Shots and Seasons!

First published on November 11, 2011. Here is this blog again. 

One of my favourites. I have travelled so much more since then, and have had issues with organising the pictures taken.  But slowly am getting to a place where I think I need to make some of this material more public. Will I have the courage? Should I? 

There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun. 

Pablo Piccaso

Since my first digital camera, I have taken over 15,000 pictures.  I hardly have the time to look at them or  share them with friends.  A friend, who knows much about camera, said that he would like to see my work published. That meant so much. Especially since I know little about photography.  I took one photography class at the university, learnt how to calculate f-stops and depth of field, develop the pictures, but that was a long time ago.  The automatic and the digital relieve you of that. And yet, I think that anything that shines as art, needs a combination of knowledge and instinct.   Photography to me, is an interest and a passionate one at that, but not like moving images, or sounds, or words.  However, the freedom allowed by digital camera let me enjoy framing my  shots and taking repeated pictures of the object.

'Take as many pics you want and select the best among them' That liberation from being bound to images on the 'tangible roll' has allowed me to take numerous pictures of sunsets and sunrises in many countries and all seasons, McDonald’s around the world, pictures from airplane windows, looking down on the clouds, or better still capturing the shadow of the plane on the clouds, or on the ground when the plane is near landing.

What do you do with that many pictures? Especially if you are not a professional photographer? And more so if you are a hobo, and move from country to country?

Well, some options can be: hope of using the pictures 'one day', start a blog of one picture a day, give them to tourist bureau's of the countries that you took them in.

But, at another level you can start analyzing them.  Look at these pictures from the standpoint of being a student of life.  Can they teach you something about yourself, what you noticed? Can you learn something about the country? the subject of the photo? something beyond? Can each picture be a starting point to a new story?

Following is a collection of pictures from different countries.  The purpose here to see how conditioned we are.  So, let's play a word association game.  What comes to mind if I say, January-February? For those living in the Northern Hemisphere? April? And how about those words for those living in the Southern hemisphere?  It is the same time of the year....

I present these pictures here, to remind myself (and the readers), that no matter what is going on in our hearts and minds, there is always another reality, another opinion, another aspect that we are missing....a quietness that is not rent with any emotion might just be wide and deep enough to encompass more than we can imagine.

A quietness without any pre-judgements, might be a good place to start, when taking important decisions.

Let there be light!! Library at the University of South Pacific.  This was one of the biggest buildings on the campus.  Every evening around 6 p.m it would light up, and was quite a sight to see.  A lit building snuggled in a row of elegant palm trees.  Unlike in Sweden, or the US, where the shift in the hours of day light between 'seasons' is anywhere from 5-8 hrs, in Fiji it is merely an hour.  That makes all the difference in the way they think of seasons.  Still does not stop them from wearing woolens in August!!    The picture was taken in February, 2009.    

When stillness crystallizes!!  Now look at this picture, also taken at the beginning of the year, in Sweden.  This tree-lined, tree surrounded area of woods is right across the road from where I live.  In winters snow, which 'lights up the dark days' and so, people beg for,  covers everything.  January-February in Karlstad, Sweden. 

Reflections are real!! Sydney in February.  Those living in the southern hemisphere forget their fellow earthlings on the other end of the planet are freezing. I had 17 hr layover in Sydney, and I stepped out to see the sights.  That was my first time. As I sat at the steps on the side of the famous Opera house in Sydney on a clear sunny day in February, I saw the skyline reflected in the window.  Only a few seconds later a plane flew by, but because my camera was not ready I could could get the shot.  Reflections fascinate me. This picture if enlarged, rotated and cropped would make the reflection seem like a real picture.  But only when the glass is clear!!  The same state is required by our minds, if we ar to see situations clearly.  The picture was taken February of 2007.  

Golden Goodbye!!  I had forced myself to take a break and headed off to Czech Republic.  I had almost (not) made it to Czech Republic before.  But this time, I actually had a real ticket in my hand. I had wanted to rest in one place. But such is my life that even when I want to travel I have little time to plan. It was the easter weekend and I did not realize how booked the town was.  So, to save myself some money and use it as a way to see the country I looked at other options. I always wanted to experience WOOF-ing (world wide organization of organic farming).  And I had heard of Karlovy Vary.  So, I landed in Prague the first day, took off to Karlovy Vary the next day, from there to Stdlychny, A farm about 2 hrs from Prague, and then back to Prague.  The first day in Prague it was boiling.  Well compared to Sweden at least.  Karlovy Vary was the same. But the third day in Stldchny, was just right.  I had always wanted to see Czech country side.  I stayed on a farm with a family of seven.  The couple had four children.  The oldest who was over 18 lived in Prague but the three girls, two younger than 10 and one three month old baby, enlivened the house.  It was on one of my walks around the farm that I noticed this beautiful radiant sunset, that made everything seem golden.  I could not help but think that, at that moment, Sweden was still covered with snow and Fiji and New Zealand were entering their cold period.  I, limited as I am in my human body, could only experience one....but there were multiple realities out there. April in Stelchny, Czech Republic. April, 2010. (PS:  am sure the name of the town is not spelled right, but I cannot write/type the Czech spellings)

