'Hope' is one word which drives the human race and which gives us a purpose to live. It is this 'Hope' which makes us believe in a better tomorrow and to make us regain our faith even in the most toughest of times.
That very same 'Hope' can also be found in mother nature. Everyone has their own beliefs and faiths but I personally believe that Allah (God) created this World imperfectly so that we can find beauty in these imperfections. He conveys a message to us so subtly at times that we need to make a meaning out of what we see or hear and that is what gave birth to this series titled Hope till Eternity.
Hope till Eternity I
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I came across this desert in the outskirts of Dubai and when I saw these trees braving the harsh weather and the sand they were surrounded with, it showed me that no matter how difficult a time one goes through or when one is up against all odds, you will eventually overcome those conditions. You will defy your surroundings and stand up tall. That beauty can be seen in nature too as portrayed in my images.
Hope till Eternity II
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Being inspired by my favourite photographers Nathan Wirth, Mitch Dobrowner and Steve-Maxx Landeros, I decided to shoot this series in infrared and I have to admit, it wasn't easy. Achieving the right tonalities with such limited colour range can be very tricky and that too in the desert. One of the reasons for me to shoot with infrared is not only because of the feel it gives but for the surrealistic white glow the tree leaves give when sunlight falls on them. It adds a whole new meaning and dimension. Signifying the existence of life, a symbol of hope, in the most harshest of conditions.
Hope till Eternity III
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I have spent around 3 months planning and shooting in the desert finding the right trees with the right landscapes at the right time to make this happen. Three important factors had to be kept in mind in order to maintain consistency in this series:
- The time of day. To make sure the shadows of the sand dunes remained consistent in all photos I took. I had to start shooting at the same time of day for each image.
- Focal length. To maintain consistency I shot with only one lens, the Canon EFS 10 - 22 mm wide angle lens.
- Trees framed centre. I had to make sure the trees I shot were framed centred and approximately at the same shooting distance.
I shot many trees but had to eventually shortlist the ones which made technical and compositional sense. The crop ratio in all these images is 18 x 8 in order to highlight the beautiful landscapes as well.
Hope till Eternity IV
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I plan to extend on this series as my quest for finding more trees continues in the wilderness. Till then I hope you all enjoy the ones here.
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