As promised, we are dedicated to sharing our learnings with you all. We feel that we can only improvise on this to get you more for less only when we get some feedback from all our readers and followers.

Feel free to drop us a line about this e-book / technique.

Right-click and do a “Save as…” on the below download link to download the mini e-book in PDF format.

Landscape_Photography_Black_and_White_Conversion_Technique ( 858KB PDF )

Thanks for your support,
Team Wizards.

Numerous streams emerge out of the small hills and mountains in that part of India during the monsoons. Various wild flowers would also share the place on the banks along with the fresh moss all around. The richness in the colors should be seen to believe.

I made a quick trip to the Western Ghats around the Kodachadri region and found some amazing places to photograph the landscape wilderness. There are numerous streams around and they are formed only during the monsoons. They disappear when the season ends and whatever will be left will only be the rocks along the path of the stream.

This was not my first trip in the monsoon. I have been doing photo shoots during the rains from past three years. I had some wonderful learning this time in terms of challenges to make landscape images in the rainy season and during the rains as well.

I will be sharing my experiences and learning through coming blogs here in this space.

Till then enjoy the current set of images.

Posted By : Ashwini Kumar Bhat

Route / Itinerary 01:

18th : Arrive Manali by Volvo, transfer to Keylong, O/N stay

19th : Drive to Leh, O/N Stay

20th : Monastry Tour & Excursion in & around Leh , Overnight at Leh

21st : Drive to Lamayuru, O/N Stay

22nd : Drive to Leh, O/N at Leh

23rd : Drive to Nubra, O/N stay at Hundar /Deskit

24th : Return to Leh & O/N say

25th : Drive to Pangong O/N stay

26th : Drive to Leh, O/N stay

27th : Fly back to Delhi

Route / Itinerary 02:

18th : Arrive Manali by Volvo, Overnight stay at Manali on MAP

19th : Drive to Kaza, O/N at Kaza on MAP

20th : Visit Ki, Kiber etc, O/N at Kaza on MAP

21st : Visit Pin Valley NP, Overnight at Kaza on MAP

22nd : Drive to Tabo, O/N stay on EP

23rd : Drive to Kalpa , O/N stay on MAP

24th : Drive to Sangla, O/N stay on AP

25th : Drive to Sarahan ,Overnight stay on EP

26th : Drive to Simla, NIght volvo to Delhi

27th : Arrive Delhi in the morning

Cost: 35,000/-* Per person
EP = Room only

MAP = with Breakfast & Dinner

AP = with all Meals

Cost Includes:

All accommodation and all meals (Until and unless specified).

All Transportation by Toyota Qualis, Tavera or similar, Permits, Monument and Museum entry fees.

Cost Excludes:

Airfare

Personal Expenses or Optional Tours / Extra Meals Ordered.
Tips, Insurance, Laundry, Phone Calls.
Any Kind of Drinks (Mineral, Aerated)
Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellations, cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks etc.
Any thing not specifically mentioned under the head “Cost Includes”.

*NOTE:

For participants willing to fly into and out of Leh directly instead of the road travel from Manali , Please get in touch with us for details on travel dates and also changes in cost.

Medical Advice
Leh-Ladakh-Spiti tour involves moving in High Altitude Areas. Participants who have a medical history of Blood Pressure, Heart related problems or Asthma are advised to seek medical advice before enrolling for this expedition.

Instruction on fitness aspects, medications and other must-need things to carry will be provided based on confirmation.
Disclaimer: This expedition is intended to be for Landscape photography oriented participants and hence no assurance with regard to Wildlife sightings in Ladakh is given.

Non-photographers are also welcome to be a part of the expedition.

Limited seats available.

Thanks,

Team Wizards

Landscape Wizards team member Shivakumar L Narayan has composed a illustrative quick reference guide on landscape photography composition techniques. We believe that, this mini e-book should serve as a cheat sheet for simple but effective compositional techniques in landscape photography, especially, for beginners.

Right-click and do a “Save as…” on the below download link to download the mini e-book in PDF format.

LandscapePhotographyCompositionTechniques_IllustrativeGuide ( 2MB PDF )

Do share your thoughts about this quick guide. We always believe in appreciating and acknowledging your thoughts/views on our initiatives.

Feel free to comment / drop us a line . . .

We have already sent out / handed over the complimentary passes to the exhibition in person and if you are one of the person who got missed out either because of a technical error or a typo or sorts in your tagging please do get in touch with us team at landscape-wizards.com so that we can let you know how you can pick up the passes before the weekend gets over.

Thanks once again and please do stay tuned for more visions and updates and exciting things that we are doing to ……….leave our trails behind.

Thanks,
Team Landscape Wizards

Just follow the 4 simple steps:

• Logon to http://www.landscape-wizards.com
• Click on the Twitter / Facebook links found on the home page
• Click on Follow / I Like as applicable
• Spread the word about the site through your twitter or facebook account.

Remember that all steps are necessary! Note: Do not forget to tag us with the twitter/facebook id.

