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I think the name Hoyle on this token refers to Edmond Hoyle (1672- 1769) who was a writer best known for his works on the rules and play of card games. The phrase "According to Hoyle" came into the language as a reflection of his generally percieved authority on the subject.
For the most part my husband and I don't need these any more - we have a monthly parking permit for the train station. But every once in a blue moon we both need to take the train at different times, so it's good to have a couple of these around for those situations.
A love token on an 1891 seated liberty dime bearing the letter M which I recently purchased at auction.
Love tokens were popular in the United States from circa 1860 - 1910. An individual would smooth one side of a coin and engrave initials, words or symbols of personal significance. In the American tradition, the love token was given to a sweetheart as a token to be carried at all times.
A more detailed history of love tokens is available at the PCGS website:
You need long arms to be a Worth Valley Railway signalman. Here No. 78022 waits while 37075 comes downhill and gets the token for the single line to Keighley.
A Hindu temple token (ramatanka), intended as an offering at a temple, probably 19th or 20th century manufacture. First side shows Rama with his brother Lakshmana. Reverse shows Rama seated with his consort Sita on throne, with the monkey-god Hanuman below. Lakshmana is to the left, and Rama's two sons Kusha and Lava stand to the right. This seems to be a common temple-token type; other Hindu designs are known, as well as some Sikh and even a few Muslim types.
Carte de visite by the Washington Gallery of Vicksburg, Miss. Edwin M. Main is one of the rare individuals whose Civil War service spanned some of the earliest and last operations of the Civil War. In July 1861 he served as a special orderly to Gen. George B. McClellan during the Battle of Rich Mountain, Va. As a sergeant in the 4th Illinois Cavalry, he distinguished himself in the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh. According to a biographical sketch, "He was several times wounded, the most serious being a gun-shot wound in right shoulder, and a compound fracture of right wrist, the latter received in a charge, his horse being shot and falling on him. He carries the bullet still in his shoulder, it being impracticable to extract it."
But it was his last stint as the major of the 3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry, from 1863-1866, that prompted him to write a history of the regiment.
In The Story of the Marches, Battles and Incidents of the Third United States Colored Cavalry, A Fighting Regiment in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-5, Main wrote with pride of the accomplishments of his regiment. The volume was published in 1908. Included here is a passage about the participation of the Third at Egypt Station, Miss., one of the actions in the successful raid on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad led by Gen. Benjamin H. Grierson from Dec. 21, 1864 to Jan. 5, 1865. Main mentions the mortal wounding of Confederate Gen. Samuel J. Gohlson during the fight. Though Gohlson was severely wounded and suffered the amputation of an arm he died not die as a result of his injury. In fact he lived until 1883.
Here’s Maj. Main’s account:
The command was early in the saddle, the First brigade taking the advance, the Third brigade following, with the Third U. S. Colored Cavalry on the right, the Second brigade, or a part of it, remaining in the rear to guard prisoners and the pack train. The first brigade soon encountered the enemy's cavalry, which being ably handled by its commander, General Gholson, stubbornly contested the ground, but the First brigade pressed on, the sharp crack of their carbines being answered by the defiant yells of the enemy as they retreated from tree to tree, giving shot for shot.
Emerging from the timber into the open prairie, Egypt Station, with its formidable defenses, depot, and a few scattering buildings, came into view a mile or so distant. On being driven out of the woods into the open prairie, the rebel cavalry fell back under cover of the guns of the fort.
The First brigade on reaching the open ground, closed up in column of squadrons and charged the stockade directly in front, while the Third brigade diverged to the right, the Third U. S. Colored Cavalry coming into position on the south side of the stockade. The Fourth Illinois Cavalry, however, having been detached as the brigade came into action, became hotly engaged with the rebel cavalry, driving them back and around to the rear of the stockade, where they mortally wounded General Gholson, and killed and wounded many of his men. In the meantime the First brigade received a disastrous check. As this brigade charged the stockade one thousand muskets belched forth a murderous fire through the loop-holes of the stockade, before which many men and horses went down.
At this critical juncture Major Main, commanding Third U.S. Colored Cavalry, was ordered to dismount his men and charge the stockade on the south side, which order was promptly executed, the men responding with a yell as they came to the front midst a shower of bullets, but before they reached the fort a white flag was hoisted over it in token of surrender, when the firing ceased and the fort surrendered.
