Digital Photography World

August 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

2008-08-01T00:52:00.000+05:30

Here is the desktop calendar wallpaper for August 2008, from Kappad Beach, North Kerala. Click on the image to get 1024x768 version.

July 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

2008-06-30T12:37:00.000+05:30

Here is the desktop calendar wallpaper for July 2008. Click on the image to get 1024x768 version.

Three years of Digital Photography World

2008-06-19T09:16:00.002+05:30

DPW is has been three years old, and the day of its inception passed without me noticing it!

The first ever post was made on May 5th 2005, a few days after I bought my first digital camera - Canon EOS 350D. To date I have retained the same camera, completely happy with it and never needing an upgrade.

Digital Photography World was born as place for me to make notes of all things I learn about digital photography, especially technical stuff. But in the recent years, I have moved out from getting deeper into technical aspects of photography and have been spending that effort in making better images.

It has been a silent month at DPW as I have been busy with a few other projects I am working on, and things may remain so for two more months. But that doesn't mean an end; I will get back to making continuous updates here again.

Walks in India series on India Travel Blog

2008-06-05T11:35:00.001+05:30

India Travel Blog is another blog where I write on, related to personal insights on travelling in India. The blog is featuring a series of articles in the month of June, called 'Walks in India'.

During the month of June, India Travel Blog will be featuring a series of articles for travellers on Walks in India.

Unlike in many countries, walks and walking tours are not common or popular in India. This series intends to promote the idea of walks that can enable travellers to see and experience the places better by getting closer. The series explores short and easy walking trails across India, with which a traveller can witness history, culture, life, landscapes and heritage of the country.

The series will have fifteen walking trails, published through the month of June, containing detailed description of the walk along with maps, difficulty level, best season to do the walk, time of the day and distance of the trail.

The places include, but are not limited to metros and cities, and are chosen from every corner of the country. The walk intends to cover a lot of variety, such as walking the sand dunes in a village in Rajasthan, experiencing devotion on the bank of Ganga, seeing history come alive in the remains of ancient structures and short walks in snow amidst views of the snowy peaks.

Walks are a great way to see places, get up close to people and interact, observe carefully and see things better. They help the traveller take time and feel involved with the scenery instead of buzzing past and seeing things as a window-view. This series will assist you to find some great walks from all along the country and feel its pulse.

Walks published so far.

1. Introduction
2. Old Delhi Walk
3. Rishikesh Walk
4. Varanasi

June 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

2008-05-31T16:05:00.000+05:30

The calendar for this month is from Madurai Meenakshi Temple. Click on the image to get it in 1024x768.

New Equipment Acquisition - 250GB Portable Hard Drive

2008-05-17T01:38:00.004+05:30

Some equipment bought after a long time - a sleek 250GB Portable USB Hard Drive. It is lightweight, easy to use and extremely convenient to carry around. Besides, I can even use it as a portable PC by installing an OS into it and booting from it.

Two years back or so, I had been wondering how to supplement my CF cards when I am travelling. I explored secondary memory devices but never really bought any. Indeed, prices were pretty high too in those days when a 2GB CF card would have cost more than USD100. Extended memory was expensive too. I acquired some more CF cards when the prices fell, but they still did not let me shoot at will and needed some kind of a secondary storage. Now I don't need to worry about memory, and add to that, I can (hopefully) personalize and boot from USB even if I am using a public computer when travelling.

The Dilemma of Stock

2008-05-06T18:12:00.003+05:30

I had enrolled with a stock agency a few months back and had submitted some images. Any self respecting stock agency requires that the images be sold exclusively through them, and the photographers will not be permitted to sell those images directly.

I have been writing for a few travel magazines lately, and any submission usually accompanies a few images. This put me in a dilemma. I could provide only left out, sub-standard images to the magazines that I had not submitted to the stock agency. The magazines I write would not have been able to pay the rates fixed by the stock agency and hence selling those images via the agency was ruled out.

None of my choices were very desirable - to submit sub-standard images to the magazines or to submit sub-standard images to stock agency and provide the good ones to magazines. Finally I decided to close my account with the stock agency and asked them to do so.

It was a pain having to choose between the two, but eventually the person I was in touch with the stock agency offered me a middle ground. I am now having images removed from the stock agency, but I will continue to keep my account and submit those images that I won't be using for other purposes. That probably means I won't be able to sell much of images, but is still better than closing my account.

May 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

2008-04-30T16:59:00.001+05:30

This month's calendar is a smiling young monk from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Click on the image to get the larger version.

