Travel & photography: Jewels of Dal Lake

Dal lake offers scenic views now doubt. But, it also offers wonderful images, up close and personal. It has one of the densest population of water lilies and lotus. Here are some attempts on them.

#1. Lotus royale
Nikon D7000 | 1/250s | f/6.7 | 300mm | ISO400 | Sigma 120-300/2.8
The subject distance was around 15ft.

I had seen, lotus several times. Nothing new in that. But, to be in a spot, that had so many lotus around you, and you could possibly reach out to them and touch and feel them, this was a nice experience. Amongst the various lotus flower, this one appeared to be young, standing alone as if defying the limitation of its surroundings.

#2. The jewel drops on Lily leaves.
Nikon D7000 | 1/1500s | f/6.7 | ISO: 500 | Focal: 180mm | Sigma 120-300mm
Subject distance about 15ft.

In spite of my repeated request to the Shikara man, to follow a particular path, that would have given me sun at the correct position to take snaps... he continued on his preset route... with frustrating long periods of sunlight directly coming on to you. For some time, I sat in the corner and sulked.... it was only then, I slowly caught the droplets sitting pretty on the leaves, and the incoming sun made them sparkle. The small sparkle you see on the drops is natural. In terms of PP Only minimal cropping and curve adjustment done