Speaking Portraits

While flipping through one of the Asian Geographic magazines lying around Jinny's house, I came across an edition which featured portraits from around the world. It was such a treat! Beautifully composed and captured portraits; some vibrant in black and white, some paused in time in sepia, some alive with colour.

Portrait photography though, is a tricky thing. It's not just about capturing an image. It's not about beautiful eyes or a smile that lights up the camera. It's not just about an interesting face or expression. Strangely enough it's not about the subject's appearance.
It's about the subject's essence.

It doesn't take a photography guru to know when the essence has been captured. We've all felt it. Those photos that make you smile. Or tear up a little. The photos that you keep coming back to. Those that you feel immensely connected to and weave your own story around; hesitantly at first...
".. this was probably taken just outside her home. Maybe she was watching her grandchildren play while grinding masala on those large, heavy grinding stones. Or cleaning the rice of husk and tiny stones".

And then with more conviction as the picture comes to life in your head....
"The photographer was probably walking through their hamlet. With his khaki shorts and photographer jacket.. the kind with the many pockets.. And he stopped and smiled warmly at the old woman and asked if he could take her photograph. He pointed to his complicated looking camera. She immediately blushes and smiles her shy toothy smile and vigorously shakes her head in the negative. Her grand kids stop their game and start giggling excitedly at the events unfolding. They encourage both naani and the photographer to go ahead with it. Naani relents. Quite easily."

Click!

My charcoal drawing of a photograph featured in the Asian Geographic