Karan Kauchhur's Photography

MOVED

karanmohan@gmail.com — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 04:39:22 GMT

This Blog has moved to " Light And Nature "
When you visit the site..you will know why.
Please do not forget to subscribe to the new website.

Cheers !
Karan Kauchhur

Jay Patel - " I just like to photograph"

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 23:02:17 GMT

It took me most of last evening to come up with a write up for Jay. Quite honestly I am lost for words. The photograph below pretty much is an evidence of how visually engaging and stunning his photography is.

Like I said, I am lost for words. Jay's work has been published in numerous magazines, books and he along with his wife have written several ebooks (available for download on his website). He is also an important team member of the website - TimeCatcher. Together his wife and him run several photography workshops and webinars throughout the year. You can find more information on that on his FB Page and his website.

I personally have been really inspired by his work and thanks to him my resolution for the next year is to "Follow the Light" .. no not the white light to the pearly gates.

Jay has been kind enough to answer my questions. Even though the questions are mostly same, the answers are very photographer specific, and that has given a lot of insight to me about photography. Below are Jay's answers:

KK: When you look at a photograph ( your own or your fellow photographer's) what are the first 3 things (or more) you look at?
JP: I break down the photograph into 3 basic elements: Technique, Artistic value and Impact. Technique includes exposure, ISO, use of filters, blending software and processing. Artistic value is defined by how the photograph was composed. And impact is best defined as the WOW factor. Sometimes a photograph can have perfect technical and artistic side, but yet the photograph may lack the WOW factor. For a good photograph all three elements have to work together.

KK: When you say "Artistic Value" or the "Wow" Factor. Isn't that just your perspective? I mean a different person may like a photo that you may not like, since everyone has slightly different sense of composition, perception and idea. Or are there any rules to this "Wow Factor" ?
JP: There is technical side to photography and then there is artistic side. Artistic side is always subjective and it includes both composition and impact. While what makes is say WOW is not ALWAYS the same thing that makes others say "WOW". So if a photograph will have greater impact if can make more people say WOW than the ones which dont make more people say "WOW".

KK: When you compose a photograph, are you always sure that this composition would be the best or do you take multiple shots from different perspective and decide later when you download it to your computer?
JP: I will choose multiple composition from a location. The number of composition will depend upon the location and the light available to work with. While shooting during golden hours your window of creating composition is limited by available window of light. Besides just the rules of composition we use Gestalt principles to compose our photograph. We have 3 Ebooks that explains in detail the rules of composition, gestalt principles and tips to improve your photography by helping the photographer "See Differently".

KK: Being a Nature/Landscape photographer, you need to be at the right place at the right time. How do you figure that out?
JP: We view light as our primary photographic subject. So, we both prefer the right light over the right location. We frequently stop to shoot on the side of the road, or on the trail to a fabulous location, because the light was right in that spot. We encourage our student to follow the light rather than be fixated on a location. While we look at the weather, cloud covers and storm fronts often times we will shoot when the light is right from any place.

KK: Do you have a favorite quote about photography? taken from others or your own?
JP: Not really....I just like to photograph.

KK: Are they any photographers you are inspired from? If so, please could you share their name and how do they inspire you?
JP: I am rarely inspired by a photographer, but often by photographs. So, I dont have any specific names…but anyone who is passionate about photography inspires me to reach new levels.

KK: What is your advise for the new folks trying their hand at photography as a hobby or planning to go pro?
JP: Learn everything you can. Equipment doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to use it… so worry less about what you are shooting with, and more about what you don’t know. Read everything you can, invest in classes rather than fancy equipment, and ask for those honest critiques we mentioned before.

Thank you Jay for you time..

Varina - Nature/Landscape Photographer.

