we are proud

in my last post about the bindal river slums, i showed a little glimpse of what life is like in this river bed  community and some of its beautiful residents; however, i didn't show the inside of any of the houses. these houses might be made of only a few rooms, but there is great pride taken in everything that is found inside and they are impeccably clean and impressively decorated. here are a few shots to demonstrate.

the bindal river community

dehradun is the capital city of the northwestern indian state of uttarakhand and the home of some fabulous non-profit organizations whom i had the pleasure meeting and working with. it is also the home of the bindal river, or what is left of it. the river has dried up and become a slum community, filled with families living in filth and sewage- in houses made of anything they can find. children in these families have unfortunately been born into the cycle of poverty, into lives without clean drinking water, education, or health care,  but with disease and addiction.

here are some images from that slum community...

stay tuned for images of assraa trust- one of the organizations i was privileged to work with in dehradun and an organization making changes in this bindal river community...

"india is everything human"

"... india is everything human. it is all of our history: it is the past, it is the future. if it has been thought, experienced, or imagined, it has all happened before in india and you can be sure it is happening right now..
it is among the most difficult of places to travel, and the most rewarding... many are drawn back time and again because india is the best show on earth, the best bazaar of human experiences that can be visited in a lifetime. it has been said that there are 330 million gods in india, and there are at least that many varieties of experience available, religious or otherwise.
many go to india on the eternal pilgrimage, looking for enlightenment and answers, and india has plenty, from the genuine article to those devised by the cleverest touts and swindlers born. india will dissolve your ideas about what it is to be a human being, what it is to be compassionate, what it is to be spiritual or conscious. its people give new meaning to perseverance, courage, ingenuity, and friendship. india's is a bewilderingly old culture, with myth and history so intertwined and layered that one knows immediately it cannot be known nor understood, only experienced.
... india, of course, is more than gods and swamis and ancient art, ashrams and temples and ruins too numerious to count, it is a vast expanse of jungle, desert, oasis, and the utterly peerless himalayas, which tear open the hearts and minds of all pilgrims..." -- James O'Reilly & Larry Habegger

     

i found all of these things to be true and i loved every minute of my too-short two and a half weeks in this beautiful country. india is a place where you are assured that you are alive; it is filled with smells, sights, and sounds that make the senses explode during every minute. my main purpose for going was to photograph two non-profit organizations but had so many other experiences as well that i am excited to also share. while i'm still going through the thousands and thousands of photos i took and deciding what to share in which order, here is one of my favorite photos i took. i was doing street photography in the city of rishikesh and a few men were sitting in the shade and let me grab a few photos of them.

chip and francisco's photobooth fun

chip and francisco were my first wedding of 2011 and it was a perfect start to the new year. they had an intimate ceremony and brunch reception with their closest friends and family. chip and francisco asked me to set up a photobooth and i am so glad that they did! i'm not sure who had more fun- the guests or me. photobooths are such a great opportunity for guests at a wedding reception to get a little crazy and get ample chances in front of the camera. they are also great 'thank you' gifts for the bride and groom to give to the guests after the wedding. please contact me for more information if you are interested in a photobooth for a wedding or event.

chip and frankie, your wedding was so beautiful and i had so much fun documenting your special day and your wonderful friends and family. as i met your guests, it was so evident the love and support that each of them have for the two of you and i am so grateful to have been a witness. here are some of my favorite images of you and your friends and family.