Blue Hour at the Blue City

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To visit Morocco is like turning the pages of some illuminated Persian manuscript all embroidered with bright shapes and subtle lines

Edith Wharton

Search for Chefchaouen and you get dazzling imagery of vibrant blue alleys and embroidered doorways framing the everyday life of the local community which thrives there. I got very absorbed exploring the innumerable unnamed streets, staring at artwork in colorful cul-de-sacs, enjoying the local children playing games, eyeing the variety of carpets and spices on sale in the souvenir stores, and catching the odd glimpse of feline denizens who seem to have command of the town with a calm demeanor.

I decided to take a step back to see how it was actually laid out, and until I got to that vista point, I never realized the scale of that town. From high above, the medina was a smorgasbord of "blue"-washed concrete buildings smashed together high up in the up on the hillside, with orange street-lights highlighting the thoroughfares snaking up the hills and highlighting the mosques that acted as focal points for the medina.I tried to imagine how it would have been a few decades ago, a thriving community of traders nestled high in the mountains. And how now, we, as tourists, get the opportunity and resources to visit places like these....

Blue Hour in Colmar

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The aptly named Little Venice in Colmar, was full of surprising delights. Turning around one corner, I found a small garden replete with a period fountain adorned with a statue, crumbling walls covered in vine, and a timber-frame house standing gallantly. Around another street, and I found rows of beautiful historical houses and structures carefully nurtured, a testament to the city council. If those timber-frame houses could speak, they would narrate oodles of tales from its long storied history.

They might have been residences, shops and tanneries during their glory years, but now they have been converted to souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants, serving the throngs of tourists exploring the heart of the Wine Route. As the sun sets and the light disappears, the tourist crowd dwindles, leaving behind fairly empty streets devoid of the energy and activity of the day. And while this may be forlorn, it is just perfect for photography, especially during the blue hour.

Colmar

Alsace, France

In Search of Peace

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial was one of the saddest places I visited. It recollects the history of the events that transpired on Aug 6 1945 through powerful stories: stories of angst-ridden mothers and father searching for their children, some buried, some burnt, some barely clinging on to life. There were stories of children who, despite knowing they were going to die, were calmly telling their parents that it is going to be ok. All of these stories, and more, were preserved so that the horrors of war can forever be remembered.

Why did I bring it up now? I felt that it was apt given the apathy we seem to have developed towards the loss of human lives. The Peace Memorial showed truly what happened when humanity turned against each other, and yet, countless wars have been fought since. And similarly, the recent (in)actions by our own leaders made me realize that someday in the future, humanity would look back at this day and age, when we seem powerless to stop something as trifling as gun violence, and wonder why we never learnt from history.

The issue (of gun control) may be complex, and may have different meanings for different groups of people, but the consequence is the same: red and black. It is most certainly time to elevate the right to live over the right to bear arms.

During the Hiroshima bombing, a 2 year old girl was exposed to severe radiation, and developed leukemia at the age of 12. She started making these paper cranes hoping it'll help her recover. She made more than a 1000 paper cranes, but recover, she never did. But these cranes (some pictured here) became a symbol of peace

I sincerely hope through these events (the shootings) which have resulted in senseless loss of lives, we can create a symbol that can unite the citizens of this country against gun violence.

Hiroshima
Japan

Portal into a new culture

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As soon as I entered the mausoleum, I was taken aback from the sheer beauty of this place: over a dozen exquisitely designed structures stood shoulder to shoulder along either side of the corridor, each uniquely designed to respect the remains of those buried inside. There were some with harmonious decorations and intricate terracotta tilework adorning the façade highlighting great attention to detail, while others had unique geometric patterns zig-zagging around the doorway, and a few more had their inside domes painted in the serene pastel blue hues.

This was the beautiful necropolis called Shah-i-Zinda in the heart of the Silk Route in Samarkhand, Uzbekistan. I had timed my visit late in the afternoon where the long shadows from the slanted light light made for some unique compositions through the arched doorways along the corridor; I was getting so addicted to the beauty of this place that I had to pry myself out of this very photogenic necropolis.

Here is one of those mausoleums with a series of beautifully decorated arched doorways.

Samarkhand
Uzbekistan

Twilight by the Canal

I was wandering through the narrow alleyways crisscrossed by a multitude of canals. Colorful timber-frame row houses towered on either side,  replete with age-signifying ivy, colorful flowers that adorned the balconies, residences that rubbed shoulders with museums, restaurants, and shops, and thronging crowds of tourists and locals along with cafes where one could grab a coffee and watch the day go by. It was very easy to get lost in the beautiful Petite France historic quarter of Strasbourg, but I much enjoyed the process of discovering hidden surprises in the nooks and crannies of this beautiful city.

France has stayed as the top tourist destination for many years for multiple reasons, Paris notwithstanding. Yet, I find that it is some of the other attractions outside of the capital city that are far more charming. Strasbourg, as the base camp for exploring the Alsace region, proved to be such a worthy city with the rich history it carried. And twilight is an especially great time to photograph this beautiful city.

