Moments in time...

Photographs are a visual treat of stances, of times, of moments that may never be seen again or may not happen again. They are beautiful memories in time that takes us back to those moments, places or sounds which we may or may not ever go back to. They remind us of the journeys, of the bondings shared through the moments, of the histories of places visited, of the serenity of moments captured, of the excitement on seeing, experiencing and capturing something captivating, and of the emotions shared.

I had spent nearly a decade in a place where I used to wake up to the call of peacocks. I could see peacocks dancing on the terrace of an apartment opposite to me, I would watch them fly from one tree to another. So when I went to Tal Chappar Sanctuary, I wasn't looking to click a peacock but other animals and birds for which it is famous. However, this beautiful bird and its surroundings had me enamoured on the spot and I couldn't let that moment go by without being captured.

I still miss the sounds and sights of the peacocks....

I never had or have confidence in myself as a photographer and I never go by the book. I just love clicking things that I perceive as beautiful. This Rufous-necked Hornbill was clicked at Latpanchar, a small hamlet and a bird watcher's paradise located on the fringes of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary in Darjeeling District. This rufous-neck hornbill is an endangered species which have given this hamlet a distinct identity and they have been taking steps for its conservation. We were guided when and where to look for the bird by a young, ever-smiling local resident, Parag Gurung, who himself is a good photographer. He is often seen observing birds and making notes of their behaviours at Latpanchar and also acts as a guide to bird watchers.

I intend to go back there again and click more..

Even though you are not an early riser, you get up before sunrise and run to the beach to click the wonderful yet cliched sunrise from the ocean horizon, for a beautiful frame. In doing this, if you also get to click the unexpected yet surreal pictures of a white crane pair dancing to their own tunes at sunrise, you know your lost sleep was worth every bit of it.

Don't you feel the time has stopped for them?

Sometimes I wonder whether I have amnesia when I find I can't remember the places I visited and clicked. This is one such picture, I couldn't remember. I couldn't remember the name of the beach and so I 'google lensed' it. And what I found was an African beach amongst many other beaches.

Oh! The similarity of humans and nature throughout the world no matter where they are or how far they are.

This beach, however, is Bheemili beach in Vishakhapatnam district.

When you are working on a half-day Saturday and then finally say 'Hello' to the weekend with a tea break with your friend at your favourite joint amidst nature, and the squirrel, the Brahmini Starling and the yellow-breasted Sunbird comes to chat with you and your friend - How can you not save that moment to re-live it again!

As it is said, 'Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.' - the same photograph may be beautiful for the photographer but may not be so to the other person seeing it.

Every photograph has a story that talks about the photographer and the photographed; it makes us remember the little things that we may otherwise have forgotten or locked up somewhere in our subconscious.

HAPPY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY DAY!

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What do photographs mean for you? I would love to know. Please share some of your stories with your clicks..