Paradise...well seen!

Finally I broke free!! Free from all the hectic schedules of work-study-work-study and... finally broke free...

Headed to my friend's place near Kodachadri along with my parents, I never imagined that I will experience such a great pleasure in those two days! Simha Farms is where we stayed and thanks Adithya Biloor and his family for such a wonderful hospitality.




Kodachadri was in my list of must visit for the third time :) and this time with my parents! As they cannot trek (for obvious reasons!) we had to hire a Jeep to reach the peak and O boy! I found some of the world's best drivers! The road to Kodachadri is very very tough to say the least! The 8km road to the top will take not less that an hour to drive. The patience and skill of most of the drivers are something that deserves commendation.




Reached the top at around 5:15 to see the Sunset and by the time we started ascending the final small stretch to reach the 'Sarvajna Mantapa' from where you get to see the true beauty of the place, the peak started to cover in the mist completely. Thick clouds started hitting the peak and the feel was amazing. Though the visibility diminished quickly and so the photo opportunity, I was slightly optimistic that the mist will soon clear and may give an opportunity to witness some of the wonderful moments that the place is famous for.




And it didn't disappoint! Slowly after sometime the Sun started showing up....and.... there it was......the ground underneath was completely covered with the layered clouds and the atmosphere above became crystal clear for some moment! WOW! It was a sight to behold! Never in my previous times I had witnessed this drama of Nature in front of my eyes here. The setting sun was adding colors to the mood and it was a moment of sheer ecstasy.




The next day morning I spent time on the backwaters of Linganamakki Dam along with Adithya Biloor. We were there just when the Sun was opening his eyes and was getting ready to for the new day and we promptly waited for him to show up.




Couple of Ashy Wood Swallow pairs were having some jolly time and the perch they were on was giving some nice photography opportunities. I decided to go with minimalistic approach and tried some experiments around the same.








Later part of the day was spent in hunting down one of the elusive birds of that region - Black capped Kingfisher which was not very much recorded from that region. The place 'Pandavara Tali' was beautiful and serene. I was about to give up hope of witnessing that beauty and decided to take a plunge into the flowing water to beat the heat and there it was...flying in front of all of us and finally settling on the branch on the other shore.




The bird is really beautiful and the colors are very striking. I had never thought that I would be adding this beauty to my lifers list this much soon and that too from Karnataka region. Bhtarkanika of Orissa and Sunderbans of West Bengal are famous for its frequent sightings.




The evening was spent again in the backwaters but photography was less.




Overall a memorable trip after a long time and a very well spent break for me. A paradise well seen...again!


Cheers,
Ash

Magic of light!

Photography is all about how one uses light and shades. In this perspective it is somewhat similar to computer science which is all about zeros and ones! :) Ok, that was a PJ, I accept!

They were lying in a plastic box, submerged in water for over 5 months! I was almost about to throw them and thats why I had opened that box. Luckily they were still good! Then only I realised that they were so beautiful!


As I had some time that night, decided to experiment with them by using different sources of light.

Arragment of these to have a pleasing composition posed an initial challenge. The presence of an additional variable - 'colored balls' were real challenge to place in specific places to enhance the viewing pleasure.



For this, I chose my 50mm lens which I love the most. As it was 11 at night and my mom was busy with some work to call it a day, I dint want to call her to help me out in holding the LEDs in different positions. Decided to do all the things alone!


When I switched off the main light and as the LED light fell at an angle close to ground, the magic started! Honestly, I never expected this to be this much spectacular! Holding the LED in one hand, away from the arrangement and using the other hand to release the shutter was fun!


Then I decided to go one step further, using two light sources! But, my problem was both were of different intensities. Now if I had used them from equal distance then the brighter was over powering the effect created by the smaller one. Decided to place the smaller one on a support at a particular position and I held the brighter one far away. The viewfinder was amazed by the result and was telling me to release the shutter! :) Result is below!


