This profile shot of Sachin Tendulkar was taken about 18 years ago, when he had just begun making his mark in the world of cricket. It was shot for a popular common-interest magazine in the 80s. Photograph/Jagdish Mali

Jagdish Mali

The multi-talented Jagdish Mali is best known for bringing about a refreshing visual change in the Indian movie magazines especially in the 90s. Neha Mutreja spoke to the visionary about his experiences in the Indian world of glamour.

Born on 18 January 1954, Jagdish Mali spent a freespirited childhood, without a keen interest in school and studies. The one thing that he dedicated his whole heart and soul into was building a career as a professional photographer. As a result, he became one of the biggest Indian names in the glamour and commercial photography business, and he is also credited for introducing unique and fresh visuals to Indian movie magazines. His success story begins with chance visit to a Bollywood movie set…

First Taste of Success

One summer vacation, when Jagdish was only 16 years old, a friend took him to a location where a big-budget Bollywood movie was being filmed. There, he was introduced to the director, who offered him a job to keep track of the continuity of the scenes. Jagdish readily took it up, but struggled to keep up and eventually lost interest. But he thought about working on something else—photographing the sprawling movie set. His father owned a Mamiya camera that he would use for practice. One day, while he was strolling about the sets, he approached upcoming actress Jaya Bhaduri (now Bachchan), and asked if he could take a few photographs of her. “The next day I took my camera along and finished a roll of film shooting Jayaji,” Jagdish remembers. “It took me a week to develop the images, and the results amazed me!” All the images that Jagdish had shot were perfectly exposed. His father, a painter at The Times of India, was able to show them to B K Karanjia, the then editor of Filmfare, through a common friend. Karanjia was amazed at the photographs and readily published them in the magazine. “When I saw them in Filmfare, I knew that my journey towards becoming a professional photographer had just begun.”

“I admit I made some mistakes at the beginning, but then I realised that I wanted to be someone worth looking up to. So I learnt from those mistakes and moved on.”

Career Development

After his images were published in Filmfare, Jagdish decided to learn the technicalities so that he could capture better images. He joined the Indo- American Society in Mumbai, where he enrolled into a few photography courses. “I continued doing portfolios, magazines shoots and posters for about ten years. I also made some good friends in the film industry.” While Jagdish continued to develop his career, he had no clue that the media too was taking notice and appreciating his work. Cine Blitz, a popular Bollywood gossip magazine, liked his work so much that they offered him a job as the magazine’s Photo Editor. He gladly accepted the offer and worked there for 13 years.

Rekha has been one of the most photogenic and proactive actresses that Jagdish has worked with. Photograph/Jagdish Mali

A Spontaneous Style

Throughout his career and even today, Jagdish has maintained a distinct style of portraying celebrities—not only in his own photography, but also as a photo editor. He prefers to photograph them in a way that their qualities as a human being shine through. “I like taking their photographs when they are at work or getting their makeup done,” he explains. “This not only makes the images more realistic, but also encourages the curiosity of the people who always wonder what happens behind the scenes of their favourite movies or TV shows.” The fact that he also shares a good rapport with celebrities is how he managed to capture such unusual yet intimate portraits of them.

“It is my dream to make films that leave an impact on the viewer in just five minutes.”

Changing Interests

After extensively shooting portfolios, posters and magazine spreads, Jagdish thought it was time to tread on a new avenue—commercial photography. He shot ad campaigns for big Indian brands in the late 80s and early 90s like Colgate, Parag Sarees and Roopam. But he admits, in all honesty, that this is the one field he never did enjoy. “When you are shooting for an ad campaign, you are instructed and fed what to do by the ad agency. Photographers are not allowed to give their creative inputs and this always irritated me. I have always wished to work in an environment where I could explore possibilities and also give creative inputs.” Throughout his career, he has extensively explored both photography and filmmaking, and even directed music videos. “I could finally apply all the knowledge that I had gathered when I first visited that Bollywood movie set in the early 70s, to something that I really enjoyed doing, which is making videos.”

All this time I was wondering what Jagdish personally enjoys shooting the most—his personal assignments, ads or music videos? The answer surprised me: “I always enjoy shooting portfolios. I used to run a studio where I shot mostly portfolios. The reason why I like it is because I always have the freedom to do what I want to do.”

Working with Two Different Generations

Jagdish has photographed some of the biggest celebrities that ruled Bollywood between the 70s and 90s, and also the reigning superstars of today. He makes an interesting observation about the two diverse generations. “I have worked with iconic actors like Amitabh, Rekha, Jayaprada, Jitendra and Madhuri Dixit. These stars not only respected each other, but they also had respect for the photographers they worked with. They always took interest in what I was trying to create. They were focused and if they promised to give me three hours for the shoot, they never entertained anyone else. Most of the actors from the newer generation are talented. But they are impatient and they do too many things at one time, even during the shoot! This often makes it difficult to concentrate and produce quality work.”

“I like being spontaneous. Unlike other photographers, I study my subjects carefully and try to create a story in my images.”

