Tag: #photography

CFFC: Fun with Sticks & Stones

Hello, hello ready for some fun with sticks and stones? The virtual kind are the best and thanks to Cee I never thought I would ever be fearlessly playing this game. This week the topic is either Sticks and Stones. As usual Cee gives wings to sticks and stones as well and we are allowed to be creative and have fun with this challenge. How could I resist eh? 😉

Off we go…

Some serious contemplation of sticks. Perhaps they too have a challenge that they need to participate in 😉

When sticks stick to the ground…

Sticks and stones – big ones. 😉

This one evokes envy – one can only dream of the peace and contentment in his life 😀

No pebbles here but it’s made of stone – a contemplative stone 😀

I used to love reading books in this pose, once upon a time – do you/did you?

Time for a break on a sticky stand 🙂 Love the bilingual message 😀 We all do deserve one break at least!

Here’s the break time complete with stick spoons 🙂 Yes it was delicious

One of my favorite notices that I found at a hotel in Goa and so apt for the times we live in. It was on a stick type frame, just in case you were wondering.

Thank you for dropping by and do leave me a note – they make my day! Cheers

PSPC: Please Have a Seat

Hello, here’s my attempt at XingfuMama’s Pull Up a Seat Photo Challenge. This challenge is about a seat, a place to perch. This might be a chair, a bench, a wall, a pew…maybe even a log or a rock. These spots can be artfully designed, quirky or very plain, sometimes they have a view, sometimes you meet someone else who needs a rest.

So, without any further ado, if you are comfortably seated, off we go:

The chairs, I presume were once upon a time a bright orange to match the flowers but under the scorching sun faded to a pale pink. Or perhaps, they turned pale with envy…

The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbor. Horace

Recently I had the opportunity to watch a live Kathakali performance. This is a traditional dance form originating probably in Kerala in Southern India. It is a “story game” genre of art, usually drawn from folk stories, religious texts and Hindu epics. It is characterised by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes and performed traditionally only by males. You can read more about it here.

I was seated in the front row and the ‘lady’ on the left performed a sequence (while seated on the stool) wherein ‘she’ put a baby to sleep. Once, the imaginary baby was asleep, ‘she’ tiptoed away only to stop and request me, with only ‘her’ eyes expressions, and gestures to keep an eye on the baby. I played along and raised a hand to ‘assure’ her but ‘she’ instantly stopped and ‘asked’ 4 kids! I shook my head, and raised one finger. She then proceed to ask if they were married, or studying or working. It was amazing!

At the Kochi harbor, while on a morning walk, we spotted these birds, perched at a vantage point waiting for breakfast to be delivered.

This one is in a hurry, probably late for work 😀 This was taken while on a boat ride on the river Periyaar.

This picture was taken by the kind boatman as we weren’t allowed to move about on the boat. They don’t seem to be in any hurry. In fact, they seem ready for bed after a satisfying meal 😀

We were waiting for the boat, I wonder what they were waiting for – breakfast in someone’s pocket perhaps?

That’s it from me. I hope I didnt break any rules. Which one did you like the best?

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

One-to-Three PPC Challenge #2

Hello to you 🙂 Venturing into the domain of photography I am participating in XingfuMama’s photo challenge. The challenge is simple: take one photo and get creative with it by processing it three different ways.

Here goes:

This is the original. This was taken last month at Kochi harbor in Kerala, India. It was a cloudy cool morning and it was such a treat to watch her grow bigger and bigger as she floated back home. I took it on my Samsung Z fold 2 phone camera. No particular setting.

Err, I can’t help but also post a haiku, or attempt at one, inspired by this image. Haiku, as you may know, captures one or two moments  by using clear and vivid images. A haiku, consisting of a phrase and a fragment, is an unfinished poem – the readers interpret what it means by putting the images together. Do share your thoughts and interpretations 🙂

she returns

after a long journey

sigh

This is the Pen and Wash style availabe in the phone itself.

This is the Watercolor style. Earlier we used to attempt watercolors (not that I ever could!) based on photos and now its the reverse. Fascinating stuff.

For this one, instead of the Styles function, I tried to play around with contrast, exposure, shadow, sharpness etc.

On second thoughts, the version one and two look quite similar, don’t they?

So, what’s the verdict? Suggestions? Tips?

Thanks for visiting. Have a super day.

SSC#1: Number of Fences

This my submission to Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge on fences of any kind. Initially I thought I wouldn’t be able to participate but now I think I have too many.

Entry for humans beyond the fence is offensive to the law of the land and jungle 😀

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” Will Rogers

You can of course see the fence but it is the gnarly tree that captures one’s attention, isn’t it? Doesn’t she look as if she is involved in some long standing feud with her own self?

“I am a woman in process. I’m just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull.” Oprah Winfrey

This is another shot another side from the same spot. No sign of conflict here, just peaceful coexistence.

“Coexistence reminds us that together we are stronger.” From the internet

A makeshift fence to demarcate private land cultivating precious spices. Can you guess what the long leafed shrub provides?

“A green pearl on the banks of the river Periyar in the South-west mountains”. Chanakya wrote in his ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, political science, economic policy and military strategy, Arthashashtra. It was written in Sanskrit in the 1st millennium BCE.

The photo is also taken around the same place as mentioned by Chanakya and is considered the Queen of Spices. I presume you must have guessed it by now – yes, it’s the green cardamom.

Here the audience is fenced out as experts demonstrate the ancient martial art, Kalaripayattu. Originating in Kerala, India, it is one of the oldest surviving martial arts in world. Kalaripayattu differs from many other martial arts systems in the world in that weapon based techniques are taught first, and barehanded techniques are taught last. Elements from the yoga tradition as well as finger movements in the nata dances, were incorporated into Kalaripayattu.

It was truly a treat to watch the masters fight with swords with sparks flying. They were so swift in their actions, from the shot it appears as if they are bare-handed when actually they are using swords.

I hope it was worth your time to visit. Do let me know your favorite photo – if any. Bye.