Young Girl + Islamic School, Kairana, Uttar Pradesh, India, April of 2015

When we arrived in Kairana, India last month we were told that most of the refugee camps had been disbursed and that the refugees had returned to their homes. The people thought that perhaps this would disappoint me because they were supposed to be the subjects of my photography. This was far from the truth of course, for having less to photograph in this regard would only make me happier.

So we visited the school of our host, an Islamic school he had opened in his own village. The building was glorious, with a spacious courtyard and incredible fields as far as the eye could see all the way around. When we stepped inside this was the first face that greeted me, and immediately made me realize that we would be staying an extra day or so.

She might have been as shocked as I was, but hid her reaction better than I did. She however knew immediately that I was deeply impressed with her, and gave off this most subtle smile in return. The school had about 60 girls in attendance on that day, and perhaps 40 or so boys. .

The men were wonderful and helped us with the photography. We made portraits of the boys in a small room with a window as our source of light, then switched to the walkway outside to photograph the girls with the help of a reflector. They were magnificent, including the one pictured in this image. There was something about her, how she held her head up high even though we were strangers who had appeared suddenly and asked for her portrait. 

The features of her face are etched in my mind, and deny any categorization whatsoever. She is both timeless and of this period, perfect in every manner. 

After the morning photography, we asked their instructor about two voices which we might record regarding the reading of the Koran… and he pointed to her and her friend as the two most beautiful voices to record. Later that afternoon we did so, and were treated to the most glorious reading of the Koran in my limited experience. This is what this work is about, and such has shown me that in every corner of this world immense beauty and strength exist.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M2, mounted and triggered adjacent to a Hasselblad V System.

Girl + Refugee, Muzaffarnagar Riots, Uttar Pradesh, India, December of 2013

Today is being spent scanning the images for the upcoming Tedx Talk next month, highlighting the schools for girls in India. Seeing the film images scanned takes me back to late last year, when these incredibly poignant spirits were less than two meters away from me.

On a cool morning we arrived at her camp. The very place was a result of the recent violence between Muslims and Hindus in Uttar Pradesh, all the families being refugees from such. It was quite cold actually, and the girls were shivering while they waited anxiously to be photographed. This young spirit's portrait was made toward the end of the photography. She impressed me deeply at that moment, and everyone around me knew it. Her head cover slipped a few times and I ran to her immediately.

I also remember her nose running, and we did our best to help. She allowed us to do so, but also was deeply shy and pulled away several times. The fine line between wanting to make a beautiful portrait for her and to also to document her as she presented was made quite clear to me during this portrait. In only a few minutes she taught me a lesson to last a lifetime.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination, onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

Refugee + Camps, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, November 30, 2013

This young girl is no different than the two sisters in the previous posts. She has the same dreams all girls from around the world possess, displaying a smile as proof of this.

Her life is an extreme one with images of her surroundings included alongside her image. She and her family have been uprooted from their home by the most recent bout of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh, India. They now live in these tents, and have perhaps a single bulb at night to share among a few families. With the sun setting well before six, can we imagine her perceptions for the remaining, waking hours?

My visits to these camps was made possible by a dear brother named Asrar. He told me that their stories needed to be shared. We photographed eight camps and interviewed two dozen people telling their us about their experiences. The only blessing for me was that they spoke in a language foreign to me, the only way to maintain composure while the camera was recording.

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Girl + Refugee Camp, Uttar Pradesh, India, December 1, 2013

When we visited the camps this afternoon we were given two choices, the one adjacent to the village and another less than one minute's drive. After seeing both we were forced to choose since only one could have been photographed perfectly. So we chose the one adjacent to the village, hoping that more girls would be present. This turned out to be the case, and more than could be photographed on film showed up immediately.

Once they saw the camera, they ran out of the tents and sat themselves neatly around us. There were perhaps over 120 children now waiting to have their portraits made. It was early and so I decided to begin with the boys, in groups of three to five. Even with this arrangement it took almost one hour to photograph the boys. What was most surprising was the help we received from the men in the village. Rather than sitting and watching, four to five took active part in the process and made sure that all was in order. Once a group of boys was photographed they shuffled them off back to their tents, or at least in the direction of their makeshift homes.

