Photography Magazine
Issue 1 | November 2011 | Middle East
12 DHS
Do’s & Dont’s
of Photography in UAE
Discover Obscura
Find out how
Off Camera Lighting
Depth Of Focus
Jay Morales
Donnell Gumiran
Beyond Passion Edwin Loyola
Small Things Big Result Chris Calumberan
What’s Inside
Gadget Review
Post Processing Tutorials
Do It Yourself
Workshop Schedules
Group Profile
EVOLUTION OF PHOTOGRAPHER
BRANDen ty Package
LOGO CONCEPTS + 7 Designs AED 3,900.00
a BRAND new day
www.tweak-ideas.com
The Marke ng Strategy Package For Start-up Businesses Concept + design adapta on: • LOGO • Le�erhead • Business Card • Email signature • Stamp design • CD Label s cker • Envelope • Powerpoint template
Advantages: • No downpayment • 4 concepts • 2 designers for your dis nc ve ideal concept and feel • Concept and design rendering in 3 days • Original Logos and concepts • Complete editable files rendering Email us at info@tweak-ideas.com for your crea ve brief. Contact numbers: 04-4415800 / 050-8984919 / 055-6549560
TWEAK IDEAS a crea ve ini a ve of Extraordinary Global LLC. “ IDEAS WITH A TWEAK ” www.tweak-ideas.com BTL Branding • Corporate Iden ty • Customized gi items • Marke ng Collaterals • Videos/ Photography • Websites
T h e MU ST H AVE Photog r aphy Mag azine in UAE
Be inspired! Keep your eyes wide open!
www.fullframemag.com
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK. Welcome to the first issue of FullFrame Magazine! The MUST have photography magazine dedicated for hobbyists, photography enthusiasts, aspiring and professional photographers from all walks of life, races and citizenship.
Photography Magazine
Issue 1 | November 2011 | Middle East
12 DHS
Getting FFM off the ground is not merely a rocket science. Late night brainstorming and morning break deliberations have been the foundation of this highly anticipated collection of breathtaking photography, out-ofthe-box techniques and tutorials and high-caliber features. Inside, readers can follow how an amateur blossoms and becomes an icon in the arts of photography. FFM will walk you through the life and passion in every photographer’s endeavor and the bitter-sweet taste of defeat and frustrations.
Do’s & Dont’s
of Photography in UAE
Discover Obscura
Find out how
Off Camera Lighting
Depth Of Focus
Jay Morales
Donnell Gumiran
Beyond Passion Chris Calumberan
Gadget Review
Post Processing Tutorials
With FFM’s desire to give excellence, award-winning photographers like our first featured artist Donnell Gumiran were challenged and exposed to bring out must-read features and articles every month.
Edwin Loyola
Small Things Big Result What’s Inside
FFM’s objective is to give its reader not just pages to flip on one’s coffee table but an art that could make every reader a collector of a refined masterpiece straight from amazing creators and artists alike.
Do It Yourself
Workshop Schedules
Group Profile
FFM is a group of dedicated and determined professionals who strongly believed in photography and at this point I especially want to thank each and every member of the team. You guys are priceless, staying awake ‘til the wee hours of the night to edit and discuss things, despite whatever setbacks we all have to face from our daily work and family. Kudos to our featured artists and contributors! All these and more will be served to FFM’s readers monthly with a promise of satisfaction and excellence-who can ever go wrong. Thank you for being FFM’s new found friend, FFM will be seeing you in the next issue!
Suzette delos Santos suzie@fullframemag.com
November 2011
5
ON THE
Volume 1 Issue 1 November 2011 Editor in Chief
Suzette delos Santos
Operations Manager Paz Calaguian
Creative Director Joey Lasalla
Art Director/ Graphic Designer Chris Lleses
Photography Dennis Co
44
I.T. Consultant Derick Venzon
Commercial Manager Deo Macaraig
Logistic Officer Jhubert Cruz
Writer Contributors: Gladys Alog Thomas Zuber Ivan Malvar John Jolbe
Photographer Contributors: Chris Calumberan Jay Morales
14
Koncepto Publishing
Unit P12 Rimal, The Walk Jumeirah Beach Residence P.O. Box 53485 Dubai, UAE Fax: +971 4 4486405 info@fullframemag.com www.fullframemag.com
For Advertising:
ads@fullframemag.com Mob: +971 50 9028161
16
22 Editor’s Letter 5 Workshops 8
Photography is Much Like 11 Collecting a Stamp
The Do’s and Don’ts 12 of Photography in UAE
Off Camera Lighting 14
“Jay Morales”
Competitiveness of Photography 16 Books 19 Spotlight 20 Journey to the History of Obscura 21
Depth of Focus 22 A Novice of Excellence “Donnell Gumiran”
Battle of the Compact Review 28 On Focus 29
11 31 Convert Your iPhone to DSLR 32 How to Make Your Own Bokeh 34 Beginners Tutorial 39 Advance Tutorials (Post Processing) 42 Shutter Picturing CCD 44 Small Things Big Results “Chris Calumberan
46 Digital Photography Myths and Facts 48 Random Clicks 52 Beyond Passion “Edwin Loyola”
54 Ambush 56 The Whole World is Walking Again “Scott Kelby”
63 Subscription
8 t 871886 Contac in: 050 w d i: E a / b 8 Du 73 0 7976 Roy:05 85 68124 ch:050 t i: u b B a / h Abu D 0 9059408 ailcom 5 s@gm Alvin: 0 htcatchers.w lig Email:
Novem 18 - 1 ber 9 / 20 11 0 02 559 t Contac alisay :055 6 ahoo.com y D Dennis nciomacher@ e d : il a Em
Novem b 11 / 20 er 11
t 6372 Contac 55 932 .com 1 7 i: 9 a + b : u n D hoo Gumira an@ya Donnell nnell_gumir do Email:
Novem b 11 / 20 er 11
R E B M E V O N P HO
S K R O W 8
November 2011
design
Print on canvas, ceramic, wood, rock, aluminum, mugs, T-Shirts, bags and clocks. Visit our store in Dubai located on Al Mina Road (next to Ramada Jumeirah Hotel) for your photography, product personalization and premium printing needs.
Artistic Photography & Creative Photo Printing 04-3860833
E
info@theimprintdesign.com
us on Facebook: ImprintDesign
W www.theimprintdesign.com Twitter: Imprint_Design
Call for Contributors
Call for Contributors Be part of FFM family! If you are a journalist, photo hobbyist, graphic designer or a writer with burning passions in technology and “photography� join us and make a history! email us at info@fullframemag.com
CREATIVE PEOPLE + YOU
Photography is Much like Stamp Collecting…Almost
Point Highlights of View
by: Ivan Malvar
Like all good things in life, Photography is a hobby that makes you get proportionally better with the amount of money spent on it. And sadly like all hobbies, it also allows you to fall into an obsession that borders on addiction. No one ever warned me about the pitfalls – particularly how this entire photography thing could be a money sink. Well why should I be warned? The signs were all there. I took one bit of advice from a friend who said “If you were to capture the moment, you have to do it with quality”. Now quality is a word subject to much interpretation and in my case it meant getting the best without compromise. As far as photography is concerned, the best meant shelling out a good fraction of my monthly budget. Two thirds is a fraction. The whole point that I am trying to make is that, if you get into photography without knowing what you’re getting into, then chances are, you will be left with a large dent in your finances and/ or maxing out a credit card or two. In my case, I wet my feet without checking if the water was cold. It started with the camera body: all I wanted was a Nikon D90 but ended up getting a D7000 kit instead since the salesman did a good job of convincing me about the latter’s features and the former’s inevitable obsolescence . I was convinced that I had in my hands the hottest camera in the market today. Since I thought I had the tools (a camera and a kit lens), all I needed now was to look at a few photography tutorial videos and I’d be all set. I was never more wrong. It turns out that it isn’t enough that you have a rocking 16 megapixel camera body to work out with; you also need a badass lens. So you go out and get more lenses: primes, zooms and a fast 70 – 200. All of which you really don’t need as a hobbyist but they’re cool to have anyway. Then you read some more, you learn a few more things and then you realize that what you have is not really the baddest and the best camera but, rather a very good entry-level camera. Now what got me was the “entry”. From what I have learned, camera companies do a good job of marketing their gear by dividing their market into several categories. Entry level is for those that are getting into the hobby for the first time and looking to get their feet wet. Then we have the mid-range cameras for the serious enthusiast; we can also call this segment the “semi-pro” level. Then we have the professional camera bodies – for the people that actually make a living out of this activity – and I don’t mean taking ID pictures, but rather the serious National Geographic and journalistic stuff. Most cameras from the first two categories would fall into the cropped-sensor type while the pro category would usually mean that it had a full-frame sensor fixed into it. Depending on their market categories, camera manufacturers would also fit their gear with an array of different features: Continuous high fps shooting, dozens of focus points, interval shooting and a lot more. This wouldn’t really mean jack unless you were nuts about the technical specifications of your camera. The sad fact is, most people who have crossed into the enthusiast level are.
