Thread + Needle, Small Village, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Since COVID-19 forced us to close the schools, we continue to speak with the communities. The government has reopened many of the local business as well as the religious madrasas, but has continued to be more careful with the elementary schools. We are waiting for permission to reopen and will do so under the guidelines of the government.

This young girl is holding her Koran tightly, while facing the setting sun. She has been photographed by me since 2015 and lives in a tiny village within the beautiful state of Uttar Pradesh. In the other two frames a needle placed in thread is being held by the hands of one sewing student. 

While these young women love to be photographed, it is such a different experience for them. So when asked to hold the thread, she did it so tightly that the tips of her fingers turned white from the pressure. I then walked over to her and helped ease both her grip and her nervousness. It's a privilege to connect in such a way with these young women, and to have their confidence. 

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Young Student, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2017

A few months ago two dozen people from Facebook came together to help fund a new school in Uttar Pradesh, and for this group of people we present her portrait. She is a student in a local madrasa, and her community has expressed a desire to include the government curriculum as well for their children. 

With the help of our gracious host we have begun the conversations, and have started to move forward as well with respect to the plan. As of this week her school's new teachers will be visiting Nirvanavan Foundation for initial training, while sewing centers will begin in three villages in a few months.

This was her first portrait session with us, being a new student to the madrasa. Nonetheless she was a true natural and brought her own ideas to the table. In this image she extends her hands and faces the wheat fields adjacent to her school. There is something about making portraits of young girls new to the camera, something magical about their presence. My hope is that her school will turn a page thanks to the generosity of so many of you, and that her future is as bright as the light coming through the window.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Reunion with Young Girl, Rajasthan, India, 2017

Just an hour or so ago a portrait was made of an 'old' friend, although she was unknown to me at that very moment. We had arranged to stop by her house earlier this week, and make portraits of her and her sisters. As we walked to her home we gathered quite a following and decided to photograph them outside of her home, so as to allow her family some peace during their session.

So we began with the neighbors' children, and made portraits just outside of her home. About 20 minutes through the session a young girl walked into the scene from down the street, with a scarf covering the lower half of her face. There was something about her that made me feel that she knew me, and vice versa. I asked to photograph her and she agreed quickly. Everyone thought that she should uncover her face, but this look intrigued me immensely and she was photographed as she presented.

My curiosity got the best of me halfway through however, and I asked if she would allow a portrait without the scarf. She smiled with her eyes and slowly uncovered herself, revealing to me that she was the very girl we came to photograph. When she saw my reaction, she smiled even more so!

It was the most amazing moment of my visit so far, as we reminisced about our time four years ago, and six years ago when her first portrait was made. We quickly gathered our things and walked to her home so that we could make portraits of her and her sisters before the sun set. The rest of the evening was spent talking about our past experiences, and making photographs for the family and friends.

On our way out her father invited us back for dinner, and such was accepted of course. She never looked away from us as we walked down the street, covered as in this portrait the entire time. We continued to walk and she then caught up to us, passing us quickly all of a sudden. When we turned the corner, there she was with two pieces of candy in her little hands. She ran past us quickly to get to the store before we did, to share those sweet gifts with us.

What an amazing afternoon, and soon to be dinner with her and her family!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Young Student + Humana People to People India, Madhya Pradesh, India, 2016

Last week was spent in one of the most beautiful places thus far in my travel experiences. The southern, western portion of Madhya Pradesh took my breath away several times an hour during my week there, and will undoubtedly remain in my memory.

On this day we visited a small school sponsored by Humana People to People India. The project involves bringing children out of school into the mainstream system utilizing the new 'Step Up' program.

As we were nearing the end of our photography for the morning this young girl stepped out of nowhere. She took her place on this stage, was defiant in the face of the bright reflector and expressed herself fully to the lens.

She never flinched, maintained her composure in front of two dozen people, then stepped to her left to join her friends sitting on the adjacent landing.

Her community is a most beautiful one, mirroring the landscape in which she lives. The houses are distant from each other, dotting the landscape like the trees. This of course is also a very difficult life, with children walking kilometers over mountains just to attend classes.

Her dress has been taken care of by loving hands, maintaining its life for as long as possible. This not-so-small detail impressed me deeply as the photograph was being made, and I just hope that my portrait honors her spirit so.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3 using a reflector as well.

Young Student + Wall, Nirvanavan Foundation, Rajasthan, India, 2016

Today we visited one of two schools for girls and were delighted to be welcomed by so many familiar faces. The past ten days have been nothing short of heaven, seeing the good work of the foundation and seeing the schools flourishing for the sake of these beautiful girls. 