Then it was time for the girls and I was almost unable to control the excitement. Their eyes, attentively fixed on me and the camera, spoke volumes about their curiosity. Here was this man from another country, setting up a studio to make their portraits. The silence was almost unbearable, in the best of ways. My translator, Asrar Ahmad, explained to all of them that the entire group would be photographed this afternoon so nobody needs to worry. He also explained that we'd be choosing those with flatter facial features first, then girls with more pronounced features last to prevent the existence of unwanted shadows in their portraits. He at least told me that he explained this to them in his own way.

So one by one they were chosen, and stepped in front of the lens for their portraits. Amazingly almost all of the boys kept their distance, and the same went with the men except for the ones helping. Girls never photographed before formally now stood in front of their friends and strangers, stood their ground firmly and coaxed the lens to represent them as they wished to be represented. I for one was more than thrilled to do so, and advised those around me to follow the cues given by the girls rather than asking every single girl to smile reflexively.

The realities of their day to day lives hit me immediately, as each girl took her turn. These were girls forced out of their homes months ago and living in a foreign place. None of them attended school now and none had access to medical attention, palliative care just to ease their pain. Each and every single one of these girls more than likely exhibited some form of PTSD, yet will never receive treatment to resolve their pain, their bad dreams.

Yet here this little girl stands for her portrait, stronger than I would be under these circumstances. What has she seen? Does what she has experienced keep her up at night? Does she avoid thinking about her home and her friends lost?

Her portrait means the world to me, it is a record of this little girl as that very moment. Only she knows what was running through her mind when the shutter released, but I do hope that those viewing her portrait can at least feel her experiences through the image.

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Girl + Refugee, Uttar Pradesh, India, November, 2013

After this image both batteries were exhausted and we were unable to make more. We tried to charge the camera using the camp's electrical system, a car battery, and I felt a jolt through the camera body and into the plan of my left hand. The children were thankful for what we were able to do however, since we photographed all with the film camera prior to having fun in this little spot. 

My time in the refugee camps was made possible through my dear friend, Asrar Ahmad. He traveled with me on several occasions, leaving his family behind in Delhi to work with the refugees. He slept away from his family in unfamiliar territory, and got up at the break of dawn just to arrive at the camps as the sunrise approached for the best light. I appreciate everything that he did on behalf of these beautiful people and hope that my images do justice to our efforts. We will soon see.

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Girl + Refugee, Sectarian Violence, Uttar Pradesh, India, November, 2013

On an isolated field next to our host's village she lives with her family. This land has been signed over to the villagers permanently so as to allow them to build more sturdy homes. During our visit alone a half dozen homes were constructed, and a gravel road was laid by the village for this community.

We arrived early in the morning after a good night's rest, and were greeted by an incredible group of people. They had lost so much most recently yet were more than willing to share their stories with us, allowed us to photograph their children. Only under such circumstances were we able to begin our photography with the girls, and we had the cooperation of more than a few men as they proceeded to organize the girls for us.

One man acted as our stylist, and took care to prepare each girl for her portrait. Two other men made sure that all other men were placed at a distance so as to allow the girls to be more comfortable in front of the camera. The background was so serene, almost making me forget the circumstances under which these girls lived.

We are now seeking the proper news agencies to which this work can be presented, as well as an interview video highlighting twenty or so stories from the time of the violence. Any thoughts on this matter would be most appreciated.

Girl + Refugee, Uttar Pradesh, India, December 1, 2013

On this morning we visited a small camp located near Kairana, Uttar Pradesh. An interesting description of this place is included below, and is in line with my observations of the area. There is something quite peaceful, serene regarding the landscape… yet the places of our visits were reminders that even such serenity can be disturbed by the hand of Man.

Most recently violence has erupted in Uttar Pradesh, forcing this young girl and her community to find shelter elsewhere. The villagers in this region have given their land to the refugees, have allowed them to build temporary structures and have also permanently signed over certain pieces of land over to the families for permanent homes.

