The Lead Up

My apologies for not sharing anything lately even though I said I would. It's been a crazy week and while that has mostly been good it's not really ended well. I just lost one of the best friends I've ever had. Sure he wasn't a human being but it still hurts.

I've been sitting on this picture for a while now without really knowing what to say about it but I think I do now. There are times when you walk down a path thinking that you know for certain how or where you want to go only to find out once you've started that you have absolutely no clue how to proceed further. You have the end in sight and you kind of know what your goal is but there are problems along the way and there's a good chance that they've encompassed you and that's all you can focus on. I've been thinking a lot about the future lately and it is scary! Uncertainty is really scary but as I look upon the past I'm reassured. Why? Because I see how God has been working all along. I think one of the things that God is trying to teach me this year is to trust Him more even in the most trying of times. Every single time it's always been something good happening at the very last minute and that does go a long way in teaching me a lesson. We don't know the entire picture and that's OK. there this quote by Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that is quite poignant, "We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty."

It's OK not know exactly how to proceed. It's OK not having things in complete control. It's OK walking down a path that has problems but it's only OK if you look above. It's only OK if you look to God for His help. Only then will it actually lead to the peak you have in sight.

I have no idea why God decided that Dixie had served his purpose but the more I think about the future and the things ahead (that I'm aware of), the more I'm reassured that God's timing is perfect. Of course that doesn't take away from the fact that there's a cavity that's been created but it's reassuring and kind of makes it easier to deal with.

Although I wish I were there to say goodbye, the weird thing is the last time I was home I had this weird feeling that I would never see him again. I regret pushing aside that feeling now as I realise that was what I should have listened to but I look back fondly on the great memories I've had because of Dixie and how having him and watching him grow and growing alongside him has taught me so much. As I think about it all I can't help by thank God for bringing that precious little creature to live with us and bring that little extra joy in our lives when he was still there.

To you Dixie. My friend. My buddy. I will always miss you. Always and forever. Goodbye!

A Million Miles

Have you ever got to a point where you look back and realise that you've come a long way? You made it thus far through all the weird twists and have survived life's curve-balls and while you should be filled with a sense of accomplishment, it feels like something's amiss.

You look ahead and all you can see is see is...well, very little, if anything at all. The future holds so much that is unknown and that can be incredibly scary. You realise that you're on your own path and you have no idea where it leads and yet you've got to keep walking.

Now, don't get me wrong - the very fact that you're standing where you are proves that you've come a long way but that also means you've got a long way to go yet. The fog of uncertainty can be intimidating but you know you've got to feel your way through. Progress, at times, may be slow but that's the only way forward. It's might never be easy but you need to carry on.

A lot of what's been going on recently has left me thinking along those lines and while I would be lying if I said the future doesn't scare me at times, it would be remiss of me not to mention what actually gives me hope. At the expense of sounding preachy and cheesy it really is God who give me hope. When I look back I realise that I would not have made it where I am today without His help and that can be incredibly comforting because while the future can be ambiguous, I know He's still going to be there leading, guiding and comforting me whether I ask for it or not and that is all that should really matter. What gives me solace right now as I reminisce about the past and wonder about what the road ahead may lead is that assurance that He's right here beside me.

A friend once asked me why I write what I do and why I relate it to the pictures I post. I don't have a definitive answer but it's probably because each picture holds some sort of meaning for me. Each picture isn't just about beauty or documentation - it's also about emotions. It's about how it makes me feel and how I want anyone who views it to connect with it in their own unique way.

This picture to me is about a whole lot more than what I've written but I hope someone else can get something out of it too.

"I'm still not done; I'm only half way there
I'm a million miles away from where I'm from
But there's still another million miles to come"
- Trouble by Avicii

This was shot on the OnePlus 2 and edited in Snapseed.

Nascent

Pune! Pune! Pune!

I've finally moved here which is why I haven't been active online in a while. I haven't really had much time to shoot and edit either; add to that a horrible internet connection and you're left with virtually no internet access on your laptop.

