Rotary Jamshedpur Calendar

ANOTHER calendar launch today, 4 of my pictures, no wait 6 of my pictures made it to the calendar. Done for Rotary club of Jamshedpur, n working with the theme of Heritage buildings and combining nature along with, it turned out to be a wonderful piece of art work, priced at Rs 200 + shipping if out of state / country. Is a must have for the documentary value alone.

It was an awesome way to get to know my city better , and to give back to the community that I grew up as a child.

The launch happened at Beldih club and gave me an opportunity to meet up with some of my contacts from the past, folks I knew as I was growing up in the 80’s and part 90’s    the calendar was well received and not too many questions to fox me and hold me up from making images of my current passion Films.

A Train Ride

Took an train ride, the other day, what a lovely array of people and warm people out there, it was a total pleasure to be with them, interact with them and to get to know them,

People who have nothing to lose seem to be more open about things and that what makes them so much richer then otherwise.

Dads Friend I never knew, while losing a dear friend

I am walking down Bistupur main road, and as habit is, I stop by at Ajay's jwellery shop.

Yes its been a good 20 days that he has left us to become – the late Ajay Shah I see his father in the shop, probably the 3^rd time I am seeing the gentleman, we start to talk.  I offer my condolences; he seems quiet distraught still and not focused, to make him comfortable I mention my dad as a way of introducing myself (a very Indian small town way of introducing oneself through ones parents) whom I lost 13 months back.

All of a sudden the gentleman is full of words and speaking to, starts to narrate how my father started his career, at Biswas clinic in Bistupur, how much my dad charged (Rs 2   some 48 years back, interesting to think and in 2012 my dad still charged Rs 50 a patient) to the days that my dads business was still to pick up, to how my dad did lose hope a few times and wanted to move back to Calcutta, but this gentleman Mr. Shah was instrumental in keeping him in JSR with his words of encouragement.    It was wonderful listening to him talk about my dad and tells me stories of the time my dad started his own chamber some 45 years back, the time they spend having numerous cups of tea while waiting for patients to show up .

Slowly he did open up talking about his days and how it was living in Tatanagar all these years ,,, he did share his feelings about Ajay, How good a son Ajay was to him (why am I not surprised) , and how proud he is of Ajays friends -  Pankaj, Vikas, some dudes from London ( wonder who )   needless to say, I left a good 45 minutes later,  knowing Ajay need not worry , his dad is doing well and so will his family , who have the support of all friends and family.  Lucky is a man who has so much good will as Ajay does posthumously.

Business cards 1 or 2

Working on my new business card,  which one will it be ?

One has more of pretty images ( to me )
the other is more hard hitting ?

one is more of Physical beauty
the other is more of spiritual beauty .

choices choices choices

OPTION 2.

 Option 1.

on another Note :

Walking the ghats of Ganga in Kolcuta

An interesting view I came across as I walked the Ghats of ganga in Kolkata, there were photographers with massive cameras and tripods trolling, shooting, all mostly busy, a few times I looked over my shoulder, n there was one right behind me, almost saying Move, n I will stand at the exact spot where you are and I will shoot that Picture (I asked myself, how will you know what I am shooting, what f-stop or lensing am I doing?) but then thats a diff story

These were not the cell phone totting tourists, quiet a few seemed locals with a mission to make pictures, did not see a single photographer make any movements to change there viewpoints from eyelevel to any other, but then they are seeing something else then me obviously, so are better suited for that maybe.

There were even canon c 300 shooters in the mix, with an assistant and tripod and the works, with time I have been using smaller and smaller cameras, and currently shoot with a mirror less camera more often then not, a Sony Nex-7.

 One hears people talking about the cameras and zooms and all sorts of things all so knowledgeable.  what makes a good image really