At college, I often spent my evenings on the hostel terrace, reading or listening to music. Ashwin joined me sometimes, with a book or his guitar. One such evening we sat through sunset into the night, watching the clouds slowly reveal a beautiful full moon.
“It’s just like a painting…” I said, looking at the horizon.
Then, almost instantly, we looked at each other and laughed at the silliness of that statement. Comparing the beauty of reality with an imitation – it showed how little of reality we observe, and how much we surround ourselves with imitations or reflections.
Often, we miss out on the beauty that surrounds us due to lack of focus – there is too much detail around us, and unless something extraordinarily beautiful catches our attention we fail to focus on the beauty in the details. Framing a portion of reality – through a painting or photograph – helps us look at a single aspect by filtering out surrounding detail.
We’ve taken many walks along that riverside of Rhein at Speyer, and each time I see the statue that sometimes looks like a bird and sometimes like a giant claw reaching out to pluck something out of thin air. Last time, on a clear evening, I photographed it.
Framing reality enhances it, sometimes. And when that happens, you know you have a good photograph.
Parmanu 
Looks like a painting… I think that so often. But here’s something new. Looks like a screen saver! Yes, when I see street scenes at night, blackness filled with vibrant psychedelic colours, I think: looks like a screen saver! The Hong Kong skyline at night looks like a screen saver, so does the view from Rash’s 15th floor flat… a highway stretching into eternity, lit up with halogen lamps. Bizarre, isn’t it? Lovely picture, Parmanu.
wow! some sculpture that is! it would be interesting to ask people what they saw in them…the first looks very mysterious to me. The second one like a giant claw.
Its a fish with [more than ] a twist in the head. [ for once! ;P]
Parmanu,
I’m interested to know your comments on this snap
http://specials.rediff.com/sports/2004/jul/10pic5.htm
The first pic looks like someone in the process of tossing a roomali roti :-B But seriously, pertinent observation about the lack of focus causing us to miss out on rare beauty.
It conjures different images in my head as compared to yours…thatz the beauty of abstract art.
I’m surprised Anita and Rash didn’t think that was a Hilsa.
Loosemuse, I’ll tell you what my reaction was when I saw that photo: “What is THAT?!”
What do you think, Loosemuse?
Tell u what – that fellow is an Alien like those shown in MIB and that was a flying saucer that needed to be kept in constant environment of you-see-what – but the MIB agent disguised as refree saw to it & penalised him for that – and there you see the whole stuff coming out – just like that ! [ I challenge u to challenge that ! Come on ! ;P ]
haha! we aint that fishy mistah…
Loosemuse, you really are in the wrong profession!
parmanu- you mean he should be modeling in promotional videos that elaborate the plight of mentally challenged kids?
First thought was of someone dressed for alms. Nice picture parmanu…
yo alphie !
Thanks for da compliment Gal!
i remember u..
You were one of the brightest that passed out…
you now know videos ? good gal !