is a general problem for newcomers and sometimes with amateur photographers to find out the subject to photograph and the mind remained confused, what to photograph. here i am giving some subjects from which the photographers can select according to their location/circumstances/nearness of the subject...........otherwise serious photographers in India and abroad go for shooting spree, once in a year or as per time available to them and send to magazines/calendars/editorials etc. and earn a bit good amount. here are they:
1. arts...2. books....3.culture...4. entertainment(fairs etc)...5. family....6. food....7. friends....8. people....9. life around...10. love...11. music...12.news.....13. personal(belongings etc)....14. cars....15. random....
16. religion....17. sports....18. thoughts(creativity)...19. travel....20. health...
21. technology....22. writing(to get ideas)....23. cities....24. young/old women
25. children...26. business....27. backgrounds....28. youth/old men....29.....
girls....30. sea...31. sky....32. water....33. clouds....34. sand....35. beaches.....
36. houses/buildings....37. monuments.....38. weddings....39. rituals.....40.
festivals....41. portraits(infant to old)....42. animals...43. pets....44.lakes....
45. bridges...46. birds....47. flowers....48. designs....49. abstract....50. party....
51. computers....52. hands/feet....53. icons....54. offices....55. money.....56.
trees...57. nature....58. wildlife....59. coastline....60. railways....61. hospitals....62. schools....63. playgrounds...64. local matches....65. holi,diwali,id,x-mas,guru nanak jayanti(under festivals)....66. gardens.....
67. landscapes....68. bikes...69. mountains....70. environment....71. seasonal theme(summer,rains,winter)....72. night scenes....73. fairgrounds/lightings...74. sunrise...75. sunsets....76. storms....77. lightening
78. different regions....79. interiors...80. architecture.....81. farms.....82.
macros...83. couples.....84.home...85. beauty/beauty pageants....86.rivers....
87.highways....88. flyovers....89. beggers...90. tribals....91. pan/thela shops...
92. village life...93...crops....94. fire....95. kitchenware....96. temples......
97. vegetables.....98. local markets...99. vehicles(diff.types)....100. traffic...
etc. etc.(think urself)..

Here is an example--there are lots of subjects near a tourist place.....Can't this be one of them---Chalo Dildar Chalo, Chand Ke Paas Chalo..........to continue.

Ideas for pictures--do u lack? 'The Photographer's Curse' (post no.96).

Can you recollect, since how long your camera/cameras and lenses are lying on your shelf,cupboard.....You might have gone shooting  or snapped a few during last month or months before.....You recollect, how many frames have I exposed and for how long. Every time memory is not that much sharp...so you need to see cameras' LCD screens....Oh my God, how long they are here, yet to be loaded in PC or laptop? How important these are and how can I forget?

THIS IS NORMAL OR NATURAL. All the time u cannot think on one subject when your daily schedule is so tight. Is there any place for photography? Yes - Can be! It is more refreshing when you see through your camera's viewfinder/LCD screen the more new subjects around you. There is street--children playing, going to school with heavier bags then children themselves, some cobbler, vegetable seller, street urchins, fast running vehicles, pedestrians with unusual dresses....the list is endless......However still u feel mundane.Then look at the season...It is not right today, yesterday it was foggy and day before yesterday it was hot and humid. You feel stuck at home.....This situation is generally called ''THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S CURSE''. HAVING ALL THE EQUIPMENT, BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ENERGY IS AT ur disposal but no INSPIRATION for picture ideas that hv not been done a hundred times before.........to continue.

Above pic is from my verandah--lamppost and trees....it was dull evening light....In slow shutter speed 1/5 and at f16, ISO 100, I zoomed in my zoom lens,rotating the zooming grip---it came out a different photograph......If u try this u will feel amazed at the results...BG shd be colourful and fully covering the frame,whenever possible. (next page---to come).

Canon 6D with GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity.(post no.95).

Canon comes with its new camera '6D' for beginners,enthusiasts, and is a smaller, lighter,and more affordable full frame DSLR. The camera has 20.2 MP AND HAS A NEWLY DEVELOPED large CMOS sensor (11 point AF SINGLE CROSS TYPE) which will give higher ISO of 100-25,600, expandable to 50-102,400 for more and better low light photography.

This becomes Canon's first camera to have GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity to make sharing images easier across the social media.....The camera with 24-105 may cost $2899 and body at $2099 and is likely to hit the market by December,2012....Though online booking has started......So all the best Canon enthusiasts.

Flash Synchronization in Cameras for Correct Exposure (post no.94)

This photo was taken by flash.....Then what is there?....It is to be understood that every flash has an automatic coordination between the shutter speed and flash, called Synchronization. Firing of the flash and recording image at the same time on the sensor.

