Fartash Photography Newsletter
Issue 3
Eastern Arts-Perfection on Land
He Born in Kashan in 1226 A.H. (1847), to a family greatly attached to art, Mohammad Ghaffari, better known as Kamal-ol-Molk, was undoubtedly one of the most eminent artists in Iran.
His uncle, Mirza Abol Hassan Khan Ghaffari, known as Sanee-ol-Molk, a 13th century A.H. celebrated painter, was unrivalled in watercolor portraits. His father, Mirza Bozorg Ghaffari Kashani, was the founder of Iran's painting school and a famous artist, too. His brother, AbuTorab Ghaffari, was also a distinguished painter of his time. Mohammad developed an interest in calligraphy and painting from the early years of his life. In his childhood eagerness, he drew charcoal sketches on the walls of his room. Some of the sketches he drew in that very house may still be visible.
Upon completion of his primary education, Mohammad moved to Tehran. To further his studies, he registered in Dar-ol-Fonoon School where he studied painting with Mozayyen-od-Doleh, a well-known painter who had visited Europe and studied Western art.
In his visits to Dar-ol-Fonoon, Nasereddin Shah Qajar came to know Mohammad Ghaffari and, having observed his incredible capacity, he invited him to the court. Mohammad did his best to perfect his technique. Noticing his mastery in painting, Nasereddin Shah gave him the title "Kamal-ol-Molk (Perfection on Land)."
During the years he stayed at Nasereddin Shah's court, Kamal-ol-Molk created some of his most significant works. The paintings he did in this period, which lasted up until the assassination of Nasereddin Shah, were portraits of important people, landscapes, paintings of royal camps and hunting grounds, and different parts of royal palaces.
In this busiest period of Kamal-ol-Molk's artistic life, he created over 170 paintings. Unfortunately, most of these paintings have either been destroyed or taken abroad.
The works he created in this period indicate his desire to discover the laws of oil painting. He advanced so much that he even acquired laws of perspective by himself and applied them to his works. His mastery in the delicate use of a brush was well as bright and lively colors distinguished him from his contemporaries.
Following Nasereddin Shah's death, Kamal-ol-Molk found it impossible to work under Mozaffareddin Shah. Therefore, he set out for Europe at the age of 47 to improve his art. The West opened a new horizon before the curious eyes of the artist. Discussions with distinguished European artists gave him the opportunity to know the ins and outs of their style and improve his own technique.
He stayed in Europe for about four years .In this during Kamal-ol-Molk visited most of Europe's museums and closely studied the works of some well-known artists such as Raphael, Titian, and da Vinci and copied some of their works.
After returning to Iran in 1898, as a royal painter for Nasereddin Shah he faced constant envy and jealousy from certain members of the royal court and eventually ended up fleeing to Kerbala, Iraq under the pretext of going for pilgrimage. There, he created some of his famous works such as "falgeer e Baghdadi" ("the fortune teller of Baghdad"), "zargar e baghdadi va shagerdash" ("The Baghdadi goldsmith and his pupil"), "meidan e Karbala" ("The Kerbala square"), and "Arab e Khofteh" ("the sleeping Arab").
After returning to his homeland, Kamal-ol-Molk founded Iran’s first art school, The School of Fine Arts, in Tehran. This school played an important role in the education of Iranian modern artists. In fact, Kamal-ol-Molk can be described as the last span of the bridge passing from traditional to contemporary painting in Iran, or the first step onto the shores of contemporary painting. In Iran he is known as the founder of Iranian classic painting.
Kamal-ol-Molk's Famous Works
The first painting he did after he received the title "Kamal-ol-Molk" was his magnificent masterpiece "The Mirror Hall".
This is the first painting bearing the signature "Kamal-ol-Molk". "The Mirror Hall" was in fact more of a turning-point in Iran's art than a mere painting; a window to a new world rather than paint on canvas.
This exquisite painting is indicative of Kamal-ol-Molk's talent and creativity. In this work, the artist marvelously depicts all the delicacy and details of the vast "Mirror Hall" of Golestan Palace. In this lively spirited painting, Nasereddin Shah is portrayed sitting in the middle of "The Mirror Hall". The reflection of light and the shadow of the objects in the Hall in hundreds of pieces of mirror as well as the reflections of mirrors in one another are so delicately pictured that the beholder can do nothing but stand and wonder. During a period of about six years (1264-1269 A.H.)(1836-1894), he used all his creativity, stamina and talent to create the painting.
It should be noted that, although he did some color paint works, his oil paintings are of a higher quality and consequently better known. He also did some sculpture, but his works in sculpture are overshadowed by his paintings. Among the paintings signed "Naghghash Bashi" (The Painter) are "Twin Waterfalls" painted in 1261 A.H. "Golestan Palace" (1262 A.H.); "Imameh Village" (1263 A.H.); "Bagh-e-Shah" (1265 A.H.); "Zanoosi Valley" (1265 A.H.); and "Government Camp" (1258 A.H.), the oldest painting signed Naghghash Bashi. "Golsmith", "Two Beggars Girl" and "Fortune Teller" all painted in 1268 A.H. are among his valuable works.