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:34:32 GMT

Varina Patel is an avid photographer specializing in Nature and Landscape photography. With an eye for the details and love for the nature She and her husband travel together to the most beautiful locations on the planet and capture the most visually stunning photographs. You can follow her on Facebook, her Website and her Flickr stream . There you will find a lot of resources and ebooks to learn from and also you can keep a track of when they are doing the next workshop. She is also part of the team of Visual Wilderness which is a very informative website on everything related to photography right from travel to gear to articles and videos, etc.

She was way too generous to answer a few of my questions and I have posted them below:

KK: When you look at a photograph (your own or your fellow photographer's) what are the first 3 things (or more) you look at?
V : Each photograph inspires a different response – but if I have to generalize, I’d say that I usually notice the light first... whether it’s a spectacular sunset or a more subtle scene shot in the shade. Light is the most important element in the image, and it can make or break a photograph. Composition is probably second. And then distracting elements start to stand out to me.

KK: When you compose a photograph, are you always sure that this composition would be the best or do you take multiple shots from different perspective and decide later when you download it to your computer?
V : I generally know before I shoot that a specific image will be a favorite – but I do take multiple shots from different perspectives. Sometimes a photo will surprise me by being better than expected. :) I’m my own worst critic, and I thousands of images have been tossed before they’ve been given a second look. I’d rather have a few good shots than a million mediocre ones.

KK: Being a Nature/Landscape photographer, you need to be at the right place at the right time. How do you figure that out?
V : It’s not easy – but with a bit of research and planning, you can make the most of your time at any location. I don’t care as much for “icon shots” as I do for great light… so I chase storms. I watch for storm fronts, and try to place myself strategically to capture storm clouds, beams of light, and sunsets in the best conditions. I’ll work with whatever is in front of me, as long as the sky is looking good. And when the sky doesn’t cooperate, I make the most of my time by shooting details and macro shots.

KK: Do you have a favorite quote about photography? taken from others or your own?
V : I don’t have a favorite photography quote – but this poem by Lord Byron expresses my feelings about wilderness photography.

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the Universe, and feel
What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal.”

-Lord Byron

KK: What is your advice for the new folks trying their hand at photography as a hobby or planning to go pro?
V : Knowledge is far more important than equipment. Rather than spending your money buying the best equipment – take a few classes. You can also find excellent resources online. Post photos in forums and ask for honest critiques – and LISTEN to them. You won’t always agree with the critics, but learn everything you can from them. My photography is far better because I listen to my critics – and I’ll never stop learning.

Thank you Varina for your time.

Not "The End"

karanmohan@gmail.com — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:13:08 GMT

A bright light caught my curious eye
trying to illuminate the gloomy sky
Daring it looked from so far
I wonder what nurtured its power
I saw the marching dark clouds
with anger, vengeance, fury and wrath
Even the sea sat silently lest it provoked
its catastrophe
The city still stood in light
wary of the raging tyrant
Determined hearts when unite
can fight the mightiest of the might
Then I knew we were sure to wi
Nothing could bring this world to an end.

Poem by Kiran Kauchhur

Empty Bench ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:10:36 GMT

From the window everyday
I saw the empty bench
It sat there day and night
facing the scorching sun
resisting the harsh blowing wind
Winters could not make it numb
nor could the rain dampen its spirits
It waited there for some company
but none would stop to rest in its arms
I had no desire to fulfill its wish
for it was meant only for that soul
who be tired and could walk no more

Poem By Kiran Kauchhur

Looking for Dingmans ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 22:45:04 GMT

A colleague decided to join me this weekend for a trip to Penn State ( Dingmans Falls area, just along the border of NJ) . He has bought a brand new Nikon D90 and wanted to take it for a spin. Since he wanted to join me, I decided to go back to the Dingmans Fall trail again, because last time we could not complete it.