To the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, however, more than to any other portion of the command is due the credit of hastening the surrender. This regiment, riding down the rebel cavalry, swung around to the rear of the stockade, which being open and unprotected presented a good point of attack, which the Fourth Illinois Cavalry was not slow to take advantage of. and with their customary dash they charged into the gap. Thus assailed in front and flank by the Fourth Illinois Cavalry and the Third U.S. Colored Cavalry, the garrison hastened to avert the final knockout blow by hoisting a white flag.
The surrender, however, was effected none too soon, as almost simultaneously with the raising of the white flag over the fort, a 12 pound shot came hurtling through the air, heralding the approach of the promised re-inforcements. As the train bearing these re-inforcements slowed up about half a mile from the fort, it was discovered that they had two pieces of artillery, which were mounted on a flat car in front of the engine. The train backed up to the edge of the woods, where the troops, several regiments of infantry, were disembarked and formed line of battle on the open prairie, deployed a heavy skirmish line, and advanced in battle front. In the meantime the two' pieces of artillery on the flat-car kept up a rapid fire, evidently meant as a bluff, as they did no damage, except to the railroad track. To have trained their guns directly on our men would have endangered the lives of their own men, now prisoners in and about the fort. As the enemy continued to advance from the woods, Major Main was ordered to move with his regiment, the Third U.S. Colored Cavalry, and hold them in check, but to avoid bringing on an engagement if possible. The regiment, 800 strong moved out over the prairie in column of squadrons in echelon, presenting a formidable appearance. On nearing the enemy, one company was deployed as skirmishers, and were soon exchanging shots with the enemy, who still continuing to advance, the skirmishers were recalled, and the regiment moved forward front into line with sabres drawn, at which the enemy, evidently expecting to be charged and not relishing the sight of so much cold steel, feel back to their cars, where they reformed under cover of the woods. In the mean time the dead were being buried, the wounded cared for, and the prisoners marched to the rear. Major Main received orders to hold his position until the entire command had withdrawn, then to follow in the rear, which he did, the Third U. S. Colored Cavalry being the last to leave the scene of their late engagement. The enemy were in no condition to follow. The Union loss in this engagement was 70 killed and wounded, thirty of the wounded, too severely hurt to be moved, bad to be left behind. Besides this, the command lost over 100 horses killed.
The enemy's loss was, prisoners between 800 and 1,000 killed and wounded 60 or more, among the killed being their commanding officer. General Gholson. The command bivouacked that night near Houston, the night being well advanced when the Third U. S. Colored Cavalry reached the camping place.
Maj. Main lived until 1917.
I encourage you to use this image for educational purposes only. However, please ask for permission.
Face of CRT-minted tokens, good for a ride on the Chicago "L" during their era. The Chicago Rapid Transit company was a predecessor agency to the CTA, operating all of the city's elevated/subway lines before acquisition by the state-created Chicago Transit Authority.
In addition to CRT, pre-CTA transit was also operated by the Chicago Surface Lines (streetcar system) and the Chicago Motor Coach Company (buses). Because they were private, competing entities, you could not use this token for either of the other systems.
Latin Name: Giraffa camelopardalis
Taken at "Cotswold Wildlife Park", Burford, Oxfordshire.
To be able to eat at ground level the Giraffe has to splay its front legs to reach the ground.
The Giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant. Its scientific name, which is similar to its archaic English name of camelopard, refers to its irregular patches of color on a light background, which bear a token resemblance to a leopard's spots. The average mass for an adult male giraffe is 1,200 kilograms (2,600 lb) while the average mass for an adult female is 830 kilograms (1,800 lb). It is approximately 4.3 metres (14 ft) to 5.2 metres (17 ft) tall, although the tallest male recorded stood almost 6 metres (20 ft).
The giraffe is related to other even-toed ungulates, such as deer and cattle, but is placed in a separate family, the Giraffidae, consisting of only the giraffe and its closest relative, the okapi, and their extinct relatives. Its range extends from Chad in Central Africa to South Africa. Giraffes usually inhabit savannas, grasslands, or open woodlands. However, when food is scarce they will venture into areas with denser vegetation. They prefer areas with plenty of acacia growth. They will drink large quantities of water when available, which enables them to live for extended periods in arid areas. The giraffe's fur may serve as a chemical defence, and is full of antibiotics and parasite repellents that gives the animal a characteristic scent. Old males are sometimes nicknamed "stink bulls". There are at least eleven main aromatic chemicals in the fur, although indole and 3-methylindole are responsible for most of their smell. Because the males have a stronger odour than the females, it is also suspected that it has a sexual function. The giraffe has one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal, which averages 4.6 hours per 24 hours.
