Photography Onthemove

By the Ghats of Ganga in Varanasi – Shahela Sajanlal

supriya — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:33:30 +0000

By the Ghats of Ganga inVaranasi

Far above from the ghats, where he got all the sun’s attention

The cycle stood against locked doors, on the side of a staircase that led to the Ganges. Seemed like it had seen a lot of the world go by.

He refused to look at the camera, but wanted to be photographed. He had a nice smile.

He insisted I could take a better picture.

This photograph captured everything that Varanasi was for me.

Shahela currently works with Facebook in Hyderabad and has recently been bit by the travel photography bug! We are waiting to hear from her when she quits the corporate world and takes this professionally.You can reach her at shahela.sajanlal@gmail.com

Manoj Lakhwani

supriya — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:51:23 +0000

A Tryst With Cuba

Viva Cuba

Hasta la victoria siempre

Ry Cooder wrote “In Cuba, music takes care of you and rebuilds you from the inside out.”

As I walked by the sea-front Malecon stretch or old habana, I could hear trumpets and guitars being played.

As I walked in the streets of La Habana and Trinidad, I felt like I was reliving the India of the 1980s.

Raul on the left, 87 years old, retired. Used to work in sugar cane and was a carpenter. Alberto on the right, the silent one with a faint mocking smile. Both chain cigar smokers.

Turquoise water… a piece of paradise.

Vikram Kushwah

supriya — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:35:28 +0000

This project is a portrait of my imagination and memories, often twisted by the dark underlying layers of story books I read as a child.The series of pictures is a juxtaposition of the Freudian Theory of ‘The Uncanny’, the constantly recurring mysterious environments in the Surrealist Art Movement and reconstructions of my distant childhood.

The feeling of the uncanny, as Sigmund Freud points out, is one of confused fear, something that you feel when confronted with something that was meant to remain hidden, locked away and now has come out in the open. This feeling is certainly not unambiguous. It is this ambiguity itself that makes the mind wander. The wandering mind opens many doors. Behind these closed door lies what we call the imagination. There are more doors behind the ones that have been opened. They all whisper to each other – about what lies beyond- engaging and gripping the psyche.

These images are constructed using fragments of recollections – often uncanny – from the childhood, stitched up by the secret and powerful tool of ‘day dreaming’ and also with careful understanding of Sigmund Freud’s essay, ‘ Das Unheimliche’. They lie somewhere between reality and fantasy, between the conscious and the unconscious. These images are not only a reflection of what I saw behind the ‘closed doors’ of my mind, but also of what I could have seen.

Researched and shot over a period of nine months, this project has involved long aimless walks in the woods in Kent, meeting some strange people and finding myself in remote and isolated places as a result of which my dreamscapes and memory gave me rather peculiar visuals. Intricate study of the art and writings of the surrealists and revisiting my very old story books helped me give perspective to the Freudian philosophy of the uncanny. Rather than illustrating the uncanny, the idea here is to give the viewer an experience of the uncanny by extracting fragments of desires and fantasies buried within the subconscious.

Jyothi Shyamsunder

devakishor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:58:57 +0000

Jyothi's journey into Bhutan!

Spiti – Vaibhav Mehta

devakishor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:25:27 +0000

Vaibhav Mehta captures the raw beauty of Spiti.

2012 Calendar

supriya — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:40:31 +0000

Monthly Photography Contest on Flickr

devakishor — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:30:29 +0000

For a sustained New Year Resolutions on a clicking discipline, we have a Monthly POTM Contest on our Flickr page.

Whats in store for you? Getoffurass & Photography Onthemove goodies for the winner and the opportunity to have your photograph selected for our annual exhibition…

To participate in the contest, head to our Flickr page.

Previous Winners:

June, 2011. Theme: Slies…

Winner: Alit Apriyana

Ilalang Senja - Alit Apriyana

Why:

Lot of pictures are either just about a beautiful sunset or beautiful clouds but this particular picture has something that brings the two together…the setting sun as well as shades of the blue sky, add to it the green grass! The natural contrasts of the yellow, blue and the green come out quite strikingly…not very easy to capture as seen.

This of course has a very high dynanic range as we’re able to see the greens as well. The composition also adds to this frame as the horizon is not equally divided into two halves…

We also have a personal bias towards the beautiful ‘heaven grass’ as we call it which very well silhouetted and yet the green along the base can be seen…

Andaman Photo Journey

devakishor — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:13:03 +0000

About the Trip - Lethargy becomes a virtue when the destination itself promptly slips you in a state of relaxation! So take a deep breath and take the plunge into the myriad culture & enigmatic landscapes of the Andamans! Join Photography Onthemove to discover the lesser traversed regions of this topographical wonder of 527 islands, islets and rocks!

Guided by an instructor, get a comprehensive understanding of SLR photography through class-room sessions, field exercises & a detailed review. The endeavour is to leave you absolutely confident with basics of capturing light, composition, framing and give you access to photograph one of the most enigmatic topographies of the world! You can also sign up for an advanced learning in HDR/ Time Lapses/ Flash Use and more!

Day 1 – Arrive in Port Blair and get transported to your first base camp, where a team is doing a fantastic job of preserving the rich bio-diversity of the islands. There is no better place for you to get a small orientation of this unique destination.

