PtaHlOkTieOs October 2014 Issue 09
A Joint Initiative of Kunzum and ZEISS
KATHMANDU, NEPAL
ZEISS OTUS 1.4/85
A CITY FOR ALL SEASONS
FOR ALL MOODS
UNDERWATER
LANDSCAPES
Fire and Ice Cave
Augment Reality with
SONY XPERIA Z3

BEAUTIFUL TIME
OF THE YEAR IN INDIA
Summer is giving way to autumn and winter in India, and marks the start of a gorgeous
time of the year.
Our friends in the western world may have a different opinion of winters, but it is quite
welcome in India. Our summers are as extreme as are winters in many other regions
of the planet. For us, the period of autumn to spring is much-needed relief from harsh
summers and, for many parts of the country, incessant monsoons leading to floods
sometimes.
The Himalayas will be rich with reds and oranges in autumn, while the forests in the
plains will be lush green after the rains. Streams, rivers and waterfalls will be full of water.
As it gets cooler, it will feel great to be out in the sun with light jackets on in northern
India. Mornings and evenings already have that nip in the air. Lazing on the beaches will
not burn you.
Then there are the festivals. Dussehra, Durga Puja, Diwali, Eid, Christmas and Holi are
just some occasions when homes and markets are lit up and decorated, and everyone
will be celebrating together – often with friends cutting across all religions.
It is beautiful out there. This is not the time to stay holed up in your cubicles. This is
the time to celebrate. This is the time to travel. Go rafting, climb mountains, explore
forests, admire monuments, and everything else that pumps adrenalin. Don’t forget to
take great pictures along the way.
Let’s click together.
AJAY JAIN
ajay@ajayjain.com

PtaHlOkTieOs A Joint Initiative of Kunzum and ZEISS
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Disclaimer: All articles and photographs in this magazine are the opinions of the
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CONTENTS
KATHMANDU, NEPAL
A city for all seasons, for all moods 05
UNDERWATER LANDSCAPES
with ZEISS Distagon T* 2,8/21 25
FIRE AND ICE CAVE
with ZEISS Distagon T* 2,8/15 34
ZEISS OTUS 1.4/85
A Lens for Life 41
AUGMENT REALITY
The Sony Xperia Z3 Way 47

A Beetle
driving
through
Thamel
Kathmandu,
Nepal
A CITY FOR ALL SEASONS,
FOR ALL MOODS
PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Kathmandu: Calling You Back
Many moons ago, someone turned the music off in Kathmandu, the subcontinent’s original party town. But you cannot keep a good
thing down for long. Nepal’s capital is rocking again, albeit to a slightly different tune.
The country may still be politically troubled, but it has put its violent phase firmly behind. Also gone are the hippies, the rave parties
and the open culture of drugs and sex pursued by western backpackers. Even casinos are past their prime. But Kathmandu is still a
charming city to visit.
Kathmandu is a city for all seasons, for all budgets, for all kinds of travel moods. You don’t have to think much before heading there.
The Nepalese make for great hosts, and they know how to keep you entertained.
06 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Thamel - Party Hard
You cannot be blamed for wanting to head straight to Thamel.
This district never went to sleep once upon a time; it was the
place to party and have fun, besides being the hub for
backpackers. Today, things have changed. Most shutters are down
by 8:00 p.m., night clubs struggle to attract guests and long
power cuts cast a dull look even during daytime. Politics have
played party-pooper here. Before you head back though, look
around again. Thamel has some of the best eateries in town,
especially the cafes and those serving Italian cuisine. You can
have a feast here. Again, only Pokhara offers better coffee, cakes
and pizzas (What is with me about this stuff? I can live off these!)
Would not recommend Indian cuisines; Chinese and Continental
are not bad though. Places like Mitra Dera are boutique hotels no
one will tell you about. Thamel can turn misers into shopaholics.
Books, music, DVDs, handicrafts, gifts, clothes and adventure
gear are all available. The originals share shelf space with the
counterfeit - take your pick. Even sin is for sale. Especially after
sunset. Young boys will whisper offerings of ‘”hash” (hashish, a
drug made from marijuana) and “some enjoyment with beautiful
women.” Your call!
The few late night clubs were struggling to get any customers and
long power cuts gave them a less-than-rocking look. But the
pedigree is right. My take? Things are getting better in Nepal, and
Thamel will be back.
07 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

