Essential Tips for Instant Improvement for Taking Better Photographs

This article is solely intended for a novice shooter like me. iT discusses proven tricks to improve and consistently produce better photographs for those who are not that much into technical jagrons and who strive to improve their skills and aesthetics of their photos instantly.

So you have brought a dslr or a bridge and is excited to begin the quest in photography. You now hope, with the gear in your hand, it will show you the way for taking great pictures and, you rush out into the street or to your garden and begin shooting. The first shots come out , it isn't so exciting , it kinda looks bland and devoid of  any excitement. Well amigos , it helps to know your gear in and out but it ALSO helps tremendously if you first know some essential tricks.

For an amateur , there are volumes of info. out there with valuable advices from the pros , the guys who have been in the trenches for years. .
Well, you now take in the info but not quite satisfied, you browse on , hoping that instead of everthing being so verbose , a consise edition of the essentials might help. Well , help is on the way, just read on.

There are four Parts to a photo, they are;

1) Composition.

2) Mood.

3) Viewers eye of Interest and,

4) Light

The following paragraphs briefly discusses each of the above points and offers invaluable tips for getting it right, without much hassle;

1) COMPOSITION :

A novice usually shoots in 3:2 frame ratio  and therefore composing one's subject isn't much of a hassle, what matters is that how one composes it. There are few basic guidelines that might help.

a) Compose with the primary subject with the main theme that you have in mind.( Ask these question: 1.Who is this about?; 2. What is such interesting about it?; 3. Who should be the prime concern in my photograph?  and if the answers corresponds or is about a single object or person then you have chosen your subject)

ABOVE: The prime concern in the photo was the beautiful flower not the crow in the foreground. The interesting thing about the Rose was the loveliness of the light falling on it.

b) Judge if the main subject relates correctly with others and is consistent with your theme.( Ask these questions : 1. What/Who makes my subject better to look at?; 2. Does my subject has any importance to be associated with other objects/people in the photo?; 3. Does it enhance the beauty or importance of my subject? and the choices that you now make will make it an even more stronger image.)

ABOVE: The subject is the bird and unless it is sucking the nectar out of the flower it wouldn't be so much interesting to behold.

c) Expose the subject correctly first and everthing else should complement it without taking precedence.( 1. Is my subject lighted up and all details about it/him/her is visible in a normal way?; 2. In relation to my subject does the background appear too bright or too dark? ; 3. Should I recompose my shot and from a different angle to minimize glare?. Just think a little bit in depth and you shall have the answer. )

d) Try avoiding too much of negative space i.e try keeping in the photo as much of "ACTION" as possible , try  framing your photo completely without giving up space where nothing happens ie used space within the frame shot.( Trying thinking about these : 1. How balanced is my shot?; 2. Does the larger portion of the photo capture/show action? ; 3. If my larger part of my photo doesn't exhibit any action, should it be included and what purpose would it solve? . Unless you have considerable degree of understanding negative space compositions , try avoiding it in you photos. )

e) If you have your shot in focus and is locked on, don't just press the trigger, it pays off ,esp shooting pets and children, to have patience for one cannot be too certain of what they might do in the next few

moments. ( 1. Do you anticipate that an interesting behavior would soon recur in/with your subject? ; 2. Is my framed subject is very active for exhibiting dramatic behavior? ; 3. Should I capture it or should I capture with all the drama that brings out something unique about my subject?.  It is infinitely possible that subjects which are very active and show dramatic display of various poses/stances that is unique and non-repeatable. )

f) If the subject has been shot to death before e,g a popular place or a landmark , try shooting in an unusual angle or try other place to shoot it that is not too common. In this way your shot preserves its originality and shows the object/place in a different light. ( Try answering these questions first , 1. Has it been shot before the way I'm going to shoot? ; 2. How does my shot make it unique or should I try shooting from another view point/place? ; 3. How do I want it show up in my image or should I try shooting it from any other angle? )

g) At the outset of your photographic journey try following the the 1/3rd rule for you find your clicks are that much praiseworthy and appear as slick. ( What is this?. The 1/3rd rule requires that you first divide your frame of composition into three equal zones both vertically and horizontally and put your subject in the 1/3rd part of the it and then compose. )

I have found that a budding photographer always seeks and values good feedback that repose in him the faith in his/her abilities of seeing things creatively. Creativity at the most nascent stage is unprotected and most be nurtured with great care. So you my budding ace photographer don't lose heart if one of your clicks or most of your clicks is criticized, take it as a part of your journey to be great. Have faith in your abilities and in your vision and with time and practice, you will find your voice that others look up to for inspiration.

2) MOOD : 

Mood of a photograph might depict any of the abstract human emotions. In some might be pronounced and in others subtle or subdued. A photo may denote or evoke various human emotions  such as Happiness, Sadness, Curiosity, Optimism, Pessimism, Love, Affection, Loneliness, Approval, Exclamations etc in various degrees of expressions. 

It is perfectly O.K to presume that the premise of depicting a photograph that evoke such emotions within the viewer mayn't be human , e.g a solitary tree on a green verdant hill can be photographed to show it being lonely or a overcast cloud can be symbolic of pessimism. So generically speaking the premise of depicting or coloring one's photograph to show or bring forth in the viewer a sense of emotional drama as if feeling the emotions that is intended ,can be said as the MOOD of the photograph.       