“I realized that there was a darker side to this hobby that we call photography”
Since what really got me into the whole idea of photography wasn’t really how to make money or to fulfill some voyeuristic fantasy, as much as getting into the technical aspects of optics— then you can say I was out of luck. The moment you get that optional battery grip for the wrong reasons (i.e. I want it because it looks cool), then you know you’ve taken the next step. There I was - what was once a desire to simply get a good quality camera to capture those magical moments now devolved into an obsession about getting the best that technology could offer. I wanted the coolest-looking camera, the meanest lenses, the sturdiest tripod and the fanciest camera bag. It was too late: I was a serious enthusiast. Two camera bodies and five lenses later, I realized that there was a darker side to this hobby that we call photography. The true and the purest sense of this hobby is taking pictures and capturing those memories that should last until the next hard drive. The other half, and few care to admit it is, that it is an exercise in collecting collecting all the camera gear that you can throw your hard earned money at. It is akin to an arms race - get the best camera, the best gear – because in the gear collector’s mind taking pictures is only secondary.
Do’s and Don’ts of Photography in UAE Under the UAE law, the ownership of a photograph belongs to the subject of the image, while copyright law gives ownership to the photographer – Emarati Lawyer Jousline Khairallah.
Photography is a fast growing hobby in UAE with prices so affordable anybody can own one. As camera manufacturers invent cameras one after the other, from high-end professional to a mobile added feature, almost everyone can take any snapshot they fancy impromptu. With numbers of photography enthusiasts around the Emirates, clicks and flashes are so visible in every tourist destinations and public places. With these, recent news about residents and tourists being penalized and sent to prison - just taking photographs, are simply alarming. “No Pictures Allowed” is just one of the not-so-good-sign a photographer would like to see but, in this part of the continent, somehow a signage is not necessary for your camera to be confiscated in just a blink of an eye - an unfortunate situation any camera owner would not hope to experience. To help photo enthusiasts from losing grip of their cameras, especially here in UAE, FFM collected numbers of MUST DO’s and DON’T’s that will surely be helpful to anyone who just couldn’t stop themselves from clicking.
Do’s
Highlights
Be a law-abiding citizen No one can go wrong with this number one must do. It is the must of all the musts that all expats should really pay attention to. Try to be observant and learn to differentiate relaxed and uncomfortable gestures from the local citizens. Being considerate to UAE law and aligning your hobby with courtesy is simply a must do.
Be most careful when there are no warning signs. UAE is a collection of breathtaking architectures and sceneries that makes it so hard for a camera owner not to take an angled shot. There are places that advise general public of their camera restrictions and unfortunately, there are numbers that didn’t bother to give a warning. If by chance, you were told to stop shooting - take that notice seriously and do pack your gears away from the place otherwise face the consequences you won’t wish to have.
Be discreet Admit it, DSLR is too huge you just cannot hide it but be discreet in displaying your camera and bringing your accessories like flashes and tripods to public places especially to malls, hotels and restaurants. Apparently, some of these places prohibit cameras mounted in a tripod so be careful in setting them altogether otherwise you’ll have to pay the mall’s office a short visit. Do consider the establishment’s precautions and be sensitive with your surroundings.
Don’ts Do not take photos of military, airports, government installations, embassies and most especially palaces and numbers of mosques. Shooting on government facilities and buildings are a big NO NO! Police officers round the Emirates are not really into deliberation when they confiscate your camera so be warned! If you dare to raise a confrontation, don’t be surprised to find yourself behind bars after few clicks.
Do not take photos of any women, UAE nationals in particular. Local women value their privacy and as much as they are good hearted and hospitable in nature, still taking their pictures without their permission is a big offence. Better ask their consent and if denied walk out and try to scout a different subject. Do not go hiding the bushes because you might get a lucky shot of an irate subject that would cost you not just your camera but your freedom.
Do not spot your cameras on the beach side where people are bathing Though you wouldn’t have a chance to come near the beach if police/beach officers and lifeguards are around do not dare try to use your zoom lenses to get the same shot as if when you are closer to the subject. Some of the beach goers are really conservative and seeing your camera pointing where they are means you are simply eyeing on them – which is absolutely disrespectful from their end. A piece of advise, do not even try!
Disclaimer: FFM used the following images for representation purposes only and not being displayed in any manner that could disrespect or offend the standards of UAE.
Text Credit: Choc and Nuts November 2011
13
Off Camera Lighting Transforming the street of The Walk into a state of the art photo studio.
A passionate entrapper of memories… An addict of creativity and photography... A new breed of Fil-photographer who kisses chances and darkness… A humble learner and an upcoming master… “I love experimenting off camera lights and exploring night street photography. With all these under my sleeves, I know I still have to learn a lot and I will surely continue learning the art of photography as day comes.”
Exif Data: ExposureTime : 1/80Sec Aperture : F2.0 ExposureProgram : Manual ISOSpeedRatings : 400 WhiteBalance : Manual
Capturing memorable moment is my passion which leads me to photography. I started self studying way back 2007 in the Philippines and completed photography lessons from Basic Photography at OPPPS (Overseas Pinoy Photographers Society) – Dubai. Canon 1000D was my first baby and shifted to the Darkside – NikonD90 who helped me won my first competition at OPPPS Batch 19 Graduation night and gave me a chance to upgrade to Nikon D700. My passion went deeper and wider that i got so addicted to the point that i just couldn’t live without it. Lifestyle and Bokeh are the main subject of my 365 Days project. I love experimenting off camera lights and exploring night street photography. With all of these under my sleeves, I know I still have to learn a lot and I will surely continue learning the art of photography as day comes.
Exif Data: ExposureTime : 1/40Sec Aperture : F2.0 ExposureProgram : Manual ISOSpeedRatings : 500 WhiteBalance : Manual
-Jay Morales
14
November 2011
Exif Data: ExposureTime : 1/80Sec Aperture : F2.0 ExposureProgram : Manual ISOSpeedRatings : 320 WhiteBalance : Manual
ExposureTime : 1/80Sec / Aperture : F2.0 / ExposureProgram: Manual / ISOSpeedRatings : 320 / WhiteBalance : Manual
Exif Data: ExposureTime : 1/100Sec / Aperture : F2.8 ExposureProgram:Manual / ISOSpeedRatings : 400 / WhiteBalance : Manual
Exif Data: ExposureTime : 1/160Sec / Aperture : F4.5 / ExposureProgram : Manual ISOSpeedRatings : 400 / WhiteBalance : Manual
Exif Data: ExposureTime : 1/80Sec Aperture : F2.0 ExposureProgram : Manual ISOSpeedRatings : 320 WhiteBalance : Manual
November 2011
15
COMPETITIVENESS of Photography By: Gladys Alog
From the very first picture taken by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1827, photography has come a long way in the worlds of art and reality. The Darkroom (Camera Obscura), which has been the sanctuary of photographers for the last decades, slowly died as the era of Digital Photography invaded some years ago. It’s pretty clear that Digital Imaging is selling like pancakes since it’s been made available to the public market. Amazingly, camera manufacturers continually innovate every type of equipment they produce to meet the growing demands of photography – constantly rebuilding a high caliber product to produce bolder, more sophisticated, unmatched state-of-the-art equipment that will gain them large portions of the peoplepicture market. With the increasing demands in producing good images, without any question, the art of photography will surely last for centuries. The
“It’s pretty clear that Digital Imaging is selling like pancakes since it’s been made available to the public market.”