The couple of hours spent experimenting with light was very productive. Got to learn some important things.

It re-assured my belief that an image is all about how you place the subject and how you handle the light falling on it!

Hope you enjoy some images here.

Cheers,
Ash

Dear departed!

It was my first love and I still remember the excitement with which I came back home after buying this.


I just loved it a lot and it will be very unfair to just say that it gave me a great company! It truly ruled my heart and had every reason to be happy.

I just loved its color engine and for a starter it was offering real good features. I still remember the days in monsoon when I made a trip to Western Ghats this guy was totally wet in rains but never complained a single day!


I had tested it in as cold as -30deg to +35deg and it was bang on target in every situation. I was impressed. This only made my love deep.

This truly fantastic friend of mine has finally departed last week!

What he left behind are some of the wonderful memories of my early learning days!




Long Live my friend!


I finally sold my D80 last week. It was a hard decision for me. But except for long tours it was keeping idle in my bag. Hence decided to put it for use in some other hands! My D300 must be feeling lonely now!

Day 5: The final Song!

So....here we were, on the last day of the dream trip to Bharatpur! We had only few hours to spend before we start our journey further to Ranathambore...and I had some plans in my mind!


As the day started it was time for me to forget my tele lens and take up my wide angle and macro. My plan was to dedicate the moody morning for making some landscape images and then as the light improves head for the boating to explore some macro opportunity.

I was impressed by the cycling in Bharatpur and wanted to do cycling any one of 5 days and today was my opportunity. I hired a cycle and having my Lowepro on my back I headed behind the cycle rickshawallas to catch up my team.

We had a team photo session and after having finished the session we all headed onto our own ways!


When you enter the park just few hundred meters ahead on the left you will find a dead tree standing.On all the days I was glancing at the tree and wanted to make an image of it but had reserved the last day for doing the same.


The Sun was just begining to show up! It was another delightful morning. There was less mist compared to the last day and in fact I was a bit disappointed with that! Thank GOD that I had made some images the last day and that reduced my guilt feel a bit for not utilizing the misty day!


Spent quite a some time there around and slowly started stepping my cycle ahead. I was silently enjoying the cycle ride as well. Birender, my rickshawalla was hosting Ganesh that day!



As the sun slowly came up, I reached the boating point and hired a boat. Luckily the officer agreed to issue a complete boat to me and I was preparing for some macro in the water.

I knew it would be a great challenge to attempt the macro sitting inside a boat! You will have loads of challenges to face - the boat will not be rock steady and you cannot use your tripod inside the boat, it is not possible! The water is no calm and the ripples spoil the show many times. I knew it is going to be fun!

As we started slowly, the resident King Fisher took off signaling that we are coming! A small blue King fisher was quite close and made me re-think about my decision of leaving my tele back at room! But I tried some wide angles with that but with no great score....kept headed front...

The boatman was silent and I had already made him clear that I was not there for CSE or KFs. I was there to photograph some water plants and insects! That puzzled him a bit as he might not have encountered any specie doing this kind of activity! He kept silent! I knew its going to be a damn borrrring round for him as he also cannot talk anything with any birds or others and about what I wanted he dint have any knowledge except a stare at me! :)


We were in the middle of the waters and I started searching for some macro opportunity. After some 15 min of search I found some dead mosquitoes and started shooting them. As I had dead stopped the boat, the ripples were disappeared and probably the boatman had slept ;) ! So the life around me slowly getting unwrapped and the skaters dared to come close. As I was shooting one mosquito, a skater suddenly appeared in the frame to eat it! That poor guy might have thought that I might steal his breakfast!


Then the small plants on the water, bearing the morning mist slowly started coming nearer, thanks to the wind. Their color pattern and the misty drops attracted me and I turned my lens towards them and made some image. I had no idea what my boatman was doing!What I only noticed was he was cautious enough to not to shake the boat, he was rock steady!


