It was unusual from the beginning: Guard at the entrance asked my first and last name, grass lawn with “please do not walk” sign, mostly Indian people around and amazing, unbelievable beauty of the place. It was like a tele-portation from dirty and boring streets of Lilburn to opposite side of the globe. This is how our visit to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir began.
Inside, the temple look much smaller then outside, but still very beautiful and unusual: white marble lit by colored lights, ceiling and columns all covered with amazingly detailed carving, golden gods sitting around the room… Better see yourself at temple’s website. Photography prohibited inside, but I can only wish they hire a professional guy to do a job (yes, I can do it better ), falling walls does not help to see a beauty of the place.
You can’t have shoes on inside, walking on a cold marble with a bare feet (I forgot to take socks with me) was not the best nor long experience for me, I was outside withing 20 minutes. Our toddlers, Sonia and Liliana were glad even more then me: running, jumping and screaming was much more fun then looking at Gods inside of the temple
It was a late sunny afternoon in North Atlanta, when we had a nice walk and talk with Irina, a good friend of us. I had my camera and 2 Canon 580EX flashes attached like this, sun was one hour away from a horizon, and full set of kids jumping around
This Sunday I was left at home with my lovely two daughters (we have twins), wife went to therapeutic shopping, and had great opportunity to do nothing and just watch our kids. Well, it lasted for about 5 minutes, after we have played for a while, and.. I’ve jumped to what I really like to do:
Brought 3 Paul CC. Buff monolights (1x800ws, 2x1800ws) and placed in 3 corners of our living room. One with small dish-like reflector pointing to a wall and a ceiling (far center of the photo), second (on the right) with standard 8” reflector was aimed inside a room, and third one (left) with 43” parabolic umbrella mounted was highlighting the floor, placed just opposite of the second light. I do not use a flash meter, so no light ratio information will be given.
This Sunday we were lucky with nice and warm weather, so I’ve took some photos outside a studio, picturing our twin toddlers playing on a backyard. I was playing with my newly built tilt-shift adapter for Canon EOS to tilt Rodenstock enlarging lens (80 f4).
The photos were taken with wide open (f4) aperture, no photoshop post production to alter focusing were made.
I love this unusual focusing plane, reminds me fairy tale books I’ve read long time ago..
We had our very good friends visiting us for a 1.5 weeks. That was a fun! Have not seen them for about 10 years. They are still very nice and creative guys, we had a few (unfortunately) photo sessions done. The rest of the time was spent together in St.Pete, FL with vine, ocean and sun:-)
Had a pleasure to work with such a nice girl in our photo studio. Strobe lightning, (White lightning and Alien Bees), up to 5 sources at the time.
Canon 70-200 F2.8 IS, my favorite portrait studio lens.
Enjoy:
May 3rd, 2010 | 
), falling walls does not help to see a beauty of the place.
