My First Photo Walk

 Since I was bitten by shutter bug it has become my favourite pass time to log on to sites that share photos.  I follow dPS regularly.   On one of the photo sharing sites I read about photo walk.  It was a new word for me, but it appeared self explanatory.  Photographers will take their camera and walk along taking pictures.  If this is done in groups, I thought it will be more interesting and learning experience. 

Photography had developed tremendously impacting everyday life from the principle of camera obscure to digital and drone cameras,  from dark to light rooms, black and white to instant colorful prints and instant sharing worldwide on social media.   Cell phone cameras have made every person a photographer, but the art and technique of photography is ever developing subject.  Like science and art it is ever evolving.

This is one spot on the street where our mentor asked us to take photos.  All of  us gathered here and take pictures in different angles.  People around started staring at us.  Somebody asked what will do taking the picture?  The leaking pipe is making the area dirty and muddy.  They wanted to know if we will inform the municipality about it and get it corrected.  

August 19 is chosen as world photography day as on that day in 1939 Daguerreotype of photographic process was announced   to the public by the French Government.  Actually this process was developed by Joseph Nicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre in 1937.  In 2009, Korske Ara, Australian photographer launched the World Photo Day Project with dream to unite local and global communities in a worldwide celebration of photograph.  The firs world Photo Day on 19/8/2010 hosted first global online gallery with 270 photographs from more than 100 countries.  World Photography organisation  incorporated as World Photograhy Awards Limited  hosts Sony World Photography Awards and World Photography festival.  Awards are presented to amateurs and professionals in different categories.

Our mentor showed this fish sculpture and compose a good photograph

 I read about the photo walks and wanted to participate in one. I thought that this will help me to get over my inhibitions in taking street photos.   I asked a photographer in our place about photo walk he appeared quite unaware of any such thing.  I know that it is not possible for a photo walk in our place as it is not a metro.  The nearest place I can expect a photo walk is at Hyderabad.   Hyderabad had its first certified photo walk on August 16 and 17 in 2015 the theme being ‘Virasat’ (heritage) capturing architectural and cultural design and beauty of the city. 

Lotus pond was also another point of interest in Zoo

“Photo Walk is defined as the act of walking with a camera for the main purpose of taking pictures of things that photographer may find interesting.”   But if a theme is given based on the theme interesting pictures can be captured by the photographers.  When there are group of people same object of interest can be captured with different perspective by different photographers.

I am fortunate to participate in a photo walk recently.  The Nikon School has held a basic workshop followed by photo walk for the benefit of its customers, and also others  who bought D-SLR, to know their gear and practice photography.  It was an interesting group activity of more than twenty amateur photography enthusiasts of different ages and all walks of life with Nikon Mentor and technical team.  The collecting point for photo walk was at Zoo in Hyderabad.  It was Sunday.  Early hours (7 AM) of winter morning.  We all walked for about a kilometer along with mentor who guided us in composition and candid photos.  In the Zoo we had wild life photography.

In fact, after I came home when I checked the pictures taken I thought I had different category of photos.   Here are some of my pictures taken on photo walk.

Portrait (my niece)

Can I call this a candid photo?  There were many teams playing cricket here.  This boy is too young to play cricker.  He engaged himself in drawing something on the ground.  Another boy told him that he is being photographed.  So he turned to look at me.

Will this be candid or street photo? Here is the old man preparing breakfast for his customers

This is street photograph.  To see such hoardings is very common every where in India.  Once a hoarding is put it should have wear and tear or another new occasion to put a new hoarding should come.  The hoarding was in front of hotel and two workers on the lorry made it interesting for me.

Wild life

Landscape/ Wild life

Nature

Flowers/Nature

Architecture

Indian Green Vine Snake

The snake is so well camouflaged it will be difficult to identify it at first look.
Its body can be seen extending on to gauva tree, its underbelly lighter in shade looks like veins of the leaves

If we observe closely everything in nature appears beautiful.  Even snakes though venomous are beautiful creatures.  There may be hundreds of species of snakes.  Some are highly venomous some are non-poisonous; the poison of some may cause problems which may resolve in short period.  But whenever a snake is seen there will be fear in mind with the thought of its poison.  I believe any creature will attack only when its life is threatened. 

