See Ya Soon!

Hi friends,
I am going on vacation from tomorrow...! Yes, am visiting my country...India!
I am really excited for that...am going to meet my parents, my brother, my all relatives, my close buddies n everyone close to me. Lots of things are happening these days and am so happy for that...touch wood! Last few days I was busy like crazy with shopping n packing, and didn’t get chance to work on my blog as well as to visit your blogs. But when I return, I will make a point to see your all new posts. Meanwhile you all have a safe, happy and peaceful life. And yah, I will be back very soon, so don’t forget me...;)
See ya soon,
A-X

The Road ahead...

Life is at a wonderful stage at this time...something expected n something astonishing..., something desired n something dreamed...! I know this is the most sentient phase of my life and the road ahead is going to lead my life to a fantastic journey...:)



Place - Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Happy New Year 2008...!

(Click to enlarge)

Happy New Year 2008...!

(This is a superimposed image of three photographs of my friend that I shot few weeks back while making her informal portfolio. Hope you like it!)

Place - Baltimore, MD, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Merry Christmas

After spending couple of hours in Milwaukee, we got ready to work on the evening plan…visiting Chicago was one of the options and as expected, everyone finalized it more than happily. So we headed to Chicago – all time charming city. As we have been to the city before, this time we decided to enjoy just night life. When we approached towards it, I felt that whole city was fully soaked in a festive mood…every individual soul was in a dazzling spirit and already got ready to welcome coming Christmas!!

Place - Chicago,IL, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Santiago Calatrava: Sculpture Into Architecture - III

And here is the internal hallway which leads you to the permanent collection of old masters and 19th and 20th century work and German expressionism. If you are big fan of‘Georgia Keefe’ this the place to visit...!

So now you know that Milwaukee's fame is not limited only as a brewing and manufacturing powerhouses but the city is reshaping its image by adding such wonderful bold expressions on its soil...:)
See Yahh Milwaukee..!!

What is next?



Place - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Santiago Calatrava: Sculpture Into Architecture - II

His elegant and daring Montjuic Communications Tower in Barcelona , Spain (1991) in the heart of the 1992 Olympic site was a turning point in his career, leading to a wide range of commissions. The Quadracci Pavilion (2001) of the Milwaukee Art Museum was his first US building.

Calatrava's style has been heralded as bridging the division between structural engineering and architecture . He is also a prolific sculptor and painter, claiming that the practice of architecture combines all the arts into one.


Place - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Santiago Calatrava: Sculpture Into Architecture - I

After enjoying St. Louis’ beauty we headed towards Milwaukee to explore one of the best architectonic expressions of modern age - Milwaukee Art Museum. I always wanted to see this marvelous work designed by one of my favorite legend, Santiago Calatrava! and yes, ...this visit paid me more than what I have expected, you will get to see few glimpses of it over here, ...n yaah, gorgeous weather made it more pleasant and boosted our enthusiasm for the rest of the day trip...:)

Santiago Calatrava Valls, is an internationally recognized and award-winning Spanish architect, sculptor and structural engineer. He was born in a rural part of Valencia, Spain , where he pursued undergraduate studies at the Architecture School and Arts and Crafts School.


Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Calatrava


Place - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Gateway to the West

Okay...by seeing these snaps, you know where I had been for this Thanksgiving...!Yes, St. Louis! We drove to the Midwest USA (St. Louis, Milwaukee and Chicago) from Baltimore. I know, this doesn’t sound good and few of our friends wondered why we are doing such crazy thing, driving so far, that too in these wintry days when this part started to turn white...!But still we drove there, as that was the only part we haven’t visited yet and then if not now, then when...;)?? Now tell me was it not a good excuse??...;o)

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (also known as the Gateway Arch or simply The Arch) is located in St. Louis, Missouri. The Arch is known as the "Gateway to the West". Designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel, it stands 630 feet (192 m) tall, and is 630 feet (192 m) wide at its base. Construction began February 12, 1963 and the last section of the Arch was put into place on October 28, 1965. It is the tallest habitable structure in St. Louis, and the second tallest in Missouri, as well as the world's tallest monument.

