Tuesday, August 12, 2014

‘Puzzl3Peace’: A Celebration of Peace, Love, and Positive Vibrations

JusdeepGlasses
A year ago this month, the Los Angeles community mourned and came together over the passing of 20-year-old Jusdeep Singh Sethi, a multi-talented photographer and creator ofPuzzl3Peace – a spiritual movement and collection of original 35mm film photography.
In honor of his memory, there will be an opening night ceremony for Puzzl3Peace, the first annual photo and art exhibit hosted at the William Grant Still Arts Center in Los Angeles on August 16.
Puzzl3Peace symbolizes Jusdeep’s spiritual connection and love for peace. The exhibit will feature unseen photos from Jusdeep’s travels to Thailand, Peru, India, and other countries across the globe. The collection includes snapshots of historic landmarks, cultural artifacts, and the stories of everyday people that Jusdeep was able to capture through his unique lens and perspective on life.
The exhibit is also a chance to bring the artistic community together from all religious, artistic, and ethnic backgrounds.
Jusdeep initially picked up an interest in photography after taking a few classes in high school. He later dabbled with film after stumbling across his father’s vintage 1980s Canon film camera. Jusdeep was a student at Cal State University Northridge with the hopes of pursuing a career in naturopathy and holistic healing. He was known for his healing smile, and early morning sitar tunes that created a sense of calm everywhere he went.
Puzzl3Peace Flier.medium“Jusdeep himself was kind of a puzzle, and he left a little bit of himself with everyone he interacted with. It’s a legacy he left behind of interactions, and artwork, to bring peace to his loved ones,” Mandeep Sethi, hip-hop artist and brother of Jusdeep, tells The Aerogram.
Mandeep describes his brother as a very spiritual and peaceful person who was always in tune and appreciative of Mother Nature.
Sethi continues: “He was generally really in touch with the universe and the ways of the world. I would definitely say he was a heavily spiritual person, and his photography was an extension of his spirituality.”
The exhibit will feature four different components: A Puzzl3Peace Room, Jusdeep Altar Room, Jusdeep Village Group Exhibition, and the Mother Nature Performance Area which will feature live performances from artists, musicians, and poets. These rooms will provide a creative and healing space for artists and members of the community to come out and experience what it means to achieve peace through different mediums — whether through paintings, digital art, videos, or music.
According to Sethi, Jusdeep’s life mantra was to be peace, and to embody what it means to be peace and love. Before his passing, he left behind puzzle pieces, and quotes that continue to resonate with the  spiritual and artistic community:
let the new world breathe a remembrance of our existence, with each breath giving thanks, and exhaling for freedom…for this world…act local, think global. (http://puzzl3peace.tumblr.com/)
The opening night exhibition for Puzzl3Peace will run from 3-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 at the William Grant Still Arts Center: 2520 West View Street, Los Angeles, CA 90016. The exhibit will run for two weeks following the opening night at the gallery, Monday-Friday, 12 p.m.-5 p.m. For more information, check out: http://jusdeep.com/.
Monica Luhar is a digital producer and freelance journalist in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in NBC Asian America, KCET, and KPCC Radio, among various other hyperlocal, weekly, and national news outlets. Follow her on Twitter: @monicaluhar.
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Monday, August 11, 2014

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29 Beautiful Examples of Silhouette Photography

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Below are the picks from our latest showcase challenge, Silhouette. Thanks for all who participated!

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Your Rights as a Photographer

