Why are reflections so cool and soothing …
Is it because, it allows us to get lost, in the moment ?
Is it because, it makes it makes one forget what is real, and what is reflected ?
Is it because, it forces us to reflect onto ourselves, unknowingly ?
Is it because, it make one realize life is nothing by a reflection …
Do share your reasons !!! Here is this weeks shot for you to reflect , i mean enjoy, upon !!!
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Reflections, Mirror Lake Scenic Byway |
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.
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Full Moon |
Some of the trips are amazing, because of the destination. Some because of the company you have. Some because of the car you drive. But many a times we don’t realize that the enroute journey itself, is quiet fulfilling and sometime much more than the destination. This week shot is from one such drive to enjoy the beautiful country side of Oregon, with no particular destination in mind. Not having any destination, allowed ample stop over to enjoy the amazing country side in the season of the fall. It was indeed a little overcast, but overall enjoyed the climate and the way this shot turned out.
So get a break… take ur car, just drive and hey don’t forget ur camera , how else can we partake in ur enjoyment :)
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Oregon Country Side |
It is always a pleasure to shoot the Mt Hood, one of the crowning beauties of Portland. This week shot is direct from the camera with no post processing, captured during one of fun drives to the base of Mt Hood. This was shot on a sunny weekend afternoon. The play of light and exposure at the right areas created the interesting silhouette effect. Really liked the way this turned out, as opposed to a boring blown out snow pile, that I usually used to get !
Also for folks following me, this shot is a remembrance from my previous stay here at Portland. The last time (three years back), the camera that accompanied me was the trusted canon is s2, with which this was shot. Am back to Portland, OR on assignment. Looking forward to shoot and share the amazing sceneries of the northwest with my next DSLR going forward :)
Adieu Bangalore, for now !!! Salut Portland, Nice to be back !!!
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Mt Hood |
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 ?!
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KR Puram Lake |
Kodaikanal is one of the most popular and charming hill station of south India. This was shot enroute from Kodai to Bangalore. As we were leaving, just before the down hill drive started, pulled by a place to shop for the famed home made chocolates. Just behind the shop(s), was graced with the beautiful hilly terrain with this lone home. Definitely makes one wonder how it would feel to stay right amidst nature !!!
p.s : If you are on Google+ you can connect with me here. If you would like an invite, just drop me a note or leave a comment with the request. After a week’s usage, this definitely seems to be addressing some major concerns of Facebook !
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Kodaikanal |
In the spirit of ID4 celebrations coming up in the US, this weeks shot is from the fireworks show that was shot from previous years. July 4 celebrations, or pretty much any major celebrations across the world is not complete without fireworks. It is always much more fun to select fireworks of ur own choice and blast them in ur back yard or streets, like we do for Diwali in India. For those who don’t have that luxury, the only option is planned firework shows. This by the way gives an option for amazing photo opportunities.
Some tips that I can think of : Scout for the location – This definitely is key. Generally you can even get the info (just Google !) on where the show would be launched from. Prior scouting could help you get some vintage view points like near by parking garages :). Look for any water bodies that could be included in the composition. The reflections are quiet nice, as always. Get the tripod out – If you are shooting fireworks, you need to have a tripod. Be more comfortable with the manual focus. Be sure to use BULB, as this gives u an option to decide on the exposure time based on the size of the explosion. with BLUB it definitely goes without saying – use a remote trigger to avoid any shake. Happy firework shooting.
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ID4 Celebration, Fireworks |
Flowers in general are always cool to shoot with – they are colorful, attractive and if you are lucky, they would be just stand still, for as long as you want, with a little bit of support from wind :). So when I came across the vibrant lily at Meenmutty Falls Resort , was delighted. This was shot during broad afternoon day light and was surprised the way it turned out. I had always thought that these kind of shots were made within a studio set up. All I did here, was used circular polarizer to make the water, non reflective and dark. Playing a bit with curves and levels, helped lose some of the other unwanted details. What do you think of the result ?
Below is a (so called) Haiku that I wanted to share alongside this shot !