The famous Shivaratri at Pashupatinath Temple
If you have sinned, in Kathmandu or beyond, you can wash these away at some of the most sacred places of worship for Hindus and
Buddhists. Of course, you can seek blessings even with a clear conscience. The Pashupatinath Temple is regarded by Hindus as the
holiest of all dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has been in the news lately for the wrong reasons though. The Bhandaris from
south India have been the priests and caretakers here for centuries. All was well till the Maoists took it upon themselves to dismantle
all dynasties. They removed the monarchy, and want the Bhandaris out too. Physical attacks on priests and accusations of financial
malpractices have taken matters to court - the jury is still out on the issue.
If you can, time your visit to Pashupatinath on Shivaratri. It is an event to behold. Over 600,000 devotees come from all over the
world, and the atmosphere resonates with their devotional songs. Decorative lighting and stalls selling items of worship, gifts, food,
clothes and toys give the place a festive look.
Adding colour to the festivities are the hundreds of ‘holy men and women.’ They come from all over to offer their own brand of
homage to the Gods. While some practice their faith with sincerity, others see it as a platform to resort to antics. Dressed in minimal
clothing, these 'others' can be seen performing a quasi 'strip-tease' and indulging in vulgar acts just to please the crowds. Spewing
abusive language, drinking, seeking money from passers-by are all par for the occasion. They consume and sell Marijuana sticks for
Rs. 10 each - calling them prasad or offerings to Lord Shiva. It is all a part of the package and no one grudges them; in fact, most
devotees still give them the respect reserved for true custodians of the faith. Offer your prayers and enjoy the show!
08 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

A view of
Pashupatinath
temple
complex
09 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Monkeys were a hazard to my job at Pashupatinath
Temple. Hundreds of them were jumping around the
same wall as the one I was trying to get pictures
from. They may not have attacked me, but could
have startled me causing me to do a Humpty
Dumpty on the wall. It was only after it was dark
that they moved away. This one seemed to be the
vain one left behind – could not move away from
the spotlights.

The ‘Eyes’ are
watching you at
Pashupatinath
Temple
The backside
of the Nandi
bull at
Pashupatinath
Temple
11 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Male and female
sadhus or ‘holy men’
who come for Shivaratri
at Pashupatinath Temple.
Many of them can be seen
smoking Marijuana openly,
and even selling to passers-by.

Boudhanath: The Eyes of Nepal
It is difficult not to feel spiritual when you visit Boudhanath (also spelled Bodhnath, and called Khasti by the Newars), especially
when you see the cradle formed by the surrounding Himalayan peaks. I asked my cab to wait, entered a narrow alley and was
received by the kindly ‘Eyes of Nepal’ looking at me from one of the largest stupas in the world. This manmade structure is
spectacular, I could only look at this whole setting in amazement. The Buddhists never cease to impress with their capabilities.
Boudhanath lay on a major trade route to Tibet and marked the entry to Kathmandu. Traders would offer prayers here for safe
passage. Even today, mountaineers including the Sherpaspay their respects at Boudhanath before setting off on their expeditions.
A mini Tibet settled here after their country was invaded by China in 1959. You not only get a peek into their culture but also get to
shop and eat like they do at the many outlets surrounding the stupa. You can also check in to one of the many hotels and guest
houses in the area. The stupa is surrounded by many smaller Buddhist structures – and hotels, cafes and shops. For best views climb
to the top floor of one of the surrounding buildings.
13 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Images
from
Boudhanath
14 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Patan, City of Fine Arts,
lives up to its name
They actually made architectural marvels like these. The oldest
of the three cities in the Kathmandu Valley (others being
Kathmandu and Bhaktapur), Patan is richly deserving of its
World Heritage Site status.
15 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Known as the ‘City of Fine Arts,’ the structures in the Patan Darbar Square are dated 16th
century onwards; most were built during the reign of King Siddhi Narsingh Malla (1618-
1661 AD), the first independent Malla dynasty king of Patan. The dynasty continued its
reign till it was subdued by King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great in 1768.
Patan (name signifying a prosperous city) is also known as Lalitpur (official name) or Yala
(also spelled Yela, derived from ‘Yupagram’ meaning a village with a victory pole). According
to mythology, Patan was built by King Birdeva in the 6th century. He is said to have received
directions from Sarveshvara, a form of Hindu God Shiva, to establish a city in the form of a
Yantra, an auspicious symbol having 9 jewels in the centre,
8 protective deities on the periphery and 24 city sections.
Patan still retains bits of this original design. According to my
guide, every Darbar in Nepal had a ‘bell telephone’ long before Alexander
Graham Bell invented his version. Patan too has one: It is a big bell called
the Tago Gan that served as an alarm and could be heard for seven miles -
even now it resonates during the holy period of Navratris before any animal
sacrifice.
Look around for sights that will no doubt grip your attention. These include
dried out intestines of Water Buffaloes hanging at the entrance to Mulchok
Courtyard; get a fresh set every year. Pity the buffaloes! This building’s
perimeter is marked with 108 sculptures - all manifestations of Goddess Kali.
This courtyard used to be the main venue for religious celebrations, political
meetings, social functions and cultural performances. The tradition of masked
dances, the ensemble known as Gan Pyakhan, continues to be an annual event
here during the 15-day Dashain festival, most auspicious for Nepalis from all
communities, that starts on the first day of the Navratris in September or October.
16 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Images
from
Patan
Feeding
pigeons
in Patan

