Photographer in the making?

Friday 4th May, 2012 Krishnappa Garden Bangalore

It was just before 6pm. I left the office and headed out on the main road to get an auto home. As I walked on the road, I turned back to see the brilliant sun just starting to set. A few days ago, I was complaining to my boss how the crazy development in our cities make it hard to actually see the setting sun, much less be able to get it in your frame. Today, I realised that while this is true to a certain extent, the fact is that I’ve just been getting out of the office too late! There it was, this fiery ball of beauty, taking its leave for the day. It would have made such a brilliant bokeh effect. I wanted to kick myself for not having my camera on me.

Anyway, I rushed home as fast as my auto would take me. I wanted to get my camera and try a few experimental shots (using this new technique I’ve been reading up on called free-lensing) before the sun had completely set.

I tried a few shots of these brilliant pink flowers that I’d noticed while I was power-walking back home. And then I found a new subject. This strapping young man who’d been cycling around me for a while. I’ve met him before. His sister and him said ‘bye’ to me this morning as I was leaving for work. He smiles at me whenever he sees me. We can’t communicate very well. He speaks only Kannada and I can manage a fair number of languages but unfortunately not Kannada (note to self: FIX THAT!) I motion to him through sign language that I’d like to take a picture of him. He agrees. I tell him to sit and wow did he work my camera! I think he liked the pictures. We tried a couple of different angles and then I thanked him and told him I’d give him the pictures and said ‘bye’. I stopped on the way back to try a few more shots at free-lensing and he hung around, peering over my shoulders, so I stood up, put my camera strap around his neck, fixed the settings and let him press down on the shutter a couple of times. You should have seen how his face lit up as his picture showed up on the LCD screen. Ladies and gentlemen, I think I might have created a monster :P Perhaps another crazy photographer in the making. Here he is.