Photography tutorial App - Right Click

Having high end camera and 'Automatic' mode isn't enough for you to get excellent images. 'Manual' mode in the camera allows you to adjust settings (shutter speed, Aperture and ISO) to capture the perfect moment perfectly. 'Right Click' Android App allows you visually understand & experience the various aspects of photography and how they effect your photograph on your smart phone. 'View Mode' option in the app, you can see the various effects Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO have over the image.

Features:

View Mode : To experience and visually understand factors that effect the photographs, be it the ambient environment or the confusing functions on your camera screen.

Read Mode : For textual understanding of the factors effecting the photograph.

Photography Styles : For understanding the factors that makes different genres of photography appealing.

Download here: Right Click

Next Photoshop won't support Windows XP

Adobe said recently that the current CS6 version of Photoshop will be the last one to support the Windows XP operating system. Adobe will provide bug fixes to the current CS6 version. Adobe has added a new Creative Cloud subscription option for the entire Creative Suite 6 and other software, for which customers pay $50 per month with an annual commitment, and one of its perks is that new features slated for CS7 will arrive as soon as Adobe is done with them. Those new features also won't come to Windows XP users. This is what Adobe Product Manager had to say: 

"Leveraging advances available on newer operating systems and hardware allows us to deliver significantly better performance, and focus our innovation efforts around the areas of the greatest benefit to our customers.

Photoshop CS6 already demonstrates that relying on a modern operating system, graphics cards/GPUs and graphics drivers can lead to substantial improvements in 3D, Blur Gallery and Lighting Effect features not available to Windows XP customers. The team hopes that by providing this information early it will help you understand our current decisions around operating system support and where we we're headed with future releases of Photoshop. We encourage all customers who are currently using Windows XP to begin making their migration plans now so they can fully take advantage of future Photoshop innovations as soon as they are available."

Wireless Tethered Photography

CameraMator is a tool that allows users to preview and share photos beyond a camera’s viewfinder, wirelessly. For the uninitiated, tethered photography involves connecting a camera to a computer or tablet via firewire or USB cable, but it can also be wireless. CameraMator lets users upload photos to their iPad or iPhone sans wires or cables. They can also preview and edit images while shooting. The result? An efficient and economical photo shoot. The CameraMator consists of a wireless component that attaches to a DSLR, and the CameraMator iPad/iPhone app, which controls the camera and displays the images, its creators said. Users just log their Apple devices on to the same network as the CameraMator, launch the app and start photographing.So far, the project has raised nearly $4,000 of its $80,000 goal on Kickstarter. Checkout the video below:

What is a Canon L-series lens ?

Canon sell a number of lenses in a special series they refer to as L for “luxury.” These are their most expensive and highest-quality lenses, and are readily identifiable by the red stripe painted around the end of the barrel.

L series lenses offer higher optical quality than their non-L equivalents, and have an important technical aspect in common. At least one element in every L lens is either made of fluorite crystal rather than glass, is a ground aspheric lens element (not a moulded/replicated aspheric lens as used in less expensive lenses) or is made from ultra-low dispersion glass. Most L series lenses are also sturdily built - many are encased in metal barrels and most are weatherproofed - and most are very fast lenses for their focal lengths. Nearly all telephoto L series lenses are also off-white rather than black.

These lenses are, therefore, marketed as professional camera lenses and are usually priced out of the range of most consumers. They can be used to take great photographs, but the cost, weight and size of these lenses are the tradeoffs.

Of course, a lens doesn’t have to be an L series lens to take good pictures. Many EOS lenses offer excellent optical quality - they just don’t need and thus don’t have exotic fluorite lens elements and so on. Many of Canon’s prime lenses in the 35mm to 135mm range fit in this category - see below. And some recent EF-S lenses offer near-L image quality but lack the red ring and the tough build quality of contemporary L series lenses.

Note also that the presence of a red ring around the end of a lens barrel only indicates an L series lens if it’s actually made by Canon. Some other makers happily paint red stripes around the end of their lenses too, but this in no way guarantees that the lens meets the quality standard of a Canon L lens.

Check out the list of “L-Series Canon Lenses”.

What is USM in camera lens mean ?

If you notice your Canon digital SLR camera lens has the letters USM written on the side, it means the lens has a small motor built into the body. Hence, USM is short for Ultrasonic Motor.

