Myopic Lenses

Junkyard Groove Live@EC 41, Chennai

2011-07-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

Score Magazine -July issue

2011-07-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

My latest published work from the shoot I did for Submerge supernove fest at Bangalore. Published in the July issue of The Score magazine. You can read the full magazine at highonscore.com or pick up a copy from the newsstands :D.

A better version of the page can be seen at http://issuu.com/score/docs/v04i03/29

Alone in Mumbai

2011-07-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

alone in Mumbai...staring at the city of dreams..

Discussions, deliberations.

2011-07-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

Nakku Mukka-Mumbai style!

2011-06-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

hmm!!

2011-06-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hmm...Ithokke nammal ethra kandatha!...

Monsoon's here...run for cover..

2011-06-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Monsoon's here...run for cover..

The monsoon arrives!

2011-06-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

A boy savours the arrival of the rains..

Charminar times

2011-05-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

Old man @ Pooram

2011-05-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Continuing with the faces seen at the Thrissur pooram

Enthaada nokkunnathu?Njanum Pooram kaanan vannatha![what are you looking at? Even I came to watch the pooram!]

The wait

2011-05-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم)

2011-05-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Rain doesn't make the cheerful young man forget the pleasantries. While he runs, he stops and says to his shopkeeper friend..... As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم)

shot near charminar, Hyderbad.

Standing tall

2011-05-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

Standing tall...two guys prop themselves up above the crowd to get a clear view of 'kudamaattom' at Thrissur pooram

The Thrissur pooram Vedikkettu effect!

2011-05-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

This is what Thrissur Pooram vedikkettu[fireworks] can do to you...you shield your ears, you cringe, you open your mouth in amazement...you are truely overwhelmed!

PS- Restarting this dead blog with parallel postings from my facebook photography page. Check in for daily updates.

Launching facebook Page

2011-01-27T13:09:00.000-08:00

Announcing the launch of my photography page in facebook-
www.facebook.com/myopiclensesphotography

Click on 'Like' and join to get regular updates.

Thanks for all the support

Avial:Live in Kyra

2010-08-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Some shots from Avial's concert at Kyra theatre in Bangalore on friday....

a rare meeting...motherjane's suraj mani comes in as a special guest and sings the classic mindstreet with avial..

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Bangalore Fashion Week-V[Last part]

2010-08-05T10:48:00.000-07:00

rose girls...led by Neha Dhupia

showstopper-Neha dhupia

showstopper-Sophie

leaning leg of Bangalore

press!!!

Black or white

mandira bedi

i can fly

lined up

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

PS- Bye to all for the next one month. Going on a 14 day trip to Manali, Ladakh and then fron there straight to kerala to celebrate Onam. :) cheeers!

Bangalore Fashion Week-IV

2010-08-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

Some scenes from behind the scenes at the Bangalore Fashion Week...

makeup blurring the real self?

Gimme red

two faced?

Hairy matters

the paint job

posing practice.

the elusive perfect pose

lining the eyes

peer pressure?

hmmmm!who cares?????

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Bangalore Fashion Week-III

2010-07-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

Model Faith Pandey special....I just couldn't atop clicking;)

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Bangalore Fashion Week-II

2010-07-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

Bangalore Fashion Week-I

2010-07-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Starting a series on Bangalore Fashion week, which happened last week. Four days of glitz, gramour, fun and non stop clicking. This post dedicated to Arya Banerjee, one of the show stoppers on the first day. She acted in Love, Sex Aur dokha(LSD).

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Faces in the crowd

2010-07-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Walking along MG road....Vijith,Rindo,Vinay

Standing out in the crowd....Vijith,Rindo,Vinay,Murali

One clicks..the other oggles...Vivek and Vinay

a casual chat over coffee

and the chat goes...on and on...and on

an unknown face..seen near Brigade road..

mera number kab aayega...... Rindo and Vinay

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

The new lens arrives

2010-06-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

My new lens (canon 55-250mm IS) arrived this saturday. And the very next day I proceeded to the nearby park to test its capabilities...Here are some of those first shots...

as red as it can get...

abandoned..

same scene from another angle

and some from the archives(all shot with the 50mm lens)

Hold on

The lone traveller(checkout the protruding legs :D )

walk on.

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Junkyard Groove @ HRC, Bangalore

2010-05-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Junkyard Groove performed at Hard Rock Cafe, Bangalore last week. Some shots from the concert.

Ameeth..all energy

and this is the secret of his energy

a lighter moment between Ameeth and Siddarth

the showman at work

these guys knows how to take the crowd along

a moment outside the hall...a perspective through the gates...

Craig

Sid on storm..

Hard Rock Cafe Bangalore is a wonderful stone building. The walls are adorned with rock memorabilia and photographs of legendary rock stars. A quick run through of some of the walls...Guess one more visit is needed to cover the whole thing.

