Category: Photography

Fashion & Art a Potent Potion!

By Beverly Pereira Photography: Courtesy Tarun Tahiliani & The Singh Twins

Tarun Tahiliani’s Spring Summer 15 collection showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer Resort 2015 features motifs, imagery and colours inspired by the celebrated art of the British-Indian Singh Twins…

Fashion and Art are not exactly strange bedfellows. Think Andy Warhol’s portrait of Yves Saint Lauren or Warhol’s iconic flowers that played muse to Prada’s Spring 2013 collection. More recently and closer to home, Tarun Tahiliani has collaborated with the internationally acclaimed Singh Twins, whose works of art play muse to his Lakme Fashion Week Spring Summer -15 collection.

The London-born, Liverpool-based Singh Twins, Amrit and Rabindra, describe their work as -past modern’ as opposed to Post Modern, portraying their Indian and British identities through the application of eastern and western aesthetics. Using motifs that represent British Asian life, cityscapes and pop culture, their work is tinged with the personal and the political and can be viewed as a social commentary with tongue-in-cheek humour.

Hugely inspired by this melange, the designer launched a ready-to-wear fashion line at the Wills India Fashion 2014 in Delhi as an ode to the Singh Twins’ art. He has now crafted garments for the Mumbai Lakme Fashion Week that bring to life the Twins’ well-received Indian miniature paintings, detailed black and white drawings and digital mixed medium art that explores an exclusive relationship with their home city of Liverpool.

Tarun, himself, is known to skilfully blend the modern and the traditional and augmenting this with the Twins’ affinity for reviving the age-old technique of miniature painting and the juxtaposition of modern iconography has led to a range of digitally printed separates – kaftans, jewel tees, dhoti skirts, lungi skirts, leggings and dresses etc. Some colour palettes and elements have been creatively reworked by the designer to harmonise with the collection. The twins’ Wheel of Fortune has been incorporated as a whole on to a Tahiliani kurta, while decorative motifs from their black and white Aquarius have been reassembled and colourised within the design of another outfit. Silk kaftans, much like a vast canvas, allow the twins’ paintings to come through beautifully. Saris are rife with colours, featuring borders that carry Persian motifs borrowed from their paintings.

His menswear also features text vignettes, stylised clouds and waves, borders and decorative motifs from several of the twins’ works, offering fashion lovers an artistic take-away, proving yet again that the art and fashion are strong counter-influencers! click here to view images from the collection on indiaartndesign.com

Product Photography

There isn’t any doubt at all that today’s picture driven world of business and advertising having the best product images carried out is essential to success. There are simply too many company messages on the market bombarding us every day for us to absorb far more than a small percentage of the messages being conveyed.
That is why advertisers and marketers have been relying more and more on product photography to do the job.
Product photography is an art. Top photos, especially of three-dimensional items, are not easily achieved. For the amount of high quality needed for commercial product photography, a studio setting is useful and an expert photographer is essential. The critical importance are lighting, background, clarity, composition and context.
Product photographers use a variety of professional equipment to attain the desired result. Specialty cameras and lenses, a light box, light diffusers and a wide range of backgrounds and props are only a few of the items required to ensure high quality product photographs. Also, the pro product photographer’s ability and experience are invaluable.
Megapixel of over 10 is really helpful for camera and the ideal lens to use shall be 100mm macro. The light source is of key importance in your overall photograph shoot setup. Typically for indoor shots, you’ll want 2 light sources – one is the primary light for either direct light on your product, or it may be diffused indirectly, corresponding to utilizing a light tent. Then the second light source is often fill or reflection-diffusing light to take away from the shadow effect. There are two major lighting to use on product photography. Strobe light is very good for the sharp look on metal or chrome products such as jewellery and glass items. Ambient light could make a smooth look so long as the photographer is aware of methods to diffuse and reflect light source.
In todays competitive enterprise industry, a professional internet webstore is the important thing to achieve success. Your product is the life line between your online business and your client. Pro product photographers can achieve good colour and the sharp image look by bring up the products sharpness. Quality product photography is the key to business success.

