Master Chetesh Wangnue

 

Master Chetesh Wangnue, a student of class VI at DPS, Noida has broken new ground by turning his hobby of bird watching into a passion for photography thus getting recognition at international level at this tender age.

It was  earlier this year that his first ever entry, entitled as Rowing, to an international photo exhibition known as 14^th Greek Photographic Circuit was accepted in its Crete Salon. In this international Circuit  both professionals as well as amateurs had competed irrespective of their age and experience. Also, this Circuit had recognition of prominent international Photographic Organisations including Photographic Society of America (PSA) and Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique (FIAP).

Secondly, some of the images of birds made by Chetesh were recently  noticed by Wildlife Photography Association of India (WPAI), which published them in its Newsletter as an illustrated feature with a note by its Chief Editor.

Chetesh got inspiration to take up photography as a hobby  from his maternal grandfather who is an accomplished photographer. It all began a couple of years ago when Chetesh began to accompany his grandfather for morning walk and birding at local Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh. When during one such walk Chetesh expressed his desire to try his hand on photography gear, his grandfather happily agreed. He first taught him basics of photography like how a camera works and simultaneously he would take him along for practical training. It was during those days that his grandfather gifted him his first camera, the mirrorless Nikon Z 5 and lens Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4. As soon Chetesh began to show his learning potential and ability to explore more his grandfather offered him his own photographic gear like Nikon Z 6lll  and Nikon Z 50 ll cameras as well as lenses including Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8, Nikon Z 70-180mm f/2.8 and Nikon  Z180-600 mm f/ 5.6-6.3. He used all these with ease.

Now Chetesh is eagerly waiting for his winter break  as he knows Sukhna Lake is a hot spot for diverse array of migratory birds who fly from far off places as Siberia is.

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A Bird and a Photographer

 

The symbiotic relationship between avians and mankind has significantly influenced their lives. Birds have always been a part of the legends and folklores of different cultures all over the world. Their songs and magnificent beauty of feathers have inspired human imagination which for many mingles them with divine intervention. Also, for many they not only  give flight to human emotions and creativity, but also caution about impending doom, if any. The fact cannot be ignored that some of the technological inventions that we enjoy today have been inspired by birds.

Today, for many urban dwellers a bird may often be regarded as a nuisance, but those who are avid bird watchers and bird photographers keenly observe behaviour of birds and appreciate even crows and ravens for their intelligence. It’s due to growing influence of avians  in our social aspects that the nursery rhyme ‘one for sorrow and two for joy’ and warning of bad luck signalled by single magpie reflects our attitude to conflictual relationship with birds. Some would agree that there appears an element of disrespect for birds in our language we use today. We have some unacceptable connotations like ‘a bird-brain’ (a silly person) ‘for the birds’ (a matter of no consequence or something unimportant) and even ‘killing two birds with one stone’ are examples of contempt in our language.

Many nature lovers believe that such an attitude having influence of myths, legends and practices is largely to be blamed for birds not getting desired prominence in photography. Thanks to the bird clubs for they are not only changing attitude of the people by generating awareness about birds, but are also helping creative minds to explore more about avians and hone their skill as observers of their behaviour and record it in photographs.

Bird photography is such a genre which requires precise skills and boundless practice. Invention of photography may date back to early 19^th century, but bird photography gained ground only after the vibrant colours and fascinating lines of their profile began to draw attention of bird lovers. The advent of cell phone cameras and social media helped professional photographers as well as enthusiasts in developing interest in birds. Although fascinated by their shapes, colours and texture of any plumage captured in a fraction of a second, it’s appreciable that there has also been greater emphasis on conservation issues through photography.

Today, a good number of wildlife professionals specialize in making photos of birds. Also, there are those who can be simply termed as beholders because they point their camera whenever and wherever their camera takes them. There is another class of bird photographers who would prefer to first see the bird with their binocular before making its photo. For them colours and lines of birds are feast to their eyes. Over the years wildlife photographers have reached such a level of skill that makes bird a flag bearer and  no wonder it might almost be mistaken for seasoned actor on stage with  each twig and lighting fine tuned to capture a stunning photo. Thanks to the technological advancements and wisdom of camera manufacturers who now add a bird mode in their cameras so as to enable photographers to shoot birds with precision.

Gone are the days when bird used to be a rare subject for photographers, mainly due to the limitation of making photos only in monochrome, who could not do justice to the  fabulous colouration of birds. No one had even dreamed of photographing birds in colour. Therefore despite this disadvantage the photographers did not stop focusing on flowers. They laid emphasis on contrast and tonal variation. Also, due to lack of technology they used to be ill equipped in capturing rapid movement of birds. The advantage for photographers was that the flowers do not force them to camouflage themselves while capturing their close-ups .

If we look back, the idea of photographing  a moving or a flying bird used to be a technical challenge, but now-a-days movement of birds can easily be frozen. This aspect of photography is an asset not only for an artistic pursuit, but it’s also crucial in developing scientific understanding of nature and a way to observe and document birds in their natural environment without harming them. Advancement in photography has opened new vistas of hope and aspiration for not only bird photographers, but also ornithologists, conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts.

