National Institute of Photography(NIP) in Dadar announced ‘Focus 2010′, a photography competition for its past & current students. Passing out of the institute a few months ago I was competent to participate in the competition. I submitted four of my photographs & felt a positive aura upon doing so. The good news came soon as my photograph was selected by Siresh Karrale for a consolation prize at Focus 2010 Judging Ceremony. Yes, a consolation prize isn’t such a big thing to brag about but it being my first award since three years in photography feels really special. It has boosted my confidence as I was able to achieve such a feat without a DSLR camera but with my simple Canon SX 100 IS(prosumer point & shoot camera).

Below is my photograph which won the prize. It was taken an year ago when my friend came at my home after voting. According to judge, Shiresh Karrale the image had what it takes to be a perfect photo journalist image & that’s why awarded a consolation/appreciation prize.

The following is a video which was shot by my friend when I was being awarded the medal alongwith a certificate for my photograph. It was a great feeling which can’t be described in words as I was awarded the medal in front of the ace photographer, Jagdish Mali & in presence of our very own Manohar Desai, the head honcho of NIP & other NIPians. Even the day when I got it was “19th August 2010″ which is worldwide celebrated as “World Photography Day” meant the feeling was really special & something which could not be forgotten in my photographic voyage.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The small victory in Focus 2010 has inspired me to continue with my work & now I’m aiming for a place in atleast top three if not first in Focus 2011.

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Our first meet dates back long ago when I use to study in 7th grade. We didn’t met frequently but only on special occasions. Our chats were also limited as she seem to like my dad’s company more than mine. Though I was not complaining as I didn’t felt anything for her then. I was happy with the limited smiles & satisfaction I experienced in her company. For next three years, we met at a frequency of two to three meets each year. By now we had become good friends.

As I was about to understand her better, destiny separated us. I kept fingers crossed hoping to meet her but my hope kept diminishing with each passing day. Days transformed into Months & Months into Years. Two years passed over & I moved on. Not quite though as I would miss her badly when I stumbled upon our past memories. Life got hectic with added responsibilities of adulthood. I felt the need to enjoy & share my life with a potential partner as bachelorhood had began to creep boredom.

At around end of August 2007, one of my mom’s colleague paid a visit to our home. The colleague had brought someone special with him. He introduced me to her and we both struck a cord then & there itself. We were comfortable in each other company just when mom’s colleague got up to leave. I got upset on knowing she would also go taking away the brief moments of my joy. To my surprise, they(colleague) left her with us, the reason behind leaving her known only by my parents. I did not ask as I got what I wanted. I could see a glimpse of my ex darling in her.

Life suddenly felt smooth in the company of my new friend. We use to woke up together, attend classes together, sat on beach together, ate out together & the list goes on. There came a time when it became impossible to spot us apart. My other friends were not comfortable at first in welcoming her but later on accepted her in our group. As time progressed, we became closer. We understood each other so well that we gave no reason for complaints to one another. Slowly rumours circled in my friends gang about our super close relation. Comments were darted towards me to grab her forever. I pondered to get a suitable answer. “Is this is Love?”, I questioned myself. Pat came an affirmative reply from chambers of my heart.

Complimenting my hearts reply, my brain reminded me of the moments which were possible only because of her. She had given a distinct course to my life & always lent her support in testing times. It seems a no brainer now & I decided to let her lead me ahead in my life.

I, Gaurav Prabhu on my knees on this beautiful day…

“I Love You, Miss.Photography. Would you like to extend your support throughout my life?”

I hope she responds positively. Till then, wish you all “Happy World Photography Day”. Keep Photographing

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I researched day in & day out, paid uncountable trips to Lamington road, spent considerable time waiting for funds to get accumulated & eventually got my new rig just a week ago. I got the whole rig for Rs.36,400. The specifications are as follows.

# AMD Phenom II X4 955 B.E
# Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-US2H
# G-Skill 2*2GB 1600MHZ DDR3 CL9
# Palit GTS 250 1GB
# Western Digital 500GB Hard Disk
# Corsair VX450W Power Supply
# NZXT Gamma Cabinet

It feels nice to jump from into an era of multi-core processors, super fast memories & turbo charged graphic processing units. The whole week has fled past with friends & colleagues paying a visit to my home to watch my new rig. Apart from this I’m enjoying to my heart’s content playing HD videos, HD games & using Linux on my new system. After using my P4 rig, suddenly it feels as if I’m flying as most of the apps launch in a jiffy & that too without making any fuss. A big chunk of thanks goes to CHIP forum members who guided me correctly in the quest of getting the perfect rig. I’m elated!

