Shreyas Patil Photography

Pune - GanpatiPule - Pune

2011-06-06T16:24:00.000+05:30

This was a long time pending trip.The moment I heard the news that I am getting my thunderbird, the first trip I planned with my wife was to Ganpatipule.

So it started on the morning of 4th June. Around 6.00 A.M when the alarm rang, we both were up with some elevated level of excitement. The journey and the destination awaited us. All was packed and we were on the road by 7.30 A.M. and were on the road towards GanpatiPule.

We had chosen the Pune - Bhor - Varandha - Mahad - Chiplun - HanthKhamba - Ganpatipule route while starting. First reason for this route was that, i had never travelled on that route before and I had used Tamhini multiple times before. So in the expectation of finding something different we set towards Khed - Shivapur. Within no time we reached Khed-Shivapur, where we needed to leave the Pune - Bangalore highway and head towards Bhor. The road was single lane and a typical village side road. But there is something about the thunderbird and the tar, its more fun on the tar than the concrete. So it was good. All the time, it was raining timidly with some quick pouring showers.All in all, the road till bhor was a good ride. On reaching Bhor, we started towards Varandha Ghat, with the excitement levels increased. The road was getting better and so was the climate. Combine this with the sweet thump of the bird.

The climb up Varandha Ghat was an awesome expereience. Riding into the clouds, cold wind everywhere, the rain was not too less or too much. Every shower brought with it a new fresh layer of mist. The visibility was as less as 6-7 meters. Infact there was this one time, when I saw a state transport bus only due to its headlights. We stopped in the Varandha Ghat to have a sip of tea and bhajji ( Pakoda ).

With this awesome experience of driving in the clouds, we continued ahead towards Mahad. As soon as the varandha ghat was over, the interestingness factor went down exponentially. Firstly because there was no rain and secondly the road was flat. Soon we joined NH17 and were heading towards HathKhamba.

On the way, we saw a diversion towards GanpatiPule and we decided to take it. This was again unexplored territory. The road was in a complete off-road state and a steep climb. It was a new experience for the bird, me and my wife. She was worried as the road was no wider than a couple of meters and completely deserted in the forest. She saw a few monkeys and was worried, but i was totally enjoying the ride. Soon we emerged on top of a mountain flat and then the road went straight towards Ganpatipule.

We had the darshan and checked into our hotel. This was the end of the first day of ride.

Day 1 : Total KM = 360 KM, Total Drive time = 8 hours.

Day 2

The next day started with some nice breakfast. Once done, we were back onto the bull starting back. This time we decided to take a different route. This time it was GanpatiPule - Hathkhamba - Pali - Malkapur - Karad - Satara - Pune

This route was chosen, so that we can ride into the Amba ghat. As expected the ride was simply awesome. Nice wide tar roads, trees making a cave out of which the light beamed through creating an interesting effect. The fresh rains added to the magic. Climbing Amba ghat was again an awesome experience. We could not help but stop where the clouds had decended. We stopped in the clouds for quite some time. What can be more romantic than standing in the clouds with the love of your life ( Am talking about my wife here and not my bike :P ) Starting on, it was pretty much an awesome ride, riding through villages, on top of mountain flat lands, cruising all along on the bird.

We reached Karad and joined the Pune-Bangalore highway again. From here on it was a slow, relaxing ride back home. Once reached home, some tea and some rest. Then a good hour and a half wash to the bird. The chrome had started shining again. This was the real logical end of the drive.

Day 2 : Total KM = 340 KM, Driving time = 6 hours

Total KM = 700 KM , Driving Time : 14 hours.

