stories of masterpieces from a bygone era
Dhruv is experimenting with a Agfa Billy-Clack 51 that was handed down to his mother from her grandmother. Four generations in the family have put this camera to use in some way or the other. Agfa manufactured the Billy-Clacks between 1934 and 1940, but I presume these were not available in India until the mid... Continue Reading →
The House About 15 minutes into the heritage walk, we stopped to admire the weather battered façade of an old house on Nadu Street - one of the few streets that still exudes an air of old Mylapore. Tahaer, architect, urban designer and one of the founders of the Houses of Mylapore project, was using... Continue Reading →
The scale model you see in the picture is of a wartime Willy's MB Jeep. The actual scale model didn't come that way. The camouflage paint, jerry cans, guns, and figures were all painstakingly made by hand and then assembled on the model. This set-up, including the truck in the background is a representation of... Continue Reading →
There is a particular spot on the long meandering route I take to work, where my gaze is almost involuntarily drawn towards two (once fabulous) dilapidated British era mansions. These are two different but adjacent residences built on expansive grounds now overrun by untamed greenery. Both the properties are locked down and off limits to... Continue Reading →
Matchless G3 and G3L were first designed and manufactured for use by the British Army during the second world war. These motorcycles continued to be produced after the war for both civilian and military use up until the 60s. The Matchless in the picture is a 1950 G3L that belongs to Kalyan Kishen Singh. The... Continue Reading →
There were three exposures left on my last 120mm film roll that I took with me on a trip to Kashmir. So I headed out to the beach early one Sunday hoping to capture something interesting before sending the roll to the lab. In the first forty five minutes all my dull mind could frame... Continue Reading →
Every time I am on the road, I take sneak peaks into front yards or open garages of houses I pass, with the hope of finding stunners from the past. As a result of this diverted attention I have been a target for expletive bombs from irked motorists. However, this has also helped identify some... Continue Reading →
After a good dose of trashing and practical advice from my dear friend Pritish, I woke up from my slumber to start shooting again. I started with cleaning my dslr that hadn't been touched in over two years. During the ordeal, I had this impulsive desire to find a replacement for my Canon T50 film... Continue Reading →
Chennai's Regional Railway Museum hosts a good collection of locomotives and coaches from 1875 to the late 80s as part of its outdoor exhibits. I found this to be more interesting and experiential compared to the the two indoor galleries. One gets full access to interiors and controls of most locomotives and coaches. And there... Continue Reading →