Government action is nonexistent, but good people from all over the country are doing their best to ease the suffering and pain. Toilets have been built, quilts have been provided, building materials have been shared and most importantly a warm welcome has been extended.

I hope that such tensions ease and that this young girl can return to her home one day.

According to Wikipedia:

During the Medieval period, Mughal Emperor Jahangir visited this place and has given a vibrant description in his autobiography, Tuzuk-e-jahangiri.

The Emperor said, "On Sunday, the 16th, I marched from Delhi, and on Friday, the 21st, halted in the pargana of Kairana. This pargana is the native place of Muqarrab Khan. Its climate is equable and its soil good. Muqarrab made buildings and gardens there. As I had often heard praise of his garden, I wished much to see it. On Saturday, the 22nd, I and my ladies were much pleased in going around it. Truly, it is a very fine and enjoyable garden. Within a masonry (pukhta, pucca) wall, flowerbeds have been laid out to the extent of 140 bighas. In the middle of the garden, he has constructed a pond, in length 220 yards, and in breadth 200 yards. In the middle of the pond is a miih-tiib terrace (for use in moonlight) 22 yards square. There is no kind of tree belonging to a warm or cold climate that is not to be found in it. Of fruit-bearing trees belonging to Persia, I saw green pistachio trees and cypresses of graceful form, such as I have never seen before. I ordered the cypresses to be counted, and they came to 300. All round the pond, suitable buildings have been begun and are in progress."

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Halim Ina Photography

Young Student, Rooftop, Oxford Square, New Delhi, India, Fall of 2007

Through a mutual contact I met this young girl and many like her attending classes on a rooftop. A generous family had taken it upon themselves to provide classes to the children of the working neighborhood nearby. The parents of these children washed the clothes of the surrounding neighborhoods, this was their place within the social framework.

From the rooftop their houses could be seen, a collection of humble structures alongside the river. Normally these children would be working alongside their older brothers and sisters rather than attending classes. With the opening of this school they have been provided a chance for an education, an opportunity to perhaps in a few years join a formal government school.

My arrival was greeted like that of an ambassador. All of the children were standing in formation, and acknowledged my presence quite formally. They paid close attention while the patron of the school spoke about my work and that of the other visitors. We were then asked to say a few words about ourselves, and about our work.

I asked whether my English would be understood. He was kind enough to humor my question, and asked me to speak nevertheless. My sense was that it was more important for the children to hear my voice than to understand the meaning of my words. To this day when I listen to a song in another language, it reminds me of his advice on that day.

After a formal presentation by all, we were allowed to relax a bit and then photograph the children. Within the city the skies were often hazy, and on this day it was certainly the case. The surface of the rooftop was light in color, and meticulous. We found a spot in the middle of the space and sat the children down one by one for their portraits. Sitting them down allowed me to photograph them from above and to let the light strike their faces more evenly.

Most wore a sweater bearing the name of the school, and the girls wore a head scarf in addition. The ages of the children roughly ranged from five to fourteen, and there were as many girls as boys. They were provided meals on their study breaks, and the materials necessary for their education. The children went about their obligations with a sincere respect for the family, and a humility that was deeply touching.

'Appreciative' would fail miserably in describing their sentiments.

On this day I felt the power of one man, of one family, and understood the capacity for change inherent in the individual. Here was one family who had taken it upon themselves to give back to the community. They had on their own arranged for the teachers, for the materials, and most importantly for a conversation with the local community. They had received the blessings of the parents and extended the hand of education to children otherwise missing such a gesture from their own Society.

I have a deep respect for this family, and hope one day to return and witness a school thriving.

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Halim Ina Photography

Widow, Mosque, Zakat Foundation of India, New Delhi, India, November 26, 2008

In the courtyard of a small mosque in Old Delhi this work was accomplished. The women and a few men, all widows, gathered to receive a bundle of dry goods to help sustain them for the next month. This work was made possible through the generosity of good people and the organization power of the Zakat Foundation of India.

