asian photography august 2015

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August 2015 ` 100 us$9

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Vol. 27 - no.08

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Top 3 inexpensive camera lenses every beginner should buyvanishing poinTscolour calibraTing your moniTor for phoTo ediTingTop 10 underraTed inspiraTional phoTography booksname smarT, sTore easy!black and WhiTe mobile phoTographyshuTTer release remoTesshooTing headshoTs

nikon s9900sony rx100 iv

aa rechargeable baTTery

compacT flash (cf) memory card

darJeeling mysTerious monsoons

Tips & Techs

camera revieW

shooT my ciTy

shooTouT

Canon EOS 5Ds

w w w. a s i a n p h o t o g r a p h y i n d i a . c o m

EDITOR / PUBLISHER Trilok Desai

GROUP HEADBhavya Desai

DIRECTOR MARKETINGAruna Desai

SENIOR CORRESPONDENTSFred ShippieLester Ledesma

NEW DELHI BUREAUAmitabh JoshiToprit SaifiPalak Sharma

EDITORIAL TEAMAbhishek DesaiUshma DhamdhereSouradeep RoyPurva Damle

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Lopamudra Ganguly (Delhi)

DESIGNGoraksh KokateRajendra Gaikwad

MANAGER ADVERTISINGLaila Rupawalla

DY. MANAGER ADVERTISINGKora Ganguly

MARKETING EXECUTIVERagini DesaiMamata BhideHashim KhatriRitesh Thakkar (Delhi)

COPY DESKSameer Gadkari

PRODUCTION MANAGERManoj Surve

MUMBAI OFFICE:509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road,Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053.Tel: 91-22-40401919Fax: 91-22-40401927E-mail: [email protected]


AUGUST 2015 ` 100 US$9

JOIN US ON

Vol. 27 - No.08

SEND YOUR ENTRIES TO [email protected] FOR ARTISTIQUE PHOTO CONTESTPage

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TOP 3 INEXPENSIVE CAMERA LENSES EVERY BEGINNER SHOULD BUYVANISHING POINTSCOLOUR CALIBRATION YOUR MONITOR FOR PHOTO EDITINGTOP 10 UNDERRATED INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKSNAME SMART, STORE EASY!BLACK AND WHITE MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHYSHUTTER RELEASE REMOTESSHOOTING HEADSHOTS

NIKON S9900SONY RX100 IV

AA RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

COMPACT FLASH (CF) MEMORY CARD

DARJEELING MYSTERIOUS MONSOONS

TIPS & TECHS

CAMERA REVIEW

CAMERA REVIEW

SHOOTOUT

Canon EOS 5Ds

Cover Design: Goraksh KokateCover Image: Sarker Protick

BHAVYA DESAI

Published by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd., 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. INDIA Printed by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd., 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. INDIA Printed at Indigo Press India Pvt Ltd, Plot No 1 C/716, Off Dadoji Konddeo Cross Road, Between Sussex & Retiwala Industrial Estate, Byculla, Mumbai, Published at 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. INDIA Editor - TRILOK DESAI.All material covered by copyright; No part of the contents of this journal may be published or reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinons expressed by the authors do not necessarily refl ect those of the publisher or the editorial staff.Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd. and ASIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING is not responsible and liable for any comments and articles published by its contributors and will not be liable for any damages. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai, India.

DELHI OFFICE:F-22, Green Park, New Delhi - 16.Tel: 91-011-26863028/26532568Fax: 91-(011)-26532568E-mail: [email protected]

SINGAPORE OFFICE:SAP Media Singapore Pte. Ltd.E-mail: [email protected]: 0065-90625120

We are really making a CHANGE

3AUGUST 2015 www.asianphotographyindia.com

It’s another year and another month when we commence our journey for

Artistique 2015. We had set out to achieve an objective when we launched

the initiative and that was simple - Promote photography as an art form,

and spread the culture of ‘picture taking’. This year we have taken a bigger

step towards achieving a bigger goal by making Artistique a ‘TRAVELLING

EXHIBIT’. And what is great about what we are doing is that slowly but surely

we have seen a big change in the approach of people in India when it comes

to photography.

Before you read this part of the editorial, I suggest you take a look at our

Feedback section on the Page. No 6-8. While you are at it, think about the

sort of letters, questions and the profi les in the readers sections that we

have featured this month. The letter from a very young photographer

demonstrates some interesting thoughts, and the fact that he has learnt a

lot reading our magazine is a positive thing for us. What I am really enjoying

is that a higher percentage of the letters that we receive these days are

from students who are still studying. What this tells me is that we are really

succeeding in our efforts to push photography to the roots and changing the

perception about photography at the grass-root level.

As you know that it has been our constant effort to change a leaf in

the culture of this country and its thought process when it comes to

photography. So examples like DK Pattnayak are one of many that have been

writing to us in the past six months. Infact our Facebook and email accounts

are fi lled with them everyday. So I call upon more and more people to send

across their pics that you have shot and my team and me will personally take

at them and provide you with our feedback, that’s a PROMISE.

So until next time......

Happy Reading!!!!!

AUGUST 2015

News

Shoot My City• Darjeeling

• E1 Camera starts 4K Video camera - Z

• Konica Minolta knowledge series of its BIZHUB

• Adobe unveils milestone 2015 Creative Cloud

• Nikon’s reaches 95 million lens production

• Sitghtsavers exhibits photographs of visually impaired

• Metabones announces Speed Boosters

20 Ask Your Expert

Shootout• AA Rechargeable Battery

Shootout• CF Card

2524 August 2015 www.asianphotographyindia.com August 2015

pro-profile

Championing the art of photographyWith Artistique 2015 this month, for the first time at Asian Photography, we are bringing three professional photographers together to give viewers a look into what photography as an art form means. From the lands of India’s neighbour Bangladesh, comes Sarker Protick, a 29-year old documentary photographer who won a World Press Photo award this year for his series ‘What Remains’. Multiple award-winning fashion and advertising photographer from Mumbai, Vickram Bawa displays his series ‘Untitled’ for the first time. The third, but definitely not the least, Shibu Arakkal, a Bangalore-based photo-artist, who is well-known in the photography community, as well as art circles, in India, features his latest series ‘Walls’. Read on to find out more about the journey of these photographers, and a sneak-peek into the works they will be featuring at the upcoming Artistique 2015 exhibition.

At the young age of 29, Sarker Protick has achieved what most photojournalism and

documentary photographers dream of. Hailing from Dhaka, Bangladesh, the documentary photographer won a World Press Photo award, (2nd prize stories, Daily Life) this year for his touching series ‘What Remains’.

As a teenager Protick wanted to be a musician and songwriter, but at the age of 24, when he was visiting the Chobi Mela Photography Festival, he discovered photography. He went on to finish his bachelor’s degree, and enrolled at Pathshala South Asian Media Institute to learn photography.

In 2012, Protick won the Prix Mark Grosset Internationales De Photographie and the World Bank Art Program. In 2014, he was named in British Journal Of Photography’s annual ‘Ones to Watch’. The same year, he was selected for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass. Protick’s photographs have been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, National Geographic, The British Journal of Photography, among many others. His work has been exhibited at Chobi Mela International Photography Festival, Noorderlicht Photo Festival, Photovisa Festival, Dhaka Art Summit etc.

Protick is currently teaching at Pathshala South Asian Media Academy.What Remains

An award-winning series by Protick, What Remains is a testament to love, the love for his grandparents, John and Prova. Described by no better word than ‘ethereal’, this series takes the viewer on an incredible and emotional journey, as Protick captures the last days of his frail grandparents. Visiting them frequently, Protick one day started capturing his grandparents, after he saw a white light coming through a white door in a white-walled room. He says that working on the series, he became closer to them, and how he could relate to what he was seeing with what he felt. The beautiful high-key images Protick shot make them appear bathed in an aura, as if they were at the gates of heaven, as if everything was on a wait - a wait for something that he does not completely understand.

An award winning photo artist, Shibu Arakkal’s work has garnered respect across India and

international art circles in numerous shows and exhibitions, spanning over two decades. In 2013, Arakkal became one of the very few Indians to have won the prestigious ‘Lorenzo il Magnifico’ Gold Prize in Digital Art for his work from ‘Constructing Life’ at the Florence Biennale in Italy.

Arakkal is known for depth, profundity and the deliberate aesthetic of renunciation that he has embraced - his preferred medium of black and white photography is more a complex arpeggio of greys that unfold across frames. Arakkal has the heart of a painter and the mind of a photographer; which is evident in his work, leaving the viewer to navigate the complex lines of the seen and the unseen.

In his award-winning series Constructing Life, Arakkal has shot construction workers in Bangalore, and overlaid the images of cracks and peels from weathered walls. The series is about a silent army of construction workers who painstakingly go about laying down bricks and concrete to create the urban world we live in.

WallsIn his latest series, Arakkal has photographed walls. The walls in the series, are not mere walls but questions that come alive through varied facades. He explains, “Stories that linger in the air, perhaps just out of reach, until you run your mind’s eye, your hands, your palms, or your fingertips over these surfaces and gently, like braille, decipher the answers hidden in every breath. I believe that walls have living, breathing spirits and slices of time that merge with them as they are built, as they stand and even as they are broken or torn down.”

These walls have been shot everywhere around the world, from Jaipur to Tiruvanamalai, from Bhutan to Singapore, from Paris to Dubai, from Istanbul to Florence, from Bangalore to Siena. He says that it is an exploration of the meaning of freedom and independence, as the essence of independence is the ability to recognise walls and have the strength of will to bring them down, when they are limiting our freedom.

Shibu ARAkkAl

SARkeR PRotick


feature

The jury for the contest last two years comprised of award-winning photojournalist and co-founder of Udaan School of Photography Arko Datta, ace fashion photographer Vikram Bawa, noted photojournalist Adeel Halim, with the group head of SAP Magazines Bhavya Desai. This year the jury comprises of Arko Datta, ace fashion photographer Mr. Jatin Kampani with the group head of SAP Magazines Bhavya Desai

Artisitique 2015Kolkata: 18th August 2015 to 27th August 2015Rabindranath Tagore Centre, Jamini Roy GalleryIndian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)9A, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata - 700 071, West Bengal, IndiaTiming: 11 am to 7 pmDelhi: 10th September to 16th September 2015LATITUDE 28, F 208 G/F Lado Sarai New Delhi, India - 110030T: +11 46791111 Timing: 11 am to 7 pmBangalore: 24th September to 30th September 2015Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, No.1, Art Complex, Kumara krupa Road, Bangalore, Karnataka 560001Timing: 10:30 am to 7:30 pmArtistique 2015

– the travelling exhibition

It is a known fact, which we have mentioned before, that the word ‘photography’ comes from two

ancient Greek words: photo, for “light”, and graph, for “drawing”. “Drawing with light” is a way of describing photography. When a photograph is made, light or some other form of radiant energy is used to record a picture of an object or scene on a light-sensitive surface. Early photographs were called sun pictures, because sunlight itself was used to create the image. But if you think beyond the scientific definition, photography is also an emerging art form and we at Asian Photography have always believed in our vision of promoting it as an art form.

Every year on the occasion of World Photography Day, in order to promote photography as an artistic medium in India, we at Asian Photography kickstarted an initiative called “Artistique” in the year 2013. We came up with this idea to not only celebrate World Photography Day, but also to promote the culture of photography, which we feel is high time gets it place where it belongs. The initiative highlights an exhibition of photographic art and a contest on its sidelines, the winning pictures of which are also part of the exhibit put up from the World Photography Day for ten days. Besides our objective of Artistique of promoting photography as art-form, it is also about providing

exposure to professionals, and more importantly, new talent. After the first edition in 2013, the second edition, Artistique 2014 was aimed at taking the initiative further by providing a common platform where amateurs and professionals could come together to showcase their work.

Last year we exhibited remarkable photographers Sudhir Shivaram and Martin Prihoda under the category “Beauty” during these ten days, along with that, we had the winning entries with each category and honorary mentions from the jury exhibiting with us. The exhibition was held at Piramal Gallery NCPA. This year, we took a step ahead on the horizon and made Artistique a grand event, taking it to the next level.

What’s new?Organised by the Asian Photography Team, there are two parts to Artistique i.e. an exhibition and a nationwide contest. Every year, the exhibition was held just in Mumbai

which made it accessible to only the Western belt of the country. So as a part of taking a step ahead this year, Artistique is going to be a travelling exhibition starting from Kolkata, moving to Delhi, going southwards to Bangalore, and commencing its journey in Mumbai during the Photofair, giving a chance to photographers from all over to access the exhibit. Travelling exhibition is not the only big change that we have inculcated this year,

this time we have also abided our contest with a theme which makes the exhibition and the kind of entries that we have received much more artistic. Also, in the first city we have ventured out and organised a photo walk with a photo collective, Streets of Kolkata.

This year we have 3 remarkable photographers being Sarker Protick - award-winning documentary photographer, Vikram Bawa – ace commercial photographer and Shibu Arakkal – renowned fine art photographer (For detailed profiles of the photographer refer to the

Pro-Profile section of this month’s issue).

The photo contest which was announced in April, invited entries from readers around the country to kick-start the process. Participants were required to send in their photographs under three different categories, Black and White, Moments and Beauty which was under the theme “Independence”. We have already received entries from photographers all over India and the contest already has received an overwhelming response with over 7000 entries from under the different themes in three months.

If you ask us how big Artistique would be this year, we got one answer for you – with three award

here


year, we took a step ahead on the horizon and made Artistique a grand event, taking it to the next level.

What’s new?Asian Photography

Team, there are two parts to Artistique i.e. an exhibition and a nationwide contest. Every year, the exhibition was held just in Mumbai

this time we have also abided our contest with a theme which makes the exhibition and the kind of entries that we have received much more artistic. Also, in the first city we have ventured out and organised a photo walk with a photo collective, Streets of Kolkata.


entries from readers around the country to kick-start the process. Participants were required to send in their photographs under three different categories, Black and White, Moments and Beauty which was under the theme “Independence”. We have already received entries from photographers all over India and the contest already has received an overwhelming response with over 7000 entries from under the different themes in three months.

If you ask us how big Artistique would be this year, we got one answer for you – with three award

here

Pro-Profi le


90

94

Photoscape

Camera Review Exclusive Review

Photomontage

Tips and Techs

44 Vanishing Points

50 Cloudscapes and more

56 Shooting Headshots

60 Black and White Mobile Photography

64 Top 10 underrated inspirational

photography books

68 Shutter release remotes7574 AUGUST 2015 www.asianphotographyindia.com AUGUST 2015

TIPS & TECHSTIPS & TECHS

Cloudscapesand more


Tips & Techs

Black and White Mobile Photography

Black and white is one of the most popular genres of photography. However, when it comes to shooting with mobile

phone cameras, a lot of photographers still are apprehensive to shoot B/W. If you are one of them, let us give you a quick lowdown on how you can make beautiful B/W images with a cellphone camera. VisualiseThe best way to start, if you want to shoot in B/W is to visualise the world in black and white. Start seeing things without colour. Imagine how things would look like in black

and white. If you are simply walking down a busy street, think what it would look like if it was without the plethora of colours. If you are in an empty room, or walking down an empty hallway or an abandoned building, try to perceive it in black and white.Do I shoot in colour or do I shoot in B/WWhile it is good to imagine your world in black and white, it is better if you shoot your image in colour. Chances are that you shoot mostly in colour anyway, but if you are specifically shooting for black and white, colour is the way to go. This might sound like

a contradiction, but the reason for this is that when you shoot in colour is because then you get more details in the image. The range of grey tones that you get is quite vast. The advantage is also that, if you do not like your black and white conversion, you at least have the colour version of the image!

At the same time, shooting in black and white directly using a horde of filters on apps available can be beneficial in saving time and effort of editing later. However, choose filters carefully, and do not do the usual high-contrast black and white images.



Vanishing PointsWhen it comes to photography, one has to be good at composing the frame. There are many aspects by which a frame can look good, and one can get the best effects out of the available resources. Having a high-end camera and fast lenses is of no use if you don’t have an eye behind capturing the depth in a 2D platform and making it stand out by getting a 3D effect.

Canon EOS 5Ds Nikon S9900 Sony RX100 IV

6 AUGUST 2015 www.asianphotographyindia.com

Dear Sir,Asian Photography is one of the fi nest and best magazines available in the market today. I would like to be a part of it and I would also like to contribute my photographs in the same if at all they deserve a place in AP magazine without any gift or payment in return.

In short, I appreciate all the efforts put in by the Editor, team and all the contributors for developing real sense of photography among people.

Thanks for creating awareness regarding this awesome art.FaithfullyDr. Amaar Ali Mirza, Kashmir

Dear Dr. Mirza,It honestly brings a smile to my team’s face and mine when I see letters like your’s. I might have mentioned this before, but the fact that our readers really recognise and appreciate the hard work that all of us put together in making this magazine makes everything worthwhile.

In fact, you belong to a place which offers one of the most scenic landscapes in the country. We would love to see the pictures that you have to share and feel free to send them over anytime.

Dear Sir,I am 16 years old, and I started photography a year ago. I have many amazing nature, wildlife and macro shots. How about displaying them in your magazine or exhibition?

