Monika Sweeps The Classroom: Monika is a girl I befriended at the Sambhali Trust, a school empowering untouchable girls in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. At the moment I am engaged with my brother the video editor, in producing a video from the documentary footage I shot while I was there a year ago. Our intention is to help in the development and support of this very worthwhile project. I have written extensively about the project here.
Bapu's Mother Making Chapattis: Bapu was the manager of The Shahi Palace, a hotel in Jaisalmer, a wonderful golden city in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Upon returning from a trip to drop off friends embarking on a camel expedition, I was invited to sit and have tea with Bapu's family who lived in a village in the vast desert that surrounds the city. I found the simplicity of life there to be very enticing, although in talking to folks, most would rather have our complicated lives, and the money that comes with it. It's a grass is always greener scenario. For further reading and photos from my experiences of that day, I've written about it extensively
here.
Family Time in Calcutta: Calcutta, or Kolkatta as it is now called, is one of those places where to have your camera out starts to feel a little voyeuristic and almost unethical. However, if I have found nothing else gratifying about the obscene poverty that pervades India, and is epitomized in Calcutta, I can say with absolute truth that the care that Indians take in even the worst of circumstances to implement the simplistic beauty of color and organization, shows in all aspects of personal life, from the richest grandeur, to the lowest castes and classes. I hope that that shows in this photograph.
52 comments:
Wow, great photography and thank you for visiting my site and giving me some insight on the cameras! You do beautiful work.
Wow, Cat. These are amazing!!! A huge congratulations for being honored. Art with Heart, indeed.
Each of the photos has a different feeling. The first, for me, finds beauty and honor in the smallest occupation. I like the second for its honest humanity. Bapu looks like a lovely person to have tea with (will have to check out your links, too). And the third brings an ache, and a guilt, but also a striking color and togetherness.
Striking work, Cat. I'm in awe of all that you've seen and explored in your travels. That takes endless curiosity and courage. You should be so proud!! Thank you for sharing these with us, and good luck with the competition!
I am so, so proud of you!!
Such an impressive talent, Catvibe.
Congratulations, Cat! Your photos are so impressive. They are really National Geographic quality!
The colors in them are so rich and vibrant - and of course the people are beautiful in their everyday existence. I will check out the website tomorrow. I hope you win - and thanks for posting them.
Noelle, thanks! And good luck with your search for the perfect camera. I shot all of these with my Canon SD700. I think that having a small camera is less intimidating when traveling.
Sarah, thank you so much for your words! In regards to the courage, traveling was something I really wanted to do when I was young and unencumbered, but I let fear stop me then. Then I had children and, well, that was that until they left home. Then I told everyone I was going on a trip, but still kept chickening out on buying the ticket. I finally just went and bought me a ticket and then you just can't back out now, can you? Next game making myself leave the hotel room...
Rick, Thank you!!! :-)
K, Thank you so much! The thing people don't realize about National Geographic Photographers is that they have little elves who walk around behind the photographer getting releases from everyone whose face is in the photo. I didn't realize it either until I returned home without any releases and tried to enter an NG Photo Contest. Sigh...they probably teach you things like this in photography school, not nearly as fun as the school of life, but probably a tad more efficient.
big congratulations!!!!!!! if (it's still a big "if") i am in charlotte that weekend, i will be sure to look into this.
your photos are gorgeous & i look forward to following the links you provided.
QDB-That would be fun! Then I would get to meet you face to face! If not at the event, perhaps for a latte on Sunday morning?
Wow! Freaking WOW! How's that for a sophisticated comment on my part? Ha! Ha! But I am truly blown away. These pictures are amazing.
Congratulations on a well deserved honor. I will go back and read more about the contest, because I'm dying to know if the photos will be on display and if I'll have a chance to see them in real life. That would be awesome.
You definitely have art with heart! This is so beautiful. I think Sarah Hina sums up the pictures so well in her description. I'd love to hear more about your travels. Wonderful work, Cat! Congratulations!!
Awesome photos--the color, the lighting, the subject. My video projects, done with cheap equipment, probably pale in comparison. Congrats on becoming a finalist.
Lastly, I might want to pony-up some money for a good mic. Any suggestions?
