Momentary Connections

  • Through travelling and meeting people along they way, there have been instances of brief connections I encountered. Connections that allowed me to share a sense of knowing with someone, sometimes through a smile or a brief conversation. These connections opened moments in time, to make a portrait of the who the person was and is. Through the portraits I got to SEE THEM. It didn’t matter where they were, what they did, what they had. I got to connect with them with all of that stripped away. It made me ask myself questions of how this is possible because sometimes connections happened in a matter of minutes, sometimes hours and some by pure chance. The answer that rang true to me, was that we connect because essentially, we are all connected and are all the same. All the outside noise and distractions do not matter when it comes to the core of who we are as beings. This portrait exhibition is the beginning of ongoing project of capturing and reflecting it back. The beginning is reflecting that even though we might look different, live in different parts of the world and have different views and beliefs. Deep in our core we are all the same and are connected because how is it possible to share momentary connections, with someone who essentially a minute ago, was a stranger.

  • And Then He Smiled - I had been walking in the village with Shivani and we spotted men playing a card game. I saw this beautiful man wearing a turban. He just stood out to me. Shivani helped me ask if I could take a portrait. In the beginning he looked straight at me, had a laugh and then finally looked up at me with a smile. The moment when you are the first warming up to someone, you feel shy in the beginning and then finally there you are.

  • The Grannies - I was walking around the village with Shivani and the place she wanted to take me was to her favourite people. I remember I sat next to this beautiful granny(first granny) who had the best energy. She was so sweet, and I remember her offering me her jersey because she thought I was cold. Shivani loved these ladies, and I could see why. They were genuine and caring people. Our encounter ended with me taking their portraits and they are my favourite ones till this day. I feel it solidified my quest as a portrait photographer, they were the “Yes this is it, this is what you are meant to be doing!

  • On the Street - Being back in India felt like I had come back home. This time I had a sense of knowing. I had accepted that my love was portrait photography . I had finally figured it out, even though it had been staring at me in the face, from the very beginning. Now everything was geared to that. As I walked the streets of Goa I saw this women carrying bricks on her head. I smiled and she smiled back. I then asked if I could take her image. This was the beginning. A simple and instant connection. India 2020

  • Layered But Not Straight - The next day I was Holi, I had asked Shivani to come with me, but she wasn’t keen and I couldn’t let that stop me. I was going to go into the village by myself and figure it out myself. I found people gathered around waiting for everything to start and spotted a few kids from the night before. When the celebration started the energy was electric. I spotted one men with once again an amazing turban. I only spotted his glasses after I took the image. India 2020

  • The Couple- Grandmother and Grandfather I had decided to extend my stay awhile longer at May’s Home in Hou Thou Village. While I was there she invited me to go along with her to the one year anniversary of a family members passing. She dressed me in traditional attire and we headed off. When we arrived we were greeted by cries of sorrow, singing and smoke. Some of the family members were inside taking part in the mourning ritual. There were men by the fire preparing the meat, groups of women in the corner and around the bend teenagers and young kids playing. It felt familiar, it felt as if I was back home. Every time there was a gathering, there was that similar feeling in the air. That feeling of being brought together by love and sadness at the same time. It was heavy but light, joyful but sad. I was fortunate to meet May’s beautiful grandparents. They had this sense of calm to them. I always find it interesting that when you don’t speak the same language with someone, you tend to lean into the energy that you feel from them to connect. Vietnam 2019

  • Under the Umbrella - During a hike in Hau Thao Village, one of the ladies was carrying a large umbrella, protecting herself from the sun. She was fun, light and just joyful. Vietnam 2019.

  • May - The moment I got out of the bus I was greeted by several guides and for some reason I was drawn to May. I told her where I was going and told her that I would be keen to do a trek the following day. We exchanged numbers and told her I would contact her the next day. I find it interesting how sometimes energies just pull you when you are open, and like I said before when the energy is good, it always feels light and easy. I met up with May and we all went on the hike together. I learnt that May was only eighteen years old, and she had always wanted to be a guide and took the necessary courses to make it happen. May was kind, patient and open. I liked learning and spending time with her. She told me her and her family had a homestay in the village. I didn’t really have a plan so I decided I would stay there for a few days. I usually just went with the flow and let the universe guide me and it never failed me Vietnam 2019.

