My best shot, I think. A thin man running, in deep thought. The old man next to him, frail, in juxtaposition with the running man. For a moment, it was like his future, or maybe the old man”s past, divided by the signal line crossing — this is his last run, he doesn”t want to fail. That”s why the title — my only chance, my last run, father

I couldn’t wait. This is the most expensive, serious equipment I ever bought. (After my home theater system, of course). With the new Canon 5D Mark II in my hands, I was like a teenage boy discovering his half grown moustache. As a part of our workshop project, we took the neighbourhood — Davis Square in Somerville for shooting people at an “event” or public place. With Boston”s Independent Film Festival in the background at Somerville Theater, I wanted to see what people do, who aren”t a part of the festival. Especially on a 78 degree sunny day. I saw people — running, biking, stretched & facing the sky, sometimes. It”s amazing what you see, when you don”t see what everybody sees.

I couldn’t get many shots, but I got a few. Canon 5D Mark II is impeccable, if there”s a fault, it”s only the photographer. The HD Video … is another story. It”s like Canon has reinvented SLR again! All the pics shot on a 100-300mm Canon L Series Telephoto (had to sneak in corners to shoot strangers)

Click here for the pics

’

The Sphoorti “Smiles” Project was started when I visited the wonderful kids at Sphoorti in Jan 08′ at Hyderabad. I wanted to tell a story through these kids’ smiles.

Pictures of poverty stricken children, with dire sickness and unholy conditions are often a showcase of irony than reality. It does break your heart though. And when you break your heart, there is so much guilt that you sometimes forget to give. It is not because you don’t care but maybe, you’re ashamed. I was ashamed.

This project was started to change that perception. There can be happy kids too. They can be infectious like the morning dew and dream like you do. It doesn’t have to be a sad story, always. There is another side to these wonderful kids. It’s called a beautiful smile.

Event Details: Read about the event in this week’s Boston Magazine

Click here for the facebook invite.

I will be raising funds at this event from the sale of these photographs (as postcards). If you know anyone that would care to come, please do let them know! Someone needs their smile too.

If you can’t make it, I can understand. You can still get five postcards from the kids, the one that says — “SMILE.” Pl donate generously …

Some people feel they don’t deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces trying to close the gaps of the past into the depths of sea. The sea only gives them harsh blows, occasionally, the chance to blow.

You’re wrong if you think that the joy of life comes principally from human relationships. That joy is an illusion. It can be here. Up here. In your heart.

Its fragility is like a crystal. It is not its weakness but fineness. A fine crystal glass has to be cared for, not shattered.

Like a river suddenly reversing the direction of its flow, suddenly uphill*

*favorite quotes edited from “Into the Wild”

It’s funny how things happen at particular times. I’ve been relentlessly spacing my thoughts in different trajectories for quite sometime. They were mostly personal. And then I visited Sphoorti at Hyderabad.

Life came to a stand-still.

All the kids invited me, shouting “Uncle” with smiling faces. I don’t remember this feeling ever. It is incredible. They don’t want anything from you. I was trying to remember when I saw a smile so freely and genuinely heartfelt, the last time. In fact, I don’t remember. It felt like my entire life only had a fictitious smile forcing itself like a dagger down my throat. The freedom of this place is so beautiful, I think good gets better. I sat with them, spoke to them to see what they were studying. Some danced well, some were good housekeepers, some had a painting hobby and some just sat there doing their homework all evening. It didn’t occur to me that I was visiting some sort of Govt school with endangered species or neglected children. This place was filled with love, lots of it.

Sphoorti is a grass roots level organization in Hyderabad, aimed to raise very poor children who are either orphans or their parents cannot afford education. It’s not really an orphanage. It’s not a shelter for food. It’s not a place funded by a white-collar corporate-ngo-ceo with nationalized-advertisement. Its a small place where children live, eat, play and goto school. I first heard of the guy behind this — Srivyal, his background was something like an educated young guy who worked in the US and came back to start his dream, to contribute to the society in his humble means. When a friend asked me to contribute, I was a little sceptic, like you. Who is this guy? Where will my money go? Is it really helping the society? Will it really light the bulb?

I checked the premises, it was a 6 room house, almost horizontal in structure with a large center-court, where they play, eat study in the evening. I looked at one of the rooms and I learnt that eight kids sleep in that space. I choked. Eight kids? I had a bedroom in Boston which was double the size and had a king size bed for myself, all with plush, two layer mattresses. They slept on the ground with blankets and pillows.

After a long thought, I decided — * everything. I’ll contribute either way, I haven’t done much anyways. The fact that a weekend booze and party can fund a child’s education, complete for one year, made me embarrassed with shame. A weekend party? One year’s education? American Dollar never looked so powerful. But it’s true. A year’s education costs 3000 rupees — a mere 75$. Still, we want to blame the Government and bitch about the inadequacies but honestly we haven’t done much to patch up our neighborhood. There probably are thousands of organizations around the world which probably are doing wonderful things, but why would you care when you don’t have physical contact or transparency. With Sphoorti, it’s a different story. It’s small, 45 children (in just 18 months) but growing and very ambitious. It’s in my neighborhood. I’ve seen the kids. We are planning expansion of land and facilities in the next one year and I’m glad that I’m going to be a part of this. I’ve seen Srivyal and his people working so hard relentlessly and so selflessly to make this a better and a bigger place. And at the end of the day, when I see their sweat and our little green bills convert into something so meaningful in life, honestly I think, life is not impossible.

If you cannot do it or if you do not have time to do it, forgive yourself. Atleast trust one person who does it for you. When you forgive, you love. When you love, God’s light shines on you. Now, I don’t know much about God. But I do know that sometimes, life is like a blind dead stone. You’re nothing but a head, facing with hands stretched apart. And when you extend it in the right direction, even the slightest of gesture is so painfully beautiful, that it’s worth respecting life, for a moment.

Taareen Zameen Par, inspired video of Sphoorti

Please donate now, if you can’t make it. You’ll get two postcards from the kids, the one that says — “SMILE.”

For the pics from the Sphoorti Project, click here. They appear in the above video as well

It’s amazing how seasons can change the perceptions of your own surroundings. The following four pictures are taken from the same location (my balcony, overlooking Charles River), in a 5 month duration — Summer, Fall, Winter.

1. End of July — Summer

2. Start of October — Fall

3. Starting December — Winter

(see the building built in the backdrop, compare it to the one in summer pic)

4. Mid December — Winter (Snow Storms)

(as you can see, entire charles river is frozen)

Here are the two pics that were included … I’m delighted to see that these pics were actually taken from a very poor camera (my first digital camera in fact Kodal Easyshare CX6230 2 MP)