Yet, once a while I cry
Then fall into a darkness
And I can’t run… as I adore

Now’s a time like that !

Few days back, I was having an intense discussion on the topic with my photographer colleagueco-photographers. 95 out of 100 digital photographers are computer literate and Adobe Photoshop is now hugely accessible. Think about a day when we didn’t have Digital Camera’s. Think about photographs taken by Film SLR’s. Don’t we love a few of them? Yet, Digital Cameras won. Ease of use, composition, review, settings. But man, what a desirefuly and lusty being we are. We want more, so came PHOTO EDITOR SOFTWARE.

Why do I consider ace lensman Raghu Rai a great photographer? whereas how much we try we can not match that quality. Think about the “Bhopal gas tragedy” picture, think about the “Windy” shot, I bet he never used Adobe Photoshop. When I first started with my assignment of “searching a story behind the mundane things” (refer to my photoblog www.captivatedstories.wordpress.com) even I tried my hands out with Picasa 3.0 for one or two shots. Quite honestly even that is POST PROCESSING. But then I gave up, somewhere the “want to be photographer” in me declared a serious revolt against my judgement and aesthetics.

What is photography? – To me, showing others what you see, through your viewpoint. The original beauty and truth of nature, things or whatever is in front of your eyes.

So isn’t it quite natural ? if you edit photos?? to make them look better? –

Well to this question I have no clue. But I have my own set of values and aesthetics. Let me explain – Suppose you have a view of 5 sunflowers in a row. The frame is however not so awesome. If you are a morally good person, would you break one tweag? so as the frame consist of 4 sunflowers with the 5th one laying it’s head down?? – awesome frame. Ask 100 photographers, I bet nobody would and if you are ready with it…you don’t love photography either. My aim is to explain that it’s for the same aesthetics and values of conserving the nature, that I want to show what is in it’s originality, just with an added touch of different angle and my views.

Oh! so don’t I play with aperture settings, lenses, filters? Yes i do. So isn’t that processing too??

Exactly that is.., but that is pre-processing. Whatever you do after you get the image out of your camera, than just developing the RAW file.. I consider that as post processing. Once the shutter is released you should be done. You are already getting so many chances when you have a digital camera. If you already have a visualisation, I bet through the correct aperture settings, lense and filters, the final output will be satisfactory. If it’s not, try another shot. You don’t need a film. And if you think to get the perfect picture you need to edit a part…then I am sorry, you have got no visualisation, and this process is not helping you either to achieve that. Instead you will always start thinking, whatever you shoot – you have a photo editor to crop, tweak and brush up.

So is photo editing and post processing bad? Well, I am not someone to judge it. Obviously it is an art after all. But that makes you a good designer than a photographer.

According to me, we are already having so much choices in doing PRE PROCESSING. Why do we need more? if we really have the visualisation. If we want to be good photographers, it should be whatever we achieve after we press the shutter release of our cameras.

I have seen edited images with increased hue, saturation, colors. Which I guess is no way what we see in reality. Where’s the challenge in photography then??

Bottomline, if you are “break-the-tweag” type, there’s no challenge in pressing the shutter release button anymore.

We, bengalis do have a lot of patience. We waited for 32 years. I guess we have to wait another 32 for some result. Leaving all those past stunts of Nandigram an Singur, I take my views towards August 22, 2009. The inauguration of Kolkata Metro Garia line.

A huge Pandal was built up in the middle of the road, blocking traffic at one of the most important juncture of South Kolkata – Tollygunge. Well the common question was – if they don’t give license to Puja Pandals, how can they give it for Metro? No, Mamta Banerjee did not have so much time to listen to common mans wearies. The daily passengers had to be stranded on road from previous few days, had to leave the bus and opt a walking route, had to spend forty minutes to cross the juncture. Well so came August 22, 2009

If political stunt can be heightened, it can be done by film stars, actors and actresses; at least that’s what Mamta Banerjee believes in. Cheap way of publicity. I don’t even know half the actors and actresses present and were happy to be on the stage of such a historical event (bull shit, I felt like crying when I watched the actress on TV. She always travels in her car, when did she travel in Metro?). The ones I knew were names like Prasenjit, Ranjit Mullick, I bet they don’t have any assignment or films in hand anymore. It was KMBOLW (Keeping Myself Busy On A Lazy Weekend) type of feeling.

The inaugural run on the Metro Rail’s extended route from Tollygunj to Garia Bazar was crumpled by chaos with the programme totally out of control of the Railway authorities.

Boarding on the inaugural train was restricted to invitees, railway officials and the media but a large number of people, claiming to be Trinamool Congress supporters, entered the compartments wit accompanied slogans for Mamta Banerjee (Long Live Mamta Banerjee).

To worsen the matter worst and to prove Mamta Banerjees level of IQ, here are some station names she announced on the day

Tolly gunge to be renamed as Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (okay, it could have been Uttam Kumar Point, station, halt, anything..but Mahanayak Uttam Kumar?? the name of a rail station?)
Others are as follows -
Kavi Nazrul (Formerly: Garia Bazar)
Geetanjali (Formerly: Naktala)
Masterda Surya Sen (Formerly: Bansdroni)
Netaji (Formerly: Kundghat)
Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Formerly: Tollygunge)
Maidan (Proposed name: Gostho Pal)

Tit for Tat, I guess. Calcutta to Kolkata, Calcutta Police to Kolkata Police…so why not?? Just remember the next time you book a ticket at Metro station please do say -

“Dada duto Netaji ar ekta Uttam Kumar return deben” (literally meaning – I want 2 Netaji and 1 Uttam Kumar return) !!

