Best Friends + Field, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India

I do miss these young girls and their friends, and have the highest respect for their courage in the midst of indifference and intolerance. Their village is the one in which I sleep during my stay in Uttar Pradesh, thanks to @chmunshadali and his beautiful family.

Their village is their world, and more exactly their home is their world. Unless they are attending school, they are almost always within the confines of their homes.

They’re fully aware of the hardships facing them and yet they persevere and endure through it all. In this classroom they could be themselves and act out their creative thoughts. It’s been an honor to be at their side all of these years.

Etsy 

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Young Woman + Kanjar Community, Rajasthan, India

Let’s imagine for one minute sitting on a bench on the side of the road, looking into a mirror making sure the presentation is just right. Then imagine one of the countless truck drivers passing by notices and stops. The man then walks over to inquire about certain services. Then let’s imagine that our uncle comes over to agree on the price before we are expected to perform those services in our own home.

This is the reality for this young women, her aunts, her nieces and neighbors. Her community trades in sex, and the women are the products which the men of the community trade. 

Our minute of our imagination is her reality for 1,440 minutes each day.

Etsy 

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Four friends + Flower, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India

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. I’m blessed to have film portraits of all these girls, and some digital images as a reminder of our times together.

Etsy 

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Widow + Mosque Courtyard, Delhi, India

Like many widows, she has been left to defend for herself and for her children. Instead of being looked after by her community, she belongs to the majority receiving nothing from the State and lacking a pension.

In many instances, life after the death of the husband is a life waiting for death itself. So many women are married when quite young to men much older than them. As a result, the death of their husbands leaves them as young women with children and without a security net. The stories are endless, the humiliation eternal.

Depending on position and caste, some of these women are forced to shave their heads, others refrain from wearing jewelry or from presenting their beauty to the world. They are to remain invisible for the rest of their lives, almost as a means to relieve Society from its conscience. With over 40,000,000 widows in existence, this leaves a void difficult to ignore.

Etsy 

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Day Laborers + Government Project, Virat Nagar, Rajasthan, India, 2020

I can’t imagine taking only monochrome film with me to India and am grateful to have taken the chance years ago and especially during last year’s quarantine in Rajasthan!

Thank you Nami Gujjar!

Etsy 

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Widow in Mosque Courtyard, Delhi, India, 2007

Like many widows, she has been left to defend for herself and for her children. Instead of being looked after by her community, she belongs to the majority receiving nothing from the State and lacking a pension. 

In many instances, life after the death of the husband is a life waiting for death itself. So many women are married when quite young to men much older than them. As a result, the death of their husbands leaves them as young women with children and without a security net. The stories are endless, the humiliation eternal.

Depending on position and caste, some of these women are forced to shave their heads, others refrain from wearing jewelry or from presenting their beauty to the world. They are to remain invisible for the rest of their lives, almost as a means to relieve Society from its conscience. With over 40,000,000 widows in existence, this leaves a void difficult to ignore. 

Etsy 

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Students next to Classroom, Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

Fourteen years ago I was privileged to have access to a beautiful community in western Kenya, thanks to a foundation named MACODEF. We went from village to village, from school to school, in search of incredible people and stories. This school was on the outskirts of Kisumu, and we walked just to the side to make portraits of the entire student body. Some children had shoes and some lacked, while almost all of the children were wearing the only uniform that they possessed. The foundation is doing remarkable work given the conditions, and I applaud their efforts sincerely. 

Etsy 

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Blue Eyes + Green Field, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2019

Her eyes are blue and as clear as the sky. This portrait of her was made behind the religious school she attends, with my friend Imdadullah's home in the background. This is his village and portraits of the children are only possible because of him. Over the past few years this has been the village in which I stay, thanks to Imdad's beautiful family and home. Every time we arrange a session with the children I ask for her by name, and someone goes running to call her. Sometimes she comes, sometimes she's missing. Regardless, just having this single portrait of her is everything to me.

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Young Student + Madrasa, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020

Earlier last year due to the pandemic, my return from India was delayed by 6 weeks. The entire time all 600 or so rolls of film were tucked away in the suitcase. My concern was that as the temperatures increased damage would be done to the film. I did the best that I could by keeping the door of the room closed during the day, and open at night. My host family allowed me to use the cooler as well. 

All the while I had the digital images to review, including this portrait. This young girl and her sister have been photographed by me over the past five or so years. I would look through the files and just hope that the film equivalents were safe. Taking walks twice a day helped, and the birds on the wires kept me company.

Now I look back and have even more appreciation for my host family. All of the film was processed successfully and her portrait on film is just as exquisite.

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Shanu + Book Bag, Rajasthan, India, 2020

She is always so serious when in front of a camera, even when receiving a new book bag in front of her classmates. All of the sewing students attended and presented each student with a new uniform as well, hand-made by them. This is an incredible house, home to both the sewing instructor and the elementary school teacher... both sisters. I have visited this home since before this classroom was built, even before the second floor was made. The young woman next to me, now the teacher, used to be a student in the girls' school back then. One look at the smiles of the sewing students tells me that the sewing center needs to open soon, and open soon it will once the virus eases its grip on the world. 

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Young Student + Board, Humana People to People India, Rajasthan, India, 2006

This portrait dates back to my first trip to India, and my first experiences with Humana People to People India. My time in the villages with Humana opened my eyes to an entirely different world, and introduced me to the work of community development from the ground up. It was a privilege to be able to visit more than a dozen schools in the Virat Nagar region of Rajasthan, and to this day this place means the world to me. While the schools are now closed, the foundation and I have maintained contact to this day. In addition, I have visited many of these villages over the past few years and we have begun three sewing centers in three of these villages, with one elementary school as well. My goal is to revisit all of these villages once again and present a plan to revisit the work started more than 20 years ago. One look into her face tells me the incredible value of education, and convinces me of the need to do what we can to make such more possible for the girls of this region.

