Gary Schmid's photographs capture every aspect of India — the riot of colours, the beautiful architecture, the ancient traditions and the warmth of the people, along with the dust and grime, the poor infrastructure and the extreme poverty. But the one thing that shines through in Streets of India, an exhibition of his photographs from a recent trip to the country, is the fact that the pictures have been taken by a person who loves India.
"India is a country with so many contrasting sights and a richness of colours. Few places on Earth could be as interesting as this for photographers. It is one of the most photographed places in the world, but I feel that even if you go there a million times, you will still find something new," he says.
Schmid is from Austria and moved to Dubai three years ago. He is a professional photographer, and his company, Smart Design, specialises in photography of interiors, architecture, hotels, fashion, beauty, food and lifestyle products. But a few times every year, he takes a break from commercial work to conduct workshops on travel photography.
The photographs in this exhibition are from a recent workshop trip to Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi and Delhi. "I have been to Jaipur before, but what made this trip exciting was that we planned to be there during the colourful festival of Holi and the famous elephant festival in the Pink city. Also we did several long journeys by train, which also provided many interesting opportunities for photography," Schmid says.
One of the most colourful pictures in the show is of a roadside stall selling powders for the festival of Holi. "I was fascinated to see many such stalls all over the city, but realised the purpose of these colours only when I saw people playing Holi the next day. I covered my camera with a plastic sheet and went out in the streets to watch them throwing colour on each other," he says. Other colourful pictures include a girl dressed in traditional Rajasthani costume, shot at the elephant festival; and a rickshaw standing against the multi-coloured wall of a house that he has playfully titled Vehicle Fleet.
In sharp contrast are the stark pictures he has taken on the trains — especially a photograph of the cracked, grime-covered foot of a passenger sleeping on a berth. The picture speaks volumes about the life of the unseen person and of life in general in India. Similarly, Schmid's breathtaking photos of the ghats at Varanasi and boats on the River Ganges convey the spiritual feel of this holiest of Indian cities.
"I like to go to the backstreets and alleys that tourists rarely go to and take pictures of everyday life and ordinary people. Travel photography is about keeping your mind and your eyes open, being able to feel the atmosphere and capture the moment," he says.
And he has indeed captured many typically Indian moments, such as a man repairing his bicycle, helped by his grandchildren; a woman brushing her teeth with her finger; children drinking water from a rusty hand-pump; a fisherman preparing to set sail on the River Ganges; a poor woman and her children in tattered clothes with the magnificent Taj Mahal in the background; a typical roadside paan shop with its eclectic and colourful wares; and a rickshaw puller taking a bidi break.
"Every picture tells a story and needs a different approach. I had to be quick to catch the smile on the faces of the children, whereas that rickshaw puller knew I was taking his picture. So I waited a few minutes till he forgot about my presence and was lost in his own thoughts, to catch that weary, faraway look in his eyes," Schmid says.
His camera conveys the serene beauty of the Taj Mahal and the temples on the ghats of Varanasi, along with the crumbling texture of old rundown buildings and the chaos on the streets. But clearly, his favourite subject is people, especially children and wrinkled old men and women.
"I am fascinated by these faces of India and amazed that despite all the hardship in their lives, these people are always smiling. The happiness and contentment I have seen in the eyes of the poorest of people in India is something I have not seen anywhere else in the world. My exhibition is a homage, not only to the beauty of the people of India, but also to their invincible spirit — especially of the poor and homeless, who despite their difficult living conditions, continue to smile, celebrate, and above all, hope," he says. "This is just a glimpse of the many facets I have seen of this vast country. And I will definitely go back someday," he adds.
Jyoti Kalsi is an arts enthusiast based in Dubai.
Streets of India will run at Corp Executive Hotel Apartments, Al Barsha, until April 11.
Workshop in Vietnam
Gary Schmid's next travel photography workshop is a trip to Vietnam from August 20 to 27. The workshop includes practical tips on location, group and one-on-one discussions of the pictures taken by participants, and training in the technical, artistic and post-production aspects of photography. For more information, write to info@gary-photography.com
Gary Schmid's top tips
- Always carry your camera with you.
- Keep an open mind and be aware of your surroundings.
- Even when the light is good, using a flash to take portrait shots helps remove shadows and light up the face.