Things to Consider when setting the Mood of the Photograph:

1. Setting the Tone: It could be any 'PHASE' of the day or season or a sporting event etc.

2. Check the Lighting in the scene and the angle it hits your subject: Is it diffused light? or an Afterglow?. Is your subject back-lit? or a thin wedge of light just cascading on the frontal part of your subject?. There are various ways by which your photograph can convey the desired emotions. How you interpret it depends on your creative compulsions.

3. Choice of the per-dominant color: Color or rather the effects/transitions of various colors often suggest the creative mood of the photographs. A predominant black in an image is often suggestive of something being 'Hidden' or an implied emotion, that is suggestive in addition to feel of the photograph. Every color can convey meanings that may or mayn't have been captured within the frames of the image. Colors can be used as an compliment or antagonistic to the predominant feel of the composition. 

4. Age of the Subject : Age Plays an interesting part in one's composition,whether your subject is living or non living or is such, that it gives off the illusion of appearing otherwise , has a direct impact on the feel and mood of the composition. Imagine for instance an Old person sitting on the steps of a porch drinking coffee. Observe the range of emotions it evokes in you/viewer. Now imagine a little girl sitting at the bottom of the old person's legs coveting the hot coffee. Does your emotions get a little bit richer?. Now imagine that little girl is holding a similar cup but it is filled with milk. So basically one can add many depths or layers in one's photo and set the mood for it. The above example may mean a sense of longing, serenity, youthfulness , childhood or a combination of all four primary emotions. 

Therefore contrasting age group often highlight the mood of the photograph.

3. VIEWERS EYE OF INTEREST:  

The heading refers to the "Area" within the photograph which is of primal consequence. It is where the central theme and the central mood of the picture emerge outwards and spill over into the viewers eye.

As one's skills increases over time , capturing the viewers eye of interest for a dramatic picture composition may be one's prime concern of taking a photograph. In photojournalism and in landscape photography , the viewer's eye of interest is the focal point around which every photograph revolves. See any picture of a landscape or that of a flower , the focal point is a subject and the colors that set the focus for the picture.

ESSENTIAL TIPS:

1.Pay attention to geometry , shapes , lines , circles etc which form a part of a coherent whole.


2.Perspectives of the subject , i.e how the subject is placed within your frame in relation to its background.Shallow depth of background is great for potraits as it gives off  an image in 3D.

3.Center of Action: At the outset , it helps if the center of cynosure is kept as per the 1/3rd rule and with sufficient experience , try breaking it, but initially in your photographic quest , try composing as suggested.

4.Continuity: It is a tricky to put it succintly, but ah!...well lets see.

Continuity may mean differently in different contexts of composition but it does have the same element in them and that is an continuum of the idea and the feel of the theme.Lets explore a little bit in depth,suppose we are shooting a perspective landscape shot involving mountains with a stream , try composing your shot that directs the viewer along the flowlines of the stream ,either upfront or downfront visual. In simple lay man terms shoot it with the stream facing you or flowing away from you , because it invariably draws the eye of the viewer to trace out the picture along those lines.While shooting Indoors ,pay attention to the interior lines/geometry of the place. Those play an important role in stronger images. The curves , the arrangement of furniture , the lights etc all affect the final mage considerably and one would suggest that find shapes to place your subject in or around such that it is a completed whole.

4. LIGHT (Exposure):

Photography is an art of capturing the right amount of light. Modern digital Cameras have an inbuilt exposure reading metering system that infers the amount of light reflected from the subject not the incident light i.e light falling on the subject. The amount of light that is required for correctly exposing a bright object maynot be enought for a darker subject, so it is essential that one subject is propoerly exposed to light.

The following consideration might help expose the subject and bringing out the drama in the photograph.

The essential three parameters are( as you already know) :

1. Aperture

2. Shutter Speed

3. ISO

There is an inherent relationship between the three i.e change in any one affects the other two parameters.

If you are a kind of shooter that shoots in manual mode then this paragraph isn't for you.

There are many modes of shooting that deals dabbling with any one of the parameters or a combination of two or all three.

Lets explore what are those modes of shooting that is available on all dslr's and bridge cameras.

a. AUTO: In this mode of shooting , the camera take care of everything from aperture size , shutter speed , white balance and ISO. This mode is helpful if you have no inclination to fiddle and dabble in various controls and parameters and wish to leave it to the camera. It is useful in quite a few situations where you are not sure about the white balance or the correct ISO settings.

b. Aperture Priority: This mode is very useful for controlling the depth of the field i.e how the background of one's subject would appear. If you wish to have a shallow depth of field then choose the lowest 'f' no. ie 2.8 or lower, however if you want that your background should be detailed and everything is in focus then choose a higher 'f' number i.e f22 -f32.

c. Shutter priority: This mode is useful when one is capturing action or fast moving subjects and wish to freeze the motion and have it in focus. This mode is also useful if one is shooting flowers too. Experiment and learning is the key to fully understand the creative applications of these keys.

d. Professional Mode: In this mode one can toggle between the aperture and shutter speed of the image to be captured. It is favoured mode of shooting for professionals all over the world for this mode allows one to control the aesthetics of the shot without too much worry.

If however you find it there is not enough light then it is better to increase the ISO rather shooting it with a flash because flash renders your subject to look flat but the bad effects from such a light can be lessened if you could set it to fire in "REAR SYNC" rathe than "FRONT SYNC" because setting it in former allows the subject to be photographed at the beginning of the exposure in available light before being compensated by the flash. Also try to direct the flash onto the roof or some indirect reflecting surface such that only smooth light falls on your subject and there is minimum harsh light.

