Dancers + Friends, El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, California, 2016

A month or so ago it was my honor to photograph these two incredible dancers and friends at this timeless space. At first it was Cami who had responded to my casting call for dancers near Los Angeles, then Taylor graced us with her presence.

We met in the city and drove out to El Mirage for the afternoon. We were fortunate on that day, for earlier in the week the wind was out of control in the valley. When we arrived it was warm and just slightly windy. When the wind did pick up a little, they never complained and incorporated it into their movements. We exposed a few rolls per outfit, and moved the car from one location to the next in order to change the background as well.

Sometimes working with two people can present a challenge, but these two incredible spirits represented the highest of their art form in my humble opinion. They only needed a minute to discuss ideas, and presented incredible feelings frame after frame with very little time in between. This impressed me deeply then, and even more so now after seeing the results.

Watching them work together, and move from one expression to another was like sitting down for a performance. There were times when it was necessary to remind myself that my job was to document the performance, while still enjoying it. To have been granted the opportunity was both an honor and a privilege; and my hope is that the images are a testament to their physical talents and spiritual kindness.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Sisters + Courtyard of School, Rajasthan, India, 2015

When my work began in this region a decade ago, it did so with little context. Regardless of the number of stories told to me by my Indian friends or those traveling before me, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. While the general presentation was somewhat overwhelming, the learning was accomplished through the nuances. 

Then one day we were visiting this very spot thanks to the graces of Humana India when one of people from the foundation asked me to stop. It seemed that one of the girls wanted to tell us something. All gathered around us while this young student shared a snapshot of her life with us.

Paraphrased from my memory 10 years later, here is what she shared with us: "Before this school, I never cared about washing my hands, taking care of my skin and brushing my hair. Before this school I walked around this village without sandals, and never thought much about what will come. Since this school began, I think about my future, wash my hands and take care of myself every day. This is what this school means to me."

To see her standing here next to her younger sister makes me very proud of the work Humana India did in this village for so many years. She is an impressive, young woman now and has begun her own family. My hope is that her voice will be heard, and that her daughters in the near future will attend schools just as she was able to do.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M2.

Camille + Sky, El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, California, 2016

This past year was a truly remarkable one thanks in part to this exquisite dancer, and her incredible heart. She responded to my casting call for dancers this past October, and never let the communication go as we went back and forth. She was totally engaged in the concept, giving her 100% throughout the process.

Even before we met she shared the clothing options, all dark and timeless according to my preferences. With respect she asked for the company of a friend, a friend who turned out to be a dancer and as wonderful of a spirit. We met in Los Angeles in front of her apartment and headed out to El Mirage for the afternoon.

We were lucky on that day, for earlier in the week the wind was howling in the valley. When we arrived it was warm and just slightly windy. When the wind did pick up a little, they never complained and incorporated it into their vision. We exposed a few rolls per outfit, and moved the car from one location to the next in order to change the background as well.

Watching Camille move from one expression to another was like sitting down for a performance. There were times when it was necessary to remind myself that my job was to document the performance, while still enjoying it. To have been granted the opportunity was both an honor and a privilege; and my hope is that the images are a testament to her physical talents and spiritual kindness. 

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180mm combination onto Ilford Delta 100 film.

Young Student, Panipat, Haryana, India, 2016

Three years after my initial visit to this region we were taken to this young girl's school, thanks to our hosts from my first visit. The years had helped form a bond between us, and they wanted to introduce us to a school in which they were involved. So one morning Nirvana Bodhisattva and I were introduced to this community,and its beautiful students.

For the sake of efficiency, Nirvana Bodhisattva and his team went about speaking with the teachers while I walked to each classroom making portraits of every single student. She was one of these students, and walked over near to the doorway to have her portrait made. She seemed calm while her friends had their portraits made, and became a little anxious when it was her turn to do so. She did however make the most beautiful portrait, and at the same time a deep impression on me.

While I am in love with the single image, there is so much that is missed with the single exposure: the way she sat while her friends had their portraits made, how she reacted when it was her time to stand up, and how her eyes moved in between shutter releases.