After making some more images I looked at the boatman and he was having an expression - 'what a pathetic job u are doing there, when you have loads of birds flying around you were clicking that dirty mosquito and the skater!' :)



Finally decided not to make him bored more and decided to head back with a conclusion that one has loads and loads of opportunity for macros in the waters of Bharathpur! Its just the matter of exploring it!

When I was back it was already 10:30 and I decided to cycle till the Kevaladev Temple and only watch all the things on the way! I had decided to rest my photographic brain and wanted to enjoy the place as a normal tourist! :) (You do need change sometimes!:) )

On the way I had a fantastic time with a great Nature Photographer Dhritiman Mukharjee and tried his 400mm f/2.8 for some shots and man! what a lens! Brilliant piece of glass and I was dumbfounded after seeing the results! After saying bye to him and his sister Moushmi, I headed towards the Temple where Pramod and Shiv were planned to meet and we had decided to return from there.

At 12:00 we had a last Tea at the tea stall and after a long sigh I was back on my bicycle heading towards the gate...with a heavy heart and loads of memories to cherish in the months to come..... and with a pledge that I will come to Bharatpur again....and again....and again....

Returned the cycle, payed the rent and headed to the hotel on foot....


Long Live Bharatpur!

Day 4: Owlet's day out!

Previous day we had heard that there were as many as seven owlets sitting together in the morning Sun! Have seen only couple few days back we were very eager to catch this 'gang' in our camera.


According to our plan, today was the day to head towards their place via Rambandh! We had heard that Rambandh is a very nice route which may sometimes yield some fantastic opportunities. As the rickshawallas are not permitted to enter that area (!) they only showed us the way and directed us to how to go and where and what to look for!


Already the morning was very fruitful with some good opportunities with the Nilgai in the morning sun, I was on my toes and as we stepped into the area it looked very promising! The trail was very picturesque and I was expecting Jackal to come through the woods towards us!!! If you think its too much of an imagination (I also had thought the same initially! :)) then you will be shocked to know that the same thing has happened actually! A lone Jackal came just on the path and as we were far it kept coming with ease and disappeared into the grassland again before I could make couple of clicks!


The morning mist was slowly unwrapping the surroundings and the big guy Greater Spotted Eagle was already on the hunt for ducks, probably for a breakfast menu!


Had some good time watching him though couldn't make any good images! So we headed towards the center of attraction and we knew that Ganesh was already there to welcome them! :)


When we reached the place there was only one guy and was happily enjoying the morning Sun. As we all took positions to shoot (sounds like military language right??? ;)) ---


another guy joined and we now had a good company to pose for us!



The opportunity was nice to make some back lit images as well and I tried couple of tries.We had seen another fella nearby who was sitting quite far and looked as if he was not interested in joining the group!


After about half an hour, the third guy finally decided to pose for us with the group! The company was amazing and we all enjoyed a lot! The trio were there at the place for quite some time before one of them thought of moving to a lower branch.




The branch that they were sitting was also very artistic and it appeared to me as the Hand of Mother Nature asking is "Whats happening here??"


After spending about an hour, capturing various expressions and angles we were waiting for something interesting to happen!


Nature pays well for the people with patience. This time also it dint disappointed us! A pair of Squirrel came into the picture and they seem to be not happy with the place where the owlets have occupied currently! So they wanted them to flush them away. They started coming to very close to the comfort of the bird but still they held their ground! We were all very excited to see what happens next! After few failure attempts the Squirrel gave up the job and slowly went back accepting its defeat!


By that time, the light was already getting harsh and I have decided to move ahead.


My plan was to walk on the brick road where I had a fantastic encounter with the Jungle Cat the other day!
The Brick Road had become one of my favorite trails in the high noon which gives good shade and controlled light to photograph in the high noon as well. Hence I was stepping towards the Brick Road and the Sun was already soaring high! My plan was to sit quietly for about an hour just to try my luck again.

