Coffee Table Book by Heena mak

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LOOK BEYOND THE BLUES AND FIND YOUR DREAM, CHASE IT WITH UTMOST SINCERITY. A LABYRINTH OF CHOICES LIES AHEAD, SHAPING YOUR ASPIRATION INCESSANTLY. TRUE FEAT IS MEASURED IN THE SPAN OF MOTIVATION, WHILE, SUCCESS IS MERELY LEAP OF FATE, INSPIRATION COMES TO THOSE WHO WANDER, CREATIVITY TO THOSE WHO CONTEMPLATE.

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WAVY DARKNESS Location: The Creek, Bur Dubai

Past determines our roots, present determine our paths, and the future determines our reach... â&#x20AC;&#x153;

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here is beauty in black a white, almost an invincible aura of depth. As photographers we are confronted with different choices in subject, light, location and equipment, but what really makes a difference in composing a good shot than a mediocre one, lies in the frame. Frame is what constitutes an image; it is the phase

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of denoting a meaning and capturing a moment that will never be seized again. Every picture is one of a kind. Photography is all about concept and timing. An element that scares a lot of photographers is white space or also known as ‘horrow vacui’. In face of a choice between black and white and color, white spaces are enchanting in the former and concealed,

while color brings acmes the blankness of a picture. Few photographers limit themselves to ease the choice by leaving out color and presenting the universe in monotone. Black and white photography is one of the most conventionally eccentric forms of exploiting imagery. The discipline of monochrome was merely a restriction in the 1930’s, but in the present times,

this genre of photography is alive based on its artistic values. Colour captures what the human eye sees, with black and white there is an incentive of seeing a world with unusual eyes, in conciliation of solely two non-colours. Seizing a subdued quixotic frame is offered by black and white, it’s a signature that marks an exclusive and elegant practice of visual depiction.

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OPPOSITES OFTEN ATTRACT Location: A cafe in Bastakiya, Bur Dubai

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verything has a beginning; with that said, the history of monochrome photography is a crucial and extensive journey in the field of mass communication. Black and white

photography can be traced back 170 years ago in Europe. Proclaimed as state of the art back in the time, the very first invention, Camera Obscura captured

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due to the fact that Light travels in a straight line and

Back then there was no means to capture the image

Post Daguerreotype, came the Calotype, Tintype

when some of the rays reflected from a bright subject

for any length of time, until Louis Daguerre succeeded

and modern day gelatin silver prints. This is when

pass through a small hole in thin material, they do not

in seizing the image so that others could view it. Thus

the transition into motion pictures was calling out to

scatter but cross and reform as an upside down image

this new process of photography became public in

on a flat surface held parallel to the hole.

1839, named Daguerreotype. Louis Daguerre put an exposed plate in his chemical cupboard, and some

photographers as the whole process had become more light sensitive. In 1888, George Eastman of Rochester,

days later found, to his surprise, that the latent image

New York introduced the public to the Kodak camera.

which will direct light to create an image inside the

had developed. Daguerre eventually concluded that

The original Kodak has a fixed-focus lens of 27mm

box turned upside down, this then formed half of the

this was due to the presence of mercury vapor from a

focal length and aperture f/9. It was a breakthrough

basis for the discovery of photography. Light sensitive

broken thermometer. This important discovery that a

in camera technology as it used a film in a roll long

is made in the wall of a completely darkened room, an

material formed the other half. The profession was

latent image could be developed made it possible to

amateur and consisted of ambiguities those were

reduce the exposure time from some eight hours to

enough for 100 negatives.

inverted image of the scene outside the window will be produced on the opposite wall of the room. This is

corrected in the future.

thirty minutes.

images inside a light-tight box. This term was derived from the Latin word camera meaning, “room” and Obscura meaning “dark” or translated as “dark room”. It used the property of physics whereby if a small hole

This is also true for a very small hole in a dark box,

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DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LITTLE THINGS, WHILE LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE Location: Novelty shop in Bastakiya, Bur Dubai

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onochrome is persuasive; it forces you to see the world in the absence of colors, taking you away from your usual territory and focus on the details that really matter. Perspective is the thin line differentiating a good photograph from a great photograph. Black and white photography is a mere pensive; every photographer brings his values and perspectives to his image. For a substantial amount of history of photography, monochrome was the only possibility. Color came into existence in the mid-twentieth century. There are three things that a photographer must consider before clicking his shot: •

What meaning does the subject hold to you as a photographer?