In film SLRs and DSLRs too, there is limit of entering the flash light onto the sensor with a specific Shutter Speed....For example, if u own a DSLR, there are Shutter Speeds range from 30 sec to 1/4000th part of a second. ..There is also the duration limit of flash light emitted by builtin flash or external flash mounted on hot shoe. That is from 1/500 to 1/30,000th of a second......The difference in Speeds opening the shutter and the light thrown by the flash tube, does not match 'in time' with all the Shutter speeds as mentioned above. The flash light enters the camera at slow shutter speeds of individual cameras e.g. at 1/200, 1/250 and in few cases 1/500....This is 'SYNCHRONIZATION', when u get a picture correctly exposed by the light emitted by flash tubes. Thus the flash pix can be taken below 1/250,for example, to as below as your camera limit of 1/8th, 1/16th or even 30sec.

In auto cameras, the SS is controlled automatically by the camera itself giving u a correctly exposed picture within the limit of above shutter speeds. While using Manual mode, the shutter speed is to be set 1/250 or below while doing flash photography or as mentioned in ur camera manual.

The above picture was taken on 'auto' on my compact, which set Shutter Speed at 1/60 at f2.8, controlling the light output for correct exposure via built in sensor in the camera.

Yawn at Zoo/Happenings in Photography world.(post no 93)

There were talk of lenses. If u go on shooting/clicking regularly,there are chances that u shoot sometimes with wide angle of ur camera or zooming it to telephoto....The above example is from Nikon D40x and Sigma 70-300 lens set to 200mm. The tiger was 25ft away inside a zoo. I was clicking on his moods...As he opened mouth for yawn, it as a good shot. Tripod is not possible as other people are also on the move around u to have a look of the king of jungle with children more excited....''See papa...oh mummy....there he is'', Papa ''there he comes....look'' and they are on the run as the animal moves with his grand gait, not minding them--as he has become habitual of daily 'darshan'.....Yea he obliges. Shutter speed 1/200 at f5.6, ISO 400.

HAPPENINGS:::::1) Polaroid is developing a new DIGITAL camera.  That will deliver instant prints. Wait-this year end. POLAROID had launched its instant print out Polaroid camera in before 3 decades...Was very useful for viewing instant prints in commercial studios before a final take, the lighting arrangement/sitting of person,model etc. Was good for tourist places delivering the tourists instants print outs, eliminating the role of noting down addresses of people,taking money and sending prints to destinations within a specified period.

2)  Italian tripod maker, Manfrotto has brought out Photography jackets and photo vests for women, called the Lino range.....Check at the nearby dealer,ladies. Most helpful in Safaries, outdoor shooting/photowalks.

3) In the first half of 2012, Japanese sale of Mirrorless cameras (ILCCs) was as below:

a) Olympus---30.7%

b) Panasonic---29.6%

c) Nikon---17.8%

d) Sony---15.4%

e) Pentax---5.9%

f) Others---0.6%

They may be the cameras of future..However, I doubt, as the technologies are changing every other day. AND what may be the next design of DSLRs/ILCCs.

View older posts.

MACRO Photography with attachments (post no.92)

 One of the most important part of photography is ''macro photography''...As there are lovers of different branch of photography such as portrait,travel,landscape,wildlife,flowers,nature,digital imaging,street photography, there are a genre of photographers, who love Macro Photography.Otherwise as a subject,anybody can do frequently.

2) In general macro photograph is the closeup of a small thing. In other words, it is the magnification of small object, which cannot be covered by wide,tele,prime or zoom lenses in a normal way. That is made possible by attaching other photography instruments, which are made to attach to the above lenses to get closure to shoot small objects. With these attachments, you will hv to go closure to subjects for shoot, which may, many times, distracts them...Therefore to do independent macro photography, lens and camera mfg companies have made special macro lenses, which are so constructed to keep distance from the subject without horrifying them. However, they are costlier and unless one's aim is to be dependent on macro photography, it is not worth spending 25k and above for good macro lenses..

3) At left are the attachments, I use to do since long...LEFT is the extension tube.with 4 small tubes,threaded into one. This is hallow and has the bayonet mount attachment at back to mount in camera body. In front, I fit the normal lens,small zoom to get closure to small objects, e.g. insects, flowers and its stamens, coins,watches,water drops (as above),and an assortment of object.The pieces can be fitted in one, two or,three or all four in the lens mount. This will need exposure more by one to two stops to compensate the light thru the hallow rings...In middle is Lens Reversal Ring, which fits into the camera mount and u can fit prime or zoom lens in reverse and screw it into the front threads....Next are supplementary lenses, which come in 5 pieces, 1 to 4 nos in 1,2,3,4 diaptres and a thick piece of macro lens...These can be fitted in front of normal or zoom lens with 52mm,55mm,58 or so lens threads and are easy to view the subject closely without any exposure compensation.

