paper shadows

New blogs

2010-06-10T13:24:00.003+04:00

Besides my new photography blog - http://neharamabhadran.com
I'm also maintaing a gorgeous new design blog, which I think you will love - visit - http://papermagictwigs.blogspot.com

moved to a new address!!

2009-10-07T08:00:00.003+04:00

I have moved. And the fab new address is -http://www.neharamabhadran.com/I will miss continuing this blog. But it was time for a new look! So see you there!!!

Have some other ideas for this blog.. will keep you updated!

China Town

2009-09-29T14:01:00.016+04:00

I loved the China Town area in Singapore. It was so vibrant and fun! Colorful and almost dream like in the drizzling rain.

Singapore Zoo!!

2009-09-22T18:50:00.021+04:00

Ok, so we are back from our trip. Well, have been back for a while. It was awesome!!! Singapore blew me away with it's greenery, coming from Dubai especially! Loved the zoo! And Bali was nothing that I expected it to be - the beaches were sooooo disappointing. And what we loved was Ubud. Stayed put there pretty much and enjoyed the greenery all around us. Amazing food, happy hours, cafes, temples, boutiques, rice fields.. bliss. Bangkok was crazy. It was pouring almost all the time whenever we decided to step out, but for shopping it is a paradise!

We started our trip in singapore.. caught up with our very dear friends and except that I was under the weather most of the time in singapore, thanks to hugely swollen feet after an 8 hour flight.. (yes, I'm getting old, if I had to guess), it was great hanging out with them.. just like old times.. :)

The pictures will come in batches, hope you enjoy them!! :)

dreams from another land...

2009-08-25T22:13:00.015+04:00

Come Friday, I'm off to the breezy sunshine land of Singapore, Bali and Bangkok!!! Lot's to be done before that, so haven't had time to update. Very soon, you'll see a new look and new website!! Excited about taking thousands of pictures and just relaxing. Finally it'll be me and Vivek and no Big McK or work for a while!! :) Leaving you all with lots of love, peace, dreams and magic.. and those of you in sgpr, bali, bangkok - waiting to see you all!!! :)

A.n.d.r.e.e.a fashion portrait session Final Part

2009-08-20T15:33:00.006+04:00

This is the final set of pictures from the shoot with Andreea. I absolutely LOVE all of these!! When I compare my growth to the level of what I expect from myself, I still have lots to practice, learn and improve. But I'm so happy with these pictures here, that I am also a bit kicked about it! (ok fine, more than a bit kicked!)

I often say about my pictures that I love them. And I do!

But it can be difficult to love them completely. And that doesn't come easy. I will sit for hours going through the pictures over and over again and always find something that could be different or worked upon... exposure, light, composition.. Then take a look around - magazine, blogs, websites, and it can be a set back and you realize you are far far away. It's difficult to know when to stop.

But this is a lil different... I am really really happy with some of these. I know I worked hard and I'm very satisfied and content, especially with this set. Maybe next week looking back I will see something or the other missing in these too, but for now.. for me I'm happy! :)

So, let me know which ones you all like!?

A.n.d.r.e.e.a fashion portrait session Part II

2009-08-19T19:23:00.004+04:00

Ok, so doesn't she so look like Cameron Diaz!? She totally does!

check out the hearts!!

And tomorrow I will post my fav pictures from this shoot! :) So do come back!

A.n.d.r.e.e.a fashion portrait session Part I

2009-08-17T17:50:00.026+04:00

So Friday was very exciting for me! Had a shoot with Andreea Rizan. She is the face of LG in UAE and has done some big campaigns. An aspiring full-time model, she was so easy to work with! It was an amazing shoot for me and I think we worked very well together. I would be keen to know if you guys think she looks like a certain famous movie star..? Coz I totally think she does.. and so do many others.. let's see what you all think??

I decided to do the shoot at the pool on our terrace. The location was perfect except, that one of my lenses, gave me a lot of trouble, because of the humidity and heat, it kept getting foggy. I wanted to get a very soft, timeless and easy feel for this session. And I'm a sucker for the vintage kinda look, which I wanted to get for some of the pictures.

We shot close to 450 pictures!! And I think she looked beautiful in each and every one of them! :)

I lOVE the shot above on the right!!!

Love the icy blues here...

come back for much much more from this session... the best is yet to come! :)

f.o.r.e.v.e.r

2009-08-13T11:17:00.012+04:00

A different blog/website is being worked upon, rather slowly though, but once I get that done, art and personal photography will have different sections, till then bear with me, while it's all like a mixed bag of chocolates here! I have always maintained `my fav in Polaroid' on my system and on facebook too... wanted to share a few here...

Also, traveling to Singapore, Bali, Bangkok from 28th aug - 12 sep, so if any of you want photo session, pls drop me a line. Details soon!

through the cherry blossom tree

2009-08-12T12:01:00.006+04:00

Behind the purple clouds

when the sun begins to set

and the smell of winter

is everywhere

I sit outside and stare long.

Between the branches and the fruit

of the cherry blossom tree

I try and catch a glimpse

of fast fading light

and quickly hiding birds

I hum a song I used to know

half forgotten

half lost

and then

I miss you....