Sometimes when
Every thing looks right & Every thing looks wrong … simultaneously
Look again
There is nothing wrong about the right &
There is nothing right about the wrong !!!
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Violet Lily |
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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Miramar Beach |
As I mentioned earlier, Bryce Canyon is not much of a canyon. One could visit the place umpteen number of times, but still be awed. It is just magical. The hoodoos change with time – due to the forces wind, water and snow. The colors are amazing and different, depending on the time of the day. The early morning with the dawn’s first light, is probably the best times to visit the place. For a close up shot – check this out. Oh yeah, you can hike down into the palace, How cool is that !
I love this shot for the flow it has – from the skies to the mountains, from the mountains to the plains, form the plains to the forest and eventually culminating at the canyons. It kind of gives lot of depth, what do you think ?!
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Bryce Canyon |
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.
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Mysore Palace – Backlit at Night |
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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Golden Temple, Bylakuppe |
This weeks shot is in entire contrast to last weeks spring image with so much vibrance and energy. It is from enroute to the dream land of Hampi from Bangalore. The dry brittle land reminded me of drought, but the monsoon storm that was building up that afternoon, was so very promising. For reasons unknown this scene evoked a mix of emotions in me. Nature has a peculiar, but very effective way of keeping things in balance. Be it thru drought or flood, famine or tsunami, forest fire or rain, abundance or dearth – there is a reason and rhyme behind everything. It just happens, with the flow.
But we humans – are so prone to – not just getting stuck with something , but not willing to move on either. It is so very tough for us to accept and move on – “Sometimes you hurt yourself more than anyone else ever could. Look deep, then you might understand better.”
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Enroute to Hampi from Bangalore |
As we were driving back from Warwick castle to London – there was stretch – where these yellow fields of rapeseed, spread for miles and miles together. As much as I wanted to just pull over, was very reluctant, as I was on the highway and new to the country, and getting used to the right hand driving – had to force myself to focus more on the driving ! Just then saw an exit and took the same, by instinct. As luck would have it – was on a narrow country road surrounded by this beauty. Lost no time in pulling over the road. Along with my brother, literally jumped over the fence and ran over these fields. aaaah, the beauty of spring, It indeed was so refreshing. The late afternoon sun, along with the building storm added much depth to this shot. Here is the English country side for you to enjoy.
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Rapeseed Fields, Enroute London from Warwick Castle |
Toroweep is one of a kind – awe inspiring, rare places, where one can stare into the face of time, still un-touched and un-spoilt. Check this out for the amazing 3000 feet Vertical drop at the view point. Anyways, while visiting this place, we stayed at a small inn, enroute from Kanab to Toroweep. It was a small cozy place, with a typical country side set up. The rooms were based on tribe themes with wooden floors – it went really well with the outside surrounding of red rocks. As soon as we entered the room, the hanging on the wall caught my attention – a framed letter from Seattle Chief to then US President (1855). It was quiet touching and I feel it is even more applicable today and not just for the whites referred here. Present to you the same, below.
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Graze lands Enroute to Toroweap |
The Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land * How can you buy or sell the sky * The warmth of the land * The idea is strange to us * Yet we do not own the freshness of the air or the sparkle of the water * How can you buy them from us * Every part of this earth is sacred to my people **
We know that the white man does not understand our ways * One portion of the land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs * The earth is not his brother but his enemy and when he has conquered it he moves on * He leaves his fathers’ graves his children’s birthright is forgotten **
The is no quiet place in the white man’s cities * No place to hear the leaves of spring or the rustle of the insect wings * But perhaps because I am savage and do not understand, the clatter only seems to insult the ears * And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lovely cry of the or the arguments of the frog around the pond at the night **
The Whites too shall pass, perhaps sooner than the other tribes * Continue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste * When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest, heavy with the scent of many men, and the view of ripe hills blotted by talking wires * Where is the Eagle * Gone * Where is the Buffalo * Gone * And what is to say goodbye to the swift and the hunt, the end of living and the beginning of survival **
Chief Seattle to President Franklin Pierce, 1855
This weeks let us visit the famous Big temple at Tanjore, Tamilnadu. It is an carving with amazing details on solid stone. The place is filled with details in nook and corner. It probably would justify to call this a teaser- for things to come on Tanjore temple – on subsequent posts. To get a bigger picture (i mean not in a literal sense) of the grandeur, multiply the awesomeness of the below shot with 4 for one face on each side, then by another 3 or 4 for the number of levels in each pillar and then finally 100+ for the # of pillars. Behold we are just talking about the pillars. There are still – the walls, the smaller temples around and multitude of temple towers along with the big one that the place is actually know for. You should probably visit the place to experience it !
