I said yes, but I wasn’t sure how to handle it. With school kids, I could just make an extempore talk as they lap up whatever I say and are happy as long as we let them handle cameras. But these were grown up kids with more knowledge and knew their basics, well almost.

My worries lead me to sitting long hours in Oxford Book store (Cha bar, thanks for the endless cups of tea) and read up almost every book available there.

I was still not sure whether to take up an entirely technical presentation or a laymen presentation. And suddenly I had a brainwave and I had a nice presentation in place.

The day dawned nice and bright. Only I was completely shaken and had no courage in me. Reached the location, only to find enthusiastic bunch of kids who wanted to learn and were very interactive.

The lecture turned into a workshop. I was initially alloted only 1/3rd of time I actually took up. But the participants were very energetic till the end and happy to participate in the practice sessions

All in all, a great lecture/workshop. I leave you with couple of pics. Forgive the quality. I might be the only photographer who takes a lecture on photography without a proper camera in hand

P.S: I had made a presentation of example photographs and made the lecture interactive with questions & answers.

Anyways, the winner of the giveaway contest is…. *drum rolls*… Malar!!

Congratulations dear!! A Personalized Calendar is already on its way to you! Enjoy..

Thanks and regards to all who participated!! Keep playing!

P.S: Each participant was alloted a number and Randomizer was used to select a winner.

Notes:
1. This is solely for Indian Folks. I will courier the prize to you given you are in India.
2. Giveaway Closes at 9th Feb, 2011 (00:00 hrs IST). Any comments after that will be considered void. *wicked me*

P.S : This is the first giveaway on this blog and second one by me. Make it special.

Earlier this month,  I got a call from Ashok of the same company asking if I was free that afternoon for a shoot. Actually speaking it was a very short notice as I hadn’t even charged my camera and had no idea where my memory cards were

But Newgen is a place where i would love to click thanks to the brilliant colors found in their canteen/pantry/function space And i accepted.

It was a small event but much lively one.This small one was sleeping all through it

Sleeping Blissfully

Of all the speakers, i found the CFO to be most inspiring. After going through a surgery for throat cancer some ten years back, this man is still active and raring to go. When he started talking controlling his thorax with the other hand, i forgot to shoot and stood there looking at him for a moment.. Brilliant persona!

The Legend

Ashok was the emcee of the day and had accepted his colleagues challenge for arm wrestling. Needless to say, Ashok won

Ashok flexing his muscles.

Many more funny moments later, they called it a wrap with snacks and a group photo.

The Organizing Team

Would love to shoot at Newgen in future too

When Felix  woke up in the morning he was in an exceptionally good mood. He knew something was happening, good or bad he will get to know soon.  He sat beside his bed-side window and looked out. He found the birds chirping about and the fragrance of fresh bloom flowers floated in.

His maid called out for him as she served the coffee and breakfast along with the morning newspapers. He went through the motions of the morning and drank his coffee. Newspapers said nothing new. It was the same who swindled how much and where story. He skipped over to the sports page and caught the story about Chennai Open Tennis Tournament.

He had just finished reading when his maid brought in the mail. He riffled through them and suddenly an odd looking envelope caught hold of his attention. It was a baby pink envelope with silver edges. He recognized it from his college days. She always sent her letters to him in such beautiful envelope. There were never any other envelopes ever. It was always the pink one.

First he had felt shy and questioned her. But over time he just came to accept her and her pink envelopes. But it was years ago. Then why had he received another one of those today. He opened to reveal a note with single line.

Meet me at the park at 5 today

Felix thinking over the message

He thought over it for a long time. He couldn’t make the head or tail. At last he decided go. Ever since they had left college, he had taken over his father’s business and never got around to himself a break. May be this was his calling. He gave himself a days off and called his secretary to cancel all his appointments.

He thought about his happy days with her. She had come to him during a chemistry class and ordered him to teach him everything he knew. She had taken the initiative for everything. The late nights, movies, visit to beaches, deciding the restaurant to eat and even deciding what he would like to eat. He had just followed her like a puppy and did everything she said. Not that he was not assertive. But he was the nerd of the college and no one else bothered to have anything with him.

Instead of waiting till 5 pm, he dressed up and left to the park at 3 pm. He thought. “I might as well enjoy the park and wait for her”.

Felix takes time to stop and smell a flower

He took his time to go around the park and look at the various plant arrangements. He stopped to smell the flowers. He felt different. Much different than the workaholic Felix. All these years, he had been either at his room or at his cabin at the office. He had avoided any kind of contact with the outer world and occupied himself with his books. He even “missed” his sister’s marriage.

Enjoying the grass and the sky above

He laid down himself on the grass and thought about her again. He stared into the sky while he thought about the final day of the college. She had asked him to meet at the exact park at 5. She picked out his mobile and deleted all her texts and data. She deleted her number of the mobile. She gave a clear message of never to contact him again and left him standing there. He had not tried to follow. As always he followed whatever she said.

And today he had done the same, he had come to the park and was waiting for her. He checked his watch and the time read some where between 4 and 4 30 pm. He went and sat by their usual meeting spot.

Felix waiting happily

He looked around him and saw old couples walking briskly. They were talking brightly and seemed happy about something. He saw couple of young lovers lost within themselves. A bunch of unruly kids ran past him, obviously playing some game that was in rage. He was wondering how people can be so happy by being with others.

The only time he had been happy was when he was with her and when she ordered him around. He couldn’t see the old men being ordered by their women. Same applied to the young lovers. He checked the watch again it was 30 mins past 5 and still there was no sign of her.  He went and sat by the stairs.

Felix on the steps waiting for her

It was the same place where she had deleted her number from his mobile. He had tried to check for her in social networks like Facebook and Twitter, in vain. It was 7 pm and still there was no sign of her. It was not like her.  She was one of the few people on earth who was still punctual.  Sighing to himself, Felix left to home.

At home, he started searching for the envelope to look for any other clue on it. He couldn’t find it and asked his maid about it.

She replied, “Oh I put it back on your old letters folder. I was cleaning it today morning and it accidentally ended up with today’s mail. I noticed it only after you left and put it back in the folder. ”

All Felix could do was smile. She had did it again. Even though she was not with him anymore, she did it again. She had ordered him again. Ordered him to get out and get on with his life.

————————————————–

I was standing on the edge trying to get some rain shots. The sudden rain had irked the kids playing at the play area and they were getting frisky with time. One particular kid was bawling his heart out as if his parents had purposefully made the clouds rain over his perfect weekend.

The Rat, i am, i started clicking pics. And lo behold! the rains stopped. Not the one from the sky up above, silly! The rains from the kids eyes. He promptly wiped off his tears and gave me, err my camera, a big bright smile.

Moments before the Tears stopped and Smile came back on!

Not that this was a new experience to me. I have always found folks to brighten up or drop their weary expressions when they find a camera in sight. Some, i have found to much chagrin, even bristle up and stand upright with both their arms parallel to their body! Sigh…

At a wedding recently, the Bride was crying after the mangalsutra ceremony. All I had to was point the camera at her. A little prompt from the Groom that the camera was in sight made her smile brightly again

Eyes brimming with Tears and yet Smiling!

Such is the power of a camera!

Chocolate Mount

Welcome one, Welcome all…
Take one, Take all…

Line Up