The Pikture World

Blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:36:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

All of the posts of this blog have been moved to the main blog page now under the Piktures label. I'll be hiding this page eventually. New reviews will be posted on the main blog only.

Thank you,
Kanan

Strawberries in the backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:16:00 +0000

Since Urv mentioned that he loves strawberries too along with cherries, I thought I'd share some of my latest photos. These are the ones growing in the backyard on two little plants (or are they called shrubs? I dunno), which are less than six inches tall because the leaves are heavier than the stems and they are growing sideways more than vertical. The whole plant actually fits within one square foot.

I will take photos of the plant and share as well. Until then here are some shots of the tiny fruits. :)

The fruit is born from tiny white flowers.

Which eventually grows into tiny yellowish green fruit like this.

That grows into bigger fruit turning a shade of light pink when fully grown.

And before you know it, the pink turns into bright red! (Btw, those tiny blank ants love to eat the leaves of strawberry plants)

This is what it'd look like when you've just picked it off the plant. :D

Here's what the plant looks like (top view).

A typical strawberry farm looks like this. This one is located in Brentwood, CA.

More strawberry photos taken by me.

My favorite photos - Bing Cherries

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Finally got a chance to visit the cherry farms this year during the season in May.

These are some of my favorite photos. :)

Five cherries in a row.

Still together, even on ground - these cherries. :)

A bucket full of cherries.

It's things like these that make me go "WOW..." @ Mother Nature!

Photos taken at Dias Farm in Brentwood, CA

Elephanta Caves, Mumbai

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:19:00 +0000

During my last India trip, I got a chance to visit the Elephanta caves. Elephanta caves are located on Elephanta island off the coast of Mumbai.

We started out from home around 9:30 and got to Gateway of India around 10:15. The drive down towards Colaba was quite nice and with practically no traffic. I got to see so many interesting buildings, many skyscrapers, business offices, the Haji Ali sandwich place (this place makes some fantastic sandwiches) and of course the dargah itself.

The thing I really enjoy about India is the statues we have in several places in our cities throughout the country. I don't get to see those here in the US. The first one I got to see was Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri statue with the famous 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' slogan.

We got a nice parking spot right away, and everyone took their belongings and hats/glasses for the rest of the sunny day. There's a little walk from the parking area to the Gateway of India where the ferryboats depart from. On the way, got to see this restaurant owned by none other than Sachin Tendulkar.

Near the Gateway of India, got to see two more statues. One of Swami Vivekanand and the other one of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

After getting the tickets for the ferry boat ride at the stall near Gateway of India, we boarded the boat right away around 10:30ish. It wasn't as much crowded for a Sunday morning.

The ferry boat ride from dock to dock is about 45 mins. The weather was quite wonderful and breezy on that warm day with clear skies so I had fun taking some great photos.

On the way, got to see some naval stations or something similar in the bay and countless boats and a few cargo ships.

We arrived on the Elephanta island around 11:30. There's a nice little walkway from the docks to the park entrance.

They also have a cute little train that brings people up to the park entrance, in case the visitors don't want to walk. We decided to walk as there was so much to see around and stop and take photos, of course!

We got to see some beautiful birds, trees growing in the sea water, quite a few fruit stalls, a lot of boats and many other things along with excited visitors.

From the park entrance, there's wide stone stairs that lead up to the caves. The climb isn't very bad but it's easier if you don't have too many things to carry. The stall owners have the stairs covered with plastic canopy so it's cooler during hot weather. As you climb up, you see lots of souvenir stalls and food/drink stalls along with monkeys and other life that go around the island for survival.

Once we finish climbing the stairs, we come to an open area where they have a small museum with quite a lot of good information about the history of the caves and some sculptures.

A little further from the museum, there's a nice gazebo like place where people sit and relax or have a picnic at.

From here on, the extra-wide stone/concrete walkway begins that leads to the caves. It is beautiful as on one side of the walkway there are the caves and on the other side, there's either hills covered with green trees/plants or just an open view of the island down below or the sea.

