Learning the Art of Jewellery Photography from a Master

 

I got the opportunity to attend a Jewellery Photography Workshop conducted by Umesh Gogna, and having attended his workshops before, I knew I was in for another fascinating learning experience.

I genuinely believe Umesh is possibly the best photography teacher I have ever had the joy of learning from. What makes his workshops special is not just his incredible technical knowledge, but the way he breaks down what can often seem complicated into something simple, practical and, most importantly, achievable.

Jewellery photography is a completely different ball game. Photographing something so small, reflective and intricate brings its own set of challenges. Getting the lighting right, controlling reflections, highlighting the finer details and making the jewellery look as stunning in a photograph as it does in real life requires both patience and precision.

So, when I heard that Umesh was conducting a workshop specifically on Jewellery Photography, I knew I would be learning something new yet again.

And I wasn't disappointed!

The workshop was packed with insights, techniques and those little nuggets of knowledge that make you look at photography differently. Watching Umesh work through the challenges of photographing jewellery was a reminder that great photography isn't simply about having the right camera or equipment. It is about understanding light, composition, reflections and, above all, knowing exactly what you want your final image to say.

Every workshop with Umesh seems to add another layer to my understanding of photography. Just when I think I've learnt quite a bit, he manages to show me another perspective and reminds me that there is always more to learn.

For me, that's the mark of a truly great teacher.

I came away from the workshop with a few more techniques in my photographic toolkit, plenty of ideas to experiment with and, as always, a renewed enthusiasm to pick up my camera and try something different.

Thank you, Umesh, for yet another wonderful learning experience. Here's to many more workshops and many more photographs!

Flying Monk — A Mystic Flavour of the Orient?

And yet another new place opens in town!

Kolkata seems to have developed an insatiable appetite for new restaurants, and just when you think you've seen every possible cuisine and combination, along comes another one promising to take you somewhere completely different.

This time it was Flying Monk, with the rather intriguing promise of “Mystic Flavours of the Orient.”

Now, a restaurant specialising in South-East and East Asian cuisine is already ambitious enough, but Flying Monk has really gone for it. Japanese, Singaporean, Korean, Malaysian, Indonesian and Thai cuisine — all under one roof!

That's quite a bit of Asia to fit onto one menu.

Naturally, we had to investigate.

So one evening, we headed over for dinner, curious to see whether Flying Monk could actually deliver on this rather grand culinary promise.

We started with some Fried Prawn, which made for a fairly straightforward and enjoyable beginning. This was followed by the rather more interestingly named Prince's Wanton Soup. The soup was warm, comforting and exactly the sort of thing you want when settling into a long Asian meal.

Then came a couple of drinks, because obviously one cannot conduct serious restaurant research on an empty glass.

With the starters and drinks out of the way, it was time for the main event.

We ordered a noodle preparation which, I have to say, was unlike any noodles I've had before. This was not your standard Chinese restaurant chow mein making an appearance under a fancy new name. There was something quite different about it, and it certainly got our attention.

Alongside that came a chicken preparation and a fried rice, giving us a fairly broad sampling of what the kitchen was attempting to do.

By now, we'd eaten enough to be quite happy — but then we reached the dessert section.

And that's where things got interesting again.

The Trio Sorbet immediately caught our attention. Sorbet served in three rather unusual flavours — lemon, chilli basil and Japanese ginger.

Now, how could we possibly read that on a menu and not order it?

Out it came, and this was certainly not your conventional dessert. The lemon was familiar territory, but the chilli basil and Japanese ginger brought an entirely different dimension to the experience. Refreshing, slightly unexpected and quite a fun way to finish the meal.

And perhaps that's what Flying Monk is trying to do — take familiar Asian flavours and put them together in combinations that make you stop, taste again and wonder exactly what you've just eaten.

We went in because the whole “Mystic Flavours of the Orient” proposition had piqued our curiosity.

Did we discover all the secrets of the Orient in one evening?

Probably not.

But we certainly discovered a new restaurant, a menu that isn't afraid to travel across Asia, and a few dishes that managed to surprise us along the way.

And in a city where new restaurants seem to be opening almost every other week, that's not a bad way to spend an evening.

A Railway Station That Made Me Stop and Look Twice

 

I had noticed this building a few times while travelling across Majerhat Bridge. Something about it had caught my eye, but from up there, with traffic moving and the city rushing past, it was impossible to really appreciate what I was looking at.

So this time I decided I wanted a closer look.

I went under the bridge and made my way towards the newly constructed Majerhat Railway Station building.

And I have to say, I was rather impressed.

What had looked interesting from the bridge looked even more impressive from up close. The architecture is certainly not what I've come to expect from a railway station in India. It has a contemporary, almost futuristic quality to it, while still managing to look like a proper public building rather than just another functional railway structure.

In fact, I honestly can't remember seeing a station building anywhere in India quite like this.

Railway stations have traditionally been about function — platforms, footbridges, ticket counters, waiting areas and the inevitable collection of signs and people. Architecture often seemed to take a back seat to simply getting the trains in and out.

Majerhat seems to be doing things a little differently.

The scale, the shapes and the overall design make it stand out, especially against the rather familiar urban landscape around it. And because I've seen it from above while crossing the bridge, I suppose I was even more curious to see how the building actually looked at ground level.

It was definitely worth the detour.

I'm actually glad to see Indian Railways experimenting with more innovative architecture and moving beyond the conventional idea of what a railway station should look like.

Perhaps this is a sign of things to come — railway infrastructure that isn't just about engineering and functionality, but also about design and creating something visually interesting for the city.

For once, I found myself looking at a railway station and thinking...

That's actually a pretty impressive building!