If you are shooting in Manual Mode and unsure what should be the Aperture or Shutter speed that would expose correctly your intended subject then choose the "P" mode , half press the shutter button , take the raeding of the aperture and shutter speed as displayed, move back to manual mode and set in the aperture and shutter speeds as earlier recorded.

In photography one has to be intuitive about light, it is an aquired skill , if shooting outdoors or indoors , correct exposure of one's subject is an added advantage but for a RAW Shooter, it isn't much of a concern. For a RAW shooter it pays if one shoots an underexposed image of half a stop coz the details can be brought out post processing, a luxury which isn't available to JPEG shooters.

EPILOGUE

In the end , I wish to say that no matter what your results has been , just keep trying and improving. There are various many parameters, and with time , sooner or later ,it would dawn on you of using and harnessing them to your benefit and creativity.

Till then, Happy Shutterbugging!.

Adios.

                                                                                                  

Choosing the perfect First DSLR Camera.

Like so many out there who are still confused , have't quite made up their mind as what should  be one's first DSLR camera , well redemption is at hand ,read on.

Like so many people, scourging the internet, browsing sites, checking ubiquitous threads of discussions in chat rooms if it somehow has anything to do with any advice regarding choosing a camera and the pros and cons of it and the reasons as to why should one prefer over the other, I had too done it all.
Many  pundits of DSLR photography have articulated conflicting views held by their compatriots and it somehow starts to get into one nerves and one wonders aloud WTF?.
These so call Gurus of digital world,why can't they hold a unified view of things rather than squabble amongst themselves, trying to outdo each other over various obscure bullshit of technical jagrons and little to be understood gibberish ,which for a novice like me just bounces off my head?.

If you are a user , who only wants to take a better picture without any intention of ever turning into a pro or pursue the craft more vigorously in future , my most humble advice would be -"Buddy , just choose a bridge camera with a decent enough zoom or remain with it ,if you are happy, rather than stepping into an arena where you are not inclined to take the bull by its horns or expend money than you can possibly endure and then , selling off your gear to recover any amount of your own money that can be had from it. 
The reasons are not far to find, for now-a-days the bridge cameras can shoot RAW and have great sensors ,almost at par with entry DSLR with decent to excellent image quality, the zoom range that are available in the market is nothing short of astounding , take for example canon SX40 , it has 35X Optical zoom factor or Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150,which in an DSLR scheme of things ,would cost you about more than $3000 - Just Imagine!moreover the manual control that one has over the final image is pretty much the same in a Bridge camera in comparision with an entry level DSLR .
So "You" my dear are already equipped with everything that would be required in producing a technically flawless shot -One just has to compose better and fire away and most importantly the Video capabilities are the same 1080P in 30/24 FPS , that means your Bridge camera is already on par with the best of DSLR's in producing stunning video clips in Full HD!.

And to those of my fellow warriors, who have loads of cash to burn or simply committed to master a difficult but enthralling craft , I recommend, after devouring hundreds of websites , thousands of discussion forums , zillion of product reviews , trillion of advices and recommendations of the very best in the business is this - "Your Gear Just Doesn't Matter"!. ahem! ahem!.....the just referred statement, isn't true,right? You might ask in utter disbelief and wonder as to why should I trust his opinion, a No-body and I hardly know him?. Well ,that is true and I ask you not to, until you are absolutely convinced, which I shall try to  do in the following paragraphs ,

Why Your Gear  Just Doesn't Count :

More Megapixels: How complete can be the illusion that more magapixels means better picture?.
Nothing can be far from truth. Unless you intent on blowing out your photos to 20" X 30" prints,6MP is more than enough to print 5x7 inch photos. If however you are an enthusiast or a serious amateur than your needs may justify for higher pixel count in your gear but for all practical purposes, 18 MP is more than enough, for most of the things, in one's lifetime!.
Consider for once the downside of higher megapixels , it require more storage space & more processing time for your workflow.
For the professionals, shooting in medium format or higher end cameras it is a necessity as they retain the ability to crop their images without sacrificing the image quality and also they have to print large sizes  and they make a living out of it but for most average folks, me included the numbers simply don't add up. I too can crop images and make it stronger without always at the expense of image quality but if however one tends to crop images too much in such a way that noise shows up in one's picture, then buddy ,perhaps you need a better lens or otherwise you need to change your shooting style or approach differently to your subject, like getting nearer to the subject either by the use of telephoto lens or walking down nearer to it.


Image Sharpness: Before we delve into the contentious world of sharper images lets explore, for a change, our perception of what an ideal sharp picture feels like?. If you see an image that has everything in focus , does that mean sharpness to you?. If an image has well defined edges of all things or faces , does that mean that the image is sharp?. So what is this sharpness that everybody is so F**ked about?. Why is it such a great deal? I tried to investigate and came with the following conclusions:

a) Sharpness: It is how we perceive an image. For most folks , if in my image the subject stands freezed without denoting any movement and stands suitably exposed that brings-out the natural color tones, is a sharp enough image. But for an advanced user or someone who has considerable experience , sharpness is synonymous with blackness. A Tack Sharp image would mean the contours of a subject is well defined and stands out from the composition such that it conveys accurately and forcefully one's intention and the meaning that is intended to convey to the beholder. (Tip)Pros would recommend that before taking a shot one may underexpose it by half a stop for that sharp image look as it increases the warmth of the shot and renders the subject's outlines a bit darker which brings out the defining features into intimate focus in the shot.

 b) One can enhance the sharpness of an image if shooting with a tripod or with fast shutter speeds which help freeze the action such that the features are well defined.(Tip) After you have taken a picture , make sure you enlarge it digitally in your screen to ensure that it is not blurry , if however one fails to get a sharp shot try shooting it in the Burst mode, chances are higher you will have at-least a couple which are sharp. Try it out for yourself and compare your results. It holds true for all types of cameras irrespective of it's capacity to produce a Sharp image or not.