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As two years passed on in cops pursuits & bullet banging, the third year introduced the whole new world which we call ‘Internet’ to this little fellow. He convinced his mom to get a dialup modem so that he could surf as per his wish. Unaware of downloading charges, he went out of bounds & surfed to his heart content in the beginning but later on he started to keep a tab on his surfing habits. Primarily, he was attracted to downloading new version of softwares on the Internet. As time progressed, he came to know about online forums & blogs. He registered on one such forum which led to a chain which is still growing long. He enjoyed helping others over forums & also reading reviews of computer hardware. In the meanwhile, he also learnt other things like chatting, torrents, blogging etc. Gradually, he developed a passion for ‘Computers’ & its related technology & thus he decided to plunge into this field whole heartedly. He started blogging about computers & even before he could realise, his knowledge of Computers had reached an astounding level. His friends & colleagues, started calling him ‘Tech Geek’ & even consulting him before purchasing any computer component become a routine chore. The knowledge was increasing rapidly but still this little boy choose not to brag about it & helped only when asked upon.

One day his computer went kaput & so he called a computer technician to check the problem. As the computer technician went to do his job, this little boy failed to keep mum & started muttering about the computer innards. The computer guy was impressed by his computer knowledge at such a ripe age & so he advised, “You can troubleshoot the computer all by yourself. You have the knowledge. There is no need to call me the next time your computer goes kaput”. These words struck the boy hard & he then realised that he indeed was capable of troubleshooting on his own. He began to read technology magazines, tech blogs, tech articles in newspapers to be updated. Then arrived a stage where he felt the need to up the ante & thus he pledged to become a ‘Windows Master’. Slowly he reached the stage where he could be called ‘Windows Intermediate’. As he was just about to drown in the windows sea, he came to know about a niche project which we call the ‘Open Source’. His curiosity tempted him to digg further up & thus he started to like it. As time passed on, his interest in the windows field started to decline. This decline wasn’t because of concentration on Linux but because he started to think that “Mastering windows should be left out as I would never be able to purchase original windows softwares.” This guilt of using pirated windows & the subordinate software rose as he read further more articles about the Open Source Project. Then came the time which was expected – He wiped off the pirated Windows off his computer & installed Fedora Core 4 in its place. He registered on forums & started to use them so to increase his grip over Linux. Soon he began to try various Linux distros & finally decided to settle on Fedora. After devoting so much time to the Open Source, he felt that he should contribute in someway to this global phenomenon. But lack of programming skills made his journey difficult. So for time being he decided to open a Linux blog where he can share his knowledge with the world.

Time flew & now after six years, he has devoted himself fully to the world of Linux. Its not that he hates windows as some of his friends think. He does uses windows to get his dose of gaming & to satisfy his passion of designing Symbian themes. Now he wishes to be a “Linux Master”. Though far off from being called a master still he knows in his mind that one day he will surely reach this position. His funda(idea) now is to “Unlearn Windows & Learn Linux”. It’s a tough journey ahead & it would be interesting to see how I go through it. As I type this on my six year old computer, I’m feeling nostalgic to part away with this computer as it is the one which led me to Linux. The joy of getting a new fast computer sure is pleasurable but still I would definitely not forget these six years which have shaped my thinking. I hope you felt as great as I felt writing this piece of article & going back to those old computing memories. Hoping to have a good computing experience in the coming years.

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As the clock struck midnight, calls & SMS’s started pouring from my dear friends. It wasn’t the thing I didn’t expect but this time the frequency was much higher than any of the earlier years. After the calls were finished, a close friend just like last year arrived down my building & gifted me a shirt. At that time the streets lights were not functioning & so the whole atmosphere was dark & I could barely see the face of my friend. Being December, it was a chilly night which I enjoyed to the hilt. We chatted for a while & then left for our respective homes.

The next day after getting up in the morning, I paid a visit to the Sitladevi mandir with my family. Upon returning home, I carried on with my usual ritual of sitting on my computer. The day felt just like any other day, only today I was working on my computer in shiny new clothes. My phone didn’t breathe a sigh of relief & was constantly made to work. Sadly my Loop network started acting up & I had to face a lot of call drops & cross-connections throughout the day. Each year in the evening, I spend time with my friends & we make sure the day goes great. This year though due to exams, most of my friends were busy with their studies & had notified me forehand that they won’t join me. I understood their plight & allowed them the much needed freedom.