The foundation arranged the day to coincide with my visit, and during the distribution of dry goods. As in the previous year we asked permission to use the local mosque's courtyard since the outside scene was beyond chaotic. To set up a tripod and make a photograph outside would be the equivalent of doing the same during the 'Running of the Bulls,' with only the slightest of exaggeration.

Thirty or so women and a few men gathered for their portrait. We used a light wall against which the women would stand, and set up the tripod perhaps three meters away. To my right was the basin in which the men would wash their feet and hands, and to my left was the entrance to the mosque. Behind the women and to her right was the entrance/exit to the courtyard.

We tried to pick the least cumbersome spot, but would inadvertently get in the way soon enough. About halfway through the session an older man walked over and told us that we needed to stop, that prayers were about to begin. He seemed to be the only one with the request, as I scanned the courtyard and received nothing but kind, generous faces in response.

He however kept at it, and what made it worse was that I had photographed him the year before and had his portrait in my bag, in a protective sleeve. He continued and continued until I finally had to break away from the work, go to my bag and pull out his portrait. I handed it to him with a sense of agitation and with a face that basically spoke of my disappointment. Here he was getting in the way of the women's portraits when he himself sat for his one year earlier.

A few of the men kneeling down saw this and made my day when they smiled with approval.

We then went forward with our work and finished photographing the rest of the women. What impressed me most was that none of the women walked away from the scene. They stood by me and the good people of the foundation, and demanded with their presence to continue with the work.

Such is the woman above, and for this detail alone she has my deepest respect.

A link to the foundation and to more work from this collaboration can be found through my website below.

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Halim Ina Photography

Young Girl, Happy Home, Zakat Foundation of India, November, 2008

Her name will remain anonymous out of respect for the work of the foundation. She lives in a home provided by the Zakat Foundation of India, and attends a wonderful school named God's Grace School. Some of the children in this home have suffered violence at the hands of religious intolerance, some arrived at the school because their parents can no longer provide for them.

The foundation receives their funding from ordinary individuals paying their dues as devout muslims. Some arrive to the building and ask the person in change to calculate their zakat, and then make their payment to the foundation.

According to Wikipedia:

'The Qur'an talks about the zakat in more than 30 different verses, mainly in the Medinan suras. In the Qur'anic view, zakat is a way to redistribute the wealth, thus increasing the role of charity in the economy with a particular interest in the poor and the dispossessed. However, zakat is considered more than charity - one must give zakat for the sake of one's own salvation. Neglecting to give zakat can result in damnation in the afterlife, while those who give zakat can expect reward from God in the afterlife. The giving of the zakat is considered a means of purifying one's wealth and one's soul.'

This young girl has experienced serious hardships in her life, yet never fails to smile whenever I look her way. Whether we're watching television in the room with the rest of the girls, or whether I catch her out of the corner of my eye walking down the hallway. There is something about her that is hard to explain, but incredible to experience. I consider myself blessed to have made the above portrait and will always remember her in this way.

Many years have passed since my last visit, and the foundation has moved many of the girls to a new home above a wonderful clinic. To this new home men are forbidden access, and thus my visits have ended. The foundation still admires my work and will always be a part of my photographic story. For the time being however the work will need to rest.

I have missed her very much, and look forward to one day connecting with her once again. Due to the internet however, some of her older sisters from the home have contacted me via the social media and our friendships have flourished once again. We speak now and then, and exchange greetings. I have passed on my adoration to this young girl and hope that she remembers me well. I can imagine her smile, and hope to one day document it without limitations.

For more of my work, please visit the newly designed website below, courtesy of Patrick Luu.

Halim Ina Photography

Widow, Glasses, Mosque Courtyard, Zakat Foundation of India, Old Delhi, India, 2008

What has she done other than lose her husband?

She wakes up one day without a spouse and finds herself without the support of the rest of her family. Her family has thrown her out, views her as a burden and at times a bad fortune. She wanders the streets asking perfect strangers for help when her own family is unwilling to offer the same.

One foundation is doing more for her than her own family. She receives a month's supply of goods from Zakat Foundation of India, due to the generosity of individuals according to their Muslim faith. The foundation helps the donors estimate their giving, enabling them to both adhere to their beliefs and to help someone else in need.

