Travel Photography: The story behind the photos, female Elephants dress up for the occasion, kaleidoscope of colors Rajasthan, India.
The story behind the photos…
female Elephants dress up for the occasion.
The envy look…female Elephant full body make-up, Jaipur, India
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Fancy meeting an Elephant in a beauty parlor, now that would be something right, but this is what happen in Jaipur with the exception the parlor is outside.
Who is going to be the prettiest today? Elephant body decor,
Jaipur, India
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During the Jaipur Elephant Festival Elephants turn into a kaleidoscope of colors not only decorated with body paint but also with elaborate glittering materials made form cloth.
Some of these majestic animals are covered from head to toe literally, ready for the yearly parade in Jaipur that is held and coincide with the Holi Festival. (festival of colors)
In India Elephants are regarded very precious since the old days and this is well illustrated in the Hindu Mythology.
The modern look...Elephant body decor, Jaipur, India
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According to some legends at the time of ‘Samudra Manthan’ when demons and Gods were busy in churning the ocean Gods were fortunate to receive an elephant called “Airavata” which later became the divine vehicle (vahana) of India
Since then the Elephant has become a symbol of royalty in Indian culture and many festivals are associated with it.
Jaipur Elephant Festival is perhaps the only festival where Elephants are given prime importance.
Lady in blue… Elephant body decor, Jaipur, India
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Flirting with me… Elephant body decor, Jaipur, India
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"Elephants cute manicured toe's", Jaipur, India
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During the festival, Jaipur comes alive with elephants, dancers and musicians, which draw visitors from all over the world. The elephants parading their decorated trunks and tusks however the most noticeable feature of this festival is that all Elephants who take part in this festival are female Elephants.
So there you have it, even in the Elephant world females go to the Beauty Parlor and dress up in the best attire for the occasion.
Besides having a raging bull in the crowed could spoil all the fun and festivities.
Wow…what a nice behind… Elephant decor Jaipur, India
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If you like to experience this amazing kaleidoscope of colors and roam around those gorgeous female Elephants then why don’t you join us on our GD Photo Workshop in 2013.
Part of our itinerary is Jaipur before leaving for Jodhpur the Blue City and the Thar Desert with its Camels.
For more info please Click this LINK.
Pls. Note: All images have been processed with Aperture 3 no other software or Photoshop has been used.
GD
What a pretty girl…ready for the big day…
Elephant decor Jaipur, India
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Announcement: Important info for GD Photo Workshops in Asia, effective new dates Sri Lanka - Central India - Bhutan 2012
New confirmed and final dates for
Sri Lanka - Central India - Bhutan 2012
Check our GD Photo Workshop Calendar for more info
SRI LANKA - INDIA 2012- 5 more spots available
March 11 to March 25, 2012
Max. of 10 Participants
Join us for two amazing Adventure GD Photo Workshops to Sri Lanka and Central India.
Breathtaking wildlife and awesome scenery in Sri Lanka plus amazing culture including the Dambulla Cave Temple dating to the first Century BC and a lot more will be on our itinerary. Explore the beauty of Sri Lanka and discover the undiscovered. Our central India workshop will take you back in time; to some seldom seen Cave temples, namely the Ellora and Ajanta cave system.
BHUTAN 2012 Only 3 more spots available, hurry this workshop is filling up very fast. Bookings will close by latest September 15th, 2011
March 27 - April 05, 2012 - 9 Nights
Max. of 8 Participants
This trip covers the highlights of Western Bhutan and focuses on Talo festival. Talo Tsechu is held in the ground near Talo Dzong or Monastery. The village of Talo, high on the hills above Punakha is located at an altitude 2800m. The village is scattered along the hill slopes. Talo Sangnacholing is built on a plateau with has majestic view of surrounding villages. More details and the complete itinerary is available soon.
For bookings and reservations CLICK this LINK
Travel Photography: Medieval Labyrinth, Bats & a replica Taj Mahal, discover the undiscovered in India.
A Medieval Fort... a Labyrinth with Bats & a replica Taj Mahal,
discover the undiscovered in Incredible India.
Muslim School Children in Aurangabad Town, India
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Daulatabad Fort Aurangabad, India
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Medieval is putting it mildly... after I paid a visit to Aurangabad and discovered the undiscovered, in particular roaming around all day at the Daulatabad Fort with its spooky labyrinth and fortifications.
This was definitely going back in time… Daulatabad Fort is also very different from other Indian Forts I visited before…medieval is the right description for sure.
But there are many other interesting sights, like the perfect replica of the Taj Mahal or the Aurangabad Caves, yet another interesting cave system.
The Aurangabad Caves are small in comparison to Ellora and Ajanta but showcasing yet another achievement from ancient times.
Located close to the city these caves are visited less by tourists, but rather more often by local teenager using them as a lover’s hideout.
Daulatabad Fort and the Victory Pillar is 210 feet high and is a very good specimen of Persian art in India.
The minar was constructed in memory of a victory over Gujrat,Sujrat, by Sultan Al-ud-din Bahamani (Ahamadshah II ) in 1435 A.D. Aurangabad, India
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The city of Aurangabad is known for its medieval monuments and cultural heritage. It was the seat of the Mughal Empire for a short period. The city boasts of Bibi-ka-Makbara, a tomb that has some resemblance to the Taj Mahal.
I found out later that even most Indians don’t know that there is a “second Taj Mahal” in the country, a perfect replica but only about a third in size in comparison to the Taj in Agra. This mausoleum is also termed as 'poor man's Taj Mahal' owing to it being a poor replica of the Taj.
The importance of Aurangabad is great, owing to its proximity with world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora. These sites have Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples.
Aurangabad the Bibi-ka-Maqbara, India replica of the famous Taj mahal Mugal architecture
build in 1678 by Aurangzeb's son in memory of his mother Bgum Rabia Durani, India
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Replica of the famous Taj Mahal, Aurangabad, India
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The heritage of Aurangabad is linked with different Muslim rulers and dynasties of India. The city was founded in 1610, on the site of a village named Khirki, by a local Muslim noble Malik Ambar.
Muslim walking outside the the Bibi-ka-Maqbara,
with shadows of replica of the famous Taj Mahal
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His son Fateh Khan ruled it and named the city as Fatehpur in 1626. Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal ruler, took over this city in 1653 and renamed it as Aurangabad. Due to its strategic location in peninsular India, Aurangzeb made Aurangabad his capital. He used this city as a base to quell the rising power of the Marathas.
Daulatabad Fort and the Victory Pillar is 210 feet high and is a very good specimen of Persian art in India. The minar was constructed in memory of a victory over Gujrat,Sujrat, by Sultan Al-ud-din Bahamani (Ahamadshah II ) in 1435 A.D. Aurangabad, India
Inside the Fort there is an amazing Labyrinth build as a defense for invading forces, here you see bats hanging of the ceiling, a must but spooky walk.
Oh…how I love these sorts of places…and this one was right up my alley!
Bats in side the Labyrinth at Daulatabad Fort Aurangabad, India
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The ceiling is covered in the Labyrinth with thousand of bats
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My local guide made jokes about it before entering the labyrinth, teasing and trying to scare me…well he didn’t know me yet. After I went through the passages I said to him that like to go back and spend more time inside to get additional photos of the Bats…
he looked at me strangely and said… you’re the first person I met who really enjoyed this… I answered him…
my dear friend, I thrive on this!
A local Girl at Daulatabad Fort Aurangabad, India
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Aurangabad is a good base for visiting the Ellora and Ajanta Caves that I described in my earlier articles and one can spend easy a few days here wondering around discovering the undiscovered.
Aurangabad is definitely worth a visit and I shall return again to this part of the world, yet another Incredible part of India.
Aurangabad Caves excavated between 1st and 6th Century AD, India
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Indian Sikh at Daulatabad Fort Aurangabad
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In 2012 our GD Photo Workshop will take place in this area and if you have a sense of adventure, a love for Photography then why not join us to one of the lesser visited places in India.
GD
Just one more...
Monkeys roaming the Daulatabad Fort
in Aurangabad, India
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Travel Photography: India Part 3 - Kailasa the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora & the story behind the photos continuous.
“Discover the undiscovered.” – Kailasa Temple; awesome
architecture and the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora.
My first impression was nothing less except...WOW!
It took almost a century to build and is considered as the world’s
largest monolithic structure. Kailasa the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora, India.
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You’re speechless once you stand in front of this awesome architecture know as the Kailasa that is certainly the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora, and it was only a few days ago when I stumbled up on an article on the web from the
“PopPhoto” Magazine with the Headline “The 25 Best Places to Photograph on Planet Earth”.
Sure enough, under the subtitle ”Ancient Worlds” the very first image was that of the Carpenter Cave in Ellora that I described recently in part 2 of my Blog.
Amazing I thought…I have just been there a couple of month ago. The other place mention under “Ancient Worlds” of course was no other than Angkor Wat in Cambodia a place that I have been visiting since 1992 and do so again this coming September.(GD Photo Workshops Asia: Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar)
View from above the Kailasa Temple Ellora - India.
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Kailasa Temple covering an area about double the size of Parthenon in Athens,
and was covered initially with white plaster trying to portray the similarity to
the snow covered Mount Kailash in Tibet.
So, let me introduce you to this amazing temple (Cave 16), also known as the Kailasa or the Kailasanatha, yet another place I can return to over and over again!
Designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva and looks like a freestanding, multi-storied temple complex… but this one was carved out of one single rock!
The Kailash temple like all other caves in Ellora are covered in astonishing frescoes that are masterpieces of Buddhist art.
The construction of this cave was a feat of human genius — it entailed removal of 200,000 tones of rock, and took some 100 years to complete.
Kailasa carved out of a single rock, Ellora - India.
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Its builders modeled it on the lines of the Virupaksha Temple
in Pattadakal. Being a south Indian style temple, it does not have
a shikhara common to north Indian temples.
