Ouch, Diet, I'm Sorry

Ouch, diet, I'm sorry, insulin shock, I feel you, I know it hurts but indulge yourself for a minute. You may want to post a guard on the fridge and have someone confiscate the car keys for the evening. Okay, I had a few after I shot these but I worked up an appetite doing all this shooting; yeah right have I convinced anyone yet?

These were delicious but it's one of those situations where they looked better then they taste; anyone buying this yet? Bring a BIG camera into a restaurant with a BIG lens and you'll convince just about anyone that you're serious and not a tourist trying to get a picture of himself with the chocolate cake. This was a restaurant in the Le Meridian hotel in Hyderabad India and the food was awesome; even the non-dessert items. I spent a lot of time with the staff in this restaurant getting some history on the different people and cultures represented in India from the north to the south. Climate differences, social issues from the fair skinned to the more rich in complexion. What to expect on our next stop, Bangalore, and what that experience would be like.

This little talk helped me stay "present" during the last leg of my visit and it speaks volumes to the graciousness of the people of India. Have I taken your mind off the desserts yet? I'll admit, not much artistic stuff going on here. Just basically "point and shoot"; hey I was hungry! I added a little food for thought at the end :)

The Women of India and their Sarees

It's hard to separate the two in oh so many ways. Whether you talk about the beauty, pageantry or the way they take your breath away, it's all there and I am happy to present them with you.

I didn't know what to expect in so many ways when I got to India and started shooting. My focus was set on the Taj Mahal and not embarrassing myself but when I got to India, their sheer beauty caught my eyes. I must admit I had some reservations about shooting the women of India and making sure I presented and talked about them in a very respectful way. Just because you own a camera doesn't mean your intentions are honorable and that's what I had to deal with in my mind and the minds of the people who watched me as I went about capturing the women and their Sarees.

Most if not all of these shots were taken from a moving vehicle so I had to learn how to manipulate the camera so these shots would be in focus. Shooting from a moving vehicle where the lighting changed constantly was a huge challenge and my camera and I developed a mutual level of respect for one another. I anticipated the shots, it responded when I needed it to and we compromised on the exposure settings; I was right more often though.

The conditions in most of India were harsh through our American filters but you would never know it by looking at these women and their elegance. They had a awe about them that changed the air and mood around them. Their features were amazingly striking and the combination of their beauty and Sarees stopped you in your tracks. I never saw two Saree's that looked the same. I saw almost every color used in the rainbow and yes I broke down and purchased one for my lovely lady - the future Mrs. Beasley. It's going back to Hyderabad sometime this month with a friend to have the blouse cut out and other alterations that I was clueless about. I'll be honest with you, it looked like a beautiful but large piece of fabric and the ladies helping me had to explain the blouse situation to me three times before I understood what they meant. It's a guy thing ladies of which I'm sure you understand.

Anyway, I was and still am in awe by the many color combinations, intricate designs and detailed work on these lovely garments. If you have been to India or are in a work environment where the Sarees are worn you understand what I am talking about. Nevertheless I present to you the Jewels of India - The Women and their Sarees.

P.S. My next post will be on the "Men of India"









Even hard at work, they maintained their elegance





















This Saree was so nice I had to shoot it twice

























Checking the "celly" while waiting for the bus







Going to Market

Group of women waiting on the morning bus

Many women used umbrellas to combat the heat of the day

Off to class to learn a little C++