ramya's photo journal

All You Need Is Sunshine

2012-04-25T09:28:00.000+05:30

That was a quick note to myself the other day when I brought home these gorgeous California Clementines from the Farmer's market. Thought it was worth sharing here.The words and the Clementines, both :) Hope everyone's having a beautiful, sunshine filled Summer/Spring.

Art, Food & New York

2012-04-02T11:08:00.001+05:30

I've hopped over from the sweltering Indian summer to a blossoming North American Spring...And quite likely I'll see more of the transitioning of seasons on two continents this year :) Just so happens that R's (my better half) work needs him to spend equal amounts of time between homeland and California. So I'll pop in for a few weeks each season. I'm so so lucky to be able to do this and also carry my work with me as I go. I only wish my dogs could come as well. They are however in the greatest of care back home and I'm going to make the most of my time here before I go back to them end of the month.

We had to make a quick stop in New York enroute to San Francisco. In the two days there, I greedily walked my way through the streets soaking up as much of the city's energy as I could. And ate lots of course ! Ate. Walked. Saw. Two days of just these three things.

Simple, hearty New York breakfast is the best fuel for a long day of walking and absorbing.

There were a couple of fantastic exhibits at the MoMa. One by Cindy Sherman which was breathtaking, shocking and intriguing. And an awe inspiring exhibit of murals depicting New York in the 1930's by an artist I admire - Diego Rivera. There were also several of his incredibly detailed smaller drawings and life size paintings which depict the politically charged times and turmoil of the early 20th century through his eyes.

I'm always amazed at how artists can draw from within, their perspectives on life and society - often larger than life itself, but true in every sense nonetheless because of the reflections that they encourage, the questions they raise, the answers they offer and the emotional whirlpools they cause in all of us. It's all what really shapes the collective creativity and intelligence. Don't you think ?

What also amazed me was the food at MoMa's cafe. See picture above ! Simple, fresh food handmade.That's all it takes to quench a wanderer's thirst for soul food.

Installations set in the outdoor area made for such interesting juxtapositions against the wintry branches, spring sunshine and the hustle-bustle. Outdoor exhibits - challenging but something to think about and not just for sculpture.

I went to the Met the following day. Though this place scares me -the sheer scale of it - I decided to go and take in one more big chunk of it. Particularly to see the Steins' collection of the Matisse works. Needless to say it was breathtaking.

To stand there in such close proximity to the works of great artists I so admire and see the strokes of their own hands that made these masterpieces is truly a blessing. I love art museums for that reason, to let the work in front of me be a reminder of just how deep and vast this ocean of inspiration is and how small we really are.

Stars in my Way

2012-03-15T12:38:00.000+05:30

"Keep your eyes on the stars...

and your feet on the ground."

~ Theodore Roosevelt

Late January 2012. When the Goa coast is at it's most beautiful. A little star fish came in with the gentle waves and brushed against my foot and stopped awhile on the shore. I stopped a moment too and sat down on the sand. We exchanged simple, good energies and I continued my walk. When I turned back he too had moved on.

Books : An Illustrated Life by Danny Gregory

2012-02-29T21:31:00.001+05:30

I am absolutely loving this book by Danny Gregory. It takes one into the personal visual journals of artists from across mediums and is a little window into their vast imaginations and lives. Looking at these fascinating sketches, writings and private scribbles of so many creative people is indeed a privilege and also a reminder that creativity springs out of curiosity, trials and errors and lies within everyone.

The compilation is a real source of inspiration for all creatives alike. Has mood lifting qualities and I like to keep it by my desk and glance every now and then.

The Road Not Taken

2012-02-17T10:13:00.000+05:30

A friend gifted me something really, really special the other day. It was this little metal box that seemed to have travelled distances and well. I loved it even before I could see what was inside. Felt like it held many stories, adventures and lifetimes. I opened to find a beautiful antique compass. The etching on the inside of the lid is a poem that is well known to us all and a true guiding light. I suspect there are few and far between who might have not dwelled on it. And what a truly thoughtful home to place it in. This exquisite compass to lead the path ahead.