It is important to note that there are two different types of USM lenses. A Ring ultrasonic, is the one you want to purchase. Then there are Micro motor ultrasonic drives that Canon places into their cheaper lenses. Unfortunately, they also letter these cheaper versions with USM as well. While these cheaper versions are quieter, they don't however focus as quickly as a true ring ultrasonic lens. Therefore, you need to check the lens specifications before purchasing to ensure it is a ring ultrasonic lens, and not a cheaper version created for what is rumored to be marketing reasons.

Advantages of using Canons range of ring USM camera lens?

• The main advantage of using a ring USM, is that the motor is built into the lens so that it can auto focus faster than a standard lens.
• Canon's USM / Ultrasonic Motors, are also famous for being quieter than standard motors used in cheaper lenses. This is useful for wildlife photographers, where animals and insects could become spooked from noisy camera parts.

Disadvantages to using a USM camera lens?

• A USM lens will cost you a little extra than one without it.
• USM lenses are generally heavier than standard ones. You might need to take this into account if like me, you tend to carry around 3 at a time.

How are ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture related ?

Here it is: the one chart you’ll ever need to understand shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. It will help you to create better black and white photos, it helps to explain why your lenses are more important than your camera, how to get the most of them, etc. If you don’t understand any of this, take a look at our guide to terminology [Link below]. Or…take it with you.This chart will help you with the dark art of metering and shooting out in the field, like at pop culture events.

Source: The Photographer

Wooden camera portraits by Afghan Photographers

Reminding us that early cameras were photochemical and shutterless, Kabul is home to two lone holdouts who still practice the 75-year-old art of wooden camera photography. Due to a ban on picture-taking by the Taliban, and then an influx of cheap digital cameras, the number of practitioners of kamra-e-faoree has steadily dwindled. But thanks to the Afghan Box Camera Project, the legacy left by these artisans is being preserved -- not least in the video above. Discover how it all works and then leave the faux-vintage to the hipsters. Check out this interesting video.

Source: Engadget

How to do Levitation Photography

Not sure if you are crazy enough to try this. Well, I am. Some thing interesting and just for fun. Check out this funny video and you too can try this. The website below “yowayowa” is a Japanese term meaning "weak" or "feeble." Natsumi Hayashi shares some of her photos on her website. Her work involves "Levitation Photography", which is basically shots that make the subject look like they are floating in mid air.

More pic on http://yowayowacamera.com/

Source: DigitalRev TV, yowayowa

Google+ Photographer’s Conference

Designed to help you further develop your Google+ networking abilities and refine your photography talents, this this history-making conference will be powered by Google's Hangout (web conferencing) technology and the G+ platform to offer a collaborative mix of photography, social media, branding and networking sessions that will teach you how take full advantage of what's happening now and what’s to come on Google+. The informative sessions will be taught by the best Google+ photographers, top photography instructors and some of the geniuses of social media. This is the first ever Google+ Photographer’s Conference on May 22-23, 2012 at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended Finalized

Adobe Systems Incorporated announced Adobe® Photoshop® CS6 and Photoshop CS6 Extended software, major releases of the undisputed standard for professional digital imaging. Packed with new features and enhancements, the software includes groundbreaking innovations and unparalleled performance breakthroughs that expand the frontiers of imaging science, and deliver new levels of creativity and increased efficiency. Photoshop CS6 Extended integrates the state-of-the-art editing, compositing, and graphic design capabilities of Photoshop CS6, as well as advanced tools for 3D design*, image and video editing, and quantitative analysis which address the unique needs of the graphic design, video, Web, architecture, medical, manufacturing and engineering industries.

Photoshop CS6 features include:

• Content-Aware Patch – Allows greater control by letting users choose the sample area used to create a patch.
• Adobe Mercury Graphics Engine – Takes advantage of the graphics processing unit in modern hardware to speed up imaging and editing tasks, and process large images faster.
• New and Re-engineered Design Tools – Type styles enable consistent formatting; vector layers apply strokes and add gradients to vector objects; custom strokes and dashed lines are easily created; quick layers search and more.
• Intuitive Video Creation – The full range of familiar Photoshop tools and an intuitive set of new video tools to create and enhance any video clip.
• Blur Gallery – A simple new interface with on-image and in-context controls allows users to quickly create photographic blur effects including tilt-shift effects, blur everything with one focal point, or vary the blurriness between multiple focal points.

