tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103002072024-03-23T11:27:24.090-07:00d r i s h y a n v e s hclaytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-36870525474305017942016-06-12T22:54:00.001-07:002016-06-12T22:58:32.643-07:00Serendipity <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRZVW-znideqIb-MFlajU5nJ5jbNs1CmIUS-qXeiGTGfQKqhYdVNZbLHQQTi2AolrbW1ZSIF853j2gIB7wgFn2hF5lnsll_8hRPWma5KBlVb1F1x2JXlu2sk9yOlyCKQz3skhBA/s1600/K52_2595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRZVW-znideqIb-MFlajU5nJ5jbNs1CmIUS-qXeiGTGfQKqhYdVNZbLHQQTi2AolrbW1ZSIF853j2gIB7wgFn2hF5lnsll_8hRPWma5KBlVb1F1x2JXlu2sk9yOlyCKQz3skhBA/s320/K52_2595.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
To see some of what went behind the scenes on this shoot, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/drishyanvesh/photos/ms.c.eJw9y8EJADEMA8GODslyIqX~;xkLA3HfYpZgEZfamjI8DCCto~;ZD2aaMGSq9wNIXPyluIdQHQxRED.bps.a.1318879548128109.1073741838.137010586315017/1318880271461370/?type=3&theater">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://UmanG's Photography">Umang Samani</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/drishyanvesh/">I</a> went about shooting for a corporate portrait shoot with a twist. Our client was a maverick at heart apart from being an entrepreneur and we very much wanted to make sure we make our point that this is no plain professional but someone who had a multifaceted personality.<br />
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We analysed and planned what we are going to do for the portrait. The clothes the look, and the poses. On the day of the shoot, at the shoot location, we spotted a used wooden stool stained with paint. We posed on it for a few seconds and then spontaneously we thought that she should try sitting in the <i>sukhasana</i> on it. And then this image happened. We were so thrilled about it and it probably gave us a high that lasted a few days! Longer than any chemical drug could induce. Hahaha! <br />
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I think this image is an outcome that was impossible to plan for but something we could only prepare for with a mind open to possibilities and unexpected rewards or even failures. Something that I feel I need to remind myself before every shoot. And that is the best thing about doing what I do to feel alive. That little bit of unexpected, that little bit that you cannot predict but hope for the best. Like life.</div>
claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-40467545161958787172015-01-07T22:17:00.002-08:002015-01-07T22:45:29.812-08:00Outcome of an audition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Neha-Mahajan/1548175575400877?ref=hl">Neha Mahajan</a> was in a fix the other day. A film maker wanted to audition her remotely and wanted the audition footage as soon as possible. They sent a part of the script for her to enact for this audition. We shot this and sent the video to them and that was it.<br />
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Many days later I was listening to a wonderful track when I thought it would be really nice to have some slow motion footage to go with it. The only thing I had was the footage from this audition we had shot. And so I spliced the shots almost randomly and this is what we got. There is a lot of room for technical improvement but this was somewhat tolerable for the time being. :D<br />
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My friends (irrespective of gender) say that she is just adorable in this video. :D </div>
claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-18864352150158993572014-01-29T04:24:00.001-08:002014-01-29T04:36:01.152-08:00Those without dreams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Found this Japanese saying while watching a short film Carter about a man who chose the art of making knives for a living:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Those without dreams are without ideals.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those without ideals are without beliefs.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those without beliefs are without plans.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those without plans are without actions.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those without actions are without results.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those without results are without happiness."</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the secrets of happiness wrapped up nicely!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the short film, Carter:</span><br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/79844244" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://vimeo.com/79844244</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this short film he narrates his story of how he chanced upon the shop of knives and how he decided making knives would be what he will do. What struck me is how he hung on to that passion in a strange new place, learnt the language, and then spent many years just scratching the surface of this art. Hardly something we would think would go into the making of what looks like an everyday object.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The point where a craft is taken to beyond technology and engineering with skill honed over years and precision fine tuned over probably countless unsuccessful trials is probably where it starts turning into a fine art, isn't it?</span></div>
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-26284642866618687212014-01-28T00:52:00.006-08:002014-01-28T22:34:55.139-08:00A.R. Rahman's magic recreated<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In 1993, Maniratnam and AR Rahman teamed up for the movie Thiruda
Thiruda. AR Rahman of course had some very fresh sounding tracks and here is
one of those, sung again, with a lot of that magic recreated. I don’t understand
one bit of the lyrics but it is the melody that I find mesmerizing:<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is all in the voices.</div>
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-83936955969612327212014-01-15T21:13:00.002-08:002014-01-16T00:53:23.019-08:00Unexpectedly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We had setup equipment and all the works (actually nothing really glorious like what probably some of the big shots would use :P) and shot that way for a while. Then during a make-up readjustment we realized everything fell in place in terms of the look. To hell with the lights. We could not lose time and flow moving things, adjusting them etc. I wondered for a while if these pics would be almost a dud because of the incandescent light which was the only source apart from a window with faint daylight from an overcast sky. But we were lucky and the Pentax K5 II saved us.</div>
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Anyway, we were thankful we kept our eyes open for the impromptu moment for this image. Probably not worthy of a magazine cover but we will get there one day! I swear!</div>
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-21431058343441833552014-01-01T03:26:00.000-08:002014-01-02T04:07:07.351-08:00Behind the rising walls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The people who construct the buildings you and I live in are hardly the people we ever get to see let alone meet and get to know. These are the ones who work hard on every inch of a living or commercial place and move on exactly when it is ready and livable. One of my friends who works in the construction business wanted me to take some of their portraits. It was an opportunity I just could not resist. :)<br />
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This girl got so shy that I was photographing her while the little baby reacted with fear! :)</div>
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The interiors were still in near total darkness and the workers set up lights to be able to see what they are doing.</div>
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She was on the terrace along with a couple of other ladies who were cooking the meal for that evening. </div>
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The carpenter.</div>
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He was cutting tiles, every muscle in his arm flexing.</div>
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-38811182655972322422013-11-24T22:23:00.001-08:002013-11-24T22:40:55.113-08:00Winter mornings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, at 31 degrees Celsius maximum temperature it hardly seems to qualify as a winter but the mornings do come down to about 15 degrees which is very very cold for a place that has 42 degree summers! <br />
