Travel Blogs

Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian

Kolkata, 2024

During my recent visit to Kolkata, India, I immersed myself in the vibrant energy of the city to document its essence and daily life. Kolkata, with its blend of historical charm and contemporary dynamics, offers endless inspiration for a street photographer. From the bustling markets and serene ghats to the spirited festivals, each corner of the city tells a unique story. My aim was to capture these fleeting moments of connection, emotion, and culture, creating a visual narrative that celebrates the soul of this remarkable city.

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Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian

Varanasi, 2024

Varanasi, often referred to as the spiritual capital of India, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Located on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, it is renowned for its vibrant ghats, ancient temples, and a rich tapestry of cultural and religious traditions. The city's daily life, filled with rituals, bustling markets, and serene boat rides on the Ganges, offers an unparalleled experience for travel and documentary photographers. These are my photos taken during this visit, capturing stories of faith, life, and heritage in this timeless city.

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Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian

Kulasai Dasara Festival, 2023

The Sri Mutharmman temple resides in Kulasekharapattinam village near Tiruchendur, approximately 55 km south of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India. It's a hub of celebration during Dasara, drawing in a massive crowd of devotees. What sets this festival apart is its distinctive practice: devotees aren't required to spend their own money. Instead, they embark on a door-to-door alms collection, using the contributions solely for token offerings at the shrine.

On the climactic day, the once desolate coastal village transforms into a lively carnival along the seashores. The air fills with the melodies of folk music, and devotees adorned in elaborate costumes engage in folk dances. Their purpose? To seek the blessings of Sri Muthramman, revered as the incarnation of Sakthi, the consort of Lord Shiva in Hinduism, or to express gratitude for the blessings received.

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Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian Travel, Document, Portraits, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian

Kulasai & Udangudi, 2022

Sri Mutharmman temple is located at Kulasekharapattinam village near Tiruchendur 55 km south of Tuticorin, Tamilnadu, India. In this temple, Dasara is celebrated as a big festival. Lakhs of people are assembled here to celebrate this festival. The uniqueness and oddity of the festival is that the devotees need not spend from their pockets. They are expected to beg alms from door to door and token offerings only are expected to be offered at the shrine after meeting their expenses. On a climatic day, the sea shores of this otherwise deserted coastal village turn into a veritable carnival of folk music and folk dance of the devotees in their chosen fancy dresses to either solicit the grace of or to thank for the boon granted by the presiding deity Sri Muthramman considered to be the incarnation of Sakthi the consort of Lord Shiva in Hinduism.

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Travel, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian Travel, Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian

Hampi

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India.

Hampi was a prosperous city for more than 200 years from the 13th to the 16th century. The ruins of Hampi have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and also as an abbreviation of “UNESCO’s World Heritage site”. Inscribed as a mixed cultural heritage site as well as an Indian architectural and archeological site.

The most flourishing period of Hampi began during the rule of Hindu King Krishnadevaraya.

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Travel, Document Mahesh Balasubramanian Travel, Document Mahesh Balasubramanian

Kulasekarapattinam Dasara 2019

Sri Mutharmman temple is located at Kulasekharapattinam village near Tiruchendur 55 km south of Tuticorin, Tamilnadu, India. In this temple Dasara is being celebrated as a big festival. Lakhs of people are assemble here to celebrate this festival. The uniqueness and oddity of the festival is that the devotees need not spend from their pocket. They are expected to beg alms from door to door and a token offerings only is expected to be offered at shrine after meeting out their expenses. On the climatic day the sea shores of this otherwise deserted coastal village turns into veritable carnival of folk music and folk dance of the devotees in their chosen fancy dresses to either solicit the grace of or to thank for the boon granted by presiding deity Sri Muthramman considered to be the incarnation of Sakthi the consort of Lord Shiva in Hinduism.

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Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian Street Photography Mahesh Balasubramanian

Hand Gestures

Photography is so fascinating that it can able to capture human forms, expressions, and emotions through the various ways of body language. One of the non-verbal communication is gestures. It can be an essential element that can make the image more visually compelling. It gives various emotions to the picture. Here, I would like to present some of the pictures captured with some hand gestures.

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Street Photography, Travel Mahesh Balasubramanian Street Photography, Travel Mahesh Balasubramanian

Using Flash - Street Photography

Using Flash in Street photography is quite difficult or sometimes uncomfortable, but it gives very satisfying results. After I bought "Ricoh GR Digital", I wanted to make use of the in-built flash in some difficult lighting situations. I also wanted to try flash in night people photography, especially long exposure pictures.

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