A Photographer’s Guide to Thailand and Light Masks Bring Magic to Photos

1| PicsArt Monthly
MonthlyIssue #08 | May 2014
A Photographer’s
Guide to Thailand
Light Masks
Bring Magic to Your
Photography
Get Rid of Dark
PhotosOnce and For All

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Copyright of Socialln Inc. ( PicsArt Photo Studio ) 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be re-used without the written permission of
the publisher. The content of this magazine is for informational purposes only and is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of publication.
PicsArt Photo Studio does not claim any ownership right for the photos in the Magazine. All photos,if not mentioned otherwise, are the property
of respective PicsArt users. The PicsArt username or photo owner is cited on each photo. PicsArt Photo Studio has a non-exclusive, royalty-free,
worldwide, limited licence to use, modify, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, and reproduce PicsArt users’ photos, including without limitation
distributing part or all of the Magazine in any media formats through any media channels.
Follow us...
Welcome!
The month of May is like a wide open door to summer--we can see the warmer
weather just through the frame, waiting for us. With excitement building for summer,
this month’s issue of PicsArt Magazine is full of items to get you in the mood for sun
and fun.
As beach weather approaches, people start focusing a bit more on their appearance
and working out. Everyone wants to look their best, so we thought an article on digital
makeup might be interesting for our users. Digital makeup is used in so many different
ways. Now it’s a tool available to anyone interested in editing and manipulating
photos.
From portraits to selfies, photography has come a long way in how we capture people.
Lou Jones provides an insightful, unique take on the history and recent changes in
how both amateurs and professional photographers think about capturing faces!
Speaking of portraits, Aaron Ruell is a highly regarded portrait photographers
working today. From royalty to CEOs and various celebrities, he has worked with
some fascinating people. We sat down with Jason for an interview about his unique
background and work.
If you look hard enough in any major city, you will find fantastic, interesting street art,
usually created by anonymous artists. In this month’s issue, we bring you a collection
of amazing street art from around the world. These unknown rebels create some
astounding work that you will love!
Ever been to the circus? If you have, you know how colorful, whimsical, and dreamlike
it can be. This month’s drawing tutorial aims to help our users unleash their creativity
and playfulness to draw a fantastic, eye-catching circus!
There’s much more packed into the May issue of PicsArt Magazine, so check it out!
And feel free to give us your feedback at info@picsart.com!

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Meet our team...
Editor-in-Chief | Arusiak Kanetsyan
Art Editor | Cristina Gevorg
Designer | Ina Sarko
Copy Editor | Arto Vaun, Cameron Sheldony
Editorial Contributors | Arto Vaun,
Satenig Mirzoyan Mark Gargarian, Heather Parry
Special Contributors | Lou Jones, Chris Corradino
In-House Photographer | ma_lina
Address: PicsArt Inc.,
800 West El Camino Real,
Mountain View, CA 94040
Publisher: PicsArt
@ekphotography

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Portraits
Selfies and Beyond
By Lou Jones
Since inventors learned how to make the sun
turn silver-black, photography has been used
for many things: sacred and profane. Practiced
all over the world, shutterbugs take pictures of
everything from landscapes to still lifes, the latest
fashions to real estate, propaganda to memories.
However most of us, at one time or another,
have resorted to taking portraits--immortalizing
our friends, family, acquaintances, even perfect
strangers. Portraits are the convergence of
familiar subject matter--readily available--with
what is varied and exciting.
Both weekend-rank amateurs and hardened
professionals can consider cherubic, young
faces, craggy, visages of wizened old-timers and
foreign, multinational physiognomies equally
interesting. Energetic juveniles to seniors
confined to wheelchairs may all find tremendous
enjoyment in portraying people around them.
One-hour $1.99 prints that fill overstuffed photo
albums as well as silver gelatin enlargements for
hanging above the mantle of suburban fireplaces,
make up the vast majority of the world’s daily
billion-plus photographic output. Portraits are an
excellent excuse to take pictures. One of the best.
However, much can be said of the different types
of portraits--why and how we take them. Oxford
Dictionaries selected “selfie” the new Word of
the Year 2013. Because cell phones have made
photography so ubiquitous along with the instant
gratification they provide, self portraits top the
photo list. The need and ego to create selfies
has escalated in the supercharged technology of
urban society.
PRO INSIGHT

