Flying Umbrellas

Had been to Bharuch last month. This was my first visit to Gujarat. Like they say, the journey is more interesting than reaching the destination. 

Travelled by the double decker train, again a first time. If you happen to be on the lower deck and look out of the window, you get a worm’s eye view especially of the platform and the commuters.  

For people travelling long distance it is going to be a pain as the luggage racks don’t take in big luggage and we Indians don’t know how to travel light.  Some keep their luggage in the aisle making it difficult for other commuters to walk. 

While filming the interior ofthe train  I caught one guy accidentally dropping his luggage on a co passenger. Luckily no one was hurt. 
There are many Indian songs showing the train or travelling by train , like Jiya ho, jiya ho jiya kuch bol do, or Rajesh Khanna’s Sapno ki Rani kab ayegi tu, or Shah Rukh’s Chaiya Chaiya, but I like the one on Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat singing Hum Dono Do Premee. 

While waiting for the train at Bombay Central I saw this board outside the cafeteria. You get a glass of hot milk for Rs 10/- but if you ask for it in English you will get 50 ml less.  

Actually I had been for a wedding shoot in Bharuch. Apart from capturing the wedding and the happy atmosphere, there are other things that catch your eye. Like the pundit who keeps his match box at a funny location for easy access. 

I am usually engaged to capture candid pictures and videos while there is a professional photographer who clicks the “standard” pictures. (I refuse to do that as I have an aversion for posed pictures) 

At the same location with the same subjects, one can make the picture interesting by just waiting for “that moment”  By comparing these two pictures below you will get an idea of what I am trying to say.

 pic clicked at "that moment"

                                             posed picture clicked by the photographer

It is funny to see the reactions of the guests and the couple when something happens out of turn. Here it was the case of the Flying Umbrellas.  Most of these happened when my camera was rolling,  but I edited them out in the final cut.

It was interesting to see the bride coming to the mandap on a motor bike, riding pillion. If I had known this earlier I would have suggested to keep the headlights off as that was causing a glare, and I had a tough time keeping it out of the frame. 

During my stay there I was put up in the Guest House and was impressed by the place. 

 No trappings of a commercial hotel but at the same time all the basic amenities were there. This was attached to the Swaminarayan Temple and was again impressed by the cleanliness and management of the temple and its surroundings. 

Some how I could not find time to go inside the temple and click, maybe next time. 

Covering weddings are fun. At the editing table you have the liberty to put in your ideas  and make it more interesting. Like this Flash Dance that I captured in a wedding in Pune two months ago. 

If I were the judge I would give the bride’s father the Best Dancer award. What perfect body movement.

  

Photo shoot

Three photo shoots covered in the last two weeks, and all three happened to be birthday parties (first birthday)

It was an experience, especially with kids all over the place. If you are on the lookout you can get some good expressions especially of the kids. This one was ready to trade a kiss for the chocolate bar 

 

This one had some nice coochie coohie things to tell the guests. 

But the best I liked was the expression (and action) of this little guy when he was asked to pick the winner of the game “bombing the city” Looked like he was saying “Oh my God, I have the privilege of picking the winner?”  

The same guy was very loud and clear in his protest when his mother picked up another child to pose for a photo.  

This child was not comfortable in the arms of Mickey Mouse, but then mamma wants a picture clicked for posterity.  

The first programme was almost a washout with the unexpected rains in Pune. 

But I managed to capture some of the highlights of the evening and strung them together to make a small video.

Some have it in real grand style with magic shows 

 and there are cameras of different shapes and sizes to capture the event 

If you keep one eye on the cake you are sure to see this sight – kids making a quick lick even before the cake is cut. 

I have to work more on my yoga classes as squatting and getting up is not an easy task for me. To catch this girl's impromptu dance I had to go down on the ground level.

 pic from two feet height

 pic from six feet height

Obviously the former picture is more appealing.

Apart from handing over the soft copies, the parents are happy when I isolate some of the pictures with a white background. 

At the end of the day the birthday baby is real tired with all the attention.

My next camera

Agfa click III

Isoly -II

Yashica Electro 35

Nikon Coolpix 4300

Canon SX20 IS

These are the (only) cameras that I have used so far (in the same order) and frankly speaking I was really happy with them. 

All the photographs you have seen so far on my blogs are from one of these cameras and they are all point and shoot.

But the fact is that everyone around me, left right and centre has a DSLR and they give me a weird look when I tell them that I don't have a DSLR.

So like the old saying goes "If you can't beat them, join them" I decided that I would buy my first DSLR.

I mean there is no point looking embarrassed when I face a tiger and the tiger asks me "you have come here to click me with that silly camera?"

But before I buy one I wanted to know some finer points of the camera. I realized that the best way to learn was to attend a workshop.

Found this site (toehold) which was holding workshops in all major cities in India and luckily Pune was included in the list.

It was a two day session with some special attention given as to how to operate a camera (especially a DSLR). That was a big plus for me as I am one of those who can't do anything by reading a manual. So a hands on experience with doubts clarified immediately with practical demonstration was something that I liked.

I also discovered some of the functions that were there in my existing camera (Canon SX20) which I was not aware of.  By the way this is the camera that gave me maximum mileage (and the one most abused - look at the score marks)

The cross section of the people who attended the workshop was also interesting. It varied from a Brigadier to a young lad who came all the way from Kolhapur.

While all were engrossed in the lectures I took the liberty of clicking some of the participants.

The disappearing act about to begin, or more commonly known as the “ghost effect”

The second day included some outdoor sessions.

In case you are wondering about this bad picture above, it was my first attempt at panning. 

This is the best I could get. But watch this space. With practice I hope to upload some good panning pictures.  (and it could be yours if you are zooming around on the Pune roads)

Special attention was given to wild life photography as our faculty (Mr Rahul) was basically a wild life enthusiast.

Those who want to have a look at the participants of the workshop, click here.

Photographers and wedding

Weddings are one thing and wedding photographs are some thing else. I mean the ordeal one has to go through, to please the photographer. You have to pose in different ways over moats and in boats, holding hands looking into each others eyes . . . . .the list and requirement is endless. “No no, don’t get out of the car now, wait, slowly look to your right (with a smile) yes now slide out” comes the instruction. The poor girl is all ready to snap at the snapper, I mean the photographer but she has to grin and bear it.

Group photos with the couple look good, but getting the family members together at the right time is another big task. “Where is Kevin? Hey anyone saw Kevin? Just hold that click one second, our Kevin is coming, ah there he is, Kevin where the hell did you disappear? You and your cigarettes .. . . . .”
Come to think of it, I have even seen some priests in the church giving the Holy Eucharist “once more” as the photographer was “not ready” Where is the sanctity of it?
Why oh why can’t they just photograph the event as it is. It’s a moment of joy for the couple and all that are gathered there, and it should be captured as the event flows.
Here are some clicked at Bombay, Pune, Goa and Kerala. Some of them were clicked from the side line when they were actually posing for the official photographer. In the third one, the bride is with her cousins.