Ansel Adams and Yosemite

2008-04-27T21:37:00.005+05:30

Louise Story writes an excellent article in New York Times, going back to the Yosemite of Ansel Adam's days and talking about Adam's perspectives of the Park.

Adams first visited Yosemite in 1916 when he was 14 years old. On that trip, he hopped up on a tree stump to take a photo of Half Dome, then stumbled, headfirst, and accidentally pushed the shutter release. The upside-down image remained one of Adams’s favorites, he wrote in his autobiography.

Yosemite is one of my favourite places on earth, and what I regret greatly is not being able to spend any more than just a weekend in the park. Here is a picture, shot using a disposable point and shoot film camera in the days when digital SLRs were far behind film.

One for Earth Day

2008-04-22T15:28:00.002+05:30

Here is an earth day link for photographers - "10 Tips for Being a Greener Photographer".

Some of the tips are obvious and you would have already done it with or without good intent, like going digital and using rechargeable batteries. But a few more are interesting, like what to do with the old cameras.

I am doing some of the things mentioned without actually having aimed to reduce my footprints. One - I printed very little since the time I have gone digital, and I have occasionally used the camera to work for NGOs.

DSLR News and Rumours

2008-04-16T12:20:00.004+05:30

There is a rain of new entry level DSLRs in the last couple of months. Gizmodo does a quick review and comparison of all them. Just the kind of stuff you would want to know if you are looking to buy a new basic DSLR. Cameras reviewed - Canon Rebel XSi, Sony Alpha A350, Nikon D60 and Olympus E240.

Next about rumours - Engadget reports of rumours of a Nikon D3X in the making with a 24.2 megapixel sensor. And Photography Blog says Samsung is coming up with a full frame sensor camera, trying to catchup in DSLR market.

Update: The Chinese are making clones of high end point and shoot cameras. Of course, they come cheaper than the originals. I hope they start cloning SLRs too. Not that I would buy one of them, but they all help in driving the prices down.

Image: Entering the Temple

2008-04-15T09:51:00.004+05:30

I was lucky to be here at the right time when the sunlight fell through an opening in the roof. I waited for someone to enter through the door, and took a picture.

Exif: Canon EOS 350D, 17-40L at 37mm, f/4.0, 1/50sec, ISO 400

Now upload video on flickr

2008-04-10T15:42:00.002+05:30

No, flickr is not going head on with youtube. At least not yet.

Flickr is now allowing video uploads, but with a few restrictions. First thing, they are not really looking at you uploading a video of a favourite number from your favourite rock star. They want you to upload stuff that you have shot, keeping in mind the spirit of image sharing in flickr. Next, in their own words, they don't want you to upload your 3 hour wedding video - the video clips are limited to 90 seconds, even when you can upload a longer video. Not surprisingly, only you can download your video but anyone can embed the video on a webpage. Video uploads are limited to pro members.

Read what flickr folks have to say about the new feature, and the help page.

Round up from last fortnight

2008-04-03T15:18:00.009+05:30

Unread RSS feeds can become a nightmare quickly. 2 weeks of up-opened feeds had piled up to a few hundreds and it took more than an hour to just scroll through them and isolate the ones that I wanted to read. Here is a round up of stuff that looked interesting.

1. Leaks of new camera release news had become very common, and then companies figured it could become free publicity for them. Now they are calling it official leak? See Canon EOS 4D official leak on The Online Photogrpaher. Expected pricing? USD 2000. Thats a good news for people living outside USA who are looking for a 5D like camera. Reduced price and depreciated dollar is a double deal.

2. A Photoshop user survey says 60% of users use pirated copy! Interesting.

3. Adobe launches Photoshop Express Public Beta, a free online photo editing software. Press release and the software website.

4. This is something curious. Someone who posted a picture of a UFO is said to have disappeared. You can never tell the amount of truth or lies in these stories.

5. A couple of photography competitions. One from Profession Photographer Magazine and the other from Photography Book Now.

April 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

2008-03-31T15:32:00.002+05:30

This month's calendar is a Sparrow taking a dip in a puddle.

Shot in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Image: Common Langur Baby

2008-03-23T20:30:00.002+05:30

I woke up on a cold morning in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India and decided to go for a walk and see the town waking up. There was hardly any activity. A few men were walking on the street and a couple of tiny shops were open making tea. I was wondering if it was worth coming out in the cold. It turned out rewarding after all. A few langurs(monkeys) were sitting in a huddle to escape from the morning cold, still feeling sleepy. A tiny one peeped out from it's mother's protections and peered at me inquisitively.