Her school will be the third one in this region to be presented for collaboration, and we hope that the success in our first two schools will inspire all of you to join us.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Anyel + Patricia, Guanabacoa, Cuba, 2016

Today was a long day in Salt Lake City, but a thoroughly rewarding one with a wonderful team doing its best for our patients. When I returned to my room, I was greeted by the best news: the film from this summer in Cuba is now ready for review!

So in light of this news two images are being shared from one morning with these two wonderful women. One has been a friend for a few years, while the other was brand new to our photography. They however worked perfectly together, one in front of the lens while the other changed in Alejandro's 1954 Chevrolet.

Our work in this small town made Alejandro quite the star, as we visited many times with different dancers and models. He took to his stardom quite well, always smiling and waving as we drove slowly down the streets.

For our session we were blessed with the stylings of Yudel R. Contreras Garcia, an incredibly gifted clothing designer living in La Habana, Cuba. This beautiful man gave us a selection of designs for our use, and allowed us to use his clothing on more than a few occasions. This is our second year of collaboration, and I look forward very much to next summer's inventions from his studio.

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Note: These images were made with a Sony RX100M3. 

Neighbor's Son, Village near Alwar, Rajasthan, 2016

This beautiful boy lives next to my dear friend in a small village just outside of Alwar, Rajasthan. He and his sisters' features immediately caught my attention when visiting my friend one afternoon, and we photographed them the very next day. There was something about these children, always smiling and smiling beautifully!

Their smiles exuded pure love and understanding. They watched as my interest increased as each one of them was photographed. They were naturals in front of the lens, and my friend Mukesh knew that they affected me deeply.

After we were finished with the portraits for the morning, we continued with the digital camera in the neighbor's courtyard. The children loved being photographed, and I loved photographing them. Every time we returned to their village, I remembered their names and this made them smile even more.

I cannot wait to see them in February, and to see this very smile on their angelic faces!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Boys Will Be Boys, Rural Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

Going through the negatives from almost ten years ago in Kenya has made me want to go back to the continent as well as print some of the negatives never printed. The scenes have a timeless feel to them, and they are complimented by the traditional school uniforms of the students. 

During my time in Kenya boys and girls were photographed equally, a departure from my work in Asia. The boys were wonderful, and had their own flavor to present. Some were serious, some were withdrawn and some were anything but either such as the young boy in between the two!

On this afternoon we visited a school deep in rural Kenya, and made photographs of the students under cloudy skies. We decided to make group photographs to see how individuals in small groups would react to each other. The results were all over the place, and all were wonderful to document.

Next year around this time will be my return to the continent, and this time perhaps to the southern half. 

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Note: This image was made with a Nikon analog system.

Young Student + Field, Village near Kairana, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2016

Continuing the series from this region of India, this student's portrait is presented. Thanks to our generous hosts Imdadullah Nadvi Imdadullah Nadvi Imdadullah Nadvi and Munshad Ali Chauhan, we were able to spend a week in this troubled region of India and make portraits of the most exquisite children. 

This school happens to be the school in their village. These two brothers are now in a position to change the system of education in their region, as one is an Islamic leader while the other is the political leader. They both hope to make serious advances on behalf of their community, and especially the children.

Soon we hope this young girl will have access to a full education, in addition to her traditional training. Her portrait was made just behind the mosque, right before their classes began. Her expression is etched in my mind, and moves me to fulfill my end of the conversation from earlier this year.

The place is beyond my ability to describe adequately, and upon seeing it for the very first time I knew this was a place I needed to be. Next year when we do return we will return with a plan, and the funds to help that plan come to fruition. I can feel it in my bones, as real to me as her image is to all of you.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Field + Shapes, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, 2016

Today I head back to Salt Lake City with this incredible space on my mind. While my trip to Lebanon has been delayed until the end of December, my time in Utah has been transformational... allowing me to get a taste of landscape photography really for the first time.

This image was made as I was returning from the end of the park, and towards Delicate Arch. The sun was rising from behind these shapes, and caught my attention immediately. The field was a beautiful and bright yellow, leading right up to these towers.

While it will be colder for the rest of the month, more visits to parks will be planned, including Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Brush + Boulders, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, 2016

The entire day was spent at this sublime location, walking around pristine landscapes and trying to control myself in documenting the beauty all around me. Such scenes as this image are everywhere, really everywhere!

