Frank, Open and Fair

"Don't touch while talking," said my math teacher in my 12th grade. Perhaps that was why my classmate used a window hook to tap a girl's elbow. (Painful!)
     Sex Education is one topic that can lead to heated debates. After all, education refers to the WHOLISTIC development of a child. The question is, how wholistic?
   My friend and were recalling those "unforgettable" school days when the teachers would try hard to instil values and yet be absolutely unreasonable in many other aspects. This, of course, included inter personal interaction with the opposite gender. As a nine year old, my teachers would ensure that I sat either next to a boy or between two boys. Two years later, the boys of my classroom were seated on one dedicated side of the classroom. But the moment I hit teenage, I noticed that neither the girls nor the boys could take it anymore. And thus, they chose to sit like they did when they were nine years old. Then again. the levels of curiosity were strangely higher than before. So, instead of relieving us of such curiosity, the teachers would punish us for being curious.
   Some students had it harder at home. For even their parents viewed topics like sex and inter personal relations as something offensive. Making them scared and in the end, utterly confused.
   I  have always wondered why teachers and some elders fear stating or elaborating on certain subjects. How else would the world come to existence? My film studies professior believed sex to be as natural as breathing and that even cinema is merely depicting what is real. (not entirely! But mostly). Why is sex viewed as dirty, bad, and applicable only within a legal and moral context? For if that was the case, the world would  have been a totally different place.
   This reminds me of how my 12th grade business studies teacher graciously refused to elaborate on why sex was termed as a basic necessity even in an business set up. It was funny! The sentence read something like this - an organisation should strive towards satisfying the employees basic needs like food, shelted, clothing, sex.......
    Sure, at seventeen the word sex made us laugh. But in the real world, this is a matter of concern. After all, cases harrassment or abuse often take place as this one need is not satisfied (feel free to correct me!). (Why did my teacher do that?)Sadly many schools do not know how to conduct sex education classes. My school, ensured that these classes would result in a forty five minute silence between boys and girls. What would you expect if these classes were conducted seperately for both sections? The sessions left me confused about my desires of having a family of my own, or even being human !!???!!!!????
   If teachers and members of your own family refuse to talk to you about these aspects of life, then I guess the use of the internet, magazines, cinema or even youtube could educate one alot more. Now, whose fault is it if children much below 17 years old seem to have an inclination towards porn and similar forms of entertainment?
  The concept of healthy physical contact is yet to sink in. All handshakes and hugs do not lead to unplanned preganancies. If they did, Mars would have become the planet of life indeed! (There is no space on earth anyway!)
      Unless the world that moulds us does not keep up with time, am afraid we will be witness to more "Junos" in the days to come. The Indian society does have many lose ends. We talk of 'our' culture, 'our' values, 'our' principles and 'our' methods as superior without truly understanding it story, context and purpose. The 'Joint Family' for instance is often looked upon as ideal without truly understanding its pros and cons. Similarly, interpersonal interaction and sexual behaviour seem to take a dimension that is less understood or in some cases ridiculous.
    The solution could be an open mind. Schools an colleges mould personalities. It is time for teachers to do justice to their jobs and be TEACHers. Impart knowledge that is not only academic but that encourages questions and discussions. Teaching, should no longer be looked at as an easy means to earn your daily bread. It is a service that one will remain grateful until the very end.
   Perhaps one could be guided towards using apt websites, online books or other useful sources. (Ever considered the Encyclopedia??!!)
    Moreover, it is extremely important for one to be able to talk to someone older and bolder about such issues. Student cousellors have proven successful in some but not all cases. Perhaps parents, elder brothers and sisters, or other close members of a family could attend to such needs of people. Such interaction does make the family stronger and give the person a great deal of support and confidence to face a crisis situation. As they say a building is only as good as its foundation.

Things have really changed and we must keep pace with the change!
   

360 degress at home??? (continued....)