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In winters there is hardly any wind and that is when it is easy to see the effect of firewood use. Certainly adds drama to an image apart from the not so pleasant effects of having so much smoke, or rather, smog! :P<br />
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-77262758291125360392013-10-21T02:09:00.000-07:002013-11-10T22:08:25.818-08:00To be grateful for opportunities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
More than a year or two ago, one of my friends met the great Gautam Rajadhyaksha (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautam_Rajadhyaksha">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautam_Rajadhyaksha</a>). He turned out to be one of the most wonderful and down-to-earth people. Having been one of the most accomplished photographers in India he was still approachable, friendly, and took a lot of care to make sure his guest felt comfortable. A very unusual thing in the industry considering how hard it is to meet any successful person for various reasons, whether it is security, or simply for the fact that there are thousands of people wanting to meet them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N0ebhuJgEJWNjEYn6xERKO_wEyouurRfkQ2Za5JjEa8QQG0lO2wvZhjftMDAxY-AsGbl1L70PG6xD6L4gOoZEh5rToue1WjBn55Dc9j1vmr6FM0RkH72wFXUwriobxVmvqT-VQ/s1600/w-live-each-day-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N0ebhuJgEJWNjEYn6xERKO_wEyouurRfkQ2Za5JjEa8QQG0lO2wvZhjftMDAxY-AsGbl1L70PG6xD6L4gOoZEh5rToue1WjBn55Dc9j1vmr6FM0RkH72wFXUwriobxVmvqT-VQ/s320/w-live-each-day-cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My friend gave his phone number to me and suggested that it would be a great if I call him and meet him up to talk about photography and to take some advice from him or just connect with him because for one thing he is just a wonderful person. I found the idea of meeting him very intimidating apart from the fact that I didn't know what exactly I need to tell him or ask him (Bad excuses, I know). I kept procrastinating and before long I forgot about it. <br />
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More than a year later I was shocked to know he passed away. When destiny gives you an opportunity that might take you in a direction one has been dreaming of, one needs to at least see where it goes. Just sitting on it and being stuck in inaction never amounts to anything. Lesson learnt the hard way. It is perfectly OK if we were avoiding a person whose company might be harmful in some way. But a cardinal sin to not meet up a person who is inspirational and a great conversationist if nothing else.<br />
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And this opportunity to get to meet another human being for the first time, know someone better, or just catch up with an old friend does keep coming up in ways we would scarcely imagine. It is in our hands whether we take up the adventure and see how we can make it rather than come up with excuses like being busy or having other utilitarian responsibilities which is really easy. Who doesn't have responsibilities and challenges? What we rarely realise is how short life can be and how things can suddenly change. I hope there are more chances to meet someone as inspiring and as knowledgeable. Hope there is another tomorrow.</div>
claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-21869520110642314272013-10-02T22:48:00.000-07:002013-10-02T23:02:55.005-07:00Why shoot in RAW format?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you are a student of photography you must have heard a lot about the advantages of shooting in RAW format (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAW_format">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAW_format</a>). But it is in certain extreme conditions that you actually get to clearly see the advantages of shooting in RAW. Once you see the advantages you will fall in love with it. :) I have always wanted to have a series of pics that clearly demonstrate the advantages of shooting in RAW format and just the other day we found that image. Since I am shooting in RAW+JPEG, I get a JPEG version too of every photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LHBLaZ47VOfUhS-HMaTz-O8E7rtjaJAg2BjhZDQGS9Oe0zl_L7SddS54kJ8zTABl_49LGpU0cf10JaV5FmcFlgBAGkfThk2c43ttFlSMSLONa-0CSbEk_EioLtwop0MdL7fuKg/s1600/JPEG-Vs-UnRAW-Vs-finalRAW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LHBLaZ47VOfUhS-HMaTz-O8E7rtjaJAg2BjhZDQGS9Oe0zl_L7SddS54kJ8zTABl_49LGpU0cf10JaV5FmcFlgBAGkfThk2c43ttFlSMSLONa-0CSbEk_EioLtwop0MdL7fuKg/s320/JPEG-Vs-UnRAW-Vs-finalRAW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The last image on the right is very similar to what I would have got if I had used a transparency film with a graduated neutral density (ND) filter or maybe a circular polarizing filter. </div>
claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-59525070713853977362013-05-24T02:31:00.001-07:002013-05-24T02:31:56.233-07:00Apparently Aimless Wandering<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you ever wanted to explore a place that you saw while in a hurry to go to another place and mentally noted down that place? I once saw such a place. It was three years ago. The hill itself was shaped like it was straight out of a story. A perfect bell curve. It had a little ancient praying wall on it. It looked enchanting and mysterious.<br />
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Just a few weeks ago I got to do what I always wanted. I got to wander almost aimlessly looking for a great location to shoot some outdoor portraits. I could not help remembering this place and so I went along with a wonderful friend who was good enough to get her dad's jeep for the rough ride this was going to be.<br />
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The view from the top was worth it:<br />
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-80163104712798306512012-12-04T22:41:00.001-08:002012-12-09T21:38:32.365-08:00The Art and Science of SLR Buying Part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The professionals always do it better and so here is just the article I wanted to write but written way better than I could have done:<br />
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<a href="http://www.dpreview.com/articles/9566705626/buying-a-digital-slr">http://www.dpreview.com/articles/9566705626/buying-a-digital-slr</a><br />
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Dpreview.com has been the go-to site for me and whenever someone asks me which SLR they is best suited for them. I usually recommend a link from dpreview.com where cameras can be compared feature by feature:<br />
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<a href="http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras">http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras</a><br />
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If you have zeroed down on maybe two cameras, snapsort.com can do an amazing job too and in a nice and easy to understand way:<br />
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<a href="http://snapsort.com/compare">http://snapsort.com/compare</a><br />
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Snapsort can be very helpful for those of us who are new to all the terminologies that go into SLR technologies. The information overload can be overwhelming otherwise!<br />
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With this I think I can conclude the 'preliminary research' one must do before buying an SLR. Once you know these things you can go ahead and start looking at various models and makes. You can see whether those features are useful to you or not before you decide the best feature set you can get within your budget. :)<br />
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claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-15249836956329667842012-07-18T22:28:00.001-07:002012-07-18T22:30:13.949-07:00The transient art of your kitchen burner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Your kitchen gas burner creates transient art every time you light it's fire, so to speak. All of us know that you have to wait for the gas flow to stabilize for you to light it up with your lighter. <span style="background-color: white;">It takes at least half a second between you turning the knob and lighting it.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br />
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The gas that has been already released ignites in one glorious fireball for a fraction of a second but you rarely notice it. This is because it is a dull blue flame and is hardly noticeable in daylight. But then, it is to capture stuff like this that the camera is a perfect tool.<br />
