Saffron Green

Kithulgala, Sri Lanka

Went to my hometown Nawalapitiya last week on holiday. Kithulgala is about 40 minutes away. Known for its rapids and adventure sports Kithulgala is a pretty spot with neat guest houses and hotels. I shot this at 'Rafters Resort' a lovely property by the river. More pictures of the ancestral home on the resort in the next post. 

STEEL BLUE

STEEL BLUE is retail clothing store catering especially to upmarket office wear for men and women. They also have a line of evening wear for women.  They also take custom orders for those who want somethign specific. This picture if part of a collection I shot for the re-launch of their women's office wear.  Do check them out. You can't miss their three storey white building next to 5th lane on Duplication Rd, Colpetty.

Haven't blogged recently as I have almost dedicated myself to commercial photography. Above is a little bit of what I have been up to. Travels on hold these days. However, not to worry, I will pack off someplace soon and grace this blog with more of my travel posts. Till then you will see me running around Colombo running after brides, models and products. 

Bagels on the Go!

Only at Coco Veranda!

Pecha Kucha Colombo

I had a great time at Pecha Kucha on Saturday night. The event was held at the Warehouse Project in Maradana and showcased the work of eight extremely talented people. Artists, photographers, film makers, fashion designers and even a puppeteer, the place had them all. My personal favourite had to be Mika Tennekoon with her amazing drawings, each with a whimsical story behind it.

I'll update this post with a full list of the presenters once I get my hands on their details. This is exactly the kind of forum we need in Sri Lanka. It was brilliant to see how talented the people in our country could be, and as one of my friends said, each of the presenters was quite 'Epic!'

The organizers hope to have three more such events in the future, the next Pecha Kucha being held in October.

From the Pecha Kucha Colombo Facebook Page:

Pecha Kucha means 'chit chat' in Japanese. "PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.

Amali and James

Amali and James

St Thomas' Church, Kotte

My first church wedding shoot.

The Yellow Line

Remnants of the war. We can read them. Too bad elephants and other animals can't.

The Red Line

A girl cycles outside the walls of the Nallur Temple

Cycling is the most common mode of transport here. All the women I saw were accustomed to cycling it. That's a rare sight in Colombo where it would probably invite cat calls from the city's ever present rasthiadu (jobless) fellows.

The Green Line

Clothes line where Sri Lankan soldiers have dried their clothes.  

Jaffna town has many abandoned homes because of the war.  These once glorious houses were used by the LTTE when they were present in the town. They continue to be used by the SL army today. 

These clothes lines will always see a bit of green.

Rio Ice Cream from Jaffna

Mega Special  only Rs 100/=

The Rio ice cream parlour is legendary in Jaffna. I was in Jaffna covering the Jaffna Music Festival   and had been told that Rio's is a must experience in Jaffna.

We were leaving Jaffna on Sunday morning by the 10 am bus to Vavuniya. From Vavuniya we would catch the train back to Colombo. We still hadn't gotten the chance to try Rio's ice cream. So come Sunday morning, we packed our bags checked out and headed to Rio's for our breakfast of ice cream sundaes.

Now I am a huge ice cream junkie. Ice cream makes me happy. I never imagined that the cutest ice cream parlour in Sri Lanka would be found in Jaffna. Rio's is situated near Nallur temple and they make such amazingly creative sundaes. Carnival sundaes are so bland after this.

At Rio's ice cream sundaes are decorated with smarties, jelly, fresh mango, and little chocolate rocks among other things. The ice cream is made by Rio themselves and they sell their own tubs too. The most expensive sundae costs 140/= .

If you're ever headed to Jaffna Rio's is a must stop.

Roaming Lanka

I haven't updated my blog in almost two months. Been terribly hectic since I got back to Sri Lanka. I hold multiple jobs. At the moment I am a freelance photographer and writer with Lanka Woman magazine. I shot my first two weddings a few weeks ago. Those went well. Still need to complete the albums. And I also teach history at my old school. From setting test papers to, writing articles to editing photographs I am pretty much swamped with work.

And I've also been travelling a bit here and there. Had an amazing time shooting for the Galle Literary Festival ( I went whale watching while covering the festival!!). Need to update the blog with those pictures. And this weekend I am off to Jaffna to shoot the Jaffna Music Festival. Pretty excited about visiting the place. Next time I shall post some pictures from my travels.

Till then!
:)

Lottery Blues

Behind the Veil : Peek-a-boo!

 The bride awaits the groom to arrive to lift her veil at a traditional Memon wedding in Sri Lanka.

Colombo from the Sea

I covered a wedding reception on the jetliner recently. This is a view of the city from the ship.

Mizz Nina

Mizz Nina is a Malaysian Popstar who was in Sri Lanka promoting her album  'What you waiting for?'

Shot for Lanka Woman Magazine

Who Turned the Lights Off?

Sarah Kellapatha plays the role of an HIV victim abandoned by all those she trusted.

Forum Theatre performance by Beyond Borders. More on the play in Chavie's post.
Lesson: Don't ask your friends for advice on contraception or sex. They don't know any better. Visit the doctor instead.