As usual I was looking keenly at the plants beside our compound wall to find anything interesting.  I spotted this green snake camouflaged amidst the plants and vines in the area.  I knew that it is called ‘pasirika’ in Telugu and is non-poisonous.  I brought my hand camera and clicked few pics.  It noticed me and looked at me constantly for some time and then made a slow move into the shrubs around.  I think it will have ample food as I have seen lizards in there.  There are also frogs that are often seen in our premises and I was bit worried that it may enter our premises to feed on the frogs and lizards that are seen around.  But except on that day I never saw it again.

When disturbed it expands its body exibiting a black and white scale markings.
I did not disturb it, just watched its activity

This snake (Ahaetulla nasuta) known as green vine snake is different from that seen in America.  Ahaetulla nasuta, the Indian green vine snake is also seen in Srilanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.  As I thought it is not non-poisonous, but mildly poisonous, bite causing swelling which will subside in three days.  It turned its pouted head towards me as it perceived my activity a threat and on observing me for a while decided I am not a threat to it and moved away.  It is believed by some people that it uses its pouted head to blind its human victims.  This is supposed to be a myth.  Anyway I was fortunate that even after staring at me for more than five minutes it passed off coolly without attacking me.  

I waited looking at it to see if it opens its mouth and shows its tongue or fangs, which it does to display threat.
It never opened its mouth.

Instant Photographs

Before the advent of digital cameras, at any tourist place there would be only few people and one or two persons in the family would operate camera.  Care is taken not to waste even a single shot and increase number of snaps from 36 to 37.  Digital cameras and phone cameras have made every single person a photographer.  There is no fear of wasting snaps.  No fear of unnecessary expenditure.  As many photos are clicked as desired.  Other than professional photographer rarely a thought is given to the composition.  At the end of the day no one knows how many photos will become hard copies.  They remain either in the memory card of camera or stored in the hard disk of the computer.  From the computer the pictures can be shared world over with friends and relatives.  But the pleasure of watching photo albums sitting together with near and dear at home remembering the story behind the picture will be missing.

To help the tourists at most tourist places we see pro photographers who give us instant photos.  They are ever present at the site and ready to take photographs at best and iconic angles of the place and give pictures in an hour or two.  In some places where more tourists prefer photos taken by the photographers it may take more days and Photographer will send the copies to home.  I think it will be a good idea for tourists to take instant digital photographs at the site and keep them as souvenirs.

  

Here is the photographer at the Laknavaram in Warangal.  The hanging bridge on the lake is ‘L’ shaped and at the joint there is an extended area of bridge.  Here he has his equipment and processes photos and gives it to the tourists in an hour, by the time they come back after visiting the restaurant on the island and boat ride in the lake.  When I asked him to pose for me and I will post it on my blog he was happy to do it.  I wish he will have brisk business on all the days of the week.

This plant is seen growing wildly at Laknavaram.  I have seen this type of flowers for the first time.  I took few pictures.  When I took this photo I thought that the flower is different from others.  But find an insect on this flower was a surprise to me.

Red Gulmohar

As we travel towards Hyderabad from Warangal, from Ghanpur to Raghunathpally on either side of the road there are many Gulmohar trees.  The journey along this road between April and June is pleasant as these trees are in full bloom with bright red flowers arching the road.  Though it will be hot, the journey along this road becomes memorable experience travelling under these floral arches.

Gulmohar or Royal Poinciana mostly grows in the tropical regions.  It is cultivated for its beauty.  It is grown as ornamental tree for its wonderful appearance when in full bloom and also for shade.  In summer when the leaves fall and the tree blooms in its full with its bright red flowers,it appears like flame and hence the tree is also known as Flame tree, Flamboyant tree.  Rare variety of this species will have yellow flowers.  

