Saturday, October 29, 2005

Decadence and a few Photos

Decadence, I am told, is when you call in sick from work for a week, call your (in) significant other over, go down the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll way, cook scrambled eggs (anda bhurjee) and necessarily order out for minced mutton (kheema). This is, I should tell you, "merely the beginning of decadence."

Even as I agree, I don't.

Consider this. On Tuesday, you sign in at work at a quarter to one in the afternoon, leave at one thirty for lunch, pick up a beer or two and some sandwiches. Once done, you then head out for a short drive to aid digestion. When you finally stop driving eighty kilometers from Nashik to park near the most picturesque little brook, you sit down by it, looking up at the sky. While chewing on some stray grass, you are contemplating both amusement and murder while your friend is busy bemoaning the lack of beer and you are kicking yourself because you do not have your camera handy. And you have been forced to take only a million images in your head only.

Two cigarettes later, you have sauntered back to the car and are going back to office. After battling some homeward bound traffic, one friend accompanies you upstairs while the other hands you his access card and waits downstairs. In twenty minutes, all three of you have swiped out and are in varying stages of the commute home. What you have to show for a long, hard day at work is a profound, enfolding, soul-satisfying, mellow warmth and the grand sum of fifty-five minutes in the office premises. Now I ask you - how would you define decadence?

Since I don't have pictures of this extemporary(!) jaunt to show, I hope that these of Madh Island will do. Thirty-five exposures and I know that I am only just getting started learning how to create beauty. For the most part, I am content because I can now live in the prayer of something better to come.

For those of you who love Goa, I hope the first photo kindles a memory somewhere and please, tell me this isn't exactly like Goa! :-)

Tell me this isn't Goa!

Going Down...

Last Stand

Walk on the Ocean

Addendum: Should you want to see any more of my photos from this trip (and others), you can click here.

13 comments:

the cowlick said...

Love the sunsets.. and the clouds. As for decadence, it's all relative!

Parth said...

Excellent stuff. Liked the second one the best. Great lighting on it. Unfortunate that the lack of camera deca-dented your plan :-)

Casablanca said...

Decadence? That was absolute bliss! Can we trade places?

My fav pic is the last one... :)

Ubermensch said...

mine too...the sky in the last one is a dessert.delicious, you need to improve to drift anywhere near decadence.

Eleventy Seven said...

Excellent results I must say. I love the second one a lot. Went through your Flickr snaps too.. nice nice!

Waiting for more...

Anonymous said...

Composition of clouds in last three photos is very good. Not a bad start for the first roll. :-)

. : A : . said...

Lovely shots. I like the second one the best, because of the reflections.

Eleventy Seven said...

Have a beautiful Diwali.. my compliments for the season.

Do click a few night shots and show us your 'diwali'.

Cheers!

FM said...

hey Happy Diwali to all you guys in india :).

with regards
FM

Extempore said...

@The Cowlick: Thanks, sweetie! I agree decadence is relative but it was just plain delicious that I had what is truthfully a lazy day with friends without losing leave or pay! :)

@Parth: Another punster joins the ranks? Well done! Thanks - the second is one of my favs as well.

@Casablanca: Sure, sweets! I don't think I am going to have as nice a time at work for a while though! :(

@Ubermensch: Thanks! Am trying, I promise. :)

@Finnegan: Thank you! So nice of you to think and say so, sweets. Am working towards decadence though, never fear.

@Saurabh: Thanks! Am half through a roll and am going to travel next week. Am hoping I don't have as much trouble with the D&P this time. Wish me luck. Thanks for Diwali wishes - I hope you had a lovely Diwali too.

@Incognito: From someone who composes shots as well as you, thanks!

@ .:A:. : Thanks! :)

@FM: Thank you! That is so nice of you. :)

Anonymous said...

The pics are amazing. But I still want my hard copy!

And next time you guys plan to do something like this, plzzzzzz let me know!!

Jo

Anonymous said...

Hey nice snaps esp of the lake- in flickr and the sunsets!!!!
-Ag

Extempore said...

@Jo: Without a doubt sweets... will give you the negatives asap! :)

@Ag: Thanks! Do come by again. :)