Food in Motion
Namrata Meshram
Summitting Everest & Creating History
Shivangi Pathak
Wild Instincts
Marsel Van Oosten
Filming at 8,000m
Alessandro d'Emilia
CHIIZ GALLERY
Best of chiiz.com
Western Himalayan Traverse
Bharat, Pranav & Shekhar
Exploring the Obscure
Pascal Mannaerts
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Editorial
Jonathan Griffith Priyashi Negi Chief Visualiser
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Editorial The mountains, they say, never appear quite the same again. Maybe, that’s why we try to capture them in their essence because we know that they are not going to remain the same the next time we look at them. It’s a mystery how those under the spell of the mountains can never go back the same. Everytime you come back from the mountains, there seems to have a shift within you that compels you to look deeper within yourself. This sense of self discovery is what takes you back to those magnanimous structures and you fall in love all over again. With the mountains, with yourself. In this issue of Chiiz magazine, we celebrate the mountains and bring to you, stories from the highlands. The love of mountains knows no age and once bitten by the mountaineering bug, one can never go back. One such person is Shivangi Pathak, a 16-year-old girl, who has made history by being the youngest female to climb the Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world. Climbing a high-altitude peak is a Herculean task in itself and to document the climb with high-end photography equipment, even more so. But we have photographers and filmmakers, Tunc Findic and Alessandro d’Emilia, who climbed and captured on film, Mt. K2 and Mt. Kangchenjunga respectively. Namrata Meshram have us drooling all over the pages by fusing her love for art with food photography. Tim Banfield amazes with his skills, both as a climber and a photographer as he captures climbing on ice waterfalls. Bharat Bhushan, Pranav Singh Rawat and Shekhar Singh together embark on the Western Himalayan Traverse with the aim of propagating safe mountaineering practices. Pascal Mannaerts’ photography documents the life in the Pamirs, North Kurdistan, Tibet, Africa and of the Tsaatan Nomads wonderfully. Dmitry Arkhipov, with his photography, shows us exactly why he has been awarded Travel Photographer of the Year for the last two years. Marsel Van Oosten with his simple yet profound wildlife photography has, yet again, proved his photography mettle. In the Mountains Special issue of Chiiz, we salute the photographers who despite the challenges, go on to the mountains and acquaint us with the sheer beauty that they exude. The challenge and achievement of the climb draw us, but it’s really the beauty that keeps us coming back. Perhaps it’s also the realization that mountains make better human beings out of us: fitter, calmer, happier and always looking forward to tomorrow. Here’s to a good visual treat with the words of Edward Abbey, “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”
CEO
Mukesh Kumar Cover Photo
Fredrik Strang
Regards, Jonathan Griffith
Contents CHIIZ GALLERY Best of chiiz.com
76
TOOLS App of the Month Afterlight
42
CLASSICS Movie Review Ansel Adams
36
Old is Gold Ansel Easton Adams
48
HALL OF FAME Model of the Month Srishti Yadav
90
TRIGGERS Thorben Danke Tunc Findik Tim Banfield JiaJia Chen Natalia Likhashchenko Suhail Debarshi Das Indraneel Sen Chek Yong Chen Cheng Guang Mehmet Aslan Simon Lorenz Cesare Pegoraro Dmitry Arkhipov Petra Pantyi Instreet collective Alessandro Risuleo
FEATURES 10 16 28 32 33 34 38 39 40 56 60 62 66 68 84 88 94
Summiting Everest & Creating History Shivangi Pathak
14
Filming at 8000m Alessandro d’Emilia
20
Food in Motion Namrata Meshram
24
Western Himalayan Traverse Bharat, Pravan & Shekhar
44
Exploring the Obscure Pascal Mannaerts
50
Wild Instincts Marsel van Oosten
71
10 TRIGGER
Marpissa muscosa Sony A7RIII 0.04297mm F/0.2 1/8 ISO100
Thorben Danke started macro photography in 2016 while shooting a common green-bottle fly sitting on the wall of his garage. Maybe it was this first encounter or even the fascination it set off, but the flies have been his favorite subjects ever since. He quickly landed inevitably in focus stacking. With a self-built and programmed macro rail, he was able to descend the sharpness levels precisely one after the other. With the help of image processing programs and special stacking software, he was able to combine the single images into a complete sharp picture. With his pictures, he wants to fascinate the people and make them see the nature through a different point of view because only what we see, know and appreciate, we are willing to protect. You can follow more of his work on Instagram @saga0ptics.
Bombyliidae Sony A7RIII 0.01025mm F/4 1/30 ISO100
Rhagium mordax Sony A7RIII 0.05908mm F/5.6 1/30 ISO100
Green bottle fly (Calliphoridae) Sony A7RIII 0.0015mm F/0.4 1/8 ISO100
Sarcophaga carnaria Sony A7RIII 0.02mm F/5.6 1/25 ISO100
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Syrphidae Sony A7RIII 0.05615mm F/5.6 1/40 ISO100
Green bottle fly (Calliphoridae) Sony A7RIII 0.05mm F/5.6 1/25 ISO100
Summitting Everest & Creating History Shivangi Pathak
Struggle Canon PowerShot SX610 HS 5mm F/11 1/320 ISO100
14 FEATURE FEATURE 14 Save the Mountains Huawei LLD-AL10 3mm F/2.2 1/3953 ISO50
Step by Step Canon PowerShot SX610 HS 4mm F/11 1/500 ISO80
Shivangi Pathak, a 16-year-old girl from Hisar, Haryana, has created history by becoming the youngest Indian woman to scale the Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world, and has written her name in the elite list of climbers. After scaling the summit, she didn’t stop there. Recently, she successfully scaled the highest mountain of Africa – Mt Kilimanjaro and is planning to climb Mt Elbrus – the highest peak of Russia in August 2018. With a strong indomitable will and resilience, Shivangi is set to ignite young Indian minds to take up climbing.
Mt. Everest Summit Canon PowerShot SX610 HS 5mm F/11 1/320 ISO160 Be a Mountain in your life Canon PowerShot SX610 HS 7mm F/13 1/250 ISO125
Conquering K2 Tunc Findic
Last Steps before the Summit, 7am Nikon D810 120mm F/4 1/200 ISO200
Tunc Findik, born in Ankara, capital of Turkey in 1972, Tunç Fındık is a graduate of Ankara – Bilkent University’s Faculty of English Language and Literature. Tunç is a professional climber, climbing instructor, motivational speaker and writer. Tunç is a certified alpinist with more than 500 new routes, first winter ascents and first Turkish ascents in Turkish mountains and abroad, with a total sum of 1000 summits and an uncountable number of short traditional rock climbs and frozen icefalls to his credit. He is a member of the elite GHM alpinism group, and he is the local (Turkish) athlete for The North Face and is a member of GRIVEL team. Tunç Fındık is the first Turkish person to summit Mount Everest twice, from different routes. Nowadays, he is running his project of 14×8000, climbing all the summits above 8000 meters altitude on our planet. Tunç has climbed in Nepal, Tibet/China, Pakistan, Kazakistan, Kirgizistan, Tajikistan, Russian Federation, France, Georgia, Switzerland, Italy, Bulgaria, England, Iran, Argentina, Tanzania, and Kenya. He has translated books about climbing and mountains from English to the Turkish language and writes his own books in Turkish and English languages as well.
16 TRIGGER
Grand Karakoram view while climbing high up the western slopes of Broad Peak (8,047m), with Godwin-Austen and Baltoro glaciers in the distance. Canon Powershot G16 6mm F/4 1/2000 ISO80
You can see more of his work on www.tuncfindik.com or follow him on Instagram @tuncfindik8000.
Climbers at the 7,800m high ‘saddle’ of the Broad Peak (8,047m) at Karakoram. Canon Powershot G16 6mm F/4 1/2000 ISO80
Dawn at the Karakoram. High from the slopes of Gasherbrum 2 peak, at 7,700m altitude, the first light of dawn illuminates the distant, icy Masherbrum peak and creates a ‘ghost effect’ at the horizon. Canon Powershot G12 30mm F/4.5 1/160 ISO320
Gasherbrum 2 peak (8,035m) shrouded in veils of condensation cloud of jet stream winds in the altitude. Canon Powershot S110 26mm F/5.9 1/500 ISO80
With a backdrop view of pyramid-shaped K2, the second highest peak of our planet, a climber approaches the rocky summit of Broad Peak (8,047m) in the Karakoram. Canon Powershot G16 6mm F/4.5 1/2000 ISO80
18 TRIGGER
As glassy ice walls glisten above him, a climber scales the notorious ice gully of ‘the bottleneck’ of K2, at an altitude of approx 8,400m. Canon Powershot G12 6mm F/6.3 1/1250 ISO80
Night sky at the base camp of K2 peak (8,611m) Canon Powershot G16 6mm F/1.8 1/20 ISO1600
Filming at 8000m Alessandro d’Emilia
Sunrise at 8,600m Sony ILCE-7SM2 16mm F/8 1/125 ISO200
Last steps before the summit, 07:00 am Sony ILCE-7SM2 40mm F/5.6 1/400 ISO200
20 FEATURE
Milky Way from the Basecamp at 5,500m Canon 6D 16mm F/2.8 1/20 ISO3200
Kangchenjunga in all its Beauty Sony ILCE-7SM2 226mm F/14 1/800 ISO200
Alessandro d’Emilia lived mainly in the Dolomites. Practicing sports such as skiing, climbing, slack-line, and paragliding, he has developed a strong interest in the audiovisual sector and is fascinated by the mysteries of nature, unexplored places and loves to interact with local populations. Graduated at Zelig documentary school in the photography class, he works all over the world as director of photography and freelance drone pilot. He produces documentaries, following mainly expeditions and extreme sports projects, environmental and social issues. In addition to “Dusk Chorus documentary”, an award-winning film about the issue of biodiversity in the most remote of the rainforest on earth, that won in both scientific, environmental and social fields at prestigious international festivals, he has followed renowned athletes and professional mountaineers. In May 2018, filming and following the youngest mountaineer in the world to climb mountains of 8000 meters, Arjun Vajpai, he reached the summit of the third highest mountain in the world, the Kangchenjunga (8680 m).