Seeing the girls writing on their black tablets, and thewomen sitting down to learn sewing brings it all back home for me. Today we dropped off five sewing machines, thanks to the generosity of Farida and her beautiful family. The women were beyond delighted at the sight of the new machines, and put them to use immediately.

Tomorrow we will visit the same village and interview the women, and record their stories photographically and through video.

Later this afternoon we visited our second school in the area, and photographed the same students from last year.. and many more. For this young student my camera waited an entire year, and was nothing short of trembling when she stepped out with this smile just a few hours ago.

This was our last photograph of the day, at least featuring our students. She stood in front of her neighbor's wall, as the sun set for the evening. The light was just perfect, as was her confident smile. Seeing her do so in front of thirty people inspires me to do even more to support the schools, to ask my family and friends to do the same.

The schools are working, and this young girl's smile says it all!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Jamila + El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, California, November 3, 2015

Last night an opening for today appeared in the schedule, just as Jamilacontacted me. She has been working in Los Angeles since a few weeks ago, and all of a sudden our longing to collaborate become a reality. Without much fuss we made plans to meet today and head out to my favorite place in the States for photography. 

She brought what she had, which was more than I would have anticipated. The weather was unseasonably cool, yet did little to affect her desire to present her art. We picked three places on the lake bed, and photographed at each for perhaps 30 or so minutes.

This was our second spot, a new perspective for me. While clouds and lightning gathered over Los Angeles, we had nothing but blue skies and a lunar landscape in which to collaborate. The only sound was that of the wind, and the clicking of the shutter. 

Happenstance at its best!

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Girl, Student, Humana People to People, Rajasthan, India, November 19, 2009

On a wonderfully sunny morning deep inside Rajasthan we arrive at this village. The dirt path leading to it wound around a mountain, and we drove slowly so as to keep the dust levels down for the villagers. The students were ready even in the coolness of the early morning, and elders huddled around a small fire watching us from a distance.

The scene was peaceful and quiet. We walked between homes and arrived at a small courtyard in front of a beautiful, white wall. A woman sat to the left of the entrance, working with a fire and going about her chores. My dear friend Baba from Humana People to People India went about gathering the girls and organizing the photography while I set up the cameras.

This was my second time in the village, the previous year hampered by poor timing regarding sunlight. We intended to make better images for the girls this time, and organized the girls from eldest to youngest. This is usually done to allow the older girls to return to their chores, so as to work within the framework of the village. Humana People to People India has done a wonderful job balancing the activities sought with those already established. The elders sitting nearby watched us working without once commenting in a negative manner. This has always impressed me with the foundation, and has given me the perception that our work is respected.

As the girls watched their friends being photographed, each would get an idea to do something different. The first girl might stand in front of the crowd with her arms to the side, then the next would dare to put her hands on her waist. This continued until the one above had the courage to share her attitude with us, thumb in her pocket and her shoulders back... uncommonly beautiful indeed. In light of the fact that almost all of her elders were watching less than twenty meters away, courage is an understatement.

We finished with the photography, gathered our equipment and walked over to have a wonderful meal accompanied by warm milk. The fact that all of the ingredients were gathered from the adjacent fields and that the milk was from the family's oxen only enhanced the experience. We sat on hand-made benches in a most beautiful structure made from mud and cow dung. The meal was of course spicier than anything from my experience, and the milk was sincerely appreciated. Glass after glass of milk was taken in to the surprise of the family, all of whom were smiling as they watched me quench the heat with the milk.

These are the times that I wish I could hang around the village and document to my heart's content. Having to depart after the meal leaves me with an ache, and soon that ache will be erased. This fall I hope to visit these villages once again and spend days in each documenting the reopened schools, then following the girls as they perform their chores. This is my hope.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

The World of Prostitution, Nat Community, Nirvanavan Foundation, November 15, 2009

According to R.C. Swarankar in 'Traditional Female Sex Workers of Rajasthan, India: An Ethnographic Study of Nat Community.'

'A girl in a Nat family is distinguished from an early age. Initially during socialization, a girl who is to lead a married life is prepared for domestic chores. She is made to observe social restrictions like high Hindu castes, while a girl who is to be inducted into prostitution is trained by a retired FSW (patelan) about the dhandha and its secrets. Such a girl comes in closer contact with retired FSWs and eventually with the clients and their activities. The environment and `demonstration effect' mentally prepare these immature girls. These girls either willingly accept dhandha or are brainwashed by retired FSWs to accept the same for the economic and perceived traditional reasons.'

