Chiiz Volume 11: Macro Photography

THOSE WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE

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EDITORIAL

Editorial

Yuwaraj Gurjar Prakhar Garg Priyashi Negi Ankit Tyagi Chief Visualizer

Sheetal Mann Design

Yasmeen Sheikh Analysis

Prateek Kashyap Writer

Aditi Puranik Dipanwita Nath Karishma Rana Sana Singh Technology

Sachin Arora Rishabh Jain Bharat Bhushan Aditya Baghel Business Development

Rajesh Basu Amit Ghosh Dimas Fajar Sales

Krishna Srinivas Amit Gupta Marketing

Kanika Maurya Anurag Khaneja Public Relations

Barkha Chandra Staff Photographer

Surbhi Sharma Susana Gomez Tarundeep Singh Urshita Saini Finance

Neelu Singh Consultant

Apratim Saha Mansa Inc.

Macro is the genre of photography, which when perfectly captured, can take you to a different world. Be it flowers, birds, insects or any such regular subject present in our surroundings, appears completely different in the zoom lens. Macro Photography is all about pictures that are larger than the life size of the subjects, thereby giving them a stupendous look.

For most of the macro photographers including me, nature is the main source of inspiration. The more you explore, the more you notice objects minutely, the more you get ideas of perfect macro clicks. The knowledge of various zoom lenses with patience as the key, makes the picture of a normal object look like a work of excellence. Here, in this issue, each and every macro picture holds the power to cause your heart to skip a beat.

Talking about macro, it requires both skills and patience. This volume is obliged to deliver you with fascinating content. The work of Nicky Bay will leave you amazed. The beauty of underwater world is wonderfully captured by Rudo Hvizdos. Exit Hamster will take you on a trip to Oktoberfest through his pictures. Michael Doe’s Project Maratus will introduce you to the prettiest spiders in the world. Pictures by Abd Al-rhman Nafez Hammad are simply a work of excellence. Huub De Waard provides you with the tips to capture macro life. The pictures of fine art nude photography workshop, the Muses, will leave you in awe and admiration of the marvellous photography.

Photographer Alexey Kljatov has captured snowflakes in their very absolute form, which can never be visualized by naked eyes. The wild world transforms completely in a dramatically pleasing way through the lense of Kurit Afsheen. The dance of water droplets is well created by Sonja Bohman. The wildlife is presented perfectly through the lenses of Robyn Preston, Augustin Herrera C, Dmitry Petlin and Peter Bartlett. The work of Nikhil Paul and Alessandro Zocchi beautifully depicts the colors of nature, birds and bees.

Elisabetta La Rosas, as the model of the month has shared beautiful collection of her pictures. Artist Irina Nikitina has brought the makeup art to a different level.

Macro Photography can take the photographer to new and rarely seen vantage points. However it is a genre that requires a lot of technical skill. Although macro photography might seem like a challenging task, but the results make it all worthwhile. As a compiled piece of masterworks, the magazine is here to provide you with the content that will amaze you for sure. It will make you to visualize things minutely like a skilled photographer, thereby leaving a positive impact. So take your camera, try and find something amazing in the simplest of objects and keep clicking.

CEO

Mukesh Kumar Cover Photo

"Nawab"-Nicky Bay

Regards, Yuwaraj Gurjar

CONTENTS

Inspiring with Photography Chiiz Gallery Project Maratus Tips and Tricks Old is Gold The Close-Up World Oktoberfest:World's Largest Folk Festival Movie Review Leaf Cutter Bees App of the Month Muses Workshops Undefined Body Art

12 20 24 28 36 38 46 60 62 66 90 94

Nikhil Paul Macro Photography Michael Doe Huub de Waard Rapatronic Photography Nicky Bay Exit Hamster Samasara Santhosh Krishnamoorthy Cameringo + Jeet Mukerji Cecelia Webber

Robyn Preston Her earliest recollections of “Things Africa” are from when she was around 10 years old when she was always drawing African animals. It wasn’t until much later, in 2009, when she actually set foot on the African soil.

She did a two month overland trip taking in ten different countries on the continent.

This was to become the start of her photographic interest in the wildlife, and it has only grown since then. Her background was predominantly in portrait photography, so taking photos of animals seemed easier. She has no formal training and had to learn as she went.

Since then she has done more safaris than she can count, interspersed with two wildlife conservation courses which taught her much about animal behaviour and habitats. She has travelled through twelve African countries, several of them more than once, but now her base is in Kenya for seven months per year. She has formed her own safari company, Robyn E Preston Kenya Safaris, in 2015 and, when she is not out guiding with guests, she is doing her personal photographic safaris around the country. She owes a lot to her driver of five years, Dedan Ndungu, who she works with as a team on all her safaris.

Leopard in tree 104mm F/4.5 1/1250s ISO100

Giraffes 40mm F/10 1/250s ISO100

Zebra 400mm F/5.6 1/1600s ISO200

Cheetahs 400mm F/5.6 1/500s ISO320

Sykes monkey 400mm F/5.6 1/500s ISO1250

Leopard’s kill 105mm F/5.6 1/160s ISO100

Mating Lions 312mm F/5.6 1/400s ISO320

Lion 227mm F/5.6 1/400s ISO160

Geladas 164mm F/7.1 1/250s ISO1000

Kingfisher Nikon D5500 220mm F/5.6 1/320s ISO500

Heron Nikon D5500 300mm F/6.3 1/400s ISO500

Inspiring with Photogrphy Nikhil Paul Graphic designer and photographer, Nikhil Paul is one inspirational man who has achieved a huge name with his photos and more with the obstacles he had to face.

Living in Kolkata, he went through a lot of hurdles owing to Rheumatoid Arthritis.

He is a hero with his achievements and the way he has successfully overcome the complications of his life.

He had an immense passion towards photography since he was a little boy.

His father used to take photographs in his studios with a huge box camera with big size cut film(AGFA, KODAK etc).

For more than 20 years, Nikhil has been experimenting with point and shoot cameras like Fuji Finepix S9500, Panasonic DMC-FZ 35 and Panasonic Lumix FZ 70. He also used a DSLR film camera MINOLTA 7000 for a few of his projects.

He switched to Digital Cameras in the year 2007. Now, he is using Nikon D5500 and

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Panasonic Lumix DMC G5 (mirrorless camera) and has been focusing on Nature and wildlife photography especially birds and their prey and some reptiles around his backyard. This is one big challenge he took because due to his disorder, he cannot do any outdoor photography. He takes all his photographs from his backyard through his bed-side window. Seeing his work, one cannot tell that he has done all this work from his bed-side window.

He has gone through both positive and negative experiences as nature and wildlife photography includes tremendous amount of field work. He has continued to follow his passion for photography from his home, however, having a pond right beside his backyard has helped him a lot in capturing the prey and predators of wildlife and their struggle for existence from dawn to dusk.

Nikhil

comes

across

a

number

of

difficulties but his biggest limitation is the bedside window. He, however, believes that all these limitations have only made him better and he has evolved as an artist over the years. There were times when he missed many great shots as something or the other came in the way of his lens. He has been disappointed many times because he is a nature photographer who has to work from home. He started his career as a graphic designer but currently he is spending most of his time in photography. Due to his physical suffering he can’t take a lot of stress but his efforts are very commendable worthy.

For Nikhil, his ray of hope in life is photography and he feels that he has just taken the first step of a long ladder and he is yet to climb the rest of it. He gets his strength from his family and friends' support and love.

