Light patterns

Schwezigon, Bagan, Myanmar
February, 2008

Once is an Instance.
Twice may be an accident.
But three times or more makes a pattern
- Diane Ackerman

Schwedagon Monastery

Nikon D80
Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
January, 2008

Schwe means Gold. And there is just an overdose of gold and golden color in Myanmar :). I had always associated austerity with Buddhism. For me the sense of grandeur and Buddhism as a religion never went along. But the preception changed after this visit to Myanmar. Just to be clear I am not saying its bad, I am just talking about my perception. The kings in Myanmar have really spent a lot in building these Buddhist temples. Schwedagon has a 76 carat diamond at the very top of the temple.
The Pagodas don't have a pre defined shape and it seems to vary with the form of Buddhism and the country they are in. Burmese Pagodas are bell shaped in form.

A sepia morning at Purana Qila

Purana Qila, New Delhi
Nikkor 12-24mm, Nikon D80
Oct '07

Just opposite to Pragati Maidan and sharing the entrance with the Delhi zoo is the old fort (purana qila), one of the few Delhi monuments which boasts of history even before Mughals made Delhi their home.

Is it me you are lookin for?

October' 07
Nikon D80
New Delhi Zooligical Garden.

Pelicans

New Delhi Zoological Garden
Oct '07

The experience at the Delhi Zoo was much contrary to my expectations. I spent a couple of hours sitting close by to these pelicans and painted storks. The zoo definitely deserves many more visits this winter.

Digital version of Orton technique

Manali'07
D80, 70-300mm

I was quite excited to see photographs of tulips in the last edition of Photo Life. One of the photograph was clicked using Orton techinique, a technique originated by a Michael Orton whereby a sharp transparency was mounted together with an out of focus one of the same view. And the result is a beautiful dream sequence.

And then I I decided to explore the digital equivalent. A lil bit of surfing and I found this. In summary this is what I did.

1. Open image
   
2. Duplicate the background layer (Right click on the background layer and choose duplicate) and name that layer Sharp
3. Create another duplicate of the background layer.
4. Change the Blending mode of the Sharp Copy to screen
5. With the Sharp Copy layer selected, right click and choose Merge Down
   
6. Right click on the Sharp layer, choose Duplicate and name this layer Out of Focus
7. On the Filter Menu, choose Blur - Gaussian Blur
   Depending on the resolution of the image you are using, the amount of blur needed will change.
   
8. Change the blending mode of the Out Of Focus layer to Multiply

Enjoy!

A colorful Prayer

A Monastery in Manali, October '07

I just love the vibrant colorful Tibetan (Buddhist) prayer flags which one can see as one nears a place with fair amount of Tibetan inhabitation. Just not inside the monastery the flags can be seen fluttering all along the mountain ridges as if blessing the valley. For me the colors exude energy and few things are as beautiful in comparison.

Just after the rain...

Lodhi Garden, August '07

Morning freshness coupled with rain...

From dewy dreams...

Lodhi Gardens, New Delhi, August'07

From dewy dreams, my soul, arise,
From love's deep slumber and from death,
For lo! the trees are full of sighs
Whose leaves the morn admonisheth.

Eastward the gradual dawn prevails
Where softly-burning fires appear,
Making to tremble all those veils
Of grey and golden gossamer.

While sweetly, gently, secretly,
The flowery bells of morn are stirred
And the wise choirs of faery
Begin (innumerous!) to be heard.

- James Joyce

B&W

Pushkar, November 2006
Ilford 400, Nikon F75

B&W photographs have their own charm, a charm not yet achievable by converting a digital image to Grey scale. I haven't clicked much on B&W, am still learning and most of my initial ones got screwed (& scratched) while processing (courtesy labs who don't know how to process B&Ws but neither do they have the courage t0 say 'No'). Finally heard about Profo Lab in Jamrudpur, Opposite LSR, New Delhi and they haven't disappointed me.

Tenta landscape

Tenta, On way to Chhotta Chandratal
July, 2007

I miss Himachal. I terribly miss my native state. I never ever realized the importance of the surroundings I was growing in until I moved out of the place.

Hope this place is able to preserve its intimacy with nature.

Tenta naturescape

Tenta, (approx. 12500ft above sea level)
Himachal Pradesh
June 2007

Nikon D80, Nikkor 12-24

On way to Chhotta Chandratal, this was our last camp before the summit. A beautiful place surrounded by snow capped mountains and a stream flowing in between. This was indeed the best day of the trek, we received enough sun and enough light from morning till evening. And when the clouds came at around 6 in the evening they came from all sides and we literally slept in the clouds.

Frozen in time...

Jehangir Mahal
Orchha, Feb'07

Orchha, a place truly frozen in time. Once the 'hot seat' of Bundela kingdom, this place now has become oblivious to time.

A morning at Safdarjang...

Safdarjung Tomb, Near Dilli Haat, New Delhi
February 2007

Beautiful architecture, Beautiful morning light and the company of Jon :)

Lost in Thoughts...

Pushkar, Nov'06
Rajasthan

 OFT I had heard of Lucy Gray:
And, when I crossed the wild,
I chanced to see at break of day
The solitary child.

No mate, no comrade Lucy knew;
She dwelt on a wide moor,
--The sweetest thing that ever grew
Beside a human door!

You yet may spy the fawn at play,
The hare upon the green;
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
Will never more be seen..
....
    - William Wordsworth

Here's one from Pushkar...

Pushkar.
Nov. 2006

Hutch...

Another morning when my hutch bill got enlightened ;)

and then there was light...

A morning @ office
August, 2006

World Photography day...

Nevark, August 2006

"I have discovered photography. Now I can kill myself. I have nothing else to learn."
-- Pablo Picasso

Harvard...

Harvard Yard, Boston
August 2006

A couple of scribbles on the gates of Harvard yard, Harvard University.