Homestay with Fruit Orchard
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to visit a small mountain stream near my home. A group of friends and I planned a picnic there. I’ve always been drawn to mountain streams with their rugged rocks and cascading waterfalls, and this one didn’t disappoint. It promised a day filled with picnicking by the stream, refreshing dips in the chilly water, and capturing some captivating motion blurs. It was shaping up to be a fantastic day.
Winter has almost ended, and over the past few weeks, I managed to get a lot done around the house and garden. The fruit trees are now covered with blossoms, though a few lazy ones are still waking up from their winter hibernation. Today, for the first time in a long while, I woke up early to go on a forest trek and do some bird-watching.
With the festival season in full swing, the village near my home celebrated in its own unique way. Although the celebrations were toned down due to Covid-19, the festive spirit remained. Masks adorned nearly every face, and people avoided gathering in large crowds, yet the season retained its joyous atmosphere.
One of the major attractions in the region is ‘Ramlila,’ a dramatic reenactment of the Ramayana. This ten-day spectacle provided a wonderful opportunity to capture some intriguing scenes, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Coo..coo…coo…tweet…tweet…coo…coo…
It’s 5:45 AM, and I’m gently awakened by the melodious song of a Blue Whistling Thrush. This particular bird made a nest near my roof last year. Its call is perfectly timed to wake me for the early morning light on the Himalayan peaks.
Just a few days back, a couple of photographers came to stay at Maini’s Hill Cottages, our homestay. They were old friends. They came on a family vacation and had their photography gear with them. A photographer will always remain a photographer after all. What followed were two days of great photography and photo-walks and some beautiful moments spent together.
Hills have always drawn me in, but there’s something especially captivating about the sight of distant snow-covered peaks. Every winter, these glimmering white summits become my favorite photography subjects. With each peak, varying weather conditions, and different times of day, the landscape is constantly changing. Every day offers a fresh perspective and a new subject to capture.
(Is that an early morning snow storm on the peak that I just captured?)
Continue reading On trail of snow-capped peaksThe rains had been relentless for days, but there was finally a brief pause. It felt like the perfect moment to tend to the garden, gather some fruit, and take leisurely walks beneath the towering trees. My friend says I’m in love with this place. Maybe he’s right, after all.
With the heat of summer settling in, nothing compares to the cool embrace of the hills—a perfect retreat for relaxation. Last weekend, that’s exactly what I did. Joined by a few close friends, we spent our time in a lazy rhythm, the evening slipping away as we chatted under the starlit sky. The next morning promised adventure, as we had planned a nature walk with our resident guide. The anticipation made it hard to sleep. As the first light kissed the snow-capped peaks, I was already up, camera in hand, ready to capture the beauty of the morning.
On a wet autumn evening, when the clouds are all over the sky and thunderstorms frequent, only a handful of people want to venture out. For photographers, these are opportunities to be encashed. Beautiful photographs can be made. With a plan to capture some beautiful fall pictures, I stepped out with a group of friends. Leaving the comfort of dry place behind, we trekked on a muddy path, with our feet wet, mud everywhere but spirits high! After all, we were in the lap of nature.
A rainy Sunday morning. Four of us gathered up early in the morning for a planned photowalk. Yesterday evening, we had thought of going for an early morning outing. Rain or no-rain, the photowalk was still ‘on’. We were not going to let a few drops downpour spoil our plans. Packed with our photography gear and umbrellas, we all started off for our destination while the day was still breaking out. With an overcast sky, the photography was going to be nice, provided the rains stopped a little. The destination? A mountain stream that should be nicely flooded at this time of the year.
(Cascading mountain stream – this is the place we wanted to visit)
With the monsoon season, well advanced, rains have taken their hold on the hills of Kumaon. The persistent cloud cover and high humidity gets quite depressing after a time. It also happens to my late grandmother’s birthday, who I was very fond of.
After a week of almost incessant rains, today, the weather cleared up a little. It was not raining but the sky was still overcast. The diffused light from overcast sky is what I needed for a photograph I had in mind. Armed with my camera, I once again set out to photograph some more cascades that appear with the rains.
With the onset of monsoons, the nature starts to reinvent itself. The trees turn green. New leaves every where. Mountain streams start filling up and many small cascades and waterfalls appear. Yesterday the incessant rain took a short break. I immediately hit the road with my camera, tripod and a few snacks to munch on.
With the end of summer season round the corner, Natadol, a small laid-back village in Kumaon organized a summer festival. The people of Kumaon are very proud of their heritage and culture and this event was an ideal platform to showcase that. The three day festival had all the villagers coming together, participating and putting forth three days of simple yet engaging performances. I was lucky enough to be a part of this festival and witnessed the culture of Kumaon from within.
Monsoon is the much awaited season in India. The rains bring in relief from the long spell of hot and dry weather. Everything turns green and looks fresh. With a plan to capture some of these wonderful gifts of nature, few waterfalls and landscapes, I set out on a short trip. My route was blocked by an overflowing stream, part of which was flowing on top of the road. What followed were a few hours well spent photographing the place around the stream.
(A bird’s eye view of the overflowing stream – photographed at a slow shutter speed from a high point with a 50mm Nikkor lens)
Hills always attract me. They have a magnetic effect on me and I get pulled towards them. Every once in a while I give in to this pull and travel to the hills. Few days back, I got a chance to travel to a Hindu temple located near Bhimtal in Kumaon region. This was my second visit to the place.
(Temple bells – Golu Devta Temple near Nainital / Bhimtal in Kumaon)
Mountain streams somehow always manage to cast a magical spell on me. They enchant me and I get pulled towards them. Before I know it, my camera is ready to capture their dancing flow and the finesse by which the water hops on the small rocks. I had one such moment some days back when I was driving through some hills in Kumaon region.
Every photographer has a unique perspective. Appreciating these differences in visualization, composition, and skills, while spending time with like-minded individuals, can greatly enhance one’s abilities. These short trips are now commonly referred to as “photowalks.” Personally, I still call them short photography trips with friends.
(Dry branches at low tide – clicked on a photography trip with few of my friends. Nikon Df with Zeiss 25mm lens)
Vacations are always fun, especially when they follow a long stretch of daily work grind. For me, vacations are a perfect opportunity to indulge in photography. However, traveling with photography equipment can be challenging. Each airline has its own rules, and crossing international borders involves additional regulations. On top of that, ensuring the security of valuable photography gear can be stressful. Here is a small list of things to consider when planning your next holiday trip.
(Clouds – Nikon D200 with Nikkor 50mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO – 100. Clicked this photograph on a flight. The in-flight movies never interest me.)