'Nath Utrai has been a prominent ritual in the Nat community and is celebrated as a custom. Nath is the nose ring, a Nat girl wears, which is removed symbolically by her first client. Amongst the clients, one who pays the highest amount performs the custom of Nath Utrai. The needy parents' or guardians' first priority is to procure the maximum possible amount for Nath Utrai. This amount usually ranges from Rs10,000 to Rs25,000 or even more depending upon the age and beauty of the girl. The client gets the right to initiate sex with the virgin girl, who is dressed up like a Hindu high-caste bride. He is considered her husband and is given priority over other clients on future visits. Once the deal has been struck, offerings are made to a deity, followed by a feast for kith, kin and the community. After such a ritual, a girl is inducted and the community socially permits her to pursue dhandha. Dhandha, therefore, has a community sanction, and the control of Nat caste Panchayat. The norms of dhandha, amongst others, include sex as an occupation, in which a minimum time essential for intercourse should be spent with clients, sentimental attachment with clients is forbidden and no Nat male can be the client of a Nat FSW. These are part of the induction process.'

'The Nat perceive a girl to be sexually mature soon after the onset of menstruation. Tradition, economic, and family structure are the factors responsible for induction of a girl child into prostitution. Clients' preference for sex with a girl child for sexual pleasure, and curing an STD via sex with a virgin are the other reasons child prostitution is practiced in the villages in this study.'

In my limited time with the foundation and in these villages, I have seen young girls sit alongside the highway with a male family member next to them for the sake of negotiation. Usually a mirror hangs in order to help maintain appearances. In the meantime the children are running around like children everywhere do, playing games and doing what children do universally.

While the foundation did its best to shield me from the horrors associated with even one moment of this life, the signs were all around me. As I walked around to find the best spots for photography I would almost always step on a remnant of a transaction... all the while the girls would laugh at my reaction, displaying their hardened lives.

One time we asked a young girl, what do you think of your future? Without blinking nor pausing, she went on to tell us that this has been chosen for her and she is to follow in her aunt's footsteps. Her voice was without color nor emotion, understandably so in such a cruel world.

The good people of Nirvanavan Foundation are doing their best to help expand the choices available. They have initiated schools in ten of these villages, and have helped make the transition from a lack of schooling to enrollment in government schools. In spite of incredible hardships they push forward and have my sincere admiration.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography
Nirvanavan Foundation

Monica, Daughter + Mother, Pan American Stadium, La Habana, Cuba, July 24, 2012

My friend told me about a young woman interested in being photographed and we decided to visit her at an event. She happened to be showing her modified car at a show in a suburb of the city, and we arrived in our own classic, although nobody gave us a second look. I remember feeling a bit funny when Alejandro parked his 1957 Chevy next to the pristine vehicles in the parking lot. While their cars were for show, Alejandro actually used his car as a taxi and a daily driver.

We walked up to her and introduced ourselves. She was very pleasant and introduced us to her husband as well, the owner of a well-to-do restaurant in the center of the city. It was at this time that the young woman above came over to greet us. She was a friend as well, and worked with the couple to whom we were just introduced. Her English was as perfect as her Spanish, and she was kind enough to use both to help me understand more so.

When she saw my work in the book, she was deeply touched... more so than most in my experience. She looked at each portrait with intent, continuously telling the others to see for themselves. She was impressed with the portfolio... but I was impressed with her reaction even more so. We offered to include her in our work and she jumped at the chance. We decided to meet the next day, pick them up at their respective homes, and head over to our favorite spot, the Pan American Stadium just outside of the city.

We arrived the next day near her home and waited for her on a corner. I stepped outside of the car to wait, and get an idea of her situation. She came walking down the street with a bagful of clothes. She was more than prepared, and all of her clothing was as requested by us, dark and timeless.

Our session was in the afternoon, and the sun appeared brightly for us. It was still early so we waited a little bit under the shade of a tree. The young women changed into their first pieces, and we began on the steps of the stadium. To say that Monica was a natural would be an understatement. She was a stranger the day before and now was giving of herself like a person intimately familiar with my work. She moved from one expression to another, but also paused just enough to allow me time to photograph.

She never complained about the sun, the temperature or the time needed. I worked with film and with the digital camera as well in order to give them a book of photographs later in the week. Monica would change to two more outfits by the end of our session, and allow me to make close portraits of her as well at another location perhaps 100 meters away. We worked for two hours and then headed back home, dropping Monica off at the same corner from which we found her.

Many adjectives come to mind when thinking of Monica, but the two most dominant are gentle and loving. She was drawn to the people in my portfolio and now has become one with them. I look forward to seeing her this July, and hope to further our collaboration.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

The Boys, La Habana, Cuba, August 8, 2008

'Boys will be boys,' so the saying goes.

Yet from neighborhood to neighborhood, from continent to continent, it proves to be so true. In places where they have never seen me, it is most accentuated. They are the first to run towards the car, and certainly the most energetic in front of the lens. Always they want their pictures made before the girls, and love to be photographed in groups like in the image above.