Day 2 – Time to get to the local jetty and watch the sun creep up behind the fishermen bringing in their catch! The furious activity of collecting the nets and organising the fish can be a great photo-opportunity! Time permissible, we go out to one of islands.

Day 3 – We head out to one of the islands known for its spectacular marine life, clean beaches, banana plantations and typical island life. A little break from the sea into a place which has no roads and has never even been mapped. It will be a good one to practice your photography skills! We will go through small canals and a network of water bodies.

Day 4 – Today we explore some more unknown islands. The trip will be in a small dingy boat which will ferry us up and down. Packed food, a day long trip but a picnic you would have never imagined!

Day 5 – Today is the day for driving through the thick tropical forests of Andamans.

Day 6 & 7 – Today we head out to one of the most popular islands of Andamans. gained a lot of popularity in the past few years and one is likely to bump into many travellers. The reason is remains in our itinerary is the option of trying your hand at Scuba and it still is one of the most beautiful islands of the Andamans. You can hire a bike or just walk around. We give you some ‘own time’ to explore local eating places, catch some drinks at a local pub or just relax.

Day 8 – This is the last day spent amidst the sound of lashing waves and absolute stillness in the environment. Certainly, nostalgia will set in before we leave in the afternoon for Port Blair! Spend time with us on your photographs, discussing nuances, next steps and any other queries. We ensure that by this time you will be quite ‘camera-happy’!

Quick Info –

Level – Beginners/Advanced/Photo Trip Only

Date – 4^th to 11^th Feb, 2012

No of Days – 8

Workshop Cost (8 Days) – Rs 55000/- Per Head

Only Photo Tour Cost (8 Days) – Rs 49000/- Per Head

Cost Includes – Accommodation, Food, Internal Travel & the Workshop if opted for.

For further details and planning, get in touch with Supriya on Supriya@getoffurass.com

Spiti Photo Journey

devakishor — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:26:25 +0000

Capture the imposing mountains, restless rivers and nothingness of the desert mountain region of “The Middle Land” – the land between Tibet and India!

Join the Photography Onthemove team to absorb the simplicity of the culture, camp at lonely unexplored villages and traverse through some of the highest motorable roads in the world.

Make Spiti your story this July.

Day 1 – We meander into the mountains from Delhi in a train to settle into a wonderful homestay at the base of the foothills of the Himalayas. Be greeted by the panoramic view of the Western Himalayas, a pleasant beginning to the changing topography that you are going to witness over the next ten days. Himachal throws some astounding and diverse scenery at you with Kinnaur and Spiti Valleys, a stark contrast to where we start.

Day 2 – We drive along the restless Sutlej and Bapsa rivers as the Kinnaur Valley changes its colours. Apple orchards spread close to home as we settle into luxury Swiss style tents and ease ourselves into the vastness of the Valley.

Day 3 – This day, we take it easy before we hit the higher altitude. Take a walk in the village and practice your photography skills with our instructor.

Day 4 – As we enter our third village this day, the topography changes substantially – enormous mountains of Lahaul and Spiti Valley seem much closer now.

Day 5 – It’s off to one of the oldest monasteries of the region. This was built in 996 A.D and still has most of its original interiors intact. We find ourselves at an altitude of almost 10000 feet by the banks of Spiti Valley.

Day 6 – On this day we are off to the monasteries of Ki and Kibber! Enjoy the high altitude of over 14500 feet before you start trekking down through the fabulous villages of Spiti.

Day 7 – We get lost in the views of the mountain ranges of Choco Khang Nilda resiliently standing against the cold windy weather. Village homes provide us warm bon fires and beds for the night.

Day 8 – Time to tread to the highest point of the journey – 15500 feet. Locals lead us on this mildly difficult hike through more villages.

Day 9 – A days rest to your feet as we experience a Yak safari through some stunning landscapes. Hope for an invitation for some Chhang (local beer) in a village home.

Day 10 – Today you encounter minimal plant life – only some wild flowers along the tributaries of Spiti. We make a stop at Dhankar to see the monastery and then spend the night in an adjoining village.

Day 11- After a much deserved rest, it’s time to avoid Manali and head straight to one of the smaller villages where we spend the last day before taking a night Volvo to Delhi.

Quick Info –

Level – Beginners/Advanced/Photo Trip Only

Travel – Road/ Hike

Date – 14nd to 22^nd July 2012

No of Days – 11

Workshop Cost (11 Days) – Will be updated soon

Only Photo Tour Cost (11 Days) – Will be updated soon

Cost Includes – Accommodation, Food, Internal Travel & the Workshop if opted for.

For further details and planning, get in touch with Supriya on Supriya@getoffurass.com

Cambodia Photo Journey

devakishor — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:44:48 +0000

About the Trip - Ever thought of camping in floating villages? We highly recommend a journey into the mysterious land of Chinese paddy fields, silk farms, Buddhist pagodas and an ironic Hindu influence! Welcome to Cambodia! Join us in the journey through Angor Wat temples, Beng Meala , Koh Ker and Pnom Kulu camps and a raw experience along the Sangker River! Think canoeing, untouched forest trails and smouldering bonfires by the camping sites.

A Detailed Itinerary will be posted soon.

Mail us at supriya@getoffurass.com to register.