Thanks to the winters setting in, most of the greenery had disappeared and you could see the dried up leaves falling everywhere. It was a nice day with an overcast, the small creek had more water flowing than last time. So we decided to follow that small stream and thought probably that will go all the way to the waterfall only to realize an hour later that it did not. Although we had a good time walking along it, the trail was unmarked, it was completely silent, only thing you could hear apart from our footsteps was the gushing water, which kept our hopes high that probably the waterfall is somewhere close by. Actually the are we were in is right behind the waterfalls and a lil south of it. If you want to see the actual falls, you can take US206 and it is just a mile or two ahead of the Bushkill Falls. But since I dislike using the more commercial areas ( because people always ruin the shot) we decided to go this way. Below is a photo we took along the way, and a video -

I generally make small video clips with my cell phone, I now have decided to start posting them from now onwards. Hopefully it would make the blog more interesting.

So we then decided to come all the way back and check out another waterfall just two more miles up the road, for which we had to get back to the car. When we were almost back to the car i noticed a nice spot which was right where we started out trail. That reminded me of a lesson I forgot - "Always remember to turn around .. you might find a nice photograph" . Below are two of the shots I liked:

I have a similar shot from last time (2nd shot ) but that did not come out too well. Luckily thanks to the rain on the previous day the creek was full of life. My car was parked right behind on the other side of the bridge that you can see above. Just as we were about to leave we met a couple, thought we'll ask them if there is an easier way to get to Dingmans, rather than getting back into the car and looking for the other two. They told us to follow this creek and that should take us there. Although it did take us to another lovely place, but it was no where close to the waterfall. Anyhow, we took the chance, and got lucky. This is what we found after another 20 mins walk:-

And that's where I was sitting :-)</div>

It was a day well spent. Explored the area, weather was perfect, it did get very cold. saw a new place, took some nice photographs, came home and had a nice dinner :-)

Interview with Paul Marcellini

karanmohan@gmail.com — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:02:27 GMT

Paul Marcellini is an award winning nature and landscape photographer from Florida. I came to know about him when I was doing a project in Sarasota, and was looking for inspiration and places to check out for my own photography. I was really impressed with his photographs of Everglades, and that was one of the reasons even I made a trip to the glades in spite of the thunder and lightening and the heavy storm that day. His photography has inspired me in many ways. You can follow his Blog here ..

Below is the Q&A with him:-

KK: When you look at a photograph ( your own or your fellow photographer's) what are the first 3 things (or more) you look at?
PM: I look at composition, mood, and exposure.

KK: When you compose a photograph, are you always sure that this composition would be the best or do you take multiple shots from different perspective and decide later when you download it to your computer?
PM: No, sometimes I am surprised that the last minute composition is the one I prefer, over the initial one.

KK: Being a Nature/Landscape photographer, you need to be at the right place at the right time. How do you figure that out?
PM: I am out mostly during good light(around sunrise and sunset) but sometimes you get lucky. It takes a lot of persistance.

KK: Do you have a favorite quote about photography? taken from others or your own?
PM: Not photo specific, but I have always liked: "The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - Walter Bagehot

KK: Are there any photographers you are inspired from? If so, please could you share their name and how do they inspire you?
PM: I definitely take inspiration from Marc Adamus, Guy Tal, and Michael Anderson.

KK: What is your advice for the new folks trying their hand at photography as a hobby or planning to go pro?
PM: Keep your day job as long as possible. =)

Thank you Paul for your time.....

Interview with Ian Plant, A Nature Photographer.

karanmohan@gmail.com — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:08:27 GMT

Ian Plant is one of the most fascinating and inspiring Nature Photographer I have come across. His photography and articles have been published in various magazines, books and other media. He also holds many photography workshops ( at-least one I intend to attend in the coming months), if you are looking forward to one as well then you can check out his website.

Below in a small Q&A with him where he has answered a whole chunk of questions always troubling my mind.

KK: When you look at a photograph ( your own or your fellow photographer's) what are the first 3 things (or more) you look at?