Asian Koel Nikon D5500 260mm F/6.3 1/60s ISO500

Green Bee-Eater in Flight Nikon D5500 300mm F/6.3 1/2000s ISO800

Common Tailor-Bird Nikon D5500 270mm F/6.3 1/60s ISO400

Common Hawk-Cuckoo Nikon D5500 300mm F/6.3 1/800s ISO400

Barbet Nikon D5500 300mm F/6.3 1/160s ISO800

Oriental Venice, floating fishing village, Xiapu, Fujian , China Sony ILCE-7M2FE70 200mm F/4.0 1/160s ISO100

Single foot fishing, Inle Lake, Burma Sony A7II FE70 200mm F/4.0 1/160s ISO125

Borderline between North and South Korea Sony NEX-5R E18 200mm F/16.0 1/100s ISO100

Beach, Xiapu, Fujian , China Sony ILCE-7M2 200mm F/4.5 1/80s ISO100

Borderline between North and South Korea Sony ILCE-7M2 200mm F/16.0 1/100s ISO100

Capturing moments is Lina Fann's hobby. It has never been a problem for her to combine her enthusiasm for travel and immense love for photography. Lina travels mostly between Europe and Asia. Her favourite places to shoot includes Old Bagan(Myanmar), active volcano Bromo Surabaya(Indonesia) and Li River(Mainland of China) among others.

You are welcome to visit her home page for more photos in full frame linastravelphotography.com and her Instagram account: @linas_travelphotography.

Miao Ethnic Women, Longji Rice Terraces, Guangxi Sony A7ii FE24-70mm Zeiss F/4.5 1/60s ISO 100

Fisherman at Beach, Xiapu, Fujian, China Sony ILCE-7M2 116mm F/4 1/125s ISO250

CHIIZ GALLERY

TO GET PUBLISHED, UPLOAD YOUR PICTURES ON CHIIZ.COM

Dibakar Roy Kolkata, India

Lunch Canon EOS 1200D 250mm F/5.6 1/640s ISO500

Chinmoy Biswas Kolkata, India

Struggle NIKON D7200 105mm F/8 1/50s ISO400

Chinmoy Biswas Kolkata, India

Green within Red NIKON D3100 55mm F/5.6 1/250s ISO100

Chinmoy Biswas Kolkata, India

Waves of Colors NIKON D7200 105mm F/14 1/200s ISO400

Chinmoy Biswas Kolkata, India

Motherhood NIKON D7200 105mm F/32 1/60s ISO640

Agnsiwar Ghosal West Bengal, India

Watching from the Colorful Balcony NIKON D3300 50mm F/11 1/200s ISO400

Partha Chakraborty West Bengal, India

Lunch Canon EOS 5D 250mm F/14 1/332s ISO320

Erik Svec Nove Zamky, Slovakia

Azim Khan Bogra, Bangladesh

Kurit Afsheen DKI Jakarta

Weaver Beetle Nikon D50 150mm F/2.8 1/640s ISO500

Jumping Spider Canon EOS 70D 100mm F/4.5 1/13s ISO100

Making Space Canon EOS 550D 100mm F/13 1/200s ISO100

Jaspreet Singh Bellevue, Usa

Taiyab Jamal West Bengal, India

At times, the essence of euphoria is the only fuel to drive you through NIKON D5100 90mm F/22 1/100s ISO400

Crab Spider Sitting on his Throne NIKON D5300 40mm F/10 1/200s ISO250

Maratus hortorum - Perth Western Australia Canon EOS-1D X Mark II 65mm F/13 1/200s ISO100

Discovery of a New Species

Project Maratus Michael Doe Michael Doe is a 44-year-old living in Sydney, Australia. In his spare time, he photographs peacock spiders and belongs to a non-profit group called Project Maratus, where they are researching the ecology and distribution of these unique Australian arachnids. Their project has taken them all around the country and in the course of their travels, they have discovered seven new species. Here is the conversation between Aditi Puranik from chiiz and Michael Doe. When was the first time you felt an inclination towards macro photography and why?

I have always been interested in animals but it was not until I bought my first digital camera, a Canon powershot 1, several years ago and started photographing the invertebrates around my home that I truly fell in love with photography and particularly macro photography. Being able to see the details that the eye cannot see is amazing , even a common fly looks great when viewed up close.

Maratus volans or The peacock spiders are new and unknown species for the people.

What makes them different from the others, thereby increasing the importance of the project?

Peacock spiders are the jumping spiders found only in Australia. Male’s bold colours and

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their courtship display set them apart from other species. Their courtship interactions are truly unique and this interesting behaviour is the key of unlocking many future scientific discoveries in communication and signalling in species. Even people who are afraid of spiders find peacock spiders cute and endearing.

What kind of gears do you use for capturing spiders?

My camera gear consists of a Canon 5D mark III and a Canon 1D mark II, the lenses are a Canon MP-E 65mm and a Canon 100mm f/2.8L macro lens. I have kept with Canon because of the MP-E and its ability to go 5x, which is invaluable in photographing these spiders which are 4mm on average.

I use a Canon MT-24EX flash unit with a homemade diffuser, made from 4mm foam covered with satin fabric.

What is the motive behind Project Maratus and how does it works?

Project Maratus is a non-profit group undertaking and promoting research of the iconic australian peacock spiders. These spiders are Australia’s “mini birds of paradise“ with their intricate and often flashy courtship rituals. We are the first coordinated approach into investigating their distributions throughout Australia and the habitats they depend upon. This information plays a vital

role in understanding their evolution and ecology in our environment.

Maratus is indeed a rare species, what is the best and the worst part of picking them as a subject?

Some Maratus species are common but we have found through our studies that some are only found in unique habitats and are harder to find. Australia, being such a large country, means that we have had to travel great distances sometimes up to 700 kms a day to find suitable habitats.

The best and most rewarding part is discovering a new species that has never been seen before. Till date, our small group has discovered seven new species.

Any tips for those who share an interest for the same?

According to me, for any macro photographer the most important thing is to get to know your subject, its habitat, behaviour etc. The more you understand the subject, the easier it becomes to photograph them and above all, practise all the time and never stop learning.

Aditi Puranik aditi@chiiz.com

A budding journalist, Aditi watches the world with wonder in her eyes. Talented but lazy, introvert but sarcastic, she is a nature lover, continuously trying to work on her photography and writing skills. She is a wanderer at heart and dreams of travelling the world.

Maratus volans with prey - Central Coast NSW Australia Canon EOS-1D X Mark II 65mm F/9 1/160s ISO100

Maratus chrysomelas - Western NSW Australia Canon EOS-5D X Mark III 65mm F/11 1/160s ISO100

Maratus pardus - Western Australia Canon EOS 5D Mark III 65mm F/9 1/160s ISO100

Maratus nigromaculatus - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Canon EOS-5D Mark III 65mm F/9 1/160s ISO100

Maratus volans - Central Coast NSW Australia Canon EOS-5D Mark III 65mm F/9 1/160s ISO100

Maratus ottoi - Southern Queensland Australia Canon EOS-5D Mark III 65mm F/9 1/160s ISO100

Drone Fly Canon EOS 7D 65mm F/16 1/250s ISO100

Tips and Tricks

Macro Photography

The compound eyes of insects, consisting of a large number of ommatidia, have always fascinated me. To uncover as much detail as possible I photograph insects so extremely close that they seem to have a gigantic size.

At that scale insects of the same species look very different and each insect seems to have its own character.

Magnification describes the relationship between the actual size of the subject and the size of its image on the sensor of the camera. Dividing the size of the subject’s image on the sensor by the actual size determines the magnification. At 1:1 lifesize, the size of the subject on the sensor is as big as it is in real life. Macro Photography is restricted to magnifications in the order of 1:10 to 1:1 life-size. When this magnification is reached, shooting from life-size to modest magnifications of up to 20 is called microphotography.

