2011 Mitsubishi Galloper 3.8 GLS: My Shiny New Horse!

Hi Folks!

Just wanted to post a picture of my new ride.  I am really proud of this new car.  This is the first vehicle the I drove out of the showroom back in February, 2011.  Why do I call it my 'New Horse'?  Well, my old vehicle is a Hyundai Galloper.  While I love my new car and enjoy the comforts and luxuries it affords me, I miss the rough, rugged and beaten up Galloper.  That car has taken me to hell and back...and is still running.  What did I do with it?  Well, my wife is driving it around now!

Check out my strobist style pic...featuring - Moi! after the jump....

A Shout From Seattle - Zack Arias' Conversation With Chase Jarvis

I would like to humbly say that I am proud to have met, gotten to know & assisted (local assistant in Dubai's Gulf Photo Plus 2010) Zack Arias. I met him last year at Gulf Photo Plus 2009.

Zack Arias (of the One Light Workshop fame) is a wonderful person and has an unlimited well of street knowledge of photography. While, I'm sure he doesn't know it all (and who does???), he is one of the best teachers I've encountered in my photographic journey to date. If I would say that I aspire to be him, I would be doing injustice to what he is about. I will then say this, I wish to only emulate his thinking; share his zest for photography; stand out like he does THROUGH his work.

More after the teleport....

Out Of The Shadows....Into The LIGHT!

I have had my blog running for some time now. First on Wordpress (which currently on standby) and then here on blogspot/blogger. I used to think that there wouldn't be anyone interested in my 'happenings' and therefore chose to occasionally post something without announcing or even linking to it from my website. I still haven't placed a link from my site. I guess that will come in due time.

What do I do with a blog anyways???

This year I participated in the Gulf Photo Plus 2009 (GPP) event as an assistant to a Bobbi Lane, who happens to be a world recognized portrait photographer with a teaching experience of over 30 years. Great fun and learning experience. At GPP they have an event called 'Photo Friday' which offers a bunch of near entry level workshops that just about anyone can attend. I decided to attend one called Making the Web Work for You whose panel included the likes of Chase Jarvis, David Hobby & David Nightingale. Great contemporary photographers!

During the workshop I told Chase that I had a blog for some time now and was wondering what to do with it. Well, he basically kicked it into me that I was doing the 'Ostritch head in the sand' thingy (which I now found out isn't true). What he did was demonstrate that I had come to the social networking party and decided to stand in one corner, alone and with my face towards a blank wall!! The laughter of the class left me a little embarrased but i decided not to dwell on this and take from it as much positives as I could. Chase meant well and did force me to re-think my views about my blog postings.

Another few points brought by the panel were about Twitter & keeping my site/blog updated with updates/new postings. A great eye-opener for me.

Another thing noticed was the fact that many of these photographers offer or share their knowledge and experience in photography willingly and (to a certain extent) freely. I had up until quite recently wanted to keep my knowledge of photography as close to me chest as possible. But having watched and learned from these people, I feel that I would like share the little knowledge that I have to anyone who is thirsty for this cup. It will be my way of giving back to both GPP and the photographer/instructors that attend this annual event.

So, with that said, I have now decided to start, in earnest, regular updates to my site. I intend on first posting stuff about me, my life and some of my photography. Later, I will attempt to offer techniques I use in some of my set ups.

What would you like to see on this blog? I welcome your brickbats & roses and hope to learn from them as well. Stay tuned for further updates...

Charles

Finally, A Strike !

Hi Folks!

It started to rain here in the UAE. Many of you might be thinking...WTF? This guy seems like someone who hasn't seen rain before. Well, 'course I have seen rain before, but living in the Emirates, rain in any quantity is a reason to celebrate.

The morning was showing around 38 degrees. I think every one was basically in a foul mood...something to do with the onset of summer, coupled with the general dismal outlook on the global financial front. Come evening, there was the usual honking and screeching brakes on the nearby signal. I decided to take my evening (if 8pm is considered evening) walk.