IP: The first thing I look at is composition. Composition is the primary aspect of a photograph that is under the creative control of the artist. The second thing I look at is the mood of the moment captured. Photography is all about capturing, as Henri Cartier-Bresson put it, the "decisive moment." Because of the nature of the medium, photographers must react to the world around them. The mark of a great photographer is recognizing when there is a pleasing convergence of elements in the natural world. The third thing I look at is color and light. Although these are important to nature photography, they are usually more a product of the efforts of Mother Nature than of the artistic vision of the photographer!

KK: When you compose a photograph, are you always sure that this composition would be the best or do you take multiple shots from different perspective and decide later when you download it to your computer?

IP: I try to take as many different compositions of a promising scene as time allows. There's no such thing as the "best composition" for most scenes; rather, there are often several or many different interpretations that have merit. Digital cameras give one the freedom to easily experiment, so my advice is to take advantage of this and shoot as much as possible. Sometimes I am convinced I have found "the one" when looking through my viewfinder only to be disappointed when I review the image more carefully back on my computer. It pays to take the time and explore other possibilities!

KK: Being a Nature/Landscape photographer, you need to be at the right place at the right time. How do you figure that out?

IP: I find it is important to develop a "weather sense." Checking weather forecasts and satellite images helps, but nothing beats spending a few days or more on location observing the local weather patterns. Sunset and sunrise are always good bets, but developing an understanding of the local patterns can really help fine-tune one's timing. Weather is extremely important to nature photography, as it adds mood, drama, and light. Learn the weather and you will have an advantage.

As for being in the right place, scouting a location looking for interesting compositions is the best thing to do. I spend as much time on the ground exploring as I possibly can in order to find the best opportunities, in order to return when I think conditions will be best to bring a scene to its fullest potential. There's also something to be said for dispensing with a "right place/right time strategy," and rather just wandering about reacting to changing light as it happens. I often do this, chasing the light rather than sitting on a specific location waiting for something interesting to happen.

KK: Do you have a favorite quote about photography? taken from others or your own?

IP: I guess I have two quotes that I often repeat, one from Ansel Adams and the other is my own. The Ansel quote is: "There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept." Developing a clear artistic vision and learning to effectively convey that vision to others is very important. The second quote, my own, is: "Don't have rules, only tools." There are lots of so-called "rules of composition" out there. Never forget that they shouldn't be treated as ironclad rules, but rather as tools that should be at your disposal. If you need to break a rule to make a great image, then do so!

KK: Are there any photographers you are inspired from? If so, please could you share their name and how do they inspire you?

IP: "Growing up," photographically speaking, I studied the work of many of the latter-day film-era landscape masters, such as David Muench, Jack Dykinga, Tom Till, and Carr Clifton. The most significant influence on my work probably comes from my good friend and Arizona legend George Stocking. My discussions with him about composition, use of light, and all things related to photography has had a profound influence on my development as an artist. Of course, for most of those conversations we were completely drunk, so I'm not sure if it has been an entirely positive association!

KK: What is your advice for the new folks trying their hand at photography as a hobby or planning to go pro?

IP: My advice is simple, whether photography is a hobby or a profession: immerse yourself in it completely. Take photographs of everything that inspires you or catches your eye. Study the work of others you admire, and think critically about their work and your own photographs. Get out and shoot as much as you can. There's only one way to see how deep the rabbit hole is: just plunge in and go for it!

Thank You Ian for your precious time answering my questions.

Love Undefined ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 21:13:24 GMT

I was a shy timorous bud

till your touch made my petals unfold

These few days feel more than a lifetime

All I ever lost, I have gained multifold

It's not a dream as I can feel love with open eyes

I know its real as this is what I have ever lived

My faded past and unseen future

deterred my present from blossoming

You lifted me from the shallowness of this life,

guided me to the pure virgin light

In your eyes I could see my innocent self

In your arms I felt my resting soul

I deserve not your passion and devotion,

but shall preserve those delightful memories,

where no one can reach but me and myself.

