Best Tripod for Landscape Photography

Planning to buy your first DSLR? or if you have already purchased one then I'm sure most of you might have got a tripod for free along with the camera. This is common practice being followed everywhere by the sales team of the shop, where shop owners sell a cheap quality tripod just to attract customers. But is this a good tripod for landscape photography? These cheap quality tripods may be good for a point-and-shoot camera but not for a DSLR.

Do you need a tripod for landscape photography?

A tripod for landscape photography can assist keep your photos stable and make them easier to piece together once you're back in front of the computer if you want to take some landscape panoramas. To capture the ideal panoramic photo, start from the left or right side of the image, whatever is most comfortable for you, and allow for some overlap between each frame. In addition, landscape photography typically involves lengthy exposures, which need the use of a tripod. Long exposure will also need the use of ND filters. Also, you must read when not to use a hard Graduation ND filter.

How do I choose a tripod for landscape photography?

If you prioritize versatility above size and weight, a full-sized tripod will often allow you to compose from low to well above eye level. Independent, multi-angle legs are required for a tripod for landscape photography to be put up securely on rugged and uneven terrain.

Here are a few things that you need to look for while buying a tripod for landscape photography. Check if the tripod can handle more weight, this is important when you attach the lens to your camera. This happened to me when I used a cheap quality tripod over which I had my Nikon D610 camera. To this, I attached 14-24 lenses and it couldn't handle the weight.

What type of tripod head is best for landscape photography?

A ball head or pan-tilt head is generally better for landscape photographers. I can't suggest a gimbal head highly enough if you're a wildlife photographer with a long lens. They are more expensive, but purchasing a gimbal head is one of the finest investments you can make if you are serious about photography. When it comes to filmmaking and photography, I recommend employing pan-tilt. In addition, if you enjoy timelapse photography, you can attach this tilt motor to the top of your tripod and put your camera on top of it, as demonstrated in the video.

https://youtu.be/y7pu3-OpfQk

Tripod has to be sturdy - this is very important to get razor-sharp images. A Ball-head would be a good one to attach on top of your expensive tripod. But, if you have plans of making a few videos as well then you can go for a 3-way head which I use. Using a 3-way head helps you in panning but you will have to do the level adjustments individually which is not the case in ball-head.

What tripod height is the best?

A tripod should be tall enough to support your camera at eye level. Unless you're shooting on a hill, want a higher viewpoint, or have items at eye level that are obscuring your vision, 5 to 6 feet is plenty. This is the height with all of the legs extended but not the center column extended. Avoid lifting the center column since this may cause camera wobble; alternatively, put some weight on the bottom of the center column as a counterweight.

A tripod is essential if you want to capture razor-sharp photographs or if you want to be a landscape photographer. So, get yourself a nice tripod for landscape photography. Instead of going for the complimentary tripods, ask the shop owner to lower the price of the camera and then buy a decent quality tripod. If you buy a cheap tripod, you will wind up buying a better tripod and spending more money later on.

Tripod for Landscape Photography while hiking

For individuals who enjoy walking or hiking, such as myself, I prefer carbon fiber tripod legs, which may be rather pricey. As of this writing, I have an aluminum body, which weighs one kilogram more than the carbon fiber body. It may not seem like much, but when you're trekking and every gram counts, it's a major deal.

Another alternative is to avoid carrying any of these bulky tripods and instead choose a tiny ultra-flexible tripod or a Gorillapod, which can be used to connect your mirrorless DSLR to an action camera. The nice part is that you can put it on almost anything.

https://youtu.be/pnpEHgYPUsc

Best tripod for landscape photography

I use MHXPRO-3W X-PRO 3-Way Head (You may this from Flipkart - Manfrotto MK055XPRO3 which has around 10 years warranty - Manfrotto landscape tripod). You can buy the tripod legs and the head separately. When you buy see that the two are compatible. If the use of a tripod is for studio or wedding/outdoor shoot then the above tripod should be fine. But if you want a tripod for travel and hiking then go for the carbon fiber version of it, which is lighter by one kg. So, what tripod do you have in mind and what is the purpose?

https://youtu.be/mBg7rw8eOFo

Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter. Consider subscribing to my YouTube channel.