The fact cannot be ignored that human brains are fine tuned to see human portraits reflecting behaviour, personality, expressions and emotions. Interestingly, similar aspects are seen in portraits of birds. There are those who create staged environment to welcome real birds and observe them in their studio like settings, having special backdrops, and birds are considered as  characters on stage. A question arises, is bird a model, source of inspiration or an accessory for photography.

Although many bird photographers go out with ideas about what to look for, but they  seldom understand how to look. Today, photographers make use of not only state of art technologies, drones, GPS, night vision devices, powerful binoculars, monoculars and all that is offered by digital world including artificial intelligence.

Some photographers have unflinching curiosity to photograph species or  their choice or the one never seen before, to which many emphatically call ‘lifer’. Despite so much technological advancement, still there are areas which need to be explored to better understand the life of avians. There are flight paths of birds that are invisible to the naked eye. I am reminded of Xavi Bou who revealed flight paths, that are invisible to the naked eye, by combining multiple photographs into single image in his series Orthographies.

Wildlife photographers follow a strict ethical code of conduct and go to far away places to limit disturbances and avoid manipulations. Many of them develop an extensive knowledge of the terrain of a specific area as well as behaviour of the birds they set out to photograph. There are those who are contented with photographing birds in their immediate surroundings. Also, there are those who travel to remote areas in search of distinct species. It’s not because forests are shrinking due to rapid urbanization, thus forcing the birds to adapt to new surroundings. In the recent past there were reports in media about some bird lovers making bird-friendly concrete structures to facilitate birds with shelters.

This reminds me of nature definition of some prestigious international photographic organizations like Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique, or FIAP (Eng. The International Federation of Photographic Art) and Photographic Society of America (PSA) which state
“Nature photography records all branches of natural history except anthropology and archaeology. This includes all aspects of the physical world, both over water and underwater. Nature images must convey the truth of the scene. A well-informed person should be able to identify the subject of the image and be satisfied that it has been presented honestly and that no unethical practices have been used to control the subject or capture the image. Images that directly or indirectly show any human activity threatening a living organism's life or welfare are not allowed. 
“The most important part of a nature image is the nature story it tells. High technical standards are expected and the image must look natural. Objects created by humans, and evidence of human activity, are allowed in nature images only when they are a necessary part of the nature story. Photographs of human-created hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral animals, domesticated animals, human-created hybrid animals, and mounted or preserved zoological specimens are not allowed.

“Photographs made where the scene is natural and the animal is unharmed in a carefully managed environment, such as Zoo, rescue centers and ethically managed natural environment farms are permitted. 

“Attracting or controlling subjects through the use of food or sound for the purpose of photographing them is not allowed. Maintained situations such as provided supplemental food due to hardship caused by weather conditions or other conditions beyond the animals' control, where photography is incidental to the feeding of the animal does not fall under this provision. 

“Controlling live subjects by chilling, anaesthetic, or any other method of restricting natural movement for a photograph is not allowed. 

“Human-made elements shall be permitted under the following circumstances:
a) When they are an integral part of the nature story, such as a songbird singing atop a fence post, a manmade object used as nest material,  or a weather phenomenon destroying a man-made structure.
b) When they are a small, but unavoidable part of the scene, such as an unobtrusive footprint or track in the background.
c) Scientific tags, collars, and bands are specifically allowed.”

The definition further states, “When photographing at a zoo, sanctuary, or rehabilitation center, it would be construed that the photographer ensured that it’s properly accredited and conforms to best practices. “For wildlife photography, the definition states,”In addition to the restrictions on Nature photography, to be eligible for any Wildlife award images must meet the following conditions:

(a) Zoological organisms must be living free and unrestrained in a natural habitat of their own choosing. 

(b) Images of zoological organisms that have been removed from their natural habitat, are in any form of captivity, or are being controlled by humans for the purpose of photography are not allowed. 

(c) Botanical organisms may not be removed from their natural environment for the purpose of photography. 

 (d) Images that have been staged for the purpose of photography are not allowed.  
Nature Editing Guidelines: Processing or editing must be limited to making the image look as close to the original scene as possible, except that conversion to grayscale monochrome is allowed.

“Allowed editing techniques:

• Cropping, straightening and perspective correction.

• Removal or correction of elements added by the camera or lens, such as dust spots, noise, chromatic aberration and lens distortion.

• Global and selective adjustments such as brightness, hue, saturation and contrast to restore the appearance of the original scene.

• Complete conversion of color images to grayscale monochrome.

• Blending of multiple images of the same subject and combining them in camera or with software (exposure blending or focus stacking)

• Image stitching – combining multiple images with overlapping fields of view that are taken consecutively (panoramas).

“Editing techniques that are not allowed:

• Removing, adding to, moving or changing any part of an image, except for cropping and straightening.

•Adding a vignette during processing.

• Blurring parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.

• Darkening parts of the image during processing to hide elements in the original scene.

• All conversions other than to complete grayscale monochrome.

• Conversion of parts of an image to monochrome, or partial toning, desaturation or over-saturation of colour” concludes the definition.

The bird is not only a symbol of freedom, hope and grace, it has also inspired writers, philosophers, observers of nature, as well as ordinary folks. Above all, some of the technological inventions that we enjoy today are credited to bird which continues to be a flag bearer and will continue to inspire humanity for ages to come.