A bridezilla usually has these symptoms:
-Someone who is pushy and barely gives thanks.
-Somebody who is very impatient and demanding.
-Somebody who raises voice often and screams unnecessarily.
-Someone who is usually stressed out below any situations.
-Someone who can’t handle their emotions well.
-Somebody who is impolite and disrespectful.

Usually women don’t plan to turn into a bridezilla when she first begins to plan her wedding. All of it starts from the voice in her head I want my wedding day to be perfect. Demanding perfection in your wedding day will only cause stress, because nothing in this world is flawless. Whenever you hear perfect wedding stories, it merely means that wedding was perfect for that particular individual as they were happy on that day. Surprising things might happen and something may go sideways, but why not take a breath and focus on having fun and make the remainder of the day a memorable one?
There are 3 common ways to prevent becoming a bridezilla.

1. When discussing wedding plans together with your fianc, try and substitute This is my day with This is our wedding. Without doubt guys have silly concepts like race car wedding cakes and soccer theme invitations, however this is because wedding is often not their forte. It is very important compromise concepts from both sides reasonably in order to have a successful and joyful wedding day.

2. Go out with your friends to enjoy a movie and new restaurants, have fun! Take a break from wedding conversation and spend an evening focusing on catching up on other people’s lives. You want your friends to be joyful for you from the bottom of their heart. Joyful bridal party can have a positive effect in your big day.

3. Be good to your wedding professionals. Impatient and rude brides easily upset those that would have gladly helped them. Even when it is not outwardly noticeable, professionals who she has disrespected may naturally give poor service at the end of the day. Respect your wedding vendors and lots of good stuff may happen. Your DJ might make an effort to do an extra nice job to heat up the crowd of the reception. Your venue could serve your guests well ahead of your expectations. Your photographer might make you extra beautiful with post production enhancements like photoshop retouch. Your floral could try to do an extra great job on decorating the scene. Your wedding planner might make an effort to have more endurance with you to organize the day. There are a lot of positive things that can occur behind the scenes if the bride is kind and reasonable to wedding professionals.

Can I Recover Data From A Broken Memory Card

Everyone has a digital camera or device now days, allowing them to record those wonderful moments. It seems it gets easier all the time to lose pictures, either by deleting the wrong files or by memory cards breaking. One frequently asked question in the technology field, “Can I retrieve data from a broken memory card”?, and ” Do you think the pictures are gone permanently?” Well most of the time the answer to both is “possibly”. When your memory card is broken, it stands less of a chance of recovery. The memory card has such delicate components, and the smallest thing could lead to the loss of saved data.

These are more or less your options. Based on how a memory card is actually broken, can determine whether or not an easy out will be available. So, what do you do now? You put your trust in a product that is supposed to store and keep your pictures and data safe. In return you are left empty handed. Whether your memory card was lost, destroyed, or damaged, to most it is important that you recover your data. A memory card that has been burnt, or has extreme water damage, may not have any partitions left to try and save. Either way you are left wondering where to turn. Some things you should try before tossing your card for good:

Some ways to recover lost files are – download recovery software, take it to a photography developing place, or perhaps to a Radio Shack dealer or similar specialty shop. Even sending the memory card in to a professional data recovery service is suggested.

We suggest you simply try to download a free data recovery program at home first. There’s nothing to loose, except the high cost of paying someone to do it for you. Data recovery software is a non destructive and read only utility that enables you to recover lost images, music, video files, and other office documents from your memory card. Most times this can recover, and needs no further steps. This step may not apply to those severely damaged. In those cases, professional help may be the only option left.

Taking the memory card to a nearest photo developer may be an affordable option as well. You may simply walk in and ask if they can pull up anything. They may have a more advanced way of recovering your data.

Lastly, if none of the other options have worked, it is time to decide how valuable the files on your card are. It will cost quite a bit for a professional to recover them for you. In turn, they may not be able to recover them on account of the memory card being totally destroyed.

There are many ways to recover, and to prevent later loss of files, but always make sure you back up your files often. For most of us, pictures are irreplaceable!