But let's not focus on the negative. This is quite the experience. I've seen, heard, felt so many things in such a short span of time that it's quite difficult to even process everything. I'm still trying to get used to things here.

Which is why visiting this place was even more special. It made me miss home so, so, so very much. The hills reminded me of the hills I used to climb back home and the birds combined with the amazing sunset almost made me tear up. But I'm glad I didn't get stuck in the past and could enjoy the moment for what it was. Stuff like these are reminders to me of God's amazing grace and His love that never leaves and that's one of the reasons they never get old.

In case you're wondering, this is Pashan Lake. It's quite beautiful.

Also this was shot on my phone, the OnePlus 2. I use an app called Camera FV-5 that allows you to bracket shots like you would on a dSLR. I then combined the exposures in Photoshop and played with the light a bit. Just goes to show how advanced the tiny sensors in phone cameras are.

All my bags are pack, I'm ready to go

It's now time for me to say goodbye. To bid farewell to everything and everyone I've known my entire life along with the place I've called home ever since I was born and move away.

Just writing that makes me tear up but life isn't always easy and you've got to make tough choices and decisions to progress and this is probably the toughest thing I'll ever have to do. It still hasn't struck me fully yet but it's slowly sinking in.

Today's picture is special which is why I thought I'd share it even though it's an old one and you've probably seen it before.

This is one of the very first pictures I took of Salbari with my house in the distance when I was just getting serious with photography. It reminds of a much simpler and beautiful time. It reminds me of what this place was and this is how I want to remember Salbari. I don't want to remember it for what it is today. There was a time it actually had it's own character. As soon as you saw a picture you'd know it was Salbari but today it's just like any other place. It's lost. It's gone. It's no longer what it once was and that's so sad. Which is why it's probably for the best that I leave now so that this new grotesque image isn't permanently seared in my mind. The people here have changed too. Just today I witnessed three boys hunt a garden lizard down and kill it just for fun. I caught them on Snapchat so you can see these idiots on my Snapchat. That showed me that people here have lost something. We were all once so close to nature and lived among some beautiful and amazing creatures but they've all slowly disappeared or have been killed and driven out. That's just so sad.

More than the place itself, I'm going to miss some people. There have been certain individuals who've meant a lot and still do. They're the ones I'll miss most of all and telling them goodbye is what's been really difficult because I don't even know if I'll ever get to meet some of them again. But hey! Here's to bigger and better things, right? God has helped me thus far and I know He'll continue to help me.

To all of you reading this - I cannot thank you enough! You mean a lot and I'm really grateful that you're following my work.

Also this view no longer exists. It's been blocked by hideously designed matchbox houses.

Concealing Glow

Exams are always a pain, especially when you're give the timetable just one week ahead and then you scramble for your books and barely manage to finish the syllabus the night before.

Sometimes in life nothing seems to be work out no matter what you try or how hard you work. I know this is something I've said before but it's exactly how I've felt for the past few weeks/months. However, ever so often I'm reminded of God's love and grace. Ever so often there are little things that remind me of how beautiful life is and keep me carrying on.

Someone called me a tree-hugger before as a joke but I think that might be true to a certain extent. The world around me fascinates me and God's creation is just amazing! Today's picture is another reminder of that. We were returning home after a rather not-so-exciting trip to the hills and the driver suggested we make one last stop before the final leg of the journey.

After much deliberation we agreed and I'm so glad that we made this stop to take in the view. The sunset did look amazing as we were travelling but I'd never seen this view before. The previous times I'd been here had been really cloudy and you could barely see a few meters ahead of you so this view was stunning to say the least and I hope the picture does it justice.

Things might not always be going the way you want to go or how you want them to be but you've always got to remember that clouds move and eventually they part enough to let the sun shine through and when it does you realise that it's going to be OK because at the end of the day you have a God who loves you and cares about you and only wants what's best for you.