Taken with my Sigma 70-300mm f/4.5-6 DG Macro Lens and apart from being cropped and framed in Photoshop, is SOOC.
What tokens are tucked away in your drawer or chest.
Love letters? Photographs? Pressed flowers? Or is it a secret? Just old memories...
Thank you for looking. xxxx
The crew of 'Covertcoat' take the token for the return to Launceston. Newmills, Launceston Steam Railway, 12th October 2018.
A special for the Railway children charity, organised by a combination of East Midland Trains, The 125 Group and the Branch Line Society running around the north of England and visiting the NYMR as a part
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard that was published by The Promenade Studio, Whitley Bay. The card, which has a divided back, has been hand-stamped with the date 25 Jul 1930. This day was in fact a Friday.
Annie Ross
So what else happened on the day that the card was hand-stamped?
Well, the 25th. July 1930 marked the birth in Surrey of Annie Ross.
Born Annabelle McCauley Allan Short, Annie was a British-American singer and actress who was active between 1937 and 2020.
Known professionally as Annie Ross, she was best known as a member of the jazz vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.
Annie Ross - The Early Years
Annie Ross was born in Surrey, England, the daughter of Scottish vaudevillians John "Jack" Short and Mary Dalziel Short (née Allan).
Her brother was Scottish entertainer and theatre producer and director Jimmy Logan. She first appeared on stage at age three. At the age of four, she travelled to New York by ship with her family; she later recalled that:
"We got the cheapest ticket, which
was right in the bowels of the ship".
Shortly after arriving in New York, she won a token contract with MGM through a children's radio contest run by Paul Whiteman. She subsequently moved with her aunt, Scottish-American singer and actress Ella Logan, to Los Angeles, and her mother, father and brother returned to Scotland.
Annie did not see her parents again until fourteen years later. At the age of seven, she sang "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" in Our Gang Follies of 1938, and played Judy Garland's character's sister in Presenting Lily Mars (1943).
At the age of 14, Annie wrote the song "Let's Fly", which won a songwriting contest and was recorded by Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers.
At the end of 10th. grade, she left school, changed her name to Annie Ross, and went to Europe, where she established her singing career. Annie changed her surname to Ross during the plane trip to Prestwick; in a 2011 interview, she said:
"My aunt was very fanciful, and she
said I had an Irish grandmother called
Ross, so that's where that surname
came from".
Annie Ross's Career
In 1952, Ross met Prestige Records owner Bob Weinstock, who asked her to write lyrics to a jazz solo in a similar way to King Pleasure, a practice that would later be known as vocalese. The next day, she presented him with "Twisted", a treatment of saxophonist Wardell Gray's 1949 composition of the same name, a classic example of the genre.
The song, first released in 1952, was an underground hit, and resulted in her winning Down Beat magazine's New Star award.
In February 1956, the British music magazine NME reported that Ross's version of the song "I Want You to Be My Baby" was banned by the BBC due to the lyric "Come upstairs and have some loving".
Annie recorded seven albums with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross between 1957 and 1962. Their first, Sing a Song of Basie (1957), was to have been performed by a group of singers hired by Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert with Ross brought in only as vocal consultant.
However it was decided that the trio should attempt to record the material and overdub all the additional vocals themselves, but the first two tracks were recorded and deemed unsatisfactory, so they ditched the dubbing idea.
The resulting album was a success, and the trio became an international hit. Over the next five years, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross toured the world, and recorded such albums as The Hottest New Group in Jazz (1959), Sing Ellington (1960), High Flying (1962), and The Real Ambassadors (1962), written by Dave Brubeck and featuring Louis Armstrong and Carmen McRae.
Ross left the group in 1962, and in 1964 opened a nightclub in London. Annie's Room hosted Joe Williams, Nina Simone, Stuff Smith, Blossom Dearie, Anita O'Day, Jon Hendricks, and Erroll Garner.
