Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The adventures of Superfly - New Year Special

Location: Tea-bar in Darjeeling, West Bengal, Planet Earth - on the late evening of December 31st 2008.

Two figures (a male and female) sit with shoulders hunched on opposite sides of a table overlooking the valley. It is dark, the sun has long disappeared behind the horizon for the final curtain call this year, and the lights from the braziers in the valley below flicker away like drunken fireflies. The air is cold. The wind bracing. But the tea hot and very good. The male humanoid is rather tall and dressed casually in fashionable gear; a pair of loose cut jeans, a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo ‘Ape4ever’, on top of which is a hoody to keep the chill at bay. The female is wearing a black dress, figure hugging, with a low plunge line. She is gorgeous. In fact she is utterly, maddeningly and devastatingly gorgeous and Superfly is in two minds as to whether to ‘let her go’ or make her fall in love with him. She has dark wavy hair and glittering eyes like diamond cutters that not only pierce the night but also seem to pierce time itself. Superfly is momentarily dazzled by these beacons of hope.

Through these beacons she is gazing at him intently. Her name is Sofia. She finds that there is something about him; something she is unable to put her finger on, something decidedly odd. Not odd in a bad sort of way but odd in a good way. For some reason she finds herself drawn to him. It is inexplicable! To her he radiates a combination of excitement and adventure and at the core of it a carefree nonchalance and childish honesty. But there is something else too in this milieu; an other worldliness about him. She wants to get to know him better.

On the other hand Superfly decides that emotional entanglement with an earth girl is not the way to go; especially when he is desperately trying to escape from her world. Besides he couldn't possibly take her away with him and there's no knowing whether she'd even want to go. So he decides to 'let her go'. The tactic is to bore her with conversation so that she moves on to someone more interesting. The conversation is on the subject of ‘Coral Atolls’. He is trying to bore her to death with geology but it doesn't seem to be working:


[Superfly] 'In the Pacific Ocean surrounded by deep blue fathomless depths lie what are known as Coral Atolls. Coral Atolls are little ‘islands’ of coral just below the waters surface that form a shallow light-blue lagoon. The water in the lagoon is at waist height and beyond the wall of coral that surrounds the lagoon the water level drops to tens of thousands of feet into the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. How were coral atolls formed? Huh? Do you know? No? Well let me tell you! This used to be a mystery but no more because it was solved by Charles Darwin in 1836, during his famous 5 year voyage around the Earth in the Beagle. By the way have you heard of Darwin?’

[Sofia] Yes, as a matter of fact I have! His the monkey man isn't he? The one who said we come from monkeys?

[Superfly] (raising a surprised eye brow) 'Well er not quite. What he meant was that we share the same ancestor with the chimps. Anyway, well Darwin in a flash of insight suggested that coral atolls are the tips of now fully submerged submarine mountain tops. What happened was this. In the distant past when the Pacific was not as deep as today the tips of the underwater mountain were able to rise above the water as little islands. When the Pacific sea-bed lowered so did the mountains and as a result the islands gradually descended. Now, coral only grows at a fixed depth a few metres from the surface of the water so as the mountains submerged the coral, to maintain its depth, continued to grow upwards. Voila! Thus cogito we have the coral atolls! The mountains have long vanished below the water but the atolls remain like little rings of shallows in the deep Pacific’

[Sofia] ‘Wow! That is soo cool! So what you’re saying is that the coral used to grow on the tips of the underwater mountains and as the mountains drowned the coral grew upwards to give us these coral islands? That is genuinely fascinating!'

[Superfly] (bemused and now drowning himself) ‘Yes, er that’s exactly right’

It was clear that the strategy to bore Sofia with geology clearly wasn’t working. This was by far the strangest Earth girl he had ever met. And he had met many in the year he'd been stranded on Earth. She seemed to be genuinely interested in what he had to say! Strange that. He thought that perhaps a heavy dose of ‘ecology’ might do the trick:

[Superfly] ‘The organisms that live in the atoll are part of a micro ecosystem. Being thousands of miles away from the nearest Pacific island they are entirely dependent on the fragile environment in which they live. The atolls in affect are a self contained world-within-a-world; supporting many organisms from tropical fish to mollusks to polyps and of course the coral organisms themselves that secrete the coral matter. To the fish, the shallow coral atoll is home and beyond the walls of the coral walls lies a dark and dangerous world; but luckily for them the coral wall surrounding the atoll prevents the entry of large pacific predators like sharks and big fish. However, if the sea level was to rise (say from Global Warming for example) the coral would be unable to grow in sync with the rising waters thus flooding the atoll and submerging it further below the waves’

[Sofia] ‘That would be so awful! My heart goes out to those fish. Poor little fishes!’