Now I should start studying to tomorrow's paper and stop boring the few of you who actually take time to read my blog. Thank you guys! :)

Broken Frames

It's been a year since earthquakes devastated Nepal so I asked a good friend of mine to write a little something to go along with the pictures as a message to and from the people of Nepal.

Article by Upashana Gurung
Pictures by Daniel Raghu

Life was never "normal" after that day, and even if we wanted to we could not forget the unimaginable loss we suffered. It has already been a year since the devastating earthquake hit Nepal. One of the most beautiful countries had been turned into pieces of ruins. As we look back upon that day, there is no way we won't feel the sorrow all over again.

Even though words cannot describe the unbearable agony we had to go through; even after everything we lost, we were still smiling with tears in our eyes and with the hope that one day it would all be alright.

As I'm writing this, I really cannot express the pain and grief of someone who lost everything in the remote villages of Nepal. I really cannot. And if for one second I put myself in their shoes, I could not bear the heaviness of my heart.

The pain and anguish they must have felt is beyond mine or anyone's conception.

But YOU, you are a warrior who survived a great catastrophe.

You are the brave one.
Don't ever forget that.

The hope, the strength, the unity that we all have, let's not let go of that. Because when we look back, these are the only things that kept us going froward. We're fixing the ruins, we're reconstructing buildings, we're helping the ones in need - providing food and shelter and clothes; most of all we're giving away love and hope to the ones who lost it.

Every country, every organisation, every individual from all over the world that has been helping us in these darkest days, we are profoundly grateful for all that you have and are doing for us.

 Because we have each other we have the courage to believe that we can move forward.

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

For you are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord shall enlighten my darkness. - 2 Samuel 22:29

Gleam

It's been far too long since I was last online. Getting caught up with all the emails, messages and comments might just be the hardest part.

Anyway, it's Valentine's Day and since I realised that too late to create a picture specifically for today I decided to process one of my pictures to mean something for today.

So, how about some much needed warmth and glow that generally comes with the feeling of being loved?

How do I know this? Easy! God's love really warms you up and I know those of you in relationships can attest to that fact but let me tell you that the love of God supersedes anything you've ever know before.

I hope you're having a great day and I hope you have a great week ahead. I shall not keep you any further :D

Phantasm

Oh wow! It's been a while since I last posted here. My inbox was flooded with emails and notifications and I promise I'll get to them in time. I apologise as I haven't been online lately because of my exams and other work but hopefully I'll be more active now that I actually have holidays

After posting so many pictures of people I think it's time for a break.

Anyway, I just finished working on this image and I think it's one of my favourite images I've worked on yet. This was taken in October but it's been lying on my hard drive just waiting to be processed.

It wasn't until I came recently read Proverbs 3:6 which says "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." that I actually knew how to process this image.

I used a couple of different techniques to add the additional light to this image and make it look like something right out of a dream. My computer could barely keep up and what should have taken less than an hour ended up taking more than three hours to finish.

Anyway, let me know what you think. If you want more details I'd be happy to post a "layer Breakdown" video for this image on Youtube. Just let me know :)

Take care!

Unsettled

We're having a long patch of bad weather. It's ok when you don't have to go out but when you do it really messes up your plans.

The clouds never seem to leave the sky and usually we get a monotonous colour across the entire sky which is really boring. The high winds seemed to clear some of the clouds around the horizon and it made for a really cool timelapse.

This is one of the many frames from the timelapse I'm working on.
I'll be out of town for a while so I won't be able to reply to emails, messages and comments immediately.

Hope you have a great week ahead! :)

Query

What a week this has been! Busy yet so so so very fun!

My apologies for not posting regularly. I have a huge backlog of files that need editing and with the photoshoots and videos that need to be done soon that's just going to increase. I need to get on top of it and hopefully will succeed doing that in the next few weeks or so.

