This old Kashmiri was sitting at the steps of his house door, after greeting I asked him thru our guide to take some pictures. This man was very modest and collaborated with me, this was very helpful and made the shot as I wanted it to be.
As walking thru the many narrow alleys that pass through one of many mountain villages in Kargal, I noticed a small shop with its wooden door wide open. I was curious to find out what’s inside that place.
Everyone around was busy trying to find some good subject to photograph, I didn’t wait I just moved and went to explore that spot.
As I looked inside I saw this quite old man with his traditional hat looked back at me with a truly calm welcoming look and after greeting I approached and explain my request by showing him the camera, he nodded and allowed me to take some pictures of him.
I showed him the pictures at the screen of my camera and he thanked me with a wide smile.
This was one of my first shots at Leh which is considered as the capital of Ladakh. It was just after arriving Leh; I asked our tour organizer just as we arrived our overnight hotel for a short walk tour at the place.
We all start walking around Leh Market. The place was full of so many outstanding characters and it was hard to decide who or where you want to start.
But as I was looking around I noticed this woman who was sitting at one corner with a small wooden box working with small tools fixing shoes, I never saw a woman doing this kind of work before.
I reached out and said hello, she respond back with a lovely smile. I asked if it was alright to take her picture, she approved and I toke a few of her, just as I was about to move I noticed that just nearby another female shoemaker. The other shoemaker was the daughter of the first one, and I also toke a few pictures of her.
This is a photo of the Shoemaker daughter.
I found this old woman walking the narrow stony pathways at one of Turtuk village, she was carrying a bundle of firewood. She looks tired and sat down to rest on a side dock.
It was the light and her teary eyes that drove me to approach and ask it was ok to take some pictures.
At first she hesitate and told me that she is old and not beautiful but I sat nearby and just talked to her with the help of my tour guide, I explained to her that my interest and target is not to capture the beauty of the face but its to capture the true beauty of human spirit and promised her that I will delete the picture if she didn’t like it.
She accepted and I toke a few pictures of her, lucky me she liked them.
While driving from Kargil to Leh thru Leh-Srinagar highway which is considered one of the highest roads in the world. I noticed an old woman walking lonely a long this harsh road.
I couldn’t imagine such thing, I asked the driver to stop and went down while it was raining with my camera and flash toward this woman, after I reached her I sighed to her with my camera so she stopped and while trying to communicate with her; the driver reached and started to translate to her want I want. She accepted but she also mentioned that she can’t stay long because she need to reach another place soon. I toke a few pictures of her and as appreciation I gave her some money. I was speechless among her reaction to my action; she pleasantly accepted my small gift kiss the money and touch her forehead with it and hold my hand and kiss it. I don’t know what that reaction mean nor asked the driver about it because her smile was enough.
I reached an amazing mountain spot, we had to walk and cross over a wooden shaky bridge that extend over a raging river. After reaching the other side of the mountain we had to climb a slippery rocky sills in order to reach Hardass Gound village.
Attempting to portray women in some places faces many cultural difficulties due to the conservative customs and traditions that dominates these areas, therefore you need to talk and explain to many of the people that gather around you when you enter the village why you are here and were are form just to let them know you have no bad intentions, mostly this can be overcome when you have a good guide who is well known by alder people from this village.
I was lucky to have the chance to be escorted with one of the locals from this village, as he toke care of everything from the first minuet I step my foot all through the whole day.
I noticed this elder woman sitting down at one side near her house, I approached and give my respects and she was very open and welcoming as she asked where I am from. We talked for a few minuets and she said many facts and explain a lot of things and describe how harsh the life here especially during winter time.
I so much wanted to take a photo of her but unfortunately the background were she was sitting wasn’t a good spot so; as I was talking to local escort and explained to him why I didn’t take the picture of this woman, he just went and asked her if it’s alright for her to move to another spot so I can take the photo I want.
This woman was very kind and modest as she stand up and toke my hand and asked me to where I want her to sit. This was one of the moment that you get the felling that you are so close to your picture character. My reaction was without any hesitation is to give her a long respect kiss over her head. She just simply hold my right hand and said few things which the local escort told my she wished me all the best and Allah blessing and to reach back home safely.
It’s difficult to describe how harsh winter sessions are for the people who lives up high altitudes in Kargil, from the description of our guide, people here work very and intensive to gather enough food for themselves and for their livestock.
They collect wood to worm their houses and to cook their food.
I noticed that women play’s major part in most of the work in most of the villages I visited during my workshop.