Focus Accuracy: Today's current crop of point & shoot , Bridge or DSLR cameras now sport multiple tracking focus array points which are sophisticated and acquire focus and help keep track of it even in the most adverse conditions . So no matter which camera one might use , the subject would always be in focus except in very low light conditions where it might hunt before locking onto the subject by means of focus assist lamps.
So to contend that only DSLR cameras have the latest software and are capable of superior focus just doesn't fly in my face and is at best a clever marketing strategy to induce potential gullible customers asking them to think that more focus points means superior image quality , sharper image et al.
A picture's strength depends on the composition not on some obscure technical wizardry , however it helps one compose accurately and quickly if one is conversant with technicalities of one's camera , otherwise one just needs to focus and fire away. 99% of the time it works perfectly.


For a novice, it is these three things that matter that are so very confusing to comprehend with so much information available, it is quite possible to be lost in the labyrinthine lanes and by-lanes of counter intuitive assertions of self proclaimed gurus of photography.

Well , this topic is about choosing your first DSLR and it is interesting to note that there are many affordable entry level options available which was unthinkable before 5 years, just imagine!. When it is about DSLR the whole world, to say the least, is divided into two warring loyal camps i.e the Canonians and the Nikonians. Each loyalists vouch for the superiority for their respective brands and together they command over 80% of DSLR market-share. Each system is mature and has at it's disposal a complete retinue of camera accessories that satisfies even the most demanding of photographers. With 80% chance that the reader is a loyalist of the either camp,we shall be limiting two these brands only.

The Contenders:

The Basic entry level segment sees Nikon D3100 pitted against Canon 1100D . The canon has the built in focus motor but the Nikon wins hands down in image quality , ergonomics and user friendly interface. Contended to be one of the best basic entry level DSLR the D3100 doesn't disappoint and if one is upgrading from a point & shot or from a bridge , D3100 is the way to go, sorry Canon!. The Nikon delivers consistently better focus tracking , better noise control and for its features is very competitively priced.

The middle entry level segment is fiercely fought, with Nikon 3200 pitted against Canon 550d. Nikon 3200 is brand new camera and stands its mettle against an equally strong opponent, however if your idea is having the lowest possession cost rather than the lower initial cost, then choose the Canon for it has an inbuilt  auto-focus motor which auto-focuses any AF lens without an inbuilt motor in it. So if you ever plan increasing your lens lineup with these two bodies one would incur far less expense with the Canon system than the Nikon, as the D3200 body won't auto-focus with lenses that don't have an inbuilt motor in it. So over a period of time and taking into account one's investment into lenses , the lowest cost of ownership favors the Canon over the Nikon for similar range of lenses.

The upper entry level segment sees Nikon D5100 being pitted against Canon 600D. There are no clear cut winners over here. The Nikon still doesn't have an inbuilt focus motor. Each camera has articulated swivel screen which for a novice like me immensely helps in composing shots in awkward angles when one is learning and experimenting. The things that work for Nikon is excellent image quality and amazing low light shooting capabilities without having to show noise at about 1200 ISO!. If however, you don't plan to be  primarily a night photographer and don't intend to print very large sizes , then Canon 600D would be the perfect choice. The gripping is better in the Canon for larges palm sizes but it all boils down to personal preference. The Canon focus is dead-on and faster and like the Nikon has inbuilt creative features that one would love to experiment as one acquires more photographic skills.


Synopsis :

Each of these three segments serves one's purpose in a manner that was not possible a few years before and offer satisfaction of both superior image control and portability. But for an aggressive user , he/she is very likely to outgrow the capabilities of these cameras in very short time. In the foresight ,it would be a wise decision that one must plan where he/she see themselves in about 5 years down the road and invest  accordingly. If it is passion for one ,well, if one were to start at a higher segment other than the entry level chances are there that initially one might feel intimidated, but with patience and in the hindsight, the learning curve would be much steeper and exhilarating.
Remember, a body doesn't last you long but is a necessity nonetheless and over a period of time one's investment in them does loses value. As the technology progresses, there will be better bodies, but chances are there that if one initially invests in a good enough body, it would still be relevant many years down the line and you can wait for a replacement that much longer.
In view of the above arguments, Nikon D7000 or Canon 7D are excellent investment work horses that will have an enduring appeal to them, long after technology would have rendered them outdated piece of hardware.

There is another sub-category of DSLR's that are rapidly gaining popularity over the conventional DSLR's. These are called the mirror-less system of DSLR's. The Alpha Male of the pack is that of Sony NEX series   followed by Olympus PEN and trailed by Nikon V1 system. Not to be left behind Canon has recently jumped into the fray by introducing its own mirror-less system of cameras.These systems are an enigma as they intelligently cater to a very large segment and is aimed at those who would not like to be conspicuous and be seen with a huge piece of hardware in public. These systems marry the merits of a point & shoot to that of a DSLR and are incredibly versatile photographic devices having mass appeal.

