Inspirational Photography Techniques

I’m learning that portrait photography can be tough in more than one way.  I’m already getting bored with taking the standard cookie-cutter portrait, so I started seeking for some inspiration. Here’s what I turned up:

And yes, I realize that the accompanying text is much shorter than I would usually supply, but the idea of this post isn’t to teach these techniques — it’s to introduce you to them and hopefully give you some inspiration with your own photography. I feel that these photos are strong enough to stand on their own without lengthy descriptions.

1. PHOTOSHOP

If you’re good with post-processing and manipulations, use it to your advantage. Get crazy with the adjustments, try some new Photoshop techniques, and maybe even a composite image.

2. TEXTURE

If texture is a big part of your subject, make it stand out and make it obvious. Match up the textures between your subject and your background. You might even try texturizing the entire photo for additional impact.

3. OVEREXPOSE

Blowing out the highlights or making a high-key image makes a nice soft portrait with kind of a light airy feeling. Another advantage of high-key photos is that the smaller details and defects are blown away, making the image look much smoother.

4. UNDEREXPOSE

A dominantly dark or low-key image will naturally draw your eyes to the lighter parts. These tend to have a grittier and harder look to them than the high-key images.

5. BACK-LIGHT

Hair lights up like crazy when it’s back-lit, so if hair is a big part of your subject make it stand out by placing your subject between you and a light source. You could also take this a little further and push the image to a silhouette.

6. POSING

Get crazy with the pose and positioning — extra points if it looks uncomfortable. Not only with the poses, but also with your own positioning — shoot from different angles to achieve different impacts.

7. CULTURE

Capture the local culture — what’s mundane to you is exotic to us. Culture is everywhere, even in your own town. Just image you’re visiting from a different country — what things would then seem more interesting to you?

8. REFLECTIONS

Make use of different surfaces to add that extra dimension — windows, mirrors, and water are all very good reflective surfaces that give a different result and texture.

9. SHADOWS

Make the shadow an important part of the image. Sometimes the shadow can even be more prominent than the actual subject casting the shadow.

10. GET CLOSE

There’s no rule against cropping out most of the subject’s face. This draws more attention to the parts that are left in the frame.

11. (UN)FOCUS

Out-of-focus subjects can be more interesting than the in-focus subjects. It kind of adds some mystery to the image because you can’t quite make out who that person is.

12. MOVEMENT

Use movement to show action, even if it blurs out the subject entirely. In cases like this, think of the person as a means of creating the subject rather than being the actual subject.

13. CAPTURE THE MOMENT

Catch somebody doing something they love, even if it’s not staged. Street photography is one of my favorite genres because it captures life as it happens — unstaged and unposed.

14. COLORS

Use vibrant and contrasting colors to draw attention to parts of your subject. This could be makeup, clothing, accessories, or whatever else you can get your hands on.

15. GET SERIOUS

Not all portraits need to have a smile, capture the serious emotions too. Some of my favorite portraits have no hint of a smile in them, and they’re highly emotional.

16. PROPS

Use the props and tools around you to make the setting more interesting. Find things to place your subject in, on, under, around, etc.

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Adab Ketika Berada Di Kedai Makan.

Manusia dan adab ibarat pasir dan lori pasir. Tiada pasir maka tiadalah lori pasir maka tiadalah budak-budak bermain pasir. Eh, kenapa pelik sangat anologi yang aku terangkan di sini. Salah satu adab yang harus diberi perhatian adalah adab ketika berada di kedai makan. Dekat kedai makan pun kena beradap ke? Ada sesetengah manusia ni kalau sebut pasal makan je terus hilang pedoman dan maruah diri dah tak kira dah adab sopan semua  main belasah je macam biawak komodo. Jadi entri kali ini aku ingin memberi sedikit tips bagaimana untuk beradap di dalam kedai makan tidak kiralah kedai makan tu cuma warong picisan ataupun restoran 5 bintang sekalipun. Disini telah digariskan teknik-teknik beradap di kedai makan.

1) Sila periksa duit anda sebelum masuk ke kedai makan bukan selepas dah habis makan baru nak periksa. Lagi besar sesebuah kedai makan bertaraf restoran makin banyaklah duit yang diperlukan.  Ini bagi mengelakkan anda menjadi pencuci pinggan mangkuk bersiri di premis berkenaan. Sumpah malu dowh kalau perkara ni terjadi.

2) Elakkan diri dari memesan makanan yang terlalu eksotik seperti Kari Kepala Bot, Ikan Jerung Masak Asam Pedas, Tupai Masak Anai-anai dll. Gila teruk nafsu makan korang sampai macam tu sekali order.

