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WELCOME

EDITOR Hoshang S. Billimoria TECHNICAL EDITOR Rohinton Mehta ASSISTANT EDITOR Sujith Gopinath COPY EDITOR Unnati Sagar PHOTOGRAPHY Mahesh Reddy HEAD-DESIGN & PRODUCTION Ravi Parmar ASST ART DIRECTOR Nandkishor Sawant DESIGN Sanjay Awad PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Dinesh Bhajnik HEAD COLOUR CORRECTION&QUALITY CONTROL Deepak Narkar

S

ure enough, the introduction of the much debated Goods and Service Tax (GST) has caused a flutter in the industry and set a cat amongst the pigeons. Prices were supposed to remain stable or go down but have actually gone up for most photography equipment. The reasons are very clear. All cameras in India are imported and whilst several items like countervailing duty have been abolished, custom duty still continues and gets added to the cost. Hopefully, the industry will be able to pass on the increase in price to the customer. GST is very likely to cause a short term inflationary impact on the economy, even otherwise. The related question that can be asked is - Why is there no manufacturing industry in either assembling or manufacturing cameras in India? A number of camera and audio majors have factories even in Vietnam but India has been ignored in spite of being a large and growing market.

PUBLISHER Girish Mallya GENERAL MANAGER (NORTH & EAST) Ellora Dasgupta GENERAL MANAGER (SOUTH) Girish Shet PRODUCT MANAGER Perseus Master HEAD OFFICE - MUMBAI Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013 Tel: + 91 22 43525252 Email: sp@nextgenpublishing.net

The reasons are obvious. The ease of doing business, especially as far as manufacturing is concerned, is rather low and needs a dramatic improvement for things to change.

CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION Hemant Birwadkar (Head Circulation - West and South) Kapil Kaushik (Manager Circulation (North & East) Sachin Kelkar (Subscription Supervisor)

MARKETING OFFICES Ahmedabad: Devendra Mehta - Mobile No.- 09714913234 Bengaluru:

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Tel: + 91 44 4210 8421/ 4217 5421

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HERE’S WHAT MAKES US

WE ARE GLUED TO THE GLOBAL IMAGING INDUSTRY Our team is updated with all the benchmarks and road blocks that the field of photography and imaging across the globe experiences. This helps us record the changes in the global perspective, thus making us the first to predict which products will be a rage in the Indian markets.

WE’RE IMPARTIAL Loyalty towards our readers is a given, and their best interests are always on our mind. Every verdict is honest and not influenced by advertisers or personal favorites. So when we say a product is a ‘BEST BUY’, then, it is just that!

OUR TESTS ARE CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS All equipment go through a series of tests at the hands of our experts. Our reviewers are experts in the field of photography across the country and have many years of experience. That gives us the foresight to distinguish between a passing trend and a big change in the field of photography and imaging. And finally, our reviews are not extended to just fill up the pages!

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU There is no debate on why we are here. Our sole goal is to provide you options and better your judgement in product purchase while, sharing tips and tricks to improve your images. Our biggest joy is in building a bridge between you and your perfect picture!

Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. Printed by Girish Mallya, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013. Published by Girish Mallya on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower

Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013. Copyright 2014 SMART PHOTOGRAPHY All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Smart Photography does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.

Editor – Hoshang S Billimoria

www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

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ISSUE 150 / SEPTEMBER 2017

CONTENTS

42

Mastercraftsman

The masters of the craft share their insights and photographs

32

36

Smart Photography September 2017

Kaleidoscope

6

A platform for budding photographers to exhibit their talent and get noticed!

Showcase

A photographic profile of the person behind the lens

88 Ask Uncle Ronnie Our expert answers to your queries

Just a moment!

Readers can find the updated Buyer’s Guide, log on http://smartphotography.in/news/monthly-special Smart Photography thanks the readers who participate in the Picture of the Month contest. We would like to bring to your attention a few changes in the rules for submission.

From now on, you may send in your images with the longer side measuring atleast 17 inches. Please note that the images have to be horizontal. This permits readers to submit panoramic shots, which was not possible with the current size of 17 x 11 inches.

www.smartphotography.in

REGULARS

News from the industry, fresh from the oven

It’s time for rewards and here it is...

A photographer remembers all those special gear that shaped his career

SPECIALS

70 Narrative of Fleeting 74 AMoments Street Beat

Mohit Tejpal shares some images from the streets

Debesh Kumar Pattnayak captures life on the streets

78 50 Book Review 137Nuggets

Enchanting Dreamscapes

Nishad K.S. shares some drool-worthy landscapes We have something for the book lovers too

Some interesting thoughts on the photography industry

TRAVEL FEATURES

52 A Road Trip to Khardung La 60 Nightlife in Singapore 64 Buddha of Borobudur Ajay Sood explores the Himalayan landscape Antara Sharma provides her photographic perspective

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SMART TRAVEL CONTEST

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Imaging and 92 HDR Processing

PHO O FEATURES PHOTO S

Leh Ladakh • Singapore • Indonesia Leh-Ladakh 8 page Nikita Distributors supplement with this issue

Special Features

Street

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Landscape

Photography Learnings

The Art of

HDR

Saving Images for

the Web Interview

Ashok Kandimalla shows you how to shoot and process HDR images

98

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Prasad Malgaonkar Profile

R Ramakrishnan Also Reviewed

Landscape Pro 2

Image Editing Part 10

Uncle Ronnie explains how you can optimise an image for the web

102

If I Were You

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Bouquets, brickbats...we have a place for your valuable feedback

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CANON

LEARNINGS

10 Mailbag 12 Newswatch 28 Picture of the Month 86 My Life with Cameras

116

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CONTENTS

Cover credit: Antara Sharma

NIKON D7500

CANON EOS M6

INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!

ONEPLUS 5

V Volume 13 • Issue 5 • August g 2017 7

Special Feature

Wildlife

Learn how your pictures can be taken to another level

Photography Learnings

Hyperfocal

Distance Sharpen Like a Pro

REVIEWS

106

RS.150

WILDLIFE SPECIAL

Master Your

Bridge Camera Interview

Goutam Som

Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.56.3 IS STM

The travel zoom from Canon for mirrorless bodies

108 110 Oppo F3 112 Landscape Pro Version 2.3.1 HTC U11

This smartphone with a squeezable bezel is an imaging expert

Profile

Balamahesh P Also Reviewed

Canon EF-M 11-22mm IS STM Moto Z2 Play

REVIEWS

FUJIFILM X-T2

CANON

EF-M 28MM MACRO

SIGMA

100-400MM F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C

INDIA’S NUMBER 1 IMAGING MAGAZINE!

BLACK & WHITE SPECIAL

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Learnings

CONVERTING TO BLACK & WHITE REPLACING DULL SKIES

Another selfie expert ready to delight you

EXPOSURE MODES EXPLAINED MONOCHROME WITH SILVER EFEX PRO 2

This latest version promises to take your landscapes to new heights

FIRST LOOK

118 Thecus NAS N2810 V2

This server allows you to set up a personal cloud for multimedia

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Special Features

Special Showcase Miniature Art

Photo Feature Interview

Ashok Dilwali

Profile

Dr.Pankaj Sharma

Huntsville Paigah Tombs

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WILDLIFE SPECIAL

V l Volume 13 3 • IIssue 5 • A August 2017 20 7

149

Special Feature

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Like a Pro

Master Your

Bridge Camera VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 5 | AUGUST 2017

Write to us at: Smart Photography, Next Gen Publishing Ltd, Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013 E-mail: sp@nextgenpublishing.net

Interview

Goutam Som Profile

Balamahesh P Also Reviewed

Canon EF-M 11-22mm IS STM Moto Z2 Play

DEDICATION & PATIENCE Dear Editor,

Great writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience”.

The reason why I am mentioning it here is that, the pictures featured in the August issue of Smart Photography display sheer dedication and patience of all the photographers. Wildlife photography is one of my favourite genres and I thoroughly enjoyed the Wildlife Special issue.

The moments captured in all the featured images were extraordinary and brilliant. Kudos to team SP! Your’s faithfully, Rajiv Menon, Mumbai, Maharashtra

KNOWLEDGE SOURCE Dear Sir,

I am an amateur photographer and have been a reader of SP magazine for more than four years. I always enjoy reading the ‘Learning’ section of the magazine. The article about bridge cameras by Ashok Kandimalla sir was extremely resourceful. I love reading Smart Photography because it is a source of knowledge for budding photographers like me.

Thank you, Vishal Vaya, Rajkot, Gujarat

Smart Photography Has A New Address NEXT GEN PUBLISHING PVT. LTD. Smart Photography September 2017

Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai - 400 013.

10

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SP

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International

Snippets Samsung’s ranks no. 1 in chip sales.

Samsung has had $15.1 billion in semiconductor sales during the first quarter 2017, compared with $14.4 billion for Intel, which has led the world in chip sales for last 24 years, according to Nomura Securities brokerage.

Nikon Corp. has officially confirmed its new FX-format high-performance D-SLR camera, dubbed D850, a successor to the D810. The company is yet to mention further features, specifications, design, availability and the suggested price.

LG Electronics introduces 5 internet of things sensors meant for use in home automation systems, all connecting to LG SmartThinQ app. The sensors can detect carbon monoxide, the opening and closing of doors, movements, smoke and water leaks.

Facebook incorporates VR with Spaces. The compnay is moving to integrate its platform with virtual reality by tolling out a new ptogram called Spaces. The app works with its Oculus Rift VR to interact with friends while drawing or watching videos.

Smart Photography September 2017

Global Disposal Camera Market Survey Report 2017 declares five key players in the global disposable camera market, namely: AgfaPhoto, Kodak, Ilford, Fujifilm, and Rollei.

12

www.smartphotography.in

Winners of EISA Awards 2017-2018 announced

H group:

ere is the list of winners under the Photography Expert

EISA CONSUMER DSLR CAMERA Canon EOS 77D

EISA PROSUMER DSLR CAMERA Nikon D7500

EISA PROFESSIONAL DSLR CAMERA Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

EISA CONSUMER COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA Fujifilm X-T20

EISA PROSUMER COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA α Sony 6500

EISA CAMERA α Sony 9

EISA COMPACT CAMERA Sony RX100 V

EISA SUPERZOOM CAMERA Sony RX10 III

EISA PHOTO & VIDEO CAMERA Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5

EISA INSTANT CAMERA Fujifilm Instax SQUARE SQ10 EISA DSLR LENS SIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM | Art EISA DSLR ZOOM LENS Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 EISA PROFESSIONAL DSLR LENS Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM

EISA COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA LENS Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS

EISA PROFESSIONAL COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA LENS Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS EISA COMPACT SYSTEM

CAMERA ZOOM LENS Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO EISA PHOTO INNOVATION Tamron 18-400mm F3.56.3 Di II VC HLD EISA PHOTO DISPLAY EEIZO ColorEdge CG2730 EISA SMARTPHONE CAMERA Huawei P10

Canon to launch new binoculars

C

anon Inc. announced the marketing of three new binocular models this autumn, which are mounted with its original image stabilization (IS) technology called Powered IS. The binoculars are 10x32 IS, 12x32 IS and 14x32 IS, which stand for the magnification of 10x, 12x and 14x and the objective lens’ diameter of 32mm.

These binoculars are suitable for

nature observation such as bird watching, in sports stadiums or halls for dramas and concerts thanks to the

powerful IS effect despite the high magnification. The user can choose between the Powered IS and conventional IS depending on scene being observed. The user can choose the IS operation amongst two methods – (1) Continue the compensation as long as the IS button is pressed and (2) The IS effect continues for five minutes once the button is pressed.

Availability will be in early November, 2017. Suggested prices are 170,000 yen for 10x32 IS, 175,000 yen for 12x32 IS and 180,000 yen for 14x32 IS.

SP

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International

Western Digital to release SSD units with 64-layered NAND memory

Smart Photography September 2017

Western Digital Corp. said will release a new solid state drive (SSD) product utilising NAND-type memory with 64-layered 3D construction which is considered to be the world’s first commercially available 64-layered 3D type SSD. The company has developed the new SSD utilising SanDisk’s technology, which WD acquired in May 2016.

The company will market under the double brand of Western Digital and SanDisk as the user groups of these brands are different. The company has readied four models depending on memory capacity from 250GB to 2TB. Suggested list price for 250GB is approximately 12,000 yen and 2TB at 76,000 yen. The company is handling HDD as data storage media and the price of SSD is gradually falling.

The company is expanding the lineup of SSDs.

14

www.smartphotography.in

Ri coh develops affordable inkjet printer for garments

R

icoh Co. has announced it has developed an easy to use, affordable Ricoh Ri 100 Direct to Garment inkjet printer. The printer can print directly onto shirts, hats, canvas bags and more. The compact Ri 100 DTG printer can be set with the finisher (fixer) so the process of printing is easy and can be accomplished in just about 10 minutes using a newly adopted T-shirt holder.

The printer will be launched this summer in Asian countries

and from this autumn, it will be marketed in Japan and in the world thereafter. The printer and fixer may be priced at approximately 600,000 yen, about one-third the cost of similar products by its

competitors. The company has placed the industrial and commercial use printers as one of its growth businesses. The company targets to earn 10 billion in sales for the garment printer segment in 2020.

Cosina to launch large-aperture 65mm f+/2 Macro lens

C

osina Co. announced that it will launch a new largeaperture macro lens, the Macro APO-Lanthar 65mm F/2 Aspherical whose development was first announced and showcased as reference at the Photokina 2016. The lens is for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras.

The manual focussing lens is

constructed with 10 elements in 8 groups, including an aspherical element, reproducing sharp images with minimized chromatic

aberration from the center to the edges. The lens is mounted with a distance encoder, and 5-axis vibration compensation, closest shooting distance is 0.31m, and maximum magnification 1:2. The lens will be available on August 10, 2017 at a suggested list price of 120,000 yen

SP

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International

Epson to release new projectors for both home and business use

S

eiko Epson Co. said it will market 12 new projector models for business and home use. The company has readied seven models for business use and five for home use. For the business use, all the models feature brightness range of 3,200lm to 3600lm, keeping high visibility even in a bright room, and resolution from SVGA to WUXGA. All the models are compact and lightweight – less than 3kg. The top of the line, model EB-U42 features full HD resolution (WUXGA 1920 x 1200) and brightness of 3600lm, carrying a suggested

price tag of 132,000 yen. The most affordable model EB-S05 features 3200lm and SVGA (800 x 600) resolution, with suggested price of 44,980 yen.

The company targets to sell 150,000 units a year. Epson has readied five models as home projectors in two high-quality

lines with 2 models and one basic model. The high-quality lines come with the projector itself as a set, with a projector and screen. All the models feature brightness of up to 2500lm enabling viewing in a bright room. The basic model EB-W05 features WXGA

(1280 x 800) resolution and 3300lm, selling under expected price of 64,980 yen.

The high-quality models, the EH-TW5650 is equipped with a 1080p panel equivalent to full HD resolution, brightness of 2500lm and contrast ratio of 60,000:1. When using a media streaming device, it can be wirelessly connected with AV equipment. It will be available at an expected price of 129,980 yen (without a screen) and 135,980 yen (with a screen).

The EH-TW650/TW650S features full HD resolution, brightness 3100lm and contrast of 15,000:1. Expected selling prices are 99,980 yen and 105,980 yen, respectively.

Nikon launches FX-format telephoto zoom lens 70-300mm

N

ikon Corp. has released a new FX-format telephoto zoom lens, AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR for full-frame D-SLR cameras. The lens employs a stepping motor to the AF drive to realise high speed and quiet shutter release, also important to videography.

The lens is equipped with optical vibration reduction (VR) function giving about 4.5-step advantage. It is also equipped with a SPORT mode to photograph fast-moving subjects. The lens consists of 18 elements in 14 groups, including one ED (Extra-low Dispersion)

element to correct chromatic aberrations.

The closest shooting distance is 1.2m for the entire zoom. The lens is also designed as ‘antidust and antisplash’.

The maximum diameter is 80.5mm, length 146m and

weighs about 680g. Suggested list price: 94,000 yen.

Samsung posts increased operational profits

Smart Photography September 2017

S 16

amsung Electronics announced its first half year financial report for January to June, 2017 and posted a 61% gain year-onyear to 23.9 trillion Korean won (about US$21.29 billion) in operational profit. Over 20 financial analysts forecast the operational profit for the www.smartphotography.in

whole year to December 2017 will record high at 51 trillion won (US$45.44 billion). For the six month period, it seems that of DRAM took 30%, NAND flash memory 15% taking advantage of short supply of memories for smartphones and servers. On top of that, the company has added the

profit of OLED panels for smartphones on the good going of the profit, as it seems to have started shipment of the panels to Apple at the end of May to early June. Some analysts estimate Samsung will ship approximately 80 million to 90 million units during 2017, which will be

170 million units in 2018.

The profitability of DRAMs is very high reaching to about 60% in the profitability on sales. Samsung seems to draw a picture to leave Toshiba behind in the flash memory improvement race by investing money earned in the DRAM business.

Sumitomo Chemical to reduce OLED panel production cost

S

umitomo Chemical Co. has developed a new technology which can reduce production costs of large-format OLED panels to a great extent. The company has developed a new chemical pigment material for manufacturing OLED panels that targets to cut the production cost to half of the current deposition method.

The company plans to enter quantity production by 2019

and sell to panel manufacturers in and outside Japan, expecting reduction of prices for OLED TVs to expand the market. The current deposition method requires expensive equipment and lots of the chemical pigment materials are wasted.

The light-emitting elements of red, green and blue are supplied by Idemitsu Kosan Co. of Japan, Merck from Germany, and so on. The new printing method can reduce production

costs because it requires less manufacturing processes than the deposition method but has a drawback of difficulty of coating light-emitting pigment evenly on the panel plate, which becomes more difficult when the panel sizes get larger. The new pigment that Sumitomo Chemical has developed is expected to reduce colouring of the light-emitting pigments on to the panel. Sumitomo Chemical said it has developed

new manufacturing equipment for the printing method. To develop the new pigments, the company has cooperated with foreign panel makers and JOLED, which was established by integrating the OLED business division of Sony and Panasonic in 2015. JOLED plans to develop 21.6-inch display for medical use by using the new OELD panel produced in the printing method and market this autumn.

