PhotoTalkies Magazine - August 2014

PtaHlOkTieOs August 2014 Issue 07
A Joint Initiative of Kunzum and ZEISS
ARCHITECTURAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
CHRISTIAN DANDYK
on Street and
Travel Photography
GOING WILD
IN MADHYA PRADESH
ZEISS DISTAGON T* 2/25
The Tool of Choice?

ANIMALS AND BIRDS
ARE WAITING AROUND
THE CORNER
The season to go wild is just around the corner.
It is officially monsoon season in the Indian subcontinent, and all national parks are closed till
October in most cases. Personally, I cannot wait for the gates to open so I can be back with
Nature’s best.
For the next many months, all the way to June actually, there is something or the other for you
to pursue in the animal world. The forests, lush green after nourishment from the rains, are at
their vibrant best. As winter sets in, flocks of millions of birds will come into the region, far from
their snowed-in homes. Animals also look healthier, living an undisturbed life from tourists.
Summers would mean birds going back, but animal sighting increasing substantially.
All of these add to a photographer’s delight. And ZEISS has just the right optics for you - take
your pick from their collection. And impress everyone around with your shots.
Going back into the wild also serves as a reminder of Nature’s wondrous ways, and our re-sponsibilities
towards conserving the same. It is a pity how much of our natural heritage has
been, and continues to be, destroyed. All in the name of development. There are ways to strike
a balance. All we need to do is spare a (sensible and sensitive) thought and follow it up with
suitable action.
We are lucky to be born into a world with so many animals and birds. Let us enjoy their
company. And be their friend, and protector.
AJAY JAIN
ajay@ajayjain.com

PtaHlOkTieOs A Joint Initiative of Kunzum and ZEISS
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CONTENTS
GOING WILD in Madhya Pradesh 05
ZEISS Distagon T* 2/25: The Tool of Choice? 21
LATE GOTHIC, GAUDÍ AND CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE 28
Christian Dandyk on Street and Travel Photography 35
Look right into my eyes - through the ZEISS Makro-Planar T* 2/100 40
Disclaimer: All articles and photographs in this magazine are the opinions of the
respective contributors. It is understood that they own the copyright to the same, or
have the rights to offer the same under their bylines. ZEISS is not responsible for
the authenticity of any of the articles and photographs, nor will be held liable for any
disputes, claims and liabilities arising out of ownership or copyright issues of the content
in the magazine.

GOING WILD
IN MADHYA PRADESH
AJAY JAIN
Madhya Pradesh lies in the centre of the country, but many a traveller
gives it a miss while criss-crossing the country. It is the traveller’s loss.
Few regions in the world offer as incredible an offering as MP. History,
culture, wildlife, landscapes, tribal settlements, water bodies, forests,
birds, food - you only have to ask, and it will be available for you. All
within a few hours of one another.
Personally, I love the wilds of the regions. I can go back any number of
times to shoot animals (with my camera) up close and personal - and
never tire. Each outing is a fresh experience - just like being out with
friends many times over. What you will see in this feature is a glimpse of
what lies in MP’s forests - there is a lot more waiting for you to discover
on your own.
Of course, travelers must handle MP with care. The flora and fauna of its
forests are under constant threat from human development, greed and
callousness. The tribals and other traditional communities around these
reserves need to be treated with respect. And we all know how fragile
historical remains are. It is for all stakeholders to ensure all tourism is
sustainable.
Enjoy the safari.
The five major parks in Madhya Pradesh are Panna, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench and
Satpura. If you are looking for travel tips to Madhya Pradesh, visit www.kunzum.com
05 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

A Tigress needs to quench her thirst on a hot summer day in Bandhavgarh National Park

Will the Tiger get the deer for dinner? At Bandhavgarh National Park

A Jackal in Kanha National Park

Crested Serpent Eagles need a sip of water too

What are these Gaurs (Indian Bison) fighting over?

A Barking Deer looking curiously at Kanha National Park

What is the Monitor Lizard up to?

