It may look to you like I’m just sharing photographs here, but they are much more than that. These images by photographer Joshi Daniel are openings from your world into another.
Bearded old man | Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Little boy during the festival of Holi | Sowcarpet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Old woman | Ramgarh, Rajasthan, India
Job Kurian | Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Smiling lady | Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Farmer walking through the fields | Hegde, Kumta, Karnataka, India
An old lady posing | Beringharjo market, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Muchilottu Bhagavathi Theyyam performer with a sword | Kannur, Kerala, India
A smiling boy with cattle herd in Punjab, India
When I look into these faces, I have all kinds of reactions. Some make me smile, some make me want to hug these people. I definitely want to hear their stories. I think Joshi has developed great skill in creating images that somehow connect me to people so far away from my own experience, and for that I’m grateful.
In preparing to feature some of his work, I asked Joshi a few questions:
What kinds of things are you hoping to communicate with your photographs?
I like to shoot strong portraits which can be of anyone whose eyes and face can talk by itself.
Could you describe an interesting experience you had while taking photographs?
Once I saw a cute old man who missed his lunch. So I offered him a small cake piece I had with me and I asked him if I should get anything else for him. But his reply was that it was more than enough. There are people who are not greedy.
What advice would you have for someone who is interested in making photographs primarily of people?
Photography is only part of the job. Respecting and being nice to people matters most. Rather than hurrying to shoot an image it is always a good idea to spend some time observing and understanding the person.
What project are you working on lately?
Currently I am working on a new project called 28mm Portraits. I am trying to shoot portraits with a 28mm lens rather than the medium telephoto lens that I normally use. A new perspective and more close to people.
Lori Notes 