This fishing hamlet is from one of the lovely roads by costal karnataka. Hedged in by ocean on one side and a river on the other – makes it one of the most beautiful roads in all of India. As the twilight broke, the rising sun kissed the land and made the crashing waves to glisten. The golden sand, swaying coconut trees, solitude of the ocean, laid back life and the endless shore makes Maravanthe a zen of a place.
DJI Mavic Pro : ISO 100 : 4.73 mm : f2.2 : 1/640 sec
The northern side of Kapu beach in Udupi is no exception. Many visit here for the lighthouse, but a morning stroll, by the sand, waves crashing in, the cool breeze, by the dispersed fishing boats is something to experience. It has been a while and time to head back !
DJI Mavic Pro : ISO 100 : 4.73 mm : f2.2 : 1/60 sec
This is from two years back, but still remember the day vividly. After a year of closure due to covid, we thought things were opening up (after the first wave, not realizing how the next 2 yrs were going to be) and decided to head out. The short trip to Chennakesava Temple, Somnathpur – turned out to be great. Luckily there were not many people around.
I had plans to shoot the temple tower during sunset. But the security guard had other plans. He started chasing us out by 5PM, though the documented closing time was only by sunset :( On that day, the forecasted sunset was around 6:30 PM. With no clouds in the sky, the light was still pretty harsh. Just when I was moving towards the exit, a shot captured by one of my friends, flashed in my mind. I knew I had to get the same. Dodging the security guy, ran to the extreme corner of the temple, literally dropped myself to the floor and comp-stomped this shot. I feel the black and white processing adds to the texture and composition. How do you like it :)
Pattadakal – literally know as ‘coronation stone’ – is a small rustic town in the Bagalkot district of north Karnataka. This UNESCO world heritage site hosts 7th and 8th century collection of nine Hindu and one Jain temple built by the Chalukya dynasty. As we were exploring, witnessed the Galaganath Temple, adorned by the Malaprabha River, lit by moonlight & blanketed by the twinkle of stars.
Sony A7III : Sony 16-35 mm : ISO 1000 : 18 mm : f2.8 : 20 sec
By the banks of Malaprabha Bagalkot, Karnataka, India
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
The Chennakesava temple of Somanathapura stands on a raised platform, in the centre of a spacious enclosure having sixty four cells. This three celled (trikutachala) structure consists of three garbha grihas, three antaralas and a navarang. It has a mahadwara standing on the east. The basement of the outer wall is highly ornamented with friezes of elephants, scrolls, epic & puranic scenes. The lathe turned pillars and delicately carved sixteen different types of ceilings are the characteristic feature of the hoysala art. Inscriptions engraved on a huge slab standing in the mahadwara and on the beams of the navaranga ranging in date from 1269 – 1550 AD, give the details of the construction of the temple.
When we visited, the outer enclosure was being refurbished. That particular afternoon the brewing storm added to mood of the shot. Shortly after this, witnessed quiet a downpour, but we were safe inside the garbha grihas :)
Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100: 12 mm : f13 : 1/3 sec
The Stillness that you search within, can be initiated with external triggers – that slow music melody, that soothing breeze as you walk by the green fields, that moment when the sunset makes the sky it’s canvas.
If nothing else, just take a deep breath. A conscious breath can do miracles. When you cannot handle the mind directly, it can be handled through breath …
Hope this serene sunset from Hampi, brings you the peace you are looking for :)
Canon 7D : Tamron 10-270 mm : ISO 640 : 18 mm : f3.5 : 0.4 sec
Deep in the forest of Karnataka there are some pristine spots, largely untouched (yet). Jogi Gundi is one such lovely waterfall tucked in the wilderness of Agumbe. The Jogigundi Falls is located around 3 km from Agumbe. Situated on the way to the Barkana Falls, it can be reached by a small trek of around ~500 mts. When the conditions are right, you can also enjoy swimming in the turquoise green water. Even during the monsoon time, water was inviting and pretty refreshing from the afternoon heat.