Is this a dance of the Spotted Deer or is it trying to grab a bite? At Pench National Park

White-Eyed Buzzard in Pench National Park

Anyone for a canoe safari in Satpura National Park?

Hello Wild Kitty!! At Satpura National Park

Why did the leopard cub cross the road? At Satpura National Park

The ever-elusive Sloth Bear in Satpura National Park

Langurs striking a pose in Kanha National Park

MORE THAN 25
VANTAGE POINTS
Gen Hayase
Gen Hayase travels frequently in Japan with his camera.
And what’s surprising is that his universal lens is neither
a zoom nor a 50mm lens. He looks at the world from the
vantage point of the Distagon T* 2/25.
© ZEISS

For Gen Hayase, photography is very
emotional. Often, he takes pictures
to capture special moments — in
everyday life or during his travels — that
he will remember later. “I like to translate
the mood of that moment into a picture.
For me the Distagon T* 2/25 is the tool of
choice.”
By consciously utilizing the closest
focusing distance of only 0.25 m – like this
still life taken in a teahouse – the main
motif is impressively emphasized in the
foreground, but is nevertheless placed in
the context of the room. “I really like that
characteristic about the 25-millimeter
focal length. Many photographers prefer
using 21 or 35 millimeters for their wide
angle. However, in my view the Distagon
T* 2/25 is a really balanced travel lens.”
Sweets and tea in a Japanese teahouse, Kyoto

During a visit to the Buddhist Eikando Temple in eastern
Kyoto, he took this picture of the red autumn foliage, for
which Eikando is known. Gen Hayase comes here ev-ery
year. “The Distagon T* 2/25 with its soft bokeh and
rich color rendering – I particularly like the blue and red
tones — was ideal for this picture. You have a good total
overview, but the leaves in the foreground are still prom-inently
visible. The range of contrasts is fantastic, and the
leaves’ lovely red color appears almost as radiant as if you
were standing there yourself.”
The Eikando Temple in autumn, Kyoto

“Mitarashi-dango””, a traditional Japanese dessert, Kyoto
After the successful shooting
session in the park, Gen Hayase
wanted a break. He likes sweets,
and not only for the taste. It
is not for nothing that food
photography fascinates him
as a second important genre.
“This mitarashi-dango, a
traditional dessert, really
whetted my appetite — to eat,
but also to try a close-up with the
Distagon T* 2/25. Even today, the
results make my mouth water.
I really like the shiny surface of the
sauce and how the out-of-focus
area flows out toward the back.”

Boreal owl in an “owl café“, Osaka
In Japanese cafés, you can take pic-tures
of more than still lives: in some
places an owl, or a boreal owl, will
sit on the guests’ hand. In these
so-called “owl cafés”, which have recently
become more popular in Japan, you can
observe the tame animals, or even
touch them, while sipping your drink.
It was a photographic opportunity that
Gen Hayase didn’t want to miss. “I set the
focus ring on the smallest distance and
pointed the lens toward the eyes. When
the owl looked directly into the lens,
I pressed the shutter release.” The
field of view of the Distagon T* 2/25,
combined with a fully open aperture,
emphasize the bird’s face, but you still
notice that the scene was shot inside a
room.

The tame owls are, of course, a special case
in animal photography. These birds seldom
allow themselves to be photographed at
such a close distance, and with a small depth
of field. “Capturing moving objects, like
birds, with a manual focus is challenging.
Nevertheless, I was able to do that again
and again with the precise focusing of the
Distagon T* 2/25, as this picture of a seagull
shows.” The bird is clearly the main motif, but
the sky frames it, creating a feeling of space.
“The Distagon T* 2/25 gives many of my
motifs something unexpected and
interesting. Whenever I only take one lens
with me, I usually take this one.”
Japanese seagull above Sea of Japan, Sakata
About Gen Hayase
Gen Hayase lives and photographs in Kyoto, Japan. He got his PhD in science and carries out research in materials science at Kyoto
University. When he isn‘t synthesizing and analyzing new materials, he devotes himself to his second passion after science: creating
atmospheric photographs.