Due to this I was prepared to spend the entire evening at my home in front of my computer. I tried out Fedora 12 LXDE in the afternoon & was reading up over the net about other linux distros. I checked up my Orkut, Facebook etc accounts & allover people were giving me their good wishes. It always feels nice to know that people wish you even they haven’t met you in real life. The whole afternoon passed in front of the computer & by the time I got up it was 6PM in the clock. Soon I got a knock on my door & I was surprised to see Kaustubh who had came to wish me again. We had a brief chat after which he left. I felt good to see him coming but wished he could have stayed for some more time. After Kaustubh left, I settled down on my chair to watch T.V. After a while my phone rang & hence I got up to pick it up. It was my friend Pragnesh. I received the call but even before I could say hello, Pragnesh disconnected the call. I thought it to be another disconnection & so with the thought of calling him back I proceeded to walk into my gallery. To my delight, I could see Pragnesh standing right out my door & smiling alongwith my close friends behind him. I welcomed them with a huge grin on my face & made them comfortable.

Since my friends arrived without any prior intimation, I had to make the needed arrangements as soon as possible. Gladly my family obliged and everbody lended a helping hand. Cake arrangement was made by my friends themselves so I had to take care of other refreshments. My dad pitched in with a huge bottle of Coca-Cola alongwith hot samosas & crunchy wafers. Then my mother prepared the aarti for me & put a tilak on my forehead. The cake was cut as my friends & family sang the birthday jingle. All the while my sister, took the camera & was seen snapping away. It was nice to have some pics of myself since as a photographer you rarely get a chance to come in the frame Later we settled down with refreshments chatting away. We had a good talk of about 30 minutes which even included opening the gifts, taking candid snaps, pulling each other legs & other things. The fun continued & then it was time for my friends to leave. I took out my camera & snapped some group photos outside my home & then thanked everybody for coming & making my birthday so special for me.

For those interested in the gifts I received – A handmade greeting card specially made for me by my dear sister. She even gifted me Better Photography magazine – December Issue. Sarvesh, Rahul, Vrushal, Saurabh & Pragnesh collectively gifted me a Monginis cake alongwith a wrist-watch & a cool sunglasses. Kaustubh gifted me a shirt. I loved them all & once again I never thought the gifts would turn out so interesting. Later I received yet another cake from my family – a lovely Blackforest. I didn’t expect this but then again it was so good on their part. I think I’m really blessed to have such a caring family.

It was a day which I turned out to be beyond my expectations. I would like to thank all my friends for coming inspite of their exams. You don’t get such good friends easily. I’m really lucky to get them. They have shown me today how much they care for me. The gifts aside it’s their Love for me which has touched my heart. I have had many rocking birthdays but I’ll keep this one at the top of them all since it was a lovely surprise & it showed how long can my friends & family go in the pursuit of my happiness. Hope the new year goes well for me with the blessings you have showered upon me. Love You guys

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The pace at which technology advances (especially of mobile phones) is lightning fast. At-least two-three phones hit the market each week. While some make their mark others get lost in the darkness. Still after two years I don’t feel a need for a new phone. Except cover wear-tear issues, I didn’t face any problem with my Nokia 5700 XM. When I wanted to surf or download over web it was there, when I wanted to call & chatup with my close friends it was there. Till now it has not let me down. The phone still performs super fast courtesy its the ARM 11 330MHZ processor which Nokia first debuted in the Nokia 5700. Though low on RAM but it can still handle 3-4 apps at a time with ease.

The phone runs on Symbian S60 v3 operating system (OS) which has the largest repository of apps out of all mobile OS’s. Due to this I never grew bore with the phone as I have been constantly on the pursuit of trying out new apps. When it comes to themes, there is no shortage too as still a lot of designers design for s60v3 inspite of s60v5 being out. If I have free time by my hand, I don’t hold myself back from making themes for s60v3. Being having a dedicated sound processor, the phone exhibits excellent audio quality. The dual speakers are the best I have heard in mobile phones & till now there are many few phones which come close to it. The output via headset is great courtesy the in-ear Philips headphones used by Nokia. The 2MP camera is disappointing but being a serious photographer snapping with phone is not what I need. I have my digital camera for the same purpose. The recessed keypad of Nokia 5700 XM is just great for mobile surfers or SMS junkies & due to it I have enjoyed compiling a lot of my blog posts on my mobile.

After two years, I feel absolutely no need to get a new phone as Nokia 5700 has been satisfying my needs & inspite is not showing up any age. I feel I made an excellent choice back then by getting the Nokia 5700 XM. I just love my Mini PC a.k.a Nokia 5700 Xpress Music. Hope the journey continues in coming times. Rock On, Nokia 5700 Xpress Music.

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I started to shoot at every possible opportunity – Festivals, Parties, Candid etc. I found myself progressing with each click. Praise started to pour in from friends, relatives & other people. Though confident with my photography skills I was unsure whether I was really good or not since the praise was from people I knew well. Yes, I do received positive comments from strangers but they were limited.