Dave Grohl's broken guitar..

Blowin' in the wind...Dylan looks upon the crowd..

The scary sujanya( :P) just before the concert

and our little group...:)

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

The Coffee shop portraits

2010-04-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

It was a sunny evening at the Alappuzha beach. Naadankallu and the deceptively violent beach was a potent combo. We were tired after being tossed around by the waves. And after a bit of kite flying we headed straight to the Indian coffee house, opposite the beach. The setting was perfect with some warm light of the evening sun flowing in. As the coffee spread its aroma all around, the camera got down to work...
Presenting, the coffee shop portraits...

the road outside the coffee house

And, the next day was dedicated to fishing...There was this little guy hanging around there watching us all. I asked his permission for a click. That was just the start and then the guy started giving me poses. Later, he started giving me orders to click him in various poses. He even offered to bring in his bicycle. He was also full of gyaan on the various aspects of fishing. We could've done better with some tips from him as ten of us managed to get just 3 fishes. After a few shots, when we bid goodbye to him, he asked, "when are you coming back?"

the catch

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Scenes from Alappuzha

2010-04-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

More shots from Alappuzha

sail on

an invitation to walk on water :)

snaking their way down

a typical morning near the backwaters

and this is how vehicles cross the backwaters to the other side

naadan kallu!!-a meeting of minds, hands and glasses

a sunny afternoon

the backbone of the economy...it WAS once...

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

SLR Debut-The Kiteman & The Kids

2010-04-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

And Now its time to bring in the snaps from the new cam- The Canon 500D, my first DSLR. For those who missed the news, I did announce in my main blog, that I sold my old prosumer(which clicked all the pics in this blog till now) and brought a new 500D with kit lens(18-55 mm) and a 50mm lens. And the first outing of the new boy was to the picturesque land of Alappuzha...Some snaps...

with a beedi in his hand, he sat there. The afternoon sun was showing no mercy. The kites fluttered in the wind and wished to be untied from the cycle. The wear and tear on the cycle showed how old the business was. As I kneeled down on the sand and asked his permission for a click, a small smile escaped his lips..

waiting for the evening to bring in the kids...

possibly the only colours in an otherwise black n white life

still no one to be seen...

and then some not so small kids in our group decided to try their hand at kite flying. The old man finally got some business and the 'kids' some fun..(and some photographers, a couple of clicks...move your eyes to the left bottom of the pic to see another photographer in action)

"They stole my kite...booohooo"....and some just refuse to grow up :P

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Random Notes-2

2010-03-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

A collection of leftovers from various trips...

hug me tight :) (Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry)

Trishul-the most misused symbol of God in India(somewhere in coorg)

alternate power sources(a view from the top of talacauvery in coorg)

another view from the same place

when the clouds came(yet another view from the same place :P )

as thick as it can get. wish these are preserved forever(and yet yet another view from the same place)

Paddy fields in coorg

inside a coffee planatation in Coorg

dare cross this(near Iruppu falls, Coorg)

vaanaprastham...(Tibetan Monastery, Coorg)

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Alambara fort

2010-03-15T07:46:00.001-07:00

This is another scenic place on the east coast road from Madras to Pondicherry. There are ruins of a fort overlooking the sea. This is a popular movie shooting location.

view from the edge of the fort walls

some of the fort ruins

inside auroville in pondicherry

signalling the indo-French culture of Pondicherry...there's a flag of european union too(unseen in the snap)

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

2010-03-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

On our visit to Madras, we had an one day trip to Pondicherry. It was one of those trips where the journey was more fun than the destination. To be more precise, the places on the way to Pondicherry were fab. The first stop on the way was Fisherman's cove. Those who have seen the 'anjaane' song from yuva(aayitha ezhuthu) will remember this place. Its a unque experience where you are taken in a boat away from the shore and dropped into the sea(with the life jacket on, of course). It was an exhilarating experience to float around and experience the awesome power and vastness of the sea. And when we tried swimming, we remained at the same place. Added to that was a sailor cum photographer who clicked pics with awesome timing. Most of our dives to the sea were shot with perfect timing. We never wanted to get back into the boat!!

Some pics clicked by our boatman...

Our next stop was the crocodile park. Crocs, crocs and more crocs. Of every variety imaginable.

Order!!!Order!!

come closer...

a gharial

am the new brand ambassador for colgate..

