April 15, 2013
Indiana dunes State Park being located on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, makes it an ideal spot for enjoying a sunset. It is just a little more than an hour drive from Chicago, but does take you far away from the urban madness. This spot definitely has potential for some star photography and I was scouting the location for a new moon night shoot. Incidentally – as were wrapping up, the crescent moon started to dot the horizon, unfolding this tranquil scene – the setting sun added the colors, the haze over the moon made it dreamy and the silhouette was just right to complete the scene. How do u like it !!!
Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : 3 stop ND Filter : ISO 100 : 13 mm : f16 : 30 sec
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Indiana Dunes State Park
Chesterton, Indiana, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
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April 2, 2013
I can still remember that particular evening at Hampi. The air was crisp, the breeze was so pleasant and the distant sunset was quiet dramatic. Mahanavami Dibba – located within the fortified area was probably the seat of power of the fallen empire. The views from here were grandeur and King Krishnadevaraya would have enjoyed similar views of sunset during his days :)
This is a pseudo digital oil painting based on the sunset from that particular evening. I am still refining on my workflow and painting process. How do you like the same ?!!!
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Sunset @ Mahanavami Dibba
Hampi, Karnataka, India |
Posted in Painting, photography, photos |
2 Comments »
March 9, 2013
With a heavy heart, contemplation, reflection and open mind – I bid good bye to the beautiful Oregon, that pretty much had become my second home. I will continue to share the beauty of Pacific NW (Still have gigs of shots to process from the previous years :)) and looking forward to that. Open to next opportunities, heading out to urban city of Chicago – exited to explore what life has in store !!!
This particular shot is from Fern hill wetlands, which easily became my favorite spot for sunset and bird watching. Though just 20 odd miles from Portland, it gives a typical countryside feel far away from the frenzy city life !!!
Camera : Canon 7D
Lens : Tamron 18-270 mm
Filter : 3 stop ND Filter
ISO 100 : 27 mm : f19 : 30 sec
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FernHill Wetlands
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
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February 27, 2013
One of the reason I love the Pacific Northwest is for moments like these. The coast is so long and varied, that you can find your own personal spot(s). I call is personal, cause in those few places I instantly feel connected – kind of a bridge between thrust urban and the subtle but all encompassing nature. The below is one such lovely secluded spot in the scenic highway 101 . You just drive up, get out and get lost – in the beauty of the ocean, as the sun bids adieu for the day over the horizon.
Camera : Canon 7D
Lens : Canon 10-22 mm
Filter : None
ISO 100 : 10 mm : f8 : 1/350 sec
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Secret Spot @ Pacific Coast
Hwy 101, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
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February 3, 2013
Last November (2012) got a chance to get up the Space Needle at Seattle. It is one of the best places to get the amazing city view of Seattle. Given the season and altitude, the chillness was quiet expected, but the night being so crisp and clear was a pleasant surprise.
As I was going up, I was cursing myself to have left the tripod at home. Luckily I was at least carrying the gorillapod and it turned out to be a blessing. The odd shape of the fencing at the watching balcony renders the tripod useless, unless you are using a long zoom. The gorillapod just snug to the rails and helped capture the nightscape in all its glory.
I was pretty surprised on how much details my nifty canon 10-22 mm lens was able to capture – if ur keen u can read the apartment names & ‘now leasing’ ads complete with phone numbers :) The lower Temperature (one of the key setting you can play with when shooting RAW) aided in enhancing the bluish futuristic glow. Though I like the beauty of the night lights, for some reason, this shot reminds me of the aimless pursuits that we manage to partake in our daily lives, systematic yet chaotic, with a goal but not knowing what next, so focused on the destination that we forget all about the journey … Wake Up before it is too late - oh well may be it is just me !!!
Camera : Canon 7D
Lens : Canon 10-22 mm
Filter : 3 stop ND Filter
ISO 100 : 22 mm : f8 : 15 sec
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Living Nightlights, View from Space Needle
Seattle, Washington, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
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January 31, 2013
It has been almost a month of hiatus from the blog. One of the longest in the past three years. It was one of those phases where there was just too much thoughts around life directions, purpose, goals and where it is heading towards. Working towards the goal is starting to seem much easier than identifying the right one !
It was kind of going into a rut, taking most of my focus and energy. So this is for myself – Think Less, Live More :) And some wishing to rebound and get in the groove of sharing my moments on a weekly basis going forward. U have a great day and lovely weekend ahead !!!
