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.

Action performance in a Tribal dance....(post no.162).

CLICK PHOTO to view bigger size,

THIS is an action photograph....Dance is also action performances----yea they are dancing here, the man in front, moving the ring with fireballs at each end of sticks.......Here pl first think of lighting, Can u catch more fire from the balls without using flash......It mean under this lighting situation u will have to come down to shutter speed of 1/30 with f5,6, ISO800......increasing ISO to 1600 will give u shutter speed of 1/60,,,,,,however, if picture gets some underexposed, then the noise has to come up. this is the risk....still, if ur camera is on tripod u can get good fireball with more of the firelines showing......and also the man with some blurred moving action.

I didn't have tripod, and handheld my pix with slow shutter speeds get shaky......Therefore, I thought of freezing the whole action thus using the oncamera flash......and got some fire shown on the balls, as the man  was moving the circles very fast, which was not possible without flash (may be whole seen blurred.without flash in low lighting and slow shutter speed)........The flash helps sometimes, let not the movement go.I am happy with their dresses and the contrast picture got........any query

a DISCUSSION ON MY POST-IN A FORUM--MY replies(post no.161)

Jasii....thnx for ur points......yes that I missed while composing.....thnk for getting me on line......THIS may be a good understanding too.

well Devi....the man is fast enough and on the settings of the camera and also to get shake-free picture(this is my weakness), fast movements are caught only once ..Even u put it on ''continuous'' shooting mode, all wii hv  different poses (also that is not possible handheld)..........yea to get fire balls more blurred, which was the intention too, I swear I cud not come down to ISO400 or below 1/160 shutter speed......The small blurs are my satisfaction.........(other shuttlers beside me trying to stop, rather than blur the movement on the fear of a shaky picture, thus sing 1/500, 1/1000 SS. I had to smile and showed my screen......they wondered; 1/160-shakefree.....THese are small instances which teach us a lot.

thnx Vyasji for kind appreciation.

thnx Mukund.....there was a programme of tribal dance in local community hall. IN THE LAST PHASE, these classical singers  sang bhajans and the dancers were well active.................SOMETIMES even in tribal dances, there are few calssically trained city girls.

thnks AD for ur kind liking.

thnx Das......Of course, when we are on stage with DJ crying out, even we cannot talk to our friends. I beg pardon for the half cut lady and that is an omission while having full attention on the dancer........

Reg full pose, pl remove misunderstanding, we are on the stage to cover as many facets of their beautiful performing body, from closeup of face to toe, then it is desirable to catch the facial movements. However if we go only for full pose, unnecessary bg is included and a small look of the body, as can be seen in the multi-artist dancers below, the physical appearance.

That I like with a 200 mm and a single danseuse performing classical dance in close the full body......This can be achieved in ''lavani'' too, much faster that other art forms, but with flash, may be direct or bounced.........my explanations are long, and I don't feel anybody bored. ''ART IS FOR ART'S SAKE'' for us.

ACTION BLUR in a dance performance

A beautiful pic from a Dance programme.....i.e. tribal dances....the man performs fireball circling......

Check the composition...there are two ladies behind supporting the picture and they do not allow ur eyes ri distract from the man in front.

Exposure:  1/160, f5, ISO800...................Why I used ISO800........? Whenever there is low light or drama/stage lights and u do not have a tripod.....hold camera tight to ur eyes above shutter speed of 1/100 and above and click the picture.......to get the best of one picture, click 3-4 frames holding patience.
And u come the winner...........SEE SLIGHT blur on the fire balls...that is the action blur, makes the picture worthy of publication.

SALT & SILVER--Early PHOTOGRAPHY--1840-1860 (post no.158)

The new exhibition dedicated to the earliest form of photography – salted paper prints that were taken between 1840 and 1860 — is set to open at London’s Tate Britain Museum. William Henry Fox Talbot unveiled this unique photography process in 1839. This beautiful collection of images, curated in association with the Wilson Centre for photography, charts the infancy of the art form. Join us as we look at a selection of the amazing historic images from the show.

