A journey into the beauteous and unmerciful scorch of the Thar desert.

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Tuesday, November 8, 2011 | 5 photos

Growing up with a photographer father, I was constantly in awe of a photograph's ability to speak profoundly in a thousand different ways. And I have endeavoured to try and capture those moments, in my travels, that spoke to me. I want to see the world, not just the monuments, the 'sights', I want to meet and connect and capture and experience the people, the nature, the overwhelming eclecticism that is our planet. But it isn't just about my wants. I believe photography opens doors to people and places that have a story to tell, and it shares that story with the world. This is the beauty of it. In that moment you press the shutter, and you know in your heart you have captured something special, that is what should be shared. And I think at it's very core, the art of photography is to share. To say look at this.

I fell for India. It was different. It was chaotic. It forced me into an entirely different way of life, way of seeing and being. But it also confronted me with poverty, pollution and the dire effects of overpopulation and corruption. These people love their country, despite it falling apart. Despite the environmental catastrophes and being home to one third of the planet's poor. Incredible India is the tourism motto. Incredibly diverse, incredibly beautiful, and incredibly in need of help. I think capturing and spreading not only the iniquities that occur in any country, but also the endurance of humanity and the complexity of nature needs to be exemplified. Because people need hope. They need to be inspired to preserve and sustain what we have. These photos, shot in the Thar desert, Rajasthan, India, show the multitude of beautiful pockets to be found anywhere in the world.