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San Francisco street artists – oriental tunes on saxophone

Ranjay Mitra • 07/01/07 • 82 views • Art, D200, Photo Notes & Field guides, Photography, Research, Travel • Post a comment

Chen Wei conjures up amazing oriental tunes on his saxophone. As a part of my research to document some of the interesting street artists and bring their art onto you, I came upon Chen completely immersed in his music as he swayed to the oriental tunes on his saxophone.

 

It’s familiar to hear the jazz music echoing in the San Francisco streets but having to hear a completely different music culture played on another was unique. And you should see the glitter in his eyes when he feels the rhythm conjuring in the bystander’s swaying motion.

 

Chen Wei

 

Chen apologized for not being fluent in English. But then, when he knows the language of the heart and the mind, why would he need any language at all?

 

You could see more of “San Francisco Street Artists” in the Project section of photoduniya.com.

So what do you do when you’re a turtle? Meet Houdini

Ranjay Mitra • 06/30/07 • 143 views • Conservation, D200, Environment, Nikon, Photo Notes & Field guides, Photography • Post a comment

The modern time’s Houdini isn’t a magician, but an entertainer from the Coyote Hills State Park in Fremont, California. He is about six years old and had to be moved to Coyote Hills since he was always escaping from his previous home! Now he is in a 6 x 1 tank. Is that big enough? No – not for Houdini, but that doesn’t deter him from being his own self.

Meet Houdini

Meet Houdini

 

By the time I reached him, it was time for lunch. The care taker had just put in a colorful bunch of fishes that would last him about a couple of weeks. Houdini loves fishes, and from what we could see, he loves fish food too. For he gulped all the food that the care taker had given for the fishes to eat. And then, he would take his time to chase the fishes around, till he could snap one into his mouth.

 

Houdini hunting

Houdini fishing

 

So what his Houdini doing when not eating or chasing fishes? He is “exploring” – all that he could from the confines of his 6 x 1 home. He is very curious and its easy to believe that he would scramble out of his tank very frequently. And for people who are equally interested in Houdini, he would take time to pose!

Houdini posing for pictures

Houdini posing

 

Join the Regional Parks and help save other Houdinis that are still struggling for survival. For more information, write to photoduniya.com

Photoduniya projects – visuals from San Francisco

Ranjay Mitra • 06/27/07 • 215 views • D200, Photo Notes & Field guides, Photography • Post a comment

PHOTOduniya Projects – Preface

From time to time, various facts of life inspire us to think more, to dig deep and find some meaning. Often the pictures give a message and sometimes they just becomes memories. Whatever be the situation, each provide an inspiration to explore. Many a times, my readers would prompt me to think! And then to take up my camera. It’s always interesting to have a new perspective on the same subject, or sometimes, if I am fortunate, have a new subject or composite altogether.

The current projects that I am working on are detailed below. The usual duration of a project is about six to eight months and often involve many people behind the scenes.

Should you want to participate in any of the current projects or share your thoughts, please write back to ranjaymitra@hotmail.com. Your feedback is always welcome. Should you find yourself in any of these pictures, please do let me know. I shall send you a copy of the picture my mail.
 
San Francisco Street Artists (0507-001) – In Progress

Artists, some true from their hearts, and some plain simple cons, the streets fledge with a monsterous combination of artists. From painters, to jazz players, from jugglers to psychic readers, San Francisco streets boast a varied collection of vendors each striving to make a living. This series plans to put together a collection of street artists and their art.

Schedule: May 2007 – Dec 2007
Medium: Film & Digital
Camera: Nikon F5, Nikon F100 and Nikon D200
Flash: Nikon Speedlights SB 50DX & SB 600.

Participation : Your participation would help with a better compilation. Please do write back to me at ranjaymitra@hotmail.com if you would like to participate. You are most welcome.
 
 
Body Art – Tattooes, Piercings and Styles (0707-001) – Drawing Board

This project is still in the Drawing Board or otherwise known as the conception phase. I got interested in the intensity of emotions and sometimes the story that always go behind a body ornament – be it a piercing, or as permanent as a tattoo. This will also cover other decorative styles of body art. This is strictly an aggregation of body art work and I shall maintain indifference to any of the cult or religious implications of such an ornament or art work.

Participation : Your participation would help with a better compilation. Please do write back to me at ranjaymitra@hotmail.com if you would like to participate. You are most welcome.

Grand Canyons – National Geographic’s “Unexpected” Canyon

Ranjay Mitra • 06/11/07 • 205 views • Conservation, Environment, News, Photo Notes & Field guides, Photography, Research, Travel • Post a comment

National Geographic published an article back in January 2006 on the grandeur of the Grand Canyons. The article, aptly named, The Unexpected Canyon (http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0601/feature3/), with photographs from Mike Nichols, reveals the immense possibility of challenges and discoveries that the canyons still hold for us. Apart from being a geological treasure chest that reveals of our past and evolution, the grand canyon has been a strong beckon to tourists, explorers, hikers, naturalists and climbers for ages. The fact that US government has preserved the land in its own shape and form and the land requires some amount of hardship to reach and explore, probably raised the charm amongst the visitors.

 

But business and the lure of exploitation could not keep away from this treasure spot for long. The sky walk, built by Californian businessman David Jin, was envisioned in 1996 and finally open to the public in March – April 2007. Charging $25 per visitor, this is planned to be a strong attraction for tourists. David Jin would collect the money for 25 long years (averaging a low of 100 visitors a day, this could be as much as $ 60 million dollars).

 

While on one hand lies the question of the Hualapai tribe using their priveledges to rent the land for income (they will own the skywalk while David Jin keeps half the money for himself), on the other side, lies the technical ability of the structure to hold on safely for so long. The 70 feet walk, hanging 4000 feet over the Colorado River on the Grand Canyon, is built by steel and glass drilled 40 feet into the porous canyon walls.

 

Read the article on National Geographic here. The original article read “It’s the most iconic of American landscapes, yet the Grand Canyon still has the power to surprise.” As long as the bridge is the last of such surprises, its good news. And as long as another amusement park does not invest another few millions to create roller coasters, I guess, we are happy.

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