Aaron Durogati & Tamara lunger flying Tandem Paragliding over “Key Monastery” Sony ILCE-7SM2 35mm F/8 1/50 ISO160
Q. In your recent expedition to Mt. Kangchenjunga, you trailed the youngest mountaineer in the world to climb mountains of 8000 meters, Arjun Vajpai. What were the highs and lows that you had to experience? A: Surely, climbing a high mountain more than 8,000m is not a simple walk or something that you decide to to do because you’re bored. It’s a very, very long process. Preparation and training, both physical and mental, begins a few months earlier. From your home paths, that you get used to running in less time and with more concentration to gradually making it to the base camp. Sitting here, you might think that it’s relatively easy to stay 45 days at an altitude of 5500m. But it’s not, especially for those of us who are not born in those places. It’s something new every day, something you have to dedicate yourself to and slowly learn to know without ever demanding too much from yourself. Otherwise, you pay for it yourself. If I have to remember the most difficult moment, it was when my camera stopped working right in the face of the most beautiful sunrise at 8500 meters, just 280 m before summit. At that altitude, with hands almost frozen, and less than 300 meters from the summit, on one of the most beautiful moments of my life, I felt smaller than a mosquito. Completely vulnerable. Helpless. Slowly, I thought I could find a solution at all costs, and luckily, I did. I put my camera in my suit, in contact with the skin, which warmed it up a lot, releasing it, but again creating a lot of condensation which, when pulled out again after 20 minutes, had been re-directed directly onto the sensor. So, I did not have much left to do, I removed the lens, using my fingers and nails, slowly, I scratched away the thin layer of ice that had formed on the sensor, and on the lens, finally I tried to turn it back on. I was moved when the camera went again in REC. Q. Besides being a talented photographer, you are also an award-winning filmmaker. Which one between the two entices you more and why? A.When I have a camera in my hand, the feeling is to grasp something that will never happen again. If it’s a photo or a film, my approach to the reality that I face does not change much. In making documentaries, I think it’s more difficult to be faithful to that reality and to be able to share that emotion that at the same time, from behind the camera, you’re trying. Q. Climbing high mountains is a feat in itself. One can only imagine the hardships you face while filming the journey. How do you overcome these challenges? A. As I said before, climbing these mountains leads you to have a consciousness of yourself that exceeds any other type of activity, or at least, so it was for me until now. Even if sometimes you just have to walk without too many technical difficulties you always feel like you have a 30 kg backpack on your back, and instead you only have half of it. So, yes, obviously filming and climbing requires a double effort. But even here, it’s very mental and about your personal organisation. Be sure to have the batteries charged at the right time, and with cold temperature is not easy! Do not film everything but film only what is worth.
Flying above 6,200m over Kunzum pass GoPro HERO5 3mm F/2.8 1/4000 ISO100
However, it’s difficult without knowing things beforehand and without having too much even planned, because up there, you never know what can happen until you’re there to live the adventure. You must be convinced from the tip of your feet to your mind of what you are doing. Do not waste time. Be essential but effective. And even here, as Bresson said, especially before filming or photographing, you have to open your heart, then your eyes, then use your head and click! Q. As an environmentalist, what message do you want to give the climbers and photographers who visit the mountains? A. Being in Amazon to film and record the sounds of endangered ecosystems, for the project “Fragments of extinction” on which I made “Dusk Chorus documentary” made me more conscious of how lucky I am to do what I like most as a professional job but, of course, it is also a great responsibility. The art of photography and films is able to change society and the way of life of people. Never forget how lucky you are to visit, to climb those places that are sacred. They are unique, and of a fairytale beauty. Even as small an action as simply cleaning up the base-camp from the cigarettes thrown by others, or any small action can set a very important example and help those places to be cleaner as they were before man came and dirtied it. This is a great paradox, which made me suffer so much. See, so many “mountain enthusiasts”, hunting for 8000m do not have the least bit of respect for that place. This hurts. It hurts ourselves at first, but also to others who will go after us. But above all, it hurts our planet, and those giant mountains that we like to imagine as always shining and immaculate, clean as when a snowfall erases all traces, always there, still and imposing to observe what happens to our beloved planet. We should think about it more, every single moment.
Shivantee Bhattacharya shivantee@chiiz.com
22 FEATURE
Sitting with a cup of hot coffee and a good book, Shivantee finds her solace in books and words. Trying to reach the world through literature and metaphors, she feels that the fictional world is the best place to live in and thus, connects every real-life situation to the fictional world.
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Food in Motion Namrata Meshram
Red Chilli & Garlic Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/7.1 1/125 ISO125
Namrata Meshram is a photographer based in Pune. She has attained her bachelors in Applied Arts with a specialization in photography. Post college, she assisted the renowned photographer Amol Jadhav in Mumbai. In her very first assignment, she was introduced to food photography and that’s where the journey of food photography began. Namrata has also completed her course in digital filmmaking and over the years, she has developed an interest in motion in photography. She now combines her interests - food, cooking and eating along with film and photography to create stunning visuals.
24 FEATURE
Biscuits Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/2.8 1/125 ISO125
Fries Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/2.8 1/160 ISO100
Bitter Gourd Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/8 1/160 ISO100
Tomato Ketchup Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/10 1/3 ISO160
Q. You are a photographer who also dabbles in motion pictures. Which of the both are you more inclined towards and why? A. I would say I am more inclined to stop motion. It’s enormously thought-provoking and gives me a chance to invent and use my imagination in so many ways. The static object on the screen gives me a very enchanted and stimulating feeling. Q. You go through a lot of prep work behind the scenes before the actual shoot. Can you let us in on your process? A. So, to begin with, stop motion is basically a series of pictures which when played creates a sequence of animations. Before shooting stop-motion, I need to be very clear about the theme, ideation and the follow of the animatics. Creating a storyboard helps me in getting a clearer picture of my theme, post which, I create the props and models or food art and then decide their motion. The key to getting perfect stop motion is keeping the camera and equipment stable to avoid judder. To conclude, some color correction and frame by frame arrangement is needed to create the final video animation. If you can add some quirky sound in the background, it can create more drama for the clip and work as the icing on the cake. Q. How is food styling important in your photography, from a creative standpoint? A. Food styling is an art, it plays a very vital role in photography. The right composition of the food can create a stunning visual. Food styling comes with its own set of challenges, so it’s not just about positioning the food, it’s also about knowing the sustenance. From selecting appropriate veggies to apt crockery-props and choosing a correct background and composing the relevant elements, all is needed to create an appealing visual. 26 FEATURE
Brinjal Splash Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/5.6 1/160 ISO100
Q. What are your major takeaways from photographing food professionally and how does that affect your relationship with your clients? A. The major takeaway for me while photographing food is that I get to learn new things every day, be it interesting facts about food or innovative ways of styling, there is always an opportunity to learn and explore. I look at food styling as a piece of art and handle it that way. Hence it works in my favor, as the clients nowadays are continually looking for ground-breaking concepts and stop motion is an exceptional concept that entices them.
Shreya Bhattacharya shreya@chiiz.com A mass communication student trying to reach out the world through books. Shreya strongly feels that keeping a positive attitude in life can make everything possible. She is a quiet girl with a big smile on her face, ready to conquer the world.
28 TRIGGER
Frozen in Time Tim Banifield
Ice Climbing - Riviere de Loup - Nathalie Fortin Canon 5D Mark IV 95mm F/5.6 1/250 ISO200
Ice Climbing - Whoa Whoa Capitane - Jon Walsh - Icefields Parkway Canon 5D Mark II 105mm F/11 1/500 ISO100
Tim Banfield has worked in the adventure photography industry for nine years now, gaining experience shooting the rock and ice climbing while at the same time writing feature articles that support his photos. As a seasoned climbing photographer, he is passionate about capturing authentic images taken at the moment. In addition to photography, he is also involved in real estate and social media. Outside the ‘office’, Tim enjoys climbing for fun, skiing, and taking images of his dog, Trango. Follow along on Instagram @timbanfield.
