Eli Mastaine

28/07/2026

Shelter like these.

“Collecting things you love, that are authentic to you, then a house becomes your home, the home becomes your story.”
These are few things that made DB’s home felt like a home with sunshine & crayons; this is also the place where I took shelter for few days or was given shelter for my days there (both applies true), and to be honest deep inside it scared me for some reasons unknown; not for the facts but for the comforting feeling. It was a sweet place yet eerie to me. Maybe because I grew up as a TCK (or in my case, a domestic TCK), and attachments were always meant to be temporary, no matter how genuine it may be.

Many young adults in this world, irrespective of borders and nations (like us, perhaps you and me included) are trying to make a home (or still finding to make one); a home which is truly ours to call home, spiritually and mentally. These things are often overlooked in our fast paced world, a dog eat dog world, where our inherent primal instincts automatically kick in. We are taught or learn along the way to be always on guard
Many may inherit one, others may not, some may make one and some may choose not to at all.

Making or finding a home, It is an emotional and physical process of life. It is about finding your own safe space, figuring out who you are, and creating mental & spiritual stability. Unlike physicality or ownership, a sense of emotional attachment & bond gives home its true meaning.

Kentmere 400 (E.I: 800) ILFORD PHOTO
April 2026

18/07/2026

16-07-2026 was a day of faith and god.

This was my first time observing this religious festival, “Kang aka Rath Yatra” here, celebrated by the Hindu sect of the Meitei community and other Hindu communities who follow Vaishnavism.

The Kang festival, also known locally as Kang Chingba, is Manipur’s grand celebration of the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra. Lasting ten days, thousands of devotees pull sacred, massive wooden chariots through the streets. The chariots carry the deities of Lord Jagannath, His brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra.

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PS: I won’t call myself a religious person, in fact I’m far from being one. I personally do not engage or endorse in matters related with religion, I may attend or take part in ceremonies out of respect for the faith of the people, friends or family.
But personally, I do not understand religion.

I believe “there is no religion higher than truth”, and for “God”, as I do not know if God exist or not, I cannot say much, but that doesn’t mean I do not believe in God.
To me, “The force that governs all life is god”.

And being an impulsive man, I would’ve regretted not including my honest personal views, these are strictly my personal views and I do not wish to force it upon others.

All , just some crop, borders and maybe about +4/5 noise (Gaussian)
13: Personal pick from set for some graphic/alt print work
14: original aspect ratio of 11
15: Cover (clean)

All photos shot with an orange contrast filter.

15/07/2026

In case of Emergency, grab the hind leg,

From my time at Bangalore earlier this year (March - April) with
Diksha Brahma

very friendly, didn’t even took an hour to get along, isn’t noisy and behaves like a cat with high playful energy but maybe because she’s just about a year old.

A native indigenous breed to the southern region of India, my best guess is (after few google searches and behavioural comparison) I think she’s probably a “Jonagi” breed, aka Jonangi Jagilam or Kolleti Jagilam but the stature and size resemble more akin to Rajapalayam Hound which is also known as the Polygar Hound or Indian Ghost Hound, also a southern Indian dog breed, which was named after Rajapalayam, a town in the Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu,

Wiki says it’s primarily found in Andhra Pradesh, parts of Karnataka, and along the eastern coast from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu, it was historically common near Kolleru Lake in West Godavari and Krishna districts. The Jonangi is a short-haired breed traditionally used for hunting, herding, and guarding.

So possibly a mix mama dog and papa dog situation here. Plus she’s a rescue, the cat like behaviour probably came from the older male cat in the house, because she sleeps like a cat, and often grooms like a cat, in short she mimics a lot of the behaviour of the older cat. I’m not an animal or dog specialist but I know a fare share about cats cus I’ve five of those pesky felines and my best guess is, the feline taught her all that and as a pup she picked those behaviours from him.

I kinda lowkey respect people that loves native breeds, and I have a serious dislike for people that live with winter/arctic dogs in a hot humid equatorial region just because they like it and they can.
Well I can chain and punch people in the throat because I would like to and I can, but I don’t because maybe I know it’s stupid and not logical.
But that’s just me, can’t speak for others cus I’ve no authority over it nor it’s my concern.
But I wish I was simpler, life would’ve been much easier that way.