only debate left though is, with the growing demands of people who want to be equipped in photography – will they then have enough air to breathe the niche of it in modern society or will they then be suffocated with other demands of the world? Sure, you got the camera and taking a picture is just as easy as 1-2-3, but what can it do when you stand in front of your fridge and see only water in it? Will you still be browsing photography magazines to eye equipment updates or hit the road and trade your camera for fodders? Photography, as we all know, is an art. Art on the other hand, is a world of extremities. In just a click it can either make or break you. It’s always a “heads-or-tails” game and you can only hope that you made the right choice not to suffer in the end. LOOKING UNTO HORIZONS Among the classes of artistry, photography is the only visible medium of art to other industries like Architecture, Engineering, Education and other Scientific, Technical and Political Services. It has its own battlefield and when exposed to the world – photography can be just as dazzling as any other glamorouslywell-paid profession. Architectural photographers acquire tremendous grosses by specializing in photographing buildings and spaces, from ancient temples to modern constructions. Photography gives life to every design and it is highly important in setting aesthetic understanding to every space it captures. But despite this need, the motion picture and video industry were still considered to be
the top-paying industries for photographers in 2010. With the growing demands of entertainment in almost all genres and classes of society, photographers are queuing to get the exposure that will place them in the movies and glamorous print ads. With the internet’s invasion in modern media, employment for photographers is rapidly rising. Today, internet being the modern hub of simply – everything, versions of magazines, newspapers and journals appear online every now and then. This modern version of media requires an increasing number of commercial photographers to provide them digital images. To date, there are a numbers of websites, like Shutterstock, iStockphoto, Fotolia, Dreamstime and BigStockPhoto (just to name a few), welcoming photo submissions from skilled amateur to professional photographers with subjects ranging from street to product photography on commission-based arrangements. In Shutterstock, for example, a photographer can earn 25 cents every time a customer downloads his picture. If, say in a day, the photographer’s picture was downloaded four times the photographer gets 100 cents. Surprisingly, a photographer’s single image can be equated with hundreds of dollars using these online image stockrooms. With internet becoming the necessity of the world, freelance photographers have gained advantages in commercializing their work in the e-market – making it easy to commission an event, like wedding and anniversary celebrations, and close the deal instantly. These dedicated and strongwilled photographers can complete an entire
Photos by: Roy Ramos www.royramosphoto.com
database of clientele over the internet and gain reputation in their respected photography expertise. Adding to that is the remarkable monetary proceeds an 8-5 employee would wish to have in one sitting. As the population increases, the demand of self-portraiture also gives photographers a place to specialize in portrait photography. It simply conveys a variety of options from staging a dramatic movie poster to creating your own studio and doing your photography with passion and liberty. If inventors, educators and scientists earn themselves a living because of their voluminous books and undeniably sound theory of things they have researched and studied for numbers of years, photographers and skilled amateurs, in the same manner, earn money by creating photo books, magazine covers and advertisements, greeting cards, posters, postcards, stickers, canvas prints, billboards and a lot of things anyone can find in videos and print. EDGES OF PHOTOGRAPHY Freelance photographers tend to earn more compared with many who work full time in photography and in other industries. Most freelancers buy their own equipment and incur considerable expenses in acquiring and maintaining their cameras and accessories. They could charge from $25 to hundreds of dollars per image shot. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008, photography’s professional requirement held about 152,000 jobs. By 2010, salaried photographers received an annual income from $17,350 or less - $63,400 or more. The need of
photographers can be found in numbers of industries like Radio and Television Broadcasting, Colleges and Universities, Publishing houses for newspapers, books, periodicals and directories and also to other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. Also photographers can be engaged with other Independent Artists, Writers, Performers, most prestigious glossy magazines and Advertising Agencies. Everyday life dictates the need of photographers. From an individual’s desire of getting their ID picture taken to a children’s sports events to a sophisticated gallery looking for a great landscape picture – photographers are indeed some of the most wanted people in this world. OFF THE HOOK Digital Photography has been storming modern society. Improvements of digital equipment evidently marked the startling reduction of camera prices worldwide and consumers are digging the DSLR limbo since. Photography can surely bring a skilled amateur to Cloud #9. It has all the advantages of consistent exposures in events and social assemblies. Indirectly, photographers share the stardom of their subject or creation, be it in fashion, portrait, sports, fine art or landscape. People always want to know who captured those heart-melting wedding pictures or a perfect-moment soccer kick – pretty good thing to earn a good reputation and enormous talent fees in the world of photography. But these, among many others, are just what an aspirant can achieve if photography is being treated correctly.
Most will agree that photography is an expensive craft to maintain and considering the expensive accessories necessary to come up with a more appreciated image, newbies tend to hook everything up to their wallet despite budget limitations. Unfortunately, if not careful, an aspirant of photography can lose his or her grip and meet the downfall of the dream to photographic excellence. The competence of photography lies in every holder’s passion, confidence, drive, talent and dedication; if all these are on the loose then I’m afraid an aspirant can only use the photography equipment as a temporary grip to an inevitable downfall. Photography can never lose its competitiveness because just like any other form of art, photography doesn’t compete – it adds flavor, values, aesthetic, imagination and a touch of unraveling emotions into a creation or a subject found in almost all areas of industries that rule our modern society.
“if not careful, an aspirant of photography can lose his or her grip and meet the downfall of the dream to photographic excellence”
LOREM IPSUM DOLOR
ET FASILISIS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla in ante vitae ligula malesuada eleifend nec in turpis. Vivamus convallis, magna lobortis porta adipiscing, arcu nibh tempor sapien, vel condimentum justo lacus nec lectus. YES WE KNOW! That’s why we need contributors. Are you compelled to join us now? email us at info@fullframemag.com
CREATIVE PEOPLE + YOU
Books
Within The Frame By: David CuChemin
Within The Frame:The Journey of Photographic Vision (US / UK) serves as a trip down the memory lane, the author creates vivid images of exotic destinations he visited to inspire photographers to express their vision through passionate and compelling photography.
Macro Photography Workshop By: Haje Jan Kamps
Macro Photograpy Workshop (US / UK) serves as a learning experience for amateur people who will explore, experiment and discover the innumerable possibilities a camera has to offer in terms of its functionality once you get close enough.
Understanding Exposure By: Bryan Peterson
Understanding Exposure (US / UK) is easy to read and a great, straight-forward introduction to the dark art of getting the exposure on your photos right once and for all. The book, aided with plenty of illustrations offers the basics of aperture, lighting and shutter speed, photography’s basic triumvirate, to beginning and intermediate photographers.
November 2011
19
Spotlight
Roots of Photography – with various branches of photography it is simply right to pay tribute to the undying creativities and techniques of the photography’s grandfathers who produced wonderful piece of arts during the “old-school” days.
World’s First Color Photograph World’s First Photograph
Joseph Niepce, a French inventor and pioneer in photography, is generally credited with having taken the first photograph (requiring an eight-hour exposure time). Niepce’s photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras, in recent years has been on display at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish mathematician and theoretical physicist, took the first color photograph in 1861. The photographic plates used in the process are now located in a house where Maxwell was born (which has been converted into a museum) at 14 India Street, Edinburgh.
First Underwater Color Photo
The first underwater color photograph (a photo of a hogfish) was taken in the Gulf of Mexico by Dr. William Longley Charles Martin in 1926.
First Digital Photograph First Motion Picture
Eadweard Muybridge, in 1872 was looking for a way to capture the sequence of movement. It took six years, but in 1878, Muybridge succeeded. He arranged 12 trip-wire cameras along a racetrack in the path of a galloping horse. The resulting photo sequence proved that there is a point when no hooves touch the ground and set the stage for the first motion pictures.
20
November 2011
The first digital camera invented in 1975 didn’t actually produce the first digital photograph. The first digital photo actually came almost two decades earlier in 1957 when Russell Kirsch made a 176×176 pixel digital image by scanning a photograph of his three-monthold son. The low resolution was due to the fact that the computer they used wasn’t capable of storing more information.
Journey to the History of
OBSCURA
Have you wondered what camera obscura history might hold? This famous optical invention is one of the brightest spots in the history of the camera and—as a result—it holds a deep history of its own.
What Is a Camera Obscura?
A camera obscura is an early predecessor of the camera. It is a box or similar object that lets light in through a small hole on one side. On the other side of the object is a surface that will retain an upside down image of the scene outside of the object. Camera obscuras have been created out of soda cans and have also been as big as rooms; there is much variety as far as size goes.
Who Invented Camera Obscura?
Discovery of Camera Obscura
The camera obscura was developed by Abu Ali Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haitham in the 19th century. An Arab scientist, Ibn al-Haitham specialized in optics. Spending much of his life in Cairo, Ibn al-Haitham was attempting to discover the rate of light and how it passes through objects. During his creation of the camera obscura, Ibn al-Haitham was attempting to establish the rate at which light passes. Many attribute the principles that Ibn alHaitham used to create camera obscura to Chinese philosopher, Mozi and Aristotle. Aristotle noted that the sun can pass through the leaves on the ground to form patterns and that a circular image can be created by the sun. Mozi is credited with being one of the first to mention the pinhole camera--a foundational idea to camera obscura.
Ibn al-Haitham developed camera obscura to illustrate how the eye processes an image. He noticed that if there was a small hole of light in a box, the image would project upside down on the opposite wall. A small mirror could then be used to flip the image upright. While performing an experiment to show that light travels, he discovered that if one covered a small hole that was letting in light, the light coming through and projecting through the hole would also stop. This was compared to the way that the sun and moon act during eclipses. The camera obscura was created from this principle.
Development of Camera Obscura Following Ibn al-Haitham’s life, many scientists further developed the idea of camera obscura. Chinese scientist Shen Kuo added geometric principles to the idea in one of his later books. Roger Bacon highlighted the usage of camera obscura to safely view solar eclipses. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first to use the device in relation to art. The term ‹camera obscura› itself was developed by German Johannes Kepler in the 1600s.
November 2011
21
22
November 2011
Donnell Gumiran Photographer
There are only few things you might remember once your hair gone gray and the only visions your eyes might see are the shadows of a family, a friend, a lover, a masterpiece, music - so bizarre. It can be an astoundingly series of laughs or a pinch of pain perhaps - a depth of sense not only eyes can perceive, an imprisonment – injustice and denial of freedom. An image! Encapsulated, trapped and framed – a victim of a situation where its only desire is to express and to impress. In its crucial destiny, the only justice needed to free its agony is by the hand of whom that shows passion, courage, respect and love - a strong-willed that can change image into creation. With numbers of awards, recognitions and applause from random tastes and classes of modern society, Donnell Gumiran is indeed a hero of every image shot to its final end to give birth in a majestically calibrated creation. An Ilonggo boy who faced frustrations in creating life on a canvas is now printing more than a thousand words of fine pictures. He who once imagined creating something unexplainable is now the Donnell Gumiran who brings masterpieces in the world of photography that labeled him among the top A’s in the world of FilPhotog in UAE.