The effect of their giving is immediately felt on the other side of town, where a group of women are gathered today near the local mosque, next door to a medical clinic also run by the foundation that provides medical care to the indigent, to the homeless and to those without a single thread of support from Society.

On the street level, good work is being done daily by good people and out of the spotlight. The doctor of the clinic is barely noticed as nurses go about their routine, as patients walk in and out of the pharmacy. Here babies are delivered with care and love, and pride exists on the faces of the parents like under any other healthy environment.

Making portraits under these circumstances brings limitless value to my work, to my life.

You may learn more about this wonderful foundation by clicking below.

Zakat Foundation of India

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Halim Ina Photography

Widow, Courtyard of Mosque, Zakat Foundation of India, Old Delhi, India, November, 2008

Like the previous images of widows in my blog, the courtyard of a mosque is the scene for this portrait. The courtyard is open to the sky and for an hour or so allows direct light at a low angle against a white wall.

The wall is next to an area of washing hands and feet, where men gather to do so before prayers. So men are doing such constantly while we are making portraits. This is incredible due to the fact that we are photographing covered women in a mosque, with their acceptance and permission.

Over 40,000,000 women in India are widows, countless of them experience hardships like the woman above. For many, the remaining years are lived in anticipation of death to free them from this life of isolation. On becoming a widow, many women are viewed as burdens on the remaining family. While a tradition of burning widows has been outlawed, their remaining life is referred to as a living version of such.

Upon the death of a partner, women are traditionally forbidden to remarry while men are free to do so. In light of the reality that many women marry when young, this means that many will be handed a life of destitute loneliness for a long portion of their remaining life.

The woman above receives support from Zakat Foundation of India, and the good people that give of their earnings in accordance to their Muslim beliefs.

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Widow, Courtyard of Mosque, Zakat Foundation of India, Old Delhi, India, November, 2008

Like many in her situation, this widow feels neglected by her Society and her family as well.

With the help of Zakat Foundation of India, she receives a supply of goods on a monthly basis. The widows gather on a busy street next to a mosque, provide the foundation with their identification and wait in line for their turn.

The scene is calm, with women standing and sitting in groups sharing stories. The difficulty in their lives is unimaginable, and they present themselves with dignity and humility. The goods are made possible by donations from devout Muslims as part of their faith. It has been my experience to witness people walking in from the street, calculating their donation according to their financial standing and then making that donation on the spot.

On this day, her portrait is made in the courtyard of the mosque, the only calm place available for us in the area. Outside the streets are incredibly busy and filled with activity. In the mosque all is calm and quiet. The women arrange themselves on the floor and wait for their time. We find a white wall to act as our background and one by one they stand for their portrait. Some faces are covered, others are bare. Nonetheless they express a tiny but considerable part of their struggle through the lens, for us to experience.

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Halim Ina Photography

Student, Al-Arqam Academy, Zakat Foundation of India, November, 2008

There are days when nothing seems to work and then there are days when everything just comes together. For the above image to happen, the students need to be in school, their families allowing them to attend classes rather than work in the fields.

For the above image to be possible, the headmaster's permission is necessary, our car must make it for the three hour drive without a flat tire or an exhausted radiator. Getting lost on the way might cost us the precious hour necessary to arrange the photography.

Before she steps forward, others must do the same. She must look around her and see her friends also willing. Always one needs to step forward and then the rest will follow. Their families expect them at home yet they give me two hours after school to make portraits.

When we arrive on this sunny day, the girls are still in class. We are introduced to them by each teacher and my mind is hoping secretly that they will remain after class to be photographed. Without exception, all of them stay. The sun is shining and we have perhaps one hour before it begins to fade. There are almost thirty girls awaiting portraits, giving me less than two minutes per person.

The work however passes without much concern because these girls work with each other, arrange themselves by age and are ready when their time comes. Each makes the most of her presence in front of the lens, wastes little time. Just an hour or so ago in the classrooms, these expressions would have seemed impossible. Yet in front of the headmaster and some of the teachers, they shine like the very star that strikes their faces so gently with light.

