This is what happens when the digital camera comes out. The girls start to run around, pick friends and get creative. We use available light and sit still while the students direct the photography!
Showing posts with label Gender Equality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gender Equality. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2022
Girls in the Classroom, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018
This is what happens when the digital camera comes out. The girls start to run around, pick friends and get creative. We use available light and sit still while the students direct the photography!
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Best Friends + Rooftop, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2019
The words below were written in early January, and remind me of a better time. My hope is that we will once again return to this good work, and to a better world.
"In a little more than two weeks I will be in the presence of these students, with more color film in my hands. While most images will be made in monochrome, at least one roll per day will be in color. Thanks to Imdadullah, such portraits are made possible. This good man is doing his best to maintain the cooperation of the community, so that the sewing centers can continue and so that we can help the madrasas with their programs. In this very school the headmaster has asked for support, so that he can present a fuller curriculum to his students. He wants to continue the religious lessons of course, but would also like to include Hindi, English, Math and so on. I cannot wait to show up and do my best to make this happen!"
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Imdad + Students, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2019
Four people are now supporting this project, so now we are looking for 20 more generous souls. For those of you who have been following my photography and are interested in lending your support to the girls within it, this is a great time.
24 people x $25 a month = 4 sewing centers + 1 school for girls
In addition to our main school, we are looking to establish 4 sewing centers in, each supporting 12 students. The students attend classes for 2 hours a day, and are supplied with fabric as well for their lessons. At the end of their course each student will receive a new sewing machine.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Xtina + Water, Cleveland, Ohio, 2017
This past year took me to far away places in search of the most exquisite while, at the same time, teaching me that beautiful souls exist in my own neighborhood. It was my honor to have been included in this young woman's life for the past seven years, and even more so to be given the opportunity to document her story more so this past year.
We had wanted a session in the water but lacked time in our first session. So the second time we met we did so much earlier and headed out to Lake Erie in search of a good spot. We did fine one and headed to the water with excitement. While there were more people than normal for me for a session, it was as if we were in our own, magical world.
We began outside of the water and exposed a couple of rolls. Then we found the courage to head into the cool water while the clouds began rolling in. Fortunately we were given a few moments when the sun found its way through the clouds and illuminated Xtina's sublime features and in these moments the shutter was released.
She was of course a natural, as we have collaborated more than several times for the past seven years. She moved between expressions with ease, and presented her expressions in a seemingly effortless manner.
My hope is that we get another chance this year to do even better!
Website
Note: This image was made with a Fuji GA645 film camera.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Young Girl + Field of Trees, Guanabacoa, Cuba, 2016
On the third of August this portrait was made, just a few hundred meters away from her home. While her home is far to the east of Cuba, she now lives near Havana with her father in the search for a better life. Years ago she came into our lives as we were photographing ballerinas in the field across from her home, and now she has become an integral part of the work on the island.
Documenting this young girl is quite an honor, for she truly loves to be photographed. At first it seems that maybe she prefers differently, then after a little bit it becomes clear that she embraces it. This is especially true when we go to the beach, and this year we will do so at least twice. She deserves to have such experiences, and we will do our part to make it happen for her and her family.
Website
Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/100 mm lens combination onto Ilford Delta 100 film.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Little Thing + Smile, La Habana, Cuba, 2008
Her name found its popularity through a French musical, and enchanted me when we first met almost a decade ago. She was the reason we stopped on this very street, and why we continue to this day to visit the neighborhood. Her smile brightens up the world, and she is always willing to share it.
Our first meeting is etched in my mind. We were walking up the street when she spotted us. She was walking out of her doorway and across the street. She was supremely confident at such an age, and took me by surprise.
We stopped and walked back to where she was standing. We asked permission to photograph her from an older man, and then he asked her. She politely refused and we started on our way up the street. We then heard the man calling us back, and saw a great smile on her face.
That was the beginning of our friendship and to this day we visit the neighborhood just for the sake of visiting. Most of the girls have grown up and moved on now, but they remember us well and greet us kindly. This year we will try to find a better place for them to be photographed, since doing so in the streets is old news by now.
Either way I look forward to seeing this smile in a month!
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Ballerina + Racquetball Court, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2015
Then we have this incredible setting, and the most perfect light. Just as we can depend on clouds forming in the afternoon on the island, we can almost depend on having the most exquisite light in the morning. While it is frustrating at times depending on the weather, it does make the photographs the much more meaningful.
So when we arrive at this racquetball court and see clear skies, we pinch ourselves. This young dancer has blossomed during our time with her family, and has now become one of our 'veterans' barely out of her single digits. She goes from one position to another without reservation, and almost always says 'yes' to our collaborations.