The first couple of caves are large and the others are little smaller in size.

All of them are carved from rocks/stone and have stone-carved sculptures and Shiv-linga in them.

The concrete walkway ends when the caves end; from there on it is a dirt trail that leads up to the tallest hill called the Cannon Hill.

At some point this used to be home to a real cannon (which is still there) and the other remains of the buildings that probably were used by military back in the days. There's a nice shaded food stall on the way to the top that also sells cold drinks and fruits and other food. It was quite crowded.

The climbing down was quite easy and fast. At around 4:45 PM we decided to head back to the little train station that takes us to docks. The first train we saw was too crowded so we ended up taking the next one and boarded the 5:30 PM boat back to Mumbai.

Got to see beautiful setting sun while riding back to the mainland.

This is a must visit place if you already haven't been there before. I'd love to go back there again.

For more photos in the series, click here.

Some photos of Mumbai at night.

Urv's Elephanta photos are here.

Good tourist info on this site: http://wikitravel.org/en/Elephanta_Caves

Full Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:05:00 +0000

Shot these last week with the full moon of Guru Poornima around the corner.

Didn't have the tripod with me so quite a few have turned out blurry but here are the better ones.

This was taken a couple of days before the full moon.

Moonrise over the lake

Bright moon rises on the full moon night.

More photos of full moon

Defenestration Building

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:30:00 +0000

If you're driving around in San Francisco you might come across this odd looking abandoned building with furniture hanging out of its open windows and walls. It is located at the intersection of Howard St and Sixth St. It's called the defenestration building. It was created in 1997 by Brain Goggin and a team of artists (read below for more info).

Eastern side of the building

Northern side of the building

Here I quote the passage from http://www.defenestration.org/press.html

DEFENESTRATION
1997-present

(Site-specific installation on the corner of 6th and Howard St. in San Francisco)

This multi-disciplinary sculptural mural involves seemingly animated furniture; tables, chairs, lamps, grandfather clocks, a refrigerator, and couches, their bodies bent like centipedes, fastened to the walls and window-sills, their insect-like legs seeming to grasp the surfaces. Against society's expectations, these everyday objects flood out of windows like escapees, out onto available ledges, up and down the walls, onto the fire escapes and off the roof. "DEFENESTRATION" was created with the help of over 100 volunteers.

The concept of "DEFENESTRATION", a word literally meaning "to throw out of a window," is embodied by the both the site and staging of this installation. Located at the corner of Sixth and Howard Streets in San Francisco in an abandoned four-story tenement building, the site is part of a neighborhood that historically has faced economic challenge and has often endured the stigma of skid row status. Reflecting the harsh experience of many members of the community, the furniture is also of the streets, cast-off and unappreciated. The simple, unpretentious beauty and humanity of these downtrodden objects is reawakened through the action of the piece. The act of "throwing out" becomes an uplifting gesture of release, inviting reflection on the spirit of the people we live with, the objects we encounter, and the places in which we live.

More defenestration photos

Flickr defenestration photos

Location of the building:

View Larger Map

Palace of Fine Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:36:00 +0000

Palace of Fine Arts - a must visit place if you're visiting San Francisco. It was built more than some 90 years.

The aura of the place is very attractive. It's fun to just sit and relax on one of those benches on the side of the lagoon. It's serene.

While walking around the lagoon you almost always can encounter some birds around. The ducks, sea-gulls and pigeons are quite common ones.

These swans have almost made a permanent home at this place.

When I visited the place last year, I actually took time to see the artwork in more details as the company I was with had quite a lot of insight to share with me. That made it a fabulous visit. For example, these ones I found out were actually women and not men like I had first understood them to be. :P ok ok fine, I just thought that no shirt meant they were men, but sadly enough, when it comes to understanding art, the general principles don't always work. It turns out they are women and this you can tell from the way their bodies are sculpted in that stone.

