He just sat there on the terrace with his headphones on. Some random song was playing on the radio and he was glad that it was not from the irritating new album that had released a week back. The wind swept his hair in a gentle way as if putting him into a deep state of relaxation.
Something his mother always managed to do without any effort.
His peaceful lone time was interrupted when a loud “Machan!” was heard beyond the full volume set on his headphone. Charan turned around to look at the grinning face of his best friend Pranav. Switching off the music he waited until the latter lad settled next to him. Both their legs dangling over the side walls.
“I knew I would find you here.” He broke the nice silence that was prevailing between them.
“It was breezy.” Was all he had to say.
Again there was this pleasant stillness between them.
The evening was slowly turning dark. As Charan looked up his eyes lit up.
He nudged his friend and nodded at the direction. “Wow! Pranav exclaimed. For a moment both their mouths were agape. He took out his smartphone and tried clicking a picture. “Damn man! The photo is not even close to good.” He slogged.
Charan quickly got up and left with a “I’ll be back.” that would have been almost missed.
Moments later he returned with his camera. “Lets try it out with this.”
Focussing on the beauty before them he zoomed in and clicked.
“It’s still not clear enough.”
The duo started tweaking the camera’s options to get the Apollonian into frame. The photographer hidden inside them both came out with all force. Clicking picture after picture they were still unconvinced.
“Man… It’s getting dark. We need to head down before those bats come down on us.” Charan spoke eyeing the black winged creatures whose days are just beginning.
“Just one more shot!” Pranav said increasing the exposure.
As the shutter snapped, they both looked at the preview on the camera.
Their eyes were wide and gleaming with joy. As if they both just delivered a baby with a successful caesarean.
“I never knew that we could get a such an awesome shot of the crescent moon with this basic lens.” Charan scratched his head with a pleasing look still set on the preview image of the camera.
###
It sure is a long time since I wrote a story.
Or for that matter write anything at all. Taking a perfect moon picture has been a big thing for me. And today it was just way too good for me to postpone it anymore. So there I was standing on top of the water tank trying to get the out-of-this-world photograph with my simple mirrorless camera and a kit lens.
Its not much. But its something for me.
Happy Photography Day!