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?