We believe in giving back too! Selected lucky mortals will get a chance to win a set of complimentary pass for the Photo Today Bangalore 2010 (19th International exhibition for Photography, Videography and Digital Imaging Industry ) on 9th , 10th , 11th July 2010 held at Palace Grounds, Bangalore.

So what are you waiting for, start getting creative in spreading the word.

Original Color Version

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Image_02

Image_03

Image_04

Coming Soon : Tips of processing for black and white landscape images.

Let’s try a solution that is different from the normal ways of increasing the vibrancy of an image.

1. First, find an image that you think needs a boost in the colour department after all the processing. Open it in whatever version of Photoshop you use.

2. Create a new adjustment so either click the icon at the bottom of the layers palette or choose Layer -> New Adjustment Layer & then choose Channel mixer & click OK.

3. For each of the output channels we’re now going to increase the percentage for that colour.

For example: For the red output channel were going to increase the value of red from 100% to 150%, but, to avoid colour casts we need to make sure that the total percentage for that channel is 100%, so we need to reduce the other 2 colours (green & blue) to -25%. Do this for each of the 3 channels (Red, Green & Blue).

The values entered should be as follows:
· RED CHANNEL: Red 150%, Green -25%, Blue -25%
· GREEN CHANNEL: Red -25%, Green150%, Blue -25%
· BLUE CHANNEL: Red-25%, Green -25%, Blue 150%

4. Once completed, click OK and you’re pretty much done. Since this is on a separate layer, you can adjust the opacity to reduce the amount of saturation if required.

The below animation shows 2 images – the first one being normally processed image and second one is the one processed using the method explained in this article. You clearly see how you can better the saturation levels in your images . . . without “manipulation” !

Doesn’t it sound simple?

Please do share us your views on the above technique and if there is anything specific you would like to see in LW.

PS: This is not a technique that is of my own but from a fellow photography friend & something that I found very helpful and handy for increasing the saturation of an image in a different way.

Coming up in few days will be Lab method of increasing the saturation or “vibrancy” in an image – No no this is not the old school way of increasing the saturation using chemicals in dark room but using the L*a*b mode in the Photoshop ( and any other supporting applications ) to do the trick!

Article copyright Shivakumar L Narayan, Image copyright Pramod Viswanath.

Posted By : Shivakumar L Narayan

Ok now that you have made your choice, you can read on.

An image looks more “inviting” and “interesting” only when it lets the eye “wander” and “explore”. This is actually a very important aspect that one should keep in mind when photographing patterns. The patterns in the image must be aligned such that they allow for free movement around the image.

Now how to achieve that? If you look at the two images above, you will notice that the first one has the wave patterns framed perpendicular to the line of sight and the second one has the waves almost parallel to the line of sight. Now if this theory is any valid, then most of you would have chosen the second image, with the waves running parallel to the line of sight. Why is this? The theory goes that when your eyes hit any pattern the mind always prefers to glide through the patterns rather than jump across it. This is easy to understand if we imaging water flowing on the pattern. If the given a chance the water will always flow along the direction of the patterns than across it. That’s the same reason why our minds like images which has patterns running parallel to the line of sight compared to images which has patterns running perpendicular to it.

This learning can also be applied when making landcape images which have lines running through the frame. It’s always better if you can have the lines or patterns running into or outside the frame, than running across it. This waterfall in Kemmangundi for example has line patterns in the water flow, and I aligned myself such that the lines moved in a direction out of the frame keeping the above theory in mind, thereby encouraging the viewer to explore the picture.

So the next time you making images keep this thing in mind, by looking for patterns and aligning yourself right for achieving the perfect picture.

Hope I have confused you enough for the time being, and as always we at LW look forward to hearing from you.

Posted By : Sriharsha Ganjam

A good Landscape image is one which invites the eye to move around the picture, thereby exploring every bit of it and soaking in the beauty as it wanders around. Now what does that mean? and how to apply it in practice?

All people when presented with an image for the first time, invariably look at the centre of the frame as that’s how our minds have been programmed to look. It is due to this reason alone that most novice photographers “plonk” their subjects and make images with the subject at the dead center. This also affects the viewer. When viewing a “plonked” image the mind draws attention to the subject straight on, there by reducing the interest in the viewer to explore the rest of the picture. Viewer sees the main subject and then forgets about it. Nothing excites him/her. Its like giving away the climax of a thriller novel in the very first page! Now who would want to read the reminder of the novel?

On the other hand, if the main subject is placed off the center, then, the viewer’s eye quite naturally goes to the center first and having not found the main subject of interest is forced to look around the image “exploring” the whole scene to try and identify the subject. This accounts for a much better viewing pleasure and also makes the viewer more aware of the different elements present in the frame.

Science has it, based on this concept, that a frame looks most powerful when the subject is placed at one thirds of the frame on either sides (left or right, top or bottom).

So remember this the next time you making images, do not PLONK and try and make an effort to place the subject off center.

Posted By : Sriharsha Ganjam