“Let me wake up next to you, have coffee in the morning and wander through the city with your hand in mine, and I’ll be happy for the rest of my little life.”
― Charlotte Eriksson, Empty Roads & Broken Bottles
This month’s theme of Mornings has got me nostalgic and in a very small way stopped my morning mania and forced me to smell my coffee.
That one elusive cup of brew that I crave to have in peace but so impishly eludes me. That one cup of caffeine which starts on the kitchen platform, moves to the dining table, gets carried to the room, is left on the dresser, a sip less every time it moves. And finally when its cold and dry, a little run in the microwave and back in the comfortable clasp of my fingers, standing in my balcony and sipping in content only to find that not much of it is left.
The challenge refreshed those beautiful lost mornings when my house was smaller, the husband less busy and life not very complicated. Things were simpler, we had less, enjoyed more and a simple coffee made our day – usually, mostly.
I miss those morning moments. Sharing a hot cuppa along with little tit bits of juicy news was adequate to pull us through the day’s daunting tasks. Sigh! But its not the same anymore. In a rush to excel, to fly, to run, I’ve left behind some of life’s simple pleasures.
In an effort to recreate some magic. Lost magic. I set up my room in my idea of an ideal morning. The way I would quintessentially enjoy my morning cup of coffee… where there is no haste or celerity. Where peace reigns and my morning would once again be elementary, uncomplicated and facile. Oh! how I wish.
Shooting this theme was a huge learning experience and of course a whole lot of fun. I did have glitches and hiccups during the styling, shoots and with the props, but four repeated mornings and some close to 120 shots later, I think I have chosen some decent clicks for you. But you know how it is, when you have so many to choose from, its really difficult to pick the right one.
I went experimental and shot half of them in black and white. The results were encouraging and helped me focus on a lot of topics like lighting and placement of props.
To see more pictures, please click here.
To know more about this challenge, click here.
Perfect Mornings
A closer view
One in black and white
My most favorite shot
Please do check the other wonderful entires to this challenge:
Redesigned By M
redlovinpixie
At The Corner Of Happy And Harried
Inge Kathleen Photography
Pies And Puggles
A Woven Life
City Girl Searching
The Delicious World Of Chefette Spicy
MyFoodTapestry 
Beautifully written and captured I could visually recreate that moment of a peaceful and calm morning.
Thanks Chintal.
great pictures….
Thank you Divya
Can feel the beauty of morning through your pics. Wonderful! 🙂
Thanks Sadia
Great work Nams! I do not know much about photography but I can spot a good picture. You have really tried hard for this, haven’t you? The photos are apt for a morning setting. I too like your last picture, and your writing is heartfelt and beautiful as always. I’m so glad you didn’t quit Namrata.
Thanks Charu. The glitches in the last few challenges was demotivating, but I am glad too that I didn’t quit. 🙂
These are lovely!
I love a good cup of something hot in the morning (for me its my favourite brand of South African tea!). I can see that you’ve taken time to think about the styling of these photographs. And you write so beautifully. Well done!
Thank you.
Lovely shots, Namrata. Where did you climb to get the overhead shots?!! I can see you have worked really hard on this one.
My favorite would be the second one, since I feel the wall and surroundings in the first photo distracts from the morning elements (bed and coffee). I think the angle for the last one could be better. Did you try from a slightly different angle, so the handle of the mug creates a nice outline? That would have nicely ‘framed’ the mug. I hope you get my gist!
Hey Anjana, I used a ladder to get the overhead shots. And I know what you mean by a slightly different angle of the handle on the mug… 🙂 It could have been better. Thanks for your lovely input.
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The third one is still my favorite! Even more so now that I’ve read your telling of having a great cup of coffee that is sometimes so elusive to you. Images 3 and 4 really support your concept the best. Great job at switching out the tray on the bed! The new finish of the darker brown makes it stand out less and fits in much better with the overall image. Great job at hanging in there! We all knew you had it in you! ~M.
There ‘s no one I need to thank more than you. You’ve been a constant support, extremely patient and encouraging. Your simple suggestions made a huge difference…like folding the legs of the tray was a fabulous idea. And less is more worked welll too… i did away with the phone and paper for a few shots and the result was better than before.
I know my shots and angles could have been better but for now – I am relaxed, a little more confident and best of all – excited for next month’s challenge! Thank you M.
Wow! Your bedroom looks so neat. Wonderful pics. My favorite has to be the second. Athough I do wish you had parted the curtains to let the early morning light in, I love the cozy mood of closed blinds too. Sigh, I miss reading The Hindu as I sip coffee on Sunday mornings… you have got me all nostalgic 🙂
Thank you. I shot these at 9 am in the morning(when I had the house to myself), and the sun was pretty sharp(east facing window). I did try to part the curtains, but too much light was spoiling the ambience. So closed curtains it was! 🙂
Aww, thanks! I just gave you the tools, you’re the one who picked them up and used them, so you should be very proud of yourself! You’ve been an excellent student and I’m very glad to hear that I was able to help motivate you. You’ve got so much potential and desire to learn, so stick with it! We are all learning right along with you! Ask away with all the questions you have. Always happy to help. 🙂
Dreamy. Poetic. Peaceful. Fantastic !
Thank you Nusrat
Your writing style is always captivating..a flowing prose 🙂
The captures are fantastic. The hue of orange with whitest and coffe mugs looks so serene and pious like how mornings are supposed to be…loved the close black and white capture of mug in bed. Fantastic!
You rightly said, in the minute to create some magic, have lost the magic…of simplicity, of enjoying the “chuskis” of chai or coffee… Thanks for reminding me of some of my lost beautiful mornings :).
Sonal. You’re very kind. Thank you for such lovely words. Yes, simple things add so much meaning to our life and yet, time and again, we seem to miss it. Trying to treasure all my memories 🙂
🙂
I like the 3rd one the best here. Because you used black and white I think it almost has an old-timey feel to it. I love that. In that spirit, I would have loved to see the same picture without the cell phone, so it makes me feel like I’m back in the 1900’s, sipping a cup of breakfast tea. 🙂
Hi Inge. Thank you for your feedback. Youre right about the cell phone bit, I tried clicking many others after removing the phone, but somehow they all did not come out too well… so stuck with the current picture. Hope to do better next time. 🙂
To view the other pictures you could click: https://plus.google.com/photos/117001704340745069911/albums/5931867969380263537?authkey=CJmVxcaj_cq6wwE
Hi Namrata… Your writing is so poetic & beautiful! I love the 3rd one! 🙂
🙂 Thanks Riddhi.
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