#400 � The Perfect Reflection, a photo from Madhya Pradesh, Central

Photographer's Note

Orchha is high up on my favourite list as far as Indian destinations are concerned. The very word "Orchha" means "hidden" and, verily, this small town stands for it. It is a hidden archaeological legacy of medieval India, it is a hidden 'throb' of romance and emotional rupture, it is a hidden face of history, a hidden treasure of spiritual tranquility, a hidden poetry written on stones! Hidden .. because very few tourists traveling to India are troubled to visit such small places as Orchha. Those, having a feeling of being endowed with inner aesthetic sense, have to visit Orchha and experience its melodious lull and transcendence.

Orchha is believed to be founded in the 16th century by a Bundela Rajput chief named Rudra Pratap.

Those who致e seen pictures of Orchha in my gallery will remember the views of the solemn row of pale brown weed-choked domes and spires, the riverside Chhattris or cenotaphs, which are Orchha's most melancholy ruins. These are temples constructed as memorials to illustrious Bundela kings. The banks of the Betwa river are dotted with 14 of these cenotaphs.

The remarkable silhouettes of these chhatris against the setting sun & their reflections on the still waters of the Betwa are images that will surely stay in our memories for a long time. I walked down the boulders on the river bed, stood on knee deep water to get this angle of what I thought was a perfect reflection of the chhatris.

It's about 30 months since my first post in TE. As I look back, I see a change in my 'photographic style', hopefully for the better, but that's for you as a viewer & critic to decide. Architecture photography continues to be my first love as I go to extents in search of an original POV. But I have tried to diversify, tried to experiment, sometimes do the daring...more people in my shots, more landscapes, a few portraits thrown in, yet I am the first to admit that I'm still scratching at the bottom of the photographic learning curve. But the fact that, for me photography has continued to an obsession, an addiction, can be solely attributable to TE. Now I travel to new destinations, come rain or shine & even bought myself a new DSLR!

My sincere thanks to all who's been a part of my TE journey, especially all my friends here who have taken pains to critique my pictures, offer words of advice, all for the betterment of my photography. I really appreciate your kind words & encouragement.

# 400 is just a personal milestone...the journey continues...As I continue posting my pictures in this site, I would, with your valued feedback, try & reflect on my progress as a photographer as well.

Jeppo, phwall, bostankorkulugu, dArpAn, John_F_Kennedy, gezimania, edytungkal, arnabchat, carper, isabela_sor, PaulVDV, adores, zeca, josepmarin, jafadabret, emjleclercq, siolaw, Graal, pierrefonds, ChrisJ, plimrn, Felip, pablominto, papagolf21, Atousa, ramesh_lalwani, avene, Stepan, sayat, riclopes, danos, Vato_Law, Henryk_Bilor, atus, tasuray, yogi32, rajju has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Jeppo (17645) 2008-08-29 3:48

congrats for this important goal

title is perfect: the reflection is perfect as well

this is just a masterpiece

tfs
Silvio

phwall (6787) 2008-08-29 3:48

Hi Angshuman,
Congratulations on your 400th post, what an amazing achievment.
You have chosen a stunning capture to mark this event.
This image is absolutely beautiful.
Your note really says it all.
Brilliant result.
Warm wishes
Peter

npecanhuk (79329) 2008-08-29 3:50

Hello Angshuman!
Congratulations for your 400th!
This reflections are superb, with silhouettes of such magnificent buildings and the colors in the sky!
You are celebrating with a high class photograph and, yes, that's right, let's keep on moving and sharing more beauties, right?!
Warmest regards,
Neyvan

bostankorkulugu (42866) 2008-08-29 3:51

well, the rocks and some little waves on the water spoils the perfection on the reflection but not the beauty of the shot... it is always a pleasure to look at your shots and be a part of your "journey"... keep going mister:)...

korkut

dArpAn (499) 2008-08-29 3:59

Hello Anshu,
Accept my heartfelt congrats for doing it 400th time successfully :) Your note is kind of 'live' session for me on how to keep going and going...with the same vengeance.