From Analogue to Digital

Although he has embraced the changing times, one thing he found difficult to accept at first was the switch from analogue to digital photography. In his opinion, anyone and everyone can do photography today, but no one has the patience to learn the technicalities anymore. “Now, it is all about clicking pictures without putting in the effort to create scribbles or planning the lighting set-ups. There is no soul in digital photography. There is no life or story,” he elaborates. This does not mean that Jagdish has lost interest in photography or motion pictures. He has produced some of his finest works with the digital camera. He continues to take up photography assignments and also plans to make five-minute short films in the near future. Apart from giving him the name and fame, the Indian world of glamour also taught Jagdish a few important lessons. “The money tends to spoil you and distract your mind. I admit I made some mistakes at the beginning, but then I realised that I wanted to be someone worth looking up to. So I learnt from those mistakes and moved on.” He signs off with a word of advice for those who wish to pursue a similar line: “Be focused and confident about what you want to be. That is the path to success.”

Jagdish likes creating a story in his portraits; which is why he pays close attention to details. It was the rustic look of the background that caught his attention. It suited Sanjay Dutt’s personality as well. Photograph/Jagdish Mali

Tenzing’s photo series called Vez & Me took seven years to complete. It aptly documents the personal and professional journey of an artist in the making. Photograph/Tenzing Dakpa

“The subjects I have chosen to work with have always have been personal in nature.”—Tenzing Dakpa

Tenzing Dakpa believes that intentions matter. He shares his images and the thoughts behind them, with Priyanka Chharia.

Looking at photographs is like watching a movie. For the past few days, I have watched, and rewatched a movie called Vez & Me. Unlike moving images, photographs cannot bring to life gyrating item girls or grown up men playing with guns, like toys. But every once in a while, they do justice to the myriad moments in your day and salvage them for time immemorial.

I Am Mine

Tenzing Dakpa is a young photographer, or as many might like to say ‘radical’. His out- of-the-box imagemaking practice stems from a deeply private space. “My projects are not intended to affect communities or convey social messages. The subjects I have chosen to work with have always have been personal in nature. In fact, when I look back at my images, I feel a sense of belonging as they talk about me and the spaces I come from,” he says.

“When I look back at my images, I feel a sense of belonging.”

Upside Down, Inside Out

In Vez & Me, Tenzing distorts the dichotomy between the subject and object. He is the photographer and that which is being photographed, simultaneously. As he inverts the gaze and looks inwards, the ease with which Tenzing makes his own rules is venerable. His images are free floating and spontaneous. “In terms of style, I was not very aware of the language you could have with photography. It was only when I moved on to a more formal way of making images that I realised the dialect that I had created visually.”

“I kept shooting…and suddenly from there, came out a diary.”

Tenzing believes that a camera can only be a means to an end. And after a point of time, it only becomes nonexistent. Photograph/Tenzing Dapka

Visually Yours

“Vez & Me was never a thought-out project. I kept on shooting for seven years, until it suddenly formed this huge archive of images, and from there came out a diary.” As I browsed through Vez & Me once more, I felt as if I have known Vez and Tenzing all along. In fact, I never realised the precise moment when I became more than just a spectator, despite the fact that these photographs let loose a reality, so unlike my own. They moved me, made me think and more importantly, made me feel. They became…visually, mine.

Vez was always very shy in front of the camera, thus photographing her was Tenzing’s way of teasing her initially. Photograph/Tenzing Dakpa

Tips by Tenzing

• Make pictures only when you are thoroughly convinced that you must.
• Before you begin to shoot, spend more time thinking about your photographs. Think about how you would want them to look, about the colour and the overall feeling.

About Tenzing

He is a fine art graduate from the Delhi College of Art. He loves watching movies. Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas and Alejandro Gonzalez Innarritu are some of his favourite filmmakers. Tenzing likes the works of photographers Nobuyoshi Araki and Kapil Das, amongst others.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3

The Panasonic GH3 sets the standard for what a hybrid camera that shoots both stills and videos should be. Shridhar Kunte sees if it is worth its price.

Panasonic’s flagship mirrorless cameras have always been great hybrids. Both the GH1 and GH2 were universally accepted as competent still cameras with excellent video functionality. The GH3 is now here, and with this new camera, the company has taken giant strides to give a pro-like feel to their flagship.

That was the first thing I noticed when I removed the camera from its box. With a larger-than-usual body, this is a camera that can match even a high-end DSLR in terms of its build.

Features
Before we elaborate more on its pro aspirations, let’s quickly see what kind of new features this update sees. If you were hoping for an upgrade in terms of megapixels, you will be disappointed. Just like the GH2, the LUMIX GH3 also has a 16MP sensor. However, the company says that though the resolution is the same, the sensor has been modified to provide a wider dynamic range and a 1EV gain at the high end of the ISO sensitivity scale.

The default aspect ratio is 4:3, and the camera crops pixels to get 3:2 and 16:9. While this is similar to the working of most other cameras, the GH2 had something called a multi-aspect sensor, one that gives full 16MP images in all aspect ratios. The GH3, unfortunately, loses this.

But from here on, it is mostly positive. The camera boasts of a new Venus Engine VII FHD, which not only speeds up startup and shot-to-shot time, but also enables extremely high bit rates while shooting video.

The camera has an impressive burst speed of 20fps in the Super High speed mode, making it the fastest Micro Four Thirds camera in the market for JPEG shooting. That’s right, this high frame rate is not available while shooting RAW, which only allows 6fps.

The camera gains dedicated modes for HDR, Interval Shooting and Multiple Exposures. The camera is equipped with WiFi, and has a dedicated app on iOS and Android. TheGUI of this app is very simple to use and concise.

With the help of this, you can not only transfer your images wirelessly, but also control the camera remotely. You can make the smartphone into an off-camera viewfinder. What was great to see was that you can even control the lens if the camera is fitted with a power zoom.

