The time for longer and more everlasting contentment is in the autumn of our lives – Albert Emerson
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Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 10 mm : f/16 : 8.0 sec
Jones Gap State Park
Marietta, South Carolina, USA
November 20, 2022
The autumn of our lives
November 17, 2022
Rest, not Quit
If you get tired learn to rest, not to quit – Banksy
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Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 19 mm : f11.0 : 1 sec
Sunset Beach
Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA
October 30, 2022
Simple Life
Life is simple –
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it will continue to be so
if only, we stop to make it complicated
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 250: 16 mm : f4.0 : 1/1000 sec
Paddy Fields
Sagara, Karnataka, India
October 27, 2022
The not so silent Sathodi Falls
Amazing, how a thundering waterfall can be so violent, yet so calming – all at once.
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Sathodi Falls – though just 15 meters high – is quite a picturesque waterfall located deep in the forests of the western ghats. The stream further flows down into the backwaters of the Kodasalli Dam.
Waking up at 5 AM and driving thru the unknown roads (and in few spots no roads at all) was quite an ordeal. The rustic, rugged drive and the bit of early morning trek made it only more adventurous. The thunderous waterfall, the jagged & craggy boulders, the solitude with nature, the magical mist – all this kissed by the morning twilight – made it an even more enriching experience :)
Sony A7III : Sony 24-105 mm : ISO 100: 25 mm : f16.0 : 1/3 sec
Sathodi falls
Balagar, Karnataka, India
October 20, 2022
Venus on the swing
Witnessed this moment on the same night as that of Venus ascending. By the remote islands of the Andaman and in the midst of the dark night – we were chasing the grandeur Milky way. Meanwhile the stars from the other side of the galaxy were probably pondering over the beauty of this rugged island. At that moment, oblivious to our presence, the Venus decided to join the party and jumped on the thing (that we call as swing) to get a ride of its life :)
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 4000: 16 mm : f2.8 : 20.0 sec
Venus on the swing
Morice Dera, The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
July 28, 2022
Star trails & AI
I’ve been wanting to write about star trails for a while now. I love stargazing and I’ve been fascinated by the movement of the stars and planets across the night sky since I was a little kid. I grew up in a rural area where I had to learn the names of the constellations and planets by reading books, and I’ve always wanted to share that love with others. I’m excited to share my knowledge and passion for astronomy with you in this post, and to show you some beautiful star trails I captured with my camera.
Star trails and night sky are two of the most beautiful things in the world. They capture the essence of the moon, stars, and night sky in a way that nothing else can. On a clear night, they can offer a glimpse of the universe, and if you’re lucky enough, they can offer you a glimpse of the cosmos. My favourite thing about star trails is how they capture the motion of the stars.Star trails are a mesmerizing phenomenon that occur when a camera is pointed at the night sky for a length of time. The rotation of the earth causes the stars to appear to move across the sky, giving the appearance of a long line of stars moving across the sky. The effect is most visible when shooting long exposures, and can be used to create abstract artwork or as a way to capture the beauty of the night sky.
P.S : If you have not realized by now or if you were wondering that this is not my writing style, you are damn right – the below shot is from me but this blog post was written by an AI. All I asked for was a blog post regarding star trails, and the bot (HyperWriteAI) gave me this in a split second :O Am sure very soon these algorithm with evolve to mimic individual writing styles as well. Intrigued and scary at the same time, what a time to live !
Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 3200 : 10 mm : f/3.5 : 25 sec (384 shots)
Kanakapura Forest
Kanakapura, Karnataka, India
June 21, 2022
Untouched beauty – Punnayar Falls
There’s no better place than to be around a thundering waterfall and listening to its music. – Roland R Kemler
A trip to Idukki is not complete with out a visit to this beautiful waterfall – situated in a forest by Kanjikuzhy – vannapuram route. The drive itself is quiet scenic. The roads get steep and narrow as you get near the falls. When we went, there was some construction going near the Punnayar Bridge, hence we parked there and hiked the reminder of the way. Be aware that there are two waterfalls – Punnayar A and Punnayar B (wish they had better naming :)). Punnayar B is very close to the road and easy to reach. A short walk, a bit of wading thru the water or rock hoping will get you here. It is more safe and one can take a bath if they like.
Punnayar A on the other hand is away form road and involves a bit of hiking. Be cautious, the path is little deep, steep and slippery – especially in rainy season. If you have an off-roading vehicle especially bike, you can almost reach the waterfall (and reduce the hike distance). It is indeed a strenuous hike, but the view and the experience are far more grandeur and well worth it.
With the strenuous but tranquil trek in the forest, amidst the fragrance of the cashew trees, lovely & secluded waterfalls, paired with a breathtaking viewpoint of the valley down below – it is a spot not to be missed !
Sony A7III : Sony 24-105 mm : ISO 100 : 24 mm : f16 : 4 sec
Punnayar waterfalls
Kanjikuzhy, Kerala, India
June 13, 2022
Priceless conversations
Conversations
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with friends
by the beach
under the stars
– are indeed priceless
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 4000 : 16 mm : f2.8 : 20 sec
Digilipur
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
May 17, 2022
I’m wonderfully insignificant
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 4000 : 16 mm : f2.8 : 20 sec
Somewhere in Andaman
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
May 4, 2022
Find stillness & energize
In this noisy world, it is tough to find stillness. With so much of information (overload and noise), it is essential to find some peace and quiet – not just external silence, but also the inner quiet. It helps to be out by nature, in the wilderness, to connect with deep stillness. But many a times it might not be possible and what we don’t realize is that the stress have nothing to do with external influences, but rather how we filter the information and what we allow to come through.
Find stillness in this noisy world. Find stillness and energize.
