Announcing - African Safari !!!

DAY 01, NAIROBI

You begin your safari as you board your flight to Kenya - the heart of African safari!! On arrival to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you are met by our Airport Representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at a hotel in Nairobi.

DAY 02, NAIROBI – TREE HOTEL

After breakfast, leave Nairobi in the morning to Nyeri, a small but fast growing town in the heart of the coffee growing and dairy farming area in the so-called former White Highlands of Kenya. After a sumptuous lunch at the base hotel, the tour leaves for a tree hotel where the evening is spent watching succession of animals that emerge from the forest and descend on floodlit water hole and salt lick, scuffling and jostling for a good vantage position. At night if you want to remain awake and watch the show-the Elephants may engage in a show of strength with each other but even they would be reluctant to challenge the rhino. The herbivores keep their distance from these two competitors. In the case of Mountain Lodge you arrive directly at the lodge for lunch. Meals and overnight at a Tree hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) You are required to pack an overnight bag when you transfer to the Ark or Treetops for the night.

DAY 03, TREE HOTEL – NAKURU / NAIVASHA

After breakfast the tour leaves for Nyahururu (Thompson’s Falls) at an altitude of 7,738 feet. The falls are named after the Scots explorer Joseph Thompson who was the first European to discover the falls in 1884. Then comes the descent into the Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park for lunch at one of the hotels. An afternoon drive in the park to enjoy the sight of pelicans bathing in the fresh water streams which terminate in Lake Nakuru. Since there is no existing drainage, Lake Nakuru is alkaline, the perfect place for flamingos to feed on the blue-green algae. The greater flamingo attains a height of about 4.26 feet; its plumage is almost white with a pale pink, black tipped beak. It is the lesser flamingo that has the more exotic color. About 2.72 ft. in height, with a rosy plumage and dark red, black tipped beak. Lake Nakuru National Park has a great variety of bird life which includes the Egyptian goose and a variety of ducks that come from Europe to winter. This park is truly a bird watchers paradise. The game animals include hippo, waterbuck, gazelles, colobus monkeys, buffalo, leopard and the Rothschild giraffe. The park is also a sanctuary for the white rhino. This park has an abundance of acacia trees, both yellow barked (fever tree) the umbrella-topped acacia and the candelabra cactus. Enjoy an afternoon game-drive. Meals and overnight at a lodge/camp in Nakuru/Naivasha. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 04, NAKURU/NAIVASHA – MASAI MARA

Breakfast at the hotel and time enough for some bird watching en-route to the Masai Mara Game Reserve arriving in time for lunch. An afternoon game drive during which it would be possible to locate the huge black-manned lions, for which the reserve is famous. Meals and overnight at a lodge/ camp in Mara. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) DAY 05, MASAI MARA A full day of game viewing and exploring in this Kenya’s finest reserve or alternatively a morning game drive followed by an afternoon swim in the cool water of the hotel swimming pool followed by yet another game drive. You may witness the lion making a kill or a leopard enjoying the meal he had dragged up the tree with him. The vegetation is mostly savanna type with forested areas near the rivers and of course the dwarf acacias to cater for the giraffes. More than 60 species of animals are found here and countless bird species, this includes the Masai ostrich and the secretary bird. This is where the great migration of the wildebeest takes place. Meals and overnight at a lodge/camp in Mara. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 06, MASAI MARA – NAIROBI

After breakfast its time to checkout and drive back to Nairobi arriving in time for lunch. Lunch on own. Later transfer to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward flight. (Breakfast)

INCLUDED FEATURES:

• Meet and greet service by our local representatives at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport

• Roundtrip private transfers airport/hotel in Kenya

• Accommodation in standard rooms as described (or similar) with private en-suite facilities

• Meals as described by B (Buffet Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner)

• ½ -litre bottled mineral water per person per day whilst on safari in a Private vehicle

• Transportation by specially equipped non-air-conditioned 7-seater safari minivan with pop-up roofs in Kenya

• Services of a professional English speaking driver/guide

• Game drives, sightseeing and excursions as described in the itinerary, inclusive of applicable entrance fees

• Applicable local and government taxes on accommodation and transportation

NOT INCLUDED:

• International or domestic airfare, taxes & security related fees unless mentioned above

• Meals not described in the itinerary

• Tips and gratuities to driver/guide; hotel/camp and restaurant staff; room service etc

• Travel Insurance / Visa Charges / Yellow Fever Vaccination

• Items of a personal nature i.e., telephone/internet usage, laundry, bottled water and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, etc.

