Fotographia..

Bangalore Through my Lens~ On an Auto Rickshaw

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Tue, 7 Apr 2015 23:39:00 +0530

In 2013, I challenged myself for Project 365. You can see the work here.
I wanted to continue that practice in 2014. But unfortunately I couldn't. Perhaps I was too distracted. Perhaps I was too jammed with things at my personal end. Perhaps I ran out of ideas. I just couldn't finish 100 clicks.

I left my job in March 2014. Went into a hiatus for four months and joined a new job in August 2014. Here I had to travel everyday 17km one way. That made it 34km road journey on daily basis. Traveling in an auto-rickshaw was boring and definitely tiring, esp when your sleep deprived soul is being rushed to workplace early morning. Same route, same traffic signals, same traffic jam- it almost killed my creativity. But one fine day I decided to carry my gadget for a change. Then what... I had to love my mundane auto-rickshaw drives.

"Bangalore on Auto Rickshaw"- a series of photo documentation that I started to break the monotony while shuttling between home and office in auto-rickshaw:
trying to hone my photography skill,
trying not to doze off in the auto-rick,
trying to catch moving and speeding objects,

trying to keep myself rooted and attached to my passion,
trying to capture a city the way I see it everyday,
trying to make my daily commute interesting......
Its a lot of trying to love what I love to do. Stay tuned to see more and more of Bangalore through my lens from a moving(or stuck) auto-rickshaw.

P.S.~ Some photos may be shaky and blurred. Now that's the challenge(for the viewer :P), isn't it!?!... :)

Wall-art of DRDO's campus.

Kynkyny Art Gallery~ A must visit.
On Infantry Road

"Built like a gun, goes like a bullet"
On road~ Royal Enfield
Somewhere on Infantry Road.

A day before 15th August.
Somewhere near Manipal Center

Rush hour~
Near Metro Station, MG Road.

Of policemen and their service~
Somewhere near Trinity Circle.

Yet to open~
Near Frazer Town

Spice your taste buds~ The oriental style
Infantry Road.


Strong, Fearless and Powerful like Lord Hanuman, An artwork on some lorry, near Manipal Center.

Of Autowallahs and their drama.
Well most auto-rickshaw drivers are good souls, I believe.
I have encountered only a few (five or six) villains in last eight years in this city.

Bangalore Through my Lens- On the Roads

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Sun, 5 Apr 2015 22:46:00 +0530

I came to Bangalore in May 2007. Its been almost eight years now and this city is my home. I love almost everything about this city. The weather and seasons, the people and culture, the birds and trees, the cultural hub and flea markets, the concerts and shops, the educational institutes and corporates organizations- these are what make it Bangalore. Oh! Now we call it Bengaluru. If you can mange to colour yourself in the colours of a city, you should be proud to say yourself a dweller of that city. Well Eight years is little less than a decade but eight years isn't a small time either. Then perhaps I can proudly say I am Bangalorean. A city which is dynamic, bubbling with things of my interest, crowded yet you can find yourself in the midst of the crowd, a hub of art and culture, theaters and melas, music and rallies, fests and festivals. What not!

I attend melas- folk melas like Kala Madhyam, Dastakar. I go to shows- musical dramas, concerts, dance fests, and theaters. Traveling in auto, cabs, local and volvo buses, traveling far from home, traveling to near by shopping mall, traveling to office or to a friend's place- all are part of this city. In the midst of all these, my photography skills are definitely honed. I look back and I can proudly say this city has shaped my thoughts. It has given me wings to fly. It has given me love, warmth, hope, dreams and fantasy.

"Bangalore through my lens" is a series of photo documentation of the city in its various forms. This series "On the Raods of Bangalore" includes a range of mundane shots that I have clicked on the road while traveling on a bus or a cab.

NaMo's dream to touch the sky.. Huge hoardings, posters and such pamplets were put up in every corner of the city when Mr. Modi visited Bangalore.

