Giving and Receiving

While a picture is most definitely worth the words in the adage, the remaining question is still "which words". Sometimes the words scream off the page - like in Eddie Adams's famous "Saigon execution", and sometimes it is left to the viewer to imagine them - like in Steve Mccurry's "Afghan Girl". And while the results of good photography are just that, for the photographer often times there is an experience behind the photograph, an experience not captured in the image, that makes an ordinary picture very memorable. Unfortunately, the viewer never gets to experience that.

This is the story of one such picture.

In Kolkata (Calcutta), on the roads alongside the main hubbub, is a hospital run by Jack Pregger. Nothing pretentious, it is a dispensary of medicine for ailments of all kinds. On the sunny side of the road is the line that forms for triage and registration, and on the other side is the tent in which the doctors see the patients. Each Saturday the lines magically appear and are gone by evening.

I decided to spend one Saturday photographing the people who visited.

Looking at the faces in line I saw mostly sad faces. Faces that are either in pain or just simply tired. Mothers with children, old men huddled around, smoking, a line of people sitting on their haunches. And while I took many pictures, the one that sticks in my mind is the one shown here - a child sitting in the lap of his mother, eating a price of bread.

I photographed them many times, trying to get different perspectives, bracketing the exposure, using black and white film, but always his eyes followed me. And when I was done, and got up to walk away, he reached out and offered me the rest of his bread!

Overwhelmed, I was struck by the irony of his willingness to share - those who have the least to their name, are often the most willing to share!

True Colors

Mention India to most people in America and it conjures up images of an unknown land, often mired with notions of Poverty, the Caste System, excessive Population, and perhaps most recently, Software! After all, that is how the media has portrayed India.

But honestly, how many of you thought 'COLOR'?

That is what India truly is. Color. Color in our Diversity, Color in our Religion, Color in our Festivals, Color in our Languages, but most noticeably, Color in our People.

I look at the picture above and am still struck by the elegance and color. A special occasion - hardly. These are probably most of the clothes she owns and the jewelry is most likely inherited. She is out carrying a tray of henna, along with the assorted tools to decorate the hands of young women - a custom that is common at Indian weddings. Some of my favourite pictures from this and other trips are viewable at my gallery.

Photography changed my perspective of India 21 years ago. As a young idealist, when I went back to India after having received a brand new education in the US, I saw what most people from the US see. Crowds, traffic, power outages and more traffic. That was in 1982. When I went back in 1985, I worked for Kodak and had discovered photography. This time I saw India through the lens. Color, character, contrast, contradiction. But always, charm. It was an amazing realization, a realization that led to peace with who I am, peace brought about by photography.


Photographing people in India is not easy. The overhead sun creates a lot of shadows and contrast. It is best to take pictures in the shade of a building or at dusk. People are usually friendly and willing to be photographed, though often curious as to why. A long lens helps isolate the subject from the background, while a conversation puts them at ease. The picture above was made with Kodak Portra 200 film, at dusk by the Ganges, in the holy city of Haridwar.


"Sitting in the Stands of the Great Cathedral, waiting for the show to begin..."

The Majesty of Bryce. Makes you rethink insignificance. It was a bright blue day, at sunrise, when I looked over the aptly named, Inspiration Point. Made me think of McCartney's words.