Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Smart Photography

Czech Republic Received 128% More Indian Arrivals in Last 3 Years The Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism, along with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi successfully organised a three-city roadshow in New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai on 8, 9 and 11 October, respectively, to promote the unique attractions that Czech Republic has to offer. Air Arabia, the official airline partner for this event, participated, along with various Czech partners. Speaking on the occasion, Arzan Khambatta, Head, CzechTourism India, said, “The roadshow was an excellent platform for Czech tourism partners to network with Indian agents and tour operators.” He further added, “We are promoting the country as a premium destination targeting families, experiential travellers, business tourists, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) honeymooners and leisure travellers.” Fujifilm Unveils…

Mirrorless cameras were conceptualised as a compact yet efficient alternative to D-SLRs, and there are many who still feel that the elimination of the mirror should have made the cameras and lenses more compact. What they do not essentially realise is that the first mirrorless concepts revolved around the Four Thirds standard and hence cannot be applied in the same way with 35 mm full-frame sensor cameras. We need to accept the fact that full-frame mirrorless cameras and lenses are not likely to become any smaller than the present models, owing to the fine balance between the smaller flange distance and the complexities of telecentric optics. The advantages of mirrorless go beyond the size factor, and the emphasis is on faster capture, speedy processing and better videos, aided by live…

Sigma seems to be busy adapting all their Art lenses to the Sony E-mount system. Licensing the mount design to third party lens manufacturers will ensure that the lack of lenses will no longer be a reason to reject Sony Alpha series of mirrorless full-frame cameras. The Sigma 24 mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens that we are testing here is the new Sony E-mount version of the same lens that was announced in 2015. Design and Build Quality All Sigma Art lenses provide a sturdy feel, and this lens is no exception. It is crafted beautifully in metal with polycarbonate exterior. A glossy back neck section adds a touch of premium feel to the usual matte finished black design. The focus ring and the adjoining area have grooves to…

Your monitor can spoil your diligently edited image if it is not optimised and calibrated to display colours consistent with industry-accepted standards. A dedicated photography monitor is a must for any professional photographer. BenQ recently announced the SW240 monitor in its PhotoVue series. This monitor uses a 24.1-inch IPS display with 1900 x 1200 pixel screen dimensions. The SW240 offers slots for attaching a shading hood (available separately). The monitor can be positioned in vertical orientation. Even the shading hood can be used in portrait orientation to prevent glare from ambient lighting. The SW240 can reproduce 99 percent Adobe RGB colour space and smooth colour gradations, making use of the 10-bit display, which is capable of reproducing more than a billion colours. BenQ’s professional monitors are a result of inviting…

Leica Launches D-Lux 7 Compact Camera Leica has announced a new model in the Leica D-Lux line, the D-Lux 7. The high-performance compact camera features a fast Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9–34 mm f/1.7–2.8 aspherical zoom lens (equivalent to 24–75 mm in 35 mm format) along with a new, higher-resolution Four-Thirds sensor. The model includes features such as a touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity and USB charging capability. Along with the usual features present in the Leica D-Lux line, this model also comes with automatic exposure mode, manual setting options and a range of video functions that are complemented by an integrated, 2.8 MP high-resolution electronic viewfinder and a Wi-Fi module. The back of the Leica D-Lux 7 features a 3-inch, 1.24 MP LCD touchscreen display for easier assessment of pictures and…

Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge still standing over the Vltava river in Prague and the second oldest bridge in the Czech Republic. The construction of the bridge was led by Peter Parler (“Petr Parlér” in Czech), the famous German - Czech architect, and it took almost half a century to complete it (it was completed in 1402). The bridge, formerly known as “Stone” or “Prague”, was renamed “Charles Bridge” in 1870. And until 1841 it was the only bridge over the Vltava river in Prague. From 1683 to 1928, 30 statues of saints were carved to decorate the bridge, the most famous of which is the statue of St. John of Nepomuk. Built with sandstone blocks, its construction is surrounded by many interesting legends. According to one of those…

Divya Jain is a Mumbai-based photographer with a diploma in Communication Design from Indian School of Design & Innovation - Parsons, which has helped her gain a better understanding of design and the basics of composition. Earlier, photography was her hobby and now it’s her full-time career. Through her photographs, Divya aims to tell a story, depict a memory and express a moment worth revisiting by focussing on compositions, colours and creatively interpreting her surroundings. She is passionate about landscape, fashion, architecture, product and food photography.…

N o other genre of photography gives us the possibility of a more realistic capture than street photography. This genre is a candid look at urban or crowded public spaces, recording how people go about their daily lives and everyday occurrences. It captures the mood and environment of a public space, simultaneously showcasing both its ‘uniqueness’ through portrayal of local cultures and customs and ‘universality’ through portrayal of the shared experiences of humanity. Here are some street images captured by our readers; get an idea of how to best encapsulate the vibrancy of human nature in your photos.…

The AF-S Nikkor 500 mm F/5.6E PF ED VR was introduced worldwide in August 2018. Incorporating a Phase Fresnel lens design (which was first seen on Nikon’s AF-S 300 mm f/4E PF ED VR lens) plus special lens elements, the 500 mm is a compact, lightweight super telephoto lens for sports and wildlife enthusiasts. Let’s see how this new ‘big’ small lens performs on our test bench... Design & Build Quality The AF-S Nikkor 500 mm F/5.6E PF ED VR is well built. The outer shell is made of metal and polycarbonate. The rubberised manual focus ring is quite broad (25 mm) and turns very smoothly. The lens mount is made of metal and has a rubber ring to prevent any accidental spray of water or dust from entering the…

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.…

Anand was born in Ranchi (Jharkhand) and moved to Bangalore to pursue his Engineering and MBA. He is currently working in one of the leading European investment banks and is an avid traveller. A self-taught photographer, his love for photography started eight years ago. He now specialises in travel and landscape. He has travelled extensively across India. He tries to convey emotions through his images and shares it with others through various social media. Anand’s work can be found at: https://www.photographybyanand.com Facebook: AnandkumarPhotography3010 Instagram: photographybyanand…

Does the title ring a bell? We are sure it does, especially if you are a fan of Harry Potter. There is a reason why we have titled the article thus. While the results of the processing technique we suggest here may not be as incredible as Potter’s magic, in the end you will agree that we are not far behind (as far as photography is concerned). That’s because the technique explained here eliminates one of the most disagreeable side effects of post-processing. What are halos? We often come across situations where we have bland skies, low contrast, poor colour saturation, etc. We do take photographs under such conditions and then we process the images by pushing up saturation, contrast and clarity/sharpening to add some punch. This frequently results in…

When you go through a bunch of photos, there are almost always some photos that you like. And you say to yourself “I wish I could take such photos” or “How can I take such photos”? If you find yourself doing this, you are on the right track. By analysing the pictures that we like (and don’t like), we take great strides into learning how to become a better photographer. The questions you need to ask yourself: 1. Approximately, at what time of the day was the picture taken? – very early in the morning (cool colours), around 8-9 am, nearing noon, noon, early afternoon, late afternoon, evening (warm colours), dusk, etc. Note: By setting the appropriate White Balance – in camera or during post-processing – it is possible to…