Her family lives in the city, and we pick them up thanks to Alejandro an hour before sunrise. She is always perfectly ready, and a professional in every way. She is still of course a young girl, and treats this racquetball court as important as any stage in the world. The sunlight hits each surface differently, giving us three beautiful tones in monochrome to compliment her multiple facets.
Her attitude in this image specifically left me speechless!
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Young Girl + Student, Humana People to People India, Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, 2016
This past week was spent in the beautiful state of Madhya Pradesh, bordering both Gujarat and Maharashtra near the locations of the schools. For the past year Humana People to People India has been working in this tribal region, helping out of school children join the mainstream school system.
The landscape of this region has an almost lunar appearance, with trees seemingly placed here and there in an almost staged scenario. It is as if the gods raked the small stones into perfect mounds, and sprinkled dark brown and light tan colors over the landscape. Over and over again we caught ourselves in awe of it all, keeping in mind that the lives of most are certainly anything but idyllic.
We were able to visit over a dozen schools, and photograph hundreds of children. As most of those on this social page know, my focus is on the girls... and in order to gain access to their images photographs of hundreds of boys needed to be made. Such being said, the boys in this region were just as beautiful as the girls, and almost as serene. There was something different about them, quite calming actually.
We asked one father, and he told us that since the houses are spread so far apart, the boys stay at home with the family and refrain from playing in packs. The family system is intact, and the respect was evident all the way through our visit.
This image was made during our last day, and in the most remote of the schools. The children walk to the school over the mountain range in the background, more than a few kilometers each day. The people are tribal in background, and have lush traditions including song and dance. Before our photography on this day the girls and boys sang for us, with this scene in front of our eyes.
It seemed that we were sitting on the moon, yet connected firmly to the earth. The language used was local, and foreign to all of my friends and assistants. After the singing we used this opportunity to make photographs different than my usual, of course putting aside the plane backdrops and embracing it all.
I had my eye on this young girl since our arrival, just loved her features and her clothing. When her time came I was hoping the sun was shining as clouds had formed during our filming. It so happened that luck was on our side, and this portrait was made both on film and in a digital format.
The wind was blowing her shawl all over the place, yet she maintained her composure and expressions. It was like another world altogether, taking me deeper into timeless India with each frame exposed.
Tomorrow I head into Mewat to photograph our schools. The Muslim girls will be quite a change from their counterparts in MP, yet of course just as fascinating. As the images are made more will be shared.
Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Young Boy + Kanjar Community, Nirvanavan Foundation, India, 2016
I present this portrait as a follow-up to the previous post, as he is a young boy from the same community as the two young woman. He will one day decide the fate of his sister, and perhaps his community.
Here he stands in front of a home locked for the season, with the family on a surreal vacation. They have gone to the big cities to present their daughters to the sex trade. They have left behind the younger children under the care of Nirvanavan Foundation, as Nirvana and his team have arranged a hostel to take care of the children daily. They provide classes as well as two meals a day for the time being.
Nirvana and his team are seeking to build a permanent structure for these children and it is my aim to help on my end to make this happen. Anyone affected by this post, and the earlier one, may also help make this happen through this collaboration... just send me a note and we'll brainstorm.
What will this boy and his brothers decide? Will they continue to place their sisters into the sex trade? Will they continue to earn their living from the services their sisters provide? Will they perhaps go another way? Will the classes held by Nirvana and his foundation have their intended effect?
My hope is that he and his brothers see another way. The obstacles are great, as seen by their lavish homes in the midst of rural India. Their earthly profits are substantial, without the men working a single day in the fields as their neighbors do on a daily basis. The temptations are almost insurmountable... yet I believe that this boy has the potential to overcome.
This is my hope, and what keeps me coming to Nirvanavan Foundation over and over again.
Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3 with the courageous help of Mukesh Poswal.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Two Friends + Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Summer of 2015
Alejandro and I drove West one afternoon, trying to get away from the clouds in the city. This seemed to work sometimes, as we drove in the direction of Pinar del Rio and found sunshine on many occasions.
We drove for quite a while and were unable to find faces to document, stories to tell. The search because desperate, especially when two sets of clouds started to come together, creating a tiny sliver of space for the sun to set. Just as we almost gave up, we found this beautiful home and decided to stop.
We then stepped out of the car as we realized the people were looking our way. The women were about to walk home, but decided to remain and listen to our request. We asked permission to photograph the home first, knowing that their curiosity would get the best of them.
It was raining lightly as I exposed a few images of the home. To my immediate left a chicken was guarding her eggs carefully, making me feel a bit uneasy about the location of the tripod. Everyone eased my mind though, and saw it as quite comical.
This made it easy to ask for their portraits, and resulted in the smiles we see below. We photographed the man of the house first, a marvelously powerful farmer whose spirit transferred to film perfectly I hoped at that moment.
