LIGHT &

COMPOSITION
L
MAGAZINE
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
TOWARDS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHER WITH STYLE
Saniar Rahman Rahul
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Saniar Rahman Rahul
LIGHT &
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LIGHT &
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TOWARDS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
CONTENTS
VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
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5 essential tips to capture a perfect portrait
VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
Editors letter
Light and Composition: The Magazine
Light and Composition: The Basics
Discovering the Soul in your Photography
5 Essential Tips to Capture the Perfect Portrait
Working with
The Changing Environment
Photographing
Incredible Indian Life and Nature
The Art of Light and Shadow
Easy Ways to Give your Photograph
a True Natural Tone
Showing Skill with your Camera
Mastering Nikon D90 like a pro
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LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
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DISCOVERING
THE SOUL
IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
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Mastering Nikon D90 like a Pro

IN SEARCH OF
COMPOSITION
Compete with the best photographs you ever made.
53
Techniques that Never Fade
5 fundamental techniques for an artistic bokeh
Passage to Life & Nature
The best photographic composition book
that can truly guide you
Photographer with Style
An exclusive interview
with Saniar Rahman Rahul
ADVERTISEMENTS
Photo of the Day
Essence of Close-up Photography
by Image of the Centuries
In Search of Composition
International Photography Exhibition
44
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SHOWING SKILL
WITH YOUR CAMERA
Nasrul Eam
VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
L
MAGAZINE
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
Best Ways to
Give your
Photograph
a True Natural Tone
CONTENTS
Photographing Incredible Indian Life and Nature
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
L
MAGAZINE
WORKING
WITH THE CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
THE ART
OF LIGHT AND SHADOW
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VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
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F low of life
EDITOR
NASRUL EAM
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
FELICE BREITKREUTZ
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
DIPANKAR AICH
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
MUHAMMAD NAFEEZUL BARI
ART DIRECTOR
NASRUL EAM
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AUDE-EMILIE DORION
NEWS REPORTER
KARISMA AMJAD SRISTY
ADVISOR PANEL
ADVISOR
JAMES PERCEVAL
STANLEY MARS
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
RAZIB AHMED
FINANCIAL ADVISOR
AHMED A RAHMAN
GROUP PUBLISHER
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TOWARDS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
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Welcome to the very first issue of Light and
Composition, which is a monthly photography
magazine that aims to steer people towards the
true essence of photography. The idea behind the
magazine is multi-tiered. First, it is about taking
one around this world, to understand people,
nature, and culture, in pursuit of value and
authenticity. Second, it explores how to see and
portray the world through the lens, using a
purists perspective. Third, when looking at its
contents, one sees that this magazine is different
than any other online and print based photogra-
phy magazine.
Lets make our position and notion clear. That is we are not the sort of people who follow the crowd or encourage the alteration of photographs with
photo editing software. Our fundamental goal is to cover the artistic side of photography, from planning, researching, and visualizing, helping
people to gain skill and unique style in their work.
Choosing a name to convey this notion was an important task. Going back to basics; photography is all about how one understands the rhythms
and harmonies of light, and how to capture it to its essence, with artistic vision, to where the composition lies. Keeping this in mind, we stuck with
a very simple name, Light and Composition with a tag line, Towards the true essence of photography. As an author of numerous artistic photog-
raphy books that teach how to do photography and capture the true essence of life, it wasnt a hard task for me to do this editors job.
LIGHT AND COMPOSITION
THE MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL DESK
Nasrul Eam
successfully launch the first issue of our magazine. We hope to be a
beam of light, and represent the positive side of life on earth, through
our photography. Working together, as a young, energetic, multicul-
tural group, spread out around the world, it has certainly been an
enjoyment. Planning the layout of the magazine, sharing the idea with
others, and meeting the deadline, to name a few, have been some of
our challenges so far.
I hope that you will like the magazine and its valuable contents.
Nasrul Eam, Editor
editor@lightandcomposition.com
It is a great pleasure to announce this
monthly photography magazine,
which was only a dream before. As an
online publisher, Image of the Centu-
ries has faced many ups and downs,
like many companies, because of the
recent global economic crisis. In this
condition, introducing a totally free
monthly magazine, based on value
and authenticity, in this age of Photo-
shop, was not an easy task.
Through the collective effort of our
team members, we have been able to
EDITORIAL DESK
LIGHT AND COMPOSITION
THE MAGAZINE
THE BASICS
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
BY NASRUL EAM
Nasrul Eam
When I sent the first draft of this issue to one of
my close friends, he replied that the magazine
looks like my books, especially The Quintessence
of Photography: Understanding Composition.
I cannot deny the fact as in both cases I was the art
director and all my works follow a unique style
and pattern. However, with that thought in mind,
we changed a couple of layouts and tried to make
them distinctly different than my books. Person-
ally speaking, I like the minimalist style, layout,
and format of my books, as those are successful in
terms of understanding the materials.
FROM SCRATCH TO REALITY
At the beginning they were just some random
ideas floating around. We had the goal of starting
a journey towards the true essence of photogra-
phy. Sketching them on a board and finally
making them all work together was not an easy
task. We are glad that we moved from those stages
to this very moment. And now, I will talk about
the different sections of this magazine.
DISCOVERING THE SOUL
IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
In photography, light and composition are two of the most important
factors, but you also need to understand your subject in order to truly
portray the essence of it. You must have an artistic eye to see things in life
and nature. Seeing and understanding the subject, and then transforming
that into a photograph, is the soul of photography. This is why we call the
first section, Discovering the Soul in your Photography. In every issue,
this section will give numerous tips regarding this.
LIGHT AND COMPOSITION
THE BASICS
BY NASRUL EAM
DISCOVERING
THE SOUL
IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
The next part is an advertisement to let you know
about our daily online section, Photo of the
Day. Its an interactive page to keep up-to-date
with the diverse and unique works of current pho-
tographers around the world.
First of all, we will choose the photo of the day
based on the standards, quality, composition, and
presentation. Once the photograph is selected for
the photo of the day, it will automatically be
entered into an online competition. The competi-
tion is evaluated by numbers of tweets and
re-tweets in Twitter, and the comments of our sub-
scribers. The winning photograph will be pub-
lished in the second page of our magazine, as
photographs of the month. But thats not all; we
will also conduct and publish a special interview
of the winner for our magazine, to be published in
the Photographer with Style section featuring
that photographer.
WORKING WITH THE
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
Lets move a bit closer to the theme of our magazine. Lets ask ourselves what the
difference is between a purist and so-called photographer, in the digital era. A purist
not only avoids altering their work; they also do visualizations and use technical skills,
along with doing the research and planning.
Taking photographs using a purists perspective requires coping with the diverse envi-
ronment and understanding the people and culture of that place. Without that, there
is a sense of a loss of soul in the work. Our next section, Working with the Changing
Environment discusses this. In this section, photographers share their experiences
about coping with a particular environment and its people.
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
L
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photooftheday
WORKING
WITH THE CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
THE ART OF
LIGHT AND SHADOW
In todays world, many people who are new to photography may try to understand it by
leaving behind many traditional and fundamental photographic methods and skills.
Understanding the tonal value and applying the zone system are a few of them. Its true
that when Ansel Adams invented the zone system, it was related to the level of tradi-
tional films exposure and development, but the use of it in digital photography still
remains.
How well one understands the fundamentals of light and uses various photographic
methods will help make an impact on their work. This helps give the work a great range
of highlights and shadows, which Ansel Adams was destined to produce. The Art of
Light and Shadow is the section where we will discuss how one can gain harmonic
tone and good highlight and shadows, through perfect exposure.
