This elderly man stands watch over the school in his village on a daily basis. During the day he sits in front of the school hoping to receive donations for the school from cars passing by on the road. He also has a wonderful voice as we were honored to record one afternoon. It's been my privilege to have known this man.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This is what 800 photographs looked like when we handed them to the eager students at a local school, a school which is quite special to us. The students love to be photographed and are beyond kind. To be able to photograph young, muslim girls in a traditional school is quite a privilege. It is my intention to respond to their need to improve their school, and open a new school just for the girls.
