As I sat perusing the newly developed slides, my little niece came over wondering what were these things I was looking at.
“What are these?”
“These? These are slides.”
“Slides?”

I realized she had never seen my slides.

“Well, slides are photos.”
“So, we can see these on your computer?”
“No. We have to scan these first…convert them to be viewed on computer. But, here…look through this viewer. Do you see something?”
“Yes!! It is a photo! I see a photo.”
“Okay. Do you want to see it on a projector?”
“Pro-jec-tor? Haha..Pro-jec-tor…haha…what is that?”

She kept laughing. She had never heard of a projector and kept on repeating the word.
It was time to show her a new thing, the projector. We went looking for my slide projectors that had not been touched for about six years. I took one of these down from the high perch and after dusting the lens, we set up the projector. I wanted her to see how beautiful the slides looked when projected. Reaching for one of the newly arrived slides, I put the slide in the projector. Turning off the lights of the room and looking at the projected slide on the wall, she sat mesmerized.
“Wow! Can you put me on a slide?”
“Sure. We can do it later.”
“I want it now. Right now. Let’s take a photo and put in this projector.”
“That is not possible. You see, we have to shoot a slide film, send it for development, and then it comes back in the form of slides. So, we cannot have it right now.”
“Why not? What is film? What is slide film?”

I showed her an unexposed slide film. Being used to my digital cameras, she still wanted to be photographed and put on a slide immediately. After trying to explain, I asked if she wanted to see some old photos using the projector.
“Yes! Let’s do it! This is fun.”

I took out some old slides and as we sat projecting those, old memories kept rushing in.
“Go, call Papa, Mummy, Dadu (Grandpa) and Amma (Grandma). I think they would like to see this one too.”

How I loved shooting these slides! Seeing a projected slide, I was able to relive those moments in my mind. And, I was rediscovering the joys of projecting the slides.

One after another, old memories flashed on the wall and all of us sat, transported back in time in the darkened room.

I have uploaded some more photos in my photo archive that might interest you:  Dia De Los Muertos, Mission District, San Francisco

The following are my first impressions after attending the Dia De Los Muertos in San Francisco nine years back…

The sky weeps as a light rain falls. Human spirits, faces painted in white, eyes adorned with black circles, walk somberly. The light from the candles that the hands hold, is casting an eerie light on the face. Dead people are walking; dead in illusion but their spirits are alive. Death being a mere illusion for the living spirits. Altars have sprung up everywhere. Altars for the departed souls replete with food for the them, their favorite wines and food. Photos of the ones watching from above, adorn the altars as the living seek harmony with the dead.

I feel hesitant, unsure whether capturing these moments would mean intruding into the private rememberances. As I look through the lens, I feel one with the spirits, dead and alive. It’s another day, a celebration of being alive…

If it interests you, you may see some of those old photos from Day of the Dead 

I hope I get to see the dancing calaveras next year again.

‘The best camera is the one you have available at a time’.

To this adage, I had taken a few photos whenever I did not have my SLR with me.  Mostly, it was my little niece who played with the camera on my iPhone.  When I heard about instagram, I downloaded this free app but did not register for an account for a long time.  Then, I saw a photo taken using Instagram and felt tempted to register for an account and see what this popular app was about.  That one temptation opened my eyes to photography using my ubiquitous iPhone.   Low-hanging fruits and pleasures of a point-and-shoot aka an iPhone, were rediscovered by me.  My photography felt rejuvenated and I was back to my old ways again.

An ode to Poverty and hunger follows.  Visualized with my iPhone at 2:30 am in the morning, on a water trip to the kitchen!

Rice, Water and the Moon

“When I am hungry,

the mere thought makes me swoon

A few grains of rice and some water

take me to the moon”

Instagram is a deceptively simple app.  Point, shoot, apply a filter if you like and you are done.  As long as we realize the limitations of an iPhone, one can make some beautiful art. Of course, our mind’s eye takes the photo and like always, we choose a subject worthy of our admiration. It is what we see that makes a photo but the technological details are removed when using iPhone and Instagram.  By using a set of fifteen-odd filters, we can choose beautiful renditions of what we foresaw.  This is what makes it so powerful.  And, with an online community to share and provide inspiration, I felt rejuvenated.  By seeing some photos, I could be visiting Paris, reliving some of my memories there or seeing some abstract, beautiful art from strangers in Indonesia.  Using instagram, one can choose to follow people’s pictures and be followed.  To gain an audience, you tag a photo with tags and people will find your photo, like and/or comment on your photo.

I saw photos on Instagram that were absolutely stunning and wondered how this could be taken using an iPhone.  Then came the realization that there are so many apps that one could use to make layers of perception in a frame.  It was as if I had discovered a whole new world.  Some people were actually shooting with their SLR, using Adobe Photoshop, Snapseed, Filterstorm and other apps and then, uploading the pics to instagram.  Many others prided themselves on their proficiency with the edit tools and would come out with their own edits of someone else’s photos.