As I entered the brick road, I saw a female Nilgai was standing on the road with a treepie on its back! The rows of trees and the path together were giving a very nice opportunity to make an image. I sat immediately to make sure that the Nilgai doesn't notice me immediately. Made some images and sat quietly. Unfortunately there were some tourists who came and spoiled the show. The Nilgai disappeared in the woods and there I was, sitting alone on an empty path now!


Wait of about an hour dint yielded much apart from a flying flock of Common Cranes. As it was noon, I have decided to step ahead and join my team for lunch.


On the way, got some good company of Pied King Fisher! As Pramod and Shiv were treading a longer route I had to wait for them to join me for lunch. So decided to try some luck with the PKF!


After lunch, my plan was simple - to spend the last Sunset of the tour by sitting at a serene place! I had decided the place as well and just after the lunch I took all the gear and spent the whole evening on the banks of a marshy land from where I could see a vast area and in one corner the setting of the Sun.


The sunset that day was also very colorful as usual and it was hard on our part to realise that the sunset we were witnessing was the last sunset of the tour of Bharatpur!


We were left with only half a day more the next day, before we start towards Ranathambore!


-Ash

Day 3: The surreal Sunset!

So here I am...back after getting screwed up in the Mid-sem exams!;) As promised I will be continuing the report from Day 3 onwards....

After meeting with the elusive Jungle Cat previous day I wondered what will be there in store for me on Day 3! Apart from
the Jungle Cat encounter nothing was really great the previous day! So hoped for a better day ahead!

As planned initially we decided to try boat ride in the morning. We had been told that a Crested Serpent Eagle is a sure shot and if the stars shine for us then we will get the fella having breakfast! He enjoys snakes for the breakfast! For the matter of truth he enjoys snakes for everything - breakfast, lunch and dinner! ;) So we were dreaming of some action of that sort and praying for our stars to shine!
Sad news - Only one boat will be given and all the three people along with the boatman have to be accommodated in the same! - Shiv came back with this news! The wrong thing that happened was the ticket issuing person has saw us together and he was not ready to give separate boats for the individual even though there were free boats and boatmen were sitting lazily around a fire to beat the morning chill! Heck!! Even after little bit arguing nothing fruitful happened and we all ended up in jumping onto the same boat, struggling with 3 tripods, 2 big lenses and a medium one and 3 camera bags and a boatman to drive!
Morning was cold and all of were silent! After going for around 20-30 mtrs itself we saw the CSE sitting on a tough cut trunk and seems to be enjoying the morning Sun, who was struggling hard to knokoff the mist from the surroundings.Dammn!! strong backlight! even though the perch was good, the angle of light was bad for traditional photography! It opened up the opportunity for trying something different and we all were happy about that.

After making some images of that fella and as he took off (I swear we dint do anything! :)) we moved further....The water was deadly calm and the life underneath was very very colorful!As I was not in the mood to make any macro and as the conditions in the boat was also not favorable I decided to come another day for boating and that will be only for macro! Decided!....On the way forward we encountered some great views of WB Kingfisher and Darters and got some decent images as well....


Not very much activity around and hence decided to move back and try our luck with the CSE for the second time. We were not very optimistic though! But... He was there! This time on a branch of a green tree! But :( clutters...distracting branches and steep angle! But he allowed to go quite close and got some decent shots (though coudn't avoid the distracting background:( )


So...we finished our boating and planned for the rest of the session till afternoon. Ganesh and the rest of team were about to join us that day and they were planning to be on field in the afternoon.


As our search for the Longtailed Nightjar was pending, we decided to look for that during the afternoon. The Sun was up on the head and light was getting harsh! After a cycling of around 15 min we came to the spot. Our Rickshaw wallas got down and started to look for the nightjar.