Check them here: www.facebook.com/martinnittala.offi cialMartin Nittala, Rajahmundry

Dear Martin,I am happy to know that you are only 16, and

in a year of shooting, might have learnt a lot. I have seen the link that you have shared, and the images look good; and I see that you have a lot of potential. Why don’t you send us a set of images, and we can probably consider it for Photomontage.

I really like your confi dence and urge you to keep it up. Because, with this confi dence I think you will reach bigger heights and goals in future.

Feed

back

Readers

’ Comments

and Suggest

ions.

..

The Letter

of the month will receive a gift from Uniross

Feed

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Readers

’ Comments

and Suggest

ions.

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The Letter


Dear Editor,

I have been reading your magazine for a while now and must comment that your team and you have been doing a great job. I have seen the simple and subtle changes that you have brought to the content and the fine balance that the magazine has been achieving lately.

I also like the reader columns like My Story, Ask Your Expert and Shoot My City. I am happy that you are looking at sections in the magazine that make them more reader interactive and I think that is the way forward for any magazine. From the December issue I loved the interview of Dabboo Ratnani. The DSLR shootout also provided a lot of valuable feedback on the cameras and their performances. Wish the AP team renewed success and great year ahead.

Regards,Vishal ShahAhemdabad,Gujarat.

Dear Vishal,

We are always happy to know that the readers are appreciating our work since it takes a lot of effortto put all the things together. Apart from the same I also have a great team that works really hard to ensure that we keep that fine balance in our content going.


Feed

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Readers

’ Comments

and Suggest

ions.

..

The Letter


Dear sir,I am big fan of your magazine and I am interested in photography. I want to do an internship in photography; can I do one with your magazine? If not, can you please suggest me where I can do an internship. Thanks.Anil Deshmukh, Hyderabad

Dear Anil,Thanks for your email, and this response is also for a lot of the other readers, including Sagar Patel and Abhinav Deb, who have been sending emails to us on a regular basis, enquiring about internships. Ideally, we have an internship programme which doesn’t necessarily have a particular timeline. This means that throughout the year we are accepting interns and working with them.

There’s only one criterion to selecting an intern in AP. One has to be exceptional at their work. It’s as simple as that. If you think you are good at photography and writing and want to intern at a place that does cutting-edge creative work, then come and see us.

Dear Editor, I am doing my Bachelor Degree course in Business Management under Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

I am an 18 year boy who used to see the world from a different perspective. I am a photographer and a learner as well. I’m doing photography since I was in class 8 and it has been an amazing time for me to read your magazine every month. A lot of things I have learned by following the articles in your magazine. It is a great platform for photographers as well as learners. So I would like to contribute some of my clicks to the magazine, and hope to have feedback on my photographs.

Also, I wish to join your team of photographers.DK Pattnayak, Bhubaneswar

Dear DK,I am assuming that if you are reading this, then you might have also read my reply on the letter above regarding interning with us. As for the fact that you have learned a lot is really good. What I am really appreciating is that a higher percentage of the letters that we receive these days are from students who are still studying. This tells me that we are really succeeding in our efforts to push photography at an early stage.

As you know that it has been our constant effort to change a leaf in the culture of this country and its thought process when it comes to photography. So please do send across the pictures that you have shot and I will take a look at them and provide you with my feedback.

10 august 2015 www.asianphotographyindia.com

Me t a b o n e s has recently announced

its speed boosters ULTRA 0.71x for Micro Four Thirds Cameras. It’s a series of focal reducing adapter specially designed for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. The Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x has a magnification of 0.71x. It effectively reduces the crop factor of mirrorless Micro Four Thirds mount cameras from 2.0x to 1.4x.

The new Speed Booster ULTRA m43 uses an advanced 5-element 4-group optical design which incorporates ultra-high index tantalum-based optical glass. The new design optimised for the Micro Four Thirds sensor and filter stack, and as a result of which it said to achieve an astonishing level of performance that sets a new standard for focal reducers. The new ULTRA design is said to make effective use of materials at the furthest limit of glassmaking technology, and as a result is almost perfectly corrected for use with all full frame SLR lenses regardless of aperture.

The performance is not sacrificed to obtain higher MTF. The optical performance is seen of the Speed Booster ULTRA m43 when mounted behind an ideal “perfect” lens. The lens compatibility is seen with wide range of lens manufacturers. The DX format lenses still might have marginal vignetting but any full-frame (36 mm x 24 mm format) SLR lens with the appropriate mount can be used.

Nikon India imaging technology recently announced that the total production of Nikkor lenses for

Nikon interchangeable lens cameras has reached an amount of 95 million in mid-July 2015.

Nikon India said that their production of 95 million NIKKOR lenses is a testament of constant innovation and providing experience to their consumers, suited for their photographic needs.

The Vice President also said their 95 million NIKKOR lenses, which is the result of several years spent in Research Development. Producing technologically advanced cameras and accessories have introduced elements like Nano Crystal Coat, anti-reflection coating, Phase Fresnel lens and many more to make the NIKKOR lenses compact, lighter and ahead of the technology curve.

The latest releases from Nikon include the AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR, released in January as the first NIKKOR lens with the adoption of the PF lens element. The PF lens element elevated the AF-S

NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR, they state that it is the world’s lightest lens in its class, while providing the lens with an unparalleled portability and usability even as a fixed telephoto lens.

Recently Nikon also released the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR and AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR, both FX-format compatible super-telephoto lenses with a maximum aperture of f/4. Both these lenses adopted two fluorite lens elements which significantly reduce the lenses weight, making them the lightest in their own classes. The AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR, a high-performance 5X normal zoom lens compatible with the Nikon DX-format DSLR, was also introduced to the range. The latest optical design technologies and Nikon’s durable fluorine coat were also adopted for these lenses.

NEWS

NIKON REACHES 95 MILLION LENS PRODUCTION

Sightsavers exhibits photographs of visually impaired

Sightsavers exhibited photographs captured by Visually Impaired Photographers. The two-day photography exhibition displayed of 20 pictures depicting, seven different themes which the blind

participants had taken of other blind or visually impaired participants doing a series of interesting activities. Each picture was a story in itself representing different aspects of the blind experience. Renowned visually impaired photographer, Bhavesh Patel along with few other visually impaired photographers who were present at the exhibition.

There were other activities along with the exhibition, Sightsavers had arranged for a series of games and blindfolded demystification activities to engage visitors.

Advocacy Ask: There was a white board and a laptop placed at the exhibition to ask visitors to support Sightsavers’ petition on Change.org with a specific ask to make public transport, media and printed material, and goods & services more accessible. Sightsavers will submit the petition to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, on completion of the campaign.

Metabones announces Speed Boosters


NEWS

Adobe unveils milestone 2015 Creative Cloud Innovation and Integration across Creative Cloud Desktop and Mobile Apps, including Android Support

Adobe launched a milestone release of its flagship Adobe Creative Cloud tools and services. The 2015 release

of Creative Cloud includes major updates to Adobe’s industry-defining desktop tools, including Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, Premiere Pro CC and InDesign CC; as well as new connected mobile apps for iOS and Android. The company also shipped Adobe Stock, the industry’s first stock content service to be integrated directly into the creative process and the tools creatives use every day. In addition, Adobe announced an expanded Creative Cloud enterprise offering that includes enterprise-grade administration, security, collaboration and publishing services for design-driven brands, businesses and large organisations.

Since Creative Cloud was introduced in 2012, Adobe has championed the idea that mobile devices should be integral to the creative process, with free companion mobile apps working seamlessly with CC desktop tools. Adobe released Brush CC, Shape CC, Color CC and Photoshop Mix on Android for the first time, bringing connected mobile workflows to millions of creatives worldwide. Adobe has also updated many of its popular Creative Cloud mobile apps for iPhone and iPad, including Adobe Comp CC, Photoshop Mix, Photoshop Sketch, Illustrator Draw, Brush CC, Shape CC and Color CC.

In addition to these updates Adobe debuted Adobe Hue CC Hue CC provides an easy way to capture and share production-quality lighting and colour schemes - for video, film and broadcast -- by using an iPhone camera and then applying these light and colour moods into a Premiere Pro CC or After Effects CC project.

At the heart of Creative Cloud is Adobe CreativeSync, a signature technology that syncs creative assets: files, photos, fonts, vector graphics, brushes, colours, settings, metadata and more. With CreativeSync, assets are instantly available, in the right format, wherever designers need them

- across desktop, web and mobile apps. Available exclusively in Creative Cloud, CreativeSync means work can be kicked-off in any connected Creative Cloud mobile app or CC desktop tool; picked up again later in another; and finished in the designer’s favorite CC desktop software.

“The 2015 release of Creative Cloud is packed with innovation. Adobe Stock, our brand new stock service, makes 40 million photos, vector graphics and illustrations accessible directly within your favourite CC desktop apps. Our CreativeSync technology deepens the connections between desktop apps and mobile apps on iOS and Android; and major updates to Creative Cloud’s infrastructure and administrative capabilities make this an essential upgrade for enterprise customers,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president, Digital Media, Adobe. “Creative Cloud 2015 is our most powerful and comprehensive release to date.”

“We know that companies that foster creativity are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in terms of revenue

growth, based on research released late last year,” said Umang Bedi, Managing Director – South Asia, Adobe. “Enterprises of all sizes, SMBs, creative professionals and serious hobbyists will find this release of Creative Cloud most useful. Not only does it put the power of mobile in the hands of creatives and makes them much more agile and productive; with deep connections with Adobe Digital Publishing Solution (DPS) and Adobe Marketing Cloud it allows businesses to make, mobilise, manage, measure, and monetise content in a secure fashion thus transforming their own and their customers’ businesses.”Pricing and AvailabilityThe updates to CC desktop and mobile apps are immediately available for download by Creative Cloud members as part of their membership at no additional cost. Membership plans are available for individuals, students, teams, educational institutions, government agencies and enterprises.

Lopamudra Ganguly

Umang Bedi addressing the gathering.


NEWS

E1 Camera starts 4K Video camera – Z

E1 Camera, the world’s newest entry into the 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) camera market

from new digital imaging start-up “Z”, recently launched on Kickstarter. The E1 features a micro four-thirds (MFT) sensor and interchangeable lens system compatible with most MFT lenses, as well as one of the most advanced autofocus systems available today.

Launch & Availability – “Z” is looking to raise $42,000 over the course of the company’s active 30-day Kickstarter campaign. However, the company is utilising the crowd funding platform more as a way to take pre-orders and introduce both the brand and the product to consumers, as well as gain valuable market insight concerning this form-factor and future features.

Unlike its competitors – The E1 camera is said to feature a unique interchangeable, Micro Four-Thirds lens mount, adaptable with the widest range of auto-focus (AF) lenses available from Olympus, Panasonic Lumix, Leica and Sigma, as well as a variety of existing manual-focus (MF) lenses. In lieu of bulky DSLRs, this camera claims will allow users to travel with their arsenal of lenses to capture the highest-quality footage possible, revolutionising the quality of content consumers can produce and easily share.

The E1 is Wi-Fi 802.11N, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Ambarella A9 image processor equipped. Easily capture cinema-quality 4K (4096x2160) video at 24 frames per second or ultra-high definition video (3840x2160) at 30 frames per second with H.264 compression. Advanced 3D noise filters using motion compensated temporal filtering (MCTF) technology reduces noise and jitter. This should allow for low-light performance with the camera’s ability to shoot at up to

102,400 ISO while maintaining high image quality, up to 6400 ISO. Z’s E1 reportedly is equipped with proprietary applications

for iOS and Android, already available in the Apple App Store and Google Play. These apps provide the ability to control, live stream and manage content via their Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0-enabled devices. A videographer can mount the E1 from the ceiling prior to the event using a standard tripod mount accessory, provide a direct AC power source into the camera and avoid the need to physically access the camera in order to power it on. This is also a solution for drone use so a drone pilot can remotely power the camera on only when needed without having to land the drone in order to set it up.

Konica Minolta’s knowledge series of its BIZHUBKonica Minolta conducted the SME Knowledge Series in

Noida. The participating companies in the event turned out to prospects as they were using the A4 device and had limited

information on the advantages on using A3 MFPs.Most of the companies attending the event were new to the

partner and got an opportunity to showcase them as Konica Minolta authorised sales and service provider.

Topics of information varied from Government schemes for SME, Technology adoption for SME and its benefits, green efficiency through technology adoption, documentation and its importance were covered in the discussions.

SME customers were briefed on Konica Minolta offerings with their key requirement of being an Agile & Smart enterprise best addressed by the superior cloud capability and mobile compatible bizhub INFO-Palette range of MFPs and solutions. It also enlightened the customers on the benefits of embracing Cloud Computing with Smart Mobility. The key TCO Benefits of adopting Optimised Print Services from Konica Minolta, the robust Security framework of bizhub MFPs, sustainable environment benefits as well as the productivity enhancing feature, set the connected colour marvels in the Konica Minolta portfolio.

The customers were said to be impressed with the smart phone’s

touch interface of the bizhub MFPs which provided intuitive one touch access to all MFP functions. Including the scanning features, direct conversion to voice, Word from the MFP panel as well as Mobile printing was appreciated as it allowed effortless digitisation of information trapped in paper.

SPECIAL FEATURE


With a career spanning over three decades, Girish Mistry is a renowned name in the Indian photography industry. From his humble beginnings in fi ne-art photography, to going on to create one of India’s most known photography institute, Shari Academy, he has many accomplishments under his belt. This month, the celebrated photographer speaks to Asian Photography about his journey, and how equipment matters.

In 1983, I began my journey of image-making as a fine art photographer. I had to practice

commercial photography, as there was no awareness or market for fine art. Commercial art paid for my many experimentations and foray in fine art. My experiments included Front Projection, Photo Surrealism, push-

ing the boundary of Black & White Zone system, multiple exposures, etc. When you want to push the boundaries in image-making, it is very important to have the right equip-ment backing you.

I founded Shari Academy in 1991, after I was paralysed waist down, as there were no schools to teach

photography at that time, and I had to do something constructive and productive to avoid going insane, just sitting at home doing nothing. 2016 will mark the successful completion of 25 years of Shari Academy, having seeded photography with thousands of award-winning students; many of them are brand name image-makers today.

Like any photographer, I am very choosy about the equipments that I would use for making an image. Like many photographers, I too went through many brands of cameras and related equipments. I never felt the need to follow the herd in choosing what brand or equipments I would use for my creative endeavour. When I was a practicing commercial photog-rapher, I used a particular brand. After paralysis I chose the brand that had image stabilizer, eye focus and tilt-shift lenses.

As a teacher, I needed equip-ment that not only gave me creative freedom, but also a tool that I would use to impart practical training to the students. While experimenting with different cameras, I came across a Sony model once. I was a bit scep-tical at first, as it was a new entrant in the DSLR segment. In fact, they entered the segment with the DSLT

SHOT USING SONY A7M2SHUTTER SPEED: 1/100 SECF-STOP: F/7.1ISO: 100LENS: FE 24-70MM F4 ZA OSS

The Marvels of an Image Maker

17AUGUST 2015

and Mirrorless cameras. The fact that their sensors are also used by other big brands, coupled with the Carl Zeiss lenses was just too tempting, and I started playing with the cameras, lenses and accessories.

The beauty of the Carl Zeiss

lenses are that the T coating helps in getting great back-lit shots with minimal flare, they have very less diffraction and low distortion even at wider focal lengths. The students love the beautiful bokehs created by the 9 blades, aperture construction. The lenses are all metal and glass with no plastic in its construction; hence it can stand the abuse of 70+ students using it regularly. The high resolution of the lenses also helps in getting great images due to the 24+ megapixel full-frame sensor paired with the BIONZ X image processor.

The sensor allows me to teach students to shoot in near absolute darkness, as it has ISO sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 409600 with low noise and 15.3 stops of Dynamic Range. It is great to teach students how to shoot B/W where you get great details in the shadow, medium and highlight areas even in high contrast images. It also gives great rendition of skin tonal range, outstanding colour fidelity with excellent high saturation in portraits and fashion.

My students like experimenting with apps like Motion Shot, Angle Shift, Stop Motion and Time Lapse to get creative images.

When Shari did a troubleshoot-ing for the camera manufacturer, and

suggested how to make the products more user-friendly, the company promptly reacted and took all of those suggestions into account. I believe that many of the suggestions and the result of tests conducted have been incorporated in the A7RII that has been launched in Japan recently.

I am very happy with this tran-sition to the A7 system, and look forward to more innovations and creative features in the future.

Sony A7SThe wide 100-409600 ISO range of the camera, with 15.3 stops of Dynamic Range is great in almost no-light situations, with good low-noise output. I also prefer the camera for its performance in black and white, deliver-ing immense detail in shadow, medium and highlight areas even in high contrast images.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S

PICK

SHOT USING SONY A7SSHUTTER SPEED: 1/125 SECF-STOP: F/10ISO: 125LENS: 85MM F1.4 ZA

SHOT USING SONY A7M2SHUTTER SPEED: 1/100 SECF-STOP: F/9ISO: 8000LENS: FE 24-70MM F4 ZA OSS


Answered by Bhavya DesaiEditor, Asian PhotographySend in your Questions to

[email protected]

I have been reading your magazine for a while now and had a question that I wanted to ask. Will a 3-point lighting setup result in a good s t i l l fashion upper portrait photogra-phy using a Nikon D5200 body and a 50mm or 35mm lens?Rohan KhuranaMeerut

Dear Rohan,The beauty about shooting fashion is that one can shoot

using numerous set-ups. This includes a single, double or even a triple-light set up. Adding of the number of lights that you want is upto the photographer and the mood that he wants to capture.I know photographers that use natural light or even window light to achieve some great fashion portraits. In fact, we featured an article on shooting portraits a while back. It was in the Vol.26 No.10. May be you can read the same and that will give you a good idea of how you can shoot.

