Category: Uncategorized

Shree Ganesh – PhotoSays!!

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , 6 Comments

Ganpati Bappa Moriya!! Seems like the mantra is in the air, announcing the on going Ganesh Chaturthi. Its said that the elephant headed God is remembered before starting a new chapter in life. This blog has completed half century, and what better timing could i have asked for. It wasnt planned to finish off 50 posts in this month, but i guess it was destined.

So after having completed 50 here, i need to move onto bigger things. That dosent mean i am going to cease to use this space. Just that i want to start off with a new concept on this blog which i have titled PhotoSays!! Its basically a mix of Photograph + Essay = PhotoSay!
I had been toying with the idea for a long time, to do photo essays. Its basically going to be about one aspect presented in the form of multiple photographs on this blog. I plan to put up atleast one PhotoSay a month. That ways i can add some value to the blog, give variety to it and hopefully get more hits:D

With Ganesh Chaturthi going on, i decided to do a photo essay on the workshops that make these huge idols before the actual festival, than just going ahead and shooting the idols when the festival is on. I had went to the workshop thats organised by Mr. Khatu at Parel Rly Quarters. Its a huge place, making idols of all sizes.


Getting Started
The process starts off with the unpainted Ganesh idol being given a base coat of the paint. The artist here is just going to spray paint the idol with a spray painter with a thin nozzle.

Final Touches
The Ganesh idol seen alongside was being given a final touch by the artists. The regal stance of the idol is what attracted me towards it.

Opening the Eye
This is a crucial part of entire process. There are special artists to open the Ganesha’s eyes, as the hand has to remain rock steady when painting the eye. One mistake and its a disaster.

I believe the eye is the most beautiful part of the entire idol. This is just one of the beautiful eyes i came across.

The Feet
The painting was not yet complete, but i just couldnt resist clicking the feet.

Putting up a few Ganesh idols i came across in the workshop. I am just showing three here as i have many more shots and it is confusing to select the better ones:D

Peacock is generally considered to be the vahana of Kartikeyan, Ganesh’s brother, so i was pleasantly surprised to see a Ganesh on top of a peacock. This idol was a definite crowd puller.

So with that i would like to conclude the first installment of my PhotoSay! Actually i started with this project a bit late, so i couldnt really get the whole process from scratch to the complete idol. But this trip to the Ganpati workshop was a great learning lesson. Hopefully, next year i will do a full blown post on the entire idol making process. Till then,

Take Care

Ciao

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to one and all!! Ganpati Bappa Moriya!!

The Perfectionist!

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , 9 Comments


Kala Ghoda is the undoubted Art District of Mumbai as one gets to feast his or her eyes on the pavement art galleries, a concept which is quite unique in itself. Many a times, if one is lucky, he gets to see the artists in their element.

I came across an artist who i have seen here since the last many years, and he does a complete clone of the photograph he has, with his pencil. The eyes in the potrait seem so lively. Infact it was the eyes which made me stop and notice the artist. You’ll can judge for yourself the level of perfection being displayed in the artwork.

Take Care

Ciao!

Locking Horns!

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , 9 Comments

I was wandering in the farms of my native place, a small village in the Konkan region along the Western coast of India. It was late May morning and a lot of cattle were out grazing the field. Noticed this buffalo and ox locking horns against each other, a unique thing for me, because its generally either two ox or two buffaloes, never one each.

I had read in a photography magazine once, that Timing plays a very important role in photography. The importance of which even excuses minor mistake that we may commit while clicking the shot. The above photograph is one such example of where i got the timing right but the emotions that could have been captured, had i been able to accentuate the eyes of either animals, was missed. But, thanks to the prominent back, one is able to differentiate between the buffalo and the ox.

Take Care

Ciao

The Podium!

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 9 Comments


With the Olympics round the corner I thought of trying to get that essence into my photography. The Rajabai Clock Tower and the fencing around the Oval Maidan came to my rescue. Rajabai Clock Tower, for the uninitiated, is quite a famous landmark here. Located in the Mumbai University Campus. Its 260ft tall. The Gothic architechture is lovely. The clocks on all four sides are properly synchronised. One special feature of the tower is that it chimes a tune every 15minutes.

Yea so i tried to incorporate the idea of the Olympics Medals podium onto this photograph. Where the Gold medalist is on a comparitively higher podium as compared to the other 2 medals. In the photograph, the clock tower is defintely a Gold Medallist. A metal that India hasnt got as yet in the Games.

Take Care

Ciao

PS : Abhinav Bindra won a GOLD medal in the Air Rifle shooting competition at the Beijing Olympics 2008! Yess! Finally India won a Gold at The Games. Lucky timing:D I had discussed about how India had yet to win a Gold a coupla days back and Abhinav helped achieve that for our country. Its indeed a proud moment for every Indian!

