Sometimes I wonder if it had all been real. Was it all a mirage--India? When I get this feeling, I take out my photo box and sift through my visual memories of the place.
I took more than 2,000 photographs in my five weeks in India; more than I had ever taken before in and of one country at one time. Even so, for every picture that I took, there were two or three more that I had wanted to take but couldn't, because I was on a careening bus or it was prohibited or the tour guide was hurrying us off to the next place.
There were times too that I was worried about how my intended subject would react; a feeling that, I realized in the end, was unwarranted. It is a delight to take pictures of humanity in India, because its people seem generally unwary and unafraid of the camera. Indeed, many times, they themselves offered to pose for me, for a shot! This was especially true with children.
Another time, I experienced a reversal of roles as some local tourists in Rishikesh, quickly noticing my foreignness because of my camera, clothes and hat, asked to have a picture taken with me. It was quite disconcerting, but I felt glad to somehow be able to return the favor, through them, to all the people who now populate my photo box, photo CDs, and most of all, my heart and mind.
I loved India, and a huge part of that is because it is the most photogenic place I have ever had the blessing to visit and experience so far. I know that what I had seen of it is a mere fraction of all that it has to offer; for the rest, I will have to go back--and I definitely plan to do that.
I took more than 2,000 photographs in my five weeks in India; more than I had ever taken before in and of one country at one time. Even so, for every picture that I took, there were two or three more that I had wanted to take but couldn't, because I was on a careening bus or it was prohibited or the tour guide was hurrying us off to the next place.
There were times too that I was worried about how my intended subject would react; a feeling that, I realized in the end, was unwarranted. It is a delight to take pictures of humanity in India, because its people seem generally unwary and unafraid of the camera. Indeed, many times, they themselves offered to pose for me, for a shot! This was especially true with children.
Another time, I experienced a reversal of roles as some local tourists in Rishikesh, quickly noticing my foreignness because of my camera, clothes and hat, asked to have a picture taken with me. It was quite disconcerting, but I felt glad to somehow be able to return the favor, through them, to all the people who now populate my photo box, photo CDs, and most of all, my heart and mind.
I loved India, and a huge part of that is because it is the most photogenic place I have ever had the blessing to visit and experience so far. I know that what I had seen of it is a mere fraction of all that it has to offer; for the rest, I will have to go back--and I definitely plan to do that.
2 comments:
hi cathy! When i read your review in november I was sure it would win. Huge congratulations!!! Well deserved!!! Try and visit my blogsite if you have time. God bless!- willy
Finally, we are going to India!
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