The digital eye

The world of my doodles

2011-12-23T13:26:00.001Z

I've recently started doodling again. It was something I did as a child in the back of my notebooks or on rough papers. I did ones shown below on a train the other day and they came out looking pretty decent. Click on anyone to see a larger version

So I made some more. At first they were all on the back of used envelops (makes excellent drawing paper). But these days I've started using my newly acquired iPad2 for this. So, here's a link to my ever increasing collection on flickr :) As usual, your comments are always welcome

Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley

2011-05-11T13:50:00.000Z

Holy places have always held a special place in my heart. At first I always felt that it is the old ones that have a charm. But over the years I have seen new ones and these structures still seem equally beautiful. I recent had the pleasure of visiting the newly finished Shree Sanatan Hindu Mandir (more info) created by the Shri Vallabh Nidhi (SVN) UK trust in Wembley. It was a pleasing experience to say the least. Click on any of the images below to see a larger preview.

The full set can be viewed here.

Spring 2010

2010-06-11T16:02:00.001Z

Here are some pictures of the spring season this year

The complete set can be viewed here.

Bahrain – the kingdom of the two seas

2010-02-17T10:40:00.001Z

This is my first post this year. So here’s wishing you all a picturesque 2010!

The middle east has always been on my list of travel destinations. So when I got the opportunity to visit the tiny island of Bahrain, I grabbed it. The name literally means “The Kingdom of the Two seas” in Arabic (more here). The country seems to be one of the more liberal Muslim nation. This is surprising considering it’s immediate neighbours are Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Anyway, the country offers a good mix of the modern and the historic. This little island has a International Formula One Circuit, broad streets, ultra-modern malls, right next to beautiful old mosques, little pottery villages and markets (or Souq in Arabic) that are hundreds of years old. My work kept me tied down or I would have loved to photograph every thing on this list.

But here are some photographs I could manage to take

The complete set can be viewed here.

I am hoping to be able to get back there and capture what I missed out this time around.

It snowed this evening

2009-12-21T21:51:00.001Z

And what a sight it was! A mix of enchantment and fear. Enchanted at the beauty of the flakes, their grace and their sheer shine.

Fear - at the force they fell with, the blanket on the ground, the slippery wetness and the bone chilling cold. That's weather for you .. that's elements for you.

Here are few more shots from the evening (click to zoom).

Here’s the complete set.

Green Lines

2009-09-11T10:17:00.001Z

I just came across this wonderful collection of wildlife photos by Saleel Tambe. The rich colours of this subjects and his wonderful sense of composition makes this one of most beautiful India wildlife collection I have seen. Here are a few sample photographs:

More of these can be viewed on his blog or his website.

Seeing such works of nature makes me painfully aware of how man’s continuous thirst for resources and careless attitude may one day push these wonderful creatures to extinction.

Photos courtesy and copyright – Saleel Tambe.

Indian Classical Voices and Royal Albert Hall

2009-08-20T08:20:00.000Z

The first I heard of Royal Albert Hall was when the Indian nightingale Lata Mangeshkar was invited to perform there way back in 1974. According to Wikipedia, she was to become the first Indian to perform in there. A best-seller recording of that event also helped make the hall a well known name in India.

Since then I’ve always wanted to see the famed hall and if possible attend a music programme in there. This summer I got this long awaited opportunity in the form of an “Indian Voices” concert being held as a part of the BBC Proms. I was able to get some tickets for the morning session of this programme which was to feature Hindustani classical Music. For fellow Indian classical music buffs, the complete recording of this programme can be heard here.

For fellow photography/ travel buffs, here are some chosen pictures

The full set can be viewed here.

Daffodils

2009-04-24T17:00:00.000Z

I had read William Wordsworth’s poem by this name several times. However, i never really understood why the flower held such a charm for him. I simply assumed it was a pretty flower.

But this summer, I had a chance to see these flowers myself and i must say I could not but remember the poem. I was left in awe of both the prettiness of the flowers AND the talent of the poet who could describe his feelings so beautifully.

I leave you with Wordsworth’s immortal poem

"Daffodils" (1804)

I wander’d lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced;

but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Roaming around Oxford

2009-04-19T11:35:00.000Z

Like any other good University town Oxford has not only the most wonderful college buildings, majestic libraries but also a vibrant market and colourful local life. This weekend I took the opportunity to look around the Oxford town centre.

As during my last visit, the summer was in full bloom. But one thing that was noticeably different was the absence of large masses of students around town! This was holiday season :-)

Here are some photos from the trip

The full collection can be viewed here.

London – Lunchtime photography

2009-04-16T11:33:00.000Z

I often travel to different parts of London on business. Although I am not too fond of having to run from station to station, i quite enjoy the exercise depending on how energetic I am feeling that day. But at times it can all get to be too much!