And then there was the snake park inside which there was a special enclosure where poison was extracted from snakes. There were pots arranged all around, each filled with snakes. And there was one man who was extracting poison from small snakes. The snakes were made to bite a glass pot, in which the poison got collected. Beside that there was a long line of men who came there to 'submit' their catch for the day. Yeah, locals come here weekly to do these snake submissions. The sound of hissing all around is sure to make you uncomfortable. And its not a reassuring sight when you see those eyes zoomed in through the camera lens. And for a person who cant even stand the sight of a snake on TV, a mobile phone vibration is enough to make him jump. And make 5 people around him jump too(dont think too much. Its me:)

this is my favourite pose

the enclosure where poison is extracted...each of the pots has a snake inside..

extracting poison..the glass pot gets fileld with poison

Through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Tada Waterfalls

2010-02-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Tada falls is situated in the Andhra-Tamil Nadu border. Google will tell you that its 80km from Madras. But, once we reached the place we realised that its almost 125km. Its known as Ubbalamadugu waterfalls in Andhra. Once you reach there, you have to walk about 3 kms through a path filled with big stones. Half way through you'll get a glimpse of the flowing stream. Then its a trek up some rocky paths and through a little dense forest. Be sure to reach the place atleast by 2 O clock, else you'll have to run all the way, as we realised.

there r beautiful villages full of paddy fields on the way...

the dark lord is coming..

No more tears...and leaves...to shed..

a treehouse at the bottom of the falls.

the rocky path

We reached the falls after walking and climbing for more than one hour. All through the way, there were many who asked us to turn back because the falls were very far and we wont reach by nightfall. Thankfully, we didnt. And we were treated to some breathtaking scenery. And the best part. There was no one else at the top. Just the three of us. And we had the whole falls for us alone..

nature at its best..

the falls meandering down from the top. Check the small white lines on the top rightside of the rocks. Thats one of the origins of the falls

zoom in to the right...

the mammoth rocks

the rocks from a distance

one of the small streams we had to cross..

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Madras Times

2010-02-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

Some clicks from my recent trip to Madras. The place covered here is the broken bridge near Besant Nagar beach.

Follow me not...chart your own path..

And a bird seems to have imitated the man's walking pattern

the broken bridge(a popular shooting location..remember that bottle throwing scene from 'aayitha ezhuthu'?)

the other part of the broken bridge.

synchronised fliers...these vareity of birds are treat to watch for how synchronised the whole flock is..They move, they walk, they turn, they fly, they stop...all with great synchronisation.

another shot of this interesting flock

fishermen getting ready for the evening catch

Crushed childhood...

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Sivanasamudra

2010-02-03T11:05:00.000-08:00

Sivanasamudra is a place filled with waterfalls, located near Mysore. We had a superb bike trip to this place last weekend. A photo walkthrough...

coracles are a major attraction at Sivanasamudra. They'll take you just beneath the waterfall. Its an exhilarating feeling when they make it spin fast and the water sprays all over your face...

coracle

Wisdom comes with age..

the bhara chukki falls at Sivanasamudra.
There are 2 major falls in Sivanasamudra- Gagan chukki and bhara chukki. Gagan chukki is mostly dry this time of the year. Its a real big waterfall during rainy season. It can only be watched from the top as getting into the waters is dangerous. But Bhara chukki has water all the year round and you can have a nice time swimming in it.

bharachukki...

a very small, but beautiful waterfall

fish, all ready to be fried...this is another of the attractions at this place(if u r a non veggie)..and dont forget to try this..

Be careful son...Humans r the most dangerous animals you'll ever come across..

dare click me?

beat the heat!!

productivity redefined...on the way to sivanasamudra...

an expert at crossing the waters..fading light and the high speed monkey ensured that this is all I'll get clicked...

the team...the coraclewallahs resting..and waiting for the next bunch to arrive...

the group...minus me:)

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Pune & Lonavala

2010-01-29T22:23:00.000-08:00

Some shots from my visit to Pune and Lonavala last month..

a scenic place near khadakvasala dam, Pune..
But looks are deceptive. We were driving past the dam, looking for a place to get down. And then we saw this beautiful place from the road. We got down and walked towards it. Just as we neared the place, we realised that all iz not well because we saw this raised platform with lots of ashes around. Yes, it was a cremation ground(word courtesy-Raja :P ). Still we proceeded to enjoy the beauty of the place. And as we were returning, we saw somebody coming with a nasty looking buffallo. Hope it was not the dark lord himself...and so, our Pune trip started in the best possible way...

near bhushi dam, Lonavala.
Lonavala is a beautful place midway on the Pune-Mumbai highway.
(Checkout the song from 'karthik calling karthik' where they go in bike through lonawala and then sit facing the Lion's point)

a lake on the hilltop, on the way to Lion's point. We wondered if it will spill over in the monsoons...

another view of the same lake from the lion's point.

interpret it...a hill which looks like a lion's face. I felt it looked more like a man :D

together...a couple enjoying their time from the topmost point at Lion's point

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Bombay Meri Jaan

2010-01-22T05:33:00.000-08:00

The Taj Mahal Tower

Open wounds...Taj Mahal Palace and Tower

Oberoi Trident, Marine drive

The Bandra-Worli sea link, as seen from the Bandra bandstand

Everyone welcome, except terrorists...Gateway of India

'woh dekho bhaaai'...a scene from the gateway...

