Getting Awed By Multiple Perspectives

Week 26 of my photos from 4th to 10th April 2022

It’s been almost one month since I posted my photo-a-day challenge articles. Posted. Not since I took photos.

While I continued pursuing my passion throughout the month, something stopped me from taking the extra effort to upload each of the photos and write these essays. Especially from the time, Medium stopped us from writing drafts from the mobile app.

Earlier, it took me less than two minutes to upload photos via the app and draft the articles later. Then I edited them on my laptop and submitted them to publications.

Those were the days when life was simple. Now I have to manually upload each of those photos and sit in front of the laptop to do my writing (something I’m not used to, I realised). I genuinely hope Medium changes the feature soon and allows us, photographers and writers, to live a simpler life.

Now, getting back to the matter at hand.

I was slightly uncomfortable when Anne Bonfert gave me the prompt to take photos from 3 perspectives. I’m this person who captures most of the pictures on the move — while going in the car, scooter, walking fast, or even crossing the road. Stopping at the particular place, and figuring out three ways to take photos, seemed so ‘not’ me.

But the week gave me a humungous learning curve. I learned to pause, reflect and think about each of my shots, something I haven’t done enough throughout my photography journey. And thanks to her, I got forward somehow in that aspect.

Continuing my journey of Stories from my kitchen, I tried to capture idli podi (a side dish we have with Dosa/Idli, a south Indian staple) on the curd. I took two photos before mixing the ultra fantastic combo and one after mixing it.

Never before had I taken so much time before eating to capture the food. And while my Dosa became cold by the time I started eating, it taught me to slow down and notice the food I eat.

The patterns made by the shadows of the trees immediately pulled me in on my nightly walk the next day.

I was talking to a friend while walking, and as soon as I noticed this, I knew it was supposed to be the entry for the day. I immediately cut the call, took time to take shots from various angles without caring about the stares of the aunties and uncles walking around, and continued walking afterward. Of course, I called my friend back.

As a passionate photographer, I’m used to people staring when I stand in weird places and angles. And this incident reminded me of all those incidents and made me more humble and grateful for them.

While cycling early in the morning, I came across this beautiful tree filled with spring flowers. It was beautiful. I immediately parked my cycle across the road and took the shots.

The colours are not vibrant enough in the photo because of the lack of sunlight. But in reality, it was brilliant.

On Friday, I had to go to a college to give a workshop with a friend. I took these three shots just before the students poured in for lunch.

That day was the first time I was on the other side of the class. And it was a wholly different and enriching experience. I learned tons from noticing how the students responded, the questions they asked, and their perspectives. One of my most creative days in recent times, I returned home and wrote more than 3000 words in a single day.

Saturday was spent with family watching the sunrise on a lake nearby. But for some reason, I felt I was too involved with my camera instead of calming down and experiencing the peace and happiness around me.

I kept taking photos instead of being there with family, having conversations, or even enjoying nature.

When spending some time on my terrace on Sunday, I noticed these two birds swirling around continuously, searching for something nearby.

It was beautiful to see the patterns they take and enjoy witnessing their journey. Sometimes, we’re so inside ourselves that we forget to notice the wonder around us, and this was one such instance that reminded me of that.

Thank you, Dennett, for allowing me to be a part of this beautiful community.

Erika Burkhalter / Eileen Vorbach Collins / Anne Bonfert / Sasha Meyer / Tracy Aston / Lisa Bolin / Juan O. Aguilera / David Wade Chambers / June Nguyen / Mia Verita / Susan Alison / LensAfield / Barbara Radisavljevic / Diana Lotti / Barb Dalton 🇺🇦 / Kim Zuch / K. Barrett / Sandra Barrett / Gustavo Mendez / Olive Wilson / Jane Frost (Jane Grows Garden Rooms)

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