better photography magazine - april 2013

Sachin Kalbag discusses why photojournalism is still strong

Chronicling the times of the masterful Roman Vishniac

How Twitter can help your photography business grow

Amit Mehra talks about his silent notes from Kashmir

VISUAL MUSINGS GREAT MASTERS MARKET SENSE PROFILE

INSIdEFREE POSTER

& FUN dIY

PHOTO CUBES!

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHYVol. 16 • No. 11 • APRIl 2013

www.betterphotography.in

A basic guide on how to get rid of camera shake

5 steps to make the shot that's in your mind

INSIdE

An exhaustive Buyer's Guide on all

the cameras in the market today

MAKE & GIFT PERSONALISEd PICTURE POSTCARdS • CREATING INNOVATIVE SELF PORTRAITSApril 2013

(Total 186 pages)

EXClUSIVE TESTSCanon EOS 1D X Panasonic GH3Samsung Galaxy Camera Sigma 18–250mm oS

Sureshot techniques to ensure that the subject is always in perfect focus

focusSimple WAYS to Achieve perfect

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y aPr i l 20 1 3

4

e d i tor i a l there are No Secrets“Amongst all the

qualities that are essential for success,

discipline usually wavers first.”

How does one make money through photography, and how does one make lots of it? At the recent iClick Symposium in Bengaluru, this seemed to be a recurring question amongst a lot of young hobbyists. After having interacted with many masters of photography from India and abroad, I thought of putting down six rules that form a chain of thought about becoming a successful photographer.

Rule #1: It is not about the money. There are other, easier ways to get rich. So, the motive to make money from photography must come from a powerful, raw need to release the shutter for other reasons.

Rule #2: Therefore, as clichéd as it sounds, it is about a craving hunger to make excellent photographs because of a deep-rooted love for something beyond the camera.

Rule #3: Conversely, when perfect frames are required, internalising the craft becomes an indispensable prerequisite.

Rule #4: To learn the craft, making a lot of mistakes early on and quickly learning from them becomes very important. Thus, being curious and experimental is equally important.

Rule #5: Mistakes help you discover things about yourself. They help you put yourself into your own images. In essence, this helps you create your own identity and style.

Rule #6: Building an identity takes time, effort and, most of all, discipline. Amongst all the qualities that are essential for success, discipline usually wavers first. This happens because discipline needs the conviction of a bigger purpose. If it does waver, you need to go back to Rule #1 and ask yourself why you are doing photography in the first place.

That said, the secret for success is actually not really a secret, regardless of which profession you choose. Success needs passion, knowledge, dedication, discipline, willpower, resourcefulness (as opposed to resources), money and effort. And if you think about it, the only part of this equation that can possibly be transposed or interchanged... is effort for money. Everything else needs to be there, unequivocally.

K Madhavan [email protected]

Kashmir by Amit Mehra It took some time for Amit to realise that he was reacting to Kashmir just as a photojournalist would. After observing the valley for a while, without his camera, he decided to restart the project. “A photographer is only a witness. He is not a judge. He is not there to change any opinion. But if his body can create a debate, a dialogue, a discourse, that is the greatest reward,” he says. To read more about Amit Mehra’s quest to capture the eerie silence of Kashmir — Turn to page 106


6Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed by Mohan Gajria and published by Lakshmi Narasimhan on behalf of Infomedia18 Limited and printed at Network18 Media & Investments Ltd Plot No. 3, Sector No. 7, Off Sion Panvel Road, Nerul, Mumbai - 400 706, and published at Network18 Limited, Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. Readers are recommended to make appropriate enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisment appearing in this publication. Better Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers, products or services. The printer, publisher, editor or members of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequences in the event of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers.

Editor K Madhavan Pillai

Published by Network18 Media & Investments Ltd

V o l u m e 1 6 • i s s u e 1 1 • a p r i l 2 0 1 3

Get Published in better PhotoGraPhyShare your best images, tips and techniques with us and get your work noticed. Follow these simple guidelines:

For PhotoCritique and your Pictures: Digital files should be a minimum of 1800 x 2700

pixels at 300dpi and prints should be of 6 x 9-inches Include a 100-word note on how and why you shot

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44 test Canon EOS-1D X Canon redefines speed with its latest flagship

50 Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3 Broadcast quality video in a mirrorless system

56 Samsung EK-GC100 Does one really need this Andriod camera?

58 Sigma 18–250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Will this superzoom fulfill its promises?

60 micro test Lexar Card Reader, Tamrac Backpack, Vanguard Camera Bag & Vanguard Tripod

SnapShots

April 2013

34 Book Review‘Okavango: Africa’s Last Eden’ by Frans Lanting

40 Look Who’s ShootingAlok Rai

41 Visual Musings by Sachin Kalbag

GearGuide

ON THE COVER

76

PhotograPh: Mukesh srivastava Design: santosh D kaMble

Sachin Kalbag discusses why photojournalism is still strong

Chronicling the times of the masterful Roman Vishniac

How Twitter can help your photography business grow

Amit Mehra talks about his silent notes from Kashmir

VISUAL MUSINGS GREAT MASTERS MARKET SENSE PROFILE

INSIdEFREE POSTER

& FUN dIY

PHOTO CUBES!

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHYlearn to avoid cam

era shake • how to achieve perfect focus • sim

ple waYs to create personalised postcardsvol. 16 • no. 11 • april 2013

vanguard photo-video Booklet

www.betterphotography.in

Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo

A basic guide on how to get rid of camera shake

5 steps to make the shot that's in your mind

INSIdE

An exhaustive Buyer's Guide on all

the cameras in the market today

MAKE & GIFT PERSONALISEd PICTURE POSTCARdS • CREATING INNOVATIVE SELF PORTRAITSApril 2013 • Rs. 150

(Total 186 pages)

eXclusive testsCanon EOS 1D X panasonic Gh3samsung Galaxy camera sigma 18–250mm os

Sureshot techniques to ensure that the subject is always in perfect focus

focusSimple WAYS to Achieve perfect

dOES THEIR FIRST MIRRORLESS MAKE THE CUT?

72

BetterPictures

72 sHootiNG tecHNiQUe

Arriving at the Photo Create the perfect picture in five easy steps

76 Don’t Lose Focus! Simple techniques to get crisp photographs

80 Say Goodbye to Camera Shake Tweak your camera settings to avoid shake

InFocus

106 Profile

Amit Mehra And his silent notes on Kashmir

112 MY BeST SHoT

Mahesh Shantaram

114 GreAT MASTerS Roman Vishniac Chronicling the life of a legendary storyteller

122 PHoTofeATUre

Sayed Asif Mahmud Documents the tobacco industry in Bangladesh

182 MArkeT SenSe

Click, Click, Tweet, Tweet! Using Twitter effectively

184 STorY BeHinD THe PiCTUre

The Photographer’s Divine Muse

ShowCase PhotoFinish

RegularsfeeDBACk ........................................................... 20

PHoToCriTiqUe .................................................. 94

q & A ................................................................. 102

1000 WorDS ....................................................... 120

YoUr PiCTUreS .................................................. 128

BP BUYer’S GUiDe .............................................. 174

10682

82 on ASSiGnMenT

I’m Not Here What if you remove the you and only keep the shadow?

86 I’m Here Now Finding yourself wherever you go

90 DiGiTAl TeCHniqUe

Make Personalised Picture Postcards How to make lovely gifts from your photographs

98 TiPS & TriCkS

Photographing trees, buses and parenthood

CALL FOR ENTRIES TO INDIA’S BIGGEST PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS!For more details, turn to page no 64

FeedbackSend your feedback to The Editor, Better Photography, Network 18 Publishing, Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai-400 028, India

Email: [email protected]

Best Issue so Far!The March, 2013 issue of Better Photography is one of the best that I have read in the past one year. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the On Assignment articles, ‘From Day to Night’ by Stephen Wilkes and ‘A Small Wonder?’ by Christopher Boffoli. These photographers not only employed genius techniques but their photographs are fine examples of creativity at its very best.

However, the Shooting Technique ‘Dare to Shoot Against The Light’ was the most impressive. I enjoyed reading all eight techniques but ‘Playing with Silhouettes’ was the best. The article inspired me to experiment and shoot silhouette photographs. Dr Amit Vakil, Chamba, via email

Underage for Competitions I am disappointed with the lack of photography contests for people under 18 years of age. The last time BP had a contest addressing this category of photographers, was the Young Photographer of the Year award, back in 2009. Since then, there has not been a single contest. Being a 17-year-old, I feel that minors have very little scope of participating and showcasing their work.

I urge BP to bring back the YPOY awards or introduce some other competitions for young photographers. This would help give us an early start. Prithwish Karforma, Kolkata, via email

Would Love a Calendar!It was a delight to receive two posters in the February 2013 issue of Better Photography. I loved the cheatsheet but found the poster with the quotes, a little boring and would have preferred a calendar instead. Nikita Joseph, Chennai, via Twitter

The New DSLR TrendRecently, a cousin of mine insisted that she wanted a DLSR for her birthday. I do not know her photography habits or whether she wants to simply photograph casually.

What I fail to understand is the fascination behind DLSRs. People are made to believe that great photographs can only be created with the help of great cameras. They think that the more expensive the gear, better is the quality.This ignorance does not just end here. There are many who believe that by owning a DLSR, they have mastered the art of photography. What they fail to understand is that the real legends have spent years mastering this skill.

Everyday, I see people creating their own Facebook photography page which is flooded with mediocre photographs of sunsets, insects and flowers. At this rate, I think that the quality of photography is only going to deteriorate.Priyanka Surve, Mumbai, via post

Amateur-looking PhotographsOver the years, the articles in Better Photography have become even more informative, addressing several issues.

However, the only department where I have seen a dip, are the photos that are being published in the Shooting Technique section. While some of the images are good, I think that better pictures can be published. Shobhit Das, New Delhi, via Twitter

More Cell Phone Photography!I find the magazine to be very educative and informative. However, the thing that I find missing is a separate cell phone photography section. Although there is a regular mention about shooting with cell phones in articles, I think that it deserves much more attention and importance.

“I hope BP organises

competitions for minors who

are unable to participate in

most contests.”

BP reader Dr Amit Vakil sent us this image he shot after reading ‘Dare to Shoot Against The Light’ (March 2013).

Dr Amit Vakil

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y

20

APR I L 20 1 3

Gabriel Fuchs’ column, Different Strokes, was last published in the January 2013 issue.

FEEDBACK

I don’t think I would call myself an artist but I do enjoy sketching frequently. I would draw whatever came to my mind, until a friend asked me if my doodles meant anything.

I tried to reason out that not every work of art must have meaning attached to it, but she did have a point. Then I was introduced to photography in college and before I knew it, I was drawn to it. While photographing,

On Finding the Artist in Me

Write in to Better Photography with your feedback, and if your letter wins the Letter of the Month, you will get a Envie Speedster charger!

Twitter: twitter.com/betterphotoFacebook: facebook.com/betterphotographyYoutube: youtube.com/betterphotoindiaWebsite: betterphotography.in

Find us Online!

I say this with regard to my recent smartphone purchase.

It has completely changed the way I photograph. While shooting on the streets, I liked that neither I nor my smartphone attracted attention. Being a shy person, my phone allowed me to be part of the crowd and I could take better pictures. However, I learned that cell phone photography is not as easy as it looks and there is still so much to explore and know.

This is why I think that apart from the current Tips and Tricks section, another section that focuses only on cell phone photography techniques should be included. Even a Pocket Guide covering this topic would be great! This would really benefit beginners like me. Hetal Kumar, Patna, via post

Laidback Attitude I have a few questions, rather observations that I would like to make. Why is that so many photographers including professionals seem to be so dependent on postprocessing? Is it difficult to create photographs today without adding final touches to it using software? More so, why are photographers becoming laidback and not wanting to make an effort to photograph correctly in the first place? Jhanvi Karkera, Indore, via email

Different Strokes Will be MissedEach time a new edition of Better Photography hits the stalls, I find my heart literally pounding with excitement. My anticipation usually leads me to reading the magazine within a couple of days.

However, I am saddened with the discontinuation of Gabriel Fuchs’ column. I used to look forward to it and enjoyed his take on photography and the manner in which he penned down his thoughts.Dr Samrat Ray Chaudhuri, Kolkata, via email

I constantly asked myself if there was any way I could combine both my passions.

Better Photography introduced me to two photographers, Ben Heine and Christy Lee Rogers. I thought that Ben’s photograph sketches were ingenious. At the same time, Christy’s images were nothing less than paintings created underwater. I also learned that she previsualised her shots, with the help of the sketches she drew. This made me wonder if these were the only two ways I could combine photography and drawing.

Then, an idea struck me! I began to shoot pictures of friends and family. Once I would photograph, I would print it out on paper and trace it. I was able to draw things that did not exist in the picture and could finally give my drawings a context.

I still do not know if this is what it means to combine photography and art. But I am glad that I get to photograph people in different situations and then convert their photos into art.

Audrey Fernandes, Panaji, via email

“Cell phone photography is

not as easy as it looks. Just like

the camera, there is a lot more that needs to be kept

in mind.”

Christy Lee Roger’s work was published in the December 2012 issue of Better Photography

22

B E T T E r P h o T o g r A P h Y APr I L 20 1 3

Sony SLT-A58 and NEX-3NSony’s new A58 features a 20.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor in a DSLR-style body. The upgraded translucent mirror camera will replace the A37 and A57. The NEX-3N is a compact mirrorless camera with a 16.1MP APS-C sensor. Sony claims that this camera is the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable camera with a APS-C-sized sensor.

Adobe Photoshop TouchAdobe has finally brought its photo editing application, which was earlier restricted to only tablets, to smartphones. Photoshop Touch lets you create layers and use selection tools and filters. Priced at USD 5 (Approx. Rs. 270), you can download the app for both iOS and Android phones.

Pelican 9460RS and 9470RS RALSPelican Products, Inc has announced two new versions of remote controlled, multi-terrain versions of their Remote Area Lighting Systems. Both Pelican 9460RS and 9470RS RALS lighting systems are designed to provide convenient and ecologically responsible alternatives for wasteful generator powered lights whil shooting outdoors.

Nissin Di700Third-party flashgun manufacturer Nissin announced a new flash available for Nikon, Canon and Sony mounts. The Di700 model has range of 24–200mm and can achieve a maximum output of GN50 at 200mm. It is also equipped with

an external slot for a battery pack that reduces its recycle time and gives it more power.

Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed photographer who is known for his magic with light and his ability to create stunning images with flashguns. He has been a photographer at magazines like Sports Illustrated, LIFE and a long time contributor to National Geographic. He was listed by American Photo as one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography and is one of the most versatile photojournalist today.

whAT’S NEw

Unpredictability. Accidents. Not good when you’re engaging in, say, brain surgery.

But when lighting... wonderful!

JOE MCNALLY

Image source: Kodak

Mansi Midha and Rudra Sharan Bag NFI FellowshipThe fellowship is supported by United

Nations Women. While Rudra will be documenting the life of women beyond public spaces, Mansi plans to highlight the issue of lack of education for the girl child. NFI also organised an exhibition of the work done by last year recipients.

National Foundation for India has announced Mansi Midha and Rudra

Raksha Sharan as the two photographers for the annual NFI Media Fellowship. The photographers will each receive a grant of Rs. 1,00,000 to produce a body of work on the issue of gender.

Nikon COOLPIX A: APS-C Sensor in Compact Bodyrange of 100-6400 which is expandable to 25600. A built-in hot shoe lets you attach Nikon Speedlights. COOLPIX A can shoot images in 14-bit and 16-bit RAW

too. Moreover, the camera has a manual focus ring, offers full manual controls and comes with multiple Scene Modes. A major disappointment is the absence of an electronic or optical viewfinder in spite of the huge price tag.

Following the footsteps of Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and Olympus, Nikon has finally

launched a compact camera with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon COOLPIX A is built around a 16.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, same as the D7000, a 3-inch high-resolution TFT LCD monitor, features a 18.5mm f/2.8 fixed lens and offers an ISO

Award-winning Photographer Passes Awaypolice, he risked his life by standing on the railway tracks to take photographs of

the festival. This raises the much debated question-to what extent should photographers risk their lives for making pictures?

In his 55 years of photography, Vincent, a resident of Kodungallur, Kerala, won over 65 national and international photography awards. Amongst his many achievements,

the most prestigious one was the India Press Photo Award.

Well known photographer K J Vincent passed away on 26 March 2013

after he was knocked down by a running train. The 59-year old photographer suffered multiple head injuries in the accident which turned fatal. At the time of the accident, Vincent was in the pursuit of taking photographs of fireworks of the Uthralikavu Pooram festival in the rural part of Thrissur District, Kerala. Despite being warned by the

This image by KJ Vincent won a special mention in BP Fun Frames Awards.

K J Vincent


24

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX300, HX300 and TX30Sony’s latest addition to their line-up are, the DSC-HX300 a 20.4MP 50x superzoom with a 24–1200mm equivalent lens, whereas the WX300 is an 18.2MP WiFi compact superzoom with a 25–500mm equivalent lens. The TX30 is a tough, waterproof, card-style camera that is built with a 26–130mm equivalent zoom.

Fotopro Camera AccessoriesCamera accessories manufacturer Fotopro has a wide variety of new products to help photographers shoot better. The new launches include P Series, T Series and CT Series of tripods, TT-1 backpack and WH-30 and RH-10 ballheads.

Vizelex RhinoCamFotodiox’s new mount system turns a Sony NEX E-Mount mirrorless camera into a digital back for full 645 medium format photography. The kit, named RhinoCam allows NEX owners to shoot with classic medium format camera lenses that capture 140+ megapixel photos.

Phase One IQ280, IQ260 and IQ260Phase One unveiled WiFi enabled IQ260, IQ260 Achromatic and IQ280 medium format digital camera backs. Digital back users can now take pictures wirelessly and view them from their iOS devices. The company also launched Capture One Express 7. A stripped-down version of Capture One Pro, with features including HDR processing, lens correction and digital asset management tools.

WHAT’S neW

National Geographic has started a new Tumblr site titled Found which

aims to publish long lost photographs in celebration of the magazine’s 125th anniversary. The initiative was the brainchild of William Bonner who curates National Geographic’s extensive photo archive. The tumblr site breathes

a new lease of life into old photographs, most of which have never been seen or published before.

This is a great move from Nat Geo as these pictures share interesting stories about events, culture and lifestyle from the past. You can see the images at www.natgeofound.tumblr.com.

New Tumblr Site Revives Old Nat Geo Photos

Delhi-based photojournalist Mansi Midha trained women reporters of the

Global Press Institute J&K desk, last month. GPI is a social venture that uses journalism to educate, em and empower women in the developing world, to produce local news coverage that elevates global awareness. According to Mansi, “The reporters at the GPI desk have incredible access, being women and Kashmiri. The kind of stories that any photojournalist would

die to have access to—they have it. So while writing is their strength, imagine if they were empowered with cameras and some training. This is why I was there, to put their own stories into a visual context.”

In an age where photography is becoming more democratic, it is most

rewarding when the medium is used to empower people and foster change. At Better Photography, we applaud the initiative and hope it sets the tone for more.

Solar Lab which was founded in 1973 turned 40 last month and is the oldest

Indian photo lab still in existence. The lab has continuously reinvented itself to keep up with the changes in the technology. Celebration plans included new services for photographers as well as a tie up with Ricoh for better and higher quality prints.

Empowering Women Journalists in J&K

Solar Lab Celebrates 40 Years of Existence

Associated Press photographers David Guttenfelder and Jean Lee are one of

the first few people to share rare glimpses of North Korea with the world. With the country’s newly launched Koryolink 3G network, which is available only to foreigners, David and Jean became the

first few people to use Instagram and share images of a reclusive North Korea.

The country only recently lifted the ban on foreigners’ use of mobiles. The images have already been receiving a lot of appreciation and give us an intimate glimpse into a country that has for long been in

Stories From North Korea Now On Instagram

Aliya Bashir

You can find both the photographers on Instagram and follow them at @dguttenfelder and @newsjean.

snapshots

B e t t e r p h o t o g r a p h y apr i l 20 1 3

26

Call for entries

Dorothea lange–Paul taylor Prizethe competition: Center for Documentary Studies (CDS), UK is looking for photographers with an ongoing documentary project. The work needs to be created with methods such as research and interviews.Prizes: Cash prize of USD 10,000 (Approx. Rs. 5,40,200) and a featured exhibition at CDS, UK.Website: www.documentarystudies.duke.edu/awards/dorothea-lange-paul-taylor-prize entry fee: USD 65 (Approx. Rs. 3500)Deadline: 30 April 2013

ViPa 2013the competition: Vienna International Photo Awards calls documentary photographers to submit digital entries for the 2013 edition of the awards.Categories: Professional, Amateur and Smartphone.Prizes: Professional category winner wins USD 4000

(Approx. Rs. 2,16,000) and their work will be exhibited in a group show in Vienna.Website: www.thevipawards.com entry fee: 35 Euros (Approx. Rs. 2400)Deadline: 30 April 2013

Photobook Dummy award 2013the competition: As a part of the 6th International Photobook Festival, photographers can submit photobooks that is not already a printed body of work.Prizes: A complete book production from German publishers seltmann+söhne, presentation in European Photography magazine and showcase of their work at multiple photo festivals across Europe.Website: www.2013.fotobookfestival.org entry fee: 34 Pounds (Approx. Rs. 2800)Deadline: 2 May 2013

adobe Design achievement awards Contestthe competition: Open to 18 years old or older students of higher education from across the world, ADAA Contest calls for entries to showcase their photography skills. The images must be photographic in nature and then digitally enhanced or manipulated primarily (over 50%) with Adobe tools.Categories: Individual and Team.Prizes: Each category winner will receive USD 2000 (Approx. Rs. 1,08,000), a winner’s certificate, a 3D award and a 24-month Adobe Creative Cloud membership.Website: www.adobeawards.comDeadline: 21 June 2013

Tethered Shooting is the option to control your camera via a computer to take pictures. You can view and save images directly on the computer.

