Tiny droplets of newness…

Framed in:  A blooming flower at any point of time is a sight to savor.  The freshness associated with it is unexplainable. With those tiny droplets of water sticking on to it… the whole world will look new. I don’t know whether it is the blooming flower or those droplets of water in those petals that add freshness to the flower, but it is true that those tiny droplets of water can make almost everything look fresh and anew. Newness is an ineluctable part of our life. Anything new is interesting and it makes us curious. A new book, a new pair of dress, a new pen and even a new word that we have learnt is exciting.  But as nobody can stop the ticking of clock, everything grows old and makes us lose interest. Once we fail to find newness in things we do, it makes life a scum bag of routines and make us think that the life is boring to the core. We should be able to safeguard freshness in life. Like those tiny droplets of water add freshness to almost everything, we should be able to discover that tiny newness in everything we do and everything we see. If there is something new to do everyday,  life never goes dull. And this world is so vast that you will never run out of newness.  You just have to put in a little extra effort to discover that newness in everything you do. Everything that will have some thing new in it which would have been missed by us. The music of the rain, the missed sentences in a poem, the new tastes in those mom’s same old menu and so on… Once we are able do discover them , life will turn out to be a deep meditation where you will re-discover yourself and you will be reborn every second. What is fresher than a birth? It’s always a new start! always be a new born! Let’s start this life anew every second by discovering those little droplets of newness and live life to its fullest extent!

Framed out: This photograph was clicked during one of those dull days in Munnar, during my estate days.  It was a period when I was considering myself  dead creatively as there was nothing to do that made me exciting  and my thoughts were full of  logistics and mathematics. But there was this fire to be different and lighten up those creative and romantic parts of the brain. Whenever I could, I used to wander around in my 1962 model royal Enfield with my Yashica to do what I liked the most, clicking pictures. But the time was a scarcity there as I was caught in the web of all those nuisances associated with a planter’s life and I confess, I failed to find newness in everything I do. But still I did safeguard some of the freshness as far as I could. This picture is a result of that. I was returning to the field on that day morning after the breakfast and as always was deep in despair due to the usual routine affairs. When I was about to start my bullet this flower caught my attention. Together with the diffused rays of the early morning sun and the dew drops settled in it, it aroused me. I grabbed my yashica FX3 loaded with Fuji 200 and clicked this pic. This frame still evokes the smell of dry days I spent there in that estate!

Grey Frames: Do not say, 'It is morning,' and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a newborn child that has no name. Rabindranath Tagore 
                                                          

Lucky enough to be there….

Framed in: “The Royal Branch”, is lucky enough to be there, right in front of a great palace. By the virtue of being in a palace garden, the branch also becomes royal! An absurdity! There has to be an end to this idiotic practice. This inequality has been happening all around the globe from the day history can be traced out. King’s son becoming the next king, how much ever incapable he is.. The only quality he might have had was that he was the son of the king! This happens in this era also… Politician’s son is a politician.. Actor’s son is an Actor…Democracy becomes a mockery.. If born to a middle class struggling family.. it becomes an Herculean task to climb up to your dreams. But if you are born in a well to do family with a lot of political and financial background, you don’t even have to dream.. Dreams will appear in front of you and you just have to choose! Which ‘ism’ can eradicate this inequality! Until then equality in this world will remain a dream!

Framed Out: This picture is very memorable to be. This can be the first click by me which had an artistic angle! That was during a family trip around Karnataka.. with all my relatives when I was in std IX! Exposed at the Mysore palace with my (then it was my dad’s!) Yashica FX3 with FX7 Lens.. the odd angle of this frame gives a strange balance to the picture. The branch peeping out from the right edge with the golden light of the setting sun falling on it… makes the composition more interesting. I still remember my father scolding me a lot for tilting the camera! But I still believe the Dutch angle and that branch adds a tinge of magic to the frame!
Grey Frames: "The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." Aristotle
 Beyond Frames: For my dad.. Who else… who guided me with his eyes to this wonderful world of photography! Thank you Acha!

When the Tree Loves the Sky…!

