But we’ve dusted out the cobwebs, blown out the dust and made this place a tad shinier to announce a big event. We are two, yes two years old this week! It’s been an incredible journey. All the six of us have travelled tons, taken thousands of photographs, met old friends, discovered new friends, strengthened existing ones and everything in between. But above all, we received amazing support from you. There were times when the entire endeavour came dangerously close to being shuttered, but you told us to hang in there. You told us how amazing this place was to you. You told us that you’ll miss us greatly if were to shut down. You told us to travel and share. Thank you. Without you, we couldn’t have done it.

So, to celebrate, we are doing something special this week. Each of us will post a photograph that is most closest to our hearts. The photographs that have made us laugh, the photos that have made us angry, photos that have made us cry, photos that have shown us some amazing things. They may not be the most technically perfect ones. They need not be, but they are the ones we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives.

Happy Birthday, IDP! Come celebrate with us.

When I checked the calender and realized that 1st January 2009 was a Thursday (the day I usually post a photo on) I decided that I wanted to do something special… and I think this was the first time I went out to make a photo with something very specific in mind. 

I wanted a little plant/flower/bud popping it’s head from the earth – something I thought was very representative of what this new year means to me, and what I wish it to be for everyone. 

I traveled to Hampi over the last weekend, and the morning, I woke up, stepped into the sunlight, the light was perfect and gorgeous and with a slight bit of effort, we spotted the tiniest, cheerfully bright yellow petaled flower that looked so brand new. 

We sprinked a little water to make the earth damp and soft, and I zoomed in to capture the tiny fragment of life – which came up because of so many things being right -the earth, the nourishment, water, the sunlight, and a while ago, a small seed. 

And that is how my special photo was made.