I miss you a lot.

r.a.k.s.h.a.b.a.n.d.h.a.n

2009-08-10T20:49:00.009+04:00

Some shots I took on Rakhi day pooja, without any rakhis though! :)

Rakhi is also known as rakshabandhan, a festival in India, where sisters tie colorful threads on their brother's hand, symbolic of the love and bond between them and the brother promises to protect them forever.

s.w.e.t.a & k.a.p.i.l couple's maternity photography

2009-08-09T11:00:00.019+04:00

Friday morning, was a maternity/couples portrait session with Sweta and Kapil. Few years married, they are soon expecting their first baby! They are such a lovely couple and we had a lot of fun hanging out with them. We shot at JBR walk, the beach and LPQ. We wrapped up the day with a great lunch at the Kabab Factory, what delight to discover another foodie couple!! :)

They were so amazing to shoot - so calm and patient, besides being an absolute delight as subjects - very cute! Thank you both!! :) And also a big thank you to Vivek, who was right there besides me, just as I needed him to be. Like always.

Pictures from the shoot... Let me know what you all think...

the lovely couple

How cute is the egg shot!? :)

She looks so dreamy and calm...

This is one of my favorite! It was burning hot, but our models here, managed to look all cool and breezy!!

I love the`Now Open' sign in the background - `now open to welcoming the new one in the family'! :)

the expressions in this one are priceless! :)

These too, are one of my personal favs!

Location courtesy - LPQ, Jbr Walk.

b.l.i.n.g

2009-08-06T14:46:00.017+04:00

Tomorrow is a very exciting day for me. To know why, and see what I'm talking about, come back during the weekend.

Anyways, took some shots today, quite love the colors in the one below!! :) What do you think?

r.e.l.i.g.i.o.n

2009-08-06T11:46:00.005+04:00

A mosque in Beirut and a temple on the hills of Haridwar

kabab place

2009-08-04T10:37:00.012+04:00

I took these shots at Kabab Factory, old town, Dubai. Amazing food. Very very filling, because they have so much variety and their gobi masala and dal makhani is to die for!!! :) seriously, if you are in Dubai, you must try it! I prefer the place for lunch, so you can go home and sleep afterwards.

Love the colors and clarity!! And the reflection on the glasses is almost really good.

And that grey rocket like thing in the last picture, is actually the tallest tower in the world! The Burj Tower! This and all the other construction that goes on and on and on in Dubai reminds me of the film `War of the Worlds', imagine if all of these cranes, buildings started walking!! Anything's possible :)

Vintage charm

2009-08-03T08:36:00.007+04:00

This is from my much loved collection of old family pics. My mum (isn't she gorgeous!!), when they were young, was an easy subject for her brother to shoot, who is a very good photographer. I love this pic!! The original is in black and white as you can see, but i was so tempted to play around with it!! :)

Hip hop!!! Say yo!!

2009-08-01T12:26:00.015+04:00

Last night was the awesome hip-hop party at Kunal's. We got back home at 5 am!! :) It was great fun and I loved it even more because I got to take some people shots after a long time. While getting the focus right in the dim light was very difficult for me (didn't want to take pictures with the flash on, hence had to keep it on manual setting), I do think I got some very lovely shots. It really helped that everyone was so fun and amazing! Below are some of the shots I really like.. and right below, the big one is one of my most fav pictures ever!! I love how everything has come together for this picture! I LOVE it, think it's super cute!!! :) You like????

an old song...

2009-07-29T12:11:00.006+04:00

More Atlantis

2009-07-27T12:15:00.005+04:00

More cafe @ Dubai Mall

View of the metro from Atlantis

Atlantis
I absolutely love this pic. I think I was able to get a good angle and light for this one.

F1 racing team event

2009-07-26T18:02:00.003+04:00

Vivek's team event this time was the very cool F1 style racing experience at the Dubai Autodrome. Bravely I let him go for it. And it seemed like the longest 20 mins of my life I swear! The moment I heard the engines start and roar, I was crying. :) Anyone who knows me really well, knows I'm am a super paranoid person when it comes to driving, flying, adventure sports.. well.. let's just say most things!!

Managed to get some good shots, before and after, coz I was hiding in the trailer and had no nerves to shoot once the race really started.. :)

Apparently the experience was as close to the real thing as you can get. If you

are as hyper as I am, give it a miss. Cost - 950Dhs FYI

I love this one Vivek's!