Her adulthood film roles included Liza in the film Straight On till Morning (1972), Claire in Alfie Darling (1976), Diana Sharman in Funny Money (1983), Vera Webster in Superman III (1983), Mrs. Hazeltine in Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Rose Brooks in Witchery (1988), Loretta Cresswood in Pump Up the Volume (1990), Tess Trainer in Robert Altman's Short Cuts (1993), and Lydia in Blue Sky (1994).
Annie also appeared as Granny Ruth in the horror films Basket Case 2 (1990) and Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1991). She also had a bit part in Robert Altman's The Player in 1992. Ross also starred in Scottish Television's comedy-drama Charles Endell Esquire (1979).
Annie provided the speaking voice for Britt Ekland in The Wicker Man (1973), and Ingrid Thulin's singing voice in Salon Kitty (1976). On stage, she appeared in Cranks (1955; London and New York City), The Threepenny Opera (1972), The Seven Deadly Sins (1973) at the Royal Opera House, Kennedy's Children (1975) at the Arts Theatre, London, Side by Side by Sondheim, and in the Joe Papp production of The Pirates of Penzance (1982).
Annie Ross's Personal Life
In 1949, Ross had a brief affair with drummer Kenny Clarke. This affair produced a son, Kenny Clarke Jr. (born 1950), who was raised by Clarke's brother and his wife.
During her time with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Annie became addicted to heroin. In the late 1950's she had an affair with the comedian Lenny Bruce, who was also having drug problems. By 1960, Carol Sloane was substituting for her on tour. After a performance by the trio in London in May 1962, she remained in London to confront her drug addiction.
In 1963, she married actor Sean Lynch; they divorced in 1975, and he died in a car crash soon afterwards. By that time, she had also lost her home, and declared bankruptcy.
Annie became a United States citizen in 2001.
Annie died in New York City on the 21st. July 2020 from emphysema and heart disease, four days before her 90th. birthday.
Annie Ross's Awards and Honours
Ross received the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame award (2009), the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters' Award (2010), and the MAC Award for Lifetime Achievement (2011).
In July 2006 a one-woman play entitled Twisted: The Annie Ross Story by Brian McGeachan premiered at The Space Theatre in London, starring Verity Quade. It focused on Annie's stormy relationship with her aunt, Broadway legend Ella Logan, her brief affair with the comedian Lenny Bruce and her addiction to heroin. The play transferred to the Brockley Jack Theatre in London that same year, with Ross being played by Betsy Pennington.
A documentary about Ross's life, entitled No One But Me, premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in 2012.
If any of you here grew up in Montreal, Quebec, you may remember these bridge tokens. The one on the left was used for the Champlain and Jacques Cartier Bridges. The one on the left was for the Champlain Bridge only. Not sure when they removed the tolls, but I have about a half dozen tokens left over from our commutes into the city from the south shore.
1667, half penny trade token issued by Benedict Coles.
Benedict was a Leighton Buzzard grocer, trading from the north side of the High Street by the Market Cross - photo shows both sides of the token
Please be aware... I am no stamp expert. Posted titles here are either what I was told when acquiring these or are from a simple Google search. I make no claim as to them being 100% accurate but I make an effort to be as factual as I am able when posting. There may well be some duplication of type or variety, but I try not to double post any single items. My feeble brain may slip on that from time to time. These are all from my semi worthless collection from over the years. Little to no value exists in most (if not all) of them. They are just a hobby.
After all the jewelry the Purple Mage was obliged to wear as status markers, this little token of devotion is that much more precious to Nightowl.
The driver of 37294 prepares to hand over the token on the approach to Embsay station at the end of its run from Bolton Abbey.
Old Russian metro tokens, were in use in the 1990s' (metal tokens - in 1992, they were replaced by plastic ones)
I hail from the two lovely states of India - my father from Kudachi (Karnataka) & and my mother from Madai (Kutch - Gujarat). Hence, Dakni from Father’s side and Cutchi Memon from Mother’s.
Born and brought up with utmost love and care from Parents and 5 adorable Khalas (Aunts).
Two schools - Diamond Jubilee (till 4th Standard) and St. Josephs High School (Umerkhadi) .. those days were fun .. got love from most of my teachers which was reciprocated with respect from my side. I am still in touch with most of them.
Wish my Teachers Maam Jhoola Fernandes and Maam Shyamala Ramani reads this.