Questionof the Month

AP

21AUGUST 2015

THE QUESTION OF THE MONTH WINS CAMERA CLEANING KIT WORTH `600

Why is the difference in various lens diameter? How does it affect quality of lens/pictures? Abnish JainBangalore

Dear Abnish,There are several reasons that make the lens diam-eter differ from one another. One of the primary reasons is the focal length. For instance, if a lens has a focal length of 18-200mm it has a larger diameter as compared to your standard 18-55mm kit lens due to its build quality, which also needs better optics and manufacturing understanding. This is also the reason why lenses like 18-200 mm are bulkier, heavier and more expensive as compared to your kit lenses. This is the simplest explanation to your question without getting overly technical. Also, the diameter that you are referring to is basically the thread diameter that is in front of the lens which is also provided in order to understand what fi lter to screw on the lens. As for the quality, I am not certain either, but I would guess the best way would be to run the tests in the Quick MTF chart. We will do that precisely in one of our upcoming issues for the readers benefi t. But by general thumb rule, I think a larger diameter might showcase better quality since it ideally would allow more light in on the sensor. As I mentioned that I can’t be sure about the same, but once we run the MTF tests we will tell you for certain.

I have started photography recently and would like to know more about Asian Photography India. Espe-cially, how I can submit my photographs to this magazine for any printing or awards. I usually capture Wildlife and Nature, Architecture and Street photog-raphy.Any guidance is appreciated.Ajay ChoudharyGhaziabad

Dear AjayEverything there is to know about the magazine is available easily online, including the magazine issues as well. Every month our readers sections gives the highlight about how one can submit the image to the magazine and what are the options that you can use.

I suggest you take a look at the same and that should answer all your queries.

I am an infrequent reader of your magazine and wanted to ask a question. I really enjoy watching clouds and would like to know how to click moving clouds photography?Paras WadhwaPanipat

Dear Paras,I don’t know if this is luck or it is coincidence, but we are featuring an article on shooting clouds in this month’s issue itself. So, I think I will reserve from answering this question and urge you to read the issue itself.

I have been extensively practising photography and have been following Asian Photography. It is a magazine which surely motivates us to go out and photograph. I have been thinking of buying a 4x or a 2x convertor for my 70 – 300mm lens for trying my hand at bird photography, as I would be travelling for a wildlife safari to Kenya. Is investing in a better lens like a 80 – 400mm better, or for the time being a convertor is good enough as I am not really a wildlife photographer, but a travel landscape photographer.Pranita Gokhale, Pune

Dear Pranita,It is great to know that you are looking for good accessories which would enhance your lens range. I would say that a convertor for now is a good enough investment, as your core fi eld of photography is not wildlife. It is always better to have dedicated lenses for that specifi c genre. For example, for landscape a wide range lens like 14 – 24mm, for portrait photography a 50mm f/1.8 or the 35mm Sigma.

24 August 2015 www.asianphotographyindia.com

battery Shoot out

After the commencement of the Asian Photography featuring the last month’s memory card shootout, it is time to proceed with this months’ shootout.

It’s time for the AA Rechargeable Battery Shootout. From a photography standpoint, the use of AA batteries is restricted to mainly photographic accessories such as flash units, wireless triggers and even some DSLR battery grips. Other than this the use of such batteries in our everyday

life has constantly increased, and the use of rechargeable batteries is not excluded here.

In this year’s shootout, we feature the, envie Infinite 2100mAh Rechargeable and Uniross Hybrio 2100mAh Rechargeable. This year we used pre-charged or Ready-to-use (RTU). Let’s see how these AA rechargeable batteries fare against each other.

AA rechargeable battery shootout

25August 2015

Conclusion

Uniross Hybrio 2100mAh Rechargeable Uniross Rechargeable took the 23mins more time in the charging test with the time of charging time; 4 hours 27 minutes. The Uniross took the lead from envie in the flash test, firing 1387 flashes.It was a close call between Uniross and envie, as both delivered equally good performances. With a price of `1095 for four batteries and a charger, Uniross fared better on delivering good performance. However, the limitation here is the lack of consistency between the flashes after the heat up which can be important if you are busy photographer. The batteries and the chargers can be bought separately. But they have three different chargers which go well for recharging of these batteries.

envie Infinite 2100mAh Rechargeable The envie Rechargeable performed better all throughout the shootout. Though the counts of the flashes fired were less than the Uniross, the consistency of the envie batteries between the flashes fired after the heat up have been steadier. The price also being the same, the charge time taken by these batteries is a little lesser, which is 4 hours and 5 minutes. So taking into consideration the charging time and the consistency of the flashes fired; the envie performs slightly better than the

competition. The shootout this year was extremely close and with a price of

`750 for a pack of four, the envie Rechargeable becomes the winner for this year’s AA battery shootout.

Battery contenders Like every year we had certain prerequisites that were noted about the industry before setting the mAh values for the AA category. For this year’s shootout we decided to use batteries with 1.2V/2100 mAh values. We informed all the battery manufacturers regarding the same and each one of them sent across their best rechargeable batteries in the 2100 mAh capacity, envie Infinite 2100mAh Rechargeable and Uniross Hybrio 2100mAh Rechargeable.

Parameters Similar to last year, we used a universal charger, the Maxell Ni-MH AA/AAA battery charger.

The other parameters that were taken into consideration keeping in mind both professional and amateur photographers were:

• Flash performance fired on the Nikon SB-900• Charging time• Value for money

Flash test We used the Nikon SB-900 Speedlight to evaluate the two batteries. In this test, we fired the SB-900 at a manual setting of full power until individual sets of batteries were completely discharged. Uniross came in first with 1387 flashes and envie cleared the test with 1345. The difference being only 42 flashes, these two batteries have really lived up to the expectations of the photographers.

Charging time Charge time is critical for any user, especially photographers. As they would generally have 2-3 sets of 4 batteries and would need them to be charged quickly if they would have a back to back shoot schedule.

This year we used a common charger (Maxwell), to charge all the AA batteries. Uniross batteries took 4 hours 27 minutes and envie took 4 hours and 5 minutes. The difference being of 23 minutes; it is indeed a really close clash. But a shorter charging time of 23 minutes is critical.


Shootout

The application or use of the Compact Flash (CF) cards in a professional DSLR or high-end cameras is for its increased processing power and capacity.

As camera manufacturers are moving towards smaller and more compact bodies the system has evolved in such a way that memory cards are said to be the lifeline that holds the work that the photographer captures with his/her camera. The common things that one looks out for while buying a memory card include technical information like card speed, tech support and even the reputation of the brand. In this month’s Compact Flash shootout, we set aside some of the best CF cards in the market. With the increase of the Megapixels in most of the cameras, the storage capacity of the cards should automatically increase. Even though photographers prefer 16GB cards for storing their work; nowadays the 32 GB card has moved further in the race and thus has become the preferred card. We asked each manufacturer to send in their best and fastest card options.

Contenders

CompaCt Flash (CF) memory Card shootout

Kingston 32GB Ultimate 600x Compact Flash SanDisk 32GB Extreme Pro Transcend 32GB CompactFlash 1000x

Parameters• Crystal Disk Mark 3.0.1• Folder Test• In-camera performance

The contenders in this month’s compact flash shootout were Kingston, SanDisk and Transcend. Kingston sent in their 32 GB Ultimate 600x (`7700), SanDisk sent their 32GB Extreme Pro (`7000) Transcend sent their 32 GB Transcend Ultimate CompactFlash 1000x (`7648). Both these cards are designed for devices that support the FAT32 file system. Transcend comes with an advanced UDMA (Ultra Direct Memory Access) technology, which has now become a standard for the latest generation of high-speed CF cards.

the Benchmark tests The CF cards were put to test on various grounds, The Crystal Disk Mark (version 3.0.1) test is used to verify the read and write speeds of each card. The folder transfer test and in-camera performance test. Each test is to put forward the logistics of read, write speeds, performance and the price value of each competitor. The cards were tested using a card reader and a computer which supports USB3.0.

27August 2015

Kingston

Crystal disk mark 3.0.1

In the Crystal Disk Mark test, where the card manufactures of Kingston, SanDisk and Transcend were put to the test for their read and write speeds. Kingston clocked a read speed of 34.95MB/s and a write speed of 26.85 MB/s, which we thought was good. Next we plugged in the Transcend 32 GB card, the read speed of 34.87MB/s and a write speed of 27.27MB/s. Then we had SanDisk CF Extreme Pro, read speed of 35.05MB/s and the write speed of 27.18MB/s. Transcend cleared the test the best in the read option in all the three. The Kingston cleared the test coming first in the write speed.

Folder transfer testIn this test, we created a 1GB folder with files (Videos, Documents and Images). The main priority of this test was to record the time required to transfer the folder from the CF card to the computer and from computer to CF card. The transfer of files from CF card to the computer was taken as read speed and from computer to CF card was noted as write speed. The Kingston CF card took 150 seconds to write the data on the card and took 84 seconds to read it from the card. The SanDisk card took 101.28 seconds to write on the card and 84 seconds to read from the card. Transcend took 101.66 seconds to write on to the card and 82 seconds to read from the card.

In-Camera performanceIn this test we made sure that the camera used for all the cards was similar and on the same settings. The camera that we chose was the Canon 5Ds, which was set to 1/60s, Aperture 7.1 and ISO 100 on a continuous shutter in manual mode. The process was followed by setting the stop clock to infinite, and as the shutter was released the clock timed the number of shots, on the basis of which we calculated the frames per second. The Kingston resulted with 1.93 fps, SanDisk with 2.16fps and Transcend 2.13 fps. SanDisk aced the test, followed really close with Transcend.

ConclusionKingston Ultimate 600x 32GBKingston was a little disappointing in the shootout. The performance was quite average, as Kingston came in last in the folder transfer test, with 150 seconds to write and 84 seconds to read, as well as in-camera performance test, with a score of 1.93 fps. Though it wasn’t too far behind in each test. In the CDM test, Kingston aced the write test at 26.85 MB/s, and was close behind in the read speed at 34.95/s. In addition, the price point of `7700, the most expensive of the three, adds to its disadvantage.

Transcend Ultimate CompactFlash 1000x 16GB Transcend was the winner in our last year’s CF card shootout, and this year too, Transcend has fared really good. In

the folder transfer test, the card recorded a write transfer rate in 101.66 seconds (second best) and a read transfer of 82 seconds, best

of the three. In the Crystal Disk Mark 3.0.1 test, Transcend had the fastest read speed of 34.87 MB/s and a write speed of 27.27 MB/s. When it came to the performance in-camera, Transcend had the second best rate of a 2.13 fps. At the price of `7,648, the Transcend Ultimate CompactFlash 1000x 32GB is. Transcend aced two tests, but it marginally lost in the in-camera performance test to SanDisk. The cost was higher than the SanDisk too, making this the recommended card in this year’s shootout.

SanDisk Extreme Pro SanDisk was not a contender last year, but this year SanDisk participated, and we must say, we are really impressed with the performance. In the CDM test, SanDisk CF Extreme Pro was the slowest, and had the read speed of 35.05MB/s and the write speed of 27.18MB/s. In the Folder Transfer test, SanDisk had the best write speed at 101.28 seconds, and the read speed of 84 seconds, tying with Kingston. In the in-camera performance test, SanDisk won by a tiny margin scoring 2.16fps, against Transcend’s 2.13fps. At the price range of `7,000, SanDisk is definitely a strong contender. It was a close battle with the Transcend card, but SanDisk had the lowest price, making it the winner of this year’s CF card shootout.

SanDisk Transcend


PastBLast

EDITORS NOTE:

AS PART OF THE NEW INITIATIVE

AND CONTENT IN THE MAGAZINE

WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD

BE GREAT TO GIVE THE READERS

AN IDEA ABOUT WHERE WE

HAVE ORIGINATED FROM? WE

WERE GOING THROUGH OUR

ARCHIVES. AND WE WANTED TO

SEE HOW IT ALL STARTED AND

UNDERSTAND THE MAGAZINE’S

LEGACY AND LINEAGE. SO

AS PART OF A TREAT TO THE

READERS WE WILL BE REVISITING

THE ARTICLES FROM OUR

ARCHIVES THAT HAVE QUITE

LITERALLY MAPPED THE

CHANGE AND METAMORPHISES

OF THE INDIAN PHOTOGRAPHIC

LANDSCAPE. SO THIS SPACE

IN THE MAGAZINE EVERY

MONTH WILL BE DEDICATED TO

FEATURING AN ARTICLE FROM

THE PAST. HENCE THE NAME

‘BLAST FROM THE PAST’.

FROM tHE

SPECIAL FEATURE

May 1990, Vol 1 No. 08

29august 2015

1990


feature

Artistique 2015 – the travelling exhibition

It is a known fact, which we have mentioned before, that the word ‘photography’ comes from two

ancient Greek words: photo, for “light”, and graph, for “drawing”. “Drawing with light” is a way of describing photography. When a photograph is made, light or some other form of radiant energy is used to record a picture of an object or scene on a light-sensitive surface. Early photographs were called sun pictures, because sunlight itself was used to create the image. But if you think beyond the scientific definition, photography is also an emerging art form and we at Asian Photography have always believed in our vision of promoting it as an art form.

Every year on the occasion of World Photography Day, in order to promote photography as an artistic medium in India, we at Asian Photography kickstarted an initiative called “Artistique” in the year 2013. We came up with this idea to not only celebrate World Photography Day, but also to promote the culture of photography, which we feel is high time gets it place where it belongs. The initiative highlights an exhibition of photographic art and a contest on its sidelines, the winning pictures of which are also part of the exhibit put up from the World Photography Day for ten days. Besides our objective of Artistique of promoting photography as art-form, it is also about providing

31August 2015


Artisitique 2015Kolkata: 19th August 2015 to 27th August 2015Rabindranath Tagore Centre, Jamini Roy GalleryIndian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)9A, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata - 700 071, West Bengal, IndiaTiming: 11 am to 7 pmDelhi: 10th September to 16th September 2015LATITUDE 28, F 208 G/F Lado Sarai New Delhi, India - 110030T: +11 46791111 Timing: 11 am to 7 pmBangalore: 24th September to 30th September 2015Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, No.1, Art Complex, Kumara krupa Road, Bangalore, Karnataka 560001Timing: 10:30 am to 7:30 pm

exposure to professionals, and more importantly, new talent. After the first edition in 2013, the second edition, Artistique 2014 was aimed at taking the initiative further by providing a common platform where amateurs and professionals could come together to showcase their work.

Last year we exhibited remarkable photographers Sudhir Shivaram and Martin Prihoda under the category “Beauty” during these ten days, along with that, we had the winning entries with each category and honorary mentions from the jury exhibiting with us. The exhibition was held at Piramal Gallery NCPA. This year, we took a step ahead on the horizon and made Artistique a grand event, taking it to the next level.

What’s new?Organised by the Asian Photography Team, there are two parts to Artistique i.e. an exhibition and a nationwide contest. Every year, the exhibition was held just in Mumbai

which made it accessible to only the Western belt of the country. So as a part of taking a step ahead this year, Artistique is going to be a travelling exhibition starting from Kolkata, moving to Delhi, going southwards to Bangalore, and commencing its journey in Mumbai during the Photofair, giving a chance to photographers from all over to access the exhibit. Travelling exhibition is not the only big change that we have inculcated this year,

this time we have also abided our contest with a theme which makes the exhibition and the kind of entries that we have received much more artistic. Also, in the first city we have ventured out and organised a photo walk with a photo collective, Streets of Calcutta.


Pro-Profile section of this month’s issue).

The photo contest which was announced in April, invited entries from readers around the country to kick-start the process. Participants were required to send in their photographs under three different categories, Black and White, Moments and Beauty which was under the theme “Independence”. We have already received entries from photographers all over India and the contest already has received an overwhelming response with over 7000 entries from under the different themes in three months.

If you ask us how big Artistique would be this year, we got one answer for you – with three award winning photographers and four cities, this is going to be huge. To witness all of it, do visit the exhibit in your cities or whichever city is nearest. We assure you this year is going to be bigger and better. text AnD imAges: ushmA DhAmDhere


pro-profile

Championing the art of photographyWith Artistique 2015 this month, for the first time at Asian Photography, we are bringing three professional photographers together to give viewers a look into what photography as an art form means. From the lands of India’s neighbour Bangladesh, comes Sarker Protick, a 29-year old documentary photographer who won a World Press Photo award this year for his series ‘What Remains’. Multiple award-winning fashion and advertising photographer from Mumbai, Vickram Bawa displays his series ‘Everyday’ for the first time. The third, but definitely not the least, Shibu Arakkal, a Bangalore-based photo-artist, who is well-known in the photography community, as well as art circles, in India, features his latest series ‘Walls’. Read on to find out more about the journey of these photographers, and a sneak-peek into the works they will be featuring at the upcoming Artistique 2015 exhibition.

