An engineer turned journalist's story
Another one of those random photographs i made on the spur of the moment. Was sitting on a bike, tired after a mammoth photo session at the Dadar Flower market. Noticed the scene in front of my in the mirror of the bike, even though the reflective surface was facing me. Couldnt get the exact details in the other mirror, but got a chance to play around with the Depth of Field.
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PS: Finally changed the layout of the blog after procrastinating for toooo long:P
Yea i have written the headline right. I never thought i would ever walk out of a photography workshop. But today’s Nat Geo Moment Awards Photography Workshop was just a big yawn!
National Geographic is a benchmark as far as promotion of photography goes. I was expecting an unforgettable experience at a workshop organised by these guys. It was unforgettable yeah, but for the wrong reasons.
The venue was the BCL auditorium. The workshop was conducted by renowned fashion photographer, Israr Qureshi. He showcased his work commisioned as well as personal. It was really good. Great potrait shots, I must say. But that was it. It was later followed by a Q n A session, where 80 percent of the questions asked were downright stupid.
Sample : Does using the click button on the DSLR reduce the “lens” life?!?! (This coming from a person who uses Nikon D60!)
The exhibition outside the audi had some equisite photographs. I was expecting a major discussion of Nat Geo type photographs, involving wildlife, landscapes, travel, people etc. But i was majorly disappointed when i learnt that the photographer was a Fashion photographer. Again i will say that the potrait shots were exceptional, but i dunno if its just me or what, but Nat Geo and Fashion Photography somehow dont seem like the best of combinations. I mean ok i can understand if Vogue or Grazia or OK hold a workshop with a fashion photographer, but a Nat Geo event on fashion photography.
Screw it. I left the session midway as i couldnt take it any more. I can understand people asking basic questions, i did that a lot. But when you constantly keep pounding the photographer with questions regarding how the shot was made, what shutter speed was used, i feel that is streching it a bit too much.
For the first time i actually wanted out of any event related to photography. Sad!
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Lezim is a very popular folk dance form in Maharashtra. The word Lezim in Sanskrit means beauty. Its a dance form that involves a combination of physical exercise and the art of dancing. It’s done with a small mallet to the music of drums at times.
The above photograph was clicked on the day of Maharashtrian new year, Gudi Padwa. The vibrant colors and the synchronised movement of the dancers make this dance form a very fascinating performance. This dance is also seen during the Ganesh Visarjan festivities.
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The Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue is over 125 years old, located in the hearth of Mumbai at Fort. Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue was built in 1884 by Jacob Elias Sassoon and his brother Albert in memory of their father Eliyahoo Sassoon.
It was a Friday, which is the Holy Sabbath day for the Jews. The security guard wouldnt let me enter the Synagogue. Its a beautiful structure in Blue and white. One of the few remaining Synagogues in Mumbai.
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Gangtok is a beautiful paradise with an exotic culture, for a city slicker like me at least. I was in the Rumtek Monastery, doing my usual thing, clicking photographs. I noticed this mother child duo rotating the Buddhist prayer wheels which have the Buddhist Mantra “Om Mani Padme” engraved onto it. The one thing that attracted my attention apart from the obviously cute baby, was the way in which the mother held onto him.
The vibrant colors of the attire of both the mother and child were attractive.
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Dada Bagwe was returning from the village across the farm, from where he gets his daily litre and a half of milk. It also happened to be his 60th wedding anniversary that day. I was waiting for the peacocks to fly down to the farms that morning and Dada happened to pass by. He was probably wondering what a city yuppie like me was doing so early in the farms.
He is my next door neighbor in my native place. His daily routine at his age always boggles me. At 72, he is quite fit, and still rides his bicycle. He has got a whole gamut of village tales. In his company my cousins and me never feel bored. I purposely used the Color accent mode in this photograph, to enhance the green colored eyes of the man.
On his Wedding Anniversary, i had promised that i would give him this photograph. I need to send it asap:P
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Was hanging out around the Banganga premises in Girgaum area. Its a peaceful area, with the silence punctuated by the quack of the ducks and bells from the temples. The showstopper here is the network of stone steps which ultimately lead into the water body. The water body, according to Hindu Mythology came into existence after Lord Ram struck an arrow into the earth resulting in sprouting of water. The name Banganga separates into Ban = Arrow and Ganga – the name of India’s holiest river.
Here time seems to stop for reasons unknown. Surrounding the Banganga premise is a large number of temples dedicated to the numerous Hindu and Jain gods and godessess. A very religious feel this whole place has.
The guy in the photograph was the only human being i saw other than me in the entire complex. He was just walking from one end to the other, seemed to me that he was introspecting.
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Mumbai is blessed with these old world structures like the lamp post in the photograph above. Was walking along the Gateway of India, when i noticed two crows, perched onto the wires connected to the lamp post. They seemed to be lost in a kind of conversation that we humans generally have when we are facing each other after an argument, or a difference of opinions. The crow on the left seems to be making some point, which the crow on the right seems to agree with now, but did not agree upon initially. The clear sky provided a perfect backdrop for this photograph. Have tried to make use of a concept called negative space in the photograph.
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I am sorry for the delay in putting up the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) 2009 photographs. No i wasnt short of time or anything, just a typical Taurean trait coming to the fore here, laziness. Am posting a few photographs now, will update this post pretty soon.
>> A graphiti artist painting the Kalaghoda green.
>>The sketching on the spread across the parking lot went on….
>> ….and on
>> This art installation within the parking lot had a lot of speakers jutting out from all sides, sound quality of the audio wasnt that great though:P
>>A sculptor was busy etching out the faces of his customers on this piece of clay. This was something quite unique and taking live potraits to another level altogether.
>> An art installation within the Parking Lot that talked about sanitation woes in a crowded city like Mumbai. It was the only installation with lots of material to read alongwith it.
>> Sudharak Olwe, a photographer par excellence, who’s work on the life of Commercial Sex Workers was on display in the Parking Lot.
>> Calligraphy as an art form, courtesy Achyut Palaw.
>> Performance by the Indian Whistlers Association, wherein they belted out KishoreDa’s numbers, whistled their way into the hearts of the audience.
>> Unpertubed by the bustlign Kala Ghoda Fest, the regular pavement artists around Kala Ghoda were at their work.
>> The David Sasson Library under lights.
>> The Grand Finale at the Asiatic Library where Shaan was performing.
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This is going to be a non photographic post.
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) is one event i eagerly await each year. Its a time when the whole Art District gets a complete artistic makeover. Huge art installations dot the parking lot and the Rampart Row; stalls of Indian ethnic and regional accessories; crowds on the steps opposite the amphitheatre; literature lectures at David Sassoon Library; plays at Horniman Circle; film screenings at Cama Hall and workshops among other things, are like steroids for a culture vulture.
I remember the first time i had visited KGAF was when i was in engineering. I wasnt that into art and culture then, as the only thing that excited me was technology (not that technology dosent excite me now) About two years back i actually started to engage myself in this festival by participating in workshops, being a part of the audience at David Sassoon Library, watching World cinema at Cama Hall. My love for art and culture has grown by leaps and bounds thanks in part to KGAF.
It’s been two hectic days of KGAF, with 7 more days to go. Have attended lots of events so far and have lots to say. Lots of photographs to share as well. So this is like my personal curtain raiser of sorts for the KGAF on my blog.
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Shutterbugged 