During one such journey, i suddenly realized that I am walking through the streets of one of the greatest cities in the world! All I had to do was look around and notice the wonderful sights – from the historic to the most modern, all co-existing in one place. Once i started really paying attention to such things, people and the buildings around me I found myself enjoying my journey.

These days, I walk a bit slower on my way back and with my camera strapped in the hand that’s not carrying my workbag. I even started taking pictures in my lunch break. During my coffee break, i took the time to look up the subject of my photograph and it made the exercise so much more fun!

Below is one of the first such pictures I took using my phone camera. I discovered it takes quite decent pictures and serves as a good stand-in when I haven't brought my camera handy.

And here’s an interesting tit-bit of research I’ve noted at the time.

I spotted this little pad of green while wandering through streets of Aldwych, London. In case you ever happen to be around this area, especially in spring, this place is a Mediterranean restaurant called "The Sarastro". It was a pleasant sight to see such green colour in central London, especially since it had stopped raining a few minutes ago. I guess that made the green colour stand out even more distinctly.

This spot can also be seen in Google Street Map

To my surprise, I wasn't the only one doing this! There’s over 200 people in this Flickr group dedicated to this activity and aptly named “London Lunch-Hour Photography”.

I am sure there’s a group that’s doing the same in your city. If not, why not start one?

The beautiful city of Bath

2009-04-08T14:25:00.000Z

Somerset is one of the most beautiful counties in England. I have often had the pleasure of driving through different parts of this area and have always wanted to stop and get some pictures.

I got thought I had this opportunity the last time I paid a visit to the city of Bath, but it was late evening by the time I got there. So I had very little to take any pictures.

However the last weekend, I got a chance to show some visitors this beautiful city in the valley of the Avon river and pay a visit to the Roman baths. This time I did not miss the chance to take pictures.

Although the Roman Baths (picture above) is the main attraction there’s also the city life, the wonderful countryside and other small museums for enthusiasts. According to this article on Wikipedia, the city has quite a rich history and has retained much of it’s old character.

Here’s a small set of my photographs,

The entire set can be viewed here.

The Welsh Brecon Mountain Railway

2009-04-05T16:10:00.000Z

I came across this hidden jewel hidden in the Welsh country-side. Named the Brecon Mountain Railway company, this organization has a pair or restored German and American steam engines running through the beautiful Welsh country-side on narrow gauge track.

The pictures below will give you an idea of this wonderful place

The full set can be viewed here.

Here is a link to the company’s website should you feel inspired to visit this place

The sunny Spain!

2009-03-22T15:33:00.000Z

One of the perks of a travelling job is that you go places. I was lucky enough to get a two-week long assignment in Madrid. I took this opportunity to admire this wonderful city in what was to be an equally wonderful weekend!

Here are some pictures of my visit

the complete set can be viewed here.

Back to Shakespeare’s Birth place

2009-03-21T10:34:00.000Z

I’ve always enjoyed trips to the Warwickshire county – especially to Stratford-upon-Avon which is also the birthplace of the playwright-poet William Shakespeare.

Being a popular tourist destination, the town is always in top condition. What i particularly like is how it has retained it’s old character in the areas that matter and yet has a modern touch in the right places.

Here’s a wonderful example of old houses with modern sigh posts, the public library and a panoramic view of the birth home of the great man - Shakespeare

As usual, the full set of photographs can be viewed here. And since summer was just setting in, the place looked a bit different than the last time I was here.

If these photos have inspired you to visit the place, here are some useful links

The official tourist website for Stratford upon Avon
The Royal Shakespeare Company offers some good plays. Worth checking out if you are a drama enthusiast like myself.

Back to Windsor Castle

2009-03-14T09:09:00.000Z

I first visited Windsor castle back in 2004. A lot has happened since then (Diana, Charles, a royal marriage and so on..) and when a friend wanted company on a trip to Windsor, I happily volunteered.

By the way, did you know that Windsor castle is the world’s largest inhabited castle? And according to Wikipedia, also the oldest in continuous occupation.

In any case, here are some of my latest captures of the place

Here’s the full set and also a cross-section-collection of the royal guards of the palaces in UK.

A Dash To Luzern

2009-03-08T08:31:00.000Z

I recently had to make a hasty business trip to Luzern in Switzerland. But I had time to grab my camera and got a chance to try out my shiny new phone-camera too.

See the complete set (about 10 photos) here. And for fellow railway enthusiasts, here’s a link to a collection of my photos of various Trains and Stations in Europe.

And for those of you who are wondering why there aren’t any out door photos ..well, it was a dash remember?! And you see only what I had a chance to see (wailing loudly!) ;-)

It snowed!