HP signs a five-year deal with Shutterfly

S

hutterfly is known as one of the world’s largest online retailer and manufacturer, providing image publishing services. HP Inc. recently announced that it has signed a five-year deal with Shutterfly, who has named HP as its preferred digital press provider. Last year, around the same time, Shutterfly had acquired a first phase of 25 HP Indigo 12000 Digital Presses, making its combined order the largest deal by far for HP Indigo. This five-year deal marks

the biggest ever competitive win for HP Indigo, with Shutterfly’s decision to make HP its preferred digital press provider and replace presses from an existing vendor. Shutterfly has announced that it will use its new fleet of digital presses to produce a range of high-quality, personalized products and gifts including

photo books, calendars, custom stationery, cards and keepsakes.

The 29-inch format HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press will enable the production of these products through offset matching digital colour with true photo quality, high productivity, and wide

versatility on an unmatched range of media including synthetic, metalized and canvas applications. Sharing his thoughts on the coveted deal, President of Imaging & Printing Business, HP Inc - Enrique Lores said, “We are seeing an incredible renaissance in digital printing. People click on what they like, but print what they love. The power of HP’s digital print technologies opens new markets, applications and possibilities for our top customers like Shutterfly”.

V

enus Optics recently announced the launch of Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D for Sony Full Frame E-mount cameras. Currently the widest f/2 rectilinear lens in the market, it is an ultra-wide & ultra-fast prime lens which covers both 35mm full-frame & APS-C sensors. Weighing around 500g (~1.1 pounds), the lens

is 8 cm long and comprises of 12 elements in 9 groups with 2 pcs of aspherical elements and 3 pcs of Extralow dispersion elements. It provides an extreme 110° angle of view and ultrafast f/2 aperture. The lens provides a super close focussing distance of 15cm and is specially designed to

remove the optical distortion commonly exist in wide angle lenses at infinity focus. The new Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D is currently available to pre-order in the official website of Venus Optics (http://www.venuslens.net/) and their authorized resellers at an approximate retail price of USD 849. www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

Venus Optics launches Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D

17

Foldable LED Video Panel

SP

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Business

Nikon posts declined profits for first quarter

N

ikon Corp. announced on August 3 the financial results for the first quarter ending on June 30, reporting that the total revenue for the period gained a 0.6% year-on-year to 170.3 billion yen, profit in operation declined 31.1% to 12.4 billion yen and net profit down 39.5% to 8.89 billion yen.

Segment Sales % Operational profit %

Imaging Products 90.91 -3.8 7.66 -24.5

In the Imaging Products segment, sales of mid-class cameras such as the D7500, a digital SLR camera released

in June this year were firm, with unit sales increasing significantly in the U.S. Accordingly, the performance in revenue and operating profit exceeded the planned targets, but compared to the last year, a decease in revenue and operating profit was recorded due to a product mix change caused by the stagnant demand

for the D5 and the D500.

The company sold 720,000 units of interchangeable-lens cameras, 1.08 million units of interchangeable lenses and 770,000 compact digital cameras. The company said the unit sales of compact digital cameras declined but the average unit price rose about 30%.

Sony to boost production of image sensors

S

ony Corp. will boost production of CMOS image sensors from current monthly production capacity of 88,000 wafers in 300mm including those produced by the third party consigned partners to 100,000 wafers per month by March 2018.

Demand for the image sensors are mounting for smartphone cameras, digital cameras and on vehicle cameras. As smartphones popular in China

are getting feature-driven especially camera features to take better photos that most users post their photos on their SNS sites such as Instagram and Facebook. In China, dual camera models are getting popular with a high-quality front camera as well as the main cameras to take better selfie pictures.

In order to take better selfies, the quality of the front camera is getting important. Image sensors are being used now

to detect color wavelength or depth information that the human eyes cannot recognize, to be mounted on cars and for IoT devices. Sony will absorb such demand for industrial use to sell 680 billion worth sensors for fiscal 2017 ending March 2018 and its semiconductor business including LSI chips to sell 880 billion yen with profit in operation to 120 billion yen from 7.8 billion loss in the previous year.

Toshiba Memory’s sale negotiation stalemated

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oshiba Corp. on July 11 had a meeting with its main banks about the negotiation of the sale of its semiconductor memory business with the Japan-US-South Korea ally led by Innovation Network Corp. of Japan (INCJ). The top management of Toshiba explained the negotiation is stalemated because the ally has a difficulty on the roles of SK Hynix of South Korea, which seems to www.smartphotography.in

have a stronger interest in NAND type flash memory technology than the other have earlier expected because SK is behind Samsumg in the mass production for NAND memory while it has know-how in DRAM production, which lacks in Toshiba and thinks the company has a merit to join the ally and commit to Toshiba Memory’s production more aggressively.

Toshiba revealed it has started

to negotiate again with Western Digital and Hon Hai Precision. WD has proposed the acquisition by allying with U.S. fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR & Co.), INCJ and Development Bank of Japan.

Toshiba wants to decide the sale of Toshiba Memory by the end of March, 2018 in order to have excessive liabilities two years in a row which is to lead to the company going private.

Panasonic reports increase in net profit

Panasonic Corp. announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2017 (April to June 30), reporting a 67% year-on-year jump in the net profit to 48.7 billion yen on the total sales of 1,865 billion yen, a 5% increase.

Operational profit increased 17% to 83.9 billion yen. Three in-company results out of four posted increased profit and sales, in particular the automotive business field posted a 13% and 22% gains in sales and operational profit, respectively, thanks to dramatic growth in Li-ion batteries for vehicles. Outlook for the whole year: Sales 8,619 billion yen, operational profit 352 billion yen. The company will celebrate its 100 anniversary of the founding in 2018 and will target 450 billion yen in operational profit.

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Skanem Interlabels to extend partnership with HP

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P Inc. India has installed the HP Indigo WS6800 digital press at Skanem Interlabels in Mumbai. Skanem Interlabels is one of India’s leading labeling solution providers and leader in selfadhesive labels. The installation of Indigo press from HP will enable Skanem Interlabels to offer a complete digital labeling solutions for their clients.

With the latest HP Indigo

WS6800 installation, Skanem Interlabels is all set to double their capacity and offer faster service to their customers.

The HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press delivers high productivity, wide versatility, and intelligent colour automation. This will enable Skanem Interlabels to cater to the self-adhesive labels and also deliver innovative printing solutions to both its global and domestic clients as

well. Speaking on the continued business association with Skanem Interlabels, Country Manager of Indigo and Inkjet Web Press, HP Inc. India—A. Appadurai said, “Skanem Interlabels has been one of our most valued partners since 2011 and is known to provide state of the art labelling solutions to their customers across the country. To help them further their growth, we partnered with

them to provide our best-inclass HP Indigo WS6800. With its capability for printing variety of labeling and packaging applications, high productivity through higher speed and in line priming units and accurate colour management through the inline spectrophotometer, HP Indigo WS6800 will help Skanem Interlabels in catering to challenging requirements of their end customers.”

Motorola opens ‘Moto Hub’ in India

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s an attempt to strengthen its customer relationship, Motorola recently inaugurated an experiential retail store ‘Moto Hub’ in India. With this move, Motorola will be able tp provide its customers with an opportunity to experience the full portfolio and purchase Motorola products under one roof. The first six Moto Hubs have been launched at the following locations: -Great India Place, NOIDA -Logix Mall, NOIDA -Shipra Mall, Indirapuram -Xperia Mall, Dombivali, Mumbai -Korum Mall, Thane, Mumbai -Viviana Mall, Thane, Mumbai By the end of this financial year, the company aims at opening 50 Moto Hubs across the top tier www.smartphotography.in

towns in India. Housing all the device that exclusively available online, these one-stop-shops will showcase a complete portfolio of Motorola devices,.This includes Motorola accessories like on-ear and in-ear headphones, moto shells, covers etc.

The company also provides various inaugural offers where the buyers will get a free Motorola accessories on the purchase of Motorola E, C and G series. The company will also provide a discount

of 50% on MODS on the purchase of Moto Z2 play, along with easy EMI options to choose

from. Sharing his thoughts at the inaugural event, the Managing Director of Motorola Mobility India, Sudhin Mathur said, “At Motorola, we understand our consumers’ needs and focus on providing them meaningful mobile experiences.

We believe with the launch of this new retail channel ‘Moto Hub’, we are giving the customers an opportunity to get access to the complete Motorola portfolio, our technology and devices, in an environment that is more open, fun and very uniquely Motorola.”

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GoPro releases QuikStories

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oPro has recently launched its latest update for the Hero5 camera to support to their latest app and adds better functionalities to the earlier GoPro apps. The new QuikStories app pulls footage from the connected GoPro HERO5 camera and creates stunning videos. This essentially replaces the earlier Quik app with GoPro app, which includes the new QuikStories feature. QuikStories analyses recorded footage and combines them along with the optimal transitions and background score. The created video is ready to be shared. It also has

Profoto conducts lighting workshop

Smart Photography September 2017

Profoto recently conducted a special workshop on light shaping.

Held at Chennai Trade Centre, this 3-day workshop included 12

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sessions (4 sessions per day). The sessions were conducted by Irish/ French photographer - Brendan De Clercq and lens-based artist and commercial photographer - Sundeep Bali. Attended by numerous photography and lighting enthusiasts, the workshop also displayed various Profoto products like: Profoto B2, Pro10, D1 and D2 along with the newly launched B1X. www.smartphotography.in

provision to edit the footage and apply custom transitions, background music filters and effects. The new app provides an effortless solution to produce polished and presentable videos. Talking about the latest update, GoPro founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman said, “QuikStories is our biggest leap forward since the invention of the GoPro itself. QuikStories is the simple storytelling solution our customers have been dreaming about for years. It’s an absolute game changer”. To make a QuikStory, users can pair the HERO5 camera to their phones

and launch the GoPro app. The app automatically copies the most recent GoPro footage to the paired phone and creates exciting videos. Users can also add text, slow motion and speed effects, change filters and music,

adjust the total video length and more. Additionally, any footage on stored in the phone can be added to a QuikStory video.

QuikStories is now available for HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session users.

Shari Academy celebrates Silver Jubilee Anniversary

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hari Academy launched LuXoculus 2017, to celebrate their Silver Jubilee, with its graduates of the Mastercraftsman Diploma course.

The event was held at their brand new colaba premises. The LuXoculus 2017 was inaugurated

by Kenichiro Hibi (Managing Director, Sony India Pvt. Ltd.),

Hiroyuki Tokuno (Deputy General Manager, Sony India Pvt. Ltd.), Jayesh Mehta (President of AIPTIA), Chandrakant Shah (Hon. Secretary), Mukul Kashyap (Regional Sales Director Indian Subcontinent, Manfrotto), Kakubhai Kothari, Jai Shankar Sharma, Shari Senior faculty members and senior

industry members. To add to the celebrations, Sony India announced 4 scholarships worth INR 7 lakhs to the top award winning students. Along with that companies like Zeiss, Manfrotto, Photoquip, Kingston and AIPTIA sponsored a combined reward for all the award winning students of over 14 lakhs (in cash and kind). On the occasion of its Silver Jubilee, Shari Academy formally announced the launch of a new course - Diploma in Digital Video Production, starting on from 14th September 2017.

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Jaideep Mehrotra’s solo exhibition announced

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eteran Indian artist, Jaideep Mehrotra recently announced his solo exhibition titled ‘Reflections in Mercury’. The exhibition will be held at Tao Art Gallery in Worli, Mumbai, from 23rd September to 22nd October, 2017. Known for his figurative works, Jaideep will be showcasing his abstract paintings for the first time. A combination of metal, paint and various mixed media come together in his work to form these intriguing,

Smart Photography September 2017

Demise of a photography legend

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Legendary Indian photographer, S. Paul passed away at the age of 88, on 16th August, 2017, at his residence in Ghaziabad. Born on 19th August (which is celebrated as World Photography Day), S. Paul was a path-breaking Indian photojournalist. Born in Jhang in Pakistan’s Punjab province, he moved to Simla with his brother Raghu Rai. He was the first India photographer to win Nikon International photo contest in 1971. Paul was also conferred with the National Award for Lifetime Achievement in Photography in the year 2010. Paul was cremated at Nigambodh Ghat on Thursday along with an old analog camera. www.smartphotography.in

highly reflective, metallic works. Having working for over four decades, Jaideep Mehrotra

is considered to be India’s finest inventive contemporary artist. Along with 23 solo

exhibitions to his credit, he has participated in numerous group shows all over the world.

Pixlent launched on the occasion of World Photography Day

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ndia’s first online digital platform ‘Pixlent.com’ was launched on the occasion of World Photography Day in Pune by landscape & fine art photography expert, Lalit Deshmukh at Sumant Moolgaokar Auditorium. Pixlent.com is conceptualised and designed

by Dr. Yashodhan Joshi. In the inaugural speech he said, “The main motive behind this concept is to develop the skills behind the lens and to bring aspiring photographers and passionate photography experts together for the sole purpose of professional photo reviews and critiquing”. The first segment of the launching event had a group discussion amongst Pixlent experts who are also some of the best names in photography. It was moderated

by Prashant Desai. The topics for the discussion were: What goes into taking a good shot and how to give your photo the extra edge.

The experts also shared their stories and talked on the journey of Film Photography to Digital Photography. The second segment of the program contained Live Photo Critiquing On Pixlent.com by Lalit Deshmukh and fashion and

glamour photographer Sameer Belvalkar. Experts also answered the questions asked by the audience. The program ended with the vote of thanks given by Sameer Belvalkar. The show was hosted by Tejashri Dharane.

ASUS announces ZenFone Zoom S

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th August is celebrated as World Photography Day every year. To add to the celebrations, ASUS announced the launch of its latest smartphone ZenFone Zoom S. With its slim and lightweight body, this new phone is specifically built for photography. It features dual 12MP cameras with 2.3X true optical zoom and 12X total zoom.

Its SuperPixel camera provides

a pixel size of 1.4 micron. It features the Sony IMX362 sensor and provides a large f/1.7 lens aperture. It also features a fouraxis Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and three-axis Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), RGB Colour-correction sensor for auto colour adjustments, 48MP Super Resolution mode that combines four native 12MP photos to create a single large image and 19 different capture modes.

ASUS ZenFone Zoom S comes with a 5.5in Full HD 1920 x 1080 AMOLED display, along with 2.5D contoured Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 14nm Octa-core @ 2.0 GHz processor. This new ZenFone comes with a 5000mAh battery that can last up to 2 days.

The new ASUS ZenFone Zoom S is launched online and will be available exclusively on Flipkart at INR 26,999.

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new telecom brand Kult, recently announced the launch of its newest smartphone - Beyond.

This 4G- VoLTE enabled smartphone also offers multi-purpose fingerprint sensor and currently it is exclusively available on Amazon. It features a 5.2inch HD screen size and an HD IPS on-cell display. Beyond features a 13MP rear AF camera with Dual Tone LED flash and

13 MP front camera with Dual LED Flash. It runs on a 1.25 GHz

quad-core 64 bit processor and offers the latest Android Nougat 7.0 OS. It comes with a 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM that is expandable up to additional 32GB (supports 3 Slots: 2 SIM both micro + 1 Micro SD). Kult Beyond is powered by a

3000mAh battery and is available for INR 6,999. Commenting on the launch, Hardip Singh, Executive Director of Optiemus Infracom said, “Today’s hyperconnected millennial demands high performance smartphone with great camera quality. We kept that in mind while building Kult Beyond. This beautifully designed smartphone comes loaded with class-leading features and functionalities at a very attractive price, which is an added advantage.”

screen phone. SHARP aims at achieving technology breakthroughs in screen and anti-dropping technologies.

The dimensions of AQUOS S2 are: 141.8 x 72 x 7.9 mm and it weighs 140 g (approximately).

The smartphone is backed by a 3020mAh battery. It offers two variants - 4GB and 6GB RAM, providing internal memory of 64GB and 128GB respectively.

The new AQUOS S2 is available

in White, Black, Blue and Green colour variants.

Sharing his thoughts at the launch, CEO of SHARP/InFocus Mobile- Dr. Luo Zhongsheng said, “The core of full screen design is to break through the

technology limit, achieve the double sense of holding and visual comfort, and provide the ultimate experience for users.”

SHARP re-enters Chinese Markets with AQUOS S2

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apanese MNC SHARP, recently launched a new smartphone AQUOS S2, which is currently available in the Chinese markets. It features a 5.5-inch, 100% bezel less display. SHARP AQUOS S2 with three bezels is currently the largest full screen smartphone. The company announced that it will continuously explore the field of 100% bezel less

www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

Kult unveils its latest smartphone Beyond

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PICTURE OF THE MONT

aph by r g o t o h P

l a P r a k n a S n a y Uda

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

We are sure that all of you have a few pictures that you think are prize worthy.

It happens very often that you don’t know where to send the image that could put a feather in your cap. If you have such images (we’re sure you have many!), send us ONE such horizontal image. If it qualifies, we shall publish it as a double-spread. a. You have to guarantee that the picture was shot by you b. If there are people in the picture who can be identified, we’ll need a model release c. The picture should not have been printed elsewhere (magazine newspaper, or offered to any publication) d. Mark the entry as “Picture of the Month” and rename the file using your name e. You may send images via print/e-mail to: Next Gen Publishing Ltd.,2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013 (or) sphoto. india@gmail.com

A NOTE TO OUR READERS 1. The picture has to be horizontal.

2. Kindly ensure that the longer side should measure atleast 17 inches, at 300ppi.

3. Low resolution images will not be accepted.

4. We do not check images on online galleries.

5. Kindly ensure complete contact/address details are provided.

6. Please make sure that your picture does not have your name/logo on it.

PE al O C lw

OShande D I E iK

L KAVaydeh

Stories Around the Corner As told to Unnati Sagar

V Vaydehi Khandelwal

aydehi Khandelwal is a visual artist and a documentary photographer.

Vaydehi held a camera for the first time at the age of thirteen. Soon, she began her trainer in the field of photography, and by the age of seventeen she realised that she had found her calling. Vaydehi holds a master’s degree in Photography and Digital Imaging from Mumbai. She later pursued a specialised degree in Documentary Art Photography from Spain.