I shall recall them once a while

breathe and relive them in those times

when I want to connect with the divine

By Kiran Kauchhur

The Lonely Traveller..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 21:08:19 GMT

Within us all a lonely traveller is born

Maybe happy maybe forlorn

Walking with the world, we walk alone

The journey may face turbulent waters

the inner ocean must remain in complacent quarters

The whirlpool may try to suck our boat

the buoyant force must keep us afloat

Whatever way the current may flow

upstream must our desires go

The cold water may chill our bones

the hot spring of passion must work like a drone

Swim! Swim! to find happiness galore

And the traveller will be lonely no more

once reaches the treasured shore....

By Kiran Kauchhur

Backroads and byways of NJ and NY

karanmohan@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 18:48:54 GMT

Another Saturday of being outside in the nature, trying to discover new colors, new adventures, new stories and new roads. I have kind of got addicted to it. If I am not out at least once in a week I feel like i'm missing something. I am not a professional hiker or a traveler or even a photographer and I not always go out of my way to explore the unmarked landscape, to be honest there is a lot of marked and "multi-explored" places that is unknown to me, and for an amateur like me that's a good place to start. I actually do try to time and again go to more non-commercial places and take some photographs, and the feeling of the only one being there and enjoy the the beauty of nature really calms me down.
I've been driving for the last two Saturdays on the back roads and byways of New Jersey and New York. Started from Long pond Ironworks State Park in the town of Hewitt, NJ for which I took 287 N from Edison then took exit 55, to get on to Country Road 511 and then on to West Brook Road all the way to the State Park. I did not enter the state park tho, weather was lovely and it was pretty cold so Instead I opened the sunroof of my car, switched off the AC and switched on the iPod :-). It was a beautiful two lane narrow road along the Wanaque Reservoir with the dried up foliage and falling leaves on the other side. I could not take much photographs there because the entire lake was fenced and there was no way to enter. So from there I decided to head towards the 7 Lakes Drive. To get there I got on to Greenwood Lake Turnpike and took a beautiful road leading to Lake Sebago. From there drove all the way to Lake Tiorati and then carried on to Silver Mine Lake. From the circle then I took the historic US 6 west and joined on to 293 and all the way round Via Bear Mt ( US 9) to get on to Garden State Parkway and Back.
It was a beautiful drive and made me realize how fortunate I am to see so many beautiful places and there is a whole planet to explore. This is just the beginning and I intend to explore much more. Below are some photographs from the drive ..

Rest of the photographs can be seen on FLICKR ..

Yosemite National Park, US

karanmohan@gmail.com — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:59:08 GMT

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.”

Need I say more? Ansel Adams has said it best. Even for me when I think of a national park in the US the first name that comes to mind is Yosemite National Park. It is supposed to be one of the first parks in the US with about 1200 sq miles of area. I lived in Bay area California for about 2.5 years and in that duration I planned a trip to this place at least 3 times if not more. Somehow each time the plan did not work out. Finally in Dec last year I flew back to California from Florida during the X'mas vacation and that's when a friend and I finally figured out a plan and made a day trip to Yosemite.

I have to say the landscape was breath taking. Winters had set in, everything was covered in snow, and the bright sunshine made it all worth the trip. The Half dome looked so beautiful and the mirror lake stood true to its name with crystal clear reflection of the landscape around. I did manage to get some "good shots" ( I have a lots to learn hence the quotes) .. Few of the photographs are posted along for your viewing. I definitely make few more trips specially during Spring and once during Fall, and I just can't wait for that to happen :-) .

Crystal clear reflection

Drift Wood

Half Dome wit the Moon

Mirror Lake, with a cold chill coming in from the left..

Shake and Zoom

karanmohan@gmail.com — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:27:09 GMT

A very simple camera trick. Just focus and either shake the camera or zoom in our out the lens and you can create abstract like the ones below.

The one above was taken in Japanese Garden in Bay Area, Ca. Focused on the Bamboo and zoomed in.

This one and the one below were taken at Bushkill Falls in NJ

And the one obove was a recent one taken in Catskill Mt. in NY.