Larger than life-size Most macro lenses are maximally able to

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capture a 1:1 life-size image of a subject on the camera’s sensor. Microphotography can be undertaken by normal macro lenses equipped with modestly specialized equipment. A lens’ minimum focusing distance is the closest distance your macro lens will allow you to get to your subject while still maintaining sharp focus. A low-budget method to decrease the minimum focusing distance is to extend the distance between the lens and the sensor by inserting extension tubes or a continuously adjustable bellows.

Both the extension tubes and the bellows do not contain optical elements. The further the lens is from the sensor, the closer the minimum focusing distance, the greater the magnification, and the darker the image given the same aperture.

By adding a teleconverter, an even greater magnification can be achieved. Application of a 2x teleconverter produces a maximum magnification of 2 and 2 stops loss in light intensity. Placing an auxiliary close-up lens (or close-up “filter”) in front of a macro lens is another option. Inexpensive screw-in or

Huub de Waard

slip-on attachments provide close-focusing at a very low cost.

Approaching Insects Although most insects do not have orifices in their body for picking up sound vibrations, many use parts of their body, such as their wings, antennae, or special hairs, like TV antennae to detect vibrations in the environment or in the air. Any errant movement on your part could cause you to lose a shot, so be sure to tread carefully when approaching your subjects. The first thing you want to do is to move very slowly. Look before you move, look at where you place your feet, look at where your equipment is, and most of all plan where you are going to put the front of your lens. Many potentially good shots have been ruined by the front of a lens bumping a branch or leaf where an insect was resting, causing it to flee.

Most insects have a view of the world that is very different from ours. These eyes are made

Common Flesh Fly Canon EOS 7D 65mm F/13 1/250s ISO100

up of many separate units called ommatidia.

Each ommatidium samples a small part of the visual field. Having multiple ommatidia allows the animal to easily detect motion.

With a compound eye the insect sees a mosaic image. Because the lenses in the insect’s eyes have a fixed focus, and can’t be adjusted for distance, insects see shapes poorly.

As an object moves across the visual field, ommatidia are progressively turned on and off. Because of the resulting “flicker effect”, insects respond far better to moving objects than stationary ones.

Most insects can see some color. While our eyes see a full

spectrum of wave lengths from red to violet, many insects see a limited range of colors.

The colors they detect are the ones most useful for finding food and shelter.

Composition Composition is more difficult for macro photography than for other types of nature photography.

In microphotography, you want to simplify your image as much as you possibly can. Fill up as much of your frame as possible with the subject. Focus as sharp as possible and don’t be afraid to experiment with different angles to find the one with the most aesthetic

Ladybird Canon EOS 7D 65mm F/7.1 1/250s ISO100

appeal. Photos at high magnification have a corresponding shallow depth of field, so precise control over the location of focus is critical. This requires not only artistic decisions about what part of the subject should be tack sharp, but also technical decisions about how to make the most of this sharpness. It’s almost a universal rule that the subject’s eye(s) should be the location of sharpest focus and should have a wellchosen position within your composition.

For maximal sharpness throughout, adjust the angle of your camera so that the plane of sharpest focus aligns with the head/plane of your subject.

Jewel Bug Canon EOS 7D 65mm F/9 1/250s ISO100

Theloderma corticale Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Dendrobates tinctorius azureus Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Litoria caerulea Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Furcifer pardalis Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

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Dendrobates leucomelas Nikon D700 60mm F/2.8 1/100s ISO200

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Tribolonotus gracilis Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Trimeresurus insularis blue Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

Ceratophrys cornuta Nikon D700 60mm F/2.8 1/160s ISO200

Morelia viridis Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

Chamaeleo calyptratus Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

Calumma oshaughnessyi Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

Dmitry Petlin has been doing photography since 2010 and for the last 3 years he has been into macro photography.

While doing subject photography and dealing with exotic animals, he combines two of his hobbies. In his opinion, such pictures are complete and detailed which convey the beauty and perfection of these animals.

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Phelsuma grandis Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Mantella aurantiaca Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri leucistic Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis HYPOMELANISTIC Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/250s ISO200

Phelsuma laticauda Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

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Gekko gecko Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

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Chlamydosaurus kingii Nikon D700 105mm F/2.8 1/200s ISO200

Mates Nikon D700 180mm F/8 1/250s ISO400

Bee-ing on the Flower Nikon D800 200mm F/8 1/200s ISO100

Flower and the Future Nikon D700 180mm F/4 1/400s ISO400

Alessandro Zocchi works for eleven photographic agencies that sell his pictures all over the world. His specialization is nature, science, commercial and industrial macro photography. He works for private clients who like to hang artistic macros on their houses’ walls. He has been a crew member and book editor for 1x.com. He regularly organizes courses and workshops in photography and is the author of the, “Handbook of Nature Macro Photography”. He also takes pictures for himself, spending as much time as possible in nature with the people he loves the most.

Nature's Elegance Nikon D800 200mm F/8 1/200s ISO100

Dreaming Nikon D800 200mm F/8 1/1600s ISO400

Clad in Purple Nikon D700 200mm F/16 1/400s ISO1250

Old is Gold Rapatronic Camera

by Harold Eugene Edgerton It’s often said that time doesn’t stop for anyone, but Harold Eugene Edgerton took the phrase as a challenge and made time stop for him.

In the modern era, flash on smartphones and cameras have become so common that nobody questions how it came to be. It was in 1952, an era in which vacuum tubes and radios were the sizes of your couches, when Harold invented the Rapatronic Camera. The name ‘rapatronic’ comes from rapid action electronic (camera). The flashes on our smartphones and cameras are a tribute to and the legacy of Edgerton. After the completion of his master’s degree from MIT in electrical engineering, Edgerton began his experiments with flash tubes. He developed the xenon flash which emitted light at regular intervals, thus proving itself to be the perfect stroboscope. It helped in capturing milk drops falling on a plate, a bullet passing an apple, etc.

The xenon flash or Edgerton’s flash was capable of firing a burst of light at every 10th millisecond. Before this invention, photographic flash meant flash powder which was helpful only to produce a controlled blazing explosion. There was nothing to shoot high-speed phenomena as the speed of the shutter was very slow and worked well only when the subject was stock still.

The invention of the rapatronic camera was the combination of the xenon flash and the traditional camera. It had two polarizing filters.

The shutters were placed adjacent to each other at a 90 degree angle, so that no light can enter it. In the middle of the filters, a Kerr cell is placed

as a replacement of a shutter. The reason behind the replacement was that the shutter was too slow to do the job of capturing movements.

The Kerr cell was chosen to replace it as its polarization changes according to the applied voltage. It acted as a high speed shutter. The creation of the camera and the flash suddenly captured awe-worthy complex geometries which were previously incomprehensible to the human eye.

At a time when even still photography was not overly popular, where did Edgerton get the inspiration to think of such complex designs? It was in MIT’s computer laboratory that Edgerton was performing an experiment using a computer. He saw the warning lights indicating overheating (which blinked 60 times in a second). The blinking light gave Edgerton the idea that the high-speed world can only be illuminated and captured by bursts of light by nanoseconds. Once the invention and tests were done, the struggle of selling his device began.

Kodak was hesitant about this device and it believed that it would be hard to even sell 50 samples. But, the belief was proved wrong once Edgerton took a photograph of a night boxing match, which presented the fighters clearly and in clear light. From then on, the electronic flash hit emerged into the market and made millions.