Here are some interesting facts about arch:

Outer Width - Outside North Leg to Outer South Leg - 630' (192m)
Maximum Height - 630' (192m)
Shape of Arch Section - Equilateral Triangle
Dimension of Arch at Base - 54 ft. (16.46m)
Dimension of Arch at Top - 17 ft. (5.18m)
Size of Windows - Approx. 7" x 27" (180 mm x 690 mm)

Capacity of Observation Platform - 100 - 140 persons
Deflection of Arch - 18" in 150 MPH wind (0.46 m in 240 km/h wind)
Number of Sections in Arch - 142
Thickness of Plates for Outer Skin - 1/4" (6.3mm)
Type of Material Used in Arch Exterior - Stainless Steel; #3 Finish Type 304
Structural Capacity of Observation Area - 100 lb/sq. ft (488 kg/m)

Needless to say, being an architect, I absolutely love this monument and so the trip, as we visited few more interesting things in Milwaukee and Chicago.

More to come...So stay tuned ;)




Place - St. Louis, Missouri, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 Canon lens

Falling in love

Place - Shenandoah Valley, VA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 28-90 Canon lens

Rang de' Fall

Place - Shenandoah Valley, VA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 28-90 Canon lens

Good Morning

Place-Germantown, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Happy Diwali

Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Happy Halloween IV

Place-Fells Point, Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Happy Halloween - III

On Halloween night we hangout at Fells point for the celebration. This place is quite famous for this event since many years and crazy nuts do all possible weird things you can imagine...;) Halloween always kicks off with a bang here with live music and entertainment through out the area.
And interesting part is, the place is linked with few scary stories and it says there are many ghost reside in this community....wwoouuee, am scared now...:o(

Place-Fells Point, Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Happy Halloween - Part II

During the first century the Romans invaded Britain. They brought with them many of their festivals and customs. One of these was the festival know as Pomona Day, named for their goddess of fruits and gardens. It was also celebrated around the 1st of November. After hundreds of years of Roman rule the customs of the Celtic's Samhain festival and the Roman Pomona Day mixed becoming 1 major fall holiday.

The next influence came with the spread of the new Christian religion throughout Europe and Britain. In the year 835 AD the Roman Catholic Church would make November 1st a church holiday to honor all the saints. This day was called All Saint's Day, or Hallowmas, or All Hallows. Years later the Church would make November 2nd a holy day. It was called All Souls Day and was to honor the dead. It was celebrated with big bonfires, parades, and people dressing up as saints, angels and devils.

But the spread of Christianity did not make people forget their early customs. On the eve of All Hallows, Oct. 31, people continued to celebrate the festivals of Samhain and Pomona Day. Over the years the customs from all these holidays mixed. October 31st became known as All Hallow Even, eventually All Hallow's Eve, Hallowe'en, and then - Halloween.

The Halloween we celebrate today includes all of these influences, Pomona Day's apples, nuts, and harvest, the Festival of Samhain's black cats, magic, evil spirits and death, and the ghosts, skeletons and skulls from All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day.

(Well...well.., we had a little contest for best pumpkin carving in our office last week and guess what?.....my little elfin, which was first experience with pumpkin, came in first place.....Hurreeyy :)))



Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Happy Halloween - Part I

Halloween is one of the oldest holidays with origins going back thousands of years. The holiday we know as Halloween has had many influences from many cultures over the centuries. From the Roman's Pomona Day, to the Celtic festival of Samhain, to the Christian holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days.

Hundreds of years ago in what is now Great Britain and Northern France, lived the Celts. The Celts worshipped nature and had many gods, with the sun god as their favorite. It was "he" who commanded their work and their rest times, and who made the earth beautiful and the crops grow. The Celts celebrated their New Year on November 1st. It was celebrated every year with a festival and marked the end of the "season of the sun" and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold." On October 31st after the crops were all harvested and stored for the long winter the cooking fires in the homes would be extinguished.

The Druids, the Celtic priests, would meet in the hilltop in the dark oak forest (oak trees were considered sacred). The Druids would light new fires and offer sacrifices of crops and animals. As they danced around the fires, the season of the sun passed and the season of darkness would begin. When the morning arrived the Druids would give an ember from their fires to each family who would then take them home to start new cooking fires. These fires would keep the homes warm and free from evil spirits.

The November 1st festival was called Samhain (pronounced "sow-en"). The festival would last for 3 days. Many people would parade in costumes made from the skins and heads of their animals. This festival would become the first Halloween

(Continue...)



Place-Conowingo Dam, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

The Legends

I don’t think this most esteemed legendary musician needs any kind of introduction here.
Ravi Shankar, the master sitarist and his daughter Anoushka Shankar, the sound of modern era, performed in Baltimore few days back. I was fortunate to attend this program and I should say that it was one of the best evenings of my life.

