Banana vendor

December in the Pokhara region in Nepal is one of the coldest months.  Try to imagine a hilly location, an open air makeshift store, a muddy ground and to merely rely on your clothes to keep you warm, not to mention the unpredictable rain that falls from time to time.  It is an everyday toil for the side road vendors selling produce to passing travelers.  In this photo, the woman is just one of too many vendors I have met, shy, quiet and cold but eager to sell.  

Pokhara Lake

Pokhara lake is a famous weekend getaway in Nepal, that is if you are tired of the crowded Kathmandu . Swamped with tourists from all over the world and artists who linger to be inspired.

I took this photo on my first morning in Pokhara. I remember walking in the rain looking for something to photograph and went back to my hotel room disappointed because the street was just so empty and most of the restaurants that were supposedly famous for their beakfast-at-the balcony-overlooking-the-mountains were not that interesting that gloomy morning. Thankfully, our designated driver took us to this wonderful spot, a lake overlooking a temple and the hills, hidden among the sprouting makeshift souvenier shops and a throng of people.

I dedicate this image to all those artists who lingered long enough to know Pokhara and took home with them inspirations, be it in a canvas, prose or photographs. To Michelle Anand, a great photorealism artist for sharing her adventures and to Deneth (the creator of www.livingcanvas.blogspot.com) whose enthusiasm about the place made me want to visit. I was never disappointed and all expectations met. SOMEDAY, I hope to see you again. Over a cup of tea and shared anecdotes, we'll conquer Pokhara!!!

The Process

This image was taken with my Sony HD Video camera with only 2.8 megapixel for photo capture. I spent an hour processing in Photoshop. The original is very grainy due to an overcast sky. I used Gaussian Blur to give it a nice soft effect and to smoothen the boat I used surface blur. I adjusted the curves and manipulated the hue and saturation to give that grayish tone and added the violet/purple color filter to highlight its morning misty look.

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

There is an overwhelming poverty in Nepal and education is often taken for granted. Many girls like her stay at home to tend to their younger siblings while their parents work.

I took this photo one winter afternoon in Jan Bahal, Kathmandu. I was walking along a crowded market place and noticed a door that leads to a temple. It was swamped with pigeons, tourists, vendors, worshippers and childen, who were oblivious of the cold nor of the smell of the birds, just being themselves and having fun.

I converted this image to Black&White to convey the message better.