Basics of Aperture to capture stunning photos

Many get inspired by looking at some of the great photographer's work and is it always good to follow their work. In this article, I will be focusing on the basics of Aperture and how you can play around with your camera to get stunning photos. Most of them just buy a camera and then press the shutter button (in Auto mode) to capture an image without understanding the basics of the camera like aperture, shutter, or ISO.

The first thing that you need to do is go through each and every page in the manual and know what each and every button in your camera does. Understand the functionality because the menu in your camera has too many built-in options and features. Next is to understand the basics of photography.

What is an aperture in photography?

It is nothing but the size of the opening in your lens through which the light goes to your image sensor, this can be varied by opening or closing a set of diaphragm blades within the lens to make the final picture. Wider the opening, more is the light allowed. It is calibrated in f/stops and is commonly written as 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, and 16. What is the function of aperture? - Lower f/stops signify larger apertures and provide more exposure, whilst higher f/stops represent smaller apertures and provide less exposure.

How Aperture affects Depth of Field

The zone of acceptable sharpness in front of and behind the subject on which the lens is focused is referred to as the depth of field. This simply refers to how crisp or hazy the background behind your subject is.

What is an example of an aperture?

For example, f2.8 is wide open and can be used when there is low light. It also makes the background blur as shown in the above image. A small opening of diaphragm blades allows less light.

For example, f22 is with a narrow opening and doesn't allow much light to pass through the lens. This is good to use when there is too much light on a bright sunny day (approx. f11) or for a long exposure shot during day time. This kind of setting is used in landscape shots where you want everything in focus as shown below.

How Aperture affects Shutter Speed

Using a low f/stop implies that more light enters the lens, which means that the shutter does not need to stay open as long to create a proper exposure, resulting in a faster shutter speed. Again, selecting a high f/stop implies that less light enters the lens, requiring the shutter to stay open a little longer, resulting in a slower shutter speed. This is true of auto mode. However, if you want to try out start trail or long exposure images in low light, you may switch to manual mode and control both the aperture and shutter.

How to Choose Aperture and how does aperture affect a photo?

Now that we know how to regulate the depth of field, what factors influence our f-stop selection? We employ focus and depth of field to draw attention to what is significant in the shot, and we use lack of focus to reduce distracting elements that cannot be removed from the composition. While there are no hard and fast laws, there are certain principles to follow when deciding on Aperture Priority.

Aperture for Portraits

We use "selective focus" to distinguish our subject from the background in traditional portraiture. Using a big f-stop (lower f/stop, such as f2.8) results in an extremely narrow depth of field, with just the subject, or a portion of the subject, in focus. This aids in drawing the viewer's attention to the subject.

Is 1.8 aperture good for portraits? - While any lens may be used to photograph portraits, a lens with a wide F-stop is required for the traditional portrait. Something with a maximum F-stop of f/1.8 to f/2.8 is ideal, however, f/5.6 can work as well, especially with longer lenses. These days, smartphone cameras have smaller f-stops, which are ideal for portrait photography.

Aperture for Landscape Photography

When selecting lenses for landscape photography, we often want to see as much detail as possible from foreground to background; we want to get the greatest depth of field by selecting a small aperture (higher f/stop, such as f/8 or f/11). By the way, refer to my Landscape photography Cheat Sheet for more details on capturing stunning landscape photos.

Aperture for Intermediate Depth of Field

While we can achieve the maximum or minimum depth of field by working at opposite ends of the f-stop range, there are times when we desire a more intermediate degree of depth of field, confining focus to a specified range of distances within the entire shot. One method is to select a mid-range f/stop, such as f/5.6, and shoot a test frame. During image playback, use the LCD's magnifying feature to zoom in and evaluate the depth of field; make corrections as needed, and reshoot.