Wasana

in a designer outfit by Hafsa Ameer

More photographs in my Flickrstream here 

Flutist at Prithvi : Suhas Joshi

Prithvi Theatre Cafe, Juhu, Mumbai

For the many people who visit Prithvi Theatre, Suhas Joshi is an integral part of the ambiance at the cafe. The flutist is an architect by profession but music is his passion. You'll see him playing his flute there on most nights.He is an extremely talented guy and a brilliant personality to be with.

I Vow...

At the Tomb of Salim Chisti, Fatehpu Sikri, Agra 

People tie threads and make vows to the Sufi saint Salim Chisti. The practice is a little controversial as many people find it contradictory to Islamic teachings where the path to God is undeterred by saints, angels or prophets. If you need God, pray to him directly. No medium is required for your message to get across. 

I strongly agree with that, however I don't agree with how people discount Sufism because of this. What they don't realize is that Sufism is the essence of Islam. Many people are Muslims today only because of the peaceful way Sufi saints preached the core teachings of Islam. Their lives inspire thousands of people, from all religions and their tombs are some of the few places where absolutely anyone is allowed entry. 

Asleep

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

...at the door. Alone with no family in sight.

AOD Design Festival 2010

Mount Lavinia Hotel, Sri Lanka

Chennai : Aerial View

Chennai has certainly seen a lot of changes in the last few years. It's amazing to see how much India is growing now. One thing I did notice was that cities everywhere are beginning to look a lot like each other. When I visited Jaipur last year expecting to see its famed pink walls and quaint buildings I was shocked to see how urban it had become. I hope cities manage to retain a little bit of their local heritage so that it would be a different experience to visit the place. Or they'll all be the same which will be pretty dull really. I'm not against urbanization. We all need a place to live and good infrastructure. Just a little bit of diversity which will make urban landscapes distinctive and a treat to visit.

Patriot

My wife or my Country?

A scene from the play Patriot by Beyond Borders on the 2nd of November at Bishops College Auditorium. That's Lasantha David playing the protagonist David Senanayake and Mayanthi De Silva as his wife.

For a review of the play check out Chavie's post on it. He basically sums it up.

The play tries to explore the concept of patriotism and how it plays out in Sri Lanka today. I used to call my self a 'patriot' when I was younger. I think the ideal is a little outdated now. I just believe humanity is above patriotism or nationalism. What about you guys? Would you consider yourself patriots and why?

Batman

Aman Ashraff has an amazing collection of action figures. I shot a couple of them for him the other day. Batman will always remain my favourite Superhero.  

Since I am back in Sri Lanka for good, am looking for some photography work. If you or anyone else needs anything please contact me. Drop me a mail at aaminanizar@gmail.com. I haven't gotten a new number yet. Shall post it once I do.

The Delhi Walla : Mayank Austen Soofi

Meet an icon of Delhi, Mayank Austen Soofi, aka The Delhi Walla. If you need to know anything about this city just check his site or drop him a mail. For many people the sight of him roaming the streets (and sometimes rooftops) of Delhi with his camera is as integral a part of the city as one of its many monuments. His books on Delhi were published last month. Be sure to pick them up if you are planning on visiting the city.

 

Gulab Jamun and Jelabi

Chandni Chowk, Delhi

Farewell India

All foreign residents in India will be familiar with this little dark blue book. It is the Registration Report and Residential Permit  issued by the FRRO (Foreign Regional Registration Office). It's the place all foreign residents need to register with upon their entry into the country. Three days ago, I gave up my residency in India  had to return this book to the FRRO. I collected my exit papers and left Mumbai on the 20th of October. It pinched a little as gave it back. My three and a half years there have been more enriching than my words and pictures can ever express. I wish more people get to experience the things I saw, the people I met and the places I lived in during my stay in India. I will miss Mumbai the most and will hopefully visit next year.

I am back in Sri Lanka and am excited about getting re-acquainted with my country. There is so much I need to see and learn about the place of my birth and I am looking forward to it.

So SL, here I am!

Oh and if anyone needs a photographer who also has a degree in journalism.
Please send them my way.
I can shoot and write and don't necessarily need to mix the two.

:)

Malai Paratha

Parathawalla Gully, Chandni Chowk, Delhi.

This crispy paratha is filled with sweetened Malai (the thickened cream of milk), raisins and nuts. It is absolutely divine and one of the most memorable things I ate in Delhi.

Qutub Minar.....by Night

Delhi, India

The day I shot the Qutub Minar was the day the Ayodhya verdict was being announced. People were warned to stay off the street, schools were closed early, and I was given a strict warning to get back to the hostel by afternoon. Well I did, and then restlessness hit by evening. Didn't want to to waste a day in the city by staying indoors. So a friend and I decided we would go sightseeing anyway and reached the Qutub Minar just as daylight was dying. I'm kind of glad we went so late because I managed to get some great night shots of it. The airport is close by to the place and there are planes flying by every now and then. The shot above shows an airplane's path through the sky at 25s shutter speed.