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<br /></div>claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-64166297200678724062011-09-25T21:13:00.000-07:002012-06-04T22:25:52.167-07:00Silent Revolution<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Since the last few years I have come to know about many great teachers who are dedicating their lives to share their wisdom about life and well being. Some are controversial, but I know many who are almost anonymous and seem to be interested in really doing some good. They have little publicity and people who go to them are doing so only by getting to know about them through word of mouth. Rarely do I see the media bothering with them.... which might actually be a good thing.<br />
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About 10 years ago I got to know one such teacher who taught us meditation and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranayama"><span style="font-style: italic;">pranayama</span></a> for about two weeks and also shared some secrets of happiness that some of us were struggling to realise. He charged about 300 rupees that went into hiring the hall, the equipment, the carpets, etc. It is funny that most probably his credibility suddenly rose in your eyes as soon as I said this. While I do believe that when someone is sharing any kind of knowledge, they should be paid back in some way, it is always humbling to see someone who is sharing stuff that is sometimes life changing for almost nothing. Otherwise they are called corporate trainers. ;)<br />
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Anyway, I wonder if he was left with anything. And all he did was travel all over the state teaching these things all year round. He wanted us to live to a higher ideal, to live to a better future and well being. I do not know how much I was able to live up to those higher ideals but I do know that this was one of the most important turns my life took. Until then I was adrift in a sea of confusion. Now I know that I at least have some direction. And it is not everyday you get to see someone who is not a money spinner but a humble person who gave up everything (including family!) because one felt that it was their only aim in life, to share some knowledge.<br />
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The reason why I wanted to say this is that I see what the media is doing to us on a daily basis. It is bombarding us with negative messages and mostly ignoring the little (if not larger undercurrent of) good stuff that is happening silently. Some of them have become messengers of hatred too! It is important for us to realize and remember that things are not really as bad as they make it sound and the world can really be a beautiful place if we want it to be. It is the biggest myth that one person cannot make enough change, if that is what discourages us. So, if you have something positive to share with the world, do not hold back. :)</div>claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-8153519995253563182011-06-02T02:00:00.009-07:002012-04-15T22:59:32.718-07:00The Art and Science of SLR Buying Part 1I have had quite a few people ask me, 'Which camera do I buy?', and each time it starts of a topic that I don't know how to stop talking about. I realize the best thing would be to blog it instead. Once and for all! :)<br /><br />Comparing SLR cameras is a very complicated affair. In order to know why a certain camera is better than another, one has to understand the technology behind it and how it influences the final image you want to create. Apart from image quality, there are other factors like ergonomics, build quality etc that will influence your buying decision, but those are easy to know and understand, so we will not discuss those here.<br /><br />This post aims to help you understand these things:<br /><ul><li>Will this post be useful for you or not?</li><li>Basic definitions and terminology<br /></li><li>The Megapixel Myth</li><li>Sensor size, pixel density and image quality<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Will this post be useful for you or not?</span><br />This entire discussion is also based on the assumptions:<br /><ul><li>You are passionate about image quality (If not, most of what I say beyond this point is not needed)<br /></li><li>You want to take the pain to know how, why, and which SLRs give great image quality when compared to point and shoot cameras. </li><li>You have used a point and shoot camera before and now want to upgrade to SLRs.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Basic definitions and terminology</span><br />Let me cover the basic definitions first:<br /><br />Point and Shoot (P&S) camera: a compact camera with which you can usually just do just that - point and shoot. Wikipedia has a nice topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-and-shoot_camera.<br /><br />SLR (Single Lens Reflex): These cameras are called so due to what happened in the film era. These were the cameras which had just one lens through which you compose the image you are going to shoot. These were considered an improvement from cameras which had two lenses, one for the image that the photographer saw and one for the film. In an SLR, what you see is what gets recorded as the image. But when digital came, even point and shoots capture the image that you see but without a mirror mechanism inside. Wikipedia for more info on how an SLR works: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera.<br /><br />SLRs usually (always?) have interchangeable lenses. But with digital, all these distinguishing factors are getting blurred. For example, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_NEX-5">Sony NEX-5</a> has interchangeable lenses and it is now part of a growing class of hybrid cameras which are a little SLR-like and also have the simplicity and compactness of a P&S. But you get the general idea.<br /><br />Some people ask me if my SLR is 'digital'. If it weren't a digital SLR (DSLR), it would have been a film SLR. Very, very, very, few people still use a film SLR and film SLRs are almost extinct. So, when I say SLR, it means a DSLR unless I specify otherwise. When digital SLRs were relatively new, it was important to distinguish them as film and digital, which I think is now absolutely unnecessary. Film is officially dead (Kodak retires Kodachrome film: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2709&gpcid=0900688a80b4e692&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=14093).<br /><br />Now that we have covered some of the basics, here are some factors that one needs to consider:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Megapixel Myth</span><br />One of the most hyped and yet one of the most misleading part of a camera's specifications is the Megapixels. <span style="font-style: italic;">More megapixels does not mean better image quality.</span> It is the famous <a href="http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm">megapixel myth</a>. Marketers want you to believe that more is better. I could easily print 5x7" prints with a 3.2 megapixel camera (these days, it is hard to find anything lower than 6 megapixels). You would need more megapixels only if you want to do a lot of cropping, or if you want to print poster size, or shoot very detailed landscapes.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sensor size, pixel density, and image quality</span><br /><br /><span>The two most important parts of a camera that affect image quality are the sensor</span><span> and the lens.<br /><br /></span><span>Among SLRs, the ones which have larger sensors (also called full-frame SLRs) like the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_5d_mark_II">Canon 5D Mark II</a><span> have a marginally better image quality</span> owing to the pixels being less crammed up. This results in lower<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_noise"> sensor noise</a> and hence better image quality in low light situations.<br /><br />If you studied electronics, you must be familiar with circuit noise which is similar to (or the same as) sensor noise in a camera. So find out if you want an SLR which has a a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_thirds">four thirds</a> sensor, an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APS-C">APS-C</a> sensor, or a full-frame sensor, in increasing order of general price, image quality, and low light performance. You can google plenty of full-size image samples from each camera in various situations and compare them. But remember, this is just a general trend but some recent sensor technology is changing and creating exceptions (I will come back to this later). So to be technically correct, I can say, with the same sensor technology, the price, image quality, and low light performance of the sensor will usually increase along with sensor size.