Following on from the pictures of Mumbai that I posted on May 9, I just had to share these three too.
The image (above) isn't as sharp as I would have liked, but the power of it is not lost. We were passing through a Mumbai slum when I shot this picture. It wasn't just the colour that struck me, but rather the palette from which it was drawn i.e., the love and pride of a proud father - a watchful mother, material poverty... yet abundant joy. I love it - I love it for all that it is and all that it is not. It represents all of us in a way - a part of us is them, and a part of them is us...
The smell, the vibrancy and of course the colour.
My gorgeous wife Dana with our Mumbai guide Raj. We met Raj by accident while strolling around the Gateway of India. Five minutes after meeting him he'd talked us into using his services. He was awesome - one of the loveliest people we've met and he showed us the real Mumbai. Thanks Raj!
I took the above picture late in the late morning of July 27. Of course we were in Mumbai during the middle of the monsoon (which runs from June to Sept.) and it (the rain) didn't stop for the entire time we were there. I particularly like the 'old world charm' of this shot - but a brief moment in time. Note: the words on the back of the cab window appropriately read WATER KINGDOM.
I shot the above image less than 10 minutes later. We were on the renowned Falkland Rd - the red light district. The two girls above (like many of the Mumbai people) were impossibly beautiful at that time, in that place, amongst the challenges that Mumbai puts to its 20 million inhabitants every minute of every day - just incredibly moving.
Even if you're not a 'reader' of books & even if you've never been to Mumbai, read this anyway - you will not regret it! Thanks for this gift Ren -))