 

(Marina Beach, Chennai, Photography by Gitanjali Diwakar)

People are always on the move. It is thus, impossbile for one to control a large group in some of the most crowded places you could think of. These include beaches, tourist destinations like ancient monuments, or even a market. In other words, the trick is observe, spot, stay, and click.
             Incidentally, stitching panaromas is an art in itself. Experts say that a software could determine the quality the panaroma. While I resort to adobe photoshop's "automate" option, some others would recommend software like autostitch or similar options. Such software has made stitching panaromas easier than before. The software even lets you know if there are frames missing or not instantly. Meaning, no additional wastage of money, time or photo-ink !!.

So would you like to experience the 360 degree life at home too?

360 degrees at home?

Well, how could that be possible? Would I require a magic potion to transform me into a nocturnal feathered hooter? Not really. It is about perspective. And of course knowing what you and how to shoot. In today's digital era, caputuring the more tedious images has become child's play. All you need is an eye for light, and steady hands or even a strong and firm tripod. Eye for light? I bet you might be thinking - "What is this person talking about?" In my experience, panaromic photography has always been about the light. The aim of the photographer, in this case, is not to merely record those Kodak moments on an image sensor. But to reconstruct an environment in as natural a manner as possible. By the phase eye for light - it is important to note that one must observe the various tints and shades in the environment so as to know how to compose the picture. Also, the exposure in these cases is constant. In other words, you can't keep altering your shutter speeds to suit a particular lighting condition. The risk - a combination of over and under exposed images. Though some might believe that the Program mode is the solution to such problems, it is not. For the program mode changes the exposure of each image. Panaromas basically consist of a series of images with a COMMON  exposure. Only then would it appear to be a replica of reality.

(Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu: Panaroma by Gitanjali Diwakar)

Also, it does help to compose your frames vertically. Nature panaromas like the one above often turn out to be more impressive with excess head room and foreground. That way, cropping is easier and more convenient. Then again, panaromas that include people are hard to shoot. (continued...)

Your city or Ours?