If you are reading this article and have come this far , I wish to address , the first steps to fully  awake the giant talent slumbering inside , is to let go of your pre-defined ideas and let the gear,whatever you now own, be just a tool of experimentation of your ideas and your thoughts, without at first worrying too much about the results, they will come eventually, but first create a bond, a good rapport with your gear, find out how it responds and when it does best. Have a conversation with it , try to know and understand it fully and surely you will find a voice speaking to you, pay attention to it and you would have discovered the path to awaken your sleeping giant. Someday , it will surely come to pass that you have outgrown the limits of your gear , it would then be the right time to upgrade and you wont go wrong this time around.

Till then, do send me in your views.

Happy Shutter-bugging!

Adios Amigos!

Munnar

Munnar meaning 'Three Rivers' is an exclusive kingdom of beauty which can only be reached by serpentine and meandering roads. The concept of heaven is strewn on a Valley of lush green foilages,dappled sunshine and odoriferous sweetness of tea and bacon. Picture postcard landscapes, awash with never to be encountered greenness ,renders the place so pristine and beautiful.

One of the most beautiful,refreshing and breathtaking scenic places in Kerela, Munnar is a perfect place to relive and enliven  one's lost lust for life. For an avid explorer this place is the perfect getaway with the potential to cast a spell on the most discering of travellers. Endowed with a rich legacy and a plethora of cascading waterfalls and tranquil lakes which heightens the ethereal beauty of this enchanting place rendering it a poetic touch,the lush Tea Gardens blends the vistas into a continous green which sublimates the noise in one's head and has a relaxing effect on one's frail nerves.

Quick Facts
Munnar is:
198 Kms from Alleppey,
162 Kms from Madurai,
505 Kms from Mangalore,
10 Kms from Thekkady
605 Kms from Chennai.
Height: 5000-8000 ft MSL.
Area: 26.2 sq. km.
Summer : 15.2°C - 25°C
Winter : 0°C - 10° C
Rainfall: 275 cm
Best time :September to May.

So much can be said yet so little is necessary. If one were ever lonely in their lives or have experienced the fragility of life then perhaps the compelling reasons to pay a visit isn't far to find.The quintessence charm of Munnar doesn't limit it to the hills or the tea plantations , its perhaps never to be found in any objective analysis of what maketh the place so alluring but can only be sensed, when the voice in one head had died down any you then become aware of it, which is all pervading yet so elusive to the ramblings of one mind,Stillness!. It is within the canopy of stillness the small inner voice of divine conciousness is born into one's senses again. You can hear it speaking to one's soul and perhaps in years it had found its voice and one's mind ready to listen again. Munnar is the best place where the chances of discovering your true sense of one's life is greatest ,as OSHO would love to say, but first surrender your thoughts and your judgements, and let life creep onto you.

All Life is solitary traveller and yet solitude can be one's company. Some might be temped to conclude the essense of life is to experience it to the fullest, to strive for perfection and excellence and transform the world for the better than one found it. Well those ideals maybe true where they stand and for many the idea of life is pure survival. In India perhaps the majority of the population is always attuned in living in the survival mode and trust me it isn't always very pleasant. When survivality is to be encountered dayin and dayout the meaning of life and the beauty for which it stands loses it's meaning ,it stands degraded to the minimum. So where is the lust for life in one's life to be experienced?. Is it to be found treasured within the mystic depths of religion or in the freedom of an outcast?.

Munnar perhaps,albeit temporarily, frees the taut yoke around one's neck and hints where true redemption lie. It wouldn't be far fetched to presume of it being the pilgrimage worth a thousand miseries and perhaps a catharisis for the wearied soul.

TIPS of getting the most bang for your Buck:

Tip: Try to discover the place at Dawn , the magic comes alive.
Tip: If possible do some research for all the info available on the internet before arriving.
Tip: Stop on your way to Munnar , the sights are just awesome and enjoy fresh carrots.
Tip: Try taking food out in the many restaurants rather than in one's hotel as its is the
melting pot of India's culture.
Tip: Carry one wide angle lense for that exquisite shot.
Tip: Always pre-check the tyre pressure, brakes and fuel before setting out as it may skid.
Tip: Try to walk as much as possible and make sure to keep a mineral water handy.

As they say "A man sees differently at different points in his life" ,the adage ,perhaps in my case, holds true. Having travelled the length and breadth of India , the magnetic charm that conjectures up in one's mind everytime I think of Munnar is something to be cherished till my last breath.

Munnar ,Ahoy!



The Rollicking Green Vista of Tea- Gardens- Enroute To Munnar



The Famous U-Turn - Enroute to Munnar



Inhabitants of the Sky - Enroute to Munnar

The Confluence - where the boundaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala Meet



Greenery galore - One of the best Views that Munnar Has to Offer

My Favourite Shot of Two Wild Forest Goats - RAM atop of Rajamalai Hills- Munnar

A Wild Goat - Atop Rajamalai Hills

A scenic Grand Vista of lakes and Mountains - Enroute to Munnar

Boating in Mathupetty Lake - Munnar

A treasure trove of Flora & Fauna - Munnar Kerela

One can see the Mathupetty Bridge stretching from right to left at the top.



