Along the journey called life, we are so caught up in moving along, making sure we make the most of the time we have on this planet that we forget everything else. The people we see on the streets, and smiles on the children’s faces make so much of a difference, a simple Hello or a Hi will change someone’s day. You never know, you could be the reason someone smiles or the reason why someone’s day got better.. So, here is Kumaran sharing images that he says made a difference to his life….

A passion to freeze a moment and hold it for the years to come is an art, an art for a person who wants to see the world in a different perspective and love the beauty of it by making a photograph.

Clicking a picture is easy…and more so in this technology savvy world. But the challenge lies in capturing the moment, emotions and the real expressions in one’s life.  Children have always been the favourite subject for any passionate photographer. They always portrait the true feeling at any situation and bring out that childishness and innocence.

Freedom Behind bars

My first encounter with my favourite subject was at a government school in Chennai on Independence Day. It was my first such experience and i thoroughly enjoyed observing their actions & reactions, but capturing those precious moments on a photograph was quite the challenge. I had to unleash the child within to enjoy the experience.

Smiles galore

No wonder photographers are always fond of children… they are cute, they are fun and they are a challenge!

Holiday, celebrate

If we took a holiday yeah
Took some time to celebrate
Just one day out of life
It would be
It would be so nice
Everybody spread the word
We’re gonna have a celebration
All across the world

To add to this excitment, wouldnt it be amazing if you could have your entire family right here next to you during these special days? Alas, if only that were possible. People are scattered across the globe, some within a few miles while others are across and beyond the oceans. If only there was a way to send them a piece of you, to share your love and joy, make them feel like you are there with them…. Well, Snapfish has made this possible. Yes, you better believe it!

“Distance does not matter”..You can now create personalised gifts and send them to your loved ones within a short period of time… There are offers and codes that you can use when creating these photo books and note books or maybe a calendar which will give you discounts on the final cost. How cool is that?

You can create a calendar for the upcoming 2012 year with photographs of your family, children, and include a few surprises -photographs of your friends and family as well. Imagine waking up every morning to see an image of those who matter to you as you start your day?

Or order a Photo book with photographs of events and special occasions that happened over the last year, sharing the joy with those who couldnt make it or giving them something to look forward to…

Happy Holidays! Spread the holiday spirit around….

Holidays are here

Christmas is a few weeks away

New years comes following on its heels

The Holidays are here….

As we travel through life, there are some who we meet, and some we pass by. At times, there are also those who capture our hearts, for reasons unknown. This adds to the beauty of our lives. Sharada Balasubramanian, a frealance writer shares two such photographs taken during her travels.

1. The boy’s name is Abu Husain. He is 14 years old though he does not look like one. As we got off Erawadi Dargah and stepped into an unchartered destination of Valinokkam, this little boy offered to show us his home town. He took us far to the beach and showed us the difference between a calm sea and a fierce sea. The calm sea, he says is penn (woman) kadal (sea) and the ferocious one is the  aan (man) kadal (ocean). We wanted to give him freebies and all he wanted was a Rs 5 orange stick, which he gladly relished.

2.I met this little boy when I took on the long stretch of dry sand road in Dhanushkodi to watch the land that was submerged and destroyed with the 1964 cyclones. The boy in the picture and his family still live there and sell conch shells and small things to make their living. Though they do not have a great source of earning, they still live there, for they believe its their land, and they have every right to be there, than scooting away after cyclonic storms.

With the holiday season coming up, am sure everyone is looking forward to planning their holidays, either to exotic new destinations, or head back home for some family time! And holidays are also a lovely opportunity to give, and share which includes gifts as well. These days, people are looking for alternative gifts that break the boundaries of traditional art of gifting. People are keen on creating gifts, which adds to the value of the gift and makes them feel nice and cared for.

Snapfish has brought forth some amazing offers for all those who are into photography and would love to create photo books or calendars as gifts. Simply choose the photographs you desire, choose the layout style and place the order! Your gift will land at your doorstep within a few days and you are all set to put it in your suitcase to give to your loved ones.

If you are staring at your computer screen or tired of looking at the zillion websites, it is time for you to visit Snapfish.com, create an account and have some fun with your gift!!

Happy Holidays!

Walking along the streets in our home town or in a place we are vacationing in, the most interesting aspect are the people we come across. They could be people wandering around the streets, or from the tribes that come to set up stalls to sell their ware. Aarti Krishnakumar shares a few photographs of a few fascinating people she has encountered during her travails…

While in Goa, one day i decided to explore Anjuna beach and the cafe there-Curlies.. Walking around the rocks and the rugged shorelines, i saw this tribal woman standing near a makeshift stall. As i made a beeline towards her, she spotted me, stood up smiling and asked if i wanted to buy something… She had a wide collection of tribal pattern bracelets, neck pieces and other such trinkets.. I asked if i could take her photograph for which she retorted- you can take my photo, if you buy one item from here.. Seemed like a good deal and i went ahead capturing her. Her attire, jewellery and stature was fascinating!

This man has me in splits even today. Standing outside the car, staring at the Sadras fort, wondering if the ASI rep was still around or had gone for the day, i noticed this man come up to me asking if i wanted to look around.. He had glitter, an orange colour whistle, and a cheap shades on his eyes. He exclaimed that he was the guard, and that he came from his daughter’s birthday party and would show me around… Umm, understanding something was fishy, i managed to ward him off and make a quick getaway…

Heading off to the Blue hills- Nilgiris, I got the opportunity to cover the Dog Show in Ooty. Amidst pet owners and breeders, there was one breeder who had with him a litter of St. Bernard puppies.. Along with many others, i too went to take a look at the cuties.. One girl managed to convince her dad to buy her one and here she is all smiles..

Everytime i travel, i look forward to meeting people who make the experience that much more beautiful and interesting… Off i go in hope of meeting many more such people….