THE ART
OF LIGHT AND SHADOW
Have you ever asked yourself what the drawbacks
of digital photography are? Are there many, like
its numerous benefits?
Well there are and there arent, and for the ones
who are on the right track, one might never be
able to see the difference between digital and
traditional photography, because they know the
fundamentals. This is especially true when digital
photography reaches the level of quality of film,
both in 35mm and medium format.
SHOWING SKILL
WITH YOUR CAMERA
In many of my books, I have mentioned the importance of mastering the technical knowl-
edge of the camera, as its the primary tool for photography. In The Quintessence of Pho-
tography: Understanding Composition, I attached a special section which explains the
various technical terms, in order to clarify the fundamental concepts and science behind
it. There I especially highlighted those terms which even photographers working for
National Geography or internet encyclopedia like Wikipedia misguiding people by giving
the wrong information.
Because of this reality, we created a section of our magazine which will guide people to
mastering their camera for artistic perspective. I must add, we have a great advantage; we
are not affiliated with any manufacturers or photography gear stores. As its an open
secret that blogs and magazines showcase companies in order to make money; rather
than that, we have a lab for this purpose, where we do research and then guide people to
the best. Showing Skill with your Camera is the name of this section, where one will get
information which consumer media usually conceals.
SHOWING SKILL
WITH YOUR CAMERA
TECHNIQUES
THAT NEVER FADE
We have covered discovering the soul in your photo-
graphs, working with the changing environment, under-
standing the natural light, mastering the art of light and
shadow, mastering the use of your camera, and showing
your skill in your work, which leaves us one last, most
important concept for photography - developing an
artistic eye. It lies in the core of photography and thats
why we call this section, Techniques that Never Fade.
KNOWLEDGE THAT OPENS
A NEW WINDOW TO THE WORLD
Human beings cannot rely fully on themselves as indi-
viduals for knowledge and understanding. Scholars
always depend on the knowledge of previous genera-
tions, and once they understand it, they develop new
ideas and move farther.
Our next section Passage to Life and Nature: Knowl-
edge that Opens a New Window to the World will high-
light books on learning photography, and tell you which
part of that book is a must-read.
Whats next? Well, we are at the end of our magazine,
and the last section, Photographer with Style contains
the interview of the photographer who captured an
iconic moment and won our competition.
DISCOVERING THE SOUL IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
LIGHT AND COMPOSITION
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THE ART OF LIGHT
PHOTOGRAPHER WITH STYLE
AND SHADOW
WORKING
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LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
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MAGAZINE
VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
DISCOVERING
THE SOUL
IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
5 ESSENTIAL TIPS
TO CAPTURE
THE PERFECT PORTRAIT
This article was written by the students of Image of the
Centuries, edited by Felice Breitkreutz, and supervisedby
Muhammad Nafeezul Bari and Nasrul Eam.
Afghan Girl by Steve McCurry. They call it a
masterpiece: it has perfect light, a really interest-
ing perspective. And its composition looks
professional; everything is in perfect position.
The photograph gives the overall impression is
that it is a wonderful work of art. Yet again some-
thing is missing; something gives a feeling that
the expression in the face is not real.
Wait a minute, you say,not real? How could
you say it is not real? What makes you think that?
Do you have a scale to measure a masterpiece?
How can you evaluate art? It is art, a subjective
approach. People like the work and it is well
known. Who are you to say that it is not worthy of
such recognition?
Nasrul Eam
We, the students of photography at Image of the
Centuries, are learning photography in a non-
traditional way. Besides gaining sound technical
knowledge, one of the first things we learn is how
to judge the standard and structure. We then look
at the works authenticity. Once we decide that
the photograph is authentic and original, we
move to the next level, which is how different
elements of the composition interact with each
other. Then we look at the traditional ways, such
as how dynamics play a role in the photograph,
and the overall balance of negative space.
Once someone develops this knowledge, it is easy
to notice and evaluate a photographs merits. And
With practice and study, the artistic eye will
develop over time, which many pioneer refused to
believe.
Though this section is entitled, Discovering the
Soul in your Photography, we must first intro-
duce you to the basics, to ensure a grounding in
the fundamental aspects, and then move on to
deeper issues.
PORTRAITURE
FROM THE PURISTS PERSPECTIVE
For many, creating a portrait means taking photographs of famous people, such as
celebrities, actors and leaders of countries, all of who have a prepackaged version of
smile and postures. We would never encourage that kind of photography. Real life and
real people are far different than that. And even these real people, who are just like you
and me, sometimes feel very uncomfortable if you inform them that you are going to take
their photograph. We value a down-to-earth, non-posed approach to portraiture.
Nasrul Eam
STAY A BIT FAR
FROM
YOUR SUBJECT
Emotional gesture is very subtle,
individual thing.
To show genuine unconscious
and unaffected emotion,
you must stay bit far
from your subject,
and you can only do it if you know
that place, those people, and
understand their culture.
ASKING
PERMISSION
Once you take the photograph, go
and show the person what you
captured and ask them permission
if you can use it or not. You are the
photographer, the one who
captured it, but it is their life, and
their emotion. Because of that,
asking permission is a must; if they
decline, please delete the photo-
graph. On the other hand, if they
liked it, a surprise awaits for you.
They would take you to their very
small world, their life. Next we are
going to delve into that.
Nasrul Eam
GETTING
INVOLVED
IN THEIR LIFE
HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO PEOPLE?
OR STAYED WITH THEM FOR MANY HOURS OR DAYS?
HAVE YOU BECOME INVOLVED WITH THEIR DAILY LIFE?
These are some things that we must do when we go out to photograph
people. We get involved in their life, and try our best to understand
their culture, by sharing food, giving pencils to the children, and
trying our best to show the heavenly smile possessed in their simple
life. When they realize you are just like them, another human with
feelings and dreams, they will even ask you to take their photographs.
Sometimes they all pose around their newborn child. Their simple life
suddenly becomes an extraordinary moment to remember, a moment
that they will share with people for many years. And for you, you will
get the photography of lifetime, with pure emotional gesture.
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UNDERSTANDING
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, HOW CAN YOU FORGET ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THE LIGHT AND ITS DIRECTION?
WHEN EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT GETTING CLOSER,
WHY YOU GUYS ARE SUGGESTING STAY BIT FAR FROM YOUR SUBJECT?
AND WHY YOU ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT FILLING THE FRAME? ARENT THOSE SOME OF THE MAIN CRITERIA OF MAKING A PORTRAIT?
Those are fairly good questions. If those questions arise in your mind, we must say, you have done your homework.
JUDGING
A PHOTOGRAPH
Lets judge this photograph by the standards of
photography. The light highlights the subject quite
well. In terms of value, it scores. It was focused
accurately and has the right amount of blur in its
negative space. Composition wise it holds the point
of interest structurally well.
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UNDERSTANDING
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
We havent talked about the light and its direction yet. That is the first step you need to
regard when you are about to take a photograph. We never encourage using artificial
light, and instead emphasize the use of natural lighting. First find the light source, and
position yourself so that your subject is properly highlighted. Then, set the ISO according
to the amount of light. If you are a perfectionist, set the white balance. Otherwise, leave
it in auto mode. Auto mode for white balance will act as a bracket when you are importing
your photograph using a RAW converter.
