Dancing Light Photography

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Photography is a painting with light. Light make the images. It is very tough to tell what is good and what is bad light but it is a learning during the process. It is experience that make you able to understand how light will behave on sensor of the camera. Some time light looks very nice but gave very dull results and some time a dull light imprints amazing images on the sensor. So the temperature of the light is also very important. Here are some examples of dancing light photography which is the result of my last fifteen year experience.

Macro World And Light

Spider webs are tough to shoot in even light. to pop up web you need a dramatic, vibrant and warm light . web must be back lit to be exposed with sharp details.

Dancing Light At water Bodies

Rivers, lakes and ponds shimmer in the evening and morning light and lure the viewer in general and photographers in particular to shoot them.

Dancing Light At Deserts

Deserts are marvel of nature and a paradise for nature and landscape photographers. When the golden evening light hit with the ripples of sand it bounce up and create an amazing phenomenon in which light looks dancing on the flour of Desert.

Dancing Light In Landscape

Landscape photography without good light is impossible. Winter evenings and mornings make the perfect environment for shooting landscapes. Here are some examples of shooting landscape with and without life.

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Utilizing Selective Or Differential Focus

Selective Or Differential focus  is a technique used in photography  through which special lenses are used to create focus layers utilizing depth of field information.It can pop out a subject from the rest or can isolate different portions of the same subject which attract a viewers eye to it, and it also creates a three dimensional look to the images with isolated interesting points.

To achieve that effect you must be aware of the concept of depth of field in photography. Differential focus can be achieved by focusing subject of interest in the image by controlling the depth of field. That object may be a nearer one or faraway. That effect is mostly achieved in sports and portrait photography to pop up the main subject and make the composition more simple by reducing the clutter. For this purpose mostly tele photo lenses at wide aperture are used.  Here in this short article I will try to tell how this effect works in macro photography. Macro pictures with limited zones of sharp focus and most diffused details are appreciated by those who love fine art macro photography. Differential focus can be achieved by using some Photoshop  plugins but not an alternative to the genius work with an appropriate lens. For this shot I used as an example here, Canon 60mm EFS lens is used at 2.8 aperture. Macro lenses have a shallow depth of field as an inherent property. Lenses with longer focal length like Canon 100 mm f /2 macro or Sigma 150 mm f/2.8 are more suitable to get extreme creative results.

When shooting insects, always try to keep the eyes of the subject in sharp focus and let the other scene get natural gradient in focus. Anthers of the flowers are another part in popular macro subject which is appropriate for differential focus. Here in this example I was lucky enough to have both, eye of the butterfly and anthers of the flower in the same plane which helped to keep  both in focus. Antennae and bristles of the butterfly are impossible to keep in focus when you are using shallow depth of field . So never mind and let the elements blur naturally and gradually. If you are able to create a soft illusive effect in the overall image then it would be a great macro work. Here  are the key points repeated again to keep in mind while shooting macro subjects:

* Use a macro lens with wide aperture

* Use these lenses at maximum aperture like f/2.8 or lower if your lens allow.

* Keep the eyes of the subjects in focus and forget about the rest

* If you are shooting a tree branch in spring then keep most prominent bud in focus.

* While using differential focus for flowers either focus on stamens and anthers in the middle of the flower or the outer most petal   and let the other flower blur naturally and gradually.

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Being An Architectural Photographer

Every beginner in architectural photography needs some architecture photography tips to take some stunning architecture pictures. Here in this article I have tried to cover some very important aspects how to begin and become a professional architectural photographer. If  you had an aim to be an architectural engineer and unable to fulfill your dream due to certain reason, never mind. You can still enter into your dream world by being an architectural photographer. The prerequisite is that you must have an interest in designing buildings look both exterior and interior and a love for both old and new architecture. Only choose architect as a photography subject if you love architect. It is interesting for those who know the basics of designing a building. I am personally interested in the architecture of historic buildings. That is why most example pictures here are of ancient architecture of historic buildings in subcontinent.

What To Shoot

You can shoot exterior an interiors of buildings for the architects who design them, built them and furnish them. You are hired may be by the architect, owner of the building or an architectural magazine. If you are shooting for the designer or the owner then be more concerned about what the building looks like,how it functions and what are the advantages of that particular design. For editorial work you must be more concerned about the story related to the building. Many magazines commission photographers for their story on historic buildings. Prepare yourself by reading a comprehensive material about the building so that your pictures can satisfy the reader and viewers. While on job for a building designer you must asked the designer to accompany you for getting more information about the design of the building.

Interior shooting is equally important and needs skill  and patience. Setting up the gear to get maximum details is painstaking job. Use reflectors and soft boxes to lit the corners and minimize the ugly shadows of the articles in the rooms.