Just so awesome and impressive...
Kailasa carved out of a single rock, Ellora - India.
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Photography was extreme difficult again due to mixed light sources inside the temples and not been able to use a Tripod or Flash added another difficulty.
A real challenge, however with experience, a lot of patience and a steady hand I managed quiet well. Of course picking the right time of the day is very important too when taken photographs outside, there are plenty subjects to choose from with in the outside temple area.
Like with all the other caves, Ajanta and Ellora all photos been processed with Aperture 3 only, using in most cases only the basic RAW file adjustments, however in some of the cave images additional adjustments were required, mainly adjusting the White Balance using also Aperture 3 this was required due to the extreme mix light conditions in these caves.
No other software or other manipulations has been applied.
Awesome sculptures, detailed frescos or just playing with shadows and light and occasionally adding the ever so colorful Indian women into the frame.
Movement, visitors to the Kailasa temple Ellora - India.
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The spectacular carvings are done in more than one level
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The temple is a splendid achievement of Dravidian art. This project was started by
Krishna I (757–773) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty that ruled from Manyakheta in present
day Karnataka state. His rule had also spread to southern India, hence this temple was
excavated in the prevailing style. Ellora - India.
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Now, if you ever get the feeling or the urge to go back in time discovering the undiscovered, then a visit to this amazing place should be on you next travel Itinerary.
Or join our next GD Photo Workshops Asia 2012 to Central India for an amazing journey into the past, visiting Ellora, Ajanta and other amazing places. At least for a few days you can be “Indiana Jones”, or simply sit back and imagining what it was like hundreds of years ago.
The courtyard is edged by columned galleries three story high with huge
sculpted panels, and alcoves containing enormous sculptures of a variety of
deities that punctuate the galleries.
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These Indian women adding scale and
color to the Kailasa Temple
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Please stay tuned for my next travel adventure blog when I take you to Aurangabad, my base from where I visited Ellora and Ajanta. I keep you a bit in suspense now… but Aurangabad is another awesome place seldom mention, mysterious and very rewarding as I discovered the undiscovered.
But now I have to run... I am long over due for a glass of good red wine at my favorite Cave Werdenberg Wine Bar, yet another Cave but this one is a bit different... until soon,
Cheers GD
Travel Photography India:Part 2 the challenge continuous at Ellora Caves, unsurpassed in Indian art & the story behind the photos.
In one of my previous post I gave you an introduction to the Ajanta Caves in India,
a marvel in Indian history and art that is unsurpassed, today I take you to the
Ellora Caves another marvel in human history.
The Buddhist "Carpenter's" cave (Cave 10) Ellora India.
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In between my usual travel articles I had to take short break due to the announcement and a few important details re.the new Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 and Compressor 4. Then more news about the new Underwater Magazine “The World's Journal of Ocean Photo & Video,” but now lets get back to these truly remarkable caves in India… ”Indian Jones” has returned with Part 2.
Ellora Caves, India
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The Ellora Caves are no different in their amazing architecture, with the exception that they have fewer paintings but feature more impressive and very intricate sculptures, in particularly the rich ornamentation found through out these caves. These Caves regarded as a world heritage site and located in the lap of the Chamadari hills some 30 km from Aurangabad, India,
Huge halls and pillars with intricate Sculptures and artwork at the Ellora Caves, India
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Ellora is another amazing place that begs for a few more visits, actually one can spend a whole day in just one cave, wondering around dreaming of the past… thinking what it was like during the days of their occupation.
Closing your eyes you can almost hear the chant of Buddhist monks echoing through these massive hallways, oh… how I love these places, I wonder if Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) ever visit these caves… if not, he missed out very badly.
Incredible and intricate Sculptures and artwork at the Ellora Caves, India
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Like with the Ajanta Caves most of the cave temples are not active with ceremonies or other rituals these days, with the “exception” of the five Jain caves at Ellora. Sometimes Jain sect followers visit these caves and worship their masters from the past, as I witnessed during my visit, a rare occasion and a lucky day for me. (see the images below)
The Buddhist "Carpenter's" cave (Cave 10) Ellora India.
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In all 34 caves were excavated here out of which Cave 1 to 12 are Buddhist,
13 to 29 are Brahmanical and 30 to 34 are Jaina.
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These Jain caves belong to the ninth and tenth centuries and all belong to the Digambara sect. Jain caves reveal specific dimensions of Jain philosophy and tradition. They reflect a strict sense of asceticism, they are not relatively large as compared to others, but they present exceptionally detailed art works.
Nuns from the Jain Sect still worshiping in some of the caves,these Jain caves belong
to the ninth and tenth centuries and all belong to the Digambara sect.
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Nuns from the Jain Sect still visiting some of the Jain caves today, these Jain caves belong
to the ninth and tenth centuries and all belong to the Digambara sect.
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The Vishvakarma
The Buddhist "Carpenter's" cave (Cave 10)
Wow… I stopped in amazement when I enter this cave, looking up onto the ceiling send shiver down my spine…thinking how this could had been done with such precision and just the basic tools. Creativity and hard workmanship not to mention the incredible engineering feat, all of this just blew me away.
Visitors to the the Buddhist "Carpenter's" cave (Cave 10) Ellora India.
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The Vishvakarma (Cave 10) is the only chaitya griha amongst the Buddhist group of caves. It is locally known as Vishvakarma or Sutar ka jhopda (carpenter's hut). It follows the pattern of construction of Caves 19 and 26 of Ajanta.
On stylistic grounds, the date of construction of this cave is assigned to c.700. The chaitya once had a high screen wall, which is ruined at present. At the front is a rock-cut court, which is entered through a flight of steps.
On either side are pillared proticos with chambers in their back walls. These were probably intended to have subsidiary shrines but not completed. The pillared verandah of the chaitya has a small shrine at either end or a single cell in the far end of the back wall.
The corridor columns have massive square shafts and ghata-pallava (vase and foliage) capitals. The main hall is apsidal on plan and is divided in to a central nave and side aisles by 28 octagonal columns with plain bracket capitals.
In the apsidal end of the chaitya hall is a stupa on the face of which a colossal 3.30 m high seated Buddha in vyakhyana mudra (teaching posture) is carved. A large Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) is carved at the back. The hall has a vaulted roof in which ribs have been carved in the rock imitating the wooden ones.
Photography was extreme difficult again due to strange mixed light sources and not been able to use a Tripod or Flash as I have explained in my previous Blog post from the Ajanta caves. Another real challenge, however with experience a lot of patience and a steady hand, remarkable images can be created.
This location like Ajanta will also be challenging during our GD Photo Workshop in 2012 but an experience and an excellent learning curve in low light condition; working with a minimal amount of equipment. An amazing place, one should visit in a lifetime to "discover the undiscovered."
A good example of an unfinished artwork at the Ellora Caves, India.
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All photos been processed with Aperture 3 only, using in most cases only the basic RAW file adjustments, however in some of the cave images additional adjustments were required, mainly adjusting the White Balance using also Aperture 3 this was required due to the extreme mix light conditions in these caves.
No other software or other manipulations has been applied. I used the Nikon D700 and for all the interiors the Nikkor 12mm to 24mm lens.
Outside view at the Ellora Caves, India.
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Soon to follow; the Ellora Caves and part 3, then Aurangabad and Sri Lanka or you can join our GD Photo Workshop in 2012 and experience yourself Incredible India.
In part 3 of this awesome place I introduce you to Cave 16, also known as the Kailasa or the Kailasanatha. It is the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora, designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva and looks like a freestanding, multi-storied temple complex, but it was carved out of one single rock, and covers an area double the size of Parthenon in Athens. Initially the temple was covered with white plaster thus even more increasing the similarity to snow covered Mount Kailash.
Please stay tuned for part 3 for another example of ancient human architecture from Incredible India. I was speechless when I arrived at this awesome structures for the first time, I had never seen anything like it before that was so amazing and carved out of a single rock with such details and precision as cave 16 Kailasa or Kailasanatha temple.
GD
Travel Photography: The story behind the Photos: A challenge at Ajanta Caves, unsurpassed in Indian art.
A challenge at the Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO
world heritage site & unsurpassed in Indian art. 
Movement - a person adding scale to one out of 30
massive caves at Ajanta, India.
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In preparation for Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar…oops this should read... Sri Lanka and India, I am going to post a series of articles within the next few weeks from my recent trip to Sri Lanka and Central India, our next destination for the GD Photo Workshops in early 2012.
September is only around the corner for our last trip in 2011 to Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar and in between a short trip to Thailand…Time is flying so fast and I don’t have much of this “commodity” at the moment, only a few more month left to introduce you to some stories behind the photos before reporting direct from our locations in Laos and Cambodia, unfortunately no live reports from Myanmar.
Blog post’s from amazing Sri Lanka, or the totally mind-blowing caves in Central India carved out of solid rock, a marvel in history and human engineering. After seeing this amazing place I came to the conclusion, that if anyone comes to me these days and said, I am sorry I can’t do this…I shake my head, smile and say…my good friend, you have no Idea what can be done!
I guess that is why they call it “Incredible India.”
Lets start with the Ajanta Caves; it was my dream for many years to visit these caves in Central India, the Ajanta and Ellora Caves in my pursuit of ancient Buddhism culture through out Asia.
Ajanta Cave system, India.
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Temples are hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of
a 20-meter ravine, Ajanta, India.
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This painting depicting the Birthplace of Buddha,in Lumbini which is now
part of Nepal. Fresco-type paintings that are the chief interest of Ajanta.
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A Photographers paradise and a nightmare at the same time…you’re not allowed to use a Tripod and any kind of strobes (flash) or other lights; a real challenge but with experience a lot of patience and a steady hand, remarkable images can be created.
The reasons for these restrictions are obvious, it is the fresco-type paintings that are in fantastic condition and need to be preserved for generations to come.
Temples are hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of
a 20-meter ravine, Ajanta, India.
