Delhi India – December 2011

Jama Masjid Mosque
Jama Masjid Mosque
Our arrival
Our arrival
Busy in a side alley
Busy in a side alley
Bicycle taxis
Bicycle taxis
Learning the ropes
Learning the ropes
Prayer inside Jama Masjid
Prayer inside Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid water source
Jama Masjid water source
Relaxing and cool
Relaxing and cool
Wash drink contemplate
Wash, drink, contemplate
Finishing the job while the customer waits
Finishing the job while the customer waits
Squirrel gather scraps in between the benches
Squirrel gather scraps in between the benches
Maybe taking dad out for the day
Taking dad out for the day
Old Delhi gathering
Old Delhi gathering
Mobile phones for all
Mobile phones for all
Old Delhi
Old Delhi times 2
Traffic suspiciously mild
Traffic suspiciously mild
Cast nets on the side
Cast nets on the side and who are you
Men are from Mars!
Men are from Mars!
Ground level
Ground level
A visit to Karim's is a must when in Delhi
A visit to Karim’s is a must when in Delhi
Sikh family
Sikh family feeding their mouths and the squirrelsย 
http://www.karimhoteldelhi.com
http://www.karimhoteldelhi.comย 
Destitute waiting for food
Destitute waiting for food
No fare power-nap
No fare = power-nap
All and sundry use the road
All and sundry use the road
Delhi at night 1
Delhi at night 1
Careful where you eat or you will meet "Delhi Belly"
Careful where you eat or you will meet “Delhi Belly”
Delhi at night 2
Delhi at night 2
The band that patrons started throwing cash notes at
The band that patrons started throwing cash notes at – seriously
The party really got going
The party really got going big time
We only find out later that dancing was banned in this bar
We only found out later that dancing was banned in this bar, but were not sorry for getting it going
Tasty treats at Karim's in Old Delhi
Tasty treats at Karim’s in Old Delhi –ย freshย andย originalย 
After playing the tunes he needed a stiff Scotch
After playing the tunes he needed a stiff Scotch
Bamboo scaffolding
Bamboo scaffolding
Lord Hanuman
Lord Hanuman
Entrance 1
Entrance 1
Entrance 2
Entrance 2
On the road
On the road
On the road 2
On the road 2
Our party animal friends we met that night
Our party animal friends we met that night
Use your "dipper"
Use your “dipper”
I was a little amused to see that a goat was also catching a ride
I was a little amused to see that a goat was also catching a ride

This post about my visit to Delhi was inspired by another blog “Shankar Market, Old Delhi and the Weekend” – click, visit and see some more lovely photos with greatย colours.

Also see “Where the guys gives roses” by the same author.

A mini-expedition in Kloof, Durban

I ventured out the office todayย shortlyย after midday to experiment a little and get some fresh air.ย 

Here are some photos I took in Kloof.

  • Theirย breakfastsย aren’tย so grand anyway

  • It’s tough being on the road all day and all night

  • Twin effort

  • Anotherย angle – all wired out

  • Graveyard Road, Kloof

  • Parking with theย birdsย and bees, Fieldsย Shoppingย Centre

 

This post is followed by “Another mini-expedition in Kloof, Durban”.

HDR 3 (high dynamic range) final

HDR 1 wasย rock-bottom shocking (in a funny way)..

HDR 2ย was an improvement.

Now (HDR 3) is hopefully the last time for some time that I will use this particular title (HDR).

I am a lot happier (ecstatic) with the results from my mini-expedition today.

For now the photos look good enough for my eye and that’s so important. I’m really hooked baby with these “comic book paintings” of mine!

Jayden Miller’s post on HDR, which I read before going outside, gave me just that little bit more info that Iย needed.

Trey Ratcliffย andย Photomatix websiteย had already given me a good foundation.

Let me know which one of the following photos you like if any.

Once again, any criticism together with advice on how to improve will be appreciated.

 

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HDR (High dynamic range imaging) 2

HDR (High dynamic range imaging) 1 was a complete failure.

I went back to the drawing board and read a fewย paragraphsย of Scott Kelby’s book. In my book, seriously, there was limited info. A lovely set of three books that I will certainly now read (been in the cupboard for 2 years untouched).

The Canon 550D camera “followed” me to work today, but it was sadly an overcast day. Not to be disheartened, I started snapping away inย break-time. As soon as I got home (still overcast), I snapped some more. In the evening I wentย visitingย andย snapped muchย more.

Between Scott’s book and an online Canon tutorial, I discovered a number of settings I was unaware of when attempting HDR (High dynamic range imaging) 1. Little wonder I failed.

I was doomed to fail again when I tried to “HDR” my photos using the related feature inย Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3.

The wrong software for my very basicย knowledge.

Saved by the bell (sort of)… Enter Trey Ratcliff, who featured in These chaps can really snap 2 (and paint).

I quickly skimmed through his tutorial on HDRย as my bedtime was fast approaching.

Trey said Photomatix websiteย so I rushed there and quickly downloaded the trial version of Photomatix Pro 4.2.5.

I have not produced any masterpieces below but really believe that the results are better than my first attempt in HDR (High dynamic range imaging) 1.

What do you fellow bloggers think? Same or a little better?

Bit like comic book photos but I love them.

Any hints and advice will also be appreciated.

The last photo is my least favourite but Raven did advise me toย stick to daylight.

 

HDR (High dynamic range imaging)

OK so it’s taken me 4 hours to discover that HDR is not as simple as throwing a few photos into a software app, pressing a “one-stop process” button and out comes this amazing photo.

I failed dismally at bothย attempts but did learn a few things along the way

  1. I actually have a software app that can help with this sort of thing
  2. I need to read a few manuals and talk to someย knowledgeableย photographers
  3. This HDR stuff is really going to keep me amused for a long time
  4. I will try again and again and again and…
  5. The view over Durban: Berea and the harbour towards the Bluff is beautiful and serene

The thought of “hiding” these two photos did cross my mind, but why waste all those hours of effort.

One day I will look at my first two “HDR” photos and have a goodย chuckle!

The next attempt produced a slightly different result

 

I am not going to give up on HDR and here are 22 reasons why not – click here

Have a lovely week at work and if the going gets a little tough remember:ย โ€œCourage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrowโ€ ~ย Mary Anne Radmacher

These chaps can really snap 2 (and paint)

Someย fellow bloggers really enjoyedย These chaps can reallyย snap. This got me thinking:

“Hmm… let me showcase some more hot-shotย photographers (and one painter) inย These chaps can really snap 2!”

As with the previous blog, I have attached links to the artists’ profiles (below their photos) so you can see more of their cool work and talent.

I obviously take no credit for their work and am happilyย advertisingย what is freely available for all to view (gloat over) on the net.

Keith McInnes

Fabrizio Musacchio

 

Peter From

 

Lincoln Park Zoo

 

The Forester Artist

 

Stephanie Borcard

 

Wolfgang Staudt

 

Trey Ratcliff

Theย next two photos are from Ben Myburghย who previously featured in this blog as “The local telephone man”

 

And now I must read up about HDR and what it might do for my pics!

Also click on the artist’s links as some of them offer online tutorials.

Instead of ending off right here; let me be cheeky and add one of my own favourite photos.ย Ben Myburghย helped me edit it.

 

Andrew Harvard