Photoshop CS6 Extended includes all Photoshop CS6 features and:

• Mercury Graphics Engine for 3D – Increased power and speed via engine optimized for 3D imaging.
• New 3D Controls – UI improvements for more efficient 3D workflows.
• New 3D Effects – Reflections and “drag-able” shadows to enhance images.

Source: Canon Rumors

Canon 5D Mark III Vs Nikon D800

Both Canon and Nikon have released their successors to the 5D Mark II and D700: the Mark III and D800. Which one is the better full frame DSLR? Check out this video before buying:

Picnik still open ?

Recently I had written that the well known online photo editing tool Picnik’s last day would be 19th of April 2012 [Link here]. It’s 20th today and almost end of the day -- I see that the website is still open and you can still upload your photo and edit it. Google had acquired Picnik back in early 2010 [Link here] and they have now decided to close Picknik. You don’t have to be disappointed  as Picnik will now be available in Google plus as “Creative Kit” and you can still use the same features that you were using before. Recently, after the announcement of closure, Picnik had made all it’s premium features free of cost. You can still try uploading your photos and start editing it. The time is up and you never know when the site will be down. 

Update: Picnik is no more. RIP :(

DxO Labs DSLR camera testing

I read this article on CNET, a very interesting one which I would like to share. This article from CNET is about “How DxO Labs tests hot cameras like Canon's latest SLR”. CNET's Stephen Shankland went behind the scenes near Paris to see DxO put the highly anticipated EOS 5D Mark III through its paces. It's a rare look at one of the world's preeminent camera testers.

Canon's score of 81 means the 5D Mark III, while respectable, utterly failed to dethrone the highly regarded Nikon D800, with a top DxOMark score of 95, when it comes to image sensor performance. But DxO Labs' scientific testing yields some other findings that might surprise people used to photography conventional wisdom.

Check out more at CNET, DxO Labs

Volcano Tungurahua in Ecuador

The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has some of the most amazing, terrifying eruptions in the world. This one, from 2006, shows molten lava streaming down the sides of the mountain while ash spews into the night sky. Volcano Tungurahua sometimes erupts spectacularly. Pictured above, molten rock so hot it glows visibly pours down the sides of the 5,000-meter high Tungurahua, while a cloud of dark ash is seen being ejected toward the left. Wispy white clouds flow around the lava-lit peak, while a star-lit sky shines in the distance. Located in Ecuador, Tungurahua has become active roughly every 90 years for the last 1,300 years

Source: NASA

Laughing Buddha

The celestial Buddha named Hotei (in Japanese) or Budai is best known as the jolly Laughing Buddha. His large protruding stomach and jolly smile have given him the commondesignation "Laughing Buddha" in Chinese. In the west he is popularly known as "Fat Buddha." His name means "Cloth Sack," and comes from the bag that he carries. In China, he is known as the Loving or Friendly One. Laughing Buddha statues depict a stout, smiling or laughing bald man in robes with a largely exposed pot belly stomach, which symbolizes happiness, good luck, and plenitude and is often depicted as having the appearance of an amply proportioned bald man wearing a robe and wearing or otherwise carrying prayer beads. Laughing Buddha appears throughout Chinese culture as a representation of contentment. His image graces many temples, restaurants, amulets, and businesses. He carries his few possessions in a cloth sack, being poor but content. According to legend, if one rubs the Laughing Buddha's great belly, it brings forth wealth, good luck, and prosperity.

National Geographic Ultimate Field Guide to Photography

The National Geographic Ultimate Field Guide to Photography spells out the basics of fine photography—whether you are using a digital SLR or a film camera—as well as more advanced techniques for the amateur photographer. From the top twelve color moves to creative gift ideas to quality camera phone photography, this guide will not only inspire you but also arm you with the practical know-how to get great images. It is the indispensable reference for photographers everywhere. Straightforward and entertaining, this is the ultimate source for people seeking real how-to advice from the editors and photographers of National Geographic. It is carefully designed to lead the amateur photographer to better pictures and is comprehensive in scope, explaining the entire process from choosing a camera to taking the pictures to printing, scanning, and archiving the images.