The rapatronic camera has helped engineers to solve various technical problems in the movements of machines and has also allowed them to examine the operation of machines. Harold Edgerton, through his photographic innovation, has made photography a diagnostic tool.

Furthermore, during World War II, Edgerton successfully developed a bigger version of the stroboscope which was used to illuminate and take photos of drop zones in Normandy. It helped in the identification of areas free from Germans. After the WWII, Harold captured the initial phases of an atomic explosion. This was possible as Harold and his technical team were able to cut the shutter’s time to 1/4000000th of a second.

Harold Edgerton died at the age of 86 in 1990. He is still applauded for his inventions which are a huge feat of technical excellence. His legacy continues in the usage of his inventions in various photography related fields. US President Harding himself has appreciated Harold’s photographs for their detail, color, composition and “unusual subject matter”. He comments how Harold’s inventions and photography helps in the recognition of the power of photography and its ability to “create a sense of wonder from ordinary, everyday events such as a falling drop of milk.”

Harshika Kapoor harshika@chiiz.com

Harshika is a 19 year old book nerd who, when not in pursuit of food, studies journalism. She's adept in the language of art, politics and all things in between.

She's in possession of a selectively Type A personality and confidently takes it in her stride.

Hawk Moth Nikon D800 90mm F/18 1/250s ISO400

Rhino Beetle Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/20s ISO200

The Close-Up World Nicky Bay

Stick Insect Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO400

Nicky Bay is a world-renowned macro-photographer based in Singapore. His works have been featured on National Geographic, BBC, WIRED, and numerous other publications worldwide, topped with solo exhibitions in Europe including Senckenberg Museum in Germany and Galerie du Lion in France. Nicky conducts macro photography workshops in exotic locations like Borneo, Africa and Central America, attracting participants from all over the world, many of whom are advanced photographers themselves. A judge in the inaugural Singapore Nature Photographer of the Year competition, Nicky has put together one of the largest arthropod photo databases in the world with about 25,000 high-quality macro photos, many of which will be featured in his next book "Borneo Spiders". An engineer by training, Nicky is also the CTO of the QCD Group of Companies and publishes his photographs with natural history articles at www.nickybay.com. Read the conversation between Ankit Tyagi of Chiiz and Nicky Bae below.

From being a software development consultant to a macro photographer and instructor, what gave you the inspiration for macro photography?

The main inspiration comes from discovering new species or behavior and documenting them. Many lab-bound scientists collect and photograph dead specimens, so a lot of information on the insect's biology is not recorded and macro photographers in the field have the unique opportunity to document sightings new to science.

Macro photography is an interesting genre to work on but at the same time it is challenging too. What are the challenges you face and how do you overcome them?

Being from the software development industry, I spend of a lot of time in systematically and creatively solving problems. The same can be applied in macro photography. A lot of DIY work can be involved, so each macro photographer's solution can be vastly different while achieving the same effect. A lot of people ask me how I manage to shoot up close without scaring the subjects away. All I can say is that I chase after many subjects and take many photos, and only a few would stay still while the rest would run/jump/fly away.

photography which can be explored?

There are no best locations as much would depend on what each macro photographer is particularly interested in. The way to see more is to visit more places, as each new location would have a much higher potential for species new to the photographer.

What tips would you like to share for the amateur macro photographers, which can help them?

Do your homework on what you want to photograph. Study their behavior and biology so as to figure out the best way to find and approach them. That way, you would enjoy photographing them more and learn a great deal in the process.

Ankit Tyagi ankit@chiiz.com

Ankit has intense love towards photography and is now working as an Asst. Editor with Chiiz. He has been writing for us for a long time now and believes in the power of words. The dream is to explore and find different perceptions in life. He likes watching classic movies and is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock as a director.

There are lots of insects and small creatures which are used as subjects for macro photography, what are your favourite subjects you like to work on?

I spend a lot of time in photographing spiders. They are incredibly diverse morphologically when compared to other groups of insects.

The most fascinating ones are those that do not look like spiders at all.

In documenting all the spiders that I've come across, the collection has become so extensive that I've been co-authoring books on Southeast Asian Spiders and Borneo Spiders.

According to you, what are the best locations for macro

Papilio Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO400

Cyclosa Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO200

Poltys Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/160s ISO200

Acacesia Nikon D800 90mm F/20 1/250s ISO400

Lyssomanes Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO400

Davidbowie Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO250

Plant-hopper Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO400

Caterpillar Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO400

Pit Viper Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/250s ISO640

Ricaniidae Nikon D800 90mm F/25 1/125s ISO400

Encyosaccus NIKON D800 90mm F/25 1/120s ISO400

Travel and festival photographer Exit Hamster has been capturing moments for more than a decade in various locations around the world. His goal is to sell stories about emotions, positivity and variety plus providing the awareness of the opportunity to change lifestyle and focus.“Incentives for your escape from the wheel” is Exithamster’s quote, which shall encourage people to start living their dreams. His visits to remote and rural areas in Myanmar, Cuba or North Korea reflect the fact that bad media is not a criteria to stop you from visiting rapidly changing territories with political instability. “In our today’s fast-paced world photography is very important as images visualize the process of change and provide a record of history to future generations.” he says.

Exithamster’s work reaches thousands of travellers, explorers and festival goers from all around the world. Some of the visuals are featured in international newspapers like the Guardian, the New York Post, the Daily Mail and certainly in online media.

You can follow his feeds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Oktoberfest World's Largest Folk Festival

Fiesta Canon EOS 5D Mark III 24mm F/2.8 1/125s ISO2000

Prost!

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 70mm F/8 1/60s ISO640

A

s the name suggests, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fun fair. Also known as the beer festival, it is held annually in Munich, Germany, and is usually a 16-18 day festival running from late September to early October. It is an important part of the Bavarian culture which was first celebrated in the year 1810. Traditionally, it was called the ‘Wiesn’ but with time this private celebration turned into a public festival and was named

Oktoberfest. Being a national folk festival, it looks forward for fun attractions like parades, food counters with loads and loads of beer and music.

The festival holds a great history which slightly resembles almost every festival’s history. Every festival has a motive and some history behind it. Oktoberfest, which dates back in the history, comes from the happy

Celebration Canon EOS 6D 24mm F/2.8 1/2500s ISO100

royal event when King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on 12th October 1810. This festival was held on the fields of city gates and thus the fields were named Theresienwiese (Theresa’s fields) in honor of the Crown Princess. All the locals of Munich were invited to the marriage who later abbreviated to be called the “Wiesn”.

One of the most eagerly awaited activities of the fest after the beer consumption were the horse races. Horse races were the reason to celebrate the fest but the later years gave rise to the fest that we see now and is organised in the honor of the royal family. At present, horse races aren’t held but the added feature in the year 1810 that showcased the Munich Agriculture is witnessed in the fest even today.

This show was known as the Agriculture Show. It is mostly seen in the southern part of the festival grounds.

Talking about Oktoberfest and not talking about beer is really absurd. A lot of beer is consumed every year which is the best way to celebrate the fest. “Liquid gold” is probably the most important thing among the many attractions. The beer brewed within the city limits to the city itself and the beer tallying the criteria are designated as Oktoberfest beer and this is why one will always hear that Bavaria has the best beer in the world.

There have been strong regulations regarding brewing beer and keeping up to the quality

of the final product since 16th century.

Bavarian Purity Requirements, decreed by Duke Williams IV concerning food and drink allows only water, hops and barley to brew.

Oktoberfest is also characterised by music which includes the German folks portraying their culture and traditions. Most of the bands perform in the tents so as to allow the visitors and guests to enjoy their food and beer while listening to their favourite songs.