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It maybe an obstacle for some visitors/photographers but for me it is a welcome precaution for the preservation of this unique treasure cove and in line with my Philosophy; “sometimes it is better to take home the memory instead pursuing the image.”
This location will certainly be challenging during our GD Photo Workshop in 2012 but also an experience and an excellent learning curve in low light condition; working with a minimal amount of equipment. An amazing place, one should visit in a lifetime to "discover the undiscovered."
All photos have been processed with Aperture 3 only, using in most cases only the basic RAW file adjustments, however in some of the cave images additional adjustments were required, mainly adjusting the White Balance using also Aperture 3 due to the extreme mix light conditions in these caves. No other software or other manipulations has been applied. I used the Nikon D700 and for all the interiors the Nikkor 12mm to 24mm lens.
Please stay tuned or subscribe to my RSS feed for more on this amazing area, soon to follow; the Ellora Caves, Aurangabad and Sri Lanka or join our GD PhotoWorkshop in 2012.
GD
These paintings depict colorful Buddhist legends and divinities with an
exuberance and vitality that is unsurpassed in Indian art.
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The sculpture, particularly the rich ornamentation of the caitya pillars
is in very fine details and well preserved.
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Amazing sculptures through out the caves.
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Ajanta, a UNESCO world heritage site, is famous for its Buddhist rock-cut cave temples and monasteries with their extraordinary wall paintings. The temples are hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a 20-meter ravine in the Wagurna River valley, 105 km northeast of Aurangabad, at a site of great scenic beauty.
About 30 caves were excavated between the 1st century BCE and the 7th century CE and are of two types, caityas ("sanctuaries") and viharas ("monasteries"). Although the sculpture, particularly the rich ornamentation of the caitya pillars, is noteworthy, it is the fresco-type paintings that are the chief interest of Ajanta.
These paintings depict colorful Buddhist legends and divinities with an exuberance and vitality that is unsurpassed in Indian art. - Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica-
Just one more..
.
Ajanta Caves, India.
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Travel Photography: The story behind the photos, one morning at the Varanasi Railway station.
The story behind the photos…
One early morning at the Varanasi Railway station, India.
Is he checking me out? Inside the Ticketing area,Varanasi Railway Station, India
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Railway stations are always fascinating especially in India where massive crowds gather, for millions a very affordable transportation system in India.
Varanasi one of India's most holiest City, is no exception on the contrary it is a colorful beehive like atmosphere, where everyday people come and go including pilgrims from all over the country visiting this Holy place called Varanasi.
On the Platform at Varanasi Railway Station, India
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Varanasi Junction, popularly known as Varanasi Cant Railway Station is the major rail hub in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the busiest stations in India and more than 230 trains passing through here on a daily basis.
Extreme contrast not only for photography, the light varies from very dark inside the building to India’s scorching sun outside on the platform.
Passengers inside the waiting room, Varanasi Train Station, India
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Passengers inside the waiting room, Varanasi Train Station, India
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But the contrast amongst people from all walks of life is what makes this Railway station so very special not to mention the Holy Cows trying to “catch a ride... maybe.”
These Cows or even Bulls wondering in and out of the station undisturbed and if by any chance one of them should stand in front of the train, well… there is for sure a delay in the departures… Holy Cow indeed.
Holy Cow...but in this case it is a big Bull wondering around
at the Varanasi Train Station, India
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Amazing, crazy and utterly weird but ever so interesting is the scene which plays in front of you everyday, passengers stepping over spaced out people who had to many drinks the night before or took on just a bit to much during the Holi Festival, this is what that sums up the Varanasi Railway station.
But somehow the system works and is fairly efficient, as I had experienced some years ago in Mumbai where you find not one but numerous railway stations, super crowded but it works.
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A blur of people and color passes by this man who obviously past out from to much
to drink during the Holi Festival the night before.Varanasi Train Station, India
(The Holi Festival is not only celebrated on one day, it all depends in which State of
India you are and Holi making can go on for a whole week.)
A family inside the waiting room, Varanasi Train Station, India
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Interesting people and faces at Varanasi Train Station, India
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More images from the Railway Station and other locations in Varanasi @ PhotoShelter
GD
Photography: Incredible India - the stories behind some of the images from Delhi & Varanasi, India
The latest images from Delhi & Varanasi are now residing in my
PhotoShelter Archive and Gallery...
The stories behind some of the images.
The latest images from Delhi and Varanasi, India March 2011 are now uploaded in my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries to view them click on the Images or this LINK. Below are samples from my last Journey and stories behind some of the images. I am still editing Nepal, but soon also uploaded on my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries.
In the streets of Varanasi India
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Nikon D300swith the new Nikkor 24.0mm to 120.0mm f:4 lens. ISO 400
One night traveling on a Rickshaw from the Ganges River in Varanasi back to our Hotel, I decided like so many times before to continue taken photos. Using a slow shutter speed and working my Nikon in manual mode and occasional using my popup flash on a rear curtain mode shooting many frames in the crowded streets of Varanasi. It was after all, the day after the Holi festival and people still roaming the streets intoxicated and having fun celebrating one of India's most important festivals.
I spotted these two boys from the distance and before my Rickshaw pulled level with them I had my camera adjusted shooting in burst mode hoping for at least one image. The above image is the outcome...almost like a painting, NO other treatment in Photoshop or any other software, using Aperture 3 and adjusting only the exposure by about one stop.
A boy playing in one of the areas of the Jama Masjid Mosque in Old Delhi, India
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Nikon D700 with the new Nikkor 24.0mm to 120.0mm f:4 lens. ISO 200
I was watching this little boy for a while playing at a fence inside the Mosque grounds while his mother taken part in a prayer. After a few other images he all of a sudden pushed his body and his face right on to the wire.
The Railway station in Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300s & the new Nikkor 24.0mm to 120.0mm f:4 lens. ISO 200
Visiting the Varanasi Railway station is another experience, super crowded with local vendors and pilgrims coming and going. For this shot I picked a high vantage point using an Aperture of f:20 to get a slow shutter speed to achieve the motion blur, now I just had to wait patiently for an incoming train. Again, NO other treatment in Photoshop or any other software, using only Aperture 3.
Jama Masjid Mosque in Old Delhi, India
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Nikon D700 with the new Nikkor 24.0mm to 120.0mm f:4 lens. ISO 200 
The full moon rises of the Ganges River in Varanasi ,India
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Nikon D700 with the Nikkor 50mm f:1.4 lens. ISO 800 
Aarti ceremony on the banks of the Ganges River,Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300s with the new Nikkor 24.0mm to 120.0mm f:4 lens. ISO 400 
The Railway station in Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300s & the new Nikkor 24.0mm to 120.0mm f:4 lens. ISO 400
GD
Excerpts below from Wikipedia on Delhi (Jama Masjid Mosque) and Varanasi, India.
According to legend, the city was founded by the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, around 5,000 years ago, thus making it one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the country. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus. Many Hindu scriptures, including the Rigveda, Skanda Purana, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata, mention the city.
Varanasi is generally believed to be about 3,000 years old.Varanasi was a commercial and industrial centre famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. During the time of Gautama Buddha (born circa 567 BCE), Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi. The celebrated Chinese traveller, Xuanzang, attested that the city was a centre of religious, educational, and artistic activities, and that it extended for about 5 km along the western bank of the Ganges.
It was at this very place where an unusual incident was observed, an indian crocodile seized a sleeping indian tiger on the bank of the river and dragged it into the water.
More @ Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasi
The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā (Persian: commonly known as the Jama Masjid (Hindi: is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is the largest and best-known mosque in India. It lies at the origin of a very busy central street of Old Delhi, the Chawri Bazar Road.
The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate, including an antique copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin.
More @ Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jama_Masjid,_Delhi
Photography: The story behind the photos; one beautiful morning on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India
The story behind the photos...
One beautiful morning on the Ganges River in Varanasi - India,
an interesting mix of Man’s construction and Nature.
Ganges reflections, Varanasi India
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Man and Nature: Man and his constructions … sometimes ugly and sometimes nice…however Nature can make them all look very beautiful, in this case it was Water the source of all life, that created these amazing reflections on the Ganges River in India.
Ganges reflections, Varanasi India
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It was indeed a beautiful morning with blue skies and calm waters, with the exception of a slight ripple now and then creating amazing colors in front of me, little evidence of the normally polluted Ganges River.
The colors of India reflecting right before my eyes… maybe it was this beautiful play of light and color that people have seen for hundreds of years, drawn them to it and worshiping -– The river Ganga Ma, "Mother Ganges."
As for me… it left an everlasting impression, not only on this day but also from previous visits to India.
I just hope that man can and will control the pollution which has taken its toll on the environment, so that we can cherish this mighty river and it's amazing reflections for many more years to come.
Ganges reflections, Varanasi India
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PLEASE NOTE: These reflections are the product of nature and man made objects and NO manipulation, Photoshop or any other software of any kind has been used. All images have been processed using only Aperture 3 Raw conversion and some very basic adjustments.
Soon on PhotoShelter - the complete collection from my recent trip to Delhi-Varanasi in India and Nepal.
Images from Central India are available on my PhotoShelter Archives and Gallery already.@ http://gdeichmann.photoshelter.com/
Let me use for todays post and images a quote from my good friend Pete Turner - "Ultimately, simplicity is the goal - in every art, and achieving simplicity is one of the hardest things to do. Yet it's easily the most essential". - Pete Turner,
GD
Ganges reflections, Varanasi India
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Ganges reflections, Varanasi India
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
"The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga." - Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India, born in Allahabad on the Ganges.