4) The camera mfg companies are more wise now offering macro settings in compacts, prosumer cameras so u can go as near as 1cm from the subject....The above pieces are for DSLRs.......Go to macro photography. .....to continue.

Zoom Lens,combination of Wide and Tele---(Post no.91).

In plain language, zoom lenses are a combination of Wide angle and Telephoto lens. You are more acquainted with zooms nowadays, rather than fixed focal length Wides, Normal or Teles, which are costly and used by highly enthusiasts/pros  to get the best in wildlife and other types of photography....Zooms have moving lens barrels for zooming in and out and fouusing ring and have more elements. Thus some quality suffers in comparison with independent/fixed focal length wides and teles, having single lens barrel with focusing grip only and have wide apertures for low light photography. They light in weight., making them costlier. However branded zooms are a good buy, though independent lens mfg companies are also producing better zooms..

2) The zoom lens has variable focal lengths; which makes it possible to have quick change in distance, without moving the camera or yourself, moving back and forward. The zoom lenses are coming in different focal lengths e.g. 10-22mm, 13-20mm etc in wide, 24-70,28-80,28-200 in mid,wide to tele, range, 70-200, 70-300, 100-400 in teles, to mention a few.

3) As the zoom lenses are heavy in weight, while shooting without tripods, there are chances of getting blurred or shaky pictures. To avoid this, the simple method is to use the shutter speed matching with that of the focal length. For example, if u use focal length of 200mm, better use the shutter speed of 1/250 or higher or at 300mm, 1/500/in case of 90mm use 1/125.....In low light, set higher ISO to be able to use higher shutter speeds.

4) In compact cameras, there is inbuilt zoom of 3x to 5x, which can be used conveniently on auto setting. In prosumer cameras there is tough competition to maximise focal lengths as 15x, 20x,26x, 30x, 42x...But in maximum focal length the image may be softer.....Anyhow all the best with zoom photography capturing children,pets,birds,street views, nature,wildlife and many more subjects you face or think of.............to continue

Normal,Standard Lens 50mm/Focus,Focal Length.(Post.no.90).

I have let u know about the wide angle and telephoto lenses. However these lenses came later in 35mm SLRs. The first interchangeable lens which was originally introduced with these cameras was a 50mm Lens i.e. Prime ,Normal or Standard lens, as it was called.....LET US SEE the 'focus' and 'focal length'.

ALL PARALLEL RAYS COMING THROUGH THE LENS MEET AT A POINT THAT IS CALLED 'FOCUS' AND THE DISTANCE FROM THE CENTRE OF THE LENS TO THE FOCUS IS CALLED 'FOCAL LENGTH'

Why 50mm lens is called a normal, prime or standard lens? Because the way it produces the perspective, which closely matches that of the human eye. Therefore, the images made with a 50mm lens have a natural and uncontrived look, that is better for available light photography with wide apertures, such as f1.4, f1.8. These lenses are useful because of:

Greater speed;

More Pro results;

Superior optical performance;

Greater compactness and light weight; &

Lower cost..

This lens is in contrast to wide angle lens which has shorter focal length and telephoto lens which has a longer focal length than 50mm, as mentioned in previous posts.....In all these three types lenses, you have to move back and forward to adjust the distance you would like to shoot by covering desired areas.

This picture was shot by a 50mm lens..

........................................................................to continue on next post.

GS Photography: Telephoto lenses.(post no.89).

TELEPHOTO LENS: In the last post, I discussed about the wide angle lens....The telephoto lens is opposite to that....I come to those lenses here. For example,even u shoot with a compact or a kit lens's wide angle effect of the scene....There is lurking a telephoto image in that picture...Yeaa..u can get that telephoto effect of ur photo by cropping the image to the desired portion....However, we do it but only if our camera has good MPs of 12 MP,14 MP etc. Despite getting the cropped telephoto image, if higher ISO was used by camera or u set for low light, the effect will not be satisfactory and noise(grain) may crop in, making image less sharp....Therefore, the companies have manufactured prime telephoto lenses from 85mm to 1200mm and above. As U must hv seen on the cricket matches on ur tv, a bunch of photographers are occupying a good angled venue with their telephoto lenses for the optimum good result...You say wow, when u see the closeup of the batsman, baller,fielder or the cricketer catching the ball in magazines, newspapers...These are the results of those great telephoto lenses....

A telephoto lens has a narrow depth of field and shows the object larger, i.e. more closer, making them useful for nature, candid, wildlife,sports, portrait and press photography.

As in the picture above, the cruise face come larger with 200mm focal length and the background of the hill,seen in the back, goes out of focus, because of the shallow DOF of the lens.