While in school I met my first teacher .. my first Guru Shri Arif Kazi, showed confidence in me and pushed me into dramatics .. the seed was sown ... thnks so much Arif Bhai for being that Elder Brother and showing me the right path and always guiding me.
College life was more of freedom, romance and love.
Was not much of a good student but studied just before my exams and got satisfactory results most of the time.
Married the lady whom i loved when I was in the 3rd year of College, I took the responsibility of my married life and started looking for work.
The spate of jobs followed - Space seller with Free Press Newspaper, Sold Fax machines to corporate houses, took passports to consulates for Raj Travels, Front Office Receptionist at Balwas International Hotel, Bombay Mercantile Cooperative Bank Ltd - Position: Token and Scroll.
When I was in Bank, I was forced to make a folio by my dear friend Rashid Khan as he thought I had a face and the smile to become a good model.
6 months from thn I shot my folio with photographer Zul Siwani and started seeking help as to how to go about getting work as a model from who so ever could offer me.
During this process, I met a school friend of mine who at that time was into modeling and was doing good.
The meeting was disastrous and the friend had developed major attitude and this is what he told me …
"Abey tu kya model banega .. teri shakal aur motapa to dekh .. kuch aur kar .. modeling tere bas ki baat nahi hai …”.
My journey started as model started with an AV for a group of budding film makers of XISC … two of them are established film makers in their own right now .. Mukul Abhyankar and Rahul Dholakia.
Still shoots, textile posters and being part of a crowd in an Ad Film too. I was happy doing whatever was being offered as I had no knowledge as to how the advertising industry functions. Just knew that pictures have to given to advertising agencies, model co-ordinators and production houses.
I did not know my worth, did not even know that my smile has some zing. It was later while working with the advertising geniuses and doing more folios that I came to know my plus and minus points.
On one such shoot, I met a model called Suhail Suleman and he showed me his folio and told me about Gautam Rajadhyaksha - The ACE photographer of India. I was zapped to see the quality of the folio which Suhail had and marveled at the lighting and the presentation of the model by Gautam ji. He gave me Gautamji's number and soon I met Gautam ji and got shocked by hearing his fee, which was Rs.4000/- for doing the folio, a very big amount that time (in 1998). I shared this with my dad, who was an employee of "Bombay Port Trust" and probably that must be his entire month's salary in those days. He declined saying you should garner work whatever you can with the Zul Siwani’s folio. But my wife offered her gold chain for the folio which fetched me around Rs.3500/-. But I was still short of Rs.500/- I met Gautamji and he was generous enough to do my folio for Rs.3500/-.
Gautam ji clicked my folio and I never looked back after that moment. The process of distributing those photographs to various advertising agencies, production houses and model co coordinators started once again.
The first phone call came from Z films, Mr Dilip Ghosh was the first ad film director who gave me my first chance in an ad film called Boney Mix.
I knew nothing about expression or posing .. but just followed by director and their commands ..
I just smiled through all the advertising films and still shoots and despite of the odds my friend saw in me I became one of the most popular advertising model and got listed in the Limca book of records (2004) as the only model to have done the maximum ads in India. I give my ‘smile’ the credit for whatever good times I saw in the world of Modeling.
While working in an ad film .. I got to meet Theater Guru Shri Giresh Desai, while waiting for our shots we had ample time and he told me all about Bhartiya Natya Sheekhsapeeth and the world of dramas and theatre.
I came under his guidance and started doing plays under his direction, an amazing human and a great Guru. Apart from acting what Sir taught me was what love, compassion and Humanity is all about. In these times we need many many more Bhau Saheb in this world who can teach us lessons on Humanity.
Started my own group and did many experimental plays at Geeta Mandir at Bhartiya Natya Shikhshapeeth and experienced the magic of stage and tried to make myself a better actor and a better human.
While modeling, I also simultaneously did some good serials with eminent Directors and Makers in between … O Maria (with Satish Kaushik ji and Ram Bundelaji), Gharounda (with Rajan Waghdhare ji and Chota mooh badi baat (with Parvati Balgopalan), Main (with Swapna Waghmare Joshiiji) to name a few … hosted two film based programme ‘Ujala Filmi baatein’ with Pravin Karale & Zee and Bollywood Reporter’ with Plus channel.
