The Segway

One more item ticked off from my bucket list. Have seen people simply gliding around and I always thought “I have to do this one day” 

Well, got the opportunity to do it a few days ago when we were in Chicago. 

They do give training for about fifteen to twenty minutes before you venture out on to the public road. The training is initially one to one where one gets to know the controls and then there is the practice session within closed doors. 

The Segway came into picture about 17 years ago, but unfortunately it did not take off as a public transport utility vehicle (or even as a personal transport vehicle to be used on the public roads)

It works on a pair of 2 horsepower brushless DC powered electric motor and the acceleration is done simply by leaning forward on the handlebar. 

The surprising part is that this can be driven by anyone, even those who have not had the experience of riding a bicycle.

We got to see the complete Navy Pier of Chicago with the help of the Segway. 

Your confidence gets a boost when you realise that you can easily manoeuvre inbetween motorised vehicles and bicycles.   

There were halts in-between for photoshoots having the Chicago skyline as the backdrop.  

Some came well prepared with body fitted go-pro cameras. 

Made a small video on the complete experience.    

How to find great shots while on the road

Took part in a blogging competition at Dreamstime and got the first prize. The topic given was “How to find great shots while on the road” Reproducing the blog here.

Great shots happen when you least expect it. So whenever that inner instinct tells you “this can be a good shot”, just grab the camera and click.

Rule number one, never click when the vehicle is on the move and you are driving. It can instead be a good opportunity to take pan shots (videos) if you are the co driver and the road is smooth. If you are in the car and while taking photographs, make it a point to roll down the window. A piece of glass in between your object and the camera reduces the quality of your picture.

Recently I had been to Bhigwan (in western India) with my friends to click photos of the Flamingos.  On the way I saw an assortment of birds fishing in the shallow waters and it was perfect against the rising sun. I requested my friend to pull over for a few minutes and clicked these pictures  

On the way back I saw this truck being loaded with sugarcane. It occurred to me that this could be a good picture to show how things got transferred from the farm to the factory. The bullock cart added to the effect. I took the pictures from the car.  

Once while travelling in the Nilgiri hills, we turned a curve. It was a neat perfect curve and I got out of the car to take a picture. The white lines and the wet road added to the effect. 

On the road, does not mean being in a car. I was in a buggy in Bruges when I saw this lady opening up her flower shop. Buggies on cobblestones can be very shaky especially when you are trying to click. Luckily for me the buggy momentarily stopped and I could click this. 

Always be on the lookout for something unusual, like this car I saw in Mumbai, in front of the Taj Hotel. It looked like all the crows were waiting for the driver to take his seat and start the car so that they could go for a spin. A rare sight and worth a click. At times like this you don’t have the time to set up the camera and wait for the perfect light. You just click before the moment vanishes. 

While on long drives, do stop in between to stretch your legs. And while you relax just look for the smaller creatures that make this universe spin in a balanced way. They are beautiful and fascinating to watch and in the process one learns to respect and give space to every creature on this planet.