This is another key if you are not taking photograph into RAW then you are losing image
quality. Many people choose JPEG over RAW because at first glance JPEG looks more satu-
rated than RAW. It seems so because of the built-in conversion algorithm in cameras. In
reality, the environment is not that saturated, so use RAW format instead for authentic
image quality!
Lets return to the first question about getting closer.
We are not against getting closer to the subject.
Getting closer does not mean you have to do it physi-
cally. For example, 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8 are
some of the great lenses for doing that; then again, if
you use those lenses, you are going to lose the chance
to capture the true emotional gesture. The best lens
you can use for this purpose is a 70-200mm f/2.8. How-
ever, it is expensive. If it is too expensive for you,
simply choose a 55-200mm lens, for Nikon, or a
55-250mm lens, for Canon, and take your photograph
during the daytime. The rest of the time, get involved
with those people, to understand their life and
culture. Lastly, fill the frame according to the situation
and what you want to show the world a moment
with true emotion.
This article was based on some of the very basic teachings of photography
from the book The Quintessence of Photography: Understanding Composi-
tion. We are still students of photography, and sometimes our way of
explaining the terms is not clear. To get a clear understanding, we suggest
you to read the book The Quintessence of Photography: Under-
standing Composition thoroughly.
If you have questions or comments, please contact
Mark at: mark@lightandcomposition.com &
Elia at: elia@lightandcomposition.com
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From the highest point of earth to the surface of oceans, from the farthest points west to the farthest points east, the touch of human life and civilization reaches every corner. From the extreme adventurous environment
to the busy market downtown, we explore. Experience the panoramic view from the top of the highest man-made building or visit the most remote villages in South Asia or South America, where the habitat is in-tune
with natures rhythms to survive. Its an endless journey for every explorer, from one continent to the next, a journey that gives one an understanding of people, nature and culture. And when one feels it from the heart
and captures it with their camera, it becomes an iconic moment which is special to share with the whole world. Photo of the Day shares those very moments of our presence on this earth, from the purists perspective.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
SHARES THOSE VERY MOMENTS OF OUR PRESENCE ON THIS EARTH,
FROM THE PURISTS PERSPECTIVE.
http://www.lightandcomposition.com/photo-of-the-day
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
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From the highest point of earth to the surface of oceans, from the farthest points west to the farthest points east, the touch of human life and civilization reaches every corner. From the extreme adventurous environment
to the busy market downtown, we explore. Experience the panoramic view from the top of the highest man-made building or visit the most remote villages in South Asia or South America, where the habitat is in-tune
with natures rhythms to survive. Its an endless journey for every explorer, from one continent to the next, a journey that gives one an understanding of people, nature and culture. And when one feels it from the heart
and captures it with their camera, it becomes an iconic moment which is special to share with the whole world. Photo of the Day shares those very moments of our presence on this earth, from the purists perspective.
The rule of this section
is simple; our elite team will choose the photo of the day based on the
authenticity, standard, quality, composition, and presentation of photo-
graphs. We also give emphasis to skills, and how well the work represents the
style of that photographer. Once the photograph is selected for the photo of the
day, it will automatically go to an online competition, which is evaluated by the
numbers of tweets and re-tweets in Twitter, plus the comments of our subscriber.
Our team will analyze this data and the winning photograph will be on the
second page of our magazine, as photograph of the month. We will also publish
a special interview in our magazine in the Photographer with Style
section.
DISCOVERING THE SOUL IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
LIGHT AND COMPOSITION
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THE ART OF LIGHT
PHOTOGRAPHER WITH STYLE
AND SHADOW
WORKING
WITH THE CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
L
MAGAZINE
VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010
WORKING
WITH THE CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
Nasrul Eam
WORKING
WITH THE CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
PHOTOGRAPHING
INCREDIBLE INDIAN
LIFE AND NATURE
BY NASRUL EAM
It was November 2007, when I had first been to Mumbai. Almost two years later, in the beginning of 2009, when I went there for the second time, it
wasnt the same city I had been to. Not from its look appearance or its crowded, maddening traffic and metros but from the sense of terror that was still
in the hearts of many civilians. My second visit took me to the memories of those wonderful days I spent here. Every evening I jogged on the beautiful
Marine Drive and saw the sun magnificently set on the horizon of the beautiful Arabian Sea. The Mumbai I know is a place where anyone can get the
glimpse of future India. A glimpse of a great feature of Indian life, the bazaar, rows and rows of narrow streets, is filled with shops and crowds. A city
of countless varieties of people, such as Hindus , Parsees, Burmese, Singhalese, Lascars, Muslim, Arabs, Turks, Chinese, Japanese, Europeans, and
Americans. And like most other travelers around the world, Mumbai was the gateway of India to me too.
Nasrul Eam
When I was there for the first time, I tried to
travel the Seven Islands, from the east to the
west, and the north to the south, but its
dense topography led me little to realize how
it forms. The east seems completely different
from west. The east represents the true India
with the variety of its own people, in narrow,
crowded streets, where as in west, you can
see some of the finest modern high rise
structures. My favorite, Marine Drive, is a
representation of these ongoing migrations,
high-rise after high-rise, an expression of
democratic chaos overlooking the beautiful
Back Bay, which gives a feeling of the fading
horizon of nature.
With its varieties of people, Mumbai is a city
where you can also experience a different
lifestyle. You can even see the adaptation of
a western lifestyle in the life of Indian people
here. Its the Indian economic engine and
the financial capital of India. From the high
standard lifestyle to the brutal inequality
and shocking poverty, with half of its popu-
lation living in slums, its the city where you
can experience both worlds.
From the city of slums and the worlds
biggest cinema industry, its also a city of
art. Once I asked one of my friends about art
galleries in Mumbai, and his reply was
interesting. At one time, every other
shop in Mumbai seems to be a video
parlor; when cable television killed
that business off, they become a
cybercaf and when the price of com-
puters came down, they became
clothing boutiques, and now they are
art galleries
My stay at Mumbai didnt last long this
time. Just after having the glimpse of
Marine Drive, I wanted to start my travel to
the vast diverse other parts of India, incred-
ible India indeed. But my plan wasnt move
farther from the coast. In fact, my urge to
meet an old backpacker friend took me 370
miles from Mumbai, its small, nearest state,
Goa. From here, I started my journey to
understand the nature, culture and people
of mother India.
My friend was staying in Arambol, the most
hippie-ish place in Goa for all sorts of back-
packers. However, my first stop in Goa was
Margoan and I reached there around noon.
The moment I got out of Morgoan station,
the cooled moisture-laden winds on my
face took me to the essence of the green
and lush nature of Goa.
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As an Asian, I have a great advantage travel-

ing around Asia, as people dont differentiate
me from them; rather they take me as their
own, and start talking with me using their
own language, most of the time I enjoy it but
sometimes it does take quite some time to
explain to them that I dont understand what
they are talking and their language.
Margao to Panaji wasnt a difficult journey
though; asking people and figuring out how
to reach north of Goa was easy after that. Like
most of the backpackers who want to have a
firsthand experience of life, local transporta-
tion is the best and cheapest way, even with a
heavy backpack.
To me, if you are a down to earth person, who
doesnt differentiate people by race, color,
and language, then this life a beautiful gift
from the Almighty. And you can enjoy every
single moment of this life. Using public trans-
portation will give you a great opportunity to
know people and their culture.
Anyone who uses any public
transport in south Asia knows
that, in every stop the buses and
the tranins become a live stage.