BY  ·
images (1)There is a huge amount of misinformation on what you can and cannot take photos of and you need to be aware of what your rights are should you ever be in a situation where somebody is questioning your right to take a photograph of something or someone. We have been in this situation several times in the past and even have had people threaten to sue us over the use of certain images, knowing your rights is the best defense when this happens. That being said, just because you can take a photograph of something doesn’t mean you should. Read on to learn more about this very important topic.
The first thing we need to say is that while we are going to give some pretty general issues, you should always confirm that the laws in your area apply.
One of the more surprising things is just have much freedom you actually have to shoot people and property without permission. Keep in mind that there is a huge difference in being able to take a photograph of someone or something, your ability to use that image can be limited depending upon the situations. For example, just because you can take a picture of someone in a public place without their permission, you cannot necessarily use that image to promote a product or service without having a model release. In most cases, you can take a photograph of anyone or anything if you are in a public place or in a place that specifically allows for photography. When there is no specific law forbidding taking photographs, then you have the right to do so.
We are also going to recommend that you exercise basic common sense. If you are being harassed by a security guard or even police officer you are usually much better off to walk away and then call the management or supervisor and explain the inappropriate action of the individual rather than have a confrontation that may end up getting out of control because you are demanding your rights be upheld. We aren’t saying you shouldn’t stand up for your rights, but arguing with a clueless security guard is not going to get you anywhere.
Back to the common sense, just because you can legally go to a public park and shoot pictures of little kids while hiding in the bushes with a huge telephoto lens, this is probably not going to be a good idea. Not only will someone most certainly call the police, it is not uncommon for an irate Dad to kick the snot out of a photographer who he believes is taking inappropriate pictures.
How Far Can They Go?
While it is extremely common for someone such as a security guard to question you about what you are doing, you are typically under no obligation to explain what you are doing. Again, standing by this particular point is bound to only escalate a particular problem. However, should someone threaten to cause you harm, accuse you of a crime, or damage or take your property, this is a crime is virtually all situations.
The best course of action is almost always to simply take down the name and pertinent information about the person who is confronting you, contact their employer and file a formal complaint.
More Information
For more information we recommend printing out and keeping a copy of The Photographer’s Rights available athttp://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf as well as checking out the following books:
Legal Handbook for Photographers: The Rights and Liabilities of Making Images
The Law, In Plain English, For Photographers
Now get out and start shooting!
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Welcome to Travel Photographer of the Year

2014 awards now open for entries

TPOTY Enchanted Evenings

The premier travel photography awards. Your showcase to the world

The Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) photo contest is run by photographers for photographers. Whether you are amateur or professional, beginner or expert, young or old, wherever you live in the world, TPOTY is for you!
2014 is TPOTY's 12th award with new categories and new opportunities to showcase the best travel photography.
You can view the last year's winners in the 2013Winners Gallery see them in person this summer at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London. This exhibition is open and runs from 11th July and runs until August 17th. You can now also buy our latest book, Journey Six, featuring the 2013 winning images.
Last year our UK exhibition welcomed over 48,000 visitors – will you be visiting us in 2014? Or perhaps you’ll enter TPOTY this year – and you could see your images exhibited at the RGS in 2015!

Why enter TPOTY?

And TPOTY is about even more than (really great) prizes – it’s about incredible exposure for your work. Photographers who’ve had TPOTY success have had their work showcased around the world. Established photographic careers have received a huge boost, new careers have been started, and people who never thought they’d see their photographs in print have had a lovely surprise!
The awards are judged by leading photography experts, whose knowledge and integrity adds hugely to the kudos that comes with being amongst our winners. And, thanks to our partnership with the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), the winning images are exhibited each year in a magnificent, historical location.
But whether you’re a winner or not, it’s also about fun – the fun of challenging yourself to shoot to a theme, to look at your images with fresh eyes, to be a part of the TPOTY experience.
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Sunday, August 10, 2014

How to Photograph Dragonflies (free eBook!)

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Today I’m happy to announce the release of a free eBook about photographing one of the most unique insects on the planet: dragonflies. The eBook was written by my father, Vic Berardi, who is an outstanding photographer of hawks, dragonflies, and wildflowers.
This 18-page eBook is not meant to be a complete guide on the subject of photographing dragonflies, but it includes many great tips for dealing with the unique challenges of dragonfly photography. You’ll get the most out of the book if you already have a basic understanding of how to use your camera (you’re familiar with the terms aperture, shutter speed, ISO, depth of field, etc).
Here’s what you’ll learn from the book:
  • What equipment you’ll need, why you need it, and why even a point-and-shoot camera can be good enough for getting great dragonfly photos
  • How to ensure you get the sharpest photo possible, while finding a good balance between depth of field, aperture and shutter speed
  • How to get a good exposure, and the benefits of certain lighting conditions
  • How to create pleasing compositions of dragonflies
  • Why it’s important to understand the behavior and biology of dragonflies
  • Where to learn more about dragonflies (with a recommended reading list)
Download the eBook Now!
The eBook comes in the standard PDF format, which you can view with Adobe’s free Reader.