Khalil

Dubai landscape

2009-07-26T16:46:00.004+04:00

Dubai is a place I have found very easy to settle in. I love how being a vegetarian is not a big handicap anymore. I love the Indian food here, which I promise is even better than what you get in many places in India! I hate the heat though.. the summers are cruel, but the city really comes alive in winters. People hang out at the beach, cafes, beachside open places.. I don't love Dubai though. It's interesting, but not fascinating to me. It's easy and loud but not simple. It's ever changing face, lined with construction cranes everywhere, makes it difficult to get inspired by. None of it's fault - it's a growing place with geographical handicap being a dry desert place. They are atleast trying to make it as interesting as possible. People often complain how the place does not have a soul. I agree somewhat... but that's another debate. I like how I know my way, how I can take a cab anywhere (I don't drive and am very bad at taking trains.. even in paris, I have taken cabs!) I like the huge expat community here, you get to meet a lot of people from all over the world. Almost. What I most love is how close it is to back home. :)

Views from our balcony

The tower

2009-07-26T16:37:00.005+04:00

While in Paris, we of course got to see the eiffel tower in it's different colors and moods. This one is my fav!! I love the mood of this pic and the noise.. some pictures work beautifully with noise, I think this one's one of them!

green, black and white

2009-07-07T17:08:00.006+04:00

cat eyes

2009-07-07T12:07:00.004+04:00

for lack of other subjects, I chose my fav dresses..! :)

2009-07-06T22:45:00.008+04:00

some of my fav from my wardrobe..

wedding jewelry

2009-07-06T22:05:00.005+04:00

weekend stuff

2009-06-29T16:22:00.004+04:00

At a birthday on Sat

point-n-click

2009-06-29T15:05:00.005+04:00

love love love this one.. she looks like such a magical creature!!

I love all of these so much. All taken on the Egypt trip we made last year. And this is a good-old point and click that shot these. The amazing Sony cyber shot which is a great camera I personally think, as good as a point and click can get. Sometimes the colors might seem a little much than need be, but that can easily be corrected in post processing. Of which also I am a true believer in. There is so much magic that can take place in processing.. and whereas one doesn't get to experience the whole dark room developing the film bit, I think it can be thoroughly enjoying to work on photoshop, lightroom, gimp.. whatever software you use. I like Gimp for now, it's almost like photoshop with no cost. Eventually though I would want to switch to lightroom and photoshop.

As i was starting out to do my research for DSLRs, I found this whole cult thing going for them. A set of people who completely dismiss any photography done without an SLR/DSLR!! This, I thought was to be expected but I was still shocked at the whole thing.. almost as if they dismissed me because I was ever into point-n-clicks in the first place!! Not all though, there are some amazing photographers out there who I felt I could actually just ask and get great advice from, without them judging me on my knowledge of the technical lingo etc... thank you all of you.

There's a lot to learn and I'm finding it so hectic but so very enjoyable.

the guardian of giza ( featured in the book)

street fashion in cairo

More and more..

2009-06-28T15:00:00.018+04:00

Weekend was much fun with dinners, brunches and parties.

Caught up with a couple frnd of ours after a long time, at the MORE cafe. Loved the place, very laid back chic, warehouse look, done up well, lots of light and openness in the plan. We went for the All Day Breakfast, which was really nice and after all the partying, the whole experience of this brunch was very detoxing, and good company always helps :)

Some pics I captured at the brunch.. Navneet and Priyanka...

the one above and below are my fav of theirs

There might just be a proper shoot with these guys soon..

Little world of possibilities....

2009-06-24T17:44:00.013+04:00

We are two of us... me and my camera. Well mostly. And this is what

I love to do - capturing moments. Simple and easy.

I have grown up around people who have loved the camera.. It grows from amusement to fascination and then, you fall in love yourself, slowly. Not even realizing it at all, at first.

i LOVE this shot

Yearly vacations at my grandparent's place have been spent looking at old old photographs (my fav thing to do, several times, over and over again) taken by my great grand uncles, my grandfather, my uncles, my dad... photographs stored away in an old cardboard box,

now giving way; in a small storeroom that smells like naphthalene balls... smells like winter :)

The darkest, coolest place in the house, the place where so many memories are kept in that old box. Memories of my grandparents, my mom - of her childhood, so many stories.. so well told.... I have some of those photographs now with me.. my great grandfather, my grand mom's granny, my great grand uncle.. their homes, their lives will stay with me, till I stay. These photographs, the ones with me now - in my locker, in a brown envelope, and the ones in that old box in that cold store room, are my most cherished belonging. Ever. If there is a fire, this is what's on top of my list. And they travel with me on the plane whenever I move. Really.

What I can't hold in my hand but is even more precious than all of this, are the stories about these memories, told by my grand mom. And for that I have so much to thank her :)

Well, so point being, me with all my cameras - (the first one a present from Roger Uncle, which he got from the States. Then a sony one, another sony - handy cam, gift by folks - lasted me four years, pre-marriage till paris. Sony cyber-shot, got me my entry to the Sony World Photography Book and now my canon) I bring you moments I love.

My fav subject!

I am a very seriously-inclined-towards-professional-photography kind of an amateur photographer. I love my canon, but I don't love my point and clicks any less. The vision is what counts. Oh, and also a little post processing (v.v.imp!) :)

So welcome to my little world of magic and possibilities. And memories that are priceless. No, not because they are shot by me or shot at all, but because good memories all always priceless. And I claim copyright to this as well! :)

paris

2009-06-24T16:27:00.005+04:00

paris - city of so many dreams and home to so many desires.....

swept off my feet!

2009-06-23T17:10:00.007+04:00