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Wednesday, October 07, 2015

My life in iphone photos

Our lives are structured by our memories of events. We remember events by positioning them in time relative to other events. (Trip to Tokyo).


Stay Fabulous,
ShahnazM

Friday, June 19, 2015

Cold Weather is Bad for Your DLSR


https://500px.com/finethings


Some of the things we have heard that were blamed on shooting in cold weather is camera malfunctions..lenses fogging up..batteries going dead..white balance problems..flashes not working..to name just a few. If cold weather was so damaging you would think that cameras would come with warnings not to use them in cold conditions and yet stories and rumors about problems with cold weather continue to propagate.

What’s Really Going On
There are actually two issues to deal with in regards to shooting in cold weather, battery life and condensation. Batteries will not last nearly as long in the cold as they do in warmer conditions. When people have complained about equipment failures due to cold weather, almost always this is due to batteries going dead far faster than expected. This can manifest itself as camera problems..flashes not working..and numerous other electrical problems. if you are used to shooting and warm weather and find yourself shooting in a very cold conditions..be sure to plan ahead and have at least twice as many batteries on hand as you would normally take. Keep unused batteries in the car or jacket pocket to help keep them warm.

A more serious problem is condensation. Condensation can occur inside your camera body and inside your lenses if lenses have got too cold and you take them into a warm location. This can obviously cause severe problems for your lenses if they get fogged up inside and condensation inside the body will create moisture that can result in very costly repairs. The primary cause for condensation is when taking equipment from the cold condition into a warm condition too quickly. If you have been in very cold conditions, take your time bringing your equipment back to room temperature.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Stay all Day



Today i am going to talk about another favorite lipstick brand from my stash...Its "Lakme 9 to 5 Lip Color". Seeing the commercial over television i was very eager to try this ALL DAY STAY kinda lipstick. And when i first saw it on the shop..couldnt stop myself to try atleast ONE. I have 5 of them now and i wouldnt have bought 5 if i was not HAPPY with the first one.
 
The texture of these lipsticks are very soft..light weight..like I almost forget I have any product on. they have a nice texture that doesn't makes your lips go crazy dry or glossy or creamy . The staying power it also great. This astonishingly light formula Lipstick have so many pretty shades. Absolutely ideal for office goers (Every Girl who wants to put on Lipstick ;) ).


I love the beautiful metallic rose gold packaging which have the name engrossed in a digital way on it..It looks chic and classy. It comes in a cardboard cover which looks good too. It’s very sturdy and the cap fits tight so no coming off in the purse or hand bags. The name of the shade is written in the bottom.




Lakme 9 to 5 in "Coffee Command" :

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Coffee Command"

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Coffee Command"

This one is the very first n most used from this collection of mine. This is a soft brown shade with just a bit of peach undertone. Even though its a brown lip color but surely would not make your face look dull and mature in any ways.
 
This one is like a muted shade, but does not lack pigmentation at all..Just in one swipe i get pretty good opaque coverage for my lips (which is a little pigmented).

Layering these 9 to 5 lipsticks causes a little dryness and settling of the pigment into the fine lines of your lips. It stays for 6 hours without any problems (it may fade a bit..just a bit). It does easily survive light meals.


Lakme 9 to 5 in "Candy Commission" :

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Candy Commission"

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Candy Commission"

Candy Commission is mainly a beautiful peach pink shade with peach undertones in it. The shade looks brighter in day light. The texture of this shade is rich..creamy..easily glides on the lips and looks very pretty and subtle. This one is infused with very fine shimmers which tends to give a beautiful sheen on the lips. The pigmentation is great and single swipe gives the desired shade on the lips.


The staying power of this lip shade is between 2-3 hours and it survives light meals easily. However, after few drinks the shade fades eventually and leaves the tiny shimmers behind.

Overall, this is surely one of the beautiful lip shades from the range and it will look great with smoky eyes or a dark hued eye makeup look.



Lakme 9 to 5 in "Flaming Function" :

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Flaming Function"

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Flaming Function"

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Flaming Function" is from the crease-less range. Its a berry red one..a gorgeous red with hint of pink. It instantly brightens up my face even when there is no trace of make up on my face. It has a soft and creamy texture that is very different from the slightly dry texture of the normal 9 to 5 lipsticks. This lipstick has a superb pigmentation. One swipe gives you a full opaque coverage. There is no need to swipe again. Like other Lakme 9 to 5 it stays easily for hours..it survives snacks and light meals. After heavy meals the color starts to fade from inner portion of lips..but does not bleed nor settles into fine lines. Though this is crease less, it settles into a soft matte finish after some time without over drying the lips. This leaves a nice stain behind which is easily removable with cleanser. 


