Light in the darkness...
Fishing boat or rescue vessel?
Catch of the day!
Cleaning the nets or the ocean?
Grateful...
Emotions...
Emotions...
Valley of Green Gold A small stream of water running through my family's cardamom estate. The clear water combined with the lush green cardamom plants created a serene atmosphere. This image was captured in a part of the plantation called "Swarnakuzhy" meaning "valley of gold" in our mother tongue (Malayalam). Cardamom plants are known to grow well in moist ground under the canopy of tall shady trees.
Queen of all spices This image depicts unripe cardamom which will be ready to be picked in a few weeks time. Cardamom, a spice mostly grown in India and Guatemala, is synonymously referred to as the "queen of all spices." It is known that the world's best cardamom comes from Kerala.
A stroll through the plantation This is an image of a path through the cardamom plants. Before the pandemic, my family (living in Perth) would visit India frequently. Due to Australia's international border restrictions we hadn't seen our family and motherland in two years. Our trip to India in 2021 was an emotional one as it was to bid farewell to my Grandfather on his final journey. These images were captured on this trip. The cardamom plantation depicted in this portfolio was my Grandfather's pride.
Green gold The final product! A tedious, but rewarding process. Separately picked when ripe, washed, and then dried in a heat driven drying unit. The heat for the machine is generated by burning firewood. The drying process takes around twenty-four hours. Once dried, it is sorted according to colour and size. This particular batch was not one of the best, so it will be sold for a cheaper price. Cardamom to Indians is like vanilla to the European world. Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices in the world after saffron and vanilla.
“In nature, everything has a job. The job of the fog is to beautify further the existing beauties!” 🌲 - Mehmet Murat Ildan.
Hillstation ⛰
Loten's sunbird 🐦 These birds are only 12-13cm long and are endemic to India and Sri Lanka. They are closely related to hummingbirds and share the behaviour of hovering around flowers when foraging for nectar. These birds were common in my grandmother’s garden, but I struggled to capture them because of their speed. After many attempts, I got a decent shot of one 😄
🌳 Jungle under the fog 🌫
Greater racket-tailed drongo These medium sized Asian birds are distinctive in having two tail feathers🪶 This bird is called Irattavalan in Malayalam, meaning twin tailed bird. They are common in forest areas of Kerala. Greater racket-tailed drongos attract attention with a wide range of loud calls that include perfect imitations of many other birds. Vocal imitations may help in the formation of mixed species foraging groups. These drongos are often seen chasing other birds and stealing insect prey that the other birds have caught. Another photo shot in my grandmother’s garden 🪴
Misty Mountains ⛰️ This image was captured in the car on the way to a hill station in Kerala. The mist and low clouds started rolling in as we increased altitude. It was a rainy day and hence the dark storm clouds above.
Homeward journey after a tiring day 🌧️ This image depicts labourers from a nearby plantation on their journey back home. Due to heavy rains, these farmhands are wearing plastic sheets around their clothes to stay dry. Making covers from plastic sheets is their alternative to buying raincoats. This is a must have for labourers in Kerala as heavy rains are common.
Silver Oak Trees
"If the path is beautiful, let us not ask where it leads." - Anatole France As the mist rolled in and rain poured down, we felt a sense of tranquility. When we gained altitude, the hustle and bustle seemed to disappear behind us. This photo was taken during a journey to a hillstation in Kerala.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. -John 1:5 . This image depicts a grotto of a church. The church can be seen behind it. I took this photo in the car while we were travelling through the Western Ghats of Kerala. It was a cold evening, and everything was immersed in thick fog. This church stood out in the fog and drew my attention.
Bloom 🌺
Racket-tailed drongo in motion
The tree’s imperfection enhanced its beauty 🌳
"It is in the roots, not the branches, that a tree’s greatest strength lies." - Matshona Dhliwayo
Fishing 🎣 boat 🚣♀️ or rescue vessel?
“Life is like the ocean. It can be calm or still, and rough or rigid, but in the end, it is always beautiful.” . Kerala, 2019
A group of fishermen playing a card game . Kerala, 2019
Juxtaposition 🚢 . Kerala, 2019
Fiddler on the beach . Kerala, 2019
Monsoon rain
Karuppayya. A trusted worker who’s been at our family’s cardamom plantation for decades.
Jurassic Park
Man vs tree 🌳
Elephant 🐘
🌳 Textures . Kerala, 2021
Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost.” - Erol Ozan . Kerala, 2021
Winding roads of Kerala . Kerala, 2021
“A bend in the road is not the end of the road…Unless you fail to make the turn.” - Helen Keller . Kerala, 2021
Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Flameback woodpecker 🪵🦜
🦎Camouflage . Kerala, 2021
Fruit bat 🦇 . Kerala, 2021
Indian palm squirrel . Kerala, 2021
Rolling Mist
“It’s the not the Destination, It's the journey.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson . Kerala, 2021
