editorial
The Wedding Special
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eddings are always special. It’s one of those occasions that most look forward to in their lives. It is one occasion that it surrounded by happiness all around, and once the celebrations are over, you are sure to miss them a lot. As important as weddings are to people, it is equally important at AP. For the simple reason that 60% - 70% of photographers still cover the wedding industry. This adds a monumental responsibility on our shoulders and that makes the planning and the execution of the Wedding Special issue. And this year we have made things somewhat different from the previous editions. In the previous editions, we’ve always focussed on a particular theme inside the Wedding Special. But for this year we have changed all that to make it a lot more simpler and wellrounded. And the result of it is the well-balanced content which has a combination for the amateurs, newbies and even the professionals in this issue. We have also introduced newer international and national faces in our interviews section who have been doing some great work in the past years. The issue also features our Shootouts, which have now taken full-swing. This month we feature the Professional DSLR, Entry-level DSLR and All-In-One Printer Shootout. In some cases, things have been so tight that it has been very difficult to choose from. I hope that you have also been following us on social media to see the latest exclusive videos that we have been publishing. We have already featured some of the latest products there and are going to release a few more soon. So make sure that you follow us there in order to stay ahead of the curve and get the best before others! So Until Next Time….. Happy Reading!!!!
EDITOR / PublIshER Trilok Desai GROuP hEAD Bhavya Desai DIREcTOR MARkETInG Aruna Desai sEnIOR cORREsPOnDEnTs Abhishek Desai Fred Shippie Lester Ledesma
Bhavya Desai
nEw DElhI buREAu Toprit Saifi EDITORIAl TEAM Souradeep Roy Mrinmoy Choudhury sPEcIAl cORREsPOnDEnT Lopamudra Ganguly (Delhi) DEsIGn Goraksh Kokate Rajendra Gaikwad MAnAGER ADvERTIsInG Laila Rupawalla Dy. MAnAGER ADvERTIsInG Kora Ganguly MARkETInG ExEcuTIvE Ragini Desai Laukik Pawar cOPy DEsk Sameer Gadkari PRODucTIOn MAnAGER Manoj Surve
w w w. a s i a n p h o t o g r a p h y i n d i a . c o m
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vol. 29 - no.11
Shootout
Professional DSLR Camera Entry Level DSLR All-In-One Printer
Pro-Profile
Frames of Love
- Amar Ramesh
The Moments That Matter -Brett Butterstein A SAP MediA PublicAtion
Tips & Techs
Understanding Natural Light Wedding Photography Using the Environment for Wedding Photographs Low-Light Wedding Photography Different Ways to Display Wedding Photos Best Camera as a Second body Selecting the Right Lenses for Wedding Photography Weddi Wedding ng Photographer’s Specia Post-Production l Workflow
Image: Amar Ramesh Cover Design: Goraksh Kokate
Published by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd., 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. InDIA Printed by TRILOK DESAI on behalf of Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd., 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. InDIA Printed at Indigo Press India Pvt Ltd, Plot no 1 C/716, Off Dadoji Konddeo
Cross Road, Between Sussex & Retiwala Industrial Estate, Byculla, Mumbai, Published at 509 & 511, Dilkap Chambers, Fun Republic Street, Off
Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053. InDIA Editor - TRILOK DESAI. All material covered by copyright; no part of the contents of this journal may be published or reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinons expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the editorial staff. Special Audience Publications Pvt. Ltd. and ASIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING is not responsible and liable for any comments and articles published by its contributors and will not be liable for any damages. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai, India.
NovemBer 2017
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Contents News • • • • •
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pro-profile • Amar Ramesh
Canon showcases Cinema EOS range at Broadcast India Show 2017 Xiaomi announces new Redmi Y series starting at `6999 Sigma unveils first 16mm f/1.4 for Sony Mirrorless cameras Sony announces the a7R III: 42MP, 10FPS, 15Stop IS. 4K AIPTIA all set for CEIF2018 in Mumbai
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november 2017
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Ask Your Expert
festivals of iNdia • Chhath Puja
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tips aNd techs 42 Importance of depth of field in wedding photography 50 Low-light wedding photography 56 Using environment for wedding photography 62 Selecting the right lenses for wedding photography 70 Understanding natural light wedding photography
pro-profile • Brett Butterstein
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Wedding
TIPS AND TECHS
Special
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PHOTO: SOURODIP GHOSH
IMPORTANCE OF DEPTH OF FIELD IN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY One of the most used photographic techniques in the wedding industry is the bokeh. But is it really what changes a picture completely? Will clients still like their images without the bokeh? Let’s find out in this article about the importance of depth of field.
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Wedding TIPS AND TECHS
Wedding
Special
LOW-LIGHT
USING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY L
ow or very less ambient light is a big issue when it comes to photography. Poor, dimly lit situations demand special care so that one can keep shooting without having to worry much about the loss of image quality and final results. Low-light photography however is the most challenging and equally rewarding when you look at the creative type of images that you can shoot in low light. Most of the photographers/ hobbyists/amateurs have the similar kind of approach when it comes to shooting in low light. However there are plenty of creative ideas that can be applied when shooting in low light or places with very less ambient lighting. Wedding photography is a demanding sector and more and more photographers are joining the wedding photography bandwagon. Wedding photography is a huge market and most of the times it is clients who ask for challenging assignments or want something different. Low-light photography gives the photographers a creative tool to play with and create some beautiful images. Wedding photographers are the ones who need to come up with new ideas every time they deliver to a client but the actual shooting situation is where the photographer decides what kind of photographs they can shoot. This month for our wedding special issue, we will share some tips on taking on low light wedding photography and learn how to avoid a blurry mess of noise all over the images.
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Wedding TIPS AND TECHS
SELECTING THE RIGHT LENSES FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY W eddings are a once in a lifetime affair. Most of the people who get married have very high hopes for their entire marriage ceremony. But any wedding is incomplete without wedding pictures or most importantly the wedding photographer who is responsible for all the images that will be shot during the wedding. As one would not want to get married twice, so as you cannot recreate the wedding scenes to take an image that you missed during the ceremony. A wedding photographer does not have a lot of responsibilities but the only thing he/she concentrates on is shooting
images that are worth the time and effort. A photographer’s tools, mainly the camera and lenses are what allow him/ her to create those breathtaking shots. Most wedding photographers have either two separate camera bodies with two different lenses, or a team of 2-3 photographers who take on different focal lengths and different positions to get all round imageS of the ceremony. The main piece of equipment for all the wedding photographers are the lenses that they prefer to use. The lenses need to be fast (wide apertures) and needs wide angle lens to be optically perfect (professional lenses). The choice
of lenses is made carefully by every photographer depending upon the styles they shoot and the ambience that they shoot in. Most of it is low-light situation
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Special
and some outdoors. The lenses need to be fast, and cover a range of focal lengths for that perfect shot. In this article we have narrowed down several lenses, apertures and focal lengths which will be perfect additions to a wedding photographer’s arsenal. The most important factor while selecting a right lens for wedding photography is the maximum supported aperture. Wider apertures allow more light into the camera allowing to capture low light images. Professional lenses usually are expensive but will have apertures which are perfect for low light imaging. The second important factor is optical quality which is not much of a worry for professional line of lenses. Lastly it’s all about the build quality and value for money.
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Photomontage
Recce or reconnaissance is a term used by the military and often borrowed by photographers to define surveying or researching a region. Recce is extremely important as a photographer needs to visualise different frames before
shooting them. During the wedding period the bride and groom are extremely busy and might not have time for you to bring them in and then start experimenting with different frames. Always think of the
NOVEMBER 2017
Wedding
atural light photography has become wildly popular for some years now and photographers have been shooting in natural light which creates some amazing images without having to worry about external lighting. Natural light photography is also preferred during weddings as it’s fairly easier to wait for natural light than storming the location with artificial lights. Some wedding photographers purely shoot in natural light unless the need of an external light comes. Shooting in natural light is very interesting as it challenges the creative front of the photographer. Using natural light whenever possible is a no-brainer to give your images that beautiful, natural, dreamy quality that is synonymous with weddings. However, there is more to it than just not using lights. People who have mastered natural light photography did more than just not use lights while shooting. You must really learn and understand how light behaves, reacts, and interacts with your subjects. Just to clear out things, many professionals do shoot weddings with flash and they are able to obtain very beautiful images. In fact, I’d say most wedding photographers actually mix the two lighting methods. Natural light when you have it available and flash when you don’t (think inside the church or randomly moving where you need action stopping shutter speeds).
Tip #1
Telephoto lenses come in handy for a lot of situations. In weddings, the 70-200mm focal length is also used a lot as these are situations where one needs to take candid images only or standing a bit away from the action. The 70-200mm lens is a professional level lens and quite heavy to carry around. The pro level 70-200 mm lenses usually have open apertures like f/2.8 which is great when you are shooting subjects surrounded
USE PRIME LENSES
If anyone asks about the most favourable walk around lens for wedding photographers, it would definitely be the 24-70mm focal length. This focal length is one of the most popular among most professional photographers be it wedding photographer or a photojournalist. The beauty of this lens is its wide focal length of 24mm on a full frame camera and the
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Special
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TIPS & TECHS
THE MIGHTY TELEPHOTO
THE ALL-PURPOSE WALK AROUND ZOOM LENS
llocations i ill shoot h iin, you will the costumes you want the couple in, and set up your equipment and intimate the couple beforehand. A recce of the place also provides a good opportunity to understand the light which bring us to our next point.
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70mm mid telephoto combined with aperture of f/2.8 This lens is common and all manufacturers including third parties make these lenses with superior optical quality which produces really amazing and distortion free images. The 24-70mm focal length is what a wedding photographer will have on himself at all the times, unless the photographer has totally different perspective and preference.
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Photoscape
RECCE
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
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CAMERA SHOOTOUTS
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estination weddings have become extremely common as more and more people are spending enormous amounts of money on their weddings. This poses a chance for photographers to get their creative juices flowing as the exotic locations produce amazing wedding photographs! But one needs to know how to use these locations to their benefit.
UNDERSTANDING NATURAL LIGHT
CLOSE-UP LENS/WIDE ANGLE LENS
Certain situations demand the photographer to go close. Every lens can focus up to its nearest focussing distance which is 25-50 cm depending on the lens. Wide angle lenses are different as they have the ability to go even close and sometimes closer like an inch. Wide angle fast lenses are just the right tool when it comes to going close and still have a lot of elements in the frame. Also the wide aperture will allow you to shoot comfortably in low light. Wide lenses also are best for group shots where you do not have to move backwards to infinity. Wide angle lenses if used correctly render quite amazing depth effects on the photographs creating several visual layers. It depends on the creative use of the photographer. Wide angle lenses either come in zoom configuration like say a 16-35mm of a 17-40mm depending upon manufacturers sporting wide open maximum apertures. Fixed focal length wide angle lenses are also a good choice but it limits itself to just one focal length which might not be someone’s style. If you are a fan of wide angle fixed lenses, you can go for something with a crazy focal length of 12mm or even 8mm which would render fish eye effects and also would exhibit visually distorted images. But again that is the beauty of wide angle lenses.
Special
TIPS & TECHS
The most important piece of equipment is the lens more than the camera body. However a better camera body is always welcome when shooting complex assignments. Wedding photos need a lot of sharpness, a lot of good bokeh and be properly exposed. Prime lenses feature wide open apertures which allow more light in the camera. This comes in handy in all situations and also when the light levels drop drastically low. With prime lenses you can also get the beautiful ‘Bokeh’ which is much desired for in wedding photos. The choice of focal length is purely on the photographer but say a 50mm f/1.2 professional lens will create amazing quality images and also be a portrait lens for you. Since you have large aperture for more light, you can indulge in shooting the photos in complete natural light.
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PRINTER SHOOTOUT
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Dear Sir, I am a regular reader of the e-version and I enjoy it a lot. I read the October 2017 issue on Magzter and I loved reading the Editorial and its words “Learning Travel Photography in a Day”, till articles like “Learning DSLR in a day” and other articles of the October edition, which are quite a good source of information that can be achieved in one day. As our life is becoming so hectic day by day, these articles definitely are an essential reference for photographers of all abilities, be it a novice or an advanced user. Thanks for publishing these articles and hoping to have such short guides in “one day” series in future editions.
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The Letter of the month will receive 1 Year Subscriptieosn) (12 E-Issu Dear Editor, Firstly, I must congratulate you and the team for publishing this sort of a magazine month after month and giving the delight to readers like us who are very fond of photography. I read the October 2017 issue and the theme of one-day was really interesting. I particularly loved the article about ‘My Most Memorable Assignments’ by the photographers. It was really interesting and I learnt a lot from those words from the professionals. I would like to ask you to keep up the good work and look forward to reading the magazine every month. Thanks, Raghu Nath, Bangalore
Special feature
PhotograPhers’
most memorable
assignments
Each photographer, from every genre, has some dull days and some very exciting days. Some assignments can be a cakewalk, and some can be more challenging and memorable than others. We spoke to three photographers from three different genres, World Press Award winner Altaf Qadri, renowned chef and food photographer Michael Swamy and award-winning wildlife photographer Dhritiman Mukherjee, and they narrate to us one of their exciting and challenging assignments that they have worked on.
Altaf Qadri
Altaf Qadri narrates to Asian Photography of a day spent in Kashmir covering one of his most difficult assignments. Qadri shot the body of a 16-year old Kashmiri boy who was shot during an Indian police firing. Here is the detailed chilling account.