Constantly in search of images that speak to her, Vaydehi truly believes that the images she captures are an extension of herself. She has been a part of various Artist-in-Residence programs in Italy and is involved in cinematography and commercial work in Mumbai. |SP

Smart Photography September 2017

Moving on

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Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

Grand story

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Smart Photography September 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

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Crossing the line

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

Generation gap

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

That Smile at 98 Looking over

Smart Photography September 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

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Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

Wooden art

Singing for his supper

Watching the world go by

Smart Photography September 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

Camera: Canon EOS 60D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 160

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Cityscapes and Skylines As told to Unnati Sagar

Smart Photography September 2017

Paris Cityscape at night

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Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 35mm Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/6 sec ISO: 6400

View of Basilique du SacrĂŠ-CĹ“ur from the Arc de Triomphe

R Ramakrishnan is a Mechanical Engineer by profession and works with a leading automobile company.

He is also a nature lover and a hobbyist R Ramakrishnan photographer. He began his journey into photography with a desire to do something out of ordinary; using a simple point and shoot camera and his smartphone. His business trips often takes him to some of the most beautiful places around the globe. This provided him the opportunity to capture mesmerising landscapes and colourful skylines.

www.smartphotography.in

Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 235mm Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed:1/200 sec ISO: 200

Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 24mm Aperture: f/4 Shutter Speed: 1/1600 sec ISO:100

Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 45mm Aperture: f/10 Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec ISO: 250

Smart Photography September 2017

Paris Cityscape at Sunset

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Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 16mm Aperture: f/10 Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec ISO: 200

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris

Tour de Eiffel, Paris

Smart Photography September 2017

Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 24mm Aperture: f/16 Shutter Speed: 52.2 sec ISO: 100

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Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 105mm Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/5 sec ISO: 6400

Forbidden City, Beijing

Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Focal Length: 24mm Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec ISO: 100

Smart Photography September 2017

Les Invalides, Paris

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Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 420mm Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/4 sec ISO: 50

Kanchenjunga at Sunrise

Smart Photography September 2017

View of Eiffel Tower

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Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R Focal Length: 40mm Aperture: f/13 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec ISO: 100

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Monsoon mood

Fantastic Frames

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As told to Unnati Sagar

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Prasad Malgaonkar

Born and raised in Mumbai, Prasad Malgaonkar is a science graduate. He has spent more than two decades working with some of the leading pharmaceutical organisations of India. As child, Prasad excelled in drawing and sketching, but he never pursued the art more seriously. In the year 2013, with a desire to break-free from the monotony, Prasad started pursuing photography. He bought his first D-SLR at the age of 40. Starting his photographic journey using just the auto mode of his camera, today, Prasad Malgaonkar is one India’s most creative landscape photographers.

www.smartphotography.in

There is an interesting story behind how you took your first step towards this form of art. Would you like to tell us how and when did you decide to pursue photography?

Around 2013, after spending two

Dreamscape

“To see the world, things dangerous to come, To see the walls, draw closer, To find each other, and to feel.

That is the purpose of life.”

Everyone has his/her own interpretation, but I believe the movie has a very simple yet strong message: be curious, be open, explore and connect. At this point, I thought about engaging myself in some sort of art & that’s how my journey towards

photography started. Though I was already into photography, it was my stint with photography groups like DCP Expeditions post which I got into serious photography.

What/who was your biggest source of inspiration when you decided to take up photography?

When I started photography, I possessed very limited knowledge of the subject and had limited references.

Once I started going out with DCP www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

decades with some of the leading pharmaceutical organisations, I started feeling stressed out and overworked. My professional life lacked motivation and I was tired of the monotony. At the same time, I happened to see a beautiful movie called The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

I was completely mesmerised by the movie. I would like to share one of the quotes from that movie which changed my life and directed it towards photography.

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© Prasad Malgaonkar

Wait at the shore

Smart Photography September 2017

Expedition I was fortunate to have the company of mentors like Amit Rane, Dr. Caesar Sengupta and Yuvaraj Gurjar. Being a novice, I was completely mesmerised by their knowledge & understanding. I would specifically like to mention Amit Rane’s name. As I started going out with him on various photo tours, I realised that he is always ready to help and guide everyone. He is my first inspiration for all genres of photography. I was introduced to landscape photography by him and today, it has become my favourite genre.

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Which is your favourite destination for landscape photography and why?

Among the few destinations that I have travelled to, Havelock Island in Andaman and Nicobar is my favourite.

I would love to visit Havelock Island in different seasons. The reason being, it’s a location with beautiful seascapes and dramatic skies. Different hues present within this small island are amazing. Other than that, Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh and Northeast India are my next favourite destinations for their rustic beauty. www.smartphotography.in

Ray of hope

Chasing the sun

© Prasad Malgaonkar

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© Prasad Malgaonkar

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© Prasad Malgaonkar

Rivers cut through rocks

Smart Photography September 2017 © Prasad Malgaonkar

Rush hour

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landscape photography that interests you the most?

Unlimited Colours! The most impressive thing about landscape photography is that, while one creates a still frame, at the same time, he can induce motion in the same frame using long exposures.

In your opinion, how important is post processing, especially when it comes to landscape photography?

When it comes to landscape photography, I feel using editing tools is an essential component of processing the final frame. My approach is to take my image close to what my eyes could see while I was capturing the image. It is a well known fact that, cameras don’t match the dynamic colour as well as the exposure range experienced by our eyes. So the raw output we get has those limitation. Post processing is a medium to bridge this gap. However, one should take precautions to not overdo it to such an extent that it changes the original mood of the image.

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Š Prasad Malgaonkar

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Light in dark

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© Prasad Malgaonkar

© Prasad Malgaonkar

© Prasad Malgaonkar

Carefree Lamp of hope

Fishing

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© Prasad Malgaonkar

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Heaven on earth

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Legendary landscape photographer —Ansel Adams has said, “Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer - and often the supreme disappointment”. Would you like to share your views on this statement?

For many, landscape photography looks very ordinary because they think that most of the frames are available around us. However, to the contrary, just like any other genre of photography, landscape photography is challenging. Creating a frame itself starts with a pre-visualisation.

It involves a lot of pre-planning: What kind of frame do we need to create? Where will it be available?

When is the perfect time to create it?

Some times, just to get half an hour of an early morning golden light, www.smartphotography.in

Curved edges

one needs to spend an entire night preparing for it. But these are more of the operational aspects. The real challenge with landscape photography is that, most of the frames are already photographed a numerous times by great photographers. The challenge for a new photographer, rather for every photographer, is to create a unique image; frame the same scene in such a way that it makes the viewers see it with a newer perspective. According to me this is the biggest test for a landscape photographer. Here, I would like to quote the legendary photographer— “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer”. As landscape photographers, if we fail to communicate that ‘uniqueness’ of our images to the viewers, we fail in our purpose. I believe that’s exactly what

Ansel Adams tried to convey through his words and more often through his images.

Would you like to share a few words of advice for budding photographers and art lovers?

Rather than advice, I would make a request to those who are seriously pursuing landscape photography. You MUST work more on field and less in front of your computers. There are more colours out there than the colour palette of the processing software.

Choose locations like beaches, riversides and mountains for practice; visit them frequently or try to visit the same place in different seasons. This will enable you to practice and also help you understand your gear better.

Also, if possible, read as much as possible about photography. |SP

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A Visual Story Unnati Sagar

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s you hold a copy of this coffee table book by ace landscape photographer Ashok Dilwali, prepare to be mesmerised. An exquisite image of the Bhimakali Temple (Himachal Pradesh) adorns the cover of So Said The Wise. In the introduction, Ashok describes the book perfectly - “a potpourri of photographs and memorable quotes that go beyond all societal boundaries”. With the launch of So Said The Wise, Ashok Dilwali has hit a quarter century as it is the 25th book published by him. www.smartphotography.in

Images are stories without words, and photographers are the narrators of these tales. Himalayan landscape photographer—Ashok Dilwali is one such storyteller, who has enchanted us with his visual stories, time and again. Having published 25 books in a career span of over 30 years is a

remarkable achievement and a sign of sheer dedication towards one’s profession. When asked about his source of inspiration in an earlier interview, he shared with us the secret which led him towards the summit of success. He says, “I believe, life is a ladder and as life progresses, one

attempts to climb the next step and this climbing never ceases.”

Published by Niyogi Books, this 162-page book is a thought catalogue, which includes words by great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Adi Sankara, Sir C. V. Raman, Baba Amte, Rabindranath Tagore, Osho, Guru Gobind Singh, Meera Bai, Gautam Buddha and Bulleh Shah, Annie Besant, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak to name a few. These pearls of wisdom, combined with ethereal landscapes photographed by Ashok Dilwali, makes So Said The Wise a treat for eyes and soul. From lush green forestscapes to snow-clad Himalayan ranges – these images speak of the photographer’s love for the mighty mountains. The lovely valleys with calming colours, the beauty of Himalayan flora and fauna and the insights of some of the greatest minds, all of this creates a positive vibe, and thus makes this coffee table book a good read.

Ashok Dilwali’s stint with photography dates back to the early 90s when he started working at his late father’s studio. He was

literally born and raised around dark-rooms and learned the nuances of photography at a very young age. When he was just eight years old, his father gifted him a baby Brownie. This marked the beginning of his eminent career in the field of photography. Today, Ashok Dilwali is one of India’s greatest photographers and his Himalayan landscapes have awed people across the globe. Renowned British mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, whose glorious career includes nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas has appreciated Ashok

Dilwali’s work. He says, “Ashok Dilwali, who has been trekking and travelling in the Himalayas for many decades, admittedly captures the spirit of these great mountains in his photographs”.

So Said The Wise is a page-turner with stunning images and thoughtprovoking words by great men and women who have shaped our society. This coffee table book

by Ashok Dilwali is designed by Nabanita Das and edited by Saachi Khurana and is available for INR 495. It is also available online. |SP

www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

Photographs are works of art that makes one feel numerous different emotions at the first sight. Ashok Dilwali, now 72, has been pursuing professional photography for over four decades. He has travelled to the nooks and crannies of Himalayas, capturing the land in all its glory. He is a trained chartered accountant who also ran a successful photo studio in Connaught Place. Sharing his thoughts about publishing his first coffee table book, Ashok Dilwali says, “Background of it is that I have been making many, many trips in the Himalayas and many times I get good images. Now what use can I have for them? When wall calendars were a rage, my images were in good demand but that well has dried up!

So now I have found a new way to use them in a book like this.” The same philosophy guides his 25th book, So Said The Wise.

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# Highest Blogger Meet Ajay Sood (Travelure) OSM (Outlook Social Media) Shutterbug of the Year 2016 Pro Travel Photographer. Photo Jurist. Photo Educator. · SPEAKER (Architectural & Travel Photography): · TBEX Europe 2016 (Stockholm) · TBEX Asia 2016 (Manila) · TBEX International 2017 (Jerusalem) · TBEX North America 2017 (Huntsville, AL) WINNER: · India’s Biggest Blogging Contest - Cox & Kings’ Grab Your Dream (Season 2) · National Geographic Traveller’s Get Out There Photo Essay Contest

of road trip through this rugged terrain immediately engulfed me.

It was in a subsequent call that he talked about ScoutMyTrip’s ambitious plan of holding a travel blogger’s meet in Khardung La. OYO Rooms was sponsoring this never-before initiative.

A successful execution of the plan would mean creation of the records for the ‘First Blogger Meet at Khardung La’ and the ‘Highest Blogger Meet’at an altitude of 17,562-ft. (Khardung La is wrongly attributed an altitude of 18,380-ft.).

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or me, it was an eventful July this year. Actually, just calling it eventful would be an understatement, as I became a part of 2 new India records that were set up. These will be featured in the next release of India Book of Records. Read on to know the details.

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The Records and The Brains Behind Them

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In the last week of June, Vineet Rajan of ScoutMyTrip (SMT) called and invited me for a road trip to Ladakh.

During this preliminary call, he did not divulge the details. All he mentioned was the involvement of a hospitality chain. Although it was going to be my third trip to Ladakh, the excitement www.smartphotography.in

AageSeRight - a meaningful road trip hashtag

The Roller Coaster of a Road Trip A convoy of SUVs set out for Khardung La on 11th July 2017. SMT’s scouts were driving these vehicles. Their cumulative driving experience exceeded a million kilometres - much of it on tough mountainous terrains across the length and breadth of India.

The planned route for this 11-day trip was – Gurgaon-Jammu-Sonamarg-

Our Convoy

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One of the SUVs from our convoy in the rugged terrain of Ladakh

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We got past the 9.2-km long Chenani-Nashri Tunnel (also called the Patnitop Tunnel) that was inaugurated by our Prime Minister in April 2017 and reached Ramban in good time.

And it was here that our plan changed. The J&K Police had stopped all traffic in Ramban because of continuing landslides between Ramban and Anantnag. Our Day 2 was mercilessly cut short!

As we reached Sonamarg

Kargil-Leh-Hundar-Pangong Tso-Tso Moriri-Keylong-Manali-Gurgaon. OYO Rooms had organised our stay along this entire itinerary, mostly in their own properties.

But as the saying goes - Man proposes; God disposes. While there was a planned itinerary, the turn of events along the way ensured not all would go as planned. Did I mention a roller coaster of a trip?

Come, travel with me

Our first day on the road was long as we made our way from Gurgaon to Jammu, with mandatory ‘Parantha’ stop at Moorthal. Once we reached Jammu, we heard the news of landslides after Banihal Pass. Despite that, next morning, we drove off early.

Kargil War Memorial

Entrance of Kargil War Memorial

After spending a night here, we moved out the next morning ditching our plan of staying at Sonamarg, and instead, decided to drive straight to Kargil. Besides a brief stop at Dal Lake in Srinagar, we also stopped by at the Kargil War Memorial to pay obeisance to the Kargil War martyrs.

This was the day we crossed the famous Zoji La (Zoji Pass).

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Day 3

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En route, near Sonamarg, we witnessed an overwhelming sight.

From a viewpoint called Zero Point, we looked down and saw thousands

Lamayuru Monastery first glimpse

of tents pitched along the River Drass.

This encampment was a makeshift arrangement for the Amarnath pilgrims who had chosen this route over the usually followed Chandanwadi climb. As my friend Kuldip mentioned, this scene was an unusual combination of faith and fury.

Before reaching Leh, we made two more stops - the IndusZanskar confluence and the Magnetic Hill.

As we drive on

Our next stops were the two passes on this route Namika La and Fotu La. Both equally scenic!

Incidentally, Fotu La is the highest pass on Srinagar-Leh Highway.

By lunchtime, we were in Lamayuru Monastery (altitude: 11,520 ft.) - one of the largest monasteries in Ladakh. Over 150 Buddhist monks have permanent residence in this monastery.

Monks preparing to begin their prayers - Lamayuru Monastery

Mulbekh Monastery

Prayer Wheels at Lamayuru

At Namika La

Glimpse of a snow-covered peak, just 7 km short of Fotu La

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The next day saw us driving towards Leh. Our first stop was Mulbekh (altitude: 10,839 ft.). Mulbekh is known for its 8th-century Chamba statue of Maitreyi Buddha. It is one of the more revered sites for the Buddhists of this region.

Indus-Zanskar Confluence

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Another View from Khardung La

emails since we got access to Wi-fi after many days. For those who may not know, the Internet access in J&K is restricted often because of security reasons.

Some of us visited Thikse Monastery and Vishwa Shanti Stupa. These places are within a few kilometers of Leh. And these rank high – both, as Buddhist as well as tourist attractions.

View of a Ladakhi Settlement

Next morning, armed with skullcaps, sunscreens and earmuffs, we were to make our way to Khardung La.

Highest Blogger Meet

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Here it was - the big day! For some of us who were to return after the meet, it was our last day with the group. ScoutMyTrip and OYO Rooms had immaculately planned this day.

While all those who were proceeding to Hundar (Nubra Valley) after the meet loaded their bags, we just hauled ourselves out of our respective rooms and loaded ourselves into the vehicles.

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Our Ladakh Story

The next day was our acclimatization day in Leh. Also, it was the day for the www.smartphotography.in

organisers to plan for the big event in Khardung La! Most of us took it easy catching up on social media and

During our drive to Khardung La, we gave lift to a bike’s pillion rider. Their bike was groaning with the strain of the steep climb to what is touted as the highest motorable road in the world!

Tsolding Buddha Park

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Yaks crossing the river at Tsolding Buddha Park

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A Bird’s Eye View of a glacier confluence in Spiti - as viewed from the Leh-Delhi flight

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At Khardung La, after some photo clicking, the meet started at the signage that marks the highest point of the pass. The core of the discussion here was the record www.smartphotography.in

setting we were all involved in. After being there for the permitted 20-30 minutes, we all moved the venue a little away from the narrow mountain pass.

The meet continues

Our discussions continued at the Tsolding Buddha Park, an idyllic location that had a Buddha Temple and a small rivulet. As soon as we

Record Creation Announcement Plaques

This programme helps bloggers stay with OYO Rooms free of charge so long as they share their experience of the stay and being in the city on their blog.

After spending another 90 minutes here, the meet ended. Those who were proceeding on the road trip from here to Hundar, Pangong, Tso Moriri, Keylong, Manali and Gurgaon got into the #HighestBloggerMeet SUVs and continued, while the others made their way back to Leh in taxis, to get back to Delhi. It was the 16th of July 2017!

reached there, we spotted a dozen or so yaks crossing the little rivulet!

Though we had climbed down a bit, the air still was rarified. While we chatted about the various blogging

related issues, some helping hands cooked Maggi for us.

Here, OYO Rooms unveiled a unique programme for bloggers - OYONauts!

While I returned to Delhi on 17th, the entire set of bloggers who were on this record-creating odyssey reunited once again on 22nd July in Gurgaon.

This was a big day! Ashok Kumar Sharma, Editor of India Book of Records was there to curate whether a record had been created. While we waited with a collective baited breath, he announced that we had created not one, but two records - the first-ever bloggers meet in Khardung La, as well as the Highest Blogger meet at an altitude of 17,562 ft.

Reading this little tale, I hope you would agree with my opening statement - July was truly an eventful month for me! |SP www.smartphotography.in

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We reunite

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Nightlife in Singapore - A photographer’s perspective

Antara Sharma is a software engineer by profession and extremely passionate about photography.

Her passion for photography has stemmed from her Antara Sharma undying love towards nature and wildlife, which is reflected in most of her earlier images. Gradually, however, Antara has managed to venture into travel, food and architecture photography. Her current camera gear includes a Sony A7R II and a Nikon D500, accompanied by a wide variety of lenses.