Images
from
Patan
18 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Images
from
Patan
19 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

After Patan, another treat
at Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is yet another architectural wonder, said to have
been built in the 12th century by King Ananda Malla, it was
the seat of power until 1768. Its temples and palaces are all
fascinating to look at, despite significant losses suffered in the
1934 earthquake. It was a city famous for its paintings,
pottery, carvings and bronze-casting. Even now, walk along
its cobbled traffic free streets to see artisans at work
especially in the Potters' Village. A culturally rich town, try to
time your visit with important festivals like Shivaratri, Bisket
Jatra (the Nepalese New Year), Dashain (dedicated to
Goddess Durga) and Tihar (a festival of lights to honour
Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth).
I could not have chosen a better day than Shivaratri to visit
Bhaktapur when this ancient city was full of colour and happy
faces. The temples had a stream of devotees lighting lamps,
ringing bells and praying to Lord Shiva on the auspicious day.
20 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Hindu God dess Durga is also
worsh ipped o n Shivaratri in
Bhaktapur – these m en were dancing
in masks depicting the var ious
forms of Durga with music f rom a
specially designe d dholak (drum
played by hand). But p hotograp hing
them was not easy – t he tro upe
manag ers wante d money. I gave a
few r upees but was cons tantly
dis tu rbed by street bo ys who also
wante d mon ey – and t hey wo uld
keep tr ying to co ver my lens with
their hand s. Got som e decent shots
eventually tho ug h.
The dho lak
to provide
the beats for
the masked
dancers
21 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Women
off for
prayers
in
Bhaktapur

You want to take
her photograph?
Then yo u better
agree to buy one
of the handcrafted
bags she is selling!
A
beautiful
woman on
her way to
the temple

UNDERWATER
LANDSCAPES
INTO THE DEEP BLUE
Boris Buschardt is a passionate landscape photographer who has
discovered a fascinating underwater world. With a snorkel or from
the water’s edge, he captures the strange vastness that lies under the
water’s surface with his securely encased ZEISS Distagon T* 2,8/21.
25 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