I was lucky to visit the place, at the right time, when the water was just right to highlight the beautiful structure of the waterfall, while the entire surrounding was still lush green from the rains. Heavier rains would definitely make it more majestic, but also would increase the challenge of accessing the falls. Also heard that the leeches might decide to join the trek, if the rains are continuous :)
Be advised and cautious. This is a rain forest. You are entering the habitat of the wild. Respect their place & space. Leave only foot prints and carry back all that u carry in, along with some lovely pictures & memories!
Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100: 10 mm : f22 : 1.0 sec
Bandipur National Park is an established Tiger Reserve, but it is also an amazing place to watch birds. This particular day as we were eagerly trying to locate some big cats, this beauty decided to get our attention. He was just still and serene, while the slow breeze was making the leaves around dance. After leisurely posing for this shot, he decided to show his flying skills too. It was quiet a sight to watch the him glide – oh, so majestically.
Canon XSi : Tamron 18-270 mm : ISO 1600 : 168 mm : f6.7 : 1/180 sec
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change
Located around 140 miles from Bangalore, the temples of Belur and Halebid are one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. These were built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas at Talakad. Legend has it that it took 103 years to complete and Vishnuvardhana’s grandson Veera Ballala II completed the task. Belur is famous for its cluster of temples, the most beautiful being the Chennakeshava Temple. This shot in particular is that of the The Ranganayaki temple, a minor shrine in the Chennakeshava temple complex. I love the afternoon thunderstorms, they bring in such colors and clarity to the architecture. It also helped keep people out of the shot :)
Learnt that this temple along with Hoysaleswara temple in Halebidu and the Jaina monuments at Shravanabelagola are being proposed as UNESCO world heritage sites. But with such a rich history and ornate work, its a surprise that it is not already on the list of world heritage monuments !
Ranganayaki Shrine, Chennakeshava Temple Belur, Karnataka, India
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 ?!!!
Hampi, apart from the historical ruins is an awesome place for trekking and rock climbing too. Matunga hill @ Hampi is one of the best spots for watching sunrise. the hike is a bit on difficult side, especially if you are not aware of the route. It is better to have a guide if you planning to hike up in the dark for sunrise. But the views are well worth it, they are pretty amazing. This week shot is of the temple ruins, right on top of the hills. The sun was playing hide and seek as the mist was starting to clear. This was taken just moments after the sun rise shot that I had shared in the past. wow the scene changed so dramatically with light , angle and direction !
Update : Sorry, the deal is dead. Not sure why, It was supposed to be active thru Mar 2, 2012.
On a different note, if you are into photography and were looking to buy Photoshop, now is the best time. There is a huge sale going on @ Adobe site. The current version of Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended can be got for $39, yeah you read that right – $39. The Student version generally sells for $199 (and the original without discount sells @ $699) and there is a 80% additional off, if you use the code SAVE80EDU. You could even get this for your kid who is in kindergarten – all you need is a student ID card or an appropriate school document. If you don’t have a student in the family, now is the time to join that course that you were eying for a long time ! The lower price is probably because of the fact that next version of Photoshop would be out in couple of months, but @ $39 I am not complaining :) The deal is supposed to be on till March 2, 2012, Go grab it while it lasts !!!
Talakadu (also known as Talakad) is a town on the banks of the Kaveri river, Karnataka, India. The place is known for temples submerged in sand. It is said to have around 30+ temples under sand. It is surprising to see the geology out here. The powerful Kaveri had helped create the dune like area. There is a little bit of history here, blended with some geology and topped with legends and myths. The bit of history is associated to the place is tied to the Mysore Raja Family of this palace. You can read further about the legend here at wikipedia. This weeks shot is one of the excavated temples, along with the intricate stonework, laid out beautifully in front.
“If dreams were made of stone , it would be hampi” – One can completely relate to it, the moment they get into the vicinity of the place. Hampi – has some amazing and stupendous architecture captured in stone from the Vijayanagara period. Apart from the architecture, the place is also know for some strong and dynamic sunrise / sunsets. Matunga hill is a prominent hike up, where one can enjoy the same. Since a relatively a larger crowd trickle in to bid goodbye to the sun rather than to witness the sunrise, I decided to hike up at dawn. There are a couple of paths leading to the topmost point, where the Veerabhadra Temple is located. It is better to carry a torch irrespective of if you are planning for the sun rise or the sun set as the place is not well lit. After taking up the stepped ramp from the west , reached the top just prior to sun raise. There were only a very few folks around, but was really surprised to see a small shop selling garam garam tea and noodles, at that place and time :)
As it was quiet misty, was not hoping much for the sun to come out. Just as I was enjoying the watery tea, the sun decided to give a peek out. It was quiet dramatic, with the Achyuta raya temple at the foothills , the dense forest and the sun peeking thru the misty morning mountains afar. Boy, was I glad to have the 10-24mm wide angle. Did my best to capture it, though I knew I was not able to do complete justice.
