The goal of these awards is to nurture a creative generation in the arts and culture arena. The aim is to generate global attention through photography and promote educational programs and the development of the arts. These awards use photography to promote interest in culture and will create a base for photography in Dubai. The first and main category is “Love of the Earth”, the second is “General” and the third category is “Dubai”.

The deadline for submission is December 31st, 2011 so you have plenty of time, but keep this in mind if you’re traveling to exciting locales in summer for your chance to be recognised and rewarded with cash prizes totalling over $100,000.

We’ve summarized the information below for your reference.

Deadline: 31st December, 2011

Who can enter: Amateur and professional photographers and must be above the age of 18.

Do the entrants have to be UAE nationals?

For the Local Award category, citizens of United Arab Emirates are eligible to participate. For the International Award category, citizens of any country are eligible to participate.

How many images can you enter: You can submit a maximum of three photos; one for each theme/category.

Is there a specific theme?

Yes, there are three categories:
“Love of the Earth”,
“General” where photographers can select a topic of choice, and finally:
“Dubai” to showcase the development and culture of the city.

Is there a fee to participate? No entry fee is required.

What are the prizes?

Winners will be announced at the closing ceremony of the award in March 2012. The winners will contacted by email.

How do I participate? Register and complete the online the application form. Your image size must not exceed 2mb and must be in jpeg format.

For more details: view the competition’s terms and conditions, visit the website, or email them at info@hipa.ae.

Understanding your Camera Lens

What lenses I need to buy? Is camera kit lens is enough? Do I need all those lenses? This are some questions I heard from some people who wants to enter in photography hobby.

Being one of a senior member in one of Photography Club here in Dubai United Arab Emirates I was assigned in Abu Dhabi to give a lecture about Lenses or Camera Lenses. So I share my knowledge in a simplest way I know.

As I practice my photography skills I give my concentration on events and photojournalism, which in my own opinion requires more skills/knowledge in maximizing the use of camera lenses. Not just having a camera will going to get the best pictures we wanted. Most of us who take photos are amateurs in the art world, but with the right equipment our photography can be elevated to a new height. Lenses are important especially when you settle on a medium you will train in. Most photographers choose one area of photography to specialize in. There are many types of lenses, the standard, telephoto, wide angle, zoom and panoramic lenses.

What is Lens?
 A basic component of a camera that takes the light that enters the camera and focus it on single point to form a sharp image.
 The Most important part of the camera. Lens is like human eye without it you cannot capture/see good images.

Most cameras have a lens, even the point and shoot type. Often when you purchase a camera package or kit they will come with standard kit lens with it. All SLR Camera have interchangeable lenses while all compact and point & shoot camera has lens fixed in the camera body that you cannot change or replace. You do not have to stick with the same brand of lenses as your cameras since a lot of brand is available just make sure that it is fits in your camera body.

What is the Basic Function of the Lens?
 Focuses the light rays to produce a sharp image on the film.
 Admits a larger amount of light, permitting proper exposure in a small fraction of a second.

What are the basic parts of the Lens?

 Aperture Ring – system expresses to control the diameter of the opening. From where the f-value/aperture or in simpler terms the f-number. Rule of thumb the smaller number the bigger opening, the bigger number the smaller opening. See illustration below.

 Focal length indicator – an indicator system used to measure of how long and strongly converges (focuses) or diverges (defocuses) the subject. A system with a shorter focal length has greater/wider optical view than one with a long focal length that gives narrow optical view.

 Lens Barrel – the biggest part of the lens that holds all the elements.

 Focus ring – used to focus the subject in manual focusing.
 Distance Scale – to measure the minimum and maximum focusing distance capabilities of the lens.

 Optical Glass/Lenses – is a glass in camera lens that focuses light into the camera body and onto the film. Inside the lens body, there are several other optical lenses that further refine the image. These lenses are sometimes called “elements”.

Two Types of Lens:

 Fix Lens – Lens with fixed focal length. e.i. 20mm, 35mm, 50mm, 105mm, 135mm and so on.

 Zoom lens – Lens with variable focal length. Zoom Lenses permits to change focal length without changing lenses. e.i. 14-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 28-300mm and so on.

Advantage and Disadvantages of Fixed and Zoom Lens:

advantages and disadvantages

Photography also relies on the photographer’s skill and eye. Lenses are just a part of the photography world when you start to study the art. If you have any questions on lenses the best places to find answers are your local photography shop and professional photographers in your neighborhood.

But didn’t find a time to practice  a single flash photography using my flash gun since then. And also feel lazy for a couple of months now, as to observe that my project 52 looks like abandoned.

Now I think its time for me to wake up and practice all the knowledge I acquired and the equipment I have.  Start in a very small subject , with a tomato that I bought in a supermarket and experiment what will be the outcome using my SB900.

Some tips I learned when I decided to start testing my one light using a flash gun:

1.  Get a cheap but durable light stand and small umbrella (photography umbrella).

2. If you own Nikon camera with capabilities of commander mode use it rather than buying wireless trigger. If you have a budget on having a wireless trigger much better. But if you are Canon user try to invest.