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his photograph was taken during the funeral of 16 year old Feroz Ahmad, alias Showkat Ahmad who was killed when personnel of Special Operations Group of Indian police fired, without any provocation, on civilians during a relaxation in pro-freedom strike given by Hurriyat (Freedom) conference, an amalgam of various pro-freedom political parties, in Palhalan village of
OctOber 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Eyewitnesses said cops fired directly at people who were running for their lives. The 16-year old from Palhallan village received a bullet injury in the abdomen and died on the spot. Feroz was sent by his aged father to market to buy chicken and other food items on the eve of Shab-i-Qadr - holiest night of the year for Muslims during the holy month
of Ramadan. He was standing outside the chicken shop when he was shot in the abdomen. A local resident, Ghulam Muhammad, said he was going to home after offering prayers in the mosque and suddenly after two minutes there was commotion and he heard gunshots only to find Feroz in a pool of blood outside a shop with chicken in his hand. Four persons, including Feroz, were killed and dozens were injured, many of them seriously, in the incident taking the toll of civilian deaths in the valley since June 11, 2010 to 69 till September 6, 2010. Getting to Palhalan to cover this funeral was probably one of the hardest thing during my recent assignments in Kashmir. As soon as we heard about this incident, me and one of my colleagues, who works with the Associated Press Television News, took a motorcycle and left the office for Palhalan, which is around 30 kms from Srinagar. We were soon joined by around a dozen of photojournalists and video journalists, all on motorbikes. We were stopped by Indian paramilitary troopers at various places. Somehow we managed to reach Pattan, which is a town just 2 kms before Palhalan. It was all deserted with paramilitary and army soldiers patrolling the streets. We were stopped by a paramilitary officer, who ordered us to leave immediately from there. I tried to convince him that we were journalists and have to go to cover the incident. But he threatened us with dire consequences if we didn’t retreat
back in two minutes. He even said that it is the media who highlight these killings otherwise no one would come to know about incidents like this. Sensing danger we turned back. We just rode back for some five minutes when locals guided us through an alternate road which passed through rice fields, streams, and orchards. As we were passing through orchards we met other photojournalists who had driven from Srinagar. So we rode together in a group. After some point we reached a small stream which was to crossed using an only plank. Three motorcycles crossed with ease but a fourth one, a photojournalist working for a local English daily, lost his balance and headed straight into the stream drowning him momentarily, we
all helped to get him out. As soon as we entered the village we heard pro-freedom slogans from a distance raised by mourners carrying the Feroz’s body. As soon as the body reached his home, his sister jumped on to the hospital bed, on which the body was carried from the hospital, and embraced the dead body of her brother. “Let me see his face. Let me see him one last time,” she cried. “He can’t die and leave us alone - please wake him. He is not talking to me,” she cried. I was shocked to see all this happening just in front of my eyes. It’s not that I had seen a dead body and mourners for the first time, but it was the situation as a whole which shook me. I quickly ran to the second floor of their house to get a photograph which shows the whole scene. The only thing on my mind at that particular time was how to get pictures and reach Srinagar safely. There were four funerals in that village but we could shoot only one as we had to rush back to Srinagar and file the pictures. For me this particular picture portrays the inconsolable grief of a sister. It looked like as if she was trying to wake-up her dead brother from a deep sleep. She, in fact, depicts the pain of an ordinary Kashmiri woman, whose brothers, sons, fathers, or husbands have been killed, arrested for life or simply have been disappeared involuntarily. This pain can be seen in each and every nook and corner of Kashmir.
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Dear Raghu, Thanks for appreciating the work from the team and the thoughts shared by the professionals on their most memorable assignments. I am happy that you have learnt from the same and also, we at AP are thankful to the photographers from the industry who are always more than willing to share their thoughts with our readers. We are looking at coming up with more interesting things like these in the future and we hope that our readers enjoy the same. Dear Sir, I am a regular reader of the magazine and enjoy it a lot. I read the issue recently and found it very interesting and also learnt a lot from it. The article on learning DSLR in a day was very good and I have learnt a lot from it. Although I don’t have a DSLR now but I am planning to buy one soon. I am sure that this knowledge will be very handy when I do. I would love for this letter to be published in the magazine. Rounak Shah, Ahmedabad Dear Rounak, It is great to see the passion that you have for photography and we also hope that you get your very own DSLR soon and shoot many pictures with it. You can also keep an eye out for our Artistique contest in the future which gives the readers an opportunity to win a lot of goodies if they win the contest. That might be a good way to stand a chance to win a DSLR in future!
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NEWS
Canon showcases Cinema EOS range at Broadcast India Show 2017
C
anon showcased its varied range of products at the Broadcast India Show from 12th- 14th October 2017. Organized at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon – Mumbai, this show has become a coveted platform for the Television, Film and Infotainment industry in India. The stall was inaugurated by Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi – President & CEO, Canon India. The attraction of the stall was the latest flagship main stream Cinema EOS camera C700 for motion picture industry and Cinema EOS C200, a revolutionary video camera with inbuilt 4K Raw and high frame rate capabilities. In the professional video cameras range it was XA 11, which is the newly launched model. Commenting on Canon’s participation in the Broadcast Show, Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President & CEO, Canon India, said, “Innovation and advancement have always been pivotal in our endeavor of empowering the world of imaging. Keeping customer delight as the focal point for all our innovations, we continuously engage with our customers through leading industry platforms, like Broadcast India Show. Having exhibited our prowess in the photography world over the years, we are now strengthening our footprint into the cinema business in the country. This year’s showcase will witness some of the best of our technology in the Cinema EOS and Professional Video cameras.” Remarking on Canon India’s product showcase at Broadcast India Show 2017, Mr. Eddie Udagawa, Vice President, Consumer Imaging and Information Centre, Canon India, said, “Canon has been a world leader in providing imaging solutions. Platforms such as Broadcast India Show enable us to showcase a plethora of products. This year we are highlighting our flagship main stream Cinema EOS camera C700. We are also highlighting Cinema EOS
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C200, a revolutionary video camera with inbuilt 4K Raw and high frame rate capabilities. The events like these give us an opportunity to reach out to businesses and eminent broadcasters at the exhibition”. Canon Cinema EOS C700 Canon Cinema EOS C700 can reportedly shoot up to 4.5K resolution along with 120 fps in 4K & 4.5K resolution in RAW and 240 fps in 2K (crop mode). The camera also comes in EF, PL and PL GS mount with global shutter technology. The dynamic range of camera holds up to 14 stops and 15 stops in two different models of EOS C700. Cinema EOS C200 The Cinema EOS C200 features an inbuilt 4K Raw in Raw file format and high frame rate capabilities. The Raw light reportedly helps to reduce the file size significantly compared to a standard Raw file. According to Canon, the 8.85 megapixel super 35 mm CMOS sensor, 13 stops of dynamic range, Dual pixel CMOS AF, full compatibility with Canon EF-mount lenses and HDR capability help make the camera ideal for wide range of shooters. Professional Video Camera XA 11 A compact, professional Full HD camcorder with a powerful 20X zoom
november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
and wide dynamic range that, according to the company, provides stunning image quality. With Canon’s HD CMOS Pro Sensor and the DIGIC DV4 Image Processor with improved low-light performance, Canon claims that the XA11 captures superb Full HD video in 50P at 35Mbps with wide dynamic range of 600%. The other major products which were showcased at the Broadcast India Show were1. Cinema EOS Range: Cinema EOS C300 Mark II 2. Professional Video Camera Range: XC 15, XA 305, ME 20, XA 30/ 35 3. Cine Lenses: Zoom Lens, Block lens and Cine Servo Lens Zoom Lens CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L SP Block Lens CN-E14mm T3.1 L F CN-E24mm T1.5 L F CN-E35mm T1.5 L F CN-E50mm T1.3 L F CN-E85mm T1.3 L F CN-E135mm T2.2 L F Cine Servo Lens CN7 X 17 KAS S/E1 CN-E70-200mm T4.4 L IS KAS S CN-E18-80mm T4.4 L IS KAS S
NEWS
Fujifilm launches the new FUJIFILM X-E3 in India
F
ujifilm India recently announced the launch of the FUJIFILM X-E3, the latest addition to the X Series range of premium mirrorless digital cameras. The X-E3 features APS-C 24.3 megapixel X-Trans CMOS III sensor and the X-Processor Pro high-speed image processing engine. The X-E3 is the first X Series model to feature Bluetooth low energy wireless communication. One can pair the camera with a smartphone or tablet device for easy transfer of pictures taken. The LCD monitor, on the back of the camera, uses a static touchscreen panel which supports the conventional “Touch Shot”, “Touch AF” and “Focus Area Selection” capabilities. An all-new “Touch Function” feature is available on the X-E3, which enables gesture control like flick and pinch zoom, to further enhance touchscreen operation. The AF algorithm has been updated to enhance the camera’s performance for tracking a moving subject. It is available in Black &
Silver colors and is priced at `70,999/(Body only), X-E3 with 18-55 kit is priced at `102,999/- and X-E3 with 23mm F2 kit is priced at `89,999/-. Fujifilm Group informed that it aims to capture No.1 market share in the premium mirrorless camera market by 2019, promoting the X Series that “continues to evolve with outstanding image quality, fast speed and mobility”, and the launch of the FUJIFILM X-E3 is in line with the Company’s plans. Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Yasunobu Nishiyama, Managing Director, Fujifilm India Pvt. Ltd. said, “The X series
was first introduced in March 2011 and is now the most widely accepted mirrorless camera among photographers across the world. In India too, we see much potential in the Mirrorless Camera Segment due to the rise in professional photography, increase in Wedding Photography and Commercial Photography for Brand communication and advertisements and increased use of Social Media to showcase ones work,. The advantage of an X Series mirrorless camera lies in its compact size packed with cutting edge innovative technology and unique features that provide great controls along with excellent color reproduction and image quality. Our latest offering FUJIFILM X-E3 is built from the essence of minimalism and has been refined to maximize functional performance to its utmost limit. Our endeavor will always be to continuously delight our customers by launching exciting new X Series line up in the coming years as well.”
Xiaomi announces new Redmi Y series starting `6999
X
iaomi recently announced the launch of a new Y series designed around people’s lifestyles with Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite. The Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite features enhancements of MIUI, and boast a large display, and solid battery life . Redmi Y1 is Xiaomi’s first phone in India which boasts a selfie-light, and it is with a 16 MP front facing camera. The new Redmi Y1 features a 5.5 inch HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass, 13 MP f/2.0 rear camera, as well as a 3080mAh battery. At its core, Redmi Y1 features an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage. Along with this, another variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage will also be available. Redmi Y1 has a 2+1 card slot, which boasts a dedicated microSD card slot, as well as Dual-SIM (nano+nano) capabilities. At the back is a fingerprint sensor, for added security.
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Redmi Y1 is priced at `8999 for the 3GB RAM 32GB storage variant, and `10,999 for the 4GB 64GB variant. Redmi Y1 Lite features an octacore Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage. Just like Redmi Y1, there’s a dedicated microSD card slot with Dual-SIM (nano+nano) capabilities. Redmi Y1 Lite boasts a 5.5 inch HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass, 13 MP f/2.0 rear camera, as well as a 3080mAh battery. Redmi Y1 Lite is priced at INR 6999. Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite are being launched in partnership with Amazon.in, and be available from 12 Noon on Nov. 8, 2017 across Amazon. in, Mi.com, Mi Home stores, and their
november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
offline partners. Xiaomi also unveiled the global version of MIUI 9, the latest upgrade to its popular Android-based operating system, which includes new features designed for India. MIUI has over 280 million users, in 56 languages, across more than 220 regions. With MIUI 9, Xiaomi is focussed on faster app launches, and a smoother UI with reduced latency. MIUI 9 also brings split screen, an improved notification dropdown, as well as icon animations, and smart photo editing featuring object removal. The improved notification dropdown includes multiple styles, bundled app notifications, as well as quick replies right from the dropdown. MIUI 9 stable will begin staged rollout to Redmi Note 4, Mi Max 2, and Mi MIX 2 on Nov. 3, following which, other supported devices will get the update within a month.
NEWS
Sony announces the a7R III: 42MP, 10fPS, 15-Stop DR, 5.5-Stop IS, 4K
S
ony has just announced the new full-frame a7R III mirrorless camera, a follow-up to the a7R II. Inside the a7R III is a 42.4-megapixel back-illuminated full-frame Exmor R CMOS sensor. Despite its high megapixel count, the a7R III is fast with a continuous shooting speed of up to 10fps with full AF/AE tracking. Using either the mechanical shutter or the completely silent shooting mode, it can capture a burst of up to 76 JPEG/RAW photos and 28 uncompressed RAW files. In live view, it can shoot at 8fps with minimal viewfinder/LCD lag. The updated BIONZ X processing engine can also process images 1.8 times faster than the a7R II. While a batch of photos is being written to the memory card, many of the camera’s key features are still usable things like the Function and Menu buttons as well as image playback and organization. Compared to the a7R II, the new a7R III also features new technologies — a gapless on-chip lens design and antireflective sensor coating — to achieve better low-light performance and wider dynamic range. The a7R III features an ISO range of 100-32000 (expandable
to 50-102400) and a ginormous 15-stop dynamic range at low ISOs. Inside the camera is also a 5-axis optical image stabilizer that provides 5.5 stops of compensation. Utilizing this stabilization system is the new Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode. When activated, the a7R III captures 4 separate photos shifted by 1-pixel each to capture 169.2 megapixels of data. These are then com-posited in Sony’s new Imaging Edge software to create a single photo with “overwhelming resolution” and an “unprecedented level of color accuracy” as stated by Sony. The focusing system of the a7R III features 399 focal-plane phasedetection points that span 68% of the image area and 425 contrast AF points. The result of this upgrade is that the a7R III can lock in focus at about half the time in low-light situations compared to its predecessor, and tracking and Eye AF are 2 times as accurate and effective.