From the saturated, red soil rise the most beautiful monuments made from stone. Within many of these structures exist the arches for which this park is known. There are snow covered mountains in the distance, green covered mounds which look out of this world and barren landscapes as well.

The end of the day was spent hiking to the most famous of the arches, called Delicate Arch. The hike took a little out of me, but the scene which was waiting really took my breath away. My hope is that the film images will contain this same feeling.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Contrast, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, 2016

This weekend is being spent in one of the most beautiful places in Utah. Being assigned to Salt Lake City for two months has its silver lining, as its landscapes are incredibly sublime. Every weekend will be spent in a different national park, and hopefully the weather will hold up for my stay.

This image was made towards the end of my time in the park this afternoon, and makes me look forward to tomorrow's adventures even more so. Tomorrow will be completely spent in this park, and I will walk to the famous arches for more intimate images.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Young Students + Field, Kairana, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2016

Since my first visit to this region in 2013, the communities have embraced me and my work fully. Although they are deeply conservative, they have allowed me to photograph their daughters without limitation. They know of my work, and understand my admiration and adoration of the girl spirit.

So when Anna showed interest in another school for this region, it gave me further impetus to present it once again to our FB family. So in this spirit, and over the next two months, I will once again present a second school for your collective review. We do so on behalf of girls just like these two students, who are as hungry for an education as any in the world.

We met them through our hosts in a village near the city of Kairana, in Uttar Pradesh. We were allowed to photograph all of the students in the school, including all of the girls. This is almost unheard of in such a conservative society, but this is the privilege we have been granted by our friends.

They were so excited to see us, and got up quickly when their turn came to be photographed. We found a spot behind the mosque where they had been studying, with the most beautiful fields as our backdrop. Until we arrived that morning they had no idea they were going to be photographed... so none of us could have imagined the surprise in store for us that morning!

So Anna, should we be able to gather another 24 people for this school, we will make it happen immediately. We have 3 months to make this happen!

Thank you for the inspiration!

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Note: This image was made by a Sony RX100M3. 

Woman + Walking Cane, Eastern Kenya, 2007

During my time in Kenya, I was privileged to work with the Maragoli Community Development Foundation. We went from village to village and documented the people living in the countryside. The foundation sas doing meaningful work, and this manifested itself in the warm embrace we received throughout my time in this beautiful land.

During our walks we ran across various groups of people, including this woman and a few of her friends. They asked to be photographed and we did so against this backdrop of boulders. The foundation worked with both mentally and physically challenged individuals, people who inspired me greatly in large part due to the difficulties they faced on a day to day basis.

While being physically challenged is certainly an immense hardship in societies which accommodate somewhat for their citizens with such challenges, being physically challenged in rural Kenya is another matter altogether. Some are hidden out of view by their families due to shame, while others walk a very lonely path with their challenges.

It was my privilege sincerely to have photographed this beautiful woman, and so many like her rising above their circumstances... refusing to be labeled and contributing to their communities fully.

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Note: This image was made with a Nikon analog system.

Young Student + Bench, Panipat, Haryana, India, 2016

Since my first visit to this region in 2013, the communities have embraced me and my work fully. Although they are deeply conservative, they have allowed me to photograph their daughters without limitation. They know of my work, and understand my admiration and adoration of the girl spirit.

So when Anna showed interest in another school for this region, it gave me further impetus to present it once again to our FB family. So in this spirit, and over the next two months, I will once again present a second school for your collective review. We do so on behalf of girls just like this very student, who is as hungry for an education as any in the world.

We met her through our hosts in Kairana, Uttar Pradesh. One of our hosts invited us to a school in nearby Panipat, Haryana. We drove out for an afternoon visit and were greeted by some of the most beautiful children in the world. We were allowed to photograph all of the students in the school, including all of the girls. This is almost unheard of in such a conservative society, but this is the privilege we have been granted by our friends.

She and her friends were so excited to see us, and got up quickly when their turn came to be photographed. They walked over to where the teacher usually sat, close to the doorway in order to be graced by the light.

So Anna should we be able to gather another 24 people for this school, we will make it happen immediately. We have 3 months to make this happen!

Thank you for the inspiration!

