Palkhi Photoshoot.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

info from here.

http://www.maharashtratourism.net/festivals/palkhi-festival.html

Palki festival showcases the distinctive feature of the Maharashtrian culture. This is a 1000-year-old tradition, which has been following by the warkaris (people who follow the wari, a fundamental ritual).

People perform collective singing, dancing, chanting (Dnyanba-Tukaram in what are called as Dindis or organised group of warkaris) to the holy town of Pandharpur in Hindu months of Ashadh (June-July) and Karthik (November-December).

Palkhi Festival, which lasts for 22 days, starts in the month of Jyeshth (June). Every year on the eleventh day of the first half of the month of Ashadh, the Palkhi reaches Pandharpur. Every saint, right from Sant Jyaneshwar to Sant Tukaram was following the wari tradition.

It was in the year 1685 that Tukaram's youngest son, Narayan Baba wished to bring some change in the dindi-wari tradition by introducing the Palkhi, which is a sign of social respect.

In coarse of time, this tradition is becoming popular day by day. Nearly 1.5 lakh devotees proceed along with the Sant Tukaram Palkhi from Dehu village, while a total of 2.25 lakh devotees march along with the Sant Jnyaneshwar Palkhi.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

so u now guessed it.its a festival shoot.and festival means people.and the challenge in shooting people is movement.the challenge further increases when the light goes down.so that makes ur tele half usable and u are switching to wide.for us avg joes having avg cams(with some uniqueness)
under low light bumping ISO is needed.still the overall "ambient" light just goes down.so low light,it takes time to focus.and that time anything can happen.so even if u have kept 3 shot,still many will be blurs.
i had my blurs.:p

ok.so now we know the challenge is shooting people.now people means instantaneously portraits.i did other way round.i didnt go for portraits.(ok i went for 2-3)but not mainstream.i put a challenge to myself to capture the festival that involves people.how that energy that rhythm that emotion changes from scene to scene.

now i was surrounded by 4 canons,3 nikons and my little fuji.then there was 100-400mm,80-400mm,70-200mm,50mm 1.8,10-22.so my fuji and even i was scared not to take my baby elephant in front of the mammoths.
but i didnt went to stroll.i went to shoot.another new challenge for my fuji.

now ofcourse before the photos start below,please do not expect DSLR quality.cause well it will never be.all DSLR eyes are used to seeing DSLR quality.when they see a tier below..oops.:p.

so now we will start the tour.the areas covered were FC road and lakdi pool junction.two important spots in the route.procedure is photo first and comment followed.

workflow followed is,
LR>touch ups>PS>editing>ACD>resizing>LR>watermarking.

first FC road.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3617/3646649366_366363854a.jpg

security was tight.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2452/3646649660_26fd19ef89.jpg

is our function causing trouble for the common man??

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/3645843975_35b8228748.jpg

there is music in everyone.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3584/3645844903_1f0aa6a3c2.jpg

the bhajan mandal.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3645845379_4631df1a8c.jpg

on duty.

we then realised that light was not adequate on FC road.so we decided to go to lakdi pool where the whole palkhi will pass us by.started walking in that direction.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2481/3645846131_aa503c9150.jpg

its a global event.there are foreigners who learn Sanskrit and do degrees in that.so they missing this event is next to impossible.

reached the spot.our vantage point was above a municipal tanker.so went above,sat on it,and watched.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3339/3646653106_f01b0da616.jpg

the pune lal dabba.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2450/3646653460_97d0ee818d.jpg

young and old eagerly waiting.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3646653692_892053d33a.jpg

lost in thought.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3391/3645848433_8422233f66.jpg

lakdi pool chowk.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3645848999_cfc6d13ff5.jpg

and the flow starts.the flags are indicators of groups.the warkaris travel in groups.i wanted to do something different than normal.LR helped me achieve this.i personally like the style.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3645849327_7a7d7f9cd7.jpg

many had these finolex bags.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3318/3645849827_8e6839f983.jpg

and they start coming.this time the speed increases.more inflow.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/3645850197_352e8fb8e3.jpg

how much time for the main one to arrive?i am getting bored.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3645850769_183df4566d.jpg

people fighting to get food packets.half of that was spilled down.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3645851329_00eaa7b4c5.jpg

the escorts arrive.indicating the palkhi is coming..