This was sometime in November 2013 when NaMo was a rage that time. Country was going to see the change.. Well... As they stated "Achchhe Din Aayenge", I doubt if that has actually happened post elections. Modi became the Prime Minister with a huge victory in May 2014 and its going to be a year under Mr. Modi's rule. Things don't look very exciting (to me) though.

NaMo's dream to touch the sky..

On my way to St. John's Hospital, to visit my aunt, who had a spinal surgery in September 2013.

The clear sky of Bangalore, the endless traffic and the traffic signals. I wonder what can be so boring yet so interesting. I always loved watching the chaos when stuck in a traffic signal- the people, the beggar, the vendors, the car owners and bike riders- almost everyone is in a hurry to cross the red light.

Of Bangalore traffic and its men

A hoarding says~" Make lane discipline a habit."
I always believed that we have to learn a lot from nature- the trees, birds, insects and animals that co-exist with us. I find very few people who adhere to traffic rules. Do they know that a small change can make a big difference one day?

Once we were on our way to Electronic City Phase 2. It was almost like going to Mysore or some other town, you see. Thanks to the traffic of Bangalore!

But, breaking the monotony during a bus ride is a joy. My husband enjoys the bus rides but I don't. Volvo buses are blessing in that sense, esp if one has to travel long distances inside a city like Bangalore. We boarded the bus from Mekhri Circle and I engaged myself in clicking some mundane shots.

Faith is all about what we are and what we believe. God(s) and goddess (es) exist everywhere. Like here.

You will see what you want to ...
I saw you

I had been hearing about the "Namma Metro" since I made this city my home. Well I doubt whether the metro service serves any actual purpose. Its like a trophy, a showpiece added to the concrete jungle of ever developing , ever changing Bangalore.

Construction of Namma Metro- near MG Road

Carrying a camera around is such a joy, you see. You can catch candid images.

I call these huge buses with air suspension and AC enclosures as "beasts of road". They are silent and fast. In no time, you find them next to you, in-fact crossing your bike or scooter or car. Ever seen the speeding ones near Esteem Mall. They actually resemble a beast!

On the steering wheel..

I always loved blurry images. They have unique stories to tell. So does the image below. Taken in a moving bus (again a Volvo), this image is a reflection of many- a colourful railing of some govt office compound, windows of a lower class BMTC bus, and a sticker of goddess- to save and protect the travellers (perhaps).

God is omnipresent~ Even in reflection

HP- High Priced, as I say it. Petrol and increase in its price has been a concern. Pollution aside, this non-renewable resource is soon going to be a pain in the neck of common man.

Use Judiciously..
Save Fuel..!

Bangalore roads would never disappoint a tree lover like me. Tabebuia Rosea - The pink trumpet tree is one of the commonest avenue trees in this city. Originally from Mexico, this tree blooms between February to April, sometimes May. It is undoubtedly a splendid tree when in bloom!

Colouring the city in pink shades...

Huge procession- something which is so kitsch and Indian and can be seen perhaps in any city across the country. Somewhere on my way to Kormangala, whilst I was stuck in a traffic jam.

Idol worship of yester-year stars..

A book can be a great companion while traveling. Like I carry my camera, there are majority of bibliophiles who love to read while traveling in a train or bus. I too, at times, carry a story book while I am on my way to my office in a cab. I had been to KIA to pick my sister and this was the shot on our way back to home from the airport.

not everyone is interested in the world outside, or inside the bus...

Billboards are always interesting. I love them. Though they can be scary and cause injury to passers by and pedestrians. A billboard of the most acclaimed and trust worthy company- LIC. Don't we all want an insured life for ourselves, our loved ones, our kids and family!

An insured life..

He is known as the Pheonix of Indian cinema.
Dr. Vishnuvardhan, Kollywood Hero (1950-2009), an amazing actor of yester years, who rules the Kannada cine world. I remember the road jam and road block when he passed away in 2009. It was almost a bandh in the city.

