ramya's photo journal

Author: ramya

Linger

I was driving back home the other day and made a quick stop to capture the colors of a rain water puddle and take in the fragrance of the rain washed air. Along comes a little boy and floats his paperboat and runs back into his house at a nearby construction site.He squeals in excitement when he sees me taking a picture of his boat. We exchange happy smiles and I drive back lingering on how little it takes to open our hearts to the ephemeral beauty and hope that surrounds us only if we could stop a moment, breathe. slow down and listen.

October 12, 2011
This Dream is Real

Galibore, on the banks of Cauvery and in Coonoor, August 2011

I am in love with the Lensbaby ! Talking gear is definitely not among my favorite pastimes, but it does feel amazing not to be walking around with an immaculately engineered heavy duty lens but opt for a completely new way to see my world. And feel it, swimming through abstractions and infinity. I've been playing so much with this baby and doubt if I'll ever tire of how it lets me interact with the world. There's nothing like simplicity. Don't you agree ?

September 12, 2011
These Days of Mine

making the most of my days . . .

. . . even as time eludes me

leaving me behind . . .

. . . more often than not

Some experiments with my Diana and a Fuji Instax back. Baby steps as you can see. It's absolutely refreshing to be getting back to photography where less is more, process is pleasure and the results are mostly surprises life throws back at you. There are some more experiments to be shared though. Soon enough.

August 18, 2011
Scent of the Monsoon

“A cool breeze, grown pleasant through contact with the scent of the earth refreshed by your showers,

which is inhaled by elephants with a pleasing sound at their nostrils, and which is the ripener of wild

figs in the forest, gently fans you who desire to proceed to Devagiri.

There, you, taking the form of a cloud of flowers, should bathe Skanda, who always resides there, with

a shower of flowers, wet with the water of the heavenly Ganges.”

~ Excerpt from Kālidāsa’s Meghadūta , Verse 45. Translated by McComas Taylor.

I find the rain washed colours of nature so enthralling that photographing them is something that I crave for. It’s the whole sensory experience – the monsoon air, the smells of the earth, the textures of glistening rocks, the brightest of greens that surface, forgotten things that come to life and the clean washed feeling that prevails both inside and out.

A quick note about the excerpt above : I was recently skimming through a translation of Meghaduta by Kālidāsa (who is considered to be one of the greatest Sanskrit poets) and absolutely loved how it represents the Indian Monsoon – in it’s hauntingly mythic manifestation. It narrates how Yaksa, one of King Kubera’s (god of wealth) subjects in exile, pleads a passing cloud to carry a message to his wife residing in the Himalayas.

I enjoyed the parts I read and couldn’t resist sharing a piece of it here. Image was photographed in the Bisle Ghats in Hassan, while exploring the luscious rainforests there, and chasing that passing cloud above us :)

July 30, 2011
Finding the Flow

The Nilgiris, November 2010

While I'm on a constant search to fill up on inspiration, I see a positive shift in how I feel about photographing and making images in general. Less inhibited. Less afraid of perceptions and criticism. The need to conform to set moulds is also on a receding path. It has something to do withgrowing up for sure but beyond that, I think it has also to do with making peace (gradually, of course) with both the devils and angels of one's creative life. Not the most fun thing to do particularly for the sorts like me, but I'm learning to like all states right from melancholy to joy. Just let them all be. Come and go. Let the negativity and fear hit-and-whizz past without too many questions or confrontations, so there's less chance of setting off new chains of unwelcome reactions. Become also a spectator and not just the experiencer is basically what I'm trying to say. It is liberating and lets ideas stem from one another and from places you'd never expect – simply because we are letting our playground become more expansive and less aggressive, besides bringing an element of objectivity into the volatile lives of those of us who thrive on creativity. I'm trying. So far so good. I'm in the process of developing some new work and the newly alert spectator cap puts me in a better state of flow while I think and work. I like this state of flow and the uninhibitedness that comes with it. Who knows how long it will last , so I'm going to make the most of it for now and report back if this little theory of mine backfires.

Hope all you people are living your most creative lives! I will be back next week with a little post on my favourite season, the monsoon, which is in full bloom right now this side of the world. Meanwhile, I thought this quote by JK reflects the spirit of Flow so beautifully.

July 20, 2011
A New York Sojourn

"I am not born for one corner, the whole world is my native land."

