nostalgia: rain

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Hundred thirty eight

Waited for the rain to stop. Just outside the door, a big puddle of water was there, skillfully I crossed that, had no intention of my feet getting wet. Sill, it was drizzling, walked up to the car. Unique odour prevails inside the car during the rainy season. Started the car, diesel engine came to life with an irritating sound. Here no one has time, one bike, two cars just waiting impatiently for us to reverse and before I reversed the car one car sneaked through the narrow gap. The next stop was a temple. It is wet all over; I have to take off my slippers, wet feeling hmmm I am not liking it. The temple was peaceful except for a swarm of flies! they don't bite but irritates you to the core, just like some people don't harm you but irritates by all means. The temple bells are ringing, people are praying and I am searching for a mobile signal so I can get the latest updates on Wimbledon finals.

- trying to write some fiction.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Sahyadri and monsoon

Monsoon trekking is common for Mumbai and Pune adventure and nature lovers. Lot have been written about "how to" " where to" and "what to see". I just would like to write about my experience as a photographer. Trekking is not a photography trip. They move fast and take less luggage. I just went with these monsoon trekkers to take photographs!! However, I can't take the tripod or too many lenses. Problems for photographers - 1. rain ( take care of the lens and camera is difficult. 2. Pace - they move fast, there is no time to stand and think about composition and set up long exposures etc. 3. Can't take too many gears ( tripod and lenses). 4. One more major problem is light; in monsoon very often it is overcast clouds and trek groups never leave before 9 Am, so we will miss the morning light. In the evening, all of us will be in a hurry to reach the base and hence in evening golden light we will be in the valley rather than in mountains. So if you go with the trekking group then quality landscape opportunities are very less. I am looking for some photography group that would help me to cover Sahyadri.
So I switched to micro-four-third so that I can accommodate the camera. here are my gears- Olympus OMD EM5- 12-40 Pro f2.8 zoom, 40-150 consumer zoom, Raynox 250R (for macro- an adapter), small silk 3-foot tripod, lens wipes and Canon 100S point to shoot, which can shoot in RAW mode and has all the controls like a DSLR.
Camera in hand would be EM5+ 12-40f2.8- weather sealed, in the trouser pocket Canon S100. Even in rain EM5 can be used as it is weather resistant. Missing the wide angle lens; I learnt to stitch panoramas or two photo stitches to cover the range.

I will add few more points as and when I remember. Here are photos. Click on photos to view large and slide show.