Professionals will be happy to see that the GH3 has a PC Sync socket. It also has several other jacks, including a 3.5mm mic input, a headphone jack and compatibility with an optional battery grip.

It is the video features in which the camera takes a big leap. Its predecessor, the GH2, had a hack that was not official, but became really popular, as it allowed the camera to record video at much higher bit rates than the competition. The GH3 has an option of recording video at 72Mbps straight out of the box.

This is a big deal, considering that several broadcast corporations worldwide, including the BBC, consider a camera good enough for broadcast use only if the data rate is higher than 50MBps. The GH3 becomes the only camera of its kind to record such high bit-rate video, and that is bound to make it a favourite of professional cinematographers.

Like the GH2, the camera has an Extra Tele Converter mode, which shoots video at a 2.6x crop, but without downsampling any pixels. This basically implies far superior quality. Uncompressed video through HDMI, slow motion capabilities and professional camcorder features such as Time Code round up the GH3’s exhaustive video expertise.

The GH3 has one of the best micro Four thirds sensors to date, capturing excellent quality even in low light. Exposure: 1/20sec at f/2.8 (ISO 3200). Photograph/Shridhar Kunte

Handling
We tested this camera with the Panasonic’s new high-end 12–35mm f/2.8 lens. TheGH3 is undoubtedly the heaviest camera in the mirrorless camera segment. In fact, the body design is very close to the entry-level APS-C size DSLR. The overall body weight is 470g which is close to Nikon D5200.

The use of magnesium alloy frame and weather sealing gives a clear signal that this is a pro tool. In a day and age where every mirrorless manufacturer is trying to make their camera smaller, I think Panasonic has done a good thing by not conforming. The GH3 is much easier to handle for those with average to large-sized hands. For those who are looking for smaller cameras, there are several options like the GF5, G5 and the OM-D.

The screen is not flushed with the body, which results in your thumb touching the corner of the screen each time you press the video-record button, but this is not a major problem.

The touchscreen implementation is quite good. If you tap the screen in the Playback mode, the camera jumps to a 100% view. The viewfinder and tilt-swivel screen have been upgraded to OLED. The Electronic Viewfinder is better than other MFT cameras, but not as good as Sony’s EVFs.

Performance
The focusing on GH3 is real quick and accurate. This holds good even when the light levels falls. For JPEG shooters, the images straight out of the camera show good colour balance and excellent contrast. Sharpness levels are low, but that is not too bad a thing. It simply means that one can sharpen in post, without artefacts appearing.

The quality of RAW photographs is even better. Dynamic range at base ISO is excellent. Images captured under tungsten lighting showed a warm cast.

The GH3 improves on older Panasonic sensors and delivers fantastic dynamic range, better than other Micro Four Thirds cameras. Photograph/Shridhar Kunte

I was very impressed with the video quality of GH3. The high bit rates and the ETC mode, ensure that the quality of the footage is really good, even while shooting in really low light. The AF works very well during video, and the footage is tack sharp, with brilliant colours.

In fact, we would say that the GH3 has better video capabilities than any hybrid camera in the market… the only reason why a full frame DSLR may be more enticing for some, is if they want far shallower depth-of-field (though the GH3 with an f/1.8 lens does provide a lot of bokeh).

Conclusion
For still photographers, the GH3 is very good—it is fast, handles better than any Micro Four Thirds camera, and produces excellent images. But it is too expensive. The body costs Rs. 99,990… if video is not your prime concern, you will get far better cameras at much lower price tags. Cinematographers ought to seriously consider this though. There are very few options available in the market that will even come close to the video performance of the GH3. With the extensive amount of control and the fantastic data rates, it is a filmmaker’s delight.

Colours are pleasing and reasonably accurate. The amount of detail captured by the GH3 sensor with the 12–35mm lens is excellent. Photograph/Shridhar Kunte

Final Ratings
Features
20fps, 75Mbps video shooting, PC Sync socket, no in-body IS, 1/160sec Sync speed
13/15

Performance
Fast AF, good noise control at ISO 3200
41/45

Build Quality
All-weather design, magnesium alloy body
14/15

Ergonomics
As many as 5 customisable buttons
16/20

Warranty & Support
Three year warranty with limited service network
3/5

OVERALL: 87%
Value For Money: 3/5 stars

Who Should Buy It?
Filmmakers who do not want to compromise anything in terms of video functionality.

Why?
While being a competent camera for stills, the GH3 is the best video interchangeable-lens camera, in terms of features, data rates and on-field performance.

Canon EOS-1D X

Featuring the most sophisticated AF/AE system yet, the Canon EOS-1D X is a whole lot more than a speed demon, as K Madhavan Pillai discovers.

Merging two parallel lines of previous flagship DSLRs— the high-speed APS-H sized EOS-1D Mark IV and the high resolution full frame EOS-IDs Mark III—into a single DSLR was a bold move. The loss of the 1.3x crop (which may seem minimal, but is considerable for wildlife photographers) is now offset with a 18MP full frame sensor that can blaze away at 12fps. In terms of features and control layout alone, the 1D X is an improvement over the previous flagships, giving Canon users an immediate reason to upgrade.

Features
One of the recurring questions that users in India have is… why just 18MP? After all, compact cameras now sport a minimum of 14MP. For full frame sensors today, 18MP marks the perfect sweet spot in terms of superb sensor quality (dynamic range and extreme high ISO performance) and high enough resolution for most users.