<br /><br />Now that we know this, if you look at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SensorSizes.svg">sensor size</a> chart, some of the smallest sensors go into a P&S. Most P&Ss therefore have more or less very low image quality compared to an SLR if the sensors were made using the same technology.<br /><br />Now look at the example diagram:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQ9kmTeiDAPJLFgWRMfOyxV9OdD58Y_VeAA-5xoIYSMyQu0eIEeuCfma_ID2e8lZgZNwAbLP42cI7OSWFP5x651m8K5pQ5GX-NvedJ5fJGjx2NenDpOST3GWKovksvkSS7mnhVw/s1600/4-PIXEL.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 76px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQ9kmTeiDAPJLFgWRMfOyxV9OdD58Y_VeAA-5xoIYSMyQu0eIEeuCfma_ID2e8lZgZNwAbLP42cI7OSWFP5x651m8K5pQ5GX-NvedJ5fJGjx2NenDpOST3GWKovksvkSS7mnhVw/s200/4-PIXEL.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613611986604465634" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />If these sensors had only 4 pixels and were exposed to the same light, you can see that each pixel has less and less light falling on it as the sensor becomes smaller. This means that the larger sensor which has more light falling on each pixel will create a stronger electrical signal. Circuit noise is constant for a given technology. This means that the smallest sensor will have a weaker signal to contend with a lot of noise compared to the larger sensor. If you see photographs from a Canon 5D Mark II and from a Canon IXUS 100 IS point and shoot camera, you can actually see the huge difference in image quality.<br /><br />A very good example of an unlikely great camera was the Nikon D700 which was just 12 megapixels but had a full-frame sensor. Owing to the fewer pixels spread over a larger area, it turned out to be one of the best cameras out there in terms of low light, high ISO performance.<br /><br />Will talk more about other things you need to consider when buying an SLR in the next part!claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-85412447155309510802011-05-23T23:13:00.000-07:002011-06-02T22:17:09.770-07:00Kerala trip: Rest of itIt's actually no fun posting the pics months after the excitement of coming back from a nice trip has died down. But to keep with the flow, after having posted pics of the first part of the trip in Cochin, I will post the rest.<br /><br />I have become so seriously involved in photography that I have little to write these days. The information overload of trying to know how to get the best out of your equipment can be daunting. The budget always comes up too! :( And posting images on my facebook artist page and getting instant 'Like's and comments from friends who would have never read it on the blog is an altogether different thing! :)<br /><br />Anyways I won't punish you further! Here are the pics :)<br /><br />Here was a local romeo zooming off into the munnar hills on his bike :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTopj1SmLhZGCbBYYDsQoR6LiMi5Zp2dlqPTZjWKI1lU_MmioB9cKf51bG_Ojln87PN68y_oVkSZfBh4trqESTwxClBk6Fkzav8ubEaYm9zaxxo7FqHt8-2vneYIxu8dosnpjrQ/s1600/IMGP0860-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTopj1SmLhZGCbBYYDsQoR6LiMi5Zp2dlqPTZjWKI1lU_MmioB9cKf51bG_Ojln87PN68y_oVkSZfBh4trqESTwxClBk6Fkzav8ubEaYm9zaxxo7FqHt8-2vneYIxu8dosnpjrQ/s200/IMGP0860-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612442889202816210" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Any grocery shop worth its salt has to have a few varieties of bananas.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-lc2kYkGP3yRcmQmDUyDsPePk7waCZxUD4VlGmUbPgZND2mjCufGCE9mIujAk55yOtIB9MnK-HO9XkjJEKWE7cClCxof8YSi1Nn2cbZk8w431MtVqSVN0WlKCqLlXR3DF6F3DA/s1600/IMGP0861-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-lc2kYkGP3yRcmQmDUyDsPePk7waCZxUD4VlGmUbPgZND2mjCufGCE9mIujAk55yOtIB9MnK-HO9XkjJEKWE7cClCxof8YSi1Nn2cbZk8w431MtVqSVN0WlKCqLlXR3DF6F3DA/s200/IMGP0861-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612442894413457970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Going by the lavish ads the jewelry and saree industry enjoyed, it felt like these were the two prospering industries there (recession or not). We rarely saw any other billboards. It also looked like most of the models were from Mumbai. We even got to see an ad with what looked like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayali_Bhagat">Sayali Bhagat</a> in one of them.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L4m3y3dF9aIntq2DXiHGjJwkOpce98ILMd2Rw91r-sZwQ71EVljeZhDzn2WYQhlSRPDh9l0JkQ3JFdD5-UjMWNvauS3wMgwsFvWF7So9s9OZlt4dZHU5MeRvNUKqdYSfVy3EKA/s1600/IMGP1159-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L4m3y3dF9aIntq2DXiHGjJwkOpce98ILMd2Rw91r-sZwQ71EVljeZhDzn2WYQhlSRPDh9l0JkQ3JFdD5-UjMWNvauS3wMgwsFvWF7So9s9OZlt4dZHU5MeRvNUKqdYSfVy3EKA/s200/IMGP1159-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612445582250762978" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegga7hRfGjFs3jSEo0UhS8_snjCT6wV-3onvkzA4ldJOyo6clsWywQ1SNHWY-4DTjAS18CttJU2Lebd_cJ_WfwQ8C4vjGZVVtS-aeNnFQbik0Z9aj8YtUTFqyET87Z9Axocm8Og/s1600/IMGP0855-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegga7hRfGjFs3jSEo0UhS8_snjCT6wV-3onvkzA4ldJOyo6clsWywQ1SNHWY-4DTjAS18CttJU2Lebd_cJ_WfwQ8C4vjGZVVtS-aeNnFQbik0Z9aj8YtUTFqyET87Z9Axocm8Og/s200/IMGP0855-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612442881568760498" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloLmqqFXfL4QhCAG8Tcwa5hZZWI78DskMSfteVT3I8KV-naY_KN11_4IIXi8-xtnH9ZnXiqnaiizRb8Wj_zDkzGOVZr9leDsHwPSE_Ots_AOQdBdIXDA-B5bFujIE2JOkJTVzrg/s1600/IMGP1157-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloLmqqFXfL4QhCAG8Tcwa5hZZWI78DskMSfteVT3I8KV-naY_KN11_4IIXi8-xtnH9ZnXiqnaiizRb8Wj_zDkzGOVZr9leDsHwPSE_Ots_AOQdBdIXDA-B5bFujIE2JOkJTVzrg/s200/IMGP1157-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612445587835704722" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlRe_6W7A2lo1cOpTsMELLJ4jF7TjLNo3auTUMq9WckMpsQhKRgKqwytkP-Zf-sZyJKlLYGJcUIbUOCXLMv9G4pKybVjqaUBxOxRwKHiTQnZ4IVEZEtm7mIeOxlTjEhT2zrfPWA/s1600/IMGP1153-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlRe_6W7A2lo1cOpTsMELLJ4jF7TjLNo3auTUMq9WckMpsQhKRgKqwytkP-Zf-sZyJKlLYGJcUIbUOCXLMv9G4pKybVjqaUBxOxRwKHiTQnZ4IVEZEtm7mIeOxlTjEhT2zrfPWA/s200/IMGP1153-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612445596767428850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Why was I so interested in billboards of all the things? Some of the road journeys got a little monotonous and these were the interesting things we saw. And another thing is that each of these ads is a lesson in itself, if one wants to learn the art of fashion/commercial photography. How it can be and in some cases, how it shouldn't.<br /><br />One thing that I think that definitely distinguishes Kerala is the windowless buses there. Keeps one completely in tune with the elements! ;)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBSrcGpo9dlItpJZXyJaPIX8Zor8hDnhnGnmjHRjFb3bkGd8xyYzlFp9NV-TijC72KQNdftvssR52-z5PFoWAGpFuqR7Q9BEoqnYzmxn1rKCCoytn9I4Hu4OxWAhEgQL4gp2dnYw/s1600/IMGP0863-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBSrcGpo9dlItpJZXyJaPIX8Zor8hDnhnGnmjHRjFb3bkGd8xyYzlFp9NV-TijC72KQNdftvssR52-z5PFoWAGpFuqR7Q9BEoqnYzmxn1rKCCoytn9I4Hu4OxWAhEgQL4gp2dnYw/s200/IMGP0863-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612447511077715442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Munnar was the best part of the trip if you ask me. It was unlike the other places that I have seen before. The tea estates had a charm. But it was the trees in the forests with trunks more than a 100 feet tall, growing on steep hills towering above us. All this <span style="font-style: italic;">after</span> we ascend so many hundreds of meters up into the hills. The sheer scale was hard to imagine!<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkdsmv1ju6fDyNgXjNqNmFUXdiuUddhRe8PB_6GnR8l1-h80KBHWNbOZ5_qgp7fEBAtJJA7FkR6426Xt_5EinsBKhyphenhyphenXOp0EUuVLQ2eKJi3WjKU2sgjjWzgU8h9SZm8bMbQmhk0Q/s1600/IMGP0902-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkdsmv1ju6fDyNgXjNqNmFUXdiuUddhRe8PB_6GnR8l1-h80KBHWNbOZ5_qgp7fEBAtJJA7FkR6426Xt_5EinsBKhyphenhyphenXOp0EUuVLQ2eKJi3WjKU2sgjjWzgU8h9SZm8bMbQmhk0Q/s200/IMGP0902-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612448164834366754" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MrBAykKQw52a3-YSnI3wGzAZxbxXCBfwKJMz3k1a_xJZ3V4AvzsXtG3WvbchjyRZ5NwPYsosfdC7fEVeqzJzY2ECImYEqoWIXK1VO5iDPswvUjbIsOWjlEcwAfCN57obDQzWNQ/s1600/IMGP0906.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MrBAykKQw52a3-YSnI3wGzAZxbxXCBfwKJMz3k1a_xJZ3V4AvzsXtG3WvbchjyRZ5NwPYsosfdC7fEVeqzJzY2ECImYEqoWIXK1VO5iDPswvUjbIsOWjlEcwAfCN57obDQzWNQ/s200/IMGP0906.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612448174624469522" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The main part of the Munnar town was a dusty little high altitude garbage dump. Was a little embarrassing to see what we are turning a pretty little hill station into. Rubble strewn all over, many new constructions not in tune with the landscape, and heaps of burning garbage. No, I did not take any pics there. :(<br /><br />It is very hard to express the beauty of a place when every time you click the picture, the camera seems to interpret the scene in a different way, although equally beautiful. Very enigmatic.