• 4 X 4 WD Land Rover game drive – It is optional and available at an extra cost

• Single accommodation - Available at an extra cost

• Any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary

• Temporary membership to Emergency Medical Evacuation Service whilst on safari (additional USD 15.00 per person)

Advanced image processing workshop

www.drcaesarphotography.com is now a strong team comprising of established wildlife photographers of the country and veterans in the field of digital photography. Having travelled through the same road, we understand the hurdles and challenges faced in taking this hobby to the next orbit. We, as a team, are putting our honest efforts to make photography learning available to the enthusiasts and amateurs at an affordable cost. In addition to the regularly running two workshop courses (Basic course and image post processing), we now announce the launch of an advanced, highly personalized, image processing workshop.

This is the first of its kind promoted by Dr Caesar Photography till date. This is not a basic course and we expect you shall be having the basic knowledge of photography. This workshop is specially crafted keeping in mind the need of a photographer, who is willing to take his / her work to the next level. We hope this workshop will add that special touch which is needed to present one’s photographs for contests, exhibitions, print-media publications or for commercial usage.

This is not a mass education program and hence we would like to restrict registrations to maximum of eight participants per workshop. There will be less of theory and more of practical sessions and therefore, we expect you should carry your laptops along*.

We would ensure that your photographs will find a better platform after attending this.

* In case you don’t possess a laptop, you may have to give us advanced intimation to arrange one for you.

Course fee – Rs 3000 per head
Course details – as follows

1. Brightness

2. Contrast

3. Levels

4. Curves

5. Exposure control

6. Color balance

7. Hue control

8. Saturation control

9. Photo filters

10. Channel mixers

11. Image selection tools

12. Sharpening

13. Blurring

14. Smudging

15. Cloning

16. Blurning

17. Dodging

18. Gradient tool

19. File types

20. Image size

21. Crop tool

22. Magic of Camera raw

23. Use of adjustment brush

24. Creating HDR images

25. Playing with layers

26. Framing and presenting your images

All the best !

Himalayan birding camps

HIMALAYAN BIRDING CAMP, UTTARKHAND

Please note that this is a sample package - we can customize your tour package according to your need.

Pangot is a small village 15 km from Nainital, 50 km from Kathgodam and 80 km from the very well known Corbett National Park. Sat Tal (Hindi - seven lakes) is situated in the lower Himalayan range and the place has a group of seven freshwater lakes situated at an altitude of 1370 metres. Both the places, with its dense pine and oak forest, are undoubtedly the birding heavens of the country and offer a spectacular avifauna along with the breathtaking landscapes of the Himalayas.

October to June is the best season to be here. Experience an unforgettable birding expedition. Itinerary is as follows – it is extremely customizable according to your needs

DAY 01 – DELHI – PANGOT

Drive early morning to Pangot (6-7 hrs.). Arrive for lunch. Overnight stay in a cottage at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge. Afternoon leisurely birding in and around the lodge.

One can see crested woodpeckers such as Greater Yellownape, Scaly-Breasted, Speckled Piculet etc. Large flocks of Slaty-Headed Parakeets, numerous Spotted and Oriental Turtle Doves, Grey Bushchat, Russet Sparrow. Cuckoo: Indian, Oriental, Large-Hawk and Eurasian. Large-billed crow, Grey Treepie, Black-Headed Jay, Maroon Oriole, Large Cuckoo Shrike, Tits such as Rufous-Naped, Black-Throated & Yellow-Browed and smaller numbers of Black-Lored and Green-Backed. White-tailed nuthatches, Chestnut Bellied Nuthatches and Bar-Tailed Treecreepers.

Meals: Lunch & Dinner at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge

DAY 02 - PANGOT

Full day birding at Cheena Peak, Kilbury & Timla Pani. Overnight at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge

DAY 03 – PANGOT

Another day of birding at Pangot village, Baggar and Gughu Khan. These walks can be very rewarding. Overnight stay at the lodge. One can see Crested Serpent-Eagle, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Woodpeckers such as Brown-Fronted, Stripe-Breasted, Rufous-Bellied etc. Thrushes such as Dark-Throated, Mistle etc. Striated Prinia can be seen in the terraced fields. Warblers such as Tickell's Leaf-Warbler, Greenish, Golden-Spectacled, Grey-Hooded. Flycatchers such as Asian brown, Rusty-Tailed, Ultramarine, Verditer, Tickell's Blue, Rufous-Bellied Niltava etc., Orange-Flanked Bush Robin, Blue-Capped Redstart. Laughingthrushes such as White-Throated, Striated & Streaked, Chestnut-Crowned etc. Look for Accentor, Upland Pipit, Blue-Winged Minla, Whiskered Yuhina etc.

