Wednesday, December 25, 2013

And my journey begins with the City of Joy...

Where else can you dare to kick-start your photography tour but Kolkata- The mecca of street photography, one of the very few places where you can capture the sheer beauty of diversity on the streets, be it the dying colonial architecture or that perfect concoction of nature, religion & spirituality or the special restless intellectual breed of most un-"common" man lost in serious discussion or those innumerable uniquities- Trams, Yellow Ambi Cab, Hand rickshaw, Howrah bridge, food heritage among others…

There is so much to celebrate in this city, its warmth and character is reflected in its people as well, though I'm not sure if it's more true other way round. Whatever it is, you have to feel the myriad influences of this city to experience joy! As the cliché goes, the city grows on you. You have to experience it to know the exact feeling, words are insufficient: The early morning smell of burning coal to fire those clay chulhas or the divine aroma of assorted spices from street stalls to cook those scrumptious meal for office babus is simply irresistible.

I had the pleasure of spending 15 days around this beautiful city of joy completely dedicated to experience the soul of Kol. Although, I started with the goal of capturing the street beauty with my lens, I ended up with a different set of experience altogether- spiritual and gastronomical.

Very soon I wish to come back to capture the absolutely irresistible beauty with my lens, for now I can simply plead my taste-buds to stop those sumptuous culinary cravings!

SBD

PS: Yes, this is my first trip around Kolkata. I have visited Bengal (or Paschim Bangla as it is called now) annually but never got a chance to see this city. My ancestral place is a 2 hour drive in a small city called Naihati having its own soulful charm, similar yet distinct from Kolkata.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

PAINTINGS WITH LENSES, LIGHTS & WORDS!


In Frame: My basic artistic arsenal for next few months that will help me mesmerize the WORLD's depth & focus and support my journey of PAINTINGS WITH LENSES, LIGHTS & WORDS

A genius who goes by the name of Ansel Adams once said "Cameras don't take pictures, photographers do. The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!" True to its core, cameras are just like any other artist's tool, simply supporting the artistic acumen while making it convenient and easy to capture that WOW magical moment. We should always remember photography is an art of capturing IMAGINATION with light and lenses. This is where the term IMAGE is derived from afterall! The art of photography has little to do with the things you see & everything to do with the way you see them. Don't fool yourself by thinking a Nikon or Canon will help you bridge the artistic vacuum of composing that perfect image. When you see the works of Picasso or Van Gogh, you never appreciate the canvas, the brush or the oil paint used; it's always about the expression. It is neither the range of f/stop nor the sensor, but your wild imagination that makes u a genius in the world of photography!

So here is my beginning of a dedicated journey to find the extraordinary in ordinary circumstances. I wish to use this platform to exhibit my creation to the world by capturing that perfect moment, projecting that creative spike and clicking that unique perspective. I'm set to devote my next few months to street and soul photography of India. Lot of exciting things are lined up with my backpack trip, a major share of which will be contributed to this website and blog. Stay Tuned!

Let thr be light people!

SBD

PS: My modest photography kit consists of:
1. Camera: Nikon D3100
2. Lens: Tamron AF 70-300mm (X 1.5 Times for half frame camera) F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro, Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D and Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6G VR Zoom Lens
3. Tripod: Vanguard MAK 233 Tripod Aluminium
4. Macro Photography Toolkit: Close-up Lens Set- Set of 5 (+1,+2,+4,+10,Magnifier); Non-electrical extension tube set of 3 different length (9,16,30); Single Lens Reversal Tube
5. Other Accessories: Tamron UV Filter, Polarizing Filter, Tamron & Nikon lens hood, Lens Cleaning Kit, 8gb Memory card, Hand Grip Strap, Pop-up Flash Diffuser, LED External light and Nikon Top-loader bag with rain cover