GS Photography:Interchangeable Lenses.(Post no.88)

Many of you are acquainted with compact and bridge (prosumer) cameras. They have fixed lenses. However focal length zooms in and out, as is the trend - 3x,5x to 42x built-in zooms in various models of cameras of different companies/mfgrs.....As some of you may have seen the DSLR cameras, with interchangeable lens facility, as shown in the picture.They help going pro, or a better enthusiast with good photography skills, with fast focusing capability and facility of changing different focal length lenses as the occasion requires.....Which are those different interchangeable lenses....Let's know that:

1) Wide Angle Lenses....These are fixed focal length lenses as 35mm, 28mm,24mm and more wider and fish-eye come in range of below 24mm to as low as 8mm...These lenses have a larger field of view and short focal length as mentioned. They cover more of the view and the image becomes smaller...Thus more of the subject matter is included. These lenses have much greater depth of field, as the focal length is reduced the depth of field increased....For creativity they are very useful creating unusual effects, while shooting in narrow spaces...Many photographers use 35mm,28mm, 24mm as their standard lenses since most of the time they need shooting in narrow places....However being shorter in focal length, they are required to go more nearer to the subject....which is a boon and hurdle, both...............................to continue in next post.

QUESTIONS AN IMAGE HAS TO ANSWER?---(87)

We talked about the Depth of Field in a photograph.....An artistic photograph has many things to tell....Let's find out some relevant questions, which the attached photograph may answer, or you will find answers in other images while viewing them prudently. Here I made a silhouette of three leaves.

2) Silhouette is the term used for an image where the subject is photographed against a lighted background. The subject will come dark with bright background, for example may be sky, particularly in morning and evening, when the sun is angled...may be a lighted wall, white cloth, cardsheet etc. Besides, in the photograph, the three leaves make a triangle...Their own shape is also in triangle form.That is a geometrical design....The leaves tell about nature's fury

3) Now let's us find out the questions, which an image has to answer:::

a) Is it a story-telling picture?

b) Has the picture got the required impact?

c) Is there too much inclusion of elements?

d) Is it vertically or horizontally fit?

e) Has the picture all tonal values?

f) Is the main subject well placed which stands out from its surroundings?

g) If the dark and light areas are well balanced?

h) Does the image has inclusion of unnecessary elements, which distract attention,

and should have been excluded?

DOF- Landscapes,Portraits,Macros with Compact and Prosumers.

I have not discouraged the compact and prosumer camera owners....I am just to say that they can take good pictures with their cameras....They will get nice DOF by these cameras in landscapes....Compact  (P&S) cameras do have 4x and 5x zoom. And prosumeras too have extended zoom facility. Therefore good portraits can be shot by zooming the lenses and composing the picture horizontally or vertically....Reg closeups and macros..these cameras have focusing capability upto 3cm to 1cm...As I said  closeup and macros are magnification of an image...They can shoot the image of an insect, butterfly, flower etc at these focal lengths. THEN comes handy is your PC or laptop. Crop the image to the desired magnification....as shown above....I took this flower shot with a compact camera focusing upto 3cm.....Then as I thought to have the inner to be macroed, I cropped the centre portion of the flower and adjusted it to face the petals at right, leaving some space at right to spread them, while the middle ones are more closed and the stamen too facing in petals' direction(compositionally important).....Here is made the macro, which we long for shooting with lens reversal ring, closeup filters and extension tubes (which are for dSLRs)......As the cameras are coming with more MPs such as 12 MP,14MP,16MP etc, the cropped area will not be pixellated. It may be at 6 MP or more..... Now you can think, what do you want - to get it into digital album, have a 4x6'' print to gift.....as u wish.....gshroti@gmail.com

Click image to view larger.

GS Photography--DOF in practice-Examples (Post no.85)

Scaling DOF or DOF in practice:   Here I kept these 3 items at 10'' distance. Camera nearly 1 ft....These are taken with the kit lens of dSLR.....This shot is at wide aperture of f4.5....focused on the yellow bottle in all three (2 to follow)...You can see the shallow DOF 'PONDS' more out of focus...I used the bed sheet to view further the sharpness increasing as the aperture goes narrow.

2) Rest of the things as above, changed the aperture to f5.6 and the 'PONDS' become more clear and the bed sheet too became sharper.

3) This was shot at f11 and you can notice the increasing DOF on 'PONDS' and on the bed sheet......If you go down more to f16,almost it will be full sharp.....So you can understand when to increase the DOF with narrow aperture or to decrease using the wide aperture depending the the subject.....

