October month is very special for all Chennaiites, that’s when we get our first rains and it also happens to mark the beginning of the birding season. We, at Photostrophe decided to explore the migrant and resident populations of various species of birds in and around Chennai. And Siruthavur was the first place which we explored.
Siruthavur Lake is a rain-fed fresh water lake used for irrigation and fishing and is famous for the fresh water ducks such as Eurasian wigeon and Cotton Pygmy Goose, over 70 resident and migratory bird species have been spotted there.
A group of seven members gathered near adyar and started to Siruthavur around 5:30 am. It was an hour’s journey with a couple of stops in between. On our way to Siruthavur, we halted a couple of times to click few pictures of the mesmerizing sunrise. A flock of mynahs and robins welcomed us when we reached Siruthavur. With all our gears at hand we started walking around the lake that’s when we spotted different kinds of birds starting from green bee eaters, few types of kingfishers (blue kingfisher, White breasted King and pied kingfishers), Indian Roller, black drongo, White-browed wagtail. It was an interesting and informative session for me, since I was totally new to birding and thoroughly enjoyed capturing pictures of these birds. This session was followed by few macros shots of different types of dragonflies, butterflies, damselflies, frogs and tadpoles. We also got to see a dead snake near the lake, which died due to the strangulation of fishing net.
While we were discussing about the different places for bird watching in Chennai, someone mentioned about the Kelambakkam Marsh. On hearing this we immediately decided to visit that place on our way back. Once we reached the Kelmbakkam marsh we got see a number Kingfishers, Herons, Painted Storks and Pelicans. After spending an hour at the marsh, we decided to leave since it became too sunny.
Overall, it was quite a unique and enjoyable experience for us.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Tips For Photographing Silhouettes
One of the simplest ways to capture the dramatic colors of a sunrise or sunset is to photograph a silhouette. A silhouette is a view of an object consisting of an outline and a featureless black interior. In photography the term is used to describe an image of a person, object or a scene that is backlit and appears dark against a lighter background.
There is something mesmerizing about the story silhouettes hold without showing the subject’s detail. Silhouettes capture the viewer’s attention immediately by conveying a sense of mystery and drama; making the viewer’s mind work to fill the missing pieces of information with their own imagination.
Whether done purposely or by mistake, shooting silhouette photographs can present some of the most unique and interesting images one can have in their collection.
The term silhouette dates back to the 18th century where portraits and other pictorial representations were cut from a thin black card. The silhouette was named after the French finance minister Etienne de Silhouette (1709-1767) who was known for his severe economic demands on the French people and as it happen de Silhouette also practiced this art form himself.
Although silhouettes are simple looking images, there are a few little tricks to photograph them. Here are a few that you will need to be aware of:
Ø To shoot a silhouette one should ensure that there is more light shining in the background than in the foreground of the subject. Always have the background lighter than the subject that is being photographed. Placing a dark object against a brighter background will produce an outline of the form creating more of a two dimensional picture.
Ø Having a two dimensional shape, the picture will convey more of a mood or emotion than detailing the landscape. Hence the picture should have strong and recognizable shapes without the merging of people with the background. To create a good, strong silhouette photo look for interesting shapes with a clear and distinctive outline that is simple and uncluttered. However more intricate subjects like trees can also look stunning as silhouettes.
Ø Turn off the flash, since you want little light in front of the subject to capture a silhouette. The light desired is in back of the subject rather than the front.
Ø Make sure you frame your shot well, so that you are shooting your subject in a nice plain background. Remove clutter and distracting objects from the frame. For a visually impactful silhouette shot, the subject should have a clean background. Ideally best background will be a bright cloudless sky with the sun setting.
Ø Aperture – Using a higher f-stop to maximize the depth of field, allows a sharper foreground and background in the shots.
Ø Exposure - The exposure is based on the brightest part of the picture. Focus on the subject so that the outline is sharp. Remember to expose the background but focus on the subject. There are however, exceptions to this rule. For creative effect, some photographers occasionally choose to focus on an object in the background as well, to create a blurry silhouetted subject in the foreground.
Ø Focusing- Aim your camera at the brightest part of the picture, and push the shutter halfway down. Without letting go of the shutter, aim the camera back at your subject. This will ensure the camera will not automatically light up your subject and ruin the silhouette.
Ø If a person is used in the picture, using a profile is better than the front of the person making facial features more recognizable.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Illumination
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)