Zoom Burst

My interest in photography is what made me write this post. Various techniques are used to add special effects in photography, making the result look more creative and splendid. This is one such technique. Though I haven't tried this one, I find it very appealing.

Zoom burst is an effect of using slow camera shutter speed and manual zoom lens to create streaks of colour and light in an outwards direction in an otherwise usual photograph. Such photographs can be marked by blurred streaks arising from the center of the photograph. This is somewhat similar to motion blur, wherein an impression of motion towards the subject is created.

This is how zoom burst can be created on your own...

1) Locate the subject and mount the camera on a tripod. A few subjects to try : wall, flowers, statues, trees etc
2) Set camera shutter speed to a slow setting (1/4 to 1/2 should be good enough) Set the aperture accordingly to get optimum lighting.
3) Aim at the subject and press the shutter release button.
4) Zoom in on the subject manually, using the adjustment ring on the zoom lens, during the time the shutter remains open.
5) The result of doing this will cause anything outside of the photograph's center to burst outwards in trails of colour and light.

Here are a few examples :

Forest...

Swan burst...

Tunnel...

Greenwich burst...

Tree burst...

Flower burst...

House...

So with these beautiful illustration, I end this post.

PS :- These photographs were meant only for illustration purpose and no copying of work was intended.

Source of photographs :- Flickr

Need for Speed...

Well so far my driving skills were restricted only to computer games. Playing a few racing games, thats it. But even those skills were not upto the mark like that of Mr. Linux ( he has the power of zuc32 with him :P )

I've always been passionate for cars. Be it those super fast sports and F1 cars or the classic Vintages. Driving a car in reality was one thing I always wanted to master or learn atleast.

To start off with, I have 'successfully' finished the training to drive a car, after lots of 'effort' and 'perseverance' :P . Had joined a motor training school out here, their training being completely hopeless. A few random jackasses appointed for the task. Well whatever it may be...the learning part is done, and that is what matters.

So now I've started driving my dad's car. Though these driving sessions are restricted to late night only...the only time when Mumbai's roads are quite relieved of the painful traffic. Speeding the car is one thing which fascinates me. I do that whenever the road in front of me lay open. My father is not much concerned about me speeding, but I can always hear my sister's taunts from the backseat.

To end this, I am really enjoying driving and living my dreams.

City's Underbelly Lies Exposed

One big shower and all the claims of 'rain readiness' are washed away...

This was what was mentioned in the DNA...
There is more to the city's roads than asphalt. The city had a pockmarked appearance after 48 hours of unremitting rains, exposing the tall claims made by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) about monsoon-preparedness.
Potholes surfaced on the roads as water began to recede. There was more damage: cross culverts had choked and overflowed, dividers damaged and paver blocks sunk, debris added to the troubles of the commuters. Though MMRDA had claimed to have completed maintenance work just before the monsoon, craters were formed on the raods. If the city's arteries came undone, its veins and capillaries fared far worse. Residents reported many other spots where one could duck for a quick swim.

And as usual the Indian Meteorological Department had to predict 'heavy to extremely heavy' rainfall with strong, gusty winds after all the damage was done.
Contrary, the day after the heavy downpour, skies were relatively clear all through the day.

Moments to cherish...

A living part of heaven....

Matheran: situated at an altitude of 800m this picturesque hill-station is the nearest to Mumbai, lying around 100km away. Mantled with lush greenery, it is marked by circular hiking track around it. This place can be said to be composed of the three primary colours: red earth below, blue skies overhead and greenery all around. The ban of motor vehicles inside Matheran keeps pollution at bay and preserves the natural beauty of the place.

I visited this place last weekend. It was a fun-filled outing. It was a combination of sunny and overcast weather, the day we reached there. In the evening we were out for some sight-seeing, and after sometime it started raining, heavily. We thought that this would disrupt our excursion, but it actually increased our excitement level. We were all drenched in the torrential downpour.

After getting dowsed in the rain for around half-an-hour, it was time for some more 'cool' experience...Swimming in the cold water for an hour. With rain pouring and wind blustering above the pool. This was the most enjoyable part of the trip. Horse riding is another trademark of hill-stations and the trip is incomplete without it. Horse being my favourite animal, it was nice to see the one I was riding, sneeze in sets of 4-5...like me :)

This place relieves you of the stress faced in a busy metro with hectic schedule and restores back the composure of the mind.
All in all, a truly rich and memorable experience...