“I’ve been doing landscape photography intensively for the last 10 years, and
for six years almost exclusively with ZEISS lenses. I have the Distagon T* 2,8/15,
the Distagon T* 2,8/21, the Planar T* 1,4/50, the Otus 1.4/55 and the Apo Sonnar
T* 2/135. Around two years ago, I started doing underwater photography and
was determined to work with the Distagon T* 2,8/21. In the wide-angle range
around 20 millimeters, there’s just nothing better.”
Silfra Tectonic Fissure in Þingvellir National Park, Iceland. Photo taken while snorkeling
26 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Silfra Tectonic Fissure, Þingvellir National Park, Iceland, Distributary with algae growth in summer.
Photo taken while snorkeling
The first challenge was to make his camera water-proof. Buschardt used a Seacam housing with a specially-made tooth ring. Combined
with a gearbox, he can set the manual focus of the ZEISS lenses very precisely through a corresponding small cog on the housing. He
placed the Distagon T* 2,8/21 in a large dome port (see also “Optics take a dive”). Made of curved glass, it is also good for creating ‘half-half’
images, in which one part of the image is above the water’s surface and the second part below. “I really like this view of the Silfra
Fissure — the threatening black clouds, the waves in the foreground, the calmness under water, the view into its icy depths.” The Silfra
Fissure, that actually divides the American and Eurasian continental plates, is unique for supposedly having the clearest water on Earth.
Even in tropical waters, visibility is limited to 30-50 meters, but here in Iceland it’s 130 meters without any particles. “It feels like you’re
swimming and taking pictures through glass. It’s amazing.”
27 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia shot from the water’s edge
When Boris Buschardt takes pictures, he doesn’t go down
with a diving tank. “It takes about five years to master the
techniques of scuba diving and to be able to dive confi-dently.
I don’t have time for that at the moment. I want
to focus on the photography.” Buschardt limits himself to
snorkeling and moves up to four meters under the water’s
surface while photographing. Many of his pictures, such
as the half-half image of the Plitvice Lakes, are taken from
land: by lying on his stomach on the shore and holding his
camera in the water.
28 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Karst spring Fernstein Lake, Austria. Picture taken from the shore. The base of the karst spring is reflected under the water’s surface
The biggest challenge when taking a half-half image is making sure there are no drops on the lens for the image depicting the half above the
water. To do that, Buschardt uses the following trick: find a solid footing, wipe the dome port with a cloth, and slowly lower the lens. A good place
to keep the cloth dry is in the collar of a wetsuit. When the water moves, you need lots of patience and skillfulness to handle this.
Once all drops of water have been wiped away, you can then turn your attention to creating naturally proportioned images. In order to do this,
two things are crucial: “How much should you stop down? And how close should the foreground be? In the pictures of the Plitvice Lakes, the
plants in the water are pretty close to the lens. If I had focused more towards the back, the picture would have been out of focus. It’s really import-ant
to me that the parts under water are sharp.”
29 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Samarang Lake, Austria, at around noon, incoming sunlight
Due to the changed light refraction under water, sharpness is critical. So when using a dome port, you need to think a bit ‘out of the box’, in order
to achieve the sharpness. “Lenses are normally optimized for flat images, which is one of the strengths of ZEISS. But underwater photography has
other requirements. Ideally, you need a lens that has the same image field curvature as the virtual image of the dome port. Unfortunately, this
combination does not exist.” The solution: stop down strongly so the edges of the image remain sharp. However, an aperture of f/22 or above will
cause the effects of diffraction to be too strong and the sharpness in the center of the image will suffer. “That’s why I typically work with f/11 or
f/16.”
30 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Boris Buschardt travels frequently for his photography. For
one of his last big photo trips, he went to the small island
nation of Palau, which lies between Papua New Guinea and
the Philippines. “For such a journey, your equipment has to
be robust. Whether it’s in the luggage on a flight, on small
boats, or in a jeep, I can always depend on ZEISS lenses to
hold up, whatever the circumstance.
Once in Palau, his destination was the ‘jellyfish lake’ of
Ongeim’l Tketau on the Rock Islands. The lake became sep-arated
from the ocean around 12,000 years ago. Its six-hect-are
basin is constantly exchanging water with the nearby
South Pacific Ocean. The approximately 6.2 million jellyfish
that currently populate the lake cannot leave these waters.
For thousands of years, the jellyfish have lived in a closed
system, and because they lack natural enemies they have
almost completely lost their poisonous stingers. “It’s an in-credible
experience to snorkel among such a huge amount
of jellyfish. It’s like being surrounded by aliens. But it’s a
paradise for scuba divers — and photographers.”
Ongeim’l Tketau, (Jellyfish Lake), Rock Islands, Palau
31 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Boris Buschardt at work at the Plitvice Lakes
About Boris Buschardt
Boris Buschardt is an engineer for a car manufacturer in Ingolstadt, Germany. When traveling in his youth, he developed an interest for photography. He is
passionate about photographing landscapes around the globe and carefully picks his travel destinations in order to bring home new motifs. And he has
recently started to explore the landscapes that lie under water. His images appear in picture books and calendars.
http://wild-places.com/
32 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

FIRE AND
ICE CAVE
Stefan Blawath loves mountains, nature, light – and photography. With
the ZEISS Distagon T* 2,8/15 he succeeded in taking some quite unique
pictures inside a glacier cave in Iceland.
34 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Flying sparks in the glacier cave
Stefan Blawath travels frequently for his photography — to the Alps, New Zealand, Swedish Lapland or Norway. In the past, he has gone to great lengths
to get good shots. But at the beginning of 2014 he went on a tour that was unusual even by his standards: a photo shoot in an Icelandic glacier cave.
35 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Blawath developed the idea for this trip together with an acquaintance, also a photographer, who accompanied him to Iceland for nine days. On arriving,
they first drove for an hour and a half by car to the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier, then continued for another 90 minutes over ice as smooth as glass. “With
our guide we formed a roped party and, well secured with ice screws, walked across the glacier ice with step irons. At the entrance to the cave we had to
descend with ropes. Then we went further, 100 meters deep into the glacier, until we reached the approximately 10-meter high dome where we wanted to
take our pictures. To get there we had to negotiate confined spaces that you could only pass through by crawling.”
Flying sparks in the glacier cave
36 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