3. Do experiment on how to position your lights, move it  till you get what you want to achieved.

4. Lastly, don’t be shy to ask and explore the internet.

Share and Enjoy:

]]> http://buddyshots.net/single-flash-photography-project-10/feed/ 2 http://buddyshots.net/project-9-fireworks-display/ http://buddyshots.net/project-9-fireworks-display/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:07:49 +0000 admin http://buddyshots.net/?p=318 Fireworks photography is not that hard. Getting a great looking fireworks photograph just requires a little planning and simple execution. You will be adding impressive shots to your collection in no time.

DFC Fireworks Festival 2010

Dubai Shopping Festival is near and we are expecting a lot of Fireworks display in this occasion. And to get a good shots  here are some tips.

1. Use a Tripod – this is the  most important tips,  to secure your digital camera from not moving while the taking  your shots. This is  important in photographing fireworks simply because you’ll be using longer shutter speeds which will not only capture the movement of the fireworks but any movement of the camera itself.

2. Cable Release – cable release will help you to eliminate any movement from not touching the shutter release button because even your camera was mounted in a tripod  touching  the shutter  will produced unnecessary movement.

3. Use of ISO – I generally use ISO 200, but some is recommending ISO100 for lowest noise as it possible.

4. Use of Aperture and Shutter Speed – better to use manual mode while do the setting. As  most recommended aperture are f/8 to f16 and shutter speed of 3 sec – 5 sec.

39th National Day UAE

5. And one of the most important is to show up early in the venue.   Planning is important with fireworks and getting to the location early in order to get a good, unobstructed position is important. Think about what is in the foreground and background of your shots and make sure you won’t have people’s heads bobbing up into your shots (also consider what impact you’ll have on others around you also). Take note of where fireworks are being set up and what parts of the sky they are likely to be shot into – you might also want to try to ask some of those setting up the display for a little information on what they are planning. Also consider what focal lengths you might want to use and choose appropriate lenses at this time (rather than in the middle of the show).

New Year 2011

Behind the scenes footage of our July 2010 National Geographic story, The 21st Century Grid. More photo on the story can be found here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/07/power-grid/mcnally-photography

Companies to Jointly Develop New Specifications to Meet Needs of Professional Photography and Video Markets

TOKYO – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), Sony Corporation and Nikon Corporation today announced the joint development of a set of specifications that address the future requirements of professional photography and video markets. The three companies proposed the specifications to the CompactFlash® Association (CFA)*1, the international standards organization, with the intent to standardize the format.

Professional photography and High Definition (HD) video applications require a new generation of memory cards capable of processing significantly larger files. To address the imaging industry’s future speed and capacity demands, SanDisk, Sony and Nikon proposed a new card specification whose performance and storage capabilities surpass those of existing memory cards. Once accepted, the new format will enable exciting new possibilities in the professional imaging and video markets.

The proposed specifications achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second (MB/sec)*2 (theoretical maximum interface speed) using the highly versatile PCI Express*3 interface. The increased speeds will enable imaging and video applications that could not be accomplished using the current CompactFlash specification’s Parallel ATA (PATA)*4 interface. CF6.0, released in November 2010, offers maximum performance of up to 167MB/sec.

The new specifications’ faster speeds enable continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images. The enhanced performance also allows users to quickly transfer storage-intensive high-resolution photos and videos from the card to a computer. The specifications combine high-speed data transfer with low power consumption via a power scaling system to extend battery life.

In addition to industry-leading performance capabilities, the new memory card specifications also meet the future capacity and durability requirements of professional imaging applications. The proposed new specifications has the potential to extend theoretical maximum capacities beyond 2 terabytes (TB)*5, making it especially useful for high resolution images and HD video applications. Similar in size to a CompactFlash® card, the new specifications’ access control function and highly durable form factor produce a combination of physical ruggedness and reliability that is indispensable for professional usage models.

“This ultra high-speed media format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers,” said Mr. Shigeto Kanda, of Canon, chairman of the board, CFA. “This next generation format is expected to be widely adapted to various products, including those other than high-end DSLRs.”

“The ultra high-speed media, which will be realized by this new card format, will expand the capability of digital SLR cameras and other professional digital imaging equipment,” said Mr. Kazuyuki Kazami, operating officer, vice president and general manager, development headquarters, imaging company, Nikon Corporation.

About SanDisk

SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards–from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk’s product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.

About Sony

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacture of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $78 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010.

• Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

About Nikon

Nikon has been a pioneer in optical technology to develop worldwide since its inception in 1917.Today, Nikon offers a wide range of products utilizing advanced technologies, from consumer optics such as digital cameras and other camera-related products, binoculars and ophthalmic lenses, to industrial precision equipment including IC and LCD steppers and scanners, microscopes and measuring instruments.

source: nikon.com

The Mosque is large enough to accommodate 40,000 worshippers. The main prayer hall can accommodate up to 9,000 worshippers. Two rooms next to the main prayer hall, with a 1,500-capacity each, are for the exclusive use of women.

There are four minarets on the four corners of the mosque which rise about 115 m (377 ft) in height. There are 57 domes covering the outside yard and the main building as well. The domes are decorated with white marble and the interior decoration is made of marble. The courtyard is paved with floral marble designs and measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft).

So as one of the Landmark here in the United Arab Emirates, my eagerness to have an images of this 8th biggest Mosque in the world. I give my time to come over to Abu Dhabi since I stay in Sharjah, I need to drive more than 200 kilometers.

SZ Mosque at Night

SZ Mosque

SZ Mosque Pillas

SZ Mosque Dome