Pro talk

if you have always wanted to show your

work as a photobook, take part in Photobook

Dummy award 2013.

Iconic Photographs by Roman Vishniac Rediscovered

Delhi Photo Festival 2013 Open For Submissions

Never seen before images by legendary photographer

Roman Vishniac are on display in an exhibition at the International Center of Photography, USA. The rediscovered work at Roman Vishniac Rediscovered consists of vintage prints, film footage, personal correspondence and

exhibition prints made from Vishniac’s recently digitised negatives. The exhibition is on display till 5 May 2013 and puts together over four decades of his work, most of it being published for the first time. It highlights the versatility and innovative work by the iconic photographer. To read more about Roman Vishniac, turn to Page 114.

The second edition of Delhi Photo Festival is now calling photographers

and curators to submit entries for the 2013 festival. You can send in your work for consideration as print or digital exhibitions, photo-based installations

or multimedia and film. Submissions for print exhibitions must be based on the theme of the festival–Grace. The deadline for submission is 20 April 2013. For more details on the festival, visit www. delhiphotofestival.com.

20 february–1 May

Zen of PhotographyIndia Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Zen of Photography is a series of workshops conducted by photographer Achal Kumar. The workshop is meant to teach partcipants to capture the unnoticed 6 March–6 april

ParsisChemould Prescott Road Gallery, Mumbai

Sooni Taraporevala’s images highlight the daily life and simplicity of the Parsi community in Mumbai. The photographs span over two decades and capture parsi families, charming old Bombay streets, parsi aunts in floral dresses and more.

21 March – 18 april

noida soliloquy Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai

These images by Dhruv Malhotra capture

the anatomy of an aspiring metropolis and its in-between spaces. Being a chronic insomniac, he has consistently photographed the night resulting in this collection of images.

6 april

Bird Photography trailRanganthittu Bird Sanctuary, Mysore

BPW is organising a one-day bird photography trail to the Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary in Mysore. Participants will be a part of ranger-guided boat tours of the isles. This is the best way to watch and photograph birds, crocodiles, otters and bats. Contact: +91-945153005.

eVents

Roman Vishniac

Dhr

uv M

alho

tra

aPR I L 20 1 3

30

Lens Drive System refers to the mechanism that drives the lens’s autofocus system to the required focus point. It can be in the camera or within the lens.

Pro talk

through the lens Penguin Books India and Visual Arts Gallery together organised Through The Lens, an event to launch Amit Mehra’s new book titled Kashmir. The book was launched by renowned photojournalist Raghu Rai. The launch took place on 20 March at India Habitat Center, New Delhi and was followed by

a conversation about the book with Uma Nair.

a Village in Bengal Mumbai-based photographer Chirodeep Chaudhari showcased images from his latest book in this exhibition held at Project 88, Mumbai between 14–26 March. The series puts together over 24 years of his work based on his ancestral village in Bengal. Chirodeep was also a part of a Q&A session with Sooni Taraporevala where he spoke at length about the process and motivation behind this body of work.

France HeritageOn display between 16–21 March, this exhibition held at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad highlighted the elegant French architecture and the cultural influence of the country. The exhibition on display included the works of photographers Anay Mann, Gigi Scaria, Serena Chopra, Rishi Singhal, Isabel Saij and Jean Pierre Dubois. Additionally, the photography project was built around the work done by Aishwarya Tipnis, an Indian conservation architect.

iClick Symposium 2013 Bengaluru hosted India’s first photography symposium from 16–17 March 2013. It brought together both hobbyist and professional photographers and was dedicated to explore the power of photography. Participants had the opportunity attend seminars, discussions and live photography sessions from photographers, editors and curators under one single roof.

a Fantastic legacy: Early BombayA collection of original images of Bombay dating from 1850s to 1900s were on display from 13–27 March 2013 at Max Mueller Bhavan in Mumbai. The images, put together from public and private collections, are displayed throughout the gallery in various formats. The photographs are some of the first few images taken of the city and are a mix of the architectural beauty and portraits of residents of Mumbai.

EVEntS

a visitor looks at the images from a

Village in Bengal that were on display at

Project 88 in Mumbai.

Nikon D7100 Gains 51-point AF from D800Nikon announced their latest

offering for serious photography enthusiasts— the Nikon D7100. As the successor to the Nikon D7000, it is the new flagship model of Nikon’s DX-format DSLR lineup.

The camera packs a 24.1MP sensor which omits the optical low pass filter, an interesting decision coming close on the heels of the D800E.

This may make the quality different enough from the D5200, but one can only speculate on whether the difference would be stark. The big change in the D7100 is a 51-point AF system, similar to the one seen in the D800.

This is the first time that we will see such an AF system in a camera at this price point.

Nikon also announced an update of the Nikkor AF-S 80–400mm f/4.5-5.6 decade-old telephoto lens.

6 – 7 april

a Comprehensive lightroom WorkshopMumbai

Photocaddy teaches you the nuances of Adobe Lightroom in this two day workshop. The workshop will teach students how to organise and manage all their images as well how and how much to edit any photograph. Visit: www.photocaddy.in 15 – 24 april

Inner SpaceNCPA, Mumbai

Italian photographer Patrizia Maïmouna Guerresi will present an intimate perspective on the relationship between women and the society through this exhibition. This is her first exhibition in India and the new body of work has been created as a response to India’s culture.

17 – 21 april

land of the lionGir National Park, Gujarat

Toehold is organising a four-day wildlife photo tour to the Gir National Park in Gujarat. The tour will give wildlife photographers to test their skills and take stunning pictures. Visit www.toehold.in for details 4 May

Somnathpur: one Day Photography WorkshopBangalore

Interested in photographing the rich cultural and architectural heritage of India? This one-day workshop organised by BPW is a great chance. Contact: +91-9483518811

Patr

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New Canon Sensor Can See In Extreme DarknessCanon unveiled a new 35mm full-frame

CMOS sensor that is specially designed to shoot videos in low light. The sensor can capture details even in extreme darkness. However, we wait to see if and when this sensor will be used in a consumer camera. Watch the sample footage at www.canon.com/news/media/20130304mov.mp4

Chirodeep Chaudhari

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Solar Lab has completed 40 years of successful existence in the photography industry. Enthusiasm and passion for photography from people across all professions is the reason we have managed to survive for such a long time. When we began, colour film was still a

novelty. Today, it has almost died out. However, digital photography has opened up new avenues of its own for photo labs to exploit. For any photo lab that aims to survive for such a long time, it is necessary that they keep adapting to the latest technology while still delivering good quality prints.

In the year 2012, we introduced the concept of Photo Cafés. Today, photographers can visit our stores, relax and have a cup of coffee while they get their photographs printed. At the moment, our main aim is to open over 100 Photo Cafés in the western region of India by the end of 2013. Eventually, we are looking to have more branches countrywide.

A major credit for our success and our ability to stay up-to-date with the latest technology goes to the government. We have had the freedom to import raw materials as well as the machinery to deliver best quality prints. Though taxes still account to 35% of our total production costs, we still hope that in the coming years, the government will offer a few exemptions on the multiple taxes levied.

—As told to Ketan Kundargi

Industry Vo Ice

“Photo café is a revolutionary concept with HP and café coffee day to make printing photographs more fun.”

Into the WildDutch photographer Frans Lanting’s Okavango: Africa’s Last Eden was first published in 1993. The book documented a year-long journey that Lanting undertook in the Okavango Delta in Southern Africa. The book was widely appreciated then and became a reference point for photographers working with nature and wildlife. Almost 20 years later, Lanting along with his wife and editor of the book, Christine Eckstrom have compiled an updated version of this classic work.

The new edition of the photography consists of more than 170 photographs, with at least a dozen new images. Lanting’s painstaking efforts to document Africa’s pristine beauty are evident with full colour photographs that make you fall short of words. With this book, one can clearly see the diversity of wildlife and nature found in the vast Okavango wetlands and across Botswana’s arid plains. The volume is divided in chapters and an introductory text supports each chapter. Lions, hippos, herd of elephants, hyenas, giraffes, African fish eagles, spoonbills, flamingos, swamps, marshes and lagoons...Lanting has photographed every aspect of the Okavango Delta with ultimate skill and imagination.

Okavango: Africa’s Last Eden is a visual delight for photography, nature and wildlife lovers. In more ways than one, this book truly manages to unite the reader with the vivacious life force that is common to all living beings on Earth. — written by Priyanka chharia

title: Okavango: Africa’s Last EdenAuthor: Frans LantingIsBn: 978-3-8365-3415-4Publisher: TaschenPrice: USD 39.99 (Approx. Rs. 2100)

BooK reV Iew

Mahendra Visarai Founder, solar lab

Olympus India has recently launched eight new compact cameras in the

Indian market. Some of the prominent cameras in this list include the XZ-10, SH-50 and the TG-2 all of which were announced this year at CP+ and CEF. This is a great move by Olympus as other cameras companies often avoid or even delay launches in India.

Mr Kenichiro Mori, the newly appointed MD of Olympus India said, “This year, we want to be at the forefront of advanced compact camera race.”

Olympus Brings New Cameras to India

Mumbai Gets its First Photography FestivalSpread over two weeks, from 13–27 March

2013, the first ever photography festival for Mumbai—FOCUS was organised by Asia Art Projects in collaboration with curator Matthieu Foss.

The festival celebrated the photography medium with over 22 exhibitions, artist talks and free workshops across two dozen venues that included gallery spaces, cafés, shops, boutiques and even garden spaces in the city of Mumbai! In its debut edition, FOCUS was themed The City and the photographs throughout the festival showcased the city in urban as well as in its traditional landscape.

“The festival was all about sharing, and exchanging dialogue on photography. Photographers and photography aficionados and people from various forms of media came together to share their thoughts and ideas,” Matthieu said.

SanDisk completed 25 years of existence in the flash memory technology in

March. The company celebrated at a social evening with the members of the photography industry on 4 March 2013 in New Delhi. The event was an opportunity for the members to interact with Mr Sanjay Mehrotra, Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of SanDisk Corporation India. At the event, SanDisk also offered insights into the future of Consumer Electronics and Flash Memory technology.

SanDisk Celebrates Silver Jubilee Year

Chandni Gajria

Nat Geo Photography Show Now on Indian TV The first photography based reality TV

show, Mission Covershoot will follow and document the journey of eight Indian amateur photographers in Sri Lanka. The photographers will battle with their SLRs to have a photograph shot by them as the cover of National Geographic magazine. The show premiers on 25 March at 10 pm on National Geographic Channel.

US Students Teach Photography in Rural IndiaMany cultures in rural parts of India are

slowly vanishing due to the changing environment and technology. A unique program Children Learning International Cultures (CLIC) Abroad has undertaken an initiative to teach Indian rural children how to use a camera. This way they can photograph and create an archive of their own homes and disappearing cultures. CLIC Abroad was founded in 2009 by photographers Bhaskar Krishnamurthy and

Frank Christian in collaboration with the University Lake School, USA. By March-end, students from Wisconsin, Georgia and Missouri, USA, will travel to Pragpur, Himachal Pradesh and get acquainted with 50 rural children. With 60 digital cameras donated by Nikon, the program will educate young rural kids to photograph their own daily lives. Additionally, the program has previously donated shoes and computers for rural schools and coolers for an orphanage.

Photokipa 2013: More Interactive. More Entertaining. More Photography.The 2013 edition of Photokipa will

be held between 19–21 April 2013 at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall, Kathmandu, Nepal. Photokipa 2013 is Nepal’s photography trade fair which is being organised by Creative D Pvt Ltd and marketed by Workspace Nepal. This year, the objective of the fair is to provide an international exposure for the local industry.

Photokipa 2012 saw the participation of some big brands such as Samsung, Sony, Elinchrom, Canon, Mimaki, Sharp, Apple and GoPro. This year, the number of

Photokipa 2013 will see photo associations and industry members from India, China and Nepal, come together.

The second edition of the fair has a wide range of events scheduled for photographers to test their photography skills. Multiple workshops have been planned for all three days.

Over 50,000 visitors will be participating at the fair.

exhibitors is only set to increase with many more domestic manufacturers from India and China all set to take part. Over 50,000 visitors are expected to be present at the fair. Unlike other fairs, Photokipa 2013 will also see multiple trade associations coming together to appreciate the contribution

of various individuals in the field of photography.

The three-day fair will also showcase works by renowned photographers from Nepal, India and China. Apart from this, exhibitions, fashion shows and workshops will form a major part of this fair.

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Just as the name suggests, Lost Photos is a simple software that digs out all your forgotten pictures from the decades of emails lying in your inbox.

With Lost Photos software, one can easily search for any picture that you may have received or sent from your email account. You may argue that you don’t need the software since you never felt the need to search for that particular image. But only after using the software did I remember that the image even existed.

To find old images, simply enter the email Id and password of your email account. The software then searches through various emails in your inbox and gives you the results of the photos it has searched. You can browse through these pictures and most likely, you will find a photo that you had completely forgotten about. You can share the picture on facebook, twitter or even email them once again to a friend!

— Chandni Gajria

Software of the month

Lost Photos

Cha

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What if you could share a video simply by passing a print of a photograph?

The new HP Live Photo mobile application does exactly that! The free app for Apple iOS devices (mainly iPhone and iPad) works on augmented reality to view videos that are stored in photograph prints.

Creating a Live Photo print is easy. Download the HP Live Photo app on your iPhone or iPad and choose a video which is 45 seconds or less in length. Then, select a still from the wide variety provided by the app. Add a frame from the templates available and just hit print. A blue icon on the Live Photo print indicates that the

Watch Your Photo Come Alive into Videospicture is embedded with a hidden video. Using the app, point the phone at the Live Photo print and you will be able to see your photograph come alive!

www.fototazo.comFototazo is an interesting website launched by Tom Griggs, a photographer and educator based in Medellín and Philadelphia, US. The site combines photography with a social cause and raises funds for young and emerging photographers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds of Columbia to help them purchase a piece of photographic equipment. The grant is applicable to those who are already building a career in photography and whose growth is hindered by the inability to purchase equipment.

Visitors on the website can take a look at the work of the photographer chosen for the grant and chose to donate any desired amount they wish. Apart from this, the website features in-depth interviews and projects of several contemporary photographers. An online gallery on the website is regularly updated with single images along with a statement from the photographer. With the format of the website, one gets to look at new photo projects everyday.

— Chandni Gajria

webSite rev iew

watch the video at www.youtu.be/CDXDjwiGYlc to see the magic of hP Live Photo

Dove Launches Campaign Against Photo Editing Skin care products manufacturer Dove

launched an interesting and unique marketing campaign. The campaign challenges the concept of using editing softwares in order to fake beauty of models and people. And it is doing so by launching a new Photshop action that undoes any editing that might be done by a retoucher on a photograph. Dove decided to prank photo manipulators by launching a fake

action that claimed to add glow to portraits. However, when someone applies it to a photo, the image is reverted back to its original, untouched state. It also overlays a banner with the message–“Don’t manipulate our perceptions of real beauty.”

While the action was not very effective and only a few retouchers fell for it, Dove has definitely brought out a new and fun way to promote its message.

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New Photography & Multimedia SchoolThe One School Goa is now

accepting admissions for its three year Photography and Multimedia courses starting 1 July 2013. Renowned photographers Shantanu Sheorey, Mahesh Bhat, Dinesh Khanna, Prashant Panjiar, Mahesh Shantaram, Suresh Natarajan and Rafique Sayed will be a part of the teaching faculty. The school aims to teach young photographers why to photograph rather than simply concentrating on the technical details. The relaxed and creative nature of Goa, make it a great location for a photo school.

One of the images from Alok’s winning series. Here, workers at the Pushkar fair set up a roller coaster ride.

Alok Rai Indian Photographer Wins Scholarship at Foundry WorkshopLOOk WHO’s sHOOt ing

“To me, photographs are like breadcrumbs. They help me navigate my memories.”

Alok Rai is a 29-year old Pune-based photographer. For him, the medium of photography is just another way to relive the journeys he has been through. He says, “The texture of life within a photograph helps to reconstruct the memory and thereby the experience that is associated with making the final photograph.”

His series of images of the Pushkar fair, won him a full scholarship to the seven-day 2013 Foundry Photojournalism Workshop to Sarajevo. Magnum photographer, Peter Van Agtmael judged the entries. “Winning the scholarship feels good. It is reassuring to know that my work matches up to the strictest standards in the industry. It also makes me

confident of the fact that I am doing the right thing by following my own style rather than getting trapped into the trends.”

Most of his images in this series have not been published anywhere yet. When asked why he stayed away from showcasing his pictures on the social media, he replied saying that they only offer instant gratification. Alok hopes to publish these images in the format of a book someday. “This way, the viewer can always come back to the memories.”

Alok loves to travel. He photographs his experiences sometimes using a DSLR and at times with his iPhone.

—Written by ketan kundargi

Alok Rai

Photography Workshops by Tamron Across IndiaTamron India, as a part of its Tamron

Challenge campaign will be conducting photography workshops for hobbyists and serious enthusiasts. From March till June 2013, 12 workshops across different cities in the country will be conducted by three professional photographers. Assisting these professionals will be the five winners of the Tamron Challenge 2012 photocompetition.

The five winners will showcase their images and also get a hands-on experience with various Tamron lenses at the workshops. The Tamron Challenge

was a two-month nationwide photo competition which aimed at identifying five photo enthusiasts. The winners were announced at CEIF 2013. Bhaven Jani, Eesh Dewan, Ravi Dhingra and Adarsh Anand are partners with Tamron India on this project.

the winners of the tamron Challenge 2012 pose with nitin goyal of tamron india at CEiF 2013 in new Delhi.

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A Thousand and One Words: Why Photojournalism is More Important than Ever

As the Executive editor of one of Mumbai’s leading tabloids, MiD DAY, Sachin Kalbag strongly believes in the power of the photograph. In the past, he has stood behind his staff photographers, whenever a photojournalist’s freedom has been questioned or compromised. He is active on Twitter as @SachinKalbag.

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Mumbai’s iconic Azad Maidan saw a few hundred people on 11 August, 2012, protesting the inhuman treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Police investigations

are painfully slow, so we will, perhaps, have to wait a long time before beginning to unravel why, around 3 pm, the crowd swelled to thousands and went on a rampage – burning buses, private vehicles, attacking policemen and journalists, even molesting female police personnel. Two people died, and 54 were injured, including 45 policemen and seven journalists.

In the middle of the mayhem, MiD DAY photographer Atul Kamble shot what became the symbol of the riot and the basis of a nationwide manhunt for the two men who destroyed the Martyrs’ Memorial. Over the next fortnight after MiD DAY published them, the photographs went viral across several media outlets and were shared close to a million times on Facebook and posted almost an equal number of times on Twitter. They were shown on television channels and made it to international newspapers and websites. Everybody had just one question: Who were these two men?

Two weeks later, they were arrested by the Mumbai Police. Atul’s pictures were instrumental in tracking down the two rioters; a classic case where news photos not only resulted in great journalism but also had a massive impact on society and law enforcement.

If Atul’s photojournalism was literally one of courage under fire, it was perhaps the same courage that led six personnel at Mumbai’s Mantralaya building to climb to the terrace and save the national flag from burning. If not for MiD DAY photographer Bipin Kokate, their valour while the Maharashtra government headquarters was on fire, would have never been highlighted. Overnight, they became national heroes. They had kept the flag safe for over two hours and it was only when the chief minister’s office told them to climb down with the flag did they do so.

As editor of a tabloid, I am often asked about the importance of photography to making stories more effective. The examples I mentioned are proof enough. Over the years, top-class news

Sachin Kalbag

Atul Kamble / MiD DAY

photography has brought down governments, created revolutions, stopped wars, changed laws, made us smile, and even brought tears to our eyes.

Richard Drew’s photograph of a man plunging to his death from the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept 11, 2001; Pablo Bartholomew’s picture of a boy buried in sand during the Bhopal gas tragedy in December 1984; Steve McCurry’s much talked about picture of an Afghan girl… every single photograph has had an indelible influence on our minds.

Often, the counterargument is that it is television that feeds on social or political unrest and is the catalyst of change. But television is really a series of moving images strung together. Therefore, it is the sequence that stays with us, never the moment. Admittedly, this helps in several ways. For instance, if there were no moving images of the planes hitting New York’s World Trade Center on Sept 11, 2001, we’d never have been able to understand the terror in its worst form. Or, for that matter, the battle between the NSG commandos and the Pakistan-trained terrorists who attacked Mumbai on Nov 26, 2008.

However, in both instances, it is that one moment—the photographs of the planes hitting the North and South Towers of WTC in 2001 and Sebastian D’Souza’s chilling close-up image of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Qasab—that defines the event for us. Photographs have always had that impact. It is this that makes photojournalism the most exciting and effective storytelling tool.

In the age of smartphone-photography and social media sharing, it is not impertinent to ask the question whether photojournalism is still relevant. To be sure, the relevance never diminished; it just got democratised further with the inclusion of citizen journalists—on Twitter, on Facebook, on blogs, just about everywhere. Consequently, there are millions of photographers serving a larger cause, and potentially, each of them could go public with their pictures. And change lives. That, to me, is a good thing. That, to me, says that photographs now speak a thousand and one words.

Bipin Kokate / MiD DAY

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How we TesTProduct CategorisationWe first segregate products into categories for the purpose of equitability in testing. The DSLR is divided into entry-level, semi-professional and professional categories. For compacts, we distinguish between advanced and basic compact cameras. Similarly, we also test consumer and pro lenses, flashguns, printers, and other photographic accessories and gear.

The ProcessWe primarily test for features, performance, build, ergonomics, warranty and support. While this remains constant, the weightage we give to these parameter differs from category to category, because different types of consumers have diverse expectations from products.

Final RatingsUnder each main parameter, we list out hundreds of individual variables (for eg. colour accuracy for individual colours in different lighting, individual features, dynamic range, center-to-edge definition, light falloff, etc) against which we either give points or simply mark ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Thus, we arrive at a score for that parameter, and then, the final score, denoted as a percentage.Additionally, based on the current pricing of a product, a star rating for ‘Value for Money’ is considered. Value for Money does not affect the final percentage, because prices for products change constantly.