In order to have the right photographic equipment for this trip, Blawath
acquired the Distagon T* 2,8/15 in November 2013. “My photo dealer
told me that this is the lens and that nothing will be able to match it for
a while. And he was right: it took me less than 24 hours to decide on this
specific lens. Ultimately there were two reasons why I bought the lens:
the ice caves and the ability to photograph the Northern Lights. During
this trip I was able to take some truly impressive pictures of the Northern
Lights with the lens. You can see one example below. In Iceland I used the
Distagon T* 2,8/15 for the first time.“
A strip of Northern Lights above a frozen glacier lake
37 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Blawath and his companions needed around four hours in
the cave in order to realize all their photographic ideas. They
not only wanted to take pictures of ‘pure nature’ but also to
dramatize the special atmosphere inside the cave with light
effects. To do that they placed steel wool inside a whisk,
wrapped the whisk on a wire rope, lit the contents and then
whirled the burning steel wool round like a lasso. “The flying
sparks looked incredibly exciting inside the cave and thanks
to the blue light they released a very special effect, making
the ice look golden and shiny.”
The dominant color of natural light deep down in the cave is
blue, not white. Compressed ice with barely any air pockets
works like a weak color filter: red, orange, yellow and green
light are absorbed first. Once the ice surface is more than
about three meters thick, only blue light remains — the so-called
‘glacier blue’.
“The light that day was relatively weak, which actually had
a positive effect on the images. We didn’t have to deal with
any potential overexposure. Through a hole in the ceiling,
where icicles had formed from melting water, only a small
amount of light came through, which lit up the snow that
had fallen into the cave. In the foreground you can also see
a small stream which, due to the long exposure time, has a
particularly soft effect.”
Glacier cave with incidental sunlight
38 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

For Blawath, the shoot in the Icelandic ice cave was an intense ex-perience,
and not just in a photographic sense. “They way nature is
able to form such a cave is so beautiful. And how harmonious and
at the same time harsh everything appears. To experience that was
simply amazing. The effort was definitely worth it. After all, you
only get the chance to take such pictures once. A high-quality lens
like the Distagon T* 2,8/15 is a huge advantage here. By and large
you can rely on getting a sharp image – from infinity to up close
– and that in combination with an extreme wide angle. Inciden-tally,
it turned out that the pictures I took in this cave were literal-ly
unique. The winter in Iceland was very mild with heavy rainfall,
and less than a week after our shoot the cave filled up with water.
The grotto I photographed doesn’t exist in this form anymore.”
About Stefan Blawath
Stefan Blawath has been photographing since his youth. After a longer
respite, he took up photography again eight years ago, first starting
with a model for beginners. Two years ago he switched to a full-format
SLR camera and developed a preference for high-quality lenses. When
Stefan is not in the mountains indulging his passion for photography,
he manages the client and business partner portal of a large insurance
company in Munich.
http://www.mountainsandlight.com
Glacier cave with sunlight coming through
39 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

A LENS
FOR LIFE
Drew Gardner is a people photographer in heart
and soul. When he was offered a prototype of
the ZEISS Otus 1.4/85 he jumped at the chance.
Wanting to know what the new lens was capable
of, he tested it under normal everyday conditions –
and really liked the results.
41 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Leaving the wedding ceremony in a flurry of rice and flower blossoms
A young wedding guest on the fringes of the festivities
“The Otus 1.4/85 is the best portrait lens I’ve ever worked
with. Period.” That’s how Drew Gardner summarizes
his experience. He selected the wedding of a friend in
London to test the lens, as it came close to the every-day
situations he normally encounters. “I’m not really a
wedding photographer, but it was a favor for a friend. So I
seized the opportunity and took pictures all day with the
Otus 1.4/85 under real working conditions.”
For a job like this, the equipment has to deliver first-class
results the first time around, as for most motifs you don’t
get a second chance. “The picture of the couple coming
out of the hall after the ceremony is a wonderful example.
There were just a few seconds to capture the moment.
And it worked. The Otus 1.4/85 is an incredibly practical
lens. The manual focusing worked without any problems
at all.” If you look closely, you can even see individual
grains of rice in the air.
42 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Gardner, a big fan of the arts, used the speed of the Otus
1.4/85 for a special visual idea he had: he placed the couple
before a Rembrandt painting in London’s Dulwich Picture
Gallery. He didn’t have much time, and in this setting large
equipment would have been out of place. So he decided to
forego the flash and use the Otus 1.4/85 with large aperture.
The result: “Beautiful contrast, beautiful sharpness that you
can’t get with any other lens.”
The Loxia 2/35 on the Sony Alpha 7R
Portrait of wedding couple, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London.
In the background: Girl at a Window, 1645, Rembrandt
43 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