I love the silhouette of temples with b'ful evening sky and reflections. I'll also try this some time.

Keep going sir!
Darpan

rodgerg (55767) 2008-08-29 4:01

Hello Angshuman,

Congratulations for the 400 th poste and for this superb vew with a ggod use of light, an athmospher full of myster and espacially the very, very nice reflections in the water. I like very much.
Best regards,
Roger

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2008-08-29 4:04

Congratulations for your 200th post! Your photo for this celebration is very nice and is very well realized. Looking forward for the next 100 beauties.
Best wishes,
Achim

Morac (27725) 2008-08-29 4:33

Hello Angshuman!
Congratulations for your 400th! It is superb.
Which beautiful work with the lights, the shades and the reflexion.
Thank you for all your photographs.
Regards

Amicalement
Marc

gezimania (6288) 2008-08-29 4:39

Hi Angshuman,
it's really a perfect reflection. I also wanna celebrate your 400th. I wish you continue this journey for long years..
Regards
Selnur

Gessle (70) 2008-08-29 5:10

Well,
Fantastic style of celebration!!!
Amazing picture and stunning POV.
I love the geometrical shapes of the towers.
Great light,
Regards, Anna

edytungkal (4551) 2008-08-29 5:27

Here you come 400th picture.... really a great achievement and i learning alot from you Angshu friend how to compose a good picture with useful notes. And this picture absolutely showing the best composition to celebrate it, as your title....perfect!! Thank you and have a great week end :-)

daniel

goodwill (4274) 2008-08-29 5:39

Thank you for being here dear Angshu.
Creativity in the field of photography.........this is what Bengal has given in the form of two budding artists; Sabyasachi and Angshuman.
Leaving aside the minor ones, I can count five minarets on the top of the image.........which simply mean one thing.......one more mile stone.

As you hav also mentioned # 400 is just ....a pit stop.........the journey continues.
Heatiest congratulations dear friend.

With warm regards,

Rajeev Moudgil

arnabchat (7233) 2008-08-29 7:33

fantastic silhouettes and nice colors and reflections from Orcha.

congrats for the #400 in TE. i will expect more beautiful photos from you, which will continue to thrill us. your shots across India and SE Asia are the ones I have enjoyed so much over the time you have been here.
happy clicking!
Greetings from a sunny Trieste,
Arnab

pcp (3396) 2008-08-29 7:55

Wow.. Great shot,

Perfect reflection..

Great sky...

Beautifully taken, Well done....

TFS

Senthil

carper (96) 2008-08-29 8:39

congratiolation friend with your 400th trekearth photo.
I know you as a good photographer,one who made progression. something people can see, by your gallery, good reflection shot here, good one, have avery good weekend.
gr. jaap

feather (51130) 2008-08-29 8:47

Well said Angshu! I think we all have learned a lot from each other on TE and it continues to give a reason for taking more and more photos. Congratulations for reaching this major milestone.
There are some lovely colours in the sunset and they are reflected beautifully in the water. The water must be very still as the reflections are as sharp as the reality. Now get started on the next 400!
Kath
btw We leave Sunday morning.
K

vbl (1421) 2008-08-29 9:21

Hi Angshuman:
Beautiful compo, nice reflex and good control of light
good shot
Vanessa

isabela_sor (47748) 2008-08-29 9:26 [Comment]