Depth of Focus
A Novice of Excellence by: Gladys Alog
SEEING THROUGH INSPIRATIONS Having the DNA of an artist in his veins, Donnell got his inspirations from famous painters and photographers like Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn and Steve McCurry. He wanted to concatenate painting and photography to bring out life and beauty into a still shot frame. Novice that he is, who only obtained his own DSLR in 2009 - he still managed to win over the jurors and brought home gold, dirhams and a name that continually echoes in the era of Fil-Photog to date. After grabbing awards from photography competitions this year alone, and landing into international and local prints, he incessantly inspires new-bloods of photographers in striving further to creating evocative images that could also be hanged onto the walls of fame. November 2011
23
photography – everyone else has it. I guess what’s left for me is the heart that I use every time I commit myself in capturing the life of every people”, Donnell winked as he shared his thoughts about owning his craft. “…but if I could leave something in the world of Fil-Photog, it will definitely be my photography of life. I’d like to leave traces on how I documented an ordinary person’s life. Seemed to be a typical subject to some…but for me they have all the stories a single click can capture”. Passion and dedication drive Donnell in creating a masterpiece. Since he got his first DSLR he never stopped challenging himself in capturing life through his lenses. You can always find his camera with him and he can be out and about the whole town in search of the perfect shot. “I always bring my camera with me because we’ll never know when good subjects pass by my eyes. It’s really important not to miss a must-capture moment that you could relish time and time again.” he explained. Indeed he has given his heart and his time to be proficient in the art of photography – but having these two without his courage, dedication and patience would just produce him a mediocre picture that is better off to Facebook spaces. What made him exceptional? “I had to wake up so early in the morning and make sure I am on time to capture a momentous event. If I have to be closer to the subject just to get the shot that I picture in my head – I will surely do it - forgetting the risk that keeps on knocking to my brain.”, a warrior behind the lenses as he reveals the secret of an award-winning picture. He understands how photographs are categorized on how they’re taken and thus gives no second thought to getting a good image regardless of any circumstances. “I may be a newcomer, but I’m a perfectionist. I always wait for that perfect moment to shoot
“It’s pretty exciting to see raw talent coming through the doors of photography and knowing that I handed some help - for them to come in further and set a name for themselves, is just so overwhelming”, Donnell stated as he discussed his pleasure in extending his knowledge to newbies in photography. He admitted to FullFrame that he gets huge inspiration from strangers who commend his work and continually embraces his craft every time he posts a creation on-line or in print. “It’s just hard sometimes… to maintain that adrenaline – consistency is the greatest challenge I battle every time I shoot, but knowing that there are people waiting for my output makes me want to search for excellence.”, he added. Three years in the world of photography – Donnell shockingly broke the silence of every amateur photographer and gave hope to every neophyte’s fear of overcoming the bridge from being a rookie to being labeled as a professional photographer. He indeed has become one of the
24
November 2011
greatest Fil-Photog that inspires numbers of aspirants to continue in exploring the world of photography. FLAVOURING A MASTERPIECE Donnell is simply a stock of photographs. His day job as an Art Director from a brand agency in Dubai put him on the edge of getting into photography. With visual arts as a living, the door to photography was just a few steps away. From documentary photographer, he grew into some of photography’s other realms: fashion, landscape, street and product. In fashion photography he has worked with known designers, models and make-up artists round the Emirates. Exposed in random photo shoots, Donnell has been rounding the clock of the Fil-Photog world and has been hosting/organizing workshops to help other photographers enhance their crafts. “It is hard to find your own style in
Editor’s Choice Awards-500px.com
“Passing By” - ©copyrighted Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi.
eum quam harcipi duntores ipsam aritiam faceperum consi am quas venquis et, si cupis unte doloria ndebist, nihilla dent.
“The Two Sprinter” - ©copyrighted Abu Dhabi Culture & Heritage. All rights reserve ©Emirates Photography Competition 2010 November 2011
25
and if that didn’t work well, I shoot again. It takes me long hours of shooting and I can finish huge memories from my CF card”, another confession, as he unleashes his experiences in getting the right picture. He knows no boundaries in making grand masterpieces. As he defies the criterion of being technically equipped over periods of advanced formal studies in photography, he simply mastered the right practices of this craftsmanship. GETTING LABELLED It was just recently that Donnell considered entering the competition arena. His work-of-the-arts surpass the norm and granted him tickets that ruined his identifier as amateur. From last year’s fourth quarter he has been submitting entries to photo competitions around the Emirates. As the judges assessed his talent and
Editor’s Choice Awards-500px.com 26
November 2011
“Middle Eastern Snow” - ©copyrighted Canon/DIC undeniable passion, he amazed everyone as he grabbed awards after awards. He took the 2nd place from the Emirates International Photography Competition (Al Dafra Photo Competition) with his entry “The Two Sprinter”. Grabbed 6th place from the Abu Dhabi Through Your Eyes International Photography Competition with his entry “Passing By”. A finalist of The Best Photographs Ever Taken of the UAE Photo Competition 2011 and 2nd placer from Canon Digital International Photography Competition with his entry “Middle Eastern Snow”. With these feathers in his cap, Donnel surely will go far in the field of photography. A pride to our nation indeed – as he continually amuses locals and other cultures through his commitment in bringing out justice to the unsung stories of everyday life through photography. As he waits for a glorious portrait to hang on his wall, he continually tucks in the patience to anticipate that perfect emotion, the place to set that perfect composition, the light to depict that deafening drama and the motion to define that unfolded story - simple ABC’s that could capture a picture that is worth more than a thousand words. Thankfully, the thought of leaving photography is not in his dictionary – a good reason for us to anticipate wonderful masterpieces from the man who collects images of people’s everyday lives and its realities. With this craft, that he intends to practice for a long time, he might just get the key in buying him the house he has dreamed of.
To view his wonderful creations, kindly visit his website at http://500px.com/donnellgumiran http://sideviewer.multiply.com/
November 2011
27
Fujifilm FinePix X100
New Nikon J1 and V1
Panasonic Lumix GF3
Leica M9
12.3 megapixels | 2.8” screen | 35 mm In amongst all the cameras announced at Photokina 2010 - including enthusiast SLRs such as the Nikon D7000, Canon EOS 60D, Pentax K-5 and Sigma SD1 - one utterly unexpected model stole the show. Fujifilm unveiled the FinePix X100, a compact camera with an SLRsize APS-C sensor and traditional analogue control dials, that hides ground-breaking technology inside a retro-styled body with looks to die for. The X100 uses traditional analogue-style control dials for shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation, alongside an electronically coupled (‘focus-by-wire’) manual focus ring. But the biggest story is its innovative hybrid viewfinder, which combines a conventional directvision optical viewfinder with a high-resolution electronic viewfinder. This, in principle at least, gives the best of both worlds, plus a few unique tricks of its own. If you prefer, you can of course also frame your shots using the 2.7”” rear LCD, like any other compact camera.
Nikon has announced the V1 enthusiast small sensor mirrorless camera. Built around what the company is calling a ‘CX’ format 10MP CMOS sensors, the cameras is part of the company’s new Nikon 1 line. The V1 is intended as the higher-end model in the lineup and features magnesium alloy construction and a 1.4M dot electronic viewfinder. It also has an accessory port allowing the connection of the SB-N5 mini speedlight or GP-N100 GPS unit. Like the J1, in can shoot 1080i60 video and combines both phase detection and contrast detection autofocus. The 1” type sensor (13.2mm x 8.8mm) gives a 2.7x crop. The V1 kit with 10-30mm (27-81mm equiv.) lens will be $899.95 and will be available around October 20th. An adapter allowing the use of Nikon F-mount lenses will follow.
12.1 megapixels | 3” screen | Four Thirds sensor with the GF3, Panasonic continues to court the mass-market, with a camera that furthers its trend of simplification and newuser befriending. It’s a gentle refresh of the GF2 but one from which even more controls (as well as size and weight) have been removed. It’s still a 12MP camera but the addition of the latest three-core Venus Engine FHD processor gives it the impressive speed of its G3 and GH2 siblings.Building on the simple touchscreen design of the GF2, the GF3 loses Panasonic’s signature rear click-dial, instead making do instead with a compact camera-style dial around the four-way controller. This and the loss of both the flash hot shoe and rear accessory port underline Panasonic’s determination to keep things small, simple, unthreatening and inexpensive. The stereo mics of its predecessor have also gone, further casualties of the downsizing process.
Three years ago Leica revealed the M8, its first digital rangefinder. The M8 looked similar to the film M7 but was a completely new body, with a 27 x 18 mm (1.3x FOV crop) 10 megapixel Kodak CCD sensor and no resolution-sapping antialias filter. However it wasn’t all plain sailing, all modern digital cameras feature a glass UV/ IR filter in front of the sensor, and in the case of the M8 the design was particularly thin (just 0.5 mm) which turned out, in production, not to be strong enough. We along with several other testers noted this issue, and soon Leica were producing screw-on UV/IR filters for their lenses in order to eliminate the effects of such spectral pollution. In September 2008 came a subtle update; the M8.2 was identical from a sensor and imaging sub-system point of view but added a few new features; a quiet metal shutter, discrete shutter re-cock, snapshot mode, sapphire crystal cover glass for the LCD and most importantly the ‘stealthy’ black Leica dot.
On Highlights Focus
Sam Coran
Michael Cruz
Photographer
How long in UAE: 4 Years
Edwin Allan Riguer Photographer Architect
How long in UAE: Since 2004 When did he dicover his photography talent: Still undiscovered. Inspiration drives him to photography.