-Subhash Sapru

 

Let's avoid pitfalls while shooting birds

“Oh! I missed a nice shot, my camera refused to focus”, “The light changed suddenly and got all settings disturbed”, “Oh Sxxx ! had the shutter release button been pressed a fraction of a second earlier, I would have got an award-winning photo.” At times while we are busy making photos of birds in company of fellow photographers, we hear such annoying murmurs that suddenly distract our attention and we may get  distressing thought “ I may not be in a similar situation”. 

Let’s delve on some of such pitfalls and understand how to save our day.

Sudden change of light-Some experienced photographers prefer to set ISO on auto with its minimum and maximum limits depending on their expected requirement in a given situation. They understand that either the natural light may suddenly change or the subject would abruptly move in shade or harsh light. Therefore, auto ISO comes to their rescue. A similar situation may hardly leave time to readjust ISO by scrolling the camera menu. These days we see some cameras equipped with an ISO button close to shutter release button at top of camera body to let user adjust ISO without waste of time. It is there where it should be. This facility especially helps those who do not like to set ISO on auto. Do it as the situation demands.

Camera does not focus- This is a very annoying situation. There can be several reasons that make one to struggle to achieve perfect focus. It may be due to some shooting conditions, which can be easily handled if you have carefully read your camera manual. If the camera hunts for focus, back and front and is unsuccessful in achieving it, generally it means either the camera lacks contrast or you are trying to focus in low light.

One must understand that both DSLR and Mirrorless cameras being different in technology, they differ in focus system. It’s, therefore, necessary to understand our gear. Not only the camera, but also lenses. For instance, we must know the minimum focus distance of our lenses. How contrast detection and phase detection work in a camera.

Front focus or back focus- Most of the DSLR users often experience that while auto-focusing, instead of focusing on the subject, the camera either focuses in the background or foreground. This situation calls for calibration of camera lens and these days some cameras have built-in system for calibration of lenses. One can find this provision  by scrolling down the camera menu to look for AF fine-tune feature. Contrary to the DSLRs the problem is rare with mirrorless cameras because  these cameras focus on image sensor itself. Another reason for impaired ability of camera to focus precisely can be due to dirty contact points. Therefore, make it a habit to periodically clean your equipment.

Yet another reason for struggle with focusing can be wrong selection of AF mode. The focus mode as well as area mode work differently. One must know where to use AF-C or Continuous Servo AF focus mode  and which AF area mode is to be chosen. Remember, the central AF point gives the sharpest images. Good that if your equipment has the ability to over-ride autofocus  with manual focus.

Missing first frames – Take offs by birds are always exciting. Some of the new generation  cameras are now equipped with Pre-Release Capture system. We can get images before we fully press the shutter release button. To begin with, first set pre-release burst in camera, if it’s equipped with this facility.  With the half-press of shutter release button, or the  AF-ON button if we have set back button focus, one second of images will be recorded before actually release of the shutter.

The behaviour of birds being unpredictable, we should keep a close watch on the bird and try to anticipate its behaviour and  flight. At times it may appear that the bird is about to take off, but actually it won’t. Any repetition of the shooting process can result in accumulation of several images which would need adequate storage space in memory card.

Flying bird gets lost behind branches-Its very disgusting for a bird photographer when a flying bird which is being chased to get its clear shot, suddenly disappears behind branches of a tree. The moment it again appears, we once again aim our camera to make an image, but that moment is too short to be recorded.

The solution to such a peculiar situation lies within the camera, if equipped with facility of focus tracking with lock-on. This provision allows us to select the length of time the camera will ignore an intruding object that blocks our subject. If this function is enabled, the camera locks on to the subject and provides a variable time-out period for the lock-on functionality. This time-out can be adjusted in camera according to the delay time period as one may prefer. Practice and practice.

Do your  homework- There are some other pitfalls which can be easily avoided by simply doing our homework. For  instance, before moving out with a camera, ensure that its battery is fully charged and data card has adequate storage space. Prefer to keep at least a spare battery. Don’t forget to give a fresh look to the camera settings.

Patience and Practice- These two are the key factors that matter a lot in bird photography. It’s a common saying that the lost image is always the best image. Some photographers who find focal length of their lens inadequate in a given situation, try to be close to the subject ignoring that the bird may not like their presence and would fly away. A keen birder knows  that like human beings, the birds also prefer to be within their own comfort  zone. Our patience in their territory will reveal that some  of them not only look  inquisitive, but actually approaching us provided  we give them the opportunity.

-Subhash Sapru

A strange phenomenon

The other day I happened to come across profile of a fellow bird photographer who has mentioned a quote by Magnum Photographer Inge Morath as having said, “ Photography is a strange phenomenon, you trust your eye and cannot help but bare your soul”. Yes, we trust our eyes without paying too much attention to technical issues as these can interfere with creative aspects. No doubt a good photographer makes image with his feelings and some images do touch our soul.

Inge Morath has rightly mentioned her feelings, but her emphasis on trusting our eyes made me ponder over a question does camera sees more than our eyes. If so, how and why. The answer to this question holds more significance for bird photographers and birders who keenly observe not only behaviour and anatomy of birds, but also their morphology.