At the young age of 29, Sarker Protick has achieved what most photojournalism and

documentary photographers dream of. Hailing from Dhaka, Bangladesh, the documentary photographer won a World Press Photo award, (2nd prize stories, Daily Life) this year for his touching series ‘What Remains’.

As a teenager Protick wanted to be a musician and songwriter, but at the age of 24, when he was visiting the Chobi Mela Photography Festival, he discovered photography. He went on to finish his bachelor’s degree, and enrolled at Pathshala South Asian Media Institute to learn photography.

In 2012, Protick won the Prix Mark Grosset Internationales De Photographie and the World Bank Art Program. In 2014, he was named in British Journal Of Photography’s annual ‘Ones to Watch’. The same year, he was selected for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass. Protick’s photographs have been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, National Geographic, The British Journal of Photography, among many others. His work has been exhibited at Chobi Mela International Photography Festival, Noorderlicht Photo Festival, Photovisa Festival, Dhaka Art Summit etc.Protick is currently teaching at Pathshala South Asian Media Academy.

What RemainsAn award-winning series by Protick, What

Remains is a testament to love, the love for his grandparents, John and Prova. Described by no better word than ‘ethereal’, this series takes the viewer on an incredible and emotional journey, as Protick captures the last days of his frail grandparents. Visiting them frequently, Protick one day started capturing his grandparents, after he saw a white light coming through a white door in a white-walled room. He says that working on the series, he became closer to them, and how he could relate to what he was seeing with what he felt. The beautiful high-key images Protick shot make them appear bathed in an aura, as if they were at the gates of heaven, as if everything was on a wait - a wait for something that he does not completely understand.

SaRkeR PRotick

33August 2015

An award winning photo artist, Shibu Arakkal’s work has garnered respect across India and

international art circles in numerous shows and exhibitions, spanning over two decades. In 2013, Arakkal became one of the very few Indians to have won the prestigious ‘Lorenzo il Magnifico’ Gold Prize in Digital Art for his work from ‘Constructing Life’ at the Florence Biennale in Italy.

Arakkal is known for depth, profundity and the deliberate aesthetic of renunciation that he has embraced - his preferred medium of black and white photography is more a complex arpeggio of greys that unfold across frames. Arakkal has the heart of a painter and the mind of a photographer; which is evident in his work, leaving the viewer to navigate the complex lines of the seen and the unseen.

In his award-winning series Constructing Life, Arakkal has shot construction workers in Bangalore, and overlaid the images of cracks and peels from weathered walls. The series is about a silent army of construction workers who painstakingly go about laying down bricks and concrete to create the urban world we live in.

WallsIn his latest series, Arakkal has photographed walls. The walls in the series, are not mere walls but questions that come alive through varied facades. He explains, “Stories that linger in the air, perhaps just out of reach, until you run your mind’s eye, your hands, your palms, or your fingertips over these surfaces and gently, like braille, decipher the answers hidden in every breath. I believe that walls have living, breathing spirits and slices of time that merge with them as they are built, as they stand and even as they are broken or torn down.”

These walls have been shot everywhere around the world, from Jaipur to Tiruvanamalai, from Bhutan to Singapore, from Paris to Dubai, from Istanbul to Florence, from Bangalore to Siena. He says that it is an exploration of the meaning of freedom and independence, as the essence of independence is the ability to recognise walls and have the strength of will to bring them down, when they are limiting our freedom.

Shibu aRakkal


A renowned fashion, advertising and automobile photographer from India,

Vickram Bawa has many firsts to his name. As a photographer he has won multiple awards from Masters Cup, Prix de la Photographie Paris, The International Color Awards, The Spider Awards, PIEA Award and many more. Luerzer’s Archive has included him in the list of 200 Best Advertising Photographers for the year 2010-2011.

However, unlike most photographers, Bawa turned pro much later in his life, on a journey filled with many opportunities, trials and tribulations. A creative thinker, he is constantly innovating new business ideas. In 2010 and 2011, he was included among the Most Influential People in the photography industry, in Asian Photography Awards, due to his strong business practices.

Bawa is known to push the boundaries of photography by continuously experimenting with new ideas, techniques and was given the title of Master of Gimmicks in the late 90’s and is in the limelight for pushing the acceptability of art and creativity in the country. He is also known to be the first person to do 3D photography in 1998 and create the first 3D covers in India for Elle magazine and other magazines in the year 2000.

Bawa has shot for various magazines including Femina, Verve, Hello!, L’Officiel, Elle, Hi Blitz, Marie Claire, Stuff among others, numbering at over 300 covers. He has photographed for various brands, including Coca-Cola, Dove,

Godrej, L’oreal, Reebok, Skoda India, Sony Electronics, Taj Hotels etc. Bawa has also shot a horde of Bollywood celebrities from Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan.

Bawa has been part of the fine art world for very long, and his first editorial fashion shoots in the late 90’s were shown at various fashion clubs, galleries, photography shows. Bawa’s works are part of galleries and private collections. He often gives lectures in different colleges and universities around the country, from technical institutes to art colleges.

everydayBawa’s latest series is an exploration of life, with all things distinct. Describing the series, Bawa explains, “The days fighting with the nights, the mundane and the exciting both juxtaposing each other for attention. Moments of a time and space in posterity. The past warranting the attention to interpretation in the present.”

With delicate monochromatic shots of everyday objects like flowers, shoes, books, empty rooms and emptier alleyways, Bawa subtly plays with light and shadow. These strikingly well-composed images, some deliberately out of focus, others cleverly under-exposed, evoke a certain soft sense of mood, as each viewer is left to interpret for themselves what they take from the series.

text: abhiShek DeSai

VickRam baWa


Shoot My City

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Darjeeling Mysterious Monsoons


Darjeeling is a small hilly town in the Indian state of West Bengal. At an elevation of 6700 feet, its location

in the lesser Himalayas makes it an attractive tourist destination during the summers. It boasts of clear views of five famous peaks of the Kanchenjunga mountain range and the famous Darjeeling tea, which is one of the most famous black tea in the world. I

wanted to see the other side of the town, when there are lesser numbers of tourists and have a different perspective of the place as a whole. So, I booked my tickets and landed in Bagdogra airport in July which is peak monsoon season in the hills. Amidst landslides and red alerts for flash floods I took a car and headed to Darjeeling. Within half an hour of my journey, I was on the

cloud covered winding roads with a fear of the unknown. “Darjeeling usually does not experience landslides as much, but this year is different,” explained the driver, “This year, due to the Bhutan earthquake, the land has loosened up due to the of aftershocks, thus causing the loose mud to cause massive landslides blocking roads and highways”. Just the day before, there was a massive fatality

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I headed out into nothingness on to the winding roads and found a local tea shop. The hot tea was heavenly. As I took to the streets the old archaic buildings built during the British period stuck out like a sore thumb among the modern buildings and hotels and shopping malls built in the now popular tourist destination. The hill station had come into being in the late 1800s under the British Raj. It was seen as a suitable summertime escape for the British and this led to the construction of a sanatorium and a military depot. Darjeeling as a tourist spot had been established. But this also caused increase in traffic and the simple cart road was not enough. Franklin Prestage, an agent of Eastern Bengal Railway Company proposed a railway line connecting the popular tea haven to Siliguri, which had a broad guage train service connecting it to Calcutta Harbours. He proposed a steam tramway, along the lines of the cart road, and finally after due consideration in 1879, the proposal was accepted by the government. On 4 July, 1881 the train line was inaugurated and the railway company was named Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Company which still

and 36 people died from different landslides in different areas. Soon, we were surrounded by clouds, and visibility was restricted to a few meters. The car kept climbing at a steady pace and we were brought to a halt near Sonada, another sleepy hill town, where there was an accident due to visibility issues. The local people were prompt to jump in and help the two cars that collided and luckily, no one was injured. We moved on, without incident, to Darjeeling.

I reached Darjeeling in the evening and rested for the night. The next morning I woke up to a different kind of beauty. Fog and clouds had set in on the town and it was mesmerising. I could hardly see a few meters and it seemed like the buildings were leading to infinity. It was calm, quiet and peaceful. Very few cars, same ‘pahari’ people going about their daily chores, and almost no tourists at all. The weather was cold and I was craving for some hot Darjeeling tea.

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remains the same. As the British Raj ended, the old buildings and heritage structures and their memories stayed. A few heritage churches, mock tudor buildings, hostels, the train stations and post office are what remains from that era.

I decided to go to a local shopping district in the northern part of the city to get a feel of the local people. The open air shopping district is extremely photogenic and a must go for photographers. During summers, the hills and mountain ranges are visible from the

Mall area, as it is situated in a high ground, has a good viewpoint as well. I explored a considerable part of the city on foot as I wanted to get an idea of the place and its different viewpoints which later helped me to shoot. A recce of the place is always advisable if you have considerable time in your tour, and since the weather kept changing every half an hour I knew exactly where to go and when to go to get a good view of the cloudscapes.

The next day I booked a car to show me the popular destinations in and around

the city. I left the hotel early in the morning as per the driver’s instruction since a recent landslide had caused the main highway to allow only one way traffic. It is important for a photographer to always be aware of their surroundings and measure and calculate the pros and cons. Since my first destination was supposed to be a monastery, it was actually better for me to reach there early in the morning. Ghoom Monastery or the Samten Choling Buddhist Monastery was built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso and is the largest of

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the three monasteries in Ghum. As I reached the monastery and climbed the 30 odd steps down the hill, I was disappointed to see it closed. I was too early, but I was not going to let it go. After waiting for almost half an hour, a monk came and opened the doors. The monastery was quiet, surrounded by clouds and mysteriously beautiful. A Tibetan chant started playing from a recorder inside the monastery. The environment was engulfing and peaceful. This is what I wanted! No busy tourists taking selfies, no distractions. It was just me and the monastery, but I still had only seen one monk. I wanted some activity for my photographs to look better. After another half an hour wait, little children in maroon Buddhist robes showed up. Some thirty odd monks of varying ages went into a hall. I followed and ended up into their eating hall; they had prepared breakfast and were just starting to eat. A visual treat for any photographer, I grabbed the chance and shot extensively. Going in the off season helped, as there was no one else around and the monks felt quite okay with my intrusion.

After visiting a couple of other monasteries I was dropped off at a place called “Batasia Loop”. This is a spiral loop of railway track created to manoeuvre the toy train in that specific area which has a very steep elevation. The 50,000 square foot area is beautifully decorated and is an engineering feat of its time. The garden has chairs to rest and the flower plants are beautifully maintained. The term “Batasia” means airy, and this loop has a 360 degree vista which during summertime is said to look beautiful. In the monsoons the Batasia Loop has its own kind of beauty and it felt like I was standing in a garden in the clouds. It was time to head out now and go the HMI. HMI or Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is a premiere mountaineering institute formed in 1954 inspired by the first Mt.Everest accent in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. This institute was created to cater to mountaineers and adventurers to establish and educate mountaineering, rock climbing etc. With help from Jawaharlal Nehru this institute came into being and Tenzing Norgay became the first director of field training. HMI conducts basic, advanced and adventure courses.


Apart from that, it also provides adventure courses for the visually impaired. It also has a mountaineering museum in its campus which is a must see for adventure sports and trekking enthusiasts. Tenzing’s remains were cremated in the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute’s compound. Darjeeling also holds a zoological park which is the largest high altitude zoo in India constructed over an area of 67.56-acre at an altitude of 7000 feet. The zoo specialises in breeding of animals adapted to living in colder conditions like snow leopards, red pandas and arctic wolves. The animals were extremely well maintained and I spent around two hours in the zoo looking at different species of birds and animals. Just outside the gate there are small shops selling novelty items and food which one can spend some time on. I also visited a tea plantation, which fills up with tourists during summers which is the tea picking seasons. It is relatively low key during the monsoons and feels like a deserted plantation with just plants growing by itself. Also a must visit place is Tenzing Rock, a huge naturally formed rock which is named after Tenzing Norgay and is used by

HMI for training it’s students in rock climbing. That concluded my tour for the day and the car left me at my hotel. In the evening I went out to the shopping district again, as the weather had cleared up a bit but it changed and turned worst as I reached the mall area.

I decided to look through the shops. There are numerous stores offering varied kinds of items from Nepalese Kukris to Tibetan Masks to brass earrings, necklaces and whatnot. For a curator or antique collector this would be immensely interesting. I also stumbled

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upon a studio that very few regular tourists would go to or know the heritage of. The studio was built by Thakur Das in 1927 and has been a part of Darjeeling’s heritage ever since. The studio has an amazing collection of copyrighted photographs of mountain ranges, local people and even of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary on top of Mt.Everest. It sells memorabilia like post cards, local handicrafts like envelopes, writing pads etc. The current owner of the store, grandson of Thakur Das, Ratna Pradhan lives in Melbourne and is himself a graduate from HMI, having learnt from the best - Tenzing Norgay, Nawang Gombu, Dorjee Lhatoo and N.Tashi. A photographer should visit this place at least once if he goes to Darjeeling. I had two more days and I knew exactly what I had to do. Since there were no other places to visit around Darjeeling, it was time to cover the city and daily life. I was playing hide and seek with the unpredictable weather. For a photographer, waiting for the perfect time and perfect weather is more important and time consuming than shooting. I waited for hours at a time outside Darjeeling railway

station on the tracks for the perfect time to shoot. Monsoons had taken their toll and the Toy Trains were not operating, which was sad, as they are an integral part of covering Darjeeling. Two famous food joints to visit in Darjeeling are Glenary’s and Keventer’s.

Glenary’s is a three story building in the heart of the shopping district with huge windows, live music and a bar. It has assorted muffins, cookies, chocolates and patties. It also serves Darjeeling tea which is a must have. The ambience was nice and warm and the shop has a British styled telephone booth as a decoration as well. Keventer’s is in the same lane as Glenary’s and is one of the best food joints in Darjeeling. The second floor has a open air seating as well as an indoor seating which has clear views of nearby hills in the summer. Keventer’s is famous for its pork and ham assortments.

Undoubtedly, Darjeeling is the queen of hills in the eastern part of India and the peak seasons, that is March/April or September to November is the best time to go, if you are looking for a happening hill station with a clear sky, breathtaking views and amazing food. But the monsoons have a very different melancholy, mysterious and sublime feel to it. Even though I missed out on most of the usual things seen by every tourist like the Kanchenjunga, Toy Trains in action, tea picking in the plantations etc I did not feel unwelcome to the place. The lack of regular tourist spots and sights gave me a perspective to look within the city – its culture, its heritage, its history and its people. Monsoons bare the naked Darjeeling in all its glory, the real people- the real city.

TexT And ImAges: sourAdeep roy



Vanishing PointsWhen it comes to photography, one has to be good at composing the frame. There are many aspects by which a frame can look good, and one can get the best effects out of the available resources. Having a high-end camera and fast lenses is of no use if you don’t have an eye behind capturing the depth in a 2D platform and making it stand out by getting a 3D effect.

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There are ways in which you can create depth in your photographs, to mention a couple of them diagonal

lighting conditions (45 degree angle), using of foregrounds which lead to your main subject. One of the most interesting facets in the compositional world of photography, as well as videography, is the vanishing point. It is the best way of getting depth, story and involvement of not only the viewer but also the photographer himself.

In 1413, when an artist named Filippo Brunelleschi finally demonstrated a geometric method of perspective. That’s when the vanishing point started to catch on. Vanishing points may not always be centre placed. The alignment can be well-used in other parts of the frames (the golden points). But they should be strategically placed as they end up being leading lines (orthogonal lines) in the frame. Perspective of the photographer is the major reason why you could come across vanishing points in your final compositions. ‘Objects that are farther away from us appear smaller, so when a set of parallel lines gets further away from us, the distance

between them appears to get smaller and the lines converge.’ This is what should be accomplished when you decide to make a successful use of this aspect.

The single–point perspective (vanishing point) can be a very strong tool in simulating three dimensional factors in any two dimensional art work, then it may be even a painting. Your photographs can be accessorised by this beautiful feature. The photograph would go to another level, when positioned correctly with the help of the concept of vanishing point. The vanishing point need not be one; you could also have more. One should try not cluttering too many vanishing points which makes the composition much complex.

Positioning the subject should be done correctly. Decision of what your subject is and depicting it and also getting the balance out is important. Or else the frame would just look bizarre and aimless.

Positioning the subject at the vanishing Point

The orthogonal lines do the job of

completing the composition perfectly whilst the vanishing point works out just well. If placed around the golden points (rule of thirds) the positioning of the subject ‘at’ the vanishing point works better for the

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eyes. There should be other elements also complimenting the photograph like roads, pavements, staircases, walkways or parallel pillars. Different type of light could also work for creating these points. Like backlighting or late evening light where one gets long shadows. These shadows give a sense of deepness whether it is with the story or just giving you the sense of space and distance.

Rightly placing the subject at the single-point perspective is not a task. By keeping the camera at the place where you can feel that the position of the camera is perfect from the point of view of getting the vanishing point, place the camera there and try adjusting the subject in a way where you can get the effect of the depth as well as the subject also stands out well.

Positioning the subject against the vanishing Point

This is my personal favourite way of using this characteristic effectively to keep the viewer in the frame. The perfect use of the rule of thirds plus the vanishing point just

adds on to make it a much more viewable photograph. Even though the leading lines converge and your subject is positioned at the points of the thirds; the space is well-established and the environment is much

well understood by the viewers. The eye keeps moving within the frame and thus engaging the person within the frame.