Music and loads of food and beer makes the fest look lively and exciting. People get more entertained when the music gradually rises up to the dance-able level. Night witnesses most of the charismatic loud music while during the day light soft hearted quiet music can be heard.

Another spice in the recipe of Oktoberfest is the variety of food and costumes. Where there is food, you feel like you are at home.

Most of the Bavarian delicacies are found in the fest and some common foods like grilled chicken, sausages and grilled fish are presented to accompany the beer celebration. Also, to make the fest look completely dedicated to Bavaria, a Bavarian hat is seen almost everywhere during the celebration. Men and women roam in the Bavarian attire to completely bring the essence of culture.

Facilities like transportation is well maintained and the security, trained. This is the reason that there have been notably no accidents in the fest till date. For decades now, the Bavarian Red Cross has been responsible for the medical service at the Oktoberfest. Each Oktoberfest is visited by almost 4 million visitors who are transported to and from the fest. Special parking is provided outside the city, which can be reached by public transportation.

Roller-Coaster Ride Canon EOS 5D Mark III 15mm F/4 1/1000s ISO60

Liquid Gold Canon EOS 6D 53mm F/2.8 1/60s ISO800

This year, the 185th Oktoberfest will commence most probably by 22nd September, witnessing parades of officials and breweries, continuing for the next 17 days. A 7-kilometer-long procession is taken out through the streets of the city center. Ribbon trees, harvest garlands, craftsmen's tools from the bygone days, harvest produced, dancers adorned with flowers, stars and crowns and trumpeters on horseback are the main attractions for the first day of this year’s fest. Altogether a beer and music lover will surely love the atmosphere of the festival. It is one of the most entertaining and amusing festival of all times.

Shimran Epari shimran@chiiz.com

Shimran is an exceptional thinker and an excessively expressive person. She is passionate towards literature and enjoys writing as a medium of expressing thoughts. Shimran is also a good orator with an excellent grip over language and is skillful while handling an audience.

Roller-Coaster Ride Canon EOS 6D 11mm F/4 1/30s ISO500

Abd Al-rhman Nafez Hammad is a 20 years old, Palestinian m a c r o - p h o t o g r a p h e r, living in Gaza.

He especially likes Eye photography. In addition, he is extremely fond of Characters photography.

He has also established his own studio “Top shot� within one year of exploring photography as a medium. His series "Lens" feature lenses. You can find his work on instagram.com/topshot.studio

Metal wasp Canon EOS 6D 35mm F/4 1/100s ISO100

Beetle Canon EOS-700D 35mm F/4 1/100s ISO100

Spider Canon EOS 6D 35mm F/6 1/100s ISO100

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Canon EOS 700D 11mm F/4 1/100s ISO100

Haney eye Canon EOS 6D 1/200s ISO100

Blue eye Canon EOS 6D 1/200s ISO100

Solar eye Canon EOS 6D 1/160s ISO200

Desert eye Canon EOS 6D 1/200s ISO100

Beach eye Canon EOS 6D 1/160s ISO100

Ocean eye Canon EOS 6D 1/200s ISO100

Kurit Afsheen is a 37-year-old freelance graphic designer and photographer, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is a macro photographer who mainly loves documenting reptiles.

Crocodile, damselfly and ant Canon 7D 100mm F/7.1 1/250s ISO400

Leopard gecko in reflection Canon 7D 100mm F/6.3 1/200s ISO320

Deroplatys lobata / Dead leaf mantis Canon 7D 100mm F/8 1/200s ISO200

Flying frog/ Rhacophorus reinwadrtii Canon 7D 100mm F/6.3 1/250s ISO320

Chameleon catching prey Canon 7D 100mm F/8 1/1000s ISO1250

Young flamingo in frame Canon 7D 160mm F/8 1/200s ISO6400

Rudo Hvizdos was born a traveler.

His passion for exploring the unknown has led him to scuba diving and eventually, through many beautiful places around the globe. Originally from Slovakia, he has found a second home in Padangbai, Bali, where he moved with his beautiful wife Elenka in 2009.

Together with their business partner and friend, Radka from Czech republic, they own and run, ‘OK Divers Resort & Spa’, a cozy resort on the east coast of Bali.

Padangbai, Bali Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/10 1/125s ISO100

Black Beauty Olympus OMD E-M 60mm F/14 1/125s ISO100

Pouting Fish Olympus OMD E-M 60mm F/16 1/125s ISO100

Lemon-like Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/13 1/125s ISO100

Planktons Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/2.8 1/125s ISO3500

Look at me now Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/9 1/125s ISO100

Innocence Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/7.1 1/125s ISO100

Yell out Loud Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/13 1/125s ISO100

Snowy Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/8 1/125s ISO100

To catch a Glimpse Olympus OMD E-M1 60mm F/6.3 1/125s ISO100

Movie Review: Samsara (2012) Duration: 99 minutes IMDB Rating: 8.5/10 Released: 2012 Cinematography and Directed by: Ron Fricke Genre: Non- Narrative Documentary Filmed in Panavision Super 70

interpretations. One might be that they are using dance as a means of resistance.

The other might point to the attempt of the superiors to control, rather tame or civilized those prisoners.

E

ntirely shot on 65mm camera film, “SAMSARA” is a manifestation of the wonders of this planet and is a continuation to the 1992 released wonder: “BARAKA”. While “Baraka” means “the blessing of God”, the etymology of the word “Samsara” lies in Sanskrit, meaning “the wheel of life” which deals with the cycle of birth, death and rebirth a belief in religions like Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism.

Filmed by Fricke and Magidson, “Baraka” (1992) invested in mesmerizing snapshots from across the world. Following the same idea, “Samsara” is another of their masterpiece that deals with the concepts of life and draws a sharp contrast between man and nature, technology and ancient civilization, life in the metropolis and that in the jungles. Rated 8.5 by IMDB, “Samsara” is a visual masterpiece that beautifully presents the wonders of life and death. Devastation is contrasted with growth and development, nature to nurture and civilization to the wilderness.

The movie opens with the delicate beauty of Balinese dancers. Other parts of the movie feature beautiful locations covering five continents and their diverse cultures and traditions. From Thiksey Monastery in India to the Hajj ritual in Saudi Arabia, the movie does not differentiate between religions and, in fact, invests in diverse religious backgrounds. On one hand, we have laborers working hard in the sulfur 60

Vol 11

mines of Indonesia and on the other hand, we have factory workers working in unison using technology, robots imitating and at the same time, replacing manpower. We have huge food processing factories where pigs and hens are being slaughtered. These factories not only represent processing of food but death as well. The process of generating something out of a dead animal (food) can be compared to the process of rebirth.

Apart from this, the Thousand Hand Goddess Dance representing China and Geisha, representing Japanese tradition does not fail to catch the eye of the spectators. The Thousand Hand Goddess dance represents that each one of us have a particular role to perform.

Coordination and teamwork is eminent in the performance of these graceful ladies.

Dancing inmates in the CEBU Detention Center, Philippines have two different

Discipline, as a theme, is prominent in the entire movie. Be it the wild nature or the human civilization, discipline is an inevitable part of our lives. The kids enrolled in the practice session of martial arts too represent discipline at its peak. Not just nature and human civilization, but, religion too teaches us the importance of the same in our lives. The rhythmic raising and bending of heads of thousands of Muslims in unison in front of Allah refer to the discipline religion has taught us. While Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam are there in the form of rituals, Christianity is also there, flaunting its beauty in the form of the beautiful Church of The Redeemer situated in Israel.

