Luminous Landscape Forum
Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: Philmar on October 09, 2010, 01:09:48 am
-
Thanks for the wonderful article Mr. Chougle. It was an inspirational reminder of one of the powers of photography - to connect others with what lies inside our own emotional landscape. What is familiar and meaningful to us may not be to others and through photography we can help disseminate that passion through the narrative power of a body of images. I have been to New Delhi for a brief visit of three days. I can see how life there would endear one to the omnipresent and ubiquitous taxis. Their sight, sound and smell is forever in your consciousness in the city's public space. His photos convey all of that - and more. As a whole they are not a series of images of inanimate objects - they are soulful shots of objects that millions of people rely upon daily to help carve out their own existence. They transport lovers, food, workers, tourists, create jobs to feed family - they even serve as bedrooms for tired drivers to catch a bit of shut eye. Through his body of work we can see he will miss those noisy polluting taxis - that are incredibly mobile and since they are able to turn on a dime they are perfect for clogged streets and narrow alleyways. What was once part of the native landscape is soon to be extinct.
I wish his article mentioned how and why they are being replaced. Were they too polluting? what will replace them?
And in the spirit of his article I will offer up two of my photos of New Delhi: in one, several taxi drivers stopped at a red light jostling for position to be the first to cross the intersection where potential fares await outside the Red Fort.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/2559299380_a8d4eb930d_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_marion/2559299380/)red light - Delhi traffic (http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_marion/2559299380/) by Phil Marion (http://www.flickr.com/people/phil_marion/), on Flickr
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/2742458817_a6123fd9cf_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_marion/2742458817/)rickshaw wallah reflection - New Delhi (http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_marion/2742458817/) by Phil Marion (http://www.flickr.com/people/phil_marion/), on Flickr