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Salt + Peaks, East of Salt Lake City, Utah, 2016

Yesterday was absolutely sublime. My drive to the Bonneville Salt Flats took my breath away. An hour or so away from Salt Lake City, the scene becomes almost lunar in appearance, with beautiful peaks to the distance in both directions. The land extending from the freeway to the peaks seemed to go on forever, and looked impossibly flat.

In some areas the dry land gave way to water as still as glass, like in this image. It seemed to perfect to be true, and my eyes had a hard time maintaining focus on the road. Everyone told me to go in the other direction towards the trees and green landscape. Something however pulled me this way.

Here is a digital snapshot of this region, until the film is processed.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Moonrise + Bonneville Salt Flats, Wendover, Utah, 2016

Since my trip to Lebanon had to be cancelled for the sake of work, it was time to look for the silver lining. That lining was the location of my work, Salt Lake City. With me to Utah this past weekend came my camera, and plenty of film.

So today I decided to go a bit further west and look for the Bonneville Salt Flats thanks to the incredible images made by my dear friend Keith Berr. I knew nothing of the place except what was seen on the internet, and thought that the place was a flat and dry space. What was waiting for me took my breath away!

At this time of the year the space is filled with perhaps six inches of salt water, and families were walking a hundred meters into the shallow lake without submerging anything more than their ankles. The water looked like a glass surface, until people started walking in... and I managed to expose two rolls with the calmest of surfaces.

Then people started walking in, and it made for even more interesting images. As the sun set and illuminated only the mountaintops, the images were even more striking. This image was made at the end of my time there, as the moon was rising and the sun had almost disappeared.

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Note: This image was made by a Sony RX100M3.

Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 12, 2016

Since my trip to Lebanon had to be cancelled for the sake of work, it was time to look for the silver lining. That lining was the location of my work, Salt Lake City. With me to Utah this past weekend came my camera, and plenty of film. 

So today I headed west and found this beautiful lake, certainly familiar to everyone in this region. It is my first venture into the landscape, and I cannot wait to visit the national parks over the next two months.

While I was there, an older man noticed my camera and stopped to say hello. He was into his ninth decade, and his family had lived in this region for the last three generations, since the late 1800's!

He told me about the lake, and how it is a shell of what it used to be during his childhood. He pointed to the previous shoreline, and went on to tell me how he had come here with his family as a child. He pointed to the sailboats sitting in the parking lot, and told me that when they had taken them out two years ago they thought that the boats would go right back in the next year. Yet, there they sat while we chatted for some time.

This is the memory which will come to mind when the film is processed, and when I look through the negatives for the perfect frame to print soon.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Young Student + Chalkboard, Panipat, Haryana, India, 2016

After three dozen people came together over the past year to fund our three schools in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, we have found further inspiration to continue in this direction. One person from this circle even asked me, how about a school for 1,000?

Well, we are heading in that direction as Nirvana Bodhisattva travels to Uttar Pradesh to discuss the upcoming school in the region. This first school will be established early next year, and with its success we will proceed with the neighboring village hopefully.

However, there is a school just over the border in Haryana which deserves support, as all schools do of course. Our hosts introduced us to this school early this year, and we fell in love with the students as well as the efforts being made on behalf of the children.

We were allowed to photograph all of the children, even including some of the older girls, albeit after some insistence by me. The children were so happy to be photographed, and it was spontaneous to say the least. We walked from one classroom to the next, stepped inside and started with the portraits.

The boys were great, remained relaxed throughout. The girls were just as beautiful, and took the chance to express themselves to the stranger with the camera. This young student's smile says it all, as she stood facing the doorway to be photographed with the chalkboard as her backdrop.

We will be working with her school, and will be visiting her classmates again in a few months. Let's support Nirvana as he helps establish the first school, and then hope we can do the same on behalf of this young girl the following year.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Student + New School, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2016

Thanks to two dozen people coming together over the past four weeks this young student will soon be attending classes under the exemplary guidance of Nirvana Bodhisattva and his foundation.

She is one of the students in our upcoming school, to be guided by the team at Nirvanavan Foundation. As a matter of fact the foundation plans to visit this very village over the next couple of weeks to begin the process of organization.

He will meet with the village leaders, both religious and political, and have the necessary conversations to make sure all are on the same page. We respect our circle of benefactors just as we respect the students to be included in the school, and want to make sure that the school established honors all involved.