Show Comment

PaulVDV (63452) 2008-08-29 10:43

Hello Angshuman,
Orchha is a name that I have to remember!
This is a perfect picture. Very beautiful colours of the sky and the water. Great with the silhouettes and their reflections. Congratulations !
Best regards, Paul

leo61 (0) 2008-08-29 10:45

Hi Angshu!
Yes the reflections are perfect and the colors are great.Great POV and fine composition with these rocks in the foreground.
Congratulation for this 400th and allways interesting notes.
Regards,Leo

sebinho342 (19329) 2008-08-29 11:55

Hi Angshu, yes for sure it IS a really great reflexion ! I wonder one thing : are those "houses" enlighten at night ? If yes that would be marvelous for photographer ... i guess they are not :-(.
Your work on PP is superb to equalize light dispersion in sky and reflexion is lake.
Excellent

adores (46979) 2008-08-29 14:38

Hi Angshuman!
Congratulations for your 400th! You had to chose a photo of these domes to celebrate:))!! The light and the reflections are just perfect. You got wonderful silhouettes here and I even like the stones in foreground, they make the reflection different. Hope you can show us many more!

Gerrit (62042) 2008-08-29 15:19

Hi Angshu,
marvellous mirrorshot, A real beauty.
Regards, Gerrit

radiohead (359) 2008-08-29 22:03

Hi Angshuman,
Congratulations on your 400th post here on TE! As for the photo it is simply magical. Your great note sets the scene for us perfectly. TFS.
Kind regards, Michele.

zeca (19762) 2008-08-29 23:37

Hello Angshuman!
Beautiful photo! The sky's colours are great and the silhouetted shapes are very nice. The reflections are amazing! Well taken!
Congratulations on the 400th, wishing you many more!
Have a nice weekend!
Zeca

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2008-08-30 0:44

Definitely. Perfect and wonderful. Well done.
Antonio

pastadog (13111) 2008-08-30 2:24

Hi Angshu - it looks you took full advantage of the photo opportunities provided by this site, obtaining many gems, like this one - and congratulations for the 400! Regards, Daniel

josepmarin (59385) 2008-08-30 4:35

Hi Angshuman,
A magnificent graphical exercise with architecture and reflections to celebrate your 400th post in TE. Congratulations!!
I love the beauty of this cross-light and the silhouettes against the blue sky, and the luminosity so special that you have obtained in this sunset capture.
When we look at our galleries, we can notice how we have improved the quality of our photos, thanks to our participation in this great site.
A great work, my friend.
Best regards,
Josep

Kielia (24077) 2008-08-30 7:30

Hi Angshuman,
congratulation! I wish you continuing successfully photographing, your note telling us that you are on the way! This capture is very very beautiful with its almost perfect reflections and its amazing atmosphere. My compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

jafadabret (56501) 2008-08-30 10:53

Hello Angshu.
F駘icitations pour cette tr鑚 belle 400th !
Tout est parfait aussi bien la composition, le rythme que les couleurs. Continue de faire d'aussi belles photos, c'est un r馮al pour nous.
Jacques

batalay (41261) 2008-08-31 10:48

Hello Mr. B,

Clearly I have returned to the United States and Trekearth just in time to catch your 400th post, and it is a fabulous shot at that. I have long been a fan of your photographs, and this photograph no exception. I believe it is one of the most effective images of silhouettes and reflections � of contrasts! These decade and century marks, in this instance your 400th, are indeed personal marks. But they do represent our strides to improve. Yours truly are consistently good, and the last 100 are perhaps somewhat superior to the previous 100.

Warm regards, Angshuman,

Bulent

testmaniac (13508) 2008-08-31 21:51

Hello Angshuman!
Congratulations for your 400th!
Good composed photo with nice reflections and colors. The silhouettes are great no doubt, only the white aureoles surrounding the silhouettes are a little problem.

TFS and regards,
Phil

emjleclercq (15778) 2008-08-31 22:47

I would not say perfect (ohervwise, if you had reached perfection, you would probably stop taking pictures...) but it is a very nice one.

All the best,

Emmanuel

siolaw (38294) 2008-08-31 23:24

Hi Angshu!
First, congratulations for reaching the milestone! Then congratulations for this one! You had a still water to give you this smooth and mirrorlike reflection... It has something of Angkor Wat, but with less tourists for sure! Sharp and clear picture.
Kepp them coming!
Your friend Laurent!