Now for the picture since that's what you're here for. I had planned to shoot the sunset from the new spot I discovered recently and set out as soon as I got back from my exam because it looked like the sky was about to explode with amazing colours. Unfortunately dark clouds began rolling in and it looked gloomy but I kept walking towards the spot. This particular bull seemed rather interested in what I was doing and decided to follow me. It stopped when I stopped and I saw the sun just beginning to peak from behind the clouds, giving out this magnificent glow that really lit up everything. The bull was still staring right at me which made for an interesting shot.

I decided against removing the annoying and highly distracting power lines and houses because this is Salbari. Or at least what it's becoming. I remember when we first moved here with no houses around us. There were just animals and rice fields. All that's rapidly changed in the last decade and it's sad to see nature being destroyed like this. Part of the picture is what Salbari once was while the background shows you what it's becoming. This isn't even the part with the most houses. It's so difficult finding a good spot for pictures nowadays when once all you had to do for a good view was step outside your house.

Mnemonic

We finally witnessed a really beautiful sunset yesterday which was something I was really looking forward to. It's things like these that really cheer me up and I needed cheering up. One of the best teachers I've ever had left our college yesterday. We were all sad to see her go and gave her a farewell. So it was not a really good day for us but then I watched the sunset on my way home and that put a smile on my face.

I thought I would shoot a timelapse of the sunset but the sun dipped behind some really low clouds on the horizon and didn't come out until it was too late. So I walked around the fields for a bit looking for some good photo opportunities. I came across the tree in today's picture. I don't know how I hadn't seen it before but it just might be my new favourite spot to take pictures. I'm just waiting for the next good sunset to get some really good pictures.

About the post-processing. I took three bracketed shot (-2,0,+2) in order to get the entire range of light. I ended up using just the normally exposed photography at the end. I used a few luminosity masks on this one. They work great!

Luminosity masks are still a new technique for me so I do require a lot of practice but they're great for digital blending. I've also created a handy GIF that shows you the various stages in the creation of this image - hope that helps. It's a rather large file so it might take a while to load. You'll find it after the picture.

And now for the GIF (let's hope this works)

Inscrutable

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!" - Romans 11:33

I wasn't quite sure about this image. I like it but for some reason I wasn't feeling very strongly about it. So, I decided to ask my friend for feedback. Since there was positive feedback I've decided to share it.

This was taken from a place called Gayabari. Same hill from where I took the previous image. This was further down the valley.

Hope you're having a good weekend :)

Convergence

Thank you all for the overwhelming response to my previous post. Thanks for all the messages, comments, likes, shares and emails. I really appreciate the encouragement and I'm really glad you like it. I can't take all the credit because that photograph wouldn't have been possible without my friend who posed for me. I irritated her and even kept her from food (if you're reading this, I apologise for that :D ) but she willingly helped a lot. I will work on a tutorial as soon as I can. We're shooting a promotional video so I'm a little hard pressed for time at the moment but will get to it soon.

Last Saturday five us got into a taxi and went up the hill to a place I've never been before. There was a massive landslide a while back which is visible for miles - you can actually see it from my house on the plains so it was quite nice visiting this place.

Vehicles don't go to that site so we had to walk for a bit to get there. On the way one of my friends suddenly started calling for me to rush over. He said that he would show me a place like I've only seen in the movies. I was sceptical but when I saw what he was pointing I stopped because I hadn't seen anything like it before - at least not in real life. It wasn't as stunning as the ones in the movies or those travelogues but I wasn't expecting this - at least not here.

Nature sure is a great testament to the glory of God. I can't even begin to imagine what heaven will be like!

"In His hand are deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land." Psalm 45: 4-5

A few of you have been asking me to post the EXIF data as well. You'll find that information for today's photograph in the picture's caption.

Convergence - SS 1/400 sec f/8.0 ISO-100

Bring Me Down

Seven of us went out on Saturday. I was helping some of them learn how to use their cameras better. We left in the morning and were out till about 5 in the evening. Except for about an hour or so we were on our feet just walking around, exploring and shooting. It was a day to remember for sure.