LATE GOTHIC, GAUDÍ
AND CONTEMPORARY
ARCHITECTURE:
DAVID AGUADO’S PHOTOGRAPHY
Architectural Wanderings
Spain is teeming with architectural masterpieces from the Middle Ages, the
early and later Gothic periods, as well as works of well-known 19th and early 20th
century architects. There is also plenty of modern 21st century
architecture to make a photographer’s hearbeat a little faster. When David
Aguado photographs these jewels, ZEISS lenses are among his most
important companions. Historic façade in the old city of Salamanca
© ZEISS

Aguado has always been interested in architecture,
whereas his passion for photography only start-ed
in earnest in 2011. While building up his pho-tographic
gear, he regularly came across positive
user reviews of ZEISS lenses on the various online
fora. He decided to begin by purchasing the Dista-gon
T* 2/35 , followed by the Makro-Planar T* 2/50.
He has never regretted the decision.
It was in Salamanca, in northern Spain, that
Aguado discovered the slowness of photography
— i.e., concentrating on the essentials and details,
such as specific elements of a facade. “A few days
after buying my first ZEISS lens, I visited Salamanca
for the first time. Despite switching from auto- to
manual focusing, I immediately found that tak-ing
pictures with the Distagon T* 2/35 was a great
experience. Manual focusing is really wonderful;
it’s another form of photography. It makes you
concentrate more intensively on the motif and
determine the focal plane very consciously. As a
result, you become much more alert and atten-tive.
That’s how I noticed this historic façade at
dusk. With its glazed, rounded bay windows and
battlements, the building feels like a castle. It’s a nice
image that also demonstrates well the very
minimal distortion of the Distagon T* 2/35.”
Historic façade in the old city of Salamanca

Among the first pictures he took with his new lens
was also this photo showing the New Cathedral
of Salamanca, built between 1513 and 1733 in the
late Gothic style. “That morning I was one of the
earliest visitors to the church. I had just entered when
I saw this lone figure sweeping the floor. The contrast
between the tiny person and the vastness of the nave
fascinated me.”
Morning atmosphere in the New Cathedral of Salamanca

Since discovering the world of ZEISS photography three years ago,
Aguado has already made some changes to his equipment. He replaced
his Distagon T* 2/35 with a Distagon T* 2,8/21, whose larger angular
field is particularly well-suited to architectural photography. This can
be seen in an image of one of Antoni Gaudí’s earliest work. The “Villa
Quijano“, better known as “El Capricho“, is located in the town of
Comillas, near Santander. It was built between 1883 and 1885 as the
summer residence of a wealthy businessman.
“For students of Gaudí this building is important because certain details
— such as his use of the Mudéjar style — are already visible here that play
a recurring role in his later work. Personally, I’m fascinated by the play of
light, forms and conventions. For example, the metal seat on the balcony
faces the interior of the building, instead of away from the building as you
would normally expect. The name “capricho”, meaning ‘whim’ or ‘impulse’,
really does capture the character of this building: it is a ‘mood’ set in stone.”
“El Capricho”, detailed shot of a balcony and minaret above the entrance

When it comes to contemporary architecture, Aguado is particularly at-tracted
to bridges because of their clear forms and lines set against the
sky. A good example is the Assut de l’Or Bridge in Valencia, also known
as the “jamonero” (the Spanish name for a cutting board with a hold-er
used for Spanish hams) or the “harp bridge”. Another example is the
Castilla La Mancha Bridge, which recently opened in Talavera de la Re-ina,
Aguado’s birthplace and current hometown. Both are cable-stayed
bridges. Measuring 192 meters (630 feet) high, the Castilla La Mancha
Bridge is the highest construction of its kind in Spain and the second
highest in Europe. It’s an impressive piece of architecture that Aguado
wanted to capture in an image taken from an unusual perspective.
“When I look at these two pictures, I realize how fascinated I am by the
architecture of cable-stayed bridges. The cables are able to support the
entire construction and completely new forms are created as a result.
Unfortunately, the viewing platform hasn’t opened yet, but I’m sure there’s
a fantastic view from up there which I definitely want to capture later on
with the Distagon T* 2,8/21.”
Puente de l’Assut de l’Or, Valencia

