u/Happy_go_lucky_guy

Went to Poombarai, Kodaikanal after a long time and didn’t realise this side of Kodaikanal even existed. Much closer to the valleys, with remote cultivation, hostels, and a completely different, quieter side of the hills.

Did a backpacking trip to Poombarai, Kodaikanal in southern India. I hadn’t been here in almost 10 years, and I didn’t realise this side of Kodaikanal even existed.

A remote mountain village surrounded by mountain garlic plantations and wilderness, with a small hostel scene, cafés and camps. The combination of remoteness, local life and incredible views made the trip completely worthwhile.

Because of its remote location, food and transportation can be a little cumbersome to manage. But honestly, the views and the sense of remoteness more than make up for it.

A quieter side of Kodaikanal, Southern India — deep valleys, remote cultivation, hostels, and quiet roads away from the usual tourist spots.

Shot on X-S20, Viltrox 27mm f1.2 | S00C

These were taken during last winter while driving through the tea estates of southern India. Most of them were shot during early mornings and evenings, with the camera pointed out of the side window of a slowly moving car.

I was experimenting with film recipes at the time, mainly Vibrant Arizona and Anime. These images are a mix of these two recipes and native film simulations. The images have only received minor Lightroom tweaks afterwards. One of the reasons I enjoy shooting Fuji is that the recipes already get me very close to the look I want, so post-processing stays quick and minimal.

The atmosphere did most of the heavy lifting here—winter mist, low-angle sunlight, and the soft haze over the tea plantations created a mood that didn't need much editing. I also used a CPL filter on a few frames (not all of them), mainly to manage reflections and deepen the greens.

The Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 impressed me throughout the trip. Even shooting from a moving car, it delivered a high keeper rate with very few missed shots.

Went out for a regular morning walk around my apartment complex and ended up spending an hour photographing flowers instead.

Shot on the Fujifilm X-S20 with the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 using a tweaked Classic Negative recipe. I also used a NiSi CPL to cut reflections and deepen the sky.

Bengaluru's overcast morning gave everything a soft, moody feel, and I tried to keep the images straight out of camera with slight adjustments.

All are SOOC, Shot on xs20 using Viltrox 27mm f1.2

Shot on X-S20, Viltrox 27mm f1.2 | SOOC