Rajabhai clock tower...have seen this in many movies, most recently in 'Paanch'..

a view from marine drive

The Bombay skyline...as seen when the sun is in full glory

Jai Jawan Jai Kisan...the legendary Lal Bahadur Shastri

Rush hour..

the lifeline of Bombay...

6 Sigma..efficiency redefined...the dabbawallahs of Bombay

PS-I prefer to call the city Bombay. All offence meant to the regionalistic brigade who insist on calling it Mumbai.

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Beach Scenes II

2010-01-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

'In the spotlight'- There's nothing like a game of football in the evening with friends on
a beach on a lazy weekend. Even watching it can be fun, as I discovered here
(Sulthan Battery beach, Mangalore)

And some others find pleasure in playing alone, like this Greek guy whom I met in the
beaches of Goa. He just had his dog for company.
Adding some more of the story behind this-
Me and vinay saw this guy playing beautifully near the beach and clicked some pics. Then we went near him and asked him to do some moves for the cam. But sadly, once he became conscious of the lens, he lost all his natural touch and began to fumble big time. Yes, sometimes its better to watch quietly from far away:D

skills galore

blaze (Sulthan Battery beach, Mangalore)

Hide and seek (Sulthan Battery beach, Mangalore)

setting sun, a calm beach, powder sand , ..... stuff of dreams(Sulthan Battery beach, Mangalore)

'Mystery man' - This man was sitting on a small rocky island far away from the shore, away from
all the hustle and bustle of the beach. Maybe, he wanted to spend sometime alone. And,
what a way to do it!!!!(Sulthan Battery beach, Mangalore)

Perfect reflections(changed the dull background to a bluish one in photoshop. No other editing done)
shot from end point at Manipal

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Beach scenes-Mangalore

2009-11-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

Some shots taken at the Sulthan battery beach in Mangalore...

Starfishes- Washed ashore...

a special gift...

Just like an open book

uprooted

Traveller(shot at Goa beach)

dear fishes...here we come!

your crusader Praveen

Lensview

2009-11-20T05:10:00.000-08:00

Black Gold!

back home-a group of ibis back in its nest after the day's work(shot at Ranganathittu bird sanctuary)

ibis

am the overseer(shot at Mangalore)

one of the scariest eyes I've ever seen...At Ranganathittu, you have these scary crocodiles swimming in the same waters that your boat is travelling. And this guy was very close to our boat. The slightly zoomed view through the lens was too scary. The boatman was in no mood to move and was asking me to take a close up. After seeing this, I din't have the courage to look again!

Resting on the rocks after a feast!

getting ready for a bath(near Nagarhole national park)

We thought it was a fox(or faaaax as a lady in our safari van was telling). But the driver corrected us and told that its a wild dog.

an ad shot for safari(snapped on the road that goes along Nagarhole national park. Too good a drive)

jungle safari(inside Nagarhole)

your crusader Praveen

Home-Made models

2009-11-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

This weekend, my roommates accompanied me on my weekend trip to Coorg. And I was more than happy to get four 'high profile' models for a shootout spread over 2 days. Here are some of those 'modelling' shots. Introducing my roomies...

Model No.1- Praveen aka thotta

Model No.2- Raja

Model No.3- Raja's finger

Model No.4- Manu aka Manavaalan

Model No.5- Jijo aka Chajo

Model get together...

fly in front of the lens(photo courtesy-Jijo)...

lift off...

wayside clicking

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Capoeira:The Brazilian martial art

2009-11-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

We were walking along the Anjuna beach in Goa, feasting our eyes and lens on the bikini clad gals all around, when my eyes fell on a guy and a lady doing somersaults and small fighting steps. The movements were graceful and it almost looked like a dance. After few clicks from far away, I approached them to satisfy my curiosity. The guy who turned out to be from Kerala(yea, my guess was right) and his friend from Japan were practising the Brazilian martial art form Capoeira. It is said to have been developed by some slaves in jail. The dance like steps would fool onlookers into thinking that its some weird dance. Capoeira was banned in Brazil for sometime in the 18th century because it was practised widely by the slaves.

A short intro on Capoeira, courtesy wikipedia:
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, and dance. It was created in Brazil by slaves brought from Africa, especially from present day Angola some time after the 16th century. It was developed in the region of Quilombo dos Palmares, located in the actual Brazilian state of Alagoas and has great influence on the Afro-Brazilian generations, with strong presence at the actual states of Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro.[1] Participants form a roda, or circle, and take turns either playing musical instruments (such as the Berimbau), singing, or ritually sparring in pairs in the center of the circle. The sparring is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, and extensive use of sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. Less frequently used techniques include elbow strikes, slaps, punches, and body throws. Its origins and purpose are a matter of debate, with theories ranging from views of Capoeira as a uniquely Brazilian folk dance with improvised fighting movements to claims that it is a battle-ready fighting form directly descended from ancient African techniques.