Why is the aperture called f-stop?

What does the 'F' in F-Stop stand for? The letter 'f' denotes focal length. The number after it represents a fraction of the focal length. To get the size of your aperture at a given f-stop, divide the focal length by the fraction. The wider the aperture and the less light that goes through the lens, the higher the f-number; the smaller the aperture and the more light that passes through the lens, the lower the f-number.

Aperture Explained in Video

To conclude, the aperture is certainly a vital setting in photography, and it may be the most critical parameter of all. F-stop impacts various aspects of your photograph, but you'll get the hang of it soon. If you want to learn more on the technical side of aperture then refer to this post by 'photographylife'. Hope you find this useful. Also, check out more on the gadgets that I use on my YouTube channel and support my work by subscribing ▶️. You may signup for my fortnightly newsletter by joining my Friend Zone. 

Stunning crossover hike from Pathar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa (Roopkund Trek – Day 5)

On Day 5, the trek begins from Pathar Nachauni and continues to Bhagwabhasa through the 14550-foot-high Kalu Vinayak Temple. Even though Roopkund is another day's walk away, you can see it from here. It's a 3 to 4-hour vertical zig-zag ascent to Kalu Vinayak temple, followed by a 2-hour moderate descent to Bhagwabhasa.

Trail from Kalu Vinayak temple to Bhagwabhasa

On the previous days of Roopkund Trek

If you have not gone thru’ my previous 4 days of trekking at Roopkund, then check out these links:

? Day 1 – Jeep Ride to Lohajung

??‍♂️Day 2 – Lohajung to Didina village

??‍♂️Day 3 – Didina to Bedni Bugyal

??‍♂️Day 4 – Bedni Bugyal to Pathar Nachauni

On this day, you will travel fewer miles but rise over 1400 feet in height till you reach the Kalu Vinayak temple, followed by a fall the rest of the way. The zig-zag route goes all the way up to Kalu Vinayak, which is 14200 feet above sea level.

Small patches of snow will be visible on this side of the hill, and you will need to cross these patches of snow in certain locations. The terrain is very steep and can be exhausting. Take your time and don't rush to attain your peak. Take a break every now and again, perhaps after each zig-zag. You gain a lot of height in this location and begin to feel out of breath. Take your time today because you'll be covering less ground.

Looking around and seeing the gorgeous environment, snow-patched hills, you can even see the meadows that you had traversed the previous days as you travel up the slopes is one method to keep yourself relaxed. Remember not to rush and to take your time climbing; even if you are a rapid climber, it is recommended that you slow down so that you can acclimate to the altitude rise.

Kalu Vinayak temple

Take a break and enjoy the sight once you've reached the top. This is the location of the Kalu Vinayak temple. On Google Maps, the tents appear as little dots. Because of rain, snow, hailstorm, or cloud cover, visibility may be compromised. The bell at Kalu Vinayak temple is what allows us to get here in poor weather. Continue your journey and pray for your safe return. Few may become ill or experience extreme altitude sickness as a result of the hike.

View from Kalu Vinayak temple

The hill on the other side is completely covered with snow. On a clear day, you can view the lovely snow-covered Mt. Trishul from Kalu Vinayak temple, and the Roopkund lies just below Mt Trishul. It's difficult to pinpoint Roopkund's exact position from here.

Hike downhill to Bhagwabhasa

From the Kalu Vinayak temple, one side of the mountain is completely dry or snow-covered, while the other side (towards Bhagwabhasa) is completely covered with snow. These mountain slopes are enormous and tremendous. Continue your descent all the way to Bhagwabhasa. It's a steady drop where you'll uncover the ruins of stone cottages. During the summer, there may be no snow in this area, and the man-made road all the way to Roopkund is simple to discover.

Waterfall at Bhagwabhasa

Investigate the Bhagwabhasa campground. On one side, you can view the mountain slopes, and in the center, you can see Roopkund. On snow-covered hills, tiny avalanches are prevalent, with a little waterfall and valley on the other side. From here, you can see the orange flag of Kalu Vinayak temple.

