Storm-A poem

 I

A storm rears itself in the distance, I feel it,

Like a snake preparing to strike at its prey,

Soft whispers at first, a  hint of touch on the

Skin, the mistaken brush of a feather against

the face, a caress of fingers on the lips, casual,

Lingering, a memory of something forgotten!

The storm holds its breath for a moment, I feel it!

The static crackles against the hairs on my arms,

A tingling thrill shoots through  my spine like the

Anticipation that precedes an important meeting,

A palpable sensation, an apprehension of events 

To come, fear of impending gloom striking the gut.

The storm rears releasing its pent up strength, I feel it, 

A susurration, faint, yet bold, insistent and strident,

Nagging in the mind, of dangers both real and unreal,

Like the sixth sense of a deer that warns it of danger,

Even as it is stalked by a hiding Tiger or a lion, a

Sensation one might feel in the deep of night.

The storm rushes forwards from a distance, I know.

It is an insistent, approaching vibration that shakes

The very foundations of the place where I stand, like 

The tremors of a quake, persistent, palpable and 

Real. A feeling arises, of weightlessness and loss

Of steadiness, felt on the deck of a tossing ship.

II

The storm approaches, a mass of spirits and demons

Wailing and screaming unleashing their force

On an unsuspecting, sleeping host. It uproots

Homes and trees, dreams and hopes, lovers from

Promises of never-ending togetherness! Madness

And violence unleashed, I knew it would come!

It is on us, the storm, a fearful dirge of pain and

Suffering unleashed with the utmost fury, blinding

Bolts of lightning shoot pulses of raw energy

Freezing time and movement in a parody of

Action, a world stunned into inertia, a paralysis

Of movement even as the storm rages around us.

It hovers above us, the storm - hurling buildings

And trees, people and ships like an enraged bear

Tosses its enemies around. The untamed wildness

Of a beast that knows no pity or pain, except to feed

The furnace of its rage, to consume and pilfer hope

And faith and instead spew destruction and limbs.

It moves away, the storm, leaving in its wake a 

Trail of destruction, like a bulldozer trampling

Everything under its wheels and then moving on

To its next destination with scant regard to what

Has been done. Madness has been raging around

Robbing us of the warmth of love and kindness.

III

A coldness gathers over the world even as the 

Storm has passed away, people salvaging the

Remains of their live's achievements like rag-

Pickers sifting through garbage bins. They look

For a few signs of hope from crushed dreams, a

Warmth, perhaps, something to put them to sleep?

Stillness now reigns over the world, even as the

First signs of spring appear, new shoots of green

Poking from the shattered earth, a hint of colour

From blasted trees, perhaps even the whisper of

A song sung in the distance, a desire for renewal

In a world that hungers for love and kindness.

In the midst of the chaos of a world destroyed

By a savage storm, appears the lusty howl of a

Hungry infant demanding more milk from his

Mother, and she, the loving one grants him his

Wish, chiding and scolding him playfully. The

Storm that wreaked havoc might have left a gift.

A warm wind gathers in the distance, I feel it,

Soft murmurs in my ears, a soothing hint of joy,

A ruffling of hair, like the fingers of one, so loved,

Caressing with tenderness, so unlike the raging 

Wrath of the storm, to heal broken hearts and spirits.

Wildlife Low-light Photography, Silhouettes and All

A fully grown male Asian Antelope forages for food.

Some of the best photographs don't have to be pin-sharp. Sometimes, grainy, blurred photographs create a sense of mystery; they tell a story. I have always tried to take photographs that tell a story or even create an atmosphere of suspense. Spotting Asian Antelope at the Sultanpur National park early in the morning and then taking photographs of them can be most fulfilling as I am sure you will agree once you take a look at them.

A Red-headed Woodpecker silhouetted against the sun.

I spotted a Woodpecker at the National Park, though it was in the wrong direction as the Sun was behind it. The silhouette came out really well. Silhouettes due to their minimalistic nature can have a magical quality. They, however, can draw the attention of the viewer to specific areas of the photograph. In the silhouettes of the woodpecker, the flaming red hair on its head came out rather well.

A fully grown male Asian Antelope forages for food.

What makes lowlight photography challenging is what makes them worth a try. First and foremost, you need to have a very steady hand, as obviously you wouldn't use a tripod which would limit your movement! The photographs shared in this post were taken with a 70-300 mm Canon lens slotted onto a Canon 1500D body.

An Asian Antelope Doe 

Coming back to the silhouette of the Woodpecker, I was lucky enough to be able to capture a few more photographs of it before it flew off.

A Red-crowned Woodpecker

I photographed the Red-headed Woodpecker's cousin a little earlier when I heard an insistent tapping on the trunk of a tree I was passing by. It was a yellow-haired Woodpecker also known as a Yellow-crowned Woodpecker!