Please share this book with your friends!

If you find the content of the eBook useful (and I know you will!), the best way to thank us is to share this page with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, or feel free to even e-mail the eBook to them. Just please do not sell it — it’s meant to be free :)
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How To Photograph an Upcoming Lunar Eclipse

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Lunar Eclipse (2011) / Photo by Steve Berardi
Lunar Eclipse (2011) / Photo by Steve Berardi
On April 14/15, there will be a total lunar eclipse. It’ll be visible from most of the US, Canada, and Central America, and parts of South America (see map).
In a total eclipse, the moon turns red (due to the way the light from the Sun is scattered as it passes through our atmosphere), and it’s truly a beautiful sight!
Here are some tips for photographing the eclipse:

#1 – Find the time of the eclipse in your area

This upcoming eclipse occurs around midnight (PST), so the actual date of the eclipse is confusing (it could be April 14 or 15, depending on where you live). Here’s a helpful website that will convert the time for you:

#2 – Use a long lens

Okay, this one is obvious :) To get a good quality image of the moon, you’ll want to fill the frame as much as possible, so that means using the longest lens you have. If you have any teleconverters, be sure to use those too!
For moon photography, you’ll want at least a 300mm lens. But, the longer the better!

#3 – Use a wide aperture and high ISO

The most difficult part of photographing an eclipse is that the moon is constantly moving, and it’s moving pretty fast (relatively speaking). Since you’ll be using a long lens that movement will be magnified–so, you’ll need a fast shutter speed to help “freeze the action” of the moon moving.
But, the problem is that when the moon is at total eclipse (i.e. dark red), it’ll be much darker. This means longer shutter speeds.
So, what can you do? Well, one way to help get a faster shutter speed is to use a wide aperture (f/8 works well) and a higher ISO (400 or higher). If you’re just photographing the moon, you really don’t need a lot of depth of field so an f/8 aperture works well.

#4 – Use a tripod

Since you’ll be using a long lens and you’ll need a long exposure to capture the dark red moon, it’s essential that you use a tripod to keep your camera still. It’ll be annoying to constantly re-adjust your camera as the moon moves across the sky, but it’s pretty much impossible to get a sharp image of the moon while handholding your camera.

#5 – Keep the moon in the center of the frame

Lenses are usually the sharpest at the center of the frame. So, when you’re photographing something that won’t take up the entire frame, it’s a good idea to keep it at the center so you can maximize the sharpness of your subject.
With the moon moving so quickly, you’ll have to constantly reposition your camera on your tripod, but for a little extra sharpness, it’s worth it, right?

#6 – Photograph the moon at different phases of the eclipse

Although the moon certainly looks cool when it’s at total eclipse, you might also want to photograph the moon at other phases of the eclipse. One popular thing to do is photograph the moon at multiple phases and then create a composite image of all the phases together.

#7 – Learn more from these great articles!

For more tips and techniques on photographing the lunar eclipse, check out these great articles:
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Film as an Artistic Medium

By Shaun Nelson
There’s been a YouTube video making its way around social media the past few months that describes why film photography will never disappear as an artistic medium. I’ve spent the last hour searching for this video and can’t find it, so let me summarize.
In the era of digital photography, there are an incredible and unlimited amount of options for artists to create. And because of this, some think that film photography will completely fade away at some point. If this is true then we must also think that it’s entirely possible for an artist to create any type of work, photography or otherwise, digitally. I don’t foresee a future where canvas and oil paints are obsolete like some have predicted for film. If artists selected nothing but a digital medium, why have colored pencils, paint brushes, sketch books, and watercolors? If it’s so simple for a digital medium to replace analog, why have acoustic guitars? Can you imagine your favorite classical music piece, composed for an orchestra, played entirely by a single digital device? Can you imagine visiting an art museum where all the pieces are displayed on a screen?
I know, I’m pushing this towards the extreme, but my point is this. Film will always be around as a choice for photographers. Yes, it may come in limited supplies and used by fewer artists due to expense.  That’s what makes film even more important now than it was in the past. Shooting analog in a digital world is not easy or cheap. For the artists that use it, it’s just as rewarding as creating a masterpiece with a paintbrush and canvas.
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