The deep valley is lovely, and it's a great location to spend an evening with a cup of hot tea. Here are some nice time-lapse photos/videos. Some trekkers choose to remain near the bottom of the slope, where there are a few shelters. Have a good time walking about the campsite in the evening.

Weather at Bhagwabhasa

The weather in the Bhagwabhasa campground can quickly change. This location is prone to hail storms and snowfall. The temperature at night may dip below zero, and it has done so during our walk. In addition to the drop in temperature, there is too much wind, which might make you feel colder than your thermometer indicates. Other than our campground, it's difficult to locate flat land.

When I got there in early June, our tents were on top of a thick sheet of ice. Due to the very cold weather, almost all of us had difficulty sleeping overnight, and the temperature had plummeted to approximately zero. We had to go to bed from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. since we were advised to get up at 4:00 a.m. to continue our trip and get to Roopkund before daylight.

Here's a YouTube video of days 4 and 5 from Bedni Bugyal to Bhagwabhasa, which we did in one day instead of two. I would strongly advise trekking in this region over two days rather than one, as here is where people become ill from altitude sickness.

https://youtu.be/L-oaWB9q72o

The next day we hiked from Pathar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa via Kalu Vinayak temple. If you find this blog post interesting then you can buy me a coffee to support my work. Also, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for more and you may join my friendzone.

Dehaze in Lightroom - with just 1 click turn an ordinary image into extraordinary

Have a photo that was captured early in the morning full of fog and poor visibility or a landscape shot with a lot of haze that makes the image appear dull and dehaze it to make it appear sharp and clear? I had many photos of this kind and had rejected uploading them on social media or sharing them with my friends. Not anymore as Adobe has now introduced the 'Dehaze' slider in the latest versions, Lightroom CC and Camera Raw 9.1 for Photoshop CC.

Early morning view from Anthargange Caves, Kolar, Karnataka, India. This is the view after Dehaze.

What does dehaze do to a photo?

With this new option, you can either add more haze to the image by moving the slider to the left or remove most of the haze and make the image look more interesting and eye-catching. Thanks to Adobe for coming up with this new slider which is really helpful and this brings many of my old images back to life which I had archived earlier because of too much haze in it.

When you dehaze a picture, you're essentially immediately boosting contrast and saturation to the image, which causes the foggy areas to clear out. The problem is that if you don't utilize it correctly, it's one of those tools that may make a picture appear overdone.

Below is an old JPEG image that I captured using my first camera - point and shoot - Canon Powershot SX 100 IS. I did not have a full-frame DSLR at that time. This was early in the morning at around 6 AM (golden hours) at Antargange caves, Kolar where I had to trek overnight and stay overnight in the open ground with my camera and a sleeping bag. Did cave exploration at night for a few hours after which had slept for 1 hour and then the beautiful view of sunrise.

Note that the above image was in JPEG and not RAW format. Hence there is very less color information. I always recommend you all capture images in RAW format. In the above case, my point-and-shoot camera did not have the option to capture in RAW format.

How do I use the dehaze brush in Lightroom?

The dehaze option in the current version of Lightroom as of this writing is in the 'Basic' section. You can either move the slider to the left or right to increase haze or dehaze. In the above image, you can see how it was before and how it has turned the image from dull to an interesting image. Note that the Dehaze option that we have applied to the entire image and currently you don't have an option to dehaze to s small region.

In RAW images the noise introduced may not be visible, but in images like the above where I have used JPEG, which is a compressed image and has already lost most of the color information, a dehaze option would still work very well but may add little noise. The best practice is to edit a RAW image, set its white balance, and then adjust the Dehaze slider to remove or add haze. If you want to move to the extreme ends of the slider then you might have to consider adjusting the basic panel as well.

Adobe has done a good job by adding the dehaze slider. I hope Adobe will consider these in the next release of adding the dehaze slider to the brush and graduation filter so that it gives more control while editing images and dehaze a specific region instead of the tire image.

