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2013 in review

2013 was pretty much straight forward

1: Beginning of Married Life

2: Less shooting and revisiting archives for prints

3: Visiting events as photography judge and handing over prizes! (when will i win one :s)


4: Office work in Nepal (click for complete gallery)


5: Office work in Mexico ( click for complete gallery)


6: Reworked my homepage www.awaisyaqub.com

7: street photography session with other passionate photographers (around 60 of them) in Rawalpindi


8: quick famility related trips to Gojra and Faisalabad (more in street and structures)




9: Quick trip to Istanbul ( Link to complete gallery)

Happy new year 2014

明けましておめでとうございます2014

2014新年快樂

feliz ano novo 2014

mutlu yeni yıl 2014

नव वर्ष 2014

سال نو مبارک 2014

sretna nova godina 2014

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar 2014

Hamingjusamur Nýtt Ár 2014

masaya bagong taon 2014

سنة جديدة سعيدة 2014

Šťastný Nový Rok 2014

feliz año nuevo 2014

Godt Nyttår 2014

felice anno nuovo 2014

Frohes neues Jahr 2014

heureuse nouvelle année 2014

gembira tahun baru 2014

used google translate for translation, errors correction accepted!

Photo tip#1

Editing a photo in your favourite photo editing software? give rest to your eyes and come back after few minutes... still like it? keep it, hate it? rework, rest and come back until you like it!

Helpful particularly when editing colours or adjusting exposure.

Thought to share my personal experience in simple words their must be much more on internet

Art linked to improved health

I have wondered about reason of photography and other arts, dance and singing may sound most tempting forms of art, what so good about a fine art print hanging on empty space? is it all about filling the space or it  has an affect on health or any other positive aspects.

Here is interesting article i read on BBC, i would like to share with you. My experience says, i remain away from depression or work tension just because of my passion, the photography which allows me to explore nature and human wonders, keeps me satisfied.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13501294

PS: i am not able to shoot much these days!

cheers

Rush Hour in Turkey

Here are some photos from my quick trip to Turkey, mainly Istanbul and few photos from Ankara. Turkey is amazing country with great history, people and food. I found lots of similarities between Turkish and Pakistani culture especially language. I fell in love with as soon as i entered the city it is great combination of modern and traditional. 

Intellectual Property Violation by Hashoo Group / Marriott hotel Islamabad

Ramadan is considered month of blessings, when people are close to God but unfortunately Hashoo group was upto something else! Totally disgraceful act of stealing image from my collection and use in Ramadan (2011) advertising campaigns of Marriott Hotel Islamabad, without payment or permission. But real tragedy is that non of the managers have touched Intellectual Property lessons ever. Lets see how they respond to request of payment. Hashoo group is one of the LARGEST Business groups in Pakistan.

Just look at list of sponsors, sad such a big business name is upto dirt cheap things! This also justifies use of dirty big watermarks on photos, viewers are complaining about.

Falling coins Photograph

Image © Awais Yaqub
visit: www.awaisyaqub.com

As soon as i posted this picture on my facebook page and website, some people asked me how i captured this falling coins shot. Actually they are not falling, they are just bouncing on piece of white paper.

How to get such vibration? simple, just place white paper on subwoofer and play some low frequency music (U2's with or without you in this case)

Technical Details:
Used Canon EOS-7D, AI Servo focus fixed to central part.
100mm f2.8 macro lens
Off camera 580ex2 fired from left with Lumiquest softbox
Shutter was around 1/200 and aperture f/8

School Kills creativity

This speech transfered me 14 years back when i was in 6th class... Drawing which was optional subject other one was "electricity"... i don't know what went through principal's mind he moved us to electricity and abolished drawing from school... and i still remember golden words of electricity teacher "This subject is worth more than drawing, electricity students always reach to the top and win good positions in board and even jobs if they cannot continue studies after 10th class" 
Now (2010) my little bro seats in a class dedicated to below average students! and he never thought about studying because his whole class thinks same, i.e my friends failed and so do i, everything is fine... What a strategy to motivate students. Glad to see nothing is changed, managements are still dumb! 
Management of Schools, University and College are just few dedicated to profit people who have nothing to do with better society they just create brain washed robots not a free human being, may be because of extremely unjust economic system in which people are tied. 

For the Love of Nature - Fine art Prints

Hello art lovers. I have setup collection of lovely colorful, stunning and beautiful images belonging to nature at my website. You can order fine art prints starting from 80$ only. Click to Enter and order !
Or Contact me if you find difficult to order. Buy with confidence Prints and Ships from USA, SmugMug in Action !

