Nostalgic

BaristaBarista

I am feeling very nostalgic at the moment. The feeling is mingled with a good deal of sadness. Sadness at things passing away. Sadness at being a mere helpless spectator. The Barista featured in the picture above used to be my favorite place in the world. The sunlit, tastefully-done, quaint building at St. Mark’s Road, is now a Hard Rock Café. It is dark, dingy (even on a bright Sunday morning) and soulless.

A Gulmohar tree - again on St. Mark’s road - was felled this weekend. It was huge - with its canopy reaching the other side of the road. I don’t know if it came down on the account of heavy rains here or was chopped down for yet another harebrained expansion of the road. It was a source of joy and strength.

All this makes me want to run away from Bangalore. Problem is, where will I go?

July 28, 2008

Somewhere in Hampi

Somewhere in HampiSomewhere in Hampi

Somewhere in HampiSomewhere in Hampi

Taken somewhere in Hampi some 3 years ago. Most of these figurines are missing an arm, a hand,  a leg or a foot. I can’t help but marvel at how much more life-like they would’ve been, had they been left unmolested.

July 26, 2008

Misadventures In Extreme Low-Light Photography

Extreme Low Light PhotographyExtreme Low Light Photography

Clicked in the light off a Nokia 6070. I think the overall effect is somewhat interesting (disconcerting?).

July 25, 2008

Three Heads

Three HeadsThree Heads

At the Dastkar Mela again, but this time it was the Bangalore edition. Last year they came here in August at the Chitrakala Parishad lawns. I hope they swing by this year too!

As for these heads, they are rather crudely done. The turbans and the ohdni try to add some cheer, but their deer-before-the-headlights expression lends these heads a somewhat ghastly aura.

July 24, 2008

Stamens

StamensStamens

It’s still early days (this is no. 6 of the 100 I’ve promised myself), and I am resorting to flowers already! Given that I spent about 70% of my time with camera clicking flowers, it can’t be helped. I just hope that I don’t bore everyone here with too many of them. This one was taken at Coorg, though frankly it could’ve been anywhere. Anyone knows what these flowers are?

July 22, 2008

A room with what might be called a view

A room with a view?A room with a view?

From a visit to Seattle last year. Of all the cities in the US that I’ve visited, I have fondest memories of Seattle. I suspect it has something to do with countless helpings of coffee at the Starbucks cafés downtown.

Minor technical details: I was stuck with just a 50 mm lens so I took two shots from my hotel’s window and stitched them together later in Photoshop. This picture has also been given a slight coffee tint.

July 21, 2008