The women were great of course, laughing all along and helping each other along the way. My experience has always taught me that acting a clown helps very much, it lowers barriers and allows others to see a lighter side of the photographer. The smiles in this image were the result!
Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M2.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Young Student, Nuh, Haryana, Humana People to People India, 2015
Earlier this year we visited the new schools in this region and were more than pleasantly surprised at the reception. The classrooms were full, and the teachers were from the same villages as well. Humana People to People India had worked extremely hard in organizing these schools, for they faced as many obstacles in doing so here as they had in Rajasthan.
In many of these villages girls lack access to formal education, even though government schools exist nearby. Traditional attitudes prevent such from happening, attitudes experienced by me as well during my week or so in this area. So to see the schools up and running, with the support of the families and the elders of the communities, gave me an immense sense of happiness. Whenever a doubt comes into my mind regarding this work, I look at these images and regain my composure.
This portrait was made in the courtyard of the teacher's home, also the school. The teacher's father is quite elegant and more than understanding, allowing his daughter to attain higher education while at the same time donating a room from his own home for the classes.
This was the spot where we had tea on more than several occasions, and an oasis in a chaotic world for these beautiful girls. I look forward to visiting the schools in less than two months, and seeing the progress that has been made, from 75 girls to over 400 girls attending classes!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Two Ballerinas + The Sea, Sky and Sun, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2015
As 2016 begins I share my gratitude for the generous people in my life who have contributed to the various projects in the past, who continue to do so in the present and who may in the future continue to make sure that girls around the world have their rightful place in this collective society!
Thanks to our successful Costumes for Ballerinas in Cuba Campaign for example, these exquisite dancers had the chance to perform in new outfits, and refused to take the tags off of the pieces!
Here they are, a spontaneous moment in the sea!
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Second Article, Onfilmphoto, December 3, 2016
I am honored to have been selected for an article on this esteemed page once again, and hope that the stories reach an even larger audience soon.
Onfilmphoto Article
Onfilmphoto Article
"The children's faces were charred from the sun and the wind, while their hair had the consistency of cotton candy. They played in the dirt paths between the tents, sometimes running dangerously close to the roads nearby. Every once in a while a child would be struck by a speeding motorist, the communities shared with me, while local authorities treated such incidents as inconsequential. These brave faces lived on the outskirts of the surrounding society, performing their duties unseen in order to help support their families back home."
"For those of us with children, can we imagine for one second our children's faces with such scars? Can we imagine the hair on our children's heads having such a consistency? Can we imagine the clothes on our children's backs so fragile, so stained? Can we for one moment endure the dryness of their skin, dirt near their lips?"
Monday, December 28, 2015
Child of Migrants, Humana People to People India, Uttar Pradesh, India March 17, 2015
Once again from that very same day in the same Islamic School in Uttar Pradesh another portrait is being shared. The faces that emerged from only one village near Kairana overwhelmed me, and proved once again that such beauty and resolve exist in every village.
Here were people who had never seen me before, and some who had never seen an outsider in their young lives prior to this day. Yet they stood in front of the lens without hesitation and expressed themselves with an honesty that is many times missing in parts of the world where the camera has become ubiquitous; where everyone has one and where images are made endlessly.
This little girl is without access to traditional education, lives in an area where the government schools are considered so useless that the parents would rather keep their children at home. So my host from last year has set this school up for almost 200 children, and has begun teaching the basics of the Koran to the children of this community.
He yearns to also present a traditional curriculum to the student body and has the resolve to do so, now working on the financial end of the equation to hire more teachers. Yet he needs help regarding a curriculum, teaching materials and so on. We are working on arranging a relationship with another foundation whose strength happens to be this man's weakness, and whose presence would present a strong Hindu-Muslim unity in an area sorely missing such.
I hope to make the connection in the near future, to bring such a curriculum to this village and to see such unity flourish for the sake of all involved, especially this beautiful student.
Note: Anyone interested in helping in this matter may feel free to contact me at any time and through this forum of course.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Young Student, Nirvanavan Foundation, Banganga, Rajasthan, India, 2015
After an incredibly successful weekend at the Cleveland Print Room, another portrait is being shared with those generous spirits making it all possible. She is a student from our school in a village named Banganga, Rajasthan. In the land of kings sits this exquisite place and its beautiful inhabitants. The news of our success was shared with our brother Nirvana Bodhisattva at the foundation last night, and the excitement is building!
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Jadha + El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, California, November 6, 2015
Last week was spent in Los Angeles making images of ballerinas and models. The idea was to create an inclusive body of work, to make images of the well known along with the less than known… to display the similarities rather than the differences.
All of the women photographed offered themselves selflessly to the work, fully understood the idea behind the project and saw the girls in my work as their sisters. This was the case with Jadha, and our session most recently.
