PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION, THIS WILL BE FUN

2020 was tough, strange and sad in many ways but this is life , it is a journey with ups and downs. Sometimes we are not prepared but we must learn to go forward. I decided to have a fresh start in 2021 and wanted to spread this positivity amongst you with a fun idea which I hope you will be part it.

So, here we go :

I am announcing a cool and free photography competition with some small prizes from myself (no sponsor involved) that might inspire you to share your images and creativity.

Check the rules ( no rules honestly ) and please share this with your friends and followers if you like and follow me on Instagram for the updates.

RULES

- Free to enter for all photographers at any level

-Submitting a series of 3 images ( related story )

-Images must be at least 2500 pixel on the longest side, No more than 5 MB

-No rules for post processing ( Hooooraaa )

-Every Category is allowed

-Every type of pictures is allowed

-Deadline for submission: January 20, 2021 , 11:59 PM Eastern Time ( New York ) , The winners will be announced on January 25, 2021

You must send images to : rajabiphotography@gmail.com

Your name, family name and your Instagram ID is required. You can say Hello too :)

It is better for you to follow me as I am updating the news and do not forget to share this with your followers Before I announce the winners, I will contact them personally to ask for the Raw files, If your picture is a photomontage, the pictures must be yours. No STOCK photos are allowed.

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PRIZES

There will be a total of 5 winners

First Prize :

One copy of Hasselblad Masters Book 2016, Signed

One Limited Edition Print from The Story Of Split Series, 17x13inches. Signed.

1 hour of portfolio review via Video Call with me

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All other 4 winners will have a portfolio review for an hour in person, via Video Call

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Q&A

What is a portfolio review ?

Portfolio review is an opportunity for you to hear a review and critic of your work and get a guide and feedback. In an hour I will see your work and exchange ideas to help to you to move in a right direction.

Can we send three different pictures which is not related ?

No, they must relate to each other

Should I write a statement for my pictures?

No statement is needed

Should we pay for shipping the book and the print ?

No, everything is free here

Is this competition free to enter ?

Yes, no payment is needed.

Who is the Judge ?

Just myself.

How do you choose a winner ?

The decision is based on Creativity, Conceptual strength and Techniques.

How about Cell Phone image ?

Your Cell Phone pictures must meet the criteria that provided in the rules section. If you don't have a Raw file for your phone pictures, you must send the original file plus the post processing picture.

I do not have a Raw file, what should I do?

You must send the Jpeg file that came out straight out of the camera.

Will you use these images for a promotion?

No, you are the copyright owner, I will not use these images for any commercial or promotional use except to use them announcing the future competitions.

Guys, if you have any questions please let me know, this is for fun and I hope it will be a motivation for all of us to participate and make our community stronger.

Stay Safe

A Day With Hasselblad XCD 35-75mm in NYC.

A SUPERB LENS

A week ago I had a chance to test one of the New Hasselblad lenses in X series family. This is the lens that every Hasselblad user was waiting for as it is the first zoom lens in X series and I believe Hasselblad did a great job to make this lens an exceptional quality and performance.

So, let’s see some photographs as I explain how was my experience with this compact zoom lens.

I have to admit from the moment that I attached the lens into my X1D Mark II mount, I felt, this is a MUST lens that every Hasselblad owner should put it on their bag, it was versatile, handy with a reasonable weight. It provides you a superb sharp image which you can use it on your Fine Art, Street, Landscape or even Portrait photography.

The image above is just a snapshot to show how the color, light, texture, shadows, highlights and the tone is equal to what we see with our own eyes. Now imagine with the quality of this lens and the sensor of X1D Mark II in terms of making a superb high quality images, you can unleash your creativity in any form and enjoy watching it with the highest details.

As shown here the image below is zoom to 1:1 to show the actual pixels and it is a result of a standard post processing in Camera Raw such as lens correction and crop. As you notice the details are extremely sharp with outstanding quality.

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One of the other reasons that I enjoyed shooting with XCD 35-75mm was its ability to produce the same quality equal to a prime lens. With its fast focus and multiple focal lengths from wide angle to a normal zoom, Now it can expand your options in different locations without carrying extra lenses. This might look very normal and nothing special about other camera brands or even the Hasselblad H series but in X systems, this is what we needed and now you don’t want to miss it, Specially when you experience such quality.

I have to say I was a little skeptical about how this lens can perform when you need a fast autofocus. I am not sure what type of photographer you are but this lens didn’t disappoint me every time I needed it. The XCD 35-75mm delivered quick autofocus in different situations and I was absolutely happy with the result.

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As a photographer when you want to invest on a lens or a camera you always try to explore different aspect of that equipment, So taking pictures at dark was one of the other reasons that I wanted to do to make sure this lens performs superbly and quick as well.

I decided to not use the tripod, instead I shot at three different ISO settings 1600, 3200 and 25600 to see how the results will be. Also, I tried to shoot at the spots that was mixed with different lights, colors and harsh shadows.

ISO 1600 - Shutter Speed 1/60 @F:4.8 - Handheld.

The image above is zoom to 1:1 to show the actual pixels.

ISO 3200 - Shutter Speed 1/125 @F:4.5 - Handheld.

The image above is zoom to 1:1 to show the actual pixels.

ISO 25600 - Shutter Speed 1/500 @F:3.5 - Handheld.

The image above is zoom to 1:1 to show the actual pixels.

As a photographer it is crucial to have trust in the tools you invest because they are the bridge to bring your creativity and imagination into life and I can say both Hasselblad X1D Mark II and XCD 35-75mm Lens did a phenomenon job to produce a brilliant image.

Finally, The last thing that I want to discuss is the price of this lens which might seem a very expensive equipment and you might ask is it worth to invest on it ? Honestly, I can admit it might be an out of budget equipment and I am completely aware there are different aspects to answer this concern, but let me keep it simple and answer it in a simple form, Although I know you might have your own reasons to reject mine.

When you want to make a bold move and go to the next level of your career, you need to pay for it and invest in it. It can be an investment on your education, equipments, your business or even moving to a different location for the next chapter of your professional career.

I believe the most crucial question that you should ask can be like this,

" Is it the right moment for me to move to the NEXT LEVEL?" The honest answer to this question based on the situation you are is the key to put your mind at ease and remember a risk at the right moment with knowledge, consistency, hard work and being smart on any matter can help you to move in a place that you deserve.

I am sure when you find out, You will decide what is best for you.

STAY SAFE EVERYONE.

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MAKE YOUR OWN CHANCE