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part from being a sprawling metropolis, Singapore is also a fabulous photographic destination. At dusk, Singapore transforms itself into a glittering extravaganza of light and colour that makes it irresistible for photographers. A creative eye, a decent camera and a tripod is all that you need to photograph this vibrant city at night. From popular tourist attractions like the Merlion Park to the lesser known Johor Straits, you have an ample choice of hotspots to explore and capture.

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On festive seasons like the New Year or the Chinese New Year, Singapore extends a magnificent buffet of opportunities. During the Chinese New Year, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in China Town is lit up in a way that makes it impossible to not photograph. Not just that, the light trails of vehicles and the decorations on the roads add another dimension to the photos. www.smartphotography.in

Streets Of China Town

BuddhaTooth Relic Temple

Manina Bay Sands

The Merlion Park is located right opposite to the Marina Bay Sands.

The reflections of the surrounding buildings with the Merlion in the foreground makes for a fascinating composition. At 9 pm, the laser show is repeated and a shot captured from the Merlion Park is worth the wait.

During New Year’s Eve, this area offers a perfect view of the fireworks.

If you are in Singapore on eve of New Year, this is the place to be.

Barrage

Another location which guarantees a perfect view of the Marina Bay Sands is the Marina Barrage. This location is a must visit for shooting sunrises or sunsets. Post sunset, the reflections of the Marina Bay Sands and the Gardens by the Bay in the backwaters is something that must not be missed.

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Smart Photography September 2017

Merlion

One of the most visited attractions in Singapore is the Marina Bay Sands and its surrounding areas. One can easily climb up the Marina Bay Sands to get a bird’s eye view of the entire city. An ultra-wide or a fisheye could be particularly useful in such cases.

After descending from the Marina Bay Sands, one can witness the light and laser show held at its premises at 8 pm regularly. A photo trip to Singapore is incomplete without a shot of this spectacular show. From here, one can walk down to the Art and Science museum and the Helix Bridge. The Art and Science Museum structure symbolises the welcoming hand of Singapore. The Helix Bridge on the other hand is a pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre to Marina South in the Marina Bay area of Singapore.

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The Gardens by the Bay, located in the vicinity of Marina Bay Sands, is something unique to Singapore. The greenhouses, constructed in the shape of sea shells, form the two domes - the Flower Dome and the Cloud dome. These domes provide its visitors a simulation of tropical gardens and rainforests. At night, the super trees in its premises provide a spectacle of light which is a treat to photographers. The lights seem to dance to the tunes of popular numbers and are a delight even to those not too keen on photography. The light show is a regular attraction from 7:45 PM to 8 PM.

Gardens By The Bay

Anderson Bridge

From here, one can head to the the Suntec City Mall, to view and photograph the Fountain of Wealth, which was listed as the largest fountain in the Guinness book of world records in 1998.

The moment someone mentions nightlife in Singapore, one place that comes to mind is Clark Quay. With ample restaurants and nightclubs, Clark Quay is a party hub. As a photographer, one can spend some quality time capturing trails of the boats on the Singapore river.

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At a walking distance from Clark Quay, there is the Raffles place, which also offers good night shots of the bridges in its vicinity.

The Anderson Bridge and the Cavenagh Bridge are two of the most captured bridges in the area.

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Spread across an area of 7 hectares, the Kalang Riverside Park flanks both sides of the Kalang river and is a go to destination for water sports. For photographers, it presents a great location for sunsets and long exposure shots. Another popular location by the Kalang river is the Singapore Indoor stadium and its surrounding areas.

The pedestrian bridge and the deserted Tanjong Rhu Restaurant during sunset offers a great setting for that perfect shot. www.smartphotography.in

Tanjong Rhu Restaurant

Twin Pagoda - Chinese Gardens

A personal favourite is the Raffles Marina Lighthouse or Johor Straits Lighthouse, located on the far west of Singapore. From the lighthouse premises, one can clearly see the causeway bridge at Tuas, which crosses over to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. It is located on the outskirts of the city, but can be clubbed with a visit to the Jurong Bird Park and the Chinese Gardens.

The twin pagodas at the Chinese gardens presents an amazing view of the sunset.

Popular for fishing, the Changi boardwalk is listed as one of the best destinations to capture sunsets in Singapore. The boardwalk is a 2.2 km stretch and connects the Changi beach club to the Changi ferry terminal.

The walk presents some great views of the sunset, specially at the sunset point close to the Changi beach club.

Singapore Skyline From Marina Bay Sands

Wildlife, landscapes and natural vistas have been the eternal favourites of photographers. However, the sheer spectacle that a man-made forest like Singapore offers, more so during night-time, is often overlooked. Singapore provides all the ingredients for a perfect photographic recipe – vibrance, colour, light and spectacle. All that is needed is a keen eye and an eagerness to explore. |SP

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Smart Photography September 2017

Changi Boardwalk

Another popular destination for capturing sunsets is the Henderson Bridge. The wave-shaped bridge provides ample photographic opportunities, at any time of the day, but at sunset, the magenta hues in the sky provide the perfect setting for that pictureperfect shot.

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Buddha of

Borobudur Sirsendu Gayen

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Sirsendu Gayen, an Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Vivekananda College Kolkata, is a passionate amateur photographer. His love for photography began when his elder brother gifted him a Nikon D80 D-SLR camera. Photography is his way of sharing his emotions and the beauty that he sees around him. He enjoys photographing different subjects with specific interest in genres like travel, architectural, nature and human photography. His desire is to capture the spirit of Mother India and present it to the world. This passion led him to achieve many national and international awards, and more than 400 of his photographs have been exhibited in various national and international exhibitions. To follow his journey, visit his Facebook page: sirsendu.gayen

Smart Photography September 2017

orobudur, a Buddhist stupa in the Mahayana convention, is the biggest Buddhist landmark on the planet. Situated on the Indonesian island of Java, 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur was worked around 750 AD. The glorious sanctuary is a three-dimensional mandala (outline of the universe) and a visual portrayal of Buddhist lessons.

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There is no written record of who built Borobudur or of its intended purpose.

The construction time has been estimated by comparison between carved reliefs on the temple’s hidden foot and the inscriptions commonly used in royal charters during the eighth and ninth centuries.

Borobudur was likely founded around 750 AD. |SP

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Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/8 Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec ISO: 200

Booked

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Shuttling dreams

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Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/50 sec ISO: 400

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/1600 sec ISO: 100

Street Beat

Mohit Tejpal is a commercial photographer from Delhi, India. He pursued his bachelor’s degree in Tourism Studies and a holds a diploma in Professional Photography. Starting his journey into photography Mohit Tejpal in the year 2013, Mohit truly enjoys photographing the streets of India. He believes that street photography is an art of capturing different moods of a place which reflects a candid image of a society as well as the beauty of its unaware subjects. Other genres of his interest are landscape and architecture photography.

Soul of my city

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/6.3 Shutter Speed: 1/160 sec ISO: 800

Evening bath

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/8 Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec ISO: 800

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Morning affair

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Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/50 sec ISO: 2000

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/40 sec ISO: 400

Wheel of innocence

Last light

Start

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Revolve

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Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/7.1 Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec ISO: 1000

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Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec ISO: 1000

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/2.8 Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec ISO: 200

Joy of brotherhood

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Aperture: f/9 Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec ISO: 200

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Under the arch

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A Narrative of Fleeting Moments Debesh Kumar Pattnayak

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Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/4.5 Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec ISO: 200

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Debesh Kumar Pattnayak is a self-taught photographer based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. A student of Computer Application, Debesh bought his first camera, Canon EOS 700D, two years ago, to pursue and master the art of photography. His work depicts well composed candid moments along with compelling narratives. His photographs have been recognized and awared by various national and international publications. Debesh draws his inpiration from legendary photographers like Steve McCurry, Raghu Rai, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Alex Webb. He believes that to become a good photographer, rather than just looking at a subject, one must learn to see and feel it. To view more of his work, visit: www.dkpattnayak.com

Hopeful eyes

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec ISO: 800

Innocent love

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec ISO: 400

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Downstair dreams

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Approaching footsteps

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 800

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec ISO: 800

Playtime

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Sip of oblivion

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Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/1.6 Shutter Speed: 1/3200 sec ISO: 200

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/8 Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec ISO: 400

Through the hoop

Raindrops

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Camera: Canon EOS 700D Aperture: f/16 Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec ISO: 100

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Enchanting Dreamscapes

A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Nishad is primarily a landscape and nature photographer, though he indulges in portraits and head shots too. Having picked up his first camera a decade ago, he has been seriously pursuing photography for the last two years with his all-Nikon gear. He says his photography has been heavily influenced by the tropical charm of God’s Own Country. In his own words, “I love travelling to explore and capture the exquisite and pristine beauty of mother nature”. He recently completed a trip to the Scandinavian regions of Iceland and Norway.

“Being an outdoor photographer, I trust heavily on planning and research to get the best shot. My artistic vision always searches for the surreal world and I love to drag the shutter with ND filters to create the same.

When it comes to post processing I’m a bit lazy and mostly work on single exposures and always try to get the best shot on camera in the field,” he adds. Professionally, Nishad is an IT operations senior manager. To view more of his work, please visit https://500px.com/nishadks.

Nishad K.S

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Spotlights on

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Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 35mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 60s ISO: 100

Symmetry

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 16-35mm @ 16mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 60s ISO: 100

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Kirkujfell midnight sun

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Before the last light

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Bryggen buildings

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Shipwreck rock

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Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 16-35mm @ 24mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 60s ISO: 100

Ponmudi on a cold morning

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 18mm Aperture: f/8 Shutter Speed: 60s ISO: 100

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 70mm Aperture: f/4 Shutter Speed: 1/30s ISO: 100

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Mankayam Falls

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Samudra beach

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 14mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 100s ISO: 100

Munroe Island Leela in Background

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 18mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 120s ISO: 100

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Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 20mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 90s ISO: 100

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Kovalam Beach

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 24mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 120s ISO: 100

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 24mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 240s ISO: 100

Mankayam Falls

Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: 18-35mm @ 18mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 120s ISO: 100

Rocky morning

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Old Coffee House

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My Life with Cameras...

Dr. Rajesh Jadhav

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y earliest memory related to photography dates back to my childhood. There was a camera in the house – and if my memory serves me right, it was a Rolleiflex, a Twin Lens Reflex camera.

This was a prized possession of the family. It was simple to handle and used Kodak 120 format films that gave square images. One lens is used as a viewfinder and the other to capture images.

In 1979, when I was in class ten, I could lay my hands on my own camera – a Yashica Electro 35. This was a range-finder camera, with a fixed 45mm lens. Two images are seen in the view finder and when you move the focus ring the images merge when the subject is in focus. One issue was a parallax error which you needed to factor in while composing the photo. It had a light metering system, which determined how long the shutter would remain open with a top speed of 1/500 sec.

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Me and my brother used this camera for a number of years for both black and white and colour photography.

Those were the days when film sensitivity mattered and we used 100 ASA film for general photography in good light and 400 ASA for low light and action pictures.

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I was using the camera but my knowledge of photography was pretty limited to reading a few books and magazines. Me and my brother processed black and white rolls in the house using our bathroom as a darkroom and had a little enlarger to www.smartphotography.in

print our own black and white images.

The Rolleiflex lens developed fungus and we had to give it for cleaning but alas, when it came back, the lens and view finder coupling was damaged and focusing became a problem. The images were all blurry and we lost a good camera.

By this time, I was in a medical school and working in the dermatology department. My personal-use camera

was an Agfa Isoly III that gave 16 square images. You could control the aperture, shutter and even had a timer and hot shoe for external flash.

In 1990, I left the hospital and entered private practice. For a few years my companion was a Kodak KB 10 and a Kodak KB 20. These were fixed focus, point and shoot film cameras with a 30mm lens and f/8 aperture and a

fixed 1/100sec shutter speed. The KB 10 had a manual advance of the film roll and KB 20 had a motor to advance the roll.

In 1999, I bought a KODAK DC 215 zoom camera – a 1 megapixel CCD sensor camera with a 4 MB Compact Flash card. I used the camera mainly for medical photography and photographing my kids on

their birthdays. Limited memory meant having to repeatedly transfer images to a PC. For projecting images on a screen, the 1-MP resolution seemed enough. The DC 215 had a viewfinder and a LCD display which consumed lot of battery power. As digital cameras became popular, I fell in the trap of exploring new P&S cameras as a replacement to my Kodak DC 215. Next in line was Kodak DX6490, another bridge camera with resolution of 4 megapixels and a 10x optical Zoom. I was pretty impressed with the image quality and can still swear by a CCD sensor.

Nikon P 100 came in next with a decent 26 X optical zoom and 10-megapixel sensor. This megapixel

The first D-SLR was a Canon EOS 7D which I bought along with a Tamron 28 - 300mm lens. It served my purpose of clinical photography.

Only when I used it for wild life, I could realize its limitations.

This led me to buy a Canon 300 mm f/4 lens with a 1.4x Tele Converter which gave me an equivalent of 672 mm with my Canon 7D. Thus, began my exploration of wildlife with visits to various wildlife sanctuaries.

One serious limitation of the 7D was lowlight photography with significant noise at ISO settings above

Armed with this camera and lenses, I explored the beauty of Sikkim and Meghalaya. I fell in love with landscape photography and with DCP Expeditions cofounder Amit Rane as my Guru, this became my favourite form of photography. This led to exploring of Leh Ladakh and Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh. To capture beautiful landscapes and stunning sunsets became a passion before I realized it. Waking up early to capture the morning light and staying up late to capture the Milky Way became on obsession.

But the search for a good camera never ends and I moved on from a crop-sensor camera to a full-frame camera and that too, mirrorless.

My companion for now is a Sony A7R2, a full frame 42 megapixel mirrorless camera. The frame rate is a bit slow for wildlife photography but with advancing age, a lighter camera is what I now prefer. A Sony 24-70mm and 70 – 200mm lenses serve me well for both landscape and wildlife photography. For those extreme wide shots, there is a Zeiss 18mm.

But you can’t keep away from the thrill of wildlife and a good telephoto lens was necessary. Thus a Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens made an entry and I had to buy a Canon-fit Metabones adapter to use it on my Sony A7R2 body. (The reason for a Canon mount Tamron was because I still had my 7D as a second body). The last acquisition was a Sony A6300, a crop sensor, lightweight mirrorless camera with a 16-50mm kit lens. The quality of landscape images with this camera has been really good and would love to click some wildlife using this body.

It has been a fascinating journey exploring various cameras for 38 years, but to tell the truth, what I have learned about the nuances of photography have been only since the last 5 years after my son took up photography.

My journey into photography still continues and I seek to capture images of more beautiful places that I can visit in my lifetime. There may be no more new cameras to buy for now but who knows...

Maybe when the Sony A9 is launched and becomes affordable.

Till then I think I have the best of gadgets and a whole world to explore. |SP www.smartphotography.in

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game and higher optical zoom ended with Kodak Z980. It was a good learning experience of P&S and bridge cameras. That was the last of my bridge cameras and I had enough of them. By this time my elder son was into photography and was constantly coaxing me to buy a D-SLR. He pointed out that the money spent in all these bridge cameras could have been utilised to buy a decent D-SLR and I agreed with him.

800. But at ISO 100 with flash it gave me good crisp images and some excellent landscape images with my Tamron 10-24mm lens.

Tamron 90mm macro lens was a later addition and gave me the opportunity to explore the beautiful world of insects, amphibians and the lesser forms of life.

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Ask your question to Uncle at sp@nextgenpublishing.net

Ask Uncle

Ronnie Body/lens for wildlife

I am planning to buy a camera and lens for wildlife and bird photography. I have selected Nikon D500 with AF-S Nikkor 200-500 F/5.6E ED VR. Your suggestions please.

Narasimha Rao, via email

The Nikon D500 and the Nikon 200-500mm is the best combination for wildlife and bird photography without breaking the bank. The lens is on the heavier side but is very sharp at all focal lengths. I suggest that you use the combo on a steady tripod (whenever possible) to get the best out of it.

Sensor size

I understand that larger the imaging sensor, the better is the image quality. But will this matter if my pictures are not going to be large in size? The reason for my asking this is that I am planning to purchase a Bridge camera, which has a small sensor.

A. K. Deshmukh, Nasik

In general, yes, the larger the imaging sensor, better is the image quality.

But other components also play an important role. You say that your pictures will be of small size but there could be times when you’ll wish you could make larger pictures.

Smaller sensors lead to more digital noise (especially when you cross ISO 800) and chances of highlights burning out (getting overexposed) and shadows getting clogged up are higher when compared to larger sensors. Speaking purely from image quality point of view, and if the price is not too important, you may be better off purchasing a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with a Micro Four Thirds or better still, an APS-C sensor. On the disadvantage side, you’ll miss the long focal length that a Bridge camera will offer.

Adobe RGB and sRGB

How many more colours does Adobe RGB 1998 give as compared to sRGB? Is it really necessary to set the camera to Adobe RGB 1998 or can I set it to sRGB instead?

Smart Photography September 2017

Karim, via email

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AF-S Nikkor 200500 F/5.6E ED VR

www.smartphotography.in

Adobe RGB 1998, often mentioned as Adobe RGB (without the 1998) and sRGB are known as Colour Spaces. It is a mistake to say that Adobe RGB gives

more number of colours as compared to sRGB, because both give the same number of colours. The number of colours is controlled by the Bit-Depth (8-bit, 12-bit, 14-bit) and not by Colour Space. Colour Space refers to a ‘range of colours’. Adobe RGB has a wider range of colours; this means that the colours are more ‘stretched out’.

It is suggested that if you are going to edit your images, you should use Adobe RGB. If you are not going to edit your images, or if your printer is based on sRGB workflow, then sRGB is okay.

LED lights

I want to do table-top photography and am considering buying LED lights instead of studio flash because studio flash are very expensive. Am I doing the right thing?

S. K. Sharma, vial email

We had an almost similar enquiry some months ago. It is not impossible to do table-top photography using LED lights but there will be limits to what you can do. First, depending on the size of the product, you may require several lights. LED lights are not as powerful as studio flash and hence you will always have to use a solid tripod and will be limited to using slow shutter speeds. You will not be able to freeze action (like drops of water) and the longer shutter speeds that you will be forced to use LED lights

Copyright

As we know, artist’s name and copyright information can be embedded/attached to picture through camera settings but I want to know how the artist’s name or copyright information can be printed or displayed on the picture itself ? Also, in what format? Is name or email ID or copyright symbol necessary?