The Phoenix of Indian Cinema

Somewhere on the way to Shanti Nagar to visit an Aurovillean pottery exhibition.

Of course I made some new friends and got to have a cup of lemon tea at 1. Shanti Studio.

I never knew that anything can be a subject for a photographer. It's how one tries to visualize the subject. Stay tuned for more such mundane views through my camera.

Capturing Moments at Chitra Santhe

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 21:32:00 +0530

I always loved capturing moments. A crowd can be such a heap that hides those treasures. A flea market is one great place where I can find interesting subjects- candid and posed ones.

During every year, around January, Chitra Santhe, an one day art-fest is conducted on the streets of Kumara Krupa Road. A day when the road is flooded with artworks. Bangaloreans love art and craft. It is a lively city in that way, I must say. During my stay in Bangalore, I have attended four of these art flea markets. Everytime I visited this crazy art filled fest, I felt so excited. So was my camera- full of battery and an empty SD card. Of course, I do buy artworks. Why? Because I love art. I support a noble cause. I appreciate the efforts gone into an artwork- be it original or inspired.

This year I couldn't make it to this art show. In memory of last year's fun and meeting a bunch of artist friends from the Pencil Jam Group, here is a series of photos. A photo-documentation of those endless memories of 11th Chitra Santhe, held during January 2014. It's true that "moments when captured are treasured as memories. "

A pinwheel tied to an electric pole and a helping hand
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~ Of Admirers and Buyers~
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Hands in action- Sketching away instant portraits
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My daddy strongest, the best~
I found so many dads carrying their 2-3 years old kids on their shoulders and walking up and down the art street (of one day), at KumaraKrupa Road.
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In the midst is street light~
under the open winter evening sky
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~ Busy sketching ~
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It's fun to grab an ice-cream/ frozen popsicle on a winter afternoon
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Artist and buyer conversation- bargaining
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Catchy colours of thela-gaadi
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An artist's ingredients~
A colour filled palette and brushes
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Art on Bag
A jute hand bag with warli tribal art on it.
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Art hoardings, an artist and a tired buyer..
I guess the only patch of the road which was not crowded with Bangaloreans..
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Spotting things that are unique... Cipriana's Romanian Dragon fly hairpin -----

The guest house at Kumara Krupa Road
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How can I miss this..! My eternal love for Tea continues... -----


Want some..!! ~Perfect for winters: The parboiled peanuts~-----

So many viewers for one instant portrait
(Artist at work, busy sketching)
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Smart use of smartphone
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Following baba (daddy) in the crowd
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The artist and his work~
You can buy this talented artist's work at Dhruba Mazumder's fine art
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~ Howdy guys :) ~
Meeting the artist friend and his wife- Dhruba and Cipriana
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The refreshing bubbles of the eternal drink
Oh! Tea..
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And finally a selfie stating my presence...

I am present~
A selfie click..
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Five day Black-and-White Photography Challenge.

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 14:54:00 +0530

I have been way busy this year. Lots of things happening at my end. There has been a long hiatus on this blog of mine. I couldn't complete my project 365 challenge of this year. Dropped out of it by April beginning. Not a cool thing. But that doesn't mean I stopped practicing. I did click snaps as and when I got a chance. I know every moment can be a chance. Everything can be a subject. But I have slowed down this time. Last month something interesting happened on Facebook. It's the five-day-black-and-white photography challenge. It was viral. The rule was simple yet looped. All one had to do is post FIVE Black and White pictures for FIVE continuous days and nominate FIVE different friends and ask them to do the same. Everyone on my list whom I know- either an amateur clicker (like me) or a professional photographer was into this, challenged by someone or the other. I secretly admired everyone's snaps. They are my inspiration and of course feel good factor. I also wished someone tagged me and dragged me into the loop. At the same time, I also wanted not to fall for this as it needed five days dedication to post a particular theme based photo.

