tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73625392024-03-09T02:22:35.344+05:30Myopic EndeavourAn attempt to let my pictures do the talking for a change...Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-34637743764298019642012-09-22T14:41:00.002+05:302012-09-22T14:41:43.952+05:30Polarized<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spVy1Xe6LMQ/UF2ACj_tXjI/AAAAAAAAAgk/p5zjwFAvlsk/s1600/22+Sep+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spVy1Xe6LMQ/UF2ACj_tXjI/AAAAAAAAAgk/p5zjwFAvlsk/s400/22+Sep+2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The new Polaroid SX70 has been driving me crazy (in an altogether good way) ever since it arrived, a week back. Shooting on instant film, with the benefit of SLR composition has to be experienced to be appreciated. This is one of the test shots the <a href="http://about.me/nishichauhan" target="_blank">wife</a> took, late in the evening by the light of a single tungsten lamp.<br />
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I love the crisp focusing, the shallow depth of field and the overall dreamy quality of the film. Five thumbs up for me!<br />
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Polaroid SX70<br />
Impossible PX600 Silver Shade film<br />
2012, At home, Bangalore, India</div>
Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-7947801988303817512011-11-06T14:03:00.000+05:302011-11-06T15:05:50.145+05:30Vision of the Future<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fYzG0Fwf7i8/TrZS_f9n5UI/AAAAAAAAAYM/icF0ygy33IM/s1600/A+Vision+of+the+Future.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fYzG0Fwf7i8/TrZS_f9n5UI/AAAAAAAAAYM/icF0ygy33IM/s640/A+Vision+of+the+Future.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<i>Not all visions of the future need be apocalyptic. Not all apocalypses need look scary and fearsome.</i><br />
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Multiple exposures, with three different colour filters, on a single frame. It's still only a bush. And not quite as tangled as it looks here.<br />
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Lomography La Sardina<br />
Kodak Ultramax 400ISO<br />
2011, At home, Bangalore, India</div>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-7597798647053346332011-10-17T00:01:00.000+05:302011-10-17T00:01:58.447+05:30Split Personality<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bb_1NIpvBeg/TprLp4UYsgI/AAAAAAAAAXI/Pg1K5BNQNp0/s1600/Split+Personality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bb_1NIpvBeg/TprLp4UYsgI/AAAAAAAAAXI/Pg1K5BNQNp0/s640/Split+Personality.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>They cannot scare me with their empty spaces</i><br />
<i>Between stars--on stars where no human race is.</i><br />
<i>I have it in me so much nearer home</i><br />
<i>To scare myself with my own desert places.</i><br />
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- Robert Frost 'Desert Places'<br />
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Lomography La Sardina<br />
Kodak Ultramax 400ISO<br />
2011, At home, Bangalore, India</div>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1013016409609102402011-10-16T17:59:00.000+05:302011-10-16T17:59:12.070+05:30The Light Fantastic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a hiatus of over two years, this blog is back with a brand new template. Plenty has happened in the interim, not the least of which is my new found love for analog photography courtesy the Lomography movement. Who knew toy cameras could be so addictive.<br />
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Today's post is one of my recent experiments with light painting using a Lomo camera.<br />
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Lomography La Sardina<br />
Kodak Ultramax 400ISO<br />
2011, At home, Bangalore, India<br />
<br /></div>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-36624299840283941882009-03-11T18:44:00.005+05:302011-10-16T17:17:16.306+05:30Interesting bedfellows...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ysczd-TyCLY/Sbe5yX6wziI/AAAAAAAAAGc/FFK5WPVogeY/s1600-h/02.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311918560571870754" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ysczd-TyCLY/Sbe5yX6wziI/AAAAAAAAAGc/FFK5WPVogeY/s400/02.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 200px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ysczd-TyCLY/Sbe6RnLdoXI/AAAAAAAAAGk/yzpM3mmbzdk/s1600-h/03.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311919097244393842" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ysczd-TyCLY/Sbe6RnLdoXI/AAAAAAAAAGk/yzpM3mmbzdk/s400/03.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 200px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Distance makes for strange collaborations. Ritu and me decided (well, she decided, really and I just played along thinking it would be a fun thing to do), a while back, to collaborate on a daily diptych project. I'd send her an image everyday and she'd add one of her own and post the two to her FlickR page.<br />
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And as you can see, above, the fact that we're two very different people in two very different cities with two very different agendas makes for interesting compositions.<br />
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The first one was a delightful co-incidence and the second, a study in contrasts.<br />
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For the curious ones- my pictures are on the left, and Ritu's on the right.<br />
To see the live project visit <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritu_lahiri/sets/72157614419909924/detail/">here</a></div>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-67450314558548973402009-03-03T21:05:00.000+05:302009-03-03T21:18:27.363+05:30Line, colour, texture<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ysczd-TyCLY/Sa1PtuyWJhI/AAAAAAAAAGU/aYrc4YvPiAs/s1600-h/02_feb26.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ysczd-TyCLY/Sa1PtuyWJhI/AAAAAAAAAGU/aYrc4YvPiAs/s400/02_feb26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308987182811588114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Sometimes it helps to see the whole as a sum of parts. The hard, angular lines and the texture that stands out under a hard mid-day sun combine to create a sort of abstract composition.<br /><br />The humble, and ubiquitous, transformer is elevated to an entirely different place in the scheme of things...