To kill the boring state of photographing alone, I decided to launch Weekend Photography in Mumbai. The first session saw a great fun & learning experience. I returned back with good pictures & published them online. To my surprise an admin of ThinkDigit forum seemed to like my work & asked for my permission to publish it in their magazine. I promptly gave the permission.

Come November, I got to see not one but three of my pics published in ThinkDigit magazine. As this news caught the attention of my friends & family they were again back to praising but this time it was with encouragement to take photography more seriously. I never before received such encouragement & started feeling better knowing my hard work paid off. My sister seemed to be happier than me as she requested me to lend her the magazine so that she can show my achievement to her friends. A few friends were overtly proud on my achievement who at times used to not like me constantly shooting something. The causal photographer tag has now turned into a serious photographer one. Off course I’m happy with my achievement & I’m pumped up to learn & prosper in the field of Photography.

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Yesterday, I was woken up sans ear damaging sounds of sutli bombs & Laxmi bombs. My morning trip to nearby Shivaji Park had me in surprise as the number of people bursting crackers in the ground was far less than I had seen till now. The atmosphere was truly beautiful with people coming in their best outfits & greeting each other. Hugs & Handshakes filled the atmosphere at Shivaji Park which is a good sign that people are celebrating Diwali this year with their near & dear ones. It is good to know that eventually people have started to care for the environment & are doing this in the best possible way. It is the Diwali time when the pollution level rocket sky high & avoiding crackers is the best way to curb this.

The city remained quiet for most part of the afternoon but the Laxmi Pujan in the evening meant people once again enjoying with crackers. Still I must tell you that it wasn’t too bad than the earlier years. This Diwali I decided to hang out with my ThinkDigit Forum friends & thus we had a Photography meet at Bandra Bandstand last evening. Bandra was quite & for a moment one would feel like it was just any other day & not the Diwali day.

While returning home at around 8PM, I was once again happy that I had to not walk precariously dodging firecrackers. I’m still buffled at seeing the low profile of crackers this Diwali.  Attribute this to the economic meltdown or some other reason but one thing is for sure, I’m loving the festival of light more this year.

I would like to wish my blog readers a Happy & Safe Diwali. Spread Love this Diwali & deter from spreading smoke. Further I wish all your dreams come true & the divine light of Diwali bring happiness into your life. Keep Smiling, Rock On

Regards,
Gaurav Prabhu

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(c) HiroBamboo

Since inception, Gaurav Live has expanded magnificently in the form of Layman Linux, a place dedicated to spread Linux amongst the masses & Pixel Track – Photography Forum, which is a forum dedicated to my passion of Photography. At times, it gets difficult to manage three websites & personal life which is full of academic pressure & other tensions but it’s the positive comments which keep me on my toes rather keyboard I must say. Not only online, but offline in real life too I have been praised for my efforts. It feels good to know you’re being read not only by your colleagues but also by people residing miles away from you.

This huge success of Gaurav Live was not possible had it not being without 24*7/365 days  support of Kaustubh Parker, Sarvesh Ujgaonkar & others who had been always besides me. A million thanks to Santhosh Sundar a.k.a Gigacore for helping me with difficult aspects of web administering. I would like to thank them from bottom of my heart. Offcourse, this was not possible without you. At-last without visitors no website would survive in this huge sea of web. Thanks to you too. In the coming year, I promise to make Gaurav Live more useful for you. In return, I just require your support which you have showered upon me till now. Have a happy stay on Gaurav Live.

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This year, I have the Lord Ganesha bring some surprise for you. The surprise is Pixel Track – Photography Forum. Being addicted to photography since childhood & having received accolades for the same, I thought forum will be perfect to grow my passion. Looking up over internet, I found very few photography forums of Indian origin. This is my effort to make a successful Photography Forum founded by an Indian. Though there are no restrictions on registrations. Anybody who loves Photography is welcome. Amateur or Pro, Freelancer or Hobbyist – Anybody & Everybody is wholeheartedly welcome. If you are the occasion shutterbug or one who carries his camera with him all the time, join in & communicate with our members. Ask queries & get responses. Share your shots & get critique on them. I am confident you won’t be disappointed with Pixel Track.

Now you can roam around & have a look at the forums. Make posts, participate in competitions, ask queries, share your knowledge & take your Photographic skills to a new level altogether. I hope, I will receive sufficient support from you guys in my endeavor. I wish Lord Ganesha bring happiness in your life & fulfill all your dreams.

Let’s begin with Pixel Track.

Ganpati Bappa Mourya !

Regards,

Gaurav Prabhu

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