You could also have vanishing points which fall outside the actual frame. You could

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Single-point perspective is something you could find in nature made, and in man made things too. It all depends on the perspective, thought process and the impact the photographer wants to create and give the viewers a photogenic treat.

follow the lines and see for yourself that they collide and that is the exact reason why the photograph seems to be well in composition.

Vanishing points are used more intensively in the photography genres like landscape photography, wedding photography and architecture photography, where the environment, space, story and the beauty has to be showcased on an enormous scale. You could also use it in product photography too, with the help of lighting arrangements. Where you could use the product shadows which converge or for that matter you could also use some accessory which deliberately makes a vanishing point.

Dramatising of photographs has now become so much an integral part of photography in itself. Using of the vanishing point to accessorise your main subject, try and position both of them at one thirds. A

better composition would be in process, then! Giving your viewers space to think, wonder, make them imagine or make them dream and understand the image will give you more observational feedbacks. The more the onlookers get engrossed in an image, you could be no less happy to get a positive feedback about the frame which you’ve captured.

Understanding the situation, story, and the mood; finding the guiding lines which lead you to the vanishing point would be one of those best shots with a lot of performance involved. The photograph may not be technically or artistically captured always, but you could just be right with the aesthetics. Use reflections, symmetry, shadows, and of course, mirrors to shoot vanishing points and try making interesting compositions by combining other tools too.

TEXT and imagEs: purva damlE

• Whenincludedinaframe;it adds on to the drama and surely speaks volumes.

• Paralleltrees,metrostations,parallel street lights, zigzag roads and symmetries are the best places to get these vanishing points.

• Fixyourframeandaccordinglyposition your subject. If you are travelling be prepared and keep your camera on continuous shutter release.



Cloudscapesand more

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There are times when you come across beautiful wonders of nature and it gives us incredible

opportunities for getting a perfect sunrise or a sunset or any beautiful given landscape. Someone who’s a great photographer would always prefer a cloudy day which adds good drama into the background. Without clouds, sunrises and sunsets and especially landscapes look boring, forcing us to cut out the sky and focus on foreground elements instead. In contrast, if you get to witness a sunrise or a sunset with good dramatic, stormy clouds that are lit up from underneath with colourful sun rays, creating a fiery view, including the clouds in your photographs would make the scene appear much more colourful and alive.

Even if you don’t become the next Misonne or Stieglitz, it’s okay, just by trying these cloudscape-photography techniques, you’ll expand your creative

and artistic horizons. If clouds fascinate you, this could be your niche. Even if they don’t, you can surely appreciate the drama of heavy, dark and brooding clouds as much as you can the warm and radiant colours of a sky experiencing sunset or sunrise. So remember to master stability, use the light to your advantage, embrace drama and have a go at it and it’s not difficult. If given the right time and used the right techniques this is by far the most interesting genre of photography we have come across. In fact, sometimes clouds can be so beautiful, that they could become the main element of composition in your photographs. In this article we are not only going to talk about shooting clouds, but also how to incorporate them into your pictures for better results. There are a few things you need to remember while starting out with it; we are bringing it all below: Stable is better: We all know the best

Photo: Bhavya desai


blurs in the composition. If it’s a normal sunny day we’d suggest you to stick to the golden triangle settings and if not then to use a tripod. Your first priority while shooting should be stabile hands before you press the shutter. Take a deep breath focus and shoot.Tripod - A photographer’s best friend: To give you the ease and better stability, always remember to carry a tripod. You may not be able to hold your camera with that stability at ease and that’s when a tripod comes in to the rescue, especially in lower shutter speeds.Filters: The first thing that was suggested to us to have in our kit was a polarizing filter and also a lot of professional photographers suggested that a polarizing filter should always be attached to the lens. The polarizing filter improves the contrast in between the clouds, especially clouds of the cumulus variety and brings out a different shade of blue something that we apply while post processing. The background sky will also experience improved contrast, which

way to have a stable composition without blur is by using a tripod. Stability of your hands while shooting without a tripod is very important, especially when you are

photographing clouds. Clouds move at their own pace if you are using a slow shutter speed to capture the clouds you need to have a good balance to avoid shakes and

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results to a much enhanced picture than what the normal lens would capture. Know your light: In this niche genre pretty much like every other genre, the success rate of getting a well-composed shot is very well depended on the light through the clouds and in your environment. For example, if you have an overcast day while you are out getting your pictures you are more likely going to get relatively dull images due to the lack of light. The most ideal scenario to shoot cloudscapes or clouds is either a dramatic weather condition or a beautiful sunset/sunrise. Curing these scenarios, the clouds would create dramatic lighting and also give you good oranges and blue shades. Just mount your camera on the tripod, set your camera on the aperture priority (Av) mode. Remember to use a smaller f-stop, something between f/11-f/22. Use a wide angle lens if possible, to get a wide-framed composition and see the magic happened after the shutter is released. More drama: Cloudscape photography is

one of the few times in life when you actually want more drama rather than less! Here’s why: more drama in your cloudscape shots gives more content to your shot and makes it more memorable and eye catchy. To capture maximum drama, watch out for a day when weather conditions are stormy and grey clouds are on the horizon. Drama is created when the sun, on a day, as described, barely peeks out from behind the clouds, thereby offering some much-needed backlighting for contrast. Take away this light, and the clouds are only going to appear as a dark mass. Much of the time, the sun will come out a bit after a rainstorm, so be vigilant for a perfect cloudscape shot in that situation. Just bid your time and wait for the sun to start peeking out; you can’t control the sun, after all. To guard against wind, simply rely on a sturdy tripod for your shots. Only one thing left to do: set your aperture at between f/11 and f/32. This will give you a deeper depth of field resulting to good drama.Colours: Don’t look for just the blues, we

often miss out good compositions because the cloud seem that blue to us or it is overcast. Try shooting it in all the colours that it offers and work the magic on post production. In today’s digital era you can press your shutter as many times as you want and you can also recover and create what you want in post production. Do not leave an opportunity if it comes your way. Post Production: If you get everything right there, you won’t need any post production, except for some small tweaks in sharpness, clarity and retouching. But like any other photograph post production on your cloud images can enhance you pictures furthermore.

These were the basic things to keep in mind while shooting clouds. We are sure a lot of you have already been experimenting with this for a long time and we would love to see those pictures. For people who are just starting to experiment, practice is the key. Happy shooting!

tEXt AND IMAGES UShMA DhAMDhERE

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Shooting HeadshotsAccording to Wikipedia, the defi nition of headshot is “a photographic technique where the focus of the photograph is a person’s face”. When you think about it, the fi rst thought in your mind would be “How diffi cult can it be?” But when you go deeper into the genre, headshots are more than what you think. Headshots are a critical piece of many professionals PR packages.

A dynamic headshot for models, actors, and other performance professionals will be the difference between getting a project/gig or not. Your clients depend more on their headshot to get

a gig, and it is a very important aspect while pitching in for a project for them. So, at a lot of times, you need to think through and decide a headshot. Getting a headshot is as similar to getting a tight portrait of an individual. There are a few rules and guidelines that one should follow, we are listing them below for you:

Focus on the eyes: The eyes are said to be the window to the soul. Therefore, nothing is more important than achieving sharp, crisp eyes in your shot. Capturing the eyes in a powerful way will draw the viewer into the photo, establishing a strong connection that will speak volumes. Always focus on the eye while taking a headshot.Angels: Remember that for close up shots; angles will affect the outcome, look and feel. For example, if you are shooting a woman, if you use a slight lower angle, it will make their eyes appear larger and

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the face more delicate. Similarly while shooting a man, if you use an upper angle, it would emphasise strength and achievement. So, the angles play very crucial roles while capturing headshots.Diff used lighting: In close up shots, the skin is the most important feature. It’s a little difficult to shoot the skin without blemishes. To achieve the shot without blemishes the best way to go about is to use diffused lighting which doesn’t highlight the blemishes, and makes skin in the picture smoother to the naked eye.Hair light: details are critical in head-shots and it becomes more dynamic and dramatic when you use hair lighting to highlight the slightest details in the shot. A hair-light can be placed above or behind the subject [with a flash or the sun] to add depth to the shot, and make the top of the head pop out of the background.Use of lens: Nothing is more disturbing than a near-dynamic headshot that fails simply because of lens distortion. Generally, avoid mid to wide angle lenses for close headshots. Instead, use a lens that will compress your image and slim your subjects face – typically 90mm or a 50mm and above.Go for personality over glamour: Make sure the headshots look more like the subject that you are shooting. Calm down with the airbrushing in post. Usually casting directors and talent managers expect you to look just like your headshot, and will not be happy when you show up looking totally different, or 10 years older. It’s


not about making your subject look pretty but it’s about representing their body type, features and age, wrinkles included. It should look like your subject in their best days, showing their real self, and who they are now when they come into the studio or approach for a project. The headshot should be more about how the subject is, not how they want to be.Framing, Lighting and Background: In general, a good headshot is chest up with good lighting on your face, and no strong dramatic shadows, unless you are going in for The Phantom of the Opera. Three-quarter shots are good for print, and extreme close-ups are good for, well, nothing, except if you are creating an artistic shot. Ask your subject to look directly into camera, and as mentioned earlier, your focus should be directly in their eyes, not their left ear, or their shirt collar. No peace signs, weird facial hair, or the famous “hand on face” pose. Be sure the background is blurred, which means it’s shot with a good, high quality camera with a high-depth of field, which makes your subject stand out. The background should be blurred all the time because it’s about you, not the environment. Natural light vs. studio: Some photographer’s do both, as both the scenario offer you a different look and feel altogether. Natural light gives a very real, “film” look, which we usually prefer. Studio lighting tends to be a little more polished, with a more neutral backdrop. Both if used well can give you brilliant outcome.

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Clothing and props: I once saw a headshot of a guy with a bird on his head. Why? Because he wanted to standout. We would suggest don’t go overboard with the props. Keep it simple and classy, and follow the standard format. A simple, solid colour shirt with a little texture that fits you well and matches your eyes should do the trick. No whites, and no graphics or anything you think might distract from your face. And avoid props. Expression: The final most important element is an expression to match the purpose of the headshot. It’s your job as photographer to pull out the most natural looks from your subjects. Guide them by complimenting and conversing; i.e. asking serious questions to pull out a thoughtful gaze, or cracking a joke to capture a natural smile.

These are the basic things one can remember while shooting headshots. In case you have anything more to ask or suggest do write to us. Until then, Happy Shooting!

TEXT AND IMAGES USHMA DHAMDHERE

According to wiki: A head shot or headshot is a specifi c type of portrait (usually a photograph) that realistically demonstrates a person’s appearance for branding or casting. Many head shots are promotional pictures of actors, models, authors. Headshots could be a portrait of a face or full body with a background that clearly illustrate the personality inside the person photographed.


Tips & Techs

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Black and white is one of the most popular genres of photography. However, when it comes to shooting with mobile

phone cameras, a lot of photographers still are apprehensive to shoot B/W. If you are one of them, let us give you a quick lowdown on how you can make beautiful B/W images with a cellphone camera. VisualiseThe best way to start, if you want to shoot in B/W is to visualise the world in black and white. Start seeing things without colour. Imagine how things would look like in black

and white. If you are simply walking down a busy street, think what it would look like if it was without the plethora of colours. If you are in an empty room, or walking down an empty hallway or an abandoned building, try to perceive it in black and white.Do I shoot in colour or do I shoot in B/W?While it is good to imagine your world in black and white, it is better if you shoot your image in colour. Chances are that you shoot mostly in colour anyway, but if you are specifically shooting for black and white, colour is the way to go. This might sound

like a contradiction, but the reason for this is that when you shoot in colour, you get more details in the image. The range of grey tones that you get is quite vast. The advantage is also that, if you do not like your black and white conversion, you at least have the colour version of the image!

At the same time, shooting in black and white directly using a horde of filters on apps available can be beneficial in saving time and effort of editing later. However, choose filters carefully, and do not do the usual high-contrast black and white ones.


Basics - Light, tone and textureThese are three critical things that makeup black and white images. Light is important in photography, period. However, in black and white photography, light will stand-out even more. Tone in black and white photography is the range of different shade of greys that make up the photo. With the lack of colour, these grey tones really help you bring out details in a black and white image. The third element – texture – helps you give depth and a three-dimensional quality to your black and white photograph, than it just being a flat grey image. Now, you can experiment with these three elements to form your perfect black and white image.ExposureAttention to exposure is very important when

you’re shooting black and white images. Whether you choose to under or overexpose your image, can decide a number of things, including highlights, shadows, and details. Ideally, it is better that you underexpose the image, as overexposing can result in severe loss of detail that cannot be recovered by adjusting brightness or contrast. There are many in-built phone cameras that let you control exposure, at least by one or two stops. There are also a number of third-party apps that allow exposure control; you can use these to your advantage.CompositionAs there is absence of colour, composition is a vital factor in black and white photography. You should be able to compose your images in such a way that the viewer is drawn to

your subject. When composing with your cellphone camera, put to use the basics of composition like rule of thirds, golden ratio etc. This will help give you structure to your image, than it being a cluttered mess. Switch on the grid function in your camera app (most phones have the feature), as it will help you compose accurately. There are some other compositional factors and subjects you can consider when shooting black and white with your phone camera:

Lines and shapes: Black and white is the perfect medium to bring out the beauty of symmetry. Perfectly framed shots of monuments, intriguing shapes, leading lines, high rise buildings, are just some examples. Minimalistic B/W, looking-up shots of architectural marvels are

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increasingly popular with Instagrammers who shoot with their phone.

Sky: Another popular subject to shoot is the glorious sky. If you have a sky with clouds, it can look highly dramatic and appealing when shot in black and white. Monochrome will lend a theatrical and cinematic quality to the image.

Underexposed and silhouettes: When a black and white image underexposed, it gives the image a sense of mystery and obscurity, and adds personality to it. Darker and underexposed images tell a story, and leave a lot for the viewer to interpret. Similarly, black and white is a great medium to capture silhouettes. The contrast of the monochromatic light and dark will give you a fantastic image.

Editing and appsWhen it comes to editing, a lot of photographers choose to first edit their image in colour and then convert it to black and white. In colour, you can get the details editing, and then later convert to black and white, and adjust the brightness or contrast levels accordingly.

Pay close attention to contrast when editing black and white images, and how it changes your image. While it is easy to go overboard, make sure your photo is not on the extreme ends of high or low contrast, as you could end up ruining your photo.

An important factor to consider while editing is filters. There are four types of filters to consider red, orange, blue and green. Whichever colour filter you select, it will

block the other colours, except its own, thus the result is shown in the darker and lighter shades of grey.

Vignetting and film grain are two other elements to look at when editing black and white. While vignetting will help you highlight the tones of the images, grain will help you achieve an old-time, film photograph look.

There are tons of apps you can consider while editing black and white images. Some of the popular ones are Snapseed, Hueless, and Noir among others. Some are exclusive black and white photo-editing apps, and offer you a host of editing features, from luminosity, filters to grain and vignetting.

text and images: abhishek desai


A photographer found - Vivian Maier

Vivian Maier’s life story is very interesting and unique. She worked as a domestic help in Chicago in the mid 1900s for almost 40 years. During her lifetime she had taken in excess of 150,000 photographs which she never published or exhibited anywhere. She remained unknown and unpublished till 2007, when John Maloof a Chicago based collector acquired a collection of her works from an auction. It is believed that Maier had to sell her work to make rent of the storage space she had kept the very same photographs in. Maloof scanned and uploaded her work in a social media website which went viral. He tried to locate Maier but failed at first and only came to know about her whereabouts from her obituary

in the Chicago tribune in April, 2009. This book, the fifth of the series is the most recent and most comprehensive account of her work and her life. The book published in 2014 by Harper Design has its text written by Marvin Heiferman. The beautiful write up about the interesting and secretive life of one of the legendary photographer’s life accompanied by stunningly beautiful images make this book a must read for photographers.

Hold Still - Sally MannSally Mann is an American photographer who shoots larger than life black and white images of her children and ALSO landscapes. She has been part of

controversies ever since her first book and she has gone through a lot in life. Her books speak volumes of her personal experiences and Hold Still is no exception to that. This book riddled with photographs of her childhood, her memoirs, letters and memorabilia is a perfect example of her style of storytelling. She describes her parent’s mysterious death, her introduction to photography and how it shaped her as a human being and also talks a great deal about Gee-Gee, an African American woman who was a surrogate parent who had opened her eyes to race exploitation. The book is a gateway to the life and experiences of the photographer and that is what makes this a good read.

Invisible City- Ken SchlesGood books tend to get lost among the overwhelming numbers of publications and big names in the photography industry.

TIPS & TECHS

Photographers are known to thrive off of inspiration and thirst for knowledge. What better way to gain knowledge than reading books? Every artist loves reading as it enhances their knowledge and inspires them to work harder. In a decade or so, physical books will be wiped off from people’s memories and will be replaced by Kindles and ipads. But with millions of books being published every year, we thought we Sould make a list of a few little UNDERRATED books that every photographer can draw inspiration from.