You can view and purchase it here:

National Geographic Ultimate Field Guide to Photography from Flipkart.com

National Geographic Ultimate Field Guide to Photography from Amazon

Robert Doisneau – Street Photographer

Robert Doisneau was known for his modest, playful, and ironic images of amusing juxtapositions, mingling social classes, and eccentrics in contemporary Paris streets and cafes. Doisneau's work gives unusual prominence and dignity to children's street culture; returning again and again to the theme of children at play in the city, unfettered by parents. His work treats their play with seriousness and respect. Doisneau worked at Rapho until the outbreak of World War II, whereupon he was drafted into the French army as both a soldier and photographer. Some of Doisneau's most memorable photographs were taken after the war. He returned to freelance photography and sold photographs to Life and other international magazines. He briefly joined the Alliance Photo Agency but rejoined the Rapho agency in 1946 and remained with them throughout his working life, despite receiving an invitation from Henri Cartier-Bresson to join Magnum Photos. His photographs never ridiculed the subjects; thus he refused to photograph women whose heads had been shaved as punishment for sleeping with Germans. In 1950 he created his most recognizable work for Life – Le baiser de l'hôtel de ville (Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville), a photo of a couple kissing in the busy streets of Paris, which became an internationally recognized symbol of young love in Paris.

deviantART– Community of Artists and Art Lovers

If you are an artist, photographer or a designer then here is the online community where you can share your work to gather ideas and get yourself inspired, you can even make money out of your work. There are millions of visitors and this is one place where you can share all your work, all of them for free. Below are some of the features of deviantART.

• Explore over 100 million original works of art.
  
• Exhibit your artwork to an audience of over 12 million members.
  
• Set up a profile, create galleries, and build a fan base.
  
• Communicate, collaborate and learn from artists from over 190 countries.
  
• Make money selling your art in the deviantART Shop.

Visit my deviantART  account http://ravindrajoisa.deviantart.com/
Check out the video below:

How It's Made - Canon 500mm f/4 L Lens

You might be using various lenses for your DSLR cameras. The number of lenses that are available in the market are too many and is very easy to use. The best of best images can be shot using these lenses, but do you know how these lenses are made. Check out the video below where is shows how Canon 500mm f/4 L Lens are made.

Source: PetaPixel

Instagram for Photo Sharing

Instagram – A beautiful way to share photos. It's fast, free and fun! 



Pick from one of several gorgeous filtered effects to breathe a new life into your mobile photos. Transform everyday moments into works of art you'll want to share with friends and family.



Share your photos in a simple photo stream with friends to see - and follow your friends' photos with the click of a single button. Every day you open up Instagram, you'll see new photos from your closest friends, and creative people from around the world.



Features
:

☆ 100% free custom designed filters and borders
☆ Lux works its magic by making your photos more vibrant and brings out details in your photos you couldn't see before
☆ Instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare (Flickr coming very soon)
☆ Interact with friends through giving & receiving likes and comments
☆ Works with Android versions 2.2 and above that support OpenGL ES 2
☆ Full front & back camera support

☆ And much much more.

Update: Facebook acquires Instagram

Download from your App Store today.

Source: Google Play

Canon EOS 60Da - DSLR for astronomy

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today introduced the EOS 60Da Digital SLR Camera, a long-awaited successor to the EOS 20Da that is optimized for astrophotography. This DSLR caters to astronomers and hobbyists who enjoy capturing the beauty of the night sky by offering a modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity.

The Canon EOS 60Da camera packs a powerful 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C) that produces sharp and high-contrast images of astronomical objects, a major enhancement over the EOS 20Da model's 8.2-megapixel sensor. The improved infrared-blocking filter is a modification suited specifically toward astronomy enthusiasts to achieve a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera. This produces a 20-percent higher transmittance of Hydrogen Alpha line, or Hα wavelength, allowing astronomers to capture crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae.

The estimated retail price is $1,499.00 and it is expected to be available this month.

Source: Canon

Exploring Deep Sea

Seven miles is a long way down, more than a mile deeper than Mt. Everest is up. To reach the deepest part of the Mariana Trench, James Cameron will descend past some pretty amazing milestones. Here's a glimpse.

