bookmark_borderA wonderful trip to India

Growing up in Mauritius where more than half of the population are of Indian descent and being used to Indo-Mauritian customs give you a sense of familiarity with India. Countless travel shows and documentaries, and the ability to google any information you need about the country further reinforce the sentiment. My trip to Hyderabad and New Delhi earlier this month taught me that India was much more than I had imagined.

When you’re there, India is about having spicy dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; it is about being bewildered by the cacophonous and chaotic flow of cars, motorcycles, auto-rickshaws, and pedestrians, and wondering how anyone managed to navigate that; and, it is about watching your Indian hosts use English to converse because India is so vast that they do not even speak the same  language and that it will never be possible for you — a foreigner — to know India fully.

But India was not all new experiences. The hospitality, especially, was reminiscent of life in Mauritius: the casual way the hotel receptionist offered to walk three miles to the mall after her shift to make a purchase for me, the fact that our hosts kept turning up at 1.30 p.m. when we had agreed to meet at 12.30 p.m., and when we became worried about missing our flight because they insisted on making a detour for us to visit Taj Mahal followed by a night tour of New Delhi and a stop at the famous Haldiram’s for aloo paratha and butter milk.

bookmark_borderRed Arrows at Farnborough International Airshow 2014

Red Arrows at the Farnborough International Airshow 2014
Red Arrows at the Farnborough International Airshow 2014

As I copied files off the D200, I realised that I had not used the Nikon since January. The keepers make me glad that I forced myself to shoot the Farnborough Airshow 2014 fly-bys.

This photo was taken with the D200 and a vintage manual Sirius 70-210mm f/4-5.6. I had to check the metering frequently because the light kept changing. The trick, I found, was to spot-meter on the clouds at +2 EV — as per the zone system — and to let the exposure take care of itself in the rest of the frame.

bookmark_borderHappy New Year

Glass façade building on Oxford Street, London, United Kingdom
Glass façade building on Oxford Street, London, United Kingdom

I wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope that 2013 was a good year and that 2014 will be an even better one.

This picture reminds me of the festive atmosphere in London on the last day of 2008 as we wandered around, waiting for the NYE celebrations to begin.

bookmark_borderSurprising Wroclaw

Close-up of love padlocks on Tumski Bridge, Wroclaw
Close-up of love padlocks on Tumski Bridge, Wroclaw

I had never thought of Poland as a great tourist destination. But after spending five days in Wroclaw, I’m ready to go back. The city has beautiful landmarks, great food, and amazing people.

Here is a close-up picture of the love padlocks on Most Tumski—a most original expression of love and friendship.

bookmark_borderReminiscing the Panasonic Lumix FZ18

Red Arrows at Farnborough International Airshow 2008
Red Arrows at Farnborough International Airshow 2008

In retrospect, the Panasonic Lumix FZ18 was an amazing bridge camera.

This picture was taken with the Lumix shortly before I upgraded to a Nikon D40. As the situation demanded, the aperture was set for a depth of field spanning from the hyper-focal distance to infinity, and the camera was pointed in a direction that would place the Red Arrows in the frame as they flew by.

My only criticism of the Lumix FZ18 was that it produced a lot of digital noise in pictures. This photo captured at ISO 100 is noisier than pictures taken at ISO 3200 from modern DSLR cameras.

bookmark_borderWhy candid?

Priscilla holding Sacha wearing fairy wings
“I’m flying.” There are no dull moments when Priscilla and Sacha are together.

My favourite photography genre is candid. I like pictures that are unique combinations of events, feelings, and places. While a beautiful landscape can be re-visited and a portrait re-created, a moment remains truly unique.

bookmark_borderParis

Tour Montparnasse in Paris
Paris is remarkable for its relatively few tall structures, which makes Tour Montparnasse even more spectacular in its isolated position.

I thought I wouldn’t enjoy wandering in a strange city, but I quite liked our Parisian strolls. We might even go back.