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge

DAY 04 - PANGOT-SAT TAL

Drive to Sat Tal (2 hours) in the morning. Birding along the way. Birding around Sat Tal. Overnight stay in Sat Tal Birding Camp

The entire drive is through the forested area of Cheena Peak Range via Snow View Point and Kilbury. One can see a variety of Himalayan species along the way such as Lammergeier, Himalayan griffon, Blue-Winged Minla, Spotted & Slaty-Backed Forktail, Rufous-Bellied Woodpecker, Rufous-Bellied Niltava, Khalij Pheasant, variety of thrushes etc. More than 200 species have been recorded at Pangot and surrounding areas. The numerous perennial & seasonal creeks are home to an amazing variety of flora and fauna including the Leopard, Yellow-throated Himalayan martin, Himalayan Palm Civet, Ghoral, barking deer, Sambhar, Red Fox etc.

Meals: breakfast at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge, lunch & dinner at Sat Tal Birding Camp

DAY 05 – SAT TAL

Full day birding with guide. Overnight stay at Sat Tal Birding camp

Meals – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Sat Tal Birding camp

DAY 06 – SAT TAL

Full Day excursion to Nainital City.

Meals – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Sat Tal Birding camp

DAY -07 SAT TAL – DELHI

After Breakfast drive towards Delhi.

There are a number of ways to reach Pangot in case you don’t want us to arrange for Delhi – Pangot travel

• Drive from Delhi via Kathgodam and Nainital: 8 hours
• Drive from Delhi via Ramnagar (Corbett National Park) and Kaladhungi: 7½ hours
• Overnight air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station (departing at 2245 hr.) to Kathgodam (arriving at 0615 hr.) and then 2 hr. drive to Pangot via Nainital.
• Overnight air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station (departing at 2245 hr.) to Ramnagar (arriving at 0500 hr.) and then 2½ hr. drive to Pangot via Kaladungi.

For booking - contact

Call: 09819839821 Email: info@drcaesarphotography.com / workcaesar@gmail.com

Wildlife Photography workshop - regular sessions

WHY WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?

Wildlife photography as a career used to sound like a dream a couple of years back. Lucky had been those who could persuade their profession and passion simultaneously. For most, wildlife and wildlife photography remained as a childhood passion and one amongst the many lost dreams condemned by our professional pursuits.

Today more and more people have started thinking differently; many have started taking serious interest in learning photography and adopting wildlife photography as a full time carrier. In this market driven economy, today, we can see endless opportunities for a wildlife photographer from print media to graphic designing, from exhibitions to stock photography, from travels and tours to organized wildlife camps, from organized field trips to sponsored projects – options are too many.

However, building a career in wildlife photography definitely demands the photographs to stand amongst thousands and hand holding and personalized knowledge sharing helps one to improvise and excel – and hence Wildlife photography workshop.

WHY DR CAESAR PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?

In the country, there are maestros in wildlife photography who have taken Indian wildlife photographers to an international platform. These masters are making their best efforts to disseminate knowledge amongst the new comers. Many wildlife photography workshops are being conducted in the country but this is still focal in some major cities, viz. Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Charges for such workshops range from Rs 4000 to Rs 10,000 because it involves hiring experts for lectures, hiring costly gadgets and infrastructure. Budding photographers and amateurs are enthusiastic about the art but the cost of it becomes a major challenge.

This is for the first time someone in the country, has made a bold attempt to dissipate knowledge in a non profitable way which will help the budding photographers immensely. We, as a team, are putting our honest efforts to make wildlife photography learning available to the enthusiasts and amateurs at an extremely affordable cost.

I wish to thank you all for the motivation and appreciation extended since www.drcaesarphotography.com has gone live. It gives me an immense pleasure to announce the launch of two Wildlife Photography courses… enriched, interesting and interactive. These modules have been conceptualized, designed and drafted based on the various feedbacks received from the fan followers. We aspire to be better every day and we hope we shall definitely be able to meet upto your expectations.


COURSES

1. Wildlife photography basics – one day workshop
2. Wildlife photography post processing techniques – one day workshop


WHO CAN ATTEND?

1. Anyone who is enthusiastic to learn wildlife photography can attend the basic course. No qualification criteria / no age limits / no skillsets mandatory.

2. Amateurs and hobbyists who wish to improve their work can attend both basic workshop or the advanced workshop on digital post processing techniques – depending on the need..


WHAT TO CARRY?