4) If you shoot landscape, use f11 or f16 and focus in middle to get the picture full sharp till infinity. In portraits, f8 and f5.6 works well with dSLRs focusing on the eyes.(show u in next picture)....In closeups, and macros use of narrow aperture is essential i.e. f11 and f16 to have maximum DOF, which is still less or enough subjectwise. 

5) With compacts and prosumers (with extended focal lengths of 20x,30x etc), you will get more sharpness despite using wide apertures, since they have small sensors in comparisons to dSLR.....YOU HAVE TO BEAR WITH YOUR LIMITATIONS in these cases.

6) This pic was shot with a dSLR mounting 70-300 zoom lens at 105mm....You can view here the DOF on the front and back grill which is out of focus and the attention remains on the portrait....This may be an example of leading lines as the grill's middle line is leading to his face from right of the frame and at left also from collar to his face

Click pic to view bigger.

GS Photography: Depth of Field.

The Depth of Field of a lens is the zone of sharpness. This zone extends in the front and back of the subject in which the image is sharp. The DOF of any lens depends upon the focal length of the lens, the relative aperture and the distance between the object and the lens....DOF increases:

a) the distance between the object and the lens increases;

b) the focal length of the lens decreases;

c) the aperture is stopped down.

2) Previously in cameras using film, DOF scale was given on the lens for each aperture setting....But the dCams do not have the scale. The DOF plays a very important part in picture making. With the increase/decrease of DOF the character of the picture is entirely changed. The DOF is maximum when the aperture is minimum and it is minimum when the aperture is full open. Therefore by decreasing the DOF, unwanted things in the foreground or background can be thrown out of focus. So isolation of any subject is possible. A 3D effect can be created; illusion of different plains can be achieved and above all, a picture can be softened.

3) On the other hand if the DOF is increased (using small aperture), everything in the background or foreground including the main subject will be sharp and in focus. The picture will have good contrast and sharpness.Therefore before you shoot pictures, decide the effect you want to get, then accordingly select the aperture..

The use of DOF is an essential tool in the hands of a creative photographer.

4) IN THE PICTURE above, I used wide aperture to soften the flowers and get the desired DOF in the middle two flowers...Thus the foreground flowers and bg flowers are out of focus...By using the wide aperture, the attention or the eyes of the viewer are stopping on the middle flowers and the foreground and background flowers are out of focus besides, the distant background has gone total OOF.

GS Photography...Compositional elements....

In my previous blog. we discussed Rule of thirds...that is one part and most essential  in pictorial photography....Other aspects include : Simplicity (not including many or irrelevant things in the photograph), Angle to shoot from, Framing the picture, Leading lines, Horizontal or vertical composition, Focal Point, Fill frame, Technical excellence, Exposing correctly, Converging lines, Tonal range, Depth of Field, Perspective, Sharpness, Background, contrast, Texture, human element (where necessary), correct focus, unity etc.....which will come further in my other posts......haha Are you scared to read so many features in a composition?....No, no..When once the eyes are accustomed to picture taking, these elements come automatically into the picture...and with practising on various objects , you can become an accompalished  photo-artist.

Closeup or Long shot.....Yeaa...here I place a close up of a duck....Closeup can be made directly from camera at shooting time or they are made on photoshop by cropping the image. Image should be large enough to allow cropping e.g. in full 10 MP, 12 MP,14 or 16 MP, whatever your camera has to avoid showing pixels when the cropped image is enlarged........next....

Composition in Photography-Rule of Thirds-To Break.

There is a saying that Rules are made to be broken....In previous blog I took you to the Rule of thirds from an indoor shot....Here I placed the bird in the middle. In viewing the principle looks broken here....Still, if you see from the diagram, the bird's feet are touching the below intersecting line, if you view the diagram vertically. The wings up are touching the another upper line of 1/3rd portion of the dia....The bird is steady here, as it has just landed on the tree branch. This is not the flying position. Therefore, according to rule of thirds, the picture needed more space in the front of the bird. But still the picture has appeal to be treated as a complete image with sufficient space left in all three sides of the sky...The base is the tree branches and flowers...and the birds looks in a restful mood.

There are more small things in composition to be discussed....Your opinion is solicited.

Expo.: 1/2500, f8, ISO 1600 at 300mm. (The picture is cropped to have the bird comfortable for viewer than more of the surroundings.)

Composition in photography.-Rule of thirds.

RULE OF THIRDS: Before going deep into the art of photography....there is some homework which every photographer who wish to be an artist-cum-photographer, should do to make images pictorially/artistically appealing....Composition in photography is the art of arranging an object and various objects and forms harmoniously within the four lines of frame of a picture area to have an impact which will hold the viewers attention and appreciation for you.