About David Aguado
David Aguado studied electronic engineering and
today earns his living as an IT service technician. A
fan of architecture for many years, he developed
his passion for photography relatively recently and
only discovered ZEISS lenses in 2011. Today he
devotes pretty well all his free time to his
new-found hobby.
More of Davida Aguado’s photos on
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kanzer16/
Castilla La Mancha Bridge, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
A SECRET OBSERVER
IN THE RAIN
CHRISTIAN DANDYK’S STREET
AND TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
“To take good photos, you need to like your equipment,”
photographer and lecturer Christian Dandyk tells his
students. He believes a lens should also sit comfortably in
the hands and, in terms of feel, match the particular cam-eras
they are used on. For his own day-to-day work, only
ZEISS lenses meet these requirements. With their help, he can
contrast sharpness and blur in his street and travel
photography. He places particular emphasis on achieving an aesthetic
and well-balanced bokeh.
For Christian Dandyk, his photograph of the year 2012 is the one
showing three professional photographers standing in the rain in
front of the parliament buildings in London. They suddenly appeared
in front of him, dripping wet, while everyone around them was try-ing
to get from A to B while still keeping dry. “The best photographs
are often achieved in situations like this because people don’t even
register you as a photographer,” Dandyk says. For that reason, he is
particularly fond of rain. When the world is wet, colors also change,
reflections are created, and the light has a special sheen. This picture
Planar T* 1,4/85 (f/4, 1/80, ISO 250) was taken with the ZEISS Planar T* 1,4/85 on a 5D MK II.

Sonnar T* 1,8/135 ZA (f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 800)
One morning just after dawn, when Dandyk was out and about in the Brandenburg countryside, he heard the excited neighing of horses close
by. He came round the corner of the next path and discovered several horses that had broken out of their fields running in front of him. Two
stallions were facing one another at the edge of a paddock. “I would have loved to have been closer to the scene,” Dandyk says, “but I didn’t want
to lose a moment, and so I started shooting straight away, with much too short a focal length, actually.” It was only when studying the images
later on that he noticed the jogger, who experienced the moment like Dandyk himself, but from the opposite perspective, and thus became part
of the motif.

Ever since a new Sony camera, the RX1, was
unexpectedly introduced on the market
last year, it has been Dandyk’s constant
companion. Its fixed, integrated lens, a ZEISS
Sonnar T* 2/35, is perfectly coordinated with
the camera. Many of Dandyk’s street and
travel photographs are now taken with the RX1.
This example features a girl in the rain at the
Vienna Naschmarkt, whom passersby
completely overlooked, just as they did the
photographer himself. Once again, all of the
passersby are trying to reach their destina-tion
while keeping as dry as possible. Dandyk
wanted to record this aspect as well and
deliberately waited until people were
walking through the image. It is these extras that
created the effect he was looking for for this
scene.
Sonnar T* 2/35 (RX1) (f/5.6, 1/80, ISO 320)

As he walks around towns and cities, Dandyk constantly discovers
special forms and lights that he manages to incorporate into his
pictures in surprising ways. By not excluding distracting objects,
but instead including them in his motifs, he tries to find a differ-ent
view of his environment. A good example of this is the follow-ing
picture of Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, in which Dandyk fits the
temporary water pipes into his image.