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon D90, 28-105mm<br />2009, By the roadside, Toy City, Greater Noida, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1152433997765703142006-07-09T14:03:00.000+05:302006-07-09T14:09:24.040+05:30Tatooed landscape<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/undulating%20camels.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/undulating%20camels.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The desert, the camels- one and the same. Softly undulatnig mounds, both.<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Illford BW 800ISO<br />2005, Camel Fair, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1152176104507836932006-07-06T14:25:00.000+05:302006-07-08T23:25:27.620+05:30The Bride<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/the%20bride.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/480/the%20bride.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />As you can see, I'm really having to trawl the archives now. Camera's gone in for servicing and replacement of certain parts damaged in drunken stupor during recent trip to Goa. Though, having said that, pictures of pretty women is something that this photoblog can do with a certain measure of...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 800ISO<br />2005, Pune, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1148577100996508442006-05-25T22:41:00.000+05:302006-05-25T22:55:18.833+05:30The doctor's morning secret<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/salil%20brushing.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/salil%20brushing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />My younger brother once asked me <span style="font-style: italic;">'How come there's no pictures of me on your blog?'</span>. So I searched my archives for the goofiest, most embarassing picture of him that I could find. This is it- what I call his <span style="font-style: italic;">'teeth-brushing'</span> expression.<br /><br />On the other hand, he's a bloody good surgeon. And the best brother I could have wished for... I love you Salil.<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 800ISO<br />2005, Bombay, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1146393242794222242006-04-30T16:04:00.000+05:302006-04-30T16:22:28.886+05:30Schadenfreude<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/camel%20and%20lee.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/camel%20and%20lee.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="hw"><span style="font-weight: bold;">scha·den·freu·de</span> </span><span class="pron" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation key')" onmouseout="m_out()" onclick="pron_key()"><span style="font-style: italic;">(shäd</span><img style="font-style: italic;" src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/prime.gif" align="absbottom" /><span style="font-style: italic;">n-froi</span><img style="font-style: italic;" src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/lprime.gif" align="absbottom" /><span style="font-style: italic;">d</span><img style="font-style: italic;" src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/schwa.gif" align="absbottom" /><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span><br /></span> Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">[German : <tt>Schaden</tt>, <i>damage</i> (from Middle High German <tt>schade</tt>, from Old High German <tt>scado</tt>) + <tt>Freude</tt>, <i>joy</i> (from Middle High German <tt>vreude</tt>, from Old High German <tt>frewida</tt>, from <tt>fr<img src="http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/omacr.gif" align="absbottom" /></tt>, <i>happy</i>).]</span><br /><br />______<br /><br />Camels have a sense of humour, methinks<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 100ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, India<br /><br /></span>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1141402913276790972006-03-03T21:46:00.000+05:302006-03-03T21:57:21.810+05:30Blue<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5237/449/1600/blue%20door.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5237/449/1600/blue%20door.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And there- on a busy market street- like a portal into Wonderland!<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 100ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1140717192212706352006-02-23T22:47:00.000+05:302006-02-23T23:35:06.636+05:30Once...<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5237/449/1600/cannons%20in%20black%20and%20white.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5237/449/1600/cannons%20in%20black%20and%20white.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5237/449/1600/cannons%20in%20black%20and%20white%2002.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5237/449/1600/cannons%20in%20black%20and%20white%2002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">in bright white battles</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />they did their time;</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Now, mute sentinels,<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">with each passing moment</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />they mark it...</span><br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Illford ISO400<br />2005, Diu Fort, Diu, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1139731025483125982006-02-12T13:27:00.000+05:302006-02-12T14:32:47.670+05:30Like Multi-Coloured Phalii !<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/mounds%20of%20colour.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/mounds%20of%20colour.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">India is a colourful country. More so if you visit Gujarat and Rajasthan- both primarily desert states. The weather's arid for the most part, rainfall is scanty and the terrain is littered with scrub vegetation. The people make up for the drabness by filling their lives with colour. Their clothes, their homes, the streets- everything's vibrant and in your face. You can't help but want to shoot everything you lay your eyes on...</span><br /><br />______<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Vijay Lakshmi Sindoor Bhandaar</span>- makers and roadside sellers of pigments, dyes and other colours... The best Point-of-Purchase publicity I've seen in a long time...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 100ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1139335851314102502006-02-07T23:40:00.000+05:302006-02-08T00:35:15.066+05:30A Puppet Portrait<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/puppet%20portrait.