How does dehaze work in Lightroom?

The Dehaze slider increases the contrast in bigger areas of tone or color on a larger scale (i.e. low-frequency areas). Color casts are also given more saturation. The Clarity slider adds or subtracts contrast to the light and shadow areas that lie in the mid-tones on a medium scale. Play about with the slider until you obtain the desired result, but don't overdo this feature. If you overdo it, you can end up with an HDR image.

Free Lightroom Tutorial

You may consider watching my free lightroom tutorial on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpHCXX52jwM&list=PLBtUUJUvar6r6XM5uBktG7OJt-dAUs2cR

Lightroom Tutorial by Ravindra Joisa

Hope you find this useful. Also, check out more on the gadgets that I use on my YouTube channel and support my work by subscribing ▶️. You may signup for my fortnightly newsletter by joining my Friend Zone. 

Kashmir Great Lakes Himalayan Trek - 7 days of Exploring the Alpine Lakes

The Kashmir Great Lakes or KGL trek or the Alpine Lake trek are two of the most beautiful places in India and the world. This area is known for its breathtaking scenery, clear water, snow-capped peaks, forests near Sonamarg and Naranag, meadows, and razor-sharp mountain peaks. It's a must-see destination that everyone should visit at least once in their lives, in my opinion. If you are new to trekking, this would be an excellent Himalayan trek, to begin with. I'm sure this will entice you to return to the Himalayas and keep you interested in trekking for a long time.

I've gone on several hikes in the last few years. You can find more information on each of the treks on my outdoors page, and KGL Trek is one of the best. It's well worth the money you'll spend traveling all the way. The memories you bring with you will stay with you for the rest of your life. I wouldn't mind returning to the Kashmir Great Lakes trek. The first trek should always be a good and memorable one so that you can continue trekking for years to come, and Kashmir Great Lakes would be an excellent Himalayan trek, to begin with.

Drive to Sonamarg, the unforgettable experience

You may take a public bus to Sonamarg from the TRC bus stop at Dal Lake, or you can take a shared cab directly next to the bus stop. You may also take a cab from the airport, which may be costly. The drive will take about 2-3 hours to reach Sonamarg. By the way, Dal lake is the starting point to another famous trek in the region – Tarsar Marsar lake, another beautiful trek. Read Day 1 – Journey from Srinagar to Sonamarg to know more.

Sonamarg, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Trek to Nichnai with breathtaking views of Sonamarg

This is day 2 of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek, and the true hiking begins from Sonamarg all the way to Nichnai. The trail is also known by the name Alpine Lakes trek or KGL trek. This day will take you through several high-altitude forests of Maple, Pine, and Silver Birch with the beautiful view of Sonamarg and the hanging glaciers. Read Day 2 – Trek from Sonamarg to Nichnai to know more.

Trek to Vishnusar lake, the most beautiful Alpine lake

Day 3 is a more gentle climb, consisting of a few hours of gentle ascent alongside the towering razor-sharp peaks and rockfall region. This is followed by a level walk until we reach the magnificent Vishnusar lake, which is at a slightly higher elevation than the campground. Vishnusar Lake feeds the stream you've been following all day. We pitched our tent right next to the lake and spent the evening exploring the area. Read Day 3 – Trek from Nichnai to Vishnusar Lake to know more.

Vishnusar Lake, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Crossing the Gadsar Pass – The Breathtaking Alpine Twin Lake

This is going to be a long day, with many kilometers to travel and mountains to climb. The best part is that we can't tell it's difficult because of the beauty of nature. The ascent to Gadsar pass, the highest point of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek, is well worth it. From here, it's all downhill until you reach a few small settlements. You will see snow-capped mountains and Gadsar Lake along the way. Read Day 4 – Trek from Vishnusar Lake to Gadsar to know more.

