Ganehsa Chaturthi is an Indian festival celebrated mostly in the southern region of the country. It is a street festival when you see idols of lord Ganesha placed in every nook and corner of Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. I'm not very fond of street festivals of India for multiple reasons; disturbed traffic, lots of noise pollution and above all, these festivals are mostly hijacked by the men of my country.

But how can I not admire it when I find a woman standing shoulder to shoulder with her lord.

Or when a man is working hard for his family during the festival.

Selfies or self-portraits, it is always amusing to click our own selves, being a photographer they both have different purposes for me. Selfies are always about that moment. They are quick, fun, bad lights and all smiles.

But when it comes to clicking a self-portrait, I find myself deeply engrossed in the message of the picture and of-course I start playing with all the tools available to get the best outcome I can.

I took this photograph in a garden in Delhi, lots of Delhi's gardens have old monuments so that explains the wonderful background, it was an outdoor self-portrait, for good light & color all I had to do was watch the timing.

In the above two pictures what mattered to me the most, was the expression of my feminine side and the black and white presentation seemed more than fair.

World photography day is a worldwide celebration of photography. A hobby, a passion, a job or sometimes an obsession. The best thing I found about photography is that you are never alone, you always have a companion, your Camera. 

You capture moments one always wants to remember, a single picture becomes a book of knowledge of a world we have never been to, sometimes a picture is a proof that we need to do something to bring a change, or the smile it brings on others faces. Wedding and kids, street photography, fashion or journalism a picture always serves a purpose. 

We all know that photographs went from being black and white to colored & this is what I find most fascinating, that still black and white presentation lives and is loved equally. With time there have been so many changes in photography but old style is still new exactly the same way old pictures are cherished. The way that pictures never retire neither does the presentation of the photograph.

But subject and view of a picture is another story it's forever explored. It's personal & unique for every photographer like our experiences of life.

I'm born and brought up on the banks of the Ganges & I have a luxury to say that I have seen the many colors of the Indian monsoons. It lasts 4 months in this region, of our beautiful world, and I truly admire every drop of it. 

In Hindi literature, the monsoon is always described as the season of love but also in many poetry they have written of the pain in separation and waiting of the lover. Even when I need to write my own thoughts down in a poetic form, the monsoon is my favorite season.

When it's raining outside I personally enjoy getting wet on the terrace, literally for hours and of-course driving around.

Rangoli is a sand art which is made on the floor. It is traditionally made in front of the main door of the house and women all over India do it. As compare to northern India it is more popular in southern India. For southern Indians it has something to do with scaring away evil forces by a piece of art and for northern Indians it is a rare skill that your sister, wife or daughter poses and of-course you can show it off to your neighbors. 

Despite being a northern Indian I have developed a interest in making Rangoli on festivals, at a very early age. I don't like to cook sweets at all so basically making Rangoli is my favorite activity during festivals. Since I have been making rangolis for many years, I have a handful of Rangoli pictures as well.

It was not one of those planned days when I go out & capture some street shots. It was a very hot day in Hyderabad, I was tired and bored. I thought I'll go for a walk close to my place, breathe some fresh air, smile at some strangers and come home. 

By chance I took a turn into this noisy street and they were there, walking on the wrong lane and coming towards me. She might be in some kind of physical labor job it was around five in the evening so she must be going back home. How often do you find a mother literally balancing her baby and her job?

So I guess for a good subject an unplanned day goes awesomely as well, you just have to carry your gear & be in the moment.