Essential Guide To MunnarQuick Info with First Hand Clicks





The Fire of Prometheus

Table of Contents
---------------------

1. Prologue
2. The Fire of Prometheus
3. Epilogue
4. Glossary of Superscripts [ ]
5. References

Prologue
----------
What started as a mere interest has perhaps consumed an entire month of my creative time. This novella stands dedicated to the triumph of human spirit that continues to inspire generations in selflessly serving humanity without prejudice and preconceived notions. It is a fictional account of graham Staines and his subsequent violent death in orissa.
I wish to thank all my peers who still continue to inspire me and dedicate this short story to the reader who has been and will be my primary motivating reasons to have written it.
Thanks a ton.

The Fire of Prometheus
----------------------------
On a nondescript[1] road that had its fair share of twist and turns, like the convoluted plots of a Sydney Sheldon classic, an Innova(1), which treasured[2] a lone traveler, trudged[3] on, shaking like a autumn leaf , as it resolutely traversed[4] up the incline, much to the discomfiture[5] of the chauffeur[6] ,kicking up a thick trail of dust in its wake which slowly spiraled up  like a ladder into the crimson[7] sky.

A high boundary wall rose to the left, overshadowing it, appeared in view. As the distance rapidly melted away, this Hadrian [8] of a wall barbed and electrified and occasionally jeweled with the carcass [9] of a feather-ling [10], bespoke of evil, as if, it guarded the mansions of the evil dictator [11]. Suddenly, almost screeching to halt, the Innova, gently negotiated a demon speed breaker, which had appeared out of nowhere. In that brief time, it had slowed enough, to catch a fleeting image of a magnificent villa, secluded and shut out, to the prying eyes of the public. As strange was the sight, one wondered, why would someone chose to live so far removed from human habitation let alone from a city?. Lost in the musings, finally noticed the chauffeur, straightening his spotless white cap, gilded with insignia of the company that had him in its rolls, nervously glancing into the rear view mirror, trying to catch my eye, as if convinced, of being hopelessly lost in the labyrinthine lanes of the country roads.

Three hours into the expedition, the uneven rustic pathways had literally nibbled away all the enthusiasm, reserved for the trip. My friend had literally begged to show up at his marriage, and damn! I had promised. On my request, Madan had slowly eased his feet on the accelerator and had parked right beneath the shade of the only tree(2) in sight, a good half a km from the nearest village and had slowly hobbled down  to it. The red tiled roofs, polka [12] dotted the village's landscape, were ablaze with the last of sun's gory rays.

It had been a long day and with the fast approaching night, wondered if ever we are going to make it in time. Alighting, and making myself comfortable on a dead tree trunk that lay rotting under the shade of the tree, perhaps forgotten to be carried off for firewood, instinctively reached into my breast pocket for that long overdue soothing nicotine fix. Drawing on greedily, extracting all the warmth that can be had, as if warming up to enjoy the cold breeze, leisurely reconnoitered [13] the landscape with narrow silted eyes. The golden, ready to be harvested, rice fields, stretched till eternity. It was an all encompassing sight with many large, irregularly shaped rectangular ponds, brimming with harvested rainwater, reflected the deep azure of the sky.

The stillness of the moment is pregnant with seeds of unseen laughter of children, playing in the village,and you feel as if the hoary voice of time is whispering gently in the ears, the memories of your childhood. With not a soul in sight, save for a lone ox, freed from his yoke, hesitantly walking down the now familiar track and some strange looking scarecrows, one loses the sense of time. A convocation of eagles, re-tracing many concentric ellipsoidal circles in the sky, have slowly drifted away and your eyes now unknowingly follows two distant silhouetted fighter kites, salsaing[14] to the willful tunes conjectured up by the wind, quietly mish mashing the prismatic colors, donned by the sun-setting cloud-lets , as if emulating the bold masterstrokes of an early Monet[15](3).

“Wondrous cool, thou woodland quiet,
Thee a thousand times I greet,
For away from rush & riot,
Ah, thy soothing sounds are sweet,
Dreaming on thy mossy carpet,
Here is rest and peace,
Tis as if, beneath thy shadows,
All my cares & troubles cease”.

The soul stirring song-let by Henry drinker [16], quietly blazed away inside the car. In such serene settings of nature, one gets drawn into the hypnotizing aura of the hour, as if unconsciously surrendering to the surrealistic charms of a reverie, wondering of how different it would have been, had if one been born into and raised up in such ethereal surroundings, where almost nothing changes, the flag poles, the red tilted roofs, the meandering roads, the talk et al...?.

It was quite a while before I woke up from the reverie, noticing the presence of a madan, standing behind, trying to trace the object of my transfixed gaze.
“Isn't it time to get the wheels rolling?' I asked rising from the log, brushing off a couple of dead leaves that had somehow settled in into the warmth of my lap.
Yes Sir!' came in the deferential curt reply.
'Which of the two tracks are we goanna take?' I asked inquiringly.
'Sir, the village folks suggested that we choose the one to the left for the road to the right, shorter of the two, is treacherous and has been washed out during the recent monsoons.' With a slow deliberate effort, marked the diversion of the road with his crooked trigger finger and peered into the eyes perhaps trying to fathom my thoughts.
'Fine, let’s not stop on our way,' I firmly said. 'Do you have anything else to do before we start?.'
'No Sir' replied Madan.
The engines roared to life as we started off in full earnest to reach in time before the festivities got underway.