I was pleasantly surprised by the overcast skies. I think that put a smile on my face. During my first lap around the park, I noticed flashes of light. Lightning?? Naah! A few minutes later.....another one...definitely lighting. At this point the streaks were not visible, but I could see the glows. The frequency and intensity were increasing. 'Let me finish my first lap', I thought to myself....it might go away....as unsettled weather does here in Dubai and Sharjah.

By end of the first round, it was still there. F**k the walk...I'm gonna go storm chasing. Well....not in the true Mid-Western US sense of the word, but more like a 'Hey...A perfect excuse not to finish my walk' sense of the word. So I decided to head back to the house. Pack my gear and head out. By gear, I mean, a tripod and camera. All excited at the thought of capturing my first lightning strike, I rushed out of my apartment only to discover a heavy downpour!

Not one to be deterred by foul weather I decided to go out for a drive in the rain....which as always is fun. Dubai & Sharjah have a well reputed clogged system (you might vaguely call it a drainage system) that allows paper boats and all manner of trash to float around for days. I love the puddles. The 4WD loves it. I mean, you have to only live here for a year to understand our love for water or basically, just wettness. I think it had started raining (heavily) for about 5 minutes now and already the 'little lakes' on or beside the roads were above ankle level.

Drove around a bit and decided to stop behind a local fish market. The rain decided to do the same. Great...now I could setup as originally planned. By now, of course, the streaks were taking on nature's true magnificence. I struggled to find a good composition for my FIRST LIGHTNING SHOT. This was something I had yearned to do for over a couple of years as a photographer, but either never got 'round to doing it and was lucky enough to capture on the sensor. Lightning or thunder storms come rarely in the UAE...much like it's sister - rain!

I setup the tripod and plopped my camera on it. I started clicking. I took several photographs of the scene. But each exposure revealed that I had just either missed the strikes or captured the glow of an internal streak. I was naturally quite disappointed. Decided to keep at it though. The rain was starting her second act.



Then I got one......My first picture of a lightning streak captured by my camera. I mean...not a great shot...but a small little trophy for me.

This next one is much better. It definitely shows a streak all the way down to the ground. This... I call my FIRST STRIKE! Not the best lightning picture I have seen....not even close to being good by my standards...but good enough for my first real attempt.

The weatherman says that it will continue to be unsettled over the next few days. I hope that it does and mother nature will give me a few more chances to dance in the rain and capture some beautifull lightning images.

Please let me know what you think and how I might be able to improve my shots.

Ciao

Charles

Originally posted at blog.charlesverghese.com on 2008-03-26 @ 05:01:41 pm (GMT +4)

On My Own Again....

Guess it was just a matter of time... for me anyway.

At the end of July 2008, I finally quit my job as an Account Director of a small advertising agency in Sharjah, and ventured out into the unknown on my own...Well, not on my own exactly. I do have my wife to thank for. She has been constantly nagging pushing me to strive to higher goals (earning) and aspirations. And let me not forget to mention Mom who has helped out quite a bit in her own subtle (if not misconstrued) way. She who had brought me into this world...she who stood by me when 'others' labled me a "LOSER". Guess that's what moms are there for!

Also want to pen in a few others like the people at Gulf Photo Plus (courtesy of my last boss) who kicked me into the next level of this dream job. I was doing a mediocre job of being a freelance/part-time photographer, when these wonderful folks showed in an e-mail flyer and ..BOY did my world change.

I will now be operating as a (full time) professional photographer. I will need your wishes and support to succeed.

I have been either directly or indirectly been striving to reach this state for over 2 years now. Seems like a weight off of my shoulders only to realise that I am gropping around in the dark....not knowing what lieas ahead. But as my wife puts it...aim high, I aspire to every next level there is or will be in this wonderful roller coaster called LIFE!

Do check out my website which I plan on updating soon. AND do write in or post your comments. I would love to hear from any of you through e-mails or through posts on this blog.

2008-08-27
11:17:04 pm