"Hanging Partridge" and the copies he made of European artists are among his most well-known works. But his masterpiece is "The Mirror Hall".
In Ordibehesht 1307 A.H.(1940), following his resignation, the great artist was exiled to Neishaboor and stayed in Hossein Abad, a village he had selected to do farming in. The man who had spent his entire life reviving the Iranian art and promoting the Iranian culture was exiled for the crime of love of freedom and independence. He died in same year and was buried in Nishapur next to the medieval giant of Sufism, Farid al-Din Attar.
Bird Photography
Perhaps Bird Photography is one of the hardest forms of wildlife photography. You have to be stealthy, you have to be able to understand the bird’s behaviour, you have to have super-quick reactions and above all you have to have patience. What follows is a guide to the basic skills and techniques you’ll need to have to be a successful bird photographer. Gear Most birds are skittish and shy, so you’ll need to have the right gear before you can get any good photos of them. Firstly a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) with a fast drive mode of 3.5fps or above and advanced focusing system with nine or more points is a must. You’ll need these to get sharp action shots. Secondly you’ll need a fast lens which is 300mm or more. Any smaller than that and you’ll have a lot of trouble getting close enough to the birds f or frame-filling pics. Try and get the fastest lens you can afford – f/5.6, f/4, or even better, f/2.8. The faster the lens, the sharper your shots. Finally a good sturdy tripod, which can support all your gear, will be invaluable when spending a long time in the field. Where to go Any area with a large expanse of woodland, where you’ll have a good chance of seeing many birds such as Chaffinches, Woodpeckers and Blue Tits, grassland, where Red Kites, Skylarks, Pheasants and many other birds reside, and wetlands which attract huge flocks of birds such as Lapwing and Avocets, will be a great place to go looking for potential subjects. There are also many nature reserves with bird-watching hides which are perfect for getting stunning close-ups and action shots. You can go on to the RSPB website to find any good bird spots near where you live. See here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/ Coastal regions are also fantastic places to photograph birds. The vast expanses of mud at low-tide, which crawl with invertabrates, attract many species such as the Curlew and Oystercatcher. Useful Techniques Here are some useful techniques to practice while out photographing birds: Study the bird’s behaviour and familiarise yourself with it. Once you have done this you will be able to predict the bird’s next move and thus have a much higher chance of getting some awesome shots. Get within the bird’s circle of fear – this “circle” varies between birds, for example: you’ll usually be able to get within 3m of a Robin before it flies off, whereas you’ll be unlikely to get closer than 30m to a Kestrel. Good ways of getting within the bird’s circle of fear are going into a hide; shooting from your car; putting out food to attract the birds closer; going to a place where the bird likes to sit and then accustoming it to you through frequent visits of the area. Get down to the bird’s eye-level for a more intimate point-of-view. Look for clean backgrounds with no elements such as a white flower which will distract from the bird in the final image. Wear dark clothes (or white in snowy conditions), and cover your hands and face which will stand out and might scare off the bird. Be Original Try and take some unique and original photos such as the silhouette of a Gull against a sunset background or a Peregrine Falcon swooping on a flock of Starlings. Look for unusual point-of-views, poses and compositions that will immediately grab the viewer. Get in close for abstracts of the intricate patterns and magnificent colours in plumage which many birds possess, or focus on the eyes which often are amazingly coloured and marked. Use the Light Photography is all about capturing light, so don’t forget to use it to your advantage. If it’s a bright sunny day then use the harsh shadows it will create to take moody and atmospheric shots. Alternatively use the strong light for a back-lit effect; from the correct position you can get a beautiful rim of light around the bird. Bright light also means fast shutter-speeds, which in turn, mean action-freezing shots are to be had. Try to capture photos of birds in flight or of birds landing on water where the spray will be suspended in mid-air in the final image. On the other hand, the soft, diffused light on cloudy days is perfect for capturing the vibrant plumage of birds, simple, natural portraits and detail-filled abstracts. There are so many original shots of birds which have yet to be taken, so get out there and capture them!
By Joe Kellard
A Millimetre Closer-MacroLenses Part-2
Tamron Macro Lenses
SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di 1:1 Macro Model 272
The Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro was first introduced February, 2004 at PMA in Las Vegas. It is certainly no newcomer but for sure it’s a highly popular macro Lens. The main focus ring feels very nice and is textured in the small rubber block pattern that Tamron uses which we like very much, it offers a comfortable tacky grip but is still easy to clean out dust particles from and doesn't seem to gather many. The lens mount is aluminum, and near the mount is a protruding red dot that aligns with the lens release button on your Alphas. Di (Digitally Integrated Design) is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to also meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras. The "Di" design is achieved by applying a new optical multi-coating to its element surfaces. As part of the SP series, this is a high-performance lens featuring high design specifications. Note: AF not supported by D40 and D60 cameras.