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVWaHsV5jcj4sXL8-bBoZLTtJUY1DparK5NIluSzlio95845cwv1gGrDgO09UMsrNmYeaLWA0A-q-Y5qYCrhXzGM77CiYRZ2ErwYc6JfC5KVvB0WARMKtN2N8bt5Hwg2dcMDxBg/s1600/IMGP0961-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVWaHsV5jcj4sXL8-bBoZLTtJUY1DparK5NIluSzlio95845cwv1gGrDgO09UMsrNmYeaLWA0A-q-Y5qYCrhXzGM77CiYRZ2ErwYc6JfC5KVvB0WARMKtN2N8bt5Hwg2dcMDxBg/s200/IMGP0961-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612457933548384786" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OVQrBwt7k8jSJ9GY4LZ1Vv5dcw4OPf6WNwStwtrfqmLRhOA4IAWzb01DdqcS5C2ibiaqCdTtRtaUKGoBEY9tIHBiRxZXyA4NfgrtuIIu1huYWLdDe74LmXWiffvKb4ay08GCLg/s1600/IMGP1037-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OVQrBwt7k8jSJ9GY4LZ1Vv5dcw4OPf6WNwStwtrfqmLRhOA4IAWzb01DdqcS5C2ibiaqCdTtRtaUKGoBEY9tIHBiRxZXyA4NfgrtuIIu1huYWLdDe74LmXWiffvKb4ay08GCLg/s200/IMGP1037-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612457939100165554" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And then it was down into the hot humid plains into the backwaters. The mandatory houseboat ride. The best part of this ride was the unique glimpse into life along the backwaters. Unique because I feel that there is nothing else like this in this country.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaa9nz-2FkHjz_xaa8eYziUHjBM9jecpxJSd9aYy26NKLlwnh9ayPWVDiVtJ7wOfGw8yFnaKdUv_khPPqTyj3TG7R7Aob2IzTrr74QW3fUDB_w3XNK1LwiP7aSlwi5-3E_ii0Fuw/s1600/IMGP1054-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaa9nz-2FkHjz_xaa8eYziUHjBM9jecpxJSd9aYy26NKLlwnh9ayPWVDiVtJ7wOfGw8yFnaKdUv_khPPqTyj3TG7R7Aob2IzTrr74QW3fUDB_w3XNK1LwiP7aSlwi5-3E_ii0Fuw/s200/IMGP1054-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612461359807281698" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuNT-Q16W6ESbuRddzk8wZhmmaExcCB7cB0RC-ARTa8Ru1YUynC9Dgu5o3qVNG3hG4aMx6zpxHkPhUoRHH3bchOYdH3r0Wf4BJd2yJXvuteMIqyKeiiMjbPJXpFwu3zLaAJorWg/s1600/IMGP1055-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuNT-Q16W6ESbuRddzk8wZhmmaExcCB7cB0RC-ARTa8Ru1YUynC9Dgu5o3qVNG3hG4aMx6zpxHkPhUoRHH3bchOYdH3r0Wf4BJd2yJXvuteMIqyKeiiMjbPJXpFwu3zLaAJorWg/s200/IMGP1055-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612461362032451122" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9gLSuSkTk0hJtCZJe1fDhw69oDPsBkSmQzSjFikLlqVtQjKG3-drtS8j4le79EIYfMmwrX4cAWZCy-jGnpLtqn5qW5rMr4Iemf-3dNr7S_HgBmiN9wCWGoe_pByXG9SE4us9OQ/s1600/IMGP1135-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9gLSuSkTk0hJtCZJe1fDhw69oDPsBkSmQzSjFikLlqVtQjKG3-drtS8j4le79EIYfMmwrX4cAWZCy-jGnpLtqn5qW5rMr4Iemf-3dNr7S_HgBmiN9wCWGoe_pByXG9SE4us9OQ/s200/IMGP1135-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612461366669695042" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovFqt_tswkW0x5mlbrn9-bC5pvOMAAq2WoEEAdCzfcx0Hu97743uBNg_rCLp0Ow58HntvDqhrpOvF8F94wvoMHtF7MuPLjNZEzUXr3v2lW4Ov3Ajt8RThH9x4ejBu9VEpvRhKSw/s1600/IMGP1076-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovFqt_tswkW0x5mlbrn9-bC5pvOMAAq2WoEEAdCzfcx0Hu97743uBNg_rCLp0Ow58HntvDqhrpOvF8F94wvoMHtF7MuPLjNZEzUXr3v2lW4Ov3Ajt8RThH9x4ejBu9VEpvRhKSw/s200/IMGP1076-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612462048446334098" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPa9TFcRBPgWBwUW3o2g9Je3SlqwspvjXXzPdauZcsIduRL29fn9uxDcWOanH2nQVLNceSOiloLVofAbBm56jX2U7SIi2HYzEAQ5jmEMOs29ljvTaGj6LANC951Ada6Dbh68LYrg/s1600/IMGP1099-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPa9TFcRBPgWBwUW3o2g9Je3SlqwspvjXXzPdauZcsIduRL29fn9uxDcWOanH2nQVLNceSOiloLVofAbBm56jX2U7SIi2HYzEAQ5jmEMOs29ljvTaGj6LANC951Ada6Dbh68LYrg/s200/IMGP1099-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612462053580077314" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The last part of the trip was Kovalam beach. We did go to Kanyakumari but I did not like the place. Quarrelsome hotel managers and bad service marked our stay there and we realised that apart from the novelty of being on the tip of India and the Vivekananda rock, there isn't much to the place.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5hCxW0e5xiqi4KK0brpI_091XR_fukq4R1w-Wrp2A3JrDMl1YW2ov-awyQ-WqLOF_JcKQMxaEwCX9Z58_IMzwiY0bHYT4-IkSIMlci3sV2JvnETxWseNfCHJbhMrPL4FhrxRtQ/s1600/IMGP1428-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5hCxW0e5xiqi4KK0brpI_091XR_fukq4R1w-Wrp2A3JrDMl1YW2ov-awyQ-WqLOF_JcKQMxaEwCX9Z58_IMzwiY0bHYT4-IkSIMlci3sV2JvnETxWseNfCHJbhMrPL4FhrxRtQ/s200/IMGP1428-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612464374981610626" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPQdHprq6WJfUOr0XRDkFGxS3ItwhYFZBEf-eWsgNo39PwXzEmXpsBVmmihYtVOp6ai2hyphenhyphenezqdR6nmlil-tkmTAkW_Uee4C0bhoh3wsa9iAP_71mE2TniPgMtP9VF-JEiL5L7qg/s1600/IMGP1412-1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPQdHprq6WJfUOr0XRDkFGxS3ItwhYFZBEf-eWsgNo39PwXzEmXpsBVmmihYtVOp6ai2hyphenhyphenezqdR6nmlil-tkmTAkW_Uee4C0bhoh3wsa9iAP_71mE2TniPgMtP9VF-JEiL5L7qg/s200/IMGP1412-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612464376709508562" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Kovalam beach was not such a great beach but it has this nice light house that you should not miss. The view from the top is worth dying for. ;)<br /></div></div></div></div></div>claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-66517640858692174422010-11-22T02:50:00.000-08:002011-01-06T03:25:00.077-08:00Kerala - Cochin<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b1RX4OVz35lHj49Aa-uzMRHJmmxRzxiWi6xcAS9OkjfhhOmDpQSeOli-XGE8z6nFessTEXO0T9ns_vxuOSKiEtfBumG5KVMRifFzh8OmcQh4OruoIB7oFc7SRYkQGN2kuW3mdA/s1600/IMGP0795-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b1RX4OVz35lHj49Aa-uzMRHJmmxRzxiWi6xcAS9OkjfhhOmDpQSeOli-XGE8z6nFessTEXO0T9ns_vxuOSKiEtfBumG5KVMRifFzh8OmcQh4OruoIB7oFc7SRYkQGN2kuW3mdA/s320/IMGP0795-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559017288236226530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>We landed late in the evening and checked into the homestay called Rossitta Wood Castle and it turned out to be a beautiful place. A building built in 1706 now converted into a lovely homestay. Visiting a historical building is one thing and staying in one is entirely another. Of course, it also had all the luxuries like heated water and air-conditioning! :)<br /><br />If you like nice little streets with character, the streets around Fort Kochi (the homestay was located here) and the Jewish town are places to be.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kvi84Dtn37ks_Ce-okGjeGycGxBkik0Y5Agg2TrphNNiAnCwQ-cF_dmFH7SOrA_TsSMI4WxN-wZVNKSdQ0wsm7PSWIV3WALUZpUfE7v4WKTQl2QTS3Zulor2ZT8bwkw6yJfUAQ/s1600/IMGP0808-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kvi84Dtn37ks_Ce-okGjeGycGxBkik0Y5Agg2TrphNNiAnCwQ-cF_dmFH7SOrA_TsSMI4WxN-wZVNKSdQ0wsm7PSWIV3WALUZpUfE7v4WKTQl2QTS3Zulor2ZT8bwkw6yJfUAQ/s320/IMGP0808-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559018037364786946" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4AlQhJwJF6mgQl1hcRC0oWpk953NZM3xpvuvKOSYAj_X6pEawlQJMl-JAZvmRqw4P6kOXElwAr3b5WphVN4qc7aCbtcaMfUYUBWCBhHQn-ZAIgZzBZXrXw1OU0Dcw7CvGTIeMQ/s1600/IMGP0828-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4AlQhJwJF6mgQl1hcRC0oWpk953NZM3xpvuvKOSYAj_X6pEawlQJMl-JAZvmRqw4P6kOXElwAr3b5WphVN4qc7aCbtcaMfUYUBWCBhHQn-ZAIgZzBZXrXw1OU0Dcw7CvGTIeMQ/s320/IMGP0828-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559018292251187250" border="0" /></a></div><br />We were lucky that we got to see Sunday morning service in progress when we visited the historical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Francis_Church,_Kochi">St Francis</a> church.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyTPLafNVxPZYzhWLfrfu7A0aUmAeloYCZFxbXfdoYazSA3P2cOoyBtVX3FHqWR-pctSvoLbaITAiGXUXvffpOcus74ggO0qM6MEdc6qODrU_g2wAjoiUSVgg9PEXchbeNFePxA/s1600/IMGP0829-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyTPLafNVxPZYzhWLfrfu7A0aUmAeloYCZFxbXfdoYazSA3P2cOoyBtVX3FHqWR-pctSvoLbaITAiGXUXvffpOcus74ggO0qM6MEdc6qODrU_g2wAjoiUSVgg9PEXchbeNFePxA/s320/IMGP0829-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559021849038715970" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />I felt our stay in Cochin (two days) was too short as I wanted to visit the Jewish town when the light was good but we just could not make it on time and the shops there close very early (5:30pm if I remember right). There went some good photo-opportunities. All I had was snaps of the streets in harsh light.