First Thunderbird flight outside town

2011-05-27T21:26:00.002+05:30

Pune - Satara - Pune (300 KM/6 Hours)

Participants : 1 Bird, 2 riders

Trip recipe :

Afternoon drive sun tan - Check

Super Heat - Check

Road side wada pav - Check

Super smooth drive + Gliding up the ghats - Check

1 Marriage with awesome food - Check

Instant climate change - Check

Blinding rain + ALL clothing items completely soaked - Check

Again : Super smooth drive + Super Wet weather control - Check

2 Fallen trees - Check

Live landslide - Check

Live accident - Check

1 stupid move, almost a slip and fall - Check

Warm evening sun - Check

Dry clothes till reaching home - Check

Quick bird cleanup - Check

Planned next trip already - Check :)

Almost forgot ... Sweet thump music all along :)

A quite evening

2011-05-07T21:07:00.001+05:30

A quite evening, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

This was the very last good photo that i shot with my Iphone ( Before it was stolen :( )

This place, Malhar Machi, was a total surprise to all of us. Although we had an idea about this place, it was much more than we thought. It is one place where the first thing you feel is, i am coming back here with that special person for sure :)

Anyways, this is a totally untouched picture, straight out of my "stolen" iphone.

My Ride

2010-06-01T00:24:00.001+05:30

My Ride, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

Posting after a long time. Am in no mood to ride these days, the people at the service center have screwed up my bike royally, need to drop it off tomorrow for some long repairs :(

Before departing thought of taking a nice night ride which cheered up my spirits and inspired this shot.

This is taken with a DIY beauty dish in front and a bare flash from back.

A painful upgrade :(

2010-02-21T20:47:00.001+05:30

Nikon D40, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

Finally i painfully had to upgrade to a D90. This D40 in the picture has been my companion for two years now, my first DSLR, and believe me when i say this that, this will be with me forever. I had put it for sale, and also received interested people offers, but that is when i realized that letting this one go, will be like selling memories. Its strange how few things become so close to your heart, that too an electronic item :)

Million Dollar Smile

2010-02-07T19:40:00.001+05:30

Million Dollar Smile, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

When was the last time I smiled so whole heartedly .. i dont remember. But a lens was enough for this person, wearing a colorful cap and an even colorful smile to be the star of the moment. It was the moment of red carpet for him, when I was shooting him in a group which treated him like a nobody.
For once, this person was noticed by the people around him, he was special, and that was reason enough for him to live his moment. It actually feels good to make somebody feel special. I think i will do it more often, but that is what I am thinking right now. Lets see where I end at :)

Why do I ride ?

2010-01-26T16:24:00.005+05:30

Its dusty, its hot, its greasy ... but even then, why do I ride?

Most of us complain about back aches after a long ride, how tiring it was, how much more comfortable a car is compared to a bike, but then again, there are few mavericks, who no matter what, cannot imagine themselves driving a car instead of their bike.

A Long Ride Ahead, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

Everytime I sit on my bike, a fresh dose of adrenaline kicks in. I am all set to cruise the road once again. Feel the freedom, the power.

I suppose its all with the fact that you control all that power with the wrist of your hand. You are free for once in your daily schedule to control the raw power, the miniature blasts within the engine and the pace of your life. I suppose these are reason enough for me to keep riding the rest of my life.

I love my bike, I love riding and I love the freedom.

P.S The person in the photo is not me but a friend of mine :)

Two Worlds

2010-01-23T20:25:00.001+05:30

Two Worlds, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

I think most of you will agree that we have two kinds of things. There are ones which need to be experienced and then there are some that are only to seen and enjoyed.

As per my understanding, a sunset needs to be experienced, the shades, the tint everything. Its more of a moment than a sight, whereas a building ... its more of sight and less of a moment.

Why is it then that we spend most of our times experiencing a building than watching it. Why is it that for the past 2 years I sit in one of these building in the background but have never experienced this beautiful sunset until today. Maybe its time that I redefine the course of my life.

Maybe its time I switch my workplace to a landscape. Just Maybe .....

Nighoj - A Thrill(Chill)ing Ride

2010-01-16T21:58:00.002+05:30

The day had not started with the sun still sleeping, and there I was riding my bike, freezing in the morning fog and dew. I started at 5.15 A.M from Pune towards my destination Nighoj. A small village around 100 kms from Pune. I had heard a lot about this place and seen some beautiful pictures of the largest potholes in Asia found here, wanted to experience them first hand.