Lakme 9 to 5 in "Magenta Mind" :

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Magenta Mind"
Lakme 9 to 5 in "Magenta Mind"

It is a bright happy pink that brightens up your face.  Magenta is actually a purplish-red color but Lakme 9 to 5 in "Magenta Mind" is an orangey pink. It has an amazing matte feel..actually i must say creamy matte feel. There is no glitter or shiny element in it. It didn’t dry out lips at all like the usual matte lipsticks do. Stays easily for a decent 5-6 hours.  

 
Lakme 9 to 5 in "Wildberry Wednesday" :

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Wildberry Wednesday"

Lakme 9 to 5 in "Wildberry Wednesday"

Wildberry Wednesday is a Barbie pink color with silver shimmers. This one is a great choice for parties. The pigmentation is fabulous..texture is creamy matte with shimmers though the shimmers aren’t chunky but visible in bright light..a single swipe is perfect for the opaque color. Over swipe can make it look streaky due to rich in pigmentation and layering.

It stays perfectly for 2-3 hours but after that becomes streaky and settles in fine lines which results in uneven fading of the color. So when you will have a meal in between..i will recommend you to wipe off the lipstick and re-applying fresh.
 
A Little Tip :


Do not re-apply Lipstick directly (I never want to have oil/food residue on my lipstick tube..ANY LIPSTICK actually..i want them fresh n stay longer). So whenever you re-apply Lipstick..make sure you wipe off all residues before you touch up your lipstick. It will make you lips look fresh again.
 

Lakme 9 to 5 Matte Lipsticks all Shades available

Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Red Coat
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coffee command
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Brownie Point
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Red Chaos
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Oak Table
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Tea Break
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Toffe Nexus
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Slip
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Collar
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Bureau
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Rose Management
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Wine Play
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Peony Goal
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Scarlet Drill
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mauve Paced
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Raspberry Badge
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Roseate Motive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Aggressive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Rosy Sunday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Burgundy Business
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Cherry Chic
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Bronze Award
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Cabernet Category
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Almond Saturday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Fushia Friday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Candy Closure
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Wildberry Wednesday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Sorbet Tuesday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mulbery Work
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mauve Cooler
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Veranda
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Vermillion Fired
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Saffron Gossip
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Beige Post
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Orange Edge
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Ambition
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coral Incentive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Power

- See more at: http://www.makeupandbeautyforever.com/lakme-9-to-5-matte-lipstick-lip-color-review-shades-swatches-price-details/#sthash.EVzBL5w0.dpuf
Lakme 9 to 5 Matte Lipsticks available Shades : 

Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Red Coat
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coffee command
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Brownie Point
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Red Chaos
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Oak Table
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Tea Break
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Toffe Nexus
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Slip
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Collar
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Bureau
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Rose Management
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Wine Play
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Peony Goal
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Scarlet Drill
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mauve Paced
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Raspberry Badge
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Roseate Motive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Aggressive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Rosy Sunday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Burgundy Business
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Cherry Chic
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Bronze Award
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Cabernet Category
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Almond Saturday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Fushia Friday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Candy Closure
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Wildberry Wednesday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Sorbet Tuesday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mulbery Work
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mauve Cooler
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Veranda
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Vermillion Fired
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Saffron Gossip
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Beige Post
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Orange Edge
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Ambition
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coral Incentive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Power





Lakme 9 to 5 Matte Lipsticks all Shades available

Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Red Coat
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coffee command
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Brownie Point
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Red Chaos
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Oak Table
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Tea Break
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Toffe Nexus
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Slip
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Collar
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Bureau
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Rose Management
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Wine Play
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Peony Goal
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Scarlet Drill
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mauve Paced
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Raspberry Badge
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Roseate Motive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Aggressive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Rosy Sunday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Burgundy Business
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Cherry Chic
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Bronze Award
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Cabernet Category
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Almond Saturday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Fushia Friday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Candy Closure
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Wildberry Wednesday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Sorbet Tuesday
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mulbery Work
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Mauve Cooler
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Veranda
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Vermillion Fired
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Saffron Gossip
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Beige Post
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Orange Edge
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Ambition
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Coral Incentive
Lakme 9 to 5 Lipstick Pink Power

- See more at: http://www.makeupandbeautyforever.com/lakme-9-to-5-matte-lipstick-lip-color-review-shades-swatches-price-details/#sthash.EVzBL5w0.dpuf

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Myth Vs Truth


Myth 1: My photographs aren’t any good.

Truth: There is no such thing as an instant success. Everything starts from something small.  We may have taken hundreds of pictures but only a few turned out well.  The road to being a pro at something may not always be smooth, and a bumpy road is to be expected when we are starting to learn a new craft.  The trick is to stick with it and keep practicing.  With practice, as time goes by, abilities and skills will improve.

Myth 2: My camera isn’t advanced enough.