An inquisitive mind may question similarities as well as differences between the camera and the human eye. Those who have better understanding of functions of optical devices also know that camera sees more than the human eye.

I have seen many birders who first see birds with their bare eyes, then through their binocular or monocular and then make a ‘record’ photo of the bird with the help of a long lens in the given situation so as to observe and study bird’s distinctive markings. They all understand that bare eyes or say ‘unaided eyes’ need modern gadgets to see beyond their limiting factors.

The technology is fast developing thus widening the gap between the functions of human eye and the camera. While the human eye has always remained as such, the technological developments that have taken place since the invention of camera obscura have unfolded a whole new world of visual media. This process is unending and future inventions may be more startling.

When we capture an image, only a visual record is made, which is flat and has  two dimensions, but when we see the visual impact remains in our memory for a longer period of time and is of three dimensions-- length, height and has depth of field. Also, a camera can create a brighter picture as it has the potential to collect light for a longer period.

We all know both the eye and the camera have a lens and both receive light through an aperture device.  They also have a method to interpret that light as an image. In camera we can adjust light through aperture, automatically or manually whereas eyes have pupil, a round area in the iris, which controls light. In both, the camera and our eyes, the light and image are inverted by the receiving mechanism.

In eye, light is received by retina, which is almost of the same size of  sensor of a full frame(35mm) camera and is an extension of brain. Light is transmitted to the back portion of brain and image is perceived. It is because of curvature of retina that its edges are about the same distance from the lens as the center. Therefore, unlike camera lenses, the retina has corner sharpness and we also see more in corners. On the other hand the flange distance, the space between where the lens is mounted to the camera body and to the camera’s image sensor, is comparatively larger. The shorter a flange distance, the smaller and lighter a camera body can be. The mirrorless cameras have, therefore, shorter flange distance thus are lighter and smaller than the DSLRs.  In case of lenses generally the corners are not as sharp as the center of an image is.

The question remains why camera sees more than our eyes. We know the camera sends every pixel data from sensor to the computer which may result in certain distortions like barrel distortion, colour variation and vignetting. Contrary to it, eyes are not so capable because data passes through optic nerve. Eyes adjust their sensitivity to see naturally, but cameras have a feature to adjust ISO manually or let it get adjusted automatically.

Camera sensor has regular grid of pixels with every square millimeter having exactly the same number and pattern of pixels. In cameras the field of view depends on the kind of lens. On the other hand, retina, a small central area of about 6 mm, has dense concentration of photo receptors. Interestingly this portion has best resolving ability than any camera.

Although our peripheral vision has high refresh rate, our eye is sensitive to moving objects, but has not much resolution to read letters. The focal length of the human eye is the distance between the retina and the eye lens and this focal length varies from person to person. Not many know that 50 mm camera lens closely matches the human eye as the angle of view created by the 50 mm focal length is almost the same as the viewing angle of the human eye. The built-in technology of eye can’t match the ever-improving modern technology of camera.

The old saying goes, ‘eyes are the windows to the soul’. Photography makes us trust our eyes, but it is also such a magical phenomenon where silence speaks louder than words. At times its sound is more deafening than words. Let’s keep enjoying the sound of silence of this strange phenomenon of photography.

As I conclude, I am reminded of another female photographer, Maggie Steber, who has also rightly said, “The camera can open many doors, but sometimes you need to put it down and live."

--Subhash Sapru

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIRROR TO MIRRORLESS

 

The ongoing transition from DSLR to the mirrorless may be gradual, but it reminds of the earlier transitions, especially of “manual” to “auto focus” and “film” to “digital”. While both the “manual” as well as  “film” are still being accepted and used, they are now more of a hobby. Technology keeps rolling out new developments and many innovations get accepted. Reports indicate that Canon no longer intends to produce any more flagship DSLR and Nikon has discontinued its popular D500 and no replacement has been announced.

In the recent years, the mirrorless cameras have undergone tremendous technological improvement that has given push to the camera market thus setting the pace for gradual phasing out of DSLR cameras. But this hard task master will not die at least in the near future. Let’s try to understand how good is the mirrorless, especially for wildlife photographers, who like photojournalists often question its parity with the one they have been using with trust for decades. They have accumulated an array of lenses and accessories for their DSLRs which would be hard to part with.

One of the basic observation is that  it is easy to switch from a Canon or Nikon or  any other DSLR brand to its mirrorless sibling because the menu is structured in their well-known  style with almost similar buttons as previous cameras. Therefore,  finding and using the basic functions takes hardly any adaptation time. However as mirrorless camera offers quite a few more functions and options. To some the menu may be slightly different and a little hard to find a few of its functions.

The latest mirrorless cameras are packed with a lot of new and impressive features into their rugged  bodies having drip and dust resistance. They can also be operated in extremely low temperature. Now these cameras are up-to-date in every aspect. Like a smart phone, we can easily touch their screen to focus on our subject. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features make it easy to pair these with other devices such as smartphones to transfer large amounts of data without any wire.