For a building shoot take photographs both in the morning and evening. In bright sunshine at mid day building look flat and loose the charm. So be creative while playing with the light and show patience in waiting good light.

Try some night shots also specially for historic buildings while doing some story for a magazine. Architectural photography becomes fine art while shooting in good light and with innovative and creative angles.

Qualification To Be An Architectural Photographer

No  formal qualification is required. But you must know the basics of photography and architecture with love for both.

Equipment Need For Architectural photography

Camera Body And lenses

In analogue era people mostly use large format cameras like Linhof 4x5in or medium format like  Hassalblad Flex body. Advantages of using large format,besides the image quality, was the ability to tilt and shift the lens and film planes for correcting and adjusting perspective. In the digital era a reasonable camera body like the Canon EOS-5D Mark III Digital SLR or Nikon D800 Digital SLR camera and a tilt shift lens is required. There are some tilt shift lens are available from both major companies i,e Canon and Nikon. These lenses are best for controlling the perspective by adjusting the front element of the lens and photographer can avoid the”falling back” effect in his pictures. Following are some popular tilt shift lenses available in the market:

Canon 17mm TS-E F/4L
Canon 24mm TS-E F/3.5L II
Canon 45mm TS-E f/2.8
Canon 90mm TS-E F/2.8
Nikon PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED
Nikon PC-E Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED
Nikon PC-E Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D ED

Canon-TS-E_17mm_f4L

NIKKOR24mm_f3

Normal wide angle lenses can also be used in architecture photography and perspective can be straightened afterword in Photoshop. Use it in right way and you will get equally good results. Following lenses are mostly used:

Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM
Nikon 14mm f/2.8D ED AF Nikkor
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Nikon 16-35mm f/4 AF-S ED VR-II,

Tripod And Panorama Head:

As in the landscape photography tripod is a must in architectural photography. Images should be shake free you must have full control over your composition while shooting. That is only possible with a good steady tripod. Carbon fiber made tripods are light weight but sturdy and steady. Another accessory for architectural photography is panorama head while shooting a vast space building or real state assignment. Multiple images taken by panorama head can be stitched together in software like Photoshop for a natural look. Immersive panoramas can be created through this head for showing the viewer a real look of the project.

Bubble levels For Balance Images

There are many brands of bubble levels available which can fit in camera hot shoe and a necessary accessory for a balance architectural image with straight horizon.

Use Of Polarizing Filter

To eliminate the reflections of windows while shooting buildings there is only one solution, the use of polarizing filter in front of your lens. Buy a good circular polarizing filter to have your pictures reflection free with deep colors.

The light

Most of the architectural shoots are done in the natural available  ambient light but some time you need some external light units. Have some wireless flash units and some soft-boxes for interior shoots.

Where To Find Work

This is a competitive world. You have to be hardworking and patient to get some reasonable clients. Clientage develop withe the time. As you provide quality work and enhance your expertise you will find more trusted clients. There must be no compromise on quality. Make your website and social media pages and spend some money on promotion of your work. A quality work is always hooked.

Techniques Of Shooting Architect

Exteriors Of Buildings

Use wide angle lens if you want to picture the whole building. Keep the camera back vertical and avoid the lens to tilt upward which will converge the sides of the building in the final image. Keep the camera at high viewpoint. Use a tilt shift lens to get more accurate balanced images. Be care full about the weather and check weather forecast before going on shooting. A dark cloudy day or rain can waste your whole day. Use spot metering and shoot at both morning and evening to get maximum details and textures if some walls of the building have that. Do some bracketing for exposure. DSLRs have auto bracketing but you can bracket with your own settings. While most of the photographers shoot full buildings, I personally love to make some tight crops while composing a building. These pictures give more details of the architectural beauty of the structure than whole building.

Shooting Interiors

In internal shooting you have to be more careful about light. Create more natural light by using multiple units of light. If you do not have a good lighting set then shoot at appropriate time when the available light is enough in the interior space. use some reflectors to evenly spread the light on all articles in the scene.

Final Tips

* Visit the building before the shoot and look for the way light works on it.

* Look for best angles and compositions and be bold and creative also.

* Try to locate some higher angle also for shooting like a high building nearby get an aerial look image.

* Shoot in different lights and with different compositions.

* Be friendly with the architect and discuss a lot with him about the architecture of the building. That will improve a lot the final come out of the shoot.

* Always look for new architecture photography tips from web and experts in the field of architectural photography.

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Shooting Best Nature Pictures

Those who love nature definitely like nature pictures. Capturing some stunning nature photographs is both a science and art. First of all you must know the subject you are shooting and the gear with which you are going to expose. A good macro lens is necessary for outstanding images. You can have good images by using reversal ring on your normal lens like 50mm. Following are some points to be noted while shooting nature macro shots :-

* Choose and buy the best macro lens you can afford.