Voila! What I see.. I am tagged and finally dragged into this 5*5 black-and-white photography challenge by none other than Vidya Rao. Vidya is a good friend. We first bumped into each other on flickr nine years back and now we are more than acquaintances. I have met her three times and must say she is an amazing wildlife enthusiast and also a good photographer. So, how could I deny her challenge. I had to do it for her, for myself, for the inner happiness, for that wanna-be clicker inside me, for my soul. Vidya had suggested a theme for me. According to her, I take candid snaps so well. She stressed that I should post my candid captures and street photography. She thinks that I have a wonderful collection of snaps and have a great eye for candid moments. Oh really! Thanks Vidya for believing in me.

Well I admit I hunt for uncanny, unconventional yet simple shots when I am with my camera in a street. A street is a happening spot, it has endless subjects, many faces, many emotions, many stories and more so that city's story!

A photograph is nothing but a moment captured and converted into a story. Every image has a story- the way the photographer wants to tell it to the rest. When Vidya challenged me for this five-day-black-and-white photography, I wasn't really sure whether I had so many snaps which speak something, which are small stories in themselves.

The funniest part was with every snap that I posted, I had to tag another fellow clicker/ photographer and drag them into this loop. Well I had to...!

Here are my picks from my collection.

Of drums and rhythms

I love capturing hands in action. I love feet too. These two have been my subjects for quite sometime. We went to one of the Drumjam session at Rangoli- The Metro Art Center. And I must say I loved every bit of it. I wish to go there more often.

Of family trips and bikes on Indian roads

Everyday while returing from work, I notice so many interesting subjects on Bangalore roads. 30 km ride- to and fro from home to office everyday, five days a week. That is a lot. I carry my camera everyday so that I don't miss an interesting subject on the road. I definitely love this city.

Indian roads are getting filled with four wheelers these days. In the midst of heavy traffic during peak hours, this bike was loaded with five people- the father, the mother with the boy kid and two of his sisters (perhaps aged 4-6 years) in the front, sitting over the petrol tank on the bike. Guss! That is signature India. I leave this snap for your interpretation.

"What's up with Indian Men..!?"

Well 20th Novemeber was "International Men's Day" (a male colleague told me about it on the same day, I wondered what all that fuss was about..! Do they need one more day?). Here three so called "gentle" men busy with what most men love doing- ogling at ladies/ women/ girls (let's call it girl-gazing).
Shot at Lalbagh, a place apt for candid photography.

Once upon a time, they ruled the roads.

I noticed this horse wagon, somewhere on my way to office, close to Frazer town. Reminded me of old Bollywood movies.

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
– Ansel Adams

Somewhere in Lalbagh, this mom was busy capturing those precious moments of her daughter whilst I was standing far away, busy focusing my camera on her.

After this challenge, I definitely fell in love with black and white photography and I owe this to you, Vidya. To me, these monochrome images are priceless. They speak a lot. They mean a lot. They are simple yet complex. They are strong. They are loud. They are profound. I am slowly starting to love black and white photos. Here are two more to the first round of this series.

Over an intense conversation...

I always notice this guy glued to his cellphone. Perhaps he is a phone addict!

Busy physicists: In search of that right stone..

Its fun to throw stones into water and see how far it can go and how many hops it can make. Definitely lot of physics goes into this. I thought so.

Back to the challenge, I had to follow the rules. You see as the saying goes, "rules are rules." So, I had to choose and tag five friends into this creative loop. And I tagged the following friends on facebook~

Chaitra Hegde of Chaitra Photography, my very dear one and my partner who loves capturing unconventional shots through his camera. He has honed my photography skills and has taught me a lot. :)

Erum Kazmi of Erum Kazmi's Photography, famous as Colurs of My Dream on Flickr- she has been my inspiration in many ways. She is a fellow flickr friend, a die hard tea-totaller, foodie and bookworm.