There they go...found out the fella which was having a good nap in the bushes! If not for the local people, these Nightjars are real nightmeres to find in the field! Kudos to the locals who find them so easily!



After making some images of the Long Tailed Nightjar, I decided to spend some time in the Ghana Canal which dint have any water and the tree shades are providing very nice diffused light on the ground. Although I saw some species like Bluethroat, Lessar Coucal, Red throated Flycatcher, Indian Grey hornbill, WB King fisher and a Jackal, I couldn't make any decent images of the same.
It was time for lunch and we had to get ready for the afternoon session as well. We had decided to wait for Ganesh and Sudhir to join us for the lunch who were already on the field, after returning from Chambal!


While returning to the place where we regularly having our lunch, a hoopoe which was pretty regular around the area, was having a mudbath! It was fist time for me for having seen Hoopoe having mudbath.



After having waited for quite some time for Sudhir and Ganesh to join us for lunch, we decided to go ahead and have lunch. Later we came to know that they both were busy with a pair of Sarus Crane! Having known them in the field we strongly knew nothing will gonna get them here only to have lunch when they have struck a lottery with the Sarus! :)

When I met Ganesh and having some talks, my friend and reckshawalla Birender told me that Shiv and Pramod were very busy in shooting a raptor! Being lovers of Raptors they must be having a great time I guess! Birender and self rushed in hurry and I got down from the cycle rickshaw and saw that "Oh My God! So much in open! and Soooo close!!" I realised that both of my friends would have shot that till death! :) I clicked two frames and advanced a bit to get a closer one and.....here it went...leaving behind a smile on the faces of Pramod and Shiv! :) One could guess when one will smile if his subject flies away! Only when he has shot that to death!:) Yes they were! When I saw the LCD of their camera they showed almost all the angles possible and in various poses and not to say how many images! and there I was, satisfying myself 'I got atleast couple of shots atleast to identify it!' :)

After sometime we three joined the party and spent some time with this Sarus Pair as well! I tell you...being with Sarus is such a great pleasure! Their elegance, their gentleness, their beauty will make you go silent and you just couldnot resist yourself from falling in love with them.Even though I am strong opposer of 'Love at first sight' these made me to believe that :).[However only in their case :)]

It was already 5.15 and the Sun has said 'Pack Up'!
On the way back we all witnessed one of the most beautiful Sunsets till then! With the vast marshy land with loads of ducks and some trees in the middle and there was the Sun, glowing in various colors of Pink, Red, Yellow and many more showing up as a huge Fireball and about to go down the earth!

We all stopped our rickshaws and enjoyed the sight and I made some images but I was cursing myself for not being there at that place all these days to watch the Sunset!

So... the day was fine. Enjoyed the encounter with the CSE, some moments with the Hoopoe and Sarus and the fantastic Sunset was a Bonus!
Came back to hotel, transefered the images to my PhotoBank and closed my eyes...what I saw??


The surreal sunset again!!!


Cheers,
Ash

I promise to come back! :-)

From past 1 moth I have been very busy, to the extent not finding sufficient time to update my blog as well! :-(
Thanks to my photo exhibition in my college in Yellapur (a town in the Western Ghats, near Sirsi and Karwar) which kept my schedule hectic till the mid of Jan and then a long pending trek to Kumara Parvatha was the culprit in keeping me busy! When I came back from there and breathing happily, GOD made me realized that I had enrolled for MS course from BITS Pilani and need to check when is the mid-Sem Tests of that!! :-O
Hell fell onto my head when I saw their site declaring that the Tests will be held on Feb 7th and 8th and the very next moment I rushed to find the books! :-( I always thought not to repeat the same old Engg days, but this time unknowingly I was into the same soup again!
So here I am....submerged into the books...studying age old theories which are making some sense now! ;) [they never did in the past....at least some, to me!].
So by evening of next week I will be free again for few weeks, and I will continue my remaining days of Bharatpur Series.

I promise!


Cheers,
Ash