  • When She Leaned In - I took this image at the same anniversary gathering. In the beginning she was uncomfortable and we laughed. Then there was a moment where she leaned in and I captured it. That’s the beauty about portrait photography, sometimes you are gifted with those moments. Vietnam 2019.

  • Mama Sa’s - Earrings We took a short break and stopped for a small lunch after a few hours of hiking. I kept on staring at Mama Sa's earrings and loved the details on them. She told me that her earrings were made by her husband, by hand. I loved them so much, I bought one of the ones she was wearing. Vietnam 2019.

  • The Wigmen - It was nearing the easter break and I was close to being at my wits end. I was reaching a year of living and working in Papua New Guinea. I didn't know what to do. Should I leave or should I stay. When I feel the most lost I know I need to get into nature. I don’t know why but that is where I get the most clarity. I needed the mountains. I researched and found a place that was exactly what I was looking for. When I read that the famous David Attenborough had once stayed there I was convinced. I needed to go Ambua lodge in Tari. I didn’t tell a lot of people where I was going because the few people I had told, were warning me against it. I was tired of being discouraged. I needed to get out. This was one of my turning points. I had met some of the Wigmen dressed in traditional attire when I had first arrived in Tari. I had also spent one of the mornings with Palos and he was telling me about the Wigmen and what it took to make the wigs.

  • He told me that a boy from the age of fifteen would go to wig school, the fee either being a pig or Kina shell. The teenager would be based at the school for a duration of eighteen months growing his hair the entire time, never cutting it. Before being admitted he would be asked if he was married or if he had, had any relations with a women. If so he would need to be purified by the water accompanied by certain spells before entering the school. He wasn’t allowed to eat hot food, pork, interact with any women and married couple for the duration of those eighteen months. He wasn’t even allowed to wash his hair but could only spray it with water and scratch with a certain comb. If he didn’t follow these rules, the teacher would know, as it would affect the growth of his hair.

  • After the eighteen months was done, he would be sent to a specialist, the hair would be cut off and used to make the wig. There were different type of shapes created by different frames. Certain shapes were for ceremonies and others for every day. Wigs were either dyed black or red. To dye them black, charcoal and pigs fat was used and to dye them red, red clay was used. Wigs were decorated with colourful feathers, fur etc. The student would be able to sell his wig to purchase pigs for bride price or grow his stock. It made me yearn to make these images. I asked Palos if there was a possibility to meet some of the Wigmen and do a small photoshoot. One of the security personal from Ambua Lodge allowed us to use his home and backyard as our location. I remember the moment. I stood on a little hill while one of the men stood in front the open hut door, creating a black background. I took a couple of images and when I looked down at one. I was nearly brought to tears. Tears of joy. Tears that finally explained why I had come to Papua New Guinea. To experience this immense beauty and creativity of human beings. To be able to capture it. The main reason I had wanted to come in the first place. It finally made sense. In Papua New Guinea, there was a deep connection between nature and the people. It was a glimpse of how things once were. Papua New Guinea 2022

  • To the Side - I had headed to Kokopo with the belief that there was a fire festival happening. To my surprise when I got there. No one knew of such festival. I felt deflated and not knowing what to do. To make the most of it, I decided to go and explore the town. It was a Sunday and the streets were quiet. Everyone was at Church, so I waited and waited and wanted. Then people started coming out. A young man walked by. The wait was long but the moment of taking that one picture went by in an instant. Papua New Guinea 2023

  • The Helper - I headed back to Kokopo a month later for the mask festival. I don’t think Kokopo liked me very much or maybe I was not learning the lesson of doing thorough research. This time though, there was a festival but I arrived a few days too late and missed the mask part. I was trying to capture some images of people but I felt like an outsider, a viewer and I was getting a lot of rejection. So I decided to gather myself and stand in a corner. Then this amazing man started talking to me. I told him what I was trying to do. So he decided to help me. Papua New Guinea 2023

  • As We Sat - I decided to just stop taking images. Sit down amongst the performers and connect. Being an observer was not working. I watched the show with everyone and soon enough people started approaching me asking questions and conversations started. Then they asked me to take their images. I realised the importance of collaboration and connection even more. When I was walking around looking, I was an outsider but when I stopped and sat down with everyone, I became an insider. It changed everything. Papua New Guinea 2023