Although both the DSLR and the mirrorless cameras do differ in their construction and design, yet they have similar sensors, image quality, technologies and basic features. With removal of mirror and prism, camera size and weight have been considerably reduced. Those who are used to bigger size of camera bodies to handle long lenses may find these smaller bodies inconvenient, especially if they have to wear gloves. Adapters are available for mirrorless systems so that photographers  are able to use most of their SLR lenses with full autofocus and aperture control.

In both the DSLR and the mirrorless  cameras, we see through the lens, but they have different ways to show us how will be the image. In DSLRs the optical image is reflected by the mirror and we see it through the view finder. With the release of shutter, the mirror flips upward and sensor gets exposed to the image. On the other hand, mirrorless camera being without a mirror, a live view is created and we see the image either on back screen or through the Electronic View Finder (EVF). Nowadays the EVFs are much improved with high resolution and clarity of the optical view finder. The fast refresh rate has eliminated viewfinder lag to quickly follow moving subjects. The blackout effect that we used to see while shooting continuous bursts of images is now a thing of the past. In a mirrorless camera, what we see in EVF is what we get.This  ability to see our exposure while composing an image is a significant advantage of these cameras. It also enables us to see in real time how our settings change our exposure, depth of field and more. If required, changes can be applied instantly while looking through the viewfinder. It is something optical viewfinder cannot do. The EVF is good enough to show a more clearly visible view of a scene even in low light.

The autofocus system too has been further improved and its features either match or surpass DSLRs for autofocus speed. Although the DSLR cameras are fast yet the focusing speeds on most mirrorless camera can be just that bit faster. This comes down to the fact that mirrorless cameras use many more focus points than DSLRs. In the absence of mirror, they can read sensor while performing autofocus and this is a significant advantage. Therefore, mirrorless camera’s focus is more accurate than DSLR. Also, they neither suffer from lens alignment issues nor back or front focusing issues. The Face/Eye Detection AF and Animal Face/Eye-Detection AF  are interesting features. Unlike the DSLRs, the AF sensors in mirrorless AF systems can go right upto the edges of the frame. When live-view is engaged in a DSLR, it behaves the same way as a mirrorless camera, but does not always have the same features of a mirrorless.

Before you go in for a mirrorless camera, its better to ensure that it has no trouble in achieving subject auto focus that is  AF-C in low contrast situations. Although many new mirrorless cameras have quick start up and no viewfinder blackout, yet some  mirrorless cameras take a moment to start up. It can be half a second or so to come out of standby mode.

A more prominent feature of mirrorless cameras is the responsiveness of the shutter release button. These cameras instantaneously capture photos as there is no mirror to move out of the way when the shutter release button is pressed. This is useful especially in capturing fast action, such as a fast  flying bird or any other fast action taking place. Their frame rate is also very high and the silent mode is appreciably silent. Some mirrorless cameras can record 10-bit 8K UHD video at 24, 25 or 30 FPS for extended period of time, which can be two hours in some cameras. So is the capability of sustained fast continuous shooting bursts with very high FPS  burst speed for both JPG and RAW files.

As compared to the DSLRs, the  size and life of a mirrorless  camera battery is short. The  functions like LCD display or the electronic viewfinder and built in image stabilization in camera bodies make them dependent on battery. When using long lenses, their long focal length having larger and heavier focusing elements, require a lot more power to move than the typically smaller and shorter focal length lenses. The best solution is to keep extra batteries in your bag. Some mirrorless cameras support USB charging thus having  the advantage of charging the battery  within the camera body. For this there are three options to charge--with a wall plug or a power bank or with a computer.

The wildlife photographers and photojournalists look for parity of the mirrorless cameras with the DSLRs. The hard core DSLR users may feel that the mirrorless has neither yet replaced the DSLR nor has fully reached parity with it. For many their concern is availability of lenses and focus performance while tracking subjects. The fact is they have not only attained parity, but have even surpassed the DSLR in some significant areas. Therefore, you aren’t losing out in any way if you opt for a mirrorless camera. This replies the much talked about question “does mirrorless holds key to the future”, ‘yes’ future belongs to the mirrorless.   

DSLR Camera

Subhash Sapru

Mirrorless Camera

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Why some birds roost in peg-legged stance ?

 

Its common to see some birds relaxing or sleeping on one leg. But why ? This simple question had always baffled me till I took to bird photography seriously and began to observe their behavior. I remember in childhood whenever I asked the elders that why birds, especially egrets  stand of one leg, pat would come the reply, “its prayer time”. During my recent visit to Siswan dam, I saw a large number of Ruddy Shelducks basking while standing on one leg. Now I know these species  understand  better why to relax on one leg. They seem to be aware that they have adaptations to manage heat loss.

We all know most of  the birds have naked legs without insulating feathers. Their feet being closer to environmental temperature, they don’t lose as much heat as they would if they were at body temperature. The widely known theory is that by standing on one leg, they conserve heat and prevent at least it from heat loss. A bird with its one foot tucked up reduces by half the amount of heat lost through its unfeathered  limbs. In other words, the arteries that transport blood into the legs of birds are in contact with the veins that return blood to their heart. The warm arteries heat the cooler veins which also cool the arteries. Also, during winter some species  flutter  their feathers to cover both legs. Interestingly, to get extra warmth, they tuck their beaks under their shoulder feathers, but not under their wings.