•

Will that meaning be duly transferred in your picture for other’s to see?

•

Will the photograph say something different than others clicked of the same subject before?

In this book The Monochrome Eyes, my goal is to make the audiences experience the power of black and white imagery and assist them with an introductory level methodology to create such digital drawings. Together we’ll experience and expand our horizons by scaling our perspectives in monochrome alone.

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A SABBATICAL AWAY FROM ‘NORMAL’ GUARANTEES EXTRAORDINARY FINDINGS. Location:The Creek, Bur Dubai

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FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

ATTITUDE IS OFTEN ARROGANCE DRAPED IN COUTURE. Location: Dubai Fashion Week 2011 at the World Trade Center, Dubai

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hilst photography as a profession took off in 1939, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until after the invention of the halftone printing process that fashion photography

became a profession. Back then, the sole purpose

FASHION HAS A FICKLE PERSONALITY; IT IS NERVY AND IMPATIENT, SOMETIMES, EVEN NOSTALGIC FOR THE PAST, BUT MOSTLY LEANING TOWARDS ITS FIXATION FOR NEW AND IMPROVED PHILOSOPHIES.

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of fashion photography was to sell clothes, but

genre of photography devoted to displaying clothing,

subject and the key to master this genre is to evaluate

with times, fashion photography became an artistic

beauty products and other vanity. Beauty and Fashion

the subject and visualize the magic of monochrome

photography expressed in monochrome is in its purest

beforehand. The accuracy in your vision will become

form. The details in texture, form and colour are

better with practise. An essential tip for every

highlighted with utmost respect. The focus is on the

photographer is to shoot in RAW format.

voice to represent moods, stories, and concepts. And thus the lines between art and fashion have been blurred. Fashion and Beauty photography is a

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ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY

ith architectural photography comes challenges of composing and capturing the details. There is a quandary of whether to capture the artistic authenticity or just a structural realism? Beyond these aesthetic concerns, there are technical problems of lighting and timing of capturing constructions as they are built under natural lighting source. The most appropriate tool-kit for a good architectural photograph is a telephoto lens, polarizing

filter and a tripod. However, as budding photographers, there are techniques to do this without all the expensive equipment. Architecture is about presenting forms, textures and details. Capturing that in daylight with a normal lens is your best bet at introductory levels. Keep your eyes open to clean compositions. Look out for elements like lines, pattern, and forms. Dubai being the thriving city of architectural design is one of the best places to find subjects for admiring constructions that are living legends.

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REACH OUT TO THE SKIES BECAUSE WITHIN THE ORDINARY CITY LIES AN EXTRAORDINARY PROSPECTIVE FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT... Location: Shaikh Zayed Road, adjacent to Dubai’s Skyline

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ART

PHOTOGRAPHY

o capture art one needs perspective and a good knowledge of shape, forms, texture and contrast. The angle of your camera is crucial in capturing art. If it is hanging on the wall, or drawn on a surface, centre yourself in order to point the lens squarely. While dealing with paintings and drawings that are movable, the best practice is to lay it flat on the floor and shoot from above looking down. Art is best captured in high key lighting so that shadows does not manipulate the existing aesthetics.

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If artists survived on imagination instead of criticism, nothing original would ever exist. Location: Bastakiya, Bur Dubai

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PORTRAIT

PHOTOGRAPHY

Words are mask for the soul. Expressions mirrors what’s truly in the heart.

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xpressions, moods, emotions, and feelings are examples of good portraits. Since it involves people, the best portraits are taken without the subject posing.

is something that most photographers practise in colour photography it is particularly important when it comes to black and white where noise created by ISO can become even more obvious. If you’re after

One quality of a good portraiture is that it speaks

this ‘noise’ that adds drama to portrature, you can

for itself. A trick to achieve the perfect contrast is

always add it later in your postproduction – but it’s

shooting in lowest ISO of your camera, While this

harder to go the other way and take noise out.