Trek to Satsar – a beautiful hiking trail from Gadsar

On the way from Gadsar to Satsar

Day 5 started with another beautiful morning in the Himalayas at Gadsar. Hike to the other side of the mountain range. Because climbing all the way up is too difficult, we took a detour, and then stroll through the meadows was well worth it. This was followed by bad weather. Our hike was made difficult by the cold weather and heavy rain. We circumnavigated Satsar Lake, which looked more like a marsh, and eventually arrived at the Satsar campground. We had a wonderful evening near the creek after a long day. Read Day 5 - Trek from Gadsar to Satsar to know more.

Strikingly impressive view of Gangabal Lake and Mt Harmukh

We begin our hike to Gangabal Lake on this day by crossing a stream, which is followed by a boulder section of the trail. This is difficult because they are massive and there is no designated trail. Then it's an uphill climb until we reach the pass, from which we can see Mt Harmukh, Gangabal Lake, and How to Nundkol Lake. From this vantage point, this appears to be a twin lake. The rest of the hike is all downhill, with a stream crossing and camping next to Gangabal Lake. Read Day 6 – Trek from Satsar to Gangbal to know more.

Gangabal Twin Lake and Haramukh Peak

Splendid view of the dense Naranag forest

The final day of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek starts in the meadows, a few kilometers from the twin lake. We enter the Naranag forest area after passing through the government guest house. The hiking trail winds through the pine forest all the way down to the historic Naranag temple complex. This section of the trail has been well-known since ancient times because Mt Harmukh and the twin lake are sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites. This trail is also ideal for a weekend getaway. Read Day 7 - Trek from Gangbal to Naranag to know more.

View from Naranag Forest, Kashmir, India

Kashmir Great Lakes Trek - YouTube playlist

Check out my Youtube playlist and don't forget to subscribe for more videos and photos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUVnHb3Xzb4&list=PLBtUUJUvar6qAJcWmz51x1PO_34jB4VgE

Related and useful articles:

• Absolute mandatory Hiking Accessories to carry
• 5 Most Important Cold Weather Photography Essentials

There are many trekking groups like Indiahikes, Trek the Himalayas, Youth Hostels (which is for Indian nationals and is cheaper) who can organize the trek or you can go on your own with locals. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter. Consider subscribing to my YouTube channel.

Breathtaking hike from high altitude meadow Bedni Bugyal to Pathar Nachauni - Roopkund Trek - Day 4

The Roopkund trek from Bedni Bugyal to Pathar Nachauni is on day four. The day begins with a lovely walk across the meadows, followed by a difficult ascent for almost an hour from the Bedni Campsite to the route. The slow twenty-degree ascent continues after that until you reach a position where you can see the opposite side of the hill. It's a gentle twenty-degree descent from here until you reach the Pathar Nachauni campsite. Overall, if you stop for the day at Pathar Nachauni, it's a simple day.

On the previous days

If you have not gone thru’ my previous 3 days of Roopkund trek or the Bedni bugyal trek, then check out these links:

? Day 1 – Jeep Ride to Lohajung

??‍♂️Day 2 – Lohajung to Didina village

??‍♂️Day 3 – Didina to Bedni Bugyal

A lovely campsite

Early mornings provide stunning views of the snow-covered golden peaks that surround the campground. This will persist for a few minutes right before and shortly after sunrise, referred to as the 'golden hours' in photographic jargon. Enjoy an early morning walk around the campground.

You have less hiking to do on this day, but I would recommend leaving the campground on time and arriving at Pathar Nachauni early so that you have some time to relax before climbing the difficult Kallu Vinayak trail the next day or the same day, depending on you or your guide.

Crossing the historic Bedni Kund

Once you are done with your breakfast at Bedni Bugyal, get ready with your backpack for a vertical climb for about an hour till you reach the man-made trail that goes all the way to Roopkund. As you start your climb near the Bedni Bugyal campsite there is a pond with a huge man-made compound wall made of stones and a temple in the middle of the pond - Bedni Kund.