Framed in: Love stories happen around the world. The sharing of hearts, Warmth of the hugs, Dampness of the kisses.. they make us still believe that living in this earth is not that a boring affair! When a tree loves the sky.. anything can happen! The static stubborn tree with its branches spread out… The cool blue sky with the romantic clouds floating on them… they are ways apart and not meant to be together! The difference is obvious. Nobody considers them as a good match and naturally disagreement arises when talked about they getting united! But no force in this earth can seperate them except themselves.For two hearts in love.. they knows no boundaries nor anything else for that matter. The only thing that matters to them is their hearts. Two hearts in love… Nothing can separate them. That’s why the old cliché, “Love is blind!”. But when there is a difference of opinion between those two hearts in love..? There is nothing like a kiss as a remedy. A sweet warm kiss filled with those fragrances of affection. That can ebb out any differences between those two hearts. Let the tree kiss the sky and let them unite together leaving behind all those difference of opinions. Kissing the blues will definitely bring back the magic of affection between them! Let this inspire every one out there to kiss their loved ones to bring back those charm of romanticism which we lost due to the monotonous ways of living. Let us try to make this earth a beautiful paradise. Because only love can transform any hell into an heaven!  



Framed out: This photo is from my series titled “Nostalgic Mornings”. Mornings are the best part of any given day. Watching the darkness slowly dissolving away with the birds chirping at the background… Enjoying the cool breezy morning sipping a cup of hot tea with the news paper, sitting in the balcony… mornings are truly romantic! I wont sacrifice my mornings for anything else. Those coziness offered by the mornings are to be enjoyed to the fullest extend! And the opportunities that a morning offers to a photographer is immense! The slanting golden rays make each and everything in this earth so beautiful. I love to pack my kit and go on photographic expeditions on the early hours of dawn. This pic was a result of one such adventure. The silhouetted tree against a clean blue sky.. That was a treat to my lens. Clicked with my Yaschica FX3, those sprinkled clouds adds an unmatchable beauty to this frame. The odd diagonal angle of the tree renders a dynamism to the frame. One of my all time favourites in my collection.. this pic is too romantic! 



Grey Frames: “Kissing is a means of getting two people so close together that they can't see anything wrong with each other.” Rene Yasenek

Beyond Frames: This dedication is special. This is for some one who made me dream the same dream many a times in a day! For the angel who made me believe a tree can love the sky and kisses are the magical remedy for any drifts between two hearts! Its for you.. on this special day.. to make it more special… kisses and love…

Rain Drops.. Kissing My Heart..

Framed in: Say the word ‘Rain’, an incomparable joy pours in. Every rain comes with a lot of commitments and attachments packed into it. The first rain drop make us believe that it is here to stay forever. But no rain has ever stayed till the end. At some point of time it has to stop leaving behind a lot of tears and perspiration. After the rains, the world take a sudden turn. The birds, romancing on the top of trees which still rains; walls, with a lot of strange designs left behind by the dampness of the rain; Paths, waiting with puddles of water for the children to kick; Earth, inviting us with a fresh fragrance! But the most exquisite of them all are the dripping drops of rain from the leaves, barbed wires, grass etc. Its their tears for losing the rain! They don’t understand the fact that every rain has to stop at one point of time. After the rains.. tears remain! But I am experiencing a drizzle now. A drizzle of love and warmth, drenching my soul. I wish this rain stays forever here, kissing my heart!

Framed out: This was clicked during the last days of my stay in Munnar. It was a Sunday and we had nothing to do. So, me and my colleague, Arun.K.Nair went to Rajamalai a world renowned wild life sanctuary famous for ‘Nilgiri Thar’. For visitors, entry is restricted up to a point. But since KDHP ( Kannan Devan Hill Plantation) had an estate beyond that point and the asst: Manager of that estate was our friend, we were allowed to cross that point. You can call it a heaven. I was fascinated by the picturesque landscapes. To top it, rain accompanied us! My camera couldn’t resist itself from clicking! I clicked almost two rolls! This dripping barbed wire was one of my favorites among them. Did a take a lot of effort to get the frame right. Arun always used to make fun of me on my eccentricities like these! But he was so supportive for all my crimes. Thanks comrade! This picture was clicked with my Yashica FX3.

Grey Frames: Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. An Argentinean Proverb.