Christian Ziegler - National Geographic Photographer

Christian Ziegler, a tropical biologist turned photojournalist, specializing in tropical ecosystems has worked extensively in rain forests around the world  for  the last 15 years. Several research projects and his fascination for nature photography brought him to the tropical forests of Asia, Africa and Central America during his studies. Christian lived in Thailand where he worked as a free lance photographer for the WWF (World Wide Found for Nature). The year after Christian spent four months in the Ivory Cost of West Africa visiting both the Savannah and the rain forest. Since 1998, Christian has been working primarily in Panama, on Barro Colorado Island, a field station of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). After finishing his graduate work in 2000, his focus changed solely to the field of nature photography and journalism. He spent 15 month of fieldwork doing the photography for his picture book on the ecology of tropical rain forest “A magic Web”, which was published by Oxford University Press in November 2002.
In April 2002 Christian was appointed ‘associate for communication’ by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Over the years Christian won several international recognized awards, such as the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year (category 'behavior of all other animals' in 2005). He has completed dozens of magazine assignments, 8 of them for National Geographic Magazine covering topics ranging from ocelots ,tree frogs and monkeys to bats, deception in animals, visitors to a flowering rain forest tree, and orchids. Christian is interested in showing species in their ecosystem context, and sharing interesting behaviors. Christians work is published internationally in magazines such as the National Geographic Magazine, GEO, Smithsonian Magazine, BBC Wildlife Magazine and Natural History. Next to his magazine work, he thinks it important to work with conservation groups, such as WWF and others. Christian is a founding fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers .

Checkout this Photos here: [Link]

Source: National Geographic

Lightbox Photo Sharing

Lightbox is a community of people from around the world sharing their unique experiences through photography. Lightbox is available on Google Chrome Store which can be installed in your Chrome browser or you can downloaded it for free on your Android device.

Following are some of the features:
Create a Timeline of your Photos:
All the photos you upload are automatically turned into a timeline of postcards on Lightbox.com. You can keep these photos private or selectively share them with friends, family, or the entire Lightbox community.

Publish your own Tumblr-Like Photo Blog:
Photos you share publicly will also get posted to your very own Lightbox website that other people can follow. You just focus on taking photos, and we'll automatically create an attractive website for you.

Example: http://ravindrajoisa.lightbox.com/

Top features in Photoshop CS6

Here is a list with some of the favorite features that you may like in Photoshop CS6:

1. Crop tool –  Cropping an image has been the same without any enhancement for a long time now. CS6 crop is non disruptive, it will not throw away data after cropping, you can always go back. Even after cropping, you can get the cropped image back and then edit. You can use the classic crop tool as well in the new CS6 if you are used to the older version.

2. Filters – Blur gallery now has 3 different types - Field, Iris and Tilt blur. You have great control over the blur and you can edit your photos which can't be captured photographically like focusing on more than one object at the same time.

3. Adaptive Wide Angle - Instead of cropping and do lens correction go for adaptive wide angle filter. Example is if you have a photo with too many buildings which appear curved because of the wide angle lens used, Photoshop CS6 allows you to adjust manually by drawing lines and edit the image and make it look much better.

4. Video Editing - You can edit videos using Photoshop but using CS6 it is much more streamlined. You can go to timeline and select the right layer and then add effects to your video. This can be done to the objects in the timeline. You don’t have to be a video editor to do this.

5. Content Aware Patch - This feature helps in a great way when it comes to editing your image at the edges. Usually in older versions, when we try to edit image at the edges; it used to leave white patch. This is not the case with the CS6.

6. Content Aware Move – This is a new feature in CS6. If an object in your image is in one corner and you want to drag that object then this tool is very helpful as it will recreate a background which looks so real.
Check out this video by Terry White:

Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta

The world’s best digital image editing software is about to get even better. Photoshop CS6 beta is now available as a free download from Adobe Labs in English and Japanese.

Here are some of the Photoshop CS6 Highlights:

Content-Aware Patch — Patch images with greater control using the newest member of the Content-Aware family of technologies. Choose the sample area you want to use to create your patch, and then watch Content-Aware Patch magically blend pixels for a stunning result.
Blazingly fast performance and a modern UI — Experience unprecedented performance with the Mercury Graphics Engine, which gives you near-instant results when you edit with key tools such as Liquify, Puppet Warp, and Crop. Plus, a refined, fresh, and elegant Photoshop interface features dark background options that make your images pop.
New and re-engineered design tools — Create superior designs fast. Get consistent formatting with type styles, create and apply custom strokes and dashed lines to shapes, quickly search layers, and much more.

