Multi-tasking doesn't work for me all the time. This weekend I went to Surajkund with few other folks, actually two of them. First one 'One unknown face, unknown name' who happened to be a flickr contact and eventually ended up making me wait for almost 32 minutes on the road, telling me will-be-there-in-10-minutes. So much so that after exactly waiting for 32 minutes, I suddenly started the engine and off I went, without intimating him. Sounds mean? Well okay, if you think it is not mean to make someone wait on the roads for 32 minutes, then I am mean and I would always be so. Not to forget the blasting he got from me for making me wait for so long. I would never do that again - agree to pick someone I don't know. Once bitten and twice shy. I value time. Leaving the punctuality bit aside, he has a pretty impressive portfolio when it comes to photography specially on portraits and a decent person to talk to. (Apologies mister..am not as bad as I sound!)
The second one - 'known to me for a few months, seen pictures of him, spoken to him on phone but never met' - was thankfully on time at the place we mutually decided and on second thoughts 'one definitely interesting company to be with' who would crib about not having big lenses, of not giving space to click pictures, and actually blaming you for stealing his frames !!! I hope he doesn't get offended if he gets to know the description of him that I just gave...which am sure he would but that's okay. He is a friend now. Knows how I am. And has already tagged me as being overtly critical. So I can get away with that.
So that now brings me to 'Surajkund' - This mela had been on my mind for last 4-5 years, first 3 years just for funsake to go and check out stuff and then the last year for clicking pictures. This time there was no turning back. I had to go even if it meant going alone. I actually was ready to go alone but for the two dear friends above who decided to give me company at the nTH hour.
It took us almost 2 hours to reach the place...reason? None of us knew the way. Thanks to the directions given by someone who is NOT from Delhi, we managed to reach. Pretty crowded place it is but all but colorful. Oh man, it is just so very colorful from people to stalls to food to fabrics to lights to crafts to cultural show - all COLORFUL. Guess we indulged in photography for almost 4-5 hours...observing, imagining a frame in mind and then SHOOT. Ate Raam Ladoo and Jalebi and met up with 'Shash' there who was so helpful and considerate when it came to giving you space to click picture, lending you lens when you needed one and getting you jalebi when you wre on fire coz of the spicy chutney of ram ladoo. He is a great photographer and someone I really admire for his recent works...one of which is currently on display in an exhibition in Washington.
Click-click - am coming to that...I am okay with what I have got in some of the frames though I could have done much better with some more patience and intelligence at each shoot/click. A lot of my pictures are blurred. Some were random clicks without realizing what the settings were and then the fact that it was bright daylight, giving us not much option but to click on high shutter speed and lessened ISO. I realize there is so bloody much to learn and I feel very good when people critique my pictures. It adds to your learnings - i wish I was technically sound..what the heck, I could have if I had tried spending some time reading and asking people. I hope to increase my level of intelligence soon - its not always click and learn...when you have chance to click a good picture and what you get is a bad one because of lack of intelligence, you are god damn F*****! We hate it, don't we?
So much for photography today...you can see my indulgence - and if that ain't enough, am gonna post some pictures here on this stream...right after this post.
Until then...I remain...editing-ly yours...Mon, the photographer for few days until am exhuasted of my kitty of colorful surajkund pictures. If I get colorblinded, I have friends to take care. ;-) and I hope they hear this!
