Author Archives: Dr. Shivam Maini

Revisiting raw files

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There are some special places that we like to visit again and again. That beautiful cottage on the hills with a view, that roadside cafe selling your favorite coffee, that corner store with its oddball collections, that winding road on the hills… the list goes on. There are our favorite songs that we never get tired of hearing or the movie that can always entertain us. For me, my old photographs are also a precious treasure, which I love to visit again and again. However, this time, I thought of revisiting the raw files!

 

New Photo

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Novice Alerts !

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Lately, I have been asked the same question in many different ways –

  • What is it that makes a photographer look like a beginner?
  • What mistakes do starters in photography commit?
  • What are the signs that tell that a person is new to photography?

… and so on! First and foremost let me clarify, there is nothing special that tells who is a beginner and who is not. Second, the fact that a person is a beginner or has been in the field for donkey years, does not correlate to photography skills.

 

Bird using a Canon Powershot SX130 IS camera

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Learning to Instagram

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Peer pressure, way of marketing, social media pressure… call it what you may, but the sad truth is that now I am on Instagram. My namehandle (the term that I learnt from Instagram) is: maini.live

Based on what I have learnt over the last few days of this platform, here is a quick guide to those of you planning to start with it and also for the veterans  who have been there for a long time.

Instagram

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Birding & Bird Photography

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Lately, whenever I check out any photography groups, I always end up seeing many bird photographs. With easy availability of cost-effective and sharp long-teles, this is now within reach of many. Everyone who had the passion for bird photography is now able to indulge in that. Get an advanced camera, mount a telephoto lens, switch to auto and start clicking! That’s what most photographers clicking birds do. Sounds easy, does it not?

 

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Balancing Elements – A Study of Locomotive Parts

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Do you recall the sketches from your childhood? Recently, my parents shared with me some of the sketches that I had drawn as a kid. The most common sketch was a landscape done with crayons. It seems I was quite fond of it. There was a row of mountains, a river flowing down from the mountains dividing the foreground into two parts. One of these had a simple house and the other part had a tree growing. Behind the hills, on one side was the sun and on the other side were birds flying. I am sure many of you created similar sketches. Now even my daughter creates similar sketches.

 

Following up on those days, this is how I have started to balance out my compositions. Now I am learning to let the creative side of my mind, loose. The results seem more pleasing to me now.

Pressure Meter

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Capturing Emotions – Fear

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Some of the photographers asked me about some tips and tricks to capture various emotions. How can they express themselves? What does it mean when mentors say that you should use your photography as a medium to express your own feelings?

 

(Row of trees – the overgrown forest gives an eerie feeling)

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