I was reading a feature published in the The Hindu, Magazine, on the 15th of July 2012. The photographs of the India gate and the gateway of India were very endearing. But the content seemed rather opinionated. For those of you who are wondering what the article was about, let us say that the article ensured that I stood my neutral self.
   For a hard core South Indian (more specifically Keralite), surviving in any of the country's cities is a challenge. Sure, the cosmopolitan environment does give you alot more than mere night life, but you do learn to toughen up and fight the big bad world and blend in like the other participants of the rat race. Thus, it makes my blood boil to hear or read about biasis about some of the cities of  the nation.
   Firstly, the term safety is a very relative term. So long as your are within the country, the safety factor remains questionable. Especially, for the women. It is my observation that southern Indians are more adaptable to other parts of the country as opposed to the northern India crowd. (Sure, everybody from Mumbai or Jabalpur cannot be termed North Indians per se, but FYI Kannadigas and residents of Andhra Pradesh are not anothe breed of Madrasis!). Perhaps that is why southern Indians do not complain as much.
   At J-school, I had the good fortune of interacting with people from all over the country and across the borders. And the exposure showed me how biased people could be. If Delhities themselves tell me of the unsafe corners of Kapashera and of the dire need to learn martial arts, I fail to see how the stuck up non-south Indians would call the country's rape capital - a place safer than Chennai or Calicut. For those who believe that metropolitan cities are not supposed to be so firm about their culture, well NEWSFLASH.... You did not coin the word M-E-T-R-O-P-O-L-I-T-A-N. A city as open to culture, if associated with a state, will possess and promote the culture of that state. Kolkata is a classsic example of how even the wealthiest man would be proud to speak Bengali and enjoy his daily dose of mishti-dohi. Chennai loves its tamilian culture (which by many - is considered wrong because "they" don't follow tamil." Seriously!!!?? It is situated in Tamil Nadu, wake up!). Mumbai does not exist without the daily calls of "Kaai Kartos tu??" (Meaning- what are you doing?). And yes, my all time favourite- Shishyaaa !! (for all you banglorians).
   If progress implies permitting women to wear skimpy outfits, spaghetti strapped tops, pubbing, and all that, then I believe that one needs to dig in deeper to the concept of progress. If you believe that a city is unsafe because you were harrased on the road knowing that you wear wearing outfits that weren't acceptable by the society, then you are at fault. For harassment has nothing to do with clothing or the way a society or city is. It is about alot more than that. (Trust me, some people get harrased inspite of wearing a salwar-kameez or even a track suit and sweat shirt!). I see no harm in learning a new language or trying to be one among the public. As far as Delhi is concerned, the term "Delhi's culture" does not sound convincing. By the way, which state does the national capital belong to????
   In most cases, the people who make such comments are those who have either travelled precious little on their own or who have such adamant opinions that they refused to change them even for a sack full of platinum coins. Then there are also the variety that are strong believers of hear-say. Whatever happened to the phase - "seeing is believing" ?
  The "don't care" attitude is yet another controversial aspect of India's city life. "In Delhi- we can do what we want and nobody cares", " Mumbai is so safe, we can do what we want and no one cares too hoots about you." Well, I am sure all of us would like the world to be concerned about each other from time to time. So when you mean don't care- does that imply that even when you are being tortured in public, you would have a bunch of people coming to help you, or would they act as spectators of a thriller movie?
  India is a beautiful country. This is the only country that gives you variety on a platter. Every state feels like a new country and that is the charm of the nation. No matter how crazy or scary certain places might be, its residents would believe the place to be the closest to heaven. That is uniquely India, we live, we survive and we cherish it all. Don't you agree?
   I think it is time for us to put such meaningless biasis aside and accept things for what they are. One should fight the larger problem. In many cases it could be the lack of prompt responses towards certain situations by the authorities. Every state has a history that defines its present. And it is better for all of us to accept it, appreciate it and acknowledge it. No city is completely safe or unsafe. It is how you want you stay or life to be in that city. Remember, not too long ago, all our cities were villages that housed many not so fancy businessmen or night clubs. And whether we like it or not, the village culture of innocence and being down to earth will still exist in parts of these places for a very long time to come.

Step back, breathe, savour

A week in the city of dreams. And all I could think of were the many sights of the never ending rat race. Everybody was up and about even at mid-night. Some enjoyed it, some others continued to do so just make ends meet. I wondered why Mumbai, the country's finacial capital believed in the mad rush to the top. The terms night life in a city like this, did not exactly mean partying. Instead, it refers to the life the people lead. As the business hub of the country, the head offices of the country's biggest firms seem to add to the spirit of the race. And the city, adapts to it as well. Taxis ply at all times. Even public transport served its commuters till late at night. Then again, what is the rush for? Is this what my instructors at J-school warned me of? True. The lives of every resident in this city remind me of the breaking news updates on TV. It was as if every step of theirs was a development in itself.
                     I, however, chose to spend my time at the city differently. My friends, relatives, job and place of stay added to the charm of the experience. Effective public transport allowed me to explore the parts of the city even late at night. "There is nothing to fear," my friends said. And true they were. For I was not the only one walking on the streets of the city's posh locales
                     It has been a month since I sensed the wave of good times by the sea. I never realised how a day in your life can have such an impact on you. Now, as I enter the world of media and experience the excitement, I realised that one must not forget to step back, introspect and experience things the new. As I spoke to a friend for an hour, I wondered how I chose to be the way I was. For those two hours beside the Arabian Sea showed up that world is too vast to be understood. Sometimes, we forget to savour those precious moments of peace and content and continue brooding over unfair play. Experience the experience and savour only the experience. Nothing more. Nothing less. We must learn to switch off once in a blue moon. It does help you get geared up for the hard times. Perhaps, gives you more power to fight those hard times.