Exif: Canon EOS 350D, 100-400L at 400mm, 1/30sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, handheld.

Experience and Evolving in Using Flickr

2008-03-17T22:45:00.002+05:30

When flickr was new, I was loathe to join. I took it as yet another online tool for storing and show-casing photos, and did not see a need for it. After all, I had my own online Image Gallery and something outside my site did not seem necessary. As flickr's popularity grew leaps and bounds I could not help but sit up and notice. Everyone I knew was getting on flickr, and I eventually followed suit, still without knowing why should I really use flickr. Now it has been a few years since I reluctantly started with flickr and eventually embraced it fully. Here is my experience of positives of flickr.

1. Flickr is great for networking with fellow amateur photographers who are either like minded or share some passion on the same genre of photography with you. But the best networking happens with photography groups within your city. Flickr has got me in touch with a few passionate people who are enthusiastic about photography, and we have a few groups who often meet and go for shoots. It is a great place to start if you are looking for someone to join you for your photography excursions.

2. Flickr is great if you have to automatically keep track of pictures of a photographer you admire, or photographs uploaded by a friend. All you have to do is add them as contacts and keep a watch on pictures from your contacts. I did not bother to have any contacts added initially, and then figured it has its advantages. There are a few people whose works I admire and having added them as contacts, it is easy for me to find out when they upload new images. Besides this, it can also work as broadcast tool to show your latest pictures to your friends. You would have had to email a link to your latest photos after coming back from a trip or after some events. But now, as long as they have you added as your contacts, they will automatically know about the new images.

3. It is easy to find people to critique your images. But this has to be taken cautiously. The commenting feature does help, but it is very likely that you will only get praises on every picture you upload. You can find people to give a critical review of the images and help you improve only if you build the right contacts, and are willing to take every comment with stride.

4. Flickr can be surprisingly good at giving publicity to your images. I have managed to sell a few photographs via flickr and know a few more friends who have done the same. What is important is to get the keywords right.

5. All the above are not to talk about the features that flickr gives you - a free account, virtually unlimited storage, a wonderful and convenient interface.. This list can go on, and I would not bother to talk much about it. But all these can be available in many other online photo galleries too. The advantage of flickr is that nearly every one(except the big professionals and those who haven't even started on photography) is on flickr and being there can give you an excellent lead in showcasing your photos and networking with people. That is the primary reason why I am on flickr today, and that is the reason I would say, why you should be on flickr.

An unlikely career in photography

2008-03-14T10:42:00.002+05:30

It is amazing how innovative careers do people find. Sheffield Quigley finds a career in shooting pictures for myspace profiles of people, and does only that, and has a successful career at it!

via

In times of construction

2008-03-13T23:13:00.002+05:30

I have been travelling a bit in the last few months, and have been visiting heritage sites in India. Surprisingly I ended up having to make do with some restoration work happening at many places. That means the best possible photograph of these places could not be taken without some scattered construction materials or supporting pillars. Here are a few pictures of work in progress.

The right portion of the ancient temple was covered with supporting pillars. Similarly with the picture below.

These are far away places I would not be able to visit often. So I had no choice but to do my best to make some pictures. I tried various combinations to make the subject look appealing and hide the restoration work. Below is what I got out of these places. For the first one, the temple was in a dramatic location, which helped. I made a picture of the panorama.

For the second one, I simply avoided the part that was being restored, and shot only a portion of the fort. The work in progress portion is hidden behind the roof with pigeons.

But there are more occasions when I felt completely helpless. A major disappointment was at Taj Mahal, where the pool in front of the monument was running dry due to maintenance work and the reflection that is seen in so many of the images of Taj Mahal was not to be seen.

Do you think I can eat the camera?

2008-03-03T12:17:00.004+05:30

Shot during a hangout with fellow photographers in the city.

March 2008 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

2008-02-28T21:36:00.001+05:30

This month's calendar is of the views of distant hills in early morning fog.

Click on the image to get it in 1024x768

Image: Sparrow's Bath

2008-02-25T21:31:00.003+05:30

A picture I shot a couple of weeks back. I was sitting next to this puddle, and a bunch of sparrows flew in. They took their time in the puddle taking turns for a dip, and I could take my own sweet time getting a picture.

It has been a while I have shot birds. I must be thankful to them for coming to me at a time when I am not going after them!