Much of Dandyk’s photography is created with Sony NEX cameras
and, in June, ZEISS introduced two new fixed focal length lenses
especially for these models. Already, Dandyk can no longer imag-ine
leaving home without this camera in his bag. “The ZEISS Touit
2.8/12 is ideal for architecture and landscape photography, and in
the future I will always take it along with me on my trips,” he says.
“It’s also perfect for night photography. I love the stars that faint-ly
appear in my pictures.” For each of his lenses, he knows which
is the best aperture to use in order to capture the most beautiful
stars. This is also true of the ZEISS Touit 2.8/12, which Dandyk was
able to test for ZEISS on a trip to Vienna, and which here, at an
aperture of f/11, lights up the Vienna night with special starry
effects.
Touit 2.8/12 (f/11, 3.2, ISO 100)

Until he tried out the Touit lens, Dandyk’s favorite had
been a ZEISS C Sonnar T* 1,5/50 ZM, which he uses with an
adapter on his NEX cameras. “It feels good to hold, and at
its widest aperture gives a fabulous bokeh with a really
satisfying sharpness,” Dandyk says. However, its status as
favorite has repeatedly been challenged in recent days
by the new ZEISS Touit 1.8/32. This was the lens that
Dandyk used to shoot the saxophonist at the Danube canal in
Vienna. The musician was using the special acoustics
under a bridge to get the biggest sound from his saxophone
playing. “I love street musicians because they break up
the routine of our everyday lives with their music and be-cause,
like photographers, they can sometimes make time
stand still,” Dandyk says. Like many of his pictures, this one is
intended to make the viewer think. “The viewer is free to
think up his or her own story.”
Touit 1.8/32 (f/1.8, 1/125, ISO 100)
About Christian Dandyk
Christian Dandyk learned to take pictures when he was 13, and from then on had only one aim in life: to become a professional photographer.
But life can often turn out differently: His fear about the uncertainty of making a living as an artist led him to first work for a management
consultancy. It was only in his late 40s that he finally took the plunge and realized his childhood dream. Today, he has his own studio, organizes
the Alpha Festival for photographers in Berlin in collaboration with Sony, and holds workshops on photography and historic lenses.
http://www.berlin-backstage.de/

LOOK INTO
MY EIGHT
EYES
NATURAL BEAUTY
Oliver Wright
Whether in the studio or outdoors, Oliver Wright likes
getting up close to animals – even those that some
people would rather keep at a safe distance. And his
images are impressive. When peering through the lens,
a new world opens up for Oliver. During a test that
lasted ten days, he focused his view through the
Makro-Planar T* 2/100. Oliver Wright is enthusiastic
about the results.

Regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius)
For a photo shoot you often need exceptional models and
props – and to acquire them, some photographers rely on
an agency or props from a theater. Oliver Wright also does
this — but not in the usual way.
“I wanted to get as much as possible out of the Makro-Pla-nar
T* 2/100. After all, I only had a very short time to test it.
So I borrowed some interesting ‘models’ from an acquain-tance,
a passionate insect breeder: a jumping spider, an
emperor scorpion and an African flower mantis, among
others.”
“The jumping spider is one of my favorite animals. What
really fascinates me about it as a photographer is that they
have highly developed eyesight. With their eight eyes they
can cover a field of view of almost 360 degrees. I really like
this picture I took with the Makro-Planar T* 2/100. The
animal, of the Phidippus regius species, is only around 15
millimeters long. In order to increase the magnification
power, I inserted three extension rings. I set the lens sharp
at the minimal working distance. For macro images I al-ways
photograph with a free hand. This enabled me to react
more easily to the spider’s movement. The ‘floor’ is a regular,
shiny ceramic tile. Together with the flash directed from the
left and right through a diffuser, I achieved the wonderful
reflection which duplicates the spider.”

Emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator)
The photo shoot with his two other ‘models’ took
place in a similar fashion – but with more distance
between them, particularly advisable in the case of
the emperor scorpion. Here, the manual work with
the smooth focusing operation of the Makro-Planar
T* 2/100, and its large rotation angle, paid off en-tirely.
“I’m a big fan of manual focus. In addition to
macro and nature photography I also do landscape
photography and I’ve been using the Distagon
T* 2,8/15 and Distagon T* 2,8/21 a long time for that.
In that sense, working with the Makro-Planar T* 2/100
was nothing new for me.”
Like so many photographers, Wright values the
slowness of manual focusing, which lets you come
to rest and focus entirely on creative composition.
With the emperor scorpion, which is a long motif, the
focus was on the animal’s head. The pincers and
stingers vanish in the blur, emphasizing their
threatening character.

When photographing the African spiny flower mantis,
which stands sideways in the image, almost the entire
animal is in focus. This accentuates its delicate and trans-lucent
character. “When you take pictures with ZEISS
lenses, the camera doesn’t think,” continues Wright with
a wink. “These are lenses for photographers who think
themselves.”
African spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii)

Oliver Wright often has to react fast, because his reper-toire
also includes large animals that live outdoors. But
during his excursions with the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 in
the English landscape around Leeds, Wright’s aim was to
indulge in slowness. As in the studio, Wright photographs
out in the field without a tripod.
Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
37 46
PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

“One feature that I like in general about
ZEISS lenses, and in particular about
the Makro-Planar T* 2/100, is the
excellent and beautiful background. This
harmonious bokeh works best with
natural light. All three motifs shown
here were photographed in front of a
meadow without a macro flash. With
the banded demoiselle I paid close at-tention
to making sure the blades of
grass would still be recognizable in the
bokeh. With the two marbled whites, on
the other hand, you don’t see the grass
anymore – only a soft background with
its sea of green tones. But to achieve
this effect, I had to apply a trick. The
animals are at a
certain distance from each
other, so at aperture f/3.2, both are
on different focal planes. I therefore
decided for a stitching made of six
individual images.”
Two marbled whites (Melanargia galathea) on the blossom of a pyramidal orchid , stitching from six individual images

With this large dark green fritillary, the same
effect could be achieved with just one image, and
at f/4. Here, the blurry green background appears in
combination with the out-of-focus area around the
blossom in the foreground. It’s easy to see these
were hard work days for Oliver Wright, during which
time he achieved results with the Makro-Planar
T* 2/100 that even surprised him. His conclusion? “An
absolutely high-quality lens which completely met my
expectations and that I regret having to hand back.”
About Oliver Wright
Oliver Wright lives and photographs in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Although he is at home in many photographic disciplines, his focus and
passion are nature and landscapes. Wright has been taking pictures for a long time, but his first career was in project management. Around two
years ago, he decided to make his hobby his career – with success. His work has been in the British Wildlife Photography Awards and has ap-peared
in BBC Wildlife Magazine.
http://www.oliverwrightphotography.com/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/19083292@N00/

PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS
Connect with ZEISS
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For more information on ZEISS Sports Optics
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For Customer Enquiries
sportsoptics-photo@zeiss.com
+91.11.45156000



About
Ajay Jain
Ajay Jain is a full time
writer and photographer,
and has authored eight
paperback books and over
30 e-books. He promotes
his photography as
collectible art, runs the
popular Kunzum Travel
Cafe in New Delhi and publishes e-magazines on
travel and photography.
He is also a regular speaker on Mindful Travel,
Personal Branding, Photography and Business
Networking. All his creative ideas came to the
fore only after he started travelling - mindfully.
He has pursued careers in Information
Technology and Sports Management before he
took up journalism and writing. He holds
degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Business
Management and Journalism.

More  on Ajay Jain at http://ajayjain.Connect com.
with him at ajay@ajayjain.com
+91.9910044476. Or call his office
at +91.9650702777.

T-49, GF, Hauz Khas Village
New Delhi 110016, India
Tel: +91.9650 702 777 / +91.11.2651 3949
mail@kunzum.com
Timings: 11:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., Mondays Closed

PhotoTalkies Magazine - August 2014

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PhotoTalkies Magazine - August 2014