Our Seals of ApprovalAny product that scores 80% or higher in individual tests gets ‘BP Recommended’—a seal of approval from our team. In comparison tests, we also tag products as ‘BP Best Performer’ and ‘BP Best Value for Money’.

BP Excellence AwardsAt the end of the calendar year, the highest rated products in each category automatically win the Better Photography Excellence Award. This is Better Photography’s recognition of the very best products launched in the course of the year, and the companies that made them.

Canon eos-1D X

Featuring the most sophisticated AF/AE system yet, the Canon EOS-1D X is a whole lot more than a speed demon, as K Madhavan Pillai discovers.

An ode to speedM

erging two parallel lines of previous flagship DSLRs— the high-speed APS-H sized EOS-1D Mark IV and the high resolution full frame EOS-IDs

Mark III—into a single DSLR was a bold move. The loss of the 1.3x crop (which may seem minimal, but is considerable for wildlife photographers) is now offset with a18MP full frame sensor that can blaze away at 12fps. In terms of features and control layout alone, the 1D X is an improvement over the previous flagships, giving Canon users an immediate reason to upgrade.

FeaturesOne of the recurring questions that users in India have is... why just 18MP? After all, compact cameras now sport a minimum of 14MP. For full frame sensors today, 18MP marks the perfect sweet spot in terms of superb sensor quality (dynamic range and extreme high ISO performance) and high enough resolution for most users.

Everything in the 1D X is about speed. Under the hood, the 1D X is a shooting, AF and image processing monster. It uses three high speed processors—two Digic 5+ processors (17 times faster than Digic 4) for


WEighTAgE OF PARAmETERS

Features Performance Build Quality ergonomics Warranty & Support

15%

20% 45%

15%

5%

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• EOS-1DXbody• Viewfindereyecup• Batterycharger• USBCable• StereoAVcable• Camerastrap• Bodycap• Accessoryshoecap• Lithiumbattery• SoftwareCD-ROM• Instructionmanual

WhAT’S in ThE BOx

image processing and AF, and a third Digic 4 processor only for metering.

To enable a maximum continuous shooting speed of 12fps, the mirror mechanism has been redesigned and the shutter blades are made up of carbon fibre (tested for 400,000 shutter cycles). The camera can shoot upto 290 JPEG and 34 RAW images continuously before it begins to slow down for data to be written to the media card.

The new AF system has 61-point AF with up to 41 cross-type AF points (like the 5D Mark III), and boasts a greatly improved tracking and low light focusing capability. The central five of points have diagonal ‘Dual’ AF elements for improved precision. One can now also customise the way the camera uses these points to focus, from using individual points, to clusters of points around a single point, to Zone AF or full Auto. With the latest firmware update, cross-type AF supports apertures up to f/8.

AF is now given its own independent space in the menu system of the 1D X, unlike earlier flagships. There are six AF presets, called ‘Cases’. Cases range from ‘versatile multi purpose’ to ‘erratic subjects moving quickly’. Each Case defines the camera’s three main AF responses...tracking sensitivity, acceleration or deceleration, and how rapidly the autofocus point will switch from one to another. These responses can be fine-tuned using sliders in the Menu.

The difference between the 1D X and the 5D Mark III is in the way metering system links with AF. The 1D X has 100,000-pixel RGB metering that can be used with Automatic AF point selection when tracking subjects around the AF area. Called the ‘Intelligent Tracking and Recognition’ system (EOS iTR), the camera can now detect faces and colour when tracking subjects. Personally, I have yet to come across a camera with more detailed AF /AE functionality.

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Panasonic GH3High quality video meets mirrorless

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Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100 Fun all the way?

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Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS MACRO A jack of all trades?

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Colours at higher iSO settings reproduced

extremely well, without having to

manipulate images after they were shot.

Exposure: 1/80sec at f/16 (ISO 12,800)

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Controlling image parameters at high iSO, without worrying about losing detail or bad noise, is nothing short of liberating.Exposure: 1/80sec at f/22 (ISO 16,000)


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Canon was, and continues to be a pioneer in movie capture in DSLR cameras. There are plenty of video features in the 1D X, like 1080p at 30, 25 or 24fps , stereo microphone input, ALL-I compression at 24fps. Although AF isn’t available while shooting (making the 1D X a choice only for expert users), it is possible to adjust aperture and other settings live.

There are some serious omissions though. There is no headphone output, or HDMI out for uncompressed recording or previwe to an external device. All of these could have easily been included and are available in the Nikon D800 and D4, and the Sony Alpha 99. In fact, Canon has just announced a firmware upgrade that allows the 5D Mark III to output uncompressed video. To me, the sole purpose of restricting the 1D X seems to be to differentiate it from the more expensive, cinema oriented 1D C.

handlingSolidly built to withstand tough shooting environments, the EOS-1D X is both larger and heavier than its predecessors. Yet, it has not compromised on handling comfort. After a couple of days of use, I found myself enjoying the weight and heft of the camera, even over long durations of time.

There are several new additions to the control layout, including mini ‘joystick’ controllers to move through options, a direct live view button, and a ‘Q’ button to jump to the ‘Quick’ function menu. Canon has improved the vertical grip considerably, with a three button layout and joystick similar to the main grip.

Customisation options abound in the EOS-1D X. Both the control layout and the way the AF and metering behaves in different shooting conditions can be set according to user preferences. For most action, sports and wildlife photographers, these customisations will revolve around the quick changing of focus points, modes and Cases, and all of these are easy to set. For example, I could registered a custom AF function, like Zone AF, to the DOF button so that I could easily switch between Single Point AF and Zone AF whenever the situation demanded.

That said, there are two ways to get to grips with all the various options the 1D X has to offer. Either simply set the


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ERgOnOmiCS

• Speed!• Imagequality• Lowlight

performance• AF/AEcontrol

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minuS

camera options based on the descriptions of the shooting scenarios and let the camera handle things from there. Or, one could get into the various sliders and sensitivity settings, and experiment more to understand exactly what changes... which is what I did. It took me a good two weeks of extensive trials to discover the best settings under various situations before I customised sensitivity, settings and controls to exactly the way I wanted it.

This is not to say that the camera does not perform extremely well in all of its default user settings. Yet, the 1D X is a perfectionists camera. The best handling experience and results at the highest shooting speeds depend on these customisations.

I found myself being a little disappointed with the life of the battery, especially considering the shooting speeds possible. It drains out after about 1400 shots. Serious widlife or sports photographers often spend the entire day in the field and rake in the frames. Buying a second battery is recommended.

PerformanceThe camera is extremely quick to start up and get shooting. In terms of performance, just as in its features and handling, the camera shows plenty of improvement over its predecessors. The most significant, immediately noticeable changes are in terms of AF accuracy, image quality and overall speed.

• NikonD4

AlSO lOOK FOR

ColoursandGrainReminiscentofTransparencyFilmRemember the quality of transparency film being projected? The camera can be

tweaked for nice, punchy colours. The tinest details were captured brilliantly.

extremely responsive and accurate FocusingI particularly enjoyed using cluster points with the Single Point AF. Extremly accurate

and superbly quick, I very rarely missed critical focus at shallow depth of fields.

Test shots

The Canon EOS-1D X is made up of tough magnesium alloy and is weathersealed against the elements. Though heavy, the camera is better contoured than its predecessors, and is comfortable to hold over long periods of time.

The top of the camera would be familiar to older Canon users. The flash exposure lock button from earlier flagships is now a customisable button right next to the command dial. White Balance can also now be directly accessed.

The AF toggle switch and mini joystick on the vertical grip for moving AF points is a welcome addition. A new Live View button has found a place near the viewfinder while the playback and review buttons have moved just below the LCD.

Front Top Rear

Remote iR signal receiver

Vertical grip

DOF previewShutter release

lens release button

Shooting\AF\drive modes

metering modes

hot shoe

light for top lCD

Focus point modes

high resolution lCD

Vertical grip buttons

mini joystick

Rear command dial

Exposure compensation

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F I N A L R A T I N G SFeaturesDual card slots, highly advanced linked AF/AE system, lacks some critical video features

13/15

PerformanceAverage battery life, superlative image quality even at high ISO, extremely quick AF

42/45

Build QualityWeather sealed magnesium alloy build meant to withstand tough shooting situations

15/15

ErgonomicsLarge and heavy for most users but feels great, needs to be customised for results

17/20

Warranty & SupportTwo-year warranty, widespread service network in India

4/5

There are so many different ways to customise AF and AE that it is well nigh impossible to go wrong. Even at 12fps, the camera maintains AF almost perfectly, with hardly one out of twelve frames going awry. However, the best results at the fastest speeds also depends on the user being able to anticipate and set the camera for the shooting condition.

In good light, images were wonderfully clean. Both dynamic range and critical detailing were excellent, with the RAW files showing substantial recoverable details in the shadows and highlights.

Low light performance is where the EOS-1D X outshines every other camera in the Canon line-up. I was using ISO speeds up to 16,000 regularly! Even without noise reduction, the images were brilliant and perfectly usable straight out of the camera at its highest resolutions. Extreme low light AF was slower than normal, but locked quite satisfactorily.

ConclusionThe Canon EOS-1D X is clearly meant for the high-end pro action, sports and wildlife photographer who can use the advanced feature set, excellent image quality, low light performance and speed.

While the camera excels in every area of our review, it must be said that a large part of the performance delivered by the camera heavily depends on the expertise of the user too. This is true for every flagship DSLR by Canon or Nikon, but it holds especially true for the EOS-1D X.

Which would be the better camera between the Canon EOS-1D X and the Nikon D4? The answer to that is subjective indeed because the differences between them, though diverse, are extremely close (except in video recording features). A buying decision at this level would, in all likelihood, be based simply on which lens system a user already owns or whether a user is already familiar with Nikon or Canon.

For Canon users, the 1D X is a significant leap, in technology and image quality, over its predecessors, the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the EOS-1D Mark IV. Despite a steep price tag of Rs. 4,29,995, it will prove to be an attractive, worthy proposition for many professionals.

Value for money

Who should buy it? High-end professional photographers who are into action, sports or wildlife.

Why? Extremely high image quality and AF at 12fps! While it needs a lot of user customisation for optimal results, It delivers excellent overall quality.

OVERAll 92%

Noise Test

With good exposures, luminance noise is barely visible until ISO 1600 and chrominance noise till ISO 3200. Images are surprisingly clean all the way up to ISO 25,600. The grain is pleasantly film-like. There is no colour shift all the way up to ISO 51,200. Opening badly underexposed shadows by three stops showed progressive colour noise at higher ISO, but this is easily correctable in software.

iSO 25,600

iSO 51,200

iSO 12,800

iSO 6400

Modelname Canon EOS-1DX

MRP Rs. 4,29,995

effective pixels 18.1MP

Max.resolution 5184 x 3456

Sensor size, type Full frame CMOS

Sensor cleaning Yes

Focusing modes Single-point, AI Servo, Manual

aF type Phase Detect

aF points 61

Metering Evaluative, Center-weighted, Spot

Shutterspeedrange 30–1/8000sec

Exp.compensation -5 to +5 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps

Colourspace sRGB and Adobe RGB

ISO Auto, 100–51,200

Whitebalance Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent, Flash and Kelvin

Drivemodes Yes, 12fps 14fps with AE/AF Lock

Built-inflash No

Externalflash Yes, hot shoe

Flashmodes E-TTL II Auto Flash, Metered Manual E-TTL II Auto Flash and Metered Manual

Flashrange NA

Flashsyncspeed 1/250sec

LCDsize 3.2 inch

LCDdots 10,40,000 pixels

Viewfinder Pentaprism (100% coverage)

File format JPEG (Extra Fine, Fine, Standard), RAW (14-bit), MPEG- 4 AVC

Imagestabilisation No

LiveView Yes

remote control Yes, Optional

Self-timer Yes, 2 or 10sec

Storage types Dual Slots. Type I or II CF card, UDMA mode 7-compatible.

timelapse recording Yes

Movieclips Yes

USB Yes

environmentally sealed Yes

HDMI Yes, mini HDMI Type C

Battery Lithium-ion

Dimensions 158 x 163.6 x 82.7mm

Weight 1530g

SPEC iF iCAT iOnS

ReCoMMeNDeD


50

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3

The Panasonic GH3 sets the standard for what a hybrid camera that shoots both stills and videos should be. Shridhar Kunte sees if it is worth its price.

The New BenchmarkP

anasonic’s flagship mirrorless cameras have always been great hybrids. Both the GH1 and GH2 were universally accepted as competent still cameras with

excellent video functionality. The GH3 is now here, and with this new camera, the company has taken giant strides to give a pro-like feel to their flagship.

That was the first thing I noticed when I removed the camera from its box. With a larger-than-usual body, this is a camera that can match even a high-end DSLR in terms of its build.

FeaturesBefore we elaborate more on its pro aspirations, let’s quickly see what kind of new features this update sees. If you

were hoping for an upgrade in terms of megapixels, you will be disappointed. Just like the GH2, the LUMIX GH3 also has a 16MP sensor. However, the company says that though the resolution is the same, the sensor has been modified to provide a wider dynamic range and a 1EV gain at the high end of the ISO sensitivity scale.

The default aspect ratio is 4:3, and the camera crops pixels to get 3:2 and 16:9. While this is similar to the working of most other cameras, the GH2 had something called a multi-aspect sensor, one that gives full 16MP images in all aspect ratios. The GH3, unfortunately, loses this.

But from here on, it is mostly positive. The camera boasts of a new Venus Engine VII FHD, which not only speeds up

test

Weightage oF parameters

Features Performance Build Quality ergonomics Warranty & support

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51

the gh3 has one of the best micro Four

thirds sensors to date, capturing excellent

quality even in low light.Exposure: 1/20sec at

f/2.8 (ISO 3200)

startup and shot-to-shot time, but also enables extremely high bit rates while shooting video.

The camera has an impressive burst speed of 20fps in the Super High speed mode, making it the fastest Micro Four Thirds camera in the market for JPEG shooting. That’s right, this high frame rate is not available while shooting RAW, which only allows 6fps.

The camera gains dedicated modes for HDR, Interval Shooting and Multiple Exposures. The camera is equipped with WiFi, and has a dedicated app on iOS and Android. The GUI of this app is very simple to use and concise.

With the help of this, you can not only transfer your images wirelessly, but also control the camera remotely. You can make the smartphone into an off-camera viewfinder. What was great to see was that

you can even control the lens if the camera is fitted with a power zoom.

Professionals will be happy to see that the GH3 has a PC Sync socket. It also has several other jacks, including a 3.5mm mic input, a headphone jack and compatibility with an optional battery grip.

It is the video features in which the camera takes a big leap. Its predecessor, the GH2, had a hack that was not official, but became really popular, as it allowed the camera to record video at much higher bit rates than the competition. The GH3 has an option of recording video at 72Mbps straight out of the box.

This is a big deal, considering that several broadcast corporations worldwide, including the BBC, consider a camera good enough for broadcast use only if the data rate is higher than 50MBps. The GH3 becomes the only camera of its kind to

All

phot

ogra

phs

by S

hrid

har

Kunt

e

• BatterychargerwithACcable

• Batterypack• Bodycap• USBcable• ShoulderStrap• CD-ROM• PHOTOfunSTUDIO

8.5 Pe• SILKYPIXDeveloper

studio 3.1 se• LoiloScope(trial

version)

What’s in the box

test


52

test

The handgrip of the camera is considerably larger than that of its predecessor, the GH2. A majority portion of the body is covered with textured rubber. A PC Sync socket can be seen at the front.

The camera looks just like any entry-level DSLR. On the top, there are four buttons, one of which can be customised. There are two microphones placed around the hot shoe.

All over the body you will find as many as five customisable buttons. Due to this and the extremely effective touchscreen and Quick Menu, one rarely needs to go into the menus.

ergonomics

mode dial customisable Fn button

tilt-and-swivel oLeD touchscreen customisable

Fn button

record such high bit-rate video, and that is bound to make it a favourite of professional cinematographers.

Like the GH2, the camera has an Extra Tele Converter mode, which shoots video at a 2.6x crop, but without downsampling any pixels. This basically implies far superior quality. Uncompressed video through HDMI, slow motion capabilities and professional camcorder features such as Time Code round up the GH3’s exhaustive video expertise.

handlingWe tested this camera with the Panasonic’s new high-end 12–35mm f/2.8 lens. The GH3 is undoubtedly the heaviest camera in the

mirrorless camera segment. In fact, the body design is very close to the entry-level APS-C size DSLR. The overall body weight is 470g which is close to Nikon D5200.

The use of magnesium alloy frame and weather sealing gives a clear signal that this is a pro tool. In a day and age where every mirrorless manufacturer is trying to make their camera smaller, I think Panasonic has done a good thing by not conforming. The GH3 is much easier to handle for those with average to large-sized hands. For those who are looking for smaller cameras, there are several options like the GF5, G5 and the OM-D.

The screen is not flushed with the body, which results in your thumb touching the

Flash

mode dial

Front top rear

• Weathersealing• Superbvideo• Highlycustomisable

pLus

• Not-so-greatEVF• Onlyonecardslot

minus

pc sync sockettextured

rubber grip

Lens hot shoeDrive mode

dial

Drive mode dial

rear exposure dial

• SonyAlpha77• OlympusOM-D

aLso LooK For

Front exposure dial

test shots

ExcellentDynamicRangeThe GH3 improves on older Panasonic sensors and delivers fantastic dynamic range, better than other Micro Four Thirds cameras.

FaithfulColourReproductionColours are pleasing and reasonably accurate. The amount of detail captured by the GH3 sensor with the 12–35mm lens is excellent.

electronic viewfinder Focusing

mode switch


53

test

corner of the screen each time you press the video-record button, but this is not a major problem.

The touchscreen implementation is quite good. If you tap the screen in the Playback mode, the camera jumps to a 100% view. The viewfinder and tilt-swivel screen have been upgraded to OLED. The Electronic Viewfinder is better than other MFT cameras, but not as good as Sony’s EVFs.

performanceThe focusing on GH3 is real quick and accurate. This holds good even when the light levels falls. For JPEG shooters, the images straight out of the camera show good colour balance and excellent contrast. Sharpness levels are low, but that is not too bad a thing. It simply means that one can sharpen in post, without artefacts appearing.

The quality of RAW photographs is even better. Dynamic range at base ISO is excellent. Images captured under tungsten lighting showed a warm cast.

I was very impressed with the video quality of GH3. The high bit rates and the ETC mode, ensure that the quality of the footage is really good, even while shooting in really low light. The AF works very well during video, and the footage is tack sharp, with brilliant colours.

In fact, we would say that the GH3 has better video capabilities than any hybrid camera in the market... the only reason why a full frame DSLR may be more enticing for some, is if they want far shallower depth-of-field (though the GH3 with an f/1.8 lens does provide a lot of bokeh).

conclusionFor still photographers, the GH3 is very good—it is fast, handles better than any Micro Four Thirds camera, and produces excellent images. But it is too expensive. The body costs Rs. 99,990... if video is not your prime concern, you will get far better cameras at much lower price tags. Cinematographers ought to seriously consider this though. There are very few options available in the market that will even come close to the video performance of the GH3. With the extensive amount of control and the fantastic data rates, it is a filmmaker’s delight.

F I N A L R A T I N G SFeatures20fps, 75Mbps video shooting, PC Sync socket, no in-body IS, 1/160sec Sync speed

13/15

performanceFast AF, good noise control at ISO 3200

41/45

build QualityAll-weather design, magnesium alloy body

14/15

ergonomicsAs many as 5 customisable buttons

16/20

Warranty & supportThree year warranty with limited service network

3/5

oVeraLL 87%

Noise Test

The sensor seems to perform quite similarly to the Olympus OM-D E-M5, and if shot and processed carefully, even ISO 6400 can give good results. This is a good improvement, as compared to the GH2.

spec iF icat ions

Modelname Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3

MRP Rs. 99,990 (body only)

Effectivepixels 16.05 megapixels

Max.resolution 4,608 x 3,456 pixels

sensor size, type 17.3 x 13 mm, CMOS

sensor cleaning Yes

Aspectratio(w:h) 4:3

Focusing modes AFS (Single) / AFF (Flexible) / AFC (Continuous) / MF

AFpoints Contrast AF system

Metering Multi, Centre-weighted, Spot

Shutterspeedrange 60–1/4000sec

exp. compensation +/- 5EV (in 0.3 steps)

Colourspace sRGB, Adobe RGB

ISO Auto, ISO 200–12800, expandable to ISO 25600

Whitebalance Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Shade / Incandescent / Flash / White Set 1, 2, 3, 4 / Colour temperature setting

Drivemodes 6 fps in full resolution (max 18 consecutive shots of RAW+JPEG

Built-inflash Yes

Externalflash Yes

Flashmodes Red-Eye Reduction, Red-Eye Reduction with Slow Sync, Slow Sync, Rear-curtain Sync

Flashrange 12 (in meters at ISO100)

LCDsize 3-inch TFT OLED

LCDdots 6,14,000 pixels

Viewfinder Yes, 100% FOV

File format RAW, JPEG, MPEG-4 AVCHD/H.264

Imagestabilisation Not in Body

LiveView Yes

Mirrorlock-up Yes

Remotecontrol Yes

Self-timer Yes, 2, 10sec

storage types SD/SDHC/SDXC card

timelapse recording No

Movieclips Yes

USB Yes, USB 2.0, Mini-B connector

EnvironmentallysealedYes

HDMI Yes, Type-C

Battery Lithium-ion

Dimensions(WXHXD) 133 x 100 x 79mm

Weight 575g (body only)

RECOMMENDED

iso 1600

iso 12,800

iso 3200

iso 6400

Value for money

Who should buy it? Filmmakers who do not want to compromise anything in terms of video functionality.

Why? While being a competent camera for stills, the GH3 is the best video interchangeable-lens camera, in terms of features, data rates and on-field performance.