People come, people go, and
luggage is shoved in wherever
there is an opening. Villagers
push their way in, blocking
seats. And in countries like
India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Paki-
stan, one would always enjoy
this very show. The fights over
the seats erupt frequently. For
being part of this show, all you
need to do is be patient, smile
and enjoy their act the lifestyle
of day-to-day Indian person. And
when one travels by the magnifi-
cent Indian trains, one can see
beggars of all sizes and shapes:
travelling musicians, fakirs, who
become part of these playful acts
of public transportation, and you
are the spectator.
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From Panaji it was a long bus ride to Mapusa, but it was interesting as I started talking with a local person who was so curious about my travel and life I lead.
Mapusa is a small Indian town of north Goa and has a great importance for all sorts of transportation and for me it the place where
I later spotted the local market - the true life of Indian people.
Nasrul Eam
Nasrul Eam
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For photographing Indian people, the local market their bazaar is the best place.
Sometimes I spend a whole day, so much so that when I am about to leave that market,
almost everyone knows me. Some ask where I am from, my religion, language, and my
purpose of visit; some offer their goods like they offer it to their guests, and some just
put on a true smile, so that I will photograph them. Whenever I photograph any
people, I never forget to show the photo to them, and most of the time they reply with
a big smile.
Nasrul Eam
Nasrul Eam
Nasrul Eam
WHAT IS THIS INDIAN LOCAL MARKET LIKE?
The locals call it the bazaar; its a place where shopkeepers are gathered together. Different size of shops stands in close-packed rows on either side of its
narrow ways. All day long this bazaar is filled with throngs of buyers, sellers, newsmongers, merchants, and even sightseers and photographer like me
who love to know people. Here you can see people of every color - brown, black, yellow, red, and white. This Indian bazaar is also a place where news
ebbs and flows into one unending flood, the gossip of the town and the country and a place where they will know you the best.
to be continued
Mopusa was just the starting of my long journey to photo-
graph Indian people and nature. Every day I met new
people and shared experiences. It was a journey which
took me all the way down to Kayanakumrai and
crisscrossed the south of India, then all the way up to its
desert state of Rajasthan, and then to its capital. I am not
a travel writer or a story teller, but rather, a person who
loves to explain about the core of photography. Under-
standing and studying people of India was a lifetime
experience for me. It changed my ideas, my way of seeing
life, and the way of portraying it. In this writing, I will try
to share those great experiences, Please let me know how
you like it.
Nasrul Eam
editor@lightandcomposition.com
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THE ART OF
LIGHT AND SHADOW
Nasrul Eam
Mastering Nikon D90 like a Pro
In photography, when one learns more about light and gains the knowledge of
composition, his work becomes mature. When we gather more knowledge, we start
seeing the world with different perspective. The perspective of a purist and a true
artist is established by the mastery of the art of light and shadow and its fundamen-
tals
WHAT CAN LIGHT DO TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS?
A brilliant light can produce well-defined details, halftones, and shadows. If the
light is not bright, for example, light on a gloomy day, it can produce an effect of
softness and subtle gradation of light to dark.
The direction and position of a light source determines which surfaces the details,
halftones, and shadows will reveal. It has a direct impact on the texture too, in any
form of photography. The brighter the light is the more detailed the texture will be.
To understand this, we can ask where the details, halftones, and shadows of a pho-
tograph will be. The answer we will get is simple, that the details of a photograph
will be revealed that lie most nearly at the right angle to the direction of light. The
halftone surface will be a little indirectly situated to the direction of light and the
shadow surface beyond the direction of light.
Lets stop here for a moment and think about what information we get form this.
From this basic information we can see how light interacts with your subject and
puts an effect on it. The ultimate effect is the the way light affects the depth of field.
Can you realize one simple fact here? All terms of photography are interrelated with
light!
BEST WAYS TO GIVE
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS
A TRUE NATURAL TONE
Nasrul Eam
PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF LIGHT
IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS
If you ask a well-versed photographer about the
nature of light, he will reply that the light has
three basic natures: its color, direction, and qual-
ity. These qualities of light determine the how the
photograph will be. In this issue, we will talk
about some of the practical tips that can help to
give your photograph a true natural tone. For
examples in this section are some nice photo-
graphs from different parts of Asia, taken by
Nasrul Eam.
THE COLOR OF LIGHT
If you take a photograph early in the morning or
late in the afternoon, when the sunlight is warm,
it will give you a saturated tone in your photo-
graph. In photography, the color of light is repre-
sented by color temperature. When you are using
a digital camera, it will give you a big option to
play with this, the setting of white balance, which
not only gives you desired tone but can also neu-
tralize any color cast in your photograph.
This photograph was taken in the hill station of Coonoor, India. Its a town in the Nilgiris district,
in the state of Tamil Nadu. The state is famous for its tea. As we can see, It was a cloudy day, and
to get the perfect natural tone, his settings of white balance was set manually, to 4350 K, which
produced a bluish tone in the background and a clouded sky, but because of this manual setting,
it successfully reveals the foreground through natural color tones. We recommend using the
above exposure settings for a day with conditions like this.
Nikon D3 | Focal Length: 28mm | Exposure Program: Manual | Exposure: 1/160 sec at f/16 | ISO Speed Rating:
ISO 200 | Exposure Bias: - 1/3 EV | White Balance: 4350K | Flash: Did not fre | Tripod: Not present
Nasrul Eam
Dreaming of a perfect sunrise shot? You can see how easily it can be done, all in manual mode, by looking at this photograph and following these instruc-
tions. All you need to do is to sense the nature of light, see the place from a distance (yes you need to take risk at this point and get out as often as you can
before capturing the shot), set the exposure settings, wait for the perfect moment to place everything exactly how you want, and then click. How much
time do you have to do all this? A couple of seconds, and you can achieve it, if you understand the nature of light. This photograph was taken on the way
to Kanyakumari, located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula.
Nikon D300
Focal Length
18mm
Exposure Program
Manual
Exposure
1/1250 sec at f/4
ISO Speed Rating
ISO 500
Exposure Bias
- 1/3 EV
White Balance
6250K
Flash
Did not fre
Tripod
Not present
Nasrul Eam
What about a place which you travel to for a perfect sunrise, and you found nothing but a mist? Also, the location is so famous that
thousands of travelers visit that place every day, but only a lucky few can see the Langtang range of the Himalayas, with sunrise mag-
nificently lighting up the mountains. Is the mist going to ruin your day? Why not make it a day to capture the perfect mist? Take advan-
tage of different, unexpected moments , and make the most of it! This shot is in Nagarkot, which is located 32 km east of Kathmandu,
Nepal.
Nikon D300
Focal Length
18mm
Exposure Program
Manual
Exposure
1/400 sec at f/3.5
ISO Speed Rating
ISO 200
Exposure Bias
- 1/3 EV
White Balance
5560K
Flash
Did not fre
Tripod
Not present
Nasrul Eam
Both this and the previous pictures were
taken in manual mode with almost the
same white balance settings.
DONT THESE EXAMPLES INFLUENCE ONE
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VAST
UNDERSTANDING OF TEMPERATURE AND
NATURE OF LIGHT?
For understanding different uses of white
balance and color temperature to manually
achieve a subtle quality in your photo-
graphs, you can read the section The Color
of Light and Color Temperature, from the
book THE QUINTESSENCE OF PHOTOGRAPHY:
UNDERSTANDING COMPOSITION. If you dont
have an urge to learn, just stick with the
settings these photographs have in similar
conditions, and you will have nice natural
tone for your photographs. Of course, the
exposure settings do depend on the amount
of light there is. If you are too confused
about setting that into manual mode, just
switch the camera into Aperture priority
mode (Av) and follow the rest of the
example, as stated.