2009-02-02T17:47:00.001Z

It snowed (a lot) this morning and the lovely sight inspired me to dig out my camera after a long long time! After a quick change of batteries, i was able to dash outside and take some quick photographs.

See my full snow collection.

eBook: Chapter 7 - Photoshop CS2 RAW (O'Reilly)

2008-08-21T13:14:00.002Z

Chapter 7

For more: Free eBook downloads for Photographers (via SLR photography guide)

Going to America

2008-06-10T12:37:00.003Z

This had been on my agenda for some time now. This trip finally happened this year - all thanks to the persistence of my family living in the US. They simply didnt take no for an answer. I must credit them with ALL of the fun I had touring the grand country (a BIIIG thanks - Sameer & Tanuja).

Here are a few photos from the set to give you the general idea. A link to the full set is at the bottom of this post.

See: My USA trip - the complete set

Hello Brussels!

2008-04-21T14:00:00.001Z

I recently had the opportunity of traveling to Brussels (the capital of on Belgium and also Europe) a work trip that I somehow managed to extend into a sight-seeing trip. Below are a chosen few of the large number of pictures I took. The link to the complete set is at the bottom of this post.

What made the trip exciting was that this was my first time aboard the Eurostar Train as well. Unfortunately the weather wasnt all that great. But we made the best of it :)

Here are a few interesting bits of information about Brussels

It is the capital of Belgium
It is also the effective capital of Europe since it is home the it's Headquarters. another important office here is that of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
French and Dutch are the official languages. However, today French is more widely spoken.
Must-see's are the Grand Market (picture above), The Atomium (picture above), The peeing boy (picture above).
Must haves are the large variety of beers, the famed Belgian waffle and of course, Chocolate!

See: Visit to Belgium (complete set)

Waking up to a snowy neighbourhood

2008-04-06T11:10:00.009Z

The weather has been acting up in the recent days. There's no saying when a nice bright and warm sunny day turns into a windy rainy mess! This is what happened on a morning of April. We woke up to a snow covered neighborhood.

Within hours the weather turned sunny and it was as if it had not snowed at all. Talking about seeing more than one seasons in a single day! Oh, did i mention that it rained a few hours later??

Anyway, the snow was the only thing great about that day. So here are some pictures. My only was to have been able to go out and shoot a couple of better pics. Unfortunately, it was a working day :(

See my snow collection.

Happy Dasara!

2007-10-29T12:16:00.002Z

This year, I had the chance to attend the Ravan Dahan (or the burning of Ravan) for the first time outside India.

This day marks the victory of Lord Rama over the Demon King Ravana. It was also the day King Ravana was killed. In Hindu culture, this day symbolizes the victory of Good in the battle of "Good versus Evil" and also the returning home of Rama from exile. Dasara is almost immediately followed by Diwali - the festival of lights.

Organized as a part of Dasara (also known as Dassera or Navaratri) celebrations by the Reading Hindu Temple, the celebration includes burning effigies of King Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghanad. This was followed by some excellent fireworks. Needless to say, on a cold evening a good display of Fireworks was exactly what was needed to warm everyone's heart :)

I have taken some photos of the event. See the entire set here. So here's wishing my readers - Happy Dasara!! and Happy Diwali!!

William Shakespeare's Birthplace - Stratford upon Avon

2007-09-02T21:11:00.001Z

William Shakespeare's Birthplace
Originally uploaded by Mskadu

This weekend we drove over to Stratford upon Avon, a little town near Birmingham. This town has the distinction of being the birthplace of William Shakespeare - the english poet and playwriter.

Here's a link to the entire set.

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara at Aurangabad Maharashtra in India

2007-07-18T04:13:00.002Z

Visit to Bibi-Ka-Maqbara in Aurangabad Maharashtra (9)
Originally uploaded by Mskadu

During my return from Aurangabad, I came upon this monument otherwise known as the "Taj of Deccan" or the "Poor mans Taj". The monument is a replica of the world-famous Taj Mahal. It was built by Azam Shah (the son of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb) in memory of his mother.

If you are ever around Aurangadbad, consider adding this place to your travel agenda. Here are a few more photos

Or see the entire set (32 photos).

Ganapati Temple at Ranjangaon

2007-07-18T04:08:00.001Z

Ganapati Temple at Ranjangaon
Originally uploaded by Mskadu

During my recent trip to Aurangabad (Maharashtra, India) I took a stop to pay my respects to the Ganapati (or Ganesh) temple at Ranjangaon. The adjoining photo shows an idol positioned on the entrance.

This is one of the main temples of the lord in Maharashtra. Traditionally taking photos of the idols is not allowed in most Indian temples. However, they did let me click around the place.

The place is small, yet well kept. Do take a look at the whole set.