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/puppet%20portrait.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />When one visits a place like Pushkar, a little town teaming with foreign tourists the year round but primarily a pilgrimage centre for Hindus, the last place one expects to be staying in is a little weather-beaten joint called The Pink Floyd Cafe and Hotel! Nonetheless, that is exactly where I stayed!! A charming little place that you must visit if you're ever in Pushkar... If you go in for that kind of thing, each room is named after a Pink Floyd album- mine was called A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Considering I shelled out almost three times what I would've paid in any other hotel at that time of the year, it must've been exactly that!! This puppet was cheerily posing for me in the rooftop cafe, though the fact that she was hanging from the rafters did seem a little morbid...<br /><br />______<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Oh, and I've been tagged by George of '<a href="http://www.jargonhunter.com/images/daily">A Daily Photoessay</a>', so-<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four jobs I’ve had:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Code Monkey<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Part-time Computer Assembler<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. Industrial Design Consultant<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. Entrepreuner<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four movies I can watch over and over:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/">Pulp Fiction</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/">Life Is Beautiful</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268380/">Ice Age</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073707/">Sholay</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Four places I’ve lived:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Bombay, India<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Kodaikanal, India<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. Aurangabad, India<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. Guwahati, India<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four TV shows I love:</span><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />1. I<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. don't<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. watch<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. TV<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four places I’ve vacationed:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Thimphu, Bhutan<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Goa, India<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. Pokhra, Nepal<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. Pushkar, India<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four of my favorite dishes:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Mincemeat Lasagna (the way I make it)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Spicy Bitter Beans Curry with Thalipith (the way my Mum makes it)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. Blueberry Cheesecake (haven't had a better one since Churchill's in Bombay about 2 years back)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. Kadhi-Moong ki dal-Rotli (yes Yash, I know I should be dropping in at your place soon)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four sites I visit daily:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. <a href="http://google.com">Google</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. <a href="http://myopicendeavour.blogspot.com">Myopic Endeavour</a> (well, almost daily)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. A whole bunch of photoblogs (see photoblogroll in the sidebar)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. <a href="http://www.core77.com">Core77</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four places I would rather be right now:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Biking it from Manali to Leh<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Attending Partha's wedding in Delhi<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. Visiting my brother in the UK (Stoke-on-Trent, charming little town and all that)<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. Working in Bangalore (?)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four bloggers I am tagging:</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">1. <a href="http://www.blurty.com/users/beingthea">Ritu</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">2. <a href="http://salilkarkhanis.blogspot.com">Salil</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">3. <a href="http://pixeldreams.blogspot.com/">Suyog</a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">4. <a href="http://ajayky.blogspot.com/">Ajay</a><br /><br /></span>______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 200ISO<br />2005, The Pink Floyd Cafe, Pushkar, India<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1139143577299841402006-02-03T18:16:00.000+05:302006-02-05T19:27:41.500+05:30Camel Herder<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/camel%20herder.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/camel%20herder.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Illford BW, 400ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1138004754069637582006-01-23T13:55:00.000+05:302006-01-23T14:09:56.010+05:30The Steel Bird<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/steel%20bird.jpg"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 2px; width: 640px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/steel%20bird.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sculpted metal</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Majestic in repose</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dismissive of lessness</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">by it's very existence.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Streak of silver</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Poetic in motion</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Exalting the tar-strip</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">with it's thunder-run.