3) Jangan tokok tambah pesanan seperti “Bang saya nak order nasi goreng seafood tak nak rumpai laut kat dalam tapi udang tu kalau boleh letak sebakul ye bang.” Jangan risau permintaan anda tidak akan dilayan. Hahaha.

4) Kontrol kehenseman anda dan kejelitaan anda di kedai makan. Ini bagi memberi tanggapan positif pada pengunjung lain di premis berkenaan terhadap anda bahawa kejelitaan adalah hak milik setiap insan. Disaat-saat mahu ketawa ataupun berbual sila lakukan dengan cara bersopan dan berhemah. Jangan sampai ketiadaan adab anda ketawa terbahak-bahak dirakam lantas diletak di saluran Youtube untuk dikeji beramai-ramai.

5) Bersabar dalam menunggu pesanan makanan anda disiapkan walaupun ia mengambil masa yang lama. Tapi kalau dah lama sangat sampai berkudis punggung menunggu sila ambil inisiatif untuk menghilangkan diri dengan jurus batin secara senyap-senyap tanpa perlu mengamok di premis makanan berkenaan.

6) Semasa sedang eksited menunggu makanan disiapkan jangan lakukan perkara-perkara yang pelik seperti mengambil sudu di atas meja makan lantas dijadikan tanduk dikepala. Lepas tu tangkap gambar untuk diletakkan di dalam Facebook. Tak pun masa makanan sampai terus keluarkan kamera tangkap gambar makanan sama tujuan nak letak dalam Facebook. Gila Facebook korang ni.

7) Semasa makan elakkan diri dari makan terlalu laju dan terlalu perlahan. Walau bagaimana keadaan anda makan sila kontrol keadaban anda itu. Elakkan dari makan terlalu gelojoh sampai ayam terpelanting ke atas meja orang lain. Dah malu pura-pura cakap ayam yang dimasak itu masih hidup terus nak saman kedai makan tu untuk kaber malu sendiri.

8.) Selepas makan jangan cepat-cepat bangun terus nak balik. Anda harus stay down untuk beberapa minit. Ini bagi mengelakkan perut anda rosak akibat belum habis hadam dah nak jalan lagi. Tenangkan diri dulu. Yang paling penting sekali adalah, lepas makan jangan lupa nak bayar.

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Damn Of Public Bus.

Important Thing Situation Of Public Buses At Malaysia That I Hate Is :

1) Kena Tunggu

Untuk menaiki bus kita kena mempunyai satu kesabaran menunggu yang sangat tinggi didalam diri. Kadang-kadang driver bus pergi sarapan diwaktu pagi. Jadi bersabarlah kalau bus tu lambat sampai. Sambil menunggu tu korang bolehlah main sodoku atau membaca novel yang ada. Kalau anda merupakan mat rempit tak payahlah nak menyamar jadi driver bus menyemak di bus stop untuk mencari cikaro. Perempuan tak bodoh dalam membezakan motor cup beroda dua dengan bus beroda enam.

2)  Pemandu Bertaraf Iblis

Bawak bus macam orag kena rasuk setan. Sekejap laju sekejap perlahan. Sekejap main brek lepas tu amik corner macam nak pergi lumba F1. Tonjol kereta dihadapan. Sedang asyik melihat panorama indah di tingkap bus kita dikejutkan dengan hon bus yang dah macam bunyi hon kapal kargo. Lepas tu pemandu tu mencarut-carut marahkan kenderaan dihadapan mereka.  Aku rasa macam nak bangun dari sit penumpang melangkah dengan penuh sopan kearah driver memberi sedas dua penampar siam kepada dia. Cilaker perangai.

3) Penumpang Yang Menghanginkan

Penumpang ni duduk depan. Member dia duduk selang sebaris dua dari dia. Lalu perbualan terjadi macam orang zaman batu. “Oi mat, kau malam tadi dah me*****p belum” lalu member dibelakang menjawab “Waa, kelakarnya gurauan kau macam harun”. Cakap perlahan mana boleh kerana bunyi enjin bus dah macam bunyi enjin kapal terbang. Lalu jeritan-jeritan berkumandang disana sini. Pening kepala aku. Kan bagus kalau ada undang-undang dalam bus sama macam undang-undang dalam library. Sila jangan bising bila berada dalam bus. Alangkah indahnya…

4) Lagu Perkauman

Ini dipengaruhi oleh si pemandu. Kalau pemandu dia Melayu dia akan bukak radio Era dan Hot.fm. Kalau pemandu dia India dia akan hack radio bus tu untuk tembus siaran stesyen radio Madras. Kalau dia Cina dia buka lagu orang putih. Serius, aku belum pernah dengar pemandu bus cina buka lagu Aaron Kwok. Kalau buka lagu hindustan sumpah aku tak paham inikan pula lagu hindistan. Buka lagu Melayu sudah. Kau paham aku pun paham. Kata nak terapkan semangat 1Malaysia. Jadi pasanglah lagu mengambarkan Bahasa Kebangsaan.