Everything in the 1D X is about speed. Under the hood, the 1DX is a shooting, AF and image processing monster. It uses three high speed processors—two Digic 5+ processors (17 times faster than Digic 4) for image processing and AF, and a third Digic 4 processor only for metering.

To enable a maximum continuous shooting speed of 12fps, the mirror mechanism has been redesigned and the shutter blades are made up of carbon fibre (tested for 400,000 shutter cycles). The camera can shoot up to 290 JPEG and 34 RAW images continuously before it begins to slow down for data to be written to the media card.

The new AF system has 61-point AF with up to 41 cross-type AF points (like the 5D Mark III), and boasts a greatly improved tracking and low light focusing capability. The central five of points have diagonal ‘Dual’ AF elements for improved precision. One can now also customise the way the camera uses these points to focus, from using individual points, to clusters of points around a single point, to Zone AF or full Auto. With the latest firmware update, cross-type AF supports apertures up to f/8.

AF is now given its own independent space in the menu system of the 1D X, unlike earlier flagships. There are six AF presets, called ‘Cases’. Cases range from ‘versatile multi purpose’ to ‘erratic subjects moving quickly’. Each Case defines the camera’s three main AF responses…tracking sensitivity, acceleration or deceleration, and how rapidly the autofocus point will switch from one to another. These responses can be fine-tuned using sliders in the Menu.

The difference between the 1D X and the 5D Mark III is in the way metering system links with AF. The 1D X has 100,000-pixel RGB metering that can be used with Automatic AF point selection when tracking subjects around the AF area. Called the ‘Intelligent Tracking and Recognition’ system (EOS iTR), the camera can now detect faces and colour when tracking subjects. Personally, I have yet to come across a camera with more detailed AF /AE functionality.

Canon was, and continues to be a pioneer in movie capture in DSLR cameras. There are plenty of video features in the 1DX, like 1080p at 30, 25 or 24fps , stereo microphone input, ALL-I compression at 24fps. Although AF isn’t available while shooting (making the 1D X a choice only for expert users), it is possible to adjust aperture and other settings live.

There are some serious omissions though. There is no headphone output, or HDMI out for uncompressed recording or preview to an external device. All of these could have easily been included and are available in the Nikon D800 and D4, and the Sony Alpha 99. In fact, Canon has just announced a firmware upgrade that allows the 5D Mark III to output uncompressed video. To me, the sole purpose of restricting the 1D X seems to be to differentiate it from the more expensive, cinema oriented 1D C.

Colours at higher iSO settings reproduced extremely well, without having to manipulate images after they were shot. Exposure: 1/80sec at f/16 (ISO 12,800). Photograph/K Madhavan Pillai

Handling
Solidly built to withstand tough shooting environments, the EOS-1D X is both larger and heavier than its predecessors. Yet,it has not compromised on handling comfort. After a couple of days of use, I found myself enjoying the weight and heft of the camera, even over long durations of time.

There are several new additions to the control layout, including mini ‘joystick’ controllers to move through options, a direct live view button, and a ‘Q’ button to jump to the ‘Quick’ function menu. Canon has improved the vertical grip considerably, with a three button layout and joystick similar to the main grip.

Customisation options abound in the EOS-1D X. Both the control layout and the way the AF and metering behaves in different shooting conditions can be set according to user preferences. For most action, sports and wildlife photographers, these customisations will revolve around the quick changing of focus points, modes and Cases, and all of these are easy to set. For example, I could registered a custom AF function, like Zone AF, to the DOF button so that I could easily switch between Single Point AF and Zone AF whenever the situation demanded.

That said, there are two ways to get to grips with all the various options the 1D X has to offer. Either simply set the camera options based on the descriptions of the shooting scenarios and let the camera handle things from there. Or,one could get into the various sliders and sensitivity settings, and experiment more to understand exactly what changes… which is what I did. It took me a good two weeks of extensive trials to discover the best settings under various situations before I customised sensitivity, settings and controls to exactly the way I wanted it.

This is not to say that the camera does not perform extremely well in all of its default user settings. Yet, the 1DX is a perfectionists camera. The best handling experience and results at the highest shooting speeds depend on these customisations.

I found myself being a little disappointed with the life of the battery, especially considering the shooting speeds possible. It drains out after about 1400 shots. Serious wildlife or sports photographers often spend the entire day in the field and rake in the frames. Buying a second battery is recommended.

Performance
The camera is extremely quick to start up and get shooting. In terms of performance, just as in its features and handling, the camera shows plenty of improvement over its predecessors. The most significant, immediately noticeable changes are in terms of AF accuracy, image quality and overall speed.

There are so many different ways to customise AF and AE that it is well nigh impossible to go wrong. Even at 12fps, the camera maintains AF almost perfectly, with hardly one out of twelve frames going awry. However, the best results at the fastest speeds also depends on the user being able to anticipate and set the camera for the shooting condition.

In good light, images were wonderfully clean. Both dynamic range and critical detailing were excellent, with the RAW files showing substantial recoverable details in the shadows and highlights.

Low light performance is where the EOS-1D X outshines every other camera in the Canon line-up. I was using ISO speeds up to 16,000 regularly! Even without noise reduction, the images were brilliant and perfectly usable straight out of the camera at its highest resolutions. Extreme low light AF was slower than normal, but locked quite satisfactorily.

Controlling image parameters at high iSO, without worrying about losing detail or bad noise, is nothing short of liberating. Exposure: 1/80sec at f/22 (ISO 16,000). Photograph/K Madhavan Pillai

Conclusion
The Canon EOS-1D X is clearly meant for the high-end pro action, sports and wildlife photographer who can use the advanced feature set, excellent image quality, low light performance and speed.