Did two films as a lead actor too but then it got caught in distribution hassles and could not get released …
Got to meet & work with some of the most amazing directors who brought out the best from me, wonderful cinematographers who made me look good, Makeup wizards who made me look presentable on screen nd lastly have greatest regards for those beautiful co models and super talented kid models.
The journey as model and actor ended around 2007 .. Modeling stopped … Serials were taken off Air and movies didn’t release .. a very bad phase .. everything was working against me .. had all the free time and nothing to do .. nothing to look forward to.. I was living the worst phase of life both personally and professionally. From Zenith straight to Nadar. But we the mortals don't realize that the almighty have bigger and better plans for us, instead of thanking him for making such a novice like me a popular model, loved by many, I always complained and complained as to why me?
But the Almighty had other plans for me which I could not understand at that point of time ..
In 2007 I didn't know anything about Camera or Aperture or Shutter or ISO and most importantly how to play with light. One fine afternoon, I took my Cosina camera in my hand, started to marvel it, looking at it I checked the lens as to how it moves in and out (was a novice not knowing that its called the zooming power of lens), thus my journey and my love for camera and photography started. But then when you start anything new, you arr confused and there are detractors all around.
I was told "ki yaar modeling nahi chal rahi to abhi photography karega magar photography modeling nahi .. bahut difficult hai ... battis daant dikhao aur product ko haath me lekar hasna easy hai … Photography light ka khel hai .. light ko samjhne mein hi teri zindagi nikal jayegi" …
What my detractors didn't knew then and even now is that what I have and what they lack is the indomitable spirit and love i have for whatever i want to attain and achieve. If there are Detractors then there is Inspiring force too around you.
Initially I started shooting folios of upcoming models with outdoor locations and earned whatever I could. Confidence was boosted when my friends Mohib Khan, Salim Baig, Khalid Siddique, Husain Khan and Aijaz Khan started referring me to their friends to click their folios by me.
Thats how i started earning again.
Late, Narayan bhai of IPA and Shabir Patel motivated me and coaxed me to start hiring studio and shoot indoor as well. I was now shooting both indoor and outdoors. I did everything to gain knowledge, explored not only the camera but also the art and the technicalities which go along with it. In the process, I came to know what aperture, shutter and ISO is all about. I came to know that apart from shooting head shots or folios there are many other genres like tabletop, architecture which one can delve into.
Slowly, I shifted from studio to outdoors and explored Mumbai through 18-105 kit lens. Shot almost all the towers which were sprouting up in and around south Mumbai. Then later I bought Tokina Fisheye lens and freaked over it. The curves it presented and the wideness it gave me just made me shoot more and more with it.
Later when I had almost shot anything and everything of Mumbai’s landmark I had the opportunity to meet Photographer Babul Bhatt .. an amazing photographer and a generous person as well.. I distinctly remember our meeting and shooting Mohd Ali Road in the month of Ramzan and therefore the first time I saw this little magic called 50mm on his camera .. as i said he was generous and he gave me his camera and I shot his portrait with it .
50mm ka nasha jo chadha to utra hi nahi … along with that at the same time I chanced upon a product shot which had bokeh and thus started the journey of 50mm, table top photography with natural available light and bokeh which later I also connected with Rumi’s sahabs sayings and created visuals which went with the quotes.
Coming back to Babul Bhatt's generosity .. later he also taught me the techniques of how to shoot Blue hour visuals and I am indebted to him for life.
Sticking to just one genre continuously for many years can bring monotony. Mine was a bigger challenge as I had a past of being a popular model. There was this talk “ki abhi saale ki modeling, acting nahi chal rahi to photography try kar raha hai .. iska kuch hone wala nahi”.
I had not only to prove myself but to prove my detractors wrong. For me Photography was a do or die situation flickr gave me a platform to showcase my clicks, where photographers from all over the world visited and gave positive comments on my visuals, which boosted my confidence immensely. When I started, I made a promise to myself that if I am entering this world, I will put in my best and would not stick to one genre and would explore every genre of it.
International photographers are very generous in sharing their knowledge through videos, so I learnt whatever I could.
A time came when I wanted to experiment and learn lighting with speed lights, so Hari Mahidhar Sir whom I knew from my modeling days came to my rescue, he was so generous that he invited me to his studio and taught me everything he could in speed lighting.
My story would be incomplete without the support of Shabir Patel, an amazing friend and a great photographer himself. I don't think without his able support I could ever think of becoming a photographer and also learn post processing with Photoshop.