“The bokeh is also fabulous. This
portrait of one of the female
wedding guests shows that very nicely.
In addition, the Otus 1.4/85 has a
decisive practical advantage: you get
very high image quality directly from
the camera with minimal post-pro-cessing
effort.” Chromatic aberra-tions,
for example, which can show
up with night shots when there are
high contrasts, are completely absent.
Re-sharpening, improving contrast or
removing reflections are, for the most
part, also unnecessary. The optical
quality of the lens saves time, and for
professional photographers time is
money.
Female wedding guest, portrait
44 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Drew Gardner has been working intensively with ZEISS
lenses for about a year now. He likes their quality and unique
look. “But the Otus 1.4/85 raises everything to a complete-ly
new level. For the first time, I was able to exploit the full
potential of a DSLR. For a long time I had a clear favorite
lens from another manufacturer, but it’s been knocked from
its throne by the Otus. This is not a lens you keep for five
or even ten years. It’s a lens for life – and a must for anyone
who takes pictures of people.”
A moment to relax
About Drew Gardner
Drew Gardner was a photojournalist for around 20 years before switching to people photography. Even as a
journalist his focus was on people and stories. Today he tells photographic stories about people, and sometimes
about landscapes as well, but without using a newspaper.
www.gardnercreative.co.uk
45 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS
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A U G M E N T R E A L I T Y
The Xperia Z3 way
Adding dinosaurs, butterflies and fairies to pictures
The Sony Xperia Z3 is no doubt good at taking
photographs. So good as to actually give you the
option of leaving your trusty point and shooter,
and occasionally even your DSLR, behind. But what
makes it special is not just its ability to photograph
what you see through it, but also what you do not.
No, we are not getting into the realms of fantasy
here. All you need to do is press the camera shoot-ing
mode and switch to “AR Effects” mode and you
will get a whole lot of augmented reality options.
In simple English – depending on the effect you
choose, you will be able to see a host of things,
ranging from dinosaurs to butterflies, to volcanoes
on the display, as well as the view from the camera.
What’s more, you can move them around and even
place them where you want in the display.
47 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

And oh yes, they remain in the picture when you hit the shutter
button, giving a picture of not just what you saw but also a few
additional things that no one else has (not unless they have an
Xperia Z3 too).
Making this happen are two very handy apps that come within the
camera app of Xperia Z3 – AR Fun and AR Effects. AR Effects is the
more interactive one, showing people walking around and objects
moving, while AR Fun is a bit more static, letting you add objects by
tracing them with your finger on the display.
Of the two, AR Effects is easily the more fun, letting you add fairies,
fish, and even the odd Tyrannosaurus Rex to seemingly routine pic-tures.
All you have to do is go to shooting mode, select AR Effects,
choose the effect you want, and then move the objects around and
bingo, you have a picture that is unlikely to be easily matched. We,
for instance, devoted our energies to making a glass of water – what
could be duller? – look interesting by chucking in some pixies and
toadstools. We are sure you could find more interesting subjects on
your travels: imagine parking a Tyrannosaurus Rex next to a prom-inent
monument? (we are so going to try that!).
Just ONE teeny word of caution – using the AR Effects app tends
to heat up the device, and after a certain temperature, the camera
tends to shut down. So, while the effects are a lot of fun, do err on
the side of caution while using them.
48 PhotoTalkies by Kunzum and ZEISS

Want to be
a great

photographer?
Want to be
a travel writer?
As a
professional
or a hobbyist?
Full time
or Part Time?
Sign up for a workshop / course
at the Kunzum Media Lab. We
promise it will change your life.
Kunzum Travel Cafe
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
www.
kunzum.
c om/
mediala b



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