Varen Val (Taya)- a dear friend and an amateur photographer who loves capturing anything and everything that is beautiful and is close to nature.

Shilpa Harish- a fellow flickr-mate (see her work here) who loves capturing nature, interior decors and tea (of course).

Nipanjana Patra- she is family like, a friend who is also an amateur clicker and loves to capture naturescapes and birds.

This didn't end here. I was tagged and dragged once again by Wasim Raja, almost after a month. "Once again..! Aah..! Second time..! Noways..!"- these were my expressions at first. But Wasim wanted me to post five more snaps. How could I deny him!? And I ended up doing this once more. I had to.

This time I was not assigned any particular theme and so decided to dedicate this series of photo-work to people who are close to me. I decided to post some of my favorite people and a few of their expressions. Here are the photos I chose for the second round.

The first from the series is about friendship.
I know these two men (Hegde and Wasim) since last seven and half years and you both make me feel like a queen of your world. You both fought with me, screamed at me, hated me like the way you both always cared for me, loved me and pampered me like a kid. I am at home when you guys are around- both a part of my small world.

This one is especially for you, Wasim Raja.

"Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my friends."
~Virginia Woolf

The second snap is of joy. I am definitely affectionate towards you. There is no explicit reason or perhaps there is. I have a small wish in my heart and a strong bonding has developed in last few months.

On Subodh's birthday, I could see that joy in his eyes.

"There is a child inside each one of us in our life,
who comes out in front of the person we are most comfortable with."
~Unknown

The third one is of dreams and ambition. The one who makes me feel proud for what she is. A strong, independent, workaholic, determined lady. A sibling who has stood by always for me.

For my girl, Arya.

"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground."
~Theodore Roosevelt

The fourth one is about love and trust, dreams and hope and everything that one would perhaps tag with the word- "Mi amor!".

For my bitter half- Chaitra Hegde.

When I ask "Do you..",
You always say "No, I don't..!"

The last one for you, my little angel-cum-devil, Atmaja.You definitely make all of us feel happy and proud of you. You are a ray of positivity and creativity. I have seen you grow in front of me. You have a long way to go, you little champ!

"There is no better friend than a sister.
And there is no better sister than you."
~Unknown

This is the second time I took part in this loop of posting five photos for black-and-white photography challenge. The other side of the rule coin says that "rules are meant to be broken".

So, did I do. I broke the rule.

I won't nominate (tag) any one. I decided this time. :)

To see more of my work, visit Amtrips Photography.

The Pink Ribbon Campaign~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 01:36:00 +0530

In support of Pink Ribbon~

Care for her..

Share it...

Create Awareness...

Show Support

More info
www.pinkribbon.com/
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Breast_Cancer_Awareness_Month

Replicated...

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:57:00 +0530

Day101/ 365
April 10th, 2013

Replicated...

Two identical palatial houses are coming up in my neighbourhood. Even the work progresses in an identical fashion.

Simple things that bring a :)

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Tue, 9 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0530

Day100/ 365
April 9th, 2013

Simple things that bring a :)

......
Today I complete my 100 days of the Project 365. Here is a floral feast for all and a booster for me to continue clicking for the rest 265 days.

Seed-o-logy~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Mon, 8 Apr 2013 16:05:00 +0530

Day99/ 365
April 8th, 2013

What to do with the seeds??

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A question that keeps ticking my head every time I eat a fruit.

Sunday Morning~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Sun, 7 Apr 2013 17:12:00 +0530

Day98/ 365
April 7th, 2013

The Sunday Morning...

Of Dark Circles..

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Sat, 6 Apr 2013 17:14:00 +0530

Day97/ 365
April 6th, 2013

Of Dark Circles..

Dried~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Fri, 5 Apr 2013 17:17:00 +0530

Day96/ 365
April 5th, 2013

Dried...
Summer has come into all our lives.. The white Anthurium flowers are drying up and I have decided to utilize these properly. Pluck them and dry further and use as dry flowers in old wine bottles or vases to decorate the home corners... Viola, what an idea!