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaNlgG7jh35rE-0XIGF4m0LMXpRzC0XWPeUYOtpHhPxPi47BcydpVCi6SEmPxFph9gf9BcOnJCCk88ZZuu4K6I9sb6Kndn1jIpa1kOrTYneguJzJImU1fKr8keJjpt9q5OAJ7gg/s1600/IMGP0831-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaNlgG7jh35rE-0XIGF4m0LMXpRzC0XWPeUYOtpHhPxPi47BcydpVCi6SEmPxFph9gf9BcOnJCCk88ZZuu4K6I9sb6Kndn1jIpa1kOrTYneguJzJImU1fKr8keJjpt9q5OAJ7gg/s320/IMGP0831-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559030323491363858" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />To completely absorb the essence of Cochin and walk unhurriedly through the silent streets, we need at least two or three days in this place. Good we did not take a package tour.claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-11031483116191737552010-08-12T00:16:00.000-07:002010-08-12T02:00:10.956-07:00The Paud ChurchI have noticed this church by the road every time I go to Mulshi. Nestled in the Pirangut valley, surrounded by the Sahyadri hills, this stone built church has an air of mystery about it. The looming monsoon clouds and the beautiful hills behind it only added to its beauty.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV3Tdi1Rs1XDUJfFjv3wwlAwYZ6hFUNPR4wTR650rOWXXgrZhKREnXFoGsUxRWpLEjbrVluhLQfJoT-Ru8gh7FblpCtJU9m37qg4iVY_ypYS8Kl5Y-o0s1zF_lZRDkcmrbtl5DA/s1600/IMGP9785-1-blog-web.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV3Tdi1Rs1XDUJfFjv3wwlAwYZ6hFUNPR4wTR650rOWXXgrZhKREnXFoGsUxRWpLEjbrVluhLQfJoT-Ru8gh7FblpCtJU9m37qg4iVY_ypYS8Kl5Y-o0s1zF_lZRDkcmrbtl5DA/s320/IMGP9785-1-blog-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504442638023433842" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />This church is named Paud Church, after the village it is adjacent to. I had entered the church compound once long ago when I was here with <a href="http://everymansdiary.blogspot.com/">Everyman</a> but it was a Saturday and this place was closed. I came to know from a passer by that they have service every Sunday, but I was somehow never there at the right time.<br /><br />Finally, a couple of Sundays ago, we were going by this church and we decided to stop. This time I was with family and friends. We walked into the church compound admiring the building, wondering how old the walls were, when the pastor came in right behind us to open the doors. He told us that service was about to begin and we realised that we were in luck! We decided we will attend at least attend a part of the service before going ahead on our journey to Mulshi.<br /><br />The pastor told us that this church was built by the British in 1912 and had seen better days. Now there are only about five Christian families left in the village. They just manage to keep the place going as they do not have a lot of funds.<br /><br />This church has an old world charm that is hard to find. The first time I saw it, I had thought it may have been abandoned. But inside these dark walls, every week, the place comes alive with the voices of singing, led by the baritone voice of the friendly pastor.claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-71639467487246303462010-04-26T21:45:00.000-07:002010-06-06T23:00:18.034-07:00Zappos<span style="font-weight: bold;">The prelude</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(You can skip this if you are more about the destination than about the journey and go straight to the book review. I wanted to make seperate posts on how I came to review the book and the review itself but decided to combine them!)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><br />If you talk to any senior colleague who might have been in the company since around the time of its inception, you might hear one thing from them that's common: 'Things are not what they used to be.' Change is the only permanent thing (© Buddha circa 400 B.C <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8skM6_EwsFfc1NbEQU0wzdpVIA6RoReJweUO3edZcyADTBA-Y7c4oxHY6lJh75RABprujtFUmnpIK3KHicZLGystb_XCzQTt2V4s1_70cVQHomevo6hjRIaa0BIcE_AMM1xiDw/s1600/98_372_wink-smiley-02_thumb_l.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 15px; height: 15px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8skM6_EwsFfc1NbEQU0wzdpVIA6RoReJweUO3edZcyADTBA-Y7c4oxHY6lJh75RABprujtFUmnpIK3KHicZLGystb_XCzQTt2V4s1_70cVQHomevo6hjRIaa0BIcE_AMM1xiDw/s320/98_372_wink-smiley-02_thumb_l.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477303739940844706" border="0" /></a>)<br /><br />Change is usually for the better. But most probably you will hear them wistfully talking about how things got a little less warm. 'At the start everyone knew everyone. There was less bureaucracy and fewer restrictive rules. There was a time when <span style="font-style: italic;">Orkutting</span> was allowed but one fine day Orkut, Facebook, Blogger, etc were blocked. The company at its inception had a few people who were very passionate about what they were starting. For each of them the company was like their own. As the company expanded to about a few hundred, many of them turned out to be not that passionate anymore.' (This is actually a compilation of what many different people had to say on this!)<br /><br />Have you heard this often? I have heard this so often that I had almost decided it is the norm rather than an exception. Was this even avoidable? At least some of it! There must be a way. I also had a lot of questions about what it is about a workplace that makes you want to stick around, work, and still be happy about it. It is true that if you do what you love chances are you will be happier. But this is not everything as I came to know the hard way from my own experiences. The culture at your work place goes a long way. By culture, my initial idea was of a place where everyone was friendly and none was the kind who would make things hard for you due to some vested interest. I realized that is not all! Why not have a culture that is not only a place where no one messes with you but is also about fun, togetherness, a lot of group activity very much like what we were evolutionarily programmed to do: be part of a 'tribe' in a way that would make us feel happy from within. I would recommend you read this book to know more: <a href="http://www.triballeadership.net/book">http://www.triballeadership.net/book</a>. I haven't read it yet so do let me what you think of it! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Brg9vE28BFUrZSjYmGpFg1EdJmDBWcZz1uVuvugIZG10kqJAsGCTaRr5Yd8qMfiJ9CNcWktfAadN3An6nFDMVDmTh92vmpOmjS2HSmAeTyufWPDm8L4ayUV53jZJhapBadI7yg/s1600/grin1.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 15px; height: 15px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Brg9vE28BFUrZSjYmGpFg1EdJmDBWcZz1uVuvugIZG10kqJAsGCTaRr5Yd8qMfiJ9CNcWktfAadN3An6nFDMVDmTh92vmpOmjS2HSmAeTyufWPDm8L4ayUV53jZJhapBadI7yg/s320/grin1.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479882580527471746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I started regularly reading articles on <a href="http://positivesharing.com/">http://positivesharing.com/</a> and I got to know a lot of things about the science of workplace happiness (that I was so missing at that time! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Brg9vE28BFUrZSjYmGpFg1EdJmDBWcZz1uVuvugIZG10kqJAsGCTaRr5Yd8qMfiJ9CNcWktfAadN3An6nFDMVDmTh92vmpOmjS2HSmAeTyufWPDm8L4ayUV53jZJhapBadI7yg/s1600/grin1.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 15px; height: 15px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Brg9vE28BFUrZSjYmGpFg1EdJmDBWcZz1uVuvugIZG10kqJAsGCTaRr5Yd8qMfiJ9CNcWktfAadN3An6nFDMVDmTh92vmpOmjS2HSmAeTyufWPDm8L4ayUV53jZJhapBadI7yg/s320/grin1.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479882580527471746" border="0" /></a>) . I also came to know about a workplace where happiness is given top priority and has also proved that it affects the company bottom line positively (almost nothing to $1 billion in ten years!). That company is Zappos.<br /><br />Initially, the idea that such a company existed intrigued me and I started researching more on it online trying to find out if the skeptic in me was right. The skeptic in me said that such a thing might look good on paper but was it practical? I told about Zappos to one of my friends who has been working for about 20 years in a corporate environment and he told me it would not be possible unless the number of people was way less than 500. Then I googled for the total number of employees in Zappos and YES there are more than 500 people in Zappos! I also found Zappos is now among the <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/full_list/">Fortune list of 100 best companies to work for</a>.<br /><br />And now for the best part. I happened upon this link about a month ago: <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:Consolas,Courier New,Courier;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><u><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://deliveringhappinessbook.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7469caef6122a4c94f2c5e38e&id=ec271137d7&e=e3e35e2591" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">http://www.