More detailed info on the Ganges The Water Page@ http://www.africanwater.org/ganges.htm
See below some excerpts and useful LINKS on the Ganges River from various sources:
This river that runs for 1,560 miles from the Himalayas all the way to the Bay of Bengal is more than just flowing water. This river is life, purity, and a goddess to the people of India. The river is Ganga Ma, "Mother Ganges." Her name and her story is known all throughout the land. It is the story of how she poured herself down from heaven upon the ashes of King Sarga's sons. Her waters would raise them up again to dwell in peace in heaven. Not only that, but anyone who touches these purifying waters even today are said to be cleansed of all sins…more @
The Ganges by JulieDunn
http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/ganges.htm
Also check Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganges
Photography: Gunther Deichmann’s MAIN Web - Gallery updated with the latest Photos from Sri Lanka, India & Nepal.
After days of editing and spending hours on end deciding which
images to use for updating my Main Web Gallery we are done!
We finished last night (or was it early morning, thanks also to Arj) and updated the Main Web Site, added new buttons on the Top Bar with new categories (countries). As you know my main site features only a selected few images (14 only) all others are found in my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries. (Sri Lanka is complete already in PhotoShelter)
To view the updated pages and new addition you can click on the screenshots below or use these LINKS:
Nepal (some new images) - India 2 - India 3 (Central India) & Sri Lanka.
(two additional Buttons have been added also namely Bhutan and S.E. Asia 4 but these will be updated at a later date)
PLEASE NOTE: You might have to refresh your Browser or even individual pages and maybe have to empty your cache since this was a major update on the site, with new Buttons and photos however this issue will take care of its self in due time.
Changed some photos in Nepal
All photos have been processed using only Aperture 3 for the website and the high-resolution images in my archives for PhotoShelter. No Photoshop or any other software has been used and /or the images have been manipulated in any way.
New India 2
However some color temperature corrections have been performed on some of the new photos from Central India (Cave images only) India 3 Gallery, due to the complexity and extremely difficult light conditions of mixed light which varied from Day light to tungsten to fluorescent plus what ever else there was… a total mix of all sorts of lights mixed together real bad.
Aperture 3 I might add did an excellent job dealing with these corrections and I never felt the need to use any other software.
New India 3 Gallery
In this particular case I was also not allowed to use any strobes/or for that matter any other light source, to make it worse even the use of a tripod was strictly forbidden using only 250 to max. 800 ISO, indeed a very challenging shoot to say the least.
The reason for this is very simple; most of these caves containing paintings on the walls which some of them dating back to a century BC.
They are in excellent condition and to avoid any more damage no additional lights are allowed except for what is provided, which in some case is very little or almost non-existing.
Very soon a lot more from this amazing location and the story behind the photos on this Blog.
New Sri Lanka.
The latest and complete selection from Sri Lanka is already uploaded on my PhotoShelter site; the complete selection from Central India, Varanasi, Delhi and Nepal will follow soon.
In the meantime check out the new editions (small selection of 14 photos per Country) on my updated main website.
GD
Travel Photography: GD Photo Workshop India - Nepal March 2011... some of the Students work
GD Photo Workshop India - Nepal March 2011...
some of the Students work
Click on the image above or this LINK and view some of the photos
by the participants from our last GD Photo Workshop to India and Nepal.
Note: If you see previous photos from Cambodia you
might have to refresh your Browser.
It is done...uploaded some of the participants photos from our last workshop in India and Nepal, what I really like is that everybody got some very different images from each other. Everybody also made their own selection and I am sure once they have had more time to edit more exciting images will appear on their own Web sites, Face Book or Flickr. Thank you all for been part of the GD PhotoWorkshops and I am looking forward to see some of you again for our exciting trip to Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar. You have been an absolutely fantastic Group and it was so much fun being with you.
Thanks again for everything.
GD
Photo Workshops: India & Nepal, the Images Behind the Scene, from giant shish kebabs to a squashed Squirrel…
Colors - chaos - giant shish kebab - strange and
famous Restaurants & a squashed Squirrel.
Click the Image above or this LINK
for the “Behind the Scene”
Note: you might have to refresh your
Browser to see the new photos.
Rice wine and very strong Beer, Sadus, real “weed” along the road side, an almost busted knee, false beards...but most of all great people & participants traveling in chaotic streets having real good fun,
these are the images “Behind the Scene” from our recent GD Photo Workshop in India and Nepal.
It is done; I have just received the last photos from our Photo Workshop and uploaded them today. The images are not in any particular order (paying tribute to India and Holi) they are from everyone who participated: Tony, Bob & Vi, JP, Hubert, David, Felix, Richard, Max, Loy & GD.
It was a great Group and we had a lot of fun besides producing some very nice images, the selected photos from each and everyone (The Students Work) will be uploaded also very soon and I should be done with that task by end of this week.
There are so many tales; from the squashed Squirrel (it did survived Dave, and thanks to Hubert who provided the "First Aid").
"David at the time was standing, taken photos… he sat down…at that very moment a very cute Squirrel run underneath his butt, Dave jumped up and to his amazement a groggy little squirrel appeared…Hubert run over to his rescue...not Dave's I might add and started to perform some basic first aid on this little bugger (but no mouth to mouth) and then let him go…off he went... a bit groggy mind you (why I am not surprised) but otherwise OK."
Then our Nepalese dinner with ample rice wine (oh Boy not feeling so good the next day) and not to mention the hat trick (our fashion show at Bhaktapur) plus David winning the Golden Carrot Award for his well executed “F” assignment and so much more.
Oh and I almost forgot…Tony trying on a new Beard in Delhi…
My gratitude and thanks again to all the participants for being so nice and so much fun we were almost a United Nations assembly coming from: USA -Hong Kong - Indonesia-Singapore - Italy - Switzerland - Philippines & Australia.
So, now enjoy the “Behind the Scene”
Thank you all, GD
Travel Photography: Three Countries, surrounded by people & colors…Sri Lanka-India-Nepal
Three Countries, surrounded by people & colors…
Aurangabad - Central India
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My recent journey started in Sri Lanka from there to Central India (a lot more on those places later) and then to Delhi for the start of our recent GD Photo Workshop.
After a couple of days roaming the streets of the Spice Market in Old Delhi we took a Jet air flight to Varanasi just in time for the full moon over Ganges River and the Holi Festival.
After 5 days in Varanasi we left India for Nepal where we spend most of our remaining workshop days in Kathmandu and surrounding areas.
I have received most of the testimonials from the participants already and I like to thank everyone from my heart for their nice comments and support. I am still waiting for some selection of Photos, so I can upload them on my Blog under the Students work and of course the Behind the scene images. I should have this done within the next week or so.
The photos I have selected today are from Sri Lanka-India & Nepal, taken from before the photo workshop and during, lets call it “Surrounded by people & colors”
Nepal
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Varanasi Train station, India
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Images from my special trip to central India and some amazing photos from Sri Lanka deserve a special Blog post and I will post them in due time. I am still fine-tuning my images in Aperture 3, the only software I am using for all my editing. All Photos are not manipulated/enhanced and only the basic editing tools have been used in Aperture 3, like contrast, minor sharpening, some exposure adjustments and adjusted the color temperature sometimes, besides the RAW conversion.
Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
I been busy these past few days in revamping my main website (Home page and some changes in the Nepal section) which is best viewed in Safari, don't know why there is always an issue with Firefox. (pls. make sure you do refresh your Browser to see the changes) see the screenshot below.
More changes to my main website is currently been worked on and this should be done also within the next two weeks. More images from Sri Lanka, central India and other new destinations should be in my Photo Shelter archives and Gallery also by latest mid May.
Rameshwar Village near Varanasi, India
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Rameshwar Village near Varanasi, India
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You might find it also interesting to know, that during the whole trip my Nikon Cameras performed without a glitch, and I used 85% of the time the new Nikon 24.0 to 120.0mm f:4 and the 50mm f:1.4 G lens for the entire trip, with the 50mm lens been my favorite.
Why today’s topic… Three Countries, surrounded by people & colors…very simple, I Love Colors!
Sri Lanka
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"Little Tibet" - Nepal
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Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
For your info:
Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar GD Photo Workshops are almost full, we have only 2 more spots for each destination, more details and info @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page1/calendar.html
Also our long awaited trip to Bhutan in 2012 is filling up fast, only four (4) more spots available, if you’re interested please contact me ASAP, bookings for Bhutan have to be made very early.
New Home page at main website
best viewed with Safari
GD
Travel Photography Asia: Sri Lanka - India - Nepal, a quest for the un-usual
In search for the un-usual from my last Journey
Through Color & Time...the endless Journey continuos. 
Sri Lanka
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I like to share with you some images from my last Journey and the never ending quest for the un-usual, a few photos from three Countries and its Buddhism, more in the coming weeks once I am done with my editing. Also stories from each and every place I visited during the past few weeks with detail description on culture & history, plus a lot more from our recent GD Photo Workshops to India and Nepal.
India
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India
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
India
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
All Photos above taken with the Nikon D700 & D300S using the 50mm f:1.4 G and the new 24.0 -120.0 f:4 Lens.
Maximum 400 ISO and no flash or other artificial light has been used, edited and processed in Aperture 3 using only the basic editing tools and RAW conversion; no manipulation, Photoshop or any other software was used either.
Just one more...
Nepal
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GD
GD Photo Workshop Varanasi India: From Dawn to Dusk on the Ganges River
From Dawn to Dusk...
Varanasi & the Ganges River.
Sadu at night, Varanasi-India
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Nikon D700 - 50mm f:1.4 G lens at 400 ISO
I am slowly getting ready for my trip home but before I depart Thailand and I still have a good connection let me share with you some images from Varanasi and the Ganges River.
Varanasi the most Holiest and oldest City in India, is an amazing Kaleidoscope of Color and activities along the River Bank of the Ganges...a photographers nightmare or paradise which ever you prefer. Choosing and isolating the right subjects amongst the hassle and bustle of this city is certainly a challenge.
