Temporary Storage by Bappa Goswami

Captured during a honeymoon excursion through the lush spice gardens of Thekkady, Kerala, this image transforms a mundane scene into a compelling still life. While observing the textured, item-filled crevices of a garden wall, the photographer discovered an unexpected subject: a lizard perfectly positioned within the frame. The composition highlights the interplay between the organic textures of the wall and the subtle presence of the wildlife. This photograph is award-worthy for its keen eye for detail, turning a fleeting, serendipitous moment in nature into a structured, evocative narrative of discovery and quiet observation.

Temporary Storage by Bappa Goswami
Nikon D700 | Exposure 1/40sec @ f/5.6 | ISO 1000 | Focal Length 100mm
Copyright Β© Bappa Goswami
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Bappa Goswami

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born and raised in Kolkata, Krishna Kalyan Goswamiβ€”widely known as Bappaβ€”is a Bangalore-based Network Consulting Engineer at Cisco Systems. A self-taught photographer, he discovered his passion for the craft after acquiring his first DSLR, eventually advancing to the Nikon D700. Though he maintains a dedicated professional career, he treats photography as a vital creative pursuit, balancing his technical expertise with an artistic eye that captures the intricate details of the world around him.

Profile View Full Profile
12.0/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
165/500
SHARE
SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
20,408 views | 5 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date May 25, 2011
64.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 15.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Kerala, India

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Bappa Goswami Photography
Still Life Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.7/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,665/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
20,408/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.7/5 points
165/500 Submission
Jury Score: 64.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.7/20
Total Award Score: 75.7/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 5

Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The wall’s rough, ancient skin holds the heat of a Kerala afternoon. He stood there, breathless, waiting for the lizard to trust the silence. It’s not just a creature in a crevice; it’s a heartbeat caught in stone. I’ve felt that same stillness, where the world narrows down to a single, textured breath. It’s a quiet miracle, really. He didn’t force the frame; he simply listened until the wall finally decided to reveal its secret.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most entries I see in this category rely on forced staging, but this lizard’s stillness against the rough, mossy stone feels earned. It’s a quiet, accidental masterpiece. The way the creature’s skin mimics the wall’s texture creates a tension that keeps me looking. I’ve stared at this for ten minutes, and I still feel that sudden, sharp jolt of discovery I had when I first opened the file. It’s a rare, enduring glimpse of nature’s camouflage.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The ochre of the sun-baked stone, reminiscent of a Morandi still life, anchors the gaze before the lizard’s emerald skinβ€”a shade of moss clinging to damp, ancient masonryβ€”emerges from the crevices. It’s a quiet, chromatic tension that I find utterly intoxicating. One feels the humid breath of Kerala in these muted, earthy tones, where the light doesn't merely illuminate; it caresses the rough, textured surface, turning a fleeting, scaly encounter into a profound, painterly meditation.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
Honeymooners usually spend their time looking at each other, not at the lichen on a garden wall. It’s a pleasant enough find, though one wonders if the lizard was a lucky guest or a patient subject. I’ve spent hours staring at similar crevices in the rain, waiting for a creature to blink. It’s a quiet, decent shot, but I’m left wanting to know if he returned the next day to see if the light improved.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The wall’s granular texture provides a necessary anchor for the lizard’s lateral placement. It’s a study in spatial tension. The creature disrupts the chaotic masonry, forcing the eye toward the frame’s lower quadrant. I’m genuinely unsettled by how the lizard’s stillness dictates the entire picture plane. It doesn't rely on the garden’s lushness; it relies on the geometry of the crevices. The composition holds because the subject refuses to compete with the wall’s weight.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Clara Menezes

The Architecture of Waiting

We are all, in some sense, tenants of the cracks. We build our lives in the narrow, overlooked margins of the world, tucking our histories into the fissures of stone and time.

Read the reflection →
By Margaret Holt

The Architecture of Waiting

We often speak of homes as if they are static thingsβ€”four walls, a roof, a fixed address. But if you watch the way a garden wall settles into the earth, or how a crack in the stone becomes a highway for the small and the swift, you realize that space is never truly empty.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

5 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Architecture of SweetnessLychee Goodness, by Kelven Ng - Food Photography, Photo of the Day, Photography Awards, Art Photography, Kelven NgTickling Manhattan, by Nancy SΓ‘mano - Artistic Photography, Photography Awards, Photo of the Day, New York Photography, Nancy SΓ‘manoThe Architecture of Play