Qutub Minar

Delhi, India.

Just came back from Delhi today afternoon. Went there for a holiday. Some of my friends from Mumbai are now pursuing their Masters in English Literature from the University of Delhi. Thought I'd give them a visit and check out India's great capital.

I was there from the 23rd of September till the 1st of October. This is the week before the Commonwealth games. The previous few weeks also saw heavy showers and flooding. There was a dengue epidemic and the much awaited verdict over the Ayodhya Babri Masjid issue was supposed to be announced that week. The conflict over the mosque has been the source of much of the communal tension in India. My parents feared that I'd be stuck in the middle of some communal riot if the mosquitoes didn't get to me first. However, everything progressed without much chaos. And except for me nearly missing my train back and leaving my tripod in an auto rickshaw, the trip was brilliant! 

Delhi is very different from Mumbai and has it's own charm. I love how you can stroll around the city and suddenly come across the ruins of an old Fort. I shall write more about it in my next posts. 

That's a picture of Qutub Minar above. It's apparently the world's tallest brick minaret and work started on it in the year 1193. People used to be allowed to climb right to the top. However, after some people decided it  was great for dramatic suicide plunges and following an accident involving school children in 1981, the public are no longer allowed to climb the minaret. It's a great place to visit though, and a must see in Delhi.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

The BMC is the civic body that runs Mumbai. It is situated opposite the Victoria  Terminus (presently  known as the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus) in Fort. The Gothic style building was completed in 1893 and is one of the city's most iconic structures.

Mumbai Monsoon

The flooded subway at Haji Ali

Raghu Rai

Raghu Rai is arguably India's most famous photographer and is known for redefining the face of photojournalism in India.   He is part of the Magnum Photo agency which was started by photographers Henri Cartier Bresson and Robert Capa among others. His work is extensive and he has shot the profiles of many of India's top personalities from Indhira Gandhi to Mother Teresa. He is also famous for his work on the Bhopal Gas tragedy.

He was at my college for a lecture. That's his assistant in the background. A lot of us photographers start as assistants to professionals in the industry. I assist photographer Ian Pereira in Mumbai now.  It's a great experience and I'm learning a lot.

Minara Masjid

Minara Masjid, Mohammed Ali Road, Mumbai.

Minara Masjid and the lane next to it is famous for an all night food bazar during Ramazan. These are pictures of the place from last year.  I shot these two above around 5 in the morning just as the sun was rising. The place was shutting down for the morning as people have had their pre-dawn meal before the fast for the day starts.

Trident Hotel, Mumbai

Took this shot while sitting on Marine Drive on a full moon day. The Trident was one of the locations taken hostage by terrorists on 26th November 2008. I will be leaving Mumbai in about 6 weeks. So I've decided to post more photographs from in and around the city. 

Nasra

Nasra is one of the pre-wedding functions of the Qureshi Muslim community in India. I am not sure if it happens among the other communities but I was really impressed that it happened here. On the night before the wedding, the bride-to-be has to read passages from the Qura'n in the presence of other women. This is to ensure that she is literate and educated in the religion. Illiteracy among women is still very high in India. I found it good that this tradition placed importance on women knowing their religious texts and encouraging literacy when for centuries, across religions,  reading scripture was a male dominated domain,

We are now in Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic calender and the month in which the Qur'an was first revealed. The first word that was revealed to our Prophet Muhammed (sal) by the Angel Gabriel was Ikra which in Arabic means 'Read!'. The Prophet was illiterate and could not read the words shown to him. However, he encouraged his followers to read the scripture themselves enabling them to keep it from the the control of any priestly class.

Ishan

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Went for the Spice Festival at Green Path on Sunday. We saw the long queue for the coupon table and decided we'd rather have kottu from Hotel de Pilawoos. My best friend Heba and I are down in SL for the holidays and hadn't had kottu in months anyway. We met this little boy outside the place as we waited for the guys to make our food.

Ishan sells little keytag torches outside Pilawoos over the weekend. He then takes a late night bus on Sunday night to reach Hambantota by morning. He tells me that he attends school on weekdays and comes to Colombo over the weekend to make some money. It's his sisters birthday the next day so he's gotten her a cake and is taking it to Hambantota with him. He is fluent in both Tamil and Sinhala and is learning English as well. Apparently his house did get damaged during the Tsunami. In Colombo he lives at a house in Maradana. He was waiting outside Pilawoos for some 'Hajiar' to come. This Hajiar gives him money apparently.

I have no idea how far any of this is true but I'd certainly like to find out if there are more children like him in the city and how they manage to get by.

Something Relevant

My favourite Mumbai based band. Something Relevant consists Aazin on vocals, Jehangir on drums, Stuart on Bass, Tanmay on guitar, Ryan on saxophone, Luis on keyboard and Aalok on tabla. They were shooting their music video at Zenzi and that's where I saw them perform.

Haven't blogged in a long time. I'm finally settled in Mumbai now. Moved into a flat with my friend Tania. Finally got the internet fixed so I can come online now. You shall see me post more often.