The first thought that crossed my mind when on the road was, "Its Freezing out here, why did I choose travelling on a bike", but then my hands worked even harder on the accelerator, and I felt the cold a bit more. Around 5.45 A.M I took my first pit stop, in middle of no where, just to take a leak. I dont remember the last time I did this, but there is a tremendous sense of freedom in this, unlike the red led staring back at you in the office.

Starting back, I really felt my fingers and toes going numb with cold so I had to take my second chaI break around 50 km from my destination. I had a life saver with me, Parle G which I had with a hot cup of tea. Again, nothing can match a TaprI Chai, no exquiste tea/coffe. Was on my bike in no time, this time only to stop to take a few pictures on the way, but no brief stops.

I took a left turn at Shirur, from where Nighoj is some 20 odd kms. The initial 5 kms on this road were quite a ride, zip zap zoom zang ... literally. And yes, did I mention the temperature feel even more and I literally forze on my bike for the very first time in my life. Reaching Nighoj, the first thing to do was to have a couple of cups of tea just to feel all my body parts. Another reason for this stop was interacting with the locals, they are the best source of information. Had a simple chat with the tea vendor, took directions and then set for the actual destination, which was 3 kms from there.

Reaching the location, the first thing that caught my sight, was a simple white temple. It's a very small temple, with nothing extravagent of the goddess Malaganga Mata. She is another version of Ganga, residing in the the jata's (hair) of Lord Shanker. She was sent in place of ParvatI(who had already taken 9 avatars and had killed many deamons on earth). Malaganga Mata avatar, along with her seven sisters was taken for destroying the deamon named Dhumraksha.After a hugh victorious battle, Malaganga and her seven sisters stayed in Nighoj where she resides even now. The villagers here get to see a miracle every year when a Ghagar (a water retaining container) comes out of a well on a fixed date every year, post which there is a procession for one day and the villagers put back the ghagar back in the well, only to see it next year. Yes, India is a magical land :)

I checked out the temple briefly and then I was walking on the banks of the george, to get the first glimpses of the sight I had travelled for. Its a marvellous sight, the pictures will not lie. You can keep watching this water swirl and flow for hours. Technically, the small pebbels in the water hit the bottom of the george and eventually over time, corrode it in a circular fashion. Historically, this place was created by Malaganga Mata and was used as a Kund ( generally a place to take a bath ).

I took pictures of this place for some time, but only to my bad luck, the day stayed cloudly and the light was not good to shoot pictures. Managed only some good ones :(. As I was all set to leave, I saw the priest of the temple sitting on the banks, looking at the water. Again, locals are the best source of information and who better than the temple preist himself. I sat beside him and had a good hour long chat with him. We discussed everything, the history and importance of the place, road conditions, educated but unemployed relatives, caste system, illegal things going on in the village and Alka Kubal ( A famous marathI film actor) who has played the part of Malaganga Mata in a recent marathI movie. I took leave of Babasaheb Gatak(the priest), and my next destination was the temple inside the village. Again picked up a local on the way to show me the way. It was interesting to know that Nighoj has an even distribution of Hindu's and Muslims as we crossed a Mashid on the way to the temple. Once I was done with my prayers, only one thing was in my mind "I am really hungry now". It was already 10 A.M. by then.

I choose not to eat in the village instead cover some ground before my pitstop. I started my return journey and reached Shirur, reaching a lot earlier this time, coz the sun was up :). At Shirur, took a brief stop to have something to eat and what better than Misal Pav :). Once done, I was back on my bike doing around 70 kmph average and reached Shikrapur much early this time. Here I took another road this time, heading to Chakan as that is much closer to PimprI Chinchwad. On reaching Chakan, getting home was much like a victory lap for a trip well done, in which I froze for the first time :). Was back in my bed around 12.30.

Anybody who doesnt mind travelling 200 kms for watching this beautiful spectacle, this will be a good ride.