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Documenting our friends and family on casual and
special events continues to be the most important
use of portraiture. Although snap shooters armed
with both point and shoot cameras and expensive
DSLRs have generated the lion’s share, family
portraits, commercial headshots, school graduation
pictures, sports pics and editorial illustrations
make up the largest market share for professional
photographers.
Quality, value, creativity and effort are determined,
in varying degrees, by intent plus who is paying
the bill. Take head shots. They are the currency of
models, actors, performers and book jackets. They
tend to be rather formulaic--not very creative-
-because their main purpose is to allow you to
see what someone looks like. Retail portraiture is
for the purchaser. You have to make them happy.
Competency is more important than imagination.

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Assignments for similar shots of the CEOs or managers of corporations can command
a bigger price tag. Likewise they, too, have to satisfy the subject. If he/she does not like
them you do not get paid. Whereas the same effort and craft may go into a portrait
for a magazine, editorial work has to satisfy the quixotic opinions of the art director
who may demand a more creative, stylistic approach. It matters little that the subject
may not even like the eventual published picture. The magazine is paying for it. Only
when the portrait is intended to be personal or art are you obligated to no one besides
yourself.
Traditionally, a major criterion is to capture the face(s). But there are no hard and fast
rules. Some very famous, iconic images of significant personalities have withstood the
test of time without the face in evidence: Pablo Casals from behind by Yousuf Karsh
and Georgia O’Keeffe’s hands by John Loengard.
The celebrity of famous people often overshadows the artistry involved. Dedicated
portrait photographers add gravity to the accomplishments of the rich, famous and
notorious and similarly give “voice” to those never heard before.
Good portraiture has a special longevity that is in direct opposition to the ephemeral
nature of today’s “party pics”. Both have a place in our society. Photography nails down
our narrative. It is our subconscious made concrete. Portraits are our placeholders in
antiquity. They can be our dreams that end up in frames.

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INSPIRATION : Photo
@petinton

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In the Footsteps
of Anonymous
Street Artists
Urban art marches to a different beat
than its more classical counterparts,
but in the museum of the streets,
photographers are always welcome.
Street art makes any stroll through
a city more colorful and full of
surprises. Like all photographers,
PicsArtists relish the opportunity to
snap their shutters on a masterpiece
sprayed over what would otherwise
have been a blank garage door or
stark brick wall.
The other particular pleasure of
urban art is that it is always the
expression of local outlaws or true
adventurers from abroad who have
scouted a particular location upon
which to unleash their artistic whims.
The location is the canvas, and each
one is selected by the artist him or
herself. When you stumble across a
piece of street art, you are walking
in the tracks of the faceless outlaw
whose trail has since gone cold and
disappeared back into the anonymity
of the crowds.
The photos here chronicle some of
the most stunning shots that artists in
the PicsArt community have captured
of street art. This gallery celebrates
these photographers who have
documented street art before it, like
its creators, disappeared back into
the obscurity from which it came.

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@player_24245285

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Light Masks Bring Magic to
Your Photos
Among the most popular masks available in PicsArt are Light Masks, and for good reason.
These masks add slashes and dashes of light like ribbons to your photos. They add sparks
of heat, and infuse your photos with electrical energy.

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PICSART IN ACTION
Here we present the same photo with four different light masks applied. Each mask
has its own character and style, and all of them are customizable - you can flip them or
adjust the opacity level. Half the fun is in experimenting with each one until you find the
mask that hits the mark. There are those unique moments when life is overwhelmingly
beautiful, and Light Masks have that special magic best reserved for when the air is
inexplicably electric and you need a way of capturing it. When you find the right Light
Mask that matches the moment, the result can be amazing.

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TUTORIAL : Shooting
Get Rid of Dark
Photos Once and For All
by Chris Corradino
What if I told you there was a way to prevent underexposed images with just one
button? You are in luck, as this feature already exists. It's called the ISO, and it's one
of the most powerful yet least understood settings for many photography students.
Whether you're using a point & shoot or a DSLR, you can utilize this functionality right
now. This article will detail exactly when and how to adjust the ISO for the best results.

