I saw this man on the street as I was riding past. He was carrying a collection of old and used plastic <br />bottles over his back. I turned immediately and pulled up a hundred metres or so ahead of him<br />and as he approached I tried to explain what I wanted, his portrait. He spoke none and seemed <br />to understand no english. As usual in India, it took only a few seconds before I had a willing <br />translator amongst the gathering onlookers. He seemed to understand, but as I removed my<br />camera he had already wandered off along the road. I accepted defeat, repacked my bag and <br />rode off,only to see him again, a little way further along sitting on his own at the roads edge<br />I stopped, and with little or no communication, but with an unspoken understanding, as if he<br />had been waiting for me I took his portrait. I confess that once I,d gotten close to him and felt<br /> the intensity with which he looked ito my lens, the bottles which had been a large part of my<br />first attraction from a distance, seemed totally and utterly unnecessary in this picture, they are<br />lying on the floor beside him, out of frame.<br /> <br /><br />This picture was taken in Palolem, Goa. The location is probably a Bus Stop. I say probably, because on<br />the days I passed by it was usually being used by the Tuc Tuc drivers who would gather there whilst<br />waiting for customers. I had sensed that perhaps there was a possibility of a group picture, and on the day I returned<br />it was as usual full of drivers. I introduced myself, asked them for a picture, showed them my camera, and everything<br />seemed to be going quite well.... but by the time the camera was on the tripod, they had all wandered off, gathering<br />behind me and leaving the Bus stop seemingly empty ! (later I guessed that they had misunderstood me, and presumed <br />I wanted to just take a picture of the wall). Fortunately, one of the drivers had been sleeping, ( hence his rather sleepy, bemused <br />expression). but fortunately for me he woke up at just the right moment !!<br /> On this portrait I at first spotted the location as I was passing by the day earlier. <br />There had been a large New Years celebration and many tents and stalls had been put up, and it looked quite spectacular. Unfortunately on my return, most had been removed and taken down, but this "window" was still standing.I removed and set up my camera andI didn,t have too long to wait before I saw some ladies returning from the market. It took a little explanation and convincing, <br />but I managed to persuade this beautiful lady to stand in the window for me. This is NOT "spot the difference" neither is it the workings of Photoshop! This is Beju, a very kind, gentle Ayurvedic masseur working in Agonda beach. I arranged to take his portrait after he had finished his work one evening. The picture is lit with the availabe light from a fixed lamp above his head, and with a torchlight held from below to lighten the shadows under his eyes, and put a reflex in his eyes. Normally after each shot I wind on the film three frames, here I only wound on once, and since he hardly moved thats why you see the "twins"! This poor gentleman I would see almost daily during my time in Palolem. He has only one arm left, his other limbs were lost in a tragic accident involving a train. He gladly let me take his picture, combing his hair before I began and then waving constantly into the camera.
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