First time to get interested in photography: 2 years ago when he started shooting professionally Current Camera: Nikon D700 and his first camera Nikon D80 Style of Photograpy: Minimalist, shoot naturally and when it’s dark thats the only time he will use the lights.
Current Camera: Canon 5D
Influences: Zack Arias and for Filipino photographers, Chris Calumberan and Mosh Lafuente
Influences: Nature, mountains and Asin’s song “Masdan Mo ang Kapaligiran”
Where did he learned Photography: Studied basic photography in New york and from personal experience.
Style of Photograpy: Photography without a style, no common style it was all based on situation Where did he learned Photography: Self-learned. Researched and by reading magazines.
Photographer IT Manager
Mosh Lafuente Photographer
How long in UAE: December 2006 First time to get interested in photography: When he was a child and they were deprived of a camera due to poverty. Her mother used to fit few shots of film to use on two occasions, this triggered him to learn more about the mystery of photography.
How long in UAE: 8 years First time to get interested in photography: February 2009 when he bought his first camera. Current Camera: During Production shot, Canon 7D and for personal use Fuji X-100. Influences: No particular name only his Creativity
Current Camera: Not very particular on the brand of camera.
Style of Photograpy: Still evolving and not sticking on one style anything that incorporates his feelings.
Influences: Steve Mc Curry, Terry Richardson Sonny Yabao and Bobot Meru
How did he learned Photography: Self-learned and because of curiosity.
Style of Photograpy: Generalist, can shoot everything except underwater. Where did he learned Photography: Self-learned. Researched and thru other photographers.
November 2011
29
www.lamadubai.com www.lamadeserttours.com www.lamaholidays.com
30
November 2011
Ever since the iPhone camera was invented, it’s aspired to be what it simply never quite could be: a DSLR. Sure, apps have helped your camera phone inch forward with simulated focusing and faux filters. Faux no more. The iPhone SLR Mount gives you the real thing. It’ll set your phone photos apart from everyone else’s on Instagram in an unprecedented way (#nofilter)! This case-adapter combo lets you mount your Canon EOS or Nikon SLR lenses to your iPhone 4, giving your phone powerful depth of field and manual focus. Telephoto, wide angle, macro, or your fixed-fifty lenses all attach to this mount, giving you a full range of lenses at your iPhone-lovin’ fingertips. Heck, you could even throw on a Diana adapter!
Convert your Iphone to DSLR
Plus, you’ll be putting the SLR lenses you already have to use with the camera you always have with you - your phone.
Light Meter on your iPhone
Two loopholes on each end of the case let you tie on a camera strap, so you can hang it around your neck just like your real DSLR. Now that your favorite camera has it all, what’re you going to do with your DSLR?
Big Lens When it comes to creating greatlooking images, it’s all about focus and filters. Big Lens gives you the ultimate in focus and filter tools for your iPhone.
A light meter that is always in your pocket. It is indispensable for film photography with all manual cameras. Measures reflected light, and allows reciprocity calculations.
Leme Leme iphone app LEME Camera takes what your eye sees and turns it into what your heart feels. It goes far beyond documenting an event; your friends will feel like they are there with you. Capture a moment, express your feelings, don’t just snap a picture.
Lens Bracelet
The silicone bracelet is replicated from the camera lens’ focusing ring. We can select from two types of the camera lens bracelets, including 50mm focusing ring and 24-70mm focusing ring. Each lens bracelet features embossed lettering and detailed rubber ridges. Apart from that, each silicone bracelet measures 7 inches circ.
November 2011
31
DIY Photography
How to make your own Bokeh Bokeh comes from the Japanese word ‘boke’, which means fuzzy. In photography, bokeh defines the quality of the blurred lights presented in a photo. Usually, this type of blur highlights the focused subject even more. Producing nice Bokeh involves creating a shallow depth of field.
Get inspired by the photos and show us your best Bokeh shots!
1
How to create : your own Bokeh
2
1.First, you need one sheet
of black paperboard.
3
4
5
2.
Cut and shape the sheet to make a fake lens hood. The Diameter is made so that it snugly fits on the lens.
The closer you get to subject, the better. If you’re using a zoom lens, extend it to the longest focal length.
3.Draw figure/shape in
The further away the background, the better.
the center of the filter and cut it accordingly. (On the 50mm lens @ F1.8 a 15mm a bokeh shape gives a metering value equal to F3.2)
4.
Larger aperture works best, so use a low f-stop number like f1.4, f1.8 or f2.8
5.
You would need to set the shutter speed faster than 1/50 second. If it’s 32
November 2011
too dark, increase the ISO level rather than the f-stop number.
6.
7.
8.
Ensure that the background is lit. Glowing lights like street lamps and traffic lights work best. (a consistently lit background would just create a regular blur.)
9.
If you don’t have a subject and want to create the Bokeh effect with the night lights, manually focus your camera.
MICHAEL CRUZ Creative Director
DON CRISTOBAL Production Designer
EUGENE SANTOS Production Director
for more information visit: WORKFLOWEXPOSED.COM
Under
the
Arabian Sun PHOTO SHOOT AND POST-PROCESSING WORKSHOP in cooperation with
JANUARY 2012, DUBAI, UAE.
Tutorial
Camera Settings Simply having a DSLR camera to shoot pictures is not enough to guarantee success – you must first and foremost have a unit capable of quality images at fairly high resolutions (at least 3 Mega Pixels) and know how to use it properly. Even the simplest point and click systems have options, and to get the most out of your pictures, you need to understand what options are available to you and use the features that are appropriate at any given time. Most, if not all quality DSLR cameras have the ability to change the F/Stop settings in some form; for instance, thus changing the depth of field vs. speed of motion settings that are available from the same photograph.
Camera Flash If you’ve read How Cameras Work, you know that it takes a lot of light to expose a vivid image onto film. For most indoor photography, where there is relatively little ambient light, you either need to expose the film for a longer period of time or momentarily increase the light level to get a clear picture. Increasing the exposure time doesn’t work well for most subjects, because any quick motion, including the movement of the camera itself, makes for a blurry picture. Electronic flashes are a simple, cheap solution to this inherent problem in photography. Their sole purpose is to emit a short burst of bright light when you release the shutter. This illuminates the room for the fraction of a second the film is exposed. In this article, we’ll find out exactly how these devices carry out this important task. As we’ll see, a standard camera flash is a great demonstration of how basic electronic components can work together in a simple circuit. 34
November 2011
Shutter Speed Shutter speed is what you want to change when you want to show movement in your picture or when you want to take an incredibly clear shot, a moment in time, without any blur of movement at all. The slower the shutter speed is, the more movement the camera will capture.
ISO ISO speed is your camera’s sensitivity to light. A bigger ISO speed means a larger sensitivity. If your camera is more sensitive to light, it takes less light to make a picture brighter. The most common ISO camera speed settings are: 100, 200, 400 and 800. Depending on your digital camera model you may also have them in the range of 64, 100, 160, 200, 400, 640, 800, 1600.
Aperture The main function of a camera lens is to collect light. The aperture of a lens is the diameter of the lens opening and is usually controlled by an iris. The larger the diameter of the aperture, the more light reaches the image sensor. Aperture is expressed as F-stop, e.g. F2.8 or f/2.8. The smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture).
When applied to photography, this ratio can produce aesthetically pleasing compositions that can be magnets for the human sub-conscious. When you take the sweet spot of the Fibonacci Ratio and recreate it four times into a grid, you get what looks to be a rule of thirds grid. However, upon closer inspection you will see that this grid is not an exact splitting of the frame into three pieces. Instead of a 3-piece grid that goes 1+1+1= frame, you get a grid that goes 1+.618+1= frame.
Also known as the Golden Mean, Phi, or Divine Proportion This law was made famous by Leonardo Fibonacci around 1200 A.D. He noticed that there was an absolute ratio that appears often throughout nature, a sort of design that is universally efficient in living things and pleasing to the human eye. Hence, the “divine proportion” nickname. Since the Renaissance, artists and architects have designed their work to approximate this ratio of 1:1.618. It’s found all over the Parthenon, in famous works of art like the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, and it’s still used today. The divine proportion has been used by companies like Apple to design products, it’s said to have been used by Twitter to create their new profile page, and has been used by major companies all over the world to design logos. It’s not talked about in most photography circles because it’s a
somewhat advanced method of composition and can be confusing to a lot of people. It’s so much easier to just talk about the “rule of thirds” because it’s exact, precise and easy to follow. Fibonacci was born in Italy but was educated in North Africa where his father, Guilielmo, held a diplomatic post. His father’s job was to represent the merchants of the Republic of Pisa who were trading in Bugia, later called Bougie and now called Bejaia. Bejaia is a Mediterranean port in northeastern Algeria. The town lies at the mouth of the Wadi Soummam near Mount Gouraya and Cape Carbon. Fibonacci was taught mathematics in Bugia and travelled widely with his father and recognised the enormous advantages of the mathematical systems used in the countries they visited. Fibonacci writes in his famous book Liber abaci (1202)
November 2011
35
1/3
/1
1/2
/1
1/2
/1
1/1
/1
Rule of Thirds
The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. As follows: As you’re taking an image, you would have done this in your mind through your viewfinder or in the LCD display that you use to frame your shot. With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as youv frame your image. Not only this – but it also gives you four ‘lines’ that are also useful positions for elements in your photo. The theory is, that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines, that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images, that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.
