Understanding The Different Surface Types In Tennis

Throughout the year, tennis tournaments are held on three different surfaces that test the players’ mettle in distinct ways and make seasons ever more exciting for fans. The three surface types are the following:

Image source:tennis.com.au

Hard court

The most common playing surface in both professional and recreational tennis, hard courts are usually made from concrete, asphalt, or synthetic layers such as rubberized carpets. Hard courts are described as a “democratic” surface because it gives players of varying playing styles equal opportunity to excel. The surface gives the ball a predictable bounce and promotes a fast game pace.

Grass

Grass was the original playing surface in tennis. But because it is difficult and expensive to maintain, grass courts are rare nowadays and the grass-court season lasts for just six weeks in a year.

The bounce and pace of the games on grass courts depend on the weather (cold days mean heavier balls and slower games while warm days result to lighter balls and faster games) and how well-maintained the grass is.

Image source:duraplaycourts.com

Clay

In clay courts, the playing surface is sprinkled with crushed mineral aggregates, such as shale, brick, stone, or basalt. It creates a slow game, high bounce of the ball, and longer rallies that favor players who boast strong groundstrokes and great stamina. Clay courts are also considered the most physically demanding among the surface types.

Greensboro, NC resident Vijaya Prakash Boggala enjoys watching live sports, such as tennis and cricket. For more articles about these sports, subscribe to this blog.

Talk Like a True Shutterbug With These Common Photography Terms

Joining a group of photographers can easily make a newbie feel out of place. Aside from getting used to operating the camera, understanding the jargon can be a bit overwhelming. That said, newbies should keep on learning the tricks and the terms related to the art. Here are some common photography terms worth knowing:

Depth of field (DOF)

This refers to the distance in front and behind the subject in focus. On the one hand, when shooting landscapes, a larger DOF can bring the little details of a scenery in perspective. On the other hand, most choose a shallow DOF when it comes to shooting portraits so that the background won’t affect the subject. Setting the aperture is key to getting the right level.

Image source: Widewalls.ch

Exposure

Photographers throw this word around casually, but they could be referring to different things. Basically, exposure pertains to the amount of light involved in processing the image. However, it could also mean aperture, ISO, and even shutter speed—the so-called “exposure triangle.”

Noise

What does it mean when a photo is “noisy”? It means that the picture quality is a bit grainy or with unnecessary contrast. This could also cause little flecks in the image. While this could go unnoticed, photographers will easily spot this. Noise usually happens with images that are taken with high ISO.

Image source: Indosurflife.com

When an unfamiliar term is being thrown around in photography circles, beginners should not hesitate to ask. It’s always good to ask for help and even for a tutorial. Skilled photographers are generous with their techniques, and it would be a privilege to learn from these talented people.

Vijaya Prakash Boggala works as a medical abstractor. He spends his free time expressing himself through art and photography. For more art-related updates, follow this Twitter page.

Capturing The Rising And Setting Sun: A Guide For Photographers

The rising and setting sun always makes for a good image. Witnessing these natural occurrences in person make for a memorable moment. However, translating the wonder onto a photo can be quite challenging. How can photographers effectively capture sunrise and sunsets?

Image source: Dailymail.co.uk

1. Plan.

The best sunrise and sunset photos are planned. When a photographer is ready for the moment, he will have lots of elements to work with such as the landscape and even the weather. When the moment finally comes, a photographer can enjoy the moment and capture the sun in its glorious form.

2. Underexpose.

Photographers must learn to underexpose to bring out the different colors in a sunrise or a sunset. This little step will contribute to a richer, more dramatic effect that will make for a rich image.

3. Incorporate a point of interest.

Silhouettes of other objects such as mountains, trees, and even people can make the image of the sunrise or sunset stand out more. When there’s another point of interest in the photo, the blending colors of the changing sun will be more in focus. Using other objects and their silhouettes will also add more character to the scene.

4. Take photos from different angles and focal points.

A photographer might be looking at one direction when better moments are going on behind them.They should consider their surroundings when capturing sunrise and sunset. There could be other images that will stand out aside from the intended landscape.

Image source: Timeanddate.com

Capturing the sun when it rises and sets is a good exercise in getting creative with photos.The activity yields different results every time and provides new experiences for a photographer.

Vijaya Prakash Boggala is a photography hobbyist who is most interested in landscape and speed photography. He is also passionate about DIY and art projects. Visit this Facebook page for updates.

The Wide World Of Lomography

Analog photography may seem like a dinosaur these days –extinct, thanks to the ubiquity of digital cameras but for a number of people,

photography via Lomographic cameras still has a place in the digital world. 

So what is Lomography exactly? Anyone who's ever used photography apps with filters such as Instagram will probably be familiar with the looks produced by Lomographic cameras: flawed, distressed, and vintage.  But the Lomography movement uses analog cameras (or toy cameras) and film to capture the world and its imperfections creatively.

Image source: wikipedia.org

 One of the best things about the Lomography movement is how, unlike most digital photos these days, photographers can come up with tangible prints. One might even say that Lomography is a nostalgic art. 