56

test

Ambarin Afsar tells you about the only question you need to ask yourself while considering the Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100.

test

Need? Or Want? Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100

Cameraphone technology has been evolving at breakneck speeds. Cell phones are striving to offer better sensors and more megapixels.

The point-and-shoot market is being eaten into, and the latest wave of revival seems to be cameras which run the Android OS system and offer the facility to connect to the web instantly via WiFi or 3G.

FeaturesThe Samsung EK-GC100 is a 16MP compact offering 21x optical zoom (23–483mm),

with a 4.8-inch high definition capacitative touchscreen, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and a 1.4GHZ quad core processor. All these essentially make it a Samsung Galaxy SIII phone with a superzoom lens, slightly larger sensor, a popup flash and an inferior screen.

You can use a 3G microsim or use a WiFi hotspot to do everything that a smartphone does, except make actual voice calls.

The camera has the usual suspect PSAM modes, 15 Scene modes and 15 Effects or Art Filters. I found the Galaxy camera performing really well when it came to effects like Old Photo, Gothic Noir, Weightage oF

parameters


30%

35%15%

15%5%

Camera controls are provided in the form of a virtual lens barrel which covers half the screen while shooting, making one miss what is going in the frame.

The most frustrating thing about the Effects line-up is that every time you get back to shooting, from playback, the camera forgets which effect you had chosen.

annoyances Within the galaxy Camera’s interface

• Lacklustreimagequality and detail

• Toolarge

minus

• Instantconnectivity• Third-partyapps

plus


57

test

speC iF iCat ions

Model name Samsung EK-GC100

MRP Rs. 26,520

sensor size, type 1/2.3-inch, BSI CMOS

Resolution 16.3MP, 4608 x 3456 pixels

LCD 4.8-inch, HD TFT

Aperture range f/2.8–5.9

Shutterspeed 16–1/2000sec

ISOrange Auto, 100–3200

Opticalzoom 21x

Metering modes Multi, Spot, Centre-weighted, Face Detection AE

File formats Still: JPEG, Movie: AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV

Battery Lithium-Ion

storage MicroSD (upto 64GB)

Dimensions(WxHxD)

70.8 x 128.7 x 19.1mm

Weight 300g

the Vintage filter lent a nice cool blue tint to my images. the camera’s strengths lie

in its filters. Exposure: 1/320sec at f/4

(ISO 100)Ambarin Afsar

F I N A L R A T I N G SFeaturesAndroid 4.1, Good 3G/WiFi connectivity, touchscreen, 21x zoom, no voice calling

25/30

performanceAggressive NR, soft edges, mushy images

21/35

Build QualityStylish, minimalist, sturdier than the Galaxy phones, but needs to be handled with care

12/15

ergonomicsToo quirky an interface, requires some back and forth

7/15

Warranty & supportTwo-year warranty, limited service network

2/5

Value for money

Who should buy it? Someone interested in investing in yet another cool toy.

Why? The device is still not a true convergence device. The camera capabilities require a lot of finetuning. On the other hand, the touchscreen experience is perfect.

oVerall 78%

Impressionist and so on. But when I viewed the images on the PC, I realised that they had all been downsized from 16MP to 2MP without so much as a warning! The camera can record Full HD 1080p video well as slow motion video at up to 120fps.

handlingThe camera is very large and it weighs a whopping 300g! This is considerably heavier than most point-and-shoots and smartphones. The design of the camera is quite minimalist. The rear is only dominated by the 4.8-inch touchscreen. Surprisingly, this did not deter me too much.

The interface is fairly easy to understand and the camera is not sluggish.Third-party apps as well as native apps work quite well. Battery life lasts around 2-3 hours of continuous shooting. The CIPA rating given to the camera is around 340 shots, which more or less matched up to what I found. However, regardless of whether you are a moderate or heavy app user, be prepared to charge the camera by evening.

performanceThe image quality of the Galaxy camera is much like that of a basic compact, and in

that, it is disappointing. There is ruthless noise reduction at almost ISOs, and even at ISO 100, images soften up, display oversharpening and artefacts. All of this gives the images a mushy appearance when viewed at 100%.

The colours are punchy and contrasty straight out of the camera and Auto White Balance does a good job in almost all situations. Autofocus is also fairly decent and intuitive at the wide end, while at 21x, it gets slightly slow. The touch focus and touch shutter features are quite responsive.

The lens functions smoothly throughout the zoom range, however, it shows some fringing in high contrast situations. ConclusionThe EK-GC100 has plenty of glitches to be ironed, in terms of the interface and image quality. In order to be a true convergence device, the camera needs to be at par with the smartphone experience, which has not happened. Priced at Rs. 26,520, you have to ask yourself whether you really need this gadget. If you really want good image quality, you could simply opt for the Canon SX50. But if you have your heart set on this camera, then wait for the WiFi version.


58

Jack of All TradesS

uperzoom lenses are always very interesting for me. I like the freedom to go from wide to tele in a matter of seconds. These all-in-one lenses are something that

third-party manufacturers keep updating and reworking, so much so that they end up giving better value than proprietary lenses. The Sigma 18–250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM is one such update.

FeaturesThe 18–250mm Macro OS HSM offers two main updates over its predecessor, the 18–250mm DC OS HSM. These are improved close-up capabilities and a much reduced size and weight. The updated lens offers a magnification ratio of 1:2.9 while its predecessor offered a ratio of 1:3.8. Its competitor, the Tamron

18–270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD, also offers a ratio of 1:3.8.

The lens features a maximum aperture of f/3.5-6.3 and 16 lens elements in 13 groups. It also features a Hypersonic Motor for quiet focusing, and focuses on entry-level Nikon bodies. It is optically stabilised, and the manufacturers promise a 4-stop advantage.

Sigma has also limited the minimum aperture to f/22, in order to help prevent degradation of image quality. On the other hand, Tamron offers f/40 at the telephoto end.

HandlingThe 18–250mm reminds me a lot of the Tamron 18–270mm in terms of design, size and build quality. The lens is lightweight, with a solid plastic barrel.

Ambarin Afsar finds out whether Sigma’s latest superzoom offering, the 18–250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM, lives up to the promises it makes.

test

Sigma 18–250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS MACRO

The sharpness suffers at the telephoto end of the zoom. But, the price, close-up capabilities and the compactness make this seem acceptable.

WeigHTage oF parameTers


15%

25%35%

20%5%


59

The zoom and focus rings operate quite smoothly. The lens also features a depth-of-field scale and an image magnification scale.

The lens features two switches on the left side of the barrel. These control AF and OS, while there is another smaller button located on the zoom ring to lock the lens at 18mm for transport and to avoid zoom creep. All three buttons can be reached quite easily.

I did find the lens suffering from a lot of zoom creep, when pointed downwards. Sigma would do better to make the zoom ring more resistant to this.

Additionally, what I found unnecessarily lacking was a full time manual focus override option. I do not know why this could not have been included and seems quite irksome to me, especially since the lens has macro capabilities.

performanceThe autofocus is very quiet and impressively fast, even at the telephoto end. I found the Sigma’s AF system to be faster than competing lenses from third-party manufacturers. My observations about the sharpness of the lens are slightly mixed. At 18mm, sharpness is average in the centre and quite soft towards the edges of the frame when the lens is wide open. However, stopping down to f/5.6 improves centre and corner sharpness drastically.

If you want optimum sharpness at 135mm, it would be best to further stop down to f/8 and f/11. At 250mm, detail suffers a little, and if you want peak image quality, you will necessarily have to stop down to f/11.

Vignetting is apparent only at the maximum apertures throughout the zoom range, and stopping down by one stop eliminates it entirely.

What was surprising was the amount of pincushion distortion that I observed at 35mm. This gets better as you progress towards 135mm and 250mm. There is the usual barrel distortion, which is to be expected at 18mm.

Chromatic aberration is reasonably low. It is most noticeable at the wide angle, where there is some red and purple fringing towards the corners of the frame. This lessens when you move to mid-range focal lengths and becomes apparent at the extreme tele end again.

Conclusion Priced at Rs. 30,500, this lens is complete value for money. It offers you macro capabilities, a good autofocus system and a large zoom range. While its Tamron rival is also a wonderful performer, it is priced a little too expensively. On the other hand, you have to make do with slow apertures—a trade-off, which seems palatable, given the price.

speC iF iCaT ions

Model name Sigma 18–250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS MACRO HSM

MRP Rs. 30,500

Lens construction 16 Elements in 13 Groups

Closest focusing distance

0.35m

Max. Magnification 1:2.9

Diaphragm blades 7

Filter diameter 62mm

Dimensions 73.5 x 88.6mm

Weight 470g

test

shot at 62mm, this image displays a lot of pincushion distortion.exposure: 1/1000sec at f/8 (ISO 400)

• Slowapertures• Zoomcreep

minus

• Close-upabilities• Price

plus

RECOMMENDED

Ambarin Afsar

F I N A L R A T I N G SFeaturesMagnification ratio of 1:2.9, 4-stop OS advantage, no full time MF override

17/20

performanceResponsive AF, image quality could have been sharper, pincushion distortion

30/35

Build QualitySolid plastic build, feels sturdy

22/25

ergonomicsZoom creep, DOF scale

13/15

Warranty & supportTwo-year warranty, limited service centres

2/5

Value for money

Who should buy it? Anyone looking for a decent performer within an affordable budget.

Why? Superzooms are often full of compromises, but in this case, the compromises are few and far between. This lens is a good all-in-one travelling companion.

oVerall 84%


60

micro test

Vanguard Kinray 53 Camera Bag

You can carry a spotting scope or a long lens comfortably. But that is about it.

Not The Best Option

• Productname:VanguardKinray53

• MRP:Rs.14,990• Warranty:Lifetime,

butlimited

Spec if icat ionS

Lexar Multi-Card 25-in-1 USB 3.0 Reader

Lexar adds more slots to its top-of-the-line USB 3.0 memory card reader.

Multipurpose and Fast

When in October 2012 we reviewed the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot USB Reader, we mentioned

how we missed slots for multiple cards in it. Lexar seems to have heard us because they soon announced an updated version with just that. With this, Lexar seems to have covered everything that any photographer might need from a card reader.

The Lexar Multi-Card USB 3.0 Reader supports as many as 25 types of memory cards with the six built-in slots that it sports. So whether you want to transfer images from a high end UDMA 7 CF card or from the microSD card in your mobile phone, the device is a one stop solution. Lexar has carried forward the unique pop-up design and which is their new exclusive feature. Not that we are complaining. It ensures that no dust enters the card slots when not in use and safeguards it from any possible damage. However, with this reader, we are not completely convinced about the build quality of the pop-up mechanism given the much bigger size and weight.

On a USB 3.0 computer, you can transfer data at speeds as high as 150 MB/sec when using a high speed memory card. Even with a normal CF card, the speed is considerably better, and often, almost double than the speed offered by a USB 2.0 card reader. You can use the device on a USB 2.0 computer as well, but that is compromising its high-end capabilities.

If you are a photographer who wants to accelerate his workflow, then this is the perfect reader for you. At only Rs. 40 more than the dual-slot reader, it is great value for the money. If you are not using a superfast memory card or a USB 3.0 enabled computer, it makes more sense to opt for a simple USB 2.0 reader that is half the price.

• ProductName:LexarMulti-Card

25-in-1USB3.0Reader

• MRP:Rs.1999• Dimensions(Wx

HxD):3.9x2.5x1inches

• Warranty:LimitedFive-yearWarranty

Spec if icat ionS

Product source: FastrackCommunications,DelhiTel: +91-9871388886

Rat ing

Product source: Nikita Distributors, PuneTel: +91-2030500614

Rat ing

Kinray 53 is the first in the latest line up of camera bags from Vanguard. It is a camera bag and backpack combined in one.

Vanguard has sure made a colourful entry with the bag available in combinations of Purple-Grey and Green-Grey.

The Kinray 53 is specially designed for bird and wildlife photographer. You can easily carry a spotting scope or a long telephoto lens. However, the rather catchy colours of green and purple are going to make it distracting when out in the wild. Removable inner compartments means you can turn this bag into a backpack with ease. It is even equipped with extra straps to carry a sleeping bag and a rain cover making it a reliable option in any weather. Vanguard has given special attention to the ergonomics. Wide and padded shoulder strap, durable back support, adjustable chest harness and a secure waist strap make carrying the very comfortable, safe and reliable.

The bag can hold upto two DSLR bodies, three lenses, a flash unit and tripod. However, the camera compartment is vertical and along the back rather than the base of the bag. This makes one fear that all the gear will fall out each time you open it. The addition of two security straps along with the zip to lock the camera compartment helps photographers breathe a sigh of relief when carrying their equipment. Except for a small pouch to carry memory cards and other accessories, the bag misses out on any other compartment to carry small everyday items. No space to carry a laptop is a big letdown.

Overall, the bag does not do justice to the high price tag it carries. In a bid to be a great wildlife-cum-daily backpack, it fails to be good with either.

Vanguard Auctus 283CT Tripod

Innovative new features in a rock-solid professional tripod makes it one of the best.

High Performance, Delivered

• Productname:VanguardAuctus283CT

• MRP:Rs.28,990• Warranty:Lifetime,

butlimited

Spec if icat ionS

Tamrac Jazz 83 Backpack

The camera bag is designed to do one simple thing and it does a decent job at it.

No Nonsense

The Tamrac Jazz 83 is a compact and easy-to-use backpack that photographers can carry around on a daily basis. Designed for the urban photographer with

multiple gadgets, the bag lets you carry all your equipment in a lightweight bag. The excellent build of the bag makes sure that the weight is distributed properly and avoids making it feel like a burden.

The bag fits in a camera body, three lenses and a flashgun. While a camera like Canon 6D fits in easily, a camera like Nikon D7000 takes some effort before it can be accommodated. The lens clinch strap ensures that your lens attached to the camera body is secured safely in its place. Removable internal compartments help you customise the bag to your liking and equipments. The bag also features two internal pockets to fit in extra accessories such as a charger, card reader, lens cleaning equipment or a portable hard drive. In fact, it can accommodate all of them together at the same time.

The outside compartment has a foam-padded sleeve to carry a 10-inch tablet around. A range of pockets in the compartment help you organise and store a wide variety of personal items with ease. Tamrac has provided mesh pockets on either sides of the camera bag. While one can be used to carry a water bottle, the other can be used to carry a small tripod or a gorillapod.

The camera is a great value-for-money option for photographers who lug around with multiple cameras, lenses and accessories every day. But while the bag can fit in all the photography equipment you own easily, do remember that it does not leave out space to fit in any bulky personal belongings.

• ProductName:TamracJazz

83Photo/iPadBackpack

• MRP:Rs.3500• Dimensions(Wx

HxD):2.4x9.8x2.4inches

• Warranty:LimitedFive-yearWarranty

Spec if icat ionS

Product source: Shetala Agency, ChennaiTel: +91-44-42125148

Rat ing

Product source: Nikita Distributors, PuneTel: +91-2030500614

Rat ing

While buying a tripod, a photographer has to consider the stability it offers, ease of use and how feasible it is to carry around.

The Auctus 283CT packs the best from all these three in a single tripod and within an affordable budget. The tripod is the latest high-end professional offering from Vanguard and sports some never-seen-before features.

The tripod has a load-bearing capacity of 14kg and can extend to a height of 67 inches. Yet, it weighs only 3kg itself due to its lightweight but durable carbon-fiber legs. However, the centre column of the tripod itself is conspicuously not made of carbon-fiber. The three legs can be locked at different angles for use in uneven terrain and to shoot from extreme low heights. Each section of the two-fold legs can be locked using special locks that resist dust or sand from getting lodged in the joints. Vanguard has designed the tripod such that it stays solid, irrespective of what terrain you are shooting in. Whether on a sandy beach or a rocky terrain, I was surprised by its ability to adjust itself with ease. The feet can be switched between normal base, anti-rust spikes or angled rubberised shoes depending on where you are using the tripod in. The best feature is the dual 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch locking screws that can be easily switched from one to other without having to take either of them out.

The Auctus 283CT is a great option for professionals who are looking for extreme stability and versatile features. It might be a little bulkier than a full carbon-fiber tripod but it comes at half the cost.

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BetterPictures

When there are plenty of colours in the frame, pay special attention to the exposure as it will decide how each colour is eventually rendered in the final image. Exposure: 1/250sec at f/16 (ISO 200)

Arriving at the PhotoKetan Kundargi lists five things you need to consider while setting the exposure for the image you have in mind.

Making a stunning photograph is all about planning right. Irrespective of whether you shoot in the Manual mode or in the Program mode,

you need to think about certain settings before you dial in the aperture or set the shutterspeed. If you believe in simply making a picture and moving on, stop right

there! Here are five things that you need to think about before you release the shutter.

Think Before You ShootBefore you make a photo, you need to previsualise the moment you wish to capture, before the action actually takes place. Once you have figured out what you want to photograph, think about what you Jo

hn B

yer

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Shoot ing technique

Shooting technique

Say Goodbye to Camera Shake No more blurry photos!

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I’m Not Here The self represented as a shadow

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Personalised Picture PostcardsCreativity with images

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Shoot ing technique

If you are in a tricky lighting situation, use exposure bracketing in order to retrieve shadow or highlight detail, if required. Exposure: 1/60sec at f/2.8 (ISO 200)N

ed H

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When faced with backlighting, if you want the subject to be well exposed, then simply overexpose!Exposure: Not Available

Once you tweak camera settings

with these five factors in

mind, even the Program mode

can help you get great images.

Samten Kabo

Richard Sweet

If you are still unsure about getting the exposure right, play it safe. Shoot in the RAW mode and use Auto Exposure Bracketing to be able retain details later.

To be Safewant it to look like an work on its aesthetic appeal. Basically, every time you lift the camera, stop. Think. Rethink. Shoot.

Multiple Colour Tones or a Simple B&W?We live and see the world around us in various hues. However, how many tones you capture depends on the saturation value you set in your camera. Do you want varied tones of a single colour or do you want to mute them, and make a B&W photograph instead?

The Contrast ConsiderationHarsh light can help you make high-contrast images which are graphical and impactful. On the other hand, the range of tones offered by soft, diffused light can help you create magical low-contrast images. The Contrast setting within the camera can enhance the lighting conditions further, and be used wisely to create a certain mood.

Playing with White BalanceEvery light source has a certain colour cast that affects all the hues in the scene. White Balance presets simply help you achieve the correct shade of white in every lighting situation. But you can also use these presets creatively for a cool or warm tone for your images.

Do You Need to Adjust Exposure?Need the image to be brighter? Overexpose! Want to avoid highlights getting blown out? Underexpose. Do not always go by the camera’s default reading. Experiment by varying exposure by a stop or two next time.

Go through these steps each time you shoot. Gradually, they will become ingrained and will help you make good pictures instinctively.

Even if you are shooting in plain daylight, using the Cloudy WB will help you make your images

more warm. Exposure: 1/320sec at

f/5.6 (ISO 400)


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Supriya Joshi presents simple points you should keep in mind to make sure your images are always in focus. Keep calm and shoot!

Aji

Jaya

chan

dran

Sharpness is a critical aspect of macro

photography. A slight movement and you could lose your focus. In such

cases, use a tripod.

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Small, fast-moving birds are often difficult to capture. Zoom in and use Continuous AF to follow their quick movements.

What is life without focus? Imagine going through life unfocused. Feels strange, doesn’t it? Similarly, think about the best photograph

you have seen... the point of the image would have been lost if the camera’s focus was off even by a little bit.

So, how do you make sure your images are always in focus? Here are little things you can ask yourself before and while shooting, for perfectly sharp images.

Did You Click too Soon? In a hurry to shoot, we sometimes click the shutter-release button a little too fast. For the camera to achieve focus, you must first half-press the shutter-release button. When the camera makes a beep sound, or when the AF point turns green, you know that camera has achieved focus.

Do You Know How AF Works?The default focusing system of your camera tends to focus on the

Mukesh Srivastava

When shooting portraits, make

sure you focus on the eyes.

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While shooting fireworks at night, switch to the Night Landscape mode. The focus will automatically be set at infinity and you will get sharp results.

Snehal Brahmbhatt

brightest and closest subject to the lens. This system is usually called Multipoint AF. If your main subject does not meet these criteria, switch to Single Point AF, where you can decide where you want the camera to focus.

Are You Shooting Through a Window?Specs of dirt or moisture on a window can confuse your camera’s AF system.

So instead of focusing on the subject beyond the window, it will focus on the dirt. To avoid this, you can get close to the window and then try focusing. Alternatively, switch to manual focus.

Is it too Dark?Poor lighting conditions confuse the AF system of most cameras, so you may face difficulties while focusing. Make sure that the AF-assist lamp is switched on, as this will throw light on the subject and let you focus with relative ease.

Are You too Close?The minimum focusing distance of every lens is different, and if you get too close to a subject, it becomes impossible to focus. However, most compact cameras have a Macro mode, which allow you to get as close as 1cm to the subject.

Is The Subject Moving too Fast?If you want to shoot a fast-moving subject, switch to the Continuous Autofocus mode. In this mode, the camera will refocus if the subject has moved.

However, compact cameras and mirrorless cameras are not so good at doing this. So, keep these limitations in mind while you are shooting.

Souvik Bhattacharya

While photographing birds and animals,

focusing on the eye is essential. If the subject is off center, first lock

the focus, reframe and shoot.

Shoot ing technique


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Learn about hyperfocal distance and depth-of-field

in order to get sharp landscape images.

Neelima Vallangi

Are You Shooting a Group of People?In such cases, switch on Face Detection. Like the name suggests, this feature will detect all the people present in the frame and focus on them.

The camera will also meter off the faces of the people in the group, thereby ensuring that the faces in the frame are well exposed.

How Critical do You Need to Be?Wide apertures like f/2.8 make the depth-of-field (DOF) really shallow. This means that only a small part of the overall scene

is rendered sharp. Due to this, you need to be a lot more critical while focusing.

Are You Expecting Too Much?Before you shoot, learn the various idiosyncrasies of your camera’s AF system. What are the things it is good at? What are some things it cannot achieve?