🎞️: Kentmere 400 at E.I 800 ILFORD PHOTO
🧪: ILFORD ID-11 (1:1)

05/06/2026

Another day in Imphal
January 2026

I don't always go out with an intention to make/take some photographs, there are times when I do but not always.
Most of the time I just like to have my camera with me, and when I do if I see something interesting I try to own it.

People are not really used to getting photographed around here, and they often confuse me as some 19-20 year old boy (I
Hope this to be something in my favour down the line in my late years in a decade are two, two if I live that long)
A solution to that I found was to embrace the hobocore side of me on top of the usual have a talk with the strangers.
I just exist to be honest, faintly maybe, but I do.

Anyways, cherry cherry!

🎞️ Ilford Delta 400

30/05/2026

📸Canon FTb
🎞 Kentmere 400 (E.I: 800)
📅 Mar-Apr 2026

Bangaluru leg be like, a whole day spent with and his collection, later in the evening his son made few photos with my Ftb.

Great evening, great day.

23/05/2026

Some people belong to the night.
🎞: Mix of Ilford Delta 400 & Fomapan 400
(mostly at 800 or 1600, have to check notes, but no less than 800).

I happen to mostly be active after daylight hours for some reasons 🤷🏻‍♂️.

Do you go out often to play in the dark?

📅: 2024-2026

1. Canon 7, 50/1.8 (800) - 02/2026
4. Canon Demi EE 17 (800) - late 2025
7, 10, 13. Mir, J-8 50/2 (800) - Autumn 2024
16. Canon Demi EE 17 (800) - late 2025

The ones with the Mir were a serious test on bulb mode as Mir has 1/30s as it's slowest available speed.

22/05/2026

21/05/2026

Mir, Jupiter-8 50/2
Arista Edu 200 (box speed)
Delhi, May-June 2024.

1: it's me, Mario.
2: Auto wala bhai in peak afternoon traffic
3. The evening Return commute
4. The Qutub Minar is not pointy, accidental multi expo.

My share of "Everyday is not Sunday", test run for my (now trusty) Mir before cleaning and fixing (mostly cleaning).
Tried two rolls of Arista Edu, the felt came off the cassette quality was eeh..., over-all not upto my likings.

As EDC, few frames from my daily commute, basically around Saket-Westend marg, roads were kinda suck ass that year around the place because Delhi Metro Corp were doing some xonstruction stuff.

From the two rolls, I just got few clean usable photos, others were shot in the dark after daylight hours, reasons to why I don't shoot anything less than 400 speed film.

It's been two years now, a lot has changed, now my inventory is basically planned as such; slow 50-100 speed film for daytime and flash and a 400 speed for evenings & nights usually meant for rating at 800 or 1600.

Of all the good or marginally acceptable photos, there were tons of failed photographs which were made.
My book is full of more failures then wins, share these so you get the idea of how my relationship (in some sort of way) grew up with this certain family of film stock.

People often ask me about photo & film stuff, and i usually say don't jump around changing film stocks, stick with ome or two, test & experiment, get to know that certain stock and get real comfortablw with it.

I'll also drop a fun fact, I haven't shot any HP5+s or T-Max/Tri-X stuff till now, HP5s because it gets out of stock real quick here in India (somebody must be hoarding it in their fridge I'm sure lol), Tri-X/T-Max stuff: too expensive not a justified spending to my reasoning.

So if you wanna know what I prefer the most, then these are it:

Foma 100 , Foma 400, Kentmere 400 : general
Ilford Delta 400, FP4+ : Portrait or important stuff

I want to try out some HR-50 & some other stocks this year.
🤞🏻, wish me luck.

17/05/2026

Arista Edu 200, 2024.
Mir, J8 before inspection

06/05/2026

[ 795001 ] - in parts

In standstill, two years of life here at home.

Six pieces from many.
Period: 2024 - 2026

Images before meaning,
Because meanings change with reasons,
But reasons change with people,
And people change with time,
Time changes everything,

Not here, Nothing changes here.

2 years is a lot for change,
But nothing changes in a standstill.

This is home.

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PS: I removed captions & notes, dilutes everything, I’m not news, I’m a human, if you want news, maybe go somewhere else.

If you see ordinary people like you and me & their lives, you can stay.

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