Experiencing autumn's beauty

Fine eye

Perhaps the best return gift that we could give to nature is appreciation, and freelance photographer Tarun Mathur has done it well with his recent photo exhibit ‘Autumn Sonata.’

He has captured some stunning pictures of autumn in Canada - a country where changes in this season are most pronounced. One look at them, and a visit to this place will figure on top of your mind.

Tarun studied photography under renowned lensman the late T Kasinath in the eighties. He worked with various news channels and now runs a studio producing films for the Ministry of External Affairs, Doordarshan, Cyber Media group and many others. Photography, though, remains his first love.

He informs Metrolife, “Last year, I came up with the idea of a photo project on autumn. I went through many books, films and poetry by renowned writers on the subject. After a lot of research, I decided to visit Canada for these pictures.”

“In India, we hardly experience autumn. In Europe and America, though, autumn is the most beautiful time of the year. The holiday season is over and the tourists are gone. The forests are tranquil and there is a crisp fall breeze in the air.

The blue colour of the sky is offset against the red, orange and yellow of the trees. It’s a photographer’s delight to be in such a place at this time.”

Tarun made his first visit to Canada - covering Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in the East, last October. The second visit was made in September this year spanning Calgary and Saskatchwan in the West. No doubt, he came back with a treasure trove of pictures.

A shot of two swans swimming in the Grenadier pond of High Park in Toronto fills one with serenity. It’s taken on a cloudy evening with high rises of the metropolis forming the background. There are many pictures of the Algonquin park, few hours away from Toronto. Burning orange  maple leaves cover the park like a carpet. Little animals like squirrels have their share of fun.

Then there are pictures of streets in Vancouver, lined with trees sporting beautiful flowers and locals enjoying their sights.

Breathtaking shots of rivers, lakes and mountains of Marina Bay in Vancouver, Mont Tremblant National park in Quebec, Icefields Parkway, Banff and Jasper Parks in Alberta form a significant part of the exhibition.

Tarun says, “The best thing about Canada is that they really value their relationship with nature.

There are dozens of national parks and carefully maintained parks with lakes in every city. They have preserved their world exactly the way nature intended it to be millions of years ago.”

“In my two trips to Canada till now, I feel, I have succeeded in bringing back only a glimpse of what autumn there is about. There is a lot still left to explore, photograph and see.”