Dual Take off to 90 by Somnath Chakraborty
During a leisurely evening bike ride through Kolkata’s iconic Gorer Math, the photographer encountered three young men performing daring bicycle stunts. Captivated by their energy and skill, he quickly maneuvered his own bike alongside them, utilizing a high-speed burst of 7 frames per second to capture the action. The resulting image freezes a moment of pure, adrenaline-fueled motion, showcasing the effortless coordination of the subjects. By choosing a wide-angle perspective, the photographer immerses the viewer in the heart of the performance, turning a spontaneous encounter into a dynamic celebration of movement and youthful spirit that defines the essence of motion photography.
Somnath Chakraborty
Based in Batanagar, Kolkata, Somnath Chakraborty balances a professional career as a Network Engineer with a deep-seated passion for photography. A dedicated enthusiast who strives for daily creative output, he views his photographic journey as a continuous process of learning and sharing experiences within the global community. His work reflects a commitment to capturing the spontaneous beauty of everyday life, driven by a personal philosophy that finds it impossible to end a day without documenting the world through his lens.
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The wide lens pulls the sky into the frame. It’s vast. The boys are suspended in that blue expanse, caught in a frantic, upward arc. I feel a sudden, sharp ache for the ground they’ve left behind. It’s a reckless climb. Yet, the emptiness surrounding them is the true weight of the work. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It’s the breath before the fall. I’m holding mine.
At 10mm, the Sigma’s wide-angle distortion stretches the focal plane, pulling the bicycle’s geometry into a kinetic arc. It’s a violent, beautiful optical pull. The diffraction of light across the spokes, caught mid-rotation, reveals a sharpness the human eye simply can’t resolve in real-time. I’m genuinely breathless at how the lens captures that fleeting, blurred vibration of the tires. It’s not just motion; it’s the physics of adrenaline rendered through glass. I’ve never seen Kolkata look this fast.
The golden hour at Gorer Math isn’t just about the light; it’s about the suspension of gravity. I feel a sudden, sharp ache in my own knees watching these boys defy the earth. They’ve caught the sun’s final, raking glow, turning dust into a halo. It’s not just motion—it’s a prayer of kinetic energy. I’ve stood in such fields, waiting for the air to hold its breath. Here, the land finally let them fly.
Sigma 10-20mm at 10mm. It’s a violent focal length for action. The distortion pulls the bicycle frames into a forced, aggressive geometry. Shooting at 7 frames per second was the only way to catch this, yet the motion blur on the rear wheel feels sloppy. I’ve spent years chasing this kind of kinetic precision; it’s frustratingly close to perfect. The wide perspective demands absolute proximity. He got close enough. The technical risk paid off.
It’s a kinetic, adrenaline-fueled shot, but I can’t help but feel a bit uneasy. Chasing subjects on a bike to force a wide-angle perspective isn’t patience; it’s an extraction. When I’m in the field, I wait for the animal to come to me, undisturbed. Here, the proximity feels intrusive rather than earned. It’s technically sharp, sure, but it lacks the quiet respect that turns a mere snapshot into a genuine, honest record of life.
Kolkata’s Gorer Math is alive here. You’ve got three kids defying gravity, and Chakraborty didn’t blink. It’s raw, kinetic energy. I love how the wide-angle lens pulls me into the dirt with them. One tenth of a second later and the balance shifts, the frame collapses into a blur. He caught the peak of the arc. It’s not just motion; it’s the exact heartbeat of a stunt. Winogrand would’ve tipped his hat to this timing.
Gorer Math isn’t just a field; it’s a vast, open datum against which these cyclists carve their own ephemeral architecture. Using that Sigma wide-angle, Chakraborty distorts the horizon, turning the ground into a tilted plane of kinetic energy. It’s a frantic, beautiful disruption of space. I’m genuinely struck by how the blur of the wheels softens the harsh Kolkata light, transforming solid mass into pure velocity. It’s a fleeting, honest collision of human movement and urban void.
Wonderful
Very nice Capture!
One of the best !!!!!
congrats.. my dear
Aswamm…………
thanx a lot to all of ma friends
its simply amazing.
poetry of look… pure poetry in adventure life…