My Suite of Editing Softwares

In this generation of photography, editing has become a very essential component of processing photos. In fact, it has become quite compulsory. Editing can be used to enhance the quality of your photos or sometimes, it can be used to deliberately degrade your photos. There are many photo editing softwares available. Some popular ones are Photoshop, Lightroom, Google Nik Collection, etc.

Now, I am not a professional photographer. I do not even know to use softwares like Photoshop or Lightroom or Nik Collection. This blog will be focusing more on the amateur photographers like me to edit photos using the softwares I use.

PHOTOSCAPE:  

Photoscape is a free photo editing software. It is a freeware. I have been using it for quite often. It has got many functions, but not those functions that are available in Photoshop or Lightroom or Nik Collection.

The starting window of Photoscape looks very simple.

The above image shows the main Photoscape starting window. In the image, it has got many things it can perform, like Editor, Batch Editor, etc.

The main disadvantage of Photoshop that I feel is that it is quite difficult to use for beginners. It needs a lot of practice to get that ease while editing. But one thing cannot be turned down - Photoshop is the world's best photo editing software. This is a fact, and it cannot be denied.

Photoscape is the best for beginners (according to me). It is not that complicated. I use Photoscape, It is quite reliable, too. Photoscape does not require much practice. The functions it has are very easy to use. The above image shows editing window of Photoscape. It is easily downloadable.

SNAPSEED: 

Snapseed has gained great popularity among beginner photographers. It launches photos very quickly. It very easy to use, it can be used to give some special effects by some unprofessional manner. For example, one can add some gradient filters using the Brush Tool (only of Warmth and Coolness).

The above image shows the functions Snapseed can perform. Its FILTERS are AMAZING! I have used Snapseed for a very long time till I turned towards Photoscape.

PICASA 3: 

I started using Picasa 3 a few weeks ago. It is also easy like Photoscape and Snapseed. I started using its new update was released. The new updated version has got many new functions like Border, some filters.

I have currently stopped using Snapseed, and have shifted to Photoscape and Picasa 3. I give some basic and high level editings to my image in Photoscape and process it in Picasa after giving it some texts.

How is Photography for Me?

Being a young, amateur photographer from the historical city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, I myself never remember that when I actually started photography except clicking hundreds of useless photos even if knowing that I will not get good shots in those conditions. 

The funny thing is that this unnecessary and useless clicking of photos has helped me in improving myself at this wonderful and challenging passion. Photography has taught me far and wide techniques and values, not only in this field, but also in real life. It has taught me ethics and morals in reality and also in photographing. 

Photography is a way using which I try to show the people the actual inside story and feelings and emotions of the time when I had clicked the photos. It helps me in creating a sense of achievement in my self that I have tried and achieved this feat in my whole photography history. 

When I have nothing, no camera or no mobile camera, I look at the subject I wish to click and I do the actions a professional photographer would do, like I would rotate the lens to zoom, I would edit the camera settings, etc. This gives me the same feeling that I get when I physically have my camera in my hand.

I don't have a DSLR or a professional camera. I just own a pocket digital camera from Canon. Sometimes, I would use my mobile. I have very, very less experience using professional photo editing softwares like Nik Collection or Photoshop or Lightroom. Even if I use them, I just do only basic editing (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc). I edit using Snapseed, Pixlr and others.

The above image was taken using a telescope and a camera bracket and mobile.

Till date, photography has been an inseparable part of my life. And I am very sure that it will be so in my future!

Aircraft Photography at Aurangabad Airport

Aircraft spotting is illegal in India. If you are caught clicking photos of aircrafts, then the only thing is spending time behind the bars or sometimes, they can leave you taking some fine, depends upon how cool their minds are. 

Being a young aircraft spotter from the historical city of Aurangabad, in Maharashtra, I go for spotting quite often. Luckily, I haven't been caught at the airport for spotting. They tell it is for security reasons! We are not terrorists, and it is clear. My firm message to all airport authorities is that we aircraft spotters are no terrorists. In fact, we are all passionate people who always look towards the sky. 

Let me share some information about spotting locations at Aurangabad Airport. The airport codes of Aurangabad Airport is IXU and VAAU. Aurangabad Airport is not a very busy airport. Only five flights takeoff and landing at the airport every day. The airlines are Jet Airways, Trujet, JetKonnect and Air India. 

As per my knowledge, Aurangabad Airport has three spotting locations. They are;

1) The place next to Control Tower: 
The most frequently used place by me is next to the Aircraft Control Tower (ATC Tower). 

The above image shows the ATC Tower of Aurangabad Airport. The image was taken standing just next to the tower. This location gives you very far and wide view of the whole airport ramp. It even enables to look at the aircraft taking off or landing or taxiing or getting parked. This is my favourite location of spotting planes. 

This is an image taken by me at this spotting location. The aircraft is a Boeing B737-7 and bears a registration 'VT-JLB' and belongs to JetKonnect, a subsidiary airline of Jet Airways. 

The main disadvantage of spotting from this location is that one needs high zoom lenses to spot planes far away. 

2) The Gate: 

This is a really very dangerous location, as you are almost in the airport! There is a blue gate next to the terminal building which separates the airport ramp and the airport parking area. The gate is very huge. But fortunately, there are big gaps between the walls and the gate where the hinges are there. 

The disadvantage is that you have to use a digital camera. No DSLR! A DSLR is big and so, it cannot be used. The main reasons are the tight security out there and also, the DSLR will not fit in the gap between the walls and gate. It depends on your lens. 

This image was taken from there. 

I have addressed this place as a dangerous one because any airport personnel or officer can catch you up here. I'd like to share my own personal experience. I was once spotting planes from here and some airport worker caught me, but luckily, I wasn't arrested or taken somewhere for interrogation. He shouted, "Go away!" And I immediately put my digital camera in my pocket (so that he does not know that I am photographing) and walked next to him and he too went somewhere else. It's DANGEROUS! 

3) Outer Airport Area: 

I have been to this location only once because it is seldom open. Recollecting my experience here, the view of the airport is poor because there is a fence that obstructs photography. High zoom camera is necessary. 

Currently, I am in my pursuit of finding some more spotting locations, like I'm trying to use the terraces of the civilian houses at the airport.