Thursday, March 27, 2008

Geniuses

There are people whose works can transcend generations and seasons. The other day when I was browsing Monsoon (Coffee Table collections By Steve McCurry)I could literally feel the chill of rain and hear the sound of thunder. I could see myself sitting with my grandma and looking at the coconut trees in rhythmic unison with the muse of monsoon on a spent July month from memory. Steve McCurry is god.

Who won't be transported to the war torn Afghan looking into the green eyes of "Steve's girl". Who can't feel the serenity of Buddhism by looking at his Angkor Wat collection ? Or the pain of desperation in the eye of begging woman from India from his India collections.

For many of us who haven't quite "known" Ansel Adams and his pioneering work, Dykinga is often portrayed as the one who have come closest to the master. I personally would rate Steve up there with Dyk. His photographs are time/space machines - it travels as fast as memories, faster than light. Takes you across space and years. If that is not being "god" I can't see what else can be. Maybe there is a recency bias in my adoration. We are living in his generation. Just like we adore Sachin Tendulkar more than say Gary Sobers.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Phew !!!

Have been crazy month or so. Traveling like crazy, basically living out of suitcase. Covered a few cities that I had not been to before like Jakarta. Unfortunately, my camera is hospitalized still. The doctors (The canon service engineers) are still unable to figure out her disease. Hope she's back with me soon. Feeling kinda depressed without it around. I love just holding her, caressing her curves, keeping the view finder close to the eye, changing over to multi shot mode and keep firing at some random sparrow flying outside of my window.
Me and my girlfriend figured out a new place in Mumbai to shift to. Of course on rental basis since I realized that given my career stage, I cannot afford an own accommodation in Mumbai. But looking at the rental bill we are going to pay Im seriously thinking of shifting out of Mumbai. A rough calculation shows me that if I were to buy this house instead of rent it, I'd have to pay an amount for which I can afford to buy a villa in Bangalore along with my current dream machine Honda CRV. So now for the first time over the past 6-7 years Im thinking of shifting out of Mumbai ! It is really crazy. Recently when I was in Singapore, I met a class mate who is even planning to buy a house there. The amount he is going to pay is almost equal to what I would have to pay if I were to buy a similar apartment in Mumbai as close to office as it is for him !! What was it about PPP and all ?...With Indian rupees being 1/30th of Sing D ?!!!...Sometimes I feel like I should shift to some small company somewhere in Mysore/Hosur (or any such cities in South or even West for that matter - Baroda, Surat, Nashik etc) where even 1/4th of my current salary can give me a lifestyle that is better than this. So should we now speak of Intra country PPP ?!!!!


Reality and fantasy - Business and Photography (A random pic from a meeting room in Jakarta)- Taken with my mobile !