SP AF180mm F/3.5 Di LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Model B01
The Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 SP Di LD [IF] macro offers a near-flawless performance. Optically it doesn't leave anything to be desired - the resolution is very good to excellent from f/3.5 all the way down to f/16 and vignetting, CAs and distortions are non-issues in field conditions. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur), a primary aspect in macro photography, is very smooth and buttery. The Tamron 180mm macro is a good choice when pure optical performance is desired. The handling and auto focus speed could be enhanced, but for many, manual focus is the only desirable option for macro photography anyway.
Sigma Macro Lenses
50mm F2.8 EX DG
Sigma launched first standard 50mm Macro lens in 1990. This was succeeded by the 50mm F2.8 EX Macro in 1998 which proved even more popular with photographers, benefiting from improved build and optical quality. Floating focusing system that enables this lens to photograph objects precisely in entire focusing range. Minimum aperture of F45 Although the depth of field this medium telephoto is shallow, sometimes would be necessary to have greater depth of field, because it is difficult to take a sharp picture of a subject and the background at the maximum aperture. Minimum aperture of F45 (F45 for Sigma, Canon and Konica Minolta mounts) or F32 (F32 for Nikon and Pentax mounts) provides greater depth of field. A screw-in hood is included, for convenient use of circular polarizing filters. It is possible to attach a 72mm filter and a cap in front of the lens hood.
70mm F2.8 EX DG
The 70mm f2.8 EX DG Macro has been awarded best product 2007-2008 by EISA.The 70mm lens was judged Best Expert Lens by the TIPA organization, and received the 2007 TIPA award.This medium telephoto macro lens is ideal for both digital SLR cameras and 35mm film SLR cameras. The 70mm focal length gives an equivalent field of view as the popular 105mm macro lens when used on digital SLR cameras with an APS-C size image sensor. The design of this lens makes it suitable for taking pictures in all situations from infinity to 1:1 macro, both with natural light conditions or flash. Nikon and Pentax mount lens do not have an aperture ring, therefore depending on Camera model some functions may not work.
105mm F2.8 EX DG
The Macro 105mm F2.8 EX DG allows greater working distance between the lens and subject. High contrast and excellent image quality are made possible in all shooting ranges. This macro lens is ideal for digital SLR cameras as well as film SLR cameras. This new medium telephoto macro lens employs a new design concept for digital SLR cameras. Its new lens power layout produces an excellent optical performance and also reduces flare and ghost. This new lens is designed to reduce the influence of harmful light caused by reflections from the digital image sensor. Depth of field of medium telephoto macro lenses is generally very shallow; however, Sigma, Canon and SONY mounts of this lens have a minimum aperture of F45 (or F22 for FOUR THIRDS or F32 for Nikon and Pentax mounts) for incredible depth of field. A screw-in hood is included, for convenient use of circular polarizing filters. It is possible to attach a 77mm filter in front of the lens hood.
150mm F2.8 EX DG
This large aperture telephoto macro lens enables you to shoot up to 1:1 life size close-ups. Its large F2.8 aperture makes it an ideal lens for digital SLR as well as film SLR cameras. Two Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements control various color aberrations and assure high image quality. Super Multi Coating gives superb color performance whilst cutting down flare and ghost. Its compact, yet advanced, construction has an overall length of Length 137mm (5.4in.), maximum diameter of 79.6mm (3.1in.), filter size of 72mm and weight of 895gr/31.6 ounces. Tele macro lenses have a greater working distance. It is possible to enjoy Macro photography, even when you are far from subject. This enables you to capture the small animals and insects without disturbing them. Very narrow depth-of-field allows selective focusing and less distracting backgrounds. It is also possible to use this lens with Sigma 1.4x EX and 2x EX APO Tele-Converter. When this lens is used with the 1.4x EX or 2x EX Apo Tele Converters (optional), it becomes a 210mm F4 AF tele-macro lens or a 300mm F5.6 MF tele-macro lens respectively.
180mm F3.5 EX DG
Sigma announced the release of a new 180mm f/3.5 APO EX DG HSM telephoto lens at May, 2005. The new fixed focal length lens is not digital specific, but has been crafted for optimal performance with digital SLRs. The lens will be compatible with Canon, Nikon-D, Pentax, Konica Minolta and Sigma single lens reflex cameras. the 180mm f/3.5 APO EX DG HSM telephoto lens is compliant with both 1.4x and 2x APO EX Tele-converters and will accept 72mm filters. The 1.4x conversion will magnify the perspective to 252mm (f/5), while the 2x teleconverter will bring the focal length up to 360mm (f/7). When applied to a camera, the 180mm lens will add additional 963gr/34 ounces to the camera weight.