Yogendra Kurghode, via email

You can print/display the artist’s name and copyright details by using the Text Tool in an image editing program, like Photoshop. To the best of my knowledge, putting a copyright symbol is not really going to protect you from someone intending to copy/ misuse your pictures. Remember, commercial banks have many locks but they sometimes do get robbed! A copyright symbol is for respectable people – so that they know that the image/s belong to someone else and that they should not use the image/s, but does that matter to someone who is dishonest? I am not saying that you should not try to protect your images, but considering the lengthy and expensive legal procedures, is it worthwhile?

If you really want to copyright your images, the images have to be registered. For more details, please visit www.copyright.gov.in. Here is an extract from the above website which may be of interest to you.

Ques: Is it necessary to register a work to claim copyright?

Ans: No. Acquisition of copyright is automatic and it does not require any formality.

Copyright comes into existence as soon as a work

is created and no formality is required to be completed for acquiring copyright.

However, certificate of registration of copyright and the entries made therein serve as prima facie evidence in a court of law with reference to dispute relating to ownership of copyright.

Nikon D750

Drone and more 1) What are rules and regulations for drone photography in India?

2) If I use a 300mm f/4 full-frame lens on APS-C sensor bodies, I will get an equivalent focal length of 450mm (Nikons) and 480mm (Canons) and if I use the same 300mm f/4 lens + 1.4x TC on APS-C sensor bodies, I will get an equivalent of 600mm focal length.

Am I correct?

Manish, via email

1) As far as I know, for security reasons, photography using drones is prohibited in India.

2) The first part of your statement is correct. If you use the same 300mm lens with a 1.4x teleconverter on a Nikon APS-C sensor body, the equivalent focal length will be 630mm; on a Canon APS-C sensor body, the equivalent focal length will be 720mm.

Using Mirror Up & SelfTimer on Nikon D750 I bought a Nikon D750 some time back. In this camera I cannot use Mirror Up and self-timer at the same time as I used to do with my Canon 600D. This means I need a shutter release cable or a remote shutter release when I want the mirror up. The manual mentions ML-L3 remote. But Amazon and other websites for online shopping in their specifications, do not include D750 in the list of compatible cameras for ML-L3.

Please advise me which shutter release I should buy.

P K Gupta, via email

It is true that you cannot use Mirror Up and Self Timer at the same time on a Nikon D750.

However, by using the method given below, you could save the money on the purchase of a remote. You can then set your camera to Mirror Up position and fire the shutter after a set period (1, 2 or 3 seconds). Go to Shooting display d4 (Exposure delay mode) and set the required delay. When you press the shutter release button, the www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

could cause blur if you are not very careful when tripping the shutter.

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K AS

NIE N O ER L C UN and easier to carry, but I would advice you against it.

Canon EOS 1300D

New or SecondHand

mirror will go up. When you press the shutter release button a second time, the shutter will fire after the set delay (shown as 3 seconds in our example here). This method should work perfectly well for non-moving subjects (like landscapes).

Feathering

In Photoshop, when using ‘Feather’, how do you know how many pixels of feathering one should apply?

A. S. Kadam, via email

To be quite honest, you cannot know for sure how many pixels to feather.

Feathering is always a guesswork – a trial and error method. But with regular practice and experience, you will have a ballpark figure.

Which Tripod?

kindly suggest a tripod model for Nikkor 200-500mm lens and Nikon D7200. Budget is Rs. 10,000-15,000.

Smart Photography September 2017

Yogendra C. Kurghode, Navi Mumbai

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Choosing a tripod is not an easy task considering the different makes and models available today. The Nikon 200500mm is a heavy lens (approximately 2300g including the lens collar) and hence a flimsy tripod will not do. I would suggest Manfrotto 055 tripod legs (which alone will be around Rs.15,000) with a Manfrotto MHX- Pro BH Q2 X Pro ballhead (which will set you back by another 8K or so after discount). I do realise your budget constraint, but unless the product you buy is capable of doing what you want it to do, the money is wasted. A lighter tripod/head would be cheaper www.smartphotography.in

I am planning to buy a new D-SLR to replace my point and shoot digital camera. Is something like Canon EOS 1300D sufficient as I would keep the camera for about 4 to 5 years. Or should i go a notch higher for Canon EOS 700D or something like the Nikon D5300? I am still in the learning phase through books and Youtube tutorials and of course, starting the subscription of Smart Photography. I can spend around Rs.40,000 but if I get a good deal in second-hand or almost the same thing for Rs.25,000, why should I spend more? Kindly guide.

Canon EOS 700D

Sudhir Khurana, via email

The Canon EOS 1300D should serve your purpose as a beginner. Once you feel confident of your abilities as a photographer, and if you feel that your creativity is throttled because of the basic camera (though I don’t think you’ll feel that way), you may consider going in for a better model.

I would suggest that you do not consider a second-hand camera even if that saves you some money. You can never be too sure if the camera was taken proper care of by the owner (except for obvious scratches on the camera). You will never know how often the sensor was cleaned, who cleaned it and how carefully it was cleaned. You may not even know if the lens was internally cleaned to get rid of fungus.

Nikon D5300

One more important point to note.

A new camera is under warranty for two years. If anything should go wrong (other than physical damage), the manufacturer will attend to the problem free of charge. |SP

Ashok Kandimalla

The author, Ashok Kandimalla has been in the photographic field for over three decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital photography and equipment. He has published several articles on photography and some of his writings have also been published in the wellknown international magazine Popular Photography.

An avid collector of photographic books and vintage cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He is presently working as a Management and Engineering consultant. You can see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashok_kandimalla. He can be reached at kashokk@gmail.com

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging and Processing (Part I)

H

igh Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging is a technique that became possible due to two advances in photography - digital technology and image processing software. It involves capturing multiple frames with different exposures and then merging them together. The resulting picture, which is called a HDR image, will record a tonal range that would be far more than what a single capture can achieve. Before we go further, it will be helpful if you are familiar with the two terms brightness range and dynamic range.

Let us look at these in more detail.

Smart Photography September 2017

Every scene has a tonal variation between the brightest and darkest parts. This is called the brightness range. A scene with a very large brightness range results in what we call a ‘high contrast’ scene (Picture 1). The brightness range is measured in stops (hope you have not forgotten what a ‘stop’ means!). Also, recall that one stop is commonly referred to as 1 EV and we will be using this term often.

Generally, an imaging sensor can be expected to have a five-stop range. That is, it can record two objects, bright and dark, with proper detail, provided the difference in their brightness is not

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If you set your camera’s exposure compensation to plus (+), then you will expose for shadows, thus preserving the details in the dark areas while highlights will be overexposed (that is, blown out). The opposite will happen if you expose for highlights (negative compensation in this case) resulting in blocked shadows. This was the situation till HDR made its appearance.

So, what is the principle behind HDR?

You have seen how you can overexpose to preserve shadow details and underexpose to capture details in highlights. The trick therefore is to capture several frames of the same scene with varying exposure, say starting from underexposure then moving onto overexposure and in the process capturing all the

One important point is that not all subjects are suitable for HDR photography. As you have seen, you are taking multiple photographs of the same scene that are later merged. So, if there is a moving element, it would have moved (or even disappeared) between frames. This causes ugly artifacts. Examples of moving elements are plenty - vehicles, humans, waves in water, etc. So, for HDR to work well, the scene should be without such things.

So, it goes without saying that HDR is best for static high contrast scenes.

Examples are brightly lit landscapes with shadows, night scenes with street lights, interiors of rooms with light spilling from windows, etc. Also, to be effective, the scene should have high contrast. A very low contrast scene

Picture 2: Brightness range and Dynamic range. Arrow marks show areas which will not be recorded properly as they are outside the dynamic range of your camera.

You will have no problem if the brightness range of the scene is less than the dynamic range of the sensor. If it is a high contrast scene where the brightness range exceeds the dynamic range, then due to the limitation Picture 1: A typical high contrast interior scene where the brightness range of the scene exceeds the camera’s dynamic range. Here the exposure was set for shadows (see also Picture 2). So, the darker areas were recorded correctly but the brightly lit areas have become detail-less white patches (blown out) as indicated by arrow marks.

(example a misty landscape) will not yield any benefits by using HDR.

Now that you know the principles of HDR, let us see what you will need to create HDR images and, how to set up your camera to record the HDR frame set.

What will you need?: Let us start with the good news. You really need only a very basic camera but with one of the two following features – manual exposure control or aperture priority exposure mode with exposure compensation. Many cameras also have what is called the auto exposure bracketing (AEB) feature where the camera automatically changes the exposure (by giving a different exposure compensation) every time you release the shutter. While this feature is definitely convenient it is not a show stopper as you can change the compensation yourself manually for every frame. All the D-SLRs, CSCs and many point and shoot cameras offer these features. Check your camera manual to see what your camera can do.

Apart from the camera, the important piece of hardware you need is your three-legged friend, also known as the tripod! Yes – I would consider this as an essential piece of equipment as it prevents camera movements between the frames and thus allows for perfect overlapping (that is, alignment) of images. This is known as the “frame registration” and if this is not there you will get bad results. That said, we will also discuss how to make HDR images without a tripod but I would still consider a good tripod as an essential tool for serious HDR photography.

Also, use a remote release device, either wired (Picture 3) or wireless infrared (Picture 4) to release the

Picture 3: Picture 4: Corded remote Wireless infrared release. remote release.

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- PART 10

Save for Web

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odern digital cameras create very large files. While such files may be required for printing, they are unsuitable for sending via email or for posting on social media like Facebook. Large files take a very long time to upload and also cause grief to the receiver. Sending large files without having a pre-approval of the receiver is considered bad etiquette. To make things easier for the sender as well as the receiver, we need to downsize

(make smaller) our digital files before sending them through the internet. Let’s take an example.

Open the image in Photoshop and open the Image Size dialog box (Ctrl + Alt + I). The pomegranade image shown here is 17.28 x 11.52 inches at a resolution of 300 ppi with pixel dimension totalling to 51.3 MB (5184 x 3456 pixels). Printscreen 1.

Note: 1) 300 pixels per inch (ppi) is the industry standard when it comes to printing images commercially or in any magazine for example.

Printscreen 2

Smart Photography September 2017

Smoother (best for enlargement); for downsizing an image, use Bicubic Sharper (best for reduction).

If you choose Bicubic Automatic, the software automatically selects the correct algorithm depending on whether you want to enlarge the image or downsize it. Please note that Bicubic Automatic is only available in Photoshop CS6 and the newer version (Photoshop CC). If you are using any earlier version of Photoshop, you need to select the correct algorithm manually.

www.smartphotography.in

I Were You

Now go to Image > Mode > sRGB. This is because sRGB is the Colour Space for the web.

Don’t forget this important step.

Please see Printscreen 3. I have reduced the Resolution from 300 ppi to 72 ppi. I have also changed the Width from 17.28 inches to 9 inches.

The Height automatically changed to 6 inches (because Constrain Proportions was enabled). By clicking on OK in the Image Size dialog box, you set the new (9 x 6”) size. Note also that the file which was 51.3 MB, has downsized to mere 820.1 KB. Note: In my example, I have downsized the image to 9 x 6”. You could make it even smaller if you so desire.

Original Image

If

Click OK and the new size is set.

3) Resample Image tells Photoshop that you want to change the size of the image.

4) In Printscreen 1, under Resample Image, is a box that shows Bicubic Automatic. This is the algorithm (set of instructions) given to the software as to how it should go about changing the image size. If you were to click on the little downward pointing arrow in this box, you would see a drop-down menu (Printscreen 2). When you wish to enlarge an image, you should use Bicubic

Printscreen 1

Printscreen 3

2) Constrain Proportions means that if you change any one dimension (either Width or Height), the other dimension will change proportionately by itself.

Save the file using the Save As command. If you save the file using the Save command (instead of Save As), you will overwrite the image (the original image will be lost forever).

Here is an alternative method which I usually follow.

Open the image in Photoshop. (I am using Photoshop CS6). Go to File > Save for Web. A dialog box with the same name will open. See Printscreen 4 which shows the parameteres that I set.

Note: 1) I set the Quality to Very High (80). If you are worried that someone will steal your image from the Net, you may use a lower setting.

Smart Photography September 2017

Rohinton Mehta

Printscreen 4

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Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography Camera: Nikon D5300 Lens: 35mm f/1.8 (equivalent to 52mm in 35mm format) Aperture: f/1.8 Shutter Speed: 1/1000sec ISO: 100

Landscape This landscape is sent to us by Arunoday Das from Bangalore. It is a good attempt but I feel that it would improve with a bit more contrast. I also feel that by having less of the sky, the attention would go directly to the foreground interest.

Masters of Camou�lage

This picture of a chameleon comes to us from Hitesh Chhetri via email.

Hitesh says that he has tried his hand at editing the image using Lightroom 6. He wants my opinion on how to improve the picture.

While this is a good effort, here are my views and recommendations: 1. Unless you are using a ‘fast’ pro lens, try to avoid using the widest aperture. I do realise that you have used f/5.6 (the lens’ widest aperture) to throw the background out of focus.

But stopping down by one stop (to f/8) would have provided better depth of �ield and made the image appear sharper.

of 200) with f/8 (instead of f/5.6).

This would have allowed me to use 1/160sec shutter speed for a sharper image. On your 700D, ISO 800 would not have made the image unacceptably noisy.

3. The blurry base on which the chameleon is sitting, and its out-offocus limb is disturbing. In my opinion,

anything out of focus in the front of the subject is always disturbing!

In the edited image, I have improved the tonality of the image. I made a copy of the Background layer and used the Multiply blending mode. I then reduced the Opacity as you can see in the printscreen. A bit of sharpening was also applied.

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Lens: 55-250mm at 250mm.

Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/80sec ISO: 200

Original

2. I am not sure if you used the image stabiliser (IS) on your lens, but I am assuming that you did. If I were you, I would have used an ISO sensitivity of 800 (instead Printscreen 1

Edited

In the edited image, I have increased the contrast slightly, cropped the sky and added a dash of sharpening to the image.

Smart Photography September 2017

Smart Photography September 2017

The EXIF data shows that you used the lens wide open at f/1.8. If I were you, I would have increased the ISO to 200, stopped down the lens to f/4 or 5.6 for a better depth of �ield. At f/5.6 at ISO 200, I would have got a shutter speed in the region of 1/250 sec, which would have been suf�icient for the purpose.

Edited

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Image Editing - Part 10

E-mail your images at sp@nextgenpublishing.net

Our Imaging Expert No one can take a picture that everyone likes. But, almost every picture can have scope of improvement.

Often, we are not our best critics, while others can immediately point out the faults. In If I were you, our expert comments on how your pictures could be taken to another level.

Original

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High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging and Processing - Part I

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Image Editing

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details in both shadow and highlight areas. The interesting aspect here is that, while all the details have been captured, all of them are not present in a single frame! So, these multiple frames that form the HDR set, have to be merged using post-processing software to generate a single frame that has all the details. This is what is called HDR processing and will result in a HDR image.

NIN

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more than five stops.

This is called the dynamic range of the camera. Modern advanced cameras now have a dynamic range greater than five stops but we will stick to this number for now.

of your camera you will not be able to record the full brightness range present. Hence you need to settle for a compromise (Picture 2) and decide what you what to record and what you want to discard – that is, to record without detail. One more point. Don’t confuse latitude with dynamic range.

The former is tolerance of the camera to a wrong exposure setting.

www.smartphotography.in

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Learnings

Smart Photography has been continually receiving requests to start a basic course for beginners. With this in mind, we have asked a very knowledgeable photographer from Chennai to take over writing these articles. We have also requested him to be as jargonfree as it is possible, so that newcomers to photography feel comfortable to pursue the hobby.

ers

Smart Photography September 2017

G raphy NIN otog AR g Ph LE tandin

Und

102 If I Were You

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G grap N I N oto

ARding Ph E L an

Smart Photography has been continually receiving requests to start a basic course for beginners. With this in mind, we have asked a very knowledgeable photographer from Chennai to take over writing these articles. We have also requested him to be as jargonfree as it is possible, so that newcomers to photography feel comfortable to pursue the hobby.

rst

e

Und

Ashok Kandimalla

The author, Ashok Kandimalla has been in the photographic field for over three decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital photography and equipment. He has published several articles on photography and some of his writings have also been published in the wellknown international magazine Popular Photography.

An avid collector of photographic books and vintage cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He is presently working as a Management and Engineering consultant. You can see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashok_kandimalla. He can be reached at kashokk@gmail.com

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging and Processing (Part I)

H

Smart Photography September 2017

igh Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging is a technique that became possible due to two advances in photography - digital technology and image processing software. It involves capturing multiple frames with different exposures and then merging them together. The resulting picture, which is called a HDR image, will record a tonal range that would be far more than what a single capture can achieve. Before we go further, it will be helpful if you are familiar with the two terms brightness range and dynamic range.

Let us look at these in more detail.

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Every scene has a tonal variation between the brightest and darkest parts. This is called the brightness range. A scene with a very large brightness range results in what we call a ‘high contrast’ scene (Picture 1). The brightness range is measured in stops (hope you have not forgotten what a ‘stop’ means!). Also, recall that one stop is commonly referred to as 1 EV and we will be using this term often.

Generally, an imaging sensor can be expected to have a five-stop range. That is, it can record two objects, bright and dark, with proper detail, provided the difference in their brightness is not www.smartphotography.in

more than five stops.

This is called the dynamic range of the camera. Modern advanced cameras now have a dynamic range greater than five stops but we will stick to this number for now.

You will have no problem if the brightness range of the scene is less than the dynamic range of the sensor. If it is a high contrast scene where the brightness range exceeds the dynamic range, then due to the limitation Picture 1: A typical high contrast interior scene where the brightness range of the scene exceeds the camera’s dynamic range. Here the exposure was set for shadows (see also Picture 2). So, the darker areas were recorded correctly but the brightly lit areas have become detail-less white patches (blown out) as indicated by arrow marks.

