My awesome 50mm!

I got this lens from the popular shady shop where every seasoned photographer or amateur for that matter, resorts to for quenching his thirst for more gear...the fotocircle.

I realized that this lens is one of the best normal lens canon has ever made. No matter what any one says,and in spite of the fact that it is a full plastic body lens, for just 6000 bucks, you can not get anything better than this. The pictures are so crisp and clear, the DOF so very excellent and the bokeh so pleasing to the eye that you can not deny having one of those in your kitty.

I started using this lens for normal portraits with awesome bokeh effects in the backgrounds. Nevertheless, it is also a great Prime lens for normal photography too! If you think u need zoom then use ur feet do the same.
One thing is for sure: Primes can never be competed with by a zoom lens if you are talking image quality.

Silhouette

Silhouettes have always been pretty interesting to shoot. Here's some tips to shoot for yourself..
1. Choose a strong subject. Choose something with a strong and recognizable shape which stands out in the picure.
2. My usual mantra : Avoid Flash. Don't use it!
3. Composition: Picture composition is something you need to keep in your mind. The rule of thirds, or maybe you could also use some odd angles which are unusual but seemingly appropriate for the picture. Creativity is the key.
4. Manual Mode: Meter off your subjects with the auto mode and see what shutter speed and aperture your DSLR suggests. Then you can switch this on manual mode and try out to your hearts content until and unless u get the shot right. This would also help you get an over all idea about exposure and shutter speed in a similar environment...

My new Sigma 70-300mm DG Macro lens

The Sigma 70-300 i just acquired..Prior to the DG upgrade, this lens already had an enormous reputation for its picture quality compared to its price. The upgrade has only enhanced this. The usefulness of the lens is greatly added to with its ability to focus down to less than a meter and anyone wishing to photograph large insects such as butterflies or dragonflies will find it one of the most useful lenses for this discipline, being light enough to carry on a neck strap all day with the focal length allowing the luxury of not needing to get too close.

Well... smoking is not injurious to photography..... duh! What was that?


Verdict:
For:1. Excellent performance in macro. 2. Light enough to carry around.
Against: 1. Not good for low light photography.. needs very bright lighting conditions for clarity. 3. Anything more than 200mm goes blur... suggest a sturdy tripod and delay shutter trigger/ remote trigger

Nightscapes

Ulsoor Lake @9pm.

Ulsoor Lake: the most popular spot in bangalore for night strollers, pani puri, chaat and a lot more. Its one of the well maintained lakes out of the 17 lakes that bangalore has got. This spot is a favourite among amateurs like me...

exif details: Camera Body: Canon 450D, Lens: 18-55mm kit lens, Mode: Manual, Aperture: 3.5, Shutter speed: 13 seconds, ISO: 100

flower market

City Market, Bangalore. One of the busiest places that you'd get to see in Bangalore. This place wakes up at 5.30 am with the hustle and bustle of hundreds of vendors and thousands of buyers.

As I parked my car in the nearby area and went towards the flower market, little did I know that there awaits one of the most busiest and noisiest places in Bangalore. There were some tourists struggling to get a clean shot and then there were huge city buses snaking their way through the most densely crowded streets of Bangalore. It was chaos and yet I was intrigued by the beautiful colors everywhere my eyes could see.

A recommended place for shutterbugs. You could see an ambit of color your eyes would find hard to fathom. The place is very crowded and the unstoppable waves of people wont' let you stay still for your clicks. A camera with a live view and a wide angle lens would ease your pain..

Gear Used: Body-Canon 450D, Lens- Canon 50mm F1.8