~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca

~ o ~

I adore New york for so many reasons. The city has always filled my heart with lots of inspiration from its diverse menagerie of people, food and arts. As a traveler, I love the experience of solitude that I have found amidst the bustle and energy of this great city. This year I went back for the same reasons; to immerse myself in some classes I was taking and to just recoup my creative self.

Views of the city on a wet afternoon.

I went just in time when the spring rains were starting to give way to the summer breeze and managed to enjoy a bit of both as I walked my way to almost everywhere I wanted to go….arguably, there is no better way to see New York than using one's trusty feet.

Solitude is everywhere.

Something about New York has the power to force the mind to become a sponge and start doing things. It is the energy I suppose. I felt so free to be working on interesting, hands-on and fun art projects among so many talented people. It helps to work on things that are a little out of our comfort zones. It brings the self in touch with wonderful possibilities and forgotten capabilities.

paint, cut, love

….needless to say the fresh ideas for a new chapters and beginnings.

Union Square farmer's market

Food was my other major preoccupation during my entire visit here. I'd often stop at the Union Square farmers market to gorge on the sights of local cheeses, fruit, bread, preserves and everything else. And to fill up my little pantry at home.

Tia Pol

One can never get enough of the culinary pleasures in New York. Of this fact, I am convinced. Food is as intrinsic to the culture of New York as is the cultural diversity.

Butterlane Cupcakes

Eataly (L) ; Momofuku noodle bar (R)

Looking forward to a hearty meal is one of the greatest anticipations of life and so full of joy. As you can see, food did me a lot of good and kept the heart warm and the creative juices flowing….among other things, culinary adventures were a part of my everyday life and I'm so inspired to keep it that way.

Tomato + Fresh Mozzarella salad. Prepared and made so beautiful by a dear friend.

Chelsea Market(L); The Green Table @ the Chelsea Market

Despite all those hours spent at some of NY's amazing galleries, my camera seemed particularly enthusiastic and sensitive towards food. Sigh. That's how I've ended up with so many photographs of food and more of it. However, I had the chance of making it to some of the very best art shows which I highly recommend if you are visiting NY during this time: Alexander McQueen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kandinsky at the Bahaus at the Guggenheim Museum, Sonia Delaunay at the Cooper Hewitt, Elliot Erwitt at the International Center for Photography to name a few and several other smaller ones drew me in each day and kept my inspiration meter brimming.

Central park (above); Taim, one of my favourite eating joints (below L); Guggenheim Museum detail (below R)

There are so many facets to New York that it is overwhelming and scary to write about it in a single blog post which almost feels like injustice. Since this is about a personal journey, I can say that this photo essay kind of captures in a nutshell, the tiny part of this melting pot of a metropolis I got to experience this time around. I cannot wait for my next trip, and already have activities and plans lined up ! But in the mean time, I am so happy to be back home to where my heart belongs and to my puppies. And yes, I will definitely keep this blog more active and bubbling.

June 28, 2011
Of Harmony and Balance. . .

"I wish that the message of Peace may be experienced through Yoga, which is not only a culture of the body but the evolution of the Self."

~ Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar

Yogic healing is one that touches the real depths and corners. Working it's way into every breathing cell and every aching nerve,Yoga represents the wholeness of the universe by healing, nurturing, protecting and sustaining.

"Yoga believes in transforming the individual before transforming the world."

~ Sri Swami Satchidananda

What you see above are two of my favourite images from a recent photo shoot that I did for a Yoga studio based in Bangalore, and the beautiful model also happens to be my Yoga teacher.

May 6, 2011
Life in the Stillness

"My quest, through the magic of light and shadow, is to isolate, to simplify and to give emphasis to form with the greatest clarity. To indicate the ideal

proportion, to reveal sculptural mass and the dominating spirit is my goal."

~ Ruth Bernhard

Working with still life is really a kind of meditation. Playing in the landscape of light, shadow and the simple forms does something to calm the nerves. Perhaps it is the silent life in the stillness of these things.

April 18, 2011
Sri Lanka : a journey with the monsoon

[issuu width=600 height=410 backgroundColor=%23222222 documentId=110910155445-e4195f45a40348bb888191112636c91f name=srilanka2 username=ramyareddy tag=ramya unit=px v=2]

Hello everyone,

My blog turns one this week and I wanted to share a special post that I have put together over the last few weeks. It’s a sort of a photographic journal from a beautiful trip to Sri Lanka last December. It was the time of north east monsoon there and the island was rich with color. This compilation is also a small tribute to one of my most loved topics – the monsoon and her colors.

I hope you enjoy it (be sure to view it in full screen) and I look forward to posting a lot more this year !