“Additional improvements in focusing flexibility include AF availability in Focus Magnifier mode, focal-plane phasedetection AF support when using A-mount lenses, an ‘AF On’ button, a multi-selector or ‘joystick’ for moving focusing points quickly, flexible touch focus functionality and much more,” Sony says. On the back of the a7R III is a high-res OLED Tru-Finder viewfinder with 3.686 million dots. It has coatings that reduce reflections and resist dirt and can be toggled between frame rates of 60fps and 120fps In the area of video, the a7R III can shoot 4K video across the width of the full-frame sensor. It can also shoot Super 35mm format with full pixel readout without pixel binning for 5K worth of data and then oversample it for impressive 4K footage. Additional video features include Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), S-Log2 and S-Log3, and Full HD recording at 120fps at up to 100Mbps. The Sony a7R III will be available starting in November with a price tag of $3,200.
AIPTIA all set for CeIf2018 in Mumbai
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he Indian photographic trade and industry body, ‘All India Photographic Trade & Industry Association’ (AIPTIA) are the organisers of the Consumer Electronic Imaging Fair (CEIF) which is the World’s 3rd largest Consumer Electronic & Imaging Show. The 26th edition of CEIF, will be held in Mumbai from 9th to 12th January 2018. The online stall booking will commence from 2nd November 2018. AIPTIA seeks the co-operation from one and all participants/exhibitors to avail and book their required spaces in advance as was the case in the earlier CEIF events. Over the years the association has worked to promote photographic culture and excellence while awarding
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and rewarding exceptional talent. In fact, the association is working in tandem with photographic academies across India to take photography to the masses. AIPTIA recently recognised and presented a memento to Nashik based photographer, Sanjay Jagtap. Jagtap’s documentation of the Simhasta Kumbh Mela, photos shot of the Hindu pilgrimage site in 2015, which is incidentally held only once in 12 years, found a unique mention in UNESCO heritage dossier and website. In addition, at the 2016 edition of CEIF which was held in Mumbai, AIPTIA, unveiled its maiden photo media foray with the launch of “Classic Imaging magazine”. AIPTIA said, “The
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need for the launch of the magazine was the result of the long felt need amongst our members to be updated about the happenings in the industry and at the world at large. Nonetheless, the quarterly magazine is not in any way a commercial enterprise or entity from AIPTIA, and definitely the magazine is confined to the ambit of controlled circulation.” AIPTIA President Shri Jayesh Mehta hopes that photographic companies and photography enthusiasts and associations across India, would use CEIF as a platform to showcase their products and convey their message across to a wider audience by actively participating in such events.
Special Feature
Design
Reinventing Invitation
R
avish Kapoor is an Indian Designer who is an expert in designing invitation cards for any occasion which are customised and personalised. Ravish is a pioneer in the industry and is known internationally for his keen sense of exquisite taste in colours and eclectic choice of design and orientation. His designs have always ‘Wowed’ his clients. Ravish’s designs have inspired many in the industry with the latest trends, style of warmth and elaborate workmanship that goes into each piece he produces. Ravish Kapoor has redefined the simple invitation card, into an innovative and sophisticated piece of art that assimilates with the persona of the individual who has an important lifeevent with tons of guests to invite.
Latest InvIte trends
CariCature theme
The hand-painted customised inserters is becoming increasingly popular and couples are experimenting with deeper hues beyond the conventional reds,
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blues and pinks. Recently an invite was designed for a client based in USA, His fiancée was based in Africa and he was hosting his wedding in Kenya. The theme of the wedding was safari. The brief that came in from the client was that they wanted a very fun invite that spoke
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well about their destination as well as their safari theme. So, Ravish decided to go for a caricature theme, Fun and very experimental. Each insert was hand painted by his artist with intricate detailing right from the facial expression to the outfits and the colors.
Digital invite
Traditional & New Media are coming together. iPads, LED lighting, digital screens, sound systems combined with the newest in paper and with laser cut pattern, creates a balance of the classic and contemporary. A wedding invite was recently created for a high end client Mr. Emad Bukhamseen in Kuwait. They wanted a digital invite with specific colour theme purple and grey with sketches. Ravish decided to create personalised LED screen invite which had a software that had all the information about the event keeping the colours and theme in mind placed well inside an acrylic laser cut box.
AYE
Send in your Questions to ap.askyourexpert@gmail.com
I am a regular reader of the magazine and have a few questions that I would like to have answered. I use Nikon D3300 with two lenses, the 18-55mm f/ 3.5-5.6 and the 35mm f/1.8. I want to know two things: 1) If I take a picture at 35mm f/8 and maintain same ISO, Shutter Speed, will the result be exactly same on both the lenses mentioned above? I tested it and I got no difference on my computer. But I want to understand it clearly. n 2) As we want to get more depth Questio th on M e th of of field for landscape photography, then why will I buy a costly f/1.4 wide lens? What is the exact perspective of ‘Fast Lens’ in wide? Dipanjan Pal Kolkata
AP
Dear Dipanjan, It is interesting that you have asked this question.
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november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
Answered by Bhavya Desai Editor, Asian Photography
We tested some lenses recently and used a similar technique to check distortion on the two lenses. So I am going to answer the question below: 1. The answer in simple is No. But if you shoot at f/8 then there will be a very minute difference and this also might not be visible since it depends on your computer screen as well. The reason for the same is that there are two things that will affect the picture quality, one is the camera, which in your case is the same, and the second is the optics and the aperture of the lens. In case of the F/1.8 the colour, saturation and some other things might be the same, but the details in the image quality on zooming in will be higher as compared to the f/3.5-5.6. I am assuming that both the lenses are also Nikkor lenses. In case if you were to use two different lenses from two different manufacturers then the cases in saturation and colour would also be different. Since f/1.8 is a wider aperture and has lesser lens elements, it will allow more light to be captured by the sensor, there is a higher amount of details that is capture in the lens.
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See our example above in terms of the image quality: 2. Wide lenses are usually expensive and come in various focal lengths, either fixed or variable focal lengths (wide-zooms). The main difference between a wide lens with f/1.4 aperture and a wide lens having aperture of f/3.5 or f/4 will be in terms of speed and optical quality. Landscape photography needs very deep depth of field to ensure the entire scene is in focus. So buying a f/1.4 does not make sense as you will have to stop down the lens anyway to achieve the required amount of depth in the image. The same would happen to the lens with the smaller aperture of f/3.5 or f/4. The actual difference will show up only in the image quality. The f/1.4 lens assuming its expensive will feature better optics and lens corrections than the cheaper wide lens. Although the cheaper wide lens will not be disappointing and you will still get good quality images. Differences can only be noticed when same images are shot using two different wide lenses and zooming in the images on a computer to view minor details like sharpness and, vignetting and
50mm @50mm
corner sharpness. If you plan on getting a wide lens without breaking a bank, there are many third party lens makers making brilliant wide angle lenses for all major camera mounts.
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EOS 5D Mark IV Specifications New 30.4MP CMOS full-frame sensor with Dual Pixel AF DCI 4K 30/24p video using Motion JPEG + 4K Frame Grab 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type sensors (center point sensitive to -3 EV) Dual Pixel AF (sensitive to -4EV) for continuous Servo AF in stills (first for a fullframe Canon camera) and video ISO 100-32000 (expandable to 102400) 7 fps continuous shooting Dual Pixel Raw (image micro-adjustment, bokeh shift, ghosting reduction) 150,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor 1.62M-dot 3.2” full-time touchscreen Wi-Fi w/ NFC + GPS Built-in bulb timer interval timers Improved weather-sealing USB3.0 Connectivity
Chhath Puja 22
NOVEMBER 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
S
oon after Navratri and Durga Puja and Diwali, the festival calendar seems like its empty. But if you look deeper and just allow the thought of India as a country with large cultural and religious sentiments, you will find that there are way more festivals in India that we have even remotely heard or seen. This month its ‘Chhath Puja’ that makes into our festival section this
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Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Shutter Speed: 1/800 sec Aperture value: f/4.0 ISO: 640 Focal Length: 70.0 mm photo: Abhishek DesAi
month. Chhath Puja is said to be one of the most ancient Hindu festivals ever surviving on earth, and is referred to as the only Vedic festival celebrated in India. Chhath is a festival which is performed as thanksgiving to ‘Surya’, the Sun God for sustaining life on earth and granting health, prosperity and abundance. According to Hindu traditions, the Sun
god ‘Surya’ is the supreme deity which represents will-power, fame, the eyes, general vitality, courage and kingship. Unlike other Hindu Pujas which involve worshiping of idols, this festival is dedicated to worshiping a natural phenomenon, the Sun, which is in fact the source of life of our planet. Chhath Puja has a great significance in the Hindu religion and it is assumed that
the oldest Purohits who were requested by the kings to come and perform the traditional puja of the Lord Sun. They chant the ancient ‘Rig-veda’ texts and a variety of hymns for worshiping the Sun. It is believed that Surya Putra Karna was the first to start this puja during the Mahabharata period. According to the legends, Karna, son of Surya and ruler of Anga-Desh (now Bhagalpur in
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Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec Aperture value: f/2.8 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 70.0 mm Bihar) observed Chhath Puja or Surya Shashti with sheer devotion. It is said that Karna had gained supreme powers by performing Chhath rituals. This had made Karna grow into a powerful and valiant warrior. Worship of Chhathi Maiya (consort of the Lord Surya) is held at Chhath Puja, Chhathi Maiya is also known as the Usha in the Vedas. Usha means dawn (the ďŹ rst light of the day). People pray to Chhathi Maiya to overcome their troubles as well as to get the Moksha or liberation. Another history behind celebrating the Chhath Puja is the story of Lord Rama. It is considered that Lord Rama and Mata Sita had observed fast and offered puja to the Lord Sun in the month of Kartik in Shukla Paksh during their coronation after returning to the Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. From that time, Chhath Puja became a signiďŹ cant and traditional festival in the Hindu religion and started
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photo: MriNMoy ChouDhury
photo: MriNMoy ChouDhury
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Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec Aperture value: f/2.8 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 24.0 mm
photo: sourADeep roy
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Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec Aperture value: f/1.4 ISO: 6400 Focal Length: 50.0 mm
Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Shutter Speed: 1/25 sec Aperture value: f/4.0 ISO: 3200 Focal Length: 70.0 mm photo: Abhishek DesAi
Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec Aperture value: f/1.4 ISO: 800 Focal Length: 50.0 mm
photo: sourADeep roy
celebrating every year at the same date. It is believed that worshippers of the ‘Chhath’ take holy bath and follows a period of abstinence and become separate for four days from the main family. Throughout the period the worshipper is believed as a pure spirit and then sleep on the floor on a single blanket. There is a normal belief that
Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Shutter Speed: 1/25 sec Aperture value: f/3.2 ISO: 2000 Focal Length: 11.0 mm photo: sourADeep roy
photo: MriNMoy ChouDhury
Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec Aperture value: f/2.8 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 70.0 mm
once a family begins Chhath Puja, it has to perform it yearly as well as pass it to his next generations and it can only be skipped when there is a death of any person in the family that year. Devotees offer Prasad to the ‘Sun’ which mostly are sweets, Kheer, Thekua and fruits
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included in a small bamboo tokri (basket). The prasad should be cooked without salt, onions or garlic with maintained purity. It is a four day festival which is as follow: On the first day devotees take bath early in the morning in the holy water
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of Ganga or any water body and bring some water to their home to prepare the offerings. The home and its surroundings should be cleaned at this day. They only take food made of ghee without onion and ginger-garlic. On the second day (the day before Chhath) Panchami, devotees fast for whole day and break their fast in the evening after sunset after the worship of the earth. They offer Rasiao-kheer, Puris, fruits in the puja. After taking meal in the evening, they go on a fast without water for the next 36 hours. On the third day (day of Chhath) they offer the ‘Sanjhiya Arghya’ at the ghat of the riverbank. After Arghya, women wear the sari of turmeric color. Other family
Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Shutter Speed: 1/64 sec Aperture value: f/4.0 ISO: 3200 Focal Length: 24.0 mm
Exif Info: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Shutter Speed: 1/800 sec Aperture value: f/4.0 ISO: 640 Focal Length: 24.0 mm
photo: Abhishek DesAi
members wait to get the blessings from the worshiper. Early in the morning of the fourth day (Paarun), devotees along with their family and friends offer ‘Bihaniya Araghya’ at the riverbank. Devotees end their festival through breaking the fast by having the Chhath Prashad. In the city of Mumbai where most festivals are celebrated with the equal level of enthusiasm Chhath is celebrated by a major section of people. Families of residents visit during this time of the year and take part in the puja. This also constitutes a large number of migrant workers and their families as well. Geographically, the city of Mumbai boasts of a long coast line and this makes the perfect place for Chhath Puja. The popular beaches like Juhu Beach are visited by thousands and thousands of people. Families usually draw a boundary line on the sand, claiming a section of the beach sand for themselves on which they make a small sand idol by hand. The boundary line usually makes it easier to identify everyone’s personal belongings and space. The women usually prepare all the prashad and offerings. Sugarcane is of great significance as every family is seen carrying a bunch of long uncut sugarcane which they erect in the sand near their puja area. People who fast or have kept wishes, crawl on the ground and extend their hands to mark a line on the ground. Then they advance only as much as the line that they have drawn and continue until near to the water
photo: Abhishek DesAi
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source. The festival is a long one and usually lasts for about two days. Hordes of people usually make themselves comfortable for the night in and around the beaches. The puja begins again the next morning with the break of dawn and usually continues until the sun comes up in the sky completely. As Chhath Puja involves worshipping the sun, people go into waist deep waters and stand to pray facing the East as the sun rises. Some say that the enthusiasm with which the festival is celebrated in Mumbai has reduced over the years. However, the festival will surely continue to be celebrated in the years to come. TEXT: MRINMOY CHOUDHURY
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pro-profile
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Wedding
The Moments That Matter
Special
Having spent five years as a newspaper photographer, he moved to wedding photography in 2005. Since then he has photographed weddings full time, travelling a lot, teaching workshops and falling in love with colour photography. He is constantly pushing the envelope of wedding photography to the next level, and was awarded the prestigious Photographer of the Year award in 2016 by the Wedding Photojournalist Association. This month, we interview San Diego-based wedding photographer Brett Butterstein and find out why his award-winning work stands out.