* Shoot in best light. I personally prefer morning light when there is some dew on the leaves and insects. Evening light is also very fine when it turns golden specially to shoot life on the barks of the trees and leaves under the autumn trees.

* There must be no wind.

* Use remote control or self timer. Remote control is best as in self timer the subject may move to ruin your composition.

* Be creative while composing your shoots. Dynamic images are always more attractive and appreciated.

* Use some reflector like a mirror or simple white card to balance the light.

* Be creative in focus also. A shallow depth of field is more appropriate in most of the cases.

see also

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY AND BEAUTY OF ARTHROPODS

* Bracket your exposure.

* Try to shoot unique subjects with colors and textures on the surface or wings.

* Most important is the background. It must not be distracting or messy and subject should come out of that. The only exception is the camouflaged animals.

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Fine Art Photography In Landscape And Macro

Creating surreal images of every day life scenes and experiences is the real art of an artist. Photography is now entering into a mature era of fine art and there are many photo artists who are creating stunning work in art photography. Here I am presenting some examples from fine art landscape and macro photography from my files. Toning and mood of the pictures are purely with my own feelings which I experience while originally shooting the images.

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Cold Horror Movie Like Tones In Documentary Pictures

Converting documentary pictures in black and white is always rewarding unless some very colorful festivals like holi and bassant in subcontinent. In a damp foggy environment it is more suitable to give some cool effect to the documentary pictures of daily life.It will enhance the effect and mood of the pictures. This treatment would also make the pictures more artistic and impressive. To create this effect follow the following simple procedure in Photoshop ( I am using CS6 ) :-

– Make a duplicate layer and convert it into black and white or make an adjustment layer of black and white.

– Reduce the opacity of the adjustment layer to reveal some colors of the background layer.

– Give some green and cyne toning to the the adjustment layer so that the overall image looks more cool and moody.

( Image<adjustment<color balance )

How much toning is required is just arbitrary and your personal choice.   You can further play with the image and unleash your imagination.

The post HOW TO CREATE COLD HORROR MOVIE LIKE TONES IN YOUR DOCUMENTARY PICTURES appeared first on Razaq Vance Art Photography .

Life And Kalash Culture

Kalash or kalasha are the people having unique and most endangered culture in the world. They are living in three small valleys in the Hindukush mountains near the city of Chitral In KPK province of Pakistan.  Their cultural beauty and depth is amazing and are very strong points for its survival but it is threatened a lot by the external elements. One of the most dangerous and important factor which is challenging the kalash is the religious encroachment. Clerics of each religion are sending missions to convert these people to their faith.  People from neighbor villages and  from Chitral also invading these valleys and trying to occupy the properties of kalasha people. These people are considered as descendent from Alexander the great and living in these valleys from thousands of year.

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In The Morning

Creative photography

Flowers are the most exposed subject in photography after sunrise and sunset. To get some different and creative photographs of flowers one have to be apt in photography techniques and Photoshop. Colors and toning is very much arbitrary and depends upon  the choice of the artist.Here we are discussing some simple tips to create art images in flower photography.

Use A telephoto lens or macro lens

Telephoto lenses are best for creative images of flowers as these are giving very shallow depth of field and produce stacking effect and make the flowers and vegetation looks closer together. These shots of flowers look more pleasing and attractive.

Use Of Macro Lenses

Macro lenses are best for flower photography and most photographers use these lenses to create different creative effect. Differential focus is a technique in which one can focus a single element in the flower like petals or an anther and left the rest [part of the flower out of focus. Thaty creates an illusive effect and viewer feels a hidden delight in searching through the subject.

Toning In Photoshop

Photoshop is a tool for creative artist to create tones and effects of their imagination. That software gives an immense liberty to create different colors and tones which looks more pleasing and incite the esthetics of the viewer.

Add Some Life

Searching some insect or spider while using macro lens and a bird in case of telephoto lens wold help to make flower pictures more interesting.

Crab Spider

Yellow Rose

Blue

Yellow And Green

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Bugs Life

Nature Photography

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There is a always a survival game going on in the nature and nature photographers try to photograph this phenomenon in an artistic way. Art of photographing an insect in its natural environment is the key element in the modern day nature photography. Most insects try to fade out in their natural environment and some have mastered the art at a perfect level.They have to defend themselves against predators and camouflage is the best strategy.  One have to be very keen eyed to search and locate for such subjects. These creatures are clever enough and to shoot them require extra care and patience. Please enjoy some of my picture  of nature photography  during the last few months showing the art of camouflage in insects .

Crab Spider

Grasshopper On An Old Tree

Butterfly Camouflage

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