30 TRIGGER
Aaron Mulkey Mixed Climbing Superfly Wyoming Canon 5D Mark IV 18mm F/4 1/80 ISO500
Alpine Climbing - Adamants-26 Canon 5D Mark II 17mm F/10 1/320 ISO100
Kain Route - Climbing Bugaboo Spire - Bugaboos Canon 5D Mark II 17mm F/8 1/640 ISO100
Mt. Kailash is the main peak of the trans-Himalaya. It is the most important holy land which is known as the Bodhimanda of Shakyamuni Buddha in Buddhism and also the abode of Shiva in Hinduism. The followers of both religions believe that hiking around the Kailash as a pilgrimage, could purge the sins of their lives.
JiaJia Chen is a photographer who travels around the world to take pictures of the holy lands of every religion. The first time he thought of working on this project was when he was in Istanbul in 2014. He was so inspired by the architecture, the culture and the religious atmosphere, especially that of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (aka the Blue Mosque), that he decided to take pictures of the holy lands of each religion around the world. He hopes that his work mitigates the hostility between the various religions and that people, irrespective of religion, will understand each other much better when they see just how beautiful different cultures and religions can be.
Mt. Kailash Canon 1D Mark III 85mm F/8 1/160 ISO200
The ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. Genesis 8:4 KJV�. Mt. Ararat is a very important holy land of Christians which was mentioned as the ark’s resting place by the Bible. The Khor Virap is a Monastery which located in the Ararat plains. It is also a famous holy land of the Armenian Church.
30 TRIGGER
Mountain Ararat and the Khor Virap in Armenia. FUJIFILM X-PRO1 35mm F/8 1/500 ISO200
Tibet. Mount Kailash. South face Nikon D5100 34mm F/8 1/250 ISO100
Natalia Likhashchenko likes traveling to different places and is observant of the things that make a place truly unique. Like the arid deserts landscapes that are so different from those of the snow-capped peaks or seascapes. Admiring the beauty and diversity of this world, Natalia wanted to capture the beautiful corners of the Earth and share them with other people. Therefore, she took the camera in her hands and over time, became a professional photographer. Although she has visited many places on the planet, the most important trip of her life was the trip to the Himalayas, to Tibet and to Mount Kailash. The harsh conditions of the Tibetan plateau test people for strength. Low air temperature, strong penetrating winds, rain, snow, lack of oxygen are hurdles that are difficult to overcome. But, despite this, the beauty of Tibet and the Himalayan mountains amazes and fascinates. The one who met the dawn on the shore of Lake Manasarovar, who saw the sunset at Mount Everest, who felt the mystical power of Mount Kailash will never be the same person and their life will change forever.
33 TRIGGER
The Tibetan Plateau Nikon D5100 55mm F/9 1/320 ISO100
Suhail Ahmed, more popularly known by his Instagram moniker, “theguyfromkashmir”, is a photographer and videographer by passion and a travel enthusiast by blood. He is constantly looking to portray everything he shoots differently, searching for the detail that brings out the extraordinary from the ordinary. His homeland, Kashmir has unique landscapes and natural beauty which encourages one to find out one’s inherent photographic caliber. Born in New Delhi, raised in Srinagar and having grown up in a conflict zone, Suhail found photography as a vent to his anger and to express himself as it is the best medium to convey his emotions. 34 TRIGGER
Floating vegetable market DJI Mavic Pro 4.73mm F/2.2 1/50 ISO100
Movie Review Ansel Adams Duration: 110 minutes IMDB Rating: 7.7/10 Released: 2002 Directed: JRic Burns Awards: News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Programming
Most of us are familiar with Ansel Adams and his haunting black-and-white photography. Adams and his photographs are something that is greatly valued by the people of the photography community. Adams has a great influence in turning photography into an art form. He himself has enjoyed the widespread popularity and the universal acceptance of his work has had a very strong impact on the people and their surroundings. Adams became one of the most popular photographers of his time and also a powerful voice during the early days of environmental conservation. Produced by the renowned documentarian, Ric Burns and his company, Steeplechase Films, Ansel Adams is a documentary film that explores the many sides of the legendary photographer- Ansel Adams and was made for Adams’ centennial. It was shown for the first time on National Public Television back in April of 2002. Ric was also busy with some other impressive projects already under his belt like ‘The Donner Party’ (1992) and ‘New York: A Documentary Film’ (1999), after which he hits another one out of the park with Ansel Adams, a documentary that simply reinforces why he and his brother are two of the best filmmakers working anywhere today. Ric documents American history in a way that is accessible and understood by every other individual and presented a satisfying overview of the man who was an iconic photographer and one of the most influential propagators of photography as an art. This effort is perhaps considered to be the most intimate effort of Ric. The film follows Adams through his early and very difficult childhood in San Francisco where his father was a great influence on his life to his first trip to Yosemite when he was fourteen years old. His father had given him a Kodak camera as a present on the trip to Yosemite. From then onwards, we watch Adams as he grows from amateur photographer to an up-and-coming success in his field. He made his mark on most of the people with the black and white pictures of Yosemite and other glorious images that he shot with his camera. Adams had another intense interest in music and he invested himself completely into both photography and music at different times in his life. We see the impact that he had on the world around him as well as the impact the ever-changing world had on him and his work. The documentary takes us from the beginning to the end of Adams’ existence and all points in between - stopping 36 CLASSICS
along the way to point out all of the relative monuments and landmarks in his remarkable life. The film not only satisfies a person’s need to understand the influences on a photographer’s life but it is also an incredible journey of a man that any self-respecting lover of nature, photography or history should check out as soon as possible. Ric Burns hold nothing back and tell’s us the whole truth about Adams’ passionate, intense, and often chaotic life with an engrossing narrative and marvelously informative interviews from biographers, family members, historians and photographers alike. Adams was an amazing artist and activist and he has inspired plenty of people with his beautiful work. Ric Burns’ ‘Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film’ amazingly captures the spirit and intensity of a man who understood the indivisible bond between man and nature. We also come out of the film with respect for Adam himself. In my opinion, I think, there’s not a better documentary available on Ansel Adams and his work and it would be very difficult to convince someone that anyone could do it better than Ric Burns anyway. This is a must-watch film for any lover of art, nature, or quintessential American history.
Urvi Bareja urvi@chiiz.com Urvi is always fascinated by literature and photography. In her spare time, she enjoys eating good food and watching web series.
Dog Sledge Samsung S7 Edge 4mm F/1.7 1/12000 ISO40
Debarshi Das, was born in a small and beautiful town of Siliguri in North of Bengal. Qualified in Bachelor of Electronics he is associated with IT industry for last 8 years. Presently he has been working as Senior Business Consultant in one of the leading Japanese MNCs and put up in Winchester in south west part of UK. His tryst with camera had started at an early age when he was gifted with a Yashica roll film SLR on his 15th birthday by his parents. Solo travelling across 13 countries and 15 states in India to photograph people, architecture, culture and landscape have taught him about certain things in life. He carries a huge inclination towards photographing the unfathomable and exotic behavior of Planet Earth and raise awareness towards rapid climatic change and plastic pollution of our oceans.He comes across various photographers everyday who motivate him with their notable works. But he is specially moved by Keith Ladzinski, Paul Nicklen & Frans Lanting, their work towards saving the Planet Earth have always inspired him to do something for our Planet. Travelling at first will make you speechless and then it shall turn you into a storyteller. So as a traveler and visual storyteller, he carries a dream to travel towards North Pole, Svalbard, Baffin and Falkland Island in coming years. He has a believe that his viewfinder is the most powerful weapon and his hope to bring a change through this on our Planet Earth. 38 TRIGGER
Disko Bay Icebergs Samsung S7 Edge 4mm F/1.7 1/5000 ISO40
Tromso “The Arctic City” Canon 5D Mark III 35mm F/5.6 1/1600 ISO320
“There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not humans the less, but the Nature more” -Lord Byron
Durga Visarjan Indraneel Sen
An Idol Canon 550D 15mm F/7.1 1/100 ISO125
Forced into photography by his guru, from a very young age, Indraneel Sen now considers photography not only his passion but has also taken it up as a profession. His inclination towards candid photography led him to pursue photojournalism. Since 2005, he has been doing freelance photojournalistic assignments apart from his job. He continues it even today and proudly calls it his passion. He is a champion of the environment and it reflects in his work.
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Offering Prayers Canon 550D 10mm F/7.1 1/100 ISO160
Wakhan Valley -Chek Yong
A Wakhi Family Canon 7D 23mm F/2.8 1/13 ISO800
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Interior of a Kyrgyz House Canon 7D 20mm F/5 1/20 ISO400
Young Wakhi Boy with Firewood Canon 7D 24mm F11 1/200 ISO500
Chek Yong is enthusiastically obsessed with travel and photography. Through his lenses, he documents episodes of life and culture; interacting with his subjects to reveal the human stories worldwide. Often on the off-beaten tracks, he has set foot in 133 countries and all seven continents. You can see more of his work on Instagram @chekyongphoto.