While the camera excels in every area of our review, it must be said that a large part of the performance delivered by the camera heavily depends on the expertise of the user too. This is true for every flagship DSLR by Canon or Nikon, but it holds especially true for the EOS-1D X.

Remember the quality of transparency film being projected? The camera can be tweaked for nice, punchy colours. The tinest details were captured brilliantly. Photograph/K Madhavan Pillai

Which would be the better camera between the Canon EOS-1D X and the Nikon D4? The answer to that is subjective indeed because the differences between them, though diverse, are extremely close (except in video recording features). A buying decision at this level would, in all likelihood, be based simply on which lens system a user already owns or whether a user is already familiar with Nikon or Canon.

For Canon users, the 1D X is a significant leap, in technology and image quality, over its predecessors, the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and the EOS-1D Mark IV. Despite a steep price tag of Rs. 4,29,995, it will prove to be an attractive, worthy proposition for many professionals.

I particularly enjoyed using cluster points with the Single Point AF. Extremly accurate and superbly quick, I very rarely missed critical focus at shallow depth of fields. Photograph/K Madhavan Pillai

Final Ratings
Features
Dual card slots, highly advanced linked AF/AE system, lacks some critical video features
13/15

Performance
Average battery life, superlative image quality even at high ISO, extremely quick AF
42/45

Build Quality
Weather sealed magnesium alloy build meant to withstand tough shooting situations
15/15

Ergonomics
Large and heavy for most users but feels great, needs to be customised for results
17/20

Warranty & Support
 Two-year warranty, widespread service network in India
4/5

OVERALL: 92%
Value For Money: 4/5 stars

Who Should Buy It?
High-end professional photographers who are into action, sports or wildlife.

Why?
Extremely high image quality and AF at 12fps! While it needs a lot of user customisation for optimal results, It delivers excellent overall quality.

Lensbaby Spark

The springy bellows and a fixed f/5.6 aperture of the Lensbaby Spark promises to be liberating and a whole lot of fun. K Madhavan Pillai puts it to the test.

Introduced in September 2012, the Spark is the latest, and the most inexpensive, in the line-up of selective focus lenses by Lensbaby. Walking down a busy street with the Lensbaby Spark attached to a Nikon D600 certainly attracts attention. Curious bicyclists and college kids stop and stare as I squeeze the bellows of the Spark, trying to position the circular ‘sweet spot’ of focus over my subject.

It takes about 10 frames and just as many minutes to ensure that I have got the perfect focus and composition. Yet, the effect I get on my image with the Spark is nothing short of pleasing.

Features
This 50mm lens lets a circular part of the frame be in focus, while the rest progressively blurs out. This circular sweet spot can be moved around the frame, and towards infinity or for a closeup, by simply pushing or squeezing the bellows around.

Unlike the Spark, previous versions of the Lensbaby (the considerably more expensive Composer and the Composer Pro) uses a swivel ball to position the sweet spot and a focus ring to get the subject sharp. Once you position and focus the lens, the Composer retains it for the next shot. On the other hand, the bellow of the Spark springs back into its original position once you release it. This makes it quite tough to get a second shot that is identical to the first.

Another big difference between the Spark and the Composer is that the aperture of the Spark is fixed at f/5.6. With the Composer, aperture can be changed from f/2 to f/22 using ‘interchangeable, magnetic aperture disks’ that need to be inserted.

That said, I find the rationale for fixing the aperture to f/5.6 quite sound. It lets enough light into the camera for comfortably viewing either through the optical viewfinder or on the LCD panel. It is narrow enough for the right amount of depth-of field, so that the user can focus quickly. An aperture of f/5.6 is also large enough for relatively high shutterspeeds in good daylight, to freeze motion.

The Spark uses the Lensbaby Optic Swap system. By default, the lens comes with the multi-coated double-glass optical module. However, you can purchase other optical modules (fish-eye, soft focus, single glass, plastic, or pinhole/zone plate) and use them instead for different effects. To swap the optics, you need a special tool, which comes bundled with the optic swap modules.

The filter diameter is 37mm, which is common enough to find creative filters for. Lensbaby also sells a rather interesting ‘accessories kit’ which includes macro filters, wide angle and telephoto converters and creatively shaped apertures.

The image circle thrown by the lens is meant for a full frame 35mm camera. While the lens can also be used with DSLRs with APS-C sized sensors, I find their viewfinders a little too small for setting the focus accurately.

Handling
The Spark is extremely light, but is made of robust plastic, including the lens mount. The front of the lens that holds the optics and filters is metal. The rubber bellow is tough and should see through plenty of wear. I liked the wide plastic flange at the front of the lens. It allows one to use the bellows quite effectively.

It takes a while to get used to handling the Spark, especially if it is the first time you are using a Lensbaby. The camera needs to be used in the Manual mode because there is no information being exchanged between the camera and the lens.

A two-handed, more accurate operation of the bellows also takes time to learn, especially with full frame DSLRs that have larger right-hand grips. However, once you get used to it, handling becomes instinctive and producing good images becomes easier.

My only serious gripe with the Spark is that the front element of the optical module is so recessed, that it is difficult to clean.

Performance
On the other hand, the advantage of the optical module being so recessed is that flare is cut off quite effectively, improving colour contrast and sharpness. I was quite surprised to see a high level of sharpness produced by the rather simplistic double-glass optics. The progressive blurring outside of the sweet spot is well controlled, smooth and looks just right.

