Capturing The Heart Of a Journey Through a Camera Lens

Traveling is one of the favorite perks of many photographers. They get to go to places they’ve never been to and see things they’ve never seen. Traveling isn’t only a perk for travel photographers. In fact, any kind of photographer can do his fair share of travel, depending on the subject. One big tip we can give to photographers who do go on trips is to take it to heart.

Image source: cntraveler.com

Each trip gives off a different experience, and each experience has a heart of its own. Many photographs often take this for granted in hopes of getting their shot. There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing the shoot since that’s the purpose of the trip anyway. But too often do photographers ignore the culture and history surrounding the shoot.

There is beauty in everything. Perhaps if photographers can spare more time, film, and digital space on the things that surround their subjects, they may find that beauty. Who knows? They may even end up enhancing and giving depth to their subject.

Everything about a journey from the foreign people, to the sunrises and sunsets, to the strange customs, to the exclusivity of the natural beauty, to never-before-seen cultures, supplement both the travel and the subjects. Photographers should take advantage of that.

Image source: yomadic.com

Hi, I’m Ram Chary Everi from Boston. I’m a freelance photographer and graphic artist. Visit this Twitter page to know more about photography in general.

Some Graphic Design Tips For Beginners

Often the more prevalent issue with beginning graphic designers is not the inability to draw well, but the unfamiliarity with and application of design theories that make the work stand out. Being talented is good, but being a trained, talented one is even better. Here are some aspects of design to focus on in your designing endeavors.

Image source:osmweasel.com

Use grids: Symmetry, balance, and structure are essential aspects of graphic design, and applying a grid-based approach is important for discipline and crafting. It’s fine to be adventurous, but more restraint and focus are needed at the beginning of one’s career. Know the rules before breaking them.

Get the balance of text and art right: Balance is key, both for better readability and eye-catching compositions. Leading the viewer’s eyes should be the priority; work on ensuring the size of the text does not drown the surrounding design and vice versa.

Know your typography: Choosing the most fitting font types to match the design intention or campaign is key. For the graphics to reach the target market, they must be visually appealing: minimalist when needed, loud when required.

Brush up on color theory: Manipulating color graphics to create attitude and set mood is part of the graphics designer’s job. Without familiarity of and sufficient study of various color schemes, the graphics output will be severely limited.

Image source:yellowbarnmedia.com

Don’t hesitate to revise: While the first rule is to simply start working on the design, the editing part is equally important and often more crucial. Don’t brush off criticism. On your own, develop an attitude of always looking twice at your work and tweaking little details if needed before submitting it.

Ram Chary Everi here. I’m a graphics design graduate and my services include logo design, marketing ads, magazine design, business cards, and graphic art. For more on my work and interests, subscribe to my Twitterpage.

Want to Learn Graphic Design on Your Own? Here are Three Tips

In a highly competitive industry, many novice graphic designers may feel compelled to get themselves into debt to pay for an expensive education. It is true that graduating from an esteemed university can give beginners a leg up, but it is not essential to starting a brilliant career. There are so many stories of young, talented, and dedicated graphic designers who have made it without going to school. Below are three tips that will prove useful for any aspiring graphic designers.

Image Source: lynda.com

Learn the basics: The biggest mistake novices can make is jumping the gun. Just because someone is naturally talented does not mean that they can instantly earn thousands of dollars. Similar to pursuing a university degree, novices should start from scratch. This entails learning how to draw, researching on graphic design history, and most importantly understanding that their first artworks will not be good. Graphic designers should always know how to criticize their own work -- in a healthy manner, of course. Only the artist themselves can know exactly how much effort was placed in the work, along with its intended message. Learning how to self-criticize is a great skill to learn when studying the art on your own.

Master the software: As much as many people will say they prefer the olden days of hand manipulation, the truth is, you cannot escape photoediting software. The technology becomes especially important when starting out on your own. Remember that you are competing against those who have received hundreds of hours of training for this, so it is crucial to know and master the basic photoediting software.

Finding your specialty: New graphic designers are often asked to experiment with different branches of the art to determine their real passion and talent. Finding your specialty is crucial to building a great career. It not only reduces the amount of competition but helps the novice feel happier about their work.

Image Source: udemy.com

The most important consideration when starting a graphic design career on your own is to take the first step. It is understandably scary, but nothing will be gained if no risk is ever taken.
Freelance photographer and graphic designer Ram Chary Everi loves sharing tips about his work on Twitter.

Choosing The Right Camera Settings for Product Photography

In product photography, there are various considerations in the production of high-quality images. There are lighting, white sweeps, bounce cards, and many more. However, those who wish to be successful product photographers should first understand the basics, which include the right camera settings.

 

Image Source: taskr.in

They can opt for automatic camera settings, but making manual adjustments can result in better, or more stylistic photos.

There are three settings to take into consideration, namely aperture, ISO sensitivity, and shutter speed. And here are recommendations on how they should be adjusted:

Aperture

Aperture functions similarly as the pupil of an eye.  It determines how much light passes through the camera’s lens and the depth of field of the image.  Aperture is measured in F-stops (F1 to F22), and the lower the number, the shallower the depth of the field (which can increase the focus on intricate details) and the lower the amount of light.  To capture the product in full focus, a higher F-stop should be set.  But when there is an attempt to highlight details, the F-stop should be decreased.

ISO sensitivity

ISO measures the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light.  A higher ISO value, while increases the captured light, also results in grainy or “noisy” images.  Thus, the ISO should be set to the lowest possible.