First light on the Ganges River, Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300S - and the new 24.0 - 120.0 mm lens f:4
Reflections on the river Ganges, Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300S - and the new 24.0 - 120.0 mm lens f:4
In the coming weeks I am going to report a lot more from this truly amazing city which was also one of our destination for this years GD Photo Workshop where we also celebrated the Holi Festival on the 20th of March.
Aarti ceremony on the Ganges River, Varanasi, India
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Nikon D700 - 50mm f:1.4 G lens at 400 ISO
Morning light on the Ganges River, Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300S - and the new 24.0 - 120.0 mm lens f:4
Colors along the Ghats, Varanasi India, Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300S - and the new 24.0 - 120.0 mm lens f:4
Worshipping the mother Ganges,Varanasi, India
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Nikon D300S - and the new 24.0 - 120.0 mm lens f:4
Moonrise over the Ganges River and the start of the Holi Festival,Varanasi, India
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Nikon D700 - 50mm f:1.4 G lens
Please note: All images have been processed in Aperture 3 using only the basic Raw conversion and adjustments, see also below some excerpts from Wikipedia:
GD
The Ganges, above all is the river of India, which has held India's heart captive and drawn uncounted millions to her banks since the dawn of history. The story of the Ganges, from her source to the sea, from old times to new, is the story of India's civilization and culture, of the rise and fall of empires, of great and proud cities, of adventures of man…
Varanasi
Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and is an important place of worship for Hindus. The city is situated between two rivers Varuna and Asi, which join the River Ganges. Varanasi has hundreds of temples, including Kashi Vishwanath Temple along the banks of the Ganges which often become flooded during the rains. Mentioned as 'Maha smashanam' (or 'Great cremation ground') in Hindu Vedic Rituals, the city assumes special significance as the cremation ground for devout Hindus.
Hinduism
Situated on the banks of the river Ganges, Varanasi and Haridwar are considered by all Hindus to be the holiest cities in Hinduism. The Ganges is mentioned in the Rig-Veda, the earliest of the Hindu scriptures. It appears in the Nadistuti sukta (Rig Veda 10.75), which lists the rivers from east to west. In RV 6.45.31, the word Ganga is also mentioned, but it is not clear whether this reference is to the river. Also, people scatter ashes of loved ones here. George Harrison of The Beatles had his ashes scattered in the Ganges by his family in a private ceremony soon after his death.
Many Hindus also believe life is incomplete without taking a bath in the Ganges at least once in their lives. Many Hindu families keep a vial of water from the Ganges in their house. This is done because it is auspicious to have water of the Holy Ganges in the house, and also so that if someone is dying, that person will be able to drink its water. Many Hindus believe that the water from the Ganges can cleanse a person's soul of all past sins, and that it can also cure the ill...for more info go to Wikipedia
Thanks to all the participants from the India-Nepal GD Photo Workshop
My sincere thanks to all the participants from our recent completed
GD Photo Workshop to India and Nepal, thank you all so much.
An appetizer of things to come...
Nepal - Copyright all Rights reserved. Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Pls. note that this photo or other future images have not been altered
in anyway or been manipulated with Photoshop or other software
Nikon D700 and 50mm 1.4 G lens.
Varanasi India "Holi Cow" - Copyright all Rights reserved. Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Nikon D300S with the new 24.0-120.0mm f:4.0 lens at f:5.6
Four weeks later...the India - Nepal GD Photo Workshops have come to an end with the last participants leaving today from Thailand, well except for Tony.
My very special and sincere thanks to all who participated, you have been an awesome group to say the least, not only sharing your friendship but producing some of the very best images I have seen from any of my workshops. Well done, I am proud of you all! Even more amazing this time, it was an all out Apple Team after the shoot the participants using Aperture 3 and Lightroom.
The awesome Group in front of our Hotel in Varanasi,
after a pre Holi color powder session. 
The awesome Group on our last day in Nepal
In due time I be showcasing some of these amazing images from India and Nepal on my Blog (The Students Work) and of course the fun photos. (Behind the Scene)
I am still on the road and have to keep this post short, prior the Workshops in India and Nepal I travelled also to Sri Lanka and to other parts of India, but this story and photos have to wait until I am back.
My thanks goes also to all the drivers and guides who provided us with a safe and interesting Journey, thanks to you all and my gratitude to Sheena from Shroff international Travel for arranging at times the not so easy logistics, a BIg Thank You.
In the coming weeks I be posting a lot more images and some of the stories behind them, so please stay tuned.
Again my Gratitude and thanks to all the participants who made these two Photo Workshops so awesome, see you soon again for yet another Journey.
BTW our PhotoWorkshops in Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar are almost fully booked and we have only a couple more spots available,
for all the details and bookings please go to: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page1/calendar.html
Just one more...
Varanasi India "Holi Wall" - Copyright all Rights reserved. Mandatory credit with image use:
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Nikon D300S with the new 24.0-120.0mm f:4.0 lens at f:5.6
GD
GD Photo Workshops Asia: Soon the Colors of India and Nepal... the Journey continuos.
The Colors of India and Nepal...
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"This is Holi" - India
The Journey Through Color & Time continuous very soon with our first Photography Workshops to India and Nepal, starting on the 17th of March, 14 days of adventure and pure color.
The two workshops are fully booked, but if you interested you can already make a reservation for our Sri Lanka and India Workshop in 2012 or choose some of the other workshops in our Calendar for 2011 and 2012.
SRI LANKA - INDIA 2012
February 26 - March 9, 2012
A unique itinerary has been work on which takes you to unusual places in India and Sri Lanka in 2012. More details and the full itinerary will be available by mid April 2011.
Please Note: We only travel in small groups between 8 to 10 participants max. on all published destinations, providing you the full attention of Gunther Deichmann, making these workshops very personal and a fulfilling experience for you.
Copyright all Rights reserved. Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Getting ready for the Holi Festival - India
Copyright all Rights reserved. Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Color, color and more color - Nepal
Copyright all Rights reserved. Mandatory credit with image use:
© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Monastery Colors - Nepal
iLife 11 quick glance at the new interface of iMovie. Behind the Scene India 2010
First Project and a small appetizer
from the new iMovie in iLife '11
0:45 sec. trailer created with the new iMovie in iLife '11
India Behind the Scene 2010 "Five Boys & One Girl" - GD Photo Workshop
Best viewed in Safari... Firefox somehow gives me always
these "hieroglyphs" below the QT clip
Had a little time on my hands yesterday...very little actually, but decided to check out iMovie in iLife '11.
Wow, this is so cool with an almost all new interface and so many more possibilities, Apple got it right all the way, easy to use interface and slick new effects and options including all the new share options to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo etc.,etc.
In no time at all I created this short trailer with some still images from our last GD Photo Workshop in India 2010 using images from the Holi Celebration, of course the possibilities are endless once the creative juices start to flow, this is only my very first attempt using the new iMovie.
The cool looking interface iMovie from iLife '11
What is also super cool....my Aperture 3 Library including the Video clips are all in the iMovie Media Browser, of course the iPhoto and iTunes Library is there too. again total integration!
My next project is going to be a lot more elaborate using Stills and Video clips combined and maybe mix in a bit of Motion too, but today it is only a very small appetizer the main course has to wait until I get the time...hopefully very soon.
First impression...Super cool!!!
GD
Travel Photography Asia: GD PHOTO WORKSHOP CALENDAR 2011, India-Nepal & Laos-Cambodia
PHOTO WORKSHOP CALENDAR 2011
Limited to maximum 8 participants for our
International Workshops.
Click on the Image and go direct to the Calendar for 2011
March 17, 2011 - Confirmed!
India - Nepal
March 17/18th (depending on the arrival of the participants) to the 24th/25th (celebrating Holi on the 20th in Varanasi) then we have our option to leave from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal our extension and second Workshop from the 25th to the 31st / 01 of April, again depending on the departure of participants.
You can also choose just one of the destinations either India or Nepal, or join us on both in India & Nepal and book the combination. After the completion of our Indian Workshop we fly from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal.
I complete Itinerary is shortly avail. and I send this one to those who are interested, pls. remember this workshop is almost full, only two more spaces available for India and only 3 more for Nepal.
Final bookings will close at the latest by November 08, 2010 http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page4/contact.php
September, 2011 - Confirmed!
Laos & Cambodia combination
We can confirm also for 2011 a combination for Laos & Cambodia starting on September 24th to the 6th/7th of October 2011 the final Itinerary and schedules will follow shortly for the above confirmed Workshops on my GD Photo Workshop site. Bookings close for Laos and Cambodia combination by latest end of June 2011.
You can also contact me @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page4/contact.php
Again, you can also just choose one of the destinations either Laos or Cambodia, or join us either in Laos or Cambodia, or go with the combination.
GD
Other Photo Workshops for 2011 are being finalized, we should have and confirm the dates by end of October 2011
Announcement: GD Photo Workshops for 2011, India-Nepal & Laos-Cambodia the confirmed dates.
Two GD PhotoWorkshops have now confirmed dates for 2011...
India & Nepal:
March 18th to the 25th including celebrating the exciting Holi Festival in Varanasi. The full and detailed Itinerary and cost will be available shortly.
Then we have our option to leave from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal this is our extension and second Workshop from the 25th of March to the 01 of April.
You can also just choose one of the destinations either India or Nepal, or go with the combination. Other 2011 Photo Workshops I announce very soon, but India and Nepal is confirmed for 2011.
Laos & Cambodia:
I can also confirm for 2011 a combination for Laos & Cambodia starting on September 24th to the 6th/7th of October 2011 the final Itinerary and schedules will follow shortly for the above confirmed Workshops on my GD Photo Workshop site. http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/
You can also contact me @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page4/contact.php
Please Note:
India and Nepal 2011 is almost fully booked and we have only two more vacancies, bookings for India and Nepal will close by latest first week of November.
For feedback and testimonials from previous Photo Workshops please go to: Testimonials
GD
Travel Photography: Updated PhotoShelter…amazing, awesome, colorful and very chaotic Varanasi…India’s oldest city.