Exif: Canon EOS350D, 100-400L at 400mm, 1/500sec, f/8, ISO 200, handheld

To shoot or not to shoot

2008-02-22T19:58:00.008+05:30

This is a question that I have been asking a lot to myself lately. And the decision usually has been in favor of not to shoot. In a bit of travelling that I had done during end of last year and beginning of the year, I almost never took the camera out despite having had plenty of opportunities to shoot. The time I would have spent hurrying behind the camera was spent in relishing the experience of the beauty around me.

Yesterday was one such day. I went out camping with a bunch of fellow photographers from the city who were all geared up with tripods and cameras. I did take my camera but had left behind my heavier lens and the tripod. It was a hilltop and we were expecting a beautiful sunrise; it indeed was one. I took a picture of two, but spent hardly anytime with the camera.

The idea was simple - first, I had not seen the place before and wanted to get the feel of it before jumping in with the camera. Second, it was such beautiful morning and I was there for the first time, I did not want to waste it by running around with the camera. The most important third - it was just outside my city and I could go back again and spend all the time just shooting. That means I could indulge in the scenery, while not loosing much by not shooting. It is like having the cake and eating it too!

Here is one of the few shots I made before sunrise, handheld, at very high ISO, which gives and idea of the place.

Canon 17-40 L User Review

2008-02-19T22:01:00.004+05:30

If there is one lens with which I have difficulty finding flaws, it is the Canon 17-40L. I have been using it for nearly two years now, and have only good things to say about it. It is a little slow at f/4, but still a great value for the money you pay.

Image from Canon website

Major features

* Fixed length, internal focusing lens
* USM motor
* Full time manual focus(even in AF mode)
* Speed of f/4 at all focal lengths

And to list the advantages of this lens I have seen in the past years of usage

* Instant focusing with USM motor, zero noise
* Sharp images and excellent color rendering
* Ideal wide angle focal range. Digital cameras with 1.6 crop factor still get a decent 27mm wide angle.
* A 77mm filter diameter allows compatibility of filters along with many Canon lenses
* I have found its very close focusing range useful in many occasions

Image Quality

The most valuable of all the above features is the sharpness that the lens delivers. Here is a sample image, shot using 17-40L on a Canon EOS350D mounted on a tripod, using 2 GND filters on the top of the lens.

And shown below is a 100% crop of the image, which gives a clear idea of how sharp the images can turn out with the lens.

To Conclude

The lens can render clear and sharp images. Priced less than half of its counterpart 16-35mm f/2.8L, it is also value for money. Serious landscape photographers who tend to use tripods most of the time would not even worry about the lens being slow at f/4. It is an ideal lens for the landscape photographer who is looking to make good quality images.

Two lens strategy

2008-02-15T10:10:00.004+05:30

Almost everyone of us goes through a stage where we run after gears, wishing for lens after lens. And most of the time drooling never stops. In my early days of photography when I just had kit lenses, I was looking forward to owning L series lenses. I managed to upgrade, not as additional equipment along with the existing, but as replacement. I replaced a 28-80 with a 17-40L and 70-300 with a 100-400L.

But wish list continued to exist. Those were the days when I was hoping to specialize in wildlife, and was looking up to a 600mm lens, never being able to afford one. And then I also thought of landscape and people photography which made me wish for a 70-200. I did not have the money for either of them, so never ended up buying them.

In the last two years, some changes in my pattern of photography has made me re-think of this wish list. I have never gone very serious with wildlife photography, which means I could eliminate a 600mm lens from my list. A 70-200 would be nice, since my current focus rests between people and landscapes, and the lens serves both the purposes. The 70-200 would also have served a few advantages over a 100-400 - (a) It is far more sharper (b) It is light and compact. But I still had some inclinations to shoot wildlife, which means I wanted to keep the 100-400. That would mean having three lenses.

I thought of this for a while, and then made this 2 lens strategy, which I decided to follow - 'At any point of time, I will own no more than 2 lenses'. That means if I acquire something new, I must give up an existing one. This would help me from acquiring too much and not using any of them efficiently enough, just making room for fungus. Besides, travelling with too many lenses makes little sense, and when you do carry all lenses, it is a pain to keep changing them.

I have stuck to having 2 lenses for almost 2 years now, and I devised to the rule a year ago and have adhered to it. The result - there are a few occasions when I did feel the need for a 70-200, but the need was never compelling, and the 100-400 suited as a fairly good alternative. Besides that, I now mange both people and a little bit of bird photography on the 100-400. It has been a worthy compromise against messing up with too many lenses. May be if I someday decide that I will never go back to shooting birds, I could give up on 100-400 and replace it with a 70-200. But I will definitely stick to two lens strategy.