On a cool Saturday morning last weekend, we decided to do some shooting at the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. Not to worry, folks. No criminal activities were indulged in here. And no insects were harmed in the process either.

For those who are not from Bangalore, Lalbagh is a rather interesting place in the mornings. The place is filled with people even as early as six – exercising, praying, shaking legs and arms, making loud breathing sounds, dancing, sitting around, walking and even, praying.

So armed with our equipments – cameras, lenses, tripods – we set off for Lalbagh. Shankar, for some reason, decided to don full full jungle regalia as if we were going to a wildlife sanctuary. We spent a good four hours (you don’t realize how time flies when you’re having fun and it’s so true!) taking pictures.

When Kaushik, who I shall now call the ‘insect mating specialist’ (and here’s proof for you too!) found 2 insects making out, Shankar was excited since he could now exercise his macro lens, jazzy tripod and flash. They spent well over 2 hours photographing the co-joined bugs : I am not kidding!

Sabir and I wandered around a bit and found other interesting sights ahead. An old ruined structure, where we spent a good hour taking pictures of a bicycle. What I like about this hobby is that one gets so completely immersed in it that nothing else matters at that moment. No worries, no frivolous domestic errands, no pressing problems to bother you : just you and your equipment and of course, a few willing (and not so willing sometimes) subjects.

I sat down finally on a bench to take a break when a a woman cutting grass on the lawns came and sat beside me on the bench and began a Kannada conversation with me. I didn’t fully understand her of course, but I did get the drift. She was asking for money for no known reason! I decided it was time to leave then. But not without a filling breakfast of rather yummy dosas and idlis at MTR nearby. A morning well-spent.

The Lalbagh set