Wow, I cannot believe it was 12 years ago this year that I last visited India! I have been to India 4 times now and this trip was with fellow photographer Henry Aarvold spending just over 2 weeks in the town of Varanasi by the River Ganga. The first time I visited India I was 25 yrs old and in my last year at college.. This trip in 2010 we took just two lenses with us, I had a 50mm and Henry carried an 85mm. I might of snuck a fish eye lens along for the ride also!

I revisited the Raw files today and worked on a few images.

I am seriously thinking of planning another trip to India to shoot portraits again. It is a place that is very close to my heart and it brings all kinds of emotions to the forefront when you are there. The question in my mind the most was about actually taking some of the images I did. Was I invading their own space without permission. A question that often pops up in the mind when shooting like this. I would often just sit somewhere and watch , camera on the floor. My own way I guess of trying to be accepted before I pressed the shutter. Mostly the reaction was positive. Smiling isn’t something that is done too often in India when having your picture taken. There is a curiosity and bewilderment in some of the images. They haven’t had time to react or put ‘on’ a face for the camera. I’m certainly not intimidating when I have a camera but maybe my sheer presence is enough for people to be on guard. Any foreigner with a camera is going to attract attention and excitement. It’s just learning how to be behind the camera that makes the difference. We would get up at dawn and shoot for a few hours and the same at dusk when the light was at its softest..

Here are some images from the trip. Some of you might be familiar with some  and there are others that have never been seen anywhere, ever! Locked in the drive for 10years! I don’t think my documentary photography has changed too much in all these years. I still see the world in my own way and continue to do so.