Top 10 underrated inspirational photography books

65AUGUST 2015

This is one such book that is bound to inspire photographers to keep shooting. Ken Schles is an American photographer from New York who has formal training in fine arts and has been a printer for renowned photographers like Gilles Peress, Elliot Erwitt and Burt Glinn. He has five critically acclaimed monographs to his name and had worked on the “Invisible City” project for over a decade. This book stands out because of the dark tones of the photographs, shot mostly at night and the interactive subjects that the photographer chooses to capture in his camera. The subjects vary from simple street photographs to intimate moments to photos of his friends. Viewers get transfixed at the variety of images put together to tell a story of its own. Because of the instances of his observation, his love for photography and the time spent on a single project to make it into a wholesome body of work this cult classic ranks number three on our list.

Infra- Richard MosseA very costly book by a renowned photographer on an important subject in a unique shooting style - is what makes this book special. The book was published

by Aperture Foundation and Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in 2011 and is priced at $600 and is currently available at a handful of online websites in India. In the book, Richard Mosse tries to capture the tragedy of conflict in a unique way, through infrared

film. Infrared films can capture an otherwise invisible spectrum of light thus giving the photographs a layer of pink or magenta colour that is unusual and extraordinary. He used the Kodak Aerochrome, a colour infrared film used by the military back then. The series focusses on the ongoing wars between rebel groups and Congolese national army. The weird juxtaposition of the rigorous war and the affluent pink, magenta or red colours make this book a visual treat.

Small Trades - Irving Penn

This book, one of the most famous works of Penn is not unknown to many but has still made it to our list because of its unique yet simple style of storytelling through photographs. The series entitled ‘Small Trades’ is a set of pictures with a white background and a sitter – usually a small tradesman – posing for a photograph. The main challenge is to tell a story about their trade. The series consists of almost 252 images ranging from astronauts, fishmonger, tailor, cartoonist, firefighter, street vendor etc. Some trades are indeed very difficult to show through photographs but that is the beauty of Irving Penn’s “Small Trades” as he has successfully amalgamated a series that stands out from the rest and still tells a story. The images are all black and white and have been shot in vertical, the subjects mostly standing or sitting. Only one in ten images constitute of women, and only a handful of the sitters were African American. There is a lot to learn about storytelling through portraiture in this series.

Nagisa - Daido MoriyamaDaido Moriyama is an iconic photographer who documented post war Japan in black and white in his own style. The poetic and eye catching subjects combined with black and white sets his images apart. His images, often showing social realms that remain unseen are revered by many. Recently Sokyusha, a publisher of photobooks in Tokyo has published ‘Nagisa’ which documents Daido’s love interest a kabukicho & kayokoku singer – Yoko

Nagisa. The book is quite thick and consists predominantly, pictures of his girlfriend in different settings and environment. Even though the relationship remains quite stagnant throughout the 200 odd pages of the book, it seamlessly tells us her story without being loud and attention seeking. It tells very little about Nagisa but mirrors her beauty and simplicity in every page of the book, which is what makes this book special and different from other works by the photographer.

Untold: The Stories Behind the Photographs - Steve McCurryThis book is a goldmine and is purely made to satisfy the reader’s ‘need to know’. The book explores famous images shot by


Steve McCurry . While everyone has read his other publications like Sanctuary: The Temples of Angkor, The Iconic Photographs, Monsoon etc, this book is different as it does not merely put the photographs on display but provides an insight into what, when and how the photographs were shot. A behind the scenes look into the photographer’s point of view. This reminds one, of ‘War Photographer’ the documentary made on famous photographer James Nachtwey. The book consists of 100 photographs shot extensively across the world with subsequent notes and stories behind the same. The book has illustrations from various assignments Steve McCurry has been on, namely : Rail travel in India (1983), The Plight of the Tibetan people (2000–6), the effects of the Monsoon (1984) and the events of September 11th (2001), alongside his lesser-known bodies of work on the Hazara Tribe in Afghanistan (2007), Yemen (1999), and the environmental fallout from the Gulf War in Kuwait (1991).

Pilgrimage - Annie LeibovitzAnnie Leibovitz is an American portrait photographer best known for her portraiture work for celebrities and as a chief photographer for the Rolling Stones magazine. The book ‘Pilgrimage’, even though not one of her most famous and widely known work, made it to our list because of it’s different shooting style from what Leibovitz is known for. In 2009 she set out on a two year journey to different

historic sites and museums in the United States and Britain to document the lives of famous individuals. The book primarily shot in famous house museums consists of photographs of rooms and articles used by famous celebrities, artists, scientists, historians etc. The absence of famous figures is not felt as the readers relate to them through the houses they stayed in and clothes they wore among other things that were used by them. While the objects shown in the photographs are simple and were not exceptional to objects and things used by others at the time, Leibovitz felt the need to document them leaving the reader’s imagination to interpret the images. This book is a must read because of its unusual style of photography from what we know Annie Leibovitz and her work for.

Exiles - Josef Koudelka

“Exiles” first published in 1988 documents Josef Koudelka’s 20 year ‘exile’ from Chekoslovakia. Shot mostly in Europe and United States, this book documents Koudelka’s journey in the twenty years spent outside his country. The photographs appear as a visual diary and accompanied by a write up from Robert Delpire the book has all the ingredients to inspire photographers. The images are all shot in black and white film and the subjects vary widely from gypsy women to children on the street to stray animals and it seems like the author has finally found freedom in ‘exiles’. What sets this book apart is the admirable use of natural light accompanied by the stark subjects and scenarios. The author’s beautiful depiction of singular scenes and his understanding of freedom to shoot whenever, wherever and whoever he

wants take the center stage in this book.

Max: Photographs -Max Vadukul

This is another very expensive coffee table book from Callaway Publication which deserves to be in this list . The first edition, published in 2000 the size of the book is overwhelming in itself. Fashion photography these days has been reduced to mere erotica and has become very predictable but Max Vadukul has set a trend in shooting fashion with a different approach. His shooting signature style is known as art reportage and he uses black and white to bring his photographs to life. His candid approach to fashion photography pleases the eye and does not seem forceful. The photos are often very energetic; action packed and never lacks expressions. Every photo in the book captures the viewer’s attention solely based on the fact that it is different and that is what sets this book apart.

While most of these books are available on kindle or other ebook stores online the best way to view and collect them is hard copies or paperback versions of them. Many photographers find the online versions easier to view and store and the online versions are easier on the pockets as well. Maybe a decade from now the concept of books printed on paper will be bleak but that feeling of turning pages physically and the smell of the paper from books, both old and new, will still remain in people’s minds.

TEXT: SOURADEEP ROY


Tips & Techs

shuTTer releaseremoTes

The digital world takes one step ahead every day and there are many inventions

and discoveries; as scientists and engineers work on rigorously, be it mobile phones or your home appliances or your cameras. There are not only app updates but also camera updates which keep on coming. Every three months there is news of a new DSLR launch or a compact camera on its way.

The cameras nowadays come with all type of settings which gives a complete scope of getting better with photography as an art. The makers are trying their level best to get close enough to what

the photographers or hobbyist would love while making their own photographs.

One of the best recent additions in cameras is Wi-Fi. Thus, increasing more sharing of the photographs and also getting stable photographs. If not the Wi-Fi setting; there is a socket which you could use with the wire for shutter releases. Even more interesting is the connection you could get on your mobile phones with the apps, and see the photograph which the camera is capturing on your mobile phone’s screen. It is one of the best features, when it comes to technology in cameras and mobile phones.

TechnicallyWi-Fi, full form being Wireless

Fidelity, is a brand which is licensed by the Wi-Fi alliance to describe the underlying technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN). A person with a Wi-Fi device can connect to the internet or Local Area Network using an access point, provided that the device should be in the range of that Wireless Access Point. Wireless Access Point (WAP) connects a group of wireless devices to an adjacent wired LAN.

After explaining what Wi-Fi exactly is, let’s see what exactly does a Wi-Fi and a wire shutter release do for your camera.

Photographers are always experimenting with new concepts and themes. To help, accessories like Wi-Fi and mobile app shutter releases have made their ways to the camera bags of the photographers. Especially helpful for photographers who make photographs of long exposures, selfie group shots, HDR, panoramas, star trails, and of course, not to forget time lapses. For photographs like these styles, stability is very important. Only tripod doesn’t help here.

Wi-FiWi-Fi is a facility which is

provided to the pro cameras, mainly full frame cameras. This facility still lacks in a majority of the cameras! But, whoever has it makes the complete use of it. One can connect the Wi-Fi of the camera with mobile phones or the wireless devices available in the market. One would have to sync them, and then only the purpose of wireless would be served.

A range has been defined for Wi-Fi. When you are within this range you could choose to photograph whenever you feel like, till the battery of either of the devices drains out. When you have synced the two devices, you can position the camera and lock your frame. You could then move away from the camera’s vicinity and then choose to photograph the composition

69August 2015

whenever you feel like. To keep a track on the Wi-Fi range is very important and to stay connected. Then only one could keep photographing the long exposures and time lapses according to the choice, which does matter to the photographer at the end. A shutter release which is Wi-Fi helps you click a photograph without shakes. It is stable and sharp.

Companies which provide these shutter releases are same for all the cameras available in the market. However, one should specify which camera one is using while you purchase it. So, according to the compatibility and usage of the consumer the dealer would provide you with the correct model.

Wire Shutter ReleaseAs we mentioned above, all

the cameras do not have the Wi-Fi feature, and for the others there are companies which have come up with wire shutter releaser. These shutter releasers have a remote and wire which has to be inserted in the slot given for it in the camera. You have to just connect it and it automatically syncs. Just buy the wire shutter releaser which is compatible with your camera brand. You don’t have to do any settings as such unless you have a remote which has a window for settings for the time lapse purpose or the long exposures you would be making.

Wire shutter remotes do reduce the shakes which can be caused by the touching the camera shutter release. But the shake may not go totally. The wire of this remote is not really long enough to place it on the floor, it has to be left hanging or it has to be held in the hand. For photographers who really want to try their hands at long exposures and time lapse, this may be the cheapest and easiest option available.

So, if Wi-Fi connection in the camera is not available, you can always pick up these wire shutter releasers and have satisfactory results. Only be cautious that you

aren’t moving the slightest, and the camera is fixed at its place. Placing it on a tripod is the best way to keep it stable when it comes to long exposures, HDR, panoramas, star trails and time lapses. These remotes are very important in terms of stability, and guarantee of the exact frame being captured even though you wouldn’t be really checking every time through the view finder

Mobile AppsProgression of cameras and

mobile phones in the digital era has been fast and has moved on at an equal pace. They have somehow managed to balance and sync properly with every updates in either of the gadgets.

Mobile phones are not behind and have come up with mobile

apps which can be installed in the cheapest to high end phones of android, iOS and windows, and can be synced with your cameras by activating the Wi-Fi setting options. The mobile app and the range of the Wi-Fi makes the best combination; the basic reason being you can see the photograph on your mobile screen, and so you can move around and make your photographs without having a shake in it.

If you have the newest of the cameras, and of course entry level professional cameras or the high–end professional cameras,

you really need not worry about the Wi-Fi settings, wire remote sockets or the mobile applications for your long exposures and time lapses. Unless you have the entry level cameras and are really eager to work on the above mentioned types of photography extensively, then you need to know these accessories which would give you that plus point and a superior outcome of the photograph.

The leading camera-making companies study their clients extensively and work hard on fulfilling the needs of the trends and wants of the professionals. Study your camera a little well not only by reading the manual, but also by questioning yourself on the setting which you go through, and surely practise it on a regular basis.

TexT: Purva Damle


A human being tends to name anyone, everyone, anything, and everything. Then the name can be from an

incidence, your own surname or even a short form of the actual name. Why does one do that? It’s how your brain can store the personality in an easy way and basically for the purpose of remembering. Long physics calculations and even the formulas were learnt by us with short forms or small sentences which had all the alphabets of the actual formulas and equations. Make your life

simple by naming your files smartly, in your cameras now!

Storage of work has been a task, the day film cameras were manufactured and the first photograph was photographed. Since then, photographs have been stored in the form of photograph albums, in envelopes; the films and the negatives have been stored too. Naming then would have been on rolls or the envelopes which carried the film strips or negatives; where in the shelves would be also named. Probably a list of all the assignments

would have been hand written and stuck on the shelves for further references. This is exactly what our generation needs to do; only that the shelf is now a desktop/laptop/hard disk or pendrive. Naming every slab of the shelf is the folder in the computer and then the envelopes would be the number of the days of shoot folder and then last but not the least the photographs would be named individually.

Naming and organising, just sorts out problems that you might face later, while

Tips & Techs

Name smart, store easy!

71August 2015

you store your footage and your image files. Nowadays, the higher end cameras have this helpful setting called ‘File Naming’.

The assignment can be of any genre; be it a travel photography assignment, a wedding shoot, a product shoot or even a fashion model shoot. At the end, one has to store all the photographs and when one has clients who come on regular basis to get shoots done from you, you shall be ready to face the difficulties. You could solve this problem by directly naming your assignment in the camera itself, first! This will only be easier for you to save on time, but also work quicker to get your final product delivered perfectly. To have specific file names for every individual assignment gives the photographers and the editors that edge of simplifying storage and saving the work in the correct folders and increasing the speed of work too.

For Example: During wedding season, wedding photographers have back-to-back shoots, and when they get time to sit down and start sorting, they have too many files and folders to look through. So, use the ‘file naming’ setting when you start off with your shoot.

File Naming Process – If you are shooting a wedding, wherein the name of the couple is ‘Harshita Ramesh’ and ‘Dhawal Newalkar’ you could use an acronym as ‘HDW’ for ‘Harshita Dhawal Wedding’. Doing this, the photographs would be stored by the client’s own name, and when submitting the images too they’ll be pleased to see their own initials used for the photographs stored. This would just add to your goodwill.

Where is the tab? Menu button -> Shooting Menu -> File

Naming.1) Menu Button – One of the buttons

which are found on the camera behind besides the LCD screen. A button which opens options for setting changes in the camera.

2) Shooting Menu – This is the main menu where there are numerous options related to shooting the photograph and video fall under.

3) File Naming – In this tab you can change your file name, for instance DSC_1234 to HDW_(the numbers would automatically start from where you left). With the numbers also made available to use in the file naming; one could also come across another Dhawal or another Harshita or the short form ‘HD’ with other names, then you can choose numbers for naming like ‘HDW’.

4) Confirm the file name with the instruction the camera gives you to set the name. Some cameras have the option of buttons like ‘set’, ‘ok’ or any specific button mentioned on the LCD in info/ instruction on the screen.

Storage becomes easier when you decide to transfer the photographs every

day after that day of shoot is over. No time for laziness! In your computer drives, compartmentalising of your work makes you a lot sorted for future. Keeping the above mentioned example in mind, using the compartmentalisation technique; I would make a folder named ‘Weddings’ and then make sub folders with the names of the clients. So that would be ‘Harshita – Dhawal’ and then more sub folders by the name say ‘Day 1’, ‘Day 2’ and so on.

Storage and finding the work becomes easier, when you break it down to simple components. The easier the folder names, the more simplified it is. But, try avoiding too many folders; as it might help your brain to increase your confusion and it gets worse to remember. Keep the folder names trouble-free and to the point.

Store your backups on DVDs and reliable external hard drives. Make it a point you have at least two backups of your work and other personal stuff. Keep updating your back ups and use the hard drives once a while; so that they just don’t lie in the cupboards closed and unused. They should be in working condition. DVDs are a little costlier method, but you could choose your original ‘OK’ shot and the final submitting image and delete everything else. This is how storing the work would get better on a DVD and the space also would be used effectively. In the external hard drives you could probably have a full backup. Always have a habit of storing with easy names and in correct and convenient departments on your desktop drives.

Try using the maximum tools made available, to ease out your work and be stress free. It would increase you and your team’s workflow and efficiency. Hence, with the in camera ‘file naming’ setting tab available, make the most of it.

Name smartly and store efficiently!text aNd Images: Purva damle



Top 3 inexpensive

camera lenses every beginner

should buyPhotography as an art form has taken to new heights and so has people’s interest in it. More and more people are investing in DSLRs and lenses than they used to just a couple of years ago. The majority of the DSLR wielding crowd in India consists of students who have a passion for photography and an artistic bend to create beautiful photographs, but on a budget. We did a two-part article on choosing your first camera recently, and we thought it would be a good idea to guide beginners in the field on what lenses they should invest in and why. While it holds true that it is the photographer that makes a picture, the camera is also an integral part of the process. Just as a cricketer needs a well-balanced bat a photographer needs a camera that would solve all his or her photography needs. As most photographers who are just starting off and investing too much in equipment is not an option, many end up buying what they think is an all-in-one lens. These have their own downsides and we will talk about them in the article.

KIT LenSOne of the most important lenses to have in your armoury, the simple 18-55mm is a very versatile and useful lens. Most camera companies try to make a package deal for the body with the lens and this bundle pricing makes this lens cheap and affordable. The lens has a satisfactory wide angle as well as decent zoom ability. Some may argue that the 55mm zoom is not enough it is important to remember what kind of photographs a beginner on a budget shoots. A photographer who is starting out will shoot streets, architecture, food etc. These genres can very well be covered by the 18-55mm lens. Because of its versatility, the 18-55mm comes in handy when shooting streets where you have to zoom in or out to frame the perfect shot within seconds. For a cropped sensor camera, which most beginners buy, this lens would be the equivalent of almost 27-82mm. The downsides of this lens is quality, as zoom lenses this cheap do not have very good quality lens elements, but it does get the job done for beginners. Another issue is with low-light shooting and the lens tends to underperform in low light situation. A normal 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 lens would set you back around `9000 but it is a good investment nonetheless.