Note: this frame was just scanned this evening... seen for the very first time since her portrait was made in 2016!

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Young Student + Classroom in Construction, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020

If at all in doubt, one look at her portrait and all falls into place. She attends a small, religious school in the state of Uttar Pradesh. For her portrait she was standing near a window in a newly constructed classroom. The confidence she shows is remarkable for her age, and for a young girl having her portrait made by someone so different from the men in her village.

Her headmaster is a good man and is planning to construct a new school for the girls of the region. He is moved by the fact that education for girls is less prized by the villagers, in comparison to the education for boys. His decision to pursue such a plan impressed me deeply, and I will work hard on my end to gather the funds necessary by reaching out to the Muslim Community on this side of the world... and every other source of course. 

One look into her eyes makes it clear that the work is both important and necessary. The fact that this work is needed in more villages than one can possibly count only makes it more urgent. Anyone moved by this is more than welcome to join. 

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Young Student + Chalkboard, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020

Before this year's visit to India much was up in the air and it was uncertain whether the work with the madrasas would continue. Thanks to great communication by Imdadullah and to the trust built over the past six years, the photography flourished even more so than last year. Her portrait was made earlier in March of this year, as we visited the last madrasa in question. Her strength in front of the lens impressed me sincerely, and my hope is that her portrait does her justice.

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Best Friends + Classroom, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2019

Day before yesterday we photographed their school for the first time this year. We visited this school many times over the past few years but this year they have made a more serious effort to include more girls. They are also looking to hire more teachers and improve their level of education.

Our session included an impromptu hour of photography in their classroom and in front of their friends, thus the smiles on their incredible faces.

Over the past three weeks we have visited over 10 villages and reconnected with all madrasas within them thanks to my brother Imdadulla Nadvi and his trust in our collaboration. Tomorrow we set out to visit two more schools and meet more beautiful students of this region.

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Best Friends + Chalkboard, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Earlier this year before COVID-19 ago we photographed their school for the first time this year. We visited this school many times over the past few years but this year they have made a more serious effort to include more girls. They are also looking to hire more teachers and improve their level of education.

Our session included an impromptu hour of photography in their classroom and in front of their friends, thus the smiles on their incredible faces.

During my time in India this year, we have visited over 10 villages and reconnected with all madrasas within them thanks to my brother Imdadulla Nadvi and his trust in our collaboration. Soon we hope to help their school more so, and wish for a better 2021!

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Two Students + Two Smiles, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Yesterday we photographed their school for the first time this year. We visited this school many times over the past few years but this year they have made a more serious effort to include more girls. They are also looking to hire more teachers and improve their level of education.

Our session yesterday included an impromptu hour of photography in their classroom and in front of their friends, thus the smiles on their incredible faces.

Over the past two weeks we have visited over 10 villages and reconnected with all madrasas within them thanks to my brother Imdadulla Nadvi and his trust in our collaboration. Tomorrow we set out to visit two more schools and meet more beautiful students of this region.

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Six Students + Six Frames, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Six young students and three trees, along with a couple of flowers, made these images possible one morning. To this day I cannot take in the immense beauty of this land, the trust which helps produce these portraits. In return I will do my best to help their school flourish. We have a long way to go, but one look into their eyes gives me all the inspiration needed. These are some of the images to be printed this week.

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Young Student + Field, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020

Like everything else new in India this year, my approach to portraiture also changed. Subtle moments like this were everything to me, as she gazed into the field of wheat beneath her. The wind swept across the field and provided the beautiful movement as a backdrop as well. She was at school that morning when we asked her and her friends to be photographed. They are by now used to me but, at the same time, it still feels new. She has a way of looking into the lens which is all her own, a truly remarkable, young girl. 

Note: This image was printed onto 11x14 Ilford fiber paper and toned in Selenium for permanence. This is just a quick snapshot of the print while it was drying on the screen.

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Young Girl + Shadows, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020

Over the past seven years it's been my honor to photograph students in a dozen schools within Shamli District, thanks to Imdadullah and his connections. This girl and her sister both attend one of these schools. For the time being it is strictly a religious school, but the headmaster would like to expand the school and include a full curriculum as well. 

Both of the sisters have light eyes, and the headmaster allows us to photograph to almost sunset to allow us to photograph them. In the back of the school there's a space with a slit of light squeezing through two walls. We usually begin with the other girls, and as the sun nears the horizon these two girls come forward for their portraits. 

That's exactly what happened for this image, and she began the roll with her gaze down to the ground. Slowly she raised her eyes to the lens and the shutter was released the entire time. Just this week this print was made in the darkroom, bringing that moment from six months ago to the present.

Note: this image was printed onto Ilford 11x14 fiber paper, and toned in Selenium for permanence. 

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Student + Window, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2019

Just as the pandemic took hold of the world around us this young girl and her friends were the focus of my attention in Uttar Pradesh. According to my friends in the area, their villages have been spared from the path of the virus. My hope is that she and her friends are healthy and safe.

She attends a large madrasa which we have visited since 2013. Their headmaster is planning on expanding to a second school which will be dedicated to girls in the region. He is quite the presence, at times intimidating and at times like a gentle giant. 

As for her and her friends, they love to be photographed and make the sessions so much fun. This unfinished room will be a classroom for the students in the near future. Until then it's our studio. The ability of this young girl to connect with the lens while chaos is all around her astounds me. The confidence she has while never having met an outsider such as myself before cannot be overstated. 

My hope is that the pandemic eases in our near future and that we can find support for her future school. The work will continue regardless! 

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