Ever thought what makes birds comfortable in this posture of standing on one leg for a long time. Birds don’t have muscles in their feet or legs. Each of their leg has two flexor tendons that run from shoulder to the toes. With change in angle of their ankle they are able to close and lock their feet around a perch. Therefore they are able to sleep while standing on one leg.

Grey-headed swamphen

 

Grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus) is a common inhabitant of marshy, vegetated freshwater bodies. The male has an elaborate courtship display, holding water weeds in his bill and bowing to the female with loud chuckles.

The Grey-headed Swamphens are generally seasonal breeders, but the season varies across their large range, correlating with peak rainfall in many places, or summer in more temperate climes. The Grey-headed Swamphen breeds in warm reed beds. In the western parts of the range the pattern of social behaviour tends to be monogamy, but cooperative breeding groups are more common in the eastern parts of the range. These groups may consist of multiple females and males sharing a nest or a male female pair with helpers drawn from previous clutches.

*The image was made at Mote Majra, Punjab in 2020.

 

Secret behind an excellent photograph!

 

What is the secret behind an excellent photograph or how to make an outstanding image?  It sounds like an interesting question, which generates curiosity in our minds and  makes us think of possible answers. There is no scientific method to answer this simple question. Also, the reply of a seasoned professional will differ from that of a photo-enthusiast. Peoples’ perception  varies from person to person because of many factors including socio-cultural outlook. So does the perception of jury may vary which can turn an award winning image into an ordinary one. But what is the secret behind an excellent image.

While discussing the “secret”, no ace photographer will ever talk about his photography  gear  because he knows its not that important. What do you think ? Does the gear matter the most? No. What matters the most is the insight  into what  one thinks  while composing the shot and pressing the shutter release button.

Its a fact that the most powerful sensor to record an outstanding image is not in any camera, but in yourself. You are to understand and explore it. Therefore, the secret lies in your ability to recognize what your sensor  can record better. If you are very keen to create your own visual signature, please look within yourself. Yes, within your-self.

There is a word of caution. One should not get misled by marketing gimmicks of camera manufacturers and the so called “wow” factor on social media where even the novice comment like a master.

The desire to make an outstanding photograph emanates even before buying a camera. But did you ever think that all great photographers have one thing in common. What is that which makes their works inspire the viewers and makes their images highly different from others. Its their ability to tell a story. Yes, a visual story with a difference.  Even the images of wild life having a story make lasting impact. Remember an image with a story, one that evokes emotions and curiosity will certainly over ride other images.

Some bird photographers are so much obsessed with the concept of story- telling that once  while reading some of the reviews of images of wildlife including those of birds at a website of nature photography, I found a few of the photographers who had clearly mentioned that before going out to photograph birds they had a story in their minds. This also underlines the significance of going out well prepared not only with the equipment, but also with thorough knowledge of behavior of the species that you may encounter.

Making only record  images of birds  or animals, when they are not in action or not showing any behavioral trait,  is a useless exercise. Look at images posted in social media sites and you will see a majority of these appear to be record shots because they do not have a story. One must try to understand  how a  “visual story” is scripted ? One must learn to observe the subject and surroundings. Yes, with patience.

Get the factors like desire and curiosity infused in yourself. Just think of great adventures, all these were conceived and planned  with ‘desire’ and ‘curiosity’. The way you view your subject impacts your style of photography. Therefore, one has to think like a visual story-teller, and not like a photographer. While making photographs, let desire and curiosity guide you. Lay emphasis on details and capture moments that most would let pass by. Do it with confidence, you may have a super zoom, but lack of confidence will get you a blurred or shaky image.

If you feel stagnation in your work flow, try to learn like a fresher. Remember, the limitations in your photography are within yourself. You have to  “unlearn  to learn” or say reboot the computer. Make a point not to follow the prevailing trends, but try to  pave your own way. It will make you realize that the secret to outstanding image is short  and easy to achieve.

Subhash Sapru

 

 

PSA-PJ IDG Group 02 General

 

When I joined the Photographic Society of America (PSA) in 1998, thanks to my brother Mr Brij M, Sapru and his wife Dr. Krishna Sapru, I also sought membership of its both Study Groups of Photojournalism and Human Interest. I did so because in those days my main interest in photography used to capture the element of human interest.

Thereafter began a series of my participation in world-wide exhibitions and in many exhibitions my PJ images bagged awards and appreciation for their high journalistic content. Then in 2003 I was assigned to author a book on photojournalism in Hindi language for the students of journalism in Hindi speaking states of India.

Later on, around 2015, I found myself motivated towards bird photography and did it with ease and pleasure. I was doing it , am still doing it in 2021, despite some health issues. It was in April 2021 that the Administrator of the PJ Study group of PSA sent an email to the members of the group that as he has been elevated in PSA, he will join the new position in October but the new group will commence in May,’21. To keep the group functional, the PJ Division of the PSA sought volunteers. A few days later I received a proposal from new Director of PJ Study Groups asking me if I shall volunteer to be the Administrator of the Group. I agreed for General PJ Group as I do not have much experience for Sports photography, the other group. The PSA has new PJ groups with new software.