[Superfly] (now raising both eyebrows) ‘But you see I am trying to make an analogy between the coral atolls and the earth. The earth is like a secluded coral atoll and its inhabitants, i.e you, are the benighted little fish totally ignorant of the world about them. Like the fish you humans have a lack of perspective’

[Sofia] ‘What do you mean 'you' humans? Your funny! But anyway what do you mean by 'lack of perspective'?’

[Superfly] ‘Look, there’s a lack of perspective on the part of humans. Humans live there lives in a world of moderate speeds, they, sorry we, see a limited range of the electromagnetic spectrum through our eyes i.e. we don’t see all the frequencies only the one’s corresponding to colour. We don’t see Radio, Microwave and Gamma frequencies for example and we hear a limited range of sound frequencies, and we live a limited number of approximately 70 or so earth years. How are humans supposed to fully appreciate and understand the events; the colossal and mind boggling events happening around them? The crucial point is time. Mountains rise and oceans fall and this takes time. Millions and millions of years. Human beings with lifespans of 70 years and a recorded history of 3,000 years or so are ill suited to record let alone appreciate such geological events. Hence, the reason why the vast majority of humans shuffle about their daily lives in a torpor of ignorance. Just like you!’


Superfly watched Sofia for a reaction but non came. She seemed to be trying to absorb everything he had said. And now for the coup de grace:


[Superfly] 'And here I am. Me! Scuttling amongst these stupid benighted creatures of the dark - your brethren - your stupid ignorant brothers and sisters - your thick mum and your equally 'in the dark ages' thicko dad! I am like a God! I can see the history of the world and the future of mankind in the palm of these hands! And you know what? You have no future! Your all gonna die!'

[Sofia] (pauses)

[Sofia] ‘It must be a curious sensation to walk around observing humanity in all its variety; knowing the gulf that exists between what you know and what everyone else knows. It must be rather lonely being you?’


The girl was clearly reaching out to him. Wanting to coddle him with her heart, entreating him with her earnest eyes. His behaving like an arrogant no-it-all had back-fired. She loved him for it!


Superfly decided it was time to try something else to get her off his back. She was too lovely. She was too intelligent. She was too caring. She was too pretty and his heart was in jeopardy. He had to shake her off. So he decided to try out some abominable poetry on her:


[Superfly]
‘Tiger tiger burning bright
In the forests of the night
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?’

[Sofia] 'Mm! What are those strange words you speak. You weird Mr Freaky!'

Superfly peered up at the sky, his mind sozzled in a befuddlement of Darjeeling Tea. Then he looked at the girl and moved his head closer to hers.

[Superfly]
‘I have travelled among unknown men
In lands beyond the sea
Nor earth did I know till then
What love I bore to thee’

[Sofia] (sighs) ‘I must admit you are rather odd’

[Superfly]
‘The odder I am the more you see
See thy tearful eyes; swimming in infinity?’

[Sofia] (smiling) ‘Will you stop doing that Sir Poet! It is sooo annoying!

[Superfly]
‘Forgive me for I never caused to annoy
Hear my heart it cries; for land ahoy!'

[Sofia] ‘You are crazy. Do you know that? Stark raving mad’ and then she kissed him on his cheeks.

[Superfly]
‘The stars and heavens are in a twist
My lonely heart wrapped in a kiss
Beyond the shores of pirate lands
I stole your kiss with sleight of hand
Where did it go? Where lay hidden that kiss?
It's on my cheeks I see but why not on thy bottom little Miss?’