The smell of innocence…

Framed in: Babies are God sent. They reflect the divinity of the nature. I remember once one of my teachers asked us what could be the reason for this divinity attached with the kids? We were in our class IX or something and we were blank. I have never thought of a reason behind that but knew that babies are just cute to be hugged and kissed! And then he told us, the reason for that divinity is just because of the innocence and the helplessness of the babies! That make them so special. Somewhere during the course of our growing up, we lose this innocence and get prepared to face the world. After all what is maturity? Nothing but losing your innocence and true self and learning to live according to other’s wish and act in front of the society. ! And I always believe that man is in his true self only in bathrooms when he is shut in the four walls and when nobody is watching him. The entire education system is designed to make us more matured, ie, lose innocence and become more and more sly! The more educated you are, the more foxy you are! I am presenting here for you, The ‘Expressions of innocence’, which we have lost somewhere. Trying to grab back a piece of that! Let us start a journey backwards.. Let the innocence prevail…

Framed out: An assignment for a magazine on a feature about the tribes of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu took me to the dwellings of the tribes in that area. I have always loved feature photography and love clicking the human expressions. That’s were the satisfaction of photography lies in me, to make immortal a piece of expression. And I guess I am well appreciated for that too! The innocence of this sweet little kid attracted me. But when I approached to a take a portrait of her she refused. And I guess she was frightened and got in to the hip of her grand mother and started crying. That presented a more interesting frame for me and I clicked it with my Yashica FX3 with FX7 lens and loaded with Fuji 200. I still adore the innocence her eyes.

Grey Frames: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Pablo Picasso

Sparkling Romantic Red….

Framed in: In Love, what a red rose can do, nothing else can. There cannot be a substitute for Red roses and kisses in love. Dampness of some sweet kisses and dryness of a few red roses given by HER are still there in my fading memories! Romance is such an amazing feeling that springs up in any individual. That’s a basic necessity which makes this world more beautiful to live in. looking on to her eyes, one forgets the fact that the earth rotates, day and night appears, time tickles on, autumn and spring passes by… Once you fall in love, you find yourself upside down… the entire world will look more colourful and beautiful! Once I was in love.. but not any more. But whenever I see those passion flowers… I wish to be back to my romantic days. To walk with her in the rains… to be kissed by her in the darkness of the night… to be hugged by her in the shades of trees… to feel her smell which resembled baby creams… to write love letters.. to fight over those silly things… In Love, what a red rose can do, nothing else can!!!!

Framed Out: Those college days… they were romantic and fun. The day was auspicious and was during my second year of UG.. It was after some function. Think it was the inauguration of the literary club and I was elected as the Gen. Secretary or something. After the function I came down from the auditorium and was just kidding around. one of my juniors came to me with a bunch of red roses.(I swear noting fishy in that!). She just wanted to congratulate me on the occasion. That’s it! Her hands were looking cute and I had this idea. The camera was Nikon FM10 loaded with Kodak200 I guess. I asked her to hold them against the white walls of the class room which resulted in this picture. A small manipulation digitally presented a wonderful frame! Something like a post card… this picture, though a cliché, still evokes the feel of a romantic moment spent with some one special!

Grey Frames: “If I had a rose for every time I thought of you, I'd be picking roses for a lifetime.” Swedish Proverb

Toddling Back in to life with colours….

Framed in: The colours were worn off the day she was born. The hopes and joys never shed its pearls on her. The darkness was visible at a distance. And there were no lights of hope anywhere around. But she decided to fight. She was determined to colour her life with the brightest colours despite of all the odds against her. The darkness around her were ebbed out with the colours of hopes and dreams from nature. With those limited colours known to her she has started to toddle back in to the life! A lesson to be learned by us indeed. Because we fail to recognize the colours around us since its abundant!

Framed out: This picture was taken at KEREMEHAS (Kendra for the Rehabilitation of Multiple Handicapped Adult Sisters) at Coimbatore undertaken by the Church of South India, Coimbatore Diocese. I was assigned to make a photo essay for them. The inmates of the Kendra where Mentally retarded and were adult sisters. The problems faced by them are quite different from those faced by the special children. But the determination of the inmates to defeat their fate was amazing. This Sister was one among them. She was an excellent artist and creates greeting cards on her own. With colours surrounded her, and the painting brushes in the fore ground, it presented an interesting frame. Clicked with Nikon FM10, this picture will stay in my mind always. It speaks volumes.

GreyFrames: "Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadow.” Helen Keller