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Think of your camera as a light gathering sponge. The higher the ISO number, the
more light it soaks in. At ISO 200 for example, the camera gathers twice as much light
as ISO 100. Notice how the images get progressively brighter in the sample below.
The shutter speed and aperture did not change, only the ISO.

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The amount of light in our homes may appear sufficient to our eyes as they
automatically adjust. To a camera however, it's not nearly enough to make a proper
exposure. Birthday parties are a great example as the lights are turned off for the cake
and candles. In these low light situations, you'll often benefit from an ISO of 1600 or
3200. With the camera able to collect the existing light faster, a quick shutter speed of
1/250 can be used to freeze the child's movement.

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Some of the world's most exquisite architecture and artwork are found in the darkest
spaces of churches and museums. To further complicate matters, many restrict
flash photography. By adjusting the ISO, you can leave the flash off, and still capture
well-exposed pictures. At a recent visit to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, it was
not uncommon to shoot at extraordinarily high ISOs such as 6400 or 12,800. As
technology continues to improve, some high-end cameras now offer ISO 102,400 and
204,800. Essentially this allows a photographer to shoot in near darkness.

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You may be surprised to learn that a high ISO can even be helpful on a bright sunny
day. For example, if you are photographing a landscape without a tripod, the shutter
speed can be no slower than 1/125 to prevent camera shake. To achieve great depth
of field the desired aperture would be f11 or f16. This will keep everything sharp from
near to far. With these two decisions made, you may take your photo only to find that
it's too dark. This is where the ISO comes to the rescue. Simply double the ISO number
and watch as the photo gets brighter. Still need more light? Double the ISO again.

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There is a slight trade off for using such high ISOs. The greater the number, the
more digital noise will appear. This is typically not very noticeable until you reach the
extreme ISOs like 3200 and above. This is not a reason to shy away from raising the
ISO however. The artifacts are incredibly easy to eliminate using the noise reduction
tool available on most image editing programs today.

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By incorporating
ISO control into
your image-
making process,
exposure is no
longer limited
to just aperture
and shutter
speed. With this
new technical
knowledge,
it also
increases your
photographic
opportunities.
With the
ability to shoot
anywhere, the
possibilities are
nearly endless.
Use the ISO to
your advantage
and you'll see
a definitive
improvement
in your craft.
Problematic
scenes that were
once too dark are
now well within
your reach.

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Be the Ring Leader of your
Art with PicsArt
Many wonderous and extraordinary things happen under a circus tent, so what
better subject upon which to unleash your imagination using PicsArt Drawing
Tools? Follow this step by step tutorial to see how you can raise your own circus tent
in just 6 simple steps!
TUTORIAL : Drawing
Step 1: Open the PicsArt Drawing Tool
Select “Draw” from the main screen
and then select “Draw blank” to start a
new drawing from scratch. You have the
option of choosing the precise width,
height, and orientation of your drawing
before entering your work space.

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Step 2: Roughly Outline Tent
Draw a rough outline of your circus
tent. This is the stage for your circus,
so figure out what angle you want your
drawing to be from, outline the main
ring, the crowd, and the tent itself.
Step 3: Roughly Outline Performance
In a higher layer outline the scene of
your performance. Figure out what kind
of performance you want, whether it’s a
trapeze act or animal show, and use this
opportunity to map it out.

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Step 4: Draw Final Outline
Reduce the opacity of your outlines, and add a new layer. Draw a more precise
outline. Draw clean lines, formulate the shapes of the objects and people, and add
details. Repeat the process when done for an even more precise final outline, and
delete all previous outlines.

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Step 5: Color Your Drawing
Add new layers in which to color your
drawing. Give yourself some freedom
by coloring different sets of objects
in different layers, for example saving
one layer for just your background,
one for only people, and another for
props. Merge layers when done.
Step 6: Add Lighting & Shading
Add new layers to add lighting and
shading. You can either designate
different layers for different objects,
or use some for lighting and others
for shading. Use translucent or spray
brushes to add darker and lighter tones
based on the direction of your light
source.