1. Better if you have a digital SLR camera. However, having a Digital SLR is not mandatory. You can do wonders with your point and shoot digital camera as well.

2. For Wildlife photography post processing workshop, we advise you should carry a laptop, if you have one. That would make the hand holding easy for us. However, carrying laptop is not mandatory. You can carry your best digital images in a CD or pen drive and rest will be taken care of.


WORKSHOP DURATION: Full day – 9 am – 4 pm with breakfast, lunch and tea breaks


REGISTRATION INQUIRIES: Call 9819839821 / 09920772965


REGISTRATION CHARGES: Rs 1500 per head for each course


PAYMENT MODE

The online payment mode is still under the developmental stages and hence we request you to please send a cheque or opt for an account transfer to account in the name of CAESAR SENGUPTA, Account no. 061010100128452, Axis Bank, Naupada, Thane


COURSE DETAILS

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY BASIC COURSE

Session 1: 9 am – 1 pm - Photography Basics

1. Know your camera
2. Exposure control
3. Shutter Speed
4. Aperture
5. ISO
6. Exposure & Exposure settings - Histogram
7. Depth of field
8. Focal length
9. Tones and contrast
10. White Balance
11. What is Pixel
12. Metering
13. Auto focus
14. Field tips
15. Different types of camera
16. The Digital SLR
17. Different types of lenses
18. Storage Media (Cards), File Types
19. Accessories
20. Camera Care

Session 2: 2 pm – 4 pm – Post processing basics

1. Colour
2. Contrast
3. Saturation
4. Sharpening
5. Blurring
6. Cloning
7. Noise Reduction
8. Layers
9. Framing
10. Presenting your images

This is followed by a one hour interactive Session (Q & A)


WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY POST PROCESSING WORKSHOP

Session 1: 9 am – 1 pm - Post processing live Demo

1. Brightness and contrast
2. Levels and curves
3. Exposure control
4. Color balance
5. Hue and saturation control
6. Photo filters and channel mixers
7. Sharpening, blurring and smudging
8. Cloning, burning and dodging
9. Usage of gradient tool
10. File types, image size, crop tool
11. Playing with layers
12. Framing and presenting your images

Session 2: 1 pm – 4 pm - Post processing – Practical – this session will focus on hands on experience on editing your own photographs in your laptops using the image editing software you prefer to use.

This is followed by a one hour interactive Session (Q & A)

Wildlife Photography workshop - Session 2

A very Happy New Year to all my friends.

2010 had been a year of learning and I thank you all for the motivation and appreciation extended since www.drcaesarphotography.com has gone live.

It gives me a great pleasure to announce yet another session of Wildlife Photography workshop and this time it would be much more enriched, much more interesting and much more interactive. This module has been conceptualized, designed and drafted based on the various feedback received during the last workshop. We aspire to be better every day and this time this workshop is focusing on post processing magics.

We have organized this Wildlife Photography workshop in two parts

1. The first is on 9th January, 2011 and this is a field trip to the beautiful Matheran, Maharashtra, located on the Western Ghats range at an elevation of 2625 feet above the sea level.

2. The second workshop is in Mumbai on 16th January, 2011. This is an advanced workshop and will be focusing on post processing tips and tricks to enhance your images.

Registration enquiries: Call 9819839821 / 09920772965

Please take a note of the following details:

9^th January, 2011 – Matheran

Matheran offers a variety of flora and fauna to the photographers. Bird attractions include White cheeked Barbet, Vigor’s Sunbird, Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Malabar Parakeet, Orange headed Thrush, White-rumped Shama, Gold-fronted Leafbird etc. Butterflies found include Blue Mormon, Blue Oakleaf, and reptiles like Green Vine Snake, Bronze Backed Tree Snake and Deccan Banded Gecko. There are also pretty good chances of sighting the Indian Giant Squirrel, the state animal of Maharashtra.

Meeting point – Dasturi Naka at 7 am

Transport to Matheran – To be arranged on your own – 90 km from Mumbai and 120 km from Pune.

Team led by - Mr Amit Rane and Dr Caesar Sengupta
Basic necessities – your interest to learn photography
Additional requirements – Carry along your digital camera
Activities - Light trek to the various spots, on field photographic guidance
Package includes - Lunch at camp site and entry fee to Matheran.

16^th January, 2011 - Mumbai

Venue: Hotel Sharanam, Eastern Express Highway Service Road, Near New R.T.O. Thane West - 400604

Session 1 (9 am – 1 pm): Post Processing – Live Demo - will focus on tools of Photoshop and tips and tricks to enhance your photographs.