It was in the last week of April ’21 that I got all the basic instructions and guidance from the new Director and the Webmaster to run the Study Group. I was a little hesitant in doing it because I am not much familiar with such softwares . Anyway I am getting good support and have started my work. Hope it will be a good experience and my fellow members will enjoy it.

Interestingly, the members of the group include two women. I am keen to see the women perspective in photojournalism. In our country I have neither seen many women photojournalists nor are their many women having photography as a hobby. But at present their number is gradually increasing and its very encouraging.

Avail of the Photographic Opportunity “Now”

 

By Subhash Sapru

 

The ace photographer Heneri Cartier-Bresson, popularly known as “The King of Now” had once said, “In photography, you’ve got to be quick, quick, quick, quick. Like an animal and a prey”. This golden advise of the legendary photographer is very inspiring and will continue to inspire not only the photojournalists, but also those who take interest in other branches of photography.

By ignoring a right moment or delaying an opportunity, one may miss the decisive moment of taking a stunning or awe-inspiring photograph, may that be of nature, photojournalism or any other category. Although most of us are aware of this vital aspect of photography yet at times it may become a little difficult to follow this advise and converge all our faculties  to capture the fleeting reality. Hence, one may miss the best photograph.

There is no doubt that the success achieved in quickly availing of the fleeting moment may result in such a photograph that would touch one’s heart. But while remembering the word “now” and being quick, there is a world of caution. One need not jostle or be nervous while taking the photograph at an opportune time. The excitement which one experiences while pressing the shutter at a decisive moment should not make one so nervous that it would result in camera shake or confuse in fixing the correct exposure.

The golden advice of being quick also implies for taking photographs during vagaries of a seasons. There are several areas in the world, which do not receive snow fall and most of the inhabitants  of such areas visit  snow bound areas as tourists to enjoy the nature’s wonder.

For years I have kept waiting to visit the nearby hill station, Shimla, when the snow would fall so that I take photographs of the different kind. Although I have been to this hill station, situated at a distance of about 115 kilometer from my place, several times yet never could I coincide my visit with snow fall thus missing photographs of snow covered areas. As it does not snow at my place, Chandigarh in India, the desire to visit this near by hill station and areas beyond it during snow fall kept growing stronger over the years.

It was during the winter of 2008 that the hill station of Shimla and areas beyond it received a massive snow fall in the first fortnight of February. It kept snowing intermittently for about six days. The golden advise of Heneri Cartier-Bresson to be quick and act like an animal and prey kept me alert for taking photographs of snow bound areas and I decided not to miss the opportunity this time. The snow fall was so intense that  it broke its record of last 15 years. As a result of it,  normal life was paralyzed, many roads were blocked, drinking water had frozen in pipes and so were frozen many water falls and brooks in the hills. When finally it stopped snowing, I tried to be amongst the first few to reach beyond the popular hill station of Shimla and capture some frozen moments before these melt and shatter my hopes for some unusual photographs.

          The picturesque Shimla, located at an altitude of 2130 metres, used to be the Summer Capital of India during the days of the British rule. Now it is the Capital of Himachal Pradesh State of India and is a popular hill station. My target was to cross Shimla and go upto next prominent hill station, Narkanda provided I get the National Highway-22, which is also known as Hindustan-Tibet road, open to traffic.

With the news channels breaking the news that snow fall has finally stopped in that area and my late night inquiries revealed that the National Highway-22, which leads to the hill station of Shimla and areas beyond it, has been reopened up to Shimla, I quickly left my place to avail of this photographic opportunity before the snow melts.

With the curiosity to avail of the opportunity to take photographs on this massive snow fall being always on my mind, I left for Shimla by road before the day could break and on reaching there, I sought the help of a local person, who had experience in driving in snow bound areas so that I may concentrate more on photography. As we crossed Shimla, there were a number of tourists at the next hill station “Kufri”. Although the snow had been removed from the road to pave the way for the vehicles, the road still being slippery, I found some vehicles skidding thus jamming traffic. Therefore, fearing accidents which could make vehicles skid deep in gorges thus proving fatal, most of the tourists opted to return their vehicles. But turning back was also not easy due to snow which had been pushed on both sides of the road while making passage for vehicles and a thin layer of hardened snow  on the road was making it more difficult for inexperienced drivers.

Generally, a drive on the Hindustan-Tibet road treats one to a spectacular bird’s eye view of apple orchards and valleys as the road turns from one spur to another, but during this winter the massive snow fall had made the area look like a white desert. There was snow and snow all around. On hills, in valleys, on house tops, in terraced fields and there were vehicles abandoned on road side and buried under the snow. I could see a white sheet of snow all around and machines of the Government engaged in cleaning roads and making way for vehicles. A few stretches of this strategic highway still had a thin layer of hardened snow and those maintaining the National Highway had put coarse sand on it to avoid skidding of vehicles. At a spot, a young boy walked deep into the thick layer of snow on a roadside thus enabling me to fathom the thickness of snow on ground.

As the day was sunny, the bright sun had made the snow start melting slowly thus making roads more slippery. Whenever I had to take a photograph, I had to step out of the car gently and  walk cautiously and slowly so that I may not slip. On one side of the highway there were hills and on the other valley. As about one to two feet deep snow was on both sides of the road, it had become more narrow. Whenever I had to come out of the car to take a  photograph, we would have to first move the car in the middle of the road to make space for opening the door. And while taking photographs, it is advisable not to walk in snow on sides of the road  as in such a situation one does not know what lies buried under the  snow, a pit or a stone.