Of course, some subjects like street lights look great when they are out of focus! In fact, you can go completely creative and do whatever you want in order to make the most effective photograph.

in low lightIn very low light, your camera’s AF might not work well, which is when you should switch to manual focus. It comes in handy while shooting star trails.

While prefocusing for actionManually prefocus at the point where you expect your subject to pass. Then, shoot when the subject enters the frame, capturing the moment!

to experiment with BokehIf there are a lot of light sources around you and you want to achieve beautiful out of focus blurry lights, switch to manual focus.

Here Are A Few Situations Where You Should Choose Manual Focus

Andrey GorshkovDeba Prasad RoyJesse Therrien

Shoot ing technique

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say goodbye to Camera shake eating at your patience? Confused about what settings to use ?

take a look at this list of the things you could be doing wrong, and how

Improving Posture to Reduce Camera Shake

Use both HandsWhile using a compact camera or a cell phone, hold the device with both hands using a sturdy grip. Use the wrist strap for further stability.

Mind the elbowsHold your elbows close to your body. Pulling them tight towards the inside of your body will further help to keep you centered.

support the LensSpecially in the case of heavy lenses, make sure that you hold the lens from one hand to maintain balance.

Fire the Flash Switch on the camera’s flash to freeze the

moment. This will ensure that you will have a shake-free photograph.

Boost the ISO Most cameras today are capable of producing

good quality images at high ISOs. A noisy image is still better than a shaky one.

Be Careful While Using Touch Shutter Touch Shutter, though handy, can result in camera shake. Avoid it during problematic conditions and

stick to the regular shutter-release button.

Increase Shutterspeed When You Zoom In The more you zoom in to the scene, the higher

the shutterspeed should be. This is because the camera is more prone to shake at the telephoto

end. Try to keep the minimum shutterspeed 1/60sec. At the extreme end of a 3x zoom

compact camera, use at least 1/125sec. The same applies for the kit lens of a DSLR.

Shoot at the Widest Aperture Wide apertures like f/2.8 allow more light in,

thereby giving you faster shutterspeeds that can reduce camera shake.


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Before you get angry at your camera and give up on making images, to rectify the mistakes. Supriya Joshi tells you how.

caMera sHake

take a deep breathAfter you have made your frame, take a deep breath and breathe out completely. And hold it. And shoot. It will help you steady yourself as you photograph.

Use your elbows as a tripodNot only will this give you a totally new frame and way of seeing, you will also have the added stability of the surface to reduce camera shake.

balance your Weight While shooting Vertical FramesDivide your weight between both your legs and stand firmly, while pulling your elbow towards your body. This will help you stand steady.

Pay Attention to the Handshake IconThe handshake icon suggests that the camera settings are not optimal for handholding the camera. So, use a tripod or a steady surface.

Switch on Image StabilisationIS uses motion sensors to detect movement and automatically stabilises the frame. However, IS does not help freeze fast moving subjects.

Switch to the Burst ModeWhen you are shooting in quick succession, the images in the middle of the burst will be the sharpest. Therefore, if you are facing camera shake issues, just shoot three or more images in Burst Mode.

Underexpose the SettingsIf none of the other points work, underexpose your image in such a way that the shutterspeed given by the camera is fast enough for you to handhold the photo. The picture may be dark, but you can recover some amount of details in a postprocessing software. This can be done with any camera while shooting JPEGs. However, if your camera allows so, switch to RAW so that there is minimal loss of quality while brightening the image.

Anonymous

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What happens when you separate the person from the shadow, the self from the whole? Pol Úbeda Hervàs explores this in a series of self portraits.

I’m Not Here

I use my shadow and a pair of running shoes

to express an absence within myself.


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There was a point in my life where I hardly recognised myself. These pictures came to my mind naturally, as a means to reflect the way I feel about myself.

The name, too, came in quite naturally because the real me was just not there.

How do we accept that we are changing? How do we accept that we hardly recognise ourselves in certain situations? I am changing at this very moment of my life. I do not the react in the same way that I used to. I am surprised by this. Is this me?

These pictures display the way I see myself now. My shadow is there, but I erase myself because I do not know who I am any longer. The shoes remain only to make sure that there is something more than... a shadow.

My Perspective I was not really inspired by some other project or an accidental shot. The idea behind the images emerged just from a need to express myself.

Description To portray a metamorphosis that occurs within one’s life, at a particular point in time.

Duration It is an on-going series which I started in February and continued till August 2012. I will resume it sometime in the future, if the need arises.

notes This series actually acted as catharsis for me. Immersing myself in these photos was therapeutic.

My Assignment

How do we accept that we hardly recognise ourselves in certain situations?

This series taught me that introspection can

take various forms.


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To me, this image conveys a sense of

loneliness typical of urban areas.

The Process I always carry a camera along with me so that when I see a place that appeals to me, I shoot there immediately. It is important for a location to strike the right chord

with me. All the locations where I make these pictures are not really spots I have scouted for previously. I just chance upon them on the go.

I am quite quick with each shoot. I simply make three or four pictures per location and then move on. I do not make a whole bunch of pictures simply because I do not need more. The reason behind this is that I began photography with an analog camera. The experience of shooting film makes one much more focused. You realise what you really want to achieve and how to go about it. In a

• Neat and Simple Backgrounds: Play with different possibilities regarding where the

shadow will be projected. Try different surfaces like water, stone, concrete, tarmac,

bricks, different patterns on floors and so on. • The Time of the Day: Shoot the pictures soon during the morning or around the time when the day is ending. This will help you capture a shadow with a length similar to your own height.

• The Pose: Ask yourself how you want your shadow to act. I chose a static pose that was common for all my photos, however, a dynamic pose would be interesting.

Tips on Creating a Series of Shadow Photos

The colour palette is important. The subtle pastels of the series further helped establish a certain kind of mood.


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Maintaining a static shadow throughout the series helped me create a distant, aloof atmosphere.

I usually use a Nikon D800 with a 24–70mm f/2.8 lens. When I am travelling, I use a Leica M8. However, the only thing you need is a reason to make pictures. Always keep this reason in your mind.

My Equipment

One of the things that this project taught

me was how shadows change and lengthen

during different times of the day.

way, it also makes you realise the true worth of every picture you make.

It is always hard for me to know where to stop making a series. So, in this case, I decided not to take more pictures till I felt the same way again. This may happen in a few days, a few years or maybe even never. It is important to think this way because while the series is easy to attempt, I do not want it to merely be reduced to an exercise. I do not want the photos to lose their significance for me.

As far as the technique goes, I will keep it a secret. However, I will just say this much, if you observe my pictures closely, and try making a couple of shots, you will hit upon the idea yourself.

It is quite simple, really—just think of it as removing yourself from your shadow. How would you go about achieving this in a software?

Needless to say, this series was an enlightening experience for me, I found out a lot about myself and how people

change. This is exactly what I needed when I started this project.

To see more of Pol’s work, you can visit his Flickr page, www.flickr.com/photos/polubeda


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Raj Lalwani peers into mirrors wherever he goes, in an effort to find the perfect Facebook profile picture.

I’m Here NowP

ersonally, I believe that if a photographer is honest, then every single photo that one makes, is a self portrait. It may not have you in it, but it still portrays something

about you, your background, your influences, likes, dislikes and all such things.

Several years ago, I told my friend this. She laughed her head off, dismissing my thoughts as intellectual rubbish. “You are always in front of the camera, where are your photos?” So, in a bid to prove her wrong, I started including myself in a lot of my frames... only because it was fun.


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Description To remember the places I have been to, while

adding a hint of myself in the frame.

Duration I shot the first frame four years ago, and see new ones, everyday.

Notes The most vital aspect to self portraits is to have fun.

My Assignment

Mirrors and reflective surfaces are all around.

There is a picture waiting to happen,

almost everywhere.


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Does it really matter? I used whatever camera I had on me at that point of time, from compact cameras, to DSLRs and cell phones. I generally enjoy wider focal lengths as the story conveyed is more wholesome, with the entire scene around me being framed.

My Equipment

When the kind of photography you do is an

exercise in narcissism, a bit of humour is never a bad thing.

I get weird reactions from passersby when I point my camera at mirrors, but the photos are often worth it.

My Perspective After all, isn’t that what most of us seem to forget? Photography is meant to be fun. Sometimes, a picture is worth it, not because it will stand the test of time, but as something that you want to share with all your friends, even if it is for the infamous Likes on Facebook.

A lot of these self portraits have been born out of sheer boredom. But the entire exercise of looking into mirrors and searching for shadows has helped me be

on my toes all the time, thus keeping my vision fresh and my camera, always ready. The ProcessAll sensible talk left aside, the first time I decided to follow my friend’s advice was when I encountered Kareena Kapoor. No, not the real one, I saw a kitschy poster of the actress amidst a lot of crazy artefacts. It was almost a “I have to have a picture with that” kind of moment. The moment I shared the picture with my

Were these self portraits

about me? But wouldn’t

that be boring? I’d rather that they be, about

the places I go see.


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• Find Out What You Want to Say: Is it only about you? Or you you want to convey your relationship with a person, place or an idea?

• When You Should Shoot: It depends on whether you want to plan a structure or just enjoy a picture at a time.

• Look up the Masters: From Lee Friedlander to Cindy Sherman, study how the masters have dealt with this challenging genre.

Going Beyond with Self Portraiture

I often park myself wherever I need to

be in the frame, and just wait for things

to fall together.

enjoy transparent surfaces, since they show a hint of me and the world beyond.

I don’t want to call this a series... it is not shot with any agenda, apart from the sheer enjoyment of being in a particular place at a given point of time, much like a personal diary. Raj’s work is online at www.rajlalwani.com. He occasionally blogs at rajlalwani.wordpress.com.

Shadows may be cliché, but in front of some scenes, they are just too tempting.

friends, everyone was curious to know where I had spotted this sight.

That got me thinking... wouldn’t this be an awesome way to photograph places that leave an impression on me? So whether it was a a mountaintop in the middle of Himachal, or my favourite downtown cafe, I started looking for ways to bring myself in. Sharing these photos not only tells me how my friends react to environmental self portraits, it is also a status update of sorts... a statement that this is where I am.

The Kareena photo happened four years ago, and as my style has changed, as have my self portraits. The early ones were obvious, with a mirror being dead in the centre. I now


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dig ital technique

Have you ever wondered how to creatively reuse your old photographs? In less than six easy steps, Aditya Nair shows you how to make different styles of postcards.

Do you have a bunch of casual snapshots of friends, family and all the tourist destinations that you visited over the years? Such photographs are in fact the

perfect images to convert into postcards. They make great souvenirs to distribute among friends or hang on your wall.

The first known picture postcards date back to the middle of 19th century, and were used as a way to share stories or gather souvenirs. At a time when travel was difficult, these postcards allowed people to share the adventures and experiences of the traveller. In fact, British photographer Martin Parr has time and again confessed his fondness for

collecting postcards. He compiled a book called Boring Postcards, which consist of his best postcards from the 1950s-1970s.

The following tutorial will help you understand the technique of making digital postcards. You will be to create two very different contrasting postcards—a sepia toned photo collage and a dramatic vibrant one.

Original

Personalised Picture Postcards

The back of a postcard is usually where the recipient’s address is added. While it is customary to keep this space clean, there are a few things you can try to make it distinctive. For instance, you can experiment with various typographies for writing the message you want to send. You could add a thumbnail of the picture used in front of the postcard. Additionally, if you plan on mailing a series of such postcards, add a thumbnail of the image you will send next as a sneak peak.

The Back of a Postcard


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1RESIZE IMAGES: Go to File > New. Create a custom file —Width 3 inches, Height 2 inches, Resolution 300 pixels/inch. Drag one image of the

collage into Photoshop. Adjust it to fit the canvas size. Save this image and then follow the same procedure for the other images.

4CREATE THE CENTRE OVAL IMAGE: Select the centre image layer. Choose the Elliptical Marquee Tool. From the centre of the image, hold down

the Alt key and draw an oval selection. Go to Select > Inverse to inverse the selection. Hit the Delete key to erase the rest of the image.

2CREATE A CANVAS: Create a document of Width 6 inches, Height 4 inches, Resolution 300ppi. Place the resized images on the canvas. With the

centre image layer on top, select the Marquee tool. Go to a layer of an image in the background. Ctrl + Left click the thumbnail next to the layer name to select it.

5ADD THE CIRCULAR BORDER: In order to add a border to the photo collage, you need to inverse the selection again. Stroke the selection like

in Step 3. However, choose the Outside tab in the Stroke menu. Transform the layer and increase the size of the image if you feel it is necessary.

3ADD A WHITE BORDER: On the image, go to the selection and right click on it. Select Stroke from the dropdown menu. Choose a suitable width,

change the colour to white and select the tab that reads inside. This will create a white border for that image. Do the same for the other three images.

6ADJUST THE TONES: Select the ‘Create new adjustment layer’ icon at the base of the layers palette. Choose Hue/Saturation. Check the

Colorize button. Change Hue to 40, Saturation to 45 and Lightness to 5. Press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E. Change the Blending Mode to Soft Light and adjust the opacity.

This tutorial makes use of five images that were shot at a wedding. It recreates the original photographs into a sepia toned photo collage that doubles up as a

memorable gift for the newlywed couple. The technique relies on the use of basic Photoshop functions such as Hue/Saturation and Marquee Tool for selection. While a sepia tone is used for this tutorial, you can give your images any colour tint that suits the postcards by merely dragging the Hue/Saturation sliders around. In addition, you can add a texture or a vignette to this tutorial.

• FreeTransform• LayerBlending

Modes• CanvasSize• Hue/Saturation• Marqueetool• (inPhotoshopCS orhigher)

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Skill Level

Tools Used

An Old World Photo Collage Learn how to recreate sepia toned photo collage with a set of five images, while using the Hue/Saturation slider in Adobe Photoshop.

Raj

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4REDUCE THE IMAGE SIZE: Double click on the Background layer to unlock it. Select all four layers. Press Ctrl+T to transform the layers. Press and

hold the Shift and Alt keys, and drag one of the corners inwards. The entire image will become smaller.

2ADD A TEXTURE: Download a texture that you would use for the postcard. Place the texture over the gradient map layer. Press Ctrl+T

to transform the texture. Drag the edges of the selection till it fills the frame.

1USE A GRADIENT MAP: Change the foreground colour using the Color Picker Palette to red and the background colour to green. Duplicate the

Background Layer by pressing Ctrl+J. Go to Image > Adjustments > Gradient Map. Reduce Opacity to 50%.

5FIT IT IN: With all layers selected, set a suitable size for the postcard by going to Image > Canvas Size. Then, keep all layers selected and press Ctrl + T.

With Shift and Alt keys pressed, drag the corner of the Transform selection to fit the image to the postcard.

3CHANGE THE BLENDING MODES: Change the Blending Mode of the texture layer to Soft Light. To further highlight the texture, duplicate the layer.

Change the Blending Mode to Linear Burn. Reduce the Opacity of the layer till you get a pleasing effect.

This tutorial uses Gradient Map to create a colorized Pop Art like postcard. Using textures and Layer Blending, the postcard gets a more dramatic and graphic

effect. You can refer to websites such as sxc.hu, as they are a helpful resource for obtaining royalty free textures that you can add to your images. Additionally, you can make use of the internet and a stock image of a postal stamp and digitally add it to the postcard, simply by changing the Blending Modes. However, do this only if you do not intend to actually mail the postcard. By the end of the tutorial, you will be able to transform the orignal image and resize it to the exact size needed for printing.

• GradientMap• FreeTransform• LayerBlending

Modes• CanvasSize (inPhotoshopCS2)

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Skill Level

Tools Used

After

Dramatising a Picture PostcardUse gradient mapping to transform a simple portrait into a dual toned digital postcard.

Before

Adi

tya

Nai

r

Post a Portfolio: Create a pocket-sized portfolio using photographs as postcards. You can add your contact details on the back of the postcard.

A Box Full of Memories: A collection of postcards can serve as a precious visual memoir. You can use it as a gift for friends and family.

Innovative Field Notes: Postcards can be used as visual reminders while working on the field. They can double up as your very own photo diary!

In the Mood for Business: Use postcards to create personalised business cards. Add an element of fun to the otherwise boring business card.

Festive Decorations: Postcards are compact and light weight. They can be used to customise the decorations of your next Christmas tree!

5 Ways to Use Postcards Creatively

Micro test_April 13.indd 71 15-03-2013 14:19:57

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PhotoCritique


Want your photographs reviewed? Send your photographs to

The Editor, Better Photography, Network18 Publishing, Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W) Mumbai - 400 028, India

E-mail: [email protected]

By Vikas Sarolia,Renukoot Camera: Canon PowerShot A3300 ISAperture: f/2.8Shutterspeed: 1/50secISO: 80

Kedar Bhat: This image shows great use of a wide angle macro shot in order to display the snail in its native environment. However, the subject has been placed in the dead centre of the image. I would have composed the image with the Rule of Thirds in mind. For me, an off-centre placement would have been more aesthetic.

Additionally, the snail looks dark. Either you could have fired the flash or tweaked the image in postprocessing. Dodging or even using layer masks would have helped bring out vivid details.

A Snail’s World

The low angle vantage point is unique and presents the world from the point of view of the snail.

The textures and the natural colouring of the snail have been rendered beautifully. The bright catchlight is also perfect.

These blown out highlights are quite distracting and could have easily been avoided.

Including the soil has lent a sense of place to the image. But, zooming in would have helped eliminate distractions.

The snail appears slightly underexposed. Firing the on-board flash at a reduced power would have filled in light.

Amrita Ganguly-Salian: I love the “juicy-ness” of the frame. The subject, background, foreground, available light and even the moment have all come together fto make a splendid image. The snail looks like it is contemplating a leap. Storytelling aside, the decision to move in for a really short focal length was a good call.

Nature lends itself to myriad experiments with photography. The chances of getting a great picture are high. So it becomes that much more important to take that extra moment to stretch yourself for a signature picture.

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The Panelists

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Kedar Bhatis a Physics graduate and a freelance photographer with nearly two decades of experience under his belt. he has worked with outlook, the times of India, the Indian express and hindustan times. he loves photographing nature and wildlife.

Ambarin Afsaris a writer with the BP team. She exudes an infectious zest for almost everything around her. Consequently, everything is a possible subject for photography and she is more than happy to appreciate new ways of seeing.

Kedar Bhat: Since you have shot this at 230mm, the shutterspeed should have been faster (at least 1/250sec). This would have helped achieve critical sharpness.

The highlights seem to be washed out and the image look over saturated and way too contrasty. As for the composition, I would have opted for a roughly square crop, in order to avoid the red areas that can be seen in the background.

Refreshing DropletsAmbarin Afsar: Most people would consider this a ‘cooked’ image. But I like the vibrant colours. What irks me is the loss of detail throughout the image, which could have easily been avoided.

This seems like an indoor shot to me. So, you could devoted some time to perfecting the composition. The act of composing is not just limited to framing. Focus and sharpness are key factors as well.

While the colours are indeed far too saturated, there was potential to make this a vivid graphical image.

These areas seem glaringly out of focus. Crisp focus throughout the image would have been ideal.

These droplets make the image look very refreshing. But, the exposure could have been controlled to avoid blown out highlights.

The lines of these leaves draw the viewer ino the centre and make the frame very geometric.

This red area further adds a dash of colour to the image and creates an interesting colour contrast.

By Sayan S, KolkataCamera: Canon EOS 1000DAperture: f/5.6Shutterspeed: 1/125sec ISO: 400

Amrita Ganguly-Salian befriended the camera 22 years ago, and continues to inspire many students of photography. her critique is rooted in classical theories and balances the photographer’s opportunity with the use of technique.

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PhotoCrIt Ique

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y

By Kaushik Mitra, Kolkata Camera: Canon EOS 550DAperture: f/5.6Shutterspeed: 1/4000secISO: 400

Kedar Bhat: This is a simple close-up photograph. However, there is a slightly out-of-focus region on the left of the frame, towards the area where the snout of the crocodile ends. You could have used a narrower aperture setting to get greater depth-of-field. Paying attention to these little details is what makes a great moment.

I would also like to ask you whether it was possible to include more space above the alligator than below it. I would have included the jaw and the snout of the crocodile completely rather than making this choice of a crop.

The Eye of the Crocodile Amrita Ganguly-Salian: I am a big fan of extreme close-ups, and so, I often attract ire from purists who feel that traditional portraits should have enough ‘neck/nose/head’ space around the profile. While I agree with that logic for documentation purposes, one should allow for creative cropping.

You have got fantastic detail in the eye and it would have made for a superb extreme close-up as well. You even have enough play of depth with the back of the head to pull off a super-tight frame. However, this crop is lop-sided. Go tighter for more drama! I also noticed the high shutterspeed... wondered how sunny had it really been!

The out-of-focus areas in the frame echo the rugged appearance of the crocodile and convey information about his habitat and environment.

The inclusion of this tiny blade of grass or some other element could have easily been avoided.

This is an interesting place to end the frame. The unending rows of teeth make the image look menacing.

The line of the jaw leads the viewer into the frame. Nature offers the best textures and patterns. This photo is evident of the same.

The most striking part about this photograph is the brilliantly green eye. The hint of a catchlight makes it seem as if the crocodile’s eye is glinting.

Including slightly more headspace would have been a good idea idea. Currently, the eyes of the reptile are far too close to the frame’s edge.

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PhotoCrIt Ique

Send your pictures to us, to be featured in the PhotoCritique section. If our judges select yours as the best photograph, you can win the Critics’ Choice award—a Sony uSB Portable Power Supply of 4000mah!

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y

A Rocky PerchKedar Bhat: It seems as if you have used a cool White Balance preset such as Incandescent, or probably set it in such a manner manually. Whatever may be the case, it looks good here. I also like the soft, out-of-focus background.

Additionally, the dragonfly is sharp from end to end, which is commendable. However, the crack in the rock and the blown out highlights on the top right corner of the image are distracting. They could have easily been avoided by a simple change in position or framing.

Ambarin Afsar: Whenever I think of tiny insects like dragonflies or glow worms, I think of my childhood and the magic of summer. To me, these creatures seem like something out of a fairytale. With the glimmering bokeh in the background, you have managed to evoke this magic in my mind.