Jr I wish you had an email! Ok, so here's the technical skinny. I suggest, if you are going to invest, get a Microtrack by M-audio. It will cost about the same as an decent quality mic, but it will give you a quality recorder which a cassette recorder is not. It comes with a little mic which does a very decent job for interviewing and solo recording.
Julie, I wish you could come to the Art with Heart Auction on Feb 7th, because then I could meet you in person, and we could have a great time schmoozing and getting to know each other too! Seriously, I'd love it if you came, although the ticket price might be prohibitive. If you don't want to go there, you can come here sometime, I have the photographs matted, framed and hanging here at home as well.
Photographs from My own Country India!!
Hi Scrawler! I was just reading your wonderful poem a couple of minutes ago. Welcome to my blog, I hope you will return and I will be looking at your blog as soon as I have recovered from reading all the fiction entries! Where in India are you from? India is one of my favorite places in the world.
kudos to your talent, Cat.
Really great photography, I like the first one (the sweeping woman) best.
and... congratulations!
Bravissimo, Cat. Most beautiful photos.
Thank you AC, means a lot coming from you since I find your photography to be flawless and inspiring. Your trip photos have been simply astoundingly gorgeous.
Judith, Thank you! I was just watching our man in Baltimore and was crying just like the crowd. What an inspiring orator and unifier!
These are amazing photos. What a beautiful surprise when I headed over here this morning. (My husband's family is from Pakistan and India.)
I am heading over to the site!
Congratulations!!!
Hi Jennifer! Thank you and welcome! It crossed my mind when you mentioned your Pakistani husband that you might enjoy these photos. It is very nice to meet you! I am really looking forward to reading more of your work and learning about life from your unique perspective.
First of all,Congratulations on being chosen as a finalist!
Your pictures convey volumes that no number words can unravel.Such a coincidence that both our current posts are about India.The India you have portrayed through your photographs is the real nation at the grass-root level.Your interaction with the people,the understanding of their lifestyle and effort for their uplift is truly Art With heart :)
Your initiative towards the Sambhali Trust and the last picture are reminiscent of Zana Briski,another talented photographer who won laurels for her documentary Born Into Brothels.
Wish you all the very best for the competition!
P.S. I like the way you have conjured your nickname :)
P.P.S. Thanks for visiting me and the kind words you left behind.
Fabulous pictures.
Sameera, it is good to see you here! I thank you for your very thoughtful comments. Your spirit that shines through your writing and all of your comments have endeared me to you. I am glad that we have 'met'.
Leatherdykeuk, Thank you and welcome! I still can't get that image of your Underlator Monster out of my head!
Hi! I'm from Kerala(Popularly known as God's Own Country!)It is the southern most state of India.My state is enriched with serenity...Water falls at Athirapally,Munnar the Hill Station,Wild Life sanctuaryat Thekkady,Beachesat kovalam,House Boatsat kumarakom and Alleppy,Birds Sanctuary,Exclusive Elephant training centre..where we can see elephants roaming everywhere...Besides these,amzing forts,beaches,hill stations in North kerala...an endless list........ :-)
grats cat! these are magnificent :D
Gorgeous photos ... and you capture your subjects well. Good luck with the Auction. My sis and her hubby have a charity called Kiwis for Himalayas which does similar work and they visit often. Thanks for your visit to my site. Good luck with your story in the comp too.
Scrawler, it will be a long time before I can travel again, lots of time to build up a relationship before I come down there to visit you and have you show me all around Kerala. I've always wanted to go there, but my destiny seems to have kept me in the North on both of my trips. But I will be back...when my life has a window for it, I will indeed be back.
Laughingwolf, Thanks and welcome!
Aggie, Thank you and welcome! That is fabulous about your sister's and her hubby's charity efforts. It is so much more rewarding to go and participate in helping out there, than to just stand and gape at all that help that is needed. The opportunities are endless. There is much to do.
Congratulations. Very powerful blog. I like the photos.
Drive-thru, I hope your name doesn't mean you won't be back! Hello and welcome. I just visited your very beautiful blog, and am looking forward to reading more of your work.
fyi, i took the first test and I was an ISFJ..strongest towards the I.