Thought it would be nice to revisit the gem with you all and make an emulsion transfer of the image with the Fuji peel apart film I am currently addicted to. Read on !

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

~ Robert Frost
~ o ~

As you see, I have moved to Blogger from Wordpress (I know, it is usually the other way isn't it) simply because it felt easier on my head and easier to work with - I have designed and put it all together with lots of love. Also my blog now has a name ! daydreams and footsteps. I felt it nicely summed up the things I like to share and talk about. My website will be moving as well. It has a new face, cleaner divisions, tighter edits and better interface making it more manageable for me as well. All these changes and facelifts will come together soon. And an online store is also in the making as is a bi-monthly content rich newsletter with lots of content around creativity, fine art photography resources, techniques, artist interviews and much more, all carefully put together/written by me. Hope the blog is pleasing on your eyes for now :) I'm still fixing odds and ends as we speak. Do chime in if you have any thoughts/ideas/feedback.

A Walk in the Garden

2012-01-31T19:13:00.000+05:30

Many nature walks have happened in the recent past and thought I'd do a quick post to share a few moments from there. I was walking in my mother's lovingly tended garden last Sunday and felt so comforted. I am going to make my own oasis of a wild, secret garden to escape into with my dogs and lots of books, where time cannot get the better of me.

Nirvaya - Dissolving in Divinity

2011-12-21T18:39:00.000+05:30

"I looked for my body, but

it was hidden within the Linga

I looked for the Linga, but

it was hidden within my body

I looked intently at the Linga within me

and saw a great Light."

~ Hadappa Lingamma (Vol-5, Linga-anga, verse 1247 ) translated by Basrur Subba Rao

dissolve

" The Sharana on the mountain tip

is like the light set on the door sill:

he knows inside, he looks outside

he knows, he forgets

he sees, he does not see

he transcends subject, object and knowledge..."

~ Hadappa Lingamma (Vol-5, verse 1297 ) translated by Basrur Subba Rao

gateway

Nirvaya is inspired by the profound & abstract Kannada Vachanas or poetry of the 12th women mystics called Sharanes.

Dance and original photo art merge and sometimes move parallely whilst translating the profound concepts of 3 lesser known women mystics- Lingamma, Muktayakka, Molige Mahadevi & the radical poet Akkamahadevi. Their philosophy is Linga- advaita or monistic Shaivism, with roots in the Vedas and Kashmiri monistic Shaivism.

The Sharana salvation is ‘Nirvaya’ – becoming nothing, disappear or vanish without leaving a trace, like camphor on fire.

~ Madhu Nataraj
When Madhu sounded off the idea behind Nirvaya, six months back, I was so taken by the idea and the abstract-ness it presented. I like to work with fluidity and abstract thoughts through certain phases. I like to watch them grow, take form, unite, disintegrate, and come back together at some unexpected point in time. Besides, the idea of exploring the thoughts and profound poetry by the lesser known 12th century women mystics from Karnataka was divine. So I jumped at the opportunity and we started working not knowing where the collaboration would lead us. She would create the movements and I, the visuals along with other incredibly talented artists bringing in the major pieces such as music, vocals, stage design, film and costume. Somewhere we would all surely meet as we had done in our past collaborations, with the process itself being a testimony to the soul of Nirvaya.

Madhu Nataraj, my dear friend is a great dancer who is known for her pioneering presence in the dance scenario, internationally.She will be presenting Nirvaya as a part of the "Mad & Divine" conference at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Chennai on Friday, the 23rd Dec 2011. Please do come if you are in Chennai.

CUPA Calendar 2012

2011-12-02T15:38:00.000+05:30

Hello everyone !

Dogs have been a big passion for me like many of you I know, and it has been a privilege and joy to create this calendar for CUPA (Compassion Unlimited Plus Action) an amazing animal protection and welfare organization based in Bangalore.

We are ready to launch the calendars and each contribution would greatly benefit the cause. The theme of this year's CUPA / WRRC calendar is - owners and their adopted dogs. It features heartwarming stories taken from across demographics.

We look forward to joining hands with you in creating awareness towards this cause.