Truth: An expensive and advanced camera will not produce good photographs if we do not know how to use it.  Take advantage of the cameras at your disposal first, and optimally learn of its capabilities and advance your skills using it.  The camera isn’t the major determining factor in producing a good photograph; skills trumps fancy camera features.

Myth 3: Certain brands of cameras are more superior than others.

Truth: Every brand of DSLR cameras available in today’s market has been made to meet the same standards in producing good images.  The differentiating factor is the facilities in the certain models, prices, and ultimately the personal taste of the users.

Myth 4: A formal education in photography is better than self-learning.

Truth: Though an organized form of education may help in easing the learning of photography concepts, this does not mean that a self-taught photographer is inferior to that of a college graduate photographer.  In the end, it’s up to our willingness to learn, whichever way you choose to obtain these knowledge.  As they say, where there’s a will there’s way.

Myth 5: Good lenses are those with wide apertures.

Truth:  Not all lenses with wide apertures are good quality lenses.  Wide apertures if not balanced with good quality optics will lead to fringing and images will appear soft.  The best way to test the quality of a lens is to photograph using high contrast settings under extremely bright lights and check to see if the edges of the object is sharp and fringe free.

Myth 6: With a DSLR, no matter how you shoot the photo will come out nice.

Truth: It takes a lot more time, knowledge, effort and work to produce good pictures with a DSLR.

Myth 7: All good pictures must have good bokeh (blurred or defocused background) and DSLR can help you achieve that.

Truth: I do agree that DSLR helps to achieve better bokeh, but a great photograph does not necessarily need any bokeh at all.

Myth 8: Image Stabilization works wonders. It eliminates all blurring due to shake.

Truth: Image stabilization reduces blurring due to hand shaking, but it does not completely eliminate it. Furthermore it only works to a certain extent under permissible circumstances.

Myth 9: Skin will appear smoother and physiques will turn out slimmer and more attractive if you shoot people with a DSLR.

Truth: I do not have to explain what a funny misconception this is, yet so many people will hopelessly expect their pictures to miraculously transform into models being taken with a DSLR. If somehow you could not fulfill their ridiculous fantasies and they are not happy with your pictures, they would turn OFF. Fun facts: What you see in the mirror is what you get captured on the camera.

Myth 10: Do not worry if you could not get the shot that you desire, you can make anything happen with Photoshop (or any Photo-Editing software).

Truth: I believe Photo-Editing is necessary to further improve or enhance an already good and usable shot. It should not be applied excessively which would negate the original art of photography.

There are a lot more myths to be added to the list, but I guess I should make a stop here before it goes too long ;) .

Stay Fabulous,
ShahnazM

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Tips for Better Mobile Phone Camera Photography

As time goes by, mobile phone cameras are getting better and better. Gone are the days when your phone was only capable of taking a blurry snap at a tiny resolution. Many camera-phone makers are starting to pay more attention to sensor quality, speed, and optics, rather than just one-upping each other on megapixel specs. But as with any type of photography, the equipment is only a small part of taking a memorable image.


Follow Rules of Composition (and then Break them)
Learn some basic composition ‘rules’. (for example – the rule of thirds – ie don’t place your subject squarely in the middle of your frame but a third of the way in). Simple tips like this can bring life toyour photos.
But then also remember that the beauty of a camera phone is its ability to break all conventions – some of the best shots around break all the rules. So shoot from the hip, the floor, up high, up close – anything goes.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Forget the Zoom
There’s an inherent issue with trying to make phones increasingly thinner, yet also increase the quality of a camera. Trying to include a usable zoom in a very thin piece of equipment is incredibly difficult, and leads to this function being generally atrocious on most phones. You’ll find that the camera uses a digital zoom, which is best left alone at all costs — otherwise you’ll end up with a pixellated, unattractive image.

A better thing to do is to wait until you get back to your computer, and crop the image down to focus in on the important elements. This is becoming increasingly possible with regular bumps to the resolution of images taken by camera phones. The best option in most cases is to just get closer to your subject.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Shoot Now, Edit Later
One way that phone manufacturers try to differentiate their model is by offering an array of editing functionality in your phone. This might be useful in a few limited cases, but it’s best left alone. Resist the urge to add that sepia effect to every image, and leave the post-processing to Lightroom, Photoshop or Aperture rather than your phone’s limited processor.

The important thing to do is to keep shooting. You’ll kick yourself if you miss a beautiful composition because you’re desperately trying to figure out how to add a fake tilt-shift effect to your previous photo…

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Lighting is Still Key
Although camera phone sensors are coming on in leaps and bounds, they still have some way to go before they’re able to rival your SLR. One of the key areas that many phones struggle is in capturing enough light. You can help with this, by ensuring that your subject is well lit before pressing the shutter. Turn on the light, open the curtains, or wait until the sun is a little higher in the sky!