If you set your camera’s exposure compensation to plus (+), then you will expose for shadows, thus preserving the details in the dark areas while highlights will be overexposed (that is, blown out). The opposite will happen if you expose for highlights (negative compensation in this case) resulting in blocked shadows. This was the situation till HDR made its appearance.

So, what is the principle behind HDR? You have seen how you can overexpose to preserve shadow details and underexpose to capture details in highlights. The trick therefore is to capture several frames of the same scene with varying exposure, say starting from underexposure then moving onto overexposure and in the process capturing all the

details in both shadow and highlight areas. The interesting aspect here is that, while all the details have been captured, all of them are not present in a single frame! So, these multiple frames that form the HDR set, have to be merged using post-processing software to generate a single frame that has all the details. This is what is called HDR processing and will result in a HDR image.

One important point is that not all subjects are suitable for HDR photography. As you have seen, you are taking multiple photographs of the same scene that are later merged. So, if there is a moving element, it would have moved (or even disappeared) between frames. This causes ugly artifacts. Examples of moving elements are plenty - vehicles, humans, waves in water, etc. So, for HDR to work well, the scene should be without such things.

So, it goes without saying that HDR is best for static high contrast scenes.

Examples are brightly lit landscapes with shadows, night scenes with street lights, interiors of rooms with light spilling from windows, etc. Also, to be effective, the scene should have high contrast. A very low contrast scene

Picture 2: Brightness range and Dynamic range. Arrow marks show areas which will not be recorded properly as they are outside the dynamic range of your camera.

(example a misty landscape) will not yield any benefits by using HDR.

Now that you know the principles of HDR, let us see what you will need to create HDR images and, how to set up your camera to record the HDR frame set.

What will you need?: Let us start with the good news. You really need only a very basic camera but with one of the two following features – manual exposure control or aperture priority exposure mode with exposure compensation. Many cameras also have what is called the auto exposure bracketing (AEB) feature where the camera automatically changes the exposure (by giving a different exposure compensation) every time you release the shutter. While this feature is definitely convenient it is not a show stopper as you can change the compensation yourself manually for every frame. All the D-SLRs, CSCs and many point and shoot cameras offer these features. Check your camera manual to see what your camera can do.

Apart from the camera, the important piece of hardware you need is your three-legged friend, also known as the tripod! Yes – I would consider this as an essential piece of equipment as it prevents camera movements between the frames and thus allows for perfect overlapping (that is, alignment) of images. This is known as the “frame registration” and if this is not there you will get bad results. That said, we will also discuss how to make HDR images without a tripod but I would still consider a good tripod as an essential tool for serious HDR photography.

Also, use a remote release device, either wired (Picture 3) or wireless infrared (Picture 4) to release the

Picture 3: Picture 4: Corded remote Wireless infrared release. remote release.

www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

of your camera you will not be able to record the full brightness range present. Hence you need to settle for a compromise (Picture 2) and decide what you what to record and what you want to discard – that is, to record without detail. One more point. Don’t confuse latitude with dynamic range.

The former is tolerance of the camera to a wrong exposure setting.

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shutter. This will avoid camera shake.

Both types are inexpensive and one of these is a must for any photographer.

Capturing the HDR sequence: Follow the steps given below. Also, included here are details on how to setup your camera:

File format: Use Raw. Since you are capturing a number of frames the entire brightness range will even be captured by JPEG images. However, JPEGs files are also processed within the camera and may lead to unwanted results. Hence, it is better to start with Raw images as they are untouched.

Smart Photography September 2017

Exposure and Metering modes: Set your camera to Manual or Aperture Priority. While you can use the former the latter is most convenient. Please note that shutter priority and program modes cannot be used. This is because with both these modes, the aperture will vary with changing exposure, thus altering the depth of field (DOF). The result is that you will land up with a HDR set that will be unusable. Use an aperture which gives you the DOF you need. If not sure use an aperture of f/8 (for an APS) or narrower (for a full fame). Keep the ISO as low as possible for the best picture quality. Don’t use Auto ISO. I also suggest you use center weighted metering rather than multipattern as this is more predictable.

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Changing the exposure: The underlying principle of HDR imaging is that you need to alter the exposure with every frame of the HDR sequence. The best way to do this is to use the auto-exposure bracketing (AEB) feature of your camera. This feature can be activated easily through a button on some cameras or in other cases via the shooting menu.

Check your camera manual for more details. AEB needs two inputs to be given. First, is the number of frames you need to capture (this number is usually 3 or 5 or 7). Second is the increment by which you need to change the exposure between the frames. This can vary between 0.3EV to 3 EV. Once these two are set, the exposure will be varied by the camera (by changing the shutter speed as we www.smartphotography.in

have chosen aperture priority), every time you press the shutter release (Picture 5).

If your camera does not have the autobracketing feature, you need to use the exposure compensation feature (Picture 5) of your camera and change the exposure manually for each frame.

It is a bit cumbersome but really there is no other way, if your camera does not have AEB. Number of frames and exposure Increment: Next important step is to decide the number of frames and the exposure increment (in terms of EV) between frames.

Generally, it is sufficient to take three frames with a 2.0EV increment for a good HDR image. This means that three images have to be taken, one at the metered value (that is, without compensation) and one each at -2.0EV and +2.0EV (Picture 5). If you want to capture a greater range, you can choose seven frames at 1.0EV increment.

However, remember that, seven raw images of 24MP is a lot of data and may take an enormous amount of computer time to crunch all this. So, don’t attempt to do this, unless you have a very powerful computer. You are usually better off with just three frames.

Also, a three image sequence takes shorter time than a five image one and hence is less susceptible to artifacts produced by moving elements.

You can also see the exposure compensation button (yellow arrow).

You can easily identify this by the +/- sign. © Akshay Rao D

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Frame Advance: If your camera has the AEB feature, then you can also set the frame advance to high speed continuous (Picture 6) as you can shoot off a burst of images, each with a different exposure by simply keeping the shutter release pressed. This will avoid pressing the shutter release for each frame.

Most cameras will automatically stop once the bracketing sequence is completed. Also, since the sequence will be over very fast, any subject movement between the frames will be minimum, thus reducing the problem of artifacts.

Mounting your camera: First, scout for the best location and only then setup a tripod. Mount your camera on it, compose as needed and tighten all knobs / levers securely.

Setting the base exposure: Recall that you are taking multiple frames starting from the metered value and then bracketing about it. While this works, for better results don’t start with the metered value. Instead, set the exposure so that the histogram is almost touching (but not touching) the right edge. You can do this by applying suitable exposure compensation (Picture 5) and by carefully looking at the histogram.

Also, check for any blown out areas

Picture 5: The camera’s top panel display showing the AEB parameters set for three frames with a 2EV increment (see red arrows). With this setting, three frames will be captured - one at the base exposure and one each at -2.0EV and +2.0EV of the base value.

You can also see the exposure compensation button (yellow arrow). You can easily identify this by the +/- sign.

by switching on the highlight warning tool. If you see any blinkies then reduce the exposure. This technique, popularly called “Expose to the right” (ETTR) will ensure that the dynamic range of the camera is maximized. You can now apply bracketing, taking this exposure as the base. Just as a recap, both histogram and highlight warning tools can usually be enabled through the Playback menu.

Focus mode: Depending on the DOF and the subject, focus (with AF or manually) on the point of interest. If it is the former, switch the focus to manual to lock focus as it should not vary between the frames.

Picture 6: Here the exposure mode has been set to Aperture Priority (red arrow) and the frame advance to highspeed continuous position, commonly called as CH (yellow arrow). Both these settings are ideal for quickly completing the HDR sequence of images with least effort.

Too many things to be set? Don’t worry. What you have read regarding the camera settings is summarized in Table 1.

Once you have mounted the camera on the tripod and set it up as described, the rest is very simple. If your camera has AEB, just hold the shutter release button, preferably through a remote release, the camera will fire off the sequence and automatically stop. Note that the camera will continue to be in the AEB mode unless you remove it. So, in case you don’t want to continue with HDR photography then you must disable the AEB.

If your camera does not have AEB and assuming that you are going for a three image HDR, first set your exposure based on the ETTR technique. Now, taking this as the base exposure take two more images, one with -2.0EV and another with +2.0EV compensation. Keep the camera in the single frame advance mode since you need to alter the compensation for each frame.

You also need to keep a tab of the number of frames you have captured.

After you are done, don’t forget to set the exposure compensation back to zero!!

Pictures 7 to 9 show a typical HDR set.

You can now upload the images to your computer, ready to be post processed.

Handheld HDR: Under favourable conditions you can do a HDR sequence handheld though this is generally not advisable. By favourable conditions we mean essentially enough light. If you are going to handhold, then you must use a three image HDR sequence at the fastest frame rate. This will execute the entire sequence in the minimum possible time, so that the inter-frame movement is minimized.

For example, a burst at six fps will execute a three image HDR sequence in just half a second. Even then, there

Table 1

File Format Exposure Mode Metering mode AEB

Frame Advance

Base Exposure Focus

Recommended Camera Setting Raw

Aperture priority Center weighted

Three frames at 2.0EV increment or seven frames at 1.0EV increment.

High speed continuous, only if your camera has the AEB feature.

Else, single frame advance.

Smart Photography September 2017

Parameter

Set based on the principle of ETTR AF or Manual. If it is the former, lock focus later by switching to manual focus.

Picture 7: Exposed to the right (ETTR).

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definitely will be some misalignment between the frames but this can be taken care of in the post-processing.

Before you start the bracketing sequence, make a note of the shutter speed. Recall that the last frame in the sequence has the most positive exposure compensation, which will be +2.0EV. This means

Picture 9: Overexposed by +2EV.

that it will have a shutter speed two stops slower than what the meter indication. For example, if your meter reading says that the shutter speed is 1/60 sec (with zero compensation), then at +2.0EV (which is the most positive compensation among the bracketed images), the shutter speed will only be 1/15 sec which

is not handholdable. Under these circumstances, you must use a proper camera support or bump up the ISO to get a handholdable shutter speed.

Note that the software can tolerate and compensate for slight hand movement between the frames but can’t do anything to a frame blurred by handshake due to slow shutter speed. |SP

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CONCLUSION

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You have seen how HDR imaging is needed whenever the brightness range of the scene exceeds the dynamic range of the camera. You also read how to setup a camera and take a sequence of images as the first step. Once you have the needed images they have to be merged to create the final HDR image which will have the maximum tonal range. This is done in post-processing which will be the subject of the Part II of the article next month. So, stay tuned!! www.smartphotography.in

All text, diagrams and images Š Ashok Kandimalla unless otherwise mentioned.

Picture 8: Underexposed by -2EV.

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Image Editing

- PART 10

Save for Web

Rohinton Mehta

M

odern digital cameras create very large files. While such files may be required for printing, they are unsuitable for sending via email or for posting on social media like Facebook. Large files take a very long time to upload and also cause grief to the receiver. Sending large files without having a pre-approval of the receiver is considered bad etiquette. To make things easier for the sender as well as the receiver, we need to downsize

Smart Photography September 2017

Original Image

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(make smaller) our digital files before sending them through the internet. Let’s take an example.

Open the image in Photoshop and open the Image Size dialog box (Ctrl + Alt + I). The pomegranade image shown here is 17.28 x 11.52 inches at a resolution of 300 ppi with pixel dimension totalling to 51.3 MB (5184 x 3456 pixels). Printscreen 1.

Printscreen 1

Printscreen 3

Now go to Image > Mode > sRGB. This is because sRGB is the Colour Space for the web.

Don’t forget this important step.

2) Constrain Proportions means that if you change any one dimension (either Width or Height), the other dimension will change proportionately by itself.

3) Resample Image tells Photoshop that you want to change the size of the image.

4) In Printscreen 1, under Resample Image, is a box that shows Bicubic Automatic. This is the algorithm (set of instructions) given to the software as to how it should go about changing the image size. If you were to click on the little downward pointing arrow in this box, you would see a drop-down menu (Printscreen 2). When you wish to enlarge an image, you should use Bicubic

Printscreen 2

Please see Printscreen 3. I have reduced the Resolution from 300 ppi to 72 ppi. I have also changed the Width from 17.28 inches to 9 inches.

The Height automatically changed to 6 inches (because Constrain Proportions was enabled). By clicking on OK in the Image Size dialog box, you set the new (9 x 6”) size. Note also that the file which was 51.3 MB, has downsized to mere 820.1 KB. Note: In my example, I have downsized the image to 9 x 6”. You could make it even smaller if you so desire.

Smoother (best for enlargement); for downsizing an image, use Bicubic Sharper (best for reduction).

If you choose Bicubic Automatic, the software automatically selects the correct algorithm depending on whether you want to enlarge the image or downsize it. Please note that Bicubic Automatic is only available in Photoshop CS6 and the newer version (Photoshop CC). If you are using any earlier version of Photoshop, you need to select the correct algorithm manually.

Click OK and the new size is set.

Save the file using the Save As command. If you save the file using the Save command (instead of Save As), you will overwrite the image (the original image will be lost forever).

Here is an alternative method which I usually follow.

Open the image in Photoshop. (I am using Photoshop CS6). Go to File > Save for Web. A dialog box with the same name will open. See Printscreen 4 which shows the parameteres that I set.

Note: 1) I set the Quality to Very High (80). If you are worried that someone will steal your image from the Net, you may use a lower setting.

Smart Photography September 2017

Note: 1) 300 pixels per inch (ppi) is the industry standard when it comes to printing images commercially or in any magazine for example.

Printscreen 4

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2) Ensure that you have enabled Convert to sRGB. This is because sRGB is the Colour Space for the web.

3) In the Quality field for Image Size, select Bicubic Sharper. This is very important – don’t neglect it.

Reason: When you downsize an image, it gets ‘softer’. The Bicubic Sharper algorithm takes this into account and slightly sharpens the image to compensate.

Smart Photography September 2017

File saved with Save for Web method

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4) In the space alloted to Image Size, type 960 (pixels) for the Width (W) and Photoshop will calculate the figure for the Height (H) – 640 (pixels) in this case.

Click on the main image, wait for a few seconds for the image to be resized and then click the Save button.

5) A new dialog box with the name Save Optimized As will open.

6) Put in your file name and hit the Save button.

The saved file is just 240KB and can be easily and safely uploaded without any fear of someone stealing the image (because the file is too small to make a good large print out of it). It is also easier for you to upload and convenient for the receiver to download. |SP

Ashok Kandimalla

The author, Ashok Kandimalla has been in the photographic field for over three decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital photography and equipment. He has published several articles on photography and some of his writings have also been published in the wellknown international magazine Popular Photography.

An avid collector of photographic books and vintage cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He is presently working as a Management and Engineering consultant. You can see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashok_kandimalla. He can be reached at kashokk@gmail.com

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging and Processing (Part I)

H

igh Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging is a technique that became possible due to two advances in photography - digital technology and image processing software. It involves capturing multiple frames with different exposures and then merging them together. The resulting picture, which is called a HDR image, will record a tonal range that would be far more than what a single capture can achieve. Before we go further, it will be helpful if you are familiar with the two terms brightness range and dynamic range.

Let us look at these in more detail.

Smart Photography September 2017

Every scene has a tonal variation between the brightest and darkest parts. This is called the brightness range. A scene with a very large brightness range results in what we call a ‘high contrast’ scene (Picture 1). The brightness range is measured in stops (hope you have not forgotten what a ‘stop’ means!). Also, recall that one stop is commonly referred to as 1 EV and we will be using this term often.

Generally, an imaging sensor can be expected to have a five-stop range. That is, it can record two objects, bright and dark, with proper detail, provided the difference in their brightness is not

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If you set your camera’s exposure compensation to plus (+), then you will expose for shadows, thus preserving the details in the dark areas while highlights will be overexposed (that is, blown out). The opposite will happen if you expose for highlights (negative compensation in this case) resulting in blocked shadows. This was the situation till HDR made its appearance.

So, what is the principle behind HDR?

You have seen how you can overexpose to preserve shadow details and underexpose to capture details in highlights. The trick therefore is to capture several frames of the same scene with varying exposure, say starting from underexposure then moving onto overexposure and in the process capturing all the

One important point is that not all subjects are suitable for HDR photography. As you have seen, you are taking multiple photographs of the same scene that are later merged. So, if there is a moving element, it would have moved (or even disappeared) between frames. This causes ugly artifacts. Examples of moving elements are plenty - vehicles, humans, waves in water, etc. So, for HDR to work well, the scene should be without such things.

So, it goes without saying that HDR is best for static high contrast scenes.

Examples are brightly lit landscapes with shadows, night scenes with street lights, interiors of rooms with light spilling from windows, etc. Also, to be effective, the scene should have high contrast. A very low contrast scene

Picture 2: Brightness range and Dynamic range. Arrow marks show areas which will not be recorded properly as they are outside the dynamic range of your camera.

You will have no problem if the brightness range of the scene is less than the dynamic range of the sensor. If it is a high contrast scene where the brightness range exceeds the dynamic range, then due to the limitation Picture 1: A typical high contrast interior scene where the brightness range of the scene exceeds the camera’s dynamic range. Here the exposure was set for shadows (see also Picture 2). So, the darker areas were recorded correctly but the brightly lit areas have become detail-less white patches (blown out) as indicated by arrow marks.

(example a misty landscape) will not yield any benefits by using HDR.

Now that you know the principles of HDR, let us see what you will need to create HDR images and, how to set up your camera to record the HDR frame set.

What will you need?: Let us start with the good news. You really need only a very basic camera but with one of the two following features – manual exposure control or aperture priority exposure mode with exposure compensation. Many cameras also have what is called the auto exposure bracketing (AEB) feature where the camera automatically changes the exposure (by giving a different exposure compensation) every time you release the shutter. While this feature is definitely convenient it is not a show stopper as you can change the compensation yourself manually for every frame. All the D-SLRs, CSCs and many point and shoot cameras offer these features. Check your camera manual to see what your camera can do.

Apart from the camera, the important piece of hardware you need is your three-legged friend, also known as the tripod! Yes – I would consider this as an essential piece of equipment as it prevents camera movements between the frames and thus allows for perfect overlapping (that is, alignment) of images. This is known as the “frame registration” and if this is not there you will get bad results. That said, we will also discuss how to make HDR images without a tripod but I would still consider a good tripod as an essential tool for serious HDR photography.

