Photo Of The Day: Behind The Scenes

by Meg Nesterov on


For the Gadling Photo of the Day, we like to feature a variety of photographers both amateur and professional, to show the range of great travel photos: from the “lucky shot,” to the cellphone pic, to the well-timed and set-up image. Some people just have a great eye, and sometimes more importantly, great access. Today’s Photo of the Day is another amazing one from Flickr user arunchs in India, backstage before a Kathakali performance. Kathakali is a traditional dance-drama from Kerala, known for the colorful, almost mask-like make-up, what we see being applied here. The performers look so casual in this candid, behind-the-scenes shot; it’s hard to imagine the stylized show they are about to put on. It’s not something you’d see every day, it took both special access and a good eye for composition and timing.

Share your special shots with us on the Gadling Flickr pool to be featured here.

[Photo credit: Arun Bhat]

Taking travel photos with a homemade lens

by Abha Malpani on

My knowledge of photography is limited. I’m one of those “who needs a photo? It’s all in the mind” kinda people, probably because I’ve been using a crap digital camera for the last 5-years.

If I could take mind-blowing photographs, I’m sure that would change. Short on time, yet somewhat eager to try doing just that, I have often gone to check out professional cameras but looked at price tags and walked right out.

So when I saw an article on homemade digital hacks for your camera I saw hope! The lens is the most important (and most expensive?) part for your camera and this piece expertly tells you how to put together a fish-eye lense for $10. It looks pretty bad, but it also looks like it might do the trick.

True, the world of DIY Photography is large, but it seems so far ahead of me I often get lost when I scout those websites. The terminology, physics of light, situational photography — that stuff still hits off a tangent for me. I might start here though (I could borrow my dad’s old Pentax SLR), and if this homemade fish-eye lens produces even half a decent photo, there may be hope at kicking off an amateur DIY photography hobby.

[Via Vagabondish]