2 weeks later, I saw a repeat performance at the 'Sulthan Bathery' beach in Mangalore. A 10 year old guy was doing summersaults and crazy jumps. In between he would run to his mother, talk something and then again get back to work. Am sure, he's not under any Capoeira training. Just one of the life skills attained automatically...

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Churches of Goa

2009-10-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

an unknown church on the road to Panjim

Basilica of Bom Jesus

An abandoned church in Anjuna beach

Unknown church on the road to Vasco-awesome setting by the sea side...

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Kids on the beaches of Goa

2009-10-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Isn't this pose enough?Should I smile a little more?

childhood...playing in the sand, getting dirty and still enjoying it...!

Will my old age also be as carefree as this??

and the unfortunate ones...

one of the million unremarkable lives, u think? you, the unremarkable fool is wrong!

u r hearing the sound of hunger, the sound of empty plate, the howling of an empty stomach...and it indeed is one of the best symphonies ever created...

through the crusader's myopic lenses

Random notes

2009-09-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

bottled feelings..waiting to be uncorked..

purposeless?

childly love!

fly away..

the black rider

When will I finish drinking this?

Stylish perch

bending stresses

ramp walk practise

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Silhouetted!

2009-09-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

A silhouette is a view of an object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black- wikipedia description of silhouette.

The past weekend, on my trip to Trivandrum, it was raining silhouettes at the Veli lake. I had one of my blogger friends Punnya for company. What was supposed to be a small photography class ended up as a silhouette modelling workshop. Punnya seems to be an expert in this field with the kind of poses that she gave to the lens. The brilliant sun bathed the shore in golden yellow. The Veli lake merge into the sea at this place.

twilight

wind in my hair...sand at my feet

hopes?despair?or just blank!

ponder!life's boat's ready to set sail..

here we come...to kick ass!(models-unknown)

waves can wash it away from the sand...not from my heart (model- unknown)

I laugh at the waves, at the sun, at life...at me!!

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Kathakali:Power of Expressions

2009-09-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

The prelude song sounded. The chenda started on a slow tempo. The lady in kathakali costumes strode in. The next 15 minutes, no one barely moved in what was an enthralling performance, a perfect mixture of Natya, Nritha and Nrithya. Frankly speaking, I never had the patience to watch kathakali or even if I had, I never understood the basic things, leave alone the million nuances. A normal Kathakali performance lasts hours on end and has more than 1 artists. But this was one performance tailor made for the fast paced Gen Z, whose attention spans are as less as a millisecond. Standing just close to the stage had its own advantages as I could easily see the myriad expressions going through the face. I felt this lady could match any seasoned actress in brilliance. In those 15 odd minutes, the navarasas were all on view and made intermittent appearances. The sudden expression changes, the various mudras and the fast paced narrative meant that I was utterly confused on whether to click or just watch. Salutes to this lady for making me a kathakali fan...

Power of expressions

Waiting..impatiently

anger simmering within

Krodha...anger unleashed

Fear!!!

Terrorized..by an ancient Osama

Karunam...sorrow..

when hope dies..Is it the end of it all!!!

Calm...peace...

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Coorg Diaries - III

2009-09-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

harvest

fade to white

serene

the endless mysterious spiral...a mad pp of the previous pic

crops of fortune and misfortune

farmer's den

lazy old foxes

baby, listen to mamma...get off the road, else auto 'maama' will kock u off

green goblin was born here

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Coorg Diaries- II

2009-08-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for Adventure

Turtles can fly, cows can swim...I never knew they are such expert swimmers.

Another menacing bunch wading through deep waters

A majestic pose

Getting ready for the day

I don't wanna bath today. Please take me back

You lazy idiot, Let me do it for you..

All snaps taken in and around Gubbare elephant campin Coorg

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Coorg Diaries- I

2009-08-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Coorg, best known as the 'Scotland of India' is now a kind of 2nd home for me now. After dad unexpectedly got transferred to Coorg, I was shocked at the thought of missing the frequent trips to my hometown Trivandrum. But, as they say, you have to lose something to win something. And what I got was a weekly trip to our small rented house in Coorg. With a less than 5 hour drive from Bangalore, its a perfect weekend getaway for me every week.

Roadhouse greens-(Special thanks to Raja's sis Remya who spotted this beauty..Infact she spotted many more scenes and earning the title of 'mani ratnam' by the end of the day)

Majestic Western Ghats

Snow capped

The past many weekends I was forced to stay indoors in Coorg because of the non-stop rain. Atlast this weekend, the sun was shining. And added to that, there was my friend Raja, his sis and grandma to accompany us on our trip around Coorg. Though I've visited this place last year with friends, this time the feeling was different because now I was like a native of this place. This is one of those places where the journey through the normal roads itself is an unforgettable experience. You can see greenery all around, the splendour of the coffee estates, the long silver oaks provided as shade for the coffee plants and the miles and miles of well maintained green shrubs lining the plantations. The Western ghats spread out all along. Hills and mountains are a common feature at most places in Coorg. The narrow roads creep up and bend around the mountains. Some peaks are snow covered. Some are blessed with slight drizzle round the clock. Coorg's beauty appears in all its splendour when there's this slight drizzle. I've fallen head over heels in love with this place.

