Young Woman + Landscape, Langha Community, Rajasthan, India, 2017

This past Spring my time in India had taken a new path... landscape photography mixed with environmental portraits of various communities. We headed into western portion of Rajasthan, right on the border with Pakistan. One of the circles we had been blessed to document this week was the Langha Community, famous for their customs and their musical talents.

As a matter of fact, our host showed me four expired passports, all filled on almost every page with visas and entries to various countries around the world. They immediately took us in yesterday and allowed us to stay the night, performing for us both yesterday and today. We sat down with them and exchanged stories, and our hopes as well.

This is a Muslim community which also happens to play music, sing and dance. The boys and men are the ones to do such, while the girls attend school up to fifth class and no more. This is the story of one of the villages within the Langha Community, as other villages may certainly vary regarding these details. We will present this village and our thoughts to this FB circle in the near future, as we believe a small investment will yield incredible results for this community.

This is the daughter of our host, as she allowed us to make her portrait this morning against the backdrop of the Rajasthani desert. The environment in which they live is both stunning and quite harsh. On a daily basis winds blow over the mounds of sand behind her, bringing endless amounts of sand into her home and her lungs. It is an extremely difficult life, almost unimaginable for so many of us.

We hope that perhaps a sewing class, with a dozen machines, will allow the girls and young women to attain a skill set which can then be used to make clothing both for the local and for the global market... details to be shared soon!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

The Sound of Divinity, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2016

The Sound of Divinity II from Halim Ina on Vimeo.

Last week I presented my work from India at the doctor conference in Huntington Beach, California. The scene was as removed from my past two months in India as possible, with priceless homes lining the streets across the beach. The collective wealth in the room was unimaginable, and gave me further inspiration in presenting the story.

Usually such talks make me nervous, but a calm came over me as the first slide was projected. My mind was still with the girls in the villages. As the slides continued, the silence in the room became more intense. The mood was perfect as the slide of this young girl arrived, and she began singing. Here she was, thousands of miles away from her village, expressing herself perfectly to an enchanted audience.

I glanced at the faces now and then, only to find them speechless. Before the presentation, I thought it perhaps too much to include a two minute performance within a 15 minute presentation. Last night as we talked about the presentation, the supporting staff at the company told me over and over again to just show it.... they wanted to see the girls in more than two dimensions. So the video played, and their eyes and ears took it all in.

It was quite beautiful. After the presentation many came forward to express their sincere satisfaction. My hope is that tonight and this weekend, the snowball will continue to roll down the mountain and the talk will turn into action for her sake, and for the sake of her sisters in India!

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Note: Above is her portrait from the previous year, made with a Sony RX100M2. When watching the video, please make sure to enjoy it in HD!

La Cantante, La Habana, Cuba, Summer, 2008

Here she stands one block away from her home, against a white wall and facing a wall drenched with sunlight. When we arrive a white truck is blocking the beautiful sunlight and a young man willingly moves the truck for us. She is dressed in her ballet outfit and has allowed her hair to fall naturally, rather than in the formal manner.

I photographed her two years or so ago on the famous walkway lining the Cuban capital as she walked with her family. She was willing then and is more than willing now. People stand to her left watching us work, but to her they are invisible. She looks straight into the lens and presents herself without limitations. When asked she raises her head, and shows me the meaning of love. In one portrait I might explain to those asking me: why do you continue to visit the island?

Then in a five minute clip as in the previous post, such questions would be laid to rest.

This young girl always puts her best foot forward, never accepts anything but her best effort. Just when I think she has sung her best version, she asks me to record yet another... and I do so beyond willingly. In temperatures that almost melt my camera along with humidity that forces me to wipe my forehead a few times during each performance, she sings effortlessly.

While people walk by on the street looking at us, she does the same. She never settles for anything but a most genuine expression, for this is her. Her mother is an incredible force, very much like the daughter. She tirelessly promotes her daughter and always provides pointers during our recordings, actually singing her pointers rather than just telling her daughter to do this and to do that. She leads by example.

In the background, and anything but the background, is her father. There are very few on the island with such character, with such humility. His words almost always bring tears to my eyes, because he always puts others before himself. His talents are clearly present, yet he plays almost inaudibly while his daughter performs, accompanying rather than leading. This man I admire very much, he is everything to his daughter and she is his purpose.

Halim Ina Photography