However, I wish that the frame was tighter and that there was more light on the dragonfly. That said, I am glad you moved away from the conventional green-yellow colour palette and tried something so different. It is refreshing to see an attempt like this.

This overlapping of the dragonfly’s wing and the edge of the rock could have easily been avoided by a change in position.

The out-of-focus background creates a sense of depth. The blue colour palette is also commendable.

Off-centre placement would have worked better. You could have cropped the frame from the bottom and the right.

The most magical part about this image is the soft shimmering bokeh. It acts as a wonderful secondary element.

By Jinish Matthew, ErnakulamCamera: Nikon D90Aperture: f/5.6Shutterspeed: 1/160sec ISO: 200

The texture of the rock is distracting and keeps drawing the viewer’s eye away from the dragonfly.

Critics’ Choice Award

THE BEAUTY OF TREES

Ayon Mandal

Subhodeep Banerjee

Autumn is a great season to photograph

the changing colours of the leaves.

You can easily evoke the feeling of solitude by concentrating on a

single tree.

Michael & Christa Richert

The Lonely OneA great way to photograph a tree is to seclude it from its surroundings. Look for a lone tree or try to compose the frame in such a manner that the surrounding area is clean and simple. In comparison to the vastness of the landscape and the background, the tree will seem solitary and will stand out beautifully.

Tell Their Story Trees can live through hundreds of years. If there is a tree that strikes you as particularly interesting, or even one that is growing in your backyard, make it a point to photograph it every day. Explore changing seasons and their effect.

Look for PatternsTrees are full of intricate patterns and textures. You can make close-ups of the bark, dry leaves or even bare branches.

Another thing to try if there is a park or forested area nearby, is to simply stand under a tree and look up. You will notice that the branches create a surreal jigsaw puzzle. These dark zigzagging lines and curves contrast beautifully with backlit green leaves and the bright sky.

Make Dream-like FramesPhotograph trees at night and use long exposures—leaves fluttering in the wind against the night sky create a surreal haze. In fact, paying attention to the sky during a clear night will help you capture striking star trails with the tree in the foreground.

The Human TouchWhile trees are wonderful subjects to photograph as is, include a person in the frame to make the viewer aware of scale. There are several people who take shelter under trees. Weary travellers on a sunny day,

Want to share your ideas and tips? Write to The Editor, Better Photography Network18 Publishing Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W) Mumbai-400 028, India


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Sometimes buses break down. Capture the spirit of camaraderie in your fellow passengers with a quick snapshot.

Supriya Joshi

Make your landscape photographs stand out by adding a point of interest in the foreground.

Quick Tip

Buses are often scrawled with amusing

messages, which can help you create

witty juxtapositions. Raj Lalwani

THE HUMBLE BUS

Through the Window During bus journeys, especially during long hauls, you get to see several unique sights. Take this opportunity to point your camera at the scenes outside the window. Anticipate and frame your shot. You can also shoot in Burst mode to capture the moments outside the bus.

There are chances that you will be left with several motion blurs. But do not despair! You can create a very unusual series with a collection of these blurry photographs.

The PassengersThe best part about using the public transport system is just that—you get to be in close proximity to the public! You will encounter several kind of people from various walks of life. You can photograph the hapless passenger holding on for dear life in a packed bus, or the groups of people who choose to sit on the roof of the bus when no seats are available.

tired pedestrians looking for a short break and even animals can be seen finding solace in the shade of a tree. You could even build an interesting photo series around people taking shelter under trees.

In fact, if your friends or family are enthusiastic about climbing trees, you can even ask them to do so. Along with invoking memories of childhood thrills, you will also be making some very memorable images.


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Photographs like this will be a hilarious

reminder about how your child was as a baby.

Bus stops often provide shelter to even those who do not travel by one, often providing funny results.

Saji Anthony

Anupam Pal

THE JOY OF PARENTHOOD

Be NaturalJust like any genre of photography, photographing parents is great when it is a completely candid affair. Don’t ask them to pose. Let them get on with their daily activities, while you become almost invisible to them. You can choose a spot and shoot with a telephoto lens, and get truly natural moments.

At the Bus StopYou can find several photos even while you wait for a bus. The waiting area and the hustle and bustle that occurs when people are trying to buy tickets can provide great opportunities. You can also photograph the long winding lines of commuters as they wait for the bus to arrive. Capture the myriad of expressions on their faces—from impatience, to anger and annoyance.

The HighlightWhy not try photographing the bus itself? Make various frames of the bus from unique angles. You can even experiment with a fisheye lens for added effect. Before you begin your journey, you could also ask your copassengers to pose in front of the bus as well!

Be VigilantDo remember that there can be several miscreants who may have an eye on our gear. Be very smart about the way you travel with your equipment and make sure you are always aware of your surroundings.

Keep your equipment well concealed when you are not shooting. Also store your money in different places. Then, you can truly photograph with ease.


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The world is filled with creatures big and small, and it is a fulfilling experience to photograph them. Sometimes, we are confronted with such creatures on a daily basis, yet do not think about photographing them.

These tiny frogs used to come into my bathroom during the rainy season. Using only a Canon EOS 450D, the onboard flash and an 18–55mm kit lens, I was able to photograph this tiny thing.

The gear that you use is not important, but context is. The frog’s eyes and the texture of its skin were of essence. So, the composition was made to bring out these characteristcs. When it comes to small creatures, it is best to prefocus your lens before they enter the frame.

In the end, the image is what matters... remember to ask yourself what has made you photograph a particular frame. Even the simplest of gear will allow you to create stunning macro photographs.

— Arpan Mukherjee

ReadeR’s Tip

Capture Tiny Creatures

To get a starburst effect in your images, set your aperture to a narrow setting such as f/16 and shoot the light source.

Quick Tip

I made this image from the eye level of this unusual frog sitting on a bucket.

Arpan Mukherjee

Raj Lalwani

Poses Work TooIf they are not comfortable with candid photography, a posed photograph of them can serve as a wonderful memory too. If you are shooting at home, find an uncluttered space and seat your father and mother together. Guide them on how to pose and try to capture the chemistry that they share. The Choice of Light The most viable source of light is natural light. Ask your parents to stand or sit next to a window for good directional light. A piece of white thermocol can act as a handy reflector, while simply drawing the curtains can help you diffuse strong afternoon light.

You can even head outdoors for a shoot. While external flash units are ideal for illuminating your frame, you can do just as well with your camera’s onboard flash.

Wonderful MomentsIf there is a newborn baby or a toddler in the family, you can have the little child scampering around. Involving them with the shoot can help you capture tender as well as funny moments.

Children are capable of giving the most remarkable and curious expressions.

Let children interact freely with their parent. Candid captures speak a lot more than posed ones.

The demeanour of an adult also drastically changes when they are around children. Photograph them playing games or even when they are trying to pacify the child with a toy.

Involve Yourself Since it is your own parents who you are photographing, you have plenty of freedom when it comes the treatment of your images.

Make it a point to feature yourself in these photographs too! These will serve as lifelong memories to be cherished forever.

Use your camera’s self-timer to quickly become part of the frame. Use silly props, make ridiculous poses... just have fun!

Arpan Mukherjee


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Want your doubts cleared? Write to The Editor, Better Photography Infomedia18 Limited Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, J K Sawant Marg Dadar (W), Mumbai-400 028, India.


What is the Difference? Why is there such a huge cost difference between the 50mm f/1.4 and 50mm f/1.8. Is the difference only because of the aperture or is there more to it? Abhishek Reddy, Bengaluru, via email

Any two lenses, even of the same focal length, differ from each other on a variety of factors. While focal length and maximum aperture are the obvious ones, there are others that one does not realise immediately. These include build quality, the optical construction of the lens, minimum focusing distance, image stablisation and the focusing system. The cost of any lens is decided on the basis of all these factors put together.

But, a costlier lens does not necessarily mean better image quality. Even an inexpensive lens can result in better sharpness at certain apertures compared to the costlier alternative.

Explaining Field of ViewI often come across the term ‘35mm equivalent’ when you refer to lenses in your magazine. What does this mean?Mohan Kumar, Delhi, via email

The field of view offered by a particular lens depends on two factors—one is its focal length and the other is the sensor size of the camera being used. For example, the 18–55mm kit lens gives a field of view similar to the one given by a 28–84mm lens on a 35mm full frame

camera. This is why people use the term ‘35mm equivalent’ to help convey the actual field of view that the lens offers.

Cloud Storage for BackupHow safe are online storage options for backup of data? Which is a good option? Pankaj Kulkarni, Nashik, via Facebook

The past few years have seen a considerable increase in the number of websites that offer to back up your data on the internet. While the technology is still new, it is now reliable and affordable, and is an easy way to access your data from anywhere in the world. You can select a folder on your computer and sync it to the online server for continuous

The same lens may give different fields of view on different cameras, since its

35mm equivalent focal length may differ.

Check Whether Your DSLR Sensor Has DustHoW To

Have you noticed unexpected dark spots in your images lately? Do they seem to be in the same place in multiple images? If yes, then chances are that dust has settled on your camera’s sensor, resulting in these spots. When you are using a digital interchangeable-lens camera, you are going to face this problem at some point of time or the other.

Checking for Sensor DustJust because you notice dark spots, it does not mean that the dust is accumulated on the sensor. Clean the front and back element of your lens to check for any dust or marks that it might have. If the problem still persists, switch to the Aperture Priority mode, set a low ISO,

use a narrow aperture such as f/11 or f/16 and shoot a picture. Point your camera to the sky or a white surface and overexpose by a stop. Inspect this photo at 100% on a computer.

Cleaning The DustIf you spot any dust, use the Sensor Cleaning option within the camera. Most digital cameras have a built-in option that shakes off dust from the sensor. While this is safe, it may not be effective in extreme situations.

If the amount of dust is high, take your camera to an official service center. We do not recommend you clean the sensor on your own. The slightest of errors may damage the sensor, and also make the warranty null and void.

What is a write-protected memory SD card?SD cards are equipped with small switch on the left. When switched on, the card is write-protected, thus preventing you writing, erasing or accessing any data on the card.

BriEFly

Always remember that prevention is better than cure. Always change lenses when in a dust-free environment. When storing your camera, keep it in a clean area, whether it is in your bag or outside.

Use a narrow aperture and take a picture of a white surface to check the sensor for dust.

APS-C SensorFull Frame Sensor Keta

n Ku

ndar

gi


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backup. With options like Box and Dropbox, not only can you access the data stored on other computers or a laptop but also on a smartphone. Each provider offers either a trial period or around 2GB of free storage space. Try any service before you select a plan that suits your budget and data size. Alternatively, you can use your own website as an archive for your images.

Keep in mind that online data storage is only a secondary backup. Do not completely depend on it as a server crash might lead to loss of data. Always use an external hard drive to have a local and primary backup of your data.

Third-party FlashAre flashguns from third-party manufacturers safe to be used with my DSLR camera?Mehek Adnan, Hyderabad, via post

While third-party flashguns are reliable to be used with your DSLR, they are not the best option. While they are cheaper, they have their own disadvantages. Most manufacturers make proprietary flashguns for their cameras because a lot of information needs to be communicated between the flashgun and the camera. This might not be possible with a third-party flash and may require you to use the flash manually. If you are using a manual flash, make sure that the trigger voltage is compatible with the hot shoe of your camera. It is important to know that many camera companies consider the warranty null if you use a third party flash.

One Card in Two CamerasCan I reuse a memory card that I used to shoot with a certain camera, in another camera?Ramkumar Salian, Lucknow, via email

While you can swap memory cards between two cameras, it is not advisable to do so unless it is extremely urgent. Every camera manufacturer has a different file structure for saving images. Sometimes, conflict between two different folders may result in corruption of data and render your card useless. It is always a good idea to format a memory card before using it with another camera.

How do I bracket exposure?If your camera does not have built-in auto bracketing, take three different images at -1 EV, +1 EV and at the correct exposure.

BrIeFly

Send in your queries to Better

Photography. If your letter wins Question of the Month, you

stand to win a Lexar 8GB 100x SDHC

media card!

When I shoot in RAW, I have to open the files in Adobe Photoshop and make a few edits to make them usable. Is that considered unethical postprocessing?Vikas Poonia, Mumbai, via email

What would you prefer? A simple, untouched image of the moment you just witnessed, or a more dynamic image with increased contrast, better shadow detail and high tonality? Digital photo editing tools are easily available now and one can correct practically anything in their image. But there is a fine line between aesthetic beauty and ethical editing.

A digital RAW file is just like an old film negative. Editing softwares are the new age darkrooms. They let you correct exposure, contrast and the white balance. Usually, such basic manipulations are considered ethical. In most photography competitions, as long as an actual pixel has not been moved, the image is allowed and not considered ‘photoshopped’. This has been a much debated topic for quite a while now and there seems to be no end to it.

As a photographer, you need to decide for yourself what extent of manipulation you are comfortable with. Ultimately, decisions about the truth of a photograph, misrepresentation and ethics are entirely subjective.

Is editing rAW ethical?

A service like Dropbox offers one-click

applications that let you access data from

anywhere in the world.

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Amit Mehra• Hisdocumentary

aestheticstemsfromhisearlytrainingyearswiththelegendarySPaul.HisfavouritephotographerisNadavKander.“Ibreathehiswork,”hesays.

• Amongsthiscontemporaries,hedeeplyadmirestheworkofSwapanParekh.

• Hestressesontheimportanceoftheedit.“Showyourcardsoneatatime,almostlikeamovie,”hesays.

Amit Mehra’s photos are as much a collection of his personal observations, as they are an understanding of human psyche. Raj Lalwani finds out.

The Notes of SilenceB e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y aPr i l 20 1 3

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ShowCase

Amit’s photos in Kashmir are a rejection of the

beautiful, with an eerie sense of silence

that envelopes.

Amit Mehra’s Kashmir is as much of a conversation with the land, as it is a personal monologue between the photographer and his thoughts. It is a kind of work

that made several thoughts run concurrently through my mind, when I saw it in Delhi’s Photoink gallery, on two consecutive days. One viewing is not enough.

A Bunch of PausesAs someone who loves photography and writing, I constantly seek to draw parallels between the two. Images are often like punctuation—the dramatic ones are like exclamation marks and the connecting photos in an essay, like commas. Amit’s work in Kashmir, though, is like a bunch of ellipses. Three dots that make you wonder what lies next... whether something is about to happen. Somewhere along the way, a photo or two later, the punctuation changes to a question mark. The frame draws you in, and makes you wonder, makes you ponder.

When you are talking about an issue as layered as Kashmir, there are no right answers. Amit consciously decided that he wasn’t looking for any. “A photographer is only a witness. He is not a judge,” he says. “He is not there to change any opinion. But if his body can create a debate, a dialogue, a discourse, that is the greatest reward.”

Finding the VisionThe manner in which we perceive a place, if we haven’t experienced it for ourselves, often depends on the way it is represented in photos. Any media coverage or references to Kashmir, for instance, are either about its magical vistas or the political conflict.

When Amit started this project, he found himself falling into the same trap. “My photos were getting stuck into the realm of the obvious. A friend of mine recommended that I visit Kashmir without a camera. I was not sure how to react. I wondered what a photographer would do, travelling without his eyes.”

But Amit mulled over the suggestion and went back, not as a photographer, but a fellow human being. “I spent days just observing silently, from a distance. I spent time at chai tapris and just indulged in conversations. There was no camera that was blocking my vision,” he said.


Prof ile

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mybeStSHot

Mahesh Shantaram Talks about his favourite photo

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GreAtmASterS

Roman Vishniac The many lives of the legendary storyteller

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PHotoFeAtUre

Sayed Asif Mahmud The grim reality of the tobacco industry

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The unsettled frame dominates a large part of this work, almost as if something made Amit

want to shake things up.

broad smile, with all the pain seeming to get lifted. But as we sat awhile later, he spoke of times that he would play with his daughter in his head. “I had grown silent myself. I had forgotten how to make regular conversation. That is why I ended the project in 2011. My vision was growing narrower. I had to undergo counselling for awhile.”

The Need for DebateIf an honest photographer who throws himself into his subject can get so affected, one can only speculate how numb someone who belongs to the region would be.

Silence that DeafensSilent photos have always fascinated me, but in Amit’s work, the quietude is not one of calm. It is almost eerie, filled with silent cries and a sense of dread. You seem to hear whispers, but don’t really know where they come from.

“I wanted to bring out the kind of pain and alienation I felt, staying in Kashmir. My work is not about azaadi, but about the common man and his feelings. It is not about whose side you are on. There are equal number of wounds on all sides, filled with regret and suspicion.”

Aftermath of a Love AffairFor me, the body of work is fascinating because the tension has been portrayed without any gimmickry, within the realm of traditional documentary photography. Amit seems to play with visual motifs, with barriers within the frame portraying the psychological distance between him and his subjects. He isn’t exactly an insider, not quite an outsider. The faceless entities, play of space and the muted colours make the photographs cold and unsettling. It is like a love affair gone wrong.

Amit says, “When you start living in a conflict zone, you get so deeply affected that it changes the way you see. I saw a thicket of trees, and the branches stretching out, resembled hands. To me, it looked as if even the trees were protesting to what has happened to the land.”

Uncomfortable and NumbJust around this time, a nanny brought his daughter, Naazo. We paused our conversation as Amit broke out into a

• Intheageofautomation,Amitisastrongbelieverthatthechoiceoflensisthemostimportantfactorthatwillinfluenceyourpictures.

• Helovesthe35mmfocallength.

GADGeTS & GeAr

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ProF Ile

One of his favourite spots in Kashmir, Amit made several visits to

this tree, to finally make this photograph.

Amit says that as Indians, we need to be a lot more warm towards Kashmiris. “We say that Kashmir humaara hai. Sure, that is the reality, it is ours, but you can’t force anything, can you? Thodi mohabbat toh dikhaiye (show a little love, at least).”

Photographic considerations left aside, Kashmir is an important body of work that needs to be seen, appreciated, criticised, questioned and debated. It is the only way one can create more awareness, more empathy. In fact, Amit strongly believes that a photographer’s work must go beyond the photographic fraternity.

That is why he felt the book demanded a different edit, as compared to the exhibition. “Ghalib’s poetry was complex, but he also had some simple lines, which the tawaifs and fakirs would identify with. Earlier, my journey would end at the ecstatic moment of having got the frame. This was the first time I was involved in the entire bookmaking process. It is like having a baby,” he says.

The OctopusIt is difficult to imagine that the bystander who has carved silent whispers in Kashmir

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Prof ile

Metaphors surround his work, with intermingling wires depicting the tangled lives of the people.

He believes that the suffering is of the

collective, and individual faces often distract

from that reality.

is the same photographer who shot the exuberant India: A Timeless Celebration. Amit’s older book was much appreciated, but I personally didn’t connect with it as much.

Amit half smiles at my opinion and says, “I will redo that book some day. I am a different person now, after Kashmir. Out of

the 70 pictures in the book you are talking about, I think only seven or eight stand the test of time. It is very important for a photographer to be ruthless about his own work.”

With an ongoing project that traces the roots of Sufism, Amit likes to keep his

“It is not about azaadi, not about whose side you are on. It is just about trying to understand the human psyche.”


Prof ile

The omnipresence of graveyards and animals

gives an unsettling Kafkaesque feel

to the photos. The portraits within

this work have a weird sense of intimacy combined with distance.

• beopentodifferentexperiences.Ihavelearntfromflowersthatjitnakhuloge,utnakhiloge.

• Asubjectmayoftentakeayearortwotojustrevealitsnuances.butalwayshaveatimeframeinyourhead,oryoumaylosefocus.

• makeprints.Itwillhelpyouputyourworkinperspective.

TIPS By AMIT

canvas large. But he has also been revisiting the house where he grew up, in old Delhi. A typical day often involves a commercial architectural shoot early morning, a visit to Nizamuddin dargah after that and a portrait of a friend at night. “I am like an octopus

who likes to deal with different things at the same time. You can probably call me a schizophrenic photographer.”

To see Amit’s other work, you can visit his website, www.amitmehra.com.

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My Best Shot

Why it is my best shotWhat does one say about water and

electronics? Not much as not many devices live to tell the tale. I was firing the flash in complete darkness before it stopped

working. Despite all the chaos happening right in the middle of the sea, I still managed

to get this photograph.

Where and when I shot this imageThis couple had planned a crazy

two-day beach wedding in Goa just before Christmas 2011. It was packed with plenty of surprises to keep guests and photographers

on their toes at all times. The highlight of the event was the grand finale where they

dragged their family members into the sea, in full wedding attire!

How I achieved itIt all happened very quickly and I was

not fully prepared for this picture. In fact a lady guest even helped me get to the shore.

I owe the exciting feel of this shot to the videographer and his halogen lamp. He was,

for once, behind the scene instead of in front of it. Four shots with an external flashgun into the splash fest and the game was over

for me. The saline water got in contact with the camera’s hotshoe and I could not

shoot anymore.

The gear I used to get the shot For any wedding scenario, I use a Nikon

D3S along with Nikkor 24–70mm f/2.8G ED and Nikon SB-900 Speedlight.

Mahesh shantaraM

Bengaluru-based Mahesh Shantaram is a documentary and wedding photographer who is known for his storytelling approach. With a

diploma in photography from the Speos Institute in Paris, he is also a member of the international

Wedding Photo Journalists Association.

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apr i l 2 0 13 B e t t e r p h o t o g r a p h y

Dancers Emily Frankel and Mark Ryder, Vishniac

Portrait Studio, New York, early 1950s.

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The location is a concentration camp where Jews await deportation to Poland. The year is 1938. It is the dead of night. A man jumps out from the second floor of a building.

He creeps away, avoiding broken glass and barbed wire. He has with him photographs that prove the existence of these camps, photos that he will send to the League of Nations. This man is Roman Vishniac.