73August 2015

Why noT buy an aLL-In-one LenS? There are two very important reasons why you should not buy all-in-one lenses, simply to avoid changing them all the time. Even though it is not bad for beginners to use, it is significantly expensive and a bad long term investment. The value depreciation of these lenses is also quite considerable. The two main reasons are:

As we all know picture quality depends on the quality of the lens, and the quality of the lens is determined by both the quality and quantity of the lens elements used. Even though in the all-in-one lenses, the lens elements are moderately good quality, they have too many smaller elements combined and fit into a small package. This depreciates the actual quality of the output. This can be easily understood from prime lenses which have less lens

elements and provide the best quality images in terms of sharpness, colour and contrast.

The second reason to avoid all in one lenses is that most of the cheaper ones are slower. Super zoom lenses have less flexibility in terms of depth of field. These kinds of lenses usually have an f-number from f/3.5 at the lowest focal length to f/6.3 at the highest focal length. As one zooms from low to high focal length, the lowest f-number changes, which poses a problem in low-light situations.

While super zoom lenses have many pros like less lens changes, saving money on filters, more space in camera bag etc, it is advisable to invest in different lenses that dedicated for different focal lengths, and provide better picture quality, thanks to these super zooms.

bLocK LenS or PrIme LenSA block lens or a prime lens is usually an expensive piece of equipment, but most major camera manufacturing companies have provided beginners with a cheap and reliable block lens – the 50mm F/1.8. This lens is cheap and durable, and costs around `6500-9000 from different manufacturers. There are a few useful aspects to using this lens. 1. Since zooming in and out is not an option in this fixed focal length lens, a beginner can learn a lot about getting close to the subject and framing. It makes the photographer’s life difficult because he has to move around a lot to compose a single frame as he cannot zoom in or out, but it teaches them the importance of every object in a frame, and makes them work for it to be included or excluded. 2. It being a fast lens with a wider aperture makes taking photos easier in low-light conditions without increasing the ISO too much, thus avoiding unnecessary grains in a photograph. A beginner can learn a lot about apertures and ISO while using this lens, as the differences become clear at wider apertures. 3. The wider aperture also causes isolation of the subjects as the background go out of focus. A beginner can experiment and learn about depth of field, bokeh and focal plane.

Keep in mind that this lens in cropped sensors will amount to around 75mm equivalent of full frames. Check if they are meant for full-frames or cropped sensors before buying.

Zoom LenSThe 18-55mm’s inability to zoom in on far away objects, or a photographer’s desire to shoot macro, can be satisfied by a mid-level zoom lens. A beginner’s backpack should always have a 70-300mm or a 55-250mm lens. This, again is a very versatile lens and one can cover sports, macro, wildlife (mostly birds, since one needs at least 400mm or more to shoot other species which are further away) and also can be used sometimes to shoot portraits. All or most telephoto needs of a beginner can be solved with this lens in their kit, and they are usually quite well-built for their price. The prices of these vary from `8000 to 15000, and have a decent lens speed of f/4-5.6. A non IS lens will cost less but it is advisable to invest a little more and get the IS versions, since the image stabilisation and vibration reduction helps a lot when using telephoto lenses in particular. For a beginner this more or less sums up the entire focal length range that he or she is going to shoot while starting out. But there is still one more lens left which has made it to our list, not because of its focal length but because of its lens speed.

concLuSIonWith new lenses and cameras being launched almost every day by

manufacturers, it becomes overwhelming for newcomers to choose and decide on what is good for their shooting style and photographic

needs. We hope this article clears the air for photographers and students who want the best suited lenses on a tight budget. Until next time keep shooting and keep sending your photos to us.


Tips & Techs

Colour calibration your monitor for photo editingHOW TO COLOuR CALIBRATE YOUR MONITOR FOR PHOTO EDITING? Computer monitors do their best to reproduce colours and brightness correctly, but each one is slightly different. In fact, a screen even reproduces photos differently when it starts up compared to the way colours and brightness look after the monitor has been running for a while. This is a serious problem for photographers. We are careful to set the white balance properly in Photoshop or Lightroom, but what good does it do if your screen is not properly calibrated? Answer–none! The same is true for adjusting colour saturation, brightness, and just about everything else. DOES EVERYONE NEED TO CALIBRATE THEIR MONITOR? Probably not. If you’re just a hobbyist photographer who is learning the ropes, this probably isn’t the biggest fish you have to fry. There are many more important things to learn in photography than colour calibration. However, if you’re more serious of a photographer and want to know that your photos look their best, then it’s time to calibrate!IS MONITOR CALIBRATION ONLY FOR PRINTING? WILL IT MESS UP MY PHOTOS ON THE WEB? No way! The purpose of calibration is to make sure that

your eye sees the photo the same way

on your screen as others will see it. For printing, you can be sure that by calibrating your screen your photo will look very close to how it looked on your computer screen.However, when you edit on a calibrated screen and then post your photo online, it does not mean that everyone else will see the photo properly. Their screens are most likely uncalibrated, but it is still important to calibrate. Why? Because computer monitor manufacturers strive to make their products reproduce colours properly, so by colour calibrating, you’ll be at neutral even if some screens are of one way and others are of another way.There is a caveat, however. Almost without exception, computer monitors are kept brighter than a calibrated screen. So if I edit a photo on a calibrated device, it will most likely show up a tiny bit darker on uncalibrated monitors. Most people find that they like their screens pretty bright. The way that I avoid this is to simply brighten my photos a tiny bit in Photoshop or Lightroom before posting on the web, since I know most people will be viewing the photo on a brighter screen.WHAT IF MY MONITOR CAN’T ADJUST ENOUGH? It is possible that your monitor will be off enough and not have the

necessary adjustments that it couldn’t be

properly calibrated. However, the way that the colour calibration tool that I personally use works, is that it simply saves a new colour profile on your machine, so there is no need at all to adjust settings on the screen. It does everything for you.WHAT TOOL DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR COLOUR CALIBRATION? No doubt, what you’re looking for is the Spyder 4 Express from DataColor. Colour calibration tools often cost over $1,000, but this little piece of love does the job for around $110. I personally use the Spyder colour calibrator and it works VERY well. The one I use is the “Elite” not the express, but most people probably can get away just fine with the Express. I really like the free software that comes with the tool. It walks you through the process step-by-step and makes it amazingly simple. You can easily calibrate the screen in just 3 minutes.IS THERE A FREE OPTION FOR COLOUR CALIBRATION? Yes! Windows 7 comes with a monitor calibration tool built-in. The trouble with this and many other tools is that it is quite subjective and inaccurate, but it might be a good option for photographers who don’t want to spend a load of money on a colour calibration device. This free screen calibrator is better than nothing, but it’s not a replacement for a dedicated colour calibration device like the Spyder 4.On Windows 7, go to Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Display > Calibrate Colour. Then open that program which will walk you through how to get a rough approximation of a calibrated screen.

TexT: ushma dhamdhere



Photography and the Law: Know thy RightsAfter the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, we often come across cops who do not let you shoot in certain locations. Shooting at Powai lake is not allowed on any given day without permissions and the list of such places go on. What would you do, if for example you are on a walk with your camera, taking pictures of an abandoned mill on the edge of the city or just photographing good cloudscapes over a lake, and suddenly a group of security guards and cops storm down your way and demand that you hand over your camera over to them?

Chances are that you are sure of not doing anything wrong in that particular scenario, but you might

not know whose side the law is on. Well, do not worry, this is what this article is about - knowing your legal rights as a photographer, so the next time you fall into a situation like this you are prepared. We’ve got a list of things you can and cannot do in situations like this or similar situations, and it’s a lot more permissive than you might think.

Before we get started, we have to point out that even though we might be intelligent and smart, we’re not lawyers. None of this should be construed as legal advice. If you have a legal issue, get in touch with a lawyer. Much of the information in the article is gathered from various law websites. There are 10 major things that one has to keep in mind while it comes to knowing your rights; we are going to jot down everything that we gathered in details below: Public places: Anyone, a photographer or a non-photographer, in a public place, can take pictures of anything they want. Public places include parks, sidewalks, malls, etc. You would ask even malls? Yes, despite of malls being a private property, it being open for public makes it a public place. So no security guard can seize your camera or equipment there. If it’s a large scale shoot, we’d suggest you go by the proper channels and take necessary permissions to go ahead with the shoot, and everything from there on will be easy.Private properties: While shooting on a private property, you need to go through a

channel of procedures for permissions. In case if you are on public property and you want to take a picture of a private property from outside, you can go ahead and take a picture of it. If a building, for example, is visible from the sidewalk, its fair game to go ahead and shoot that, no law abides you from that.Be polite: Just in case if you enter a private property without any permission and you are asked to not to take pictures or leave, you are obligated to honour that request. This includes posted signs. Arguing and being sly after a warning and shooting is against the law, and would be directly counted as a

obstruction of personal space and it indirectly calls for legal action against you. Be polite and leave if you are asked to, unless you are a sweet talker and you convince them to take a few shots.Government buildings: Most such buildings would prohibit you from taking a picture of the facility for security reasons, as it accounts as national threat. In such scenarios, avoid even taking a snapshot from the outside because that can lead you to serious consequences. People: You can photograph people without their consent in public, unless they have secluded themselves and are sitting in

77August 2015

a corner for privacy. Kids swimming in a fountain? Okay. Somebody entering their PIN at the ATM? Not okay. We need to understand the word “privacy” better to tackle not getting into a bad situation while photographing people. There are times that you might need to get the consent on the person in the picture while publishing it, especially when it relates to sensitive issues like gay rights, rape survivor etc.Places and scenarios: Here’s a list of possible scenarios and public places where you can shoot despite popular opinion, unless explicitly mentioned (written or oral):• accident & fire scenes• criminal activities (unless it affects the

legal proceedings)• bridges & other infrastructure• transportation facilities (i.e. airports)• industrial facilities, Superfund sites• public utilities, residential & commercial

buildings• children, celebrities, law enforcement

officersSecurity: Although “security” is often given as the reason somebody doesn’t want you to take photos, it’s rarely valid. Taking a photo of a publicly visible subject does not constitute terrorism, nor does it infringe on a company’s trade secrets. In case you come across a situation like that, ask them for a document which states that. Often while we were shooting around Mantralaya, Mumbai or even Rajpath in Delhi we faced this issue, we asked for a document and they were pretty okay with clarifying our doubts as well. It’s never bad to ask and inquire.Stay Calm: If you come across a situation where you are challenged by someone in authority or someone who seems to be the authority, refrain yourself from explaining why you are taking pictures or what you are doing there; Nor do you have to disclose your identity, unless it’s a law enforcement officer or a designated security guard. Be calm and evaluate the situation and then react. Do not lose your cool; adapt to the entire scenario before reacting. Parties: Shooting at a private parties should not be much of a deal, because private parties have very limited rights to detain you against your will, and can be subject to legal action, if they harass you, under the harassment laws. So if you are asked calmly to not shoot, don’t shoot.Seizing: If someone tries to confiscate

your camera and/or film, you don’t have to give it to them. If they take it by force or threaten you, they can be liable for things like theft and coercion. Even law enforcement officers need a court order, without which they cannot confiscate your belongings. If you get into a situation like that with an officer, go to the nearest police station and give your lawyer a call.

Remember whenever you are confronted, be respectful and polite. Use good judgement and don’t escalate the situation. If the person becomes combative or difficult, think about calling the police, and if it is a police officer, make him/her walk with you to the nearest police station. Threats, detention, and taking your camera, are all grounds for legal or civil actions on your part. Be sure to get the person’s name, employer, and what legal grounds they claim for their actions. If you don’t want to involve the authorities, go to their supervisor or their company’s public relations department. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. These are the basic things that most of you should know. In case you have gone through something like this do write to us, share your experience, and don’t let anyone bring you down when you are at work. Until then, happy shooting!

TEXT AND IMAGES :USHMA DHAMDHERE


camera REVIEW

With a resolution of 50.6 Megapixel 35mm CMOS sensor coupled with Digic 6 dual processor Canon has launched the 5Ds – one of its high end cameras to compete in this ever-growing market. Equipped with features like 6400 ISO shooting for both video and pictures, high density reticular AF, 5 frames per second and full HD video recording the company has tried to provide tough competition to its counterparts. In this review we will see how it performed.

prICe

`2,52,995

looK, BoDY anD feelA giant leap in comparison to its predecessor, the Canon 5D Mark III, in terms of megapixels, is aimed specifically for certain consumers. It comes with a dust and weather sealed body as most full frame cameras do,

and the camera seems quite bulky at first glance. The back of the camera body has 13 buttons, a circular scroll wheel, a lock slider and a joystick. The front of the camera looks neat and tidy. It has no built-in flash as the camera is solely targeted for commercial

photographers, but it does have a hot shoe to mount an external flash. There is only one full auto mode and five manual modes including Av, Tv, P, M and B. The top right deck of the body has a proprietary screen displaying the settings details and has five

Canon EOS 5Ds

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SpecificationSSensor Type: CMOS

Sensor Manufacturer: Canon

Effective Megapixels: 50.6

Sensor size: 864mm2 (36.00mm x 24.00mm)

Continuous-mode frames/second: upto 5 fps

Movie Resolution:1920x1080 (30p/25p/24p) 1280x720 (60p/50p) 640x480 (30p/25p)

Movie File Format: .MOV (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264), ALL-I and IPB modes

Viewfinder: Optical

Maximum ISO (native): 6400

Minimum ISO (native): 100

ISO Settings: Auto, 100-6400 in 1/3 or 1 EV steps, expandable to 50 (L), 12800 (H1)

Shutter Speed Range: 30 - 1/8000

Battery : Proprietary LP-E6N/LP-E6

Weight: 32.8 oz (930 g) includes batteries

Size:6.0 x 4.6 x 3.0 in.(152 x 116 x 76 mm)

buttons for ISO/ Exposure compensation, Drive/AF, White balance/ metering mode, Bulb for the small screen’s illumination and a Manual Function button, along with a scroll wheel for aperture control in manual mode. The camera comes with CF and SD card slots and has the same battery charger from the 6D and 5D series. The camera felt quite heavy when attached to a standard 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, which is acceptable since it is mostly meant for studio shooting and will be mounted on tripods most of the time. The joystick, the vertical scroll wheel at the top, and the circular scroll wheel at the back of the camera make it quite easy to sift through photos or to go through the menu quite easily and efficiently. Another added factor to its novelty is the golden thread used to embroider the company name on the camera strap, which is a big plus for a premium camera at this price range.

PerformanceAs stated above, the camera is aimed for a specific target audience and it is built

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and streamlined for it in terms of features. The Canon 5Ds is equipped with a high-sensitivity, high-resolution, large single-plate CMOS sensor with a pixel unit of 4.14µm square. The EOS Scene Detection System features a 150,000-pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor and smaller features like flicker reduction, 100% viewfinder coverage and built in intervalometer and clear view II LCD monitor with 170 degree viewing angle make this camera a good purchase. The camera is aimed for commercial photographers and advertising photographers who usually have to take large high quality prints for hoardings or magazines etc. The 50.6 megapixel delivers to the needs of the photographers quite well. Needless to say the high megapixel count amounts to the image output sizes being very big (RAW is around 50 megabites) and it is advisable to shoot with a high capacity card or connect it to a computer and shoot in studio environments. The focusing is quite fast and the 5 frames per second continuous shutter works like a charm but again due to the large image sizes using a fast write speed card is necessary if one wants to avoid shutter lag.

Iso 100 (100% Crop)

Iso 400 (100% Crop)

Iso 800 (100% Crop)

Iso 3200 (100% Crop)

Iso 6400 (100% Crop)

Iso 12800 (100% Crop)

Iso 1600 (100% Crop)

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Though very little has changed from its predecessor, the 5D Mark III, this camera looks and feels sturdy, but the weight of the camera body is

slightly on the higher side.

Look, body and feel rating

As mentioned before, the lack of versatility compared to its cost did let us down, but then

again this camera is not meant for versatile use, and is built for dedicated commercial use only.

Performance rating

If one wants a dedicated camera for their shooting and printing needs, and can shell out money to buy a camera for a specific use, this is the way to go, and a definitely good upgrade

from the 5D Mark III.

Overall rating

TexT and Images: souradeep roy

ISo PerformanceThe ISO was a letdown for a camera that costs as much as it does. The highest ISO was 12,800 which in today’s standards is quite low. Granted that this is meant for studio and advertising shoots which focuses more on large prints than low-light shooting, but the camera loses its versatility because of this constraint. The reason behind this low ISO range is the fact that the 50 megapixel output will have more grains at lower ISOs compared to other cameras with lower megapixels. The camera delivered good output in lower ISOs and had no visible grains till 1600 ISO. Grains cropped in at 3200 ISO but the images were still usable but at 6400 ISO grains and artifacts showed up making the images unusable for advertising or large prints. Commercial photographers hardly use higher ISOs since the ambient light is under their control, so it is understandable that the camera is not highly equipped to handle higher film speeds.

concluSIonThe camera with a price tag of `2,52,995 (Body only) is aimed for highly commercialised work and for massive print output. With vivid colours, sharp images and lower ISO range this camera is aimed for perfect images in controlled environments. The small features were quite impressive and the camera was indeed fun to use and shoot. The price of the camera and lack of versatility of use was a letdown, but that is

what comes with making a camera for a highly specific target audience. For people who enjoy occasional street photography or wildlife photography etc, apart from professional commercial shoots, will still aim for a 5D Mark III which is a more versatile ‘toned down’ version of the 5Ds. However, for thorough professionals who need a dedicated camera for their commercial photo shoots, and their end use is printing high-quality large prints, this camera answers and caters to the needs perfectly.

