Friday, October 16, 2009

Pahar Ganj: New Delhi



When people asked where I was staying, I proudly told them Pahar Ganj, they would smile and nod like they should have guessed. They were probably fighting the urge to turn me around to check if I had a Lonely Planet sticking out of my back pocket. It was full of young foreigners, but even fuller of life and an Indian current of activity that could care less who they were temporarily sharing the space with. For two nights I went to the same spot and drank Chai under a darkening purple sky with a group who mutually accepted the foreign break in the ordinary as I leaned onto a windowsill between friends. I sipped and watched shadows skip across blue and green lights, beaming from the back of alcove businesses that line the street and fill the holes of storefronts. There were layers of activity, business and commerce in the middle of the road and edging the stores, then a soft and fuzzy layer of transient alcohol between the two.
As much attention as I would get, being a sweaty pale guy with a camera - there isn't much that could interrupt this pulse of night's seething color, flavor and life as usual.

9 comments:

MissBuckle said...

In love love love with your photos. When you take pictures of people on you travels. Do you ask permission?

When I´m working (as a journalist with a camera. I´m in no means a photographer) it´s easy.

On my own with my camera, it gets a bit harder, and I have been hecked quite a few times. A woman thing? Or a normal thing?

MissBuckle said...

heckled

Lin said...

I'm typically a lurker on your site, but I wanted to let you know how much I love your photos and admire what you do with a camera. You are an inspiration!

the.kim.peterson said...

I think I missed something. Why are you in India Mike?

prasanth Gulfu said...

i LOVE YOUR PICTURES...

Drew Nash said...

Mike, amazing images but you already knew that. I do want to make a point on your writing though, I love it! You ever write your own projects? You should...if they pay you for it.

Mike Terry said...

Re: Miss Buckle,
I don't ask permission in most cases. Partly because I don't want to affect the situation if I can help it. I feel like alot of it is your own attitude. Even if I am shooting something that may never go to print if I treat it the same, people pick up on that somehow and know I am there to document. Really this whole topic of how to make others comfortable and ok with you being there affords more than a message board, but shortly said, my experience is that people mirror your approach. If you are confident and respectful, they show the same.

Mike Terry said...

that being said....if someone is really opposed to having their picture taken and I don't have to shoot it (for work or a story) I just let it go.

Mike Terry said...

Lin,
Thank you so much for your comments. I was looking on your blog as well. Take care of those CATS!

Mike