2....HILL AND ADAMSON

Newhaven Fishermen (Alexander Rutherford, William Ramsay & John Liston), c. 1845

3...JEAN-BAPTISTE FRENET

Thought to be a Mother and Son, c. 1855

Photograph, salted paper print from a collodion negative transferred from glass to paper support 

4.....WILLIAM FOX TALBOT

The Photographer’s Daughter, Ela Theresa Talbot, 1843-44

Photograph, salted paper print from a paper negative.

5.....JEAN-BAPTISTE FRENET

Horse and Groom, c.1855

Photograph, salted paper print from a glass plate negative

6......JEAN-BAPTISTE FRENET

Madame Frénet et fillettes, c.1855

Photograph, salted paper print from a collodion negative transferred from glass to paper support 

7.....JAMES ROBERTSON AND FELICE BEATO

Pyramids at Gizeh, 1857

Photograph, salted paper print from a glass plate negative

8.....JOHN BEASLY GREENE

El Assasif, Porte de Granit Rose, No. 2, Thébes, 1854

Photograph, salted paper print from a waxed plate negative

9.....WILLIAM FOX TALBOT

Nelson's Column Under Construction, Trafalgar Square, 1844

Photograph, salted paper print from a paper negative

10.......EUGENE PIOT

Le Parthénon de l’Acropole d’Athens, 1852

Photograph, salted paper print from a paper negative

PERSPECTIVE effect in photographs or in general life(post no.156)

''The appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer'', is the definition the word PERSPECTIVE holds......Can u measure the distance....but the effect of perspective is very much clear.....looks there is no end.

This is more clear when we view the long  two railway lines, stretching in the same way TO THE FARTHEST END...

However perspective may be of shorter distance as well, take example of two trees distanced from one another.....other example.....THE PERSPECTIVE FROM ONE MOUNTAIN TO ANOTHER.......so it is visual and a matter of calculation in ur mind......Just try and feel the effect of eye distance from the ear....!

The picture above adds the boundary of a river bridge....feel the distance to the farthest distance and also included the vehicle for the same purpose which is at short distance, but the viewer feels the distance.

Reflection....(post no.155).

I got this beautiful image from my archive.....finding out something, I put my hand on it.......The leaf is nicely lit by the sun from opposite (backlighting)......The reflection made it a charming image. However, many have liked the starburst effect, which becomes the second focal point and make the picture stronger.....This is an addition from photoshop....thus creativity never ends and refreshes the memory.

Perspective effect while shooting or in photoshop..(post no.154).

This is the game of angles....U use various angles to photograph an object differently---may be high,low,side angle......HERE I used low angle to show the dominance of the vintage car....this is a type of wide angle effect too with ur kit lens at 18mm......In this way the middle portion onwards looks receding back, providing full attention to the front. This can be achieved while shooting live the image or in photoshop.The grandeur of the vehicle remains enhanced.

Three musketeers.

three musketeers....haha.......just shot in a park.....my compact Canon worked here,

Portrait with side lighting....the most imp aspect to enhance features .(post no.152).. )

Come to portraiture and u will enjoy more....Since photography is the management of light and shade, it depends for the picture to be outstanding, how u handle to bring or getup the mood of the picture.

2.A very very simple bur powerful portrait.....it does not make any difference that u photograph more of children or adults....They should represent the variety of light and shade, which will make a portrait different from one another----changing and handling the lights carefully, giving emphasis on every part of the face subdueing or enhancing the features.

3.....THERE ARE WAYS U get the light artificially or from nature.....In case of above, it is simple light from window at left, which provides less contrasty and soft light.

4....U can move ur subject all sides where the light suits according to ur requirement, sitting him/her on a stool. Since there is low light in homes, a sturdy support to avoid camera shake is necessary.....U can use tripod or improvise from some goods/hard/stiff material/beanbag to support the camera steadily.

5. Background is as important as the subject which I did here in photoshop to liftup the face and I feel I was successful in that. There are very important whites behind the guy which help lifting up of the face surrounding with dark areas of the frame......Do it urself and let me know.

HAPPY VALENTINE

JUST LOVE YOUR VALENTINE AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.(FROM NIKON KIT LENS).