An epiphany

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

India | Monday, January 7, 2013 | 4 photos

Picking photos was hard. I’ve taken thousands, in 50 countries, many with special memories. The indigenous Mayan family I lived with, where a simple meal of beans and rice was served with grace. The Romanian orphanage I volunteered at, in awe of the children’s spirit. Timbuktu, where an arduous journey was rewarded with shots of smiling indigo-clad men and mudbrick buildings being reclaimed by desert.

But I chose Varanasi, that menagerie of colour clinging to the banks of the Ganges, where I learned why those who say cameras detract from travel experience are wrong. With no shared language, I asked to shoot a sadhu as he prayed, and he invited me closer. I focused my lens on his movements – the languid application of paint, the careful arrangement of his belongings, the seamless movement from preparation to prayer – and found that on some level I understood the meaning of his actions.

I could have chosen a broader series showing my travels in India or elsewhere. But this series speaks of my shared experience with the sadhu; of the understanding I gained of the power of photography. I believe it tells you why I would cherish the opportunity of being selected for this scholarship.