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.
This is a silver gelatin print of a young student 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/100mm, and the frame was exposed onto Kodak's fabulous Tri-X film.
This young girl attends a religious school six days a week, and endures a most conservative society day to day. We have yet to work with this school but hope to support their headmaster with his vision to bring a more rounded curriculum to his school. This school is the second school in one of the villages we support. After hearing about us they sent the invitation for a visit. We of course accepted, since many of these girls know the girls in the second school. We hope to do justice to the needs of these children soon.
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.
Just about now Indian time we would be visiting this girl's school in the district of Shamli. This is the first year since 2012 without a visit to India, and I'm already missing her and her friends. This portrait is from last year, right before the quarantine was put in place by the government. It's a view of a world without the worries that came with the pandemic only a week or so later.
This small village has a school which we wish to support. Last year, as a gesture of goodwill, we had the school plastered and painted. This pleased the children to no end, for how they sat in a building resembling more or so a school. The color behind her is the one picked by the painter, almost perfectly matching the tones of her skin.
Usually after the film photography the girls get to be photographed more spontaneously, because we have more time to do so. They go around and find flowers, change scarves, pose with each other and let their creative thoughts flow. This pot of flowers may have been used by a dozen girls, but each girl makes it her own.
This is an exercise in expression for these girls, because they are rarely allowed to be so free. Sometimes they catch themselves smiling and immediately put their hands over their mouths in response. They learn slowly that their expressions are welcome, and slowly allow themselves to let go.
Soon we hope that the pandemic eases its grip on their part of the world and we can move forward with finding support for her small school. She and her friends deserve nothing less.
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.
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 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.
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!
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.