B
rett Butterstein started shooting wedding to become more independent as a photographer and get away from news journalism. It’s the challenge and the authenticity of weddings that draws Brett to photographing them. No wedding or couple are alike and Brett loves the challenge of capturing someone’s wedding day as creatively and
authentically as possible. “Love can be so sweet and fun to witness and I still cry during speeches. Wedding photography also allows me the opportunity to experiment and do exactly what I want. What I love most about shooting weddings is that it’s real. These moments and events can go on without cameras. It’s also a wonderful excuse to travel and get to
meet lots of people,” he said. When Brett started wedding photography it was still very traditional. But it was his way of shooting that got his name out there. “Obviously it’s come a long way fast, but shooting images that are risky and creative and with lots of colour got the attention of many super cool, fun clients and eventually, really good press for me.”
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Weapons of choice
I’m most free and creative using small, light mirrorless cameras and lenses. I love Fujifilm X series equipment and large video lights with and without colour gels.
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Brett has previously worked as a photojournalist for newspapers, and his style of wedding photography is largely photojournalistic as well. When asked to describe his style, he says that he does not really have a set style, because he loves trying new things. His influences are non-wedding related, and he is driven by real moments. His roots in documentary photography are an advantage and help him in this area. Brett is also known for his use of colour. “Colour can be elusive and I enjoy hunting for it and playing certain colours against others. For example, warm and cold and purple and green.”
november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
Brett has won a lot of accolades and awards for this work. Last year, he was awarded the prestigious Photographer of the Year 2016 by the Wedding Photojournalist Association. We asked him what it was like to win this recognition. “Winning WPJA POY was huge. It’s something I wanted so badly but never expected it to happen. I’m so proud to have my name on this trophy next to my friends and all of these talented people. WPJA is special to me because it was an early inspiration for becoming a full time wedding photographer and a bulk of
Wedding
the images they award are not posed by the photographer, unlike other wedding photography directories.” When it comes down to shooting, he does not have pre-decided ideas or themes for each wedding shoot. Brett is inspired by light and therefore works spontaneously. He says that it’s always helpful if you know what you don’t want, so you can narrow your options down very quickly. “I think it’s so obvious when a photographer has over-planned or over-directed a picture. I want my photos to have feelings of freedom, passion, happenstance and mystery.”
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We asked him how he prepares when shooting weddings of couples from different cultures or backgrounds, and he said, “I approach every event and culture in the same way and with the same equipment.” Wedding photography sounds all happy and fun, but there are a ton of challenges that wedding photographers face as well. Brett says that it’s easy to get stuck in a routine of repeating your art, and it can be tough to break free of this. “My goal for each new year is to get better by trying new things and paying attention to fresh influences.” Wedding photography has changed through the years, with newer equipment, changing trends and other factors affecting it. Brett says that focus has helped him adapt to the changing scenarios. “There is always a long list of challenging forces working against us. I just try not to have expectations and do my thing every minute, every hour.” Brett finds it very rewarding to
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deliver photos to people who appreciate photography. “The whole process is still very fun and exciting and full of surprises,” he says. When asked about tips or rules that
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he follows as a wedding photography, Brett insisted on the importance of being individualistic and yourself. “Do it your way. Be you. Don’t try and be someone else. Stick with what interests you and what
Wedding you’re attracted to as a visual person.” Having been a wedding photographer for years, Brett has many memorable moments in the profession, and says he has seen almost everything a wedding photographer possibly can. He also says that it is important to be friendly to get unhindered access to situations. “I have witnessed everything from the death of a groomsman to sex between a bride and groom. I can say that by making friends and making people comfortable around me, I get access to the best situations.” Wedding photography is a tough industry to compete in and like any other photography industry, Brett says that it is best to stand out. Advising upcoming or budding wedding photographers, Brett says, “To stand out doesn’t mean being popular, but working hard and creating unique pictures that are your own. One thing that I overlooked early in my career was niche photography. Finding a particular client in one city can work really well for a solid business. For example, black and white wedding photojournalist in NYC or soft, colour film
look in Los Angeles.” “My approach to photography is to not take it too seriously, have fun and make it personal, so my personality comes through in the work. I try and break my own rules so
Special
I evolve. At the end of the day, I need to be satisfied first. I always say, photography first - meaning don’t let any bullshit get in the way,” he concludes. TexT: abhishek desai
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pro-profile
Love Frames of
From starting off solo in 2010 with just one editor, his brainchild Studio A today has become a large team and a boutique of talented photographers and videographers that specialises in creative wedding photography and films. Having shot more than 350 weddings across the world from USA to Sri Lanka, and Dubai to Australia, their name is now synonymous with creative wedding photography. This month we speak to Amar Ramesh, the founder of Studio A, and discover how this group of passionate and energetic photographers, videographers and editors is making couples smile, one wedding at a time.
Wedding
F
or Amar it all started as a hobby and he quickly realised that he felt most comfortable, relaxed, and happy when he was holding my camera and contemplating my next shot. “It was like being an athlete in the zone.” His passion lead him to take a leap, leave his secure job as a business consultant in the US, and return home to India to follow his passion and dream. He was initially very apprehensive about shooting Indian weddings. Amar was fearful, as he perceived that Indian weddings would be chaotic. But all that changed from the
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moment he shot his first wedding, and after that he has wanted to do nothing but wedding photography. Amar says he was travelling and exploring things, and even before he could choose anything, wedding photography chose him. He embraced the chaos and fell in love with it. “Imagine two different individuals, born at different places and time, bonded by destiny to come together. On the big day, I get to see the precious moments up close than anyone else. It’s a gifted feeling to be chosen and to be there for them.”
Having an early start helped Amar. Back in 2010 there were only an handful of documentary and creative wedding photographers, and he says his work started getting noticed from the very first wedding he shot in India. “Ever so often there will be one wedding that will take a wedding photographer to his next stage. The secret is to handle every wedding as one such wedding. If you ask me what’s my best wedding so far, I would say, ‘The next one I am going to shoot’.” For Studio A, it all started as a one-member team in 2010. Amar and his first editor worked out of a guest room, and since then the team has grown from strength to strength. Today, the team consists of photo and video editors, photographers, cinematographers, client relationship manager, an accountant, admin, writer, web developer and a driver. Amar says each employee is special to him. “They have all helped me grow as a person and as a professional. To keep things exciting, I make sure that no person is stuck doing the same
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thing all the time. We try to move things around. Editors try out photography and photographers dabble in image editing. As a team we take on projects that are different from our usual ‘bread and butter’ weddings. We are now into more areas like documentary film making, travel videos, heritage documentation and more.” When asked to describe the style of Studio A, Amar says it is a mix of artistic, stylish, creative and documentary approach. “It is hard to state our style in words for we constantly keep evolving and improvising. Our goal is always to see that everlasting smile on the couple’s face and to achieve that, we are unique in the way we work as a team. We have been constantly quoted as ‘one of the most passionate and professional teams to work with’ by the clients. I believe this trust factor built on the work we do is what makes us special and that is what we strive for too.” Shooting a wedding is no easy task, and it requires tremendous planning
november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
Wedding
Special
and preparation. For Studio A, the preparation for each wedding shoot starts long before the day of the wedding. Their initial conversations with the clients are usually centered on understanding what they want from them. “As you can imagine, each wedding is different and so is each couple and their wants and needs. Understanding that is key to managing their expectations. Before every wedding, the team gets together to make sure they’re all well prepared for the shoot, especially if it involves travelling to a different location.” Studio A also spends a lot of time in checking out inspirations in the form of photos, videos, paintings and movies. “In terms of theme, we come up with what complements the couple in the best way and build upon it.” Amar says that they used to prepare a lot before every wedding, in the beginning, but having shot weddings for over 7 years now, they have a fair idea of what happens and how to handle the chaos. “But then, we all know, no two
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Indian weddings are the same and the next wedding you shoot, might throw up unexpected surprises. Any amount of homework you do will never be enough. So, we generally spend time with the family members to know the basics and if they have any special arrangements. A lot of research before the wedding and on the spot happens.” When it comes to challenges in wedding photography, everyday a new challenge comes up, says Amar. The biggest challenge Studio A faces is that there are too many photographers. “No, I am not speaking about the market condition. Competition is always good as it pushes you to the next level. I mean the increasing number of photographers on the big day at the wedding venue. Too many photographers covering the same wedding only spoils the scope for capturing quality moments and the clients just don’t get it. To add to the drama, the relatives and friends who are photography-crazy, team up with their DSLRs and mobile phones. All we ask is for more space and time to work on the
field. Everything else, can be managed.” The wedding photography scene is rapidly changing, and we asked Studio A how they’ve adapted to it. Amar says that innovating and improvising has been their key. “Scenarios keep changing.
The number of photographers and the type of work coming out is much more than the previous years. Also in terms of technology and equipment, there have been huge advancements. Thankfully with many wedding photography
Wedding
conferences happening of late, photographers have been able to sync with people from across the world and converse on the current trends. As much as we try to adapt with the rising trends, what we do more importantly is innovate and improvise through our works. That is pivotal.” For Studio A, every wedding is memorable. Having had so many memorable moments over the years and Amar finds it hard to coin particular memorable moments out of the book. “There have been surprises and shocks equally. For instance, there was this wedding that we were shooting in the United States. The bride and the groom had Indian roots but had almost spent their entire life in the US. That didn’t stop them from staying rooted to the traditions and rituals. More than the grand venue and the gala, what bowled me over was the way they stood firm with their culture. Little things like an exclusive Palanquin made and brought from India, timely Telugu songs for every moment in the back ground, all the speeches being made in Telugu and more. After raising
the toast when the groom was asked to kiss the bride, he kissed her on her cheek only. The crowd booed and cheered asking for a French kiss, but he nodded them off with a sheepish smile. Little
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stories like these, fill our days and what more can we ask for?” Amar recollects another intriguing scenario when the wedding party itself was missing! “There was one wedding
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where we were asked to be there at 6 PM sharp to cover the getting ready sessions and continue with the proceedings. We were there by 5.30 PM but the scene looked silent like a mowed lawn. We went over and enquired around, we were told that the family had went for shopping. What can you say? These are memorable moments too, and we get on with it with a smile.” As a tip to be kept handy by a wedding photographer, Amar says you must keep asking yourself one question - “How is your picture going to be different from what others shoot?” and work towards making that picture. That is what he constantly asks himself when he’s shooting a wedding. “As a wedding photographer if you are asking this constantly to yourself, you can stand out from the crowd. Introspection helps, and setting benchmarks for yourself at periodical levels helps too. As a wedding photographer, if you are making 10 images that satisfies the client, push extra and make at least one image that
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Wedding
Weapons of choice
I’m a Sony user and I currently carry two Sony A9 bodies with 16-35mm, Batis Ziess 85mm, Sony 24-70mm. This is what my arsenal looks like. will satisfy you as an artist. That way both the art and the business thrives.” When asked what motivates and
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inspires Studio A to keep pushing, Amar says that being able to capture the special memories that will stand timeless in the couple’s lives fascinates him. “There is so much work that goes in the front end and the back end for every wedding and the entire wedding works together to make sure all the deliverables reach the couple on time. After all the tiring efforts, when we see that unconditional smile on the faces of the couple, everything else fades and we get ready for our next wedding. This drives us.” Amar advices aspiring photographers to build a portfolio by constantly taking pictures. “Explore your passion in photography and never stop trying to learn new things. The most valuable suggestion I would give someone who is starting out is to keep clicking and editing pictures every day. Take up a 365 days project and keep experimenting. Without a doubt this will make you a better photographer. Practice is everything. Rest all can be learnt on the go.” TexT: abhishek desai
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tips and techs
Importance of Depth of fIelD In Wedding PhotograPhy One of the most used photographic techniques in the wedding industry is the bokeh. But is it really what changes a picture completely? Will clients still like their images without the bokeh? Let’s find out in this article about the importance of depth of field.
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Photo: sourodiP Ghosh
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What is depth of field?
Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and farthest distance in a scene that are sharp. It is also known as the effective focus range. Aperture plays an important role in depth of field as reducing the aperture value (i.e 2.8,2,1.8,1.4 etc) will provide low depth of field and increasing aperture value will provide high depth of field.
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Reasons foR using dof
Depth of field can be used for several reasons. While the quality depends on a lot of factors like the aperture, the camera sensor size and the type of lens used along with the lens’ maximum aperture the theory of depth of field is still the same. Wedding photographers have shown a keen interest in using depth of field to their advantage and this
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is one of the primary reasons why they prefer full frame cameras and expensive and fast lenses with good lens quality. Let’s talk about the primary reasons for choosing to shoot low depth of field photographs during weddings. Low depth of field photographs can only be shot with DSLR/Mirrorless/Medium format cameras etc thus the quality of images and the overall aesthetics look
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Photo: sourodiP Ghosh
amazing compared to images shot in ordinary point and shoot cameras. The images look quite beautiful when shot in shallow depth of field as there is much less distraction. The blur in the backdrop and the bokehs provide for the perfect frame as the viewer’s attention stays on the bride or the groom in the photo. Shooting weddings can be challenging because everytime you try to
Photo: Katia PeshaKova
frame something beautiful, distractions in one frame or another show up. Eliminating these distractions can create a much larger impact because then the photographer can focus on the moment rather than worrying about the background. This brings us to our next point of seperating one subject from the crowd. Owing to the huge crowd in wedding ceremonies it is impossible for photographers to draw a viewer’s
attention on one single subject through their photographs. Having a shallow depth of field helps in doing just that! Even when shooting a dance at the wedding, or a funny moment in the crowd, it is highly important to differentiate the subject from the background or foreground. Since most weddings are a colourful affair, many photographers use the background and foreground colours to their advantage as colourful bokehs look beautiful.
