Migrants + Brick Factory, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015

On our way up to Uttar Pradesh we decided to venture out on our own in search of communities. We had tried to document two brick factories in Haryana but had little luck doing so due to the suspicions of the owners.

We decided we'd try one more time and were met by a very interesting family, the owners of this factory. They welcomed us with smiles, served us tea and then gave us the freedom to do as we wished with our photography. We decided that we'd come back in the morning for the best light, and the owners left us in the hands of their capable managers.

When we arrived in the morning, the sun was just coming up and we slowly began making photographs of the factory itself… making sure that we were demonstrating our interest in their establishment. We then quickly walked to the end of the brick homes and walked in between them in search of families.

Immediately we ran across people working, and asked permission to photograph the families. There were of course many children, and we included them as well. Most of the families were migrants from the eastern states, traveling here in search of work. What is almost unimaginable is that life for them back home is that much harder.

Here they are, toiling under the hot sun and making bricks for an amount barely equal to their sustenance. Their children cannot attend schools in the area, and they lack the rights of residents as well. Once they begin working in these factories, there is a debt that they need to pay off as well. Their choices are very few since there are hundreds of thousands ready to take their places.

It was a truly heartbreaking setting, and on our way out we sat down to speak with a few of the families. These two beautiful spirits were there, watching as the conversations unfolded. Of course the desire to photograph both was mounting, and I began with the smaller one since that was an easier request. The bricks behind her are the work of her factory, used to build the humble home in which she lives.

The approach to photograph the second girl was more complex, since we needed to ask without seeming overjoyed. While she smiled at the request, she must have also known that approving would seem inappropriate due to her age, and the men looking on. The community however was supportive, even though they wondered why I would be interested in photographing a girl with an obvious physical defect, in their view that is.

This portrait was very important to me, both to show the community that her beauty is as significant as any other… and also to express my respect for this young girl who must endure so much difficulty in an already difficult life.

Can we ever imagine how her life must be?

Outside of the fact that she works in this brick factory, she must face societal pressures that the majority of us cannot even come close to imagining.

She is an inspiration to me, and I am honored that she allowed me to make this portrait of her.

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Note: These portraits were made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination, scanned for proofing only.

1 in 12, Guanabacoa, Cuba, 2015

A few friends, mostly photographers, have shared with me their view that going past 'the shot' goes against their gut instinct, paraphrased here for the sake of summarizing the collective. This opinion is to be respected in my humble opinion, but so is the possibility that the 'subject' has much more to say.

In this example, where perhaps should we have stopped?

My sincere belief is that such a spirit deserves the entire space of a medium-format roll in order to tell a segment of her story. The fact is that the entire morning was reserved specifically for her and her alone. Unlike my work in India when an entire class of young girls need to be photographed during one session, my work in Cuba allows the individuals to take the stage on their own.

This young dancer, known to most of us here, can stand her own in front of the lens for more than an hour. The fact is that it is the photographer who needs a break to reload, rather than her. Each roll tells a different chapter of her story for the day.

During our session on this day, we parked the car and walked the neighborhood at least half an hour before the sun was seen. We found four locations, and asked the families of the homes for their blessings. All agreed thanks to Alejandro's connections in this village.

So we walked from one spot to another, and she took on a different personality with each location. It was a marvel to watch, and an honor to document. As another dear friend told me once regarding the compromise between the priceless artifact and its purchase price, 'they're still printing money.'

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Note: These exposures were made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/100 mm lens scanned through the negative sleeves for proofing only.

Ballerina + Tree, West of Havana, Cuba, 2015

The next few weeks will be spent scanning the negatives in order to print the photographs for the families in Cuba. These frames are from a scan earlier this afternoon, and are just three of 200 frames scanned today.

Last year it seemed to rain almost every single afternoon, and always on top of Havana. So one day we decided to drive west where it seemed clearer, albeit from our perspective as novice meteorologists.