I had my gaze turned away not to have noticed two heads which had popped up amongst the bushes with my attention preoccupied the prospect of spending another evening in the company of my beloved before I left. In seconds, blushes of bare chested boys (4) were joyfully chasing the car after we had swiveled to the left of the bifurcation. The valley had mysteriously come to life as the news had spread with some clutching the branches of the tall slender trees to restrain their fall. It was as if the entire village had turned up to welcome the return of their long lost prodigal son. Rolling down the glass, I waved back to scores of bright frantically wavering hands as we drove out of sight.

'If I haven't ever visited these parts, did they then mistook me to be somebody else?. The huge turnout of the villagers made me surmise that perhaps He is well known in these parts'. Madan cleared his throat as if trying to signal, that perhaps unknowingly I have been soliloquizing aloud my thoughts cncerning him. With a feigned exasperation, trying to cloak a pique of shame, addressed him with a hint of rough intonation [17] at the edge.
'How come one didn't knew of you being so well known in these parts?.' I asked haltingly.
He remained quiet and I didn't press for an answer and then suddenly he spoke as if hearing my question for the very first time.
'Sir, itza long story.'
'I'm all ears' and stretched my legs, struggling to stifle a yawn.
'Many years ago, I had given up the job of a chauffeur for hire after a close brush with death and had taken to farming. My village then used to be, the last electrified village in the district. It only had street lights which lighted up half of the village and the rest smoldered in darkness. It was rumored, all the funds for the project had already been used up and remaining work would be starting after fresh approvals. It never did. The hamlet had sprung up a century back, rather rehabilitated after the massive famine of 1906. It luxuriously stretched all over the foothills of a hillock with gentle slopes. There used to be this white gentleman from some far away land who used to visit these dark villages quite often that lay ensconced deep inside the recesses of the forest and hadn't attached much importance to the fact that he was also a good qualified doctor. On a unusually hot summer afternoon, this gentleman knocks at my door and requests to be driven urgently to some obscure village. In hindsight, I'm grateful for this chanced opportunity for it had singularly changed the entire course of my life. They say, when you find the passion of your life, you discover a new self. Perhaps I had been in waiting for such a moment in my life and finally, the door had swung wide open. The ensuing five years were the best days of my existence. We scourged many villages that hadn't till then existed on the face of the earth. Whenever we used to visit these God forsaken lands, it was a pleasure savoring the sight of children's radiant faces as they ate out my hand like the pigeons that flocked to my yard. To them, I was a foster father that they never had, born out of wedlock under some strange custom prevalent in those parts. I loved to spoil them with chocolates and jaggery and it swelled my heart with love and pride to have touched the lives of these children of lesser gods which perhaps had been long time coming. From that fateful day, I had felt an all pervading peacefulness that somehow I had managed to have found a place in God's larger scheme of things. On one January night, everything good in my life was clawed away by the talons of destiny.I had then briefly absconded, to save my life. '

We continued in silence on our premeditated road, our monologue disrupted with the arrival of ominous clouds that seethed with anger. Droplets, as large as one fist, pounded the windscreen with a shattering force. Coaxing up the vehicle, Madan cautiously navigated through the meandering pathway, now reduced no wider than a goat’s trail (5). Cloaking the inner turmoil, which he had felt while recounting the events of his past life with a thick veneer of composure, resumed the narration to the only audience who lay luxuriously sprawled on the backseat. Murderous bloodshot eyes stared back when our eyes had briefly met.

'It was a star studded night with many a livid lightning streaking across the sky. An early fog, aglow with the pearly whiteness of moonbeams, enveloped the distant trees as we sat contentedly enjoying our dinner beside a raging bonfire. A few of the nearby brick kiln workers had also joined us for the night,' A hint of sadness suffused his voice as he slowly recounted the rest of the story. ' Of all things I still vividly remember the bright angelic faces of the children, intently staring at the bonfire with the youngest of the two preoccupied with a book trying to trace the URSA Major constellation with his little fore finger held high above his head, and the doctor, as usual, busy trying to tune in his favorite radio station. It was supposed to have been our last night of the fortnight that we had already spent in the village before leaving for Bhubaneswar. The biting cold had us cocooned into the warmth of our tents when all of a sudden a searing pain ripped through my head, hit with the butt of a country made rifle. My entire body was frigid with agony and lay like a paraplegic trembling with intense pain but my eyes saw it all......... as I slowly lost consciousness.' He became silent and his body shook with convulsions of sobs and I averted my gaze away from him. The forceful articulation of the events had me hallucinating [18] a bridge, to have suddenly materialized within the space time matrix that connected with the events as if being committed right before one's very own eyes. The narrative had me in a trance beguiling my sense of reality, for the stories, facts & the proofs that were splashed immediately aftermath the incident had cleverly glossed over the real hard-hitting facts. It wouldn't be farfetched if a section of the state's polity might have had a hand in giving shape to the incident
'Sir, I'm a diabetic, may I with your permission?' pleaded Madan.
My thoughts were in disarray and didn't notice that for quite sometime we had stopped moving.
‘Please be quick?' I replied absentmindedly.
'Ok Sir' and killed the engines before he left.
With a cigarette wedged in-between my fingers, stepped out and inhaled a lungful of fresh air, redolent with odors. The flooded banks of the narrow silvery strip of the road, reflected the moon (6) hitched on the telegraph wires of an bygone era still held aloft on tall weather beaten wooden poles. Such incredible stillness, yet alive with quiet sounds of the night .The countryside was a vast expanse with a few abandoned houses scattered on either side of the road. In such eerie still stillness, sound carries for miles. You hear everything, all the conversations, laughter, arguments, as if you were standing right outside their windows. I look around, noting the distance between me and the nearest occupied house. Is it even real? Or just haunting echoes of the past?

