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Saturday, December 31, 2005,3:20 AM
HAPPY NEW YEAR


Please click on the picture to enlarge, the text is very small here
Wish you all the joy, health (in abundance)
sunshine and clean water (in right measures)


Daylight again

 
posted by rauf
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Wednesday, December 28, 2005,9:52 PM
How to shoot paintings

This is not for professionals.

This framed picture is taken with my niece's 6600 camera phone.
8 am, direct sunlight. a bit too early as my niece had to leave for work, I was surprised with the result, its pretty good. Picture was taken in 1980 Darjeeling. I still remember her name, Rita sweet girl she was.
9 to 10 am would be perfect.

please place your paintings on the floor. I took the picture to the terrace. your position is opposite the sun, I mean you are facing the sun, even if you bend, your shadow will not fall on the painting. Your toes are a couple of inches away from the painting. Place the camera right above the painting. Please check the edges, and see that the frame is straight. In the above picture the frame is not straight. Now please move the camera back and forth till you fill your camera frame with the painting. If you move little above you'll get your toes in the frame, avoid the toes and click.
Direct straight flash kills the texture.
Morning sun brings out the texture well and so is evening sun.

This is for your own paintings and not for the paintings on the wall or the gallery.
Paintings or artifacts in the gallery have to be shot with the existing light without flash. Please take permission first. Your camera could be confiscated.
This picture is taken with a 4MP olympus.

Daylight Again
 
posted by rauf
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Monday, December 26, 2005,7:08 PM
A journey in to yourself

Left Trivandrum with an idea of going to Kanyakumari, At Nagercoil without thinking I hopped into a bus going to Tirunelveli, It was like my mind and limbs had lost connection. A bus to Sencottai was inviting me, got in to the moving bus, landed Sencottai little after midnight, cold and hungry, nothing to eat. Went straight to the Railway station. Only hope of getting something to eat was next day afternoon at Punalur, as the Sencottai Railway station was completely deserted. Feeling tired after a long and rattling bus journey, sleepy, met the station master, I said I want to take the early morning train to Punalur. He gave me a cup of tea which he made
himself as he was alone. The most precious cup of tea of my life, judging by me haggered look he asked me if I had eaten anything, I lied, I said I ate. I did not want to give him any more trouble. I just needed a place to sleep. He gave me the key to the waiting room and told me to sleep there. Old British type of waiting room, high ceiling. Over whelmed with the station master's kindness, went to sleep, Deafening thunder and lightning did not disturb me, I slept like a log, there was no one to steal my things,
and I did not care... like always.
It was raining.

The station master woke me up at 5 with another cup of tea, by now there was some activity in the station. It was still dark and raining harder. I saw the train, bought the ticket, 19 rupees for pleasure so priceless. Got in to the train, put my things, I went back to the station master to thank him. I am a 58 year old child, I want a window seat always, no other passengers, I had the entire coach to myself, all the window seats were mine. I spread my legs, I was shivering, pretty cold it was. I knew what's ahead, it was not the first time. I was all prepared.

The train left on time. No goodbyes, This journey suddenly hit me, it wasn't planned. My last meal was previous day afternoon. I was not hungry, I had a different hunger. I am old and I cannot afford to take chances, It was cold, no warm clothes, I was shivering and it was raining and half my body was hanging outside the train, I was completely wet. I did not want to miss a
thing, still too dark to take pictures but the camera was in my hand. Its ok if it gats damaged. It started getting brighter and I started clicking.

the pictures are not very clear as I took them from a moving train and it was raining, the raindrops were on the lens and i was too busy to wipe them off and and one hand was engaged in holding the door. I made the pictures bright as they were very dark.
Wish I could post all the pictures but most of the
pictures are in my album senkottai-punalur















Daylight Again
 
posted by rauf
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Thursday, December 01, 2005,5:21 AM
scary generosity


I was walking down Llyods road, saw a young fortune teller at a cart selling water melon pieces. He bargained and walked off, probably he couldn't afford it.
Got an idea, wanted to take his picture eating water melon. I visualised the colour, too colurful to resist. I called him, he was scared, I don't look like some one seeking to know his future.
It was 7 in the morning.

I bought him a piece, hesitant at first then surprised, couldn't believe his luck or getting suspicious of me, I look like a kidnapper. To put him at ease I told him that I want to take his picture. Now he was really getting suspecious perhaps wanted to run. The water melon seller encouraged him as he was getting business.

Before I could take the camera out and adjust the exposure the boy finished the piece. I bought him another one, this he accepted with glee. I told him to eat slowly. I was about to click, I found the roll was over, I rewound and loaded a fresh roll, he finished the second piece too. He started walking away, I called him, he started walking fast. The water melon seller ran and grabbed his arm and dragged him back to his cart, it was business for him. Gave him another piece, he refused, he pleaded and said his tummy is full.
I got angry.
Eat it I said.
Now he was visibly scared of me. I took a couple of pictures, but was not happy with his expression, and he was not happy with my forced generosity. He finished the third one too very fast this time. I told the seller to give him another one, the boy grabbed it and ran for his life.

This happened more than 20 years ago perhaps, I am not sure. He must be a big time fortune teller by now. No no I am wrong, they are street fortune tellers, they are always hand to mouth, poor guys, the real professional guys have airconditioned offices, you meet them only on appointment and believe me you have to wait.
Daylight Again
 
posted by rauf
Permalink ¤ 7 comments
,4:33 AM
New arrivals


I don't like the black fellow, bad attitude, refusing to pose, he was getting angry, hardly a few of weeks old, Mother was not objecting. she is gorgeous. She is sweet. I'll post her picture tomorrow. She'll be annoyed with me if I post her latest picture. ' Oh I look so old and fat' She'll complain.
She'll be happy if i post an older picture. I have to locate it.
The suspected father's picture is posted in Daylight Again for a reason.
You'll find him below in Digital cameras a few posts below. A big thug, rowdy kameena loafer he is.







 
posted by rauf
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