Thank you for all the love and support . . .

~ ramya

April 6, 2011
Along the creative path…

"Creativeness comes into being when there is constant awareness of the ways of the mind, and of the hindrances it has built for itself."

~ J Krishnamurti

Sasseruwa, Srilanka, December 2010

One of the most perplexing aspects in the life of a creative person(I mean this in a broad sense) is having to deal with periods of vacuum and darkness inside the head. Just as we start to think that the uncomfortable lull is at the end of cycle, it somehow resurfaces. Apparently the situation needs some sensitive handling and T-L-C, which I have just about started to figure, mostly by trial and error. There's also some fantastic reading available on the subject which I find immensely useful (I will share the reading list). These are just some thoughts and observations that have roots in the familiar creative cycles that are a big part of my life – open to becoming more rounded, meaningful and deciphered; so your participation is very welcome.

Firstly, why does this 'dip' happen when we are on a roll ? Simply put, I think it is the mind's way of coping with it's own complexities that show up during the task of creating, during which it must also align with the heart, somewhat at the least. And then there's also the quest of having to carve out that unique creative vision. As invigorating as it may seem, ideating can be exhausting and seeing it to its final stage is often a long arduous haul. Like the other organs, the brain/mind has its way of recuperating which first hits a dip before reviving. Maybe it’s a natural mechanism essential to complete a cycle, so we can appreciate the end results truly. But we can look at it this way only if we acknowledge and accept what is, I think. At least, that’s what helps in my case. What that acceptance seems to do is create an airy space in place of the vacuum. Gradually. But definitely. I also like to visualize this as a space filling up with fresh air and all things good. Still. Why does the strange discomfort linger ? Because as creative souls, our way of making sense of the world is by creating constantly. When the results produce insufficient meaning(degree of which is subjective) or sense, we tend to feel this way. Filling up time with lots of other things of interest during this time helps. For example, I like tanking up on my reading, travel, take on photo shoots that are standardish in approach, exercise, editing/cleaning out my archives – a fairly mechanical job that can be accompanied by listening to music and podcasts that I’ve been waiting to pay attention to. And so, my ‘meaning making’ happens when I’m wholly absorbing all these and a sense of preparation for projects ahead also begins to happen. . . When information, ideas and inspiration fill up in place of vacuum – thereby feeding the cycle of creating – a light filled new phase is born. For now, I am learning to like the detachment from creatingand the stress of having to create or photograph something.

Seen another way, these phases(if we embrace them) can help us steer clear of the rather disappointing I-must-create-NOW-no-matter-what facet of this cycle. Creative juices are after all, at their best when they flow from the heart and give into its impulses. Since these cycles have become fairly familiar and there’s some sort of a recurring pattern here, penning it all down and sharing made sense.

Surely, there are several stages and complexities between where all of this starts and ends. Some of which I would like to break down and explore in future posts. Please look for posts tagged as creativity and join in with your thoughts !

February 28, 2011
One monsoon to another

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way — things I had no words for."

~ Georgia O Keeffe

Anuradhapura, Sri lanka, Dec 2010

My obsession with the water lily family has taken on new heights after a recent trip to Sri lanka. From being Buddha's chosen flower to adorning the sacred ponds, the members of this gorgeous flower family are so much a part of this beautiful isle and its culture.
I found these purple water lilies, bejeweled by raindrops, outside a monastery and the vendor happily offered me one of these beauties who quietly journeyed along in a little water bottle until our last day in SL. This particular species also rightly happens to be the emerald isle's national flower. Needless to say, my Sri lankan journey was inspiring and very refreshing. I wanted to post a small series from the pleasantly rain soaked trip but looks like that will have to happen in parts, so please stay tuned. For now, I've picked something that embodies a feeling that has come back with me in my heart.

January 27, 2011
Hopes and Wishes

boats, from the series a Chair's reverie. this collection was a part of a recent exhibit that I was participating in.

Every new beginning is like a beautiful dawn, however hard the task ahead might be. Like the fresh morning air, hope fills the spirit and a sense of positivity pervades. Like the sky takes on and spreads the pristine colors of daybreak, a lucid mind prepares to absorb and extend the myriad fresh possibilities that are waiting to happen. As always, this year has started out on a positive, happy note for me. There's so much to look forward to. So much to give. And take in.

This new beginning, I hope, will bring us all the strength to see our prayers and wishes answered . . . A very, very happy new year to you all !

January 14, 2011