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The squiggly skid marks</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The ponderous approach</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">belie the grace and beauty</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">it was made for.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Man's desire</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">to leave Gaia's womb</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">reflected in that tense arc -</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The orgasm of flight.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What a glorious sight</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">to see the steel bird fly.<br /><br />______<br /><br /></span>Kodak Easyshare DX7590<br />2006, The Bright Blue...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1136308646740120012006-01-03T22:47:00.000+05:302006-01-03T23:26:42.426+05:30The lake at night<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/pushkar%20lake%20at%20night%20red.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/pushkar%20lake%20at%20night%20red.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><em>First off, a very happy, very crazy new year to everyone who's been in the habit of dropping by here. Do take time off from work and blogging to go out there and live real. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>A very helpful samaritan </em>(you know who you are)<em> took me by the hand the other day and safely got me across the quagmire that is independant hosting. This blog, in effect, will be shifting to a new domain with a spiffy new template that lets me, and you, do much more with it. And, hopefully, sooner rather than later.</em><br /><br /><em>On another note, I came across this very <a href="http://www.filemagazine.org/galleries/cowscapes/cowscapes.html">nice link </a>courtesy <a href="http://www.filemagazine.org">file magazine</a>, and with my fascination for cows (see <a href="http://myopicendeavour.blogspot.com/2005/05/portrait-of-cow.html">here </a>and <a href="http://myopicendeavour.blogspot.com/2004/06/some-invoke-elephant-headed-god-i.html">here</a> if you're a Doubting Thomas) I just have to put it out for anyone who hasn't seen it. Its fascinating how a simple subject transforms into art under the hands of a skilled artist!</em><br /><br />______<br /><br />Pushkar lake, late in the night, is a sight for sore eyes. No tourists, none ofthe riff-raff that run up to you and ambush you into buying a trinket or souvenir, no priests, no dogs, no cats. Just the still of the night, the lights, the water and the little hill. A nice place to be. For sore eyes and sore minds.<br /><br />This one's a longish exposure- about 30 seconds or so. As a result there's a fair amount of colour shifting and the photograph looks <em>nothing</em> like what I actually saw there that night. But that's part of the fun of shooting at night with the shutter wide open...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 400ISO<br />2005, Pushkar Lake, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1135963801653847822005-12-30T23:00:00.000+05:302005-12-30T23:46:08.500+05:30People, Pink and Blue<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/people,%20pink%20and%20blue.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/people,%20pink%20and%20blue.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><em>Small town niceties;</em><br /><em>Little things, really-</em><br /><em>An hour or two</em><br /><em>chatting up friends</em><br /><em>And watching the world go by...</em><br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 100ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, IndiaSahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1135239596813144792005-12-22T13:49:00.000+05:302005-12-22T14:01:30.196+05:30Tea-time Triptych<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/tea%2001.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/tea%2001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/tea%2002.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/tea%2002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/tea%2003.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/1024/tea%2003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 100ISO<br />2005, Ahmedabad-Udaipur Highway, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1134907162285396832005-12-18T17:29:00.000+05:302005-12-18T17:50:02.216+05:30Shiva and the Technicolour T-Shirt<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/shiva%20tshirt.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/shiva%20tshirt.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So you think only the likes of Nike and Reebok know about merchandise, eh? Well, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present to you <strong>Brand India</strong>. Or, if you're the finicky type who likes his/ her infobytes to be contexed <em>'just so'</em>, to be more precise Religion conveniently packaged onto a T-shirt...<br /><br />Forget the outsized tick-mark with the tagline proclaiming loudly Just Do It. For Rs.50 <em>(or just over a dollar, if you prefer to deal in foreign exchange)</em> you could buy yourself a shot of multi-coloured moksha in the form of a beatifically smiling Shiva adorning your T-shirt front...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 200ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1134591088048200982005-12-15T01:41:00.000+05:302005-12-15T02:04:27.353+05:30Elephants can't fly... So they hang (?)<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/hanging%20elephantsies%2001.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/hanging%20elephantsies%2001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><em>Bel-Totas</em>. That's what they're called. <em>Bel</em>, meaning vine or creeper and <em>Tota</em>, meaning parrot. Roughly translated that would be- a parrot-vine. I know, I know these are elephants. White, at that. Not even remotely green. And no they don't have red trunks either. I can see that as well as you. Humour me please...<br /><br />The villages around Pushkar have a thriving handicraft cottage industry. Today, that is. Wasn't always so. Was a time when the village women made parrot-vines in their free time. Yes, miniature, stuffed, cloth parrots hung on meters and meters of braided cloth. Decorated them with tassels and tinsels and sequins and bunched them up together to use as screens. To divide the living space inside the house, you know. Why parrots? I don't know. I'm not quite sure they know either or they would have told me. Yes, we asked.