I'm a true botanist and have dry-flower fetish.. :)

Pests~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Thu, 4 Apr 2013 20:57:00 +0530

Day95/ 365
April 4th, 2013

Aphids' Attack
I hate these yellow dirty fellows... :(

The Evening Sun...

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Wed, 3 Apr 2013 20:53:00 +0530

Day94/ 365
April 3rd, 2013

The sun that shines ..
Even after sunset... :)

Fresh~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Tue, 2 Apr 2013 20:17:00 +0530

Day93/ 365
April 2nd, 2013

Fresh~
......from the garden :)

Always up....

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Mon, 1 Apr 2013 19:52:00 +0530

Day92/ 365
April 1st, 2013

I'm always up..
For a tea-full cup..!! :)

Lichen and Bark..

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:22:00 +0530

Day 60/ 365
February 28th, 2013

Lichen and Bark..
Challenge of the month : Patterns and Textures.

With this, I sign off for February 2013's challenge.
I tried hard to justify and come up to the challenge I took for myself.
Few of the days -I goofed up, most of the days -I did it. The whole month was a really tough. Every morning I got up from bed, I had to think what will I click. I even started looking any damn thing to fit my challenge- figuring out the pattern they form etc etc...!

Sounds like going to an extreme. Little crazy.
So, NO more challenge for March.. Just normal photos a day.. :)

'S' for ~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:39:00 +0530

Day53/ 365

February 21st, 2013
The shadow on the sunlit wall~

S for Sun
S for Shadow..
They go together...!

A flower: Many Moods

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:20:00 +0530

Day52/ 365

February 20th, 2013
The story of a flower~
The different moods reveals by a bunch of flowers: Alive, Half withered, fully withered...

P.S.: W.r.t. this month's challenge, the changing patterns of the flower and its colour was the capture of the day.

ll patterns..

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:18:00 +0530

Day51/ 365

February 19th, 2013

The Parallel patterns
Of Stairs, Rods and Shadows~

The theme for this month is patterns and textures...! I am trying to see that in every damn thing I try to click. While working in the balcony, noticed this pattern on the house opposite the road. Was thrilled to shoot this and make my daily wish fulfilled..!

Sounds weird, but this challenge has been interesting. I am seeing a different thing in everything around me.

Inflorescence...

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:14:00 +0530

Day50/ 365

February 19th, 2013

Ray Vs Disc florets~
A close up of a composite flower

I sudenly realise I am a freaking botanist...! yeah :D

The ♥ for dry flowers~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0530

Day49/ 365
February 18th, 2013

My ♥ for dry flowers is since circa 1990s. I always wanted to own a herbarium house, one can say so !

Recently, I chopped down the dying old tulsi plant and kept these stalked dry flowers for a simple makeover...! And viola, the corner actually looks great.

Towered up.

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 14:57:00 +0530

Day48/ 365

February 17th, 2013

The neighbourhood has made it all a cancer-prone zone for some money by installing the Reliance and Airtel towers... :(

A black and white shot of the same tower here~

Reflected~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:09:00 +0530

Day47/ 365

February 16th, 2013

"Be your own sunlight to see your own reflection..."

A kutchi sun wind chime's reflection on the mirror that hangs in the balcony and tinkles every now and then, radiating the positive energy..!

The Hook~

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:54:00 +0530

Day 46/ 365
February 15th, 2013

Nothing much to think about and write down...!

With the challenge for this month, I am running short of ideas.

This is another mundane shot. The hook of an earring pair..!

♥ ♥ HVD ♥ ♥

noreply@blogger.com (Amtrips) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:24:00 +0530

Day45/ 365
February 14, 2013
♥ ♥ ♥

Flying Hearts~
Wishing all a Happy Valentine's Day...!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