Nikon D3 | Focal Length: 28mm | Exposure Program: Manual | Exposure: 1/60 sec at f/22 | ISO Speed Rating: ISO
200 | Exposure Bias: - 1/3 EV | White Balance: 5560K | Flash: Did not fre | Tripod: Not present
THE DIRECTION OF LIGHT
The farther the light source is from the subject, the narrower the light will be, and the softer tone of light the subject will be cast in. Also, the broader the
light source is, the softer the light will be. Remember, a broad light source will produce less shadow. Natural light can be found at any time except at the
time of sunset and sunrise.
Nasrul Eam
If you look at the photograph above, you can see that the image was
captured just before the afternoon. This photograph was taken in
Kayakumari, and because of perfect light and composition, it even
reveals the three differing tones of water of the Indian Ocean, Arabian
Sea and Bay of Bengal. Remember, the quality of light is determined
mainly by the weather, and the color tones in your photographs
totally depend on it. You can play with the light quality that is pres-
ent, and often achieve excellent results, but you do need to be in the
right place at the right time.
For the vast blue ocean, lets take a journey to the dunes of the desert.
In the desert, we can get the very harsh light, but we on can also clev-
erly position ourselves to produce a different looking photograph.
But if you position yourself cleverly, and use exposure bias with creativity, you
can get a very good natural tone. Wait for a bit and let the sun get down a little bit,
so that you can use that as sidelight and get a dramatic photograph.
BOTTOM-LINE
Like every other knowledgeable photographer, we recommend you rise as early as
possible and stay late to get the true tonal value of nature. For this, you might
have to stay lots of time out in the field, but you will get some achieve great
results.
The quality of light also
depends on the direction of
light, as it is essentially deter-
mining how soft or hard the
light is. People who are new to
photography have a hard time
understanding this quality of
light. Lets make it more
simple: hard and soft light can
be categorized in terms of
shadow details, contrast, and
dynamic range. Hard light is
very direct, and it has very high
contrast, and because of that it
lacks shadow details. That
means if you take a photo-
graph in harsh light, like mid-
sun, the result will be a very
unflattering image.
Nikon D3 | Focal Length: 28mm | Exposure Program: Manual | Exposure: 1/60
sec at f/22 | ISO Speed Rating: ISO 200 | Exposure Bias: - 1/3 EV | White
Balance: 5560K | Flash: Did not fre | Tripod: Not present
Nasrul Eam
Nasrul Eam
SHOWING SKILL
WITH YOUR CAMERA
Nasrul Eam
SHOWING SKILL
WITH
YOUR CAMERA
This article was written by
The Light and Composition Photography Lab team
Can you imagine a sketch from a person who had
never before held a pencil in his life? Can you imag-
ine an English man writing Chinese, who doesnt
even know a single letter of the alphabet of that
language? Isnt it also ridiculous to think that if one
bought a camera and always left it in auto mode,
they would always get a nice photograph?
Auto mode, in todays cameras, can give an expo-
sure. You can call it a snapshot; you can call it a
moment; but you cannot call it a photograph which
has an artistic touch.
If one considers oneself an artist in the field of pho-
tography, then there is no doubt that the camera is
the only primary tool. However, like every artist,
confusion can arise over which qualities and stan-
dards an image or a captured moment can be
judged. There are numerous factors and one of
which is how adept you are at using your camera.
Showing skill with your camera is not an easy task. You need to study the camera you are using;
you need to understand various rules of photography and implement them with your camera.
Beside these, there is another big factor that a photographer must know the limitations of the
camera gear they are using. In our lab, before we test any camera, we first identify all the limita-
tions and try to develop tricks for how to overcome them. In this issue we are going to highlight
one of the Nikons popular cameras, Nikon D90.
Nasrul Eam
As for those of you who already own this beauti-
ful, less expensive, small camera you already
know that this camera is fairly easy to use. But
before moving to that we are going to highlight its
limitations.
LIMITATIONS THAT THEY USUALLY HIDE
Sorry to start with this, but its just another entry
level consumer camera, with some added
features. Yes we know you might have read some
really good reviews online (especially in
www.dpreview.com, www.kenrockwell.com and
www.cameralabs.com) or even in some famous
photography magazines. (Popular Photogra-
phy, American Photography, Shutter Bugs)
Unfortunately, most of them work with an affilia-
tion and sponsors, and will not give you the facts
you must know. So lets discuss what you are not
getting in this camera.
The view-finder only gives you 96% coverage,
which means it covers only 0.65x of any full
frame camera.
It has a very annoying Auto Focus Assist illumi-
nator.
MASTERING
NIKON D90
LIKE A PRO
It has only 11 points for Auto Focus, which can in no way cover the whole view-finder.
This camera is slow, but faster than the 10 year-old D1 with a 4.5 FPS.
The shutter only goes as high as 1/4000, which is the same as some of the digital cameras of 2001.
It does not have 5:4 crop ratios, which is a de-facto for professional photography; then again, you
are not using a full frame camera, so there is no point in dreaming for that ratio.
A professional photographer can hardly use the built in flash, then again the flash the D90 is
coming with can give you 18mm coverage.
You have no other option other than using unreliable SD or SDHC MC Cards.
The lens compatibility is just like that of the D80, D70, D100 and D50, and that means you are into a
range which is slightly better than the D40 and D60, but not at the level of professionals. Also, for
many professional lenses, you need to use only spot metering.
There is no ISO 100 or ISO 6400, though for your own satisfaction, the Nikon gives you Lo 1 and Hi 1.
Hi 1 is useless when you want a perfect exposure without any noise.
After an hour of shooting movies with it, the camera becomes too hot.
AND THE BIGGEST LIMITATION IS THAT IT
HAS A 12 BIT SENSOR,
JUST LIKE THE NIKON D80.
You might think, what the heck, the human eye
isnt able to see this difference. Well you are
partially right, but lets introduce this scenario: for
a moment lets get back to past, lets get back to
those days when Windows rendered in only 16
colors. Or say one wanted to do a Xerox copy, and
gets one from a very old machine. If these compari-
sons dont explain how old a 12 bit sensor is, we
have a better example for you.
We asked some of the pioneers in the imaging
industry, who dont hesitate to reveal the truth.
According to them, more bits help to accurately
render detail, but they also should help to accu-
rately record each and every color, even in areas
lacking any detail.
For an example, areas of vast blue skies can often
reveal problems in an image that are not apparent
when detail is present to mask it. As a good photog-
rapher, you must want gradients to make your pho-
tograph a smooth one. The bottom line is, the more
cleanly and accurately each data point in the image
can be recorded, the smoother one should expect
gradients to be rendered. One cannot compare a
camera of 12 bit to a camera of 14 bit, like Nikon
D300, D300s, D700, D3, D3x, or D3s.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO ATTUNE YOURSELF WITH YOUR CAMERA?
The reason is simple. When the moment occurs, you can capture the photograph with accuracy.
Can you remember the first step of any sort of photography? It is setting the ISO according to the
amount of light and its quality. For D90, our first tip is to, set the rear command wheel to change
ISO. Doing this is not difficult; you can do it by setting d3 in the Custom Setting menu to Show
ISO/Easy ISO.