2) Here I posted a rectangle (to be taken as a frame of an image)......portraying the RULE OF THIRDS. If your subject is point no.1 or 2, there is two third portion is left at the Left side...And if your subject is placed at points 3 & 4 of the intersecting lines, two third portion is left at Right side...that is the theory of Rule of Thirds in photography and in painting also.

3)  Whatever  the composition may be in theory, it is only in practice that it will be of benefit to use by studying the picture that is pleasing...To hold this principle would be necessary  first step for all those who wish to make pictures...In the picture of still life in the bowl...I placed the apple at the points 3 & 4, thus leaving almost two thirds space at right for supplementary objects.....Here,the eyes remain still on the apple, which is red and red is always is a dominating colour...to be used carefully.  Your eyes cannot go out of frame since there is green colour cucumbers and dark purple brinjal...Your eyes stay in the bowl...Now let's think, what can supplement these  three coloured objects...Necessarily a knife, that links to the objects...So now your eyes come to the knife....Then there is some active space is left at right for framing the picture...and for the hand to pick up the knife....1 & 2 points are also occupied by brinjal and the cucumber and the remaining space by knife....Now, you hide the knife and see the bowl with occupants make a full picture...It looks that something is lacking and that place is filled by the knife...The knife's handle is placed in conjunction with the main object i.e. apple...This is the simplicity in the picture...not too many things to view. And there are no distractions....The middle shadow in the bowl gives depth. The dark background compresses all to be within the frame....

Light--Cloudy sky, Night photography, cityscape, fireworks

In last blog, I talked about the day light with sun....That is not the end....One most important lighting is from the cloudy sky...This may happen any time during the year in our country, though rainy season is already there to provide the softest of light for good portraits outdoors, without squeezing the eyes (refer earlier blog).....The Angle matters and just look in the sky where sun's visibility is there....Let your subject's half face be towards the sun...If there is some difference in the light intensity, your subject get bright light from sun's side and some shadow at the other side saving it going as a flat light portrait...This will happen with some practice as here also sun's or your subject's angle is very important.....Not difficult?

ii) There is all round reflectance of light from sky, side buildings, even in the ground and the clouds too. I brought you the picture of school children, how comfortably they are moving under the light of overcast sky.

And there is even light on the faces.

2) You have seen much photography is done during night....the easiest example is the weddings and other functions -- as in a drama on the stage without use of flash....Yes you will say, that during night the photography is done through flash lights. Yeaaa...you are right, where there is less light, the flashes are being used. However, with the incoming of digital cameras, more of the dim light is covered with higher ISOs and it has become easy to photograph half of your images with sufficiently brilliant light on stages etc.....If you use tripod, there are good chances to photographing your town, in night lights with vehicles adding movement effect....The exposure many be in seconds...Therefore tripod or some solid support is needed.

3) Here is an example of night photography of town or cities....The camera was supported on a brickwall alongside of the lake....The lake is visible with trees in foreground....The exposure was auto counting 3 seconds...The sky too is well delineated.

4) Wow you won't miss the fireworks too....There are so many advantages in night also to continuing the clicking your camera....and learning a lot about photography....may become your bread-winner, perhaps........to continue....

DAYLIGHT TO SHOOT PICTURES

In the last blog, I was talking of the light during day time.....Here is a picture taken in the morning in a lake. The light is rendering good effect since the sun was at an angle, nearly 9.30 AM...What we see in the light during day or night....The features are clearly shown....Yes this example will take you to that direction...The water is sufficiently of deep colour giving the best of contrast between the bird and the surrounding...

2) Now recollect or go back to my last post where the guy's photo was taken at the time of overhead sun....Do you think the light is correct to find out clearly all the details needed in a good profile...there is all shadow from forehead to chin....So this time of day is to be avoided while doing serious type of photography.....For visiting tourist places, all light is good, since you are not to stay long there....Therefore this is a sort of emergency clicking....Or if you are at ease there and wish to stay longer, wait for nearly 3.00 PM onwards, when again the sun goes angled.....Besides one hint I would suggest to use your camera's builtin flash when the sun is high at noon time to fill in shadows...In other words reducing them to have better picture closeups---Pl remember the flash has a limited range of 10-15 feet and the intensity of light of flash is further reduced in front of the shining sun.....So upto 10ft coverage is sufficient.

3) You are at the evening time now....The picture at side was taken nearly 5.00 PM....The light evenly lits the faces...and shadows are making good modelling on the face.....Here and morning also you are at liberty to use cameras's flash....It won't kill the original skin tones but rather fill-in the shadows or lighten them.

4) So we can divide morning time from sun rise to 10 AM FOR GOOD PICTURE TAKING, be it portraits or landscapes......Noon time when the sun is high on head....Avoid portraits or use fill flash.....Evening 3PM to sunset the best time with or without using fill flash.....Yes in the morning or evening when your subject faces you with back to sun, the camera's flash will be of great help to light up the face or faces....BESIDES a good advice is to keep sun at your back, left or right side during morning or evening so half shadow on the face can be a tolerable feature of people you are taking photographs.