Balancing flash with natural light

2010-01-09T16:12:00.001+05:30

Yashica, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

For this shot, the metering was done in the aperture priority mode on the background @ 3.2 for the bokeh. Later the flash was placed on the right considering 3.2 to be 2 steps underexposed.

Sculpture Sabotage

2009-11-29T15:37:00.001+05:30

Sculpture Sabotage, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

The light is from a vivitar bounced from the top of the sculpture. Also there is some ambient light in the top giving that golden tint.

Its a pity that there is total neglect of such nice sculptures at the Bhuleshwar temple.

Nandi@Bhuleshwar

2009-11-29T12:07:00.001+05:30

Nandi@Bhuleshwar, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

This is the nandi in the Bhuleshwar temple. Have made use of a tripod and a Vivitar here, to get the details of the window as well as the Nandi.

Vivtar placed at right bottom of frame pointing towards the eye of the Nandi @ 1/16 power.

No PP except for some crop for framing.

Corridor@Bhuleshwar

2009-11-29T12:04:00.001+05:30

Corridor@Bhuleshwar, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

This is one shot which took lot of effort. Was lying on my belly to get this one. No major techniques involved here, except for manual focusing and the exposure compensation.

Color to BW

2009-11-27T17:50:00.001+05:30

, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

Black and white conversion is really tedious. The tones need to be maintained at the same time keeping the highlights from blowing out at very high contrast.

Neways, this is more of a documentary post.

Image - Mode - Grayscale
Image - Mode - Duotone - Type Quadtone (Bl 541 513 5773 Pantone)

Add adjustment layers as required.

Selling off my IPOD :(

2009-11-23T20:57:00.001+05:30

Ipod Nano, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

2 years now and i am selling it off. Want something more mobile, maybe a walkman. But this is one true friend, providing assistance till the final moments, this time modelling for me :)

Vivitar 285HV in a white umbrella - 1/16th. Used the family of angles principle for achieving the nearly reflection free screen.

Shooting a lens

2009-11-23T17:11:00.001+05:30

Nikon 18-55 mm, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

Initially i thought ... shooting a lens is not that difficult, only to find out that .. indeed it is not. Just that the light positions need to be proper. In no way do i say that my picture is a perfect capture, but then again, why not :)

Ok .. techical things now .. .The basic setup was a black glass and a white wall. There was a flash placed abt 1 foot below and behind the glass pointed towards the wall. There was a blue gel used.

Another flash was inside a white shoot through umbrella ( can be seen in the lens ). The tricky part was placing this, and i intentionally added a reflection in the lens, just to add a bit of drama. This was placed about the same level as the lens to the left of camera.

No PP done, also no cropping done in this one.

Huddle

2009-11-14T16:10:00.001+05:30

Huddle, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

Camera mounted Vivitar 285HV bounced off a silver umbrella behind the setup. This is a handheld shot, giving gr8 freedom for angles. Waiting desperately for the wireless triggers to arrive ... its been 14 days now :(

Sangati | Company

2009-11-12T23:51:00.001+05:30

Sangati | Company, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

The photo is just another macro but with a on camera flash. The vivitar is bounced off a metal ceiling about 4 mtrs (8 in all). The softlight it gives to the pictures is really good. Loved the sharpness that has come out in the picture.

Single flash lighting

2009-11-11T21:27:00.001+05:30

, originally uploaded by MeShreyas.

This is just an example of single, camera mounted flash lighting technique. The flower was placed under a silver reflective umbrella and the flash was fired in the center of the umbrella.

Conquest

2009-11-10T18:47:00.001+05:30

Conquest
Originally uploaded by MeShreyas

Today didn't feel like going to office today so stayed back and its raining :'(. I thought today I will spend most time sleeping and watching movies, but i suppose I did not feel like going to office for a reason. I got time to get acquainted with my new Vivitar 285HV.

And believe me it opened new opportunities for me.

The photograph above is a artificially backlite flower. The vivitar was flashed in a silver umbrella held behind the flower.

I am eagerly waiting for my remote triggers, as that way i get to change the lighting even better.