36
November 2011
A picture cropped without and with the rule of thirds
1/1
/1
Gray Card
OVEREXPOSED
Shadows not present
Shadows
AVERAGE EXPOSURE
MIDTONES
Highlights
UNDEREXPOSED
Histogram An image histogram is a type of histogram that acts as a graphical representation of the tonal distribution in a digital image.It plots the number of pixels for each tonal value. By looking at the histogram for a specific image a viewer will be able to judge the entire tonal distribution at a glance. Image histograms are present on many modern digital cameras. Photographers can use them as an aid to show the distribution of tones captured, and whether image detail has been lost to blown-out highlights or blacked-out shadows
Shadows not present
White Balance White balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic color casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the “color temperature” of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. Our eyes are very good at judging what is white under different light sources, but digital cameras often have great difficulty with Auto White Balance (AWB) — and can create unsightly blue, orange, or even green color casts. Understanding digital white balance can help you avoid these color casts, thereby improving your photos under a wider range of lighting conditions.
Camera light meters see reflected light, but it is often useful to know the incident light (the light hitting your subject). With an 18 percent gray card, you can get a reflected light reading which is essentially the same as reading incident light. Our gray cards are made from mat board. They have been painted to give results similar to an 18 percent reflectance Kodak gray card. This is equivalent to zone V. In the zone system, V is the middle tone half-way between black and white.
November 2011
37
UPCLOSE WITH DONNELL GUMIRAN
D IG I TA L P O S T PR O C E S S T E C H N IQ U E S
AL AIN DUBAI ABU DHABI UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
ONE ON ONE OR GROUP WORKSHOP HTTP://500PX.COM/DONNELLGUMIRAN FOR MORE INFO: EMAIL GUMIRAN_DONNELL@YAHOO.COM
Photo Manipulation Tutorials: Creating a liquid figure made of water
Tutorials In this photo manipulation, you will learn how to turn a stock photo into a liquid form image. Ten easy steps are listed below to guide you on how to transform an image in a liquid form. Water is the nature’s element that could not be blend that easy, but this tutorial will prove otherwise. A water element can be added in an image to produce an amazing photo through the use of some blending tricks, paint brush and shadows using Radial Gradient tool. Read the procedures below and believe it yourself.
01
1. First create a duplicate from your original layer and rename it as “Skin Path”. Start working on the duplicate layer.
Using ‘Pen tool’ (P), trace all the visible skin. Better zoom the image to have a good view of tracing and cut-out. The objective is to remove the skin of the image, leaving only the subject’s cloth. Save the project once done.
02
Going back on the layer panel, select a large portion of the rain background using the ‘Marquee’ tool (M). Copy and paste the selected image. It will automatically create a new layer. Rename it as “Rain”. Drag the “Rain” layer on the visible skin to simply hide it. In the path panel, select the “Skin Path” layer and click the ‘Load Path’ found at the bottom. After selecting the “Skin Path”, return to the layer panel and click ‘Add Layer Mask’ button to cover the skin of the duplicated layer.
03
To put a soft spotlight to the background, add another layer and rename it as “Spotlight”. Using ‘Radial Gradient’ tool, pick the focus point and drag as per your desired size. Now, trace the entire body following the procedure on Step 1. After selecting the entire subject, go to Path Panel and click ‘Load Path’. Go to ‘Select’ menu > Inverse, to reverse the selection. Return to the layer panel and select the “Spotlight” layer and hit the ‘Add Layer Mask’. Set the blending mode: Screen, Opacity: 18%. Somehow you will arrive with the same image on the left.
40
November 2011
04
To add some visible highlight to the face, duplicate the original image, then go to ‘Image’ Menu >Adjustments > ‘Desaturate’, to change the image into a gray/black effect. Click ‘Add Layer Mask’ and fill the background with black on the layer mask. Use a ‘Paint Brush’ tool and slowly brush the face area to bring out its highlight until it reached the desired blend. Adjust the opacity to 20%.
05
06
07
08
09
10
To return the subject’s body to the original layer, make another duplicate of the original layer then trace the edges of the skin. Use ‘Brush’ tool to make a line and set it in 3px thickness. Once done delete the duplicate. It is advisable to use a Graphic Tablet to come up with the right pressure.
Add the water images and place it on top of the transparent body. Click the ‘Add Layer Mask’ to hide distortions of the image. Use the ‘Brush’ tool and slowly erase the excess details from the water splash. The image can be transformed, rotated or flipped to find the right form of the body.
For an additional transparent effect, use the ‘Brush’ tool to make a soft glow on the skin of the subject. Use a white soft brush and slowly brush the edges of the subject’s body. Adjust the opacity depending on your desired blend.
Make a new layer and use the ‘Gradient’ tool to make a radial effect. Set the focus point at the center. Set the blending mode option to ‘Soft light’ at opacity: 18%. In this manner, the vignette effect will have some drama onto it.
Now, add the water effect to the subject’s body. Get water splash images online and adjust its color saturation to gray or change the color mode to Grayscale.
Finally, as the final effect, use the ‘Paint’ tool to add some shadows to the image. Use a soft brush then slowly blend it to the image until the desired blend. A white soft brush can be used on the highlights to emphasize the subject even more.
November 2011
41
Shutter
Picturing Camera Club of Dubai From a two-hour photography class hosted by OPPPS, Overseas Pinoy Professional Photographers Society, aspiring photographers of batch 21 decided to hit the road and explore the secrets of Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. As these new-bloods of aspiring photographers opened their doors to fun learning, they’ve also tucked in tons of hope that somewhere along the road they’ll find a home for their unsung passion that captured not just their eyes but also their being. After a couple of shoots, this group of passionate aspirants found themselves craving more wilderness and morning dews; little did they know – it’s not just the passion that bonded them together but the friendship that came along as they spent long hours taking photographs…and singing. Finding the right name for this motivated and passionate learners isn’t that simple. Just like naming a first born child deliberations were set on the table. For starter they thought of naming the group Cyclops, then realized that the name Hot Shot is far better in heightening once appetite but soon after that tempting smell of Chicken Inasal succumb the air they’ve all agreed to name the group – Camera Club of Dubai (CCD). SURPASSING LIMITS As advanced as the name sounds – members of this photography club, on the contrary, humbly admitted their lack of skills and limited photography equipment. “We are just in the process of learning photography - just like any newbie in the circle of Fil-Photog (Filipino Photographers)”, Dennis Dionisio, officer of CCD, confessed as he sat 42
November 2011
together with his co-officers in an interview held during the club’s gathering in Dubai. It is a fact that a great photo shoot comes with a great set-up - and a set-up can only be great if it has the complete equipment linked together to create an artistically calibrated shot. With this, CCD could only scratch their heads and hope that equipment would rain on them as the tic-tac hoot to its final stop. “We get the equipment from members who are willing to lend their stuff until we have a complete set-up and surprisingly all falls into place just before the clicks begin” explained Rocky Parroco, as he shared the secrets of a successful workshop despite limitations. From the street corners to the open highways and from dark rooms to sunny deserts, CCD captured every place with confidence and creativity. Fledgling as they are, no one can deny that they have injected heart and passion in every workshop they organized and all the pictures they’ve captured. Hence, they continually receive compliments and appreciation from all walks of photographers. “It’s a great feeling that at the end of the day we just don’t gain knowledge in photography, we are also given chances to attend and organized events – which I think is a good add-on to what we are doing. These workshops also unleash new characteristics among ourselves and we just couldn’t hide that satisfaction”, Sheryl Juan, a CCD officer, added. EMBRACING DIVERSITY CCD, pioneered by all Fil-Photog (often labeled as friendly and hospitable) - welcomes different colors to brighten the picture.
never-ending struggle for Arthur’s survival. This event overwhelmed not only CCD but other photographers, enthusiasts, designers, models and mostly the general public as they set out on their noble endeavor. As this fund-raising photo shoot hit the “FB” waves, seekers of help came to CCD one after the other. WORKSHOP AT HEART Focused – a photography workshop for a cause organized to give financial assistance to Filipino elders, orphans, and handicapped people (physically and mentally) in Anawim Center found in Rizal, Philippines. This workshop also gave assistance to one of its member’s family – who were in dire of medical funds. 1st Light Fun Shoot – set to help transport the remains of Ricky “Inang” Bugaay back to the Philippines. Ricky was a make-up artist who supports Fil-Photogs in UAE. 2nd Light Fun Shoot – the recent fund-raising photo shoot. With 150 photographers (aspirants and professionals), make-up artists, designers and models tagged together for a common purpose – this by far, has been the most successful photo shoot for CCD. Proceeds of this event were solely dedicated to photographer Josh Roi who was then comatose and suffered from a brain hemorrhage. CCD strives to give hand to those who need help and they are looking forward in witnessing through their own eyes, the beauty that lies beneath autism.