Shutter speed

This is also known as the exposure time because it determines the amount of time the camera’s sensor is exposed to light.  The faster the shutter speed, the less light is taken in, but the object is more frozen and less blurred.  Because product photography features a still object, the ideal shutter speed is of a low value.

 

Image Source: fstoplounge.com

Learn more about photography by visiting this Ram Chary Everi website.

'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' is a great film on fishing

Sometimes a poignant, humanist take on a movie about fish is all we need to recover from the barrage and trauma of too-many killer-fish movies like “The Shallows” or “Piranha 3D.” This 2011 comedy-drama is a breath of fresh air, something both fishing enthusiasts and film buffs will enjoy. 

Image source: anglersmail.co.uk

“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is directed by Lasse Hallström, who previously helmed notable films like “Chocolat” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” It stars Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, who undergo radical transformation in their lives and loves while aiding a wealthy sheik in setting up a fly-fishing project in Yemen. 

Based on a novel of the same title, the film offers a great plot that’s both funny and heartwarming. McGregor plays the role of the doubting fishery expert, while Blunt’s is that of the financial adviser who joins him in trying to accomplish the unfeasible and virtually impossible task of introducing fishing as a sport in the middle-eastern country. 

The film’s premise is as shot-in-the-dark as the way the narrative unfolded, but it works well both for the main characters and the ambitious fishing project. It ends optimistically, too, without things feeling forced or being unrealistic. 

But what’s most memorable about “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is the keen attention to both the sport of fishing and its beauty. Fishing in the desert is a powerful metaphor that the movie manages to realize. Keep in mind though that it’s just that– a metaphor. Because there’s literally no salmon fishing industry in Yemen. 

Image source: telegraph.co.uk

Freelance photographer and graphic designer Ram Chary Everi is based in Boston and loves boats and fishing. Learn more about his hobbies by visiting his Facebookpage.

Portrait Photography: Finding The Flattering Angles

The best photographic portraits demand synergy between the photographer and the subject.The latter must know how to pose, while the former should have a good grasp of the camera angles that flatter the subject.

Image source: TechRadar.com

Moreover, amateur photographers don’t have Heidi Klum or Tyra Banks at their disposal.Usually, they see a photogenic person and ask them to pose.  Naturally, posing becomes a play-it-by-ear affair in this case.


So, before the start of any photo session with a subject who is a novice at posing, the photographer can brief them on poses.  He can have the subject leaf through a magazine with ideal poses and have the subject mimic these.


The interest of the photographer is in making the subject look good.He can achieve this by panning his camera at a higher angle for the slimming effect, or at a low angle to effect power and presence in the photo.  It’s up to the photographer to decide which photo appearance the shoot or the project demands.

Image source: TechRadar.com

Frontal poses might seem too awkward and staged.A quarter pose will definitely have a slimming and more relaxed effect if only to take the focus away from the neck.


Ultimately, it’s also about knowing the subject: How does he or she want to be portrayed in the photo?


Ram Chary Everi  here, freelance photographer and graphic artist.  Look me up on Twitter.

Beach Photography: How To Capture Waves And Coastlines

Being a photographer and living in Florida where lakes and beaches are abundant, I have developed a fondness for photographing coastlines. Here are a few tips I learned.

1. Find a focal point

In every photography genre, finding a point of interest is important. This is particularly significant if you’re capturing landscapes like coastlines where your shots can be made up largely of sky and water. Try to find something in your frame that can draw the viewer’s attention, like a rock formation or children building sand castles.

Image source: beachcamera.com

2. Make good use of reflections

Big bodies of water create reflections that can either make or break your shots. Eliminate reflections by using polarizing filters or moving to a better spot. But reflections of a colorful sky or rock formations can add depth and interest in your shots.

3. Control shutter speed

Lower your shutter speed if the water is calm. The stillness of the water will prevent it from being blurred and will make your shots flatter and gives it a feeling of serenity. But when you’re trying to capture waves, crank up your shutter speed to take a crisper image.

Image source: pinimg.com

4. Black and white

It is tempting to always make your images vivid especially when you’re capturing landscapes. But in your post editing, try to strip off the color. There’s just something about black and white that give your photos some drama.

Ram Chary Everi here. I am a freelance photographer and graphic designer. I love tuna fishing and am an advocate of recycling. Visit my blog to know more about me.

  

Three Ways Graphic Design Boosts Marketing

Branding is now going digital. Advancing technologies are paving the way brands are being marketed. This impacts all other aspects of the creative market. In particular, graphic design is taking a larger role in brand marketing. There are three major ways graphic design has shifted the marketing industry.

Image Source: fredonia.edu

Graphic design keeps it memorable: The best brands are those that are consistent in their visuals. It is all about brand recognition and memory. Companies should always strive to have their logos and brand instantly recognizable. Good graphic designs capture the essence of the company’s brand. Some graphic artists say that their work is like telling a story.

Creativity is different: It is a fact that there will always be competition in business. Smaller enterprises need to stand out. Usually, this involves a difference in price, quality, or even customer service. However, creativity can also be an added factor. Being creative - having a marketing style that is completely unique and vibrant - can actually set a company apart and have this manifest in a lucrative business.

Image Source: postnet.com

Conversion rates: The last point builds up to this. Great graphic designs convert. People only give a few seconds of attention to one thing. If a design can capture their attention for longer and encourage them to click that "buy" button, then the graphic design is effective. This significantly helps marketing because then, the company has proof that their designs translate into income.

Companies should consider expanding their creative department to include a good team of excellent graphic designers.

Ram Chary Everi is a graphic artist and freelance photographer. Take a look at his portfolio when you view this LinkedIn page.