Juhu Beach

Many times in the course of the last few weeks, I have stopped to ask myself about the intentions behind my pictures. As a photographer, I struggle to walk the fine line between curiosity, a desire to learn, and simple mockery, a showcase of the struggles or emotions which were never mine to begin with.

BTS -- Thanks Ash

These portraits, in particular, made me wonder. Did I continually click the shutter simply because it seemed like these were the pictures that others would expect to see from my time in the slums of Mumbai, photographing the streets as they were and not sparing my viewers the harsh existence of poverty. If that were the case, I hardly would have tried to evoke positive emotions from the subjects of this lens. Seeing through this simple piece of glass always encourages me to seek nuance and allows me to find clarity amongst my pensive inner voices. When looking back at the images during post processing, I was able to find the answers. The smiles that I captured, as the children mused about the possibility of their pictures being found in tomorrow's news paper, told a radiant story of positivity, not bogged down by the responsibilities or disappointments of reality. The joy on their faces every time I brought the viewfinder to my eye was the reason I continued to click; they enjoyed my classic foreigner attention, and that made the exchange worthwhile for us both. So long as I was not intruding or conveying misinformation through my selective compositions, I got to capture a sense of bliss I felt in that moment, and they got to pose and then take a peek at their expert modeling capabilities.

The other power this lens gives me is the slight push that I need to make conversation with strangers, explore their stories, and build personal connections. Street photography is thrilling because of the new perspectives it exposes you to - not just the new views of a place you thought you knew, but of all the people that you may come across. You go from simply existing in your own space, to carefully observing those around you to pick up on the various human emotions that connect you to one another.

The rest of the day was enjoyable, partly because of the energy we were going off of from the anniversary, but also because the three of us were relishing in the last weekend we had together in this new place that we now could call home.

We spent time enjoying the little things, trying hard to grasp at every moment that we had left. Matching bracelets to keep the camaraderie alive. Waaaay to much money on mehndi that washed off later that night. Pav bhaji that we demolished moments after being served. None of it mattered, and nothing could wipe the bright-eyed, all-too-wide smiles that were plastered on our faces.

Some Other Highlights of the Day: