This can be defined as the range of tones, both coloured and black and white which span from the lightest to the darkest areas in the photo.
A photo with a wide tonal range shall have areas which exhibit dark areas and white areas while the ones with a narrow range shall have more of gray shades.
The photo above has a a majority of black areas while the tonal range extends to the other end of the spectrum too.
While, in the photo below, the range is more concentrated in the mid ranges and is hence overall grayish in colour.
The wider the tonal range, better shall be contrast in the photo. While striving to achieve a wide tonal range, one must also keep in mind not to overdo the exposure and exceed into the clipping regions.
Tell me about your ideas on this topic in the comments.
This photograph is one, where it becomes quite evident that we, as individuals are quite tiny, when compared against the vastness of the natural wonders.
Here we have a fisherman, ready for his daily tour for his catch, floating away on the river Ganga. Shot at Varanasi.
The entry is in reference to Blogging University: Developing your eye prompt water and scale.
Anyone, who has visited the ghats of Varanasi, during the sunrise and the early morning, they might have seen the colony of gulls swimming flying and frolicking about. For the ones, who haven’t had the opportunity yet, have a look here.
Whats amazing is that these gulls respond to being called at for food. For more shots of Varanasi, including some amazing evening Arati shots, click here.
With exams approaching at speeds faster than I would like them to, its time for me to scale back on the blogging and get studying….but not before I post the most recent trip I had to Lonavala. Night shots, shooting stars, blinking aeroplane lights and some more. Stay tuned.
This is a throwback to the old film processing days. Cross Processing was a case when developing solutions for a certain type of photo was used, either by mistake or intention to a different one. The results used to unpredictable and fairly in consistent, and in a lot of cases, made the photos distinct and appealing. Now, with softwares like Picasa and mobile apps like Pixlr-o-matic, cross process photos are easy to make. Dont over use this, but once a while, they do liven up the photos.
TTL is for Through The Lens. This is a type of auto metering where the camera decides the exposure values and white balance etc based on the incident lights, measured through the lens, hence the name. It is also used for flash metering, where a pre flash is fired and the response acts as the deciding value for the flash power. In a fix, Auto mode works fine, but often we want more control and this setting is left untouched. Do explore it though, might come handy someday.
Early Birds are often lucky. In terms of seating positions in conferences, bus seats, parking spots, catching the worms, virtually everything. Also, in photography. Try reaching a spot early in the morning, with the sun not yet shining brightly and the morning calm still being present, and you will see the spot in a completely new way.
The following shot, was at Varanasi. I left for the river banks while it was still dark. I had a 5 kms walk ahead of me. By the time I reached, the sun was coming up and the birds were still around. The sight was simply marvelous. Perks of being an early bird, I ll say 🙂
Often, we say, we are happy, or that we are sad. The definitions vary as to what is happiness. There are a few which we all agree by, and then a few eccentric ones too.
To me, happiness, is a lot of things, and I ll try to name a few. Rather, let me show you what I mean.
Happiness is, getting the view of a snow covered peak, while coming down from Tiger Hill, Darjeeling. The morning views from the viewpoint was obscured by clouds, and as we were returning towards Ghoom, the clouds cleared for just a bit, and we saw the peak.
Happiness is, when you take a burst shot at the sun, to capture the sunrise, and instead of the photo everyone took, you take an unique one, which adds character to the photo. Here, it is at Tiger Hill, Darjeeling. As the sun came up, people clamored on to take the shot of the sun. I was on the other side, trying to capture the mountains, lucky and happy, that I got this.
Happiness is, when you dream of how a shot would look, and then when you go to the spot, you actually manage to take the shot, just the way you wanted. Shot at the Darjeeling station. The diesel loco pulled in with the train, and the steam loco backed up to change tracks. I stood right in the middle, anticipating. I took three shots, and all three are spot on.
Happiness is, having a cup of tea after a long tiring day. This is at Siliguri, West Bengal.
Happiness is, when you manage to take a photo which is perfectly composed and has a lot of depth and character to it, and that it is pre mediated. This was shot at Varanasi, UP. I saw this fisherman start rowing into the river, and I ran up a flight of stairs to a vantage point. With the morning sun coming up, and the paddles ready for the next swipe, I took the shot.
Happiness is, finding a playful pet. This here, is Blacky. With one floppy ear, she is a beauty and a very playful one. Though she isnt my pet, but, after an introduction, we were happy to be in each others company. I would scratch n cuddle her, and in return, she would give me poses for the shots. Fair deal.
Happiness is, finding your old toys in perfect condition. Here are two of my oldest surviving toys. And, they still look awesome as ever.
Happiness is, working carefully and obtaining a tough result correctly. Here what you see is a burning filament of a bulb. First, salvaging this from the bulb is a feat, and then, the burn lasts for approximately 2 seconds, and then getting the perfect shot, that makes me happy.
Happiness is, meeting up with friends and catching up after a long time gap.
Happiness is, creating trippy psychedelic photos out of almost nothing. This here, is smoke, used cleverly, thats all.
Happiness is, have a dream come true. To be able to shoot the Ganga Arati at Varanasi had been a lifelong dream. To be able to capture a shot like this, is a very proper fulfillment of the dream.
Happiness is, looking beyond the fence and moving on!
This is my take on happiness, and happiness deserves celebration too. Check the celebrations here:
All the photos are mine, and they have been sourced from these pages….I, II, III, IV, V, VI , VII, VIII and IX. Do check them too, if you please.
I told you what makes me happy, you tell me what makes you happy!