The Tibetan monks working on a circular sand mandala with utmost dedication and precision too, points to the circle of life whose end has to meet someday. The piece of art is destroyed at the end mixing it all and resulting in the formation of the colors of a beautiful rainbow. The movie, overall, has a mesmerizing effect on our way of seeing life as a circle. A cycle of events where balance and discipline is necessary.

It is, hence, a movie worth investing our time into; probably not just a movie, but “a guided meditation on life and death” as Mary Ann Brussat puts it.

Meenal Singh meenal@chiiz.com

Meenal is an undergraduate student of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She aspires to be a lecturer in English Literature. Meenal wishes to fight for the equality of women worldwide through the power of her words.

Siphoning Nikon D90 105mm F/10 1/160s ISO500

Leaf Cutter Bees

Santhosh Krishnamoorthy

M

ention of the word ‘bees’ brings to mind those huge swarms of buzzing insects living in a very well established social setup, building huge colonies consisting of thousands of individuals.

However, very recently did I learn that not all bees live in colonies, i.e., in a social group of many individuals. There are bees that live a very solitary life. One such are the bees belonging to the Megachilidae family, more commonly known as the leaf cutter bees. They are called so, based on the kind of material they use to prepare their nest cells, namely, small pieces of leaves. There are others in this family, like the mason bees, which collect soil as the material for their nest cells.

Leaf cutter bees are very important as pollinators. They are not aggressive and have a mild sting that is used only when they

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Leaf Cutters Nikon D90 105mm F/13 1/125s ISO500

are handled. They cut the leaves of plants and use the cut leaf fragments to form nest cells. They nest in soft, rotted wood or in the stems of large, pithy plants, such as roses.[From Leaf cutter Bees – Quick Facts] One leaf cutter bee had made its home inside a small crevice, in an old rusted gate of an empty site near my house. It was constantly flying to and from its new found home, each time returning with a small piece of something that looked like a fragment of a leaf. Curious about what it was up to, I sat there observing it for a while, over one of the weekends and did a bit of reading on them as well.

The crevice was more like an entrance to, what I felt, was a long tunnel inside the frame of the gate. Before flying out to fetch a leaf, the bee, very diligently, would clear the place of small stones, sand and other debris. Then, it would fly out, returning after a while, with a small piece of a leaf.

It would enter its home with the leaf and get into the tunnel that it had cleared just before leaving. Since it was holding on to the leaf with its mandibles, it seemed that it wasn’t very easy for the bee to turn the leaf around to align it properly with the entrance to its tunnel home. So, for the initial few times, it used to fly out of the crevice and fly back in at the right angle to be able enter properly.

Prep Work Nikon D90 105mm F/13 1/160s ISO500

It flies out only to come back in, at an appropriate angle.

Slowly, it seemed to have learnt and thereafter was getting inside very smoothly, with one flight, straight in.

This bee wasn’t really going too far to look for its leaf requirements. It had picked a tree close by, to cut out the pieces of leaf from. It was very skillfully cutting out the leaf using its mandibles and it seemed to be flying around the tree looking for the right leaf and upon finding one, was making a very precise cut each time.

An interesting fact about the bee’s leaf cutting exercise is that they cut the leaves with their scissor-like mandibles, making smooth, circular or oval cuts from the edges of leaves that are about 1/2" in diameter. According to The Xerces Society, it only takes two or three seconds for the female to cut a piece of leaf.

Just before she finishes cutting it, the female starts to beat her wings, so she is already flying by the time the leaf fragment is severed. The cut out designer leaves, thus remain, on the tree but don’t in any way harm it.(Source: Our Native Bees) Also, the pieces of the leaf that are carried into the bee’s home are used to embellish its nest cells and also to separate the individual cells. These cells would then contain one egg each, along with a little bit of nectar and pollen to provide for the larvae that would hatch out of the egg. The females of these bees are the ones that do all the work.

It takes an average of 15 leaf pieces or flower petals to line one brood cell, and a total of 20 to 30 trips may be required to gather the necessary pollen and nectar to provision just one cell. Under favorable conditions a female bee may finish an average of 30 cells in her lifetime. [Source: Our Native Bees] Really hard working mothers these leaf cutter bees are indeed!

Santhosh Krishnamoorthy Santhosh is a passionate naturalist and an award winning nature photographer. He likes to observe and document the interesting aspects of nature and its inhabitants using photography as a medium. He runs Birdwing Travel & Photography where he mentors budding and amateur nature photographers. He also posts as @santhosh.kris on Instagram and blogs at framesofnature.com

Nesting Leaves Nikon D90 105mm F/10 1/160s ISO400

Dot Lines White Moth Nikon D7000 85mm F/11 1/160s ISO200

Robber Fly Nikon D7000 85mm F/11 1/60s ISO200

Pure Green Augochlora Bee Nikon D7000 85mm F/11 1/100s ISO200

Growing up with a camera in his hands, Peter Bartlett explores nature, wildlife and the macro world through his photography.

A graduate of the college of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning at the University of Cincinnati. Peter is an award winning designer and an exceptional photographer. Whether out in the elements or in the studio, Peter explores the unseen details and beauty in everyday life. Peter currently lives in Dayton, Ohio with his wife and three daughters.

Paperwasp Nikon D500 90mm F/29 1/200s ISO200

Micro-filament from an incandescent light-bulb FEI Quanta 600F at magnification of 500Îźm

Hoverfly on Blackeyed Susan Nikon D7000 50mm F/22 1/500s ISO200

App of the Month

Cameringo+ In this era of millennialism, where photographs speak a thousand words and tell different stories, we have an avid love for tools that make our photos look even better. There are artists and designers who are constantly hustling to make their work more aesthetically prominent and better than before. There is an undeniable competition between the technologies launched everyday in the market and some of them will fade away soon.

In this month’s app review, we might just have found the app you are looking for. An app which gives you a stylish, yet powerful interface and also the joy of shooting beautiful photos. Cameringo+ is an app for Android as well as Apple users which gives its users the freedom to click their own photos and edit them accordingly on the app itself. The app offers upto 300 variety of live customizable filters and over 20 frames.Till date the app has

125 photo effects including several lomo and Lo-fi, it also includes many styles like artistic painting, cartoon and paper style.

Cameringo+ isn’t a mere clone of instagram or snapchat, but has distinctive features that sets it apart from the features that are provided on social media sites. The most give away feature of this app is the photo review mode in which you can keep shooting from a small screen while the large screen shows the last photo taken, which could be very helpful for the photographers out there who like clicking on their cell phones. Well, this app has that sorted out for its users with advanced features which include to edit the photos in real-time, the image exposure, brightness, contrast and more so that you get the desired results as per your convenience.

Cameringo+ can also be used by people who just want to have fun, you can explore

the world of filters, effects, video mode with live filters and can create your own GIFs. Yes, that’s right the app comes with a GIF recorder which can be used with the filter options and you can also record videos in reverse mode.

You can adjust and edit the GIFs according to your own liking; customizing it as per your own creativity and the user can also quicken or slow down the animation of the GIF. If you can’t stay still while taking the picture; the app comes with a stabilizing camera feature for better captures.

You are given multiple options when you take a photo like a preview along with the discard option and also to share it or move it back to the capture mode. A very unique feature which makes it different from other apps is the preview of the image on the interface itself. The maintenance updates comes with improved quality and bug fixes. It’s sharing option also goes well with all the social media platforms.

It covers most of the features and functions required by avid lovers of photography. It’s a handy camera which will give the professionals as well as the budding photographers the aesthetic pleasure of photography and editing.