Trying to catch a "Fall" ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:17:52 GMT

Been waiting to catch the fall colors for so long and finally now I am in the east coast close to Vermont, my Driving License expired. Finally a week later a colleague and I went to Catskill hoping to catch some colors there. We saw more colors on our way to Catskill ..
From Edison we took 287 North, merged on to 87 North and then finally entered Catskill via Route 32. We first visited the Kaaterskill Waterfalls. It was beautiful, but the problem with such commercial places is that there are too many people around all the time. Plus we reached at a bad time, there was too much Sun. When we started out there was a heavy overcast and it had rained, so I was excited because I thought the colors would look rich. Unfortunately by the time we reached there the clouds disappeared and the Sun was shining bright. We could have waited for the Sunset but had a plan to do Route 32 all the way to 214 and 28 so did not have enough time. The shot below is of the waterfall. For a few brief moment a small cloud came in between my composition and the Sun..

And then we moved on driving on 32 and took 214 East and then 28 all the way to a reservoir just before joining back on 87 South. That is where we saw most of the Fall colors. Although there wasn't much to see, we missed the Fall colors by at least a week. Below are a few shots from the drive and the reservoir ..

A Lucky Evening ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:03:16 GMT

On a lazy Friday evening, I was wondering what to do. I generally work from home on Fridays, so was tired sitting at home and wanted to go out. I went out on the patio of my apartment and noticed a storm brewing up .. thought it was a perfect evening to be out with the camera :-) . Sandy Hook Beach is the closest to where I live, on a good day with less traffic i can reach there in 30 min. So I got my motor running and went to the beach. I thought it would be a nice shot, if can get the dark clouds, sunset and the Sandy Hook lighthouse all i one frame. So, when I reached Sandy Hook, I decided to hangout by the beach first and then will go check out the Light house. I went to the parking of the second beach on the way to the light house and walked all the way to the water. The tide was high and there I could see few stones along the beach so decided on some long exposure shots. By the time I could set up my camera and figure out the composition, the wind grew stronger, the waves got more ferocious and when i turned left to my surprise I could at the far end see some lights. Initially I was wondering if it was a bunch of ships lined together or was it actually NY skyline. By the time it grew darker, and more dense clouds covered the sky, and the it was all dark gray and blue, and the Sun had also set, the sky started turning slightly red-orange in color. It was basically the city lights, and next think I see is a beam of light shoot up in the sky into the dark clouds. Reminded me of a scene from the movie Independence Day. Only difference the lights went from ground up. The sight was so unbelievably beautiful. I quickly setup my camera to take shots but the high tide would sweep away my tripod slightly. I managed to get the shot below.

After a few attempts, I decided to move a little away from the water and tried the shot below. I wish I had enough money to buy the right filters and a sturdier tripod :-). Although I do have a good Manfroto, i guess I need to get a better ball head, for the 70-300mm lens. Anyhow., it was luck by chance, a great evening and a few shots. My day was complete and I head home to drink some beer :-).

It was a beautiful surprise, and there is nothing like an unplanned adventure :-D. Later on I came to know that those light beams were of the Twin Towers, since it was 9/11 that day and this is my tribute to all the victims.

Trail to Dingmans Fall, Appalachian

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:08:32 GMT

Three words I have been living by for the last few years is TRAVEL, EXPLORE, and ADVENTURE .. These three words pretty much sum up what I do on most of my weekends. Thanks to photography I am always looking for new places to visit and shoot. Two-Three weeknds back I drove 2 hours to Dingmans Falls, which is just right across the border in Penn State. The trail I took was unmarked and as you can see from the photographs below it was quite creepy jungle trail. Although I was not able to find the waterfall but enjoyed the trail. I was the only one there, and all those creepy, scare noise scared the hell out of me :-) but I assure you I did not wet my jeans :-D .

In the beginning of the trail there was a small stream of river which was mostly dried as you can see in the photograph above and below. I walked for about a mile and a half one way, could not do more since it was getting dark, and those noises were getting louder :-P, moreover the density of the forest was increasing ..

