Blueprint of Memoirs

Expedia Travel Planning: Kerala Dad’s Camera Quest to new memories

2025-12-20T17:01:00.007+05:30

Hey folks, imagine this: You’re me, Ranjiesh from Kerala—a sales and marketing hustler with 20+ years chasing Gulf deals in Oman, UAE, and Bahrain, back home now after a family sabbatical. Life’s been spreadsheets, team rallies, and LinkedIn posts that scream “I’ve got this.” But honestly? Just a dad craving fun beyond targets. One lazy Kochi afternoon, I grabbed a basic point-and-shoot camera online—cost like a fancy sadhya spread. No fancy gear, no clue on buttons. That little box? It pulled me into giggles, golden beaches, and memories tougher than coconut husks.

*For easy trip booking’s and hotel- EXPEDIA

Backtrack to spark. Unboxed in Kerala, aimed at Kerala fish curry—extra chili blob included. “Epic still life!” I quipped. Eye-roll city, but hooked. Mundane turned masala: Cousins squabbling over payasam? Click. Leo our “Dog" eyeing idlis? Double click. Free joyride—no rules, pure play.

Family Chaos: Giggles Beat Poses

Family trips? 90% cat-herding, 10% bliss. Eco-parks: Zip-lines over coconut trees, heart bhangra-ing. Camera dangled like medal; son’s mid-zip “Superman!” face—blurry gold. Safe havens—guides galore, no dodgy feels. Resorts dish plantains, fresh fish like Kerala’s karimeen fry. Tip: Bottled water only—tap’s monsoon-puddle risky.

Sunset cruise: Boat rocking like Alleppey houseboat. Sky blazing orange, family silhouettes Bollywood-style. “Pro dad!” kid fibbed. Nah—steady hold, no-barf prayer. Rogue wave? Camera soak. Rice-dried (works!), survived. Lesson: Memories weather splashes.

Just buy a Cheap camera. Shoot mess. DR amplified: Snorkel fish like Diwali patakha—surface clicks of dripping grins. “Drowned kerala fish?” I teased. Laughs framed forever.

Clicks Building Lifelong Treasures

Interest grew sneaky. Rainy Kerala? Photos: Time portals. Early ones? Crooked as village roads. Now? Crook ‘em intentional—life’s wobbly.

Humor fueled: Botched selfie? “Pirate audition—arrr, pass the rum!” LinkedIn mix (sales + snaps)—engagement soars. Photography’s heart: Emotional, not techy. “Remember when?” gold. Wife’s resort salsa flop? Snap. Joke: “Salsa Queen of Kochi.”

Snowball effect: From newbie to memory hoarder. Sabbatical recharge? This sparked it—family first, clicks capture. Gulf travels honed eye for stories; Digital camera exploded ’em.

Your Turn: Grab, Click, Connect

Plotting next? Camera stays—stories etched. Your newbie snap?

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP OF THE DAY

2025-12-19T15:46:00.003+05:30

Photography Tip of the Day: Master the Rule of Thirds for Stunning Travel Shots

Imagine dividing your camera frame into a 3x3 grid—like a tic-tac-toe board—with two horizontal and two vertical lines creating nine equal sections. The magic happens at those four intersection points. Place your key subject—be it a person, landmark, or horizon—along these lines or intersections instead of dead-center. This simple shift creates balance, tension, and natural flow, turning ordinary snapshots into captivating travel photography masterpieces.

Why It Works: The Science of Eye Flow

Centering everything feels static and predictable; the rule of thirds mimics how our eyes naturally scan images, guiding viewers dynamically across the frame. For landscapes like the Oman sand dunes at noon, position the endless golden ripples on the lower third with a lone dune peak at the left intersection—voila, infinite depth and hypnotic gaze into the desert’s raw beauty. Portraits shine too: In the lonely lady by the window, her thoughtful eyes hit the lower-left intersection, window light blooms upper-right, evoking quiet introspection without clutter .

Step-by-Step Things to Do Today

• Enable Grid: Turn on your camera/phone’s grid overlay (iOS: Settings > Camera > Grid; Android: Camera app settings).

• Practice Framing: Shoot Istanbul bazaars—place a spice vendor at the right intersection, colorful stalls sweeping left. For Dubai Mall Aquarium, align swirling fish schools on lower third, tunnel curve upper-right for immersive scale .

• Recrop Favorites: Open past shots (Cappadocia balloons, Hagia Sophia silhouette) in editing apps; drag to thirds for instant upgrades.

• Challenge: Take 10 photos today using only intersections—no centering!

From the 10 steps to improve photography, this one’s a game-changer for steady, purposeful compositions echoing Ansel Adams’ wisdom. Your blueprint of memories will pop—steady hands, golden mean vibes, horizons perfected. Experiment, evolve benchmarks, and watch travel stories leap off the screen!

Photography tips and training if you need.

Back again..

2016-01-16T21:05:00.000+05:30

TURKISH DELIGHT

2012-08-24T22:12:00.001+05:30

A morning at Muscat

2011-11-18T21:28:00.001+05:30

Its was cool morning weather, when i decided to go out for a long drive with my Camera. I drove all the way to SEEB via RUWI high street, Qurm Beach, Seeb airport, gazing o the wonderful beauty of the city that surrounded us and hardly do we have the time to admire. It was the day when nostalgia creep-ed in of the first time i set foot on this soil along with one of my friends.

This post is just to share what i have to share from the wonderful morning drive that was nothing less than an eternal bliss in disguise.

