Driving in Delhi

Photograph courtesy of Sarah Mellor

I'm in India! In Delhi, for the time being.

This is a city where a simple taxi ride is a hair-raising, death-defying adventure in itself. Over the years, we've laughingly told stories about the hairy way people drive in, say, Italy or Ireland. Forget it! The worst of European driving now seems positively pedestrian and oh so staid in comparison.

In Delhi, lanes appear to be painted on the roads purely for decorative purposes - not as an actual guide for where you might drive. Any kind of 'vehicle' seems permitted on any kind of road. After all, wobbling a bicycle, laden with a man, three washing-machines and two fridges, along a motorway is a brilliant idea. Isn't it?

Keeping your distance is a totally alien concept here. The most vital part of a car is its horn. And seat belts - what are those? As for the perfectly good pavements and sidewalks....why use them when you can take your life in your hands and wander carelessly down the middle of a road thick with fast-moving traffic instead?

A cousin of ours tells us that drivers in this city have lightning reflexes and a telepathic road awareness. They must have.

I'm steadfastly refusing to google the number of accidents on Delhi's roads each day. I've better things to do.

Home and Away

I'd planned to announce it with fanfares and fireworks and drum rolls and dancing bears....but instead it snuck in the back door.

In case you hadn't noticed, Dixon Hill has moved to a new home. The wallpaper's the same; the furniture's just been shunted round a bit. And though the address is very similar (it's in the same neighbourhood...), there's an important difference in the ending.

Which means, dear blog-reader, that you need to update your bookmark. Or, if you were subscribed to the old RSS feed, you need to subscribe again to the new one. It'll only take a minute - just hit that little swirly, orange symbol in the address bar. Then you'll get Dixon Hill updates streaming into your inbox or reader.

I'll be doing some redecorating over the next few weeks - as you do when you move into a new place (that's remodelling if you speak Americanese!). So don't be surprised if you see one or two changes occurring. But probably not for a week or two....because I'm off on my travels again first.

And if you want to find out where I'm bound, you'll have to check in again on Sunday!

You Are Your Own Muse

At Squam last September (2009), I was lucky enough to share a room with the lovely Vivienne McMaster. Vivienne is one of the most talented photographers I’ve encountered. Her ability to capture light is extraordinary. Her images are soft, often touched by the most beautiful bokeh; and each one draws you deep into its story.

A great all-round photographer, Vivienne has made a particular speciality of self-portraiture. Just how she gets such perfect shots when she’s nowhere near the actual camera is a mystery to me. But not, I hope for much longer.

Because Vivienne has just announced her first e-course: You Are Your Own Muse. It’s a six week adventure in taking self-portraits with, I’m sure, tons of useful tips relevant to any type of photography along the way.

I’m eager to learn anything I can from her. I have a hunch she’ll be a great teacher. So I’ve jumped in and signed up. And it’s not too late to join me. Registration closes on Friday October 29th; the course will begin on November 1st. And I happen to know there are still one or two places available.

You can find the relevant information here; and Vivienne’s gorgeous blog here (she’s a seriously talented writer, too, so it’s always worth a visit).

Getting to Know You

Our walks, these days, often take us along the reservoir beside the studio. Which means I’m getting to know it in all its many moods. And how they vary!

The pictures above were taken yesterday - on the most idyllic autumn day imaginable. The ones below were taken today - which was about as vile as a day can get.

The singing colours of Monday drained from the world, leaving a depressingly dreary palette. A fierce wind got up and the swans vanished to cosy cover somewhere along the banks. The rippling blue water turned cold and choppy, lurching over the sluice gate and careering into the dam wall.

I struggled to keep my giant, spotted umbrella the right way out; and risked being carried away like Mary Poppins in the process. Joss grew more bedraggled by the second and was actually glad, for once, to clamber back into the car.

But it’s good getting to know my new neighbour; and fascinating to observe the ways it dresses and behaves. I suspect we’re going to become very fond of one another over the months ahead.

Goodbye, Little Green Camera

This is the camera that kicked it all off….the camera that got me into photography almost two years ago.

I’d decided it might be fun to take a few pictures….so I turned up at the photo counter in Walmart and surveyed the long, long row of cameras for sale. Immediately, this green beauty leapt out at me. (Happily, it was at the cheaper end of the counter!) So, knowing nothing about it other than its pretty colour, I told the sales assistant I wanted to buy it.

‘Oh, no you don’t!’ came the reply. ‘Those are always returned. They don’t work properly.’ And she proceeded to try and persuade me to buy any number of other models.

But I didn’t want them. I wanted the green one. So I turned away, dismayed and dejected, and sloped off home, empty-handed.

That evening, the small amount of gumption I possess asserted itself. ‘But I want that green camera!’ I told myself. So, next morning, I was back at the counter. Different sales assistant, different story. A few minutes later, I was walking out the door, the little green camera in my bag.

And you know what? She’s been great. Okay, so she’s not remotely sophisticated. And, yes, she does seize up occasionally and refuse to work at all. Her flash is worse than useless and there’s no point in using her video function because the sound recording is so lousy. But she’s been my constant companion for the last two years; and she’s taken some lovely images. She has a particular talent for twilight shots. And best of all, she’s green. J

Time, however, moves on. I’ve finally decided I require a somewhat fancier point-and-shoot. And my little green friend has performed such sterling service that she’s actually beginning to fall apart. It’s time to allow her a quiet retirement.

I’m not saying we won’t still make the odd outing together. I’m sure we will. We’ve enjoyed each other’s company too much to part completely. And she’s taught me much of what I know about taking pictures.

Best of all, however, she’s green.

A few favourite pictures of the many we've created together....

P.S.  Today I'm taking part in Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at Little Red House.  Why not pop on over and take a look at some of the other lovely mosaics you'll find links to there?