Archive for the ‘Navtej Kohli Passionate Photographer’ Category

Photography basics by Navtej Kohli

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

Hi there! Here I’m back on Navtej Kohli interest blog with one more useful post for all you photography freaks out there. Taking a flawless photograph is not as easy as it may seem to be. All it takes is some common sense coupled with an experimentive mind.

Photography is an art that is tried by many and only mastered by a few. Taking pictures may seem as simple as 1-2-3, but there are several factors that make a photograph stick out of bunch. So, what it takes to make a good photograph?

Just three things:
1.    Plenty of light
2.    Suitable background
3.    Visual clarity

Once you get hold of these three, your photograph will be a masterpiece. Let me explain how each of these factors contributes in taking that picture prefect shot. To start with lighting, a well lit vista gives clarity to your subject. Mastering basics of lighting is an essential ability to any good photographer. Lighting creates contrast. A well contrasted photograph is delight for both the photographer and the viewer. Proper lighting adds depth to your subject, whilst adding life to the overall setting. You can play with light to accent a particular feature or for creating that dramatic appeal.

Next, we come to backdrops. A photographer has to be careful while choosing a background. Where on one hand a well-chosen background sets the mood of a picture, it tells your subject’s story, on the other. It underlines several trifling details that are not so apparent otherwise. However, choosing a backdrop is just one part. What comes first is the proper planning of all important details for your photo shoot. Remember, a backdrop must serve the purpose of photo shoot and more importantly the subject’s purpose in having his/her pictures taken. A rule of thumb - areas that can be 1) easily remembered, 2) are distinct and 3) meets the purpose of the shoot makes best backdrops.
Altar for a church wedding, soccer goal for your child’s first soccer game, cake for a birthday party etc. count for some of the most eye-catching and easily recognized backdrop examples.

For a studio photo shoot, I recommend backdrops that will augment the appearance of your subject. They must emphasize the features of your subject. A backdrop must complement the subject instead of distracting the viewer to other superfluous details. A harmonious backdrop calls for extra attention and creativity. Suggested photography backdrops are those that don’t clash with subject’s apparel and makeup. Last but not least, backdrops should be free of any stains, spots or wrinkles.

If your subject wants outdoor theme, better go outdoors than using replicated backdrops in the studio. Shooting outdoors may seem simple, but there are lots of distractions in the open that may steal the focus on your subject. Therefore, caution is required. Take care there are no bystanders or people passing by.

Last comes visual clarity. Now, do I need to explain this? If you take due care in the preceding steps, results automatically follow in terms of visual clarity. One should perform all steps properly since the purpose of each step is to accomplish a perfect photo, free from all sort of visual clutter.

So, what are you waiting for? Open your creative eye and start capturing right away. Make a conscious effort to know what your subject is looking for and let that understanding lead your instincts in choosing the appropriate background.

 Navtej Kohli on Facebook

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Navtej Kohli gives a review of Sony Alpha 350 digital camera

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

digital camera

Performance at a very competitive price

The good: Excellent specification for price, great image quality, Anti Dust system, Eye Start, D-Range Optimiser, ergonomics, sensor-shift image stabilization; useful Live View implementation with flip-up LCD.

The bad: LCD cannot be swivelled back into the body (for protection)

Verdict: Excellent performance and great image quality combine neatly within in an easy to use body and good price that make the Sony Alpha 350 worthy of serious consideration.

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Navtej Kohli’s tips for Portrait Photographers

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Portrait Photography tips by Navtej Kohli

When the time comes to taking portrait digital images, it can be very different than taking images of still items or landscapes.
Portrait photography is lot different from still or landscape photography. With portrait photos you’re not in total power over the photo. Your model now is in group effort with you for the shot and your posing skills must make them look however you want.
Taking portrait shots is no less than an art, especially when it comes to handling subject a great deal of patience is required. Not all people being photographed cooperative. Some will get annoyed quickly and some will be annoying quick! But your ultimate goal is to make the model as comfortable as possible.
Portrait photos should give the viewer a glimpse of the person’s personality. Portrait photos not necessarily deal with smiling and happy looking people. Portrait photography is a serious business. Look out for intense and interesting faces. Make sure that background goes well with the expressions.
Do not limit yourself to taking portraits behind plain backgrounds. The wilderness can make for amazing backgrounds as well. Lots of great places out in the wild can make for amazing backdrops for portraits. There are also really dramatic locations you can take portraits at. Think of alleys, scary looking woods, etc.
Portrait photos should be lit as nice as possible. The better the lighting the better the person will look. You can use front or side lighting for portraits. Front lit subjects will look more flawless. The problem is that this can make details diminished too much.