Ravi Shankar - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Shankar
Anoushka Shankar - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoushka_Shankar

Photography was not allowed during the performance, so I took few shots after the session. Hope you all love it.





Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 70-300mm Canon lens

Good Morning Folks...

"Good morning folks, so how was your weekend...?"
"Hmmm...It was okay...I mean relaxing"

"well....I did some shopping you know...;))"

" And what about you miss Tiny Mini...?"

"..Ahhh....ohhh, well, mmm...I have gone to meet my school friend, I mean....;)"

"Oooo...Friend!!!...ya ya ya, we all know who is that little school Friend...;o) ;o) ;0) "

On Monday morning rambling goes on and on...!!!

Place-Conowingo Dam, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Flight

"To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that is, you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived..."


Chiang to Jonathan Livingston Seagull.


Place-Conowingo Dam, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Happy Monday...:)

This weekend, I had gone to Conowingo Dam on early morning, a place for bird watching and photography. While driving back from the village, one fresh produce store got my attention. This beautiful flower is from the back yard of it...!
You all have a colorful week ahead...:)

Place-Conowingo Village, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

TGIF

“Thank God It's Friday!
Wishing you all a happy and cheerful weekend...:)”

Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Barnes & Noble

Though you are bookworm or not , Barnes and noble in Baltimore downtown is best place for hang out. With Starbuck’s coffee in one hand and your favorite author’s fresh copy in other, you can spent hrs n hrs there. When you get ready to turn over the page, you can simply glance at inner harbor’s beauty for a second, have a warm sip of coffee and then flip over to next page.
This massive brick building have dominated the waterfront since 1895 and originally housed coal-fired electrical generating equipment for the city trolley system.

Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

20, 19, 18, 17, ...

With my previous post dated few weeks back, you know little bit about Baltimore Inner Harbor, ....and you know I like to go there...
And now you know why I like to go there....;))


Wish you happy week ahead!




Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Just see beyond...

No no...this shot is not from the Philly series nor from my crab city, Baltimore.
Can you guess to which city this building belongs to? hmmm....??
Okay...this one is located at constitution avenue, Washington D.C....only two blocks away from Capitol complex. Two weeks back, I visited D.C. when my friend from Europe came down for USA trip.

It is good to shoot famous and celebrated places/objects...but sometime just see beyond that, walk around and observe new things,...may be you will find few interesting things and who knows, may be you will make those world- famous too...:))



Place-Philadelphia, PA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55 mm Canon lens

Give me Red

Philadelphia was one of the first capitals of the United States....you'll see numbers of colonial architecture structures which then used be government buildings. These days few of them are not in use. While heading for the lunch, I got pulled in by this one. Well, I have no idea what it serves/ served.....but what appealed me most is the red color popped up through the door and the flag which silently broke the coldness of that building.



Place-Philadelphia, PA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

You are not alone...

Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

But you are not alone...

- MJ (History, 1995)

Place-Philadelphia, PA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Dancing with shadows...:)

Can anyone please enlighten me what makes it so magical when shadows fall for old fabric...?




Place-Philadelphia, PA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Old is gold

It is good to visit new places, adopt new thoughts and innovations, enjoy with the pace of the modern and advanced lifestyle and be on the cutting-edge living technology.
But then, sometimes it is sensible to stop by and look back to your past, relax for a while, see if you are not missing anything, learn from that and only then...continue the rest of the journey!!
You all have a happy week ahead...:)



Place-Philadelphia, PA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an American bell of great historic significance. The Liberty Bell is perhaps one of the most prominent symbols associated with the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War. It is one of the most familiar symbols of independence, abolition of slavery, nationhood and freedom within the United States, and has been described as an international icon of liberty




Tradition tells of a chime that changed the world on July 8, 1776, with the Liberty Bell ringing out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.



Why is Pennsylvania misspelled on the bell?

Inscribed on the Bell is the quotation, "By Order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State House in Philada."
The spelling of "Pennsylvania" was not at that time universally adopted. In fact, in the original Constitution, the name of the state is also spelled "Pensylvania."


References:
www.ushistory.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Bell


Place-Philadelphia, PA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 18-55mm Canon lens

Hips Don't Lie...