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TUTORIAL : Editing
Using PicsArt to
Reveal your Artistic Self
Every artist has an inner and outer world, so traditional portraits are only telling half
the story. Behind every face is an active imagination where artists spend most of their
time, and this is where many of us find our true selves. In this spirit, we have created a
step by step tutorial to show you how you can use PicsArt to try and create a portrait
of an artistic self. Start with a traditional portrait and use your talents along with
PicsArt’s deep toolkit to sculpt it into a portrait of the artist within.

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Open Photo
Select Draw from the main screen and
choose Draw on Photo. Crop your photo
and confirm to get started. It is better to
choose a photo where your face is on one
side of the photo to leave yourself room
for editing.

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Add Photo
In an empty layer, choose the Add Photo
icon (with the small plus sign), import a
photo that compliments a side of your
personality, and reduce its opacity.

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Erase
Select the Eraser icon, choose a brush,
and scrub away all the parts that you don’t
need from your imported photo. You can
do cool things like create eyeholes.

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Effects
Confirm to get to the main editor screen.
Select the Effects icon and choose an
effect that suits your project.

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Stretch Tool
Confirm to get back to the main editor
again, and select the Stretch Tool from
the Tool icon. Use the Swirl option to
create curling, wave-like distortions, or
experiment with other stretch features.

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Mirror
Confirm to get back to the editor, and get
back to the Effects section by clicking the
Effects icon. Use the Mirror effect in the
Distortion section to create an awesome
psychedelic look. Adjust the offset level.
Save your new artistic selfie.

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TUTORIAL : Design
Design a Father’s
Day Card
PicsArt is of one of the best custom card
creation tools available, so for this Father’s
Day, we are posting a step-by-step tutorial
to show you how to make the perfect
father’s day card. One thing your dad is
probably not expecting this year is a custom
father’s day card, professionally made, with
a personal photo and message. He is going
to love it and keep it for years.
Sometimes, a small gesture can make a big
impact. Check out this tutorial for guidance,
when you see how easy it is, you’ll be
finishing your own card within minutes.

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Step 1: Upload a Photo
From the Draw section of the main
menu, select Draw on Blank. Upload
an image of your choice by clicking the
Add Photo icon.

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Step 2: Box off Your Card
Shrink your photo and move it to the right
side, leaving space on the left and on top
of the shot. Select the Shapes icon to add a
colored box on the left side.

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Step 3: Crop
Confirm your drawing and from the main
editor, select Crop from the Tool icon.
Crop your card to the height of your photo.

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Step 4: Text
Click the Text icon from the menu bar in the
editor, and write out your core father’s day
message one bit at a time. Change fonts and
styles for fun diversity.

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Step 5: Box-in Your Text
Select the Draw icon from the menu bar
below, and select the Shapes icon. Choose
a box to frame your text and make sure
you select the Stroke setting. Frame your
text.

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Step 6: Card Title and
Final Touch
Select the Text icon again, and
this time write out a simple title.
Position the title on its own, outside
of your boxed-in message.
When you are done writing the text,
apply Cinerama from the Fx effects.
Voilà, your card is ready to melt
your father's heart!

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INSPIRATION : Drawing
allimagesby@rachid-zniber-144

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Rachid Zniber Creates
Folk Art with PicsArt
The drawings of Rachid Zniber (@rachid-
zniber-144) seem to defy the logic of what
mobile art should be. The drawing tools and
effects of PicsArt are advanced and capable of
achieving some vivid and highly realistic results,
yet Rachid’s work seems to get its charm from its
crude simplicity, as if they were made by creative
hands laboring from raw and limited materials.
Essentially, Rachid makes folk art with PicsArt,
using some pretty sophisticated methods to
achieve stripped down results. His drawings seem
as though they were done from a paltry amount of
colors painstakingly painted onto surfaces where
even layers of application don’t manage to stick
completely, like wet wood or sheetrock. In fact,
it is all an illusion created by a careful cocktail of
minimalist painting strategies and smart effects
applications, which when combined together
achieve the look and feel of hand crafted folk art.
The added charm comes from the exotic images
which evoke Middle Eastern culture. The images
depict sandstone cities inhabited by people
draped in long robes, amplifying the effect of
seeming like the art of a common people rather
than a specific artist. The images could easily be
the work of farmers’ and merchants’ wives, telling
the stories of rudimentary lives comprised of hard
work and simple pleasures.
It is as though Rachid has reverse engineered
painting. Whatever Rachid’s intentions and
techniques, however, one thing is certain - he has
used PicsArt to create something original, unique,
and beautiful.

