Mistakes or Flukes...

'Serendipity' is just another way of acknowledging a masterpiece fluke. 

Things happen the same way in Photography world; the only thing is photographers aren't as honest as scientists! What I mean to say is many a times, what you would be thinking as a pretty normal shot turns into an awesome shot. Taking it even a step further some mistakes rather than ruining the photograph gives a dramatic effect. And hence the apt saying 'Learn from your mistakes'.

I bought a tripod almost a year back, and I use it extensively for landscape shots. However accounting to my laziness, I still don't use it for photographing people. This is a shot I took sometime back, just for the sake of fun. I knew it I had ruined it when I didn't hear the shutter close even after 3 seconds.

A 5 second exposure, with a rear sync flash did the trick here. The flames are the shake effects of the indicator lights of the motorbike behind. The model is my friend 'Puppy' aka Yogesh.

The catch is not in avoiding mistakes, nor is it in living by flukes. It is in analyzing the masterpiece flukes! 

"I am learning real skills that I can apply throughout the rest of my life.... Procrastinating & rationalizing" 

- Calvin

Long Distance Relation...

I was watching "We are Marshall" the other day. 

The story rotates around Marshall University who loose the whole of their football team in a tragic Plane accident. Jack Lengyel the new team coach & a couple of formers who were fortunate not to be in the accident try to keep the 'Football Program' alive.

Its a nice movie, Mathew Mc Conaughey as Jack Lengyel, the new team coach is really worth watching. Following is one of the best dialogues between Jack & Don, The University President, where Jack tries to persuade Don to go & see the Sports association members in person, rather than sending petitions to them:-

Jack : Don, are you married? 

Don  : Yes sir, 25 years this year. 

Jack : Now, I am going to bet... that you didn't propose over the phone. 

Don  : Ummm, no. 

Jack : And I'm pretty sure, that she didn't accept with a letter. 

Don  : Uhhhh. 

Jack : Don? 

Don  : Jack? 

Jack : Don? 

Don  : Jack? 

Jack : Don... you can do this! 

Overall worth watching, though not as good as 'The Invincible', 'Remember the Titans' or 'Coach Carter'.

P.S - Was Just wondering what would Jack say if she had done that? :))

When I am gone...

"That be not told of my death,

Or made to grieve in account of me,

& that I be not buried in consecrated ground,

& that no sexton be asked to toll the bell,

& that nobody is wished to see my dead body,

& that no mourners follow my funeral,

& that no flowers be painted on my grave,

& that no man remembers my name,

To this I put my name, for I have lived my life to full."

- Thomas Hardy

Height at Night

Finally after quite a long time, I went for a hike. 'Skandagiri' is a hill some 70 kms from Bangalore on NH-7 Highway. It's famous for night climbing in moonlight. 

We of course, depended more on torches than crescent moon. This place is also known for colorful sunrises. As per Murphy's law, all that could go wrong, went wrong. One of our bikes got punctured, we did loose the way in night, climbed back & then had to climb again. Well, to put in a nutshell, of the 14 people in my group who climbed; each one of them was a zombie, by the time we climbed down. 

However, it was worth the effort. Here are some pictures I managed to take:-

Bangalore Skyline before sunrise, as seen from the top of Skandagiri. The shot is a long exposure of 20 seconds on my tripod(struggled quite a lot to carry that to top).

The hill in front atop the clouds is Nandi Hills. The shot has been taken just after sunrise. Because of the speeding clouds here, Nandi Hills is visible like the pupil of a blinking eye.

Took this shot at the top. The boulder lies at the edge. Gives a good reference scale of the sizes. 'Kudos' to the morons who were standing near the edge to get themselves photographed. 

The Rising of Mankind...

"I heard a thousand blended notes,

while in a grove I sat reclined,

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts 

Bring sad thoughts to the mind. 

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran; 
And much it grieved my heart to think 
What Man has made of Man."

- William Wordsworth