Afternoon Tea Break Canon 7D 20mm F/14 1/200 ISO400
Natural Playground Canon 7D 17mm F/7.1 1/125 ISO400
Heading Out for Laundry Canon 7D 17mm F/6.3 1/400 ISO200
Opium Smoking Wakhi Man Canon 7D 17mm F/2.8 1/8 ISO3200
App of the Month AFTERLIGHT
Rating: 4.3/5 Platform: Android Cost: Free (In-app Purchases Available)
With the ever-increasing growth of social media and smartphone photography, to take that one perfect click has become a trend. But to choose one perfect app for all the customization and editing, and that too quickly has become more difficult considering the variety of options available. In this month issue of Chiiz, we look at Afterlight, the perfect image editing app for quick and crisp editing. It is an unpaid app which can be downloaded and installed on all Android devices from Google Play. Another version of this app is available for iOS devices with the name ‘Afterlight 2’ which is a paid app and can be downloaded and installed from the App Store. Features of Afterlight The simple design of the app, paired with powerful and snappy tools, will give you your desired look in seconds. The app contains various adjustment tools to personalize your photograph in the required way. It comes with a wide variety of filters and frames. The preset filters also help in saving time. Some of the filters available are: • Double exposure • Selective color • Dust textures • Color shift The filters are available in three categories- original, guest and seasons, with each category having different filters to match up your requirement in any situation. Once you choose your desired filter, a slider appears which helps you to adjust the intensity of the filters. Alongside these, a library of film effects is available which can be applied over all the filters and edits. You can add a dusty, light leak, or instant film filter to your photo to achieve a rugged or antique look. Each category listed previously has up to 30 different filters in each to maximize your editing experience. You can always overlap filters too. Afterlight has an enormous library of frames. These frames are not just in the usual styles but also in typeface and silhouette frames that give the photograph a complete scrapbook-like touch. To assist you with the fine details, the feature to pinch and zoom into the image while editing is available to make more precise edits. The app is available in 15 localized languages to ensure the ease of using the app. Afterlight enables you to choose your photograph directly from your gallery for editing. After editing, the photographs can directly be shared to various 42 TOOLS
social media platforms as well. A unique feature of Afterlight is its white balance lock. This feature is particularly useful when clicking the photographs in a dark environment or in night mode. This feature can be accessed directly from the option towards the right of the grid button.15 different presets are available for cropping. For transforming the photographs, the rotating tool, vertical and horizontal flipping tools, skewing and angle rotation options are also available. Color balance and vibrance can be manually altered as well. Although, they are quite standard features, but are implemented quite well in Afterlight. A huge number of textures ranging from real and natural light to scratchy film textures can be used. Basic edits like changing saturation, contrast and brightness by selecting one of the six icons in the edit view can also be made. Apart from these, some extraordinary editing options like vignettes, shadows and midtones give an opportunity to the users to be as creative as they want. Afterlight is the most popular and undoubtedly one of the best photo-editing apps available as it actually takes your photographs to the next level. The app is easy to navigate through and makes your photograph look absolutely unique. A drawback is that the in-app purchases need to be done before accessing some of the best filters and effects and they are quite expensive. Also, the user needs to use the on-screen shutter button for clicking photographs as the volume button shutter control does not work in Afterlight. Chiiz Opinion Afterlight is a very user-friendly app. It is easy to use the different features and functions due to its simple layout and design. The app offers a perfect balance between simple and advanced photo-editing options, a clean camera interface and classy filters. The app is hence the perfect choice for not only making minor adjustments but also for completely overhauling the images. Constant updates with new effects and filters make Afterlight, an app users will keep coming back to. Vidit Mehta vidit@chiiz.com The word that describes Vidit best is a wanderlust personality. He likes exploring new places, tasting different dishes which is why if you don’t find him exploring, you will find him cooking and trying new recipes. In his free time, he enters his own world of imagination which is reflected in his stories. Vidit is trying to become the change which he wishes to see in this world.
Western Himalayan Traverse Bharat, Pranav & Shekhar
Clear weather during Kalindi Khal GoPro HERO5 3mm F/2.8 1/4098 ISO100
While the Himalayas are a ruthless terrain, they are equally breathtaking. They are a wonder to the world and are a home to nine of the 10 highest peaks in the world. Majestic, remote and an adventurer’s dream, Himalayas are a place like no other. So, when the idea of traversing the western Himalayas had started to materialize, we decided that it was going to be more than just trekking. The whole idea of this traverse was to highlight the ultra lightweight backpacking in India. This would help people to cover more distance fast and will help enable them to see double the areas at the same time and with a lightweight behind their backs. Our objective is to improve the trekking culture in India. There are many companies in India which are following really bad mountaineering practices. Following their lead, others are doing the same. This whole practice is not good for the environment and for the trekkers as well. Another objective is to promote self-sufficient trekking in India. This means that you are not depending on porters and others for your needs. The third objective was to create a long trail in India, which we would be calling the Western Himalayan Trail.
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It took us one whole year to just plan the whole expedition. The first thing we did was to decide on the team and settled with three people, i.e., Pranav, Shekhar and I. This would help us work well if something were to go wrong during the traverse. We were, after all, going to be in the mountains for a long duration and out of the range of any digital communication whatsoever. If something were to happen to one teammate, the second could go to call for help while the third one would stay behind. We then discussed the route in great detail along with the pros and cons of the routes. The idea was simple- we required a direct and straight route which would take less time. Our only consideration was to not to take a technical terrain as it would require extra gear to cross it. Having said that, we did not have an option to bypass the Kalindikhal pass. This was the most challenging part of our process- deciding which path to take and which one to avoid. After many days of restless, tiring work, we eventually got around to finalizing the route. Following the itinerary, it took us 47 days to cross the whole area, out of which we took full-day rest on 4 occasions, i.e., in Kaza, Chitkul, Auli and Himni. While on some days we walked very less to reach our predetermined destinations, other times, we had to
Shekhar Singh currently works as a mountain guide in the western part of the Himalayas. He enjoys mountain running, climbing ice and rock. Being a fresher in the professional mountaineering, he wants to discover a way of climbing which makes him relate to the mountains as a painter does with a canvas. Follow his adventures on Instagram @shekhar297.
A Strong Team iPhone SE 4mm F/2.2 1/3663 ISO25
Kafnu OnePlus A2003 4mm F/2 1/718 ISO100
No Man’s Land iPhone SE 4mm F/2.2 1/5495 ISO25
Ancora iPhone SE 4mm F/2.2 1/1570 ISO25
walk as long as 44 km in a day. Although it was really tiring, we needed to reach the places to make things happen. We walked a total distance of 950 km and made a total ascent of 123432 feet. We also crossed 27 passes, out of which, 11 passes were more than 5000m above the sea level. I had to experience the cold desert of Ladakh where the air was thin and super dry. When we reached Kinnaur through Kafnu pass, the air was more dense and humid, the smell of which filled me with the enormous joy that you can only experience when you do the trek.
had to work with many innovative ideas. For instance, we used a bandana and soaked it in the water from the tent top and squeezed it inside for drinking water. The river crossing was another big technical terrain during the traverse as there were many rivers that we had to cross multiple times. The biggest river we had crossed was the Norboo Sumdo on the way to the Parangla pass from Tsomoriri. Multiple channels of the river can confuse you as to which one to choose. At this point, one should know how to scout the river, from where to cross it and at what time of the day.
During the traverse, we had four passes that could be called technical terrain and which also are known for the glacier terrain- Bhabha pass, Parangla Pass, Lamkhaga pass and Kalindi Khal. Out of the four passes, Kalindikhal was the most challenging as it had a really huge glacier with open and hidden creases and we required glacier travel equipment for it. During this traverse, we also faced bad weather at Kalindi pass which was the biggest difficulty we endured in this traverse. We managed to adapt to the situation really well, considering that we had limited fuel for the ration period, ate only once a day and
Landslides were also very challenging as we had to endure them throughout the trail due to the prevailing monsoons. Shepherd and bridges on the way were always a sight to watch. Another big challenge was the navigation as we had not explored the trail before. I have done a few treks in the past and not having a good map is always a really big problem. Finding the route was challenging in the Kumaon and Garhwal Himalayas and we lost the way many times during the traverse. Through these ordeals, we also learned many things like how to find the right trail, how to ask for the trail from the villagers and break
With over a decade spent in the mountains, independent exploration has been the focus of Pranav Singh Rawat’s mountaineering career. He has gradually forayed into alpinism and ice climbing, trying to push the boundaries of the sport in India’s context. Much of his climbing experience is based on a learning through approach. Working with limited resources and a knowledge repository built through experience, Rawat has forged his way up on demanding climbs. Know more about him on Instagram @pranavrawat_
Kalindi Base GoPro HERO5 3mm F/2.8 1/2632 ISO200
Important Fire GoPro HERO5 3mm F/2.8 1/4 ISO1600
the information in small pieces. On the second last day of the trek, we were to cross three passes, but we lost the way and remained that way for two and a half hours. It drained a lot of our energy and only reached our destination late and exhausted. The hike was a learning process through and through. We learned a lot during the traverse about how people live throughout the Himalayas, from the cold desert area of Ladakh to the lush green mountains of Kumaon. We met a lot of people, dined with the local people who were always kind and helpful to us strangers. Although they have different belief systems, they have one thing in common- the love for nature and respect for the mountains. They live very close to nature and seem to enjoy every single moment of their life. We were especially floored by the hospitality of the Changpa nomads who welcomed us and shared their food with us even when they themselves had little to eat. We saw how the villages in Kumaon and Garhwal face the same problems of migration of youth to cities for job opportunities and a lack of basic public
Waiting for good weather GoPro HERO5 3mm F/2.8 1/4098 ISO200
Towards Ghastoli OnePlus A2003 4mm F/2 1/8740 ISO105
facilities, like schools, hospitals, transportation and communication. We witnessed the myriad of cultures hidden away in the crevices of the mountains and believe me when I say it that there is magic in those mountains, in the way those mighty mountains appear different each time you see them. There is humility in the way the sky-high peaks have their feet firmly planted in the ground. There is a learning in the mountains and much more than that, there is an unlearning. We learned a lot, and even had to unlearn a lot of things but the reason that this trek was a success is not that we completed it but because it was a start to a new journey for us- a journey to educate people about sustainable mountaineering practices and about the importance of preserving the environment so that in the future, the people who embark upon the trails like the Western Himalayan Trail may also witness the magic in the mountains.
