Travel & Humanitarian Photos
Events and a lack of anything like a reasonable Internet connection have kept me from posting during our recent Kumbh Mela photo expedition but there’s time in the diary this weekend for me to catch up. In fact, there’s more time than I anticipated – I should be in Paris now, sipping coffee in a street-side cafe beside the Seine and looking at Parisian life through my Cartier-Bresson filter (available at B&H, probably). Bloody volcanoes!
The Kumbh Mela Photo Expedition was… well, how to describe it? It was the most challenging tour that I’ve led but in many ways the most rewarding too. It was very much a trip where the participants got involved, no peering at India from the safety and security of a tourist bus for us. No, we were in the thick of it, on the street, meeting people, drinking chai and eating dahl. Delhi was as wildly engaging as always, Varanasi was captivating and the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar was as unique an opportunity as I’d anticipated – although in ways that were different from what I’d imagined.
Most importantly, I fulfilled my special, private goal of drinking a cup of chai on the banks of the Ganges as the sun rose over Varanasi. It’s moments like that which linger in my memory now as I begin the long haul of processing 3,000 images. This trip brought more than it’s share of perfect, precious memories.
Steve McCurry is rumoured to have once said “If I was anything, I’d be a Buddhist. I’m not, I’m just a photographer”. I have some sympathy for that view although I think I might be inclined to say “If I was anything, I’d be a Sikh…”. No caste system, no group distinction, no gender discrimination and a genuine welcome for any person of any faith and any nationality inside the Sikh temples (Gurdwaras) where music is played all day. The Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in Delhi is a peaceful haven where it’s possible to escape the frenzied activity of the Delhi streets for a while and to sit in quiet meditation. The man in the picture above was sitting near the doorway and the combination of the side-lighting and his turban, the colour of Lapis-Lazuli, made for a potentially inviting image. Here’s a secret: in situations lit like this, underexpose by 1.3 stops to capture those highlights and darken the shadows. Your camera may read light differently from mine, but this setting always works for me on a 5D MKII and a 1Ds MKII.
A boy bathing in the holy waters of the Sarovar (pond) at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara.
In the afternoon we swapped the peace of the Gurdwara for the tranquility of the Nizammudin Dargah, a Sufi shrine. It is perhaps the most enchanting location in Delhi and never fails to leave me spellbound. Thousands of muslims visit the shrine each week where the mausoleum of Nizamuddin Auliya is sited but, like the Gurdwara, Hindus, Christians and people of all faiths are made welcome. Indeed, when we visited the shrine later in the week with the full group, we were invited to share chai inside the humble home of a local chai seller. It is, as always, the people with least who often give the most. Young Mr. Brandon is well-known in this neck of the woods and was greeted like an old friend. There really is no substitute for local knowledge and insider information and Matt, with the able assistance of his wife, Alou, proved to be the most capable and knowledgeable of companions and fellow tour-leaders. It was the first time that we’d worked together but I’d lead another tour with Matt like a shot. Check out his blog, where he’s posted some great images and fascinating insights recently.
Given that this was a non-workshop day, I indulged myself by working only with an 85mm f/1.2 lens and allowed myself the luxury of simply shooting faces. During the tour we spoke at length about including context and gave participants exercises to prompt them to include a wider view in their portraits. However, sometimes it’s nice to just shoot what you love and the friendly faces of the local people are captivating in their own right – especially when they’re as beautiful as this girl who was on a pilgrimage to the shrine with her family.
I hope to post each day next week and bring you more images from our Kumbh Mela Photo Expedition.
Hi Gavin,
I get the feeling your photograhy is going in a different direction since you bought the 85mm lens The portrait of the young girl who was on a pilgrimage with her family is just awesome.I am v much looking forward to seeing more photos of Kumbh mela and hope one day I am able to join you on one of your trips.
Gavin,
This post is just fascinating and the imagery incredible. My favorite photo of this post is the first image of the man with the turban lit from the side. Looking forward to seeing more from this expedition.
Gavin,
These images are beautiful. I’ve been to Delhi numerous times and recently made my first visit to Nizammuddin but for some reason felt so self conscious I just couldn’t shoot. That, coupled with never having been to Bangla Sahib Gurdwara are just a few more reasons why I’ll be returning.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Gavin,
Visited the Magh mela which is a mini version of the Kumbh Mela,
Your photos and the narration are amazing and i dream to be there one day!!
My Yatra Diary…
Glad to hear you’ve had a productive time in India, Gavin. 3000 pics? Wow!
Some very nice portraits here, but my favourite has to be the chap at the top – perfectly lit and perfectly composed. The more I look at it, the more I love it.
Was at the Kumbh in March for two days – should have scheduled more time. Great photos!!!!!
Lovely pictures as always. I’d love to go on one of your trips or workshops one day…although to be honest, I’ve already learned a lot from your blog and website. Always amazing content. Cheers, Cathy
Great portraits, especially the first one!