Hi Noelle, take a look at this. I think it's kind of interesting.
http://typelogic.com/isfj.html
Hello there....first of congrats for being honoured.
Loed the pictures...they are close to my "heart"...
Thanks for visiting my blog...
Will check out the link on this post....
Ceedy, hello and welcome! And thank you for your words, I hope you'll return!
Great work and congrats!!! Impressive.
Congratulations on being chosen as a finalist! What a great cause, and how rewarding it must have been to travel to India and experience what we see in those photographs.
Drive thru i the name I use for posting my comments..I guess. Thanks for having my blog in my list. I will do the same. I will be back for sure.
India maybe poor financially, but its rich with culture and adores a welcoming smile. Happy to see your camera capturing nodes on india. Do visit Kerala [a southern state] some time, you would love the visit.
and congratz :P
your photos are really impressive. They convey feelings and emotions and arent just static pictures.
Beautiful! Good luck for the competition!
Geraldene, Welcome! Your poem tribute to your mother was so beautiful. It is making me remember a poem I wrote about 18 years ago for my grandmother, I think I will find it and dust it off and revise and post it, thanks to your magnificent prompt.
Every Photo Tells a Story, Welcome to you! I have two friends who you have just published on your new site, Breathing Poetry. I want to laud you for starting that wonderful online community building effort. I will be exploring both of your blogs in depth, I assure you! The contest at Clarity has kept me wrapped up for the last week, but the hard part is over now, so I will have more time to explore.
Drive thru, Awesome!
Sawan, India was difficult for me when I first arrived in Delhi, alone. I stayed in the Paharganj and almost got myself into a giant vat of trouble. Then I went to Jaipur and managed to get with a tuk tuk tout that tried to swindle me for all I was worth, and I ate some bad food and got a horrible digestive illness that lasted for 10 days. All of my troubles could have been avoided had I bothered to read the warnings in Lonely Planet. But it apparently was some sort of initiation, because once I reached Jodhpur, it was as if Ganesh started to carry me on his back and everything and everyone I met was blessed with a magic touch. Now I can't get India out of my blood and I long to go back with quite a melancholy ache. My Salwar suits stare at me and wonder when I will use them again.
Lena, thank you and welcome!
Wowi, congrats:)
I have been out of blogging for a while...so I saw you on some of my blogger friends sites, and thought id come check your blog out.
Lovely pics
Have a great day.
Etian, welcome and hello! I just visited your beautiful blog and I really enjoy your poetry.
PakKaramu, welcome! Your blogs are intriguing, I wish I could read them. I hope you will visit again.
What a fantastically colourful blog... the guidebooks always claim you can never quite photograph or take the colours of India back home (I've been) ~ but I say you've done it here! Excellent stuff!!
;->...
Gledwood, thank you and welcome! I just took a quick peek at your blog and am highly intrigued by your unique and honest perspective. I will be reading it in depth, I assure you.
Congratulations! I can see why your photos were chosen for inclusion and why you're being recognized!
Each one of these pulls me in and makes me want to know the story behind the story. I am drawn, especially, to the first. The simple act of sweeping her classroom conveys a beauty and grace and even acceptance.
Now that I've feasted my eyes here, I'm heading over to read the rest of the story.
I have my fingers crossed for you!
Thanks Karen! Actually finalist is the final honor, but that is fine with me! It will get my pictures a great amount of exposure (no pun intended) and special signage at the event. This is the first time I have ever entered an art contest, so it is a great honor for me, and something new and exciting to be putting my work out into the world. Like you, tomorrow, with your first published poem on a blog! I can't wait!!
Congratulations Cat! These photos
certainly are extraordinary and
your compassion is evident.
salwar suites :) wow.. next time u r in india, i am just a call away :)u take care and visit us soon :)
Sorry I've been MIA....
Warm congratulations Cat!! (Albeit belated.) That's wonderful!! Thank you for the wonderful images. So often, I hear about the amazing experience of India. I hope to experience it for myself one day.
Jason, more than a little understandable, dontcha think? :-) When you do make the trip, you will already have so many friends from your blogging activities, that you will have a magical time I assure you.
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