4) Tak Boleh Leka

Kalau memandu kereta kita kena fokus. Tak boleh tertidur dan ringan-ringan bersama pasangan ketika sedang memandu. Nanti terbabas melanggar pembahagi jalan. Korang ingat naik pengangkutan awam boleh tidur suka hati ke. Terlepas bus stop tak ke naya nanti nak patah balik. Kalau naik bus express lagi bahaya. Bila tyme dia berhenti di port rehat tepi highway untuk aktiviti membuang urine korang kena alert. Nanti tengah sedap mengemut memotong najis sendiri, bus secara sopan pergi meninggalkan anda. Memang gelaplah masa depan.

5) Duduk Dengan Orang Tak Dikenali

Cuba bayangkan anda tengah sedap-sedap duduk dalam bus sambil membaca novel. Tetiba ada orang tak dikenali duduk disebelah anda. Bau badan dia dah macam haramjadah lepas tu tidur gaya minta penampar. Huh, boleh sesak jiwa dan raga aku korang tahu tak. Aku kecualikan perkara ini kalau yang duduk sebelah aku tu berstatus awek-awek. Hahaha.

6) Environment Dalaman

Korang duduk dalam bus. Lepas tu mata menjalar melihat contengan-contengan penulis bebas. Ada nombor talifonlah, ada tulisan mencarut-carutlah marahkan kekasih hati mereka. Tiket bus pula bersepah-sepah dekat sana sini. Kadang-kadang aku nak sentuh tingkap bus pun fikir 2-3 kali. Yelah, manalah tahu dorang ada menabung lembaga hasil dalam hidung mereka ditingkap. Kita pun main sedap je sandarkan kepala dekat cermin. Eeeeeuuwwwww.. haha

7) Bus Sakit

Dah tahu bus tiada aircond tak payah lah bawa. Kesian penumpang berpeluh-peluh dalam bus.  Da macam Bilik Sauna kt Spa-Q plak. Lepas tu bus jenis pasang spring kayu dekat tayar. Bila langgar lubang rasa macam nak melayang pergi ke bumbung bus. Then ada bunyi cit cit macam tikus. Bunyi absober pun dah minta untuk diganti. Serius aku risau bebeno kalau berada dalam bus keadaan macam syual. Sekarangkan macam-macam kes berlaku tu yang aku rasa risau semacam je tu.

p/s: Last Saturday keluar dengan Wontel & Bella, dan2 jew dalam bas aku rasa nak pening nak muntah then turun-turun bas jew terus ase cam nak pitam sampai berpeluh.. Damn!!!!!!

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Five Things Kenny Dalglish Must Do For Liverpool To Beat Manchester United.

In 1993, Sir Alex Ferguson guided Manchester United to his first Premier League trophy and the club's first since 1967. It was United's seventh League title, and Liverpool fans said, "Yea, yea, come back when you've got 18."

Well...Here were are 18 years later, and Manchester United has those 18 titles. The problem is, so does Liverpool.

Manchester United come to Anfield on Sunday for the second League and third overall meeting between the two clubs this season. United won the first two, both at Old Trafford.  

When Ferguson took the job in Manchester, he said his aim was to "knock Liverpool off their (expletive) perch."

He's done a decent job. As Manchester United manager for the last 25 years, he's won 35 trophies. In the same time, under eight (Kenny Dalglish twice) different managers, Liverpool has won 18 trophies.

In total, the Reds have 59 trophies spanning their illustrious history, while the Red Devils have 58. This is all setting up so nicely, huh?

But the most important thing of all are those 18 League title apiece. Manchester United reaching that oh-so-elusive 19th title first would be an absolute dagger in the hearts of Liverpool fans.

Sir Alex and his men hit a slight snag on the way to the title in the loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Tuesday and have a tough run-in to win that record-breaking crown, but they are still heavy favorites.

Here are the five things King Kenny must do to give the Red Devils an even bigger stumbling block on their road to history. 

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deCzar Official Social Network Design.

Official Blogspot.

Official Picture Gallery.

Official Facebook.

Official Myspace.

Official Twitter.

Official Formspring.

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