Get Quotation for Eid Greeting Cards

Hello respected viewers,

If you are looking for best Eid greeting card designs  for your company.  My designs are unique and eye catching, i bet people won't move them away from their desks.  Kindly contact me for price quotation.

Awais : +92 0345 5400315

Email: awais@awaisyaqub.com

Islamabad, Pakistan

Telenor F7 Markaz Islamabad

© Awais Yaqub

Hey people i was invited to take photographs of telenor head quarter located in Islamabad f7 markaz. It is interesting building and lovely place to work ! seems like i will be applying for the job there after MBA ! I enjoyed taking architectural photos inside and outside of building for one of my client. It was Sunday so there was no traffic inside office.

www.awaisyaqub.com

92 345 5400315 !

Lovely Flowers for your Home

Decorate your home with beautiful prints of FLOWERS !!

Click Here to order print from gallery.

Prints in USA at pro lab ships directly to your door.

Or purchase license of the image to use for your promotional materials.

Beautiful Spring Flower Show

© Awais Yaqub www.awaisyaqub.com for more

Last week beautiful flower exhibition was held in Islamabad. Displayed some great variety of flowers and arrangements. Such flower exhibitions are held regularly in Islamabad since ages i can remember going there with my dad years ago. Best flower arrangement bags a prize !

Politician's Food

Image © Awais Yaqub Documentary Photography

As poor people struggle to get hold on piece of bread at Lahore's Datta Derbar Pakistani Politicians and Generals sacrificed whole Pakistan from Judiciary to human capital for sake of RULE violently and brutally.

Lets see what LONG MARCH brings to Pakistan....

License to use this image can be purchased

awais@awaisyaqub.com

Divine Inspiration

My work is part of Prestigious book and exhibition held in Malaysia. It was organized by Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia.

Divine Inspiration - Seven Principles of Islamic Architecture explores the relationship between Muslims and their beliefs, manifested in the built environment. Just as Islam embodies a way of life and serves as a cohesive force amongst ethnically and culturally diverse peoples, it also contains a conspicuous aesthetic dimension.

Phantom of the Opera is here

Ladies and gentlemen, world's best play has started at National Art Gallery Islamabad. Play is directed by Shah Sharahbeel one of the best Pakistani play director. Acting of some of the finest play actors is worth looking at.

Click on images for full gallery in high resolution.

My New Baby 17-40 F4 L

Finally after 2 months canon Pakistan has delivered me 17-40 f4 L lens. It is wide lens on full frame bodies and standard range on crop bodies. In Pakistan it goes for around 53,000 Rs after dollar hike !. Filter and hood is in its way to me. Photography has become very expensive passion ! but craze never ends it is like having a beer.

It is exceptional in all ways. Built like a tank, smooth operations, quiet focusing, accurate and fast focus.

Image quality is Amazing sharp contrasty .

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="317" caption="17-40 f4 L the Red Fever ! "][/caption]

Pakistan independence the kids show

Singing and painting competetion was held at open air theater at Islamabad organized by Payaam foundation. It is a formed by youngster volunteers and work for spreading peace and happiness through its varity of work like free medical camps etc. Anyone can become a volunteer call +92-51-2539179 for donations etc.

It was charm to witness such activity in the city. With so many children with smiles on their faces. Best part was inclusion of orphans and special children who also took part in the competitions equally.

Here are few images click image to see few more in the gallery

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="201" caption="Work in progress"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="324" caption="Singing Auditions and little Iman sisters! "][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Face Painting"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="3 sisters ;-)"][/caption]

The moment finally captured !

I love the way of nature and capturing special moments. Well i was after the moment when one ant transfers food to other. Due to extremely small size and very high magnification and difficult technique of reverse lens chances of getting sharp picture are very mild. After hundreds of wasted tries since past season and hours of observation i was lucky to get these pictures.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384" caption="Ant transfering Wax obtained from mealy bugs"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280" caption="Ants transfering was obtained from mealy bugs"][/caption]

So what is happening there ?

Well these ants obtain some wax produced by mealy bug (those white things in picture) in exchange ants provide security to the bugs. This happens in monsoon season.

Philosophy

I was surprised to observe this whole system of ants society. And i was amazed to see many things which i missed to shoot. It was amazing demonstration of management !

How i got them ?

I used historic 50mm Yashica lens in reverse on my sony cybershot H5 camera. Focus was set to infinity and focus was acheived by moving back and forth. Lens was tapped infront of the camera. Do not be surprised this technique is been around for quite some time.

Write to me awaisyaqub@gmail.com