Ladies up in here tonight

No fighting, no fighting
We got the refugees up in here
No fighting, no fighting

Shakira, Shakira

I never really knew that she could dance like this
She makes a man wants to speak Spanish
Como se llama (si), bonita (si), mi casa (si, Shakira Shakira), su casa

Shakira, Shakira

Baila en la calle de noche
Baila en la calle de día

Baila en la calle de noche
Baila en la calle de día

Place-Baltimore, MD, Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

Shenandoah valley...

...So there are few glimpses of the Shenandoah valley trip. We hiked something around four miles on this trail and you know, it was only Green, Green n Green wherever eyes fell upon...!



















Place - Shenandoah Valley, VA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 28-90 Canon lens

Starry, starry night

Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.

-Don McLean's

Well I tried doing something like this when I was at Acadia, but I couldn’t...I couldn’t figure it out and missed it badly....I got little nervous that time and decided next time when I see stars in the sky I shouldn’t miss it by any means.

On this Labor day weekend, I camped at Virginia's Shenandoah Valley with my cousins. After delicious (n spicy ;) barbeque dinner, we were chilling out near camp-fire...when I saw up, I was extremely stunned by the sight...almost thousand of stars were shining in the sky making the whole place so phenomenal...so romantic! Now this time I didn’t want to miss the shot. I unwrapped my camera and got ready to shoot it...BUT! But there were all odds waiting for me. My torch batteries died, I was out of candles and as it was nearly 11-15 ish, according to campground rules, I was not allowed to turn on car lights. It was pitch dark and I was absolutely blind to frame the picture through lens...I had no clue where to see and what to frame. And suddenly, I got an idea. I got clicked that I could use my cell phone’s light to see the camera readings...wow! I got excited and started clicking shots with the help of that cell phone’s light. I thought I got it....I achieved it. But....but alas, all pictures in preview were showing me just a big, dark, flat rectangle. By this time I got frustrated... for last 40 mins I was trying hard and what I got is nothing. I had forgotten all lessons for shooting the stars and that means, I was going to miss this most awaiting shot this time toooo! But I was not ready to give up, I wanted it at any cost, so I tried once again, I tried to remember all those notes, stretched my memory, changed all camera settings...and I clicked it! It was nearly 12-00, I exposed the shot for 10 mins and finally.....finally what I got is THIS!....the shot which talk about Earth's spinning and revolving motion. The motion of stars what you see in the picture is really the motion of earth.

When I saw the preview, I was all set for a good sleep...:)




Place - Shenandoah Valley, VA. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 28-90 Canon lens

The Way Up to Heaven

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is perhaps the greatest attraction in Baltimore's celebrated Inner Harbor. It shows that the city really knows how to present fish in ways other than filleted and broiled. The crown jewel of the Inner Harbor, its modern architecture impresses almost as much as its 660 species of animals.

The mission of the Baltimore Aquarium is to "stimulate interest in, develop knowledge about, and inspire stewardship of aquatic environments." And that is precisely what it does. View a life-size model of a humpback whale, see the concepts of surviving through adaptation come to life and visit a coral reef! Housing more than 16,000 creatures it exhibits a variety of species in their naturalistic habitats. Whether you're an educator, a student or simply a visitor wanting to glance at the magnificent exhibits, it has a lot to offer.




Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 28-90 Canon lens

B'more Artscape

Baltimore’s Artscape is America's largest, municipally-produced arts festival that remains free and open to the public. Artscape features continuous musical performances by local, regional, and national talent on four outdoor stages, indoor and outdoor visual arts exhibitions, film, theater, the Artists' Market with crafts and works of art for sale, opera, dance, fashion, street theater and special activities geared towards children.

That night hundreds of people were enjoying there like crazy. This was the first time I got a chance to attend this festival and needless to say that was definitely a worth visit.



Place-Baltimore, MD. Camera - Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 50mm Canon lens

quack...quack...

This shot was taken on last year’s Labor Day weekend. My friend and his family came down here to explore Baltimore and Washington DC area. When we were at The National World War II Memorial , I saw this duck had just finished her bath and got ready for the rest of the day…this Mallard female was so fresh and rich in that colorful dress that I couldn’t resist myself to take her snap.The interesting fact about Mallards is that they swim with their tail held above the water and, when they are alarmed, they spring directly out of the water and into the air. The sudden flight of Mallards can make quite a spectacular sight.

Place-Washgiton, D.C., Camera-Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT with 90-300mm