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‘Take another picture with your click, click, click, click... camera’
On Camera Day today, take out your equipment and brush up your photography skills at these spots across tricity
The camera has a different meaning for everyone. To some, it’s just another gadget, to others, it’s their bread and butter, and for a select few, it’s their soul-soother. But what connects them all is that it’s a means to collect and restore memories, history, and legacy.
So, to remember the importance of the camera and its invention in people’s lives, June 29 is celebrated as Camera Day. To celebrate the day, we bring your attention to some locations across tricity where you can brush up and gradually perfect your photography skills:
Rock Garden: It displays sculptures made of urban and industrial wastes. This creation of self-taught artist Nek Chand is sure to get the creative juices flowing!
Sukhna Lake: This reservoir at the foothills of the Himalayas is a great place to try out sunset and sunrise photography. Over the years, it has also come to be a pre-wedding shoot venue.
Garden of Silence: The tranquillity of this meditative space and the magnanimity of the gigantic statue of Gautam Buddha in the middle of the park call for making serene memories.
Gandhi Bhawan: A major landmark of Chandigarh designed by architect Pierre Jeanneret, a cousin of Le Corbusier. A perfect spot for architectural photography, especially during monsoon.
Yadavindra Gardens, Pinjore: This historic 17th Century garden is an example of Mughal architectural style with the influence of the Patiala dynasty Sikh ruler, who had renovated it. Not to forget, it hosts the annual Mango Mela!
Eiffel Tower Replica, Sector 10: Located in Leisure Valley, the 56-feet tower is famous among the Geri Route regulars. What makes it ideal for photography is also the variety of flowers blooming around the structure.
Japanese Garden: It consists of water bodies, pagoda towers, waterfalls, a meditation centre, and a number of paintings and structures representing Japanese culture.
Sector 17 Underpass: The pedestrian underpass connecting Rose Garden to Sector 17 is always abuzz with activity. It hosts art exhibitions and has music booths with facilities for karaoke. The quirky structures erected here are also great to capture.
Cactus Garden, Panchkula: If you have an interest in botany and want to try nature photography, this is the place to be! This is the largest succulent botanical garden in Asia and has more than 3,500 species of cactus, many of them endangered.
Chandigarh Bird Park: Believed to be the tallest structure in the country in the aviary domain (aquatic, terrestrial, and tamed), it is a lovely spot to spend a day clicking pictures of exotic species of birds and the aesthetic structures.
Chhatbir Zoo: Wildlife photography enthusiasts can have the time of their lives at this zoological park which is home to over 369 mammals, more than 400 bird species, and over 20 varieties of reptiles.
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
Pre-visualise: Mentally picture the final product of your shot.
Follow the rule of thirds: It is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two-thirds more open.
Use the right lens: Try to use wide lenses for landscape shots when you want to create an impact. Similarly, use a telephoto lens when you are shooting portraits to reduce distortion.
Sharpen the subject: Keep the primary subject sharp. Clear details in an image draw more eyes toward it.
Keep it simple: A background makes or breaks a perfect shot. Be careful how you place the subject.
Proper lighting: Stand with your back to the sun and with its light falling on your subject, unless you want to do an artistic play of light and dark.
Don’t overdo shots: Unless you are taking action shots or time-lapse photos, try to reduce the number of clicks.
Right exposure: If a photo is too light or dark, adjust the lens dial for proper exposure.
Using flash: Use it only when absolutely necessary. Do not use it just for the sake of it.
White balancing: Most cameras have automatic white balancing options. If it’s not satisfactory, the simple trick is to place plain white paper in front of the lens and focus on it.
Use a tripod: Sometimes, the best way to get a perfect shot is to take extra time. Using a tripod will allow you to do framing without your hands shaking too much.
- By Kailash Mishra, a third-generation photographer