5) An old saying goes.....when photographing a person/persons, keep sun behind you...It was true, as the cameras had less inbuilt facilities....Not like today's advanced cameras...

6) To add good picture taking, you can use shadows of wall near houses, under the trees....so there is even light on the faces....Verandahs/porch are also good places...to avoid squeezing of the eyes...hahaha...and having plain lighting...GO on CLICKING.....THERE IS NO LIMIT.....to continue.

CAMERA does not take PICTURES but the PERSON BEHIND THE CAMERA TAKES THE PICTURES.

Photography is painting with light..!

Here  one photo is shown taken in sunlight...and another during evening in large shadow of evening in a park....The first picture tells you to avoid such sort of light as the eyes, the most important part of a portrait, look squeezed because of facing to sun..that has to be avoided.....In another though the child looking uncomfortable in order to reach to her mom, the picture is good in all respects...(skin tone,her pose, colour of clothes,diffused background etc)..I wish she cud see in camera....now you do not avoid.

We talked about cameras in last blog.....There is no limit to people's likings and no limit for companies to manufacture, as good as cameras.....You may have a compact camera or other with higher zooms and features including a DSLR.

What is the purpose of manufacturing a camera? Yes to take pictures.....But how you will take pictures? They are not made to shoot aimlessly......To take a good picture you will have to depend upon 'Lighting'....As is said , without lighting there is no picture....How true it is said....In general terms a picture is 'painting  with light'....Shutter and aperture acts as brush and thru correct recording of light a good painting....errr, sorry , a good picture is made.

As photography in itself is a vast subject it may take months to understand the lighting....But for simple and good pictures, simple and good lighting will be required....As you all know daylight is the best light source....but depending on the sun's position....It is not that we come out with camera in one hand and find out lots of sunlight spread over the atmosphere....Does it good for photography? Yes, if you have a vast field and beautiful scenery, it will be delight to snap good pictures then and there....More pictures of the same area you need....Yes, that is possible....you will have to move to change angles and you will be amaged viewing through LCD panel or viewfinder that the beauty was so near to you and you never noticed.. YOUR INTEREST IN PTOTOGRAPHY MADE IT POSSIBLE..

THERE ARE MANY SITUATIONS OF LIGHT BUT HERE I AM TALKING OF BRIGHT DAY WITH SUNLIGHT from morning to evening...And you will wonder that 99 percent of the photographs are made using this light, throughout the day.

Here I am talking of India of sunlight where sun is bright almost round the year otherwise in many countries the sun shines for few months only...So the best advantage is taken there also of the sunlight.......to continue

More on Cameras

The cameras used for Studio, Fashion, Modelling, and Commercial photography have lot of difference from the cameras, we were talking hitherto, I mean in last blog.....They are good for home and occasional function photography, and if you area good hand at photography, you can make immortal photographs from them.....that is your creativity...There was a price tag with these cameras for people who cannot afford cameras more than 10k....Above 10k, their versatility increases and the cost too...There are good cost cameras i.e. above 15-20k and more, which even the Professionals keep as a standby camera.......Please do not be disheartened as the DSLR cameras start 30000 and above, they are entry level cameras and pro cameras will normally be 60000 & above., however rendering great results with their kit lenses...(In the pic is a DSLR with 18-55 kit lens).

That is why I told not to be disheartened as the small compact cameras take good photographs, which I showed of a baby and let u know more from them......Yes the DSLR cameras are made for professional and interested enthusiasts. They have the facility of interchanging lenses from 18-55 kit lens to 70-300 zoom lens, macro lens, and all sort of lenses the company has released for their cameras and besides. subsidiary companies are mfg them with less price.

The changing of different lenses make use in wildlife photography, bird photography, studio portraits, in weddings,stage programmes...So with one DSLR and a good telezoom you can cover lots of subjects.....Yes the cost will increase to nearly Rs.40000/- or above.

Before getting into commercial, industrial,product,fashion photography etc....the two companies are more popular since many years. The are Nikon and Canon....Best consult your photography friend or expert, which camera to buy...In small towns the cameras are not immediately available. Get to authorised dealer, and learn which camera fits your pocket and which is more selling....Or go to yourself Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai to choose the best from long ranges they have on display.

Yes previously I told you about compact cameras with less money, still giving good results....Now there are pro range cameras for purpose of money-making or for livelihood, as there are many coming generation gals and guys to make  photographty a bread earner, like selecting RJ,VJ..........continue

How to shoot hussle free pictures & camera's capacity.