Born in a village called Shakrori, some 45 kilometers from Shimla, Bharat Bhushan is currently an Instructor at NOLS Alaska and is a life member of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, India Chapter. He is still working on his skills as a mountaineer and keeps looking for newer challenges and places that he can explore. His vision is to encourage more and more people in India to take up mountaineering as a profession and help them learn safe mountaineering practices. Know more about him at climberbharat.com
Explorer GoPro HERO5 3mm F/2.8 1/2198 ISO100
Passes crossed during the traverse 1 Right side of the Dhat La (5610m) 2 Kyamar La (5100m) 3 Mandalchan La (5210m) 4 Shibuk La (5270m) 5 Kolakongma La (4940m) 6 Kai Yeru La (5420m) 7 Koste La (5380m) 8 Yalung Nyau La (5470m) 9 Parangla pass (5560m) 10 Thaltak (4710m) 11 Bhaba pass (4910m) 12 Lamkhaga pass (5270m) 13 Kalindi Khal (5950m) 14 Kuwari pass (3670m) 15 Vinayak (3170m) 16 Kukin Khal (3120m) 17 Ali Khal (3470m) 18 Pass between Garwal and Kumaon (3350m) 19 Above Garkuti (2770m) 20 Khati Khal (2920m) 21 Bainsa Kharak (3040m) 22 Dhara Pani (3150m) 23 Rur Khan (3440m) 24 No name for the pass (2860m) 25 Dharti khal (3430m) 26 Chongmo (3810m) 27 Balsi Khal (3900m) Minute made kitchen OnePlus A2003 4mm F/2 1/33 ISO552
Old is Gold Adam’s Struggle
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” How very true it is, isn’t it? Photographers do not just capture the shot, they make it what it is. They give a reality to it, a meaning, a perspective to it. For them every photograph is a new story, a new way to look into life, because photographs are not just meant to look at, but, to look into. These very wise words were uttered by Ansel Adams who lived each of his clicks. Ansel Easton Adams was an American Photographer who captured landscapes. Apart from this, he was an environmentalist and considered himself very close to nature and its mysteries. His photos are reflective of the fact of how much of a nature lover he was. Adams could go to any length to make his photos look realistic and make them speak to all humankind. Today we look over again at one of his greatest works and my personal favourites-Monolith, the face of the half dome. The story behind this picture is extremely fascinating. Adams did not consider himself to be a photographer but a musician as he was an extremely skilled pianist. Soon he realised that this would only bring him local fame and that photography interested him more than anything else. He had a special connection to the Yosemite Valley situated in Sierra Nevada. This was because when he was just a kid of 14, he had gone there with his parents during vacation and had captured his first significant shot of the Half Dome on his Kodak Brownie and that is when he had realised that photography was something that really fascinated him and he wanted all his contemporaries to explore the magic that lay in these stills. “Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter pf green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” This is what Yosemite Valley was to Adams. One fine day he decided that he wanted a perfect shot of the Monolith and go back to those good old days of him as a kid and relive those beautiful memories. The day was April 10, 1927 and a 25-year-old Adams along with his fiancée and two other friends was ascending up the Yosemite’s Le Conte gully trail. To reach the Monolith was a Herculean task as there was a disparity of 5000 feet between him and his destination. The conquest was not easy as he had a 40 pound 6 ½ * 8 ½ Korona view camera with 2 lenses, 2 filters, a wooden tripod and 12 glass plates that would act as his negatives. But this was not going to dilute his enthusiasm. While on his way he clicked many pictures to the limit that when he reached his destination he had only 2 plates left to use. Adams had already visualised a picture in his head and he was not going to settle for anything less than that. He had an emotional connect with this picture and
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Monolith-Face of Half Dome by Ansel Adams he wanted it to be the best. He tried the 11th exposure with a yellow filter but the effect of the sun and the shadow at the same time was not good enough. This was his last chance. It was the last plate he had and this one had to work otherwise all his hard work would have gone in vain. He tried the red filter which was much darker and that gave him the quality he had wanted in the picture. It had worked. He had the perfect picture. This picture is extremely important as it established Adams as a successful photographer and also because it preserves the national heritage of the park. It represents Adams’ very first conscious visualisation which would become very important in the coming years. Taken on a symbolic level, this picture talks about the idea of choice. The snow representing all that is good and calm while the darkness of the half dome stands as a metaphor for the darkness of evil and that of ignorance. By the idea of this picture Adams has laid down two clear cut options before us and has left us to choose what we like while still appreciating the beauty of the other option because it is neither easy to walk the good path nor is it difficult to walk the worse one.
Saman Waheed saman@chiiz.com She is like all writers, loves writing about each and everything under the sun. An indoor person , she loves to sit back and just travel to another world, lost in her thoughts. She loves the company of books as they take her to places she has never been. She loves to cook and makes good desserts.
Exploring the Obscure Pascal Mannaerts
Karakul village Canon 5D Mark III 105mm F/9 1/500 ISO100
Pamir (Tajikistan-GBAprovince) Known in Persian as the ‘Bam-i-Dunya’ (Roof of the World), the Pamir mountains in Eastern Tajikistan (GBAO province) form one of the most unexplored and isolated regions on Earth and are one of the highest mountain ranges in the world. High, cold and remote, the area was totally closed to foreigners during Soviet rule, until the early 1990’s. This amazing region and its legendary “M41” Pamir highway are now opening up to adventurers from all over the world. Village of Bulunkul Canon 5D Mark III 105mm F/8 1/500 ISO800
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Langar, a village in the Wakhan valley Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/9 1/160 ISO400
Group of musicians in a Khorog park Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/7.1 1/125 ISO800
Pascal Mannaerts is a freelance photographer based in Brussels, Belgium. Blessed with an artistic bent and wanderlust, he discovered photography during his student years. Sharing and recording his travel adventures became a priority. A first visit to India in 2000 revealed a deep admiration for the subcontinent. This was the first of many return engagements. Travelling to Asia, Africa, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East during the last 15 years has given Pascal the opportunity to portray humanity in its strongest forms. Curiosity and a passion for images have been fused with a profound attraction to the human element in his pictures. Pascal has publication credits in National Geographic, BBC, Geo, The Guardian, Le Guide du Routard, Lonely planet, Médecins Sans Frontières and in many newspapers and magazines worldwide. Several exhibitions of his pictures were held in Paris, Belgium, Brazil and India by, among others, Alliance française, Amnesty International and Les Maisons du Voyage. A part of his work can be seen on his website www.parcheminsdailleurs.com.
Loneliness in the heights of Van Canon 5D Mark III 105mm F/8 1/500 ISO400
Woman in Diyarbakir Canon 5D Mark III 105mm F/7.1 1/320 ISO400
A traditional oven Sogmatar Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/4 1/640 ISO400
Northern Kurdistan Kurdistan (literally meaning ‘Land of the Kurds’) is a geographical and cultural region in the Middle East, mostly populated by the Kurds. It extends to some parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Of these four countries, only two have a region officially under the name ‘Kurdistan’ - Iran with its Kordestan province and Iraq with its autonomous Kurdistan region. Mainly located on the Anatolian and the Armenian plateau, the Northern Kurdistan is mountainous and Mount Ararat is the highest peak. City of Mardin Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/11 1/320 ISO100
Bayrsaïhan Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/6.3 1/320 ISO400
Baagii Canon 5D Mark III 35mm F/11 1/250 ISO800
A large yurt Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/11 1/320 ISO640
Tsaatan Nomads (Mongolia) Tsaatan people are reindeer herders and live in northern Khövsgöl Aimag of Mongolia. Originally from across the border, in what is now the Tuva Republic of Russia, the Tsaatan are one of the last groups of nomadic reindeer herders in the world. They survived for thousands of years inhabiting the remotest Ulaan taïga, moving between 5 to 10 times a year. As the reindeer populations shrink, only about 40 families continue the tradition today. Many have already swapped their nomadic life for urban areas. Nomadic Tsaatan community Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/11 1/250 ISO800
Face to Face Canon 50D 110mm F/7.1 1/1250 ISO400
Tibet Tibet is a uniquely spiritual and inspiring place. Those moments of harmony and peace, brief and precious, when everything seems to be in its right place for the mind, heart, and eye, just seem to come more often here. Despite a tormented political situation, the most striking is for sure the goodness, joy, and devotion of the Tibetan people. Always ready to welcome you with the openness of heart and tolerance, despite decades of political hardship, it is the people that truly make traveling in Tibet such a profound and unforgettable experience. Traveling to Tibet will probably change the way you see and feel about the world. This will remain with you for years and that is definitely the best kind of travel that you could ever dream of.