Green Mile

Algae attack

Expect more snaps in this coorg series as I have almost 2 more years full of weekends left in this heavenly place.

through the myopic lenses of the crusader

Nehru Trophy Vallom Kali

2009-08-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

Some snaps from this year's Nehru Trophy boat race that took place in Alappuzha last week. Had posted the same snaps and a detailed report in my main blog.

Chambakkulam- The winner

Chundan vallangal- longer than snakes..

Its never over until we cross the line...Row Hard!!!

United we row...

Its never over until we cross the line...Row Hard!!!

Orumayundengil olakka melum..Checkout the guys sitting on the tree

Who said women can't row!!Checkout the foreign ladies in the middle

Red warriors are coming for u!

'Vallam orchestra'- The whistlers and the guys with 'olakka'

Can you sit as comfortable as this on a couch?

adi kittum!Kerala police ki Jai :)

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Palakkad Sojourn- III

2009-07-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

Don't I look somewhat like those guys from Jurassic park?

Riding up the electric post..

Hide n seek

a village scene(totally out of focus...still I love it :D )

roots of wisdom

clothed in clouds..

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Palakkad Sojourn- II

2009-07-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Stairway to heaven???

The pathway around Malampuzha dam

Its a long way to the top...
On the way to Malampuzha Kava. Its a breathtaking sight!

Swaying in the wind...

I tried to be serious and not look at the camera...But sorry, can't help it :P
Model:Ashad

What a way to cross the river...Ropeway instead of the bridge..

Endless bridge?
The hanging bridge at Malampuzha

Thoughts spread out in a pattern..just like those stones..

The Group

From the myopic lenses of the crusader

Palakkad Sojourn- I

2009-07-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

I will protect you, come armies, floods or cyclones!!
Tipu's fort in Palghat

The moat around the fort

A heartfelt prayer can melt even stones!

Cradle of tradition and orthodoxy
Kalpathy Gramom

Haunted house

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

Butterflies!

2009-07-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Went on a trip to Palakkad last weekend. Returned with a load of snaps. Here's my first collection of butterfly snaps.

from the myopic lenses of the crusader

The Calling

2009-07-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

eerie blue..sign of things to come!

I stand alone
Now its my time
Its my time to dream
Dream of the sky
Make me believe that this place isnt made by the poison in me
Help me decide if my fire will burn out before you can breathe
Breathe into me
I stand alone
- from Godsmack's 'I stand alone'

waves in the lake..birth and death happens in an instant..

chasing the sun

Fireworks & frightened birds
framed against a startled sky
a fleeting canvas, a tableau of life

Fireworks & frightened birds
framed against a startled sky
moment of celebration, moment of strife

I still hold the remnants of that picture
that time erased from the sky
Was it just nature or sublime scripture?

I still hold the remnants of that picture
that time erased from the sky
Played out for my questioning mind.
-from Motherjane's 'chasing the sun'

From the crusader's myopic lenses

Streetsmart

2009-06-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

On saturday evening, I went on a street photography assignment to Madiwala market. This was my first try at doing something in the streets. After a few uncomfortable stares, I felt completely at ease as people readily posed and some even asked me to take their pics. It was a pretty vibrant place which I failed to capture because of the receding light. Have to visit this place again. Anyway, here are the snaps..

Is there a cuter one than me?

This girl was standing a little far away when I focussed on the flowers from the other side of the road. Then she came running, stood there and gave this innocent smile and a cute pose. One of my favourite snaps..

Hum dost thhe, hai aur rahenge

The guy on the right called me as I walked along the narrow lane and asked to take a snap of him. He called his friend to join him.

The Onion Peelers

I won't budge..You better move away..

Business is good...

'I'll do this for the cam'...

Not the load of expectations...But the plain weight of the sack!

From the crusader's myopic lenses

Six strings of freedom

2009-06-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

A solid body, Six strings, some circuits and some tuning pegs. It sounds like just any other boring mechanical device. Then comes the human fingers, those special ones gifted by God to churn out heart melting melodies from the above mentioned boring mechanical device. Men like Gilmour, Satriani, Vai, Young and Dimebag who can construct epics on the 24 frets, epics as larger than life as the Mahabharata or monuments as eternal as the pyramids. A gentle touch or a tight slap by them can bring out heavenly vibrations from the strings. From the lightness of Jazz to the unleashed aggression of heavy metal, the six strings are the ultimate in flexibility. There's no limit to which the guitar can go. Its only limited by the limitedness of human imagination...