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Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 250 : 16 mm : f2.8 : 1/90 sec
Veerabhadra Temple Tank
Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh, India
April 28, 2022
Ethereal
music, like light permeates the space
music, like breeze soothes the soul
music, like fantasy captivates the mind
music, like waves caress the body
music, like thunder shatters the ego
music, like magic opens portals to other dimensions
Nikon D810 : Nikon 14-24 mm : ISO 1000 : 20 mm : f2.8 : 39 sec (blub)
Dhani Nallah Beach
Rangat, The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
April 11, 2022
Venus ascending
Morice Dera beach is a lovely rustic beach located adjacent to the Andaman Trunk Road – just after Rangat. The twin rock at Morice Dera is unique. The walkway in between these rocks leads toward an eye-catching horizon viewpoint. Both the beach and the viewpoint were ideal to sit, fall back and contemplate. It was a great place to just be and do nothing. Being bortle 1 skies, zillion of stars, viewpoints like this, and the stupendous views – Morice Dera topped our list from the Andaman trip, especially for chasing the stars.
Venturing in the dark, stumbling by rocks, splashing in the water, beyond the viewpoint, definitely turned out to be worthwhile. The clouds were quickly closing in, but for a brief moment this scene of Venus ascending was indeed stunning!
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 4000: 16 mm : f2.8 : 20.0 sec
Venus ascending
Morice Dera, The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
January 20, 2022
Sun kissed misty morning
January 7, 2022
A pristine beauty – Hebbe Waterfalls
Alluring, exotic, immaculate … words don’t come close to describe this place. In the forests of deep interior Karnataka, by the district of Chikkamagaluru lies this pristine beauty. 13 kms of thrilling & bone rattling 4×4 ride, thru the secluded tiger reserve gets you here. They say – it’s not about the designation but about the journey. But in case of Hebbe – it is as much about the journey, as about the falls. The effort is totally worth it as you witness the waterfalls rumble thru the forest.
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 100 : 16 mm : f22.0 : 2.0 sec
Hebbe Waterfalls
Chikmagalur, Karnataka, India
January 1, 2022
Hiatus, Looking back & Looking forward
What a year it had been – Covid, revival, promise of hope, again lock downs … Beginning of 2021 felt like a deja vu. Now it seems like the deja vu is repeating itself again. But still, a lots happened this past year as well. Let us drop the prejudice of 2021 (as we did for 2020 as well). Given the situation it indeed was a great year. Experienced some amazing night skies, made some wonderful connections, got to capture views that only a few witness and some lovely experiences along the way.
Took an intentional hiatus from social media for the past 8 months, as I felt it was influencing a lot on the kind of shots I make and the experiences that I attracted. But I do see that it is for me to be aware of the influences. Sharing opens up conversations and connections that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. I knew it was not you (social media), but me. Nevertheless, it was a lesson that I have to pick up as my own.
On a different note, I had never been a birder, I did occasionally capture a few flying beauties from my travel. But as the year wrapped up, tried to play around in this new genre as well. Trying to capture the birdies, especially the tiny ones, calls for a different level of patience and perseverance. Keen to see how this unfolds and eager for the new learning opportunities that it brings.
Here is to 2022 – to more learning, more travel, more connections & enriched experiences. Focus, enjoy and equip for the journey forward :)
Canon 7D : Tamron 150-600 mm : ISO 5000 : 600 mm : f5.6 : 1/400 sec
Loten’s Sunbird
Nandi Hills, Bangalore, India
May 20, 2021
Yin Yang of Life
Breath-in.2.3.4.
Hold.2.
Breath-out.2.3.4.5.6.
Hold.2.
& repeat …
Watercolor on Cold Pressed Paper
March 20, 2021
Hunt for the Milky Way
In the southern part of India, the monsoon season & the Milky Way season greatly overlap. Hence the window to witness & capture the Milky Way is quite small. Add to it the alignment of the same over weekends and access to decent night skies. The probability goes down even further.
After keeping a close eye on the conditions, decided to head towards Coorg with friends for some Milky Way hunting. Though the spot was a Bortle 2, the elevation of the location brought in rolling clouds, fog, and morning mist. After 1 1/2 days of waiting, the weather Gods decided to give a glimpse of the Milky Way, just for us :)
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 5000 : 16 mm : f/2.8 : 20 sec
Balyabane
Coorg, Karnataka, India
January 23, 2021
Life of Lambda
DJI Mavic Pro : ISO 164 : 4.73 mm : f2.2 : 1/25 sec
Lambda
Sakleshpur, Karnataka, India
October 26, 2020
Life is Inevitable
If dreams were made out of stone, it would be Hampi. Every walk and every turn at Hampi has awe and surprises carved in stone.
This particular morning we were strolling on the hills of Hemakunta. Surrounded by the grand architecture of Hampi, the cool morning breeze, the rising sun, golden light glistening the rocks – the moment was perfect. And then stumbled upon this little guy, growing right thru the stone. He was there for a purpose, yet juxtaposed at the same time. It was as if everything came together to make this moment happen, to make this connect happen.
He was silently showing what life is all about.
What you think as dead, is just dormant. Be aware, take care of such little things that is & constitutes life. Life is just inevitable.
Canon 7D : Tamron 18-270 mm : ISO 500 : 27 mm : f/4.5 : 1/30 sec
Hemakuta Hill
Hampi, Karnataka, India
August 21, 2020
Absolutely Still
Sometimes – to take in all that life has to give – you just got to be still. Absolutely still.
Stagnation is dying, in many ways. But Stillness is beautiful. Especially when you are so with awareness of each breath & each fleeting moment. Here is one such fleeting moment of stillness from the the land where even the stones sing – Hampi :)
Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 320 : 12 mm : f11 : 1/20 sec
Hemakuta Hill
Hampi, Karnataka, India
Like the Ocean 