Love, ramya

Here With Me

2011-11-04T15:04:00.000+05:30

Again.

I've succumbed to the charms of the retreating Monsoon.Personally, the rains lift my spirit as much as a healthy dose of sunshine does and more often than not, I find that I function better on gloomy days.

I don't mind the shades of grey and those generous clouds and all else that comes along.

Linger

2011-10-13T03:15:00.000+05:30

I was driving back home the other day and made a quick stop to capture the colors of a rain water puddle and take in the fragrance of the rain washed air. Along comes a little boy and floats his paperboat and runs back into his house at a nearby construction site.

He squeals in excitement when he sees me taking a picture of his boat. We exchange happy smiles and I drive back lingering on howlittle it takes to open our hearts to the ephemeral beauty and hope that surrounds us only if we could stop a moment,

breathe. slow down and listen.

This Dream is Real

2011-09-13T00:38:00.000+05:30

Galibore, on the banks of Cauvery and in Coonoor, August 2011

I am in love with the Lensbaby ! Talking gear is definitely not among my favorite pastimes, but it does feel amazing not to be walking around with an immaculately engineered heavy duty lens but opt for a completely new way to see my world.

And feel it, swimming through abstractions and infinity. I've been playing so much with this baby and doubt if I'll ever tire of how it lets me interact with the world. There's nothing like simplicity. Don't you agree ?

These Days of Mine

2011-08-19T03:46:00.000+05:30

making the most of my days . . .

. . . even as time eludes me

leaving me behind . . .

. . . more often than not

Some experiments with my Diana and a Fuji Instax back. Baby steps as you can see. It's absolutely refreshing to be getting back to photography where less is more, process is pleasure and the results are mostly surprises life throws back at you.

There are some more experiments to be shared though. Soon enough.

Scent of the Monsoon

2011-07-30T23:10:00.000+05:30

"A cool breeze, grown pleasant through contact with the scent of the earth refreshed by your showers,

which is inhaled by elephants with a pleasing sound at their nostrils, and which is the ripener of wild

figs in the forest, gently fans you who desire to proceed to Devagiri.

There, you, taking the form of a cloud of flowers, should bathe Skanda, who always resides there, with

a shower of flowers, wet with the water of the heavenly Ganges."

~ Excerpt from Kālidāsa's Meghadūta , Verse 45. Translated by McComas Taylor.

I find the rain washed colours of nature so enthralling that photographing them is something that I crave for. It's the whole sensory experience - the monsoon air, the smells of the earth, the textures of glistening rocks, the brightest of greens that surface, forgotten things that come to life and the clean washed feeling that prevails.

A quick note about the excerpt above : I was recently reading a translation of Meghaduta by Kālidāsa, who is considered to be one of the greatest Sanskrit poets, and felt that it captured the soul of the Indian Monsoon in such a mythic, beautiful way. It narrates how Yaksa, one of King Kubera's (god of wealth) subjects in exile, pleads a passing cloud to carry a message to his wife residing in the Himalayas.

I loved the work and couldn't resist sharing a piece of it here.

Finding the Flow

2011-07-20T16:03:00.000+05:30

The Nilgiris, November 2010

While I'm on a constant search to fill up on inspiration, I see a positive shift in how I feel about photographing and making images in general. Less inhibited. Less afraid of perceptions and criticism. The need to conform to set moulds is also on a receding path. It has something to do withgrowing up for sure but beyond that, I think it has also to do with making peace (gradually, of course) with both the devils and angels of one's creative life. Not the most fun thing to do particularly for the sorts like me, but I'm learning to like all states right from melancholy to joy. Just let them all be. Come and go. Let the negativity and fear hit-and-whizz past without too many questions or confrontations, so there's less chance of setting off new chains of unwelcome reactions. Become also a spectator and not just the experiencer is basically what I'm trying to say. It is liberating and lets ideas stem from one another and from places you'd never expect - simply because we are letting our playground become more expansive and less aggressive, besides bringing an element of objectivity into the volatile lives of those of us who thrive on creativity. I'm trying. So far so good. I'm in the process of developing some new work and the newly alert spectator cap puts me in a better state of flow while I think and work. I like this state of flow and the uninhibitedness that comes with it. Who knows how long it will last , so I'm going to make the most of it for now and report back if this little theory of mine backfires.
Hope all you people are living your most creative lives! I will be back next week with a little post on my favourite season, the monsoon, which is in full bloom right now this side of the world. Meanwhile, I thought this quote by JK reflects the spirit of Flow so beautifully.