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3646657776_bd1f4d1b3a.jpg

photographers.:D

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3646658312_67e7696294.jpg

the second escort team.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/3645853065_46054003ff.jpg

in synchronised rythm.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3624/3646659172_8772679799.jpg

tradition VS change.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3646659620_ba55559a6c.jpg

bhid ho gayi bhaya!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3298/3646660232_9203c590ec.jpg

jam packed.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/3646660674_347501bda2.jpg

make way...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3645855519_1fd5822350.jpg

the rath.the main show stopper.:p.beautifully decorated.has a very nice aura to it.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3645855977_44c9fc2579.jpg

when i say sheer scale i mean by this.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3645856375_0919e0a4e4.jpg

life never stops.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3646662336_7ea81e71db.jpg

the world goes by.


now for some panos.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3405/3645857273_91ed3298ab.jpg

this is prior to the palkhi arriving.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/3645857601_4c7fc456ef.jpg

when the palkhi had arrived at our spot.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3645856945_8cf560937b.jpg

the palkhi at the end of the bridge.

lastly how can i forget HDRing??

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3646657426_175394ba89.jpg

hope you enjoyed the series.

anvancy.

[KrishnenduKes]

Topic Approved

Thanks for the details of the festival. I like cultural insights. We should have more of these.

The first few shots look like there is a WB problem.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

Topic Approved

Thanks for the details of the festival. I like cultural insights. We should have more of these.

The first few shots look like there is a WB problem.

which one?

[rio008]

did you increased the color saturations of all the photos ?
nice to see these festivals here :)
nice clicks anvancy

[Xavier]

I've never really liked these Palkhis for the traffic mess that they cause. Anyway, some cool pics there. I personally don't like the treatment, but its your style, and if you wouldn't stick with it, it wouldn't be right. :)

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

i have not boosted the colors.remember that the chowk has en number of neons and other lightings.so they all are shining on the people.

regarding the treatment,yes its my personal taste.

thats why its click and show rather than critique.

for those who do not know..

To enjoy the picture better :
1>Install Firefox 3
2>type "about:config" in the address bar of Firefox3
3>Click thru confirmation page and find: gfx.color_management.enabled.
4>Double click that until it says "true".
5>Then restart Firefox 3.

Now many images will end up appearing much closer to the color of the original and less washed out.

[KrishnenduKes]

When you started talking about the Palkhi, I was wondering if you were going to show us "Palanquins". I have no idea about these western festivals. From your shoot, I figure, correct me if I am wrong, that the Palkhi is actually a kind of Chariot.

Secondly, could you please tell us what is a "Warkari"?

which one?

The green ones. Or is it because of the FL lighting?

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

When you started talking about the Palkhi, I was wondering if you were going to show us "Palanquins". I have no idea about these western festivals. From your shoot, I figure, correct me if I am wrong, that the Palkhi is actually a kind of Chariot.

Secondly, could you please tell us what is a "Warkari"?



The green ones. Or is it because of the FL lighting?

exactly.the main thing is the chariot.

warkaris are bhakts of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dynaneshwar.ie followers.

if u are talking green ones then i had done some tweaking in LR in highlight section.guess it turned out sour.

anvancy

[KrishnenduKes]

exactly.the main thing is the chariot.

warkaris are bhakts of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dynaneshwar.ie followers.


Thanks. I like this kind of work. I would have appreciated even further had you got closer to the expressions of some of the people to show the fervour with the masses in the background. I know it is tough, but it is a challenge to get shots like that. :)

if u are talking green ones then i had done some tweaking in LR in highlight section.guess it turned out sour.


Kinda! But we will survive. :)