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camera REVIEW

priCe

`18,950

Nikon S9900It’s been quite a while since we have reviewed a compact camera, so, when Nikon sent their recently-launched S9900, we were more than happy to do a hands-on review. A successor to the Nikon S9700, the Nikon S9900 is a 16MP camera and has full HD recording capacity. Featuring a wide ISO range of 100-6400, the camera has built-in Wi–Fi and GPS Map too. It has a vari-angle LCD, and an intervalometer for time lapse. We tested these and various other features of the camera. Read on and fi nd out how the camera fared.

looK, BoDY anD feelS9900 has a 16MP resolution, and also features built-in VR. The camera comes in two colours, silver and black; we had the silver version for review. At first sight, the camera looks sturdy and the rubber grip is strong and well-positioned. There is also a little grip given behind for your thumb, but we would still recommend the strap for safety. The camera is a little heavier than it looks.

It features a vari–angle 7.5cm LCD, helpful in getting atypical angles. The colours on the LCD are bright and vivid which Nikon is best known for. The sharpness is incredible at the correct focus point. With the help of the LCD screen time lapses also can be shot, and short videos which can later be used for making films or clippings for YouTube. The pop–up flash has a robotic arm look which pops up when you shift the flash switch.

Like most compact cameras, the shutter release button has the zoom. You can also browse in your gallery by reducing the size by using the knob and also magnify the chosen photograph. The record, menu, delete and Wi-Fi button are well placed; there is no interference of either.

The camera is Wi-Fi certified, and you can pair it up or just connect it to your smart devices like laptops or mobile phones which

83august 2015

Resolution: 16.00 Megapixels, Effective Megapixels: 16.0

Sensor Type: CMOS

Lens: 30.00x zoom (25-750mm equivalent)

LCD: 3.0in Vari-Angle Wide Viewing Angle TFT-LCD

Optical Image Stabilization and Digital Zoom:

Yes

Built-In Wi-Fi, NFC & GPS:

Yes

ISO Settings: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200*, 6400*. (*available when using P, S, A or M mode)

Shutter Speed Range:

8 - 1/4000

Time Lapse (intervalometer):

Yes

Focal Length (35mm equivalent):

25 - 750 mm

Movie File Format:

MOV (video: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, Audio: LPCM stereo)

Continuous-mode frames/second:

7.0

Dimensions: 4.4 x 2.6 x 1.6 in. (112 x 66 x 40 mm)

Weight: 10.2 oz (289 g) Includes batteries

SpecificationSlet you successfully connect to this smart device. There is also in-built NFC and GPS world–map.

The battery and the SD Card go in together in two different slots which are provided at the base of the camera. There are two slots given for the HDMI cables on the same side where the camera battery and the card are installed.

PerformanceCompared to its predecessor Nikon S9700, the output quality of Nikon S9900 has definitely improved, with the EXPEED C2 Image Processor, CMOS sensor and ISO 6400 available. Photographs clicked on 800 ISO might seem to be grainy on the LCD but when you see them on the desktop/ laptop screens they look good.

The 25-750mm f/ 3.7–6.4 works best in good light situations. But when it comes to low-light, the image delivery is average, and there is a lag too. The camera

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also feels slow in wide angle and creates long exposures. When the ISO shoots-up beyond 800, images start to show grain. Sharpness is very much strong at full zoom, provided you have a stable hand or a tripod.

Nikon S9900 offers the MASP (Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Programme mode). These are clubbed with a scene mode and a video mode and an Auto/ Intelligent mode which helps you in urgent captures. The presets which have been given, is a good move and they give good shots. You have the flexibility of exposure compensation, while using these presets (SCENE).The macro mode from 1 cm away is a beautiful feature, with the focus being very effective.

There is an option on the ring which is surrounding the OK button; there is a control of vividness of the frame. It is an appealing concept and you could also concentrate on the cool and warm colours keeping their vividness as the base. By using the dial clockwise and anti-clockwise one can change the vividness to high or low,

with low being black and white. You can check and then increase the vividness if you want to, if you are unhappy with the BW.

The autofocus is fast, and the manual focus also performs well. The focus and the sharpness of this camera has surely

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The camera being heavy is a plus point with the superb rubber grip. The UI is easy to use. The restricted amount of buttons makes

the camera simply user-friendly. Not to forget the vari-angle LCD screen opens up new POVs that photographers might explore.


The image quality is quite impressive. The colours, the vividness and the sharpness are surely this camera’s plus

points. The lag in the low-light is a little disappointing. But with higher ISO the problem is solved to a larger extent, though not completely. The 5-axis VR in the lens seems to be quite

effective.

Performance rating

If an amateur photographer is looking for a serious hobby camera or travel point-and-shoot, then this is surely a

camera worth investing in. The available presets, the stability, and the features provided, are worth the cost.

Overall rating

TexT and images: purva damle

improved from the previous cameras of Nikon in this range. The camera also helps in tracking the movement of a subject for sharp focus. The size and the weight of the camera would become the right choice for street photographers and beginners. It can also act as a secondary camera to your chief camera.

The video feature on the S9900 provides us with two frame rates; which are 25fps (25p/50i) and 30fps (30p/60i). One can also have the options of filming in 4x slow motion (640x480 pixels, 120p/100p) and 2x time-lapse (Full HD). The latter involves registering frames at a rate of 15p/12.5p then playing them at a standard speed of 30p/25p. Surprisingly, there is no dedicated video mode, and there is automatic cropping that occurs when filming, meaning you do not get the full 25mm experience at wide angle. The VR specification is available for both

still and video. The AF-S and AF-F is available.

conclusionWith the price of `18,950 the S9900 seems to be a good buy, keeping in mind the needs of a travel enthusiast and amateur photographer who likes to explore basic modes of a camera. Though the camera is very much strong and rugged, doesn’t really support water proofing. Even though a lot of things are similar to its predecessor, there are few improvements which set this camera apart. If you already have the S9700, it might not be worth upgrading to this. But if you are planning to go for an all-new point and shoot camera which almost gives you SLR-like quality, you should consider this camera. It provides you with the vari-angle LCD and fast-focussing, and comes with in-built GPS and the Wi-Fi/ NFC systems.

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EXCLUSIVE REVIEW

priCe

`69,990

sony RX100 IVSony recently launched the RX100 IV, the newest addition to RX series of camera. The company promises better quality images and a better sensor, than its predecessor. The new camera has a 21 megapixels CMOS sensor, with features like SteadyShot, with adjustable 180 degree LCD and 4K movie recording. The camera offers a focal length of 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8, and has a high-speed shutter speed of 1/32000. Sony is really aiming high in the series of Cyber-shots. With creative fi lters and RAW Image capture made available, it sounds like an exciting camera. We got our hands over the camera, for an exclusive review. Read and fi nd out how the RX100 IV performed.

looK, BoDY anD feelSony has retained almost exactly the same body design of its predecessor RX100 III. Indeed, body dimensions are identical to those of the earlier camera but the weight has increased. Sony continuing with its RX series, this smart-looking pitch black compact camera with a Zeiss lens has the same pocket-friendly body as in the earlier model. However, underneath, it’s more capable and gives greater performance and

has a much clearer viewfinder. Most of the new features in the Sony RX100 IV come courtesy of its brand-new Sony Exmor RS image sensor. It is the upgraded version and a better sensor than the Exmor R. It’s a stacked back-illuminated CMOS sensor design with embedded DRAM.

The lens dominates the frontal area, and there are no visible controls. The zoom rocker protrudes from the top deck. There’s still an AF assist lamp just above and to the

right of the lens. As you see the upper part of the camera, the ring on the lens stands out. The electronic viewfinder and the facility of the in-built flash areas can be well seen and can be differentiated. As you proceed towards the dial, there are new modes which you find like the HFR (High Frame Rate). The other modes are very much same and the Auto mode has been combined with the auto-intelligent mode.

There are multiple buttons on the rear

87august 2015

Scene Selection: Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Handheld Twilight, Night Portrait, Anti Motion Blur, Pet Mode, Gourmet, Fireworks, High Sensitivity

Self-Timer: 10 sec. /5 sec. / 2 sec. /3 or 5 consecutive shots with 10 sec. 5 sec. or 2 sec.

CMOS Sensor (Megapixels):

21

Aspect Ratio: 3:2

Effective Megapixels:

20.1

Dimensions: 4 x 2 3/8 x 1 5/8 inches.

Weight: 298 g (Battery and Memory Stick Duo include) and 271 g (Body only).

LCD Adjustable Angle:

Up: 180 degrees, down: 45degrees

ND Filter: Auto / On (3 steps) / Off

Focus Mode: Single-shot AF / Continuous AF / DMF / Manual Focus

Focus Area: Wide/Center/Flexible Spot (S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot/Lock-on AF (Wide/Center/Flexible Spot [S/M/L]/Expanded Flexible Spot)

Lock-on AF: Yes

Light Metering Mode:

Multi Pattern/Centre Weighted/Spot

Exposure Compensation:

+/- 3.0 EV, 1/3 EV step

Exposure Control: Yes

Photo Creativity: Yes

Built-In Wi-Fi: Yes

NFC: Yes

side of the camera with white labelling for each. The ring around the largest button which is the ‘OK’ is very easy to use and you can make changes on the go. The camera has an LCD which can flip. This brand-new Organic LCD display in the popup electronic viewfinder now has double the dot count of that in the earlier camera.

Towards the right side of the camera there are mentions of Wi-Fi, HDMI and multi-connector flaps. The flaps are delicate , so use them with precaution.

The left hand side has the button for the pop-up electronic viewfinder. There is also the NFC logo that indicates the location of the short-range antenna for pairing with smartphones and tablets.

PerformanceThe vivid LCD screen provokes us to photograph more and more. When you see sharper images clicked from the electronic viewfinder, you really appreciate the sharpness and the vivid colour output of the Sony RX100 IV.

The camera is very quick in responding to changes in the modes. The repeat of half press of the shutter release button, after the LCD screen displays the information of the mode which has been selected, goes overboard and can become annoying if

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SpecificationS


the modes are changed often by the user. The LCD comes out and flips 180 degrees for the selfie mode. The camera is smart enough to make the transition, and a selfie can be clicked anywhere. The screen also

can be used in a 45 degree angle. The lens extends out when you switch on the camera and shrinks back in the camera, if you do not use it for shooting, but for viewing your shots or changing any kind of settings.

The improved sensor provides sharper images and allows much faster burst capture rate (up to 16 frames per second at full resolution), but also provides for electronic shutter capability up to 1/32,000 second. The new sensor also allows the Sony RX100 IV to provide 4K video capture, and high frame-rate video at up to a staggering 1,000 frames per second.

Sony has also included plenty of firmware tweaks in Sony RX100 IV. These include a new expanded flexible spot autofocus function, and an additional self-timer option of five seconds duration. One can shoot in Manual shooting, Program or Aperture-priority modes or Shutter-priority with the shutter speed of 30 seconds. There are seven new Picture Profile options that allow you to control things like black level, gamma, black gamma, knee, and more.

These features are made for maximum use of the 24-70mm equivalent, f/1.8-2.8 optical zoom lens with SteadyShot image stabilization gets super sharp image.

The camera has a BIONZ X-branded image processor, 3.0-inch LCD monitor with tilt articulation, and a built-in popup flash. Sony surely maximises the camera’s ISO sensitivity range, as it amazingly provides the photographer a series of 125 to 12,800 equivalents (extendable down to ISO 80). But it has its own drawbacks, even though the sensor is the CMOS, grains start creeping in after ISO 800 and drastically increase ISO 6400 and after.

The SteadyShot feature is something on which Sony has worked relentlessly. They have really got it close to getting the picture sharp. The manual selection of the area to be in focus can easily be selected. The spot focus and the flexible manual focus gives a lot of area to work on. Single area selection for focus helps a lot, when one is very particular about the focus areas, and the steady shot is a plus feature.

This Cybershot gives a RAW image quality too. You can edit its photographs in Sony’s own RAW processor. Its name is Capture One Process; you can convert the photographs and then use your favourite software for post production too.

The use of the aperture priority and shutter priority comes handy and one can also change the modes and shift to manual, with the changes made by using the upper wheel of the mode controller.

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89august 2015

The camera impresses us with its sleek look, sturdy body, and practical placements of buttons. The

monitor is quite vivid and electronic viewfinder too works great.


We were quite happy with the performance of the camera, from the image output, to the fast shutter speed, and the high ISO. The SteadyShot ability to

deliver crisp images is remarkable. The RAW feature included in this camera is another big plus.

Performance rating

By and large, this camera is a good deal if you are thinking of serious amateur or hobby photography, and do not want to opt for a bulky DSLR. It all boils down to the cost. If you can afford it, this is one of

the best cameras in this category, and will be a great investment.

Overall rating

TexT and images: purva damle

The performance seems to be alright in low-light situations, and did not blow us away, despite the high ISO tweaks like Night mode and the wide aperture.

The video is something one would look for in this camera, as it provides the user a 4K video feature, which is pretty impressive! If you’ve never had a chance to play with super slow-motion video, you’re in for some real business!

While one is used to the wide of at least the 18mm and a telly of 105mm or a 135mm with the kit lens, this camera giving the mid range of 24–70mm lens and a maximum aperture which is f/1.2 (W) and f/2.8 (T) is surely a good point. But if you are out only with this camera then it can be a challenge. One has to move closer to the subject and then compose according to your position and then of course get on the post production software and edit them well. The lens Wide and Telly functions swiftly. With good light, the colours and the sharpness comes out to be the best even at telly.

conclusionThis is a complete camera for an

amateur hobby or street photographer who aims high for a better reach in the field of serious photography. The pitch black camera gives you the adjustable LCD screen, High ISO and having the movie shot in 4K, is really a good deal. The slow motion video surely makes its place here, with CMOS back lit sensor. The SteadyShot feature is a brilliant one to finally get sharp focus and concentrate on manual focus and also the lens ring which has been provided. The clarity and the saturation are excessively impressive. With the camera’s focal length being 24 – 70mm, it can surely become a secondary camera for pro-photographers.

The RX100 IV has a plethora of features, every person will surely love all these features and specifications, but at the end it comes to the cost which priced considerably high. It comes to a staggering cost of `69.990, which compared to the cost of its predecessor when it was first launched, the camera cost has jumped approximately `20,000. If you can afford it, don’t think twice, it’s worth the investment.

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Picture by: Kinsuk Das Camera: Nikon D7000Shutter speed: 1/640secF-number: F/7.1Focal Length: 105mmISO: 320

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PhotoScape


91August 2015

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Picture by: abhilash a.h Camera: Nikon D3200Shutter speed: 2secF-number: F/29Focal Length: 42mmISO: 100

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Picture by: Avishek Mal Camera: Nikon D7000Shutter speed: 1/15secF-number: F/16Focal Length: 18mmISO: 100

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Picture by: Anand Nayyar Camera: Canon EOS 600D

Shutter speed:1/166secF-number- F/9.1

Focal Length: 29mmISO: 100


Û

Picture by: Amit VakilCamera: Canon EOS 550DShutter speed: 1/50secF-number: F/7.1Focal Length: 70mmISO: 400

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Picture by: Kishan Kumar ChauhanCamera: Canon EOS 600DShutter speed: 1/80 secF-number: F/22Focal Length: 21mmISO: 100

Picture by: Jayanta Debabrata Choudhury

Camera: Canon PowerShot S5 ISShutter speed: 1/251

F-number: F/7.1Focal Length: 22mm

ISO- 80

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Picture by: Rithik BoraCamera: Nikon D3200Shutter speed: 1/50secF-number: F/4.5Focal Length: 98mmISO: 3200

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Picture by: Rajhans RautCamera: N/AShutter speed: N/AF-number: N/AFocal Length: N/AISO: N/A

Picture by: Kapil Visht Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Shutter speed: 1/2656F-number: F/7

Focal Length: 400mmISO: 500

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Picture by: Swaroop TCCamera: Canon EOS 1200DShutter speed: 1/64secF-number: F/5Focal Length: 131mmISO: 200


The villages of India showcase the very beauty and essence of being an Indian. The farmers and their families have been always the talk of the media and news makers. Agriculture still being one of the main occupations in India, I decided to visit my hometown in the monsoons which brings out the originality of the place.Ganesh Bagal a photographer from a small town named Ashti (Jalna district, Maharashtra) has been practicing photography for three years. He started getting into it professionally since the last two years. His main genre being, wedding and industrial photography he also likes shooting wildlife. His work has also been featured in renowned magazines. He uses the Nikon D750 and D810 cameras and shoots only on prime lenses. For him photography means is a medium to express feelings.

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95August 2015

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106 NOVEMBER 2008 Asian Photography




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APRIL 2009 Asian Photography 98ASIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING[98]OCTOBER 2009 FEBRUARY 2010 ASIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING[98]MAY 2010

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