A Yellow-crowned Woodpecker

A Male Asian Antelope stands guard

Photographing People - Taking amazing Portraits that stand out from the ordinary

Taken at f-5, ISO-400, exposure- 1/250

Photographing people at a fair can be a most pleasing experience, especially when it is all about photographing expressions. I was able to visit the Surajkund Craft fair and came across some amazing people, people who had dressed up in the form of mythological characters, or even the colours of a clown. I have been seeing the gentleman in the middle of the photograph above at the Surajkund Crafts Fair for quite a few years now. I guess the next time I see him I will take his contact details and ask him his name.

Taken at f-5, ISO 200, exposure-1/250

My most favoured lens for portraits is the Canon 18-55 kit lens for the very reason that it offers a degree of flexibility especially in crowded areas like Crafts fairs. A suggested f-stop number would be 5.6, and the shutter speed could be anything from 1/200 to 1/250.

Taken at f-5.6, exposure -1/100, ISO 320

It is, however, most important to acknowledge the person you are photographing, and in a way, make the person feel comfortable with your taking his or her photograph. I often indicate to the artist that I would like to take a photograph and wait for a proper pose.

Taken at f-7.1, Exposure 1/160, ISO-800

My ultimate suggestion for taking a great portrait is to show respect to the person and in a way ask for permission to take a photograph. Quick thinking and preparedness are very important, especially as you might want to photograph an expression that is worth capturing! I guess I got the fellow's expression just right!

Taken at f-5.6, exposure 1/80, ISO 250

The expression of the person in the photograph turned out just like I wanted it to be. The pleasant smile on the face and the just correct turn of the head shows the person connecting with the photographer. It is very clear therefore that one should try to have a connect with the person you are photographing, even if it is a fleeting connection.

Taken at f-7.1, exposure - 1/125, ISO 800

Taken at f-4.5, exposure-1/50, ISO- 100

The subjects in the above photographs happen to be my brother in the first one and my sister and wife in the lower one. I had asked them to give me a smile, to which they complied. In this case, one will note that since the person is an acquaintance, his photograph will look different from those of strangers. However, even when photographing acquaintances, one should be careful about choosing the right background so that their faces stand out.

Back to School

 Looking out of the window I see, on green

Turf, a file of Peacocks march across in a single

File like soldiers on a drill, the air, fresh on my

Face, memories of the pandemic driven away!

A Hornbill calls out in a raucous tone, out of

Sight, but all the more there, like a bugler 

Announcing the end of the hostilities. But the

Birds were always free, unlike us, unaffected.

A Kingfisher calls out insistently away in the

Distance, its insistent call like an urgent alarm

Marking the end of  hostilities by a viral enemy

That had relented from its onslaught on humanity.

Children play on green turf, bowling and batting

Calling out loudly like real teams fighting for the

Trophy. It all seems like the new normal has given

Way to the old one, as old times might once be!

And in the corridors you meet children flowing

Down, calling out, "Good Morning, Sir," and

It looks like School again, not some boxed up

Gizmo of virtual sounds and pictures to look at!

It feels nice to to hear the corridors echo with

The sounds of children, like lambs rushing to

Lush feeding grounds eager to learn, hear and

See rather than watch from a flickering screen.

It feels good to be back at school, for once

dressed up, marching up and down corridors

And staircases, greeting each other, looking at

Real smiling faces. glad to be back at school.

The World in Chaos - A Poem

 

I wonder why they lay towns to waste, like rapacious

Animals tearing into carrion, feeding a hunger that

Won't be satiated! Each one with a claw to split the

Other asunder, with little respect to dignity of life.

They blast rockets and shells into each other's cities

Like shuttlers and tennis players sending volleys into

Each other's courts. But, then, this is not a game of

Tennis or Badminton, it is a game played with blood!

A  ruthless game they play with each other's lives with

Vengeance, like monsters fighting for their pound of flesh.

Alas! Freedom is a much-bandied word made up of half-

Truths and lies, an excuse to slash each other's throats.

I wonder what they  gain by smashing to smithereens

Each other's towns and cities like Saracens on steroids! 

Alas! It is a madness that none might cure, a hunger for

Revenge, letting off tears and blood without a stop.

In the midst of all this destruction, the innocent

Suffer the most, the old, children and women, weak

And helpless, the aged - victims of a crossfire that,

Like an unwanted weed, are cut down mercilessly.

In the midst of all this madness people fight for their

Religion, language and colour like cats and dogs that

Fight tooth and nail, even while politicians goad them

On-to further their own selfish need to stay in their seat!

