falling





this picture is from the first time i did a studio shoot (well it wasnt really a studio in all of its entirety because it was just on a white background in a classroom) which was ages ago but i never published those because they weren't good enough. this is probably the only one i liked enough to upload. i have to admit i did feel inadequate as a photographer because i failed to create worthy pictures with just the lights, an empty backdrop and the model. having always done location shoots with only natural light, i constantly found myself disappointed and frustrated with the pictures. it was a great experience neverthless. i'm going to give it a go again and next time i will try to experiment with the lights and maybe use props if possible :)

free






this is one of my favourite music videos ever. it never ceases to amaze and inspire me regardless of how simple it is and how many times i watch it. there's something so liberating and free-ing about it. you might argue its a load of rubbish and some might find the idea of people taking their clothes off and running around naked in public offensive and unpleasant. to me its a great video, firstly for the fact that its not just another pop music video of rappers and their so called muse, or of rockstars in their preclaimed rockstar lives. by not following the pre-set recipe for a successful video and by doing something different, it sets itself apart in another league.
this video makes me aware of how controlled our lives are and how burdened we are with society's expectations from us to do the right thing, say the right words, follow the right path. it appalls me how much scrutiny we are under to abide by rules, do as we are told. this video reminds me that regardless of all this, the only thing thats truly making you do the things you say you are doing because you are told to do so, is you. it makes me believe that we always have a choice, to choose for ourselves, decide whats right or wrong, say yes or say no if need be, and live life the way we want to. the only thing stopping you, is you.
although not everyone's way of expressing themselves and declaring their win against their demons is the same as of those in the video, its great to see and feel how it must be, to feel free.

enchanted forest





 
the song that inspired it.

strangers and vintage basement



(i haven't blogged/ dumped my thoughts for ages so this is going to be long :P)






i met these amazingly friendly and (if not so obvious already) cool strangers in an equally (if not cooler) shop called VINTAGE BASEMENT when we went to london on tuesday. this billy idol classic was being played whilst we were there and the lady started dancing to it without any care or hesitation. it was quite a sight to see and she did have some funky moves. i just knew i had to photograph her and so i gathered the little courage i had and asked if i could take her picture to which she kindly obliged. i also managed to get her friends in the pictures (go me!) they were such a cool and funny bunch and were so nice to me and my friends. i just wish i had asked their names and i only realised i hadn't done so after they were gone. but they did give me their business card (the breakfast club) which was awesome and as i had semi-predicted they specialise in dance, choreography and creative direction. i would definitely love to hang out with them!




so many good things happened that day! (in addition to me finding+buying a military combat shirt, suede boots and a jumper :D) it wasn't the best weather we could have asked for and as ambitious a tourist we might have been, we really needed a shelter from the downpour since our umbrellas didn't seem to do the job well. we went back to the shop where we met the strangers earlier. upon talking to the owner of the shop, we found that he was a nepali as well. seeing that i was having a lucky day (and with a lot of encouragements and ta bhanna bharu) swapnil didi and i went up to him and asked if we could use some of the clothes from his shop to take pictures in. he agreed to let us do so which was so kind of him and awesome since we then were sneakily able to avoid the never ending rain :D



egooffashion wearing:
straw hat(£10)
80s leopard print blouse (£14)
jodhpur trousers (£22)
wedges with butterfly cutouts (£15)
COURTESY OF vintage basement




 the shop is located in cheshire street, london E2 6ED. it's just off brick lane and a few blocks down beyond retro. these amazing finds are still in the shop so you might as well go and get those before someone else does (and even if they are gone you'll be glad to know there's plenty more there for you to savour your thirst for insanely rad vintage clothes and accessories (both mens+womens!) and to make it even awesome-er, all items on the ground floor are just £10!
do have a look at their facebook page to see whats on offer.
LIKE on FACEBOOK

(you maybe wondering why i've turned into a salesman(ish) but the owner was so nice to us it only seems fair to help in any way i can :))
so do visit when you're in london and also tell your friends ;)
ps: i am soon going to collaborate with the shop which is going to be awesome! i cant wait to get my hands on all the vintageness :D

black and blue










on tuesday i met with egooffashion and took pictures of her. she'll upload lots more after i get around to finishing those, because at the moment i am too busy trying to be busy but ending up doing nothing of any relevance at all.
currently i am obsessed with the music (and videos) of mike snow :D

with arms wide open.




i easily get carried away by thoughts and into worlds of distant futures.
expectations overwhelm me with the need to take better pictures everytime i shoot.
here i am looking for gravity to keep my feet on the ground, and you talk about flying.
i've never been much of a believer.
and today is not the day i take that leap of faith.


(today i went to a place where i'd never been before, and i was the only soul there. i spread my arms wide open, and shut my eyes close, and said nothing at all, and thought of noone at all. i put my camera on self timer and the shutter and the birds and the wind were the only things i could hear, and it was peaceful, and even though i couldn't stay there all day long, and the thoughts were loud and the time was rushing again, i was at peace.)

(well until this mega scary incident happened but i will not talk about it here *____* all i know is that it scared the hell out of me and i may possibly have nightmares about it tonight. okay fine maybe i'm exaggerating but something like that had never happened to me before and i think i just ruined this post and now i'm going to shut up. maybe just ignore this part :P)

you say goodbye, and i say hello








on tuesday i went to london to shoot with these lovely people. i had an amazing time. they were so fun to work with and had such nice clothes (which is always a good thing to shoot :P). karuna didi also took so many amazing pictures and lex was there to video the shoot. the parcha guys (minus sameer dai) also had their intellectual talks and plannings with lex which was very interesting lets say ;)
(wow this does sound so monotone and like im writing a journal or some sort but i cant really write much in the usual sense i do because there's so much and so less at the same time. the song by the beatles may seem a little unfitting but this was just to help show the underlying concept behind the pictures (which funny enough i just made up and it fits yay) a story of how opposites repel and attract eachother. (the warm tones for the somewhat traditional boy and the cold tones for the modern girl))

wow a bracket within a bracket within a bracket ( how cool am i :P)