Yamdrok Lake Canon 50D 50mm F/8 1/200 ISO250
Gyantse Canon 50D 40mm F/6.3 1/125 ISO400
The Jokhang temple Canon 50D 28mm F/10 1/320 ISO400
Hamar woman in Turmi Canon 50D 18mm F/10 1/250 ISO400
Ethiopia “Ethiopia is truly a world apart, a country I had read about in my teenage years and that had been on my bucket list for a very long time. I will always remember the night we landed in Addis Ababa. It was like a dream come true. All that we had imagined for years was coming to life around us, even in just the capital city. We first headed to the south of the country, exploring the storied Omo Valley. There, we found a sublime and powerful way of life, timeless nature in all its majesty, and mysterious rituals that have remained unchanged since the dawn of time. We continued our trip to the north of the country, to Bahir Dar, Lake Tana, Gonder, and Lalibela, discovering some of the world’s most astounding sacred sites. Wherever you decide to go, a visit to Ethiopia will remain with you for a lifetime.” -Pascal Mannaerts
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Oura Kidane Mehret Monastery, Lake Tana Canon 50D 18mm F/5.6 1/20 ISO100
Mursi woman Canon 50D 60mm F/11 1/500 ISO400
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Silver Pheasant Canon 1D X Mark II 500mm F/4 1/1250 ISO2500
Chen Cheng Guang from Taiwan has always been obsessed with capturing birds in his frame and persists in showing the most beautiful side of flying feathers. He firmly believes that there is no need to pursue only the rarity and diversity of bird species. Even a swallow, common place as it may be, has an ever-changing graceful posture. The camera records the beauty of a scene, so that the beautiful moment is deeply imprinted in the heart. While the process is moving and replete with hard work, frustration and excitement, it gradually gets unprecedented and replaced with a sense of accomplishment. Chrysolophus pictus Golden Pheasant Canon 1D X Mark II 500mm F/5.6 1/2000 ISO2500
Asian Paradise Flycatcher Canon 1D X Mark II 500mm F/5.6 1/1000 ISO3200
Maroon Orioles Canon 1D X 700mm F/6.3 1/1000 ISO1600
Taiwan Laughing Thrush Canon 7D Mark II 500mm F/4 1/1000 ISO6400
Osprey Canon 1D X Mark II 700mm F/5.6 1/2000 ISO3200
Brahminy Kite Canon 1D X Mark II 500mm F/8 1/1000 ISO2500
Crested Serpent Eagle & Black Drongo Canon 1D X Mark II 1000mm F/8 1/1000 ISO1600
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Snack time Nikon D810 14mm F/5 1/160 ISO31
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Molasses Production Nikon D810 14mm F/5.6 1/320 ISO31
Salt Lake Nikon D810 70mm F/5.6 1/1250 ISO64
Mehmet Aslan was born in Antakya and started photography in 2006. When he is not working at his job, he is trying to finish his photography projects. He is a member of the Suretialem Photography and Cinema Art Association and Sille Art Palace. His photographs have been featured in digital media and magazines and he has received awards in both domestic and international arenas.
Tea Basket Nikon D810 15mm F/11 1/500 ISO100
Playing on Ice Nikon D810 15mm F/5 1/1250 ISO40
Soap making Nikon D810 50mm F/3.2 1/60 ISO320
A Clownfish and its eggs Nikon D500 60mm F/32 1/250 ISO400
Simon Lorenz’s life revolves around the underwater world. A former marketing director, he dedicates his time today, full time, to scuba diving group trips and journalism. A lifelong traveler who speaks six languages and has dived on all five continents, he feels at home wherever there is water and animals. With his travel company, Insider Divers, he and his fellow ‘Insiders’ aim to provide unique diving experiences for groups of like-minded divers. As PADI instructor and a professional photographer, his key ambition is to further the capabilities of his guests. With specialized itineraries and detailed background presentations, these trips are aimed at divers who want to learn more about the animals and habitats that they see. His photography and articles have been used in publications like Sports Diver, Scuba Diving USA, CNN. com, Action Diver, AsianDiver, ActionAsia, Plongeurs, Unter Wasser, Dive Pacific and have featured in several magazine cover shots. His photographs are often used
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Cone Snails Nikon D500 60mm F/11 1/125 ISO25
by NGOs for their charitable work, such as recently on the United Nations CMS Congress. Simon wants to help in protecting the oceans he loves. As a member of the advisory board of the Hong Kong Shark Foundation, he supports activities against shark fin consumption. He has supported The Nature Conservancy, LumiVoce, and other institutions in various projects for ocean conservation.
Juvenile Cusk Eel Nikon D850 60mm F/10 1/250 ISO160
Thorny Seahorse Nikon D500 60mm F/22 1/250 ISO250
Juvenile Wonderpus Nikon D500 60mm F/18 1/125 ISO125
Juvenile Flounder Nikon D850 60mm F/8 1/250 ISO160
Napoleon Wrasse Nikon D500 10mm F/11 1/160 ISO200
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Marine Iguana Nikon D850 35mm F/10 1/200 ISO400
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Drolma Nikon Supercool Scan 5000 ED 18mm F/3.5 1/200 ISO200
Tibetan Monk Nikon Supercool Scan 5000 ED 18mm F/3.5 1/200 ISO200
Cesare Pegoraro is an Italian photographer and a traveler with a passion for the Asian continent. He loves to photograph what excites him inwardly, in a process of continuous improvement, as the aesthetics of beauty blends with spirituality and the search for self. The light, color and composition create harmony and beauty in his photos. Each of his image tries to communicate these emotions to the viewer.
Nepalese children Nikon Supercool Scan 5000 ED 50mm F/5.6 1/200 ISO100
Before the Storm Nikon Supercool Scan 5000 ED 70mm F/4 1/200 ISO400
Travel Photographer of the Year-2018 Dmitry Akrhipov
The Intimidator Canon 5D Mark III 100mm F/29 1/160 ISO200
Dmitry Arkhipov is a photographer, traveler and polar guide. He was born in Moscow (Russia) and has loved photography since his childhood. Being a physicist by training, he started working at the Russian space science program after which he served in the military. After his dismissal, he established a well-known IT company. Dmitry has traveled and photographed 112 countries so far. His five personal photo exhibitions attracted more than a million people. Dmitry is a winner of many photo contests such as EPSON Int’l Pano Awards, Global Arctic Awards, Trierenberg SC, B&W Spider Awards, Int’l Photography Awards, Int’l Color Awards. He has also been awarded the Best Russian Photographer of the Arctic 2016 (Global Arctic Awards) and Travel Photographer of the Year 2017, 2018 (by world’s largest photo contest Trierenberg SC). Dmitry’s professional certifications include famed photography associations like EPSA (Photographic Society of America), EFIAP (The International Federation of Photographic Art) and QEP (Federation of European Professional Photographers) among others.
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First Snow Canon 6D 63mm F/14 1/80 ISO100
Tolbachik volcano in Kamchatka Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/13 1/30 ISO800
Mediterranean Cowboy Canon 6D 50mm F/13 1/1000 ISO1000
Laguna Canon 1D Mark III 43mm F/18 1/ 3 ISO100
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Spirit Island Canon 5D Mark III 35mm F/18 1/ 6 ISO100
Three Brothers, Dolomites, Italy Canon 5D Mark IV 24mm F/10 1/200 ISO400
Double waterfall at the sunset Canon 5D Mark IV 400mm F/6.3 1/1000 ISO1600
Fisherman village Canon 5D Mark III 28mm F/14 1/320 ISO200
The Grand Tsingy in Madagascar Nikon Z7 24mm F/11 1 ISO100
Marsel van Oosten, after graduating from the Academy of Arts with a BA in Art Direction and Graphic Design, Dutch-born, Marsel van Oosten started a career in advertising. As an art director in various renowned agencies, he won numerous awards for his work, amongst which are one silver and two gold lions at the prestigious International Advertising Festival in Cannes. The acclaimed TV commercial he made for a Dutch conservation organization is representative of his both creative and emotional approach to communication, as well as of his love for the natural world and his concern for the environment.