IF NIKON D90 IS YOUR FIRST DSLR
If Nikon D90 is your first DSRL and you are fairly new to photography and not familiar with the
condition of light, for the first few days or even a month, you can set the ISO sensitivity Auto
Control on. You can do it from the shooting menu. If you do this, you get to see what ISO setting
the camera is choosing in different light conditions. In this setting, you can see when the light
condition is poor, how the camera often wrongly selects an ISO that produces high noise, and
where this cameras limitation is ISO 200 to a buggy ISO 3200.
TIPS THAT HELP
ATTUNE YOURSELF
WITH YOUR
NIKON D90
SETTING
THE SATURATION
CORRECTLY
Before taking your Nikon camera shooting for the
first time, use the Vivid +1 Saturation. We have
checked the different saturation level in D90 and +1
and +2 will give you the best output. Then again,
the key is selecting whichever looks good when you
view the image on a big computer screen, and
remembering the setting for later use.
TUNING
YOUR CAMERA WITH
THE RIGHT EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
Nikon D90 gives you the best contrast when you set
the Exposure Compensation value to -0.3. If you
want to test it by yourself and want to understand
Exposure Compensation, you can go through the
book THE ESSENCE OF CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHY:
A GUIDE TO CAPTURING THE SPLENDOR OF THE
UNSEEN WORLD. Yes, its a book for understand-
ing close up photography, but tuning your camera
is a big concept, and if you read the first chapter of
that book, it will give you a clear idea about the
Exposure Compensation value. If you dont have an
urge to learn, just stick with the setting we are
suggesting.
Now the very basic tips of every Nikon camera makes your task quick. If your camera is malfunc-
tioning in a critical moment, use the reset button. You can see +/- and AF buttons, and both have a
green dot beside them. Hold them together for a couple of seconds, and your camera is back to
factory default and ready to rock again. Next is the Two-Button Format. If you press and hold the
Metering and Trash Can buttons at the same time, you will format your memory card. No need to go
to Menu and waste your time.
KNOWING NIKON MORE
If you are moving from a different brand or are even a first time DSLR user, remember that Nikon's
exposure meters have always read backwards. More exposure goes to the left, and less exposure
goes to the right.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line is simple: the more you know about light and different terms of photography, and
all the commands and dials of your camera, the more accurately you can capture the moment. Then
again, if these tips are not enough for you, we politely ask you to read the section Visual Athlete
and Science and Art from the book THE QUINTESSENCE OF PHOTOGRAPHY: UNDERSTANDING
COMPOSITION which you can easily get any time at http://www.imageofthecenturies.com.
USING
EVERY SHORTCUT OPTION
THAT NIKON IS
GIVING YOU
SOME MOMENTS REPRESENT
THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
AND IN THOSE SOME ARE
TRULY WORTH TAKING
CAPTURE THAT
VERY DECISIVE MOMENT
THAT GLOWS WITH PASSION
SEE DETAILS IN NEXT PAGE
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LEARN HOW TO TAKE STUNNING CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHY
FROM THE INSPIRING BOOK
THE ESSENCE OF CLOSE-UP
PHOTOGRAPHY
The Essence of
Close-up Photography: A Guide to Capturing the Splendor of
the Unseen World is a precisely written introductory manual on
how to take stunning close-up photography. It takes you on a journey
into the zoomed-in world of nature, and the art of showing it in photo-
graphs. This is a well-organized book that contains every basic aspect of
close-up photography, which lays the groundwork to becoming a suc-
cessful nature photographer. The text illuminates the key areas of
close-up photography, including composition, use of natural ambient
light, basic to advanced technical terms, equipment choice, and the
all-important creative interpretation that helps to transform your
photograph so that it glows with
true passion.
LOG-ON TO
www.imageofthecenturies.com
and collect your copy exclusively
from our website for only $10
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TECHNIQUES
THAT NEVER FADE
5 FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUES
FOR AN ARTISTIC BOKEH
BY AUDE-EMILIE DORION
On a recent trip to Thailand, I went to explore the island of Phuket, which was a great opportunity for me to combine Phuket towns Sino-Portuguese
cultural heritage with rural places of the south. Phuket may not be what we could call an unspoilt island, but it is certainly one of the most interesting
islands in Thailand. If you are looking for somewhere on Phuket that is off the beaten tracks, then Rawai and Chalong are places mostly inhabited by
locals, and are amongst the nicest places on the island.
The bay of Chalong may have undergone massive transformations over the years, but in the heart of night, when all the tourists are gone, it becomes
a simple place again with local eateries. It is one of lifes simple pleasures to be able to hang out along the pier, feeling the breeze from the sea on your
face and watching the light from the old lighthouse stretch out across the horizon.
Aude-Emilie Dorion
CREATE
A DYNAMIC CAPTURE
As you amble through the quiet streets, it is not
uncommon to encounter sailors sitting around
tables playing dominos. It is here, in the dark of
the night, illuminated by twinkling lights, that I
found some fantastic lamps. I suppose that most
people would have just passed them by without
even noticing. But, as a photographer, you have
to keep in mind that what is important is your
perception of an object and the emotional reac-
tions we have when encountering a scene in
person. Something that would normally look
common can become extraordinary, depending
on the way you view it, and thus, compose the
picture.
A good picture relies on your ability to see things
and incorporate them into your composition. As a
matter of fact, using the Rule of Thirds will help
you in composing a great picture. Placing your
subject off the center of the picture will help you
to create a dynamic capture.
In terms of exploring human vision and perception, light is a very important factor. One wishes to
create a successful Bokeh, which refers to the quality of the areas in the photograph that are
not in focus. To create an accurate Bokeh, one should prefer diffuse light sources to strong ones.
Street lights, car lights, candle, or twinkle lights are sources that create artistic Bokeh.
AUDE-EMILIE DORION
Free-lance photographer and writer Aude-Emilie Dorion was born in France in 1980. She graduated in Art History and
Theatre at la Sorbonne University in Paris and studied photography on her own. Sensitive to the effect of globalization on
modern cultures and the inequity of the worlds economic development, tensions and transformations are at the heart of her
creative work.


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PHOTOGRAPH
WITH A CENTER OF INTEREST
The most interesting and effective photographs
tend to be those with a center of interest that
contrasts strongly with the background.
Bokeh makes the distractions in the background
less distracting by blurring them and lowering their
contrast. It is particularly efficient in nature or
when your background is in the presence of bright
colors.
SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE
Another useful tip is accumulating the same objects
in your picture, will give an increased sense of
perspective. Use multiple numbers of objects to
show true depth in your photographs. This is seen
in this picture of the wheels, taken in a narrow
street of China Town, Bangkok.
While the quality of blur - bokeh - is in itself a
"fuzzy" concept and something that's quite difficult
to predict or control, the quantity of blur can be
calculated quite easily, and it's something which
the photographer has control of through choice of
focal length and aperture.
IDEAL CONDITION FOR SHOOTING A BOKEH
Typically, the larger the aperture is, the larger the Bokeh will be.
With a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens opened at small apertures, your Bokeh is neutral, and it tends to be
softer at larger apertures. This lens is extremely good, for it is quite rare to find lenses that offer blur
circles at large aperture.
With the Canon 85mm f/1.8 you can get a nice Gaussian blur effect up to f/5.6. Nevertheless, the
ideal condition for shooting a Bokeh is a fast lense which is set at f/2.8 and below.
Being slightly obsessed with photos that are both in and out of focus, I try to call attention to only
what I want, by blurring certain objects, and as a result, I create a fuzzy background.
Bokeh is an amazing technique. It illuminates your subject, and even inanimate objects seem to
come alive.


