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.