There are those special full moon days, when u feel that the moon is much larger. The drama created by the clouds is so strong, that you just feel like being one with the night. This weeks shot is from one such days. Photographing the moon is a real challenge, if you don’t know how to do it. But just a handful of tips & a bit of trial and error, you definitely can get a keeper. When I initially started shooting the moon, used to set up my tripod and try for long exposure, you see it was night and dark, right ! Wrong. Moon is one of the brightest objects and at the same not static. Hence any thing less than a 1/125 sec would result in not so sharp shot. This article has lot of details on the technicalities of setting up the shot. Before you head out, u definitely need to know when the next full moon is. This calendar is handy, yeah gone are the days when we all had the time to look up, every night and know when the full moon was approaching.
And to go along with the shot, here is one of my, supposed, haiku. For my non-tamil readers, have tried my best to provide a close enough translation. Hope you enjoy it as much as the shot.
It is a really nice feeling when you least expect and things just unfold – one step at a time – resulting in something awesome. The same was the case with this shot. One lazy afternoon, just decided to take my son for boating at the KR Puram lake. Little did I realize that it is a commercial picnic spot run under the name of ‘Fantasy Lagoon’. Apart from the jogging / walking track, there is a choice of boat rides – pedal, speed or scooter boat. They do have food options, though we did not try anything. As we were enjoying our pedal boat, the sun decided to peak out of the clouds to create the stunning scenery.
It is a nice place to kill time. How do you think it is ! What are your favorite places around Bangalore to spend a lazy afternoon ?!
Mysore palace is now one of the most famous tourist spot attracting more than 2.7 million visitors in the recent years. This Indo-sarsenic style Palace reflects Muslim architecture on the outside, while the interior is a fine example of Hindu architecture. The palace is in its full grandeur in the night, as it is lit with thousands of bulbs and it becomes the most attractive monument in the city. Even without the thousands of light bulbs, it is a sight to watch when it is back lit with flash lights. The below was shot at one such occasion. I really like the way the Big cats came out as silhouette on the back lit palace.
The part I did not like about the place is – though tourists are allowed to visit, they are not allowed to photograph inside the palace, what crap :( Wish they make it photographer friendly, so that the grandeur can be shared with you, who are not able to make it to the palace in person.
On the processing, the HDR accentuated the intricate work on the palace walls (worth checking out on the larger size), highlight part of inner chambers , garden and the walkway.
Bylakuppe, located in District Coorg (Madikere) in Karnataka is the second largest Tibetans settlement outside Tibet. Close to 20K monks stay here living in the Tibetan tradition. They co exist peacefully with the neighborhood, continuing with their chanting and training, not bothered about the tourists and onlookers.
The focus of the settlement is The Golden Temple and the focus of the temple, of course, is the 60 foot Gautama Buddha, accompanied by Guru Rinpoche and Buddha Amitayus on the sides. The huge hall is so cool and smooth, with reflective flooring. The walls adorned by amazing paintings are sound absorbent. The surrounding is so calm that you would just feel like sitting in silence. No wonder, even the people who don’t have the habit of meditation, will just feel like being in silence and meditate. The amazing architecture goes hand in hand with the silence and the Tibetan culture.
The temple is probably juxtaposed here amidst the natural beauty of Coorg. One can spend hours out here, at a minimum plan for at least an hour. Right in-between the misty morning walks at the coffee fields and an amazing sunset at raja’s seat, you could fit the visit to the this temple. Photographing the place (indoor) is as good, even at noon. But don’t be surprised if you forget your camera, once your are inside and get lost in the silence, which is even better :)
On the processing, the HDR helped capture the golden sculpture along with the intricate work and paintings. Let the movement on the people as such, as it kind of added to the shot.
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