While it was pretty damn cold for such a session even near Los Angeles, she was more than enthusiastic to meet up two hours before sunrisey. Leading up to this meeting, she shared images of her wardrobe and communicated consistently, always showing true enthusiasm.
We met two hours before sunrise and drove out to our location, talked about the sequence of our session and began a few minutes after we arrived. She ignored the coolness of the desert air, and performed flawlessly for the lens. She changed from one outfit to another quickly, and rarely presented the same pose twice.
We had a great time for two hours, and headed back to Los Angeles with the most beautifully clear skies above. I admire this young woman, and look forward to seeing the processed film this week!
Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Young Girl, La Habana, Cuba, Summer of 2014
One day we were visiting one of our families in La Habana when this young girl came walking down the stairs, excusing herself as she walked down. While people on the island are quite generous and kind, for a child her age to do so in a most natural way caught my attention. She remained in my mind as we walked upstairs to speak with our family, and I described her to my friends.
Immediately they smiled and knew about whom I was talking, and told me that they would ask her parents for permission to be photographed. Her parents agreed and she joined us upstairs for a short session on the rooftop. Her mannerisms were beyond incredible, she had her way about her... and was truly an individual at such a tender age.
My friend's mother took it upon herself to help her get ready for the photography, took care of her hair and so on. When it was time for her to get in front of the camera, she was such the natural... absolutely perfect! The sun mattered little to her, and she was enamored with the camera. This image was from our first year together, and hopefully this coming summer we will reunite for another series of sessions!
Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film with natural light only.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Jaedon + Joshua Tree, Near Los Angeles, California, November 6, 2015
Yesterday I had the privilege of photographing this most exquisite spirit, and witnessed talent of the highest degree along with a heart as open as the spaces in which we photographed. We entered our collaboration as strangers and exited as collaborators for life.
My initial impression of Jaedon was that of a very enthusiastic communicator, responding to my casting call. As she responded to my requests with precision and always on time, my admiration of her grew even more. Here was a woman certainly busy with her life, yet taking the time out of her busy days to check her eyes' sensitivity to sunlight, to send pictures of her wardrobe for me to review.
She accepted a morning session even though that meant heading out to the dry lake bed two hours before sunrise. So when the time came for our session and the afternoon slot became available, she accepted with humility and we made our way to El Mirage Dry Lake Bed the next day.
When I arrived at her home, she was standing outside perfectly ready, and with care kits especially prepared for us. She had once again taken the time to put together bags of nutritious snacks for our afternoon out of the city, a very touching gesture indeed.
We had a great conversation on our way and, since we were early, we decided to stop at a few places to make images with more variety. Her willingness to check her eyes' sensitivity to sunlight paid off immediately, as she was able to work perfectly while the sun was quite strong.
In this image she stands at our third location prior to the dry lake bed, a location we chose spontaneously as we were about to leave the second spot. She was and is magnificent, and I will be proud to introduce her to our dancers in Cuba very soon!
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Ballerina + Sugar Cane, Guanabacoa, Cuba, Summer of 2014
On my way home tonight I received a call from her apartment. To see her name on my phone a few weeks after staying at her home for the summer brought a smile to my face. Her mother and I spoke for a little bit, then her brother took the phone to say hello and let me know that he'll be in the States for the next two weeks. He happens to be the captain of Cuba's National Soccer Team, and a handsome one at that!
I remember when this image was made, as we were walking between the sugar cane fields on our way to the next stop. I turned to her and asked if she'd get behind a few stalks, and she did so with her own flamboyant way. Everything she touches turns into gold so effortlessly.
She was at her dance school this evening, always trying to improve her technique… a perfectionist on every level. It's been less than three weeks since we were together and I am already counting the weeks until we are on the beach once again.
www.halimina.com
Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Neighbor + Rooftop, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2014
One evening in my friend's apartment this young girl happened to be there, playing games with my friend's daughter. She paused for a second, then continued to play. My friend noticed my reaction and knew, right there and then, that we'd have to include her in our photography.
So we asked her mother and she immediately granted us permission to do so. We arranged an afternoon for the girls on the rooftop of my friend's building. We had perfect access to the sun, and an apartment in which the girls could change. My friend's wife also volunteered to do their hair, and she was perfectly suited to the task. She loved the girls and took immense pleasure in playing with their hair.
Although I have written it many times, the truth is that these girls impress me deeply with their presence in front of a lens. They produce the most incredible expressions and rival the best models in my work… who by the way express interest to be included in my work because of these very girls. As models, they realize the difficulty in attaining such comfort levels and know the rarity of such honesty in portraiture.
These girls after all are being photographed without props, designer clothes and a team of stylists. They are being placed in front of a camera without preparation. Yet they are completely in charge, as I do nothing more than make sure the settings on the camera are correct. In less than four weeks I will see her and her family, and look forward to possibly taking them to the beach for a session!
Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination, with natural light only.
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