Portraiture again......(post no.165)

The picture is taken at a carnival....the winter sun is always wonderful, throwing good shadows on ur subject.....However, while shooting portraits, the person in the picture may be ur close friend, but a viewer of the photograph may not know this. THE TRICK is to capture mood and emotions that make a universal appeal. What is in the photograph makes it universal, is the glow of the face with a soft smile and the viewer is compelled to give his attention to the picture...........

-----FURTHER to give face a longer look, I used the long shadow on his face, which is more evident below his nose. Besides, from his sitting straight, I moved myself slightly and asked him to look into the camera, thus he turned his face to his right, putting more balance on his face in comparison to his dress, which is evident from his tie, that is not in line of the face as normally we look towards a face. Besides, to show a carnival look, there are people moving behind, somebody is sitting in the chair visible at right......In normal course, we will say, these things distract from the face. But many a time u cannot go stereotyped and taking risk of making the picture successful thru his/her plain background.

--We generally encounter two types of portraits.....Portraits taken in studio or generally with plain background....The next will include the local surroundings, consisting of many thing as u face at that time. It helps to know ur subject really well, thus the actual personality is taken out in a portrait.

---Such types of portraits are best taken in winter, when the sun is low even during noon time...The picture above is taken at 3pm and the sun is well casting shadow at nearly 45degree. The best angle mostly used in studios. Here I cud add a small thing a reflector of white newspaper, hanky etc.....but as I have to say...these things can be balanced in studios.....but are rather difficult where public movement is there and nobody knows, somebody may jump on u, while  u are shooting.

----It is generally ISO400 I use....Thus the shutter speed used was 1/200 and aperture f16. Light's intensity was low as it was December in winter.

----Sorry, I write straight and do not have time to edit, pl do not mind language, as it may go sometimes not of editorial language.

Good study in PORTRAITURE......(POST NO.166)

Portriture is the craze of the day.....with entry of mob-cams, every second, photos are taken may be in India and the world over.....The trend starts from birth to the end when the person is departed and going to his new abode.......Well said.....Still they are unable to give a fight to the professionals......There is lot of difference in raw/amateur photography than the professional one. There are every minute an occasion and the PROFESSIONAL are hired to photograph any occasion, worth preserving for long, with all its beauty depicted in their photographs.

However, in portraiture photography, every moment is as precious as gold....this it is to be taken seriously and the moments are preserved for ever.............As I said it starts from the birth till departure, every care is to be taken for preservation of the photographs......NOWADAYS, despite introduction of cameras in many forms, the INDUSTRY thrives limitlessly and the professionals have their own  share in the marketting. So, if u are one of the upcoming candidates in the market, there is no need to nervousness, as newcomers will feel.Only it will take some time to establish, if u deliver top class work, maintaining time and quality with reasonable rates in the beginning..........AS WE INDIANS have lots of festivals round the year, there will be no dearth of work.

Further talk next time, now let's see the portrait of great singer Anup Jalota, taken long time back by using two flashgun in the Green Room, during interval. I asked his permission and he was too happy to permit me for his portraits. I did take one portrait and he had a call from stage....He begged sorry....but I got my photograph. On film camera, perhaps Pentax, I mounted one small flash and with a 10ft long cord, attached another powerful Vivitar flash hand hold at the left side with some aide, then maintaining f8 aperture, clicked the shot.....The exposure was spot on having good details in shadow areas of half his face and half lighted well with good tonal range......The cameras were synchronized at 1/60 or 1/125 when using flashguns.

I sent this photograph to him and he acknowledged and made sure to meet me at his next visit to our town. Notwithstanding the fact, I also took his permission for morning shoot and he obliged me,...........that is another story......haha..........Carry on with ur camera working on portraiture with different lights, inside, outside, flash using various angles, to get novelty everytime..................