This session and her education is made possible with the assistance of Zakat Foundation of India. One year later, during my third visit to the school, another foundation had purchased the school and had made some incredible changes to the facility. A playground had been installed, a road and driveway have made access much easier and the building has been painted in glorious colors and patterns.

The classrooms have been remodeled and outfitted with new desks and libraries; the foundation has delivered new science and computer rooms. Bread is no longer made on an open fire but rather in a beautiful, new kitchen. One can see the pride on the cook's face as well as on the faces of the rest of the staff.

Sadly though on this day, our arranged visit seems to coincide with a trip by the children in the other direction. The headmaster informs me that the children have gone to New Delhi for a school outing, just the city from which we came. It seems that my plans have been made without his knowledge and we leave the pictures from last year with the headmaster along with a sincere apology to share with the children.

It has been three years since my last visit to this school. However, the headmaster's number is in my phone list and will be used when the time comes in the near future for a return. These children deserve more than a single visit; they deserve to be treated with respect and to have their portraits made once again with laughter ringing in the background.

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Young Model and Widow, Old Delhi, India, Zakat Foundation of India, November, 2008

A young woman on this beautiful Sunday contacts me regarding the portrait above. According to her first message, the older woman above has been on her mind ever since she visited my website some time ago.

The young woman sending the message informs me that she has saved enough money to purchase the print. While many think that the prints sell easily, the simple fact is otherwise. There are few people from my experience that feel an affinity for the people in my portraits, enough so to make a purchase.

Perhaps it is difficult for most to look at such a portrait in their homes, safe havens from the troubles of the world. This young woman proves to be different with her first message and even more so with her second.

In response to my curiosity regarding her admiration of the older woman above, she writes:

'I have always felt a strong admiration towards people who have lived into old age. I feel that they hold wisdom to understanding life as to what it is, instead falling so deep into ourselves by living as though we will forever. Maybe it is from respect of my own grandparents, who have loved and raised me fully with their hearts. To me she is what I have loved and lived as a child in Ukraine..and to what my own mother was fortunate enough to escape. I am no different from her, as my fate was sealed through the hard work of my mother. Her face stays in my thoughts as does the life I left behind, for the passing of time is the only thing that separates us.'

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Widow, Courtyard of Mosque, Zakat Foundation of India, Old Delhi, India, November, 2008

Just like her counterpart below, this woman is shunned by her society and is placed in a situation of need as a result. She comes to gather her bag of dried goods for the next thirty days, until she needs to return the following month.

This is her second time in front of my camera and in the very same spot, the courtyard of a local mosque. The scene outside of the courtyard is one of madness and extreme difficulty in terms of photography, so we choose a place that allows us to make portraits in peace.

However, as our session extends into the second hour, men start to gather inside the courtyard for prayer. Because of timing issues with the foundation, we still have a dozen women in need of photography. Men begin to complain about the camera and also the presence of women in their midst.

One man especially does so a few times, loudly in fact. He continues to do so and his face is familiar to me, he is a face from last year's photography. So instead of asking my translator to quiet this man down, his picture is found in my bag and handed to him quickly by me.

He quiets down immediately, albeit with a sense of disgust, and walks away.

A few men sitting down for their prayers smile as a result.

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Blind Widow, Courtyard of Mosque, Zakat Foundation of India, Old Delhi, India, November, 2008

This man represents a part of society that is generally shunned. He is both blind and a widow, resigned to receiving a bag of dried goods monthly in order to survive.

The people that provide this bag do so through the Zakat Foundation of India, in an anonymous manner. Usually, about twenty to thirty widows gather at a specific site three times a month, three different groups, to collect their bag of goods.

They, or someone that sponsors them, apply for this program and their application is reviewed by the good people of the foundation.

For this session, we use the courtyard of a local mosque. They are kind enough to allow us the space for photography due to the fact that the foundation is well known in the area. The streets are busy beyond our control and the courtyard allows us to make peaceful portraits.