Conclusion
Being spontaneous with the Spark takes a bit of practice. But once you get there, it is a lot of fun indeed. What I like most about the Spark is that it is an expandable system, albeit one without the advantage of smaller or larger apertures. This is certainly not a serious shooter’s lens. For those who want more control, the Lensbaby Composer is the next best option.

Yet, the Spark has an excellent price of Rs.6990. If you like optical blurs and can enjoy the quirkiness of a lens on a bellow, the Lensbaby Spark is a good choice.

The sharp sweet spot is rather nicely complemented with smooth, progressive blurs towards the edges. Exposure: 1/25sec at f/5.6 (ISO 1600). Photograph/K Madhavan Pillai

Final Ratings
Features
Selective focus, Optic Swap system, bellows
17/20

Performance
Fixed f/5.6, sharp sweet spot, smooth blurs
30/35

Build Quality
Tough despite plastic lens mount and bellows
21/25

Ergonomics
Plastic flange for accurate two-handed use, difficult to clean
11/15

Warranty & Support
Limited number of service facilities
2/5

OVERALL: 81%
Value For Money: 2.5/5

Who should buy it?
Students will find that there is a lot to learn from the Spark. It is also good for anyone who wishes to experiment with selective focus and optical blurs.

Why?
It needs practice and patience, but it is an extremely creative lens. It is also a lot of fun to use.

With light painting, you can create imaginary characters around various simple objects to convey a funny story. Exoposure: 53.6sec at f/5.6 (ISO 200). Photograph/Puneet Dembla

Even if drawing is not your forte, Chandni Gajria tells you to bring out the artist in you. Pickup a torch and start painting out your imagination.

You might have seen pictures with light streaks around a person or an object. This is not magic but in fact, is a technique called light painting. However, before you go ahead, make sure you have all these things in place—a camera with manual controls, a tripod, a torch or colourful glow lights and a completely darkened room or an outdoor location with less or no ambient light.

The light painting can itself be a subject. You need not always paint around a subject. Exposure: 4.2sec at f/14 (ISO 200). Photograph/Puneet Dembla

The Technique
While the lights are switched on, mount your camera on a tripod and focus on the subject using AF. Then, switch to manual focus so that the camera does not readjust the focus in the dark while making the picture. If it is too dark outdoors, shine a torch onto the subject. You can even ask them to hold their cell phone near their eye, so that the camera can detect focus easily. You can start making pictures between 2sec to 30sec of exposure. Once you press the shutter, use colurful lights to paint around a subject. Adjust the shutterspeed if you need more time to light paint. Writing out a simple word may take you 5–10 seconds. Although, a complicated design or painting an entire tree and branches may take you over 10–20 seconds.

Quick Tip
Ask a friend to assist you with the light painting technique. They can either light paint for you or stand and guard the camera outdoors.

While the rocks gently break the flow of water, the green moss and foliage add a lot of colour to the frame. Exposure: 15sec at f/16 (ISO 100). Photograph/Rahul Sud

Chandni Gajria tells you to go on a little adventure and photograph free flowing blurs of waterfalls using long exposures.

Capturing smooth-looking waterfalls is not all that hard. You need to work with long exposures which means heading out with a tripod. It is also better to shoot on a cloudy day or on a overcast rainy day rather than on a sunny day.

The Technique
Opt for a shutterspeed between 2sec to 1/10sec. Remember that to keep excess light from entering the camera, you will have to use a Neutral Density filter. Also,you will probably need a day just to finalise a suitable spot.

Quick Tip
Carry extra battery packs and memory cards. Most blur techniques drain a lot of battery. You will be lucky to get a shot in the first attempt.

Rest to Rust The composition in Victor’s images is classical, but he always finds a unique perspective in every situation. Photograph/Victor George

Victor George

Great photography will always be immortal. Raj Lalwani explores this thought through the story and vision of the multi-faceted Victor George.

Nature continued to play her theatre while the ace photographer stood, awestruck. He had come to Venniyani hills, to cover a landslide that had claimed three lives. This was 9 July 2002. The rains had wreaked havoc in Idduki district, Kerala and refused to stop. Victor George, who stood there with his trusty Nikon FM2 and F5, shared a curious relationship with rain. The drops that fell from the clouds to kiss the earth fascinated him. Over the past few years, he had captured its various faces—from the the time it would gently hit the earth, and the times it would unleash its fury and cause floods. All this was a contrast to how this acclaimed photojournalist started out. Victor George was a visual storyteller who wore multiple roles in his career—news photographer, portraitist and environmentalist. And in all these, he maintained his signature style.

Statue of Liberty Some of Victor’s strongest street and news images were in black and white. They were stark, simple and always told a story. Photograph/Victor George

The Beginning

Victor George was introduced to photography by his brother. He would tinker with the camera and what started as a casual hobby slowly grew into a dedicated interest. His penchant for narrating a story through his images naturally attracted him towards photojournalism. He later joined Malayalama Manorama in 1981. Victor’s images show his deep understanding of composition, yet each of them was unique. He would focus on the little nuances that we often look at, but do not bother to notice or remember. This was a quality that gave Victor a lot of acclaim. In fact, he famously covered Anita Sood’s victory at the 1986 National Games without taking any photographs of her. His camera was instead focused on her mother, Kavita Sood, who was cheering animatedly from the stands. Not only did this image win awards from the Press Photographers Association and the Sports Authority of India, but it also brought public attention to spectator activity at sporting events for the first time in India.