So we drove west and the clouds began to disappear right about when the first big town appeared. We made a note of our discovery and were about to turn around when we saw a young girl in a ballet outfit. This happened just after I had asked Alejandro if there was a ballet school in the town. He looked at me in a funny way, then immediately had to take it back as this dancer crossed our view.

The idea of photographing ballerinas in the countryside has already been done, but ballerinas from the countryside was something new to us. We stopped to talk, arranged a meeting later in the week and had our first session soon after.

This series is from our first session together, and this young girl performed wonderfully for the lens. Another dancer came along as well and her performance was as magnificent. All in all it was an incredible session, one born through happenstance!

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Note: This series was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/100 mm combination.

3 Girls + 6 Portraits, Shamli District, Uttar Pradesh, 2015

These portraits were made on April 18 of last year, and represent my first sole visit to this beautiful area. Prior to this my trip included a driver and my wonderful friend, Asrar Ahmad. This time around my friend was unable to come, so we (me and my trusted driver) took the chance and headed to this contested area on our own.

To say that our hesitation was unfounded would be an understatement. Our hosts treated us like princes, and took us to some of the camps from the previous year, as well as some of the villages. We were able to photograph some of the most beautiful children in the world, including these three girls.

Sometimes I forget how difficult the lives of girls are in this part of the world. It takes a documentary at times placing girls such as them in the same footage as the Taliban for me to realize that they face some of the most difficult scenarios in the world.

I get enchanted by their exquisite expressions in front of the lens, and the isolation of their simple portraits. Once in front of the lens they are in a different world, it is theirs to possess. In this world they can communicate their feelings, smile when they want to and do so without repercussions.

It takes a stern man walking by to snap them back into their world, and for me to see the change. Such are the expressions in this series, as the girls are walking a thin line between two worlds… one in which they are nearly invisible and one in which they are revered as the highest forms of the girl spirit.

So here are three girls and six expressions, as they presented themselves to the camera over one year ago.

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Note: These images were made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination.

Potter Couple, Near Alwar, Rajasthan, India, 2015

During my time with Nirvana Bodhisattva and his team at NIrvanavan Foundation, I was able to venture into the surrounding villages thanks to the guidance of Mukesh Poswal and friends. Many of the young men working with the foundation are from the villages which are home to the students. So walking around with them is like walking around with family.

We happened across this couple at the entrance to one village, and they allowed us to photograph them while they were working. We only exposed a few frames, thanked them and then walked away. That simple moment has lasted however, and as we walked by many times this year they always nodded our way.

I wonder where the creation in his hand is by now, in which home it is being used to hold water. To me this is the magic of these vessels, that they are artifacts made by hand and then used daily within the same region usually.

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Note: These frames were exposed with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/120 mm lens.

Sisters + Doorway, Virat Nagar, Rajasthan, India, 2015

These two sisters, among many beautiful spirits, continue to bring me back to this incredible village ten years after my introduction to the area throughHumana India. The closing of the school in this village in 2010 is what gave life to the initiative to support schools for girls. 

Of course these two girls were just born about that time, but their older sisters (four in all) were students in the previous school. All of them had been photographed by me, and all of them possess these exquisite features. There is one brother in the bunch, and he looks exactly like his sisters.

Here they stand in the doorway to their home, the most beautiful place to photograph in the village… and there are many incredible places. Last year they were some of the shyest in the village, but now they have blossomed into confident girls… taking me by surprise truly.

On honor of their courage this work will continue, for what they do is infinitely more difficult than whatever is done on my end. Unlike their mother and aunts, they know how to read and to write. They do not need a man to do so for them, for they can do so for themselves. When the time comes to have their own families, they will demand an education for their girls and in doing so will bring change into the world.

Nirvana Bodhisattva and his team at Nirvanavan Foundation have now taken these schools under their wings. The schools have prospered in the first year, with much more progress in store for the next year.

Last spring I put a challenge on FB for groups of six to support one school by donating $20 per month. Six amazing people came forward to fund this specific school and have made it clear to me that it is an ongoing project for them. As long as these girls want to study, this group of six individuals will continue to show their support.

