The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us

The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us. When the world seems familiar, when one has got used to existence, one has become an adult.
~Eugene Ionesco

Brindavan gardens, Mysore at night

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
― Saint Augustine

Photograph taken at Brindavan gardens during my recent visit to Mysore. The beauty of fountains is enhanced during night with colorful lights.

Wayanad : Hairpin bend view

The view from top of hairpin bend road amidst the lush greenery leading to Wayanad.

How to get sharp photographs with handheld camera?

Let us face it, we all have gone thorough this. Getting blur photographs is the biggest frustration for all photographers. The reason for blur or soft photograph is not the gear but actually our shaky hands.

To get to the basics, we need to make sure that you are focusing on the subject and the camera is held still at the time of taking the photograph. This means using both hands for holding the camera, keep the camera close to your body, support yourself with some solid object and hold your breath and shoot. But, it is easily said than done.

The easiest way to achieve sharp pictures is to use a tripod. But, carrying tripod always is not possible and at times an irritation.

So, when you are taking handheld photographs, the best way to control camera shake relates to the shutter speed setting in your camera. There is a recommended minimum shutter speed for taking pictures. The thumb rule is that your minimum shutter speed should be 1/(the focal length).

So if you shooting at 300 mm focal length, then your minimum shutter speed should be: 1/300 sec.

If you are shooting with a cropped sensor camera your minimum shutter speed should be 1/(double the focal length).

This should ensure that your photographs are sharp and without blur.

I would love to hear your experiences on this topic.

Wayanad forest view

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Play

A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who does not play has lost forever the child who lived in him.
– Pablo Neruda

This photograph of a local boy playing football was taken at Wayanad, Kerala. Football seems to be a popular sports in Kerala.

Brindavan Gardens, Mysore

Every child is an artist. The problem is …

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up”
~Pablo Picasso

White Lotus (Nymphaea alba)

“Flowers are without hope. Because hope is tomorrow and flowers have no tomorrow”
~Antonio Porchia

Misty view at Banasura sagar dam, Wayanad,Kerala

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”
Albert Einstein