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AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

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WHEN YOU REACH THE

TOP OF THE WORLD, EVERYTHING BELOW APPEARS TRIVIAL AND INSIGNIFICANT. LOOK BACK AT THE PAST, YOU WERE

TRIVIAL AND INSIGNIFICANT. ONCE THE SAME,

hotographs taken from an elevated base are aerial shots. The purpose of aerial photography can be professional or personal. Real estate is a big portion of any

economy and the best way to illustrate all details.

locations that cannot be accessed from a building or landmark above its height. An ideal lens would be of focal length 225mm from an airplane or 70mm from a helicopter. However, a limitation of aerial

On an artistic level, patterns, textures, and size are

photography from a moving automobile is motion

apparent from stature. This photography could be

blur. The solution is to use a shutter speed higher

expensive as it involves hiring a helicopter to capture

than 1/500.

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A filmmaker, a writer, an actor, and a poet are all the talents of a single man, Gerard Courant. Born in Lyon (France) in 1951, Gerard was always interested in capturing a frame full of meaning. He is the director of Cinématon, a 174-hour experimental film. A special screening of the latest instalment of Cinématon was screened at Gulf International Film Festival 2012, in Dubai, raving strong responses from peers and newcomers. L iving in a bubble of absolute filmography, Gerard Courant is a French Director who has managed to create his own niche of cinema. His films are not documentaries, they are

diversity of how people counter situations, some laugh, some are impatient other just choose to remain calm.

personal, they connect and most importantly they speak for

The quality that stands out the most in the film is silence. Giving

themselves.

time without voice makes many edgy and the lack of sound

His deep relationship with his camera is apparent by how he shot each person who wanted to speak/interview him. He is

makes one focus on expressions alone. Gerard Courant began this journey to celebrate filmmakers and capture their

curious for knowing how different people react on camera

personalities on camera. He says, he has seen all of these

when asked to say nothing, do nothing and most importantly

people behind camera and to bring them in front of one was a

be nothing.

challenging task.

Until 2011 this film was the longest released film ever, the

Courant believes its quietness is what makes the movie special;

storyline is simple. It consists of a series of over 2,512 silent

he said, “before he began producing films, he was fond of the

vignettes (cinématons), each 3 minutes and 25 seconds long, of

silent era, one of his inspirations were Eisenstein and his likes.

various celebrities, artists, journalists and friends of the director;

Silent films are like a mental striptease. A lot of emotions are

each one of them reacts to being on camera differently. The

vulnerable without sound. With words one wears a mask, but as

underlying thought behind the film remains to be only natural,

soon as this mask is stripped off, the emotions are very evident.”

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“

follow your instincts, find your own style and aim for

perfection... “

With Latino roots, and a strong artistic base in Dubai,

see past the camera and transports them to the captured

Mario Guarneros acquired his zest for creativity

moment triggering a strong emotional reciprocation that can’t

from Mexico City. Growing up with vibrancy and color he developed a unique style in his perceptions of the world through his lens. His love expression through visual virtuosity found its wings in arms of photography and digital art.

be physically captured in the frame such as taste and smell, or touching ones disposition in a positive or negative manner. However, the one thing that’s common in either scenarios (commercial or personal) would be to follow your instincts, find your own style and aim for perfection.

What meaning does black and white photography hold to you,

When did you start your career?

personally?

I have always been involved in graphic arts as graphic

Black and white photography to me is more than a style or an

design and digital art are the careers I am doing alongside

output alternative, I see it more as a channel where images

photography. I have been pursuing travel, street, portrait and

get stripped down to its basics forcing the viewer to perceive

abstract photography since 2007 but I started professionally

specific areas of the image such as forms, symmetry (or the

including commercial, wedding and portfolio in the year 2011.

lack of it) and their interaction with a high contrast of light and

Can you explain the stark difference in experiences in being a photographer in your hometown and being a photographer in Dubai? I started professionally in Dubai but due to the nature of my work

shadows which otherwise might have not being appreciated through saturated photography. a

Would you say, black and white photography limits the sort of themes you can capture through your lens?