Famous last words

My last three weeks at J-School. And all I can recall are the fun I have had some of my bestest friends. In a matter of seconds all the hardships, hatred and sad moments seemed to have vapourised into thin air. I still remember how my friends and I would roam around the campus in the hope of talking to a 'man' with personality :). I still continue to laugh on the mere thought of how I had become close to some of the most unpredictable people on campus. Things have happened to all of us. To some of us our careers have taken a different toll. Some of us had to witness things for the first time. But most of all, this was our opportunity to learn and grow. My nine months at J-school has made me what I am today. I have experienced all that I had always wanted to. The many challenges, mixed emotions with colleagues and alot more.This was my first step to adult hood. "What would you like to take back from the experience?" asked many. Well... I would love to take back those moments that showed me new sides of me. I realised that nothing goes by a book. You decide what works for you and what does not. Sometimes the hardest decisions are the best. Even if it does take time. I am going to miss these times and am always going to be grateful for the experience. I feel alot more confident. I have finally seen more and will be able to move on. Three cheers to J-School.

Angles and frames

Everytime I am upset, I choose to walk down a busy street alone. Or probably take the train to the nearest middle class localiy. Each time I do so, I think of the stories that I would love to do. The stories of my life, my world, the worlds of my friends, or may be of the state of absolute peace. I believe inspiration is all around you. It takes a creative mind to think of the effective ways of presenting pieces of information. There is something extra-ordinary about the cool breeze and rushes through your hair. It makes you look at some of life's most painful moments as tales worth fascinating visual representations. The other day when I was travelling by the local train, I was lost in the world of framing each shot of a fight that I had with a friend. (Crazy.. I know!) That is what the world of angles and frames does to a media maniac.
                    Avid camera and motion picture lovers fail to see emotion in the most obvious manner. Instead, we think of visuals, audio and angles that would help re-construct the incident. For instance, a scene of saddness and confusion could be clearly depicted by combining three second shots of me standing next to the exit of the train holding on to a rod and also flashbacks with Kailash Kher's  Daaro Na Rang as the background score. To me, the mere transformation of a real life incident into a piece of on screen art is more than just a stress buster. It helps me understand a situation better.
                   The question is - what guarantees the audience of something worth their time, money and energy? You might choose to use dutch angles to create more drama and to present a situation effectively. But what if the audience demands for something as ordinary and honest as it can be? Perhaps that is challenge many movie makers face. Sure! the angle is often modified at the editing table. But without the right frames...... one could consider a 180 degree approach to cinema (that's right... flat out boring).
                   Here is the key. Realise that everybody goes through the same set phases at some point. Once this has been engraved in our minds, the frames take shape and so does the plot. Motion pictures are not only about fabulous content. It involves a collaboration of the mind, the wit and the money. The first step is to observe the target and see things from an 'angle' that appeals to them. Even if you aren't particular on dances, songs and background music, analyse how the audience's response towards visuals that are presented differently.
                 It is hard work. But in the end it is worth all the sweat and the calories burnt!

Present yourself

Media is all about presentation.You are only considered worthy if you know what and how to do, say or write. I believe that solo presentations are less challenging and opposed those involving groups. To begin with, when you are on your own, you anticipate and are prepared for the worst because one person cannot do a zillion things. But when you are in group, many a time it is taken for granted that the hard working and serious have to everyone else's chores too. Perhaps that is why, they continue to do their part while the others prefer geography lessons clocked at seven minutes. The key to a good presentation is - presence of mind. The world will pound you with information which may or may not be as entertaining as it might be.But it upto you to decided what has to be filtered and what should not. Time is one of the most prominent constraints. It is truly a challenge to present information worth a hundred pages in merely five minutes. One not only has to convince his/her audience but should also be able to capture the audience's attention for the prescribed period of time. Humour does help. So long as it enhances the content and stays in the minds of people. So the next time you need to present something, remember that it takes a lot more than words to convince strangers of your views :).