We were on the hill when we noticed this tree out in the distance. It really seemed to stand out from the others around it. It was taller than the rest but also had almost no leaves on it. It made this particular scene really interesting.

I had to work some Photoshop magic on the original image because it was flat and boring. The light wasn't particularly exciting because this was way off in the distance so there was no clear separation or anything. The camera didn't pick up on the colours either. Maybe someday I'll get down to working on a tutorial on how I edited this image.

It reminded me of the lyrics "Can't nothing bring me down".

Gorgeous Gulma

If you're reading this I hope you've watched our short film The Drive
If you have watched it you'll recognise today's picture from the end credits.

This is where we shot the station scene towards the end of the film. This has got to be the most beautiful and well maintained station I've visited in India. It's really small and there are very few people but it's beautiful.

This is a long exposure shot taken just as the blue hour was ending. We were waiting for a train to take us back home. We were exhausted after the shoot but were really happy since this is the place we got the best shots. A lot of the scenes were shot not far from the station.

In fact you can see two of my friends sitting on the bench on the right of the photograph.

Overlooking The Valley

Last week my cousin's husband and I decided to go for an early morning walk to the top of a nearby hill.

We had initially decided to go the week before that but the late nights made it really difficult for my to get up in the morning. We wanted to get there in time to watch the sunrise.

The day we finally made it up wasn't that great because of the fog and lack of clouds in the sky. If there were clouds in the sky I'm sure it would have been a spectacular sunrise.

The sun rose from behind the fog and slowly lit up everything. It was really beautiful and we decided to stay on the hill for a few more minutes before making it back down.

The fog (or smog) had slowly begun to lift and reveal the city as we descended. We stopped for a minute to take in this view. It makes you wonder how long the hill that's next to this sprawling city will remain untouched and for how long the hill will be allowed to retain it's natural beauty.

Picture details for those interested - 1/200sec f/8 ISO 100
Processed in Photoshop CS6 from a single RAW file.

Across The Hill

Someone told me that I should go back to landscape and nature photographs. Diversification is great! Just saying.
Yes, I do love photographing nature over other things because it reminds me and shows how amazing God's creation is but I can't help photographing other things as well - including people. After all people are God's own creation...created in his own image so that's amazing!

Hills with fog make amazing photographs. The fog was really thick when we reached this place but it seemed to move away after a little while which is when I got this picture. Then it came back again and we couldn't see more than a few feet ahead of us.

Day 2 - Bringing The Clouds

Today is Day 2 of the Black and White Photo Challenge.

I didn't think I would enjoy this so much but this is fun. It's forced me to work outside my comfort zone and see things differently and that's a really good thing. I've been going back and reprocessing some photographs and they look amazing in black and white which is interesting.

So, everyday I'm supposed to upload one black and white photograph for 5 consecutive days while also challenging one other person everyday to do the same.

This was shot on my phone so the quality might not be that great but I really like the photograph.

Final Blossom

These flowers blossomed a few days ago and I just happened to pass by this place at sunset. I noticed the light hitting these flowers and they looked amazing.

So, I decided to revisit this place again and got a good shot. My main purpose was to shoot a timelapse or the setting sun because it just looked gorgeous. The entire scene was bathed in this warm light that had an amazing reddish glow. It was beautiful!

I'm working on a timelapse film of this place that I plan to finish before I leave here.

Under The Clouds

It's been crazy busy here these past few weeks. Just when I thought I would find time to share a few pictures it got really busy again. Anyway I thought I would share something from my last vacation since our vacations for the festivals just got over.

 This was taken as we were flying towards Delhi. It was an amazing sight and the clouds were just beautiful.

In other news, my computer forced me to upgrade to Windows 8.1 and I can't say that I like it all that much. It's not a huge improvement from Windows 8. Actually I don't see a lot of differences. It did uninstall my anti-virus software which is really annoying.