More artwork on these extra large pillars around the main dome.

Tiny sloped hills covered with lawn surround the walk way around the lake.

The lagoon and surrounding pillars.

I think this would be one of the first places I'd shoot when I buy my first wide angle camera lens for better quality photos than this.

The palace at night. The lighting makes it look just out of the world. You gotta look at it in person to feel it.

And by the way, it is one of those special places in San Francisco where newly weds go to get their professional photos taken with beautiful studio-like backgrounds such as this one.

Click here for more photos of Palace of Fine Arts.

Squirey Hopjump in Breakfast at Backyardy's

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:00:00 +0000

This morning Ms. Squirey Hopjump came for breakfast in the backyard.

She modeled for me from as close as 3 ft for this photo shoot.

This was when I saw she had invited herself for breakfast.

"Oooh... my side's itchy"

Gives me the "What? You want me to go away half way through my breakfast?" look. So I had to tell her not to. :P

There she is coming back.

"No paper napkin, so pardon my messy hands and mouth"

"I think I hear the kids calling... gotta go! see ya later..."

Here's a little video clip:

The Bay Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:53:00 +0000

The San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge is a double-decker bridge - you drive at the lower level to go towards the East into Oakland and on top if you're coming West towards San Francisco. This is also Interstate-80 (aka I-80), which goes cross-country, all the way up to New Jersey!

The bridge has two spans that are connected at the Treasure island.

This is the same bridge that got damanged during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.

The Bay Bridge on a bright clear day.

The bridge and Treasure island (on left) on a cloudy day.

Art work on the Embarcadero and the bridge and Treasure island in the background.

Driving on the upper level of the bridge. San Francisco skyline is seen on the right hand side.

The Western span (between San Francisco and Treasure island) of the bridge has higher towers than the Eastern span.

San Francisco skyline at sunset from the bridge.

The bridge at night.

Cupid's Span

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:30:00 +0000

The Cupid's Span is located in Rincon Park in San Francisco on the Embarcadero.

While strolling Northwards towards the Port of San Francisco and the Ferry building on the Embarcadero, we can see the tall SF skyscrappers on the left and bay bridge to the right.

The sidewalk at the Embarcadero.

The Bay Bridge

The Ferry Building on the far right and the skyscrapers.

The sign

Cupid's Span

Yet another view of Cupid's Span with the Ferry Building in background.

The top of the arrow

The sculpture symbolizes the place where Tony Bennett "left his heart".

More photos of Cupid's Span

San Gregorio State Beach, CA

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:06:00 +0000

The beautiful San Gregorio state beach is located off of California's Pacific coast hwy 1 at the hwy 84 intersection near the town of San Gregorio, about 10 miles South from Half Moon Bay. The place has picnic tables and is perfect location to spend the day at!

A person sits on the edge of a cliff

Fishing on the Beach

A couple stands at the edge of the hill overlooking the Pacific ocean

A couple watches sunset

The trail on the hill and the bridge (highway 1) over the San Gregorio Creek

Kids play in the creek water that flows into the ocean

Sunset

More San Gregorio Photos

Peach-picking in Brentwood, CA

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:15:00 +0000

By the time we decided to go cherry-picking in East Bay (that's the eastern side of land of the San Francisco bay) this year, it was aleady too late for cherry-picking but we were fortunate enough to find a few farms that allowed us to pick fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines that have longer season than cherries. Cherry-picking is the most famous activity in summer in Brentwood, CA. People travel from far away to come and pick the fruits while eating them as they browse through the farms on a hot summer day.

Driving from hwy 580 onto North Vasco road, the hills are literally covered with windmills.

Some of the fruit is still raw waiting for the heat to ripen it as the season progresses.

A peach I picked and ate. It was very sweet. :)

This farm has rows and rows of trees like these.

Some peaces were too ripe and fell off on the ground from the tree. Too bad they never make it to a basket and in someone's tummy.