Amazing, awesome, colorful and very chaotic
Varanasi…India’s oldest city.
"A True Journey Through Color & Time."
© Gunther Deichmann - performance of Ganges Aarti in the early
evenings at the Riverbank on the Ganges,Varanasi, India 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - Ganges Aarti Ceremony in the early
evenings, Varanasi, India 2010
The last Photos from my recent trip to India are now residing in my PhotoShelter Archives, well… almost all, I am still working my way through the Nepal Photographs. Hopefully I am done with them shortly too, but India is done, thanks to Aperture 3 and a patient wife who let me work without interruption these past few weeks so I can finish my editing.
© Gunther Deichmann - there is a lot of Laundry today...
at the Ganges Riverbank, Varanasi, India 2010
Varanasi also commonly known as Benares or Banaras is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, regarded as holy by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest of India.
© Gunther Deichmann - hanging the Laundry...
Ganges River Varanasi, India 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - I just love those colors...
Varanasi, India 2010
Varanasi is one of the holiest places in Buddhism too, being one of the four pilgrimage sites said to have been designated by Gautama Buddha himself (the others being Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Lumbini). In the residential neighborhood of Varanasi lies Sarnath, the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha is said to have given his first sermon about the basic principles of Buddhism.
© Gunther Deichmann - sunrise over the River Ganges
Varanasi, India 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - worshippers bathing in the sacred waters
of the Ganges River, Varanasi, India 2010
Watching the sunrise over the mighty Ganges River and observing the numerous rituals along the riverbank is mesmerizing, where hundreds of worshippers can be seen bathing in the sacred waters. The riverbanks are lined with a chain of stone steps called Ghats, stretching from one end of the city to the other. Ghats are part of the religious landscape of this city.
From Varanasi we traveled by road to Lumbini in Nepal (Buddha’s Birth Place) and then continued to Kathmandu, a fantastic Journey through Culture and Landscapes.
As mention above the Photos from Nepal will be shortly available too in PhotoShelter, another week and I am done with the editing. To view all the photos from Varanasi and others from my recent trip to India please go to my PhotoShelter Gallery & click this LINK.
GD
Just two more...photos from the car window...
along the road from Varanasi to Lumbini in
Nepal, the Birth place of Lord Buddha.
© Gunther Deichmann - Rural area near Varanasi, India 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - waiting for local transport in a
small rural town between Lumbini (Nepal) & Varanasi, India 2010
My PhotoShelter Archives & Galleries: http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann
See below excepts from Wikipedia on the Ganges Arati Ceremony in Varanasi.
The purpose of performing arati is the waving of lighted wicks before the deities in a spirit of humility and gratitude, wherein faithful followers become immersed in God's divine form. It symbolises the five elements: 1) space (akash), 2) wind (vayu), 3) light (tej), 4) water (jal), and 5) earth (pruthvi). Communal Aarti is performed in the mandir; however, devotees also perform it in their homes.
To witness the performance of Ganges Aarti in the early evenings is almost a must, provided you can handle the immense crowd of people.
Hindu devotees performing the "Puja" with lighted lamps. The view is very mesmerizing and the ambience is spectacular in the backdrop of the beating of cymbals and bells as well as the incessant chantings. "
Aarti (from the Sanskrit term Aradhana) is a Hindu ritual, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. Aartis also refer to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when offering of lamps is being offered.
Read more @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarti
PhotoShelter update...just uploaded additional Photos from India 2010
More NEW Photos in my
PhotoShelter Archive & Gallery
© Gunther Deichmann - a very cool & colorful look, Elephant during
the Elephant Festival in Jaipur Rajasthan Feb.2010
News...I have just updated again my PhotoShelter Archives with some additional Photographs from India 2010, more images from Varanasi in India and Nepal by latest next week.
View the photos & click this LINK or the Images.
© Gunther Deichmann - the night before the Holi Festival, spectacular
Bon fires are lit all over the city, Jaipur Rajasthan Feb. 2010
The first Photos from Nepal & India 2010 have been uploaded to my PhotoShelter Archives and Gallery
We also did a bit of a clean up including changed the main Image on my PhotoShelter Home Page, more new Photos from India and Nepal will be uploaded shortly. Check out the first Images @ http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann
GD
Photography & Aperture 3: People...Colors & Expressions from India & Nepal - "Small Taste of the Latest"
A Journey through endless
Colors & Expressions - India & Nepal...
© Gunther Deichmann - "Old Delhi" - New Delhi India
Click on this LINK or the Photo above & go direct to the NEW Photos
Please Note: If you don't see the India and Nepal images you might
have to refresh your Browser, previous Photos where from Cambodia.
Going through some 15,000 photos can be quiet a task even for Aperture 3 but I am almost done now. I have uploaded today only a small selection of Photos (50) under the category "Small Taste of the Latest" from India and Nepal.
I decided to use the theme; "People...Colors & Expression" for this Gallery, other images from Monasteries, People, Religion, Landscapes and way of life, etc., will follow in my PhotoShelter Gallery soon.
All Photos have been processed with Aperture 3.0.2 including exporting and watermarking. This has been a great trip all around from our Photo Workshop experience in India and then to the edge of the Himalayas in Nepal.
I might mention also that both of my Nikons the D700 and D300S performed without a glitch. If you're interested to join me on one of my Photo Workshops Adventure Travel with your Digital Camera, please contact me or check out the Calendar dates for 2010 on my GD PhotoWorkshop site by clicking this LINK.
I hope you enjoy this small selection of Photographs from India and Nepal as I have enjoyed these two very special and amazing places.
GD
Photography:The Students Work... Photographs from our India 2010 GD Photo Workshop
The Students Work...
a Journey Through Incredible India
© Gunther Deichmann - Incredible India, Elephant Festival
in Jaipur Rajasthan March 2010
It is done, I have uploaded the work from the students in the Gallery 'The Students Work" a selection of six images each from their recent GD PhotoWorkshop in India Feb./March 2010.
Note: If you don't see the new images right away you might have to refresh your Browser, please enjoy the Photos and refrain from copying them, they are all protected by © copyright to each individual Photographer.
Congratulations to all participants for creating such nice Photos and I am very proud of you all. India had been a tough one from the chaotic streets in Old Delhi to the long Journey in Rajasthan by Mini Bus.
Shooting from early morning until dusk then back to our Hotels for a quick meal and shower, then we started our work on our Computers, uploading the images and working with Aperture 3 (except for two who used Lightroom).
Feel free and read some of the comments in the Testimonials from some of the participants.
Interesting everybody jumped into the cold water and worked with Aperture 3 (installed on our first night at the Hotel in Delhi)which was only released a few days prior our departure for India. No one encountered any problems and everything went real smooth, even our Lightroom Guys where very impressed with Aperture 3.
But now I rather let the images from the students do the talking, everyone done an incredible Job under sometimes very difficult circumstances. Thanks again to all Participants & I hope to see you again one of those days... happy shooting.
Please note: I have also updated my Home Page on my Main Website and changed some Photos from India in the Gallery section.
In due time I am going to replace my Photos in the Galley on my Blog called..."A Small Taste of the Latest" with a new selection of Photos from India and Nepal, currently it is still Cambodia.
My special thanks to Shroff International Travel for making the Journey to India an enjoyable one.
GD
Adventure Travel Photography: Behind the Scenes...GD PhotoWorkshop in India, the fun images
Behind the Scene in India...the fun images
from our last GD Photo Workshop.
© Gunther Deichmann - Behind the Scene...
Jaipur, Rajasthan India 2010
To view the photos you can also click on the image above.
I just uploaded the images from "Behind the Scene India" into the Gallery all taken during our last GD Photo Workshop February/March 2010. The Image Gallery from the Students work will follow sometime next next week.
The current Gallery "The Students Work" is still active with Cambodia but will be replaced very soon with nice Photos from the participants during our last GD Photo Workshop in India. I am still waiting for a few more images and we're done.
In the meantime enjoy the images Behind the Scene from India; from the streets of New Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra and Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Please Note: If you click the LINK and you see Photos from Cambodia you might have to refresh your Browser to view this new and entertaining set of images from India.
As soon I have the students work uploaded I let everybody know, I am very proud of them, they did a great Job and you get to see some excellent images very soon.
Shortly I am going to share with you also some of my images from India and Nepal, in my Gallery "Small Taste of the Latest" and of course a much broader selection will be available on my PhotoShelter Gallery soon too. However I need a bit more time, have to do a lot more fine tuning and editing in Aperture 3 prior publishing those.
Enjoy "Behind the Scene from India...
GD
Adventure Travel with your Digital Camera...thank's for being part of the GD Photo Workshop in India
My gratitude & thanks to all participants
for taken part in our recent completed
GD Photo Workshop in India.
© Gunther Deichmann - "The Group shot"
I only got back a few days ago, but today I like to take the opportunity to thank all participants who joined my recent Photo Workshop in India, at the same time I like to thank also our fantastic Driver who took care of us where ever we ventured, he made certain that our Journey was a safe one.
Thanks also to our Guides at different locations from New Delhi to Jaipur in Rajasthan. In the coming weeks when I have received some images from the students I post some of their photos on my GD PhotoWorkshop site but also an Album again from behind the scenes...there are some real funny ones.
Furthermore once I am done with my editing I create another Album from my recent trip to India and Nepal, which you're going to find soon under a "Small Taste of the Latest"... currently featured Cambodia.
My gratitude to Shroff International Travel for a superb Job, organizing this difficult but rewarding Journey, thank you so very much. More info about recommended Hotels and accommodation from India and Nepal will also follow soon.
Please stay tuned for much more in the next few weeks...for other Aperture 3 Seminars & Photo Workshops in 2010 please click this LINK.
GD
© Gunther Deichmann - Mug shots during our encounter in Jaipur with a street
Photographer using a 150 year old Camera
© Gunther Deichmann - Lots of fun on our first day in old Delhi
Just one more...thank you India!