Cheers!!
I love it when the weekly photo challenges are a bit theoretical in nature. This week, its the Rule Of Thirds. I am sure you all have come across this rule, by choice or not. Check out the challenge page and other responses here.
Lets just begin. Divide your frame into 3 parts, horizontally and vertically and then keep your most important subjects on the intersecting points of the grid or on the grid lines. Remember the grid option in your phone’s camera, yes, thats the grid for this superb rule. And try to avoid the center block.
When we align the photos suitably, you ll notice almost immediately, that the look and feel of the photo changes and becomes much more pleasing and natural to the eye. Go ahead try it.
Here is an example of the rule.
Here, the bird on the foreground is almost in the left third, while the one in the background is on the right thirds. The opposite river bank is in the upper third.
This is one of the most common rules which immediately makes your photo look better.
There I was, on the ghat, with the 18-55 snapped on, and then I saw the spot I would want to be, to capture the priests in the way I imagined them! I was there waiting patiently and the light was slowly dimming and my enthusiasm was growing too. Am I in the right position, will I get my shots correctly, was relying on the kit lens a good idea?? I will admit, the camera settings, were last of my worries. I know my way around the settings and I like to believe, that I can handle them fast so I was not much bothered. As I was waiting for the ceremony to start, I saw a very pretty lady out there, hopping very energetically and snapping away. As she came near my spot, I asked her, in the techy-est way possible, what ISO she was using. She casually replied, that she was shooting No Flash! I thought, she didnt get my point, so I asked again, and then she actually showed me which setting she was shooting at, and that moment I immediately understood that what she was doing was the easy way in the situation. She simply said, experiments are fit in a park…this I ll remember for quite some time! I thanked her, and then shot the night in the No Flash Auto setting. Dear pretty lady, if by any chance, you are reading this, thank you once more, you taught me a very important lesson, I ll be grateful for your tip.
From my position, I could see all 5 priests, and these are what I caught and I am satisfied!
During the arati, having goosebumps is a very common condition. You are bound to feel the energy there, the grace, the grandeur and the power! I will go back to this place, again, soon!
I ll sign off the way they did….
“…Jay Ganeshay Namah
Jay Gange Namah
Har Har Mahadev….”
On the last day of the trip, we went to the Chunar Fort and the Ramnagar Fort!
The Chunar Fort was built on a very strategic point right on the bank of the River Ganga and its a perfect vantage point for keeping an eye out for attackers from all the directions. This was built by Sher Shah Suri and then the Moghuls took it over and then the British. Since the British, till date, the fort has served as a garrison for armed forces. But now, within the next 3 years, the fort will be handed over to the ASI for upkeep and maintenance. It is rumored that there exist secret tunnels to as far as the Red Fort of Delhi, some 700 kms away. There is also a big, rather huge 200 ft deep well, with provisions to go right down to the water level, used by the princess there. Jail houses and gallows are also present and the living quarters of the soldiers back then, are used as classrooms for the modern counterparts.
These carving used to have diamonds and gems encrusted in them. Apparently, the British didnt like leaving the shiny stuffs behind while leaving!
The 200 ft or maybe deeper well!
A motorable, single lane pontoon bridge!
Birds’ eye view from one of the walls!
Now, the Ramnagar fort is more of a big house to a super rich prince. Within the fort are his cars, Ford, Cadillac were the ones I could recognize, just a few from about 15 of them. Then, there are galleries filled with guns, from smaller than palm to so big that it would need at least three people to fire them. Sadly, photography is not allowed within the gallery! This fort also oversees Ganga, but from the other side, beautiful and majestic none the less.
En route, from Chunar to Ramnagar, we came across shops selling these clay and stone stuffs. They are cheap, and can be used as souvenirs and for gifts. There are small toys, made of clay and glazed, they cost about 3 to 5 INR. Also, bargain here, you can get at 75% of the original asked price if not lesser.
The balcony was the only part differently colored! Stood out!
The Ganga and the other bank! Looks like much hasnt changed over the centuries.
Found some local, friendly fauna!
We left Ramnagar fort around lunch time! Giving me plenty of time to return back to the guest house, grab a hasty lunch and run back for one last shot at getting the shots I wanted of the Ganga Arati.
Check them out on the next part!
Just found a panorama shot I took at sarnath. I am standing in the excavated section of a vihara and the Dhamek Stupa is visible on the left side of the photo! Hope you like this!
Cheers!!!
Continuation of the third day, rather the evening! I reached the spot around 1730 and realized that I was a bit late. I managed to get a space near the steps in front of the the priests. From my point, I could manage to capture flawlessly, at max, 2 of the priests. So be it. I still have one more day, and I knew the vantage point I would need for the shots that I wanted.
Here goes the evening shots.
First, the small lamps are lit on the topmost step! This adds a nice light boundary.
One of the fire carriers is basically a snake headed lamp and it looks simply amazing!
Ladies, mostly the elderly ones, they lend their hands for the smaller lamps that are used as decorations.
Once the preparations are done, at the decided hour, the prayer songs start and the so does the fire incantations…and once they do, except for being taken in totally by the grandeur and awesomeness, there is very little else that remains to be done! If you have a camera, then click some pics quick and then sit back and enjoy!
The conch shell sounds the auspicious beginning!
Incense smokes follow!
And then, the lamps!
The effect is spiritual and spell binding!
Next day, we travelled to two forts. The Chunar fort and the Ramnagar fort. And on the last day, I managed to get photos that made me term my trip a success! Coming up shortly!
The TPTC Blog!! 