EARNING money from PHOTOGRAPHY: (post no.164)

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS IN GOING ECONOMICALLY SOLID WITH UR BATTERY OF CAMERAS, flash and other accessories........Practically there are several branches which will provide good sustainance with ur equipments.......Sorry, I am not taking photography as topic for lecture, but the experience which also provided good money. Here is the example and the description, how the situation was dealt by me automatically......Just see.......how photo-journalism works:

While in office at about 1 PM, I heard the news of a train derailment some 15 kms from my residence......or office.....Office I cud not take leave. I reached home at 5.30pm and decided to go to the site of accident...As it was drizzling, I took my FIAT and reached the spot which was one & half KM from the road. I side-parked my ''gadi'' and went on foot with umbrella. As is said, it is not permissible to take photographs of public property. Therefore I watched. There were Engineers and other rly staff with stray people.. The light was dull.Long shot I managed, thinking to take permission from staff. However, there was a derailed wheel and I wanted closeup. I mounted the flash and took the shot. AS THE FLASH sparked off, the staff became conscious and one fellow rushed to me. ''Sir, Sahab bula rahe hain''. I was a little bit taken aback. Anyhow as I reached to the GM/Incharge on the spot, he asked me, ''Can u take some photographs for us''....I was thrilled. They wanted the tracks, the wheels and some more of the affected portions,close to long shot.

He asked me to handover some 20 photographs  to the Station Master (20kms) next day and take money. It earned me 1k......next day as I handed over the photographs, with lot of thanks.....so there are innumerable opportunities in photography, depending upon ur approaches and the expertize, I mean top class prints in time.

''MY ANSWER to queries in the forum......................thnx tapobrata.........to some extent u are right, taking pix by mobiles then and there saves time and the incident cud be viewed instantly.......this helps them later in the office.....this is a great boon for general public provided by the modern tech..........but also as they hv photographer friends and have to submit the bill, they generally hire the pro., who on their directions best portray the scene with his skill.

well Jasii, thnx for ur opinion.......  THIS HAPPENED FIRST AND LAST TIME IN MY LIFE....I was so close to the incident, it took 15 minutes for me to come to my senses after moving half a km area. the ghastness cud be understood.....it is some 20 yrs hence. For some time I was upset viewing the compartments, 2-3 more affected.....casualties were less as well as injured.

My heart started to jump when they asked to cover the incident with them.....it is here how difficult the job they put into with scales checking the rugged tracks in closeups and long shots. train wheels dug the earth.....it took 30 minutes as the darkness gulfing in, but with emergency lights their work was faster with two cranes to clear the line and within two hours they gave clearance.(.)''

NOW LET US BE READY THAT THERE ARE MANY BRANCHES which will yield money or may be income, if followed sincerely-----keeping in touch with the editors of newspapers, Magazines and brochure printing companies.......etc.

IN PHOTO-JOURNALISM, u have sufficient time----not rushing like a press photographer, who has to submit images as early as possible for morning issues of newspapers, particularly......P-J provides u few days time till that time u can get a write-up of incident (may be dance or dramas or other community activity), and make prints ready, as they publish the articles generally on weekly/quarterly/monthly basis, so once u cud come into contact with top quality work, they will certainly publish them and pay as per terms.

Examples are the foreighners who shoot continuously and when back, they are in touch with the journals/editors (may be already friendly) and since the bizzare photographs belonging to an unknown nation's culture, they are giving priority and without hesitation, with good paymens, publish the photographs for their readers, something new for them.................so there is no end select branch one or more and persevere. The result has to come positive.

A religious place, shot at dusk time....a tribute to departed souls.(post no.163).

VISITING any river, lake or pond may benefit u with a picture......In rivers, there r number of boats, people swimming.......at the lakes there or boats, motor boats, cruise with lots of activities with gooses roaming around and in water......Pond will help u with trees or peoples shadows, making a good silhouette, besides, frogs, fishes etc giving u company in closeup photography.

The example is of faith in holy rivers where it is thought that the lamps carry their message to the departed souls of their near ones.....Thy boy let the lamp flow, while at sife ----a good example of pinkish red, stopping the eyes, going out of frame....they were taking bath with the rivers cold water.

The light was dull as sun had set and it was dusk time.........Nikon D40 demanded the exposure of 1/25, f4.5 and ISO 400...... I MADE IT SLIGHT LIGHT ON PP......THUS FULL DETAILS ARE VISIBLE which are required if u send it to some photo exhibition or a newspaper or magazine......
TITLE MAY BE ----- Paying tribute to the departed.