An opportunity to participate and showcase your photography skills.

A group of photographers under the umbrella of Abu Dhabi Photographers club group on Face Book is conducting an activity workshop on the morning of Friday, 4th June 2010. The first week’s theme is to capture the Sunrise at Zayed Al Adeel, a scenic spot at Abu Dhabi Corniche.

In order to motivate them and exhibit their clicks, and also utilize this theme as an option to regroup ourselves, I invite you to click the Sunrise, you see on the same day, wherever you are and present them at Passionate Photographers.

Date: 04 June 2010
Time to click: Between 05:00 am and 07:00 am
Theme: Sunrise

Sincerely looking forward to your photo presentations, with location details and time you clicked at Passionate Photographers group before 08 June 2010:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108518287970

I request my friends from other Photography groups to circulate this email to members of various group for participation with interest.

Best photos from those submitted will be presented at various media and publications with prominence and credits highlighting your skills.

Ramesh Menon
01 June 2010

I am thrilled today because my memories are taking me to my childhood days, when I lived at my ancestral home at Oorakam near Trichur within a big joint family amongst a group of children of various ages within the family and surroundings. Not like these days, gifts and pocket money were occasional and we had to wait for either Onam, or Vishu to get a pair of new dress or some money within our pocket for utilising for our own dream requirement. Money those days remained within the boundaries of maximum of a one rupee coin, which was by itself huge. It came to us only during Vishu when we get Vishu Kai neettam (gift of coins by eldest member of the family). At our home, it was the right of Appettan, who is my grandmothers brother and eldest male member of the family to give this customary gift to all other family members including children. He keeps several coins with him of various denominations within the boundary of one rupee and distribute it to all according to age and his liking. Whatever the denomination we were all thrilled to get that precious gift from him on that auspicious day and very happily wait for it after our daily religious rituals.

Once we have this gift, all the boys turn group themselves and then go and get a rubber ball, to replace the existing old ones for us to play with. Those days, we used to get a medium 8 to 10 cm diameter sized for a nominal amount, and it was the only luxurious play item we all shared.

On some odd years, we had special appearances during these Vishu season by other senior male members of the family who were working outside of Kerala. So, as a mark of affection, they also discretely gave us additional coins of bigger denominations, even one rupee itself. This made a huge difference to all of us. We will then group ourselves and run to Devassy’s shop which is in the nearest town, that is Cherpu for a bigger ball, say about 25 cms diameter in size. The generous contribution means a lot. Bigger in size, bigger in temper, and the more reach it has. The “tingggggg” sound it produces when hit makes a huge thrill to all of us and the thrill of it keeps us grouped and cheerful for many days to come.

I am experiencing that odd gift and that tinggg thing in the Passionate Photographers group today, by the visit and submission of a huge collection of photographs clicked by Sri Sangeeth Sivan. His and other great photographers visit and submission of their works at the groups gallery makes a big role transformation for us similar to that of a school, which started with KG classes, growing into the Higher secondary levels. Education in all fields is mainly a self interest process. Many times due to various reasons, we do not get time to study a subject. But a systematic self learning process will take us to greater heights in those fields interesting for us.

I am inviting you and your friends, who have not yet joined to travel through the photo gallery of Passionate Photographers where you will get to see Professionals and Amateurs with pure passion submitting without count their clicked photos. Observe each one of them, the characters in it, the nature, the presentation, the angle, and learn a tip and trick or two from each one of them. If you have a large heart, leave a comment of appreciation or criticism before you proceed to the next picture. This makes a huge difference.

Ramesh Menon
08102009