“ H is images showed the nuances that everyone looked at, but did not bother to notice.” -Thomas Jacob

Not Just a Photojournalist

While Victor’s carefully thought-out images may suggest that he was an introvert, it was actually quite the opposite. He made friends easily, whether it was with his colleagues or random strangers. It is, thus, not surprising that he was a remarkable portraitist. He would immediately strike a chord with his subject, and his portraits of artists and writers for a local literary magazine received a lot of admiration. In fact, Thomas Jacob, Editorial Director of Malayalama Manorama, once wrote that if Victor had lived longer, he would have been as famous for his portraiture as Yousuf Karsh. Victor remained the top photographer for Malayalama Manorama through the late 90s, but slowly grew less inclined towards covering daily events. The first signs of this came when he returned from Delhi after covering the Sikh agitation and later, the anti-Sikh riots. The sheer violence led Victor to seek refuge in nature—and he simply added another feather to his cap.

“ Despite his newsroom beginnings, Victor George was proficient in almost every genre of photography.” -Thomas Jacob

Exploring the Romance of Rains

At heart, Victor was a conscientious individual who deeply thought about various issues. He started exploring the impact of man on the environment, and his images almost always suggested the importance of conservation. He was fascinated by the various elements of nature, especially rain. Victor was deeply influenced by Alexander Frater’s book Chasing the Monsoon, in which Frater has lyrically described the Indian monsoon. Frater’s words inspired Victor to create his own ode to the monsoon—visually. There is probably no Indian photographer who has captured the spirit of the monsoons quite like the way Victor George has. The drama, the beauty and the stories that the rains symbolise, were among the various aspects Victor explored to fulfil his dream—that of publishing a book of photographs on Kerala’s monsoons.

Raining like a Mother His images are culturally significant and bring out the character of the place. Photograph/Victor George

The End

The dream realised itself in the form of the book It’s Raining, but not in the way Victor would have wanted. While continuing to shoot images for his book, he decided to cover a landslide in Idduki district. On the afternoon of 9 July 2002, he went up the Venniyani hills, to photograph the angry side of his beloved subject. In a cruel moment of irony, there was a second landslide. But Victor continued to be engrossed with his subject. Two days later, rescuers found fingers emerging from the mud, holding on to a ravaged camera.

“ Whenever I remember Victor, he is always with his camera.” -Thomas Jacob

In death, Victor became a fairytale of the irony of nature. His two innate loves—his camera and the monsoon—remained united with him even at the last moment. In his eulogy on Victor, Thomas Jacob wrote that even death could not break the bond between him and his camera. Victor’s story has stamped itself into the hearts of his admirers, and his memories keep coming back—much like the Indian monsoon.

Zoom bursts are ideal for drawing the viewer’s attention to the centre of the image. Exposure: 0.77sec at f/4.8 ISO (160). Photograph/A Bryne

Whether it is day or night, Chandni Gajria shows you how to use zoom bursts to either bring the subject closer or to push it further away.

Getting a decent zoom burst photograph is just as difficult as the technique is easy. Bright neon signs, and fully lit buildings at night look great when shot using the zoom burst technique. But even a portrait shot in daylight can look absolutely great.

The Technique
Within the 1/10sec to 1/20sec range, you can opt for any shutterspeed for this technique. You will need to use a zoom lens with your camera and will have to change the focal length just after you release the shutter, and while it is still open. You can either zoom in or zoom out. The amount of blur streaks will depend on how fast you can rotate the zoom ring of the lens.

Keeping the Subject Sharp
Whether you zoom in or out, try to keep the central portion of your picture relatively sharp. While having everything blurred is fine, it is still better if the subject in the picture is at least recognisable.

Quick Tip
Try the stepped zoom burst technique. While using a 10sec exposure, wait for 3sec, zoom in and then wait awhile more. Continue this until the shutter closes.

At a camp of homeless Somalian families who lost everything during war, a girl goes to get her food from the WFP (World Food Program). Photograph/Mahdieh Mirhabibi

“I had plenty of questions about why war happens, and so I picked up the camera”–Mahdieh Mirhabibi,

Ambarin Afsar comes away a lot wiser after listening to the simple words of Mahdieh Mirhabibi, who documents conflict with an unbelievable gentleness.

Sitting across the table at the Press Club in Mumbai, one pleasant winter evening, I watched a video of a bomb blast captured by Mahdieh Mirhabibi, a young Iranian photographer. You could almost feel the smoke stinging your eyes. You could almost smell charred meat. The city where this horror took place was Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. “Mahdieh had crossed the site of the blast, just five minutes ago,” informed M Reza Karfar, the curator of Mahdieh’s series, Along with Wind in Mogadishu, and our interpreter for the evening. The blast claimed 160 lives. More than a hundred of the victims had been students who had been applying for scholarships to pursue further studies. “There was a mother who had lost her young son as well as her husband. In fact, she couldn’t even recognise her son. It was only when she found his scholarship documents lying next to him that she realised that the charred body she was looking at, was her son.” Horrifically enough, blasts like these have become the norm in Mogadishu.

Stark Dreams

As she speaks in soft, lilting Persian and Reza translates. I look at the petite, pretty woman with soft hair and green eyes flashing darkly whenever she remembers anything painful… I wonder how much she has endured.