Wilderness

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 6 Comments


Was just going through my old photographs and i cringe at some of the mistakes i made. I mean there are some photographs which i could’ve improved upon on the spot. But then like the latest Aamir Khan ad goes ‘…Doosro ki galtiyon se kya seekhna, make your own mistakes yaar’, im really glad that i made those mistakes. It really helps me in improving upon my photography in a major way. This was one such photograph where i could’ve easily avoided the part of the tree that enters in the upper right.

I was strolling beside the beach, in South Goa and there was a huge wall formed by the palm trees which blocked the beach in a major way. Luckily we came across this opening, which gave a really charming view of the beach. The scene also had a human element, the cyclist. So before the cyclist went outta the frame, i captured the scene, not keeping in mind that i was introducing the unwanted trunk of the tree as well.

Take Care

Ciao

Towering!

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I am a sucker for the British Gothic Architechture across the CST – Fountain strech. I have been there on countless occasions with my camera, trying to capture the beauty of the buildings all around. Needless to say, the appetite for that is insatiable.

This is the LIC building located just after the alley separating it from Siddharth College. The spot from which i took the photograph has many Vada Pav, Chai vendors, as its a major junction for college students as well as Office going janata. The Standard Chartered Bank is just behind this LIC building.

I had captured this building before as well ‘Old World Charm’. But at that time i had just concentrated on one aspect of the building. This time though i wanted to showcase the structure through a different perspective. I wanted to highlight the architechture, as seen from a person standing below the building. I love trying out various angles.

Take Care

Ciao

Perspective

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , 8 Comments

I was at Flury’s for a heavy breakfast. A thing that Flury’s, Kolkata is renowned for. Located in Park Street, Kolkata, with a very European feel, this is one cafe that just cannot be missed in the food capital of Kolkata.

Anyways, we were waiting for the order to arrive. I was searching for photo ops in that duration. After having clicked the interiors from my seat (they really dont like photography inside), i noticed the insignia of Flurys being reflected on the water surface. I drank a few sips and placed the glass on the Flurys paper base, so that the complete reflection could be noticeable. The result is as seen above.

Take Care

Ciao

Jaane Ye Raahein Ab Le Jayengi Kahaan….

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , 16 Comments

“Tanha Dil” is one of my all time favourite songs. Its so meaningful yet catchy at the same time. I particularly love those two lines in it,
“Aankhon me sapne liye, ghar se hum chal to diye,
Jaane ye raahein ab le jayengi kahaan..”

Life isnt always straight. Twists, turns, changes are a part and parcel of life. Lets face it, that adds a lot of salt, spice, chaat (take your pick) to our lives. I myself am at a similiar such turn in my life, careerwise. Lets see what happens:D

Photography has some rules for sure, but its fun bending those rules at times. Afterall, as the saying goes, rules are meant to be broken.

Whilst jaywalking around the Banganga district in Walkeshwar, i came across these stone stairs leading out of Banganga, and after having taken some standard shots of the stairs, i decided to click at an angle, thus making the composition asymmetrical. Luckily around the time i was composing the shot, a local seemed to be coming my way, i waited till he arrived at just the right spot and captured the moment. The idea behind keeping the man in the frame was to show some kinda action in the frame, which otherwise would have looked very static. I have observed that none of my photographs have the human element, and i am trying my best to work on it.

Take Care

Ciao

Showstopper Shadow!

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , 10 Comments


Afternoon, my friend once told me, isnt a very good time to practise photography as the sun is fierce and it can cause the photo to display bright highlights or too much shadows. I dont agree completely with that maxim, as a change in the subject and sensitivity towards the play of light can help you make decent photographs.

This photograph is from my native place series. I was strolling in the farms in the afternoon and decided to hike to a nearby village by crossing the farms. The bridge seen here is a very old structure, useless during the summers but very important during the rains. The shadows of the skeleton of the bridge particularly interested me. They seemed to proclaim that till the angle of the sun changed, donot dare step on the bridge. I had a ball clicking many photographs from various angles. One dosent really come across such bridges “accidentally” anymore:d

Take Care

Ciao

A Dragon Fossil?!?

Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , 4 Comments


Creeks or small lakes seem very boring when viewed at eye level. But at 10,000 plus feet its an altogether different view. What seems boring suddenly becomes fascinating. Like this waterbody i came across whilst flying from Mumbai to Kolkata. I dont know the exact spot as Jet Airways dont have the GPS screen as Kingfisher does. (The height may also be ambiguous, but i wasnt too high as well so im keeping it at 10K ft). The landscape becomes very intriguing once the flight has started its ascent.

I came across many such waterbodies whilst the journey, but this one in particular left me pleasantly surprised. It seemed to me like the Chinese Dragon all ready to spew fire. Nature is indeed very fascinating, once we change our vantage point, our perspective.

Take Care

Ciao

PS : I know the quality of the photograph isnt upto the mark, but in my defence ill say that i had to shoot through the window of the plane, plus the atmosphere was kinda misty.