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WHAT'S NEW
@2na2na

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Beauty and the Image
Applying and Adjusting Digital
Makeup in Photos
It is very rare these days to take a photo and leave
it as is without adjusting, manipulating, or touching
it up with various apps. And when it comes to
digital makeup, which is so important for certain
types of photos, each year sees new advances in
apps and techniques that one can use.
First, what is digital makeup? Its origins, like many
things digital, were in the film industry, often
used to change the appearance of actors, objects,
scenes--a way to see how things might look before
committing to them in the final production. More
recently, it is useful in cosmetics as a way to show
how different hairstyles, clothing, and makeup
might look. So digital makeup is now used in
everything from Avatar and Star Wars, to Vogue
and Elle, and now it is used more and more in
photos by everyday artists and photographers like
the ones in the PicsArt community.
Perhaps most significantly, digital makeup is used
consistently in one of the most common types
of photos taken today: the selfie. It makes sense
that digital makeup plays a very important role in
adjusting and improving selfies, which are usually
taken quickly on the fly, thus often needing some
editing.
Photoshop is still the premiere desktop option
when adjusting digital makeup, but there are many
new tools, like the options offered by PicsArt, that
are easier, faster, and specifically made for mobile
devices. From minor skin blemishes and red eye,
to much more complicated details like eyelashes,
wrinkles, skin contour, and hairstyle, digital
makeup continues to develop and is easier and
easier to do in your photos.

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@isa_dead_

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Interview
Aaron Ruell’s Perfect Suburban
Vignettes
Though to the broader world Aaron Ruell is famous
for his role as Kip in Napoleon Dynamite, in the world
of Photography he has been established for quite
some time. You are probably aware of his work and
don’t even know it, as he is the man behind those
outrageous Old Spice ads with retired NFL star Ray
Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, as well as ads for
T-Mobile, Nintendo, Coke, and Burger King.
Beyond his commercial work, his personal
photography is his best, and has been exhibited
around the world. Aaron has gained acclaim for the
neat candy colored vignettes that have become the
staples of his work. His photos have a sense of hyper-
organization and proprietary, often framing the
unassuming shrug of small town America. He works
off of sets that he constructs, and his staged scenes
has a sense of detail and perfection that is something
to see.
His work is awesome and original, and so we had to
ask him to do an interview with us.
How did you grow to love the medium of
photography and start doing it professionally?
I started taking photos when I was a teenager. There
was a photography class at my high school and I had
a really good photo teacher who helped me boost my
confidence with shooting. I didn’t have any particular
style at that time it was a lot of simple compositions
but more rural settings (I grew up outside of town
in the countryside).I started to get paid for my
photography after I had put together a book of my
work. I travelled to Europe for a few weeks and shot
some things there that helped round out my body of
images, and got a rep around that time.

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Your award-winning advertising work is some of the most recognizable
stuff out there, and also some of the funniest. Where does this come from
and is finding the humor in something part of the process for you?
I usually find the “funny” by watching the model or performer and I let their body
language inform how I manipulate it into something comedic or interesting.
Sometimes I don’t do anything, it’s just about finding the right face or person. I usually
know that something is funny when I’m the only one laughing on set. That doesn’t
happen a lot but when it does, I’m happy.
There is a traceable theme of small town America/”suburbia” that seems
to pop up in your work. Where does this come from?
It must come from growing up in the country. I worked on a horse ranch as a kid and
my relatives are all blue collar people. That must inform what I do but I’m not sure I
can articulate how it informs what I do.
A lot of your photography happens on sets that you build. How did you
start working with sets, and what is it about this that you enjoy so much?
Building sets allows me to create a little world that fits (as I see it) the face of the
person who is present in the image. It just allows me to create something that doesn’t
exist somewhere else.

