Spotlight #22 - Lost

It's almost been a year since I took that incredible trip to Ladakh. 

I remember prior to setting off, having butterflies flutter around like a whirlwind in my tummy. It was my first real road trip in ages, and I hadn't prepared myself nearly as much as I wanted to. 

Eventually once I got on the road, time seemed to fly back, and out of nowhere what was supposed to be a 14 day trip seemed like a weekend. 

This picture was taken sometime into the trip - the day after an 18 hour drive day.

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We had spent the night at a tiny little village set in between two extremely nauseating mountains. When we got in, the temperature had dropped perilously close to freezing (it was mid summer, by the way), and the altitude (over 5000m) had started to take it's toll on a couple of us. 

Needless to say, the night turned out to be a restless one - me, with a migraine so painful it felt as if my brain was imploding. 

We were quick to get up and leave the next day, just after sunrise. This picture was taken a kilometer or two outside of the village where after one of the most traumatic nights, the surreal landscape blew us away. 

Spotlight #21 - Down in the Streets

It's been a long time since I've hit the streets with the intention of getting shots. There's a couple of projects I'm working on that are in progress that are very much street related, and I can't wait to start sharing those photos. 

In the meantime, this is a shot i took ages back when i went over to Chandni Chowk around Eid time. 

The streets were in a frenzy with folks celebrating and paradoxically also those who weren't in much of a holiday spirit. These were the folks doing whatever they could to get on with their lives, working day in and day out. 

One of those chaps was this guy, standing over a searing hot barbecue contraption, cooking up sizzling kebabs in an ocean of butter. 

I had done a fair bit of walking already and being that it was the throngs of the Delhi mid-day heat, I was knackered. 

Having met up with some friends, we decided to stop off and grab some grub. 

This was probably the most satisfying meal that had remnants of nostalgia and bliss. Nostalgia because, once again I was reminded about why I love this city so much - raw emotion and energy; depth and personality to every narrow street. Bliss was the unintended emotion response to a meal that hit every pleasure point in my brain and body. 

Check out more of my stuff here - https://www.instagram.com/amansridhar/

Spotlight #20 - Pondicherry

Bringing back Spotlight this week with a stunning shot taking by Rohan during his time in Pondicherry. 

Rohan has been featured on here before. He specializes in landscape shots, and with good reason. Check out his picture below and see what he has to say about it. 

"Pondicherry is one of my favorite places to be in South India. ALong with it’s beautiful french architecture that dates back to 100s of years, it is also home to Rocky Beach and that is what you see in this image. Rocks lined along the coast, lighthouse right behind you, tourists walking, eating and enjoying, locals walking their dogs or running. Diversity is my favorite element at Rocky Beach.  

This shot was taken right before sunset and there was ample light in the sky. I wanted the waves to look dynamic in the pictures and went for a nice long exposure at a low aperture as I had forgotten to pack my ND filter (Stupid, I know). After multiple attempts, this is the shot I captured and I am glad you get to see it here."

Follow Rohan here - https://www.instagram.com/rohanrath/

Spotlight #19 - High in Hampi

Life has taken a bit of a breather these last two weeks. 

I was away travelling through the South for a bit, hoping to rekindle the fire that rock climbing had once sparked. 

I had planned this trip for way too long, and it felt great to finally be on the road. Suddenly, time began to slow down and an air of contentment settled over my life. 

Worry lines began to get erased and I began to feel that flow I once had, but lost. 

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This photo is the perfect symbol for what Hampi is - beautiful sunsets, surreal landscapes, dry terrain and demented humans getting their kicks from climbing rocks. 

I took this my first evening in. I was sleep deprived and my brain was saturated, and despite telling myself I would take it easy that evening and start fresh, I found myself meeting folks and climbing rocks with them that evening. 
 

It was great feeling that adrenaline fueled high that only adventure sports can give you. I ended up taking this picture after sending a route that I had first thought was beyond my capability. 

The timing of the shot with the dude standing on top of the boulder, and the streak of white in the air blend well together. In a way it's the most accurate representation of that first evening.  

Spotlight #18 - Chemistry

This picture is a perfect example of what my last few months journey into the world of photography has brought about for me.

Needless to say, it means a lot. 

This picture is sharp and colourful, but also full of contrast. It was also shot in manual focus with a flash in an extreme low-light situation. 

All of these things are skills I've picked up over the last few months. Ironically, it's also what I swore that I would never do when I first started out in photography. I wanted to be different. I didn't want to be the guy blinding people in the club. I didn't want to use Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to their full extent. I wanted to keep things simple and minimal - nothing more, nothing less. 

Yet, this picture is the exact opposite of all those beliefs. 

Seeing it manifest in this form is extremely pleasing. 

I've been able to embrace technology for what it is and am happy with the results.