A few ruins of the temple can also be seen outdoors. Before climbing, locals pray here for a nice day, good weather, and a safe return from Roopkund. After that, proceed around the Bedni Kund. If there is water in the pond, don't forget to photograph the mountains and snow-covered peaks reflected in it. After that, begin the difficult ascent, which will take around 45 minutes. This may leave you gasping for air until you reach the Roopkund route. Take a 5-minute rest once you've reached the path. Until you reach the next campground, there will be no water available.

Historic temple remains at Bedni kund

The gradual hike uphill to Pathar Nachauni

Once you've arrived to the route, simply follow it for a kilometre or two, which is a gentle twenty-degree ascent with bends and snow patches. Continue on the route until you reach the summit or the opposite side of the mountain, where you can see the trail that descends. It's time for some photography after a brief rest.

Don't forget to take a glance back at Bedni Bugyal campground, which stands out like an ant in the vast green fields. Furthermore, the terrain is so broad that you can watch the cloud shadows and how they move. If you're lucky, you could even see vultures in this location. When it's flying, it's difficult to tell if it's a vulture or an eagle. You can get a 360-degree panoramic view of mountains from this point.

After a brief rest, continue trekking down the route; for a while, it's a level walk before a gentle slope. There is a well-maintained man-made track along which you may stroll without trouble. After another hour, you'll arrive to Pathar Nachauni campground. There are enormous green bunkers where you can find flat area to camp or a little of flat land with a water supply about 100 metres below where you may camp for the day.

Hike to Kallu Vinayak

If you arrive early, you may choose to continue hiking to Bhagwabhasa, which is another 5 hours of trekking and involves a tough 3 to 4 hour climb via Kallu Vinayak, as we did. I would advise you to return to Pathar Nachauni campground for a rest or to acclimate to the altitude.

We made it to Bhagwabhasa on the same day, but we were exhausted. Some even had a minor fever the next morning and were unable to complete the trek to Roopkund. As a result, it is preferable to return to Pathar Nachauni campground. Meanwhile, on the one hand, you may explore and appreciate the scenery from this location.

Pathar Nachauni campsite

Pathar Nachauni campground is a little out in the middle of nowhere, with just peaks on three sides and a vast valley on the other. The weather here may change dramatically in a matter of minutes, and it will be exceedingly chilly at night. A lovely waterfall caused by the melting of snow is located either across from the campground or right below the Kallu Vinayak. I'm not sure how tall it was, but it was rather tall, and few people noticed.

When you cross Kallu Vinayak, the location is really silent and lonely at times, and you wonder what's on the other side of the mountain. A few people/trekkers may be seen approaching Kallu Vinayak, but then they vanish, leaving a mystery. Sometimes you just wonder where they went.

https://youtu.be/L-oaWB9q72o

The next day we hiked from Pathar Nachauni to Bhagwabhasa via Kalu Vinayak temple. If you find this blog post interesting then you can buy me a coffee to support my work. Also, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for more and you may join my friendzone.

11 Essential Candid Wedding photography gear for indulgent assignment completion

People frequently ask me what equipment I use for candid wedding photography. You are free to use any camera equipment you choose, but I enjoy using the equipment I've listed and encourage others to do the same. The majority of the equipment I own is from Nikon, however the same is true of other manufacturers as well. One thing to keep in mind is that the equipment is significant but not crucial. The photographer and his originality will still be there. Otherwise, you'll just be another expensive-gear-wielding monkey who has no idea how to take the greatest possible pictures.

Candid Wedding Photography gear

Let me start with the gear that I use:
Body:
Full frame DSLR camera body. Backup camera. Ex: I have been using D610 AND D750 cameras. You may get the backup camera for rent, as these cameras are super expensive.