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As beautiful as your sets are, the people in your photos are also very
interesting, there is an earnestness there. Do you have any pointers for
how to direct people on set?
I’m a big fan of reminding talent to relax. It’s very easy to be self aware. Especially on a
set with lights and crew. So I gently guide them to a place that looks calm and unforced
to my eye.
One of your claims to fame is that you actually played the character Kip
in the movie Napoleon Dynamite, but what many fans of the movie don’t
know is that you also did all of the promotional photography and even
designed the title sequence. Can you speak a little on how this project
came about?
I went to film school with the director and he asked me to play that role. I’m not an
actor but he felt I could pull it off and so I did. But yeah, I knew we would eventually
need images in order to promote the film and so I would shoot during or after days
that we were filming.
The director later asked me to put together a title sequence for the film. That was a lot
of fun to do but also a lot of pressure because I only had two days to plan it out before
presenting it to the head guys at Fox.
You published a photography book back in 2008 titled “Some Photos”, is
there another book on the way?
Eventually. I haven’t been shooting much new work lately. I’m just not very inspired to
shoot stills at the moment. And I’m not one who can force creativity to happen. So if I
don’t feel it, I don’t feel it. Unfortunately that’s where I’m at right now. But it will pass.
It always does.
What is it like seeing your work exhibited in galleries around the world?
Having a gallery opening (and having your work published in books) is the most special
moment for me as a photographer. To see a body of your work hanging on walls of a
gallery is a very rewarding feeling.
If you could have one of your projects saved in the national archives to be
remembered by, what project would you choose?
It would probably be my “empty spaces/still life” work. It’s less contrived than my
portrait work but is still connected to it. There is a through line there. Both bodies of
work are “quiet” but I sometimes like spaces that are void of the human element.

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What is your favorite part about being a photographer?
I enjoy how fulfilling photographs can make me feel. That moment when you shoot a
great image is such a unique feeling that can’t be replicated in any other way. Well, at
least I haven’t been able to find it.

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FEATURE : Photo
Petinton’s City Street
Diorama
A meticulously blurred background paired with a sepia color
filter distinguishes this Photo of the Month, captured by
Petinton (@petinton). Petinton’s photo of retro architecture
in Edinburgh consists of buildings lining the foreground in
vivid clarity and another row of taller buildings blurred in the
background. This blurred background creates an artificially
stark contrast between the two rows of buildings and
draws attention to the foreground.
Petintion’s use of the blur effect evokes dioramas and
stage sets, as if the buildings in the foreground are
merely an imitation of reality or painted pieces of
cardboard. With a few strokes of the blur effect,
what was once real becomes almost theatrical
as brown brick buildings in the foreground pop
out against what lies behind. In this manner,
Petinton’s work becomes part of the surreal,
tempting his audience to peel back the
layers of his two-dimensional city one by
one like the pages of a children’s book.
@petinton

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A Photographer’s
Guide to Thailand
The most unique shots in Thailand and
where to get them
Thailand may be a country that’s often visited by
tourists, but there are many special places that
most visitors miss – uncrowded places that are
ideal for photographers. With an infrastructure
that makes travelling in the country easy and an
economy that allows for a lot of fun, Thailand is
the perfect place to spend a few weeks without
spending too much money and experience things
that you’ve never experienced before. Here are our
top 3 photography destinations in Thailand.
Koh Tao
There are many islands to visit in Thailand, most
more popular than Turtle Island, or Koh Tao,
but none are more gorgeous than this small
island paradise on the Chumphon archipelago.
While hundreds of thousands of tourists visit its
neighbour, Koh Pha Ngan, every year, Koh Tao
remains mostly populated by native Thai people
and divers that come to take advantage of the
area’s crystal clear waters and cheap rates. They
also come with the knowledge that they might see
a whale shark, or even some of the turtles that give
the island its name.
With such a population, it’s no surprise that Koh
Tao is relaxed and near-pristine. Without the tourist
culture of Koh Samui and the rowdy backpackers
of Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Tao is one of those places
where time just slips by. Photographers with GoPro
cameras or underwater housing will find so much
to shoot in the clear waters of this island that they’ll
never want to leave.