[Sofia] Kisses Superfly him on his lips

[Superfly] (now concerned that his poetry is having the opposite affect)
‘Behold the stars they weep for me
Burning brightly for all to see
A mortal kiss from lip to lip;
I fear my love will shackle me to this
An Earth benighted with darkness and sloth
My existence to be forever forgot’

[Sofia] ‘What do you mean ‘shackle you'? Is my kiss nothing but a shackle?’

[Superfly] (thinking that's better. This is finally working)
‘Pity me for I have sinned
Nothing in this world but ruin
Awaits me for I fear
The mind forg'd manacles do appear
The bird that soars mighty and free;
high and brilliant that is me
Above the clouds and beyond the oceans
there I rest free of love and such silly notions’

[Sofia] ‘You’re a selfish ogre! You think love is a prison? I offer you my love and you throw it back in my face like a dirty dishcloth!’

[Superfly]
‘It is not your love that I fear;
but the mind forg'd manacles do you hear?
They come in the night to drag me away;
steadfast I must be and never to sway’

[Sofia] Throws her drink in Superflys face and trudges off in an angry huff

[Superfly to himself]:
‘A fiery temper and fiery heart;
go hand together what a blast
I have hurt and sinned and many things more;
but who’ll catch my heart when it falls?
I must escape this forlorn planet;
make haste Yes! I must plan it.
But wait! I hear a countdown do I not?
A New Year beckons I almost forgot!
My New Year resolution is to escape
From this sombre and infernal place
But first I must visit that wonderful man
whom I met in that seedy Pakistaan
His name was The Vagabond I seem to recall
an invitation I have for an evening call
Amongst a planet where darkness frights
I’ve found a candle burning - in the night
A lonely candle it may well be;
wavering hither and thither like some Bohemian Rhapsody
Whose immortal refrain now fills my ears
how dost it go? I remember! I swear!
Yes! I hold it in my mind.
Let the New Year roll in to the following lines:


‘Is this the real life
Is this just a fantasee
Caught in a landslide
No escape from realitee'


Happy New Year for all and me!
Say I: 'do you doubt my sanity?'
There is depth I say in these perilous lines
Look closer and perhaps you may find
The secret of life I have found
Quick! I must hide it!
Before New Year is crowned!'

****

Monday, December 22, 2008

Man of the World (headphones required)




Shall I tell you about my life
They say I'm a man of the world
I've flown across every tide
And I've seen lots of pretty girls

I guess I've got everything I need
I would't ask for more
And theres no one I'd rather be
But I just wish that I'd never been born

And I need a good woman
To make me feel like a good man should
I don't say I'm a good man
Oh, but I would be if I could

I could tell you about my life
And keep you amused I'm sure
About all the times I've cried
And how I don't want to be sad anymore
And how I wish I was in love

Monday, December 15, 2008

Coming soon...Lesson III : I Want It All - The greedy art of Street foto-grafy

'Adventure seeker
On an empty street
Just an alley creeper
Light on his feet

A young fighter screaming
with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger
Can't see a way out

It ain't much i'm asking
I heard him say
Gotta find me a future
Move out of my way

[Chorus]

Listen all you people
Come gather round
I gotta get me a game plan
Gotta shake you to the ground

Just give me
What I know is mine
People to do hear me?
Just give me the sign

It ain't much i'm asking
If you want the truth
Here's to the future

...For the dreams of youth!!'



Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Lesson II : a life of contrasts

Welcome!
Thank you for joining me
Again
I hope it’s not been
Too long
Since we last spoke
And enjoyed one anothers company
You see
I have other things to do besides
Like converse with the Gods
And fight those
Nasty Galactic aliens
That live in wonderful lands
So far,
Far away
Up nigh - There!
Where I point
Can you see?

Perhaps one day
When I have defeated
The aliens
And if the sun
Is still shining
And if it is
A Saturday
I’ll take you with me
Oh yes!
Hold your hand
Along the slipstream
Ride the crests if you may
And if you so wish
And if it so pleases you
You may bring along
Your camera
A box of tricks indeed
Your camera is!
The wonders it can do
Come! Let’s begin to delve
Into its mysteries
And talk about…contrasts
But first we need...
Ah yes!
We need
A definition...

Contrast (noun) : 1. The state of being noticeably different from other elements. 2. The amount of difference between tones in a foto-graf.