</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">deliveringhappiness<wbr>book.com</span></a></span></u></span></span></span></span>. I found that Tony (CEO of Zappos) has written a book about his journey as an entrepreneur and how it led him to become part of Zappos. All I had to do to get a pre-release copy was to fill a form with my address and agree to review it with my honest opinion on the day of its release, which is today, 7th of June!<br /><br />I was very thrilled to get the UPS courier from Zappos in a few days and was pleasantly surprised to find two copies inside instead of one! They managed to create WOW there too!<br /><br />I opened the envelope and just could not help taking a pic:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNXNnf9tuzSPf8dYquHoN1_uXc7h8_iYzxYfojS2LeRDD2IBc19hAKvYCiFBUx-6b42vB0bKuzC4ShtQg7ygJdfxZBNvP8hXaz16yoSJ66eQFsBICdNoTrtPxPq5x9QjaKOv9-A/s1600/IMGP8965.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNXNnf9tuzSPf8dYquHoN1_uXc7h8_iYzxYfojS2LeRDD2IBc19hAKvYCiFBUx-6b42vB0bKuzC4ShtQg7ygJdfxZBNvP8hXaz16yoSJ66eQFsBICdNoTrtPxPq5x9QjaKOv9-A/s320/IMGP8965.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477332220040449026" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The review:</span><br /><br />Anyhoo, here is the review:<br /><br />This book has a nice conversational style and I enjoyed reading it. Tony peppers the narration with little anecdotes that make it all the more interesting. There are quite a few sections that were contributed by other people who talk about their take on how their experience with Zappos was.<br /><br />You might find some concepts repetitive in the later half as different people write about their experience but talk about similar ideas. At some places I found that the font used to denote transcripts of emails is a little low on readability, especially if you have more than a page of that text.<br /><br />This book might not be a masterpiece in terms of writing style. Tony says he refused to use any ghost writers to make sure it was straight out of the horse's mouth, so to speak, in all it's rawness. But I would still value this book and seriously recommend it for the message that it holds. Those of you to whom organizational behavior, science of happiness and workplace psychology are a topic of interest, this book is not to be missed!<br /><br />This book might turn out to be a first in corporate history to document what has been confounding many corporations (ironically): What makes employees truly happy? How come hefty raises and perks fail to retain some employees? ...and many other questions.<br /><br />As you can see I was almost a fan of Zappos even before I read this book. But I have tried to give an honest opinion of this book both in terms of reading experience and the value of the ideas it conveys.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Conclusion:</span><br />Highly recommended! 4.5 stars out of 5.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The giveaway:</span><br />I am going to giveaway one of the free copies to anyone who is interested. I will mail it to the address you are at and don't mind bearing the postage. I have no financial benefit from doing this but it feels great to spreading the message that this book has!<br /><br />You can also buy this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/deliveringhappiness" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr>deliveringhappiness</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Further reading:</span><br /><br />Some of the content and links that I randomly collected before I read this book and wrote this review are here. Instead of rewriting it, I decided I might as well paste it here. I have tried to include links where the material might be copyrighted. If any of it violates copyrights I will remove it.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/zappos_ceo_talks_culture_fit_a.php</span><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpU8oIT8tM&feature=player_embedded"><br /></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpU8oIT8tM&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpU8oIT8tM&feature=player_embedded</a><br /><br />Interesting transcripts from the video:<br />"If you get the culture right, then most of the other stuff, like great customer service or building a brand will just happen naturally."<br /><br />"For us, actually customer service is not our number one priority. Our number one priority is company culture. Our whole belief is that if you get the culture right then most of the other stuff like great customer service or building a great brand will just happen naturally."<br /><br />"For us we formalize the definition of our company culture into ten core values and hire and fire people based on those values. We actually have two sets of interviews. The hiring manager and his or her team will do the standard interview and the HR panel does a separate interview for culture fit."<br /><br /><br />Some interesting stuff at this link:<br /><a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/making-sure-the-shoe-fits-at-zapposcom/">http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/making-sure-the-shoe-fits-at-zapposcom</a><a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/making-sure-the-shoe-fits-at-zapposcom/">/</a>claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-56829779151253732632009-11-05T23:02:00.000-08:002009-11-10T01:36:01.820-08:00"Be positive!" ...even if your tail is on fire?As you can see, my posts are getting less frequent. Am I busy with other things in life? Do I have no time to blog? Have I stopped taking pictures? Yes, no, and no. I have plenty of things to do but I also hate the phrase 'I have no time'. I guess if we love something strongly enough we will always look for ways to find time for it. Oh yes, I still love blogging but now there are quite a few other things I love that I am giving my time for.<br /><br />Since a couple of days I have been trying to give this blog a makeover in terms of look and feel. I just realized it is not very easy with the limited choices in templates and what all you can do with them (when you have a limited knowledge of HTML!).<br /><br />I also realised one thing about this blog:<br />I have been writing less and posting snaps more and it started getting pretty monotonous! So, for a change, I have been looking for something that would make me write and here it is:<br /><br />Just this morning I read this interesting post at <a href="http://positivesharing.com/2009/11/the-happiness-hat-will-hurt-you-until-you-smile/">http://positivesharing.com/2009/11/the-happiness-hat-will-hurt-you-until-you-smile/</a> which got me thinking about this 'Be positive' phrase that you must be hearing very often.<br /><br />I think one of the problems in simply saying 'Be Happy!', is in the way it is said. Saying just that without 'Real Caring' (a phrase so nicely put by one of the commentors on that blog), makes it insensitive and therefore more irritating and depressing. And people who show you Real Care do not need to say 'Be Happy!' ever. They spread happiness without saying it!<br /><br />The phrase 'Be Happy' itself gives us a very important clue about what it is, which we often miss. We 'be' happy, we never 'do it' like it were some work. So it is not like we have a happiness switch that can be turned on and off! And sometimes the pain that precedes it is important to let us know that there maybe something we need to sort out before we feel that bliss. Yes, it is sometimes important to make good use of the wisdom we gain from a bad phase! And when we are happy it does not mean we would be grinning from ear to ear 24/7 either! :)claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-36301606673853879782009-08-23T21:40:00.000-07:002009-08-31T00:49:04.626-07:00Monsoon Calling<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> 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hue<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">As the monsoon comes calling <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);">Watch the green grass wave happily in the wind <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b><span style="color: rgb(127, 127, 127);font-size:12pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">and dance to the raindrops falling</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<br />I have been to this place <a href="http://vikkiwrites.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-green-is-valley.html">again</a>, <a href="http://vikkiwrites.blogspot.com/2006/08/back-to-mulshi.html">again</a>, <a href="http://vikkiwrites.blogspot.com/2006/10/escape-from-cubicle.html">again</a>, and <a href="http://vikkiwrites.blogspot.com/2007/10/back-to-mulshi-2007.html">again</a>. It just keeps getting better :).