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KNOWLEDGE
THAT OPENS A NEW WINDOW
TO THE WORLD
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION BOOK
THAT CAN TRULY GUIDE YOU
A well-composed photograph not only captures the gesture of a particular moment, but it also delivers a meaningful message when one puts a frame
around it, and makes the viewer want to look closer. No matter what subject a photographer chooses to capture, there is one solid basis of approach
to a realistic interpretation, which represents the natural appearance of existing forms the concept of composition. It opens up a new window to the
world; it guides the collector of knowledge and artistic enthusiast to the passage of life and nature.
Composition is the key in judging an artistic work, and it is the key factor that lies at the core of photography. Because of its importance in art and in
photography, there are numerous books written just to teach how to do composition.
People who are new to photography always have a hard time deciding which book to select to really learn the art of photography. Among many books
on the market, many of them claim to be the complete guide to understanding composition, but very few actually do that. In this issue, we are going
to discuss a book which claimed to be a complete guide. We will go through it and examine the reasoning behind this statement, by comparing the
other photography composition books with that.
UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE
Written by Bryan Peterson, is a guide to under-
standing photography. Its not exactly a good
book on composition, but in it the reader will find
specific techniques, and each one is explained in
jargon-free language. Its well presented, and
helps readers achieve superb results, even on
their first attempt.
LEARNING TO SEE CREATIVELY:
DESIGN, COLOR, & COMPOSITION IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Written by Bryan Peterson, this helps photog-
raphers visualize their work, and the world, in
a whole new light. It explains that composing
a photograph is not some gift for the "chosen
few" but actually a skill that can be learned
and applied. In the book, the author show-
cases inventive photos from his own stunning
portfolio.
THE QUINTESSENCE OF PHOTOGRAPHY:
UNDERSTANDING COMPOSITION
Written by Nasrul Eam, is a well organized book
and contains everything you would want to know
about composition. It provides compositional
building blocks to developing ones artistic vision.
The book is so precisely written that no matter
how much you think you know about photogra-
phy, you will learn new things. It is a complete
guide to understanding composition.
WITHIN THE FRAME:
THE JOURNEY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC VISION
Written by David du Chemin, this is a book that was
released not very long ago. The book is about finding
and expressing your photographic vision, specifi-
cally where people, places, and cultures are
concerned. It is a personal book, full of real-world
wisdom and incredible images. The author covers
how to tell stories, and also talks about the technol-
ogy and tools we have at our disposal to tell those
narratives.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S EYE: COMPOSITION AND DESIGN
Written by Michael Freeman, this covers both traditional
in-camera composition and the new opportunities for picture
making made possible by digital imaging editing. It shows
how to explore situations and locations in order to find the best
possible photographic possibilities.
LETS ANALYZE WHAT BOOKS ARE OUT THERE THAT CONTAIN ACCURATE, UP TO DATE CONTENT.
BESIDES THESE
Beside these there are books like:
Scott Kelby's Digital Photography, Joe McNallys
The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from
one of the world's top shooters, Blue Fiers Compo-
sition Photo Workshop, and many more.
Scott Kelby and Joe McNally are selling their books
using their fame and the control of online media
they have. These books hardly contain any useful
information; rather they are full of jargon of their
life and their way of understanding photography.
Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic
Vision, by David duChemin, is still on the market,
with the help of both Kelby and McNally, yet again,
this book contains some valuable information.
If you notice, except one, none of the books or
authors mentioned its a complete guide, and we
would love to examine the reason behind it.
Normally we don't do a lot of self promotion in this
magazine; we are saying this because that book and
our magazine are from the same publisher. We hate
to do this but the content of the book The Quintes-
sence of Photography is so precisely written and
when we were comparing this with other books, we
felt this should be done.
THE BOOK CLAIMS THAT, IT SHOWCASES STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY
ALONG WITH EVOCATIVE TEXT, WITH EXPERT ADVICE THAT WILL
CHANGE THE WAY ONE COMPOSES A PHOTOGRAPH.
Lets analyze whether that a valuable claim or not. Well, one can
flip through the pages of the books from its website
http://www.imageofthecenturies.com, which is a pretty good
option for those people who are interested in that book. However,
when we gave a online search, there is very little information about
this book, and our honest guess is it is because the website is totally
Flash based and Google is unaware of its reviews.
When you open the book The Quintessence of Photography:
Understanding Composition, it takes you directly to its main
theme, which is giving information about photography and
composition. Next it tells the reader what the books covers.
Just after that, it takes the reader to a page named Birds Eye
View, where one can see the book contains three chapters. It
has brief information on what each chapter will cover.
Next it is analyzing art and telling you how one can subjec-
tively and objectively analyze it. As students of art, we know
how important it is to have this knowledge. We were looking
for this information in the other four books, yet unfortu-
nately, none of them talked about it. Within the Frame: The
Journey of Photographic Vision, by David du Chemin,
started nicely but it still lacks the connection to true forms
of art.
If we go back to the book again, it next highlighted how one
needs to study the fundamentals of photography to become
an artistic photographer. Then it gives the complete book
map. All together, chapter one contains 12 sub-sections;
chapter two contains 10 sub-sections, and chapter three
contains 22 subsections.
Chapter one is Nearing Perfection: Standard & Style of
Photography. We viewed other books, and unfortunately,
none of them talks about the standard of photography.
Some talk about the style of photography, but from different
approaches. Reading this chapter reminds us about the core
of art and how to analyze it according to standards.
This small chapter clearly draws a big difference between it and other photography books
on the market. It shows that this is the only book which any art institution can add to their
supportive text to understand and explain photography. Beside this, this chapter talks
about the range of light and contrast, and its visual impact. The end of the chapter has a
very interesting article called Visual Athlete, which talks about which aspects of digital
photography are most influential in creating a piece of art. It clearly mentioned those
terms one need to understand before moving to the next chapter.
The next section, called Science and Art, explains most of
the terms used in photography and how important it is to
know the influence of light on them and how to use this to
form a great composition. This section is not part of any chap-
ter; its a bridge between two chapters, which clarifies the
science behind the art.
Chapter Two showcases some extraordinary images from
different parts of the world. The title of this chapter is Cross-
ing the Boundary: Fundamental Elements in Composition.
The explanations along with photographs are superb. After
reading this chapter, we see why they say, The book is so
precisely written that no matter how much you think you
know about photography, you will learn new things in this
book.
This chapter also suggests an alternative photographic
method, which put all other books of composition into shame.
It elaborates on the topics of color, motion, and perspective,
along with other elements of composition, so vastly that we
believe every photographer should keep this book in their
personal collection. Like the other sections, it also highlights
all the key terms and their importance in a summary.
Chapter Three: Mature with Grace: Composition with
Elements takes one step-by-step to a better understanding of
how one composes a photograph. It talks about all the basic
rules of photography and the structure of it, and then even
guides one how to break these rules and create out of the box
photographs.
One of the highlights of Chapter Three is Expressions through Weighting, which shows
several different examples. It talks about shapes and negative space in depth, and also
discusses how one can balance his photographs. Then it talks about the dynamics in pho-
tography. Michael Freeman, in his book The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design,
talks about this in detail, but lacks the explanation of all the other terms. The Quintessence
of Photography: Understanding Composition truly clarifies many misconceptions, no
matter if you are an artistic pioneer or a passionate beginner.
In Chapter Three, you will see how balance and
dynamics interact and help you to make a good
composition. Then it talks about how one can see
the world with different lenses, with their angle of
view and field of view. Next its talks about light
more in-depth and then explains depth of field and
the true science behind it.