My shadow can fly!

One may use many tools but art is art and beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.  And, many of these photos are an inspiration.  There is beauty in simplicity and for now when using my phone, I am only using Instagram to shoot, create art and share with the world.

Love and Trust

As if to welcome ‘my discovery of Instagram and iphoneography’, Instagram got bought over by Facebook for a cool billion dollars, around that time.  Wow!  But, I digress.

Art is not about making money but to satisfy our souls, to provide happiness in the process of creation.  When we lose the passion, the charm is gone and art is not the same anymore.

Happy clicks to you!  Feel happy!    And, if you like, follow me on Instagram!

Happy New Year!

Different Childhoods

“Be careful! Where are you going?”
Well-dressed, sheltered kids curbed their naughtiness as they heeded the warnings let out by the elders. The polythene, trash strewn water could be deep. They wanted to have fun but not at the cost of their clothes or the anxious commands of their elders. As they climbed up and down the steps cheerfully and carefully under the watchful eyes of their parents, two other kids jumped down from the platform in the middle of the pond.

The new entrants playfully jumped through the shallow, dirty water towards the side of the pond. The sheltered kids watched spellbound with wonder and amazement at these kids gamboling through these dirty waters. Do not know what was going through their minds as they looked at the kids who freely frolicked in the waters. Different childhoods – sheltered versus unshackled!

As parents or elders, do we sometimes shelter our kids too much? Should we let them enjoy the simple things in life? Do we curb their natural, curious instinct, exploratory spirit in the process of sheltering them? I remember we used to sometimes float paper boats in the roadside puddles. Do not see that happening very often now a days. Are the kids today more mature, more worldly-wise albeit minus the playful, exploratory spirit?

Having tried three different approaches to the tower, feet starting to hurt and the time for fireworks drawing near, we decided to go towards Passy bridge for the next vantage point. Once there, we found there was hardly any place to even think of setting my tripod without obstructing somebody else’s view.   For that matter, there were people six to eight lines deep and I did not want to shoot without my tripod.   My friend and I parted ways here – he stayed on the bridge not wanting to miss the fireworks and I moved further down the Seine with Passy bridge in the foreground as one looked towards the Eiffel tower.

I was able to set up my tripod farther along the river.   I tried calling him but could not get through.  Even though it was not the best vantage point but I had no choice.  We should have come much earlier to scout a better location.

After the fireworks were over, a hazy smoke loitered in the air around Eiffel tower providing an orange glow as if the structure was on fire.

Larger versions in the form of a slideshow of these pics and some more may be seen in my archive.

On the occasion of Bastille day, I remembered the time and thought of putting these pics for my friends.
To my friends in France, wish you a happy Bastille day!

It was raining when I got to my hotel, five minutes from Piazza San Marco, behind Teatro La Fenici.  Having parked my belongings, I came to the piazza just as it drizzled slow and steady.  As I walked, shielding my camera, the sky started to open up and smile.  I would actually get to see the sunset this evening.  The light was  breathtaking and for a change, I forgot to click, telling myself that I will have a couple more days.  Little did I know that this would be the best light I will see on this trip.

The next day, I walked around photographing architecture, people and the colorful window displays in the galleries and shops. Narrow streets connected by bridges over a network of canals, it was easy to lose oneself, literally. The museums and palazzos in Venice close early. In between visiting the beautiful churches, palazzos, I could not indulge myself with a Gondola ride. But indulge I did, in other ways, with scoops of delicious gelato and omnipresent pizza. I was in heaven!

I had bought a pass for the water taxi.  This way, I could get around without too much hassle.  This turned out to be a good decision.   The sun and the rain gods were being mischievous, playing hide-and-seek, determined to make this trip more memorable.

When it rains, it pours and by god, it poured hard. People huddled under umbrellas as they tried to enjoy a soggy gondola ride. Even, some of the gondoliers brought out umbrellas as they went about earning their livelihood.

I was happy as adversity brings different, maybe better, opportunities. And, the rains brought me some different pictures…something different…

After a good downpour, the sun decided to trade places, making the dream, even more beautiful.

I did not shoot too many night photos in Venice. By the time, I got back to hotel, I felt too tired to lug my tripod around especially in the rains. No pain, no gain. Maybe, Venice will call me again. I will wait. It is just the beginning….my Venetian dream.

Walking along, I came upon a nook in the wall celebrating “the end” with graffiti. An immaculately dressed gentleman sat there playing the violin. At ease with himself and his surroundings, he continued playing as we exchanged smiles. As the music played, I asked for his permission and photographed him at peace surrounded by the chaotic graffiti.

Violinist in Florence