"I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be 'happy'. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter and to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all."

- Leo C. Rosten

Monday, February 2, 2009

Small Wonders


This January I had gone out for the kind of street photography that professionals and highly skilled ameatures go out for. But I did with little experience and gadgets. I had chosen Joydev Mela - a huge religious and village fair held at Kenduli - as my assignment. In the midst of lakhs of rural people and pilgrims, I was carrying out my street photography. And believe me, it was a brilliant experience. I realised how hard and enjoying photography is. 


Out of the many pictures that I had taken, here is one of a few village children. I like the different expressions. The shyness of one is an interesting element in this picture where the rest of the children are comfortable with my camera.


Taking pictures of the children was a very enjoyable experience. First you need to have the courage to approach them although their parents are present over there. It is very important to make friendship with them and make them feel comfortable with your presence. Communication, as all intellectuals have said, and as Suvro Sir (whom some of you know and many have turned a deaf ear to) repeatedly says, is the key to success in whatever one does. I had built up a friendship with these children and their parents by giving a great smile to them, by taking many pictures of them, and by showing them their pictures. On seeing their pictures they not only felt happy but allowed me to many more pictures. There was joy in the environment and I was enjoying my work more than ever. It is important that you become sensitive to your subject and laugh and cry with them. You are bound to have good pictures. As all mediums of art, photography too is all about your heart and mind. It is all about the world, its people, and you.



   (click on the image to have the wallpaper version)

Here is another close shot of one of the children. I simply love the glitter in his eyes and the smile on his face. You may click on the image to have a wallpaper for your desktop.

11 comments:

Deeptesh said...

Hi Subhanjan do chk out my blog at www.deepteshpoetry.blogspot.com.I'm a poet.

Tanmoy said...

Beautiful. We visited Bhutan two and half years back and were silently followed by some lovely kids till the time we became their friends. Pictures were really beautiful because a child's face is most expressive.

However, why are the pictures unusually red.

Subhanjan said...

Dear Tanmoyda, after your observation, I have processed the picture again to reduce the red tinge. I hope it is al right now.

Anonymous said...

It's interesting how you have captured the shyness of one of the children. I saw it before I read what you had written. The child in the second photograph has a lovely open expression, which you have captured.

I have replied to your comment on my blog.

floreta said...

i love portraits of children. their light just shines.

Tanmoy said...

Yes the new version looks better. It is really nice shot. Have you ever tried to photograph a awe-struck child? I don't know how you shall do it. But it is another beautiful expression.

Karthik L G said...

I am highly impressed by your dedication .. street photography and anything involving people is the hardest for me. u need to have build the rapport with the subjects in addition to ur skills and equipment.. The first one looks to have been processed ?? what equiment du use and what software..photoshop?? I wud like to get some highly critiqued comments from you for my holiday photograps..they were taken on the fly without investing a lot of time on each photo for composition and exposure and whitebalance...

ashish said...

The child in the second photograph has a lovely open expression, which you have captured.

great work

digital photography

Anonymous said...

I loved the expression of the child in the second photo too.

"It is important that you become sensitive to your subject and laugh and cry with them. You are bound to have good pictures."

Really well-said. I totally embrace that statement.

salwa said...

Fantastic photos! I'm hoping to learn a little portrait photography myself.

Anonymous said...

Excellent capture of the glint in the child's eye. Good tone to the photo as well.