A few things
people ask.

I'm based in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the Pacific Northwest. I'm a hobbyist photographer and a product manager by profession.

I've lived in Delhi, Costa Rica and Washington before moving to Canada. That's why you'll find photographs from quite a few places here, not just where I live now. There's more about me on the About page.

I use a Sony A7R IV and A7C II. I don't carry all my gear at once, though sometimes quite a bit of it ends up in my backpack!

Different gear gives me different ways to photograph a place. A wide-angle lens takes in more of a landscape, while a longer lens lets me frame something farther away. The phone is useful when I want to travel light or try out an idea. Tripods and monopods help keep the camera steady, especially when there's less light.

Gear links go to B&H Photo. Gear without a confirmed matching product listing is left unlinked.

1. 01Shoot RAWKeep more editing flexibility
2. 02SelectAftershoot
3. 03EditLightroom Classic
4. 04Other toolsLuminar Neo · Topaz Labs

I shoot RAW because it gives me more room to work with exposure and colour than a JPEG. That matters when a scene has bright skies and dark shadows, or when I'm photographing in low light.

I start with Aftershoot to cull my photos, which means choosing the ones to keep. After a trip, there can be several versions of the same view. Selecting the photos comes before editing them.

Lightroom Classic is my main editor. I use it for basic corrections and colour adjustments, with my own presets as a starting point. A preset is a saved set of adjustments, not a finished edit: different light and subjects still need different treatment.

I also use Luminar Neo for further adjustments and Topaz Labs to remove noise. Noise is the grainy or speckled appearance you can get in low-light photos. These tools have different jobs in my editing process; Lightroom Classic is still the main one.

I keep a second copy of my RAW files on another hard drive so the only copy isn't on one drive. I try to keep files indefinitely, but delete rejected RAW files after a year.

I check topographical maps, weather forecasts and satellite images. Finding a place is only part of it: the light and weather can change what I'll be able to photograph when I get there.

I use PhotoPills and The Photographer's Ephemeris to plan around the sun and moon. Google Earth, Google Maps and Apple Maps help me look at the terrain and surrounding area.

For night photography, I check cloud cover with Clear Outside and use LightPollutionMap to find darker places. Less light from towns and cities makes it easier to see and photograph the night sky. Forecasts help with planning, but they aren't a guarantee.

Dumb luck goes a long way too.

Start with the Photo Map or the photograph's detail page. I share the names of popular, publicly known locations, but map pins are approximate rather than precise directions.

For less-known places, I share details privately when asked. Some locations are fragile, and publishing exact directions can bring more visitors than a place can handle. I use the same approach for less-known natural places rather than trying to judge each one's limits.

A private conversation gives me a chance to share conservation advice along with the location. I want people to enjoy these places and help look after them.

Send me a message with the photograph's title or a link if you'd like to know more.

For landscapes, I prefer the golden hour around sunrise or sunset. The lower sun gives softer, warmer light, and the shadows can bring out the shape of the landscape.

For cityscapes, sometimes I prefer nighttime. Streetlights, buildings and reflections give a familiar view a different look.

For astrophotography, I choose moonlight or no moonlight depending on what I'm shooting. Moonlight can light the foreground, but it also makes faint stars harder to see. A darker sky is useful when photographing the Milky Way.

I can shoot at any time of day, though! Those are preferences, not rules.

Thanks for your interest in my photographs! You're welcome to feature them provided you credit me and link to my website, or tag @azarjindal007 on Instagram.

For a blog or website, include my name and a link beside the photograph. On Instagram, tag my account. That helps readers find the photographer and see more of the work.

If you're unsure how to credit a photograph, send me a message.