All stories filed under "photography"
Gallery of photographs
Over the years I have done commercial photography assignments for advertising agencies ranging from cars to switch-gear. I have taken on commissioned photography and film projects from commercial media, international bilateral agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
I am involved in multiple long-term projects, but I am happy to work on commissioned multi-media assignments. I prefer working on travel related projects or projects related to not-for-profit organizations/causes.
Drop me a line if you have an interesting project for me.
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1 minute read | 87 words
A blazing sunrise in Darjeeling
It is five in the morning and still pitch dark outside. But I am up and ready to face the winter morning chill, which admittedly, is not at its peak yet. My camera bag on my shoulder and my trusty hat on my head I am ready to leave the comfort of my hotel room. While this is a nice hotel, it is old style. No digital key swipes, just one key for an old-fashioned lock.
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7 minute read | 1468 words
#photography, #photo-features, #travel, #darjeeling, #north-east india, #west bengal
So who was Safdarjung? And why does he lord over the best real estate in town?
Residents of Delhi, even those not terribly interested in history, are likely to be aware of the Safdarjung Tomb. Not because it is a particularly grand tomb, as mausoleum go, but perhaps because it is physically a prominent landmark, on a major road, in the middle of upmarket central Delhi.
This morning I had an hour to kill, and I decide to make some pictures there.
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2 minute read | 396 words
#photography, #photo-features, #featured, #historic monuments
Buffaloes on zebra crossings - The Gurgaon story
Our documentary film was first shown as part of an exhibition & seminar ‘What makes India urban?’ at AEDES Am Pfefferberg, Berlin, a gallery that focuses on architecture.
In less than two decades, the rural landscape of Gurgaon has taken on an urban identity. Yet, without a shared vocabulary for spaces, zebra crossings are “peopled” by buffaloes and busy mall roads have “herds” of shoppers making suicidal attempts to criss-cross a sea of racing vehicles.
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1 minute read | 158 words
#photography, #photo-features, #featured, #urbanization, #what makes india urban
Which camera should I buy?
I am often asked ‘Which camera should I buy?’ Sometimes the query is about digital SLR (DSLR) cameras, at other times it is about point-and-shoot (P&S) cameras. After trying to answer the question in short bytes online and in long winding conversations in person, I have decided to collate my thoughts on paper, er… screen.
Part 1: Which DSLR camera?
Let me get to the DSLR question first, because to me that answer is simply ‘don’t’.
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8 minute read | 1587 words
Hiking in the Spiti valley
In June I traveled almost the entire length of the Spiti valley in the ‘European backpacker’ style. Using local buses (non-a/c with non-reclining seats), hitching rides, and hiking– from village to village and from monastery to monastery; eating in ‘dhabas’, staying in village homes, monasteries; making new friends (some of whom were perpetual travelers – they do not have a stable snail mail address)…
It is an absolutely incredible way to see the countryside.
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1 minute read | 162 words
#photography, #photo-features, #adventures, #featured, #himachal pradesh, #spiti valley, #hiking, #trekking, #indian himalayas
Going to Ziro!
Ziro is a quaint name for an unknown town hidden in the undergrowth of the deep jungles of Arunachal Pradesh – a state that is itself tucked away in the north-east of the country and is clearly not on the tourist map. Just the kind of place I long for
A rather upright hill in the middle of an expansive, flat valley that jostles with lush green farms and endless bamboo groves, houses this little guest house.
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3 minute read | 439 words
#photography, #photo-features, #travel, #north-east india, #wilderness, #arunachal pradesh
Digital photo-documentaries by underprivileged kids
Some years ago I had an opportunity to work with underprivileged kids across of India. One project that I really enjoyed was working with them to create a photo-documentary of their world.
Most of these kids had never seen a camera before, let alone handle one. However, they were off to a flying start within minutes of being handed over a digital camera.
You can see the photo-documentary produced by kids in rural Karnataka, however the kids in remote Ladakh or Arunachal Pradesh had equally fascinating stories to tell.
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1 minute read | 133 words
#photography, #photo-features, #multi-media, #kids, #documentary
LIFE photo archive on the web
The LIFE magazine photo archive (millions of photos), most never published before, is now available online, for free.
A teat for some of us (I still have old copies of LIFE magazine!). And we have Google to thank for it. I wish the images had better captions, and were better organized… but then I am glad that they are available at all.
So you can see gems like this or or this(must enlarge and see).
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1 minute read | 79 words
Trek to Chandratal -- the moon lake
Freezing temperatures, mutinous children and kindergarten values
Educational consultant Ajay Jaiman, 40, trekked to Chandratal over the Dussehra break last year with three other families—the Bhattacharyas, the Chopras and the Chakrabartis—ranging in age from 7 to 51. Despite a recent heart attack, which has postponed a high-altitude lake expedition this summer, he has not given up on physically demanding outdoor breaks
Click on any image to view an enlarged image gallery I like to be outdoors when on vacation.
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6 minute read | 1229 words
#photography, #photo-features, #adventures, #himachal pradesh, #hiking, #trekking, #walking, #spiti, #trek
Copyrights and wrongs
The Picture Archive Council of America (PACA), has created a powerpoint presentation that dispels many a myth and sheds light on what copyright protects and for how long, what is fair use, what is an infringement and what is not.
Some of the _ popular copyright myths _ it highlights include:
If an image is on the internet/Google it is in the public domain. If there is no copyright notice on the image, I don’t need permission.
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1 minute read | 210 words
At Pangong Tso (Lake)
I camped solo, by the Pangong Tso (Ladakh, India) and survived… well, not just survived, but came back with an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Totally incredible! Over 4200 meters above sea level; temperature well below freezing (it was 4 degrees inside the tent at 5:30 in the morning). And there I was camped on a peninsula in one of the biggest and bluest lakes in the country, with water splashing on all three sides (wind creates almost see like waves) and the tent fluttering in the wind all night.
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1 minute read | 139 words