A New York Sojourn

2011-06-28T18:07:00.000+05:30

"I am not born for one corner, the whole world is my native land."

~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca

~ o ~

I adore New york for so many reasons. The city has always filled my heart with lots of inspiration from its diverse menagerie of people, food and arts. As a traveler, I love the experience of solitude that I have found amidst the bustle and energy of this great city. This year I went back for the same reasons; to immerse myself in some classes I was taking and to just recoup my creative self.

Views of the city on a wet afternoon.

I went just in time when the spring rains were starting to give way to the summer breeze and managed to enjoy a bit of both as I walked my way to almost everywhere I wanted to go....arguably, there is no better way to see New York than using one's trusty feet.

Solitude is everywhere.

Something about New York has the power to force the mind to become a sponge and start doing things. It is the energy I suppose. I felt so free to be working on interesting, hands-on and fun art projects among so many talented people. It helps to work on things that are a little out of our comfort zones. It brings the self in touch with wonderful possibilities and forgotten capabilities.

paint, cut, love

....needless to say the fresh ideas for a new chapters and beginnings.

Union Square farmer's market

Food was my other major preoccupation during my entire visit here. I'd often stop at the Union Square farmers market to gorge on the sights of local cheeses, fruit, bread, preserves and everything else. And to fill up my little pantry at home.

Tia Pol

One can never get enough of the culinary pleasures in New York. Of this fact, I am convinced. Food is as intrinsic to the culture of New York as is the cultural diversity.

Butterlane Cupcakes

Eataly (L) ; Momofuku noodle bar (R)

Looking forward to a hearty meal is one of the greatest anticipations of life and so full of joy. As you can see, food did me a lot of good and kept the heart warm and the creative juices flowing....among other things, culinary adventures were a part of my everyday life and I'm so inspired to keep it that way.

Tomato + Fresh Mozzarella salad. Prepared and made so beautiful by a dear friend.

Chelsea Market(L); The Green Table @ the Chelsea Market

Despite all those hours spent at some of NY's amazing galleries, my camera seemed particularly enthusiastic and sensitive towards food. Sigh. That's how I've ended up with so many photographs of food and more of it. However, I had the chance of making it to some of the very best art shows which I highly recommend if you are visiting NY during this time: Alexander McQueen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kandinsky at the Bahaus at the Guggenheim Museum, Sonia Delaunay at the Cooper Hewitt, Elliot Erwitt at the International Center for Photography to name a few and several other smaller ones drew me in each day and kept my inspiration meter brimming.

Central park (above); Taim, one of my favourite eating joints (below L); Guggenheim Museum detail (below R)

There are so many facets to New York that it is overwhelming and scary to write about it in a single blog post which almost feels like injustice. Since this is about a personal journey, I can say that this photo essay kind of captures in a nutshell, the tiny part of this melting pot of a metropolis I got to experience this time around. I cannot wait for my next trip, and already have activities and plans lined up ! But in the mean time, I am so happy to be back home to where my heart belongs and to my puppies. And yes, I will definitely keep this blog more active and bubbling.

Of Harmony and Balance. . .

2011-05-06T22:03:00.000+05:30

"I wish that the message of Peace may be experienced through Yoga, which is not only a culture of the body but the evolution of the Self."~ Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar

Yogic healing is one that touches the real depths and corners. Working it's way into every breathing cell and every aching nerve,Yoga represents the wholeness of the universe by healing, nurturing, protecting and sustaining.

"Yoga believes in transforming the individual before transforming the world."

~ Sri Swami Satchidananda

What you see above are two of my favourite images from a recent photo shoot that I did for a Yoga studio based in Bangalore, and the beautiful model also happens to be my Yoga teacher.