The Story So Far But, the story doesn’t begin here. It begins in 1897, when a boy is born to a wealthy Jewish family in a country house in Russia. This boy has a reasonably privileged childhood, he is gifted a camera and a microscope at the age of seven. He uses these to make microphotographs of tiny insects. The family lives in Moscow at a time when most Jews have been expelled.

Roman VishniacAmbarin Afsar tells you about the extraordinary experiences of Roman Vishniac, a versatile photographer, microbiologist, art collector and teacher. (1897–1990)

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aPr i l 2 0 13 B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y

great masters

Window cleaner, Berlin, mid-1930s.

116


great masters

Boy with kindling in basement dwelling, Krochmalna Street, Warsaw, Poland, approximately 1935–38.

great masters


116

The boy grows up to a university education and doctorates in Zoology and Oriental Art.

A Commission Comes His WayTroubled by blatant discrimination, the family moves to Berlin. In 1935, when anti-Semitism is gaining an ugly hold over Germany, Vishniac is commissioned by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to document life in the shtetlekh

(little Jewish towns) in Eastern Europe, to help raise funds. And so, he sets out.

Being Jolted into RealityThese shtetlekhs shocked the young man with an affluent background. Vishniac discovered that there were places where Jews weren’t allowed to own cameras. In other places, they were only allowed to buy two rolls of film at a time.

“His photos guided the visual interpretation of Schindler’s List.”- Yoshefa Loshitzky, Editor, Spielberg’s Holocaust

Interior of the Anhalter Bahnhof, a railway terminus near Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, Germany, late 1920s–early 1930s.

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great masters

“Vishniac displayed a

rare depth of understanding

and a native son’s warmth and love

for his people. - Edward Steichen

People didn’t always welcome him. He was an outsider, and to many, his photography seemed to violate the Torah’s prohibition against engraved images.

A Wish to Preserve Memories and FacesAfter completing his commission, Vishniac decided to continue the project on his own. Decades later, he said, “I felt it was my duty to preserve a world that might cease to exist. I wanted to save the faces. I especially wanted to take pictures of children, since Hitler eventually killed more children than old people. He wanted to destroy the young.”

The Escapades of a Young GunThis quest took him to the shtetlekh of Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, and so on. Persecution grew each day. Vishniac learned to disguise himself as a travelling fabric salesman and would bribe anyone who got in his way.

He would hide a Rolleiflex beneath his coat for outdoor photos, and would even conceal a Leica in a scarf wrapped around his neck. Gradually, he learned to use a kerosene lamp in low light situations, keeping his back to a wall for support, and holding his breath.

118


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Recalcitrance, Berlin, Germany, 1926.

People behind bars, Berlin Zoo, Germany

early 1930s.

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“I met him in 1966, and discovered how undiscovered he was.” - Cornell Capa

Despite his precautions, he was detained 11 times on the suspicion of espionage.

A Haven in New YorkAfter many near escapes, his family fled to New York in 1940. Out of the 16,000 images made in Eastern Europe, only 2000 photos reached America. In 1983, two hundred of these photos were published in an iconic

book titled A Vanished World. Life returned to normal and Vishniac , to microphotography.

He passed away in 1990. This year, the International Center for Photography has made available to the public the unseen images of a man who put his life on the line. Vishniac’s story tells us that heroes are born not only out of adversity, but out of their desire to preserve life and its essence.


120

APR I L 20 1 3

A selection of some of the best images from the Indian mainstream media

Rajendra Gawankar, DNA The Way it Should be Played!

Despite the scorching heat, a group of young boys are seen enjoying a game of cricket in Thane, Maharashtra. The sheer exuberance and thrill of the game is evident in the expressive silhouettes of the boys.

Too Crowded to BreatheOn 25 February, a stampede-like situation took place in the general compartment of the Sampark Kranti Express at Anand Vihar Terminal in New Delhi. By photographing a similar situation, the photographer throws light on the difficulties faced by commuters on a daily basis.

Money Sharma,DNA

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y aPr I L 2 0 13

121

An Epic JourneyOver 15,000 flamingos fly thousands of kilometers to reach the marshlands surrounding Mumbai and Navi Mumbai every winter. This image, though serene, is also a reminder of how dozens of them die when they hit the high tension electric cables that power the city.

Sanjay Hadkar, The Times of India

Vishal Srivastav, The Indian Express The Long Road Ahead

On 26 January, thousands of devotees crossed the pontoon bridges at Sangam, Allahabad for the Paush Purnima Shahi Snan, a religious bath on the day of the full moon at the Maha Kumbh Mela. The frame is mesmerising, forming an endless view of bridges and pilgrims.

Sayed Asif Mahmud is a documentary photographer based in Bangladesh. A graduate from Pathshala, South Asian Media Institute, he portrays issues in the urban environment around him with a very personal perspective. You can see his work at www.sayedasifmahmud.com.

Tobacco TalesSayed Asif Mahmud documents the cycle of destruction of people and environment, a bizarre reality in the tobacco industry of Bangladesh.

The 100-odd beedi factories of Bangladesh are known to dehumanise people to mere tools of the trade. At the same time, the environment is stripped naked

for money. A stretch of 80km on either side of the river Matamuhuri is under tobacco cultivation in spite of an injunction by a district court on its cultivation. This amounts to 80% of all arable lands in the Bandarban district of Bangladesh.

Beedi is a locally produced cigarette made of tobacco flakes rolled in tree leaves.

A single pack consists of 25 sticks and costs 6 Taka (approx. Rs. 4). Several people work at the same time in dark, poorly ventilated, cramped factories without any protective equipment. Most of the workers are women and children. Employing them is profitable for the owners as they are paid a minimal amount and at times, no salary.

This photoessay depicts the story of the workforce in this industry. Their lives are similar to this tale which is a continuous cycle of lush green forests being crushed to golden tobacco dust.

PhoTo FeaTure


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aPr i l 20 1 3

Reports suggest that 50 million beedis are

produced annually in 117 factories

across Bangladesh.


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aPr i l 2 0 13

PhotoFe at ure

Children working in the factories start smoking at an early age because of easy access.

Forests are being cut down to be used as firewood for curing tobacco leaves.

Beedi workers often work long hours in inhuman conditions exposed to tobacco dust and chemicals.


124

aPr i l 20 1 3

PhotoFe at ure

Family members of the workers often settle close to the industries in spite of the health and environmental hazards.

Workers from different ages and classes will have different issues. Explore their daily routine and capture all aspects of their difficulties.

Getting access can be the biggest challenge when documenting sensitive issues. Build contacts,

approach related NGOs and contact journalists working in the area to shoot without difficulty.

Respect your subject’s right to privacy. Do not shoot images that will reveal their identity if they do not want you to. It might put their lives at risk.

Tips on Documenting Issues Related to Human Rights Child labour is

rampant in these factories. There are

more children working as labourers than those

studying in schools.

Last year, three workers

were shot dead during a protest

demanding an approx Rs. 1.50

increase in their wages.


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PhotoFe at ure

YourPictures

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y ma rc h 20 1 3

128

Tones of GreenDebashis Tarafder, Kolkata“From where I was standing, the entire tea plantation was magnificently green. A few women were picking leaves. When one of them was distinctively clear, I released the shutter.”

Camera: Nikon D200 Lens: Nikkor 18–200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Aperture: f/8Shutterspeed: 1/125secISO: 200

Want your photographs showcased? Send in your photographs to

The Editor, Better Photography, Network18 Publishing, Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W) Mumbai-400 028, India

Email: [email protected]

apr i l 20 1 3B e T T e r p h o T o g r a p h y B e T T e r p h o T o g r a p h y

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y march 20 13

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apr i l 2 0 13 B e T T e r p h o T o g r a p h y B e T T e r p h o T o g r a p h y


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your p ic T ure s

Burst of LightBaiju abraham, Bengaluru“I was shooting at Cubbon Park in Bengaluru one winter morning when I noticed the effect of sunrays. To me, the presence of a person amidst the rays of light brought a sense of solitude and loneliness in this frame.”

Camera: Nikon D3100Lens: Nikkor 18–55mm f/3.5-5.6G VRAperture: f/5.6Shutterspeed: 1/250secISO: 100

Dive into the Sea saran g s, Thiruvananthapuram “While walking along a bridge, a group of children caught my attention. They were about to jump into the sea fearlessly. I photographed them while they were still in midair.

Camera: Nikon D90Lens: Nikkor 18–105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Aperture: f/5Shutterspeed: 1/800secISO: 200

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A Scenic ViewVarun Bondwal, hyderabad

“The view from the Black Mountain Tower

in Australia was breathtaking. I wanted

to include the river, land and sky in the frame.

The curve of the railing further inspired me to try

this composition.”

Camera: Canon EOS 600DLens: Sigma 10–20mm

f/4-5.6 EX DC HSMAperture: f/10

Shutterspeed: 1/160secISO: 200

Returning Home sumanta podder, Kolkata

“It was the weekend after Holi in Pandabeswar, West Bengal, where the villagers participated in singing folk

songs all night. I made this picture when these women were returning

home the next morning. The zigzag appearance

of the blue river and the man sitting afar lost in

thought made this frame an interesting one.”

Camera: Nikon D3100Lens: Sigma 70–300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro

Aperture: f/8Shutterspeed: 1/25sec

ISO: 100

apr i l 2 0 13


CamerasInterchangeable Lens Camera

These cameras offer serious enthusiasts many features like speed, great image quality, and the option of changing lenses.

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Canon EoS 1000D 25,295 K 10.1 22.2 14.8 CMoS 100-1600 30-1/4000 Canon EF 450 126.1 97.5 61.9 86 Sep 08

Canon EoS 1100D 29,990 K 12.2 22 14.7 CMoS 100-3200 30-1/4001 Canon EF 495 129.9 99.7 77.9 88 May 11

Canon EoS 550D 30,995 18 22.3 14.9 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/4000 Canon EF 530 128.8 97.5 75.3 86 May 10

Canon EoS 6D 1,24,995 20.2 35.8 23.9 CMoS 100-25600 30-1/4000 Canon EF 675 144.5 110.5 71.2

Canon EoS 60D 56,295 18 22.3 14.9 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/8000 Canon EF 675 144.5 105.8 78.6 87 Jan 11

Canon EoS 600D 35,990 18 22.3 14.9 CMoS 100-6401 30-1/4000 Canon EF 515 133.1 133.1 79.7 82 Jun 10

Canon EoS 650D 55995 18 22.3 14.9 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/4000 Canon EF 575 133.1 99.8 78.8 81 Sep 12

Canon EoS 5D Mark III 2,06,950 22 36 24 CMoS 100-25600 30-1/8000 Canon EF 950 152 116.4 76.4 90 Jun 12

Canon EoS 7D 87,995 18 22.3 14.9 CMoS 200-6400 30-1/8000 Canon EF 820 148.2 110.7 73.5 93 Dec 09

Canon EoS 1D X 4,29,995 18 36 24 CMoS 100-51200 30-1/8000 Canon EF NA 158 163.6 82.7

Canon EoS M 49,995 18 22.3 14.9 CMoS 100-12800 30-1/4000 Canon EF-M 262 108.6 66.5 32.3

Fujifilm X-E1 72,009 16.3 23.6 15.6 CMoS 200-6400 30-1/4000 Fujifilm X 350 129 74.9 38.3

Fujifilm X-Pro1 1,04,999 16.3 23.6 15.6 CMoS 200-6400 30-1/4000 Fujifilm X 450 139.5 81.8 42.5 90 Jun 12

Nikon D3S 2,89,950 12.1 36 23.9 CMoS 200-12800 30-1/8000 Nikon F 1240 159.5 157 87.5 95 Jan 10

Nikon D300S 84,950 12.3 23.6 15.8 CMoS 200-6400 30-1/8000 Nikon F 840 147 114 74 91 Nov 09

Nikon D3100 24,250 14.2 23.1 15.4 CMoS 100-3200 30-1/4000 Nikon F 455 124 96 74.5 90 Nov 10

Nikon D3200 32,250 24.2 23.1 15.4 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/4000 Nikon F 505 125 96 76.5 83 July 12

Nikon D3X 5,24,950 24.5 35.9 24 CMoS 100-3200 30-1/8000 Nikon F 1260 160 157 88 96 Mar 09

Nikon D4 3,49,950 16.2 36 23.9 CMoS 100-12800 30-1/8000 Nikon F 1340 160 156.5 90.5 93 May 12

Nikon D5100 34,450 16.2 23.6 15.6 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/4000 Nikon F 509 128 96.9 78.7 83 Jun 11

Nikon D5200 41,450 24.1 23.5 15.6 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/4000 Nikon F 505 129 98 78

Nikon D600 135,950 24.3 35.9 24 CMoS 100 - 6400 30-1/4000 Nikon F 850 141 113 82 87 Nov 12

Nikon D700 1,29,950 12.1 36 23.9 CMoS 200-6400 30-1/8000 Nikon F 995 147 123 77 90 oct 08

Nikon D7000 64,450 16.2 23.6 15.6 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/8000 Nikon F 690 132 105 77 91 Jan11

Nikon D800 1,69,950 36.3 35.9 24 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/8000 Nikon F 1000 146 123 81.5

Nikon D800E 1,84,950 36.3 35.9 24 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/8000 Nikon F 1000 146 123 81.5

Nikon D90 43,450 12.3 23.6 15.8 CMoS 100-6400 30-1/4000 Nikon F 620 132 103 77 90 Dec 08

Nikon 1 J1 24,950K 10.1 13.2 8.8 CMoS 100-3200 30-1/4000 Nikon CX 277 106 61 29.8

Nikon 1 V1 38,950K 10.1 13.2 8.8 CMoS 100-3200 30-1/4000 Nikon CX 383 113 76 43.5

olympus PEN E-PM1 24,990 K 12.3 18 13.5 Live MoS 200-12800 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 265 109.5 63.7 34

olympus PEN E-PL3 34,990 K 12.3 18 13.5 Live MoS 200-12800 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 313 109.5 63.7 37.3

olympus PEN E-P3 41,990 K 12.3 18 13.5 Live MoS 200-12800 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 369 122 69.1 34.3

olympus PEN E-PL5 44,990 K 16 17.3 13 Live MoS 200-25600 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 325 110.6 63.7 38.2 Jan 13

olympus oM-D E-M5 66,990 16 18 13.5 Live MoS 200-12800 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 425 122 89 43 85 Jun 12

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2 1,09,990 16 17.3 13 Live MoS 160-12800 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 392 124 89.6 75.8 75 Sep 10

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF2 29,990 12.1 17.3 13 Live MoS 100-6400 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 265 112.8 67.8 32.8 87 Aug 09

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF5 40,990 12.1 12.1 13.0 Live MoS 100-6400 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 267 108 67 37 80 July 12

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX1 45,900 K 16 17.3 13 Live MoS 160-12800 60-1/4000 Micro Four Thirds 272 116 68 39 85 May 12

Samsung NX10 44,990 K 14.6 23.4 15.6 CMoS 100-3200 30-1/4000 Samsung NX Mount 353 123 87 39.8 79 Aug 10

Sony Alpha 37 35,990 K 16.1 23.4 15.6 CMoS 100-16000 30-1/4000 Sony A 448 124.4 92 84.7

Buyer’sGuide

BP Recommended, NA: Not Applicable, NR: Not Reviewed, K: Price with Kit Lens (Mount – C: Canon, M: Minolta, N: Nikon, Q: Manual Film Cameras, S: Sigma, So: Sony, X: Fujifilm)

Updated

IndIa’s most

comprehensIve

bUyer’s gUIde

apr i l 2 0 13

175


Sony Alpha 57 45,990 K 16.1 23.5 15.6 CMoS 100-12800 30-1/4000 Sony A 539 132.1 97.5 80.7

Sony Alpha 65 59, 990 K 24.3 23.5 15.6 CMoS 100-16000 30-1/4000 Sony A 543 132.1 97.5 80.7

Sony Alpha 77 69,990 24.3 23.5 25.6 CMoS 100-16000 30-1/4000 Sony A 653 142.6 104 80.9 84 Aug 12

Sony Alpha 99 1,79,270 24.3 35.8 23.8 CMoS 100-25600 30-1/8000 Sony A 812 147 111 78

Sony Alpha NEX-3 19,990 K 14.2 23.4 15.6 CMoS 200-12800 30-1/4000 Sony E 297 117 63 33

Sony Alpha NEX-5 24,990 K 14.2 23.4 15.6 CMoS 200-12800 30-1/4000 Sony E 287 111 59 38

Sony Alpha NEX-7 79,990 K 24.3 23.4 15.6 CMoS 100-16000 30-1/4000 Sony E 291 119.9 66.9 42.6

Advanced Compact Camera

A bridge between DSLRs and compact cameras, these cameras allow you to shoot in RAW and/or have a hot shoe for an external flashgun.

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Canon Powershot G1X 47,995 14.3 4352 2904 1.5 28-112 100-12800 60-1/4000 f/2.8-16 Yes Yes Li-ion 84 May 12

Canon PowerShot G12 31,995 10 3648 2736 1/1.7 28-140 80-3200 15-1/4000 f/2.8-8 Yes Yes Li-ion 86 Dec 10

Canon PowerShot SX50HS 29,995 12.1 4000 3000 2.8 4.3-215 80 - 6400 15 - 1/2000 f/3.4-8 Yes Yes Li-ion

Canon PowerShot SX40HS 22,995 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 24-120 100-3200 15-3200 f/2.7-8 No Yes Li-ion 85 Dec 11

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS 24,995 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 24-840 80-1600 15-1/3200 f/2.7-8 No Yes Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR 26,999 16 4608 3456 1/2 24-720 100-12800 30-1/4000 f/2.8-5.6 Yes Yes Li- ion

Fujifilm X10 44,999 12 4000 3000 2/3 28-112 100-3200 30-1/4000 f/2-2.8 Yes Yes Li- ion

Fujifilm XF1 33,988 12 4000 3000 2/3 25-100 100-3200 30-1/4000 f/1.8-4.9 Yes No Li-ion

Fujifilm X-S1 59,999 12 4000 3000 2/3 24-624 100-3200 30-1/4000 F/2.8-11 Yes Yes Li- ion

Fujifilm FinePix X100 76,999 12.3 4288 2848 APS-C 35 100-12800 30-1/4000 f/2 Yes Yes Li- ion

Nikon CooLPIX P7100 22,950 10.1 3648 2736 1/1.7 28-200 100-6400 60-1/4000 f/2.8 - 8 Yes No Li-ion

olympus XZ-1 26,990 10.1 3648 2736 1/1.63 28-112 100-6400 60-1/200 f/1.8-2.5 Yes No Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ40 20,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-600 100-6400 60-1/2000 f/2.8-5.2 Yes No Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ100 29,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-600 100-6400 60-1/2000 f/2.8-5.2 Yes No Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX5 29,990 10.1 3648 2736 1/2.3 24-90 80-12,800 60-1/4000 f/2-8 Yes Yes Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 34,990 20.2 5472 3648 1 28-100 80-6400 30-1/2000 f/1.8-f/11 Yes No Li-ion

Using the bp buyer’s guide: • Thisdirectoryisahandyreferencetomorethan500productsfrom15manufacturerscurrentlyavailableintheIndianmarket.• Youwillfindinformationonvariouscameras,lenses,flashes,tripods,andtripodheads.• Ifyouwishtoreadin-depthreviewsoftheseproducts,refertotheReviewMonth.• Productshavebeenlistedinanalphabeticalorderforeasyreference,andalltherelevantinformationrelatedtotheproductcategoryis

availablealongside.500+ products

listed here

Interchangeable Lens Camera

DLSRs offer serious enthusiasts a host of shooting features, speed, good image quality, and the option of changing lenses.

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a Few things to think of before you buy1. Always remember that your cameras, lenses and accessories are all tools: The picture is eventually made by you.

Perfect composition, using light well, and capturing just the right moment is far more important than the kind of camera you use. Some of the world’s most renowned photographers use very basic equipment to capture the most beautiful frames.

2. The photography you do most dictates the kind of equipment you buy: There is no reason to purchase equipment for things you intend to do in the future or just because it seems to be a good ‘buy’. Photographic equipment improves in quality and technology every few months.

3. When you feel continuously constrained by what you have: First, try moving beyond your constraints by using every possible feature and function of your existing equipment, and by being creative. once you exhausted your options, it is time to make your next purchase.

4. Spend on the right accessories: While you can make your own accessories, some of them are quite important for a serious photographer. For instance, spend on a light but sturdy tripod, or a good set of creative filters, or a small flashgun, or a lenshood. They will radically improve your photography and offer you a range of creative techniques you can try out with them.


BP Buyer’s GuideBasic Compact Camera

This compact shooting device offers automation and numerous creative features for basic, everyday shooting situations.