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Foreground bokehs also help conceal parts of the frame without making the photograph look odd. The more you play around with bokeh the easier it will get for you to use it creatively. Apart from these uses, shallow depth of field also provides a certain cinematic feel since most movies shown on the big screen are shot with a low aperture value backgrounds are quite blurred. That, along with some colour toning, can make a considerable impact on the image quality. If you are not convinced we suggest you take a photograph with a shallow depth of field and a deep depth of field and see which one looks good. Photographers who like shooting portraits in weddings use shallow depth of field a lot as portraits tend to look much better when isolated the subject from its environment. Now that we have discussed when to use depth of field lets talk about the varying degrees of depth and when to use how much depth of field on a scale of narrow d.o.f to deep d.o.f. is ideal for which situation. Let’s take examples of certain situations that require a certain amount of depth of field that one might face when shooting
Photo: Katia PeshaKova
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Photo: bhumiKa bhatia (bride: Neha bhatia)
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Photo: sourodiP Ghosh
Photo: sourodiP Ghosh
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weddings in India. Using shallow depth of field has been spoken about in this article before this so we won’t go into that. Now let’s see when you should gradually move towards deeper depth of field. If the background has interesting characters that can help you tell a story – for example the parents of the bride
and groom are characters who play a major role in most of your wedding photographs, but you still want the bride and groom to be the center of attention. A much fuller depth is needed when taking wide shots of the environment, of people eating or dancing etc to establish the premise. Group photographs also
require a deeper depth of field. Prime lenses have better qualities of bokehs if you are looking for a shallow depth of field. This is because of the longer focal length, wider aperture and the closer the distance of focussing, WHICH produces narrow depth of field compared to zoom lenses. The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED, Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G AF-S VR II Nikkor ED-IF are widely used by wedding photographers. If you are looking for a cheaper and more cost effective alternative then the 50mm 1.8 lenses by Canon, Nikon or even third party lenses can be a good choice. We hope this article enlightens you and gives you a better understanding of depth of field and its importance in wedding photography. Experiment with varying amounts of depth of field and see how your image changes. Use depth of field in your day to day life and let us know what you feel is the best way to shoot! teXt: souradeeP roY
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LOW-LIGHT
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY L
ow or very less ambient light is a big issue when it comes to photography. Poor, dimly lit situations demand special care so that one can keep shooting without having to worry much about the loss of image quality and final results. Low-light photography however is the most challenging and equally rewarding when you look at the creative type of images that you can shoot in low light. Most of the photographers/ hobbyists/amateurs have the similar kind of approach when it comes to shooting in low light. However there are plenty of creative ideas that can be applied when shooting in low light or places with very less ambient lighting. Wedding photography is a demanding sector and more and more photographers are joining the wedding photography bandwagon. Wedding photography is a huge market and most of the times it is clients who ask for challenging assignments or want something different. Low-light photography gives the photographers a creative tool to play with and create some beautiful images. Wedding photographers are the ones who need to come up with new ideas every time they deliver to a client but the actual shooting situation is where the photographer decides what kind of photographs they can shoot. This month for our wedding special issue, we will share some tips on taking on low light wedding photography and learn how to avoid a blurry mess of noise all over the images.
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Use wide open apertUres/ fast lenses
You know this is exactly the main weapon of choice when you are encountering a low light situation. Fast lenses as you know have bigger lens iris opening or apertures which in turn allow more light into the camera. For low lit situations, having lenses sporting apertures of f/1.2 or f/1.4, f/2.8 are more like a boon to the photographer. Combine
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a 50mm f/1.2 lens on the latest full-frame camera which have exceptional low light performance. This makes up for the low ambient lighting and sometimes you can just lower the shutter speed in case the image is still underexposed.
light sources, both natural or artificial will allow you to get more light into the camera and expose your subjects properly. If you know to hunt the light, you can easily challenge yourself into taking amazing pictures.
look for light
pUmping the iso
Moving yourself or your subjects towards light is a very clever thing to do. Moving your subjects towards
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In certain situations, you will be left with least options and sometimes no option, other than pushing the ISO
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sensitivity high. Increasing ISO boosts shutter speeds when you are shooting in a low light situation but along with it comes unwanted noise and loss of colour in the images. However, cameras are getting better day by day and full frame cameras these days can shoot anything upwards of ISO 3200 easily without breaking a sweat. To avoid unnecessary noise in the images, consider shooting RAW files so that you can later edit them in post production and retain the same amount of detail and colours without having too much noise.
keep it steadY
The most important factor in shooting
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low light is camera shake. A little shake can spoil the entire image. Assuming you are shooting with a prime lens and shutter speeds of 1/60th or 1/125th, any minor shake will totally spoil an image. To keep things less shaky and still allow the image stabilization system on the lens or the camera to do its job. Cameras and lenses now can offer up to 3-4 stops of image stabilization. So at times if needed you can still drop your shutter speeds and get usable shake free images. A lot would depend on the lenses as well. Telephoto lenses are more prone to giving shakes at the tele end, so using a monopod to stabilize the setup would be recommended. Brace yourself to walls, posts and objects for support which is also a great way of reducing shake in the images. Blurry and shaky shots will not make the cut.
check YoUr camera settings
Camera settings are important when you are shooting in multiple indoor and outdoor locations, typically a wedding scene where you will have to shoot both indoors and outdoors as well. Outdoor settings will be a lot more different than the settings for inside a room. Be sure to check the camera settings when switching places. Even if you have multiple camera bodies with different lenses, you might just prefer one camera for shooting in low light. Make sure the settings are appropriate before you fire
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off the shutter, else you might just end up with black images.
take the creative control
We always look for light in photography and specially when you are not shooting something for fun but rather for a client. Taking creative control of the
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scene is a very powerful attempt by a photographer. You can choose to take silhouettes or spot lighting situations to create surreal and wonderful images. Making visually interesting images must be like a challenge and so you should indulge in more and more situations where the light is low but the expectations from you are high.
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respect the rUles
In many places like temples, churches etc, the use of flash or external lights is forbidden. This might be a protocol of many religious places where weddings take place. Also walking around in a venue with people packed inside might not be very pleasing to
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some or even the authorities. Be sure to connect to your clients about venues and also the scope of shooting in the same. This will relieve you from the unnecessary stress that you might face while shooting.
get a light soUrce
Getting a small light source with
you is not a bad idea at all. The best way to do this is to carry a small video LED light and attach it to the camera hot-shoe mount. These small LED light panels do a good job in illuminating what is in front of it. Do not expect super high quality light or a very far throw. These LED lights are designed according to use and also have varying
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sizes. To have a small light panel in your bag will take you a long way specially when shooting in dimly lit conditions.
TeXT: mrINmoY CHoUDHUrY
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Using the environment for wedding photographs
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estination weddings have become extremely common as more and more people are spending enormous amounts of money on their weddings. This poses a chance for photographers to get their creative juices flowing as the exotic locations produce amazing wedding photographs! But one needs to know how to use these locations to their benefit.
Recce
Recce or reconnaissance is a term used by the military and often borrowed by photographers to define surveying or researching a region. Recce is extremely important as a photographer needs to visualise different frames before
shooting them. During the wedding period the bride and groom are extremely busy and might not have time for you to bring them in and then start experimenting with different frames. Always think of the
locations you will shoot in, the costumes you want the couple in, and set up your equipment and intimate the couple beforehand. A recce of the place also provides a good opportunity to understand the light which bring us to our next point.
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Selecting the Right time
Selecting the right time is even more important than selecting the right equipment. Photography is all about the lighting. If you wish to shoot in natural light, then the best way to do it is to observe how a certain backdrop looks and feels when the light changes over the day. If you wish to use both natural and artificial lights, as used by the majority of wedding photographers for their outdoor shoot, it gives you an idea as to which lights will be required, if reflectors will be required or not and so on. It also helps you to provide the bride and groom time to get ready as they can be intimated about this beforehand.
Selecting the location
If the wedding you are shooting is being organised in a different location, then hotels, nearby sea beaches or parks are the best places to shoot. If you are planning on shooting in the hotel that the guests are staying in, make sure you talk to the manager and take necessary permissions. Different hotels have
different policies and the last thing you would want is to get into a problem with the hotel staff. Nearby parks provide an excellent place to shoot as they are almost always well maintained and are mostly quite colourful. Sea beaches can be great to shoot in, specially during sunrise or sunset. Many pre and post wedding photographs are shot in sea beaches near destination wedding
hotels. Anything can be turned into a backdrop as long as you can visualise that the final images will look good.
Selecting the Right equipment
Selecting the perfect equipment for a shoot is quite important and this is where the photographer’s experience comes in. Most of the times, it is impossible
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Photo: SourodiP GhoSh
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to select the correct lenses without looking at the location first. How do you choose your lenses if you do not know what environment you will use in your photograph? The solution is to carry a lot of zoom lenses and one or two of your best prime lenses. Zoom lenses provide the flexibility needed and carrying a 2.8 zoom lens will also help you achieve the necessary shallow depth of field you might require. Use your prime lenses
whenever possible but make sure you do not cut off the feet or the top of the heads of your subject in order to do so. A good full frame camera body and a crop sensor body should cover the DSLR part. Make sure your DSLR has a good low light performance and also boasts of a good sensor since in all probability, these photos will be printed into big prints. The right equipment is key when you are shooting outdoors.
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What to look foR?
Look for interesting colours if you are just starting out. Colours can turn your ordinary image into something beautiful. Textures and patterns also make for a great backdrop as they do not draw the viewer’s attention and directs it to the subject. Try different camera angles and see what would look good. If you want, use one person from your team as a model beforehand and take different shots. A scenic background always makes great couple photographs and should be used wisely. Hotel poolside, wedding make-up rooms etc are also great places to shoot if you have a grasp of different lighting conditions and how to use them to your advantage.
Why Should you uSe the enviRonment
One of the many reasons of using the environment to your advantage is that you save up on a lot of money by not arranging for a trip for your team and the bride and groom to shoot pre-wedding shots. Using your surroundings wisely can also save up time since both the bride and the groom will be quite busy for a month or more before the wedding. If you are shooting on location, on the day of the wedding, you have the liberty to take photographs of the couple along with their bridesmaids and best men as well as their family members. Always remember, every wedding hall or hotel or church will mostly have a beautiful environment surrounding it, which can be a boon for any photographer. TexT: souradeep roy
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tips and techs
Selecting the right lenSeS for wedding photography W eddings are a once in a lifetime affair. Most of the people who get married have very high hopes for their entire marriage ceremony. But any wedding is incomplete without wedding pictures or most importantly the wedding photographer who is responsible for all the images that will be shot during the wedding. As one would not want to get married twice, so as you cannot recreate the wedding scenes to take an image that you missed during the ceremony. A wedding photographer does not have a lot of responsibilities but the only thing he/she concentrates on is shooting
images that are worth the time and effort. A photographer’s tools, mainly the camera and lenses are what allow him/ her to create those breathtaking shots. Most wedding photographers have either two separate camera bodies with two different lenses, or a team of 2-3 photographers who take on different focal lengths and different positions to get all round imageS of the ceremony. The main piece of equipment for all the wedding photographers are the lenses that they prefer to use. The lenses need to be fast (wide apertures) and needs wide angle lens to be optically perfect (professional lenses). The choice
of lenses is made carefully by every photographer depending upon the styles they shoot and the ambience that they shoot in. Most of it is low-light situation
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and some outdoors. The lenses need to be fast, and cover a range of focal lengths for that perfect shot. In this article we have narrowed down several lenses, apertures and focal lengths which will be perfect additions to a wedding photographer’s arsenal. The most important factor while selecting a right lens for wedding photography is the maximum supported aperture. Wider apertures allow more light into the camera allowing to capture low light images. Professional lenses usually are expensive but will have apertures which are perfect for low light imaging. The second important factor is optical quality which is not much of a worry for professional line of lenses. Lastly it’s all about the build quality and value for money.
cloSe-UP leNS/WIde aNGle leNS
Certain situations demand the photographer to go close. Every lens can focus up to its nearest focussing distance which is 25-50 cm depending on the lens. Wide angle lenses are different as they have the ability to go even close and sometimes closer like an inch. Wide angle fast lenses are just the right tool when it comes to going close and still have a lot of elements in the frame. Also the wide aperture will allow you to shoot comfortably in low light. Wide lenses also are best for group shots where you do not have to move backwards to infinity. Wide angle lenses if used correctly render quite amazing depth effects on the photographs creating several visual layers. It depends on the creative use of the photographer. Wide angle lenses either come in zoom configuration like say a 16-35mm of a 17-40mm depending upon manufacturers sporting wide open maximum apertures. Fixed focal length wide angle lenses are also a good choice but it limits itself to just one focal length which might not be someone’s style. If you are a fan of wide angle fixed lenses, you can go for something with a crazy focal length of 12mm or even 8mm which would render fish eye effects and also would exhibit visually distorted images. But again that is the beauty of wide angle lenses.
