Last weekend, I grew up. I made the greatest single purchase of my life to pursue a passion. After months of saving, scrimping and yearning, last Saturday, I bought my fully loaded, unbelievably beautiful Nikon F75 with a AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-100mm lens.
I promptly spent the next day reading through the manual and learning that I know sweet nothing of photography. No matter; forward interprid traveller and all that later, I took her out to test yesterday. Dear Christ, I don't think I have enjoyed the sunset more. In my life. And this is not my usual dramatic self, hamming away to apoplexy!It started Saturday morning; a friend asked me along to Madh Island. The Bombayites know where it is, and for the non-Bombayites - well, it is the north-western most tip of Bombay and where idiots like me who haven't been to Goa in coherent memory feel a little better about being idiots. It would be a good idea not to digress into the "I-haven't-been-to-Goa-in-twenty-years!" rant now, though I feel compelled to say that I am the only 25 year old I know who hasn't been to go Goa in twenty years! Sigh...
To meander back to the point, the road to Madh was so much more gorgeous than memory serves me. Hardly Bombay at all. Shadowed roads curved in and out of breathtaking verdance while schoolboys skated wildly across to get to the football ground. Mild-mannered misses and their mammas walked sedately to an early evening mass while eager young college kids replenished their beer supply and drove back to a party. A lazy, almost comatose vibe beckons you closer as you push further into Madh, and is really hardly Bombay at all.
This was my first view of the beach, taken from a friend's digital camera. Once my film is developed, I will post the progress of this sunset as well. :-)
I almost feel that I should end this post with the image but I must gloat over the sheer volume of books I bought today, the number that arrived with a friend and the wonderful afternoon I spent with him. I bought fourteen today and thirty odd were brought from Hyderabad and these I will post about later. All of this, a lovely pizza lunch, loads of conversation, plus one of the cutest babies in the world! How much do I rock? Let me count the ways.
I tell you, a girl could really get used to this!
16 comments:
Ah, my dear, should I state the obvious? "YOU NEED TO GET YOUR ASS TO GOA ASAP"
The beaches are made of talcum powder I tell you, talcum powder!
Okay Okay, sorry, I know you didn't need to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, I haven't been to Madh. Something about those creepy urban legends..you've heard them right?
Congratulations!!
I am quite surprised you went in for a Film SLR vis a vis the new techy D-SLR which are oh so nice! This piece of art really looks neat. I am a big fan of NIKON's too. Hope to see some results soon.
Goa - Hmmm well even I had never been there till last new years and now I swear by the place. I have committed my next few new year bashes and other 'beach holidays' to that place. Its just awesome... sugggest you join the bandwagon this December.
just in case you need to feel better, i am 25 yearrs old and have never been to goa. what a shame.
Yay!
Awesome.
everything...
Hey... even better picture than the last! Am waiting for the rest. And goddammit, I have to chime in with the chorus of "get your arse to Goa right away!!!"
Anyway, it's alright... once you've made your first visit as an adult you're not gonna be able to stay away for long. (Somehow I never liked the place as a kid.) By the way, if you want really beautiful beaches without going all the way to Goa, I'd suggest some place like Kashid. But then no bledy feni and King's beer and all men.
Great buy! looks like u had a blast over the weekend. and i envy u for the books part. 30 books in one go??? wow
Nice capture. I think the camera will be well utilized. I gathered from your comment on Geetanjali's blog that you may be a Seven Bungalows resident. If so, do capture Rock Beach (without the filth and that seems an impossibilty nowadays) on a given occasion. Of course, if I am mistaken about the area, never mind.
Oooo.. what a buy! I am so jealous now :D
Ok cant wait to see the sunset as captured by the new beauty!
And about good weekends... its your right, gurl. You MUST get used to them :)
Can't wait to see the photos you have taken from F75. Long back I had commented on your blog that you should think about a digital camera. I am glad that you did not change your stand. :-)
Congrats on the new camera... i myself am planning to gera power shot before I scoot off to GOA nxt month
apart from the minor quibble that you went for a Nikon instead of Miolta (I'm a Minolta man through and through)...congrats on the new purchase! I love photography and it is a great pleasure to see another one take the plunge...I can relate to the initial pleasure of reading up on an unknown field and the eagerness to shoot everything that moves and does not move! keep clicking...
(as someone else above had pointed out...you could have considered a D-SLR...the learning curve is much more easier with that as you instantly know what went wrong with a pic instead of waiting for the film to come back from the lab...it is makig quite a difference for me and the pleasure is more immediate as a result.)
@Juipter: I remember the beaches from when I went as a child. I remember the talcum powder! :) Well, urban legends apart, Madh is next best no?
@Saurabh: The new D-SLR is also oh so much more expensive, my friend! But I don't know, the idea of using film was more appealing than a D-SLR. Inshallah, that will be my next buy!
@Sprechen: I told you, you and I, we be of one blood! :)
@Words Worth: Thanks sweetness! Knew you'd be thrilled! :)
@Conman: Thanks!
@GD: Thanks and one more peep from about Goa, I am going to sit on you! I promise. :)
@Brood Mode: Thanks and you have to see these books! I feel most pleased with myself!
@Parth: Thanks! Thats so nice of you! Am heading to Rock Beach asap because I hear they've cleaned it up these days. Will keep you posted - all really bad puns intended! :)
@Casablanca: Thanks, sweetness! :)
@Incognito: Thank you! :)
@Finnegan: Considered the Canon SLR for a while before settling on the Nikon, you know. :) Am running over to check out the film.
@Viewer: Thank you, my dear, for rubbing salt in my wounds! Have a wonderful time in Goa for me too!
@Anil: Thanks and I found out exactly what you mean about clicking everything in sight! I thought I would take a few but ended shooting the whole roll instead.
Would have liked to go for the D-SLR but it was waaay more expensive for right now and I was keen on getting a camera asap - had already been waiting a while. Next time, methinks! :)
Awesome dawsome!
with regards
FM
I second Parth - the rock-beach was on my list for this weekend, but things went out of hand (as you know)...looking fwd to hearing abt the current state of the beach. And I solemnly promise not to ditch next time :-)
Btw you must also check out Pizza Casa - it's a quaint, small place, but they serve damn good pizza, pasta and salads. Am a regular - it's the one thing I do on almost every trip!
44 books? Holy cow - you're kidding right?
@FM: Thanks! Do come by again. :)
@Geets: Oh yes, my dear, will look forward to seeing you soon. Tell you what, we'll together to the beach and check it out. And I LOVE Pizza Casa! Besides the usual, the pizza sandwich is really good as well. Though I must admit, its been over 6 months since my last visit. :)
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