I have had the pleasure to work internationally with different

I think the only limit is how creative you can get with it. As a

agencies. Essentially, in my experience the ideologies of how

technique itself it does not limit the array of themes, I believe

photography is valued as a service or product rather than a

what restricts the themes monochrome images is the “abuse” of

true artistic journey to discover a new side of any commercial firm is so apparent in the UAE market. This has led me to aim for international agencies and brands that look for a UAE based photographer and this helps in extending my clientele globally.

certain characteristics. As a photographer one aims to achieve uniqueness, so when a specific theme has been done over and over again it does limit the use of it as the last thing any photographer would like is to end up adding another image

As a photographer, how do you know what to capture within your frame?

to the pile of forgotten imagery but creatively speaking I don’t

That would technically depend if I am shooting for a client where

What has been a predominant cliche you’ve come across on

a definate set of goals and characteristics are previously defined

black and white photographs?

or if am shooting for the pure pleasure of creating art where subjects can be as varied as people, objects or nature. In the latter scenario, I aim to capture something that in one frame tells a story and invokes human reaction. For me a good photograph is the one that lets the viewer

believe there’s a limit.

There’s always nude art, there seems to be common believe that any nude photo as long as it is in black and white is automatically fine art. Other clichés would be street photography and portraits, I will be the first to admit it, I have been guilty of doing all of them too (laughs).

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“success A flare for capturing life at its best, a subdued flamboyant approach of expression through photography, Sangeeta Khiara is a photographer with a zest for creativity. Commencing her career in the year 2009, Sangeeta Khiara pursues photography as a freelancer. Born and bought up in this Bedouin land of Dubai, she was drawn to this subject because of her father, who was also a photographer; remembering her early days, she says “photography has been in and around me since forever.” A self-made woman, she was introduced to the basics of photography during her college. She began learning on-thejob, and took a specialization approach to her learning, taking deeper precise advance training and internship offers that helped her build a portfolio and start her career. Believer of the mantra, ‘success comes to those who wait and work hard’, Sangeeta deems this market as lucrative. She says, “I feel every market has its own opportunities and advantages. Any artist has to create his/her niche, which makes them successful in any place they are.” With such an exquisite eye in photography, one might wonder what draws her to a particular frame, “Framing a picture is very subjective I can never decide what I want to capture, until I am working on something very specific for a client or for a project. As a photographer it’s really important to tell a story through your pictures, so I keep that as my focus and let the magic work.”

While many photographers consider the clichés of black and white photography and are skeptical about practicing it, Sangeeta comments, “Black and white photography speaks the soul of the photograph; colors are the frill, which hide the real essence of the story behind it. Monochrome is a whole different world of imagery, its addictive and brings out so much from a photographer.” Despising excessive editing, for Sangeeta, a photograph is at its best when it is raw. As a photographer she has experienced most people always end up capturing only portraits as black and white where as many other elements around us look great de-saturated. There are also some who end up using Photoshop and produce high contrast images leaving no room for grey spaces that leaves behind many important aspects in an image. Black and white photography is a genre in itself. It is an imaginary land where we leave the viewer to decipher the colors and the story of the captured motion. It’s self-explanatory and personal. Though limitations affect every photographer, for Sangeeta, colors play a very vain part in photography. “Restrictions are only in our mind! Every thing around us has a story to tell, it’s our eye that has to capture it. Black and white photography is beautiful, it’s the first step that brought us close to capturing out emotions in time.” What equipment supports the best type of black and white photography? “As a fact there is no requirement of any specific equipment to capture a good moment. One could capture award-winning shots from a mere mobile camera too. But no, one does not really require any specific lenses or equipment for black and white photography. Though 50 mm - 1.4f is a great lens for beginners to capture b/w photography in the initial stages.”

comes to those who wait and work hard.

“

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I usually make all my pictures black and white, and gives more appeal and persona to my subjecT .

