Photography Styling Challenge #4: Morning

“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

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Photography Styling Challenge #3 – Wall Vignette

It’s time for another round of photographs.
Wall Vignettes is the theme decided by M, founder-creator of this very challenging challenge. The previous two(Food and Table Setting) had all of us on our toes, till the very end. After stumbling, bumbling and falling(and failing), I had decided I am not going to mess it up again. I shall be fully prepared, in fact well in advance.

But old habits die hard and the fact that, I am particularly not too lucky adds enough salt to my wounds.

I was on a hunt. Aesthetically designed walls, with maybe murals, abstract designing, striking, haphazard yet deceptively organized was what I had in mind.
But my search turned futile most of the times. And whenever I did find something interesting, I had a main element missing – my camera. Now you know why I call myself unlucky.

Well, like the last two times, I scrambled at the very last moment to get something decent enough to put it out there.

M if you are reading this: The challenge details asks us to submit 1-5 photographs of the same subject matter. Does it mean, 1-5 photographs of the same “wall”, as in this month’s theme? Are assorted pictures of different elements but same subject allowed?

I have blogged 5 pictures of different walls. Er.. Hope I adhered to the rule..:)

Here are the following Clicks-

This picture is of my neighboring apartment.
The podium wall has an embossed mural in the shape of a tree, along with huge scattered branches.  I took many shots, but somehow this one where you get to see only a part of the whole thing appealed more than the other clicks.

An Apartment wall Mural

Next, since I was on a lookout for something different, other than wall paintings and photographs, my friend suggested this handsome house, which has very interesting wall vignettes and murals. It indeed was a visual treat. My only regret was how I wished I had a better camera!

This particular wall is a part of a narrow passage. with light coming in from the two ends, the long rectangle passage offered very little natural light and space. But it was intriguing and interesting enough for me to not let it go. Hence I try to capture part of it with many lights on(thankfully they were white lights!).

Very Aesthetic

The house has a fascinating study, where ‘Warli Art’ is beautifully hand painted along the book shelf –

Warli Painting

An exquisite serene metal embossed Buddha meditates on the other wall:

Striking Buddha Embossed

I chanced upon this art work done temporarily in a friend’s place where they celebrated “Krishna Janmashtami”, birthday of Lord Krishna. The entire set up was far away from natural light, hence after some permutations and combinations, I could get one or two clicks right.

Krishna

The other participants of this challenge include:

Redesigned By M
redlovinpixie
At the Corner of Happy and Harried
Pies and Puggles
A Woven Life