Life in the Stillness

2011-04-18T18:23:00.000+05:30

"My quest, through the magic of light and shadow, is to isolate, to simplify and to give emphasis to form with the greatest clarity. To indicate the ideal proportion, to reveal sculptural mass and the dominating spirit is my goal."

~ Ruth Bernhard

Working with still life is really a kind of meditation. Playing in the landscape of light, shadow and the simple forms does something to calm the nerves. Perhaps it is the silent life in the stillness of these things.

Sri Lanka : a journey with the monsoon

2011-04-06T16:07:00.000+05:30

Hello everyone,

My blog turns one this week and I wanted to share a special post that I have put together over the last few weeks.

It's a sort of a photographic journal from a beautiful trip to Sri Lanka last December. It was the time of north east monsoon there and the island was rich with color. This compilation is also a small tribute to one of my most loved topics - the monsoon and her colors.

I hope you enjoy it (be sure to view it in full screen) and I look forward to posting a lot more this year !

Thank you for all the love and support . . .

~ ramya

Along the creative path...

2011-02-28T16:03:00.000+05:30

"Creativeness comes into being when there is constant awareness of the ways of the mind, and of the hindrances it has built for itself."

~ J Krishnamurti

Sasseruwa, Srilanka, December 2010

One of the most perplexing aspects in the life of a creative person(I mean this in a broad sense) is having to deal with periods of vacuum and darkness inside the head. Just as we start to think that the uncomfortable lull is at the end of cycle, it somehow resurfaces. Apparently the situation needs some sensitive handling and T-L-C, which I have just about started to figure, mostly by trial and error. There's also some fantastic reading available on the subject which I find immensely useful (I will share the reading list). These are just some thoughts and observations that have roots in the familiar creative cycles that are a big part of my life - open to becoming more rounded, meaningful and deciphered; so your participation is very welcome.

Firstly, why does this 'dip' happen when we are on a roll ? Simply put, I think it is the mind's way of coping with it's own complexities that show up during the task of creating, during which it must also align with the heart, somewhat at the least. And then there's also the quest of having to carve out that unique creative vision. As invigorating as it may seem, ideating can be exhausting and seeing it to its final stage is often a long arduous haul. Like the other organs, the brain/mind has its way of recuperating which first hits a dip before reviving. Maybe it’s a natural mechanism essential to complete a cycle, so we can appreciate the end results truly. But we can look at it this way only if we acknowledge and accept what is, I think. At least, that’s what helps in my case. What that acceptance seems to do is create an airy space in place of the vacuum. Gradually. But definitely. I also like to visualize this as a space filling up with fresh air and all things good. Still. Why does the strange discomfort linger ? Because as creative souls, our way of making sense of the world is by creating constantly. When the results produce insufficient meaning(degree of which is subjective) or sense, we tend to feel this way. Filling up time with lots of other things of interest during this time helps. For example, I like tanking up on my reading, travel, take on photo shoots that are standardish in approach, exercise, editing/cleaning out my archives - a fairly mechanical job that can be accompanied by listening to music and podcasts that I’ve been waiting to pay attention to. And so, my ‘meaning making’ happens when I’m wholly absorbing all these and a sense of preparation for projects ahead also begins to happen. . . When information, ideas and inspiration fill up in place of vacuum - thereby feeding the cycle of creating - a light filled new phase is born. For now, I am learning to like the detachment from creatingand the stress of having to create or photograph something.

Seen another way, these phases(if we embrace them) can help us steer clear of the rather disappointing I-must-create-NOW-no-matter-what facet of this cycle. Creative juices are after all, at their best when they flow from the heart and give into its impulses. Since these cycles have become fairly familiar and there’s some sort of a recurring pattern here, penning it all down and sharing made sense.

Surely, there are several stages and complexities between where all of this starts and ends. Some of which I would like to break down and explore in future posts. Please look for posts tagged as creativity and join in with your thoughts !

One monsoon to another

2011-01-27T15:08:00.000+05:30

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way -- things I had no words for."