Contrasts are everywhere. We barely notice them except when we slow down a little or when we view foto-grafs. The camera is so wonderful because it does our slowing down for us. Life in fast-motion is not amenable to spotting contrasts, but life in slow-motion is. I believe that we can divide all contrasts into the following two groups (these groupings are purely my own and you will not find them in any textbook anywhere on this planet - In fact, if I may be so bold as to say, you will not find any of this, in any text book, anywhere on this planet!)


1. Visual contrasts – where the contrasting effect results from the interplay of light and shadow, the comingling of colours and from the interactions between textures and patterns

2. Subjective contrasts – where the contrasting effect results from interactions between the different elements in the frame


‘Ugh?’ I hear you mumble
‘What is he talking about?!’ I hear you grumble

Don’t worry. Relax. Patience. I will explain all


1. Visual Contrasts

This is an example of visual contrast:



There is a clear visual sense here in the way the crinkly jaundiced autumnal leaves; with their reddish tinge stand out from the bed of grass. It’s a simple image taken from my local park yet there is something about it that steals your gaze and holds it. There are also textures too; the interplay of the veins of the leaves with the smooth blades of grass – the renewal of nature – old and new - rebirth

Another example:



Do you see? Do you see how the bright radiant scene in the foreground with its jumping colours and smiling yellows, lends the background a more foreboding and brooding aspect?

And this:



The affect here is created by the overlapping of the bare bony branches with the red leaves in the background. It's as if the tendrils of winter are sapping the life out of the world. Tell me, do you ever notice the encroaching winter? No, not in the way you feel cold, but do you notice its advance in the trees when you look up?

Another example:



Although the umbrellas in this image are all visually striking, a contrast affect still results because of the presence of clear boundary lines between the umbrellas and the repetition of strong geometric patterns.

But you don’t always need colour to create vivid visual contrasts as the following black and white images clearly demonstrate:






The interplay of shadow and light in the first image has an interesting affect; imparting the sweeper with a ghostly countenance - a sprite haunting the hollow sepulchral tombs. Scenes with widely varying shadow and light regions are classically difficult to capture faithfully with cameras. This is because camera sensors are not as good as the human eye in differentiating extreme gradients of light and dark. The human eye, having evolved over millions of years, is much better at this. I will show you in a later lesson how to deal with scenes of extreme contrasts and how to turn the inferiority of the camera sensor into a creative advantage…

The second image is of ornamental Moghul ‘Jalee’ screens in Fatepur Sikri, India. What do you think makes the image ‘work’? Is it the delicate pattern of the screens interlaced with the extreme light and dark conditions? Yes. The resulting affect is precisely what the designers had in mind 600 years ago.


2. Subjective Contrasts

Remember subjective contrasts are different from visual contrasts because they rely on the manner in which the different elements in the image interact with one another

Let me explain:



The elements in this image are the two men. One has the use of his legs the other not. There is nothing inherently 'special' about either of these elements in separation; but when you put them together in the same image there is contrast. And contrast is everything!

What about this:



The contrast here exists between the care-free happiness of the children and the broken-down ramshackle environment in which they are playing. It is the littlest things that make us happy; play time, a good book or a relaxing read of the newspaper (as the next image demonstrates).



The man looks as happy as you or me. There is comedy here too and contrast.


And here's another:



Where is the contrast? The contrast exists between the well-to-do tourist and the poor man sleeping on the station floor. It is a contrast that grinds, that grates, that makes you feel uncomfortable. A contrast created when people inhabiting the extreme levels of society are brought together in the same image and forced to inhabit the same frame, the same space. It is also powerful social commentary. There is no better way to 'say something' then to spar together contrasts in an image: rich-poor, young-old, fair-unfair, justice-tyranny, black-white, beauty-ugly. A single image can achieve more then many books or thesis' combined


Another example:



The contrast here exists between the man using the mobile phone and the dilapidated transport from which he is making his call. Can you imagine this scene 10 years ago when mobile phones were the latest de-riguer fashion statement? It is a fact of life that some things spread like wildfire, like communications technology, but some things, like old-fashioned rickshaw transports, move much slowly - as slow as the wheels themselves

The image also tells you how the modern and the old interact. The fact that the mobile phone does not (any longer) appear anachronistic in this setting is an indicator of its acceptance into mainstream and lowstream society.