“It’s not just the passion that bonded them together but the friendship that came along as they spent long hours taking photographs…and singing” They continually embrace diverse cultures, philosophies, beliefs and representations. As the club that breaks barriers, they have come to be one of the most popular photography clubs among Filipinos around the Emirates. Seeing this club expand in the coming months is conspicuous as they persistently shape creativity with diversity. “One of our objectives is to diversify. Photography caters to every being with an eye for creation regardless of nationalities, training backgrounds, achievements in photography and associations, well-acclaimed or underground, - and that is just what we want to do”, Rocky Parroco stated as he expressed his thoughts about their intentions to expand membership. Along with CCD’s ambition to grow is the challenge to unite photographers in the Emirates. As it embarks on stages of serious practices and workshops, its members cohesively welcome new colors that will give a new scene to this ubiquitous world of expat photographers. CAPTURING LIFE What has become an online fad was a list of non-stop “what-ifs” at first. It was indeed their passion and kind hearts that turned their photography into an event that expressed their passion in its deepest sense. Amazingly these not-so-skilledbutpassion-driven photographers (as they describe themselves) unknowingly created awareness in the world of Fil-Photog around the Emirates. Through their objective of mastering the craft they love, they have organized various workshops that enhance their (and others) photography know-how. Further, they have also engaged in a more humble endeavor that gave them better talent fees - love and compassion. It all started with the desire to raise funds for the Bone Marrow transplant of a “kababayan” – Arthur Lareza. His condition caught CCD’s heart with deepest empathy. Together with Light Source Filipino Photographers, a fund-raising photo shoot entitled Click and Save was born. United, they aimed to extend hope to the Lareza family in the
WRAPPING UP THE DAY WITH PASSION “Never be fully satisfied with what you’ve done. Never stop photographing. It is very likely that your best photograph has not yet been captured.” (from CCD Facebook Page) CCD members continue to inspire one another. As the group always says – “everything we do is for the craft that we learned to love and we’re here to do that learning - while having fun!”. Though no one admitted their talents in photography, they strongly proclaimed their passion as being the core reason of their existence in the Fil-Photogs world here in UAE. CCD desires to expand but not until January. The officers are yet to plan another exciting and worthy, fun shoot that will not just give new members knowledge, but also the fulfillment of treasuring their camera for a lifetime. by: Gladys Alog Image Credit: Camera Club of Dubai
November 2011
43
n ris Calumbera er Challenger: Ch h ial P otograph rc e m m o C l a n s Professio phy workshop ra g to o h P s ct u Cond
e g n e l l a h C The Small Things,
s t l u s e R Big
Challenge: Produce an artistic portraiture, showing three dimensions: highlights, mid-tones and shadows, using a Panasonic Lumix digital camera. Chris Calumberan, a top-notched Fil-photog, is tough enough to head FFM’s first ever challenge. Who is Chris Calumberan? A professional commercial photographer, that made not just his own photo studio in Al Quoz, Dubai but a name that marked him as one of the watched-out Fil-photog here in UAE. He started his journey to photography by assisting productions in TV commercials and other print ads. Then he made it through model bookings and location scoutings. As he digged into the arts of photography, he started assisting photography mentors specializing in Portraits, Interiors and Food that molded him to become the photographer that he is. 44
November 2011
What you will need Good concept Panasonic Lumix Digital Camera Lights equipment Tripod Good location Model – free style rapper Shingirai Ndawana a.k.a. “Epic Slain”
How He Did It?
Step 1
He started by mounting Panasonic Lumix Digital Camera to the tripod with flash off and full auto settings. Then positioned light #1, 45 degrees on camera’s left side.
Step 2
He turned on the modeling lamp to Tungsten light and changed the camera’s White Balance accordingly.
Step 3
To reduce the burnt highlight, he diffused the light by adding another diffusion panel and pulled the soft box few inches back.
Step 4
Added another highlight as headlight or separation light to add an extra dimension.
Step 5
On the last shot, he decided to add more shadow and contrast to make a gray scale and produce more moody shots
November 2011 November 2011
45 45
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MYTHS AND FACTS by:Thomas Zuber Myth: Unsharp Mask will make a blurry image sharp. Fact: USM usually makes a blurry image worse. Sharpening is used to retain sharpness, not create it where it does not exist. Myth: You can never have too much resolution. Fact: The resolution needed depends on how the file is to be used. For example, sending a file to a printer with too high a resolution will cause the printer to resample the image downward so it can be processed more efficiently. Myth: JPEG is the official file format for digital photography. Fact: There is no official format. The format one chooses should be based on how the file is to be used. JPEG is popular in point-andshoot digital cameras, for email and web because it compresses the file and smaller files transmit faster over the Internet and more of them will fit on a single flash memory card. However, JPEG uses a lossy compression algorithm. Lossy methods achieve very small file sizes. But they do so by throwing pixels away each time the image is saved by an application. In addition, JPEG does not support layers. Digital master images are usually stored as TIFF or Adobe Photoshop PSD files. Myth: Pixels are the little people in your camera that operate all the gears. Fact: The little people in your camera are known as pixies (with a few gremlins thrown in), not pixels. Pixel is short for picture (pix) element (el). It is the smallest complete unit of information in a digital image. A single pixel contains the hue, saturation and tonal information for a single point in an image. For IT types, pixels and bytes are not synonymous. It takes one or more bytes to store a single pixel. Myth: PPI and DPI are the same. Fact: Many people, including the experts, use them interchangeably. However, the difference is important when discussing printing. PPI, or pixels per inch, is file resolution. It denotes how many pixels on both the width and height dimensions can be found per inch in an image. For example, a 300 ppi file has 300 pixels for every inch in width and 300 pixels for every inch in height. DPI, or dots per inch, is print resolution. It denotes how many ink dots an inkjet printer can lay down on a piece of paper. The ppi of the file being printed does not have to match the dpi the printer is using. For example, my printer is set to print 1440 dpi but the files I send to the printer are 360 ppi. In fact, if I sent my printer a file with a resolution of 1440 pixels per inch, the printer would down-sample the image so that it could process it.
Figure 1 shows an image as it would be projected into the camera by a lens. Figure 2 shows the area of the image that would be recorded by a conventional 35mm camera. Figure 3 shows the area that would be recorded by a digital SLR camera whose sensor is smaller than a 35mm frame. By examining Figure 3, one could assume that the effective focal length of the lens has been increased by the digital camera. In fact, the digital camera is recording a smaller area, which gives the impression of a greater focal length. 46
November 2011
Myth: The Digital darkroom is much easier than printing in a traditional chemical darkroom. Fact: “Making a fine print digitally requires every bit of the skill and experience needed for photo darkroom printing.” “…digital printing is easier is not true. …the sheer number of possible controls makes the job much more complex.” “It may look simpler, and it actually is faster, but it is definitely not easier.” --quotes from various industry-recognized, traditional darkroom practitioners who have turned digital. Myth: Once I calibrate my hardware, my prints will exactly match my monitor. Fact: Monitors use red, green and blue (RGB) light to create an image on their screen. Most professional-grade printers use a variant of cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) inks to create an image on paper. Monitors have a wider color gamut than a printer. Monitors emit light; prints reflect light. A monitor has one sheen, printers can print on matte, semi-gloss and gloss papers. However, in spite of these differences, hardware calibration is critical to having a color-managed workflow. Myth: Since prints will never match a monitor, there is no need to calibrate. Fact: Calibration and a color managed workflow give you control. Without it, you are leaving to chance what comes off your printer. And chances are, you will not be happy. Myth: Once I calibrate, there is no need to do it again. Fact: Devices, especially monitors, drift out of tolerance over time. Recalibrating regains the control in your workflow. Myth: Digital cameras are better than film-based cameras. Fact: The good news is the biggest variable in photography is not equipment. Therefore, you do not have to buy the latest technology to improve your photography. Even better news is the fact that the biggest variable in the quality of your photography is You. Therefore, when you take a breath-taking image, you get to take full credit for it. Not your latest piece of gadgetry. So, give some thought in spending time to improve your skills before spending money to upgrade your equipment. Myth: Digital SLR cameras increase, or multiply, the effective focal length of a lens. Fact: If the size of the image sensor in a digital SLR camera is smaller than the size of a 35mm frame, then the camera is cropping the image projected by the lens more so than a conventional 35mm camera. This gives the illusion that the image is being magnified by the camera - thus, leading to the assumption that the camera is increasing the effective focal length of the lens.
Figure 1. Image as projected by a lens
Figure 2. Image as recorded by a conventional 35mm camera
Figure 3. Image as recorded by a digital SLR camera
‘wag mong itago sa baul! Kung ikaw ay may natatabing litrato sa baul na pwedeng ipagmalaki, maaari mo itong ipadala sa info@fullframemag.com at mapabilang sa hanay ng mga naggagandahang larawan.
Random Clicks
Photo by: Joseph Tuazon
Photo by: Au b rey Ti o se n
Photo by:Sam Coran
Photo by:Gladys Alog Photo by:Yan Borja
48
November 2011
On the road Joseph Tuazon Photo by:Dennis Dalisay | Ontario Lake
Photo by:Jeff Inocencio
Photo by:Dennis Lim Disclaimer: All images, (persons, events and establishments) are owned and provided by photographers. FFM is not liable for any infringement or copyright issues.
November 2011
49
Random Clicks
Photo by: Andy Ramos
P hoto by: Richard Martinez
50
November 2011
Photo by: Allensy Alonzo
Photo by: Belle Foronda
Photo by: Noel Yambao
Photo by: Hajjie Alejandro
Disclaimer: All images, (persons, events and establishments) are owned and provided by photographers. FFM is not liable for any infringement or copyright issues.