After several hours, after we had started , reached our intended destination. My friend beamed a broad smile on seeing us, pleased that we had finally made it. The ambiance of the place exuded happiness. A colossal Ficus tree canopied [19] the elegantly decorated marquee, festooned (7) with thousands of glittering tiny luminances[20] which casted below tiny penumbric shadows on the lively throng of merrymakers. A familiar mellowed voice accosted me as I stood raising a toast to the newlyweds under the huge tree, 'Sir, did you notice the plaque?'(8) I turned to look at a flickering wick of an oil lamp, shooting off stars as it lit up a deeply engraved bronze plaque embedded into the concrete that encircled the entire trunk of this huge tree. 'The bride was among the first to have been cured of the disease which was once endemic in these parts. I was here the day it was inaugurated. In those days, we often ferried people, disfigured with the disease, in our vehicle and today, I saw many of them being present here, leading normal lives,' and raised his glass signaling me to follow suit. With a deep mystifying voice Madan continued, 'Sir, nothing good in this world ever dies, it lives on, surviving even in the shreds of one’s tattered souls…...' then raised the glass to his parched lips before abruptly walking away. Watching his slowly retreating frame, recalled having once seen him years ago; accosted by a bevy of policemen, couple of weeks after the incident. A flicker of deep sadness still smoldered within his eloquent eyes. Some people's lives seem to flow in a narrative and perhaps his has had many stops and starts. That's what trauma does. It interrupts the plot. One can't process it because it doesn't fit with what came before or afterward. In most of our lives, most of the time, one has a sense of what is to follow for there is a steady narrative, a feeling of 'Lights, camera, action', when the big events are imminent but trauma isn't like that, it just happens, and then life goes on. No one prepares you for it.

Sometime during the festivities had aimlessly wandered off to the edge of a nearby pool. The tranquil waters reflected the dimming stars of the night as I stood gawking at the rapidly mellowing horizon. It is the first of the sun's rays which are the harbinger of change and, like the fire of Prometheus’s; it pierces and uplifts the darkness in our souls and of our lives. Years earlier, as a child, had witnessed the subtle transitioning of night into daylight and had wondered, where had all the angels gone? With the passage of time, a child’s inquisitiveness had metamorphosed into that of a cynic's who no longer scourged the skies for divine messengers.

At the crack of dawn, a cavalcade[21] of cars started off form the village for the long journey back home. Deprived of sleep I had hoped to take a short nap but a recurring thought had kept me awake. After Madan had left , I had stayed back, apperceived[22] , that since ages, these mythic angels have stepped down from the realm of fairy-tales and have lived amongst us as one's brethren,friend and as strangers. Perhaps our senses are more attuned to the rational faculties of the mind rather than to our hearts and sometimes have maligned[23] and negated their existence. History is replete with such instances where the individual, always had to fight against the tribe and sometimes losing out in the end. But even in their death, these fallen angels have sought redemption[24] and humanity will have to pay the price, but the depth of its atonement[25], however, would still be a matter of debate for generations to come.

Epilogue
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From the start it had a mind of its own and I just went with the flow. One could have never planned it. The subject had somehow mysteriously stayed with me all these years and in all this time, never felt compelled to pen it. Somehow, in an incomprehensible manner, it has come to life and have endeavored my level best to keep the narrative as simple as humanely possible for the enlightened reader.
Unlike many lost voices it perhaps deserves to be heard again and I'm hopeful of your liking it.
Earnestly crave for your honest feedback for which I shall forever be indebted to you.
If ,however,my work,in any way,has offended you, I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

Thank You Very Much.

Amen.

Glossary of Superscripts [ ]
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[1] nondescript: of no recognized, definite, or particular type or kind.
[2] treasured :any thing or person greatly valued or highly prized
[3] trudged :Move with difficulty
[4] traversed : Traveled
[5] discomfiture : uncomfortably
[6] chauffeur :Driver
[7] crimson :deep purplish-red.
[8] Hadrian Wall :a wall of defense for the Roman province of Britain, constructed by Hadrian between Solway Firth and
      the mouth of the Tyne.
[9] carcass :Dead Body
[10] feather-ling : Bird
[11] evil dictator :Hitler
[12] polka :Pattern of full red circles
[13] reconnoitered : to inspect, observe, or survey.
[14] salsaing : salsa dance
[15] Monet : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet
[16] A Brahms classic set to English lyrics by Henry Drinker.
[17] intonation : the pattern or melody of pitch changes in connected speech, especially the pitch pattern of a
       sentence,which distinguishes kinds of sentences or speakers of different language cultures.
[18] Hallucinating : a sensory experience of something that does not exist outside the mind, caused by various
        physical and mental disorders, or by reaction to certain toxic substances, and usually manifested as visual or
        auditory images.
[19] Canopied :an ornamental, rooflike projection or covering.
[20] Luminances : lichu lights
[21] cavalcade : procession
[22] apperceived : The process of understanding by which newly observed qualities of an object are related to past
        experience.
[23] maligned : To make evil, harmful, and often untrue statements about; speak evil of something or somebody.
[24] redemption : the act of To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of someone or somebody.
[25] atonement : compensation for a wrong

References
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1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtsacprof/5976753529/
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehdZWfBT12M
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Staines
   
   
   
   
   

 
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