Travel Pixels

2011-09-30T15:37:00.000+05:30

Photography is one of my favorite things to do in the world other than painting. Well during one my recent business trips i made sure that i capture some of the most camera must objects and places. I didn't have all the gadgetry with me since i was on an official trip. But i think its come out decent with the color compositions being so deep and vivid. Well, this collection comes after a long time gap to my blog.

Note: Blueprint Of Memoirs is participating in Photo blog awards 2011 (www.photoblogawards.com). If you like this blog connect through this link and VOTE.

My Garden

2011-08-07T19:31:00.000+05:30

Amatuer Memories

2011-06-14T00:59:00.000+05:30

Road side Banner

Expressions

Sai Baba

Parking Street

Window

Flower

The WALL

Sadi Dilli

2011-05-19T21:18:00.000+05:30

. डेल्ही........ഡല്‍ഹി.........ఢిల్లీ..........டெல்லி...........ಡೆಲ್ಲಿ..........ΔΕΛΧΊ........দেল্হী.........દેલ્હી...........देल्ही........देल्ही.........ਦਿੱਲੀ..........DELHI

The above is just a glimse of the diversity one would find in a city like delhi...with all its highs and lows this city still stands up to new dreams,expectations and love to millions of people.

Incredible JAIPUR

2011-03-19T19:51:00.000+05:30

Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers... the mind can never break off from the journey. This happened with me when i visited the pink city Jaipur this time around when i went to India. The journey has been truly mystical & magnificent in evrey nature which keeps on unfolding as you go towards the centre of this beautiful city. my clicks never came to a stand still as we went scouting for new lakes, palaces etc on our way to Jaipur. Well, its for sure that my travel to the mystic land of Rajasthan is not over....I WILL BE BACK. as some one rightly said

A travel adventure has no substitute. It is the ultimate experience, your one big opportunity for flair.
By Rosalind Massow

Isn't it interesting that people feel best about themselves right before they go on vacation? They've cleared up all of their to-do piles, closed up transactions, renewed old promises with themselves. My most basic suggestion is that people should do that more than just once a year.

MY MINI ME-Part 2

2011-01-02T01:38:00.000+05:30

Destination-Jabal Shams

2010-12-25T14:56:00.000+05:30

Life is a journey at times sweet and pleasant at other times bitter and hard. We are all on this journey, forever changing, forever growing. During the course of this journey there are many destinations. But each is merely a short stop signifying a new beginning.

Well our journey to Jabal Al Shams some 250km from Muscat was one such experience. Be it reaching the destination late to find out night hanging around or the cold thunderous breeze chilling everyone from head to toe or the african jungle dance with burnt/uncooked food from experts and the sleepless night, well everything had diiferent taste of experience. I enjoyed this excursion in silence as someone said "The journey never stops, not even for a moment.....so enjoy it to the fullest".

Spaces

2010-11-14T18:41:00.000+05:30

Anything and everything that puts you in a relaxed, happy, renewed state of mind has its place in your personal space. Whether your space is a chair and a table or an entire room, make it your very own retreat. For me it has meant the endless space around you left to be captured in its own environment, be it the nature, objects etc. These pics depict in their own way the space each one occupies around us.

We all need space -- free from demands, deadlines, expectations and judgments -- to explore who we are and what life is all about. Free time, with absolutely no agenda, is rich with potential. How can we grow if we have no space and freedom to dream?

By John Holt

Sun & Sands

2010-09-15T18:19:00.000+05:30

Well recently me and my family went for a trip to the sandy terrains in the midst of Wahiba some 200kms from Muscat in the wilyat of Sur.It was truly an amazing experience with the beauty of desert encapsulating you more in its beauty and you drive into it. It merely wasn't enough for me to take of my tech eyes (Nikon camera) out of it. Every corner seemed to have more to it as we went from one place to other. In the end it was something which would remain as one of my most treasured places of visit and work of art.

Blacks & Greys

2010-09-04T17:46:00.000+05:30

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth, find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.

These distinction submerge into the colors of Black and grey and brings out the inner beauty of each and every matter/atom involved. The shades of Black and grey submerge in each other without any difficulty thus creating expressions which talk to each one of us in the same language.

I just have made an attempt to capture the purity of the mesmerising beauty of Muscat which has come up as shown in BLACK & GREY.

NOTE:These snaps have been taken at the Qurm beach and PDO site at Muscat (Oman)..

The Divine Spirit-TREE

2010-08-20T23:41:00.000+05:30

Since the old days, nature was always the inspiration source for me . Actually, it is because our roots are part of this nature that is why we always get attracted and inspired from it.

The spirit of each tree in nature can speak to those who listen, sometimes with words, sometimes in the hum of its existence - the vibration of its life-force which connects its roots with the tips of its branches. These giant beings are willing communicators as friends of the earth, friends of souls, and guardians of the planetary atmosphere. If they were given more in the way of respect and appreciation, they would be able to produce more replenishment for the earth's atmosphere than what is currently thought of as possible.

Just imagine the quite shade, the cool breez, the earthy essence and protection that it renders to us in return for nothing but unconditional love.

Protect them, replenish them, LOVE them......for a better FUTURE

My full-on intention was to capture these deep-rooted friends of ours.

Quotes:"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now."

Trip to East

2010-08-20T22:23:00.000+05:30

Drive away

2010-08-20T22:06:00.000+05:30

Muscat-eer

Well the day time muscat traffic lured me to take pic of this magbeficient structure which so stands with proud humility in front of me.

My "Mini me"

2010-08-20T15:29:00.001+05:30

All life is a journey which paths we take and what we look back on and what we look forward to is upto us.We determine our destination, what kinda raod we would take to get there and how happy we are when we get there depends only on us.Well i started my new odyssey with the arrival of my son Kavish and with it the passion for photography.