I was hoping to see some wild life but did not. I will be making another trip soon back to this place. I heard the waterfall is beautiful so i have to shoot it now.

Hope you liked the photographs..

Jai Hind !

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:25:57 GMT

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.
~ Rabindranath Tagore

Zues in Action

karanmohan@gmail.com — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:08:57 GMT

The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box ....

Sweetest kids I've seen in Chandigarh this time ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:03:24 GMT

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.

Friends, Beer and Punto

karanmohan@gmail.com — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:31:44 GMT

I am back in my home town now ( Chandigarh ). Been trying to catch up with all my friends. Last Sunday two of my close friends and I went on a nice drive uphill towards Dagshai. One of my friends is fond of good liquor and nice cars :-) , and he asked me if I could take some shots of his car .. so, off we went. He has bought a brand new Fiat Punto. Quite a nice car, seems perfect for Indian roads, spacious, nice decor as well.
While were driving, I got some education on these new cars that are already in the market in India or getting launched here. First of all I had no clue that Maruti 800's production has been stopped in 13 cities. Its a lil sad because that was the common middle class man's car for over two decades or more may be. One of our 3 cars is a Maruti 800. I would probably PIMP it up and use it for off-roading.. get the engine serviced, get some good shock absorbers and may be some funky color :-D . Also did not know that Fiat is providing the Quadra-Jet engine for almost 8 different brands of car in India, for example Punto itself, Maruti Swift and few others.

Anyhow, we drove for like an hour and a half and reached a decent spot just about 20 min from Dagshai. We started with some really nice chilled beers :-) and the took some shots of the car. Below are a few. I mostly take landscapes or cityscape, but never done products or people photography, so this was a good experience.

And Friends :-)

Leading lines ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:12:26 GMT

Lines are wonderful elements in a photograph. They draw the viewer's attention through the image from one spot to the next, sometimes all the way around and sometimes in one direction. This helps give depth to the photograph rather than making it look flat and boring.
Anything with a definite line can be a leading line for example Fences, bridges, even a shoreline can lead the attention of the viewer.

This images are of Venice Fishing Pier in Florida (west coast) ..

Stumble Upon

karanmohan@gmail.com — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:04:16 GMT

It has nothing to do with the website though :-) , actually after a hard days work my colleague and I wanted to go have dinner together. We wanted to go to try a new place, because we were tired of going to the same restaurants again and again. Since, she has not yet see Siesta Key ( well now she has), so we drove down across the bridge to the key. We were just driving slow looking at the restaurants there and trying to figure which one we want to go to. We took a wrong left turn thinking there would be more restaurants there, but we ended up at a Dead End. Beyond that was a small beautiful beach and I loved that spot because the Sun was just setting in and the Tide was High and the grungy old broken pier and rocks added a lot of drama to the scene.

So I decided to come back there early in the morning while the tide was still high. I managed to get the photograph below :

A beautiful (full) Moonlit Morning, which we don't get to see everyday ..

I decided to come back again the next evening to get some sunset shots,although this time I discovered another part of the beach on the other side of the broken pier, and couldn't resist the shot. Below are those shots:

Beach Noir

karanmohan@gmail.com — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:01:09 GMT

“In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.”

www.karankauchhur.com

karanmohan@gmail.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:12:45 GMT

Audrey Hepburn Says ..

karanmohan@gmail.com — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:23:00 GMT

So, I was with a friend Last Saturday, who is a big Fan of Audrey Hepburn. We were in ROSS ( close to winter park, Orlando) , and she wanted to buy this huge canvas print of Audrey Hepburn, which she eventually did buy after contemplating for like 30 seconds :-) . It just made me a lil bit inquisitive and I went WIKI searching for her. I found a few quotes on the thinkexist.com website and one of them reminded me of a Photograph I had take long back when I had initially moved to Florida -

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other" ~ Audrey Hepburn