Ruminations 20K Kms up in the air

6:15 PM already and the sun is still high in the sky. somewhere down on earth, the sunset would have already taken place. As I stare outside the window (on one of the many flights that I was forced to take because of work-u see, we have to work for Roti, kapda, makaan and thodi si Chivas!!!), the idea suddenly cropped up, why not write on one of the many experiences that I have had with Aerial photography...

well, first step is to get on a plane...for that one needs to have a ticket. but this is where it begins...try and get a ticket for a flight approx 30 minutes before the sunset and 1 hours before the sunrise...Reason: the sunsets and the sunrises up in the sky happen later than the sunsets on the ground and sunrises happen earlier. So timing the flight well is important. don't worry if it is cloudy below...Up there, it is a different world altogether.

Next challenge is to get a good seat...So after aligning the directions as per Sunrise and the Sunsets, I am sure you would like to choose the window seats. Now the challenge is to get a seat which is not on the wings. Getting the panorama of the sunset/ sunrise while sitting on the wing seats is a bit difficult because the Wings almost always come in the frame. Choose at least 3-4 rows ahead and 7-8 rows behind the wings. That way the view is better.

Once the seats are done...you are all set for the action.

Some of my shots while travelling across India...


This shot was taken somewhere between Ahmedabad and Bangalore. The sunset up there had still not started. But the sun was such a magical angle that the whole river entering the sea looked like molten lava flowing in.I have named this shot 'Nature's Calligraphy' because of the way it looks. This shot was chosen to be exhibited in the Frames of Mind-2009 Photography Exhibition in Bangalore.





I was pleasantly surprised how the trnasluscence of the clouds look so pretty. This, I had never seen on ground.






And while one stares outside the windows of flights, u can also see other flights passing you by...some funny expereince that because even the skies are becoming increasingly crowded.



Interesting formation: Try and find out how Superman flies with arms outstreched.




Some selective lighting here. Seems like some clouds are more equal that others ;-)


I had never seen a sunset when sun looks like just a line like this...


A line of cloud making a transversal across the colour bands in the sky



Hope you liked the series as much I liked making it...More will follow soon...