The red devil- autographed by Andreas kisser of Sepultura (Location-Le Rock pub)

Blaze of Glory

The bassy Magic of 4 strings- autographed by Dave Murray of Iron Maiden

Never too old to Rock N Roll- Jazz legend Chuck Berry!

Through the dark ages...

Acoustica, pure bliss for the lonely soul..

A six lane high way to infinity?

From the crusader's myopic lenses

Indecent exposure

2009-06-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

Now, evil guys, don't think too much into that title. I was talking about long exposure photographs. Yesterday, I did my first experiments with long exposure. Without a tripod, I had to make use of our flat's kitchen slab. And with a torch I started the work.. :D

The devil with multi coloured ears
(Devil- me...coloured ears thanks to a red torch and green torch)

Money talks...The dollar is burning..Rupee's gonna rule!

the ultimate sound of spirituality

Smiley from a man with a broken jaw :D

Zorro looks in the mirror...Where's zorro's mask...!

A word which can define anything!F**king awesome to F**ked up!

Information superhighway :P

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Bangalore Nights

2009-06-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Some snaps taken during a walk through the city at night. The place is Brigade road in Bangalore, the one road where you can see all kinds of people residing in the city. The college crowd, the IT guys, the executives, the street side vendors, middle class kids, the tourists, the gigolos and the prostitutes, the pub crowd, the rockers, the beggars, the fashion gurus...They are all here...on this stretch..

This is an open series as more snaps will be posted on this as and when I click it.

Night's falling...and lights have started shining[Brigade Road, Bangalore]

Lost direction? Consult the cock

Mad rush to party?

Hope the moral brigade won't mind this superb electronic AD display..

Spreading light all around[The chandlier which is rarely switched on at our flat]

From the crusader's myopic lenses

Ode to a waterdrop

2009-05-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

I pour down from the heavens. I start from the pinnacle of the most beautiful mountains. I flow downhill on a breathtaking journey to the valleys. From the perfection of purity, am suddenly in touch with the impurity present in earth, about which I had heard a lot.

I flow as part of rivers which are venerated as holy, but have the ignominy of carrying much filth. I get to touch the purest of souls as well as the corpses of hardcore criminals. Sunken idols from temple festivals pollute me more. Then I encounter the man made pipes. I suffocate as I travel through those narrow pipes with a hundred twists and turns. If am lucky enough, I end up in a clean man's home. But even there, I am unlucky if I end up in one of those flushes in the closet. I also shudder at the thought of my life being wasted by some careless moron who always forgets to close the tap after use. I consider myself the luckiest when a beautiful lady drinks me. I get to travel inside the lady's brain, which even the world's most intelligent man hasn't decoded even now. Sometimes, I come out from her as an outlet of her sorrow, rolling down her cheeks. Sometimes, I burst out as tears of joy. I may also end up at the hand of capitalists who sell me in fancy bottles. They put me to torture as am mixed with filthy colas and jam packed into high pressure bottles. If I end up in the hands of communists, am in even more trouble. They label me as a bourgeois trying to trouble their trademark black tea. On days of war, I may fulfill the higher purpose when I end up as the last drop of water on the lips of an unknown, fatally wounded soldier in the battlefield. At other times, I fall on the barren and thirsty earth. Am drank down into the depths below the earth surface. One of those beautiful plants absorb me from there. A kid plucks a flower from the plant and he carries me with him. He places me over his mother's burial stone. The flower wilts and as days passes, I slowly evaporate back to where I came from. Then, I get ready for another ride and some new experiences.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Fashion guru

2009-05-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

Who is it?

even Berlin wall was not this hard to climb

This guy will but even the most hig profile fashion guru to fame with the frequency of his style changes. Colours change with every other step.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Season Of Love

2009-05-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

The world around stands still for them

I donnow the people in this picture. Snapped them while I was 'birdwatching' inside Lal Bagh. This romantic young couple couldn't take their eyes off each other. And, thus I ended up with my first 'romantic' snap

a soft nostalgic touch

This group of white growth reminded me of that classic shot from Gladiator. So, I made my friend Rindo to do this with his hand.

Reminiscing those days

From the crusader's myopic lenses

Idols of yore

2009-05-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

Snapped this one at the Kanakakkunnu palace in Trivandrum

from the Crusader's myopic lenses

Business as usual

2009-05-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

From the streets. Business of different kinds going on there. A tender coconut vendor selling his stuff. And a young beggar waiting to get his quota.

from the Crusader's myopic lenses

Crash n Spread

2009-05-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Kanakakkunnu Palace

2009-04-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

A wide angle shot of the famed Kanakakkunnu Palace in Trivandrum

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Hide The Fade!

2009-04-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Twilight. A soft wind. A swaying tree. Fadeouts are better hidden from us. Lets wait for the new dawn and forget the things that have faded away.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Yellow King

2009-04-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Snapped at Napier museum, Trivandrum.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Splash!