Camera : Canon 7D
Lens : Canon 10-22 mm
Filter : Hitech Pro ND 10 Stop
ISO 100 : 22 mm : f16 : 53 sec
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Wizard Hat, Face Rock State Park
Bandon, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
4 Comments »
November 27, 2012
Thanks to all the overcast and rainy weather for the past couple of days. The reflections along the country side made the beautiful sunset, even more amazing. The fields were all harvested and the fresh water from the rains, were just enough to create the lovely reflections. Check out the larger version, you can still see the stubbles.
It is difficult to get out (u see i’m lazy ;-) ), when you are not sure if the sun would even peep out and the weather is all mixed up. But if and when it does, these extreme conditions are the ones that create a melody of colors !!! It is the same field where I had shot the Twilight colors of Sunset during summer. This is kind of becoming my favorite place for sunset :)
Camera : Canon 7D
Lens : Tamron 18-270 mm
Filter : 3 Stop ND Filter
ISO 100 : 27 mm : f16 : 3 sec
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Countryside Reflections
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
7 Comments »
September 23, 2012
Couple of weeks back, I went to capture the ruggedness of Thor’s well at Oregon Coast, but ended up with this. The tide was so low, that there was absolutely no water activity in the rocky terrain near the shore. But it did help scout and access the area and plan for the subsequent high tide shoot. Though it was a pretty clear sky with no clouds or drama, was presented with this crisp sunset as I was hiking back to the parking lot. There is something magical about silhouettes, right !
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Cooks Chasm
Cape Perpetua, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
4 Comments »
August 29, 2012
It was one of the strongest & vivid sunset that I witnessed recently.
Twilight – the time of day between light and darkness, whether that’s just after sunset or just before sunrise – is one of the best times to enjoy nature’s splashing of colors. The light from the sky appears diffused and often pinkish. The sun’s rays from below the horizon are scattered by atmosphere and clouds to create the colors of twilight. Of course the location and the season also plays intricately into the effect. I am loving these Oregon summer sunsets, just after the afternoon thunderstorms – the ones that are so rare & the ones that have the potential to burst into a million shades or just blend out flat into the horizon.
P.S : This blog is definitely be the place where I share the gem of my work and my thoughts. Additionally feel free to connect up @ the Facebook Page, if ur interested in additional shots and occasional ramblings from the shoots :)
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Countryside Sunset
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
8 Comments »
August 2, 2012
Seattle is a such lively city especially for photographers – located adjacent to water, hills all around, lovely skyline, beautiful S-curves leading to the heart of the downtown area. Love the way how it comes alive at night. Here is one of the scenes for your to enjoy. You can get this view from around Dr Jose P Rizal Bridge. Check here for other shots of Seattle.
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Seattle Downtown
Seattle, Washington, USA |
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July 19, 2012
This week shot is a serene sunset from the iconic Cannon beach, Oregon. If you had been following my work, you would have noticed similar shots from past. Actually this was taken the same day as the earlier shared shot. Indeed these two shots are just 15 minutes and probably 100 feet apart. The light during the golden hour is ever changing and can make all the difference. Also you will be surprised how a few steps can alter the composition of the shot, drastically and dramatically. So the next time when you are shooting, don’t just play with that zoom, make an effort to take a couple of extra steps, literally :)
I like the other shot for the composition (may be because it is more close to the rule of third or the golden spiral) and this one for capturing the serene mood of the evening. Which one do u like, do share below in comments !!!
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Sunset @ Haystack Rock
Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA |
Posted in photography, photos |
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June 15, 2012
I love shooting at Cannon Beach.
It was fun getting this shot. I did not have any waterproof shoes that day and the water was biting cold. So it was more of cat & mouse play with the waves. I had envisioned to get the expanse of the beach and the receding water in the evening twilight. If you look real close you can see the light house too in the far horizon. To get this composition I set the tripod really close and low to the haystack rock. Shooting at 10mm helped capture the length of the beach and the Neutral Density Filter (ND3) helped increase the exposure to 20 seconds. Waiting for the sun to get below the horizon aided to capture the deep blue colors of twilight.
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Haystack Rock & Needles
Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA |
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April 28, 2012
Cool breeze, Rows and rows of colorful tulips, Lovely clouds, The setting sun dotting the horizon – what else could I ask for (just make sure not to delete the shots by mistake later – like I did. Luckily I was able to retrieve them). It was a lovely evening at Woodenshoe Tulip Farm. With rock climbing / small bungee jumping activities for the kids, pony rides, steam tractors, gift center etc. it is a fun place to spend with family during the bloom season. And while you are there definitely plan to stick around around for sunrise/sunset or better both ;-)
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WoodenShoe Tulip Farm
Woodburn, Oregon, USA
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Posted in Photoblog, photography |
10 Comments »
February 29, 2012
This is a beautiful Cannon Beach sunset, on a cold winter evening. Haystack Rock @ Cannon Beach, is definitely an iconic location of the Oregon Coast. It is huge, i mean literally, standing at 235 feet tall. Makes one feel so small and humble ! We had planned for the tide pools at the rock, to get some hand on playing with Nemo’s friends. Unfortunately, it was high tide and there was no way to get to the rock. Note to self : Next time check the tide table before going to the beach. Did u know, there is an app for that too :)
Anyways, the high tide did help is capturing a wonderful sunset. Loved the way how the cool blue of the sky and the golden sun, serenely reflects on the receding waters. Come join me for a evening walk and enjoy the sunset !!!