The Pacific was my backyard!! We were returning to Suva after having collected data on a research project, and I noticed this.  Instantly I said, if I were to start a short story that was written today, I would say, 'The Pacific was my backyard'.  I made the cab driver stop in the middle of the road and took two pictures.  These remain one of my favorite pictures.  They clearly show what Fiji was about, a small island country, but surrounded by vastness of the sea, that added depth, color, music and stories to the little nation.  Taveuni, Fiji, 2008.

A day in seven colors!!  And just how could one miss this.  We were at the airport waiting for our flight when we spotted this.  A ray of hope.  You must know that sights like this looked extraordinary to me only for the few few weeks in Fiji.  After that they were a regular occurrence.  Today as I sit in dark-short-dayed-scandinavia, I look at this picture and am transported to the days when arches of seven colors marked the skies in Fiji...almost varje dag (everyday)!!

Somewhere over the rainbow!! Once in the plane I noticed two rainbows below us.  So, we were truly somewhere over the rainbow.  The picture was purposely taken at an angle to show the side of the window.  See, we were really in a plane....April 2008 in Fiji.   And some where in Scandinavia, it was snowing atop frozen trees....
Vichitra--Bizzare ...men så är livet ...(but so is life...)

Kanine Kismet

First published on June 13th of 2011, here it is again, simply for its story!!

Little doggy in his owner's arms --Swedish train, March, 2011

Little doggy being carried in his/her owners carry bag.  Karlstad Train Station, Sweden, March, 2011. 

A man that looks like he is homeless sleeps on a roadside bench, as Kanine with a better kismet takes his owner out for a stroll.  Prague, Czech Republic, April 2011

'Oh, not to worry, we have Dennis.  He keeps a watch on and for all of us" I was told, when I was moving to live on campus in Fiji.

Dennis, is a true watch-dog.  Who, I am sure, still patrols the main campus in Fiji.

'He used to belong to this couple that lived here about a year ago. When they left, they left him behind.  Now he is our campus dog.'  I was told.

Everynight when I got home late, he barked at the sound of my footsteps, when I was still half a mile away.  When I got closer for him to hear and recognize my voice, I would bark back, *Shut up Dennis, its me'

Didn't matter what time of the day it was.   But when he heard me, he squealed a bit, and then rested until he heard someone else.

Dennis kept a watch on all of us.  Whether or not he was fed.  When fed, he was usually given left overs.  He still kept the watch.  He knew us.  Though he barked, he never came close to hurting anyone who lived around our quarters.  He had bitten a few guards, but only because he saw them as strangers since they came to our campus only occasionally.

Whenever I think of these other dogs, being held, coddled and cosseted, I can't help but think that not just humans but animals come with their own kismet as well.  Some are left to fend for themselves even when they defend neighborhoods that are ungrateful and negligent.  Others are held in arms, even when all they do is ask for attention and sulk when they are not given any.  In Botswana these dogs were called, 'white people's dogs'.  Dogs for decorative, and not utilitarian purposes.  These dogs were a liability, they demanded your time, were fed adequately.  Often times with meals bought and custom  cooked for them.  For all we know all the caring diluted their sniffing power.  Why would anyone want a dog like that?  May be rich people with time and money. Or others who are lonely and can afford the attention that these dogs need.

I still think it is unfair, that sometimes the kindest of dogs are left on streets, just because they are not pretty or never had the luxury of being a 'house dog.'  Just  like we wonder about inequalities with regards to resources that we were alloted, I wonder about the resources that dogs have access to.

Kanine Kismet is the only way, I think, we can explain it.

Ram Naomi

Its the birthday of one of our beloved Gods, Lord Rama.  RamRajya--the term used for near utopia, comes from his rule. He served with purity, nobility and humility.  

He served, not ruled.  Like do our Gods.

This is also the day when young prepubescent girls are honoured as life provider of this universe. They are given gifts, food and money--a reminder that there is no world without the feminine.

On a personal note, its been a hectic 2-3 month period, and I still have many more commitments coming up. I will try my best to return here ASAP.  Thanks for your patience.

And thanks for reading, if you still do.