Street Photography India (New work)

I’m preparing to leave India after four weeks of street photography that has taken me from Mumbai to Delhi via the southern most states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It’s been a great, if at times gruelling, trip. We have visited some amazing locations and managed to meet up with some India based photographer friends for the first time.

A constant priority has, of course, been to capture some interesting street images. From the point of view of local people there is no difference between a street photographer and a run of the mill tourist. That can work to your advantage when people are tolerant of you photographing but, as in the case of Pondicherry, may work against where some are reticent, indifferent or perhaps weary of tourists.

With experience I think the street photographer develops a confidence and people skills that help ease the process of getting the images. Interaction implies a loss of candidness but, being seen to be friendly with some often means others around tend to watch then accept your presence and relax.

There have been times when the presence of my camera has attracted unwelcome attention, such as during the Jallikattu protests in Madurai (they erupted into violence while I was in Chennai meaning certain areas were out of bounds). Overall though India’s people have been generous and welcoming everywhere and there have never been any serious concerns.

Two main aims have dominated my efforts on this return trip to India. One has been to build on the body of portraits I started in 2016 and the other is to make images with stronger narrative content. On occasion it is possible to combine the two – as in the colour portrait of the little girl on the steps of Jama Masjid in Delhi – but the portraits are typically more static. You can see a sample of the images in the gallery below.

India has been the first of 21 countries I am visiting in search of new images this year. Nepal is next on the list and is a place I’ve never been so am looking forward to it. We then head into more familiar territory in SE Asia. I’ll be blogging when I can and posting images to social media regularly (on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/johnmeehan61 and Twitter here https://twitter.com/JohnMeehan61)

Bye for now,
John

33 thoughts on “Street Photography India (New work)”

Astonishing John. Looking forward to more.

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John Meehan on February 4, 2017 at 7:30 am said:

Thanks Daniel.

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Love each photo.Essence of India well captured

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John Meehan on February 6, 2017 at 1:03 am said:

Grazie mille Evelina!

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good pictures.. cool!

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John Meehan on February 6, 2017 at 1:47 pm said:

👍😉

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Interesting moments

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Amazing Índia through your eyes…Thanks 🙂

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John Meehan on February 10, 2017 at 3:12 am said:

Many thanks Esmey! 😊

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Great images John, as I have been in India 10 months ago, I recognize the scenery. Have a great time in Nepal, it’s a most beautiful country having visited some 25 years ago.

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John Meehan on February 10, 2017 at 3:11 am said:

Hi Cornelia, I read an article you wrote about photographing in India as part of my research for my earlier 2016 visit. Now in Nepal, where the impact of the April 2015 earthquake is everywhere in Kathmandu, there is a very different character to the architecture and people. I’m not satisfied with any of the images I’ve taken so far so they might not see the light of day.
Regards, John

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- corneliaweberphotography on February 12, 2017 at 4:28 am said:
  
  Thank you for reading my article. I believe it that the atmosphere in Nepal after the earthquake has changed a lot, when I was there I probably got the best to see.

You are in my home country. Am glad you had a great time John.

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John Meehan on February 10, 2017 at 3:03 am said:

Thank you 👍😉

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Superb Pictures. This country makes you fall in love with it all over again! Incredible India 🙂

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John Meehan on February 11, 2017 at 2:14 am said:

Thanks for your comment. You’re right about India being hard not to love – especially the people. Best, John

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- tendersoulblog on February 12, 2017 at 6:01 am said:
  
  Exactly, hosipitality is their forte 🙂

Your photography is very nice

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John Meehan on February 11, 2017 at 2:09 am said:

Thank you!

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- 13hales on February 11, 2017 at 2:21 am said:
  
  You’re welcome! ☺️

Reblogged this on Life in Bloom and commented:
John has captured the beauty with in India and its people. When you look at his photos you can’t help but be astonished by his simple but affective photos . And I think he is trying to show ,and tell us that even in the busiest of city’s you can find natural beautiful.

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John Meehan on February 13, 2017 at 10:31 am said:

Hey, thanks Stephnie! That’s a wonderful comment. Regards, John

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Great work! I’m glad I stumbled onto your blog at the beginning of this cool journey so I can follow along from afar. -Marie aka http://www.goldisfromaliens.com

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John Meehan on February 15, 2017 at 10:55 pm said:

Thanks Marie, glad you liked them. Best, John

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“Interaction implies a loss of candidness but…”

I think some street photographers place too much importance on candidness, to the point where every shot _needs_ it. Your images here are a good counter argument because it’s the interaction – the eye contact or the obvious awareness of the subject that you’re there – that makes them strong, for me.

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