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Big Temple, Tanjore |
This week’s shot is from Marina Beach – the second largest beach in the world. The place gets brimmed with people from all walks of life, during a typical evening. The early mornings though are little different. If you get to the one, near the Besant nagar residential area, it is real serene – except for the few joggers and fishermen setting up for the days catch. This is from one such morning, when I managed to drag myself, out of the bed early to get to the place, to be treated with an awesome sun rise. The early mornings are probably the best time to enjoy the Chennai beaches !
On the post processing front, yeah, I know is kind of little extreme on the HDR. But I really dig the way it turned out, nothing else would have helped me capture the golden hour better. More over it goes well with the new bold and dynamic theme here at the blog [if ur reading this via feed reader or mail, do drop by the site to check out the updates]. What do u think… Feel free to leave feedback in comments !!!
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Sunrise, Marina Beach |
Lepakshi – small town, in Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh state – is about 140 kms from Bangalore. It is enroute from Bangalore to Hyderabad (BIAL road). At the RAKSHA academy in Andra Pradesh , take the left for lepakshi. The temple would be 15 kms from this turning. This stretch is real bad, but is probably keeping the crowd away and the sanctity of the heritage temple in place :). The place is a good day trip from Bangalore, but watch out, it would be real hot during summers.
Lepakshi is famous for its temple, which is dedicated to Veerabhadra, the fiery incarnation of Lord Shiva and the big Nandhi. The nandhi sits outside the temple, facing the Shiva. But probably as time passed, the Lepakshi village has developed right in between. When you drive, the nandhi is on the right side and a little further down the left is the entrance to the temple. The Nandhi is quiet grand at 15 x 27 feet and made of a single monolithic granite. Makes one wonder how grand this place would have been, during its glory.
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Lepakshi Temple, Ananthpur |
This square stepped shringi thirtha pond is located in one of the small, not so very famous temples, near Nandhi hills, Bangalore – Bhoganandishwara Temple. It was a hot afternoon, still sitting in the shade under the mandap, along this pond was so pleasant and breezy (though the steps were scorching hot). The 10mm came in handy to capture the complete pond in this perspective. This place also boasts shrines with fine sikharas, built out of stone. Check this out for one of the most ornate temple walls that can be found in the south Indian temples. Do make it a point to visit this place if you already have (or not) Nandhi Hills in the itinerary.
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Bhoganandishwara Temple, Near Nandhi Hills |
Kodai Lake is located in the Kodaikanal city (Dindigul district) in Tamil Nadu, India. Sir Hentry, then collector of Madurai was instrumental in the initial set up of the lake in 1863. The lake is probably one of the most popular stops at this summer destination.
Apart from the regular boating – the lake offers much more. A late evening walk with a loved one, a bicycle ride with ur kid [oh yeah u can rent all kinds of cycles], shopping for or with ur wify along the entire periphery or just gazing from one of the view points – the possibilities are limitless. Outflow of the lake create the much famed silver cascade falls [that would be a shot for a diff week ;-)]
The low f stop (f/22) actuated the star effect on the lights, which I really dig. This is a single exposure, with minimal adjustment on levels. Was really surprised how sharp the shot came out even with a minute long exposure. Looking at the shot really brings back the stillness of the evening – both inside and out.
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Kodai Lake Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India |
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Like the Ocean 