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1e65GeA9GhIH1qYcfbbkHakY55m2P7NeL6xGV2WM3YJvEK1gpaR2lpiR68z9hunrjQwZk-qkt-hKooiOOlNhsOfZGAbx6k9PIWxvYbHUGrJhpBYRb9-BwR_JI0sgLNNwrTkkH_A/s1600-h/IMGP7189-wtrmrk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1e65GeA9GhIH1qYcfbbkHakY55m2P7NeL6xGV2WM3YJvEK1gpaR2lpiR68z9hunrjQwZk-qkt-hKooiOOlNhsOfZGAbx6k9PIWxvYbHUGrJhpBYRb9-BwR_JI0sgLNNwrTkkH_A/s320/IMGP7189-wtrmrk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374933373339780242" border="0" /></a>
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<br />claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-49302124940269599672009-06-29T03:26:00.000-07:002009-06-29T21:16:26.986-07:00Back to the Roots<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9-oyoBZhLoczRJxdfqPpR-EosEyApNaRTRcEXn5sp-z3l3M27gTQEn3Xs8_Y2ePUP1jb-yS4brpMs4mwP2Yic813DP5-qANxOpztOahmvS9mC9H_52a9EbuPlWrF3yoUp63k0Q/s1600-h/IMGP6791-17pc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9-oyoBZhLoczRJxdfqPpR-EosEyApNaRTRcEXn5sp-z3l3M27gTQEn3Xs8_Y2ePUP1jb-yS4brpMs4mwP2Yic813DP5-qANxOpztOahmvS9mC9H_52a9EbuPlWrF3yoUp63k0Q/s320/IMGP6791-17pc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352694751492636946" border="0" /></a>He made sure he is financially secure for a lifetime and took an early retirement. He has romanced the sitar for about 30 years now, a little more than for how many years he has run the company he started from scratch. Now he has broken free from the responsibility of co-owning that company. Now he has gone back to the sitar once and for all. He has gone back to what he loves most.claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-61037959794684352242009-06-07T23:16:00.000-07:002009-06-09T23:12:23.825-07:00Road to School: Memory Lane<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6hyphenhyphenb-nQsgL-ih85CNeOqFeeldq-TagokdoaZ47t4FoV7byf847CQMpSzyVRFUiK1Svqzae5hUrq7rLbQWytfO27v9hHZ2CkaCm3xQdhzxS4WckXtOwFCXETaZGe-L2CoLxcL6A/s1600-h/IMGP6895-30pc.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6hyphenhyphenb-nQsgL-ih85CNeOqFeeldq-TagokdoaZ47t4FoV7byf847CQMpSzyVRFUiK1Svqzae5hUrq7rLbQWytfO27v9hHZ2CkaCm3xQdhzxS4WckXtOwFCXETaZGe-L2CoLxcL6A/s320/IMGP6895-30pc.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344838011538199090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivk5G6yHVtqNS4xTMtWZZi-0KdwyhRJaGPUi342zLTrLYxe7-zz23S5YkMQy4u5AxS6uQlO_GcUuJZKQs1nMRsAZQp_IQMYTZaqYrFHSGuiNf4GHCYpMzqL6i_qEKqdPTWbWE_Yw/s1600-h/IMGP6900-30pc.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivk5G6yHVtqNS4xTMtWZZi-0KdwyhRJaGPUi342zLTrLYxe7-zz23S5YkMQy4u5AxS6uQlO_GcUuJZKQs1nMRsAZQp_IQMYTZaqYrFHSGuiNf4GHCYpMzqL6i_qEKqdPTWbWE_Yw/s320/IMGP6900-30pc.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344837386762320114" border="0" /></a><br />It was sometime in '94 that I walked down this road to school. About a week ago I went down that road again. It is as beautiful as ever. The green tree canopy is greener. Totally another world.claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-15639001745815607232009-05-09T08:54:00.000-07:002009-05-09T09:09:30.462-07:00Lace Curtains and Wind Chimes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77HY7XHmtT7TxqAc7Rs9hxKn3u03RxWxplxdEkHo1wUR7fhbFLqk73Zp9UHMmHYWmCJVtazxZ2OaUEr-jlxVQyRhTWGFxZ4QSLxdyb6CC3N7Hwfv0BQjBsGyAmpIkEPbpRGhyphenhyphen_Q/s1600-h/IMGP6618-blog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77HY7XHmtT7TxqAc7Rs9hxKn3u03RxWxplxdEkHo1wUR7fhbFLqk73Zp9UHMmHYWmCJVtazxZ2OaUEr-jlxVQyRhTWGFxZ4QSLxdyb6CC3N7Hwfv0BQjBsGyAmpIkEPbpRGhyphenhyphen_Q/s320/IMGP6618-blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333856614031733666" border="0" /></a>I always wanted to have lace curtains and a wind chime right along... now I do :)claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-48806356908388306802009-04-19T22:14:00.000-07:002009-04-20T07:02:45.056-07:00She<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHbPe7avlW2GwAdCzknPK7qi6-eTYA879Wu_UeZF_LQpOgSyBxuUUG3py4LrRyfpGYC3xXKK8m3vHtdyXqmqNq0kr-0Y9N2jJtdS1jQfsVoDdjum46Er4v6ugLDfz8fZ70HL0sQ/s1600-h/IMGP6532-crp-cntrst-wtrmrk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHbPe7avlW2GwAdCzknPK7qi6-eTYA879Wu_UeZF_LQpOgSyBxuUUG3py4LrRyfpGYC3xXKK8m3vHtdyXqmqNq0kr-0Y9N2jJtdS1jQfsVoDdjum46Er4v6ugLDfz8fZ70HL0sQ/s320/IMGP6532-crp-cntrst-wtrmrk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326773731584560226" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrLV9kSjpKJ6PSGsvnwCQULLINAHEi64DenSo7K91YDcFPPx8WVO6K2hKoOGO38gz7VNB-cqcY6B1l2lBRGs0ro4dreVovBT4sQSQx6-nLq1B-4w0fXwNcYLk-DnBJOLIZpfs8w/s1600-h/IMGP6532-crp-cntrst-wtrmrk.jpg"><br /></a>claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10300207.post-68895415594519025932009-01-18T04:03:00.001-08:002009-04-19T22:21:49.785-07:00Silence and the River<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvACcBWcO8TEG495ySQIMa4gUaryXu-o_TQ_U8NhL6pO4EFmu63ySTKBSWG7T4qOpsnNbrCVN4SkTuiRzrKzmGOENZL_30lBml5a9xbhQlWp7VD4g0KobTgvR-_39kds6y-PjPLA/s1600-h/IMGP5785-blg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvACcBWcO8TEG495ySQIMa4gUaryXu-o_TQ_U8NhL6pO4EFmu63ySTKBSWG7T4qOpsnNbrCVN4SkTuiRzrKzmGOENZL_30lBml5a9xbhQlWp7VD4g0KobTgvR-_39kds6y-PjPLA/s320/IMGP5785-blg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292604104008711538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >"Be passive--as you sit by the river and the river flows by and you simply watch. There is no eagerness, no urgency, no emergency. Nobody is forcing you. Even if you miss, there is nothing missed. You simply watch, you just look. Even the word </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >watch</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" > is not good, because the very word </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >watch</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" > gives a feeling of being active. You simply look, not having anything to do. You simply sit by the bank of the river, you look, and the river flows by."</span><br /><div style="text-align: right;">-Osho</div>claytonia viceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01700112193424567973noreply@blogger.com10