Therefore, it is much advisable to explore, wide range of cool styles with Cameringo+. It is an upgraded interface with which you can do anything your way in just a few clicks.

Nivedita Joshi nivedita@chiiz.com

A content writer by profession and a student of M.A. in English, Nivedita is the girl next door who likes to refer to herself as a potboiler and has an avid love for the Korean culture. She enjoys her Netflix and Chill with a cup of chai.

Alexey Kljatov’s passion is taking close up snowflake pictures. Natural snow crystals are amazing objects for macro photography, owing to their beauty, uniqueness and unlimited diversity. Even after eight winters of regular photo sessions, seeing thousands of snowflakes in all their details, he does not get tired of admiring new crystals with amazing form or an incredible inner pattern. His photos have been published by reputed organisations like NASA, Wall Street Journal, and CNN among others.

Pure Green Augochlora Bee NIKON D810 200mm F/5 1/2500s ISO64

Pure Green Augochlora Bee NIKON D300 150mm F/5 1/25s ISO100

Friend of the Flower

Ross Hoddinott is one of the UK’s leading landscape and close-up photographers. He has worked as a full time professional since 1997, supplying photographs and undertaking commissions for a wide range of clients worldwide. He is a multiple award winner in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, British Wildlife Photography Awards – including overall winner in 2009 – International Garden Photographer of the Year.

Serpentine

Shedding Skin

Shore bird feather Fuji S5Pro 180mm F/32 1/8s ISO100

Trunk of Bristle Cone Pine Tree Fuji S5Pro 90mm F/36 1.6s ISO100

Black-eyed Susan Flower Fuji S5Pro 180mm F/32 1.0s ISO100

Creeping Spurge Plant Nikon D7000 18-270mm F/36 1/8s ISO400

Thin Ice Formation Fuji S5Pro 180mm F/27 0.7s ISO100

Large Sycamore Leaf Fuji S5Pro 180mm F/32 0.4s ISO100

Shadow of Small Sycamore Leaf Fuji S5Pro 180mm F/32 1/500s ISO1600

Mike Moats is an award-winning, professional macro photographer from Sterling Heights, Michigan. Mike’s love of photography, which started out as a hobby in 2001, has since evolved into a full-time business. In addition to creating his own images, Mike added Macro Boot Camps into the mix in 2006, and he now also makes speaking appearances at photo conferences nationwide, and has an online Macro Photo Club to assist photographers with their macro goals.

Recruited as a member of the Fuji Pro Talent Team in 2006, Mike is also honored to be a Tamron Image Master, and a Vanguard Pro. He has won numerous local, national, and international awards. Mike’s first book, Tiny Landscapes, was released in 2008, and his images and how-to articles have been published in various magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, Nature’s Best Photography, Shutterbug, PC Photo, Nature Photographer, Photo Life, Whisper in the Woods, and Michigan Fish and Game Finder; in photography collections such as the North American Nature Photography Association’s (NANPA’s) Expressions book and the Pure Michigan tourism companion; and in various corporate collateral, including on the Tamron USA blog and in Fujifilm newsletters.

Agave Plant Nikon D7000 18-270mm F/40 1/20s ISO3200

StrawberryPoisonFrog (Oophagapumilio) Nikon D7000 100mm F/10 1/200s ISO500

Drab Treefrog (Smiliscasordida) Nikon D7000 100mm F/13 1/200s ISO800

Eyelash Palm PitViper (Bothriechisschlegelii) Nikon D7000 100mm F/7.1 1/200s ISO800

yellow cricket (Chromacrispsittacus) Nikon D7000 120mm F/9 1/200s ISO100

Agustín Herrera is a nature photographer who captures the beauties of his country, Costa Rica. His profession is that of a business administrator and he works for the government and all his life he has been passionate about photography, but it wasn’t until four years ago that he obtained his first professional camera. Currently, his free time is dedicated to landscape, night, long exposure and macro photography.

Within macro photography, he developed a great fondness for herpetology mainly, and he has a great facility to photograph many species due to the great diversity of herpeto-fauna that Costa Rica has. Apart from his commitment, respect and love for nature, he makes sure that his photographs are captured avoiding to hurt animals and wherever possible, their handling. Some of its main techniques range from camera configurations such as the increase of ISO and the use of external flash with the mínimum intensity of illumination and diffuser to dim the light.

Red-eyedleaffrog (Agalychniscallidryas) Nikon D750 100mm F/14 1/160s ISO800

Red-eyedleaffrog (Agalychniscallidryas) Nikon D750 100mm F/11 1/200s ISO1000

Northern Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeiraseptentrionalis) Nikon D750 100mm F/9 1/200s ISO800

GhostGlassFrog (Sachatamiailex) Nikon D750 100mm F/9 1/200s ISO1000

Sonja Bohman, lives in Stockholm, Sweden with her husband, four sons and four dogs. She has been photographing since 2004, and from the very first moment she was fascinated by the tiny world that existed and could be caught by her camera with the Sigma Macro 150mm lens. A year ago, she wanted to face new challenges in macro photography. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for until she saw some amazing pictures of liquid art on the internet. So her droplet journey began. In the beginning, the results were quite simple and boring, but the more hours she spent in her basement with her camera and her droplets the better the pictures became. A few month ago she bought a dripping machine with three solenoid valves from Cognisys. It triggers the 4 flashes, the camera and the valves, which makes it a little bit easier to catch the droplets. The best thing with droplet photography is that there is no end of possibilities, and she intend to continue her journey until she catches the perfect drop image.

Joy Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Carousel Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Captured Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Simplicity Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Harmony Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Sweetness Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Darkness Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Consonance Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Reflection Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Eternity Canon Eos-1D X 150mm F/16 2/5s ISO250

Yuwaraj Gurjar works with Raymond Limited - a renowned textile manufacturing company, but his love for nature always drives him to go places into wild India – being hugely diversified habitats. He has travelled across the country & Sri Lanka for nature observations and photography. His photographs have won many national and international awards; have been exhibited across the world. Some photos were included in field guides, educational websites and magazines. He actively spreads the awareness & his knowledge about the nature, wildlife & photography. He has developed a free Mobile App on Butterflies of Mumbai as well.

Cicada emergence Nikon D7000 90mm F/10 1/60s ISO200

Scorpion mother with Babies on back Nikon D7100 90mm F/14 1/60s ISO200

Ceropegia fantastica Nikon D7100 90mm F/10 1/60s ISO200

Model of the Month Elisabetta La Rosa

Hailing from the city Rome, Elisabetta La Rosa is completing her master’s degree in art history and had started her adventure in the fashion world two years ago, parading for the Stella Mazzotta atelier where she was contacted by several photographers for filming.

Later, she won the “social” band in the Miss Diva Italia competition of the patron Cristina Roncalli. Numerous collaborations with Atelier and Fashion Brand, of which she remember with pleasure that with “Vices and Virtues”.

She recently returned to the 200 most beautiful girls in Italy in the “Miss Italy” competition.