© Gunther Deichmann - Varanasi, India
Travel Photography India: A brief encounter with Steve McCurry & cruising the Ganges
A morning on the Ganges at Varanasi, India
© Gunther Deichmann - Sadhu, Varanasi India
Thanks again to Jamie who has taken the writing burden of me for the moment, our few days in Varanasi have been very interesting to say the least.
Strolling around the Banks of the Ganges yesterday afternoon a very excited Bebet came running over to me...hey GD do you you know who this guy is over there? Oh man it is Steve McCurry! Well, why I am not surprised...Steve does some Photo Workshops in India and has travelled this part of the world a lot.
I said...wow cool and before we know we where standing at the shorelines of the Ganges and having a quick chat with Steve before we departed in different wind direction doing what we all do best creating images.
Thanks to Bebet insistency and before we parted ways we had a quick photo taken of the three of us, indeed a small world even for indian standards.
GD
A brief encounter with Steve Mc Curry, at the banks of the Ganges
River in Varanasi India, March 2010
Gunther Deichmann - Steve McCurry - Bebet Gaudinez,
Tomorrow we 're leaving via land to our next destination Nepal with a stop over at Lumbini, located in Nepal and is considered the birthplace of Gautam Buddha., after Lumbini we continue on to Kathmandu where we spend another 5 days or so.
© Gunther Deichmann - Varanasi view from the Ganges,
BTW...if you have not done so download the latest Version of Aperture 3 (Version 3.01). I am getting close to some 8000 images and Aperture has been performing just fine, no major glitches. FYI...I am working exclusive with Reference files stored on my external Rugged Lacie 360 Gig Hard drive plus I am using an identical hard drive for backup.
See below excerpts on Lumbini from Wikipedia:
Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal, near the Indian border. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi is said to have given birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Buddha Gautama founded the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha lived between roughly 563 and 483 BCE. Lumbini is one of four magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha, the others being at Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Sarnath.
© Gunther Deichmann - Varanasi India
© Gunther Deichmann - early morning bathers Varanasi India
Varanasi: Holy land of spiritual rites and rituals, cultural and religious centre, renowned learning hub, home to 4 universities and centuries old architecture. Up till now, I’d always secretly thought of Varanasi or ‘Benares’ as Florence and Venice put together. Perhaps I was swayed when I read that Mark Twain said: “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”
But Varanasi is no Venice. Nowhere else do I feel able to say that that today is yesterday, tomorrow is today, and yesterday will be tomorrow. (GD will say that I’m tending towards the inclinations of becoming a sadhu..). Like many places of worship, Varanasi has given me great insight, but short of turning GD’s photography blog into a book on metaphysical musings, he has kindly asked me only to write of the essence of our experience here so far. (and not with-holding the fact that the tailor is also waiting for me to try on my superbly handmade silk Indian Alibabá pants: in all 10 colors!)
The highlight of our 3-day stay here was centered on the famed River Ganges, which true to its good standing is rich with daily rituals of life and death, myth and legend.
© Gunther Deichmann - colors of Varanasi India
We left the Radisson hotel promptly at 5:30am this morning glad of the chill in the moist air (the afternoon humidity accentuates the acid pong of omnipresent urine) and arrived at the bank of the river in less than 20mins. The driver was not a bit surprised to be battling giant busloads of tourists on the narrow dust-lined streets: We had passed the harmonious phase of the lull before the storm, which we were told was meant to crack at daybreak, when the frenzy of yesterday takes place all over again.
There was already a flurry of activity as we edged towards the bank of the Ganga: sadhus painting their weathered faces into cracked mirrors, flower sellers mulling about while mendicants braced themselves for another day, and shop keepers literally shifting the dust from one place to another with feather-dusters.
A shout and our boat arrived as a sudden scuffle between two boys over a piece of naan bread begun. Most of the out-of-towners like us were here to go boating on the river at sunrise; with the only difference being that GD had specifically requested a motorized vessel instead of the usual row-boat, not that there was any speed to the finish but riding against the current was not going to be easy without technology, even on holy waters.
© Gunther Deichmann - early morning bathers Varanasi India
Taking in the length of the river, GD was unruffled by the bustle (that’s cos he hadn’t had his coffee yet! haha), while Bebet and I prepared our cameras, all of us waiting for first light to awake to a slice of river life and an abundance of prayers. The silence was broken only by the motor’s humming, GD’s occasional observation about the light, Bebet’s anthropological reflections and one particularly curious devotee, sashaying on a lone rock a foot at a time and crooning at the top of his lungs. Kumar our guide, explained that he was praying for himself, for success and good health, to which I thought: fair enough, at least he knew he didn’t have the slightest prayer to make it to Bollywood, if that was remotely on his wish list.
© Gunther Deichmann - cleaning the small temples along the
Ganges in the morning, Varanasi India
© Gunther Deichmann - an early morning head shave in Varanasi India
In no time the sun was up and out. We clicked our cameras like drum beats in symphony to the chattering motor. Throngs of men and women were standing on the steps and bathing in the river, soaping themselves and brushing their teeth just a stone’s throw away from where some others were squat, depositing their breakfast or dinners on the starched soil. Naked children shivered on the banks with frowns on their faces, uncertain whether this was altogether fun or not. The townsfolk scrubbed their laundry in the greenish waters and beat them against the rocks. Women rung out their multi-colored saris and draped them upon the ground. We noticed others crouching higher up on the steps in the distance shaping cow dung into flat patties to sun bake them for later use. Yoga enthusiasts and sadhus sat crossed-legged in meditation upon higher ground.
© Gunther Deichmann - colors of Varanasi India
The sun continued her journey while the people offered their prayers to the morning, cleansing their minds and spirits along the holy river until we arrived back to the ghat where we begun our morning and disembarked. With one backward glance at the blurred hubbub against the sandstone walls I left the river Ganges with one thought: this was yesterday and this is tomorrow.
Jamie
Travel Photography & GD PhotoWorkshop, the Incredible Colors of India
The Incredible Colors of India...
© Gunther Deichmann - Jaipur Rajasthan, India Feb. 2010
We just arrived back in Delhi from Rajasthan and Agra...now I am fighting with the connection and I am very tiered, some of the Photo Workshop participants have to catch the plane back home about right now, they just had enough time for a quick shower in our Hotel.
Hey we're going to miss you guys!
I am leaving with Jamie and Bebet tomorrow afternoon for Varanasi and then overland back to Nepal, another 12 or so days to go before hitting back home.
© Gunther Deichmann - Jaipur Rajasthan, street vendor selling
colorful powder, India Feb. 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - Jaipur Rajasthan, India Feb. 2010
The colors of Incredible India; only a few images today need to do a lot more editing when time permits, but many more to come in due time, plus I put up a nice Gallery when I am back home.
© Gunther Deichmann - Holi Festival Jaipur Rajasthan,
India Feb. 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - Holi Festival...the roads are covered with
colorful powder,Jaipur Rajasthan, India Feb. 2010
© Gunther Deichmann - Jaipur Rajasthan, amazing colors
during the Elephant festival India Feb. 2010
Gunther Deichmann - Jaipur Rajasthan, amazing colors
during the Elephant festival India Feb. 2010
In the next few days I have no internet connection but try my best to stay in touch once I get to Kathmandu in Nepal, until then enjoy the images.
GD
GD Photo Workshop & Aperture 3, Happy Holi from Jaipur Rajasthan India
Happy Holi from Jaipur in Rajasthan India...
© Gunther Deichmann - Happy Holi in Jaipur
The GD Photo Workshop Gang or better known now as "Baba G and the Shutter Bugs"... thanks to Tony who took out the copyright on the spot for this new tagline.
© Gunther Deichmann - Happy Holi in Jaipur
© Gunther Deichmann - Bebet is really
in the Mood... our onboard Sadhu.
After spending "2 hours" in the shower and trying to get all those beautiful colors off my body...never mind the clothes I have found the Time to wish everybody a very Happy Holi... India's most colorful Festival...& where everything goes.
The whole Gang... except for two using now Aperture 3, we installed it a few days ago in New Delhi, the performance is great and I had no complaints so far. But now back to Holi...an amazing festival as Jamie will explain below, thanks Jamie that you volunteered to do the main write up tonight...giving me a welcome hand and break.
© Gunther Deichmann - Some of the Gang Members...
Bonfires, twigs, pyres and leaves
Evil spirits burn as Holi proceeds!
With a shake, a nod and cheery Happy Holi! greetings from everyone to anyone who was anyone and ‘no-one’, it would appear that the Indian caste system literally dissolved into a puff of rainbow powdered dyes and colored water today.
Rajasthan was alive with a different spice and we daren’t say we weren’t pre-warned. We were told that on Holi, everything and anything goes. And they weren’t joking either.
Jaipur was vibrating with wild celebrations, drum beats of Indian rock and roll ala Shankar and its stimulating sisterly companions, raving bashes not only of the carnivalesque kind but apparently even veiled beatings and the none too unusual vengeance murders that ‘happen’, but as we were reassured, those only ‘happened in other cities and very rarely in Jaipur so not to worry Ma’am and Sir’. Well homicides or not, I’d secretly pocketed my pepper spray under my white cotton shirtdress, just in case the crowd got a little too piquant for my taste.
© Gunther Deichmann - Jamie is getting her "Make up"
applied by a local
© Gunther Deichmann - the Boys having fun in the streets of Jaipur
The crew was ready and itching to go shoot some color. Truth be told we’d been primed the night before, armed with hair oils, super skin moisturizers, caps, camera “condoms” in all shapes and sizes, throwaway t-shirts, shorts and the lot.
Ok, ok I confess I was the only one with the excessive concern for hair oils, cream based moisturizers, shower caps, disposable cotton underclothes, emergency eye drops, SPF 50 lip balm and goodness knows what else I had stashed in my sling bag. Another one bites the advertising dust! Newspapers (and Tony) had been playing up the dehydrating effects of the dyes on skin and hair, and GI Jane as I may be, I’d certainly had no wish to walk around Incredible India with post-Holi skin lesions or a kerosene scrubbed frizz.