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Canon Digital IXUS 115 HS 8,495 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-112 80-1600 1-1/1500 f/2.8-8 Li-ion

Canon Digital IXUS 1100 HS 12,995 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-336 100-1600 1-1/4000 f/3.4-6.3 Li-ion

Canon Digital IXUS 125 HS 16995 16.1 4608 2592 1/2.3 24-120 100-3200 15-1/2000 f/2.7-17 Li-ion


Canon Digital IXUS 230 HS 13,995 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-224 100-1600 1-1/2000 f/3-9 Li-ion

Canon Digital IXUS 240 HS 18995 16.1 4608 2592 1/2.3 24-120 100-3200 15-1/2000 f/2.7-17 Li-ion

Canon Digital IXUS 310 HS 10,995 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 24-105 100-3200 1-1/1600 f/2-8 Li-ion


Canon PowerShot A1200 4,495 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-112 80-1600 1-1/1600 f/2.8-8 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A2200 5,495 14.1 4000 3240 1/2.3 28-112 80-1600 1-1/1600 f/2.8-8 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A2300 6995 16 4000 3456 1/2.3 28-140 100-1600 15-1/2000 f/2.8-20 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A2400 IS 7995 16 4000 3456 1/2.3 28-140 100-1600 15-1/2000 f/2.8-20 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A3200 IS 5,995 14.1 4000 3240 1/2.3 28-140 80-1600 1-1/1600 f/2.8-8 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS 7,495 16 4000 3456 1/2.3 28-140 80-1600 1-1/1600 f/2.8-8 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A3400 IS 9995 16 4000 3456 1/2.3 28-140 100-1600 15-1/2000 f/2.8-20 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A4000 IS 11995 16 4000 3456 1/2.3 28-224 100-1600 15-1/2000 f/3-18 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A800 3,995 10 3648 2736 1/2.3 37-122 100-800 1-1/2000 f/3-9 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot A810 5995 16 4000 3456 1/2.3 28-140 100-1600 15-1/2000 f/2.8-20 AA

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 9,995 14.1 4000 3240 1/2.3 28-336 80-1600 1-1/2500 f/2.8-8 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot SX240 HS 19,995 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-392 100-3200 1-1/3200 f/3.1-8 Li-ion

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 22,995 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-392 100-3200 1-1/3200 f/3.1-8 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix AV200 5,499 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 32-96 100-1600 8-1/1400 f/2.9-5.2 AA

Fujifilm FinePix AX300 5,999 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 33-165 100-1600 8-1/1400 f/3.3-5.9 AA



Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR 12 4000 3000 1/2 27-270 100-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.3-5.6 Li-ion


Fujifilm FinePix F500EXR 18,999 16 4608 3456 1/2 24-360 100-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.5-5.3 Li-ion



Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR 16 4608 3456 1/2 24-720 100-3200 30-1/4000 f/2.8-5.6 AA

Fujifilm FinePix HS25EXR 16 4608 3456 1/2 24-720 100-1600 30-1/4000 f/2.8-5.6 AA

Fujifilm FinePix JV200 6,499 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 36-108 100-1600 8-1/1400 f/2.9-5.2 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix JX300 7,499 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 28-140 100-1600 8-1/1800 f/2.6-6.2 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix JX500 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 26-130 100-1600 8-1/1400 f/3.5-6.3 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix JZ100 8,499 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 25-200 64-1600 8-1/2000 f/2.9-5.9 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix S2500HD 12.2 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-504 100-1600 8-1/200 f/3.1-5.6 AA

Fujifilm FinePix S2950 10,999 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 28-504 64-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.6 AA

Fujifilm FinePix S2980 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 28-504 100-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.6 AA

Fujifilm FinePix S3300 15999 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 24-624 64-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.9 AA

Fujifilm FinePix S4000 18,999 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 24-720 64-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.9 AA


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Fujifilm FinePix SL260 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 24-720 64-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.9 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix SL300 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 24-576 64-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.9 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix T200 11,999 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 24-720 100-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.1-5.9 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix T350 14 4288 3216 1/2.3 28-280 100-1600 8-1/2000 f/3.4-5.6 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix Z800EXR 16 4608 3456 1/2 28-140 100-3200 8-1/2000 f/3.4-5.6 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix Z900EXR 14 4608 3456 1/2 35-175 100-3200 8-1/2000 f/3.9-4.7 Li-ion

Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 26,999 10 3648 2736 1/2.3 35-105 100-1600 1-1/1000 f/3.7-8 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX P500 20,950 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 22.5-810 160-3200 2-1/1500 f/3.5-5.7 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX P300 14,950 12.2 4000 3000 1/2.3 24-100 160-3200 4-1/2000 f/1.8-4.9 Li-ion


Nikon CooLPIX P500 20,950 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 22.5-810 160-3200 2-1/1500 f/3.5-5.7 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX P510 23,950 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 24-1000 100-3200 1-1/4000 f/3-5.9 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX P7000 19,950 10.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 28-200 100-6400 60-1/4000 f/2.8-8 Li-ion


Nikon CooLPIX P7700 24,950 12.2 4000 3000 1/1.7 28-200 80-3200 1-1/4000 f/2-4 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S1200Pj 14,950 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 28-140 80-6400 1-1/1500 f/3.9-5.8 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S2500 5,950 12 4000 3000 1/2.3 27-108 80-3200 f/3.2-5.9 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S2600 5,950 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 26-130 80-3200 1-1//2000 f/3.2-6.5 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S30 4,990 10.1 3648 2736 1//3 29.1-87.3 80-1600 1-1//2000 f/3.3-5.9 AA

Nikon CooLPIX S100 12,950 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 35-175 125-3200 1-1/1500 f/3.9-4.8 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S9100 18,950 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 25-450 160-3200 1/1/2000 f/3.5-5.9 Li-ion



Nikon CooLPIX S8200 15,450 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-350 100-3200 1-1/1600 f/3.3-5.9 Li-ion


Nikon CooLPIX S6300 9,950 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-250 125--3200 1-1/2000 f/3.2-5.8 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S6400 12,950 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-300 125--3200 1-1/2000 f/3.1-6.5 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S800c 20,950 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-250 125--3200 1-1/2000 f/3.2-5.8 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX S8100 13,450 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 25-300 160-3200 f/3.5-5.6





Nikon CooLPIX L120 13,950 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-525 80-6400 f/3.-5.8 AA

Nikon CooLPIX L24 5,450 14.0 4320 3240 1/2.3 37-134 80-1600 f/3.1-6.7 Li-ion

Nikon CooLPIX L23 4,490 10.1 3648 2736 1/2.9 28-140 80-1600 f/2.7-6.8 AA

Nikon CooLPIX L25 4,490 10.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-140 80-1600 1-1/2000 f/2.7-6.8 Li-ion


Nikon CooLPIX L310 11,950 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 37-134 80-1600 1-1/2000 f/3.1-6.7 Li-ion

Basic Compact Camera


Cam

era

Nam

e

Pric

e (R

s.)

Reso

lutio

n (M

P)

Maximum Image Size

Sens

or S

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(Inch

es)

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(3

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equ

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ent)

ISo

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ter

Spee

d (S

ec)

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ange

Bat

tery

Storage Media

Rat

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Revi

ew M

onth

Leng

th (P

ixel

s)

Bre

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els)

CF

Type

I

CF

Type

II

SD SDH

C

MM

C

xD Mem

ory S

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MS

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Duo


BP Buyer’s Guide



Nikon CooLPIX AW100 14,950 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 28-140 125-3200 1-1/1500 f/3.9-4.8 Li-ion

olympus SH-25MR 21,990 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 24-300 100-6400 Li-ion

olympus SP-620UZ 12,990 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-525 80-1600 Li-ion



olympus SZ-14 16,990 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-600 80-1600 Li-ion

olympus SZ-31MR 25,990 16.0 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-600 80-6400 Li-ion

olympus VG-150 4,990 12 4000 3000 1/2.3 27-108 100-1600 Li-ion

olympus VG-160 6,490 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 26-130 100-1600 Li-ion

olympus VG-170 8,990 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 26-130 100-1600 Li-ion

olympus VR-350 9,990 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 24-240 100-1600 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-S1 5,990 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-112 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.1-6.5 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-S3 6,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 28-112 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.1-6.5 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FH2 7,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 28-112 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.1-6.5 Li-ion



Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FP5 9,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 35-140 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.3-5.9 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FP7 10,990 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 35-140 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.3-5.9 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ18 15,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 28-448 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.3-5.9 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ20 17,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 29-464 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.3-5.9 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FX78 17,990 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 24-120 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/2.5-5.9 Li-ion

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FT3 27,990 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-128 100-6400 8-1/1600 f/3.3-5.9 Li-ion

Samsung DV100 8,900 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 80-1600 1-1/2000 f/3.5-5.9

Samsung DV300F 12,400 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 80-3200 1-1/2000 f/2.5-6.3

Samsung ES90 6,400 14 4320 3240 1/2.3 27-135 80-3200 1-1/2000 f/3.5-5.9

Samsung MV800 15,990 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 26-130 100-3200 1-1/2000 f/3.3-5.9

Samsung PL20 6,490 14.2 4320 3240 1/2.3 27-135 80-1600 1-1/2000 f/3.5-5.9

Samsung PL120 8,490 14.2 4320 3240 1/2.3 26-130 80-1600 1-1/2000 f/3.3-5.9

Samsung PL210 11,990 14.2 4320 3240 1/2.3 27-270 80-3200 1-1/2000 f/3.3-5.9

Samsung SH100 14,900 14.2 4320 3240 1/2.3 26-130 80-3200 1-1/2000 f/3.3-5.9

Samsung ST66 7,900 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 26-416 80-3200

Samsung ST200F 12,400 16 4608 3456 1/2.3 24-384 100-12800

Samsung WB150F 12,900 14.2 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-500 100-12800

Samsung WB700 15,900 14.2 4320 3240 1/2.3 27-870 100-12800

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2000 6,490 10.1 3648 2736 1/2.3 36-105 100-3200 1-1/2000 f/3.1-5.6 AA

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S2100 6,990 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 35-105 100-3200 1-1/2000 f/3.1-5.6 AA

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W310 7,990 12.1 4000 3000 1/2.3 28-112 100-3200 1-1/1600 f/3-5.8 Li-ion

Basic Compact Camera


Cam

era

Nam

e

Pric

e (R

s.)

Reso

lutio

n (M

P)

Maximum Image Size

Sens

or S

ize

(Inch

es)

Foca

l Ran

ge in

mm

(3

5mm

equ

ival

ent)

ISo

Ran

ge

Shut

ter

Spee

d (S

ec)

Ape

rtur

e R

ange

Bat

tery

Storage Media

Rat

ing

Revi

ew M

onth

Leng

th (P

ixel

s)

Bre

adth

(Pix

els)

CF

Type

I

CF

Type

II

SD SDH

C

MM

C

xD Mem

ory S

tick

MS

Pro

Duo


178

Updated IndIa’s most comprehensIve bUyer’s gUIde

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camera myths busted!The Best Cameras are the Most Expensive Ones: There is no ‘best camera’. Depending on the kind of photography you wish to do, a certain camera may be the most appropriate one for your needs.

Higher the Megapixels, Better the Quality: A higher-megapixel camera is not always better than a lower-megapixel one. The only thing that the megapixel count refers to, is the largest print size one can make using the camera. Even an 8MP camera is good enough to make an 12 X 18-inch print.

Sensor Size Does Not Matter: A camera that has a larger sensor has larger pixel sites, which basically ensures better quality, dynamic range, as well as better image quality at higher ISo settings.

Compact Cameras Cannot Make Good Pictures: Some of the best photographs in the world are shot with point-and-shoot cameras and even cell phones! Also, they are convenient and discreet.

Digital Zoom is Better: All that digital zoom does, is crop the image to a slightly closer frame, and interpolate causing a severe loss of image quality.

Stabilisation Helps Shoot Sharper Images in Every Situation: Image Stabilisation only reduces camera shake, and does not have any effect on motion blur. It does not freeze moving subjects.

You Need a High ISO Machine: If you are someone who enjoys shooting from dawn to dusk, an ISo setting up to 1600 is good enough for most situations.

Digital is Better than Film... or Vice Versa: Both film and digital have their advantages. While film offers better resolution and dynamic range, digital scores highly in terms of convenience and low light shooting.

Automatic Modes are Good Enough: Auto modes are reasonably intelligent and can help make good pictures. However, if you wish to get really creative, you ought to look beyond the Auto mode.

You Should Shoot Only in RAW: Shooting in RAW is a worthwhile option if you are able to spend a good amount of time, editing the images so that they can be converted to usable JPEG or TIFF files.

Higher Frame Rates Are Needed for Action: You do not need an 8fps or 10fps to shoot sports and action. It is all about anticipation and timing. Moreover, the frame rate of a camera is not entirely indicative of its speed. other factors like startup time, responsiveness, general ergonomics and AF speed are also important.

You Need High Speed Storage: For most general users, even an Extreme III card is an overkill. Before you buy a new memory card, try borrowing memory cards of different speeds from friends. This will help you evaluate if a ‘slower’ card really slows down your camera. Third-party Products are Inferior: Every company has some good and bad products. Sometimes, a third party lens may actually be superior to the one produced by the original camera company!

Therearetimeswhensimplefactsaboutcamerasandlensesareoverlookedormisunderstood.Welistoutafewcommonmythsthatareoftenpropagatedbythemarketingreleasesofcameramanufacturers.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W320 9,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 26-105 80-3200 1-1/1600 f/2.7-5.7 Li-ion



Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 14,990 10.2 3648 2736 1/2.4 35-140 125-3200 2-1/1250 f/3.5-7.1 Li-ion 77 Dec 09

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX7 22,990 10.2 3648 2736 1/2.4 25-100 125-3200 2-1/1600 f/3.5-4.6 Li-ion 80 May 10

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 14,990 10.2 3648 2736 1/2.4 24-120 160-3200 2-1/1600 f/2.4-5.9 Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380 13,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 24-120 80-3200 2-1/1600 f/2.4-5.9 Li-ion 76 Apr 10


Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 14,990 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 25-250 80-3200 30-1/1600 f/3.5-8 Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 24,990 9.1 3456 2592 1/2.4 28-560 125-3200 1-1/4000 f/2.8-8 Li-ion 85 Aug 09

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H90 13,990 16.1 1/2.3 28-140 100-3200 30-1/1600 f/2.6-8 Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V 17,990 18.2 1/2.3 28-140 100-3200 30-1/1600 f/3.3-8 Li-ion



Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S5000/B 5,490 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 28-140 100-3200 f/3.2-9.1 Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W610 6,490 14.1 4320 3240 1/2.3 28-140 100-3200 1-1/1600 f/2.8-8 Li-ion


Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W630 8,990 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-250 80-3200 1-1/1600 F2.6-8.0 Li-ion


Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690 10,990 16.1 4608 3456 1/2.3 26-156 80-3200 1-1/1600 f/2.6-8 Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50 11,990 18.2 4608 3456 1/2.3 25-125 100-12800 1-1/1600 f 2.6-6.3 Li-ion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150 14,990 18.2 1/2.3 25-125 100-12800 1-1/1600 f/3.2-3.3 Li-ion

Micro test_April 13.indd 71 15-03-2013 14:19:57

Win!

Blog of the Month

Last month’s winning entry

“Peter Parker! Is that you?”— Kousik Bhowal, via SMS

Provide a caption for this picture, photographed by Vivek Menon, to get a chance to win Camelion batteries and charger worth Rs. 1455. The selected entry will be published in the May 2013 issue of Better Photography.

New Delhi-based photographer Akshay Bhoan’s blog Constellation Cafe is an interesting space that brings together photobooks, photography- related articles and conversations with different photographers—all under one roof.

An engineering graduate, Akshay is a self-taught documentary and editorial photographer. Unlike other blogs where bloggers only promote their own work, Akshay presents content in a refreshing way.

One of the sections on this blog is dedicated to photobooks. Under this section, Akshay lists down the photobooks that he has read or is currently reading. Each post is accompanied by a brief summary of what the book is about. They are not reviews but instead Akshay’s personal opinion about them. Apart from this, he includes a few photographs from the book, making the blog visually appealing. You can read a number of

casual conversations between Akshay and various photographers on this blog. These interviews are inspiring for anyone who likes exploring new work and is interested in reading experiences of others in the field of photography. Moreover, the blog offers so much new content that it will take more than one visit to fully appreciate Akshay’s efforts.

A Constellation of PhotographsOn 11 June 1997, Philippe R Kahn, a technology innovator and entrepreneur built the first camera phone. Sitting beside his wife who was in labour at a hospital, Philippe decided to put his laptop, cell phone and digital camera to use.

He hurriedly made a couple of trips to purchase soldering wire for the makeshift device. Just as his newborn daughter Sophie, arrived, Kahn was ready with the camera phone he had just made. He instantly made a picture of the baby girl and wirelessly shared it with over 2000 of his relatives. Kahn then created PictureMail, a system that would allow a cell phone to make a photo and email it to people.

DiD You Know?

The First Camera Phone was invented in The Year 1997

Send your captions toE-mail: [email protected], or SMS “BP Apr <your caption> <your name>” to 51818(for eg. BP Apr Fly away with me Niharika Sen)

Last date to receive entries

5 April 2013

CAPTiON THiS!

Sour

ce: W

ikim

edia

Com

mon

s

constellationcafe.wordpress.com

B e t t e r P h o t o g r a P h y aPr i L 2 0 13

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Phillipe Kahn

MARKE T SENSE

B E T T E R P h o T o g R A P h y

182

Supriya Joshi tweets about how Twitter can be a great tool for your photography business, apart from being a lot of fun.

Twitter has become a go-to social media network for a lot of people. But did you know that you, as a photographer, can use it to do great things with your business?

In the spirit of the website, here are the secrets to harnessing the power of Twitter, in 140 characters or less.

An Interesting Bio @betterphoto What one sees on your Twitter profile first is your bio, so make it interesting! You have 160 characters, so utilise them to the best.2 secs

Talk to Clients @ihateemails Twitter can replace email, if you think about it. You can communicate with your clients on an immediate and personal level using Twitter.3 days ago

Retweeted by Better Photography

Make Contacts @betterphoto Twitter lets you be in direct contact with your fellow photographers. You can network with the big guys as well as establish new contacts.10 mins


182

#Don’t #Hashtag

#Everything #On #Twitter!

Click, Click, Tweet, Tweet!

aPr i l 20 1 3

MARKE T SENSE

B E T T E R P h o T o g R A P h y

183

Showcase your Portfolio @checkmypix You can use Twitter to display your work. Post photos regularly. It will reach a wider audience and make more people aware of your work.12 mins


Sell Your Work @betterphoto Twitter is a great place to hold an online auction. Your work will receive exposure, and you will also be able to make some money with ease.13 mins

Integrate All Social Media @betterphoto Twitter can be a hub for your social activities. You can make people aware of all the media you are on.15 mins

Participate in Contests @betterphoto Several Twitter handles hold contests. Participate in them and you can win some good merchandise! 22 mins

Sponsor Giveaways @betterphoto Generate interest in your handle through contests to give away prizes.30 mins

Keep Tweets in Check @betterphoto Tweet frequently, but don’t spam. Too many tweets can look unprofessional.35 mins

Interact with Followers @photos_time If you are starting a new photo project, involve your followers in it. Ask for their opinions, or simply ask them to participate.4 days ago


Live Updates @betterphoto While working on assignments, live tweet them! It will make your followers curious about your work. 40 mins

No Fighting! @betterphoto Do not pick fights with your fellow tweeters. It is a waste of time and it can be harmful for your image.55 mins


183

RT = ReTweet DM = Direct Message #FF = Follow Friday

l Photographers: Some of the best photographers are on Twitter. Here are the handles you should follow:

1. @chasejarvis: Chase Jarvis 2. @strobist: David Hobby 3. @JoeMcNallyPhoto: Joe McNally 4. @davidalanharvey: David Alan Harvey 5. @FotoWala: Sephi Bergerson 6. @PicSeshu: Seshu 7. @zarias: Zack Arias 8. @chromasia: David J Nightingale 9. @maheshbhat: Mahesh Bhat 10. @photowallah: Ritesh Uttamchandani 11. @StacyPearsall: Stacy Pearsall 12. @bmoorevisuals: Brad Moore

l Others: A list of what makes Twitter fun! 1. @petapixel: A photoblog for the Web 2.0 generation! 2. @pdnonline: Breaking photography news 3. @PhotoshopTips: Tips, tricks and tools of Photoshop 4. @Photojojo: Making photography awesome 5. @reuterspictures: Photos from the news agency 6. @PopPhoto: Dedicated to all things photography 7. @nikonrumors: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire 8. @Alltop_Photo: Photography news from Alltop.com 9. @LIFE: A comprehensive collection of iconic images 10. @NatGeoPhotos: Images from around the world 11. @digitalrev: Tweets of the popular YouTube channel 12. @MagnumPhotos: The works of legends 13. @betterphoto: That’s us!

l Us!: Some of the BP team in on Twitter as well! 1. @YawnBabyYawn: Ketan Kundargi 2. @lookdoyousee: Raj Lalwani 3. @BlackLineDoodle: Conchita Fernandes 4. @violinraindrops: Chandni Gajria

Whom to Follow?

MarKe t SeNSe

aPr i l 2 0 13

Find Assignments @betterphoto Keep an eye out for people who require services that fall under your expertise and you can offer help. This way, you can book assignments.1 hour

Use Hashtags @i_lovehashtags Hashtags allow you to keep abreast with people sharing their views on a certain topic. Use them wisely. 10 days ago


A Teaching Tool @betterphoto Share the knowledge you have amassed about photography with your followers—it will increase your credibility. 2 hours

Be Patient @betterphoto Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your follower count. Mastering Twitter takes a lot of time and patience. 3 hours

Just Have Fun! @supriya_joshi Like any other social media website, Twitter is a form of self expression. Have some fun with it!12 days ago



184

The Photographer’s Divine Muse

Born in 1820, Félix Tournachon or Nadar was a student of medicine, who dabbled in caricature, theatre, writing and ballooning, before he eventually turned to photography in 1851. In the second half of the 19th century, Nadar became the most sought after portraitist in France. In 1861, he acquired a new studio at Boulevard des Capucines that marked a new era of mass production

in photography. Nadar’s new studio was grand, audacious and unlike any other in France. It employed more than 50 workers, and produced up to 10 portraits a day–a feat that was unheard of until then. In addition, it transformed itself into a common meeting ground for the Parisian elite, and a photograph by Nadar became a matter of social prestige.

Therefore, in order to reinvent her failing career and social standing, Sarah Bernhardt, an aspiring actress, visited the studio in 1862. Nadar photographed Sarah over a period of time and documented her phase as a struggling actress. In fact, this portrait of Sarah Bernhardt has been considered to be one of Nadar’s best works.

While he produced three versions of Sarah’s portrait, there exist no contemporary prints of the images. In all the three photographs, Nadar chose to present the actress in a simplistic and unadorned manner, which highlighted her natural beauty.

However, Nadar stopped photographing his long term muse shortly after she acclaimed the status of a legend. Sarah Bernhardt went on to become the most popular French actress of the 19th century, and was nicknamed ‘Divine’ Sarah by her admirers.

Photograph by:Félix Nadar

Image Source:Wikimedia Commons

apr i l 20 1 3

better photography magazine - april 2013

Documents

masters of photography

photography business

success needs passion

e d i tor

amit mehra

lot of mistakes

perfect focusfocussimple

rid of camera shake5