Download Link: Adobe Photoshop CS6 Beta

South India Tourism - Pandya Nagari

Karkala is a town and also the headquarters of Karkala Taluk in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. The first name of this town was "Pandya Nagari" during the Jain regime but afterwards it was changed to "Karikallu" because of black stones. Black granite is abundant in this area, and is in wide use in the local architecture. The statue Gomateshwara (Lord Bahubali) is located about 1 km from the center of the town and is 42 ft. high, believed to have been built around 1432 AD. Yearly celebrations are in the month of February called "Rathotsava" and once in 12 years "Mahamastakabhisheka", sacred bathing of the statue with saffron paste, milk and water and sprinkled with sandal wood powder, turmeric, and vermilion is celebrated. This statue of Gomateshwara in karkala is the 2nd highest next to the Gomateshwara statue, located at Shravanabelagola. Karkala has a number of natural and historical landmarks including the Ramasamudra Lake.

There are 18 basadis of antiquity including Mahaveera Basadi, Chandranathaswamy Basadi, Adinathaswamy Basadi, Ananthanatha Basadi, Guru Basadi and Padmavathi Basadi.

South India Tourism - Surathkal

Surathkal is on the shore of Arabian sea and boasts of having beautiful beaches. There is a beach in front of the Sadashiva Temple.The beach is known for its clean surrounding and its lighthouse.

Surathkal is famous for the some of the age old very famous educational institutes/colleges like NITK, Govindadasa college and many other schools. Surathkal was once a Grama panchayat, then town panchayat, municipality now merged with Mangalore city corporation.

According to legend, the name Surathkal is derived from "shiratakal" meaning "headstone" in Tulu (local language). When Lord Ganapathi kept a shiva linga belonging to Ravana on ground, Ravana tried to pull the linga from the ground but could not. The place where the linga is supposed tohave been is now known as Gokarna. Due to the force exerted by Ravana, some pieces were scattered. One such piece from the head of the linga is said to have fallen in present day Surathkal. The famous Sadashiva temple is said to be built around that piece of linga. Men in the coastal line go for fishing, as early as 4am in the morning and will be back home by 12pm. Women go to market to sell those fishes (Most common types of fish that they sell include the famous "Banguday", "Bootai"). People here speak Tulu (Majority), kannada or konkani and are proud to be called as "tulu nadu da jokulu".

Kalaripayattu–Indian Martial Arts

Kalaripayattu is an Indian martial art from the southern state of Kerala. One of the oldest fighting systems in existence and is known to be 3000 years old. The art was disseminated through the kalari, which served as active centers of learning before the modern educational system was introduced. Still in existence, these institutions were schools where students could assemble together and acquire knowledge on various subjects ranging from mathematics, language, astronomy and various theatrical arts. Martial arts were taught in the payattu kalari, meaning fight school.

Kalaripayatt includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods. The kalari tradition is struggling to survive in the land of its origin. A few families in north Kerala, who are the repositories of this ancient knowledge, have been keeping the tradition barely alive by opening schools and clinics.

Taking kalaripayattu more seriously are modern dance enthusiasts in Europe and the US. They are attracted by the sheer physicality, the fluid body movements of the martial art. Their emphasis, however, is less on weapons and more on adapting the movements to their own dance forms.

Canon announces EOS 5D Mark III

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body)
The Canon EOS 5D Mark III rumors about which I had updated a few days back [More new Canon DSLRs soon] is now official. Positioned between the extremely popular EOS 5D Mark II and Canon's top-of-the-line professional EOS-1D X model, the EOS 5D Mark III delivers superb image quality, thanks to a new 22.3-megapixel full-frame Canon CMOS sensor, a high-performance DIGIC 5+ Imaging Processor, a 61-point High Density Reticular Autofocus (AF) System and six frames-per-second (fps) continuous shooting speed.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III key specifications

• 22MP full frame CMOS sensor
• ISO 100-25600 standard, 50-102,800 expanded
• 6 fps continuous shooting
• Shutter rated to 150,000 frames
• 1080p30 video recording, stereo sound via external mic
• 61 point AF system
• 63 zone iFCL metering system
• 100% viewfinder coverage
• 1040k dot 3:2 LCD
• Dual card slots for CF and SD

[Read More]

Picnik will be closing

Back in 2010, I had written an article on Google acquiring Picnik, the online photo editing tool in another blog of mine—Ravi’s Blog. And its hardly 2 years after acquisition of Picnik by Google and they wants to close Picnik.  This is one of the products which Google has and will be closing in recent times. Picnik will be closed on 19th of April 2012. Some of  the best features which were meant for premium users are now made free till the closing date. Premium users who had updated their subscription will get their entire money back. For those who were using Picnik, you don’t have to be sad as Picnik will now be embedded into Google+ where you can find many of your favorite Picnik effects. You can edit your photo that is uploaded on Google+ by clicking on “Creative Kit” under each uploaded photo.