3 days son of my nephew(in picture)......Who wud like to miss this opportunity, once in life time?...Next AS TIME PASSES your child is grown up....I heard of a parent who took one photo each day of his son....With digital it is just only possible....For example IF YOU USE YOUR CAMERA's MEMORY CARD REGULARLY AND FORMATTING EVERY MONTH....IT CAN TAKE THOUSANDS OF PICTURES. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BENEFITS FOR PROFESSIONALS, WHO USE 10000 TO 1 LAKH FRAMES EACH YEAR with their cameras.......Then they can buy another cameras, as there is a change of model every 3-4 months...with good capabality....No this is not our intention at present to talk top gears....lest my new friends are threatened by their prices.

The compact cameras have a small body, which can be slipped into the pocket, handbag or briefcase.....The lens comes out when you press a start button and after taking pictures, it will go back into the body by pressing same button...So no hussle....As soon as the lens comes out, there are beep signals for focusing and you squeeze the button thus capturing the pic....One important thing to understand is that when the lens comes there are focusing signals in the form of squares on LCD panel when you HALF PRESS the shutter button and keeping the button half pressed you can compose picture and when satisfied, just fully press the shutter button slowly to take the picture.....The picture is recorded and viewed on the LCD panel...If you feel dissatisfied take many shots for no cost?...and select one or two...In case of children, there may be many, so your heart fills with pride and you are able to make a good album...OR buying a digital frame, just insert the memory card in it and view slide show, individual pictures, enlarging them also.

There is a zoom lens facility in your camera  so you can shoot distant subject's photographs, just turning zooming button towards left and right.which is generally located around the shutter button.

There is no definition of a good camera...Every camera that takes sharp pictures and renders good colours is  the choice of the users.

.........more with camera features.....aperture/shutter................next............

Cheap Cameras and Photography--For Homes

...IS your child that much naughty?...Or you were naughty at this age?....haha....This is in contunuation of previous blog....The camera's capability is to ptotograph the subject before it.....While doing an amateur photography and starting it with new camera, there are faults to occur....Many of your photographs get over/under exposed and many you get worthy of praise by your friend circle and family.

When buying cameras, the question arises, whether to buy a lesser price camera or a higher price prosumer or dSLR. The thinking depends upon the use of camera. Is it for family purpose, e.g. for birthdays, picnics, or small functions and festivals?....Yes there are festivals galore in India and all 12 months are occupied by small or big festivals in all castes and creed....THERE is a wrong notion that a costly camera can take good photographs...Now with digital cameras  also, as in film days, good pictures can be taken by cheaper cameras....There are good companies like, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, who are making good affordable cameras in compact design....These cameras too used with some understanding can take award winning pictures....There is a manual with every camera or a CD and going through it will give you sufficient knowledge of operating the equipment.....THOUGH I WILL TRY MY BEST TO COVER THE MANUALS  features which sometimes, many people try to avoid reading.

For home purpose photography, a compact camera will be a good bargain, with a 4x zoom facility and builtin flash and AUTO mode to cover your 99% subjects, as u do not wish to go into the intricacies and features built into the camera, as you are already engaged in other home works,kitchen, children/men with late coming, early going, getting time of rest or other household works,  friends etc.....next

Understanding Photography

This is the desire of every one to keep the past memories alive in the form of photographs. When they see them it seems the gone time has come back....What can be the best medium than the photography.

Today also we see the old photographs of school days, our relatives, father, mother, grand father/mother and the friends we enjoyed the life with.Many of the friends have uploaded their class photographs of KG, Class I onwards and their family photographs in colour and black & white on the Facebook and other friendly sites.. Fond memories come alive and we become emotional.

Today many of you already have some sort of digital camera. (Sorry, the film cameras have become the things of past, which you cud buy a good Kodak camera even in Rs.500/-)....Anyhow the time changes and we have to follow its footsteps....Yeaa--Digital cameras....They come well in Rs.3000/- and above and your Mobile has a builtin camera, which is more handy to capture memories of marriages, picnics,travels, child births or any other functions in school/colleges.

Photography in itself is a detailed topic, which goes as courses in Schools and Colleges....Thus a photographer learns throughout his life....if he is a persistent follower of the art....For Common man it may not be an art, but as I said, the subject to capture vivid memories of day-to-day life, which he can store as a soft copy, in PCs, Laptops, while making a small album of chosen photographs to share with the visiting guests, or enjoy himself.

The above photograph of Lord Ganesh idols, I took on Ganesh Chaturthi, on the road side,ready for sale to devotees---see the beautiful colours.....So it is a good subject to have 'Darshan' of Lord Ganesh in the beginning of your album.

Expo: 1/400, f11, ISO 200........................to continue