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Haystack Rock
Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA |
Posted in Photoblog, photography |
10 Comments »
January 26, 2012
I generally do not tend to post photos from the same place in continuity. But the more I look at the shots from Tanjore big temple, the more I am amazed. Hence continuing from last week, I present – The Shrine of Sri Subramanya – located just behind the main temple within the same compound. This definitely needs to be viewed in large, to enjoy the intricate sculptures and pillars. If this tower standing at 55 feet can carry so much grandeur, imagine how inspiring the main vimana can be at 216 feet !!! Surprisingly, this shrine is not referred to in the early inscriptions, and probably not contemporaneous to the main temple. It is popularly believed to be of the Nayak period, giving it a date not earlier than 600 A.D. The flash lights that you see around the corner is directed towards the main tower. Need to plan another trip once the maintenance work on the main vimana is over, hopefully !
This was 30 second multiple exposure, manually blended to highlight the texture on the sculptures and walls. As with most protected monuments, tripods were not allowed. I generally try to use my camera bag, wallet etc. to improvise, but that day, was lucky to have had Gorilla pod. I set it up in a remote corner and happily let it shoot multiple long exposures, as I was chatting with the security. It definitely disguised as – just a camera stand, rather then a tripod – at least in this place, where Gorilla pod is not yet prevalent :)
Have u sneaked behind security to get your best shorts ;-) would love to hear ur experience , do share in below comments !!!
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Shrine of Subramanya
Tanjore, TamilNadu, India
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Posted in Photoblog, photography |
10 Comments »
January 19, 2012
The Big Temple, as rightly said, was constructed by Raja Raja Chola nearly 1000 years back – to be precise in 1010 AD. This is also the world’s first complete granite temple and an brilliant example of the grandeur and the major heights achieved by Cholas in Tamil architecture. Also know by the names of Brihadeeswarar temple or Rajarajeswaram – this Shiva temple – still stands as the largest temple in India, with the main vimana towering to 216 feet.
This week shot is SOOC (Straight out of camera) of the main vimana / tower at the Brihadeeswarar temple. Even with all the wooden frame around the vimana for some maintenance work (yeah! such a bad timing for the visit), could feel the awe and grandeur of the architecture. The temple had been sculpted to detail in every nook and corner. It is so spacious with the open dance floor, huge lawn and multiple sanctum. This shot gives a much closer view of one of the hundreds of pillars out there. Makes one wonder on the amount of passion, dedication and work that would gone behind these marvels. If you are planning for a trip to south India, this is a must have on the iternary !!!
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Brihadeeswarar Temple
Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India |
Posted in Photoblog, photography |
11 Comments »
January 4, 2012
A bit of fireworks, some snow, a trip to the rainforest, throw in some waterfalls on the way and a drive thru amazing 101 pacific coast highway. What a way to start a new year. Not all happened as planned, due to mother nature deciding to join us, in the last minute, in form of lashing rain. Nevertheless it was an awesome trip encircling the Olympic national park, Washington.
This shot is the first one I had taken for this year 2012 & am very pleased with results. It is a high dynamic range shot with multiple exposure to capture the reflections, highlights and fireworks. I really love to watch fireworks up and close at space needle-Seattle, but did not want to be spending 2-3 hours getting out of the downtown traffic once the show was over. Hence after a bit of help from Google Earth, settled for a spot from Hamilton View point park, West Seattle. But as we were driving to the park, the view from harbor avenue was so breath taking, that we decided to settle there for the fireworks show. Arriving at the spot early always has an advantage. As we strolled down the harbor lane, was able to locate a secret sweet spot just behind the parking lot of Salty’s seafood grill. The view was probably better than the deck at Salty’s. Of course we were not served beer ! To make it easier for you, here is the actual spot (47.586095,-122.375566). Just be careful of loose rocks. I had always wanted to shoot the Seattle skyline and this is probably the best view of the Seattle skyline that I had come across. Though an urban setting, it indeed was serene, with the cool breeze, reflections and background effects from sea lions.