So explored every nuance and genre of this amazing art and whatever I learnt I presented it into two seasons of 365. I shared all the makings of those visuals as well to all my friends on facebook as i felt sharing is actually gaining knowledge. So what I took I gave it all back.
While I was doing season 2 of 365 and in the middle of it, I lost my dad. He was everything for me, but I kept the season on. Uploaded a photo on the day of his demise.
Khair Zindagi abhi khatam nahi hui, bas fark ye hai ki ab meri diary mein, Allah se shikve kam ho gaye hai. Maine un chizon par raazi hona seekh liya hai jo wo mujhe deta hai aur un cheezon ki talaash chod di hai jo naa haasil hai.
2,935 Photographs clicked and on display at flickr, two seasons of 365 project, One hundred and sixteen 360 degree virtual panoramas of India, more then 135 stories in Humans of Mumbai, commercially associated with best of the architectural firms, amazing family, great wife, able support of my sisters, lovely daughters & friends who can die for me.
I am rich. Rich with the treasure of photographs I have, the passion I carry and the zeal with which I live my life to the fullest.
By grace and generosity of Allah I still have a long way to go ... lots to do and lots to achieve.
Lastly Zindagi vakay gulzar hai.
As i wrote earlier if there are Detractors then there are Inspiring forces too around you.
Thanks to Arif Kazi for introducing me to dramatics very early in my school life..
Late Shri Giresh Desai for being my Guru and for being 'The Human' amongst Humans. My love and respect for him has no boundaries.
Writer Sadik bhai for giving me 'Vaapsi'. I played Eunuch in the play for which i earned the best actor prize.
Thanks to all these Inspiring forces behind my learnings as a model: friend Rashid Khan (for modeling), Abu Siwani Sahab and Zul Siwani Photography (mentor nd great motivaters), friend Shruti Lavingya, Shirodkar ji of Saaheb Shirts), Photographer Guru Gautam Rajadhyaksh ji (for shooing my folio and always guiding and inspiring me as a model) Photographer Sanjiv Nadkarni (for giving me my first still break in modeling) Z Films and Shri DilipGhosh (for giving me my first ad film break is model), Kanika Bharat (for giving me Sunrise coffee and making me household face in Chennai), Anita Israni ji for all the modeling work she offerend me in Mumbai, (Biju Jayadevan, Rukmani Padmanabh , Thara Thaara Umesh and Lakshmi Sivakumar for making me a come again and again to beautiful Chennai to shoot as a model)
Thanks to all these Inspiring forces behind my learning as a Photographer: Friends Mohib Khan, Salim Baig Panda, Khalid Siddiqui, Husain Attar and Aijaz Khan (got me folios and from that my earnings), Narayan Bhai of IPA (for Indoor Photography - God bless him always), Diego de miranda and Trey Ratcliff for HDR, Dustin Diaz for speedlight & doing 365 Project, Hari Mahidhar Sir (for usage of Speedlights), Sir Haresh Daftary (for being a brother I always wished for and inspiring me always in photography), Babul Bhatt (for being an understanding friend and teaching me Long exposure and Blue hour), Photographer Rizwan Mithawala (for coaxing me to try out table tops at home), Gharawala Bharat (for sharing anything and everything which is connected to photography) and finally Shabirali Patel who was so very inspiring and motivating in sharing knowledge whenever I wanted.
Naresh Nagda, Imran Patel & Javed Mulla (for being very good humans and friends).
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Pic courtesy: my bhanja Kabeer Kaushik
This quarter sized jeton may have been issued in Corsica from 1736-38. The legend reads THEODORVS on the revese side. On this side though the legend reads PRIN-LEO-DVX (duke). Below is a bit of history of King Theodore of Corsica.
Neuhof, Theodor, Baron von (tā'ōdôr' bärōn' fən noi'hōf) , 1694–1756, German adventurer, b. Metz, France. After a career as a soldier and diplomat, he was persuaded by Corsicans rebelling against Genoese rule to become (1736) their king as Theodore I of Corsica. Driven from Corsica by the Genoese with French aid in 1738, he tried (1738, 1743) unsuccessfully to regain his throne. After 1749 he lived in poverty in England and was once released from debtors' prison through the influence of Horace Walpole. He figures grotesquely in Voltaire's Candide.