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Daughter of the Kanjar Community, Rajasthan, India, November 4, 2009

A daughter of the Kanjar Community, she stands before us on a chair with only the sky behind her. A daughter of the Kanjar Community, she plays in alleys where sex is traded out in the open in exchange for payment. She watches as her aunts and sisters entertain local villagers in the very house that she calls her home. When finished, these very customers will turn and walk in the other direction, barely acknowledging her or her community. When in need, her community is sought after and when in day to day circumstances, it is shunned.

This is the world in which she lives, this is a collection of homes on top of which she stands for her portrait. She has been waiting for over an hour and yet has the wonder of a girl that has just seen the camera for the first time. She is shy at first and then allows her smile to surface for the rest of us to witness.

At an average age of fourteen, the girls of this community are sent to the brothels of the larger cities. Their brothers and uncles go along as well, serving as their handlers, as their managers. While this community has seen generations of this life, their history is rich with another life.

In a previous time, they served as traditional entertainers for all castes. They earned their living in a system of trade by playing music, walking ropes, dancing and acting. With the disappearance of this traditional system and without land to their name or a manner of making a living outside of entertainment, they made the transition to the trade of sex.

A foundation is making a difference in her life as this is written. The Nirvanavan Foundation has established a school in her small village, has provided her with a most enthusiastic teacher, one that smiles as he speaks and one that teaches as he smiles. The classroom is filled with their drawings, the shelves stocked with books. A small curtain acts as a signal that one is entering a sacred place.

After the photography, we walk around the village and watch as women go about their chores. Under one tree, a group of people are playing a game. We set the video to work and document their conversations. After which we are led by a man that is to sponsor land for the new school building. He is a proud man and one that is making an effort to help his community find a different way.

We walk to our truck and say our goodbyes, we hope to return next year to a different community.

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Widow, Mosque, Old Delhi, India, 2008

She stands along with her friends in the shadow of a local mosque. The walls keep the chaos of the street at a distance. Outside is a mass of people moving from one point to another using every form of transportation known to a road.

We photograph for about thirty minutes and then men begin arriving for prayers. The foundation, meaning well, nonetheless schedules all the widows from their Widow's Program to be photographed on the same day. This is a bit much and our photography flows over into prayer time.

The men of the foundation tell me that we need to finish. I see about ten women waiting for their portraits to be made. The men go about washing their feet, hands and faces without giving us much notice. They respect the difficulty that we are facing, both the photographer and the women, and allow us to continue with our work amidst their praying.

She stands in the shadow of the mosque, looking to her right, with the sheer fabric barely hiding her expressions.

Al-Arqam Academy, Northern India, 2007

They attend school in a most remote village. The government school is a distance from their homes and their families' incomes make attending a traditional school difficult.

We arrive during their classes and hand out images from the previous year. We tell them about our desire to make more portraits today and the excitement builds even though they are still in class. In the meantime, while we wait, we decide to walk through the neighboring village in search of more faces, more stories.

We invite as many to be photographed alongside the girls from the school. However, in addition to a few shy girls that come along bravely, a few boys also come along and begin to cause trouble. It becomes evident that the photography will be most difficult with their harassment and we find a place on top of the school that will allow us a sense of peace, away from the heckling.

We set up the equipment and the girls line up for their portraits. There are perhaps about four dozen girls and they stay after school for their picture to be made. We send news of the photography to the nearby village to inform the rest of the parents in order to put them at ease. The girls are just lovely, switching articles of clothing while waiting for their turn.

These are girls that cannot afford traditional schools, some are orphans and live here, some have parents that have given the foundation permission to provide housing for their children. The following year we return only to find the children away on a field trip. Even though this saddens me very much due to the fact that the principal was misinformed about our visit, the changes evident with respect to the school brings me much happiness.

The buildings have been painted beautifully. The interiors have all been renovated, with an impressive computer room, a refined cafeteria and classrooms designed for the comfort of the students. The changes are due to the fact that a new foundation has received ownership of the school. The pride on the principal's face is clear and a sign of progress for the children. We leave him behind with the promise of returning this year.

I very much hope that these girls will be there this year.