"There are some parts of the world that, once visited, get into your heart and won't go. For me, India is such a place. When I first visited, I was stunned by the richness of the land, by its lush beauty and exotic architecture, by its ability to overload the senses with the pure, concentrated intensity of its colors, smells, tastes, and sounds... I had been seeing the world in black & white and, when brought face-to-face with India, experienced everything re-rendered in brilliant technicolor."-Keith Bellows
With all the recent media attention on India, (Hello, Narendra Modi name suit. Jokes aside, the man does have some serious style), it seemed quite timely to highlight some of the beautiful photography of the everyday India. Capturing the candid people and places of India has to be a photographer's dream. Every corner you turn in the country is a juxtaposition of old and new, wealth and poverty, grime and vibrant colors. Just a beautiful mess. There are countless Indian, America and European photographers with outstanding Indian based portfolios but here are two that caught my eye recently.
The first is a striking series of photographs from Danish photographer Ken Hermann. His project "Flower Man" captures the flower vendors of Mallik Ghat Flower Market, a gigantic floral market along the banks of the Hoogley River under the famous Howrah Bridge in Kolkata. The market is one of the largest and oldest flower markets in India and it is quite the colorful, chaotic maze with flower vendors and buyers running through the area with flowers on their heads and carried in their arms. Hermann told the Daily Mail he was inspired by the unique ways the vendors carry the flowers and the "quirky contrast between the delicate flowers and their masculine owners". Hermann got some of the vendors to move a little bit away from the chaos of the market and pose in front of the river with their flowers.
The second series of photographs set in India comes from The Sartorialist. If you do not follow his site, Scott Schuman went to India late last year and as expected his pictures were fascinating. Although he did spark some controversy with some snaps; overall in his signature style, he captured some stunning moments that elevated his blog beyond just street style.
image source: flower man photos by Ken Hermann; all other photos by Scott Schuman from The Sartorialist
-SD
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