<br />This is one of the situations I mentioned in the Imprint, of sometimes finding the location BEFORE finding the person I want to photograph.<br />At this street corner in Varanasi I just had to stop. Perhaps, as is mostly the case, there was more than just one reason for it,s attraction for me, but at this particular moment it seemed almost like a film set, even slightly surreal.It was the colors and the way this street corner was being lit. It was monsoon season in this part of India, and the sun never really came fully out, as it was on this occasion, blocked and diffused by clouds, but at this time of the day still high in the sky.<br />I had not even time to place my camera on the tripod before I saw this gentleman approaching. He was a street cleaner, pushing his metal cart and occasionally stopping to scrape up the rubbish into it . He spoke no English , but I showed him my camera and with sign language asked him for his portrait and showed him where I wanted him to stand. I used the whole width of this narrow street, my back was against the wall, I wanted to show the whole scene and how he was a totally natural part of it. <br />I would walk past this gentleman,s shop almost daily during my time in Varanasi. It was selling those very sweet little cakes and delicatessen that the Indians love! <br />During the day, I never really noticed him or his shop, but as soon as the sun had disappeared his shop came alive. The beautiful pictures inside lit perfectly from the florescent strips on the ceiling. And on this evening he was standing talking to a customer over his high counter.I approached and asked if he was willing to be photographed. He seemed to have difficultly understanding me, but fortunately the customer he had been speaking to spoke perfect english and translated. He agreed to letting me take his portrait. This picture was going to be a little more complicated than most as the available light was hardly worth measuring!! I asked him if he could stay completely still for at least a second? It was translated to him, he smiled.."no problem".. then I said,..."ok, but no moving".. I used a small sliver reflector to add some light into his eyes, and mixed with the light,s from his shop this picture has a more artificial look than most of my others, but is one of my favourites. It could be a scene shot from a film...
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