<br /><br />At some point in time someone figured there might be people living in cities who'd want to use <em>bel-tota</em> screens too <em>(don't ask me why, I don't know)</em>. And sure enough there were! And a thriving cottage industry was born. Eventually, I'm sure, some of these city dwellers got fed up with all the parrots hanging around their house <em>(who wouldn't?)</em>. Couldn't we have something different, they asked. Like other birds, for example. Or better still- not birds. Camels or tigers or what-have-yous. No?<br /><br />Obviously, the villagers complied. They probably figured they needed the money and I don't blame them. The long and short of it? This fascinating specimen- a vine of hanging elephants. White, at that I know...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 70-300mm, 1:4 Macro at 300mm<br />Fuji 400ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1134293213471040872005-12-11T14:56:00.000+05:302005-12-12T14:34:14.126+05:30Of facades<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/sadhu%20and%20bleached%20white%20houses.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/sadhu%20and%20bleached%20white%20houses.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The town of <strong>Pushkar</strong>, situated around 15kms from the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan, is built around the Pushkar Lake. It is a holy town, of around 12000 inhabitants, and home to several temples- notable among them being the temple of <strong>Brahma</strong> <em>(one of the Hindu Trinity)</em>. A city of temples, naturally, attracts wandering <strong>sadhus</strong> <em>(Hindu holy men)</em> from all over the country who come here to spend a few days in the company of God.<br /><br />The sadhus have a very strict code of life. They remain celibate and give up all the worldly pleasures in search of the greater truth. They live off the charity of townsfolk and their determination to live a life of penance and eternal seeking.<br /><br />Pushkar, unfortunately, also attracts a lot of foreign tourists. Ostensibly in search of the same greater truth but quite incapable of giving up the wordly treasures. The hotel industry caters to their every whim and fancy- drugs, booze, sex- the works. To me, during my stay there, Pushkar smacked of commercialism and all the entrapments that come with it.<br /><br />This moment, though, seemed too good to miss. Bleached white houses. Deserted street. And a lone sadhu walking towards the bathing ghats in the mid-afternoon heat. Pity, the garment shops lining the street betray what Pushkar has really become. Oh well, nothing's perfect...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 200ISO<br />2005, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1134026905570194562005-12-08T12:58:00.000+05:302005-12-08T14:09:24.280+05:30Of the human mind<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/marigold%20small.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/marigold%20small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The human mind is a strange thing. Consider this- a grainy, monochrome, macro image of a marigold. Look at it carefully. Let every detail seep in <em>(or as much detail as a grainy, monochrome will allow)</em>. Take your time.<br /><br />Now close your eyes. Try to remember every single marigold you've ever seen. As a child. As a grown up. At home or in the fields. If you've grown up in India it shouldn't be difficult at all. Marigold <em>torans</em> are ubiquitous during weddings, on festival days and in some of the more orthodox households, even on ordinary days like today.<br /><br />Go back to those moments. Let your mind drift. And watch the colour creep back in. The rich yellows and the deep goldens. Feel the details fill themselves out. The crepe-like petals encircling a heart of miniature towers- fortress like. The marigold in all its splendour- only in your mind's eye.<br /><br />Truly, the human mind is a strange thing.<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 70-300mm, 1:2 Macro at 300mm<br />Illford 400ISO<br />2005, My workshop at Khatraj, Some 25kms from Ahmedabad.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1133371881403177122005-11-30T23:01:00.000+05:302005-12-03T11:52:00.463+05:30Check out the do, dude!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/cool%20hairdo.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/cool%20hairdo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The small town of <strong>Pushkar</strong>, in eastern Rajasthan, completely transforms itself in early November to a spectacular fair that attracts tourists from the world over. The tourism revenue generated during the fair sustains the local population and takes them through the entire year. The Pushkar Fair is, essentially, two events coming together- the annual exhibition and sale of prize camels <em>(Pushkar's a desert town and camels are much in demand throughout the region)</em> and of course the marriage fair where the camel herder community's decked out in their finest and matches are sought for all their eligible young men and women.<br /><br />There's colour and festivity all around. And, of course, camels- as decked up as the young brides and grooms to be. There's painted camels, dressed up camels, tatooed camels. Camels of all shapes and sizes and various forms and degrees of adornment.<br /><br />But this one, I thought, took the cake. It's one thing, you know to do a David Beckham to your hair or shave your Premier League team's name on to your pate. It's another thing altogether when you try the stunt on your hairy deriere <em>(assuming, of course, you've got hair enough back there)</em>. This guy seemed pretty happy, though, chewing cud and showing off his rump to the world at large!<br /><br />______<br /><br />Nikon F75, 28-105mm<br />Fuji 100ISO<br />2005, The Camel Fair in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7362539.post-1133153414330969402005-11-28T10:20:00.000+05:302005-11-28T10:27:51.946+05:30Isn't he a beaut..?!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/Better%20Chameleon%20Small.jpg"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN: 2px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; WIDTH: 640px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/8/1161/800/Better%20Chameleon%20Small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />______<br /><br />Kodak Easyshare DX7590<br />2005, My workshop outside Ahmedabad, India.Sahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13737007355842111353noreply@blogger.com1