More General Photos

Most of the time I'm walking around I have my camera at the ready. So many of these images are split second opportunities, hesitate and they are gone in an instant. The other thing with people I find is that the moment they realise they are being photographed the whole dynamic changes and something is lost, or at least becomes something entirely different. The new 18-200 lens I bought in Singapore means I can get so many of these shots from across the street where they don't know they are having their privacy utterly invaded !!!

 

I am absolutely fascinated by these Swami-Baba-Homeless-Holy Men. They are such characters and make such awesome photographic subjects.

  

 

Most of them are very used to posing for the photos and, of course, very used to asking for cash. This guy had actually been lying down asleep but he clearly used his yogic powers to sense an income earning opportunity.

 

I love the stick people. they spend the day collecting sticks for fuel for the fires.

 

This young man was at Ramanashram and is obviously of the Brahmin class, studying to be some kind of priest or expert in their scriptures, however that works here. very nicely dressed and a real air of privilege about him.

 

This old couple sit outside the gate to the ashram that goes up the hill. A couple of real characters I paid them both individually a small amount for allowing me to take these photos.

 

Later on in the day here they were down the alleyway having a small feast. I would like to think my small contribution helped pay for their food. They probably live right here on this footpath so of course I paid them again for this photo.

 

 

I like this family, they have a real and genuine joy about them. Hard-working, they have this sort of little farm-type enterprise on the side of a busy road, I pass them by most days. Here he is doing the coconuts but they seem to have goats and some cows and a few other things going on. Hard to see but he has a long steel spike coming out of the ground and he is removing the outer part of the coconut which they dry off. Eventually these are made into a kind of rope apparently.

 

This is Mrs Coconut Man

 

These are the daughters, notice how well they are all dressed ?

 

Especially considering where they live.....

 

I see this guy all over town, he really gets around

 

These two images are a fantastic example of the need to have the camera in my hand, switched on and at the ready. All I have time for is to adjust the zoom, and that's if I am quick. As you can imagine this guy is riding along at at least 20kph so you really only have a moment to react. There's no time to reach into a bag, take the lens cap off, get ready to take the photo, suddenly realise the camera is not switched on yet, then actually adjust the lens and take the photo. I saw this guy coming along the road with his load of "wares" and managed to get the before and after shots which is not easy to do as the traffic on this road get quite heavy, so often I miss these opportunities, sometimes I get them.