Three Wise Men
Millions of Saddhus (extreme ascetics, mendicants and holy men in India) gather in a predetermined location once every 12 years for the Kumbha Mela, easily cons...
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Millions of Saddhus (extreme ascetics, mendicants and holy men in India) gather in a predetermined location once every 12 years for the Kumbha Mela, easily considered the largest religious gathering in the world. This time, in 2010, the gathering happened in Haridwar, India. I was fortunate enough to have been in the right place at the right time to witness and participate in this monumental event.
copyright Peterbaureiss
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copyright Peterbaureiss
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Mar, 2015Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
It was a lifelong dream of mine to travel to India, and so finally in 2010 i was able to find a brief period of free time in my busy work schedule (as a scenic artist in the movie industry) to go backpacking for a few months. This photo was taken in Haridwar, Himachal Pradesh, India, during the Kumbh Mela, a devout Hindu festival, considered the largest religious gathering in the world. Upwards of 4 or 5 million saddhus (ascetics and mendicants) congregate at a predetermined spot only every 12 years, and huge "Baba camps" are erected, to accommodate so many pilgrims. It was very auspicious timing that i happened to be in india at that time, participating in a yoga retreat.Time
This shot was taken sometime in the afternoon, but luckily it is so hot that most people will sit in the shade, so the lighting is diffused and there are no harsh shadows. The saffron robes against the distressed pink wall make for a very unique and interesting colour palette, and of variety of textures.Lighting
The natural daylight in the shade provided the perfect lighting for this shot. No harsh shadows, so the eyes are clear, but enough indication of shadows to give the sockets a mysterious and mystical quality, in keeping with the theme, and offering the composition a perfect balance of light and dark. The rich skin tones are an exquisite colour compliment to the saffron robes and pink background.Equipment
Believe it or not, this shot was captured with a basic 10 megapixel panasonic DMC-FS42. In certain situations, i like to travel light and take only what i need, which also allows me more freedom to move and i find it works better for me as far as approaching people. There was a large crowd around us, and we were being corralled along with the herd, and so i could only stop for a brief second or two to capture this. It was handheld, with no tripod, and only natural daylight.Inspiration
The Kumbh Mela has got to be one of the most fascinating congregations i've ever seen, with these saddhus performing strange and unusual body tricks, feats of physical endurance, and acts of penance, all in the name of religion. You wiill never witness a larger gathering of likeminded individuals whose philosophy is so unlike anything the western world could even imagine. From a technical perspective, these three wise men sitting together with similar wardrobe made the perfect trifecta of balance and composition.Editing
I like to let most of my work do the storytelling on its own, with the subject matter as the focus, and the scene itself as the narrative. So i may punch up the colour saturation a bit, and exposure if necessary, and do a bit of minor cropping or horizon levelling, but not much else.In my camera bag
I used to carry a larger SLR body and 300mm zoom lens as well as the factory 35-80mm, with black and white 35mm film, and 35mm slide transparency. But lately, and especially if I am doing 'off the beaten track' excursions, i prefer to carry a simple but proficient point and shoot pocket camera, for a few reasons. It is far less cumbersome for one, it allows me to venture out for longer periods of time effortlessly, i don't have to worry about being robbed, but most importantly it allows me access to stealth shots where I may otherwise be noticed. And in the case of people shots, i have come to the conclusion that psychologically people are less intimidated if your have a smaller, compact, camera. There is also less expectation than if one were to pull out a professional setup. This has worked wonders for me in all of the exotic countries i have visited. With a modest but good quality pocket camera with a bit of zoom capability, you can accomplish what most larger bodies can. Or more!Feedback
There is definitely an art to approaching people to get permission when taking shots of strangers, and in foreign countries rules and etiquette must be observed and respected all the more, and especially at religious gatherings and the like, where oftentimes it is considered forbidden or sacrilegious to even capture someone on film. You can't just aim your camera and shoot wherever you like, or you may risk offending someone. To gain trust, you must first be casually noticed, enjoying the space and surroundings, which will put people's mind at ease. Then maybe take a few shots here and there, so they see that you have a camera (again, i have found that with a smaller 'point and shoot' camera, i am granted more access to things and people than if I pulled out a larger more imposing barrel). If you start a conversation with someone, to let them know you are interested in hearing and understanding their story first, there will be a rapport there, which will result in far better chances of them granting you permission to capture their image, when they feel good about the interaction.. But in most cases (and India especially) many will jump at the opportunity to be in a tourist's slideshow!
