Lily + Countryside, Guanabacoa, Cuba, 2018

Thanks to Profe Gysleda and her school ModaEgos, images of aspiring models in the countryside were made possible. This neighborhood is one in which my friend Alejandro has both family and friends. As a result we were able to walk around and find spaces for our sessions. This one spot is one of my favorites and has the most beautiful blue chair, as seen in the background. This young woman, Lily, did exceptionally well in light of her very sensitive eyes. All are appreciated and my hope is that these prints are a testament to their collective vision.

Etsy 

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Young Laborer + Shawl, 2020, India, Limited Edition (50), 11x14 Handmade Silver Gelatin Print Toned in Selenium

This young woman works during the day as a laborer in one of the Rajasthani government's construction jobs. My friend tells me that these jobs exist in order to subsidize the local economy and those without a skill set with respect to formal training. This young woman walks a few kilometers each way with her lunch container in hand. She is full covered for the work and does so under the grueling sun. Normally the men are supervising the work, but at times also join in. The work is tedious and never ends. Her work for example is to carry endless baskets of dirt from one place to another, all uphill since they are digging for a dam. Every year the project continues and it seems that there is no end in sight.

The purpose of selling these portraits on Etsy is to support the social work being accomplished through my photography. Presently we have six sewing centers in two states of India, serving both the Hindu and the Muslim communities. In these sewing centers, young women learn a trade while also making clothing for their families. The centers are located in the rural areas, where young women have only one option normally, marriage and a family. At this moment, due to COVID-19, the work is on hold. However, we plan to restart the centers in 2022 and the funds from the sale of these portraits will be applied to the work in India.

This is a silver gelatin print made by me, the photographer, in my darkroom. It is printed on Ilford MGIVWT glossy fiber 11x14 paper, and toned in selenium for permanence. It is processed in a Zone VI washer to archival standards, and allowed to dry overnight on a screen. The camera/lens combination was a Hasselblad 501CM/180mm, and the frame was exposed onto Ilford Delta 100. This frame is from a library of well over 300,000 negatives exposed over the last 24 years, from four continents and a dozen countries. Every person is spoken with prior to the portrait, and the process is explained fully. Most of my work is on film, and the countries are revisited year after year in order to continue the documentation of the same families, of the same communities. .

Each print will be signed and dated by me, the photographer, and numbered to a maximum of 50 prints (11x14) per negative.

Etsy 

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Tree in Field, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

This is a silver gelatin print made by me, the photographer, in my own darkroom. It is printed on Ilford MGIVWT glossy fiber 11x14 paper, and toned in selenium for permanence. It is processed in a Zone VI washer to archival standards, and allowed to dry overnight on a screen. The camera/lens combination was a Hasselblad 501CM/100mm, and the frame was exposed onto Ilford Delta 100 using natural light. This frame is from a library of well over 300,000 negatives exposed over the last 24 years, from four continents and a dozen countries.

On our way to a religious school for photography in the morning, I finally decided to stop and photograph this tree. It has caught my attention so many times before, but this was the morning. It was very early, but of course people stopped to see what was going on. One 120 roll was exposed, and we moved on. The very next year a small building was placed next to the tree, making this image a memory. This tree is in the middle geographically of my work in India, symbolizes the possibilities.

The purpose of selling these portraits on Etsy is to support the social work being accomplished through my photography. Presently we have six sewing centers in two states of India, serving both the Hindu and the Muslim communities. In these sewing centers, young women learn a trade while also making clothing for their families. The centers are located in the rural areas, where young women have only one option normally, marriage and a family. At this moment, due to COVID-19, the work is on hold. However, we plan to restart the centers in 2022 and the funds from the sale of these portraits will be applied to the work in India.

As a side note, my belief is that you will be very pleased with the print in person, as the tones of a silver gelatin print are difficult to represent through the screen. One may sense the surface of the print by looking at the gloss in certain areas of the print's surface. In the end, the print you will receive will be slightly different than the one represented on the screen, both in tone and in emotional impact... different in the best sense of the word. Every print is an original, and my hope is that it finds a good space in your home.

Each print will be signed and dated by me, the photographer, and numbered to a maximum of 50 prints (11x14) per negative.

Etsy 

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Grandfather + Window, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

This is the grandfather of the young girl in the previous post. He allowed me to make his portrait against the window of the neighboring house. The family moved from the east to the capital in order to improve their lives, even though the majority of those in the city see them as squatters from the countryside. They welcomed us with open arms and were as elegant as any in the country. My respect for this man is immense, and I hope to see him next summer.

Note: Negative exposed with a Hasselblad 501CM/100mm combination, printed in the darkroom onto Ilford 11x14 fiber paper, toned in selenium for permanence.

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Dancer + Freeway Exit, 16 x 20 Enlarged Proof, Bauta, Cuba, 2015

This was the third print from today in the darkroom, a 16x20 enlarged proof of a young ballerina in Bauta, Cuba. During that summer we drove further away from Havana looking for opportunities, and found a great connection in this beautiful town. 

We were driving through the town when I wondered out loud to Alejandro about the possibility of a dance school. He doubted if this town had such a school. As he was speaking, this young girl was dressed in her dance outfit with two adults on the sidewalk. We stopped immediately and were informed that there was a school, and that it offered private lessons to serious students.

They pointed out the school to us and we headed that way. The teacher was very nice and told us to come back later, after he had spoken with the parents. When we did return this young girl and another were waiting in the park along with their parents. This is what makes photography so incredible, meeting people one minute and then creating the next. 

The spot in the images is the exit off of the highway for the town. It looked so beautiful and we offered it to the parents as our set. They accepted and we had a great afternoon with the two families. At first she had doubts about her abilities, but she was perfect once the photography started. It's great to see her movements on one print, makes me feel that the enlarged proofs for Cuba are perfect!

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