2009-04-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here comes a mini avalanche of water from a fountain. Taken at the Napier musem in Trivandrum.
Adjusted the curves and levels in photoshop.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

When I met my Photography Guru

2009-04-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

eyes tell a lot more than words!

Guru @ work

We met through blogs. His photographs inspired me. And when I bought the camera, helped me a lot through gtalk and phone. Atlast, I met my guru Vivek last week. We had a small photoshoot at the Napier Museum in Trivandrum during which he shared some valuable tips with me. These two snaps came about when I turned the lens on my guru himself.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Happy Vishu!

2009-04-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a Happy Vishu and Easter in advance. Am on a 9 day vacation from morrow and won't be coming in front of a computer on any of these days. The heady mix of a long vacation at home, Vishu and the election fever is sure to make me mad, even at this recession time when am being surrounded by bad news. Posted this picture not for its photographic quality but just to wish you all. Hope I'll get to click better snaps of the gorgeous 'Konnapoovu' when I go home.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Emotions galore!

2009-04-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

He walked up the hill slowly. The age was showing on the slow movement of his limbs. But there was an underlying current of undying spirit hidden behind those eyes and that sure kept him going. He came and sat at a secluded corner. He peered into a distance and kept his gaze for long, maybe at the horizon. I searched for a sign of the things inside his heart to make an appearance on his face. But it confused me, a myriad emotions running along that time worn face. Was he reminiscing his past? Was he pondering over his present? Or Was he worried about his future? God only knows. But one thing am sure, there was a tinge of sadness hidden somewhere. His eyes said so.

PS- Added a sepia tone

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Waiting!

2009-04-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Couples, old men, children, birds,leaves,sun,wind...This bench welcomes them all. The summer is at its peek. Its now hot in the afternoon. The bench is waiting for the cool evening to arrive so that it can play the happy host again to romancing couples, tired old men, naughty children and chirpy birds.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

A hidden message?

2009-04-06T11:34:00.001-07:00

Dusk was nearing and the yellow hues were on display on the sky. Suddenly, there appeared a big pattern over the yellow hues, something like a message. It was a flock of birds. Half of the message felt like a big smiley to me. And, the other half still a puzzle. Were they laughing at us humans? Or were they carrying a special message from God? Whatever be the case, human race is in too much of a mad rush to take note of this. They were moving fast but the pattern didn't change much. It was as if they were moving synchronisingly to keep the message intact.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Magic Of Green

2009-04-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

On a hot summer afternoon, during last week's visit to home, I was sitting at the doorstep. There's a sarppakkavu (snake temple) just beside my house. So, there's a lot of greenery next door. I casually zoomed in on these leaves and the sight instantly cooled my mind inspite of the real hot weather. The backlit leaves seems to have a story to tell...

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Childhood stolen

2009-04-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

It was a sunny afternoon. I was walking around the park when I saw this little girl with a basket full of cut mangoes. She seemed to be dead tired in the heat. But she had to walk on in the burning sun because she had stomachs to feed. At that moment, I was thinking about what I was doing at this age. I never knew how all the food I ate up was brought. All I had to do was play, play and sometimes study. And, here is a girl, whose childhood is stolen by the cruel play of circusmtances.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

Power of the Newspaper

2009-04-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Newspaper, one of the very few things from the good old days, which was able to withstand the onslaught of technology and the internet. News channels provide us with second by second account of even unimportant events. We can access any newspaper in any part of the world with the click of a button. Still, every morning we wait eagerly for the newspaper to arrive. Its a part of our daily life just like the hot cuppa of coffee in the morning.

This snap can be viewed from 2 perspectives. One from that of the journalist and the other from that of the common reader like us. The specs and pen attains different meanings depending upon the perspective you are taking.

PS- Sepia tone added in PP

from the crusader's myopic lenses

The Summer bloom

2009-04-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Most of the flowers make their appearance during springtime. Some get noticed. Some gets lost in the crowd. There are some others which wait for the off season, the summer time. When all the other trees would be shedding leaves and turn out to be eyesores, these special ones make their appearance. There will be no ne to hog the limelight. They turn out to be oases for the floral beauty starved humans. This snap is of a flower of that kind. I don't know the name of this one. But, come summer you can see them everywhere in Bangalore. The whole tree will be filled with these, with not a single leaf in between. Truly, a sight to behold.

from the crusader's myopic lenses

First Shot: A Silent pledge

2009-03-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

We are exhausting earth's resources with each passing day. At this rate, we'll exhaust every available resources leaving our children with no other option but to pay the price for our sins. So lets pledge to use all the natural resources judiciously. Lets learn to switch off. Lets take a pledge before this candle. Lets have more earth days.

And hope this candle be the leading light in all my future photographic endeavours.

from the crusader's myopic lenses