New Photoshop Feature–Content Aware Fill

Adobe Photoshop team has been rolling out a series of videos highlighting selected features of the popular photo editing software. Photoshop, well known for it’s vast array of time saving techniques, has established itself as the leader in image editing. Popular additions to the later versions of Photoshop have been the Content Aware options. In the video below users are given an example and brief tutorial on the Content Aware Fill function using the ability to paste pixel data from any area of the photo. Content Aware Move tool is a very quickly and handily, allows you to move large and small objects alike while avoiding the time consuming task of using Layer Masks. I will be updating more on these soon. Follow my blog and I will keep you all updated with more and latest updates.

More new Canon DSLRs soon

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body)

You can expect new Canon cameras end of this month and early next month.

Expected and Rumors:

5D Mark III/X – Expected on Feb 27th
Below are the specs for the coming 5D replacement, the full name of the camera is currently unknown.

Specs

• 22 MP
• 61pt AF
• 100% VF
• 3.2″ LCD
• Dual CF/SD Card Slots
• Price: Around $3500 USD

Canon Rebel T4i

No real specs are available, except that it will come with a new EF-S 18-135 lens with a silent autofocus motor.

Will keep you all updated..  subscribe/follow to this blog to get the latest updates.

3 more Nikon DSLR cameras in 2012

XS6Q9PQDRUGN Nikon had announced D4 and D800 recently. In addition to the D4 and D800, Nikon will announce three more DSLR cameras in 2012. Pre orders for Nikon D800 are available on Amazon and will be shipped sometime end of March. The new cameras might be all DX models - Nikon D3100, D7000 and D300s replacements. If you are planning to buy one then I would say wait for a while as cameras with higher MPs and many more better features are expected.

Sam Abell - National Geographic Photographer

XS6Q9PQDRUGN

Sam Abell has worked with the National Geographic Society since 1970 as a photographer and has photographed more than 20 articles on various cultural and wilderness subjects. He has also lectured on photography and exhibited his images to audiences throughout the world. In 1990, Eastman Kodak published a retrospective monograph of his photographs titled Stay This Moment: The Photographs of Sam Abell. A companion exhibit of his work was shown at New York City's International Center of Photography in November of that year. 

Abell's book credits include Contemplative Gardens, The Inward Garden: Creating a Place of Beauty and Meaning, Australia: Journey Through a Timeless Land, and Seeing Gardens. In 1998 he collaborated with author Stephen Ambrose on Lewis & Clark: Voyage of Discovery and again in 2002 on The Mississippi: River of History. That same year, he worked with author Leah Bendavid-Val to produce a retrospective of his life and work titled Sam Abell: The Photographic Life. Two additional book projects, Four Stories and The Life of a Photographer, are scheduled for publication in October 2007 and October 2008, respectively.

Check out National Geographic photographer Sam Abell talk about his career, what inspires and influences his work, and his most memorable adventures.

Stone Age paintings

These paintings/ symbols crop up throughout the prehistoric world. These hands were painted on the walls of a cave in Rio Pinturas, Argentina. The hand forms were created by pressing all or part of the hand against the surface, after having applied paint or clay. This symbol is surprisingly rare, found at just under 7 per cent of the French sites studied. Its earliest know appearance is at Chauvet, from where it seems to have spread out in all directions. By 13,000 years ago it had fallen out of use.

Magnum Photos

Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices located in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo. Magnum Photos is a photographic cooperative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer members. With powerful individual vision, Magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. The Magnum Photos library is a living archive updated daily with new work from across the globe. You may search or browse our 500,000+ images which are available online for licensing in a variety of formats.

Check out: Magnum Photos

Kodachadri Trekking

I had been to Kodachadri with my friends on a team outing when I worked for IBM. We reached Kollur late in the evening and spend overnight at one of the hotels in Kollur City. We started our day by visiting Sri Mookambika Temple of Kollur. Kodachadri lies in the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary at Kollur in Karnataka, India. The mountain is 1343m tall and is the highest peak in the Shimoga district of Karnataka. Arashinagundi falls and Hidlumane falls are two famous waterfalls inside the forests of Kodachadri valley. The highest point among these hills offers a majestic view of sunset. During sunset the Arabian sea can be viewed from the sunset point. There is also a sunrise point from where a breathtaking view of rising sun is made possible. The Lingamakki reservoir is also visible from the peak.