Strasbourg
Alsace, France

The Blue Hour

Time makes us all a prisoner of the present, forever transitioning from our own past into an unknown future. But photography can make us tunnel through to the past, helping us preserve memories and places. One such place forever etched in my mind was hiking through the beautiful Cinque Terre region. I walked along narrow trails that wound through vineyards, with beautiful views of a sun-drenched coastline and the azure waters of the Mediterranean. I passed by quaint farmhouses, cafes and restaurants, serving both the weary walker and the seasoned travelers thronging the colorful villages. I enjoyed savory Levantine cuisine, local wines, thirst-quenching fruit juices and refreshing gelatos.

I can still remember the sights, sounds and smells: the buzz of bees and the chirp of birds as I wound my way along the rocky cliffs, the sweet smell of summer grapes in the vineyards, the touristy chatter giving away to the sound of crashing waves in the villages, quiet alleyways adorned with beautiful houses  and so much more. But as the memories slowly fade away and the experience becomes less-defined, it is photography that preserves them.

And that is why this scene, the blue hour in Manarola, is so special, as it captures the quintessential beauty of this amazing region

Manarola
Liguria Italy

On Top of Bogota

Rising high above Bogota is the Monserrate, topped by an ancient shrine that atracted many pilgrims for decades. While they had to endure a strenuous climb to the top, a modern tramway whisked me to the top in a few minutes, and the view from above was something else.

On one side of the divide, there lay an endless array of rolling mountains draped with lush forests, with nary a sign of civilization. And on the other, the forests gave way to a concrete jungle - towering skyscrapers, gleaming glassy high-rises, and an endless ocean of humanity. And straddling both of these was the unique environment of the Monserrate

As I lay at the top pondering this juxtaposition, moisture-laden clouds rolled in from the mountains, accompanied by increasing gusts of wind. Crepuscular rays streamed from the sky highlight patches of the cityscape below, while a foreboding grayness took over the rest. I didn't stick around long after, just enough to capture this beautiful scene of the clouds unfolding over the cityscape of Bogota

Monserrate
Bogota Colombia

Check out my 2018 Photography calendar. All proceeds from the purchase of this calendar go to NRDC and WildAid

Hallowed Halls

One of the bigger challenges in candid/street photography is the need to capture poignant moments and unique perspectives, especially when visiting crowded areas. Complex scenes can be constructed by allowing the eye to follow human activity in the scene, and hence capturing the right slice of time is crucial to showcase this drama. This is what separates a great street photographer from a moderate one.

While wandering through the hallowed hallways of the famous Kailasanatha temple, dating back to the 6th century AD, at Ellora caves in India, I came across a open courtyard (carved into sheer granite) where a visiting tourist was trying to capture the thick supporting columnwork. What made the scene more interesting was an onlooker standing by one of the columns gazing at this tourist. The immediate surroundings, with elephants carved into the rock and adornments festooned on the temple walls above, as well as the sheer overhang of the bedrock above, made the entire scene even more dramatic.

This scene existed but for a fleeting moment; the tourist in saree walked away while the onlooker disappered between the multitudes of supporting pillars. It highlighted the importance of capturing at the right time, and for keeping my eyes open for the right moment.

Ellora Caves
Maharashtra India

Check out my 2018 Photography calendar. All proceeds from the purchase of this calendar go to NRDC  and WildAid

The Blue Line

One of my fondest memories of Morocco was the hours I spent wandering through the narrow alleys of Chefchaouen, the "blue" village. I had envisioned a beautiful old medina swathed in blue, replete with old markets hawking tourist knick knacks, cramped hotels and airy riads lined along labyrinthine alleys rubbing shoulders with intricately decorated mosques, and a place devoid of locals. Yet, what I found there was much much more.

Instead of a touristed village, I instead found myself in a living medieval village. Narrow alleyways were bustling with small bakeries and grocery stores, with children being dragged by their parents to school, with kids enjoying an afternoon game of soccer, with parents off to the evening prayers or to the refreshing waters of a nearby waterfall. Despite the crowds, I found nooks and crannies of peace in the hidden alleys of the village.

Nevertheless, I returned in the morning, and wandered the empty streets devoid of people, with shuttered shops and no other color apart from the blue, the lifeline of the village.

Chefchaouen
Morocco

You can find one more spectacular image from Chefchaouen in my 2018 calendar. All proceeds will get donated to NRDC  and WildAid,

2018 Calendar

Announcing my 2018 photography calendar filled with landscape and travel imagery to inspire you to travel around the world. You can now purchase it for just $16.99 from Lulu.

From the Pacific coast of the US to the Pacific coast of Asia, this calendar will take you on a journey from mystic Japan, through the rugged mountains and ancient civilizations of Central Asia, the Arabian splendor of Morocco and the diverse landscapes of the US.

And remember, this calendar is for a good cause - all proceeds will get donated to NRDC and WildAid.

When the planet's ecology is facing multiple threats, be it climate change, wildlife exploitation and poaching, pollution, we need a protector, and NRDC works tirelessly to safeguard the place we live. I truly believe in its mission to protect our planet.

Illegal wildlife trade has had a serious impact on the populations of many endangered species. While there are efforts to curb poaching, WildAid believes in attacking the demand side of the equation by persuading consumers and strengthening enforcement. I do hope that they succeed in their mission.