Benita Pienaar, a South African based in Dubai is a

favourite is taking portraitures of the elderly, so ever since I’ve

commercial photographer. At the golden period of

arrived in Dubai I’ve discovered a total independence, the safety

her age her passion for photography is burgeoning,

is beguiling and you will usually find me in Deira by the Creek,

she remembers ”I’ve been a keen photographer as a child and took pictures at school events and was

capturing those faces on the trading boats. They know me and enjoy posing for me. I’ve also taken beautiful portraits in Petra in Jordan, Muscat and Bahrain.”

never without a camera in my bag, don’t ask me what the name was, it too long ago. I’m 50 years old and cannot remember that long back (she laughs).”

Her obsession of black and white photography is traced to her belief that monochrome gives more character, “I usually make all my pictures black and white, and gives more appeal and

Quirky by nature, her strongest quality as a human being is

persona to my subjects and I also like to make the background

connection. She can make anyone be at ease and bring out a

black, so the sombre effect is darker.”

different personality with each click. Her creativity and resilience with angles, expressions and persona, captures a different side of her subject every time.

When it comes to post production, Benita is very fond of software and as a professional working on pictures for commercial reasons, she suggests clicking these photographs in

Her personal favorite is portrait photography and she is fearless

colours and later editing them. “I take them in colour and convert

in her approach of networking and finding new and interesting

on Adobe Photoshop to black and white, I like to use CS4 and

subjects every now and then. In fact, in this city, she finds herself

Lightroom 3, there I can achieve what my eyes want to see.”

easily swaying into making more acquaintainces who welcome her perky nature and interest in their lives. She says “Back in In

A meticulous eye for detail, post production is her favorite stage,

South Africa you have to watch your back all the time, crime is

textures and tones entice her as an honest admirer of beauty.

so high and as a single women it was not safe to walk around

With such optimism and grace she is truly a photographer of

in the townships. Fortunately, I never gave up, my absolute

substance.

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“

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Black and white is

classy. Its vintage quality immersed in deep emotion and meaning .

Voted as one of the Top 5 best wedding

personally?

photographers in the world by pixato.com, Simon

Black and white is classy. Its vintage quality immersed in deep

Charlton is a British national practising this art in

emotion and meaning is the reason why so many photographers

Dubai. He began his career in the year 2005 and

choose to work in this mode only. I can compare the works

ever since there has been an upward curve in talent

of black and white photography to the works of Bresson and

and success.

Artget, famous photographers who chose to capture in black and

Can you explain the start difference in experiences in being a photographer in Britain and being a photographer in Dubai? I started my career here and it has been great so far. Commercial photography is constraining but the creative leverage this place has to offer is immense. I have done celebrity to wedding shots, industrial to travel photography, therefore expanding my skill and interest in this profession. Dubai is great for business; the multicultural platform makes this place very authentic to work. As a photographer, how do you know what to capture within your frame? Its just a feeling that you get, once you’ve practiced and

white creating imagery that erupted emotions instantly. Would you say, black and white photography limits the sort of themes you can capture through your lens? It does not limit, however there are certain subjects that I would always prefer to shoot in colour like flowers, food and objects that have beautiful gradation and shade that will be only admirable in colour photographs. Do you require specific equipment for the best black and white photographs? With digital cameras this is never a problem. You can apply green/red/yellow filters after in postproduction in Photoshop or lightroom.

understood the concept of composition, you either stick with it or break it, try and be creative and original. The tools of trade remain constant, how you choose to apply them can affect your

What has been a predominant cliche you’ve come across on

final result.

black and white photographs?

What meaning does black and white photography hold to you,

A landscape image like Ansel Adams.

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AS A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU NEED MORE THAN JUST YOUR RIGHT EQUIPMENT, THE FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUE OF CAPTURING, OR THE RIGHT SETTING AS A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU NEED

INSPIRATION

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PERspective

is the thin line differentiating a good photograph from a great one...

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SINCE EVERY SONG ENDS, IS IT REASON ENOUGH TO NOT ENJOY THE MUSIC? WHILE EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS FLEETING AND THE WORLD AROUND IS NOT ETERNAL, LIFE IS ALL ABOUT

LIVING IN THE MOMENT.

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WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING, YOU ANALYSE IT SUPERFICIALLY, JUDGING ON THE OUTSIDE. WHAT YOU PERCEIVE TO BE THE TRUE VALUE OF SOMETHING SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT

WHERE YOU STAND, WHERE YOU COME FROM AND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.