So for those of you associated with this school, these are the faces which have benefited from your generosity. I congratulate you!

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Note: These frames were exposed using a Hasselblad 555 ELD/100 mm combination, and scanned for proofing purposes only.

La Profesora + Las Canchas, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2015

When we work with this magnificent woman the inspiration flows both ways. She knows what to do without exchanging words, the camera is there to document her movements rather than direct.

While we had photographed many of her models before, we had yet to have our own session. Thanks to the brilliance of Diz Pe Adrian Arturo, we reserved a morning towards the end of our summer last year just for her.

The experience was, to write the least, most enlightening. Her movements and expressions were of course magnificent. It was however the way in which she went about presenting herself that impressed me the most. She spoke very little, smiled often and always nodded when asked to do something specific.

Here she was, the highest in her trade in one of the most incredible cities, yet she maintained an immense sense of humility. She taught me a lot on that afternoon, and I for one look forward to more lessons in two months!

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Note; This image was made with a decade old Kodak digital camera, when our trusted and newer Sony gave out. Even though the images on the camera's screen were almost impossible to see during our session, they turned out better than expected for sure! I must give it to Kodak for making something which lasted in the digital age!

12 Frames of Laughter, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, 2015

This young girl lives in an impoverished section of Jaipur, far from the gleaming, pink walls for which this city is known. The entire slum is illegal yet the families do what they can to survive. They are migrants from the east and have come to Jaipur in search of work.

In the midst of this however the most beautiful spirits exist, such as this young girl. While we were photographing a few others in the neighborhood she walked over to take a look at the scene. Of course we invited her for a portrait.

She was unstoppable, and everyone enjoyed her energy. The proof from yesterday's scans says it all!

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Note: This roll was exposed using a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination.

Nathy + Tree, Guanabacoa, Cuba, Summer of 2015

Just a few minutes ago her mother sent this message to me: 'Nathy te espera para continuer este hermoso trabajo.'

When people ask me about Cuba, my words sometimes fail to demonstrate the true heart behind the people. The images are shown in beautiful galleries, the videos projected onto large screens. It has become clear to me that people need to visit a place to fully understand it, and even then it takes decades.

It has taken me a decade to begin to understand both Cuba and India, the keyword being 'begin.' Then it is times like this afternoon when a young woman reaches out to me via Facebook and makes it all so clear.

This young girl and her parents understand my work, and see it as their own. She expects to continue the beautiful work, she is the second half of this collaboration.

Of course she is much more than that to me, she IS the work.

People ask me all of the time, 'how do you get these images?' The answer is simple, it all starts with the people which, in this instance, is one of the most perfect ballerinas my eyes have yet to witness.

Talking about lenses, shutter speeds, aperture and film speed are all fine… but are well beneath the subject in front of the lens. When that subject is as Nathy presents, all else is rudimentary.

I look forward to Nathy and her beautiful parents this summer.

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Note: These two frames are from a scan of last year's film, made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination.

The Evolution of a Smile, Near Alwar, Rajasthan, India, 2016

This young girl has been on my mind since last year, and fortunately we were able to photograph her once again this year. This is a scan of a few frames exposed just a month or so ago.

A friend of mine always asks me, 'why do you photograph the same person for so many frames?' While showing him this series might convince him, my gut instinct is that it will do very little to change his mind.

I however feel strongly that a person should be given the chance to express as many times as possible, on as many frames available. We searched and searched for her two months ago, and found her to still be living in her grandparents' home rather than with her parents, a place where she seemed to be quite happy.

All of the neighbors have noticed our recognition of this young girl's spirit, and her unmatched beauty. They could just as easily make it hard for us to collaborate, but lend their helping hand to make her feel as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.

This is what makes this series possible, the transition from a somewhat skeptical expression to pure joy!

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Note: This series was exposed using a Hasaselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination and scanned for proofing just yesterday.