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The Panda of Caerbannog Nikon D500 390mm F/5.6 1/250 ISO800
Remembering Rhinos Nikon D3 280mm F/5.6 1/1250 ISO800
Wild Instincts: Marsel Van Oosten
Qinling golden snub-nosed monkeys Nikon D810 24mm F/11 1/125 ISO3200
Red-Crowned Cranes Nikon D3 250mm F/10 1/800 ISO400
Herd of Oryx Nikon D3 70mm F/5.6 1/3200 ISO800
Pelican Escort Nikon D5 24mm F/16 1/30 ISO50
Q. You have recently been awarded ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ for your photograph ‘The Golden Couple’. Tell us the story behind the frame. A. While doing research for a landscape photography project in China, I learned about the golden snub-nosed monkeys. The fact that they’re not only extremely unusual-looking and photogenic, but also an endangered species, really made me want to photograph them. This species lives high up in the mountains of China’s Shaanxi province where habitat loss is their main threat. When I traveled to this location, I already had the perfect shot in my head but I knew it was going to be difficult to get it. It took me a couple of days to understand the behaviour of the monkeys, which was important to be able to predict what they would do. For the shot I wanted, I needed a male in the foreground, and I wanted to shoot it at an angle from behind it to show the long guard hairs on the back. This was challenging, because when you’re photographing an animal’s back, you typically don’t see the face. After many failed attempts, I found these two monkeys on a rock, and the habitat and the light were simply amazing. When there was a fight between other members of the troop, these two monkeys looked up in that direction - the perfect moment for me to take the shot. I used a flash to bring out the colours and textures. Q. You also organize photo tours for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. What are the major takeaways from your photo tours? A. Our photo tours are designed for small groups of international photo enthusiasts of all experience levels. On all our tours, we have regular image reviews, during which I analyze the images from our guests to teach them about the right settings, composition, framing, and post-processing. I try to focus on the creative part of photography, which is generally considered to be the most difficult part. Q. Would you consider yourself as a subject-driven photographer or are you the type to make the best of a situation? A. I am a control freak. In general, I carefully choose my subjects and the locations. The preparation of my trips is the most important part of the creative process, because that’s when I come up with my shooting ideas.This means that when I arrive at a location, even if I’ve never been there before, I already have a shooting plan and know what images I want to get. I’m good at improvising, but most of my most popular images are the result of pre-visualising. Q. Your work has a distinctive style with impeccable composition. What is the creative process behind such amazing photographs?
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Japanese Snow Monkey Nikon D2X 70mm F/8 1/180 ISO320
A. I am very outspoken when it comes to my personal esthetic preferences. Most of my images are carefully framed and the compositions have strong graphic qualities. I’m very focused on powerful shapes and lines, and for my wildlife photography, the location is often more important than the subject itself. In that sense I’m really different from most of my colleagues. If I don’t like the habitat, it’s not very likely that I’ll want to photograph the species. This explains why I have not yet photographed the mountain gorillas for instance. I am allergic to clutter and I have a minimalistic approach in my visual language. My style is heavily influenced by my degree in graphic design and by having worked as an art director in advertising for 15 years. I try to stay true to myself and not follow the latest trends, and my aim is to always create something different and not to copy what’s already out there. Mandeep Kaur mandeep@chiiz.com An attractive personality, Mandeep finds her refuge in good books, good food and a good conversation. Open in recieving and giving new ideas, she feels that the world will be a better place to live in if people are more helpful and open towards others.
CHIIZ GALLERY To get published, upload your photos on chiiz.com
Ritwik Ray North 24 Parganas, India
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Portrait of Kanchenjunga Canon 700D 55mm F/14 1/250 ISO100
Dipankar Karmakar Midnapore, India
Rays of Sunrise on the Mt. Bhagirathi Nikon D7200 28mm F/10 1/250 ISO100
Key Gompa Canon 5D Mark III 55mm F/11 1/5 ISO50
Rajiv Malu Mumbai, India
Chetan Pardeshi Mumbai, India
Mountains Calling Nikon D750 185mm F/8 1/500 ISO64
Arpit Sachan Jammu & Kashmir, India
The Moon Nikon D5300 18mm F/4.0 1/0.0 ISO800
Santanu Majumder Hyderabad, India
Star Trails at Turtuk Nikon D850 14mm F/2.8 1/40 ISO100
Udayan Sankar Pal Chennai, India
Nature’s flag Canon 7D 20mm F/11 1/200 ISO100
Abdul Hameed Thahir Akkaraipattu, Sri Lanka
Himalayan Mountain Nikon D7100 185mm F/10 1/5000 ISO800
Dyego Rodriguesv London, UK
Hiking through the Andes Canon 7D 35mm F/18 1/160 ISO400
Philip Baader Munich, Germany Debarshi Banerjee Kolkata, India
Glacier View Nikon D5100 30mm F/14 1/640 ISO500
Ankit Shukla Gurugram, India
Countless Layers Canon 70D 67mm F/9.5 1/350 ISO100
Firn on the mountain top iPhone 5S 4.15mm F/2.2 1/6849 ISO32
Gunjan R. Sardare Bengaluru, India
Sudipta Das Kolkata, India
Misty Morning Nikon D7000 100mm F/5.6 1/1250 ISO200
Nadine Mayer Henley-on-Thames, UK
From Phalut Top Nikon Coolpix L820 17mm F/4.4 1/25 ISO400
Idyllic Alpine Landscape Canon 700D 68mm F/14 1/60 ISO100
Alex Abazaj Mori (TN), Italy
Leigh-Anne Baxter Marsden, England
Day trip to Ireland Nikon D3200 116mm F/8 1/1000 ISO400
Nikhlesh Kumar Singh Faridabad, India
Gift of Nature, Chandratal Nikon D7200 20mm F/6.3 1/125 ISO100
Tanya Michelle Purdon Madrid, Spain
Beautiful mountains of Valencia Canon 1100D 18mm F/5.6 1/30 ISO400
Ayanendu De Kolkata, India
Where the Earth meets the Heaven Canon 600D 90mm F/9 1/400 ISO200
Debarshi Banerjee Kolkata, India
The Protector of Langza Canon 80D 50mm F/2.2 1/5000 ISO100
Sarforaz Bin Bashar Pakur, India
Lake Carezza Nikon D3200 18mm F/22 1/46 ISO100
Kaustav Sen Kolkata, India
Ramkumar R Puducherry, India
Gaurav Chandrashekar Bengaluru, India
Nature is the art of God Canon Rebel T6 18mm F/3.5 1/400 ISO100
Pinkesh Bhati Jodhpur, India
Colors of Nature Nikon D5100 18mm F/11 1/250 ISO200
Equanimity Sony Cyber-shot 18mm F/3.6 1/790 ISO400
Key Monastery Canon 6D 55mm F/13 1/1250 ISO800
Yamini Krishna Thane, India
Blissfull Nikon D750 85mm F/4 1/1600 ISO100
After rain scenario at Kausani, Uttarakhand Canon 1200D 32mm F/16 1/15 ISO400
Shrideep Nanal Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Debarshi Banerjee Kolkata, India
The Elephant Lake Nikon D7100 22mm F/10 1/250 ISO100
Mountains Trekking Canon 1200D 18mm F/5.6 1/320 ISO100
Waqas Afzal Lahore, Pakistan
Heaven on Earth Nikon D850 70mm F/6.7 1/350 ISO200
Debjani Sengupto Kolkata, India
On the way Nikon D3200 27mm F/6.3 1/250 ISO100
Rick Lingo Cincinnati, USA
Shishir Desai Surat, India
Hotel on the top Canon PowerShot SX110 IS 28mm F/4 1/1250 ISO80
Denis Ambrus Seattle, US
Mountainside Nikon Coolpix A900 4mm F/3.4 1/320 ISO80
Denis Canon 80D 100mm F/4.5 1/400 ISO100
Karthik A.K Kolkata, India
Ratnadeep Roy Kolkata, India
Yosemite Reflection Nikon D850 15mm F/8 1/100 ISO64
Partha Chakraborty Maynaguri, India
Sleeping Buddha Nikon D3100 18mm F/7.1 1/200 ISO200
Krishna Goswami Kolkata, India
Sujan Sarkar Cooch Behar
Haresh Dhirajlal Patel Mumbai, India
The Full Moon Nikon D7000 66mm F/5.3 1/1.0 ISO200
Debraj Das Kolkata, India
Ladakh - Ultimate Destination Nikon D750 24mm F/16 1/1600 ISO640
Colorful Sikkim Canon 60D 41mm F/7.1 1/160 ISO100
Steve Capone Hackettstown, USA
Navanil Dutta Kolkata, India
Heavenly Beauty Canon 5D Mark II 17mm F/8 1/640 ISO400
Colorado Peep Show Nikon D7500 18mm F/13 1/50 ISO100
On the way to heaven Canon 60D 18mm F/13 1/500 ISO200
Alex Prohaska Washington DC, USA
Serenity Nikon D7000 18mm F/11 1/1600 ISO640
Brandon Sharp Philadelphia, USA
Surit Datta Kolkata, India
Milind Lele Mumbai, India
Paradise Canon 700D 68mm F/14 1/60 ISO100
Abhishek Kundu Kolkata, India
Breckenridge Mountains, Colorado Nikon P520 4.30mm F/3.0 1/1250 ISO80
Camouflage Nikon D7200 10mm F/8 1/500 ISO320
Mussoorie Nikon D810 16mm F/16 1/1000 ISO640
Mezei Jรณzsef Tibor Napoca, Romania
Mountain Paradise Pentax K-50 18mm F/5 1/1000 ISO200
Lake Tsomgo (Changu Lake) Nikon D810 28mm F/13 1/125 ISO80
Dinendra Mohanty Bangalore, India
The Heaven on Hills-Shimla Nikon D5500 18mm F/3.5 1/60 ISO1400
Biman Dey Sarkar Kolkata, India
The beauty of Valley of God Canon 1000D 11mm F/22 1/1.3 ISO100
Sk Rahaman Hossain Sehala, India.