Often, Mahdieh dreams of a victim she documented, a boy whose head was blown off. In her dream, he pleads with her not to show his photo to his mother. Another recurring dream she has, is not something she has shot. “In my dream, my mother is alive again. We are in a desert and we are moving. However, my mother isn’t moving with us, she has been left behind. And I am crying and crying. This image stays with me and helps me make photographs.”

“I have to shoot because photography is my language. It helps me tell the world about the problems of these people.”

Living with Horror

Whenever I look at someone’s documentation of a war, a conflict or a troubled people, I wonder how the photographer reconciles himself with those realities and manages to walk away from them with his sanity intact. “I have not walked away. I am still there. I am still living those horrific scenes, I am still at the site of the blast, where the body of a child is burning, where he is writhing in pain, causing his tongue to protrude from his mouth again and again… I couldn’t help him, I couldn’t help them… They were all dead. I felt like leaving the camera, photography be damned. Then I realised that I had to shoot because that is my language. That is how I will be able to tell the world about them.”

Mogadishu was once colonised by Italy. Here, one can see a homeless family who have taken refuge in the remains of an Italian church. Photograph/Mahdieh Mirhabibi,

War and the Half Truths of Cinema

Mahdieh comes from a generation that has grown up witnessing the war between Iran and Iraq. She also lost a cousin in the war. He was 19 years old, loved cinema and was an enlisted soldier. “I had plenty of questions about why war happens, and so I picked up the camera.”

However, before she got behind the camera, Mahdieh spent a year in front of it. She had taken up acting in movies when she was 24 and in 2009, photography happened. “I wanted to express my emotions through cinema.” But she forsook that form of expression for photography? Why? Doesn’t a film, made up of 24 frames per second, speak a language different from photography? “Cinema is a lie. When I was working with an Iranian director, he told me that cinema is all about lying. You take something that is real and try to recreate it on screen. Sort of like repairing something—you put it back together, but it isn’t the same.” I retort saying that even photographs can lie. “Not documentary photos,” she parries.

Who Am I?

A month after purchasing a camera, Mahdieh signed a new movie. Later, she told the director, she did not want to act and asked if it would be okay if she simply tagged along and made photos. “It was an easy choice. All I needed to do was recognise myself. Who am I? What do I feel? And what do I want to say? I tried to connect my mind to my heart, because, see, the heart feels things in an instant. I simply conveyed these messages from my heart to mind and tried making pictures in that one spurt.”

After this, she made her first journey alone, to Kurdistan in Iran. Eventually, she ended up visiting this tribe of war-torn, yet fiercely independent people again and again. Little did she know that her experiences here would set the tone for her later work.

An image of Afghan immigrants in Tehran, Iran, the image reflects the crises of identity and honelessnes that these people face daily. Photograph/Mahdieh Mirhabibi,

A Religious Family and I ts Chronicles

Mahdieh’s father is a revered Maulana (priest), and her grandfather was an oft-consulted elder as well. “The first time that I came back from Kurdistan, my father slapped me.” He did not have a problem with photography, but with the fact that his daughter travelled alone for days, and would often come home late. “But when I came back from Somalia, he asked to see my photos. He wanted to show them to his photographer friend who has been making official portraits of him for years.”

She is also working on a project on her father. “Nobody sees the informal, relaxed side of a Maulana. They are always out there in their cloaks and 96 turbans, dispensing advice. People cannot imagine them doing normal things like eating lunch or spending time with their children.”

The Quiet Hours

What inspires her, I wonder, expecting her to talk about books, movies, or music. “Tanhaai,” she says, surprising me. Solitude, loneliness. “When I am shooting, I feel more lonely, because these victims are even more alone…” She pauses, remembering something. “In Mogadishu, after the blast, when I returned to the hotel, everything seemed unbearable. Even ice-cold water from the tap felt boiling hot.” Despite the strict curfew imposed at sundown, Mahdieh ventured out at night and found her way to the ocean. “I finally felt peace by the waves.” Such has been her way of quieting the turmoil within her. “Whenever I want to relax, I pick up an apple and head to the river. I listen to nature. Everything talks to me.”

“Even the worst photograph contains a message. Good and bad have no meaning in photography We give one message and receive one in return.”

The Green-Eyed Philosopher

I have rarely met someone who is so quick-witted, deeply spiritual and anchored. What drives her and would she ever shoot anything besides conflict? “This is my way of doing khidmat for people.” Khidmat is Persian for servitude. “The day I feel like doing khidmat for anything else, such as nature, I will take that up and make pictures of nature.” She loves photography because it helps her connect with people and convey a message. “Even the worst photograph contains a message. Good and bad have no meaning in photography. We give one message and receive one in return.” To some, her images may seem stark and unsettling, but I can see an innocence within them. It is very hard to be presented with the harshness of life, and yet manage to have the gentle curiosity of a child. “Everyone has a small child inside. I travel with her. It is that insider who can relate and connect with others, not me. It is her.”

Another image from Here, Afghanistan, made in the Herat province, it subtly depicts the status of women in Afghan society. Photograph/Mahdieh Mirhabibi

Tips by Mahdieh

• Be honest to yourself and know yourself.
• Most things are not governed by a set method or formula. You need to discover the key to them on your own.

About Mahdieh

She loves blues music and the French singer, Edith Piaf. She also makes it a point to listen to local music wherever she goes. If not a photographer,she would have chosen to be a soldier. She has six siblings. Her youngest brother is eight and she often gives him the camera to shoot when he accompanies their father out of the house.