The tree is the official tree of Vietnam and Common wealth of Northern Mariana Islands.  The flower is the national flower of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

In Kerala Gulmohar flower is known as Kaalvaripoo – flower of cavalry.  Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala believe that when Jesus was crucified there was a Royal Poinciana tree nearby his Cross.  It is believed that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed over the flowers of the tree and that is how the flowers got their sharp red color (Wikipedia).

In Bengal the red Gulmohar is called Krishnachura and the yellow variety which is rare is called Radhachura. 

Life of Butterfly

Nature is wonderful.  Life is beautiful.  My interest in photography had taught me to look at things – living and nonliving in different perspective.  Every being looks beautiful when observed.  Nature’s every act is purposeful and progressive.  Every being in nature is interdependent.  The secret of development of huge banyan tree lies in a very tiny seed.  Every being is born for a purpose and degrades or disappears once the purpose is fulfilled.  Nature’s degradation is for progressive up gradation.  A seed disappears as a plant shoots out.  The plant flowers, flowers shrivel and develop into fruit.  The fruit is consumed by other living beings and seed is disposed off into mother earth to start a new life.

I feel life is very much comparable to the stages in the life cycle of a butterfly.  The egg hatches into larva and spends its life eating, eating and eating and finally withdraws and secludes from external activity into pupa.  The changes it undergoes during that stage lead to beautiful transformation and a butterfly in all its beauty comes out.  It lives on nectar serves its purpose of pollination for progressive nature, lays eggs and disappears into nature.  From egg to butterfly the life cycle of butterfly is just one life.

We, human beings, since birth strive to live, live for self, always consuming and hoarding things more than we need for one life, destroy nature for our comfort.  Most lives are spent in fulfilling desires which are ever increasing and finally when death embraces, we still long for something or other and rebirth becomes inevitable (for people who believe in soul and rebirth).  The purpose of life is to live and be able to do something for the progression of human life peacefully in the Universe along with all other beings and elements in the Universe.   People who had done their bit for betterment of life on earth are saints and live even after their mortal death.  Their life is like the last stage of beautiful butterfly.  As a being their purpose of birth is accomplished and become unified with Universe.

People who have accomplished their goal in life should withdraw from material longings and work for the benefit of human race and preserving beautiful nature

A Different Rose

Flowers are beautiful and delicate.  Rose is a flower which is loved by all.  There are hundreds of different colors and types of roses.  Any flower will generally have a single centre around which the petals are arranged in whorls.  Once I found a rose with two centres.  It is quite uncommon.  I don’t want to say unnatural as it is part of nature.  It is different, it is wonderful. 

This is my first photograph to be posted after changing the back ground with difficulty.  I learnt it on you tube and done with online photo editor pixlr.com.  Little bit of edition is also done in picasa as usual.

Caged

The picture looks like the line is behind the grill.
 Actually I have taken this from the window of the bus. 

Man is the most intelligent of all living beings on earth.  With intelligence and wisdom man evolved from caveman to smart city dweller.  Being the most intelligent of animal kingdom, man is powerful to command, control and use other beings for his development.  Powerful man has the responsibility to protect nature and allow other beings to live.  Protecting nature and other beings maintains ecological balance that helps human race to continue healthy existence on earth.

Disappearance of forests, changing life styles of man has become the cause of extinction of hundreds of beings.  Wild animals that live in forests are kept in captivity in zoological parks or protected/reserved forests. In these forests though the animals appear to move about freely, their freedom of movement is restricted by  the boundaries created by the authorities (man).  But when we move in these forests to see wild animals in their so called natural habitat we go in a vehicle through the windows of which we can see animals but animals cannot reach us. 

Once I visited Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru.  When I took a bus ride I felt we, the passengers, in the bus are caged and the animals are moving freely.  I could understand the limited power we humans have and the how much we fear the wild animals.

The bear sitting beside the halted bus and watching us

The bus,with all the doors closed and windows grilled
The moving cage!