I can only imagine the smiles on the faces of the children, very much like the smile on this young spirit. We are going from visiting this region since 2013, from only making their portraits, to introducing a formal school to the children and providing a system in which they can realize their true potential.

What is very important to know is that this idea emerged from within this community. The elders of this very community asked for our help, asked us to help educate their children, and offered their extensive cooperation for the sake of this effort. What is just as important is that this help is coming from within India, that the expertise behind the establishment of the school is Indian truly. Lastly, the thought of Hindus and Muslims coming together in a region stricken with strife quite recently makes this effort that much more important.

We salute those coming together last month to make this a reality!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Anays + Piece by Yudel, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2016

Just the other night we were chatting and Anays joked with me, wondered why her photographs were being left out of my recent postings. It took me a second to realize the truth behind her statement, since most of the postings over the past four weeks dealt with the proposed school in Uttar Pradesh, India.

While she of course loves her sisters in India, and always asks about them, she nonetheless is deeply moved by our collaboration. When in Cuba she will make herself available at a moment's notice, always ready to perform her art for the lens. Whether it is the center of the capital, the beach or perhaps the countryside, she comes with us always on her own and enjoys the ride as much as the performance.

In this image we visited one of our favorite spots on the island, as this has become her stage. She was wearing one of Yudel R. Contreras Garcia's creations, and had just started dabbling in modeling at Gysleda Virginia De La Barca Vega's school. While most of the models wearing these fabrics have a few years on Anays, they have nothing on her regarding emotion and creativity.

She is truly peerless, and one for whom I will always visit the island.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Young Student + Straw, Village in Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India

Last night was a most magical one, proof that it truly takes a village. That 'village' happened to be a circle of friends associated with our dear sister Nora Mcnamara. As soon as she shared our proposal for a school with her community, we went from 10 benefactors to our goal of 24 in one night!

Having just met these wonderful people, we will refrain from adding their tags to this portrait. Of course I would be honored if they did so, and hope that they do so in order for all to get to know each other.

This young girl is one of the students in our proposed school, to be guided by Nirvana Bodhisattva and his talented team at Nirvanavan Foundation. As a matter of fact the foundation plans to visit this very village over the next couple of weeks to begin the process of organization.

He will meet with the village leaders, both religious and political, and have the necessary conversations to make sure all are on the same page. We respect our circle of benefactors just as we respect the students to be included in the school, and want to make sure that the school established honors all involved.

I can only imagine the smiles on the faces of the children, very much like the smile on this young spirit. We are going from visiting this region since 2013, from only making their portraits, to introducing a formal school to the children and providing a system in which they can realize their true potential.

What is very important to know is that this idea emerged from within this community. The elders of this very community asked for our help, asked us to help educate their children, and offered their extensive cooperation for the sake of this effort. What is just as important is that this help is coming from within India, that the expertise behind the establishment of the school is Indian truly. Lastly, the thought of Hindus and Muslims coming together in a region stricken with strife quite recently makes this effort that much more important.

We salute those coming together last night, as well as those over the past four weeks, to make this happen!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Refugee + Home, Village near Kairana, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2013

This was the scene which greeted me on my first visit to the area. Just a few months earlier, this region experienced horrific violence between Hindus and Muslims, resulting in tens of thousands displaced. The camps we visited on this day were the result.

The local families had given their lands for the sake of the displaced, allowing the recovery process to begin. We walked around the camps and met many of the families affected. With the permission of the community we were able to do our photography, and also were able to record some of the stories through interviews.

This very camp was located just outside of our host's village, and on our host's land as well. Decades earlier their grandfather had done the same for another community by the name of the Banjara Tribe which, to this day, still lived on the land since transferred over to their community. So this is a host family which impressed me deeply, through their words and even more so through their actions.

The kindness and trust with which these families treated us is the inspiration behind our present proposal to open a school in this region. As per my conversations with Asrar Ahmad and Nirvana Bodhisattva, it was time to act for the sake of sectarian peace rather than violence.

Since this image was made many of these families have built permanent homes, while just as many have returned to their villages to begin the rebuilding process. Through Nirvana Bodhisattva's guidance we hope that our first established school is a model for the region, and is the news which is broadcast outside of the region.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.