In the midst of all this chaos, are those that gloat over

The mayhem they have unleashed on innocent people,

Brainwashed by propaganda and misinformation, victims

Of mass hypnosis turned into idiots fed by narcotic sweets.

Where o where has humanity disappeared along with pity

And love, kindness and humility? Like cowards have they

Fled the field, bowing to vengeance, revenge, greed and

Jealousy, scoundrels that are the champions of the day!

As Rationality and common sense flee from the realm of

Sensibility, the gladiators eye each other with hatred like

Blood-thirsty hyenas barely waiting their time to feed. They

Feed on love and kindness turning them into empty words!

At the Surajkund Craft's Fair, 2022

This year when the Surajkund Craft's Fair finally opened after a gap of two years, I was eager to visit it and try my skills at a different kind of photography not limited to wildlife. Besides, however, the vast opportunities for the enthusiastic photographer, the Surajkund Craft's Fair continues to be a place where you can purchase a large number of handicraft items, both from the country and other participating countries from all over the world.

The Surajkund Crat's fair also offers one an opportunity to witness the cultural diversity of different countries through cultural performances, handicraft items, and even eatables! One gets to meet people from different countries and even, perhaps talk about conditions in their countries. I got to talk about the civil strife in South Sudan with a gentleman from that country, and then the current situation in Ukraine with another gentleman from Uzbekistan. The gentleman from Sudan spoke about the problems faced by people in the Darfur region and he stated that things were yet to get back to normal. On the other hand, the gentleman from Uzbekistan talked about how Uzbekistan had broken away from Russia in1990 and that the people of his country were very disturbed by the events taking place in Ukraine.

While it is indeed a joy to enjoy meeting so many people from all over the world at the Crafts Fair, it is also a great opportunity to experiment with styles of photography. Objects on display at the Fair offer opportunities to practice object photography skills. The dance performances that take place at the central stage in the crafts fair are a great attraction. The daredevil dance performances by the African dance troupes are simply amazing and they remind me of my days in Ethiopia where we got to see some of the most energetic dance performances. I have tried to share a few photographs of the same.

Empty Shells-A Poem

 

Empty shells of buildings, once Homes, with

Beating hearts, gape across a debris-strewn wasteland.

A cooked breakfast lies forlorn on plates, half-finished,

Half-empty cups  of tea waiting to be emptied

Evidence of a hasty exodus, people fleeing a pestilence.

Unfortunately, this is not a pandemic of germs and

Viruses but, rather,  something worse. It is the  madness of

Men who strive for dominance over others, of

Selfishness and greed, and hate and exclusion,

Killing innocence hopes and aspirations of the innocent.

An exodus of massive proportions takes place as whole towns are

Laid to waste, empty, blackened windows gaze at uncertain futures.

Gutted cities, smoke-filled skies replace once-thriving cities

That once hosted thriving communities of people, all destroyed

By those seized by a fit of madness!If only it were a bad dream.

Across the horizon, a deadly tempest sweeps across continents,

Like never seen before! Driven by pride, madness and greed,

It strives to feed on pity love, compassion, hope and kindness.

It spares none, lovers, mothers, children, men, old or

Young, no, not even the unborn, ready to arrive!

And slowly, but inexorably a pestilence sweeps across continents

Feeding on apathy, hatred and insensitivity in a world divided.

Those who watch from far away, with grins on their faces,

Waiting to pounce wearing smiles on their greedy faces.

Do they know they will themselves be consumed by the fire?

Empty shells of buildings, once Homes, with beating

Hearts, gape across a debris-strewn wasteland. An unfinished

Breakfast lies forlorn on plates, tea cups half-finished

Of tea waiting to be drunk, signs of a hasty exodus!

And all this while all this time the storm draws closer.

Homes are like shelters for souls and beating hearts,

Repositories of warmth and love, where dreams are nurtured,

Hearths and hopes kindled. But they are destroyed

Without a thought, they become empty shells. The machines

Of war are unleashed to rob humanity of its soul and spirit.

Burnt-out cities, smoking skies, upturned cars on

Debris-strewn streets become a wasteland of hell, symbols

Of human suffering brought about by pride and greed.

Wealthy cities, proud buildings, and gardens laid to seed.

This is a pestilence that spares none, trees, birds or animals!

Alas! Who are we to play the devil's role, unless

We have lost control of our senses? We have

Allowed the pestilence of madness to rob us of

Our ability to love and forgive others, and to be kind.

Unfortunately, those with power have turned into monsters!

And even as the whole world watches mutely at the fate

Of thousand others laid to waste in another place, little do

They know that even they will be sucked into the storm

Of pain, hatred, apathy and grief. Fools close their eyes

When approached by danger like pigeons before a cat.