Sickening. Hillarious. No…. just Frustrating

Anyway, just for a quick one -

I finally decided on getting a set of filters by this year end for my SLR
Updated my photo blog Captivated Stories
And two more trips on the list wow, that’s pretty energizing

Till then. Happy me. Happy you.

And my nominations are for:

Bang bang she shot me down – Uma Thurman for Kill Bill

Uma Thurman

Kate Beckinsale for Underworld

Kate Beckinsale

And Finally, Milla Jovovich for Resident Evil

Milla Jovovich

Disrespect to National Anthem

The next picture shows so called ‘spiritual leader’ and self proclaimed ‘GOD’ Mataji Nirmala Devi (self proclaimed, how hilarious!!) sitting with her husband (past IAS officer and chief of the SCI) with the national flag at her feet.

Disrespect to the National flag

It happens only in India. Shouldn’t they be killed, punished or at least jailed ??

In front of Globsyn, sector V, Salt lake, the concrete overhead shade crashed… it was worse than bad for there was a person beneath it. He would survive probably but with injuries.

Line of uprooted trees at Sector V, Salt Lake

Near my house a huge tree fell over the high tension lines, to disrupt the current supply, maybe for the next 24 hours.

Kolkata Police needs a round of applause, for not only being highly alert, but also taking the pain of clearing roads along with residents in different parts of the city. They also messaged warnings through mobile network operators to everyone of the city.

Webel Electronic Complex - Effects of Aila

A standing ovation goes for Soumyadeep, my colleague who proved that, no Aila can come between him and his wife. Such a strange emotion love is. Soumya’s wife works near Kalyani. While returning home, her bus was stuck near Jaguli, due to uprooted trees blocking the road. Aila was roaring since then. At 6 PM, Soumya delivered the required software and went towards home, his eyes wet from unstoppable emotions arising from tension about his wife. Keeping his bags and belongings at home, Soumya set out for Jaguli. Getting a bus or other conveyance was not easy on such a day of calamity. He changed three buses to reach Barasat. Amidst of the twister, he managed to get atop a matador. Wet, drenched and dripping he reached near Jaguli, took a walk of about 7 kms to find his wife stranded in the bus. The clock was striking 2 AM on the 26th of May, 2009. He brought his love back home by morning and yet did not miss his office.

We are proud to work with a HERO.

However, on 26th some natives of Kolkata started blocking roads, parts of JodhpurPark, Behala, Manicktola and near Ruby Hospital were blocked on demands of Water supply and Power supply which were disrupted due to Aila. It so happened that every office going human beings were affected by this blockage. Stranded once again they tried to reach home in vain. Personally I feel those who blocked roads additionally after Aila did the harms are nothing but irresponsible fools. They are lucky enough that Aila struck only on power supply lines and water supply pipes, it could have been worse.

Election Day Line

Well, India shining? Will that be a dream forever? How can India shine if we as the residents of India don’t change our mentalities?

5 minutes later a young lady of 22 (maybe 23) came along (whom my mom named “cigarette” because of her really skinny jeans clad legs) and got into the line (it seems she was busy catching a nap, while her parents were in the line… such lovely thing the parents are, they love their stupid kid so much)

The aged ones should get a preference to cast vote early, but alas, there’s no way to check who’s old or sick, the most responsible middle aged, strong, sturdy uncles of my para, suddenly turns out to be old and sick on the day of Election. Our club secretary (aged 60 something) can manage to play football with younger ones at the football ground, but on a day like today manage to get the preference courtesy his white hair. Well the Election Commission of India should have a separate system for people above 65. A privileged vote casting system or something like that. But that’s just my opinion, I am sure they have much stupid things to do than hear my blabbering.

I am Not Sleeping

The observation of the day – “This is the reason India is not shining”. Old ones, the pillars of our foundation are too shaky. They don’t know to handle kids, they don’t know to teach or lead younger ones and they are the one who raise a complaint first.

At least, at last I got to sign the paper, press the button and cast my vote. It took some one and a half hours because the count of 15 persons suddenly aroused to a count of 50 in front me. Thanks to all relatives, dadas, didis, gully mastans, bhaabis, and neighborhood crushes for making this possible, for being so socially responsible to persons around them, keeping lines or whatever!

First one, Rahul Gandhi, tries out defining his ability to work with common farmers… well the picture describes the difference.

Rahul Gandhis' political stunt

Second one, Karunanidhi’s photo during his fast. Here are some important notes:

1) The fast lasted for 4 hours

2) The fast started after Breakfast and ended before Lunch

3) The fast was staged in front two AC machines and on a comfortable mattress, not to mention behind the black sunglasses and away from sun.

Karunanidhis' hilarious fast

Now I am in utter confusion, It looks like if I vote, there are two candidates for our area, 1) Rabin Dev (CPIM) 2) Mamta Banerjee (TMC)

If I vote Mamta, well chances are we can lose more industries and business up growth and if I don’t, I have to cast vote to Rabin Dev. Ultimately who is going to be our prime minister. Mayawati??

Can I exercise “49-O”?

According to Indian constitution, as per the 1969 act, section “49-O” A person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he/she doesn’t want to vote anyone!