Rezaul Haque

A Day at the Arboretum

Rezaul — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:15:30 +0000

Every winter I ask myself, why do I live in Boston? Why do I put up with the miserable weather? Then this happens–spring arrives and I remember why. As Boston comes to life, I start remembering the values of four distinct seasons. How I need to struggle through the erratic New England weather to appreciate this. To appreciate walking through The Arnold Arboretum and rub my face in their heavenly fragrant lilacs. This is why I live in Boston.

Purple Arboretum-3

Purple Arboretum-2

White Arboretum

Purple Arboretum

Red Arboretum

A Day at the Library

Rezaul — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:14:39 +0000

I shot these at the Boston Public Library. In addition to having beautiful architecture to house its book, the library also has breathtaking art, like the sculpture in its courtyard, “Dancing Bacchante with an Infant Faun” by Frederick William. Incidentally, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has one too.

Dancing Bacchante with an Infant Faun-2

A mural by John Singer Sargent

Doorway to Knowledge

Israelites Oppressed by John Singer Sargent

Reflecting Time

Smart Traveler

Leo

Courtyard

Thanks for stopping by today.

A Day at the Aquarium

Rezaul — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:11:28 +0000

This post is part of my “I’m a tourist, so can you” series. In this series I see a city I’ve called home for more than two decades with new eyes. Ones that have a camera in front of them. This time I’m at the New England Aquarium.

Nature is Slow

Nature is Mysterious

Nature is Beautiful

Nature is Formal

Nature is Fleeting

Hi, My Name is Ayaan

Rezaul — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:19:53 +0000

Hi, I’m Ayaan. I’m three days old and weigh 6lbs, 14oz. Some say I’m quite tall (19.5 inches) for a boy of my age. Here are a few recent photos of me at the hospital. Hope you like them.

I’m also in a movie.

Thanks for visiting. -Ayaan

Boston Marathon: Miles to Go

Rezaul — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:14:17 +0000

Today was Patriot’s Day in the US and if you’re in Boston, you would have noticed a lot of folks running around, for it is also the day of the 116th annual Boston Marathon. It’s a day when the city comes alive and cheers all who come to Boston to run.

Boston marathon brings out the best in people, not just in the runners, but also in the people who cheer for them.

Brookline fire fighters set up this misty tent to help runners tackle record heat.

Represent.

What is a kilometer?

Boston fire fighters doing their part.

Back to miles.

You think you can do what they do? Try running a marathon. Now try running it with a gigantic backpack.

Sorry guys, I'm pretty sure the winners Wesley Korir and Sharon Cherop aren't from Boston.

This guy is one of the official photographers. They were everywhere and packing some serious hardware. The lighting conditions were tough though, at least from their perspective–I hope they made out okay.

The police was all in.

This was going to be my reward for all the walking around. Damn economy!

All wasn't lost though, I ran into Eric Kluin standing in his rightful place outside Sonsie.

This art is political.

Finally, the marathon was over and it was time for the cleanup. The roads were littered with thousands of water cups. Within an hour the respective cities cleaned up the roads so they can be opened to general traffic. It was an amazing feat to watch.

My Last Roll of Film

Rezaul — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:41:38 +0000

I still have an old Nikon 35mm film SLR camera. I bought it during the university years when I started dabbling in photography. Back then I primarily shot in black and white, mostly because I could use the school lab to develop/print my films. I don’t use the film camera anymore. It has been long replaced by a DSLR.

Last week, while cleaning out a closet I found the old long forgotten camera. I picked it up (all nostalgic), when I noticed there was still film in it. Curious about what was in the film, I had it developed straight away. Here’s what I found (presented here completely unprocessed). After many years in the old camera the film was pretty beat up, but I still love the images. I love them because in the current age of pristine or faux-distressed images, it’s refreshing to find ones with authentic whimsical textures.

Wish You Were Here Book Now Available

Rezaul — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:59:43 +0000

Wish You Were Here is now available from Blurb. It’s a 50-page book of photographs from my trip to Dubai, Bangkok and Dhaka with some commentary from me. It’s three months in the making: from end of 2011, when I took the photographs, to when I got back to Boston, I have been meaning to put this together. Better late than never!

In the age of all media migrating online, I still like the feel of a book. A book I can hold in my hands, smell, feel the texture of the pages as I turn them. Yes, I know I’m a dinosaur. Already have the book? Come to Blurb and write a review! I appreciate your feedback and support very much! Want your own copy, you can order it from Blurb.