The stall where you pay for the fruits you picked. You don't pay for the ones you already ate, those are free. :D

For more photos of peach-picking in Brentwood, click here.

To find other farms that grow the fruits you like and allow fruit-picking in and around Brentwood, click here.

Mammoth Lakes

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 01:49:00 +0000

Mammoth Lakes, CA is located off of Hwy 395 in the South East direction from Yosemite National Park.

From Yosemite National Park, continuing on Hwy 120 East, we stopped at Olmsted Point to catch this view.
Half Dome from Olmsted Point

After 120 East, to go towards Mammoth Lakes we take Hwy 395 South. Lake Mono is on the Eastern side of this highway.
Lake Mono and Hwy 395

Lake Mary at Mammoth Lakes

Lake George and other surrounding lakes as seen from the end of Crystal Lake trail

Devil's Postpile - 60-ft formation is made of basalt lava, some 100,000 yrs old.

Crystal Lake is after hiking up and down for almost 2 miles at the end of Crystal Lake Trail.

The only mammoth I saw at Mammoth Lakes! :-)

Visited: July 2003

Click here for more photos of Mammoth Lakes.

Yosemite National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:40:00 +0000

Visiting Yosemite National Park in the heart of California has always been fun filled adventure for me. This time it was a short trip but it was as exciting as previous times. This time Northern California has had very little rain so most of the water falls had practically no water. Even Merced river was dry and lakes in the park with no water at all, but the trees were lush and green and mountains standing tall as saints in the Sierra Nevada forest. Here's a glimpse to mother nature's beauty.

Park entrance.

Park entrance from the other side.

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View. El Capitan on the left side, Half Dome in the center and Cathedral Rocks on the right side where the Bridalveil Falls flow when snow melts from mountain tops.

Road inside the park.

Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Falls (not flowing right now but they flow where the black area on the mountains is seen) from Valley View. Merced river is seen in the front.

More of my photos taken at Yosemite National Park, CA.

For the 4th: How to Photograph Fireworks

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 21:04:00 +0000

* Use a tripod and a remote shutter release, if you can.
* Carefully frame the shot so that the horizon is straight and you don't get a bunch of heads in the picture.
* Set aperture between f/8 and f/16 and use ISO 100.
* Keep the shutter open for a couple of seconds, starting before the explosion. (Manual mode is your friend.)
* Turn off the flash.
* Experiment and have fun!

Source: For the 4th: How to Photograph Fireworks

Motorbikes in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:25:00 +0000

Motorbike riders having fun at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

The Magnificent and Majestic!

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:36:00 +0000

The Golden Gate Bridge - I never get tired of shooting this bridge on film. So beautiful it is!

Golden Gate Bridge & Alcatraz

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:03:00 +0000

Those are actually four different seagulls! With Alcatraz island in background.

You think I asked them to pose for me, don't you?! :)

Pictures taken January 14, 2007.

Spring is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:16:00 +0000

Last weekend, I was driving in San Jose when I started paying attention to the trees around the road. I realized almost all of them had beautiful white colored flowers blooming on them. If I am not mistaken, these are the plum blossoms. In any case, I thought the view of rows of trees covered with white flowers in 75 degree sunny weather on a beautiful afternoon were more than anything a photographer could ask for.

Untitled

noreply@blogger.com (Kanan) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 01:57:00 +0000

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words। I am not sure whether it's true for every picture but I'd say there's definitely feelings involved when we look at a picture. Shooting also gives same pleasure, it helps us put our thoughts on a printed piece of paper. Sometimes reminding us of past and bringing back memories, sometimes just making us happy, sad, or striking a thought process in our mind. Ever since I was a kid, I've always enjoyed taking photographs. They fascinated me back then and still do. The journey from a point-and-shoot camera to an SLR has been exciting! It's exactly four years back, today, I got my first SLR camera. Later on, I also got a digital camera so I can practice more of my photography skills without wasting (as I am told often) too much film. Still an amateur photographer, I'm learning how to take better pictures everyday.