Graal (103040) 2008-09-01 0:00

Hi Angshuman,
congratulations on Your 400th post in TE! Great composition, unusual dark reflections, like graphical image. Good note about Your photo- work.
Gr., Aleksander

pierrefonds (115488) 2008-09-01 4:21

Hi Angshuman,

The reflections in the water are assets to the composition. The sunset is giving nice colors to the sky and a set of shadows to the buildings. The different types of lines and geometric shapes are complements to the composition. A scenery which is giving a sense of relaxation. Well done, have a nice day.

Pierre

ChrisJ (172408) 2008-09-01 5:19

Namaste Angshuman

Marvellous, symmetrical reflections, with superb colour, sharpness & graphism. Tfs!

plimrn (21344) 2008-09-01 9:15

Hi Angshu,
It is a perfect reflection. I have noticed your 'obsession' in the increasing lengths to which you go to get-the-shot. I also appreciate your architechtural views much more as you add people and other landscpae elements: Homeward Bound particularly comes to mind.

As to portraits, I remember A Bit Too Young to Drive as your first real portrait. Since then, children have remained your favorite subjects. You take pictures that I would be afraid to take; but I suspect you have a child-like enthusism that reasonates with children. For me, Corridor is the perfect combination of portrait and setting.

I've followed your work since your 4th post. Your subject matter and your interesting notes attracted a lot of attention from the first, while your skill HAS increased phenomenally.

HLJ and here's to the next 400!!
Pat

somak_g (497) 2008-09-01 10:09

hi angshu,

congratulations on the milestone. you photographs have been excellent consistently & i have learnt a lot from them. this one is no exception.
regards
somak

Felip (3907) 2008-09-01 10:15

Hats off!, the title chosen couldn't fit it better. I've seen a lot of picts of reflections, but no one as this one, this is simply perfect, apart from the rocks, we couldn't say where's up or down if we twist the image. Wonderful colours for a magical shot. Bravo! :P
Have a nice day Angshu.

Felip

dvlazar (6662) 2008-09-01 20:32

Great shot - i like the reflection and symetry created. Its like the Angkor equivilent for India!!
Namaste,

Dave

pablominto (53746) 2008-09-02 0:45

Hello Angshu,

The strong silhouettes are immediate eye-catcher, and here they come double in the perfect reflection!
Great definition and an amazing play of colours in the sky...
Well framed, a treat to my eyes and the atmosphere of mystery is well conveyed!

400 fine images - my heartfelt congrats!

Greetings,
Pablo -

brevbrev14 (140) 2008-09-02 8:06

Hi Angshu, congrats for your 400TH image! a strong and great number!
the game of the mirror here is so strong and well captured
a beautiful architecture!
ciao!
Valeria

- i am fine Angshu, thanks and i hope you are fine too! :))))
A GREAT SMILE

papagolf21 (152607) 2008-09-03 13:36

Cher ami Angshu,
Un tr鑚 beau cadeau pour cette 400鑪e publication. L'image correspond tout � fait � votre style photographique, beaut�, d馗ouverte, plaisir d'apprendre.
Faites-nous r黐er longtemps cher ami.
Philippe

Atousa (7131) 2008-09-03 19:40

Salam Angshu,

I congratulate you both for your 400th n for creating such a beautiful pattern ..really attractive..best of luck