Also, use a remote release device, either wired (Picture 3) or wireless infrared (Picture 4) to release the

Picture 3: Picture 4: Corded remote Wireless infrared release. remote release.

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- PART 10

Save for Web

M

odern digital cameras create very large files. While such files may be required for printing, they are unsuitable for sending via email or for posting on social media like Facebook. Large files take a very long time to upload and also cause grief to the receiver. Sending large files without having a pre-approval of the receiver is considered bad etiquette. To make things easier for the sender as well as the receiver, we need to downsize

(make smaller) our digital files before sending them through the internet. Let’s take an example.

Open the image in Photoshop and open the Image Size dialog box (Ctrl + Alt + I). The pomegranade image shown here is 17.28 x 11.52 inches at a resolution of 300 ppi with pixel dimension totalling to 51.3 MB (5184 x 3456 pixels). Printscreen 1.

Note: 1) 300 pixels per inch (ppi) is the industry standard when it comes to printing images commercially or in any magazine for example.

Printscreen 2

Smart Photography September 2017

Smoother (best for enlargement); for downsizing an image, use Bicubic Sharper (best for reduction).

If you choose Bicubic Automatic, the software automatically selects the correct algorithm depending on whether you want to enlarge the image or downsize it. Please note that Bicubic Automatic is only available in Photoshop CS6 and the newer version (Photoshop CC). If you are using any earlier version of Photoshop, you need to select the correct algorithm manually.

www.smartphotography.in

I Were You

Now go to Image > Mode > sRGB. This is because sRGB is the Colour Space for the web.

Don’t forget this important step.

Please see Printscreen 3. I have reduced the Resolution from 300 ppi to 72 ppi. I have also changed the Width from 17.28 inches to 9 inches.

The Height automatically changed to 6 inches (because Constrain Proportions was enabled). By clicking on OK in the Image Size dialog box, you set the new (9 x 6”) size. Note also that the file which was 51.3 MB, has downsized to mere 820.1 KB.

Note: In my example, I have downsized the image to 9 x 6”. You could make it even smaller if you so desire.

Original Image

If

Click OK and the new size is set.

3) Resample Image tells Photoshop that you want to change the size of the image.

4) In Printscreen 1, under Resample Image, is a box that shows Bicubic Automatic. This is the algorithm (set of instructions) given to the software as to how it should go about changing the image size. If you were to click on the little downward pointing arrow in this box, you would see a drop-down menu (Printscreen 2). When you wish to enlarge an image, you should use Bicubic

Printscreen 1

Printscreen 3

2) Constrain Proportions means that if you change any one dimension (either Width or Height), the other dimension will change proportionately by itself.

Save the file using the Save As command. If you save the file using the Save command (instead of Save As), you will overwrite the image (the original image will be lost forever).

Here is an alternative method which I usually follow.

Open the image in Photoshop. (I am using Photoshop CS6). Go to File > Save for Web. A dialog box with the same name will open. See Printscreen 4 which shows the parameteres that I set.

Note: 1) I set the Quality to Very High (80). If you are worried that someone will steal your image from the Net, you may use a lower setting.

Smart Photography September 2017

Rohinton Mehta

Printscreen 4

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Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography Camera: Nikon D5300 Lens: 35mm f/1.8 (equivalent to 52mm in 35mm format) Aperture: f/1.8 Shutter Speed: 1/1000sec ISO: 100

Landscape This landscape is sent to us by Arunoday Das from Bangalore. It is a good attempt but I feel that it would improve with a bit more contrast. I also feel that by having less of the sky, the attention would go directly to the foreground interest.

Masters of Camou�lage

This picture of a chameleon comes to us from Hitesh Chhetri via email.

Hitesh says that he has tried his hand at editing the image using Lightroom 6. He wants my opinion on how to improve the picture.

While this is a good effort, here are my views and recommendations: 1. Unless you are using a ‘fast’ pro lens, try to avoid using the widest aperture. I do realise that you have used f/5.6 (the lens’ widest aperture) to throw the background out of focus.

But stopping down by one stop (to f/8) would have provided better depth of �ield and made the image appear sharper.

of 200) with f/8 (instead of f/5.6).

This would have allowed me to use 1/160sec shutter speed for a sharper image. On your 700D, ISO 800 would not have made the image unacceptably noisy.

3. The blurry base on which the chameleon is sitting, and its out-offocus limb is disturbing. In my opinion,

anything out of focus in the front of the subject is always disturbing!

In the edited image, I have improved the tonality of the image. I made a copy of the Background layer and used the Multiply blending mode. I then reduced the Opacity as you can see in the printscreen. A bit of sharpening was also applied.

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Lens: 55-250mm at 250mm.

Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/80sec ISO: 200

Original

2. I am not sure if you used the image stabiliser (IS) on your lens, but I am assuming that you did. If I were you, I would have used an ISO sensitivity of 800 (instead Printscreen 1

Edited

In the edited image, I have increased the contrast slightly, cropped the sky and added a dash of sharpening to the image.

Smart Photography September 2017

Smart Photography September 2017

The EXIF data shows that you used the lens wide open at f/1.8. If I were you, I would have increased the ISO to 200, stopped down the lens to f/4 or 5.6 for a better depth of �ield. At f/5.6 at ISO 200, I would have got a shutter speed in the region of 1/250 sec, which would have been suf�icient for the purpose.

Edited

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Image Editing - Part 10

E-mail your images at sp@nextgenpublishing.net

Our Imaging Expert No one can take a picture that everyone likes. But, almost every picture can have scope of improvement.

Often, we are not our best critics, while others can immediately point out the faults. In If I were you, our expert comments on how your pictures could be taken to another level.

Original

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High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging and Processing - Part I

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Image Editing

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details in both shadow and highlight areas. The interesting aspect here is that, while all the details have been captured, all of them are not present in a single frame! So, these multiple frames that form the HDR set, have to be merged using post-processing software to generate a single frame that has all the details. This is what is called HDR processing and will result in a HDR image.

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more than five stops.

This is called the dynamic range of the camera. Modern advanced cameras now have a dynamic range greater than five stops but we will stick to this number for now.

of your camera you will not be able to record the full brightness range present. Hence you need to settle for a compromise (Picture 2) and decide what you what to record and what you want to discard – that is, to record without detail. One more point. Don’t confuse latitude with dynamic range.

The former is tolerance of the camera to a wrong exposure setting.

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Learnings

Smart Photography has been continually receiving requests to start a basic course for beginners. With this in mind, we have asked a very knowledgeable photographer from Chennai to take over writing these articles. We have also requested him to be as jargonfree as it is possible, so that newcomers to photography feel comfortable to pursue the hobby.

ers

Smart Photography September 2017

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102 If I Were You

If

I Were You

E-mail your images at sp@nextgenpublishing.net

Our Imaging Expert No one can take a picture that everyone likes. But, almost every picture can have scope of improvement.

Often, we are not our best critics, while others can immediately point out the faults. In If I were you, our expert comments on how your pictures could be taken to another level.

Rohinton Mehta, Technical Editor, Smart Photography Camera: Nikon D5300 Lens: 35mm f/1.8 (equivalent to 52mm in 35mm format) Aperture: f/1.8 Shutter Speed: 1/1000sec ISO: 100

Original

Landscape This landscape is sent to us by Arunoday Das from Bangalore. It is a good attempt but I feel that it would improve with a bit more contrast. I also feel that by having less of the sky, the attention would go directly to the foreground interest.

Smart Photography September 2017

The EXIF data shows that you used the lens wide open at f/1.8. If I were you, I would have increased the ISO to 200, stopped down the lens to f/4 or 5.6 for a better depth of field. At f/5.6 at ISO 200, I would have got a shutter speed in the region of 1/250 sec, which would have been sufficient for the purpose.

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Edited

www.smartphotography.in

In the edited image, I have increased the contrast slightly, cropped the sky and added a dash of sharpening to the image.

Masters of Camouflage

This picture of a chameleon comes to us from Hitesh Chhetri via email.

Hitesh says that he has tried his hand at editing the image using Lightroom 6. He wants my opinion on how to improve the picture.

While this is a good effort, here are my views and recommendations: 1. Unless you are using a ‘fast’ pro lens, try to avoid using the widest aperture. I do realise that you have used f/5.6 (the lens’ widest aperture) to throw the background out of focus.

But stopping down by one stop (to f/8) would have provided better depth of field and made the image appear sharper.

of 200) with f/8 (instead of f/5.6).

This would have allowed me to use 1/160sec shutter speed for a sharper image. On your 700D, ISO 800 would not have made the image unacceptably noisy.

3. The blurry base on which the chameleon is sitting, and its out-offocus limb is disturbing. In my opinion,

anything out of focus in the front of the subject is always disturbing!

In the edited image, I have improved the tonality of the image. I made a copy of the Background layer and used the Multiply blending mode. I then reduced the Opacity as you can see in the printscreen. A bit of sharpening was also applied.

Camera: Canon EOS 700D Lens: 55-250mm at 250mm.

Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/80sec ISO: 200

Original

2. I am not sure if you used the image stabiliser (IS) on your lens, but I am assuming that you did. If I were you, I would have used an ISO sensitivity of 800 (instead

Smart Photography September 2017

Printscreen 1

Edited

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IF I WERE YOU

E-mail your images at sp@nextgenpublishing.net

Original

Camera: Canon EOS 1200D Lens: 18-55mm kit lens Aperture: f/11 Shutter Speed: 1/125sec ISO: 100

Wake-up Mumbai

Smart Photography September 2017

This photo, taken at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, is from Maneesh Sahu of Allahabad, UP. He wants to know if the picture could be improved upon.

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Yes, Maneesh, almost every picture can be improved, some majorly, some just a bit. In your original photo, the monument appears too dark for my liking. Using Photoshop, I have brought in a bit of detail in the dark areas. I have also straightened the slight horizontal tilt of the monument.

I purposely did not sharpen the image as digital noise can become apparent when you ‘open up’ shadows and then sharpen that area. |SP

www.smartphotography.in

Edited

Note: If I Were You is meant to encourage and guide readers, and help them improve their photography. Please ensure that the required camera/exposure details are sent to us (or are available in the EXIF data). We shall not accept images for this section if the required data is not available. Readers are requested to send their images at 300ppi for 8 x 10-inch size. If they are too small, working on them is difficult, and hence they may be rejected.

106 108 110 112 118 Lens Review

Smartphone Review HTC U11

Smartphone Review Oppo F3

Software Review

Landscape Pro Studio Max Version 2.3.1

Change in Rating System Smart Photography’s new rating system exercises stricter evaluation in view of improvements in the overall performance of photographic equipment. Marks will be awarded for the following parameters...

Final Rankings Recommended ......................................... 75-80% Best Buy .........................................81% and above

Reviews

Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM

First Look

Thecus NAS N2810 (v2)

D-SLR CAMERAS

LENSES

COMPACT CAMERAS

Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)

Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)

Design & Build Quality .................... (out of 20)

Key Features........................................... (out of 20)

Key Features........................................... (out of 20)

Key Features........................................... (out of 20)

Ergonomics ............................................. (out of 20)

Ergonomics ............................................. (out of 20)

Ergonomics ............................................. (out of 20)

Performance Autofocus ....................................................(out of 5) Metering ......................................................(out of 5) Noise control ...........................................(out of 5) Distortion/Sharpness..........................(out of 5) LCD/Viewfinder.....................................(out of 5) Auto White Balance...........................(out of 5)

Performance Autofocus ....................................................(out of 5) Sharpness.....................................................(out of 5) Distortion control .................................(out of 5) Aberrations ................................................(out of 5) Darkening of corners.........................(out of 5) Extra Features............................................(out of 5)

Performance Autofocus ....................................................(out of 5) Metering ......................................................(out of 5) Noise control ...........................................(out of 5) Distortion/Sharpness..........................(out of 5) LCD/Viewfinder.....................................(out of 5) Auto White Balance...........................(out of 5)

Value for Money ....................... (out of 10)

Value for Money ................................. (out of 10)

Value for Money ....................... (out of 10)

Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)

Grand Total ......................................... (out of 100)

Grand Total ............................... (out of 100)

NSEW E L VI RE

Inside the Box ✓ Lens ✓ Front and back caps

A

ll-purpose zoom lenses are value-for-money options for amateur photographers who can live without the exacting standards required by professionals without burning a hole in their pockets. This is all-the-more important for the travelling amateur who prefers a light and compact kit. Canon EOS M cameras with the new EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM provides just that — a compact and lightweight kit that can capture almost everything from landscapes to portraits and beyond.

Design and Build Quality

The 18-150mm lens is made mostly of engineering plastic. It is quite light and compact, considering the zoom range. It balances well with the compact EF-M bodies. This lens does not feature a lens retraction feature and hence you do not need to extend the barrel before using it. The lens weighs approximately 300g. It has a maximum diameter of 60.9mm and maximum length of 86.5mm. The lens has a plastic mount.

Smart Photography September 2017

Key Features

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The EF-M 18-150mm is one of the most compact all-purpose zoom lenses for APS-C cameras, providing 8.3x zoom. The lens can focus as close as 0.25m at the wide-angle end, while at 150mm, the lens can focus the closest at 0.45mm, providing a better magnification than most other lenses in this category. The 18-150mm is constructed with 17 elements in 13 groups including one UD and two aspherical elements. The aspherical elements are optimally placed to provide sharp and crisp images across its entire focal length range. This lens incorporates optical image stabilisation, which, according www.smartphotography.in

Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM

` 35,995

Sujith Gopinath

Beginner’s Super-zoom to Canon, can provide up to 4 stops of advantage in shutter speed. When mounted on EOS M5 bodies, the lens is additionally stabilised by a 5-axis digital image stabilisation.

The 18-150mm STM lens uses a leadscrew type stepper motor (STM) for fast and quiet focussing. The lens has a 7-bladed diaphragm, providing a circular aperture. At the wide-angle end, the lens provides an aperture range of f/3.5 to 22, while at the telephoto end, the aperture range is f/6.3 to 40. The lens accepts 55mm filters.

Ergonomics

The EF-M 18-150mm lens is a pleasure to handle, being light and compact. Both the zoom and focus rings are knurled for better grip and well-damped for smooth operation.

There are no buttons or switches on the lens and all the features are

controlled from the body.

Performance

We combined the 18-150mm lens with an EOS M5 body and autofocus was reasonably fast and smooth. The combination controlled darkening of corner very well. With peripheral illumination correction switched on, the camera-lens combination did not show darkening at any aperture at the wide-angle end. The lens produced heavy flare along with strong magenta fringing at all apertures. In strong againstthe-light shots. We observed slight barrel distortion up to 24mm and pincushion distortion from 35 to 100mm. 150mm was practically free of distortion.

At 18mm, the images were sharp from f/4 to f/11 and f/5.6 was the sweet spot, while f/22 was unsharp due to diffraction. At 50mm, the

Mahesh Reddy

Aperture: f/8 Shutter Speed: 1/40sec ISO: 400

The EF-M 18-150mm carries the same flaws as any long-range ‘all-purpose’ zoom lenses, but being a budget lens, we cannot really complain.

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

Closest focussing distance: 0.25m Lens construction: 17 elements in 13 groups Drive system: Lead screw-type STM Filter size: 55mm Maximum magnification: 0.31x Minimum aperture: f/40 No. of Diaphragm Blades: 7 Water or dust-resistance: No Weight: Approx. 300g Max. Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 60.9 x 86.5mm Distance scale: No

Value for Money

The EF-M 18-150mm lens retails at an MRP of Rs.35,995. This is quite high for an amateur quality lens of this standard. |SP

FINAL SCORE

73%

Design and Build Quality17/20 Key Features

16/20

Ergonomics

17/20

Performance Autofocus Sharpness Distortion control Aberrations Darkening of corners Extra features Sub-Total

Value for Money

MINUS

PLUS

•

• Compact and 4/5 3/5 3/5 2/5 4/5 2/5

18/30

5/10

lightweight • Useful zoom range

VERDICT

Sub-optimal sharpness • Distortion at almost all focal lengths • Heavy flare and magenta fringing • Plastic lens mount

The EF-M 18-150mm IS STM lens is an all-purpose lens ideal for amateur and hobby photographers who need a compact and lightweight system that can be carried around in a hand bag.

Unfortunately, the performance of the lens leaves much to be desired and at this price, we have some reservations on recommending it. www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

sweet spot shifted to f/8 while f/5.6 to 16 produced the best sharpness. As expected, the images were practically useless at f/32 and 36. We were not very impressed with the sharpness of the lens at 100mm, but please note that this is the case with all budget long-range zoom lenses. If you want fair sharpness, stick to f/8 or 11.

Even f/16 could be used in a crunch.

Same was the case with 150mm focal length.

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Inside the Box

✓ HTC U11 handset ✓ USB Type-C cable ✓ Power adapter ✓ SIM ejector ✓ USB-C to 3.5mm adapter ✓ Instruction manual ✓ Clear case

I

t’s no secret that HTC has had a tough time in the last few years. With Samsung dethroning the brand to become the largest smartphone maker in the premium Android market, HTC also had to battle the onslaught of new brands coming into the market with cheaper, better alternatives. Given this background, the HTC U series seems to be a step in the right direction and now the Taiwanese company has launched the third phone in the series – the U11.

Design and Build Quality

Smart Photography September 2017

The device has a unique design and to be honest, we quite like it. HTC claims the shiny liquid glass surface at the back is a result of Optical Spectrum Hybrid Deposition. Quite a mouthful, isn’t it?

But in simple words, HTC has managed to layer the back of the device with “highly-refractive precious minerals”, which means you see different shades at different angles when you hold the phone under light. HTC sells the black and silver in India but we hope to see the red-hued model soon to complete the triad. HTC U11 also boasts an IP67 rating, which means it is dust- and water-resistant in up to one metre of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.

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As far as key and port placement goes, the fingerprint sensor rests below the display while the power and volume buttons are on the left, and the speaker grille and USB Type-C port at the bottom. Just like the U Ultra, the HTC U11 also skips the 3.5mm audio jack and relies on the Type-C port for the audio. However, if you still want to use a regular pair of earphones, HTC bundles USB-C to 3.5mm adapter with a built-in DAC. www.smartphotography.in

HTC U11

` 51,990

Kunal Gangar

More than Just a Squeeze Key Features

HTC U11 features a 5.5-inch Super LCD 5 display with Quad HD resolution support (2560x1440). While the phone does not boast any preset sRGB mode, it does allow users to adjust the colour temperature ranging from warm to cool with a simple slider. The display also supports Night mode, which reduces blue filter and hence lessens eye fatigue.