Height: 175 cm Chest: 91 cm Waist: 67 cm Hips: 98 cm Shoe size: 40/41 Body size: IT 42 Hair Color: Brown Eye color : Brown Dress size: M/S Work Profile: - Winner of the band “Miss Diva Italia Social, 2016” - Model for Atelier “Stella Mazzotta” - top 200 beauty contest Miss Italia 2017 - Brand Ambassador of “Vizi & Virtù” - Hair showby Simelì Concept Ambassador of Skinnycoffeeclub and Cocoa Locks - Model for “Le spose di Valentina”

Photographer: Giulio Irving Mua. Francesca Cimirro

Fashionista Nikon D610 105mm F/3.5 1/160s ISO200

Steampunk Nikon D750 85mm F/2.8 1/100s ISO640

Photographer: Giulio Irving Make-up Artist: Ludovica Sechi

Photographer: Giulio Irving Make-up Artist: Ludovica Sechi

Carnal Nikon D610 85mm F/9 1/125s ISO100

Photographer: Giulio Irving Make-up Artist: Ludovica Sechi

Dauntless Nikon D7000 85mm F/5 1/125s ISO100

Makeup artist Irina Nikitina (IG @irinanikimua) was creative and artsy right since her childhood, having a deep passion for the arts, and as she grew older she decided to turn her talents into a profession.

Being a makeup artist is more than just a hobby for her, she has spent the last 13 years doing make up and has turned it into a satisfying and successful career.

Irina is experimental with her work, mastering both beauty and glamour in addition to working with a variety of mediums and styles. She specializes in beauty, fashion, print, editorial, commercial and bridal make up.

She never stops learning and evolving her skill set, always looking for new and exciting ways to bring a look to life.

Photographer: Anastasiya Sofronova Model Arina Rodionova

Photographer Ylva Erevall Model Juliana Vagner Hair: Aferdita Ferati Stylist: Dash Armstrong

Floral Canon EOS-1D X Mark II 100mm F/11 1/100s ISO100

Photographer Ylva Erevall Model Bianca Labruja Hair Aferdita Ferati

Queen Canon EOS 5D 75mm F/8 1/200s ISO100

Rhythmic Canon EOS-1D X Mark II 100mm F/13 1/125s ISO100

Photographer: Anastasiya Sofronova Model Tatyana Glotova

Outlandish NIKON D80 62mm F/4.5 1/180s ISO100

Photographer: Anastasiya Sofronova Model: Arianna

Photographer: Anastasiya Sofronova Model Tatyana Glotova

Bejeweled Canon EOS 5D 75mm F/13 1/200s ISO100

Dark Nikon D610 85mm F/9 1/125s ISO100

Photographer: Ylva Erevall Model:Jeanine Hair: Leo Crews Designer: Veritee Hill

Photographer: Giulio Irving Make-up Artist: Ludovica Sechi

Black and White Canon EOS-1D X Mark II 100mm F/11 1/160s ISO100

Sassy NIKON D80 70mm F/4.5 1/180s ISO180

Swapnoleena Sen Delhi, India

Dichotomy 50mm F/1.8 1/160s ISO800

A WORKSHOP BY JEET MUKERJI

I

t’s dark. It’s forbidden. It’s frowned upon.

But aren’t all the things worth doing are?

Delve into the magical world of fine art figure study and learn the craft from the master himself. Join fine art photography expert Jeet Mukerji for a two-day immersion into everything you need to know to conceptualize, style and shoot photographs that double as works of art as he shows rather than tells the finer aspects of the marvel that is fine art figure study.

MUSES, a one-of-its-kind photography workshop, is one big opportunity to explore your inner artist that often gets lost in the bland bedlam that we call our everyday lives.

The second phase of Muses is scheduled to take place in Mumbai. If you are a photographer and have a love for fine art photography or want to explore the genre, then missing out on Muses photography workshop would be akin to a cardinal sin.

setup. This concept aids in creating drama and enigma around the subject, hence creating an impression of implied nudity among the viewers. This is something that distinguishes vulgarity from fine art abstraction.

For the first day of the workshop, a small talk on lighting adjustments for fine art figure study shoot followed by a live demo shoot with the model were on the agenda. From explaining how to choose your model to the type of conversations that a photographer has with the model and how to set up lights, every topic was discussed. It was an unlearning of predefined notions and unearthing new lessons, much to the edification of the participants. The participants were later asked to work independently based on what

they learnt in the workshop. The photographs clicked by the participants were then processed the next day as they learnt the finer nuances of post-processing. The workshop was an overall enlightening experience and the results are now on display.

As Erol Ozan wisely said, “Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost.” Lost we got in the heady passion of the photographers, lost we got in the dark atelier, illuminated only by the strobe lights, only to find within ourselves an artist, capable of creating wonders with just a click.

By Priyashi Negi

The first phase of Muses, Muses En Delhi, has already transpired and has left all those in attendance in a trance. The workshop initially started with some apprehension from the side of the participants which soon dissipated as the workshop progressed, leaving the participants in awe and confidence that with the right control of light, the most decadent of shots can turn into sensual works of art.

In this genre of photography, understanding the concept of light holds a lot of bearing.

To this end, a few exercises were practised to make the participants perceive the source and the path of light as projection of light is something which needs to be felt and not

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Jayant Sidana Delhi, India

Jeet Mukerji-Behind the Scenes Canon EOS 80D 50mm F/1.8 1/400s ISO2500

Arun Gupta Delhi, India

Ashwamani Goswami Delhi, India

Dichotomy NIKON D500 50mm F/1.8 1/60s ISO2000

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Vanita Vig Delhi, India

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Kaushal Sakaria Delhi, India

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Dhanwant Seehra Delhi, India

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Dhanwant Seehra Delhi, India

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Siddhartha Choudhary Delhi, India

Unrivalled Canon EOS 5D Mark III 45mm F/9 1/160s ISO200

Siddhartha Choudhary Delhi, India

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Priyanka Sachar Delhi, India

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Cecelia Webber was born in New Hampshire and received a BFA from University of Southern California in 2008. She works primarily in digital photography and acrylic painting. Her aim is to explore how people understand themselves in relation to their perceived realities, creating art as a means of heightening emotional experience through manipulation of imagery and form. Webber works to make people aware of their link to nature and to inspire a sense of responsibility to make environmentally friendly choices. Additionally, she hopes to help people realize a positive self-image of their bodies and to have the ability to look at nudity and nakedness as comforting, vulnerable, and beautiful. Her work has been published in numerous international publications and exhibited worldwide.

What brought a neuroscience graduate into photography? And from where did the idea of this beautiful style of composition arise?

I have been doing artwork since I was a very young child, and I have always been curious about nature. My curiosity about nature led me to study science and philosophy, which ended for me in the study of neuroscience.

The photos themselves came from a happy accident: I took a photo of a woman’s back against a black background and it looked like a petal. Everything began with that one photo.

You regularly use yourself as the subject, setting the camera on timer and then orienting yourself for the desired picture. What inspires you to create such compositions?

To create such art that way I reach a state of flow. The artwork comes fully from me. It also gives me the greatest level of precision and

control.

Accurate composition of the picture sometimes take a complete month or two for the composition and approx. 700 layered variation, it is a time taking process but what is the best and the most difficult part of process following which you get the perfect image?

The most difficult part is when for some reason, the piece does not come together the way I envision it and I have to start again from a new series of photos. The best is when I find a treasure in my photos that leads to the creation of an entire new piece, for example I’m trying to shoot a pose for a petal and instead I find it looks like a perfect feather.

Your work is already published in numerous international publications and exhibited worldwide and of course, there is a long way

to go. What are your future plans?

I hope to work with models who are in their later years, to show the beauty of the human spirit both in young age and old age.

Any tips or message for those who are inspired by your photography?

Never worry whether people will think your art is good or not. So many brilliant people have told me that worrying about this is why they don’t get started making art. I only think about how happy it makes me when I am working on a new piece. The experience is expressive and beautiful, and that is why I pursue it. The feeling of flow.

Surbhi Sharma surbhi@chiiz.com

An adventurous girl who has a great love for street food. she is dedicated towards her work and a self-inspired lady.she has a dream to travel the world alone.

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