November 2011
51
Beyond Passion Edwin Loyola
by: Wallei Bautista Trinidad
Passion is something taken from the core of one’s heart. To bring passion to what you are doing, you actually put a soul into it and it becomes magical. With a modest arsenal of Canon equipment, a bounty of intuition and his self-proclaimed obsession with natural light, Edwin takes great pleasure in capturing the kind of images that reminds us that the world we live in is full of wonderful things and life is beautiful. Loyola is synonymous to passion. He brings something that is peculiar no one has ever imagined in all of his images. He has a collection of amazing and brilliant photographs which are products of his creative imagination. He
is regarded as one of the most celebrated photographer-artists in the Philippines. For Edwin S. Loyola, it is not only about selecting a subject and shooting it; it is about a particular compassion, responsiveness, even a perception for scale, balance, proportion, and all the other elements of art that makes his photographs an art and not just mere photos. His passion to present wonderful display of acuity, of expressions, of a dominion of contemplative photography is a constant interpretation of emotions. It his indeed his passion to provide images that are made beautiful by how it will be interpreted by the people who could see. The images he presents are poetry that touch the heart of the viewer and unfold thousand and one stories that awaken the soul.
LEAP OF FATE
Loyola did not stop pursuing his passion to create and inspire even he has to change the course of his life when he got his petition from his father in 2008. This gave him an opportunity to enrich his skills and ignite the fire of his craft even he has to keep his personal endeavors. He made regular trips and documented it by his remarkable photographs. The most noteworthy trips he had are those in Yosemite in 2008 where he took a photo on the precise spot where Ansel Adams also stood; trips to Mono Lake and the ghost town of Bodie in 2010.
PHILANTHROPIC UNDERTAKING
Mission: Save Kids with Cancer is a humble wish to help the kids with cancer and the
establishment of this mission made people to start to show their concern and finally made things possible through pledges and charitable projects. This is one special thing he left behind in the Philippines before departing to America. He actually established the mission to benefit children with cancer that belong to impoverished families. The proceeds that were collected from those who proposed to buy his photographs and has taken interests go to the kids’ treatment and medicines. To further help the kids even while he is thousands of miles away, Loyola is working on completing the final drafts to his project to benefit “Save Kids With Cancer”. The project involves a series of coffee table books featuring
the work of over 200 photographers rounded up from all over the world. Most of the competitions that he is joining got just one aim: to gather funds for the mission to continuously provide financial aid to the beneficiaries.
PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Loyola is a self-proclaimed non-gear-headed-person. Most of his works were all taken with available light. He finds joy in shooting an object from various angles and using available lighting. He prefers to shoot ordinary things that no one would ever dare to shoot. His images are mostly experimental and shot spontaneously. No props needed and not even making any pre-planning procedures. He has also started to explore using only iPhone4 and made fabulous images. DSLR for him are just for the big events. Because of the gadget’s functionality, practicality and portability, his creativity and artistry is moving him to the next level where eventually and with anticipation, he will be able to fulfill his dream as a cinematographer and filmmaker.
LOYOLA IN UAE
Lighsource Filipino Photographers Abu Dhabi Chapter will bring the much anticipated workshop of the celebrated photographer-artist in UAE. (LFP) is an independent, democratic, and non-profit photography club with activities for Filipinos in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates are composed of members coming from all walks of life showcasing their talent, activities and outstanding photographic works. Watch out for the upcoming promotional banners, videos and posters to be circulated on-line for the schedule of Edwin S. Loyola’s workshop as it will happen first quarter of the year 2012 For more info about the upcoming workshop, you may contact the following: Shelly Idea 0556338598 Allan Polina: 0502652426 November 2011
53
ambush
FFM Team took the strip of The WALK to find out which camera is most popular amongst photo enthusiasts.
Name: Hamta Roshan Job: Student Age: 18 Nationality: Iranian Camera: Canon EOS 600D
Name: Capt. Mar Estocada Job: Marine Capt. Age: 55 Nationality: Filipino Camera Canon 500D
Name: Srinivas A. Job: Retail Planning Manager Age: 31 Nationality: Indian Camera: Nikon D700
Name: Gael Abdelnour Job: Student Age: 15 Nationality: Lebanese Camera: Canon SX30IS
Name: Arkadi Job: Dentist Age: 38 Nationality: Russian Camera: Nikon D700
Name: Ahmed Job: Studio Manager Age: 24 Nationality: Canadian Camera: Canon 5D- Mark II
Name: Ismail Zeineldin Job: Owner/Modelling Agency Age: 26 Nationality: Lebanese Camera: Canon 600D
November 2011
55
Photowalk
The Whole World is Walking Again
The whole world will be walking again with Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and #1 bestselling computer and technology book author, in his Fourth Annual Worldwide Photo Walk™ — the world’s largest global social photography event in the history of photography
What is Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk? It’s a social photography event where photographers get together (usually in a downtown area or trendy section of town) to walk around, shoot photos, and generally have fun with other photographers. this is an Annual event and it’s my 3rd year leading the walk in Dubai, UAE. the first photowalk was held year 2008 and I was one of the walkers, Luckily I was the chosen one of our group leader and I won the leaders choice awards.
56
November 2011
What has been best thing that came out of this whole Worldwide Photo Walk thing? I think it was the fact that so many photographers have not only made new friends, but have gone on to form their own photo walks during the year. This is totally a social event, and that’s why makes it so much fun. Most of the people on my walk had never done a Photo Walk before, but everybody had so much fun, they all wanted to do once again right away. Photo Walks are infectious, because when you get that many creative people together, who all have the love of photography in common, you can’t help but have a great time. The whole world will be walking again with Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and #1 bestselling computer and technology book author, in his Fourth Annual Worldwide Photo Walk™ — the world’s largest global social photography event in the history of photography.
What is Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk? It’s a social photography event where photographers get together (usually in a downtown area or trendy section of town) to walk around, shoot photos, and generally have fun with other photographers. this is an Annual event and it’s my 3rd year leading the walk in Dubai, UAE. the first photowalk was held year 2008 and I was one of the walkers, Luckily I was the chosen one of our group leader and I won the leaders choice awards. What has been best thing that came out of this whole Worldwide Photo Walk thing? I think it was the fact that so many photographers have not only made new friends, but have gone on to form their own photo walks during the year. This is totally a social event, and that’s why makes it so much fun. Most of the people on my walk had never done a Photo Walk before, but everybody had so much fun, they all wanted to do once again right away. Photo Walks are infectious, because when you get that many creative people together, who all have the love of photography in common, you can’t help but have a great time.
November 2011
57
&
The 1st Philippine present
in the UAE
Film Festival
November 25-26, 2011
In Partnership With
In Cooperation With
In support of the Filipino Film Industry in the Philippines. Bringing Philippine culture to the UAE.
Sponsors
Guest speakers
Boots Anson Roa Soxie Topacio Screening venues
VOX Cinemas Deira City Center VOX Cinemas Marina Mall Abu Dhabi
Organizer
Symposia venue
Media Sponsors
Marco Polo Hotel Gala venue
Radisson Blu Hotel Deira Creek www.kitschmovies.com/pff-uae | Facebook.com/kitschmovies | Twitter.com/kitschmovies
P
SWAPPING CORNER You want a new lens but your budget is low? SWAP IT!! Barter your goods/items in our Swapping Corner! Email us at info@fullframemag.com for the guidelines. (this section is strictly for swapping of your camera, camera related items or electronic gadgets)
At Magnum Services we look at providing you with a membership solely tailored to your needs. Where Magnum utilizes its expertise to become your Personal Assistant, one that understands the true meaning of "Time is of the Essence" -
P. O. Box: 390631, Dubai, U.A.E | Tel: +971 4 346 8304 | Fax: +971 4 346 8305 | Email: info@magnumservices.org | www.magnumservices.org
In Cooperation with Photography magazine
Every Friday - 8:30am to 12:30pm for 6 weeks Email: pres.lightform@gmail.com
Visit Website: http://www.lightform.ae For more info call: 050 765 4343
Subscription Order Form Subscribe / Gift / Save
12 Issues 11 for the price of
Photography magazine
To purchase a subscription of FFM for you or for a friend simply complete this form and return it by post to Koncepto Publishing, P.O. Box 53485, Dubai, UAE Alternatively, Fax +971-4 448 6405
Subscribe Gift Date
Mr. Name:
Ms.
Photography Magazine
Issue 1 | November 2011 | Middle East
12 DHS
Name of Recipient (if different from above) Title: E-mail:
Do’s & Dont’s
of Photography in UAE
Discover Obscura
Find out how
Address: City: Country Postal Code Tel.:(area code)
Off Camera Lighting
Depth Of Focus
Fax: (area code)
Jay Morales
Donnell Gumiran
Beyond Passion Edwin Loyola
Small Things Big Result Chris Calumberan
What’s Inside
Gadget Review
Post Processing Tutorials
Do It Yourself
Workshop Schedules
Group Profile
subscribe online: www.fullframemag.com November 2011
63
Viva Salon
Viva Wellness Spa Offers you The Best Quality Of Grooming invigorating Place For Relaxation At It’s Finest Electra St. Abu Dhabi U.A.E. Tel: +971 2 6738221, Fax: +971 2 6738226, P.O. Box: 42879 Abu Dhabi
9