There were areas where the machines were still busy cleaning the National Highway. The biting cold had made most of the people to remain inside their homes, but at Narkanda I could see some people either basking in Sun or walking on roads despite the biting cold. As the snow had started melting due to sunny day, the droplets falling from roof tops had made formations similar to stalactites. I also saw frozen water falls and brooks.

Apart from availing of this photographic opportunity, this visit also helped me in learning the skill of driving on slippery roads. Drive slowly, carefully and apply brakes, if required, very gently.

By the same evening we reached Narkanda, which is situated at an altitude of 2780 meters. The road being very slippery at a spot, our car skidded and for a moment my heart missed a beat. The gentleman, who was driving the car, did not apply brake as he felt that would  have made skidding faster. Instead, he quickly moved the steering wheel  to let  the car go towards the hills and the snow accumulated  by cleaning the road acted as a cushion.

Had he not acted quickly to divert the car towards the hills, it might have skidded on the other side hundreds of feet down in the valley. And had I not pounced upon the opportunity like “an animal and prey”, I would have missed such a life time opportunity.

***

 

The dominant eye !

 

During one of my talks on similarities and differences  between  the human eye and the camera delivered to students of photography some years ago, two questions  emerged. When I took to bird photography,  these appeared  more relevant and over the years their explanation got richer in content. Therefore, I avail this opportunity to share these questions and their explanation with birders as well as photo-enthusiasts.

I assume many of us are aware that both the eye and the camera have a lens, an aperture, both receive light and have a system  to see that light as an image. Sounds interesting, but there is a need to look beyond it to satisfy the inquisitive minds.

The first question is,  do we have a dominant eye  and the second , while composing photos why we focus on eye, may it be a human eye or that of a bird or an animal.

Experts  say that about 70 per cent of us have right eye as the dominant eye and rest of the population either have the other eye as the dominant  eye or none of their eyes is dominant. Here the dominant eye means the eye with which we prefer to see  or say  with which we feel comfortable to see through the view finder of the camera. In other words, it enables us to provide a greater input to our brain. Therefore, it is essential for photographers and shooters to be aware of their dominant eye, if any, and they must use it appropriately.

If we focus our subject  with the dominant eye and with the other keep watching the activities around the subject, it will enable us to be  aware of the possible distractions around. Also, there will be no need to keep an eye closed all the time which may be inconvenient and tiring. Some shooters and experienced photographers emphasise  the need to shoot with both eyes open as that splits vision. While we see through the view finder with one eye, we keep watching around with the other. Its a bit difficult, but can be practiced. Shooting with both eyes open is not like getting a binocular equipped with a camera because in that case vision of both eyes will be controlled  for space around. The other eye should not see through any optical devise. One may shoot with one eye or with both eyes open, it is necessary to be conscious of our dominant eye.

The camera manufacturers have designed camera bodies keeping in mind two aspects. One, most people have right eye as the dominant eye and secondly majority  of us are right hander. Its the reason that  camera bodies have most of the buttons to their right side.

Second question, ever  wondered  why we focus on eye or why every photo-enthusiast is advised  to ensure that the eye is  prominently highlighted in an image. I remember, initially I too was advised by some of the experienced bird photographers to focus on eye of the bird and ensure that the eye has catch-light, but it was left up to me to understand why ? To me  that was a half backed serving.

I know a few bird photographers who would delete those photographs that do not show  eye of the bird as a significant  part of the body or the eye is without  a catch-light. They  are right in doing so, but why we should focus on the eye ?

The focus system of cameras is designed in such a way that it acts successfully if focused on contrast. The eye, for instance the  Iris and the sclera provide good contrast to let the camera focus without hunting.  While considering the significance of sharp eyes in a photograph, over the years some camera manufacturers  have added a unique feature of AF Face Detection and even AF for Animal Eye. With a view to quickly facilitate the existing users of a few camera models, a manufacturer had introduced a firmware upgrade for Animal Eye AF. It can’t be termed as a marketing gimmick, because sharp eye holds the key to a good photograph. Another camera manufacturer brought out two new models of its digital camera with similar features and the experts say these have the capability to detect and track even the eye of a dragon fly. This is a technological revolution as its not easy to detect eye on faces of animals having different shapes.

The eyes aptly reflect emotions and personality of the subject. Its like silence speaks louder than words. Apart from this, the eye’s location is such that  if we focus on it, we get such a depth of field which makes  both nose and  ears look sharp. In case of birds, the area around the eye would get good sharpness. Also, the colour and shape of the eye, especially of birds help  in their identification, say a male or female. Here a word of caution. Although sharpness of an image depends on several factors, yet emphasis should be to get sharp eye preferably with glitter.

Although its important for every photographer to understand his gear, it takes months to understand a camera, its equally important to be considerate about the factor of dominant  eye, may it be of the photographer or that of a bird or animal in an image. Remember, camera manuals do tell us how to adjust the dioptre at the view finder, but they leave it to the user to think of the dominant eye.