Inside the Book

Book is made with archival-quality 100# (148 GSM) paper has an eggshell-textured, uncoated finish. The Mohawk name for this paper is Mohawk Superfine Eggshell Ultrawhite. Besides new descriptions, the book features several previously unpublished photos. Here are a few shots of the actual book.

Chapter 1: Dubai. What I remember most about Dubai is its architecture. I was lucky enough to be visiting during their Independence Day. In celebration there was an amazing Ferrari car show. Okay, none of the photos from the show made into this book, but if you’re curious, you can find them here.

Chapter 2: Bangkok. This is my second trip here, this time I did two things differently: one, I stayed at a hotel away from the madness of central Bangkok and two, I took public transportation to get around. The hotel by the river had a view so beautiful that I could stare at it all day and night. Taking the Skytrain or walking, I got a better feel for the city. Also, I avoided being stuck in the notorious Bangkok traffic.

Chapter 3: Dhaka. No amount of exposure to chronic traffic can prepare you for Dhaka traffic. In fact, once you recover from jet-lag, you can expect depression to slowly set in. Because, either you will spend most of your waking hours stuck in traffic or you will never go out. However, if you travel far enough away from Dhaka, you will get a glimpse of how beautiful Bangladesh is.

A Day at the Zoo

Rezaul — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:31:23 +0000

Last week I went to the zoo. I’ve lived in Boston for more than twenty years now and have never been to the zoo here. So on a perfectly warm spring day I decided to set things right and went to the Franklin Park Zoo. The day wasn’t without its challenges. For one thing the light was very harsh and unfortunately the zoo is not open during good light.

Walking past the Serengeti Crossing I had the zebras posing for me (not this shot).

I was shooting a gorilla right next to the protective glass 50 meters away in their “Tropical Forest,” when a loud thud on the glass scared the hell out of me. First thing I noticed was the young mother and her child next to me nearly jumped out of their skin. It turns out while I was focusing on another gorilla, this one attacked me. I guess he doesn’t like photographers. (this one is for you Shahrina)

Lion lounging in the Kalahari Kingdom. I guess this is exactly what he’d be doing if he was in the wild.

Creative Common License: Feel free to use photos with credits and links. No commercial use without permission.

Top 3 Photographers of 2011

Rezaul — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:00:14 +0000

Last year I put together a list of Top 8 Artists of 2010. This year’s list recognizes photographers. Some are some of the nicest people on earth, with impeccable skills with a body of work that rivals any paintings. What makes these photographers special is their dedication to their craft, the passion that comes out in their work, and how they are eternally curious, which leads to always challenging themselves to be better. Enjoy!

Scott Kelby

I first got introduced to his work because of his books. He writes the best books on photography in the world. His books are easy to read/understand and of course informative. They’re also kinda funny. He’s also a heck of a photographer.

Thomas Hawk

I like his work because of how he’s able to make everyday things interesting.

Trey Ratcliff

I first got into Trey’s work because I wanted to learn how to take HDR (high dynamic range) images. If HDR is what interests you, his website is where you start. Period. But I “stuck” with him because he’s a wicked nice guy, which a diverse set of interests that goes way beyond photography.

There are many others whose work I like, but I may have left them out because they are into more business than art. But it’s great to be in a time with so many great photographers to follow and learn from, don’t you think?

On a Jet Plane: Dubai

Rezaul — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:07 +0000

I’ve been flying through Dubai for many years now. It’s a popular transit hub for anyone going from west to east. Last year was the first time I went and checked out the city. My cousin works there now. Since it’s always good to know a local, I decided this was the time to visit. Best way for me to describe this city is that it’s Vegas on a grander scale. There’s a lot of wealth here and it shows. Particularly in its architecture. Sure, everyone visiting Dubai has a shot of Burj Khalifa. This is mine of the tallest structure in the world.

One can’t talk about Dubai architecture with mentioning the iconic hotel Burj Al Arab. Yes, it’s a lavish hotel, but the thing that does it for me is you can draw three lines on a piece of paper and anyone who loves architecture (and some who don’t) will know exactly the building you’re trying to draw.

In Dubai there is always new development in the works. My favorite is this one, twisting as it reaches the sky.

Beyond all the development and the money, there’s a Dubai story that’s easy to miss if you don’t pay attention. This story has roads that lead to nowhere, development projects long abandoned since the heydays of worldwide prosperity–slowly being reclaimed by the desert.

Creative Common License: Feel free to use photos with credits and links. No commercial use without permission.