In the next section, it talks about all the key princi-
pal of art and relates them to photography in this
section called Exploring your Canvas: In the Prin-
ciples of Art . Once you understand all these it
moves to the most important concept of photogra-
phy: The decisive moment . Not only that, it talks
about an alternative way, if you are unable to
capture the decisive moment.
INVESTMENT OF A LIFETIME
Compared to other books, the price of the book is
really cheap, which is just $10 USD and right now it
is available in e-book format from the website
http://www.imageofthecenturies.com. One can get
the book within 2 minutes. Another bonus: it the
author updates a new edition, you will get it in your
email box the next day. So its a lifetime investment.
APPLE IPAD
Interestingly this book supports Apple IPad. If you are a photographer
and an Apple IPad user, this is the perfect collection for you. You might
think other books can also support IPad. But when we checked in IPad,
this book and its size and layout are specially design for Apple IPad.
BOTTOM-LINE
Compare this book with others on the market, and we are honestly so
impressed that we truly agree with its statement that, This book
discusses most of the terms and various core principles of art which are
related to photography, as well as what makes a photograph truly
special. From start to fnish, you will discover scientifc explanations
along with artistic insight on the art of fne photography. According to
us, the bottom line, its truly THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO UNDERSTAND-
ING COMPOSITION.
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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
IN SEARCH OF
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PHOTOGRAPHER
WITH STYLE
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
WITH SANIAR RAHMAN RAHUL
Saniar Rahman Rahul lives in Chowdhori Para, Malibag, which is a few miles from the center of the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He grew up in a family
where photography was part of everyday life. His father was so passionate about photography. Rahul became interested in photography from his
father. He was fascinated by seeing his father taking pictures with a camera while his family was in Iraq during his childhood. Later in life, in 1997,
while he became very much attached with his profession of graphic design, Rahul rediscovered the creative side of photography. He started his career
as a professional graphic designer in October of 1995, in a pre-press house called Color Scan, which is one of the pioneers in the pre-process printing
media in Bangladesh. Afterwards, he moved to Power Point, another pre-press house. Before he finally settled into advertising, he also worked in an
IT company called Abtab IT. Moving to advertising from printing media was a big step for him. In 2005, he joined G3, a special wing of Gray Worldwide.
Two years later, he moved to Paper Rhyme. Now he is working as the Associate Art Director in Pearl communication, one of the leading advertising
agencies in Bangladesh. We will discover more about him and his forays into photography in the following interview with him.
LIGHT &
COMPOSITION
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Nafeezul: Rahul, what about Nature Photography

attracts you to it?
Rahul: Nature is always among the most popular of
subjects for photography. A sunset arrives exactly
when you expect it to and you often need to do little
more than point and shoot to capture all the beauty
of the sunset that you can see. You might not have
to go and look for it. A photogenic scene can strike
you anywhere, anytime. However, you might not be
able to get it at your demand. You have to take it as
it remains in nature. And as nature has thousands
of colors and shapes, so you have to sort out the
best frame and texture from that. All this uncer-
tainty is very much challenging to me, and I feel
very much thrilled with it. And especially this
excitement with nature grew my interest in nature
photography.
Nafeezul: One of the keys of nature photography is
visualization; could you please tell us how you start
this process and what you plan to do afterwards?
Rahul: In nature photography there are so many
objects. And in those objects you might find an
important subject. Moreover, to get a good photo
you have to careful about proper lighting and also
about proper framing of the subject. But to do that,
you have to visualize it. As you know, visualization
is the art of seeing, which is a concept that creates
an image in your mind before you take it.
For me, I start imagining different interpretations of the image that I conceptualized. Then I try to
create what was in the photo concept, which is such a valuable tool to help create a personal inter-
pretation and record it in the final click. And to have beautiful nature photos I must conceptualize
images by taking control of this picture making process. So, once my needs are clear and defined,
and mixed with my artistic passion and light sensitivity, my goals get defined and I take the photo-
graph.
Nafeezul: You have been into bird photography for a long time. How hard it is to cope with the inad-
equate environment while doing bird photography?
Rahul: Though in the beginning I felt trouble, but now I have overcome that.
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In fact, it was a matter of struggle. First thing is,

you need to have a good telephoto lens. How-
ever, this will not be enough. You must know
about the mystery of the subject. You have to
know how it reacts. You have to follow it and
find its nature. If you pursue birds with regular-
ity, you might get a lucky opportunity where
you can get a great shot. But you have to have
patience. Then you also have to know about the
place where you have gone to shoot. Also to
attract them towards you, you have to find out
about their regular food. Food can be a great
way to attract them towards you. And of course
you have to become the part of the nature to take
a good snap shot of a bird. So with a good prepa-
ration, you might be able to overcome all these
situations and take the picture.
Nafeezul: What camera gear aids you a lot, and
which lens and camera do you find yourself
using most of the time?
Rahul: Actually, different types of people are
habituated in different types of gear; it is a
matter of habituation. But it is easy to handle
Cannon, for its lightweight. Thats why I
personally prefer Cannon. And I use the Cannon
gear. Cannon7D, D60, and Lens-300mm f4 L-IS,
400mm f5.6 .
Nafeezul: Rahul have you ever exhibited your work? If yes, then tell us about your first solo
exhibition experience.
Rahul: Yes, my first solo exhibition was held on the 15th of December 2008, and it was only
on birds, and the name of the exhibition was `Kuhutan. Honorable Hashem Khan inaugu-
rated the exhibition, and that was a great pleasure for me. So many people appreciated that
exhibition. During the exhibition there was an important part which was to introduce the
birds to the viewers. Because, I did not put any of the birds name on the photographs. It was
intentional, and the audience asked me the names of the birds and I introduced them one by
one along with their habit and nature. In that way the viewers became more familiar with the
birds, which was so enjoyable for me.
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Nafeezul: You are involved with lots of photo-

graphic organizations in Bangladesh. How do you
see the future of nature and wildlife photography ?
Rahul: Not so many actually. I am working very
closely with BBC(Bangladesh Bird Club). I have
some contributions in Bangla Pedia, Encyclopedia
Flora & Fauna - Birds, and Encyclopedia Flora &
Fauna- Mammals.
It is great to see that people are getting more inter-
ested in it, and this number is growing. I want to see
that everybody loves nature and the wild directly or
indirectly. And Bangladesh, with so many enor-
mous natural beauties, has a huge prospect waiting
in nature and wildlife photography.
Nafeezul: Your style is different and non-
traditional. What advice would you have for our
readers to become a nature photographer?
Rahul: I do not want to give advice but want to
request that, "Please come to save the nature, love
the nature. Lets do something for our future
generations."
Nafeezul: Thank you Rahul for sharing with us.
Rahul: Thanks to you Nafeezul and all the
subscriber of Light and Composition Magazine.
PHOTOGRAPHER
WITH STYLE
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
WITH SANIAR RAHMAN RAHUL
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Saniar Rahman Rahul

Saniar Rahman Rahul
Light and Composition is a monthly photography magazine that aims to inspire people towards the true essence of photography.
Photography is all about how one understands and captures the rhythms and harmonies of light, with artistic vision, where the
composition lies, to its essence. Our aim is to take one around this world, to people, nature, and culture, in pursuit of value and
authenticity. Most importantly, our magazine is about seeing and portraying the world through the lens using a purists perspective.
WWW.LIGHTANDCOMPOSITION.COM
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VOLUME ONE, JUNE / JULY 2010