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MOPField trips and industrial visits

Capturing shots, making memories, in the Anamalais

by | Oct 7, 2024 | 0 comments

Field trips and industrial visits are a mainstay of the M.O.P. method. Students of the Business Studies and Commerce programmes, for instance, get to study the assembly line process during factory visits; the Food Science programme gets to learn kitchen management from observation at industrial kitchens; and students of Sociology and Economics learn about rural development from visits to real, rural India.

The Media programmes, for their part, often travel on photography field trips near and far, both as a learning exercise, and as a necessary part of preparing students’ portfolios for assessment.

Over the years, the Visual Communication programme has escorted students to varied locales such as Dandeli and Badami, North Karnataka; the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat; and Bhubaneshwar and Puri, Odisha, giving them the opportunity to experiment, learn, and stretch the limits of their camera sense.

MOP Field trips and industrial visits

These class trips and the students’ individual photographic forays all lead up to the M.O.P. Viscom photography exhibition, ‘Positives,’ held once in two years, a much-anticipated event by both students and photography enthusiasts in the city.  

The photography field trips are an invaluable learning opportunity, but also sheer fun, as the students bond with one another in the unique way that only travel buddies can.

Here’s an account of a recent five-day photography trip by the students of Visual Communication to Anaikatti, Pollachi and Topslip Anamalai.

In the words of Semushee Gamya Sree G.:

I like getting a peek into the lives of the people around me. The glimpses through photos remind me what it means to be human. I find the pauses while snapping pictures extremely comforting. The photography trip to Anaikatti and Pollachi were filled with a galore of silent pauses for me and my classmates. 

I don’t think all of us realise that we’re surrounded by quiet beauty at every moment of time. Our trip started with a stay at a nice resort in Anaikatti, where we got to capture the sun glinting off the peaceful river that flowed alongside our path, and the pleasant scenery of the resort.

Purple-rumped Sunbird at Anaikatti Sterling Resort.
Purple-rumped Sunbird at Anaikatti Sterling Resort.
Photo by Harini S.
The Milky Way Galaxy from Anaikatti Sterling Resort.
Photo by Viyaa Jain
The Milky Way Galaxy from Anaikatti Sterling Resort.
Photo by Viyaa Jain.

The next day featured a short ride to the Narasimukku viewpoint. I am generally terrified of heights and how out of control they make me feel. Having a camera around my neck at a viewpoint felt like it would be an added burden, but only until I got there. The view from atop was glorious. We could only hear the wind and our warm breaths. I found comfort in the fact that we were there to capture all that we could, forever. 

Sruthi S. Kumar continues

Sruthi S. Kumar continues:

Later, we visited the Ranganathapuram Check Dam, where we explored different shutter speeds to achieve both frozen and flowing effects in our images of the fast-flowing water.

Freeze the Flow! At Ranganathapuram Check Dam. Photo by Tanya Maria Mehta
Freeze the Flow! At Ranganathapuram Check Dam. Photo by Tanya Maria Mehta

On Day Three at Pollachi, we tried to capture Pollachi’s charm in every click, whether it was candid moments or planned compositions. Next stop, Monkey Falls. As we approached the falls, we experimented with different techniques to capture the movement of the water — some chose to freeze the droplets in mid-air using fast shutter speeds, while others slowed things down to create a silky, flowing effect. In the afternoon, we headed to Aliyar Dam, a massive structure surrounded by hills, providing breathtaking panoramic views — famously featured in the Tamil film ‘Kadhalikka Neramillai.’ 

Casacde at Monkey Falls. Along the road to Valparai. Photo by Semushee Gamya Sree G.
Casacde at Monkey Falls. Along the road to Valparai. Photo by Semushee Gamya Sree G.
The towering Western Ghats of Valparai. At Aliyar Dam. Photo by Santoshi S.
The towering Western Ghats of Valparai. At Aliyar Dam. Photo by Santoshi S.
Flameback Woodpecker at Aliyar Dam. Photo by Aadya Sathyajith
Flameback Woodpecker at Aliyar Dam. Photo by Aadya Sathyajith.
Aliyar Dam. Framed by the Western Ghats of Valparai. Photo by Sruthi S. Kumar.

Aliyar Dam. Framed by the Western Ghats of Valparai. Photo by Sruthi S. Kumar.

Day Four had one of the most exciting parts of our trip: a jungle safari at Topslip Anamalai. As we ventured into the forest, we practised wildlife photography, where patience was key. The experience taught us how to work with unpredictable subjects and lighting, all while maintaining focus and precision. The evening concluded with a group review and critique session. 

A family of Chital. The Majestic stag and his ladies! Photo by Sruthi S. Kumar

A family of Chital. The Majestic stag and his ladies! Photo by Sruthi S. Kumar

The ponderous tusker! At Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary.  Photo by Vidhya Varshini

Flameback Woodpecker at Aliyar Dam. Photo by Aadya Sathyajith
Verdant forests in the Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary,
Photo by Shifa Kumar

Flameback Woodpecker at Aliyar Dam. Photo by Aadya Sathyajith.

Ruddy Marsh Skimmer dragonfly. Photo by Tanisa Poddar 

Semushee, describing one scene witnessed through her viewfinder, captures the essence of photography:

While we were on a bridge, we ran into a group of women on their way down the bridge to fetch water. They were clad in vibrant pink, green and blue sarees that enhanced the entire frame. As they reached down, the sight became a painting. The water created a vanishing point, the hills of different sizes and colours added depth to the composition and the beautiful women in their beautiful sarees, each one performing a different task, added emotion. 

Timeless scene from rural Tamil Nadu at Pollachi. Photo by Semushee Gamya Sree G.

Timeless scene from rural Tamil Nadu at Pollachi. Photo by Semushee Gamya Sree G. 

The Essence of Pollachi… A “Forever” scene! Photo by Adhira R. 

And has the last word, no doubt speaking for all her classmates:

Every single frame we witnessed and shot stays etched in my brain even several weeks after the trip. The trip was an eye-opener in all senses and has enhanced the way I view my everydays.

We leave you with a few thousand words on the experience!

Semushee Gamya Sree G

Sruthi S. Kumar

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