Apologies

So I'm sorry for being so absolutely horrendous with keeping up with my blog, its not that I have been purposely neglecting it, it is simply that I haven't been taking as many photos as I would like. Myself, I cant believe that I've been reduced to one blog a month for the last two months. I am truly ashamed of myself. Life has been throwing a lot of balls, curved, inside out, upside down, over the top and under my radar, balls. And with as much grace and composure as a person like me can muster I have been trying to hit hard at all of these various "balls." The more I resist the more the universe conspires against me, but the more i persist, the further the universe conspire FOR me. So in the end, I am learning and relearning the things I always preach to those around me. Exert positive energy and it will circulate through the cosmos and come back ten fold, do the the same with negative energy and the consequences are that much more dire.
Everyday has seemed like a venture and tonight the moon is full. It has been an intense past 5 days, and I have been more than just my usual hyper-sensitive self. I swear on everything that I believe to be holy that the moon is so much more powerful, and I am so much more receptive to it here in India than anywhere else that I have been. Maybe it is in my head, but I dont feel from my head, I feel from my heart, my bones, my gut and my toes, and I feel that when the moon is full, my heart becomes so full it explodes over everyone and everything around me.

I must sign off now, as little birdies are whistling my name.
Will post ASAP.
May the eternal spirit caress your gentle souls..
Love
R

Changements de la Lune

I do believe the stars are perfectly aligned right now. This past full moon was in full force, and I truly have never felt its power before like I did this past moon. In many ways I feel like the moon is far more powerful to me here in India, than when I was in Canada, even though I would still act like a lunatic around the time of the full moon. Anyhow, I took some photos of the moon, more than I ever have before, although I could never capture its alluring beauty, I felt like I should try anyway.

On another note, I would like to dedicate this post to Nilanjana, my oldest and boldest friend on this planet. She left me in India on Sunday morning to return to her life in the Julliard School of Performance Arts in New York to pursue her career in acting. As I may or may not have mentioned before she is an incredibly gifted individual with so much passion and charisma that seeps through her extraordinary pores. With everything she has accomplished thus far, it has been by the sheer force of her personality and will that she has got to where she is today, and for that alone I am her biggest admirer. On one of my last and blissful nights spent with her, I shot an entire roll of film , and never before have I come away with so many beautiful photos of one subject. I have chosen to be a bit frugal in my selection so as not to embarass her, but she has been my muse and I feel that it is reflected in these photos.

On a totally career oriented front, I have taken up a job offer at company called FUTURESOFT. This company, successful in its own right is branching out and in association with Kingfisher Airlines is opening a learning institute for its staff here in Calcutta. I will be piloting this project (no pun intended) with a small team of indiviuals and nurturing and raising this new baby, from the ground up. As expected, the winds of change have been whispering coaxing words of temptation to take my life in a different direction, in more ways than one. So being the eternal optimist and seeker of change that I am, I have plunged, head first into a sea of infinate possibilities. Were the astrologers right when they said 2007 was the year of profound change? I not only think so, but with the passing events of my everyday life, I grow to also inherently believe so.

Since I havent had much time to do any street photography, and also since this city has been having a mild de-inspiring effect on me, I have been slacking on the creative front. However, I've gone as far as being inspired to photograph the people that I surround myself with.

Wow do I ramble..here're them photos..




Nilanjana Bose, Femme Extraordinaire





Scaling Rooftops with Mario..





Nilanjana's just as fabulous cousin, Bambi, or as I like to call him, Bambino!

Mario took this photo. I like. Thank you.


Ok. Like I said I dont have too many photos. I'll add to this post after I'm done the roll of film in my camera right now.
Check back in a few days and I promise to be more loyal to my blog.

Love and positive energy to all,
Ro

Mountains to Molehills

Hello to all my loyal readers and observers! I would first like to apologise for taking such long breaks in between posts. There are several reasons for this. The first being my need to put down my camera for a short period of time. I was shooting so much that the meaning behind my photography was being lost in the act itself. I wanted to revive my passion for photography again by taking a short break from it. Not to mention I've been very frustrated at the condition of my 30 year old camera. It's a magnificent little creation, but its been banged up pretty bad, leaks light, double exposes photos on its own, doesnt wind when its supposed to, and winds when it shouldnt, what else? I could go on..but despite all of this, I managed to supress the urge to hurl my dear camera off a cliff in the hills. I realised that I would not only be wreaking havoc in the tea gardens below, but I would also be left with no camera to shoot with, at all. So if some of my photos are underexposed, or overexposed, and maybe even double exposed, its not because I necessarily wanted it to be like that. Maybe thats why I love film. Expect the unexpected. I hope to get a new camera soon. Theres a 21st birthday around the corner, so who knows?

Well whatever photography that I have done in the last 3 weeks or so, possibly longer, is in this next post. I promise to shoot more and deliver quicker results. As long as my camera keeps taking photos, I will keep clicking..

I dedicate this post to my brother, Rahul who turns 27 today. The last time my parents were in Darjeeling was in December, 27 years ago. You do the math. Happy Birthday Sneeze.


I played in a club tournament. My partner and I made it to the finals. But we still havent played it yet, and its been over a week. I'll let you know how we do..

This is the rest of the CC&FC tennis players and then some..Mum and Pop to the left..



Football match between the CC&Fc veterans and the "Tollywood Stars."



At the studio, shooting off the balcony, the world below..





Someone calls this home.



After landing in Bhagdogra we drove three hours to Darjeeling. The following photos are from my short trip to Darjeeling, this magical place in the heavens..

Hills in the distance, from the plains...

to the rice paddies...

and gaining altitude.

Yea-huh.

Stopping for chai and chillies..

Monkey business.

Finally in the hills, looking down, isntead of up. See the plains in the distance, thats where we began.

Rising, rising..





Enlarge the next 4 photos...



I'm mildy obsessed with spider webs. I just wish i could capture them better.



Through the streets and gulleys of Darjeeling..



Happy 60th Independence Day, Mother India!







The cemetary in the neighbouring plot of land..




View from the cemetary..




Following taken from my balcony..






My mummy and pop.

Gopin, Head Chef and awesome dude. Manisha, fire starter and sweetheart. Boy who's name I don't remember, cook. They worked at the Krshna Service Apartments, where we stayed.

Not sure what happened here, but I like it.

She worked there too.



Connections:



Lots of stairs that act as shortcuts.



The End. I will be posting more tomorrow or the day after because I still have one more roll to develop.
For all the photos that I could've taken in Darjeeling but could not because of heavy rain, or fog, or no film, I don't regret because no words or photos could do this place, in god's own land, any justice. I don't believe that I have captured the serenity of this place, or its people, in a fraction of what I saw and felt with my own eyes and soul. I will return in a few months, hopefully with a new camera in tow. Anyone want to join me?
With that said, I'd like to mention how much I truly miss moments in Canada, the summer that never was and especially the other half to my Bo, Lana, Lan Bam extraordinaire! I hope for you to join me next year so that I can share my adventures with you, which I know would only be so much more incredible if we could join forces and explore these far away lands together..
My Malicat, who I miss infinately, more than he knows..I await impatiently for you to come to this land, to my home..
I put this positive energy out into the universe. Know that the next easterly breeze that you feel carries my lure to India..come to me, my loves!
Till next time,
love to all,
RoBo