The overall theme of this landscape based project is "Mountains" (for the exception of the last one). Though doing a landscape project about Mountains is a little cliche, you will see why I think my photos are little bit more unique.
The title is set as "Lush Landscapes From Home" because this project contains various mountainous landscapes from my old home. (and 1 forest landscape from Michigan), and these mountains are actually incredibly important to me as they are linked to some of the best memories.
The title is set as "Lush Landscapes From Home" because this project contains various mountainous landscapes from my old home. (and 1 forest landscape from Michigan), and these mountains are actually incredibly important to me as they are linked to some of the best memories.
"Poorna"
The set of images of this project should definitely be the first one because it was the first time I saw and fell in love with the Himalayas. The classic "Love at first sight" story, which I'm sure you're probably experiencing right now too, by looking at these pictures. The title "Poorna" refers to the exact mountain you are looking at. Mt. Annapoorna is actually the world's most dangerous mountain to climb. There's something about that sentence that just makes me want to climb it. Its almost as if the mountain is using reverse psychology to trick me into climbing it. The three mountains(top left) are referred to as the three sisters and is one of the most popular Himalayan landscapes in the world, and I got to capture it. I felt that applying the filter to this is most justified because I've always liked the beautiful paintings that artists draw of Mountains. The right image is a landscape of a nearby mountain, Mt. Dhaulagiri. I used this because I like how the mountain is kind of peeking through the cloud curtain, and also because the prayer flags give it a nice touch of color.
"Gangotri"
By now you probably understand my love for climbing, trekking and the Mountains. Gangotri is the name of the village where these were shot, during yet again another expedition, to a place called 'Kedartal', a high altitude frozen lake in North India. Interesting story, Gangotri is actually the source of the Ganges and the water that flows here is as clean as filtered water. I went to this place with my friend who also had a likeminded love for the mountains much like me. These photos are really to remind people of the beauty of the Mountains of the Himalayas, the vivid colors, the dramatic changes in landscapes, which you can actually clearly see by comparing the two images, and more. I really like the stark contrast between them and shows how the Mountain landscapes go from lush green, to alpine desert so quick within just a mile and a half from each other.
I used the paint daubs in this image to really make it look like a painting, and I love the way it turned out. I feel as if it almost has a sort of 'shine' to it, and that this filter really accents the pretty snow patches all around. I'm really happy with this set because these 2 pictures had a lot of flaws in them and I was able to eliminate all of it with Photoshop.
I used the paint daubs in this image to really make it look like a painting, and I love the way it turned out. I feel as if it almost has a sort of 'shine' to it, and that this filter really accents the pretty snow patches all around. I'm really happy with this set because these 2 pictures had a lot of flaws in them and I was able to eliminate all of it with Photoshop.
"Stok Kangri"
Keeping in mind the Mountains of the Indian subcontinent, these four images were taken taken in Leh, Kashmir, in Northern India. Now I'm going out on a limb and saying this, the photos I took while I traveled here (which there are a lot of), are the most beautiful photos I have taken in my life up till now, in my opinion. I would definitely publish over twenty of these splendid landscape photos. Now I understand that I was told not use photos taken during an overhead sun, but I simply couldn't resist. In my opinion, these pictures are too beautiful to be excluded.
Specifically, these were shot at Stok Kangri, a Himalayan mountain in Leh, Kashmir, where I went to climb. For some reason I don't like talking about this publicly too much because I don't want to sound 'boast-y'. It was a 14 day expedition at a maximum altitude of 20190 feet (yeah, I'm probably insane to climb to height of a Boeing 787). But it was also a time where I made new friends and experienced the Himalayan culture, and of course made this achievement happen, and that is what is truly important to me about these images. They honestly remind of the great time I had over here: the freezing cold, the dirty clothes, the whole package!
I especially like the first one mainly because it was shot at the summit of the mountain, but also because it captures the foreground, mid-ground and background close to perfectly, and I always love a good panorama.
Specifically, these were shot at Stok Kangri, a Himalayan mountain in Leh, Kashmir, where I went to climb. For some reason I don't like talking about this publicly too much because I don't want to sound 'boast-y'. It was a 14 day expedition at a maximum altitude of 20190 feet (yeah, I'm probably insane to climb to height of a Boeing 787). But it was also a time where I made new friends and experienced the Himalayan culture, and of course made this achievement happen, and that is what is truly important to me about these images. They honestly remind of the great time I had over here: the freezing cold, the dirty clothes, the whole package!
I especially like the first one mainly because it was shot at the summit of the mountain, but also because it captures the foreground, mid-ground and background close to perfectly, and I always love a good panorama.
"Home"
n'Home' is the perfect title for this because these were, well, shot in my old home, Pune, India. Specifically, they were shot in the 'Western Ghats' of India, about a mile drive from my old house. I took these photos while hiking with my friends over there, which was pretty much one of the best times I had there. I felt that I should be adding these landscapes because there's definitely a certain amount of nostalgia linked towards it. That's also why I decided to keep the picture with people in it, even though it's against the rules, because that's what these images represent anyway, me and my friends. I guess the rules don't always apply.
Now, about the pictures themselves, this set looks like pure gold, and I mean that literally. The landscapes of Pune take on this golden hue every summer when the heat dries out the grass, and leaves the mountains looking like rolling hills of gold.
I turned the one with my friends into a photo that almost looks like a painting using the paint daub filter. I tried to use a low intensity of the filter so that the image still looks somewhat like the original.
Now, about the pictures themselves, this set looks like pure gold, and I mean that literally. The landscapes of Pune take on this golden hue every summer when the heat dries out the grass, and leaves the mountains looking like rolling hills of gold.
I turned the one with my friends into a photo that almost looks like a painting using the paint daub filter. I tried to use a low intensity of the filter so that the image still looks somewhat like the original.
"New Home"
So, the previous set and these are somewhat related. The title "New Home" refers quite literally to my new home in Michigan. I felt that Michigan landscapes definitely deserved a spot on this page, even if it broke the theme of this project, which is mountains. When I moved away from India to come here, I saw the dramatic change of colors of nature that happened every few months. Now in India, it's always one color, 'HOT'. Now that's not a color but you can probably understand what I mean. To see the amazing display of colors that the trees and forests showed, especially in the fall was just magnificent. That's why I decided to take and use that first picture, that shows our local Saginaw Forest, with an orange carpet of leaves guiding the way along the trail. The second image was taken locally, in Gallup park. I used this photo to, in a way, experiment with the landscape idea. This image is unique because it is a landscape image, but its only a silhouette of the forest and has no well defined foreground or mid-ground. Its almost comparable to the skyline of a city, but more like a natural skyline of a forest. Using the rough pastel filter, I think, made it look
quite artsy. There was no real reason, I just thought it made it look like a canvas painting, which was really cool.
quite artsy. There was no real reason, I just thought it made it look like a canvas painting, which was really cool.
PS. I'm starting to see that due to the placement of images it's difficult to notice the filters, because the images are too small. This will definitely be rectified in next projects. I'm having a little trouble finding a nice looking placement of images so that it doesn't 'cancel out' the filter. It'll definitely be fixed.
Also, the reason there are only few Michigan photos is because I was occupied the Model UN conference all day from Friday to Monday and couldn't get out to take enough landscapes. I will definitely try to take more next project. Sorry :)
Also, the reason there are only few Michigan photos is because I was occupied the Model UN conference all day from Friday to Monday and couldn't get out to take enough landscapes. I will definitely try to take more next project. Sorry :)