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Navtej Kohli- Opting Commercial Photography as a Career

Sunday, April 27th, 2008

Navtej Kohli’s passion for photography is immense. On this Navtej Kohli Interest blog, he shares some current trends in the commercial photography arena.

Photography is a unique art that requires keen sense for aesthetics and technical expertise. This medium of self-expression can be as good a profession as it is a hobby. With the ever-expanding communication network, the growth of advertising and media and the fashion boom, digital photography has become a good money-making profession.

Photography, however, has become an inseparable part of Print and electronic media and thus has a greater scope for those who are planning to opt it as a fulltime profession.

It is one creative medium that is more of inherent than learned. Though, there are many training institutes that help you hone your skills, but creativity is something that lies within the photographer. There are several specializations in photography like portraiture, fashion and advertising photography, journalistic photography, wildlife and outdoors photography etc.

For taking a commercial quality photograph, the photographer must know the angle specifications, lighting conditions and most importantly the latest equipments and technology in this field.

To be a successful photographer, there is no specific eligibility criterion, as such. You can enroll into a diploma or certificate course soon after you have completed your high-school. Besides, having a background in computers and electronics is also beneficial to shine in this field.

But as I’ve mentioned before, a successful photographer is one who is instinctively creative and can actually communicate through his/her photographs. To be a good commercial photographer you should have the ability to understand client’s need. It’s only your understanding and perceptive that ultimately appears in your photographs. And mind it, once you are in the field work pressure, difficult conditions and irregular hours are a common sight.

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Compact, Lightweight, Water and Dust-Resistant Digicam - G600

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

ricoh g600Today Ricoh launched the G600 digicam, a new water and dust-resistant camera. The G600 is very small and light-weight yet it still managed to pass the Ricoh‘s shock resistance test for a 1.5 m fall, a test that conforms to US Department of Defense standards. In addition to the 5x optical wide-angle zoom lens (equivalent to 28-140 mm for a 35 mm camera), the G600 continues to provide the same strong set of features as previous models, such as a 1 cm macro function and a flash range of 10 m. It is perfect for customers who want to take pictures in a variety of outdoor activities, such as marine sports, mountain climbing, and fishing.

Main features of the new Ricoh G600 :

1. Superior water and dust resistance plus even greater shock resistance make the G600 ideal for hard outdoor use. The well thought out design and positioning of the large buttons make operation easy even with gloves on, such as while skiing.

2. Powerful flash with effective range of up to 10m and ISO3200 sensitivity for low-light photography.

3. Large 2.7-inch picture display.

4. Compact and lightweight body that can be carried in a breast pocket.

5. A 28-140 mm wide-zoom lens on a water and dust-resistant digital camera.

6. The large-capacity lithium ion battery provided with the camera gives long battery life for approximately 360 shots (CIPA standard). If the battery runs out, readily available AAA size batteries can be used instead. A

7. An edit check function detects for image data tampering. This increases the reliability of the data when digital photographic images are submitted as corroborative evidence.

So, if you are in the market to buy a new camera then this might be a potential candidate.

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Navtej Kohli Talks About Photography After Fifty- What An Idea!

Thursday, April 10th, 2008

Navtej Kohli interest blog stimulate readers for achieving something in life. This blog by Navtej Kohli will inspire those who think there is no life after retirement.

Who said photography is meant for those prying paparazzi or devoted shutterbugs. You can take up this hobby at any point in your life. Retiring from one’s job doesn’t mean the end of life. There is a lot you can do in your leisure time after mid-50s. Photography is one of the most popular hobbies, elderly take resort to after their retirement.

To be a photographer, you need not necessarily have professional expertise. All it need is a sight to look beyond obvious and capturing that in your camera, so meticulously that it speaks for itself.

Photography is not an anti-pocket affair. However, photography aficionados run pillar to post to collect all the fancy tools and equipments available in the market. Also, the invention of digital camera redefined the traditional photography tricks. In the age of velocity, you can view photographs the moment they are clicked.

Developing your own prints is also a gratifying experience, which is still preferred by many, especially those who have an extra room in their homes. Besides, if you are planning to take up this hobby seriously, you can always do that. You can avail yourself of photography classes; it’s never too late to start. You can discover you forte which can be anything from nature, portraits or wildlife… just don’t let the best shot skip your sight.

Photography may not seem like an adventurous hobby to many, but it can definitely take you to some whimsical places. So get close to the nature, imprison some wildest beasts but don’t forget to carry your camera.

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