Lens:
A must-have lens - Nikon AF-S 24-70mm F/2.8G ED
Must have a lens. Useful for candid shots - Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II
Prime lens - Nikon AF Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4D
Wide-angle lens for some shots of the location of the place where the event takes place - Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S

Others:
External flash - Nikon Speedlight SB-910
Additional camera batteries - Nikon EN-EL15 Lithium-Ion Batteries - 4 to 5 of them.
Maha Charger to charge Speedlight batteries (8 batteries at the same time) which has independent circuits and a display that show the charging of each of the batteries.
Camera bag - Lowepro Transit Backpack 350 AW
Tripod - Manfrotto - MHXPRO-3W X-PRO 3-Way Head - I just carry this just in case

Wide angle for Candid Wedding

Few may question why I would use a wide-angle lens to photograph a wedding. Let me tell you, in addition to the standard photographs, it is a good idea to include a few wide-angle images just for those dramatic shots. I would advise renting the 14–24mm lens, which is another pricey lens. Note that this should not be your primary lens when doing candid wedding photography.

For photographing many of the scenes that frequently occur at weddings, a wide-angle lens is a really powerful instrument. It is the perfect choice for photographing rapidly because of its wide angle of view, which encompasses more of a room than a typical viewpoint, and its ability to generate fine focus quickly and with a lot of depth of field. If you want to make the bride and groom appear to be in their own little universe, a wide aperture can be employed to emphasize the shallow depth of field impression.

The must-have lens for candid wedding

The 24-70mm f2.8 and the 70-200mm f2.8 lenses are a must-have for candid weddings. If you can buy these two, I would say it's worth buying. The reason is simple f2.8, has amazing sharpness, clarity, and low-light performance. A lens with f2.8 can do magic when compared to a zoom lens that has f4.5 to 5.6.

70-200mm f2.8 is something that I use to get candid shots where I get some natural shots of couples in the event without them knowing anything about me capturing them. You need not stand too close and 70-200 f2.8 is an ideal lens for candid shots. Note that as a candid wedding photographer, these zoom lenses will play an important role in capturing the photos of the subject from a distance. Candid wedding photographers here in India are in high demand as they use these telephoto lenses to capture casual, unplanned, natural photos of people, basically capturing the moments.

The basic lens everyone should buy

I use 50mm f1.4 to get that extra blur in the background. Many ask me if I do that in the post-editing. Not much, it's just the lens. Another lens capable of capturing crystal clear images is really sharp and has good low-light capabilities.

Candid wedding photos - Indian wedding

Why not a camera body with an APSC sensor?

This is a common question many people who are interested in getting into this business ask me, but not sure or not ready to spend money on expensive camera gear, I would say go ahead and use it. No problem. You can get amazing shots using APSC sensors as well and need not always go to full-frame. That's good to start with, also you might consider getting the expensive camera body for rent.

Also read: 19 Reasons Why a Professional Photographer Won’t come cheap

Why do I carry 2 camera bodies?

1. As a backup, what if one camera fails, what if the shutter stops working, what if the memory card fails? You cannot give this excuse at a wedding event, the event is gone. You cannot ask them to get married again.

2. To get shots from different angles - we usually go for an event with 2 photographers me and my assistant who is also a photographer, will be standing on the opposite side and doing exactly the opposite of what I do. By doing so we get images from different angles. An example would be the first kiss, tying the knot, etc. No one wants to miss that shot.

Indian weddings usually happen indoors in a wedding hall or in a temple. And most of the time under poor light and colorful background cloth is another thing to keep in mind. Too many people on the stage or the place where the event takes place. At some of the wedding events, you will even find miniature bulbs, odd color lamps, and bulbs. The best is to take two umbrellas or some bright light source.

You might be interested in reading - 11 Ideas to think like a Professional Photographer

Candid wedding photographer's nightmare

The worst thing that can happen in an event is power failure which happened in one of the recent wedding events that I went to. It was almost dark inside the wedding hall and luckily someone switched on the backup generators in the wedding hall and power had come back in 10 minutes. But during this time you might miss out on some of the important shots like tying the knot etc and this is where I used speed lights / external flash.

So, either have a backup power supply for your external lights or mention that in the contract under risks. Hope you have learned something today by reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter. Consider subscribing to my YouTube channel.