During last week’s stay in Udaipur I also took the opportunity to go for a 15 minute quick stroll through the old city center. Leaving the PEN-F in my bag in the office, I just took my iPhone 8plus along for the walk. Hoping to make some street portraits.
Taking in Indian street life is an awesome experience. Colors, smells, sounds, people going about their daily tasks is completely different from what I normally shoot on the Streets of Nuremberg.
As always I signaled my intentions to my subjects, see how they would react prior to lifting up the phone and pressing the on screen shutter. Amazingly, the people in Udaipur absolutely did not mind me making their street portraits. More likely they were just wondering what the guy in the business outfit shooting away with his iPhone was doing there.
On the contrary, many people even signaled for me to take a picture of them. Like these three guys, sitting in front of their shops. The iPhone, by the way, is a perfect tool for street shooting, because it is unobtrusive. I mean we see people taking pictures with their phones all the time. Due to the wide angle lens, you have to get close though. Which is perfectly fine with me, as I want to interact with my subjects.
The highlight was the encounter with these school girls. Attending a private school just opposite our office, they just got off school and where goofing around when I walked out on the street. We started talking, they wanted to check out my badge that I was still wearing around my neck, showing off their school badges as well. And then they absolutely wanted to throw a pose for me, just for the fun of it. This is what I love about street photography. It makes you appreciate life. It makes people smile at each other. And it makes you go out and explore, even if it is just for 15 minutes.
Have a great Sunday!
Marcus
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