Us and Them
So there I was standing on Linking Road, Bandra
Which was positively heaving on a Sunday evening.
Smoking a cig, stalling, and rationalizing having to deal with the hideousness that is shopping against the reality of 'needing' fancy shoes.
Wanting to take some pictures of middle class city people and not rural women and children. Or street kids.
So I started talking to these two girls, who I thought were kinda hot.
And told them what I wanted. They obliged. I even got pictures of their shoes because I;m interested in how young women make their own style. Or so I said
The boy with the umbrella stood watching, unspeaking. But then, we were speaking in English. I realise I never got to check if the umbrella was Made in China.
The one on the right, Chitwan, told me she's moved from Delhi and Bombay is really expensive. So she wants to 'make it' in The Media.
She's studying photography too as apart of her media course.
Oh what do you like to shoot I asked.
Oh I like to go into slums and take pictures there she says, completely oblivious to the irony of the situation.
Why them I ask. Why slums?
Its different.
It seemed like she hadn't actually considered the huge why-ness of it.
Maybe, I say, its a bit like me wanting to take pictures of you.
Not really she says
Ok cool. But pose for me anyway.
Then Chitwan says, see if you can send this somewhere, put it up on websites...
Maybe I'll get somewhere. Maybe someone will notice me.
Maybe doll, maybe.
Welcome to Bombay.
posted by maya at
6:36 PM
5 Comments:
I've always found hard to indulge in "middle-class" street photography anywhere in India. There's a certain degree of suspicion, especially if you're female. You make yourself too "different". They're not used to women gazing anyway.
As for photographs of slums.. it never fails to amaze me. I remember one photographer telling me that he needed to to go a slum other than Dharavi, because the it just didn't feel dirty or poor enough in some parts. Oh.. well..
Very deep there, Maya. Come visit Atlanta. xo
Hi Neha, thanks for the comments. And youre absolutely right Neha, it is not at all easy and I'm not one of those people who has mastered the art masking one's actions well enough. I prefer to engage, tho that necessarily changes the photograph. But yeah, I find that engaging on the street gives you a certain access, even in one's differentness, even with the strangeness that one's gazing inspires - and esp since one is not a woman with a mic in front of a TV camera. That urban Indians are cool with, but definitely not with this. Sometimes I find I just click and walk away, not bothering to look at who is looking. They all are of course but its too much fucking work to deal with that sometimes. Its quite an involving project I have to say!
i like...
Thanks Manjima. Glad you like...
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