Canon EOS Rebel T3i SLR Camera review

Unveiled in early 2011, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i (EOS 600D) continues Canon’s Digital rebel tradition of providing ‘affordable’ digital SLR cameras. Ideal for entry level enthusiast, the Rebel T3i sits on the top end of Canons entry-level EOS line-up, above the existing Rebel T2i (EOS 550D). With tools to capture beautiful still images and Full HD movies, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i makes photography easy and fun. With the matchless range of EF-S lenses and other accessories from Canon, the Rebel T3i holds the key to the perfect shot.

Body Design and Handling

Unlike its predecessors, the Rebel T3i has an improved grip that’s a little deeper, front to back, coupled with a carved channel on the back that provides an anchor point for the thumb. Although bigger hands may still find it a tight squeeze, most users should find its grip more comfortable than its predecessors. It is also heftier than its predecessor, the T2i, weighing almost 60g more (583g compared to the T2i’s 525g)

As with many cameras in its class, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i utilizes a pentamirror viewfinder. Although it is one of the better pentamirror finders in the market, it is smaller and dimmer than the pentaprism finders used in more expensive cameras. The viewfinder shows approximately 95% of the scene to be captured, and the 5% ‘margin of error’ is of little consequence in normal use.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3i has an excellent 3:2, 1,040k dot display swivel-and-tilt articulated LCD screen. Hinged on the side instead of the based, it is useful for taking shots when using a tripod, or camera above the head type of shots. The ClearView display technology which has a layer of optical elastic material between the coverglass makes for unusually clear indoors and outdoors images.

First Class Still Shots

The Canon EOS Rebel T3i’s DIGIC 4 image processor and buffer enables capture of about 34 large/fine JPEG images, 6 RAW frames, and 4 RAW+JPEG frames. The DIGIC 4 processor also allows capture of 14-bit RAW images, and the 8-bit JPEGs are created from 14-bit data. The quality from both the swiveling LCD and the optical viewfinder is excellent, good enough to shoot at ISO 3,200 for a low-noise image.

With Peripheral Illumination Correction, the Rebel T3i is able to reduce Vignetting, a reduction of an image’s brightness or saturation at the periphery compared to the image center.

The Rebel T3i also has Creative Filter functions, which provides 5 filters, including the new Fisheye mode that creates a distortion as seen through a fisheye lens. The effect is applied after the shot is captured, and the strength of the effect is adjustable. This feature is not available for videos.

Unlike its predecessors, the Canon T3i offers nine-point auto focusing (AF) with a central f/2.8 focus point and eight single-axis points. All its AF points are cross-type, an advantage, as they are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical detail.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3i also comes with an Auto+ mode, which combines five Canon T3i’s systems, i.e.; Auto Exposure, Autofocus, Auto White Balance, Auto Lighting Optimizer, and Picture Style Auto, into one smart exposure mode.

Full High Definition Moving Pictures

The Canon EOS Rebel T3i comes with movie mode with Full HD 1,920 x 1,080 pixels at 24, 25, and 30 frames per second. 720p is available at 50 and 60 fps and VGA video is recorded at 30 and 25 fps. Zooming is a breeze with Video Digital Zoom, which allows a cropped zoom from between three and 10x magnification in 1080p resolution at all frame rates.

Another feature is the Video Snapshot mode that is brought in from Canons PowerShot and camcorder ranges. This feature allows recordings of short 2, 4 or 8 second video snippets, which are then stitched together and played back as a merged video. There is also an option to add audio soundtrack, choosing from the in-built five standard background music tracks, or import music to the SD card via the EOS utility. With this feature, multi-take videos can be produced without computer editing.

Other Handy Features

The T3i has a pop-up flash, with an X-sync of 1/200 second and a guide number of 43 feet (13m) at ISO 100 that can also function as an Integrated Speedlite Transmitter /wireless flash controller.

As with the T2i, it is HDMI-CEC compatible. With an HDMI to mini-HDMI (Type C) adapter or cable (purchase separately), you can play back your images on your HD TV as well as control the camera’s Playback functions via the CEC (Consumer Electronics) Protocol.

In Conclusion

With newly added features to the already impressive Rebel line, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i is a value for money investment for aspiring photographers. The quality of its still shots is among the best in its price range, and its video modes are quite comprehensive, offering excellent quality, if handled correctly.

Besides the Rebel T3i, Canon offers the T2i and the 60D, another two outstanding 18-megapixel digital SLRs within the same price range. All provides excellent image quality. However, in this authors opinion, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i has the best mix of features among the three.

Camera Stabilizer Varizoom Flowpod

The VariZoom FlowPod has substantial advantages above ALL other handheld stabilizers and that is why more individuals are choosing the FlowPod. The FlowPod is the lone handheld stabilizer to offers 3 tools in one: Monopod mode, Stabilizer Mode and Low Mode.

The FlowPod and DSLRs – The FlowPod works with DSLR Still Cameras and the new DSLR Photography/Video Combination Cameras like the Canon Mark II.
The monopod mode has a noteworthy advantage over competing products since many stabilizers never get used due to the inconvenience and lost time in trying to set up and move from monopod to hand-held stabilizer and back. Video has been submitted to youtube for FlowPod Users. The FlowPod is a VariZoom patented product. This must not be confused with a STEADICAM Product. The FlowPod is simply available from VariZoom or VariZoom Dealers.

With the FlowPod’s built-in, patented monopod system, the operator can quickly collapse the monopod, return to stabilizer mode, and already be pre-balanced and ready to switch back and forth in seconds.

No other handheld offers the same low mode capabilities where the operator can micro-adjust the camera from the floor to waist level in seconds.

We have had FlowPod owners express regret that had not purchased the FlowPod in the beginning.
The unique balancing system is a straightforward but valuable tool that saves a lot of time by allowing you to quickly and accurately balance your camera in one attempt.

A superbly versatile DV camera stabilizer, the FlowPod can be used as a fluid handheld stabilizer, rock-solid monopod, or gliding low-mode tool. The FlowPod is used and recommended by filmmakers, wedding and event videographers worldwide

VariZoom introduces latest 3-in-1 DSLR camera stabilizer designed for video and still capture. VariZoom’s patented FlowPod system allows shooters complete benefits of monopod, low-mode mount, and stabilizer for video sequences. Correctly balance the camera one time for stabilizer mode, then shoot on monopod all day with the capability to instantly convert back and forth without added setup. In stabilizer mode, capture smooth, flowing-motion video sequences and quickly switch to monopod mode used for still shots. Ideal for wedding and event videographers wanting to get monopod stills and flowing-motion video on one support.

The patented FlowPod system allows shooters complete benefits of monopod, low-mode mount, and stabilizer for video sequences. Accurately balance your camera one time for stabilizer mode, then shoot on monopod all day with the ability to instantly convert back and forth with no additional setup. In stabilizer mode, capture smooth, flowing-motion video sequences and quickly switch to monopod mode for still shots. Ideal intended for wedding and event videographers wanting to acquire monopod stills and flowing-motion video on lone support.

The FlowPod stabilizer system, is Varizoom newest addition to the line of support gear for mini-DV videographers. This uniquely styled device is the generally versatile piece of support gear on the market. Designed to work seamlessly with or without a VariZoom control, the FlowPod merges the popular StealthPod monopod with this patent pending stabilizing system.

The unique multi-purpose handle features a telescoping pin that can either be locked inline for use as a monopod or unlocked to allow uninhibited suspended action shots. The slim design allows for ease of use in the tightest of shooting situations.

High quality aluminum construction.
Locking/Unlocking pivoting foam handle grip, for use as a monopod or as a stabilizing system.
make use of it with or without Varizoom’s zoom and focus controllers.
Optional Low Flow kit, allows for low-to-the-ground video shot, especially on moving things.
Ideal for camcorders with a payload of up to 8 lbs.

Definitely grab the FlowPod stabilizer, mount your camera and start recording. The FlowPod will offer you smooth footage, while walking, running or even going up and down stairs without any camera instability or shake.