Session 2 (1 pm – 4 pm) : Post Processing – Practicals - will focus on hands on experience on editing your own photographs.

Basic necessities – your interest to learn photography
Additional requirements – Carry along your best photographs (digital image) and your laptop if you have
Duration – full day – 9 am – 4 pm with breakfast, lunch and tea

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve trip report by TripWOW

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Sept 2010 Slideshow: Caesar’s trip to Nagpur, Maharashtra, India was created by TripAdvisor. See another Nagpur slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

Lens review on Canon 400 mm published in Smart Photography, November 2010

Dr Caesar – it seems you have got a new Canon 400 mm f/5.6 - I would love to hear your views on the lens.

In one word - awesome. I had taken hundreds of feedback from seniors and contemporaries before buying this lens and I thank all those who advised me to go for it. I don’t think I could get anything better than this for my needs and in my budget.

What do you like most in the lens?

Canon 400 mm f/5.6 is known as a birding lens. My basic genre is bird photography and the lens is of great use for me. It is the lens made by Canon for birds in flight. The best part of the lens is the amazing clarity and sharpness of the pictures. I had a dilemma between Canon 400 f/5.6 and Canon 100 – 400 mm zoom before I actually went for this one. Today, after using both - I would rate 400 mm f/5.6 far ahead over Canon 100 – 400 mm in terms of sharpness.

I also like the sturdiness of the lens… its lightweight,, sleekly designed and very solidly built. Infact I banged it against the jeep rod during my last trip in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve… and all was well.

It is a relatively fast lens… although many would not agree to it. For my needs, I find it quite fast and the fast focusing is due to the ring USM (Ultra Sonic Motor) that it has in it.

I haven’t noticed any chromatic aberration or vignette. Color, saturation and contrast output are just excellent. The background blurring is simply superb. I am really feeling the difference a prime lens can create.

What do you dislike about the lens if any?

Many said this doesn’t have IS and hence is not advisable. I have clicked animals from a distance of 70 feet handheld and have got razor sharp pictures. So if the light condition is good, I don’t think lack of IS is a minus point from any angle. Yes – one disadvantage that any prime lens would have is lack of the flexibility that a zoom lens has. Especially when you are in field shooting mammals, you may land up shooting all close-ups when you would actually have preferred to shoot a few habitat shots. For me it didn’t make much difference though.

What was the long lens you were using earlier and how does the new one compare against the old lens?

I have been using Sigma 170 – 500 mm. I don’t think it is wise to compare it with this lens as they are not in the same bracket. Yes… I have used Canon 100 – 400 mm and I was simply surprised with the quality improvement it brought to my images. So, when I was planning for a new lens, I was confused between these two. Canon 100 – 400 mm comes for a higher price, for the IS that it comes with. I think I took a wise decision by choosing Canon 400 mm f/5.6.

Is hand-holding possible?

Very much. Take a look at my image of the Sambar in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve – that was shot handheld from a distance of 70 feet… the picture says it all.

How sharp is it wide open?

Look at the same image of the Sambar - this image is shot at f/5.6 at 1/800s shutter speed and ISO 400. I think the lens rocks !!!

Do you look back and feel that an IS lens would have been better?

Absolutely no. This is just perfect. Handheld pictures are absolutely fantastic if the light conditions are good. Even in low light conditions, using a stable tripod can give simply great images using the lens. I am happy without the IS and I wouldn’t prefer to pay some bucks more for an IS to it.

Do you feel that a filter (UV, Skylight) degrades its sharpness?

No – I don’t think so… I use a UV / Skylight filter and I don’t think it has hampered any of my images. Using a good quality UV / Skylight filter is rather advisable at least as a protective measure from any accidental damage.

Do you feel that the collar base is strong enough or is that its weak spot?

It is strong enough but yes it could be stronger… you are right

Is the lens equally sharp at close distance, mid-distance and far away distance?

I think yes.

Would you recommend the lens to your best friend?

Ofcourse (I would have gifted if lenses were a bit cheaper – ha ha)

How does it stand up in flare causing situations?

Quite good in handling flares. I have encountered situations in my last trip to Tadoba with direct sunlight hitting the lens with very minor reduction in contrast

Do you find any difference in image quality in similar shots taken with and without the lens hood

I believe you are referring to pictures takes in overcast / soft lighting, where many people don't bother to attach the lens hood. It wouldn’t matter according to me.

Overall a fantastic buy… value for money. The lack of IS didn’t matter for me. The sharpness I got using the lens is simply amazing. It has given a tremendous improvement in my images – a great buy any day.