In the familiar places they have come to understand the meaning behind my work and usually stay to the side, allowing me and the girls to work uninterrupted. Whether in Cuba or in Lebanon or in India, this has come to fruition through years of familiarity. Now when we show up to this neighborhood for example, the boys say their greetings, shake hands and then go about their routine. When asked to be photographed they will allow it, but only now when asked.

These seven boys live in a neighborhood visited by me perhaps over thirty times over the past eight or so years. We have photographed both the girls and boys, and all of them have their photographs. Some are more accustomed with the lens, the younger ones still getting used to being photographed of course. Some are shy, some are very assertive, and age at times has little to do with either. This image was made in the street in front of a friend's house, as cars go passing by frequently. It's a busy street and we stop now and then to allow the cars to pass.

The light shining on their skin comes from the building behind me, as the sun strikes it early in the morning. Up until twelve or so we have indirect light from this incredible source, and can make portraits with minimal shadows and maximum evenness of light. People often wonder how these are made, and a photographer familiar with this street asked me one time: where do you find the white background?

When I told him, he was still unable to believe it. For me this process revealed itself on this island, when photographing one day years ago. Upon returning to the States I realized that in some of the portraits the background faded away. With my preference for light printing, and subtle gradations of tone, the white walls disappeared. From that portrait forward this presentation has been an important facet of my work. So much so that I now need to consciously return to the inclusion of backgrounds, and have just acquired the necessary tool to do so upon my next visit to Cuba.

I very much look forward to returning with these images in July.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Student + Teacher, Courtyard, Humana People to People India, Rajasthan, India, November 15, 2008

These images are a departure from my usual work, made in subdued lighting and including the environment. My work began this way, moved into a more minimalist viewpoint and has now returned to this form. Just as of this week a new lens was acquired to once again allow me to make images like the ones above. Portraits including the environment will now stand side by side with images lacking any signs of such.

In the above portraits a teacher sits on the same frame as her student, both associated with Humana People to People India. We arrived mid-day and needed to find a place of shade. As we talked in the narrow alley I noticed this courtyard just over a low wall. We asked the residents of the home and they welcomed us without issue. The entrance to the courtyard is to the upper right corner, and the wall is just beyond the baskets and grass/dung packets.

The residents of the house provided the small chair, and one by one the students sat down for their portraits. We would make perhaps four to six exposures of each child, then ask the next to sit down. As we were finishing our work we asked their teacher to join in the session and she did without reluctance. She even sat down in the same chair, in full view of the children and adults as well. The level of dedication always touches me, to see women and men working so diligently on behalf of the little ones.

The portrait of the young girl was made on the sixteenth roll while the latter image was made on the eighteenth roll of this session. A Hasselblad 555 ELD was used with a 120mm lens mounted on a tripod for consistency and stability. The film used was Fuji's Neopan Acros 100 ASA, and a small reflector was placed behind me and to the right with the help of a local volunteer.

Soon we hope that this school will reopen and have plans to help reopen five schools in 2013 with the gracious help of  Humana People to People India. In this way this wonderful teacher can return to her position and this student can once again learn to read and to write in between performing chores for her family.

Any reader interested in taking part of this work may contact me through the following links, input is most welcome.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Student, Smile, Humana People to People India, Rajasthan, India, November, 2009

The young girl above lives in Banganga, Rajasthan and was a student of a Humana People to People Girls Bridge School in her village. She has been photographed by me on at least four occasions, alongside her friends and neighbors.

In our efforts to reopen her school, we have found friendly ears within Humana People to People India. The good people of this organization have listened and have let me present thoughts regarding the schools. They have gracefully accepted the idea and offered help on their side in order to make schools a reality once again for her and others like her.

Just this week a young woman named Ann Averbach reached out to me with a wonderful idea. She and her team are opening a second yoga studio in Santa Barbara and have offered their space as an educational center, as a gallery and as a source of possible financial support for my work; and these five schools are an integral part of my work presently.

The name of her efforts is DiviniTree Yoga and she hopes to open the doors to the space starting the first week of 2013. Should you live in the area, or perhaps have an interest in this collaboration, then you may feel free to contact me through the information listed below. My website has been redesigned by the original designer, Patrick Luu, and contains links to the various foundations from my past photographic work as well as my present ventures in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Next month we will collaborate in documenting Ann's team of instructors, and hope to produce images worthy of this collaboration. We will then produce a show in her space which reflects this collaboration, images from next month mixed with images from Africa and Asia, as well as the Americas.

I certainly look forward to my California visit next month, and to a lifetime collaboration with Ann. On behalf of the young girl above I share my gratitude for being allowed this opportunity.

halim.ina@gmail.com

Halim Ina Photography