~ Georgia O'Keeffe

Anuradhapura, Sri lanka, Dec 2010

My obsession with the water lily family has taken on new heights after a recent trip to Sri lanka. From being Buddha's chosen flower to adorning the sacred ponds, the members of this gorgeous flower family are so much a part of this beautiful isle and its culture.
I found these purple water lilies, bejeweled by raindrops, outside a monastery and the vendor happily offered me one of these beauties who quietly journeyed along in a little water bottle until our last day in SL. This particular species also rightly happens to be the emerald isle's national flower. Needless to say, my Sri lankan journey was inspiring and very refreshing. I wanted to post a small series from the pleasantly rain soaked trip but looks like that will have to happen in parts, so please stay tuned. For now, I've picked something that embodies a feeling that has come back with me in my heart.

Hopes and Wishes

2011-01-14T15:30:00.000+05:30

boats, from the series a Chair's reverie. this collection was a part of a recent exhibit that I was participating in.
Every new beginning is like a beautiful dawn, however hard the task ahead might be. Like the fresh morning air, hope fills the spirit and a sense of positivity pervades. Like the sky takes on and spreads the pristine colors of daybreak, a lucid mind prepares to absorb and extend the myriad fresh possibilities that are waiting to happen. As always, this year has started out on a positive, happy note for me. There's so much to look forward to. So much to give. And take in.
~ o ~
This new beginning, I hope, will bring us all the strength to see our prayers and wishes answered . . . A very, very happy new year to you all !

A Loving Tribute

2010-12-15T15:44:00.000+05:30

Every minute of working on this calendar was filled with pure love.
Animals, particularly dogs have played a special role in shaping how I feel about life and for that, I am grateful.

Through this calendar, I hope we can join hands and spread the love.

The Chair : An Exhibit with Apparao Galleries

2010-12-10T14:42:00.000+05:30

I am so thrilled to be participating in this show, and am exhibiting a short series of surrealistic landscapes titled a chair's reverie

I have enjoyed creating the images and experimenting through this series. I will post more on this work along with an image in the days to come. But if you happen to be this side of the world, please do drop in for the opening reception. I would be delighted to show you around.The exhibit is on until the 30th Dec in Bangalore in case you want to catch it over the next couple weeks. Hope to see you there !

Risen

2010-12-06T14:08:00.000+05:30

"For anyone, man or woman, who has faith in me, I, the Lotus Born, have never departed — I sleep on their threshold."

~ Bodhisattva Padmasambhava

the padma clutch, a rachana redd y creation

The lotus rises through the murky waters of ponds and lakes yet,when it blooms, it floats upon the surface, its petals shining and untainted by the mud from which it emerged. In the scriptural language and sacred poetry of Hinduism and Buddhism, the lotus perfectly embodies the soul, rising up through the murkiness of worldly experience until it reaches the surface of the spiritual realm and blooms, vibrant and pure, free from all taint and attachment.
-- o --
My sister Rachana, a budding couture fashion accessories designer, adopted the gracious lotus flower as one of her primary inspirations for her debut collection which was recently unveiled. Crafted painstakingly with wood and silk, her designs reveal a quiet Indian elegance beneath the striking colors and clean designs. I had the pleasure to watch her through this journey and also photograph her exquisite creations. On the day of the shoot, were lucky to have some gorgeous light post a north east monsoon shower. To learn more about Rachana and her work, please do stop by at www.rachanareddy.com

Quiet Wisdom

2010-10-28T18:09:00.000+05:30

" Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated."

~ from The old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway

Muttom (a Tsunami hit village near Kanyakumari), December 2009

Old things and all those that have lived to tell the tale, stand tall and beautiful in my eyes. I have a fascination for them and a reverence that cannot be expressed in words. I was going through my archives and found some such treasures that I had photographed months ago . . On a gorgeous winter's day last year, when walking about the Tsunami hit shores of a fishing village on the southern most tip of the subcontinent, that I met these wonderful old souls -- wrecked fishing boats that have had to endure much in silence over the years. They stood still but I could feel them breathe. And rooted deeply to their land and ocean, the winter skies bathing them in a surreal light, adding to their otherworldliness. Quiet, wise spectators of life as it carries on; past all the things and hardships they have endured.