The First Light Sony Xperia T2 Ultra 4mm F/2.8 1/3749 ISO100
MD Asaf Ud Daula Joypurhat, Bangladesh
Trento, Italy Canon 6D 24mm F/11 1/30 ISO100
Monk at Pangong Tso Lake Nikon D7200 11mm F/8 1/800 ISO100
Saurabh Sirohiya Kolkata, India
Amit Datta Kolkata, India
Silence in Mountain Canon 7D 70mm F/11 1/250 ISO800
Ashir Kumar Meerut, India
Har ki Dun Canon 700D 50mm F/20 1/320 ISO200
Amarnath Yatra Fujifilm FinePix S7000 8mm F/8 1/900 ISO160
Rajnish Jhabak Bhopal, India
Hadis Malekie Tehran, Iran
Way Canon 600D 42mm F/20 1/1000 ISO800
Darshak Pandya Mumbai, India
Finding the Way Canon 700D 18mm F/5 1/800 ISO200
Shivam Kashyap New Delhi, India
Earth’s Poetry Canon 760D 214mm F/13 1/40 ISO200
Harsh Nigam Bareilly, India
Tanay Das Kolkata, India
Thangu Valley Nikon D5500 70mm F/9 1/125 ISO100
Akshay Gurnani Mumbai, India
Rex Jones Saint George, USA
Zion Winter Canon 5D Mark II 102mm F/14 1/30 ISO200
Aanand Tiwari Agra, India
Highway to Heaven Canon 5D Mark II 16mm F/20 1/320 ISO400
Take Me Home Canon 700D 122mm F/8 1/500 ISO100
Anggi Putu Demi Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Majestic Himalayan Mountains Canon 700D 100mm F/7.1 1/400 ISO100
Mohan Singh New Delhi, India
Pangong Tso Canon 600D 10mm F/22 1/40 ISO100
Shades of Mountain Nikon D3300 38mm F/4.8 1/2000 ISO100
Joydeep Paul Kolkata, India
Bromo Mountain Canon 1300D 53mm F/5.6 1/800 ISO100
Naqsh-e Rustam Canon 5D Mark III 24mm F/11 1/100 ISO50
Milad Rafat Assalouyeh, Iran
Amol Nakve New Delhi, India
An un-compact arrangement Coolpix S3600 10mm F/8.2 1/1250 ISO125
Buddha at Sunset Nikon D750 24mm F/9 1/250 ISO200
Chirantan Batabyal Kolkata, India
Mohammad Moayedi Nazarabad, Iran
Alimpak Dutta Kolkata, India
Tarriance Nikon D300 24mm F/13 1/250 ISO250
Feel the Other side Nikon D750 28mm F/11 1/640 ISO100
In and out Nikon D3200 70mm F/4 1/100 ISO3200
84 HALL TRIGGER 84 OF FAME
Ravel Nikon D3200 70mm F/4 1/100 ISO3200
Petra Pantyi from Budapest is currently pursuing masters in filmmaking and directing. Despite the fact that her studies were mostly related to motion picture, photography never lost its importance for her. Not only because she really loves taking photos and notices their effects on those who watch them, but also because photography helps her being focused and being able to put a whole story or compound feelings into one moment. This kind of pursuit of density results in a lot more concentrated attitude while making movies.
This series is based on an interference phenomenon. Printed outfits with different patterns were designed and an installation from tangible horizontal rubber strands was created by Jikka Ottlik, the textile designer. A professional dancer wore these outfits and improvised movements inside the installation ’box’. This created a physical interference phenomenon without using any digital media.
Dissolve Nikon D3200 50mm F/5.6 1/100 ISO3200
Breathe Nikon D3200 45mm F/5.3 1/80 ISO3200
A video of the whole project was also made which showed this effect more spectacularly in real time, however drawing up the interference phenomenon on a standing photo was a really interesting subject. But as earlier mentioned, this impels concentrated thinking, and this is the kind of challenge what that keeps Petra interested in photography.
Birth Nikon D3200 52mm F/5.6 1/80 ISO3200
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Diagonal Perspective Nikon D3200 70mm F/4 1/100 ISO3200
Light Canvas Canon 80D 100mm F/5 1/200 ISO 100
Spiral Lines Nikon D3200 70mm F/4 1/100 ISO3200
Biblo Nikon D3200 18mm F/3.5 1/250 ISO3200
The World’s Largest Trade Show for Photo Booth Operators, Manufractures & Suppliers
Photo Booth Expo 24-27 Februrary, 2019 Las Vegas, USA PhotoBoothExpo.com
Media Partner
In-Street is a collective of a passionate street and documentary photographers, mainly based out of India, sharing a common passion – “walking the streets, seeing the seemingly common life around us different, unusual and original ways and representing the same through our own visual language”. In-Street is committed to promoting the works of its members and overall street photography in India and beyond. It also encourages other photographers to participate in different street photography programs, which will be showcased on the In-Street Website. Finally, it is a platform for collective learning and growing together as photographers. The In-Street Collective Members are Manish Khattry (Varanasi), Saumalya Ghosh (Kolkata), Raj Sarkar (Kolkata), Sankar Ghose (Kolkata), Swarat Ghosh (Hyderabad), Zahir Abbas (Gurgaon), Jayati Saha (Kolkata), and Sreeranj Sreedhar (Dubai).
Contest Theme : COEXISTENCE Contest Month : Nov, 2018
Lava Iris 702 3.5mm F/2.9 1/192 ISO109
For the Winning Photograph Excellent use of form here. Love the visual effect created by the alignment of the cow with the background wall. The four kids and the overhead wires are carefully composed within the frame. The emotional content of the two girls injects a very warm feeling into the image which is complemented by a great light. Overall this is a strong depiction of the photographer’s unique aesthetic, conceptual and emotional choices which are blended together so well to create a natural coexistence. In-street Collective 88 TRIGGER
WINNER
Nayeem Siddiquee Chittagong, Bangladesh
Nikon D750 70mm F/10 1/320 ISO250
1st Runner Up Pinki Sanyal Kolkata, India
Sony ILCE-7M2 35mm F/5.6 1/100 ISO100
2nd Runner Up Sarthak Banerjee Mumbai, India
Srishti Yadav
Model of the Month Srishti Yadav, passionate about serving the nation, Srishti has always wanted to be an IAS Officer because that’s how she believed she would be able to fulfill her dreams. However, what seemed the right thing to do was not right for her. So, she now poses in front of the camera, expressing her real self and sometimes, the feeling that her attire evokes. She has worked with seven brands since she started modeling approximately a year ago and it has been an amazing journey. Srishti understands that the brands and their clothes have a meaning and there’s always something that they want their models to put 90 HALL OF FAME
Height - 5.5 Bust - 32 Upper waist - 24 Lower waist - 26 Hips - 32 out in front of the camera, this is exactly what she tries to do. She gives a face to the feelings that a designer holds while making the clothes. Being an artist, she presents her art through her body, through her words and also through her moves. Through her work, she learned to learn from people around her. Her journey has been from a politically active, book-loving girl who wanted to make a change to an equally active model who is still working to make a change. “There is no fun in being just a pretty face,’ she says, “I can be more than that, modeling can be more than that.”
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Alessandro Risuleo was born in Rome and he was always keen on visual communication systems. After twenty years of experience as both art director and advertising agent, which he had developed through working at his agency Visual Creative Studio, he has found in photography, means for artistic expression that allows him to express his creativity freely. His photographs move between the abstract, the pictorial and the hyper-realism. His projects were exhibited in the 2015 and 2016 editions of the MIA Photo Fair in Milan.
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 85mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
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Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 70mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 70mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
Alteration Canon 5D Mark III 70mm F/9 1/125 ISO100
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 85mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 100mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
Caruso
Alessandro Risuleo and Mvula Sungani The successful collaboration between the photographer, Alessandro Risuleo and the choreographer, Mvula Sungani is an artistic project, freely inspired by the show ‘Caruso’ by Mvula Sungani, which involves the creation of static poses of physical dance. With “Caruso”, the title of which is inspired by the memorable song of Lucio Dalla, Risuleo used his art of photography to immortalize the poses of the dance company’s protagonists, enhancing the perfect lines depicted by their bodies. The essentiality and perfection of those shapes are highlighted by the wine-making lattice applied on the bodies of the dancers which emphasize their spectacular components, as well as give life to the sculptural images and contributing to point out the fluidity of their movements.
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 70mm F/13 1/125 ISO100
Alessandro Risuleo, in this photographic project is aligned with his own work, which has always been focused into the use of the human body as symbol of exemplary beauty and carries on his concept of classicism by using the culture of the human figure. The elegance of the images is made possible by the ability of Risuleo to portray the posture of two dancers during the solemn act of their performance.
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 70mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 85mm F/11 1/125 ISO100
98 TRIGGER
Caruso Canon 5D Mark III 100mm F/11 1/125 ISO100