70mm mid telephoto combined with aperture of f/2.8 This lens is common and all manufacturers including third parties make these lenses with superior optical quality which produces really amazing and distortion free images. The 24-70mm focal length is what a wedding photographer will have on himself at all the times, unless the photographer has totally different perspective and preference.
The mIGhTY TelePhoTo
The all-PUrPoSe WalK aroUNd Zoom leNS
Telephoto lenses come in handy for a lot of situations. In weddings, the 70-200mm focal length is also used a lot as these are situations where one needs to take candid images only or standing a bit away from the action. The 70-200mm lens is a professional level lens and quite heavy to carry around. The pro level 70-200 mm lenses usually have open apertures like f/2.8 which is great when you are shooting subjects surrounded
If anyone asks about the most favourable walk around lens for wedding photographers, it would definitely be the 24-70mm focal length. This focal length is one of the most popular among most professional photographers be it wedding photographer or a photojournalist. The beauty of this lens is its wide focal length of 24mm on a full frame camera and the
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by distracting backgrounds or want to make a frame filling shot from far away. The aperture of f/2.8 creates beautiful bokeh which is quite sought after in wedding images. This popular lens is made by most manufacturers with different nomenclatures but all doing the same job of taking exceptional images.
The beloved macro
Not everything we shoot will look great. Sometimes there is need to go into more details. This is where a macro lens will come in handy. Marco lenses are special lenses with usually fixed focal lengths varying with every manufacturer. Macro lenses have the ability to focus close sometimes just a few millimeters from the subject and produce life size images. The macro lens is a useful addition to a wedding photographer’s kit as it will enable you to take closeup detailed shots of bride, jewellery, minor details in design and sometimes just the close up of those rings. Macro lenses being fixed focal length lenses and having a wide open aperture makes it a
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good lens for portrait as well, and you can go as close as you want to highlight the necessary details.
The FIXed PrImeS
Primes lenses are not for everyone. Not everyone likes to move back and forth for framing images. But then, working with primes is a neat art that many have perfected over time. Adding a 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm or an 85mm prime lens in your kit is definitely a good choice. Prime lenses come in various trims, some having larger apertures like f/1.2 and some having 1.4 or 1.8. The wider the maximum aperture, the more heavy the lens becomes in relation to optical elements and so as the price. But most of the prime lenses available today are decent enough and some lenses really provide superb quality compared to the nifty price that you pay for it.
SPecIal leNSeS aNd cameraS
To take wedding photography to
the next level and to satisfy the everhungry client base, many wedding photographers have ditched the full frame DSLRs for full-frame mirrorless cameras which are less heavy to carry around. Some use medium format cameras to capture more detail and better dynamic range whereas some photographers who still exclusively shoot on film for their clients. Some will prefer special lenses and some will take up their creativity a notch higher. Right amount of know-how and the usage to professional grade lenses and equipment combined with the skills of a promising photographer will definitely yield superior quality images. TeXT: mrINmoY CHoUDHUrY
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tips and techs
Wedding photographer’s
post-production workflow
A wedding photographer is a busy person. He/she is responsible not only for shooting memorable images, but also to make sure the images stay safe and in various mediums. Post-production is very important, specially in wedding photography and it begins the moment the images are shot. The process is simple and depends a lot on the photographer’s preferences and his methods of the work-flow, but the final goal is to deliver the client what they want. If you are starting out in wedding photography or just want to make things better for you after shooting, we have some tips for you to make things more effective.
losing data and in case you do, you have it all backed up.
ImportIng fIles
After you are done with copying and backing up the files, you now have to import the files to your preferred editing software. Importing the files will make it easier for you to sort and select the files accordingly. However, importing the files in large numbers will take some time.
Backup
Backing up is the most important part that has to be done as soon as possible when the shoot ends. The reason behind is simple, you do not want to lose all the images at any cost. So a foolproof backup system is very necessary. If you carry a laptop along with you, you can transfer the files on the laptop or use an external drive to back the data up. It is suggested to make backups in at least two places before you begin editing. When you reach home or at your work station, you can then copy the files to your workplace for better accessibility as well. This will reduce the chances of
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selectIon and fInal selectIon
The selection process now is a time consuming one. You have to focus and find the best ones in the lot. The ones which make the cut, you can give individual images star ratings like in Lightroom and sort the images accordingly. This will make it easier for you later to just find the ones that will be edited. You can them send your client
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and shadows. After you are satisfied with the right amount of tuning, you can now proceed to the next step of retouching
retouchIng
The next step is time consuming as you will work on the images individually. Some prefer using Photoshop for the entire retouching process. While retouching images, you will make all the necessary changes to the colour, the selection to get their opinion or meet the client and ask them to select the ones they like.
BasIc edIts
Assuming that most wedding photographers would shoot Raw files, it’s a big deal not to have details or good colours when shooting a wedding. When shooting in Raw file format, the files retain more details and colour information. It is possible to fix the white balance and also tune the image to get more details pulled out of the highlights
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contrast, shadows and highlights and the skin tones for portraits. You can choose to give your images the desired look and feel and also make necessary changes to enhance the images till you find the perfect point.
Black and whIte flow
If you are sharing black and white images with your client, you will have to separately select all the files and then edit for the desired look. Black and white images have a different look and charm and makes a great addition to the wedding images.
exportIng the fIles
Now after you have edited and made the desired corrections and edits, it’s time to export all the images to your computer. While exporting the images, you can select the quality of the images and the locations you want the images to save in. Once you have carefully exported all the images to your desired specifications, you can start arranging the images according to dates or rituals.
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PHOTO: KATIA PESHAKOVA
ImportIng to onlIne gallerY/sharIng wIth clIent
Many wedding photographers prefer to share the images online with the client by uploading the images in an online gallery and sharing the links for them to download the files from any location. Apart from sharing the images online many clients prefer to have a physical album of the images. To sort this out, you will have to get the best quality printing and album work done to satisfy your client to the highest level. Also share backups with the clients in ash drives so that they can store it according to their preferences.
TEXT: MRINMOY CHOUDHURY
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Understanding natUral light
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atural light photography has become wildly popular for some years now and photographers have been shooting in natural light which creates some amazing images without having to worry about external lighting. Natural light photography is also preferred during weddings as it’s fairly easier to wait for natural light than storming the location with artificial lights. Some wedding photographers purely shoot in natural light unless the need of an external light comes. Shooting in natural light is very interesting as it challenges the creative front of the photographer. Using natural light whenever possible is a no-brainer to give your images that beautiful, natural, dreamy quality that is synonymous with weddings. However, there is more to it than just not using lights. People who have mastered natural light photography did more than just not use lights while shooting. You must really learn and understand how light behaves, reacts, and interacts with your subjects. Just to clear out things, many professionals do shoot weddings with flash and they are able to obtain very beautiful images. In fact, I’d say most wedding photographers actually mix the two lighting methods. Natural light when you have it available and flash when you don’t (think inside the church or randomly moving where you need action stopping shutter speeds).
Tip #1
Use Prime lenses
The most important piece of equipment is the lens more than the camera body. However a better camera body is always welcome when shooting complex assignments. Wedding photos need a lot of sharpness, a lot of good bokeh and be properly exposed. Prime lenses feature wide open apertures which allow more light in the camera. This comes in handy in all situations and also when the light levels drop drastically low. With prime lenses you can also get the beautiful ‘Bokeh’ which is much desired for in wedding photos. The choice of focal length is purely on the photographer but say a 50mm f/1.2 professional lens will create amazing quality images and also be a portrait lens for you. Since you have large aperture for more light, you can indulge in shooting the photos in complete natural light.
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Tip #2
shooting Wide aPertUres
It’s better not to use a prime lens with stopped down apertures. Why would you shoot on f/5.6 when it can go down til f/1.8? Well it depends on a number of factors and the look and feel of the image is considered before selecting a setting for an image. However using wide apertures will let more light in the camera allowing you to use faster shutter speeds or in case when the light level drop down. The wide aperture will make up for the light loss but only to a certain extent if you are not pushing the ISO up.
taken in harsh light look flat and create very hard shadows on the subject. Using fill light to balance out the lighting is a good idea. You can use a fill flash to fill in the hard shadows making the exposure more even. In
Tip #3 Filling in light
Sometimes the natural light may be harsher than you had expected it to be and it poses a new problem. Photos
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case you are not using a flash, using a reflector to divert the light for fill in will also work wonders. Reflectors are generally available in various sizes and it’s not so difficult to pack one in your camera bag.
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Tip #4 shooting in even light
Try shooting in even light most of the times unless you are trying to create something artistic. Even light conditions are easier to manage as you do not have to worry about harsh shadows. Try to look out for places around you with tree covers. Light filtering through trees will be softer and you can also get great bokeh with the highlights behind. Putting a diffuser is also an option in case if you are just shooting in harsh light to even out the exposure.
Tip #5 shooting at daWn and dUsk
If you are doing something pre-planned, you will definitely need to consider shooting after sunrise and time before the sunset. You know why
photographers prefer the ‘Golden Hour’ because of the golden glowy light that the sun has to offer when it is very low in the horizon. This gives you an opportunity to shoot some stunning images if you are combining it with the landscape. Usually two hours after sunrise and two hours before the sun dips down. You have to take notice of the weather and the sunrise-sunset
times and plan everything well. Natural light photography is fun as you do not have to worry about any external lights but there are other things that you have to keep in mind to take on any challenges which may come with the changing light as you have no control over it. In the end it is the images that speak for a photographer. TexT: MrinMoy Choudhury
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tips and techs
Different ways to display wedding photographs
We hire photographers and videographers and spend a lot of money to make memories of our special day and preserve them for life. In the days of film photography, photographers would provide small 5x7 (usually) prints and you would then have to buy and create your own album. Gone are those days as new and creative ways are being explored to find an apt medium to display and share your photographs. In this article, we will discuss different ways in which you can display or share your wedding photographs with your family and friends.
Customised albums
These are still an integral part of the whole wedding photography experience. Even though clients have moved on from old albums where you could print and slot your photographs in pockets. These new albums can be custom made to your taste right to the very cover of the album. You can choose the size of the album, the cover style and material of the album, the quality of the page, the number of pages and also check the design and overall layout of the album before it goes to print. Many printing
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presses also provide archival papers etc which are guaranteed to last for a much longer time than normal photo paper or indigo papers. Studios sometimes bundle these albums and provide an attractive price so that people are drawn to this. Parents of the bride and groom also tend to prefer a more physical form of viewing than other digital formats.
Websites
This is the newest and most creative trend at the moment in India. Creating customised website makes it easier
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for the people at the weddings to view the images later on from any part of the world. The wedding photographer mostly packages a website deal to his/ her photography package and once he/ she is done with the image editing, he/ she uploads the images on a website. The design and layout of the website again, can be approved by the bride and groom beforehand. There are certain positives of having a website. Firstly, you can view it from any corner of the world and you can access it from all the devices that you carry, without having to carry a heavy album around. The images are stored in the cloud, which makes it much more safer compared to a physical album. If any of your relatives living abroad wish to see it, they can do that as soon as you share the website link, unlike an album, you can also change the design and layout of a website as many times you want etc. The only disadvantage is that if you buy a domain and create a website, you will have to incur a monthly or yearly charge for the rest of your life. Even though this is nominal, it can become a pain later on in life. You can work around this issue by opting for a free website.
FaCebook and soCial media
The easiest and quickest way to share your special wedding days is to use social media. All the friends in your list and all your followers will be able
Wedding
Special
wedding or otherwise, at your house or office desk. These might be good as a conversation starter or just as a part of your home decor.
teleVision
Imagine a family gathering after your wedding and now imagine the best way to view your photographs and videos there? Mobiles and iPads are too small? Laptops have an awkward viewing angle? Televisions are the way to go. Connect your television to your laptop using an HDMI cable or just use a pendrive and play your favourite videos or photographs from there! The large screens and higher viewing angle provided for a great way to display photographs of your wedding. to see the wedding album in a second. There are however more problems to this as well. There are different kinds of people in your friend list – good friends, not so good friends, acquaintances, work friends etc and you might not be comfortable to share it with everyone. Afterall it’s something special! The other issue is that most social media platforms tend to downsize the images and display them in low quality. This makes no sense since you paid a lot of money to the photographer for his skill as well as his high quality equipment producing high quality images. While the former problem can be avoided by creating a hidden album and sharing links to only your close friends, the latter problem cannot be solved by the users.
diGital album
These were all the rage at one time
as people thought these would replace all kinds of printed albums. But the problem was that the printed albums were much easier to use for the older generation and it was much cheaper and much more portable. These digital albums then became a way of displaying your favourite photographs, from the
This relatively old and tedious way of sharing photographs, this medium is still used. One can use google drive or dropbox to share images and videos via email to their close ones. This requires a good internet connection and a lot of time in your hands for you to sort through and make final selections of the images you wish to share because there is a size limit to all of these. Sometimes when sending the same email in bulk the emails get lost in the spam folders of receivers which can also be an issue. Now that we have learnt about the pros and cons of different methods of displaying photographs and videos and sharing memories, we hope you can make an informed decision as to which mode suits you the best – both as a client or as a photographer! TEXT : SOURADEEP ROY
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tips and techs
Best camera as a second Body Wedding photography is a tough genre as the photographer has a lot of responsibilities on his or her shoulder. Missing great moments in a wedding is out of question and can result in serious loss of reputation. This is one of the many reasons why photographers prefer to carry more than one camera body at weddings. In this article we will talk about the best camera options we have in the market that can be used as a second body in weddings. Why a second body?