Regarding cameras, there are tons of choices available simply because each camera is specialized to fit a particular filter or look (but even then the prints may surprise the user depending on the film used, and the time the photo was taken, among others). The story goes that the first one ever used was a Lomo Kompakt Automat, a Russian toy camera, in Vienna. But other popular cameras now include the Lubitel TLR, the Frogeye camera, cameras with multiple lenses or colored flashes, and more.  

Image source: dailymail.co.uk

In addition to having a variety of features, Lomographic cameras themselves also come indifferent colors and looks, allowing photographers to not only express themselves through their photos but also through the cameras they're actually carrying. Lomographic cameras may not produce the sharper images of conventional analog or digital cameras, but they're definitely great for those who want to experiment and be creative.

Vijaya Prakash Boggala enjoys developing his skills in photography. Subscribe to this Facebook account to learn more about photography as well as his other pursuits.

Capturing Excellent Speed Shots In Low Light

Speed photography is an exciting branch and is used in many sports events. The pace of the industry is reflective of its name; many novice photographers attempt to capture the best shots. The goal is to show athletes at their best - preferably in motion. For the most part, these events take place in a brightly lit arena. Yet there can be occasions where the lights are placed low. These scenarios present a challenge for photographers who have to adjust their settings appropriately. Consider these suggestions:

Image Source: YouTube.com

Try flash: There is much hoopla about flash. Some veterans say that the external light is only meant for beginners. However, a larger percentage of people say that flash can be an excellent tool to use, as long as it is done properly. An external flash is also advantageous for sports events held at night. This is because these are generally more powerful than the built-in ones found in cameras. Take care though when using this as flash is sometimes not allowed in sports events because they can distract the competitors.

Shutter speed: Ideally for sports events, you would need a faster shutter speed. This freezes the motion of the subjects and makes the point of focus sharper. Nevertheless, faster shutter speeds typically bring in less light, so it is a matter of adjusting the speed until one finds the correct balance. A good tip is to select the camera’s shutter speed priority mode and choose the quickest speed it can allow.

Image Source: apogeephoto.com

ISO: The higher the number, the grainier the shots turn out. Some photographers prefer to increase their ISOs to allow them to shoot at faster shutter speeds. The compromise is that the shots become grainier the higher they go. Again, it is a question of balance and what look one is aiming for.

Experimentation is the essential idea with speed photography. There are truly no hard or fast rules when it comes to this. Each photographer must find their own style.

Vijaya Prakash Boggala takes up photography as his hobby. He is most interested in landscape and speed photography. For more tips, like this Facebook page.

How To Work With Wide-Angle Lenses For Landscape Photography

A wide-angle lens is a favorite among landscape and nature photographers for several reasons. It has the capacity to include more of the scenery into the frame. It also has more depth-of-field at any given aperture setting for tack-sharp images from the foreground to the background. Moreover, it usually has a faster lens with stops up to f/1.4, which would be very useful for nighttime shots.

Image source: Digital-Photography-School.com

While there is no standard definition for a wide-angle lens, generally speaking, anything that is wider than 35 millimeters is considered wide-angle.

Image source: photography.tutsplus.com

For the beginner, you might want to start at keeping subjects in the foreground as objects in the background on a wide-angle lens look smaller, giving the viewer a sense of distance. Get close to the foreground and keep it interesting to give the eye a starting point to look at as it is led further into the scenery.

You would need to be creative in working with the distortion on a wide-angle lens, which is most notable when working with lines that are normally straight and would appear curved. An example of using this distortion creatively is the fish-eye effect when you want to emphasize the closeness of the subject to the camera.

Vijaya Boggala is a medical abstract writer. He also enjoys sports, photography, DIY projects, and painting during his free time. Subscribe to this blog for more tips on photography.

Improve Your Painting Technique: Take Inspiration From Different Art Styles

It would be every artist's dream to be even half as good as the masters who've invented or innovated the art styles of today. Even if only a few could get to that level of genius, it would still help to improve your craft by studying and understanding the techniques and nuances of some of the most revered art styles.

 Image source: Metmuseum.org

Realism: Realists reject romanticizing their paintings and take inspiration from daily life as it is—from events, people, to dilemmas and situations. Realists depict real life through a skillful manipulation of color and tone to create a visual of depth and space.

 Image source: BBC.com

Impressionism: Impressionistic art is distinguished by the visibility of brush strokes, unusual visual angles, and an emphasis on light and reflection on objects. Impressionists want to convey the passage of time and the fleeting effects of light as the weather or atmosphere changes. Hence, Impressionists often painted outdoors with landscapes and life on the streets as their subject matter.

Expressionism: Expressionists distort reality in their painting as they convey emotion in the imagery. Expressionistic paintings often show exaggerated form and a burst of color that represent the emotions the artist felt or wanted their audience to feel. Expressionists depict their subject matter as an emotional experience rather than a physical reality.

Vijaya Prakash Boggala is a medical abstract writer and loves to paint in his free time. For more articles about the arts, subscribe to this blog.