Atousa

ramesh_lalwani (3213) 2008-09-03 21:34

Congratulations Angshuman.It is always delight to see your photos.Your coming to Delhi has given us chance to see your angles.
This photo is perfwct composition of reflection.
Ramesh

avene (12675) 2008-09-04 11:40

hello Angshuman,
first of all, congratulations on this milestone! we need moments like this to be able to see the progress we made, and your journey from #1 to #400 shows a great deal of patience and commitment, which make about 80% of a "good photographer". the rest is luck :) and you seem to also have that - many of your photos have that special light and ambience that we all look for. like here - love the golden clouds behind the black silhouettes, there's such a majecty in this scene. excellent choise for #400 :)
keep posting :)

best,
Kristine

Stepan (27210) 2008-09-04 23:04

A great post for a great milestone and a pertinent note...
A perfect reflection, you're right... An evolution, you're right again...
A vision, a sensibility, a new world...
All is here, in that great post.
St駱hane

jhm (211738) 2008-09-05 1:50

Hello Angshu,

Sorry my friend I'm little bit late but never to late.
Congratulations for your 400th picture on TE, a great milestone for you.
You chose a very specially picture with the silhouettes and reflection, wonderful done. TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

aadilj (18102) 2008-09-05 3:50

Okay so this is the one you chose to be your landmark Angshu. The image itself is a landmark in low light photography. An amazingly well crafted and superbly nuanced. The hues and the textures are dreamy and so poetic. I love this rhapsody of silhouettes and reflections. Congratulations!

sayat (2949) 2008-09-05 11:54

Congratulations for the 400th shot Dear Angshu! This is amazing, the overall composition looks like lines from an age-old scripture, maybe from Rig Veda.

Thanks for providing us with great shots up to now and with the hope of even greater ones!

riclopes (35577) 2008-09-06 0:56

Ol� Angshu, you save this powerful image for the special ocasion. I don't remember seeing this tighter composition before and those 5 double fingers make an incredible set. Love the way the stones in FG enter in the composition from the left and 'park' in bettween those 3 spines without touching in any of them. Gorgeous sunset tones as a background. If I wanted to be a pain in the ass I would say that a tiny crop at left is needed but I won't be ;-) Congratulations for the 400th post my friend. I envy your strengh and perseverance around here. I feel that I'm loosing energy but you seem to have it all for many years to come.
All the best,
ricardo

danos (110407) 2008-09-06 1:26

Hello Angshuman,
congratulations on your 400th photo.I wish you more and better ones,like this superb reflections of the constructions in Orchha.I like the mysterious atmosphere that created with the dark silhouettes to contrasted perfect with the subdued light of the sky.Well done.

Have a nice weekend,Danos

Vato_Law (12732) 2008-09-07 13:07

Hello my dear friend.
Here I am, late, but I'm here :))
Once again I have not much to say besides what has been said but also there is not much to say about this one, it's a perfect play with the light to create this beautiful composition, centered on 3 elements,sky, buildings and reflections and you surelly did it well.
400 photos is quite a milestone, but what would it be if you didn't share your critiques and opinions with all of us? no more than coming 5 minutes (if so) to post and get away, but is is not what you make, you share photos but you also share your opinions and passion about photography and this is the important side of your work along with the 400 (more now) photos. I'm just one of the lucky guys that share this passion with you and hope to keep on even if I don't come here so often nowadays.
Cheers.
Paulo

Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2008-09-08 1:20

Hello
Excellent reflection in this still water. Great capture of the silhouettes, lovely colours of the sky.
Regards

sagar (2410) 2008-09-08 7:58

Hi Angshumanda,
400!!!Thats a truely amazing number. Amazing photo this one...given the low light condition. Beautiful reflections and the silhouettes are amazing to watch.
Regards,
Sagarneel.
.

atus (15878) 2008-09-09 16:28

Hi dear Angshu,
I just noticed that missed this beautiful picture of a gorgeous atmosphere, with which you celebrated another important milestone of yours, here on TE. The use of the silhouettes, in combination with the attractive sky is really gorgeous here.
Congratulations and all the best wishes, my friend!
Attila

marietom (34611) 2008-12-19 5:16

hello Angshu,

j'avais loup� ce magnifique reflet de silhouette, quelle belle image !
Bonne journ馥
Marie