The first question a photographer needs to ask himself is why he/she needs a second body and what are the features that are expected from it. Low light performance is a must as most weddings will not be very brightly lit. A high burst mode always helps in shooting moving subjects to capture the perfect moment. The image quality should be excellent and should go toe-to-toe with the image quality of a full frame DSLR (your primary body). The price should not be too high as well.
and shoot without having to worry too much about the grains. Priced at `1,24,995 this camera’s market placement is perfect as a second body for professional photographers.
Canon 7D Mark II
This is Canon’s latest addition to its high end crop sensor body and features an APS-C sized 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor with Dual DIGIC 6 Image Processors. It promises to shoot up to 10 frames per second at ISOs ranging from 100–16000, and has a 65-point all cross-type AF system. The camera also features Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF which allows the photographer to focus on subjects perfectly and accurately. This camera has an overall good performance and can focus very fast. The low-light performance of the camera is also quite good as one can easily bump the ISO to 5000
Canon 6D Mark II
The much awaited second generation of the famous entry level full frame camera Canon 6D Mark II boasts of a 26.2-megapixel image sensor, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and a vari-angle touch panel LCD. Armed with a 45-point all crosstype AF; up to 6.5fps continuous shooting and an ISO range of ISO 100 – 40000 this camera is an absolute beast. The EOS 6D Mark II is also apparently the first full-frame EOS camera to feature a touchscreen Vari-angle LCD monitor with a focussing area that covers most of the image display area (80% horizontally and 80% vertically). At just `1,32,995 this camera is a steal. Many would consider buying this camera as it is just `8000 more than the 7D Mark II and is packed with a lot more features. The camera’s ability to 4K Time-lapse movies and High Dynamic Range (HDR) movies adds to the appeal for wedding videographers as well.
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Wedding
Special
20.9 megapixel CMOS sensor serves the purpose well and the 3.2-inch 2,359k-dot tilting RGB LCD touchscreen is quite handy to use when you want to change settings or chimp on images quickly. The 4K UHD time-lapse movies is a nice little addition as well and the10 fps burst mode is sure to help you out in certain scenarios for sure! Low light performance of the camera is also quite good and you can easily go upto 3200 without worrying. The ISO range of the camera is 100 to 51200. The price of the camera is `1,41,950 which is also enticing enough for wedding photographers to grab this one!
Nikon D750
Released in 2014, the Nikon D750 is armed with a 24.3 megapixels, EXPEED 4 image-processing engine and ability to shoot 1080/60p, Full HD movies. As the smallest and lightest Nikon FX-format model the camera does not compromise on its features as it sports a 3.2-inch, approximately 1229kdot tilting LCD monitor and three-axis hinge. The optical viewfinder with 100% frame coverage can also be a boon for wedding photographers to compose perfectly in crowded situations. With an ISO range 100 to 12800 it might not be the best performer in terms of low light performance but it certainly gets the job done even after 3 years since its release. Priced at `1,71,950 this camera is definitely a good choice as a second camera body.
Sony A7S Mark II
Nikon D500
If you are skeptical about the D750 and want to buy a camera that has been launched more recently or you are on a tighter budget then the Nikon D500 is the way to go. The
Mirrorless cameras have made a strong comeback into the wedding scene as more and more companies are focussing on providing the customers with more lens options etc. If you are in the market looking for a mirrorless camera as your second body, the A7S Mark II might just be it! The 12.2 MP 35 mm full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm), Exmor CMOS sensor works like a charm providing really crisp images. The BIONZ X image processing engine is quite fast as well providing 5 fps burst speeds. The 4K movie recording featuring full pixel readout without pixel binning is also a godsent for all the photographers who take on clients wishing to have 4k videos recorded of their wedding. With an ISO 100 to 409600 the `2,14,990 camera might not be affordable for many photographers as a second body but it is worth every penny.
teXt : soUradeeP roy
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CAMERA SHOOTOUT
Entry Level DSLR Shootout Entry level DSLRs are the choice for most people who are graduating from using their phone camera or a digital point and shoot camera. DSLRs offer greater control over the various aspects of making a picture and so entry level DSLRs are considered the most easy to use and beginner friendly. The enrty level DSLRs are packed with high quality APS-C sensors which are bigger than the sensors of point and shoot cameras and offer great image quality and the choice of a long list of lenses that the manufacturers have lined up for the users. For this year’s shootout we have two contendors which are the entry level DSLRs of two different stables. The Canon EOS 200D and the Nikon D3400. Contenders
Parameters
• Canon EOS 200D
• Build Quality and ease of use • Performance (Image quality and ISO) • Value for money
• Nikon D3400
PRICE
,4LE9NS5) `4ITH7KIT (W
Canon EOS 200D
The Canon EOS 200D was introduced by Canon in 2017 as their latest entry level DSLR camera which replaces the previous model the Canon EOS 100D. The 200D has a 24 MP sensor along with ISO range of 100-25600. WiFi and bluetooth included, it also shoots full HD videos which is features in almost all DSLRs. The lightweight and beginner-friendly, easyto-use ergonomic design makes it a strong contender for an entry level DSLR.
Performance
We tested the Canon EOS 200D with the kit (18-55mm) lens provided with the camera. The camera body feels good to hold
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in hand thanks to the grip that has a deep recess to allow one’s hands to fit in properly. The 200D is very light which is great especially if you are a first time DSLR user. The button layout is different to the perdecessor model with changes in button layout, form and ergonomics making it more sleek looking and easy to handle. The on-off switch and the mode dial have a newer design which makes it flush on the top plate and not protruding. The addition of Wifi and bluetooth enables users to connect their smarphones with the camera to make transfering
and sharing images easy. The 200D shoots continuous frames at 5 fps speeds and 3.5 fps with continuous AF. If you are using a high speed card you could easily get the action frozen without much pushing. Focussing is also a noteworthy point as the camera handles well. Full HD videos are the lowest resolution consumers seek as it’s already raining 4K for many cameras. The built in microphone records decent quality sound, nothing to be picky about though.
PRICE
`36,95LY0) (BODY ON
Nikon D3400
The Nikon D3400 is the entrant in the beginner DSLR category and was displayed at Photokina 2016. Nikon D3400 is the direct contender to its Canon counterpart. Not everyone will be able to tell the differences between both the cameras at a glance, but its whats beneath the hood that counts. The D3400 houses a 24 megapixel sensor without an optical low pass filter which claims better image quality. 100-26500 ISO range and 5 fps shooting along with Nikon’s Snapbrigde to ensure seamless connection with any tablet or smarphone using low powered bluetooth system. Full HD videos at 60/50/30/24 fps is just more than the needs of a beginner.
Performance
In terms of performance, the Nikon D3400 delivers a mix of all things good. Thanks to the 24 MP sensor without the optical low pass filter, the image quality delivered is noteworthy. The Full HD videos also were of decent quality. The sound from the onboard microphone is acceptable. We tested the camera attached to a Nikon 18-105mm lens which is also a kit lens for Nikon cameras. The focussing system had 11 AF points with 3D tracking allowing to track moving objects while shooting. The camera has a decent autofocus which is expected to be better in case a pro quality Nikon lens is used. The D3400 allows users to connect the camera to their smartphones and tablets using the Snapbrigde application which uses Bluetooth technology to minimise power consumption.
ISO test and performance
Both the cameras were tested for their respective ISO performances. The settings were same for both the cameras including focal length and exposure settings. Both the Canon
200D and the Nikon D3400 have an ISO range of 100 to upto 25600.
Canon EOS 200D
The Canon EOS 200D had smooth and crisp out of the camera JPEGs owing to its 24 MP sensor. However things start getting noisy after ISO 800 and upwards and loss of colour and quality is noticeable. Image quality is not at all bad but only when you respect its ISO limitations.
Nikon D3400
The Nikon D3400 has a 24 MP sensor without an optical low pass filter and it produces images of very good quality. ISO performance is acceptable till 800 and 1600 just might be the saviour in some situations, however anything above ISO 1600 has noise in it. The sensor here plays the major role in producing good images as it does not have an optical low pass filter which eliminates heavy processing of images in the camera.
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Canon ISO performance
ISO 200
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
Nikon ISO performance
ISO 200
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
Conclusion
It’s a tough decision for people buying their first DSLR, especially beginners who might stick to a brand after they have purchased their first DSLR, as one would invest in the same brand eco-system. Both the Canon EOS 200D and the Nikon D3400 are great entry level cameras although the Nikon D3400 had a little edge over the Canon when it comes to ISO performance at high ISOs. The Nikon D3400 comes for `36,950 (with 18-55mm kit lens) and the Canon 200D comes with a kit lens (18-55mm) and is priced at `47,495 which is higher than the Nikon. When it comes to image quality, Canon’s colour-reproduction was accurate and quite vivid. However, the images shot in different scenarios by Nikon D3400 lacked saturation and appeared faded. The overall colours and out of the camera images produced by the EOS 200D were pretty impressive, making it the winner of the entry-level DSLR shootout.
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CAMERA SHOOTOUT
Professional DSLR Camera
Shootout
Every camera manufacturer comes out with one or the other flagship products expecting them to do wonders in the world of photography. But only a few clear the bar and stand to be the most worthy competitors of all. A professional DSLR camera needs high specifications, advanced features and performance. Performance is the final product of any camera, and here we are at this month’s shootout with the two most capable Full-frame DSLRs from Canon and Nikon stable i.e. The Canon 5D Mark IV and the Nikon D850
CONTENDERS
• Canon 5D Mark IV • Nikon D850 PARAMETERS
• Build and handling • Performance • Image and ISO performance
PRICE
`2,54,950
) (BODY ONLY
nIKOn D850
The Nikon D850 has been newly launched in 2017 and is a full-frame DSLR camera from the camera manufacturer Nikon. It’s an upgrade to the existing Nikon D810 and packs a lot of specs and features under its rugged body. Sporting a 45.7 MP full-frame sensor and autofocus system are entirely new. The main feature is the sensor which is now a BSI CMOS sensor and a new body design which makes the D850 a charm to hold and use. The Nikon 850 is a very capable camera which is made taking the professionals in mind and their needs catered to them in a very detailed way, from the frames per second count up to the connectivity options.
SPECIFICATIONS • • • • • • • •
45.6 MP full-frame image sensor Expeed 5 processor 153-point phase detection autofocus system with 99 cross-sensor Native ISO range 64-25600 7fps continuous shooting 4K video recording Weather sealed Touchscreen functionality during both stills and video shooting
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SPECIFICATIONS • 30.6 MP CMOS full-frame sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus • 7 fps continuous shooting • 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type sensors • Native ISO from 100-512800 • 4K video • Weather sealing
PRICE
`2,71,995
canOn 5D marK IV
Canon introduced the Canon 5D Mark IV in 2016. Under the hood there are some exciting upgrades. The Canon 5D Mark IV is built around a new 30.4 MP full-frame CMOS sensor, now with Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus system, includes an expanded 61-point autofocus system and 41 cross-type points. The camera is well built and has received high level of
We tested both the cameras outdoors checking their image quality and performance. The image quality of both the cameras were extremely good considering the sensors. The images had
a lot of details along with a wide dynamic range. The Nikon D850 had slightly contrasting images in the same settings. The colour reproduction was accurate. While the Canon 5D Mark IV had truer colours for the same scene, the Nikon D850 exhibited very fine details even when zooming the images to 100%.
NIKON
CANON
ImaGe QualITY
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weather sealing to ensure safe operation in extreme weather and environmental conditions. The the Dual-Pixel autofocus allows autofocus tracking during videos as well. The Canon 5D Mark IV shoots 7fps. It also shoots 4K videos like the Nikon D850.
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ISO perfOrmance
We test both the cameras for their respective ISO counts. The ISO performance is great for both the cameras. But we cannot expect any camera to produced brilliant results in different ISO settings. The Canon performed well in the ISO test. ISO readings up to 6400 produced clean results. But up till ISO 12800 the images are still usable. Anything beyond that would not be
used usually but still the images produced are not bad at all. For the Nikon camera things were not much different. Nikon has designed D850 sensor to handle high ISOs on a easy manner. ISO 100-6400 is nothing to worry about and the images produced are totally usable. Colour details are preserved well and the images up till ISO 12800 are usable if the need arises. The ISO department of both the cameras is well aligned with the needs of the professionals.
NIkoN D850
ISO 200
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
ISO 200
ISO 400
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 6400
ISO 12800
CaNoN 5D Mark IV
cOncluSIOn
Both the Nikon D850 and the Canon 5D Mark IV are very rugged in build quality and it is done to assure adequate weather sealing. On the performance front, both the DSLRs shoot 4K videos and have bigger buffers for all that continuous RAW image shooting. However, the Nikon falls behind slightly in the colour and contrast department and the Canon takes it over with just the right amount of actual colours in the image. Quality wise the images were equally good for both the cameras with no colour cast and inaccurate white balance. Nikon D850 The Nikon D850 is priced at `2,54,950 (Body only). Performance wise the Nikon is a performer which will take over any claims that would question its performance regarding image quality and ISO performance, not to forget the huge 45.6 MP sensor which holds huge details. It also offers a plethora of latest features, including a tilting screen. Canon 5D Mark IV The Canon 5D Mark IV is price at `2,71,995 and is a bit more expensive for the body only. The performance of the camera is impressive and the burst mode is brillitant. The image quality and ISO performance which is delivered leaves no doubts about its performance. Editor’s Note: There’s literally nothing to choose between both the cameras. At one end, Nikon is packed with latest features since it was launched recently, but owing to its better colour reproduction and accuracy, Canon holds a slight edge against the D850, making it the winner of the shootout.
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PRINTER SHOOTOUT
All-in-One
Printer Shootout Even the best photographs on display are only as good as the printer they’re printed on. With technology moving at a fast pace in the printing industry as well, choosing the right product has become more difficult than ever. Like every year, to make your decision easier, we asked the manufacturers to send us their best All-in-One printers to test under various parameters, and find the best one to buy.