So next time you’re out and about look out for contrasts. Most important of all learn to see with your heart as well as your eyes. What I mean by this sphinx like maxim is that if you can manage to combine strong and clear contrasts with emotion, then your images will be that much more powerful and arresting.

Also bear in mind that none of the techniques so far discussed; use of empty s p a c e s and contrasts, require the use of sophisticated and expensive camera equipment. A simple point and shoot camera will do. The only 'sophisticated' equipment you will need is your eye!

Friday, December 05, 2008

Lesson 1: empty s p a c e s

First things first…

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me

This moment has been

A long while coming

I know it’s been difficult

A difficult journey

But now

After millions of years

Of our atoms

Jostling around

In random formations

In dinosaurs

And prehistoric slugs

And what have you

Here we are

Yes!

Our first lesson

In foto-grafy


I like to start things of

Slowly

Very slowly...

Thus, the first lesson will be

Easy

A slow affair

Nothing technical

A little introduction almost

A taster

A warm up

For the treats to come

For there will be plenty of these

So called treats

So strap yourselves in

Make yourselves comfortable

Make yourselves a coffee if you like

Or a chai

Or a glass of wine

And come and join me

On an adventure

Let’s lay open that dormant self (so mildewed and old)

Open our minds

And eyes

And do some exploring

Of empty s p a c e s


Lesson 1 : empty s p a c e s


The most powerful and visually striking images are those that, for some reason or other, feed an emotional need within us. Like a gust of wind nudging a candle to life. Have you wondered why some images make us feel and others not? Why is it that some images so stir and bewitch us?

Take a look



A simple image. What do you see? What do you feel?

Perhaps the image feels ‘lonely?’ – the great expanse of blue sky and the dainty branches, stripped of life, bare – trying in vain to reach out to a sky that is cold and distant. Perhaps you feel ‘fear’? – A fear as the lifeless winter wraps its fingers upon the world bringing with it bleakness and melancholy


And this?



The indifference of society to the older generation – What do you feel? Do you feel society has failed this women? Wasn’t she young once with hopes and dreams?


Notice the deliberate use of empty s p a c e in the above images. The empty space to the right of the old women is deliberate. What is it communicating? She has travelled life; a life that promised much from its earliest stirrings – but has it been true to its word?

And what about the void of sky to the left of the tree; the tree beckoning the sky. And yet the sky sits there cold and indifferent. Empty spaces can have a profound effect on the emotional landscape of an image – use them wisely


Another example



The girls are playing in a gang and the boy on his own. Does the generous empty space accorded him make his separateness from the gang more empathic?

And in a similar vein


Emptiness everywhere – completing his isolation from the world. The blank spaces like a force stifling him from all sides

And what about this?



Don’t just plump the subject in the middle of the frame. Experiment by placing it on one side and giving it space to move, to breathe, to speak, to be alone


Off centre subjects can also lend the image a dynamism; a certain daring that placing them in the centre cannot achieve. Look at this


The image looks so much fresher, so much better, so much 'cooler' and spunkier with the off-centre pitching. Do you not agree? You know you do!


And finally, ah one of my favourites: me hopping (or am I dancing?) around the desolate Deosai Plains (the hopping no doubt due to oxygen starvation)



The Deosai Plains is isolation incarnate. And having me wallowing on the very edge of it; barely in the frame in fact, heightens my isolation and descent into the empty stomach of the world! – Yes, my descent into madness. Am I mad? Most definitely indeed.


everyone

needs a place

they can hide

hide away

find a s p a c e

to be alone


Remember : empty spaces and their effective use are a powerful tool. Use them wisely for they can be just as important (and interesting) as the subject itself...


Though this is clearly not the case below. The 'subject' here being far more interesting then the shiny floor ;-)


Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Hackney - The Pix'els




All foto-grafie courtesy of a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 (10.1 megapixel, Leica f2.0-2.8) point and shoot camera - £300
(see pic above)
































everyone needs a place
they can hide
hide away
find a space
to be alone

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Coming soon...Maestro de foto-grafie (Headphones required)




'everyone needs a place
they can hide
hide away
find a space
to be alone'