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@fedinatrilli
@pleased@rebeccawasabi

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@hp1986hp1986
Khao Sok National
Park
Khao Sok National
Park, in the Surat Thani
province, is often
overlooked by travellers
to Thailand as it isn’t
on the main path of
most island hoppers.
However the park,
which is covered by
the oldest rainforest
in the world, is the
perfect place to chill
out. With some sections
of forest more ancient
than the Amazon and
still untouched by man,
Khao Sok is a nature
photographer’s dream:
lush, green and wild.
If you’re lucky, you
might find tapir,
elephants, tigers,
gibbons, deer and
many more species
in Khao Sok, which is
said to contain 5% of
the world’s species. If
you’re only there for a
short period, however,
there’s truly nothing
more beautiful than
hiking in the morning,
then sitting in your
cabin during a monsoon,
tasting the fresh, sweet
air and hearing the
sounds of so many
species around you.

85|PicsArtMonthly
Chiang Mai
Some places, however, are popular for good reason, and remain essential destinations
for getting great shots regardless of the many tourists. Chiang Mai, which means “new
city” despite having been around for more than 700 years, is the centre of Buddhism in
northern Thailand. Tourists flock to Chiang Mai to visit the Elephant Nature Park and
to volunteer at the elephant sanctuaries nearby, and also to be there for Yi Peng, the
Buddhist festival during which thousands of paper lanterns are released into the sky.
Chiang Mai is also a culturally diverse city, where you can visit religious shrines and
temples, learn to cook incredible Thai food and wander the night markets nibbling on
local delights. The intrepid photographer will never run out of subjects in Chiang Mai.
@jack2519

89|PicsArtMonthly
Create a Unique
Lampshade with
Paper Frames
and Photos
A great artist is a resourceful artist,
and there are few things more
satisfying than starting with a pile of
boring household items and turning
them into something special. Here,
we want to show you how to create
a beautiful custom lampshade with
some photo frames, glue, and printed
photos. Follow this tutorial to create
a lampshade that highlights your
photography and matches your
personality, all in just 3 easy steps.

90| PicsArt Monthly
Prep: Gather Materials
For this project you’ll need a lamp that
can be plugged in, printed photos,
and paper frames. Your frames should
include 4 equal-sized rectangles and
2 equal-sized squares, with the sides
of the squares being the same as the
shortest sides of the rectangles.
Step 1: Glue Frames
Glue the four rectangles horizontally
along their longest sides and fold them
into a box so that the farthest ends meet.
Glue the square frames on the
ends, then glue a piece
of cardboard to close
one rectangular side of
the box, leaving a hole
in the middle just big
enough to fit your bulb.

91|PicsArtMonthly
Step 3: Write
Grab a sharpie and write
a personal message onto
one of the large sides of
your lamp shade. Switch on
the light bulb to see your
photos glow from within,
and admire your work!
Step 2: Cover Sides
Use glue to cover the open
sides of your lampshade
with your printed photos.
These photos will provide
the texture and shade for
the lampshade.

92| PicsArt Monthly
Portrait
Perfection
Niña Gilera (@ninavgilera) is a portrait
photographer from the PicsArt
community who has a startling
ability to reach a sky high standard of
beauty, sincerity, and stylishness in
her photographs. Her portraits are so
seamlessly cool, they would hold up
against the work of any world-class
fashion photographer. These photos
are a perfect blend of models with
amazing camera presence, edgy hair,
stylish clothing, and Niña’s spot on
camera work and direction.
Niña’s talent for creating the cool,
impenetrable varnish of high-fashion
photography is undeniable, but she
has an equal ability to simultaneously
break down the wall between her
camera and her subjects to create
a sense of naturalism in her work.
Though each portrait achieves a level
of perfection rarely found in the world
around us, they all remain relatable
and avoid feeling contrived. None of
her photos feel posed or acted out. The
clothes are impeccable, the people are
beautiful, the resolution is stunning,
yet when we look into the eyes staring
back at us from Niña’s portraits, we see
the fixed gazes of real human beings,
unapologetic for being cooler than
everybody else.
FEATURE : Artist
allimagesby@ninavgilera

A Photographer’s Guide to Thailand and Light Masks Bring Magic to Photos

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