© Gunther Deichmann - Tony is getting his picture taken
by a 150 year old Camera
© Gunther Deichmann - Amazing, old meets new...
the "shutter bugs" & the local street photographer
The glow of the warm afternoon sun didn’t let us down, and neither did Bebet’s smooth cone shaped crown – fondly Pink city’s extremely popular pink duomo of the day! Luis was busy keeping out of trouble while GD, his usual monkey self, got the children squealing around him, unable to decide whether they thought he was funny or scary or both.
I didn’t blame them – a seriously hot magenta, violet and salmon colored faced GD is quite a hair-raising sight! The rest of the crew stayed on track, a yellow-green Joerg staying cool and entertaining the locals with amusing conversation (or was it the other way around) while a blushing red Tony kept the beggars from pulling our clothes and cameras. Hubert was cool as a cucumber sauntering back and forth across the streets, side stepping the cows like a weathered local.
© Gunther Deichmann - 150 years later...but still in use,
the processing is done right on the street.
© Gunther Deichmann - Jamie's turn in front of the
old Plate camera...but please don't move...
And suddenly “150 rupees only, 150 rupees just you look Sir top quality photograph black and white please you look only”. No thank you no thank you no thank you no no no no no and then we stopped. We’d gotten so used to the mendicants following us around for the past 2 hours, pushcarts, trolleys, gypsy children and all across town that literally the replies (as polite as we attempted to remain) just came out of us naturally.
Right on the yellow powdered street hung a few carpets on a stairway which acted as a backdrop in front of (lo and behold) a 150 year-old plate camera, impressive in size as well as quality and sharpness . We later found out that the owner and his brother had inherited it from his ancestors and they have been in the photography business since ‘a very long time Ma’am’. Old meets new!!
Thousands of dollars of equipment strapped to our necks, I found it oxymoronic that for 150 rupees ($3 USD), each of us were as excited as kids on Christmas morn and happy as pie with our old fashioned black and white photos that were washed and developed in a pail of water on the street, ready in less than 10 minutes, and hey, it came with a negative too. Now since the digital age, we haven’t been that pleased with a self-portrait in a long time! What better way to end a picture-perfect day?
Holi Hai!
© Gunther Deichmann - back at the Hotel for some cold
Beers before the "two hour" shower.
Travel Photography & Photo Work Shop in India, celebrating the Holi festival
Happy Holi...
© Gunther Deichmann - the start of Holi a priest during last nights
Pre Holi event blessing everybody with multi colors.
I am in a bit of a rush today...need to get out in the street again with my students to celebrate the Holi Festival the most colorful of all Indian Festivals in Jaipur Rajasthan India.
© Gunther Deichmann - Holi has started...
So please forgive me if this will be a very short Blog today, we're having a great time and the highlight will be later tonight, yesterday we went crazy at the Elephant festival which was so fantastic. Today we're going to get covered in color from top to bottom and last night we participated at a Temple the pre Holi event, with huge fires lit up all over town.
© Gunther Deichmann - the night before Holi
Sorry have to run now...but so much more later, thanks also to Aperture 3 uploading has been easy and fast, I am already at some 4000 images.
© Gunther Deichmann - it is going to get a lot worst today...
GD
Adventure Travel Photography with Aperture 3: India & Nepal plus the GD Photo Workshop in Rajasthan
A new Journey begins....
© Gunther Deichmann - Incredible India
In a few hours another Journey begins...leaving first for Thailand and Nepal then to India for the start of my GD PhotoWorkshop. Meeting everybody in New Delhi before leaving for Rajasthan to celebrate the Holi Festival. After the Workshop back to Delhi, I then continue my Journey to Varanasi one of the holiest places in India and travel over land back to Nepal.
I try to update my Blogs as much as possible but that depends on the internet connection and if I am not to tired in the evenings.
I am all packed now, Aperture 3 is prepared and ready for the Road show, I am really looking forward to see my students in Delhi very soon for an exciting Photo Workshop in Incredible India.
© Gunther Deichmann - the colors of India...
I guess that is it for the time being, I try to report along the way, but that depends on the connection.
Thanks to the staff from Shroff International Travel for making all the arrangements, specially Arjun & Sheena who have been fantastic.
GD
Aperture 3: Travel Photography and Multi Media presentations direct from locations
Now lets get back to reality and shoot some images in the field, as you know unless we have those Photos even
Aperture 3 can’t do anything, it needs the input first.
© Gunther Deichmann - Pushkar, India 2009
So here we are back into Photography, Aperture 3 is certainly going to make our workflow more easy and more fun, GPS and Places, the new Curves, put back from the Trash, Chromatic Aberrations the list goes on and on.
We have also color coding which some of us find very useful for on the road editing, however I have a slight grin on my face and you might ask why. Very simple, some of our Underwater Photographer recently complained and nagged non stop about updates being to slow from Apple.
Some even went as far and switched to Lightroom, again my magic word is patience...are they going back to Aperture 3 now, it looks that way.
My advise as an Aperture user from day one and as a Certified Trainer, get to know one software real well and stick with it, in due time and it is happening right now changes will happen, remember “Rome was also not build in one day” have patience, good things take time. And The Time is NOW.
Thanks to the Apple Aperture Team for a Job well done!
As for my travel photography, I am more then excited, but then again I need to get those images first. You all know I am leaving very soon and if all goes well I have Aperture 3 running and give it a real good and realistic Road test for some 4 weeks in the field trying to post images with the new Facebook function , Locations via Places, the new video function and for sure I am going to work with the new Curves.
Please stay tuned and I try my very best connection permitting to file real reports from the field, or you might say Aperture 3 straight out of the Box.
The web is totally saturated at the moment, the talk of the Town is Aperture 3, but now I am looking forward to some cool Photography and only then I write more in details about all those new features which certainly sound all very exciting.
For the latest info on Aperture 3 and all the new features pls. go to: http://www.apple.com/aperture/whats-new.html
GD
Travel Photography with Aperture 3 mapping your destinations is easy now
© Gunther Deichmann - Rajasthan India 2009
Places
Now you can use GPS location data to explore your photos by the places they were taken. Better still, find them on an interactive map.
Organize your library by location, location, location.
If you’re shooting with a GPS-enabled camera, Aperture 3 uses reverse geocoding to convert location coordinates into familiar location names, then displays those locations on the Places map. If you’re using a separate GPS tracking device, the path of your photo journey appears on the map when you import a track log. You can even extract locations from iPhone tracker apps or your iPhone photos. Which means you can instantly find all your Yellowstone photos, for example, without typing the word “Yellowstone.” Photos can be organized by country, state, city, or a point of interest such as Old Faithful or the park visitor center.
Put your photos on the map.
If a photo doesn’t include GPS metadata, simply drag the photo to the spot on the map where you shot it. A pin appears. Then, when you’re searching for photos, use the map’s navigation menu to quickly find the location. When you click the pin, Aperture displays all the photos taken there.
Easy course corrections.
If you need to change the location of your shot, drag the pin on the map across the street or across the country. The GPS data associated with the photo updates automatically, so you know where your photos are at all times.More info @ http://www.apple.com/aperture/whats-new.html
GD Photo Workshop: Journey through Incredible India in 2010 final dates and information
I am pleased to announce the final Dates for our
GD Photo Workshop in India!
February 25 - March 04, 2010
We are currently working on the final Itinerary however our PhotoWorkshop will coincide with one of the most important Festivals in India...lets celebrate "Holi" and the Elephant festival in Jaipur Rajasthan at the same time.
New Delhi and Agra with its magnificent Taj Mahal is also part of our itinerary, more information will be available very soon.
2009 © Gunther Deichmann - Colors of Rajasthan
Please note this PhotoWorkshop is for a limited number of students only; max. 8 participants.
The Workshop is filling up fast, as of today we only have three (3) vacancies left, bookings are only on a first come basis and have to be confirmed by no later than January 10, 2010. I hope you understand that due to the complexity and logistics of this workshop we can't except anymore bookings after January 10.
2009 © Gunther Deichmann - Rajasthan
I hope you can join me on this Journey through Incredible India in 2010. Please stay tuned for more details and info soon on this Blog or you can contact me direct. For additional info and testimonials from previous workshops please go to GD PhotoWorkshops or click this LINK, thank you.
Note: You can also watch a short intro (slide show) on India on YouTube, see my prevous blog post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBdyMR8fq0s&feature=channel
GD
Photography & amazing architecture, Sikandra Akbar Mausoleum & my first morning at the Taj Mahal, India
The artwork at this place is just astonishing, impressive from the outside but even more so at the Mausoleum entrance.
So, if you take a trip from Delhi to Agra you should stop and spend a couple of hours at this architecture marvel, a stop you want regret.
© Gunther Deichmann - Sikandra Akbar Mausoleum entrance,
women & child leaving the Tomb.
The buildings are constructed mainly from a deep red sandstone, enriched with features in white marble. Decorated inlaid panels of these materials and a black slate adorn the tomb and the main gatehouse. Panel designs are geometric, floral and calligraphic, and prefigure the more complex and subtle designs later incorporated in Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb.
© Gunther Deichmann - the walk way outside
the Sikandra Akbar Mausoleum, I was getting ready
for an architectural shot when all of a sudden this
women appeared from nowhere.
The Tomb of Akbar the Great is an important architectural masterpiece set in 48 Ha (119 acres) of grounds in Sikandra a suburb of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
The third Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great (1542 – 1605), himself commenced its construction in around 1600, according to Tartary tradition to commence the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it, after his death, Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction in 1605-1613.
one morning at the Taj Mahal....
© Gunther Deichmann - my first morning at the
Taj Mahal, Muslim Women at the Mosque