If you are still reading … Sorry I had been away for almost a month with unplanned hiatus over here at the blog. I really did not want to start the year’s post with an apology hence pushed this to the later part of the post. It always makes me wonder how something that happens in one part of your life has so much of impacts on your actions, thoughts and eventually how it reflects on almost all other phases. Anyway life just goes on … For the last couple of weeks, I had not been very active here, but had been making changes slowly. You can now see that LikeTheOcean.com points to this very blog and photo.LikeTheOcean.com points to my smugmug portfolio site. Much easier to remember, right :). Hopefully, the new-non intrusive theme allows, to enjoy the photos directly form the blog. As before am definitely planning to share atleast one amazing travel photo, if not more, every week of 2012 too.
Thanks for sticking around and travelling with me ! Happy New Year to all.
P.S: Definitely best viewed at large. Seattle Skyline is available in Print as such or with customization. This would make a great wall frame as such or with a inspiration quote on the the bottom. Just drop me a note with the request if u want any customization.
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Fireworks @ Space Needle, Seattle Skyline
Seattle, WA, USA
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Posted in Photoblog, photography |
20 Comments »
September 16, 2011
If you had been following my blog, I bored you last week with my Seattle trip. Continuing that … … … With Sunday still left, decided to pursue the Seattle skyline shot. Decided that probably staying near downtown would help. Being Saturday evening and given the fact that all the hotels were booked, started looking out for options. That is when I came across Airbnb. Pretty interesting concept, where folks rent out their vacation homes or part of their homes. Stay options, with no frills. Though I was initially skeptical, worked out pretty good. Especially the vacation homes at the prime coastal areas are pretty good deals. May be should give it a try some time. Are you aware of this service ? Have you used the same ? what are your experiences ?
After researching a bit, the only option that seems to work out, with out a car, was Kerry Park, which was just 6-7 blocks away. That sounded pretty good and thought I could even walk down if the I decided to stick around, way past sun set. But, I did not realize there would be so many steps across each block, with such a elevation gain ! Lesson Learnt: When in Seattle, check altitude difference along with distance, if planning to walk :)
The overall walk or rather hike up was fruitful. It was indeed a peaceful stroll once you get to Kerry Park. The views were quiet awesome. As for the shot - it was 30 second exposure, taken few hours after sunset. This is indeed an HDR, to capture the low light and warmth of the scene.
Posted in Photoblog, photography |
16 Comments »
September 9, 2011
It was one of those trips when nothing seemed to get together. When an official trip to Seattle came up, gladly planned to leave a day or two early with some shooting plans. I was inclined to get the classic Seattle skyline shot. It all started off with the train arriving late at the destination, resulting in missing to get the rental car before they closed :( . Based on the planned car rental, had booked an hotel that was 20+ miles away at Des Moines. Now with out the car, it took 2 hours by public transit :( . By the time I crashed at the hotel, I was in no mood to head back to down town, neither had the time for it. Anyways as I was heading towards the hotel, noticed the huge water body and it turned out to the back waters (not sure what they are called) from the ocean. A 15 min bus drive took me, to the not so very well known, Des Moines marina. I was just in time as the sun was going down the horizon. There were not much clouds, but something with the ocean and the climate crated such hues that made it a memorable evening. The water was pretty clear and so slow moving , creating some nice reflections too !!! Here is this week shot from the walk @ Des Moines Marina for you to enjoy.
So what do you do on those days when things just don’t align for you. Do you really fight against it or just go with the flow. When things don’t go right , do u just go left ;-)
P.S: Did you know Google + is out of beta and open for everyone. Feel free to check it out, its awesome. You can connect with me here.
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Dusk @ Des Moines Marina
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted in Photoblog, photography |
8 Comments »
June 18, 2011
This is from the Miramar Beach, Goa. As part of the stay at Bogmallo, we were offered to be taken to Basilica and Panjim City for some shopping, before the evening Cruise. Opting to miss on the shopping & getting dropped off at Miramar Beach for sunset, turned out to be not that bad a choice. Walking toward the beach, it was not just cloudy, but real overcast too.
There were around the 8-12 ships lined up at the horizon. As I was thinking – all chances for a great sunset were bleak – it just happened. For a moment, the clouds opened up, a little bit with drama, to allow the rays fall on one of the ships, as if it was chosen for something. The evening sky was kind of red. I waited to see if it would be sucked up into space like in alien movies, but nothing happened :)
As for the processing, this is straight out of camera, with just some level adjustments. I know it is kind of dark, but felt it rather added to mystery around the shot and overall. What do you think !?
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10 Comments »
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