Parameters
PrICe
`17,499
With the constant technological developments, it has become necessary to evolve in terms of testing parameters. Our parameters last year were stringent, and this year too we will adhere to the same. 1. Performance • Print Quality (specifically designed templates) • Pages Per Minute (PPM) (under various sizes) • Images Per Minute (IPM) (new industry standard) 2. Set up, ease of use and installation 3. Value for money (consumables and overall) The price range for the printers had been kept between `6000 to `18000 --------------------------------
Contenders
PrICe
`6399
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We have Epson and HP battling it out this year in the All-in-One category. EPSON L485 HP Deskjet 3776
Overview
EPSON L485
The EPSON L485 is an all-in-one printer featuring EPSON’s proprietary Ink Tank system prints media with a maximum resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi. Instead of using the regular ink cartridges, the L485 uses Epson’s ink bottles which print up to 4500 pages in monochrome and 7500 pages in colour prints. The L485 boasts of printing speed of up to 33 ppm for black and 15 ppm for colour. The L485 has a 1.44” colour LCD screen for easy operation and selection images for printing from the memory card slot.
HP Deskjet 3776
The HP Deskjet 3776 is proclaimed by HP has the world’s smallest all-in-one printer. It has a maximum resolution of 4800 (horizontal) x 1200 (vertical) dpi. Its specified print speed for B/W and colour document is up to 8 ipm and 5.5 ipm respectively. The printer’s uses HP Thermal Inkjet technology, and it has a Scroll Scan system with an optical resolution of up to 600dpi. The copy speed of the printer is up to 2.5cpm on a colour document. The printer is equipped with Wi-Fi and prints from Apple, Android, and Windows devices directly.
Set-up Time
The set-up time includes the amount of time taken for the entire installation process of the printer. This includes everything, from the time the CD is inserted inside the computer till the printer is ready to use. In some cases, it can also include the time required in loading the printers with cartridges.
EPSON L485
The Epson printer clocked a total time of 8 minutes and 13 seconds in the installation process. The installation was not too complicated. The L485 printer design is quite clean and simple, and the printer incorporates a 1.44” colour LCD screen. It displays various different functions like scan, copy, print images from memory card etc. There was also an external ink-tank, which we found helpful, as there isn’t a need to open the printer every time you need to re-fill the ink. The L485 besides the screen, has a power button, a home button, 4-way direction buttons, an ‘OK’ and a start and stop/return button.
HP Deskjet 3776
Comparatively faster, the HP Deskjet 3776 clocked a time of 6minutes 56 seconds to install. The set-up was quite simple as well. The printer design is sleek and compact, and quite modern looking. We were very impressed by its small size, as it saves a lot of desk space. The HP printer has a scroll scanner bar on top of the printer. The bar has the power button on the left side, whereas on the right a tiny control panel display which shows number of copies, ink levels, wifi status etc. There are 8 buttons next to display, including, Information, Resume, Cancel, Wireless, Copy colour, Copy B/W, Web-services, Wi-fi direct. There’s also a tiny ink alert light. The printer has an ink cartridge system which can be installed from front of printer by opening the front lid.
Set up and Installation 8.5 8 7.5 Time (Minutes)
7 6.5 6 HP
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Colour Template A4 Print This involves testing the output of each printer with a colour template designed by us. The performance is measured in terms of colour reproduction, clarity and sharpness.
Canon IXUS 85 IS ProS • Optical image stabilisation • Easy to use and simple design • Good image quality ConS • Average-sizh LCD display • Confusing manual mode • Shutter delabe faster • Rating: 3.5 on 5
EPSON L485
The EPSON printer clocked 1min27secs seconds to print the colour A4 template. The print quality was decent but it was a little dull. Some of the hues and tones were printed slightly different.
HP Deskjet 3776
The HP printer clocked 2min 39 seconds to print the template. When it comes to print quality, the HP was closer to the original. The colour was vivid, but it had a lot of contrast.
Original
EPSON
Colour Template 180 160 140 120 100 80
Time (Seconds) /Per Page
60 40 20 0 HP
EPSON HP
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B&W Template A4 Print Similar to the colour template, the B&W template is designed to measure the performance of the individual printers in terms of their monochrome printing quality.
HP Deskjet 3776
HP clocked 1min28secs seconds to print the black and white template. HP’s printing quality here lagged behind. It had too much contrast, and the blacks had grains in the print.
EPSON L485
Canon IXUS 85 IS ProS • Optical image stabilisation • Easy to use and simple design • Good image quality
Lens Shootout
ConS • Average-sized 2.5-inch LCD display • Confusing manual mode • Shutter delay with flash could be faster • Rating: 3.5 on 5
Kodak Easyshare M1093 IS
The EPSON printer clocked 1min12secs while printing the black and white template. The overall print quality was decent, however the reproduction of the blacks were much lighter than the actual template.
ProS • Looks good • ISO up to 6400 • Good flash • HD technology • Colour reproduction is good • Good selection of scene modes
Performance This 10.2 megapixel camera has a manual-shooting mode. The images are quite sharp, a little too sharp at times maybe, but sharpness is better than a blur. Colour balance was fairly typical for a mid-range compact, with a strongly saturated tone.
Noise was pretty standard,
too. Everything up to ISO 400 was fine, with only minor grain performance was pretty decent.
Original
HP
B/W Template 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Time (Seconds) /Per Page
HP
EPSON EPSON
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Colour A4 Photo For this test, we picked a colourful photograph, which also included immense detail. The test follows the same process of the earlier template tests, and each of the printers’ output is gauged for reproduction of colours and details, as well as the time taken to print. The Epson L485 took 3minutes 21.64seconds to print the image, whereas HP Deskjet 3776 took 5 minutes 5 seconds to print the picture. The outputs by both printers were not quite accurate, but Epson was slightly light, however was closer to the original. The HP output was oversaturated, and was not close to the original.
Colour Photo A4 Print 6 5 4 3
Time (Minutes)/ Per Page
2 1 0 HP
EPSON
Original
EPSON
HP
Colour Text Template A4 Print This test was included by us keeping in mind the needs of corporate users, who generally have more of textual printing matter. We’ve designed a template with just text to test the printers for clarity, speed and alignment of the text.
EPSON L485
The Epson printer took 1min18seconds to print the template. It had quite a decent output, and the colour reproduction was good, but did not match the original template.
Kingston roadmap for the future Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC
Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston
Region, Kingston Digital sees the Indian market boom even during the economic downturn. He speaks to Bhavya Desai about the company’s plans for India and its innovations in the SSD Technology.
Digital sees the Indian market boom
Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston Digital sees the Indian market boom even during the economic downturn. He speaks to Bhavya Desai about the company’s plans for India and its innovations in the SSD Technology.
the company’s plans for India and its
Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC speaks to Bhavya Desai aboBhavya Desai about the ompany’s plans for India India India and its innovations in the SSD Technology.
Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston Digital sees the Indian market boom even during the economic downturn. He speaks to Bhavya Desai about the company’s plans for India and its innovations in the SSD Technology.
c
Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston Digital sees the Indian market
even during the economic downturn. He speaks to Bhavya Desai about
innovations in the SSD Technology.
boom even during the economic
ns in the SSD
downturn. He speaks to Bhavya Desai about the company’s plans for India and its innovatio
echnology.
T
Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston Digital sees the Indian market boom even during the economic downturn.
He speaks to Bhavya Desai about the company’s plans for India and its
inno
vations in the SSD Technology.
Although India was not drastically affected by the experience any slowdown in your
Not
downturn,
did you
business?
really. Although the economic storm did affect many regions in India, Kingston still experiences a strong growth in India this year, which shows the fact that Kingston’s memory products do provide added-values for local consumers, Not really. Although the economic storm did affect many regions in India, Kingston still experiences a strong growth in India this year, which shows the fact that Kingston’s memory products do
HP Deskjet 3776
provide added-values for local consumers, Not really. Although the economic storm did affect many regions in India, Kingston still experiences a strong growth in India this year, which shows the fact that Kingston’s memory products do provide
The Canon printer recorded a time of 2min18seconds to print the image. The colour text template A4 print quality was quite vivid and well-saturated.
added-values for local consumers,
Original
EPSON
Colour Text 160 140 120 100 80 Time (Seconds)/ Per Page
60 40 20 0 HP
EPSON HP
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Images Per Minute (IPM) Test The IPM test is the industry standard to rate printers on, and we have been conducting it for the past two years now. We put the printers to test using the First Set Out Time (FSOT) on short, medium and long jobs, and following are the results.
IPM (Images Per Minute) 7 6.8 6.6 6.4 6.2 6 5.8 5.6 5.4 5.2
IPM(Images Per Minute)
HP
EPSON
What is IPM? IPM or Images Per Minute is the new industry measurement standard that offers a consistent procedure for testing and comparing print speeds of different printers. The printers are tested as soon as they come out of the box, without changing its settings at all. There are three ways to test the printers on their IPM. First Set Out Time (FSOT) measures the time from the beginning of the printing process to the moment the fourth page is out in the output tray. Effective Throughput (EFTP) is the time from the beginning of the process to the moment the last page of the printing job comes in the output tray. In Estimated Saturated Throughput (ESAT) the time from the moment the fourth page goes to the output tray to the time the last page of the printing job is collected is measured. In our test, we conducted the FSOT type, under three types of printing jobs. They included Short Job (printing one 4-page file), Medium Job (printing one 4-page file, then repeatedly printing that for 30 seconds more), and Long Job (printing one 4-page file, then repeatedly printing that for another 4 minutes).
EPSON L485
The EPSON printer fared the best in this test. It could print 35 pages in 5 minutes and 19 seconds. It recorded an IPM of 6.74.
HP Deskjet 3776
The HP printer fared average, having recorded an IPM of 5.81, printing 31 pages in 5 minutes and 33 seconds.
Copy Test For the copy test, we used the text template we designed earlier for the test, and tested the printers on how quickly they were able to copy it in colour as well as black and white. The EPSON printer recorded 10.17 seconds in the black and white copy and 32.99 seconds in the colour copy.
HP Deskjet 3776
In the copy test, HP clocked a record time of 40.41 seconds in black and white copy, and 53.04 seconds in colour copy.
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60 50
Time (Seconds)
EPSON L485
Copy Test
40 30 20 10 0
B/W
HP
Colour
B/W
Colour EPSON
Scan Test This test was conducted by recording time taken to scan one sheet of size A4 in colour.
EPSON L485
The EPSON printer took 27.98 seconds to scan.
HP Deskjet 3776
HP was faster in the scan test, clocking 22.2 seconds.
Scan Test 30 25 20 15
Time (Seconds)/ Per Page
10 5 0 HP
EPSON
Conclusion HP Deskjet 3776
With a price tag of `6399, the HP Deskjet 3776 did not ace most of the tests, except the scan test when it came to the print time. It was slower than the Epson contender. It had a lower IPM score than the Epson printer as well. However, in a few tests the HP outputs were quite good, and comparitively accurate to the original. The printer also costs less than half of the contender, and has a sleek compact body, with a modern design. It did a great job, but fell short when it came to timings.
EPSON L485
The EPSON L485, performed well in most categories with decent quality prints, and aced the tests when it came to timings. However, Epson’s colour output in some of the cases was slightly dull. With a price tag of `17,499 it costs more than the contender, however, prints in half the time, thus making it the winner of the All-In-One Printer Shootout this year.
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PHOTOSCAPE
Scape
Photo
Send in your entries to photoscape at asianphotographyindia@gmail.com
Name: Vikram Prabhakar Camera: Canon 5D Mk4 Lens: 25mm Aperture: f2.8 Shutter: 20 secs ISO: 2000
92
november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
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Û Name : Aniket Samanta Camera : Cannon 600D Lens : 18-55 mm
Name: Arindam Chowdhury Camera: NIKON D7000 NIKON 18-140 MM APERTURE: F 8 , SHUTTER: 1/1000 FOCAL LENGTH: 90 MM ISO: 200
Name: Ankush Kochhar Exif NA
Name: Souradeep Rakshit Camera: Canon 750D ISO: 400 Aperture: f1.8 F stop: 1/40 Lens :50mm
Name: Jasvir Singh Camera: Nikon D7200 Lens: Tamron 150-600 G2 Aperture: f/7.1 ISO: 640 Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec. Focal Length: 600 mm
Ă› Name: Manjeet Kolatkar Exif: NA
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Û Name: Sachin Chausali Camera: Nikon D5200 Lens: Tokina 11-16 f2.8 Exif : 125 Pictures stacked. 30sec F/2.8 ISO 1600
(12 E-Issues)
Name: Sadiqur Rahman Camera: NIKON D5100 Lens: Nikkor 18-55 F/ stop:11 Shutter: 1/30s ISO: 100
Û Name: Subhadip Biswas Exif NA
november 2017
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PHOTO-MONTAGE
Montage
Photo
Looking to get your portfolio featured?? Send your entry to asianphotographyindia@gmail.com and tell us why we should feature it
I am a fine art landscape photographer. I have always been fond of travelling since my childhood and my passion of travelling has given birth to my passion for photography. I am always fascinated by the beauty of nature. The vastness, the colours, the seasons, the moods, the flora and fauna, the mountains, the rivers, the seas and the valleys - all these fleeting beauties of nature attract me to capture them with my camera and present them to the world with my own taste of aesthetic pleasure. Camera alone cannot capture such grand beauty of mother nature; it’s the artist’s vision that creates the scene with his own visual perception.
Subhankar Das
96
november 2017 www.asianphotographyindia.com
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