Under the hood is Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor coupled with 6GB of RAM. On the storage front, there is 128GB of builtin memory but microSD expansion is possible through the Hybrid SIM slot.

HTC U11’s claim to fame is its squeezable sides. Dubbed Edge Sense, the phone executes some commands on squeezing its side. For instance, a squeeze can launch the camera, a particular app, turn on/off the flashlight,

take a screenshot and more.

The Sense Companion is HTC’s virtual assistant that tracks daily usage patterns and suggests actions based on that. HTC U11 is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa (not available in India yet).

HTC U11 is bundled with the latest version of HTC USonic earphones that support active noise cancellation. The phone also allows users to customise a personal audio profile for best audio performance. The device also features HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers.

The phone packs in a 3000mAh battery.

There’s of course, power-saving and extreme power-saving modes to extend the battery life, as well as a Quick Charge 3.0 when the phone needs a fast refill.

Aperture: f/1.7 Shutter Speed: 1/1600sec ISO: 400

metric has rated U11’s camera as the highest-rated smartphone camera and we tend to agree. It takes some excellent pictures with great detail and colour reproduction. Images shot in low light have a lot of detail with relatively low noise. The images are extremely sharp and punchy. Noise was evident in lowlight, especially at boosted ISOs, but we would still consider this good.

Value for Money

The U11 carries a price tag of Rs.51,990, and we would consider this great pricing for a flagship of this calibre. |SP

FINAL SCORE

Mahesh Reddy

85%

Ergonomics

While we don’t deny the U11’s premium look, the phone is slippery, thanks to the 3D glass on the front and back. Luckily, HTC bundles a clear plastic case that gives you the much-needed grip. The screen is sharp with great contrast and viewing angle.

Performance

The phone could handle all the complex tasks with ease. The lags in the Sense UI (user interface) are also kept to a minimal. It is good to see multiple uses of the Edge Sense that works as intended, but if you ask us, the feature is more gimmicky than practical. The battery lasted a day with average use.

According to DxOMark, an independent

KEY SPECIFICATIONS Platform: Android 7.1 with HTC Sense Main camera: 12MP (HTC UltraPixel with 1.4μm pixel) Focus: UltraSpeed Autofocus Sensor: BSI sensor Image stabilisation: Optical Aperture: f/1.7 Flash: Dual LED Self timer: Up to 10 seconds Pro mode: Yes Raw format: Supported Best video: 4K video recording with 3D Audio Sound: HTC USonic with Active Noise Cancellation; HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition Water protection: IP67 Display: 5.5 inch, Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) Protector: 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 SIM Card type: Dual nano SIM Front camera: 16MP Aperture: f/2.0 Video: Full HD 1080p Battery: 3000 mAh HTC Edge Sense: Squeeze phone to launch features Dimensions: 153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm Weight: 169g

Key Features

17/20

Ergonomics

16/20

Performance

17/20

Value for Money

18/20

PLUS

• Good performance • Stylish design • Excellent camera

MINUS • No 3.5mm audio jack

VERDICT

It has taken some time but HTC has created a phone worthy of its name. Edge Sense’s inclusion is debatable but it is something that wouldn’t hinder your overall experience when using U11.

Camera and design are the highlights here and with HTC pricing it competitively, the U11 is certainly a flagship worth the buck.

Undoubtedly, a complete package with great looks, performance and camera. www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

Apart from Edge Sense, another talked-about feature of the phone is the camera. The main camera features a 12MP UltraPixel 3 with OIS and f/1.7 aperture whereas the front camera is a 16MP with f/2.0 aperture. There’s also Pro mode, HDR Boost to enhance the overall image and RAW image support.

Design and Build Quality17/20

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Inside the Box

✓ Oppo F3 ✓ Earphones ✓ Micro USB cable ✓ Charger ✓ SIM ejector tool ✓ Documentation ✓ Case

S

martphones have become the primary cameras for everyone, and it is a no-brainer that phone manufacturers put lot of effort into their cameras. But this company has built its entire inventory around front-facing cameras, and specifically selfies. Selfie Expert has become a brand name in itself for Oppo, and here we have the Oppo F3 with us.

Design and Build Quality

The F3 is slightly smaller than the F3 Plus with a 5.5-inch display in place of a 6-inch screen in the Plus. The device is sleek and light. Though the metal back surface is slippery, the sides offer good grip. The oval fingerprint sensor is at the default position at the front.

The 2.5D front glass has rough edges unlike premium phones currently in the market. Overall, the design is clean, though it looks slightly dated.

Smart Photography September 2017

Key Features

110

The F3 is the budget sibling of the F3 Plus we reviewed earlier. The phone uses a octa-core Mediatek MT6750T SoC with Mali T860 dual GPU. The device shares the same 4GB RAM and 64GB internal memory (expandable up to 128GB) as that of the F3 Plus. The F3 runs on ColorOS 3.0 skin, based on Android 6.0 and sports a 5.5-inch IPS screen supporting up to Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The screen is capable of reproducing 16 million colours. The F3 supports dual nano SIM along with a microSD card, which makes the device stand out among those with hybrid slots that compromise on either the second www.smartphotography.in

Oppo F3

` 30,990

Sujith Gopinath

Selfie for the Masses SIM or expandable memory.

The rear camera is a 13 megapixel unit that uses a larger-than-usual 1/3-inch sensor, believed to provide a wider dynamic range and better low-light performance. The camera uses phase detection autofocus, which allows for fast and accurate focussing. It features an Ultra HD mode, which combines several images into a 50 megapixel image. The rear camera also incorporates Anti-shake 2.0 electronic shake reduction. The expert mode lets you set White Balance, Exposure Compensation, ISO sensitivity, Shutter Speed, and Focus, in addition to setting the camera to capture Raw images. An LED flash lets you illuminate your subject.

The front double view group selfie camera uses a 16 megapixel, 1/3-inch sensor and allows you to capture a 2 times larger field of view than normal smartphone cameras. It uses two lenses

to capture a wider area and has a wide f/2 aperture. The Smart Facial Recognition feature prompts you to switch to the double view group selfie camera if it detects more than three faces. The camera feature Beautify 4.0 mode, which allows you to capture selfies with blemish reduction and bokeh effect. It also incorporates palm shutter feature, which activates an automatic shutter countdown by waving your palm in front of the camera.

The F3 uses a 3200mAh non-removable battery. Oppo has bundled a standard charger with the F3 instead of the Vooc high-speed charger in the F3 Plus. The device measures 75.2 x 153.3 x 7.3mm (W x H x D) and weighs 153g. The phone is available in Gold, Black and Rose Gold colours.

Ergonomics

The phone is quite comfortable to

Aperture: f/2.2 Shutter Speed: 1/1000sec ISO: 200

proper lighting. Editing options are limited to pre-set filters.

Overall performance could be best described as ‘fit for the price’. Videos somewhat dragged especially in slightly fast panning action.

Value for Money

The F3 retails at an MRP of Rs.19,990.

At this price, the phone is worth what you pay for, especially with 64GB storage and dedicated slot for expandable memory. |SP

FINAL SCORE

Mahesh Reddy

79%

Performance

The wide-selfie feature is the trump card of this phone, and it does the job very well. Palm shutter worked like a charm and the expert modes in the main camera allows you to control most parameters.

F3 reproduced colours with a slightly warm tint and the images lacked details especially in reds. Noise was evident from ISO 400 beyond which the images were practically useless. Aggressive noise reduction affected the sharpness rather too much and there is nothing you can do about it. The camera allows you to capture images with bokeh effect, but the results were quite disappointing.

The images looked like a bad postprocessing job with absolute lack of finesse and no manual control. If you need sharp images, you would do well to keep the ISO fixed at 200 and ensure

KEY SPECIFICATIONS Basic Parameters Colour: Gold, Black, Rose Gold Operating System: ColorOS 3.0, based on Android 6.0 GPU: MaliT86-MP2 RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB (Expandable up to 128GB) Battery; Typical: 3200mAh (Non-removable) Processor: MT6750T Display size: 5.5 inches Type: IPS TFT Resolution: Full HD (1920 by 1080 pixels) Colors: 16 million colors Camera rear sensor: 13-megapixel Flash: LED Flash Aperture: Rear: f/2.2; Front: f/2.0 Connectivity frequencies: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz WCDMA: 850/900/2100MHz LTE Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/38/39/40/41 SIM Card type: Dual Nano-SIM Cards GPS: Supported Bluetooth: 4.0 Wi-Fi: 2.4/5GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n OTG: Supported Dimensions: 153.3 x 75.2 x 7.3mm Weight: About 153g

Key Features

17/20

Ergonomics

16/20

Performance

14/20

Value for Money

16/20

PLUS

MINUS

camera mode

Too much noise reduction

• Lightweight • Responsive • Sleek • Professional

• Camera disappoints • No Vooc charging • Warm cast in images

VERDICT The Oppo F3 competes in the lower-midrange segment, where it challenges the Samsung Galaxy On Max and Moto G5 Plus. But this device, along with the Vivo V5s offer the best value for money with 64GB onboard memory. Recommended. www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

use with a very responsive fingerprint scanner that unlocks the device without any discernible delay. The screen refresh rate is a little low, but we cannot blame a mid-range phone on this.

Design and Build Quality16/20

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Landscape Pro Studio Max Version 2.3.1

`

2,563

Sujith Gopinath

For the Landscape Artist A

nthropics Technology has created two specialists in photo editing, Portrait Pro and Landscape Pro. Both of these offer some advanced features for the portrait and landscape photography respectively. We reviewed the Landscape Pro last year, when it made its debut and we were not very impressed. Now Anthropics is back with the improved version of the software and promises many improvements.

Key Features

Smart Photography September 2017

Landscape PRO Version 2.3.1 works the same way as Landscape PRO 1, except that it has a lot more of presets and options. Now the software sports new 3D Lighting brushes to add a light source with natural effects. Once you place a light source in the image, it can be moved around the frame and the effect previewed in real time.

112

Working on Landscape Pro requires labelling different elements in your frame. You can drag and drop the labels on to the elements in the frame.

The software provides labels such as Sky, Water, Mountain, Grass, Plant, Tree, Unlabeled, Building, Rock, Person, Animal, Object, Ground, Metal, Sand, Snow, Bridge, Waterfall, and Sky Reflection. Once you have lebelled everything, the software will colour-code the image according to the labels. Though the tip box says you need to label an element only once, it is better if you label all the elements that are separated by other elements.

There are tools that enable you to adjust the areas—expand, soften the selections, fine-tune etc. After this, you can make www.smartphotography.in

adjustments to the various elements.

You can replace the sky with one from the vast selections available and adjust various parameters. You can add cloud patterns or change the colour of the sky.

The Landscape Pro also allows you to

add your own sky to the collection. You can also adjust various parameters to customise this sky. Similarly, you can change the nature of every element.

The lighting tool is quite interesting.

Original Image

Getting familiar

sliders. Please see the images below to see the effects.

The new version features more than 100 new skies, including rainbows and storms for better selection. The new Smart Brush allows you to select fine details.

The Landscape Pro is available in

three versions—Standard, Studio, and Studio Max. The Studio and Studio Max versions provide support for Raw and DNG formats, read and write TIFF images in 64 bits, extends support for colour profiles, and work in plugin mode with Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Lightroom. The Studio Max version additionally includes a Histogram mode and Batch processing option.

General Settings

Global Presets

Image Tips Overlay

Picture adjustments

Object Labelling

Final Landscape

Smart Photography September 2017

It allows you to change the direction of light source in the frame. You can control the amount of lighting as also the extend of shadows. The new Sky Reflection label allows you to control the effects of various adjustments to waterbodies by separating the parts with reflection of the sky from those without reflections. The reflections can be fine-tuned using the respective

www.smartphotography.in

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Photoshop Plugin

Fine-tuning in Photoshop once the image is colourcoded, most of the fine details become invisible. This makes it almost impossible to make fine adjustments with the brushes.

This becomes a problem in complex landscape images with a lot of disjoint elements scattered across the frame. For simple images, the software works like magic.

Final Image

We would also like to save the progress of an image so that it can be re-opened from photoshop or another software from the last edited stage. For example, if you need to apply the effects on each element as separate layers, the only option now is to re-label and fine-tune all the elements from scratch, which is a tedious process.

Smart Photography September 2017

Evaluation

114

Anthropics has greatly improved the Landscape Pro and most glitches have been ironed away. We were provided with the Studio Max version, and it handled both Raw and JPEG images well.

We tried both standalone and Photoshop plugin versions, and both worked well without any issues. The plugin version provides much flexibility since you can work with layers and fine-tune the final image with precision.

Having said that, Anthropix has still a long way to go with the adjustment brushes. The brushes are not entirely user-friendly as it is very difficult to precisely select all the elements. The problem is complicated by the fact that www.smartphotography.in

Original Image

Lighting Left

Final Image

Value for Money

The Landscape PRO standard version can be downloaded from www. landscapepro.pics at a discounted price of U.S. $39.95 (Rs.2563), while the Studio version carries a price tag of U.S. $59.95 (Rs.3846). The Studio Max version is priced at U.S. $119.95 (Rs.7696). You can also download a free trial version. We would consider this great value for money, considering the capability of the software. |SP

Lighting Centre Top

FINAL SCORE Lighting Right

PLUS

• Intelligent feature recognition • Raw image support • Lighting adjustments

MINUS

• Lacks finesse in selection

80%

Key Features

17/20

Ease of Use

16/20

Performance

14/20

Value for Money

17/20

Support

16/20

The Landscape PRO is a fun-filled concept in editing landscape images. If you are proficient in advanced software like Photoshop, you might not find the Landscape PRO very impressive. It might not work for stock photography contributions either.

However, if you like drama in your images and consider yourself an artist rather than a photographer, you should certainly have a look at the Landscape Pro. At such competitive pricing, the software is certainly worth every penny.

www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

VERDICT

115

Share your best travel images with us!

Can’t wait to print your travel photos on this canvas!

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Network Attached Storage (NAS) server is not everyone’s cup of tea. But now, photographers are increasingly mobile, operating from across geographies and often working from remote places. A network-based storage system is particularly useful, especially a remotely accessible server.

The Thecus N2810 (v2) has an Intel Celeron N3060 Dual Core CPU clocked at 1.6GHz (with a peak frequency of 2.16 GHz) and runs on the newlydesigned, enhanced ThecusOS 7.0. The N2810 offers 2GB DDR 3 RAM This is a bare system without hard drives.

You can attach up to two compatible SATA II or SATA III hard drive or SSD. The device has two LAN ports, 3 USB 3.0 ports and 1 HDMI port. The system comes bundled with free Intel Security and free Acronis Backup software for client-side protection. The software backs up all your data with One-click Protection. You also have the option to pick and choose only your most important files.

ThecusOS 7.0 provides an easy-to-use interface with several new features such as Photo Station, Thecus App Centre (with over 700 apps) and User Profile. The system also comes with enhanced protection in the form of Thecus System Failover feature,

Smart Photography September 2017

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

118

Processor: Intel Celeron N3060 1.6GHz burst up to 2.48GHz Dual-Core System memory: 2GB DDR3 Memory expandable up to: 8GB LAN interface: RJ-45x2: 10/100/1000 BASETX Auto MDI/MDI-X WOL: supported USB interface: USB 3.0 host port x3 (front x1, back x2) HDMI output: HDMI port (back x1) Disk interface: 2 x SATA for internal, support SATA II / SATA III hard disk Power supply: 48W extend power adapter Thermal/Fan control: Thermal sensor on processor temperature Power management: Auto power on after shutdown due to power loss Dimensions (HxWxD): 146 x 102 x 213mm www.smartphotography.in

Thecus NAS N2810 (v2)

Sujith Gopinath

Your Personal Cloud

which creates mirrored data volumes and switches over if the primary NAS is not visible in the event of a power or network failure, scheduled maintenance, or other circumstances.

For the photographer who is always on the move, the N2810 provides a complete solution to implement a personal cloud so that you can access your images and other multimedia content from anywhere in the world, provided you have internet access.

The Thecus T-OnTheGo smartphone application, available for both iOS and Android platforms, enables you to access, copy, stream and edit data on the NAS from your mobile device.

You can also link your public cloud applications such as DropBox, Amazon S3 and ElephantDrive for additional backup. For businesses and large photography service providers, the device allows users to remotely access

a secure network through VPNs.

As a home network solution, the NAS can be used as a direct media file playback system either via HDMI output to your TV or streaming to Xbox 360, PS4 or mobile devices. The N2810 supports+ 4K videos and can also automatically assemble iTunes, iPhoto, and Aperture content. If you intend to stream media content rather than connect via HDMI, the device allows you to stream via Apple TV or Chromecast.

The NAS allows 7 modes of link aggregation for faster transfers and to provide redundancy in case one or more of the links fail.

The N2810 Server retails at an MRP ranging from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 depending on the hardware and carries a warranty of 2 years. |SP

PHOTOGRAPHY INSTITUTE

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A collection of pithy statements relating to our industry We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us.

- Ralph Hatterskey (1921-2000)

The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.

- Andy Warhol (1928-87)

A good photographer records; a great photographer reveals.

- Skyler Reid, Journalist

Character, like a photographer, develops in darkness.

-Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002)

Which of my photographs is my favourite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.

- Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976)

Whoever possesses a camera should never know boredom.

Your �irst 10000 photographs are your worst.

- Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) www.smartphotography.in

Smart Photography September 2017

- Wayne Gerard Trotman, Filmmaker

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Every viewer is going to get a different thing.

That’s the thing about painting, photography and cinema.

- David Lynch, US Director

There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.

- Robert Frank, US Photographer

Taking pictures is like tip-toeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies.

-Diane Arbus (1923-1971)

There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.

- Ansel Adams (1902-1984)

Essentially what photography is, is life lit up.

- Sam Abell, U S Photographer

When I have a camera in my hand, I know no fear.

- Alfred Eisenstaedt (1898-1995)

I am always stimulated by people. Almost never by ideas.

Smart Photography September 2017

- Richard Avedon (1923-2004)

138

Dig in, follow your instincts and trust your curiosity.

- Susan Meiselas, Documentary Photographer

www.smartphotography.in