If your camera has a flash function, give it a try. Although it probably won’t be powerful enough to make a huge improvement, it can be very useful when you just need a slight boost in the light conditions. Try using it outside as a fill-flash — it might just give that extra “punch” you were looking for.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Free Up Some Space, and Backup!
Two tips in one here… Just in the same way that packing a couple of memory cards is advisable, it’s also good sense to regularly check your phone’s memory to ensure you have plenty of space for snapping ad-hoc photos. Don’t be caught with a phone that’s so full of games, apps, and music that you don’t have any space to capture the photo of your son’s first few steps.

Equally important is to ensure that you regularly download the photos from your phone, and back them up to your computer. The nature of a phone means that it’s far easier to lose, or have stolen. It’s bad enough to lose the phone, but it would be more devastating to realise that you’d never copied any of your photos back to your computer.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Avoid Direct Sunlight
Another tip that applies to mobile phone photography, just as it does everywhere else, is to avoid direct sunlight. Don’t encourage your subject to stand directly facing the sun, as you’ll have harsh shadows and a poor image. Head into the brightest area of the shade to set up your composition, and you’ll be far more pleased with the result.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Take It Everywhere!
As the old adage goes, the best camera is the one you have with you. The beauty of your mobile phone is that it’s almost always in your pocket — there’s no need to carry around an extra point-and-shoot, or remember to charge a second device.

Although it will never be a replacement for a powerful digital SLR, the humble camera-phone has come a long, long way over the past few years. I now take more photos using my iPhone than I do any other camera, and it’s an incredibly capable piece of kit (just check out the examples at the bottom of this page if you don’t believe me).

Take it with you everywhere, follow these simple tips, and enjoy the freedom of being able to snap a beautiful image regardless of whether or not you remember to pack your photography kit!


Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Don’t Throw Away ‘mistakes’
Remember that on many phones the quality of the screen will not be as good as your computer’s. So if possible hang onto your shots until you can get them on your PC. You might just find that they come alive on a quality monitor. You’ll also find that even ‘mistakes’ and blurred shots can actually be quite usable (in an abstract kind of way)

Take loads of Shots and Experiment
The beauty of all forms of digital photography (including that of camera phones) is the ability to shoot off many shots quickly and without cost. This means you can experiment with different modes and composition and discard those that you don’t want to keep.
Camera phones are particularly good for experimenting with new angles and perspectives – shoot from down low, up high, close up etc and you’ll end up with interesting and fun shots.

Keep Your Lens Clean
One of the challenges with many camera phones is keeping them maintained and clean. Phones spend a lot of time in pockets, in bags and being used in all manner of weather and conditions. As a result they get dirty and can easily become damaged – fingerprints are a common problem on camera lenses – especially if your phone doesn’t have a lens cover. From time to time clean the lens of your camera using a soft cloth (sunglasses cleaning cloths are great).

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Observe Camera Phone Etiquette
While there is no formal set of rules for using camera phones – it is worth considering how you use it and what impact it might have upon others. There are many cases of camera phones being abused to take sneaky or voyeuristic photos. Ask permission to photograph strangers, consider restrictions on the use of cameras in places like theaters and concerts etc.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Keep Still
As with all digital photography, the more steady your camera phone is when taking your shot the clearer your image will be.
This is especially important in low light situations where the camera will select longer shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light. One trick is to lean your camera phone (or the hand holding it) against a solid object (like a tree, wall, ledge) when taking shots.
Keep in mind that many camera phones also suffer from ‘shutter lag’ (ie the time between when you press the shutter and when the camera takes the shot can be a second or so). This means you need to hold the camera still a little longer to ensure it doesn’t take a shot as you’re lowering it away from the subject.

Panorama, Macro and other Awesome Lingo
If your phone has a Panorama shooting mode (any decent phone should have it), use it for shooting landscapes and those scenic views. Panoramas are when you take a series of photos and your phone stitches them together to create a wide photo (okay, that’s too simple an explanation, but I guess it’ll do). :-)

If you have a Galaxy S2 or iPhone 4S, you can try your hand at macro photography too. Macro photography is one in which you blur a background and shoot a really neat close-up of the subject. Saw those spider webs’ photos with the background all blurry and you can even see the water droplets on the web? Yes, that’s macro for you!

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Editing your Photos and Applications Galore!
If you have a smartphone, you can find several apps that can help you edit your images easily.

Plus, your phone may also give you some editing abilities over your photos. Word of caution: unless absolutely necessary, don’t play with the image compression. Always opt for the highest quality of images — saving a few KBs is just not worth losing the charm of your photos. You can always rely on proper compression and editing tools from the app market or on your computer.

Picture taken with iPhone4S and edited with Photo-editing Apps. Picture Copyright Shahnaz M.

Stay Fabulous,
ShahnazM