There is a temple dedicated to Sri Mokkambika Devi at the top. Chitramoola is another beautiful location which according to the legend was the place where Shankaracharya met Mookambika Devi. Ganapathi Cave is another attraction near the Peak. Kodachadri is a trekkers paradise with adventurous trekking routes through the waterfalls to the peak. Well, if you are lazy to go all the way for trekking then you can go by local jeep though some other route. I would suggest every one to take routes through the waterfalls to the peak. It’s a must visit place. Leave a comment and do share this post if you are planning to visit or have already traveled to Kodachadri.

Megapixel

Megapixel, one million pixels, refers to the number of dots in a digital cameras and other digital displays. The megapixel measurement reflects the ratio of individual pixels in a screen as it is divided by one million. In simple terms, a megapixel tells a photographer the camera’s capacity to detail an image. Digital cameras tend to produce images at 2048 x 1536 pixels, which renders a 3.1 megapixel measurement. The higher the megapixel number, the greater the resolution of the digital image. Images with higher resolutions appear clearer, sharper and more vivid.

Choosing a branded Camera

Buying a digital camera can be disorienting. There are hundreds of cameras available at many different types of retail outlets, with prices ranging from $75 (Rs. 3500) to several thousand dollars. This, of course, is the big question that you really want an answer to and you know that nobody is going to give you one. If you ask anyone who already has a camera most will support the brand of the camera they have unless they have had some trouble with it, even then people are very forgiving. Also, be careful about fake cameras. You think you  paid for a popular brand until you reach home, tear the product box, and notice a slight variation in the spelling of  manufacturer' name. You feel cheated but often it's too late to do anything about it. Digital cameras are expensive electronics items, you don't want to get the brand wrong. I am a fan of Canon as they are into this business for a long time and my opinion about manufacturers who make the best film cameras would be Canon, Nikon, and Olympus, seem to make the best digital cameras. There are many other brands like Kodak, Panasonic, Fujifilm, Sony, Samsung etc.

Canon's AI Servo

AI Servo is Canon's predictive autofocus (AF) system. The name is derived from the use of Artificial Intelligence used to predict the speed and distance of the moving subject. It greatly increases your chance of getting a sharp image when your target is moving. It is the camera's ability to continuously focus on a moving subject, a feature normally only found on digital SLRs. It is generally used by sports or wildlife photographers to keep a moving subject in focus.

Autofocus Servo is normally engaged by switching focus mode to "AI Servo" in Canon or "Continuous" in Nikon followed by half-pressing the shutter release. The camera will continue to focus based on its own focus rules and your settings while the shutter release is half-pressed or fully depressed (actually taking shots). Predictive autofocusing happens whenever AI Servo is on and there's a readable subject with predictable movement where as Shutter release timing is controlled by the photographer for single shots and the first shot in a burst.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speed is nothing but the amount of time that the shutter is kept open or the length of time that your image sensor looks at the scene you’re attempting to capture. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of seconds. In most cases you’ll probably be using shutter speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster. The bigger the denominator the faster the speed (Example: 1/500 is much faster than 1/8). Lower shutter speed will lead to blur images because of camera shake. Camera shake is when your camera is moving while the shutter is open. Use tripod or image stabilization cameras when working with low shutter speed. Different selection of shutter speeds will yield different kind of visual effect on a final photograph. Generally, a fast shutter speed can freeze action while slow speed can blur your image. I would say keep experimenting the same shot with different settings to learn more.

Check out Ravi's Photography for more pics and don't forget to share it with your friends. :)

Belur

Belur, built in the year 1117 A.D. was the early capital of the Hoysala Empire. Belur is located in Hassan district, Karnataka, India. The main attraction in Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which contains the Chennakesava Temple (meaning handsome Vishnu) as the centre piece, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya temple. The temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture; it was built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas at Talakad in 1117 A.D.Legend has it that it took 103 years to complete and Vishnuvardhana's grandson Veera Ballala II completed the task. The facade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes with no portion left blank. The intricate workmanship includes elephants, lions, horses, episodes from the Indian mythological epics, and sensuous dancers (Shilabalikas). Inside the temple are a number of ornate pillars. Darpana Sundari (Lady with the mirror) carved on walls of Belur Temple is one of major attractions in the complex. This temple is being proposed as UNESCO world heritage sites.