Tag: Georgetown

2013 Deck – Week 46

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography2 Comments

On a midday walk with Nikhil, We had to pass a Hindu family on the Seawall who were conducting a ritual, supposedly to Mother Durga (Goddess Durga), because of the yellow Jhandi flag.

I didn’t want to intrude, so I took a photo from a distance (and subsequently cropped it for composition), I thought it was a scene that should be recorded (even if just for myself)

I’ve always seen the various Jhandi flags along the coast, but only recently decided to ask about the colour, specifically in this instance.  There is so much of the Hindu culture that is  unknown to most of us, and the significance of various rituals and items are lost on us.  I even tried searching the internet for Yellow Jhandi Flag, and got a Trinidadian website telling me that the yellow is for Lord Krishna, while a local hindu woman told me it was for Mother Durga and that it was customary to have it alongside a Red flag.

It’s not a great photo, but it is representative of part of our culture here in Guyana, and it is a period piece, with a modern mode of transportation in evidence 🙂  It is also a scene that I don’t see often enough.

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery.

2013 Deck – Week 43

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography, Poetry4 Comments

I got what amounted to somewhat unsatisfactory choices of photos for this week, so I chose one that had some appeal, and then, at a loss for words to accompany it, I then wrote an almost equally unsatisfactory poem 😀

Take a break from the working day
And take a stroll outdoors,
Out where the ocean meets the sea,
where winds blow and birds soar.

Feel the sand between your toes
And the shells under your feet,
Inhale the salty sea breeze
Get away from the streets…

Let the wind blow your hair
Let the sun warm your face
Let’s go to the beach,
Let’s get out of this place.

2013 Deck – Week 40

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography1 Comment

This year, I think most of my photos come from the Seawall areas along the coast of Demerara, simply because I’ve had little opportunity to go elsewhere…  but the amazing thing about the seawalls, is that I think you can take a photo there every week and still come away with something interesting

This one I was tempted to call “Low T”, but knowing the western mind-set it would probably be a bad idea 😀

Took this using a low perspective, with the Sigma Ultra-wide 10-20mm, even at 1/200s the bird in the sky shows motion blur 🙂 (Probably added a bit to that with the wide-angle distortion at the edges of the lens)

I hope you like it.

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

2013 Deck – Week 39

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography4 Comments

The Main Street Avenue is one of the few tree-lined avenues left in Georgetown, offices like the GRA and others believe that parking is more important than trees, shade, cooling and the beauty of the avenues, I believe that the “parking preparations that they have done to Waterloo street will result in those trees that remain there dying sooner rather than later.

Often, when walking down the avenue, I’d glance up at the lacy canopy and admire the shapes and patterns, and a few of those times, I’d even take a photo; this is one of those photos.

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

2013 Deck – Week 37

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography4 Comments

Some scenes catch your eye, and you just have to try and get it on film or pixels, or a sketch.  I was walking with Nikhil around Bourda Market, primarily looking for some of his previous victims (photographic subjects) to whom he wanted to give a print of his labours… it is always interesting to watch their faces when he presents them with the print… indescribable, especially since most of them never expect to receive one :-), enough digression… yes, so… I was walking with Nikhil, taking the odd Street Photograph or two, just for practice, since mine never come out as good as Nikhil’s or Avinash’s..  and this scene presented itself to me as I looked back up Bourda Street towards Regent Street.

It’s a scene I know Nikhil would have shot had his hands not been full of envelopes 😀

Street Photography isn’t everyone’s thing… I hope you like it.

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery.

2013 Deck – Week 36

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography2 Comments

I had taken a number of photos this week at the Lusignan seawall area, but this one stood out for me from the moment I chimped and saw the image on the camera’s display screen.

I frequently see Jhandi flags along the seashore, but was never witness to the actual planting of one or seen the ritual taking place at such an event.  Needless to say, I still haven’t; but on my way back to the vehicle that day I did see some people bringing their flags to the wall, they had brought them in the back of a vehicle, and were passing them along to each other to put by the sea.

I hope you like it as much as I do.

Click on the image to see it in the Collection, along with other entries for this year’s Deck Project.

2013 Deck – Week 35

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography2 Comments

This week was somewhat uneventful, but I was fortunate to get an evening-time vantage point I’d never had before… due to some ongoing construction I was not able to use my Tripod as I wished, so I shot this one handheld, not the greatest, but I still liked it.

This is the Church on High Street, opposite Carnegie School of Home Economics, bordered by D’Urban Street, High Street and Leopold Street.

Click on the image above to see it in the Gallery.

2013 Deck – Week 33

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography2 Comments

The coastal seawalls of Guyana are definitely one of my favourite places to be,  I’ve seen life anew, life renewed and life’s farewell there…  I’ve seen families relaxing, fishermen working and many other activities of our coastal culture…. I’ve seen the sun rise and the sun set and I’ve seen scenes that I’ve failed to capture in photographs.

This blog is a bit of a ramble… just warning you 🙂

I’ve been visiting the seawalls, from Kingston to parts along the coast; Buxton, Lusignan, Plaisance, Montrose… just to name a few places…  even Mariah’s Lodge and other parts along the Essequibo coast… and at each spot there is something new to see, but the feeling is usually the same to me.  Whether I’m alone, or with friends or family, I could feel an almost instant sense of relaxation as I step towards the shore and feel the wind upon my face…

I’d hate for others to be offended, but whether I’m with others or not, I feel alone… not in a lonely sense but in a sense of self… I feel unencumbered and free…

I can walk along the beach with my best friend, engrossed in conversation… and still feel it…  I can sit upon the wall with all my extended family… and still feel it, I could sit alone upon a rock and the feeling would be no less nor no more…  Can I photograph that feeling? No.  I think you either know what I mean, or you don’t.

This photo reminds me of that feeling… A man alone with his horse, walking the shore.

Click on the link to see it in the Gallery.

2013 Deck – Week 31

On By themichaellamcollectionIn 2013 Deck, Photography2 Comments

I’d hate for a week to go by and not take a photo, not only would it halt the Deck Project, but I’d personally feel empty, but some weeks, the ones I do manage to take still leave me feeling that I should have tried to find more time to go further afield looking for something “extra”

That being said, there’s always something in the few that were taken, if I look at them with “fresh eyes” or just forget about what isn’t there and concentrate on what is…  This was one of those photos that at first glance I discarded, yet when scrolling through I thought I saw something that wasn’t there before.. not sure what it is, but I felt it differently… and processed it right away with that feeling…

I hope you like it.

Click on the image for a better view in the Gallery