India is so colourful you don't tend to think about mono images, however we think with those large, descriptive eyes and whenever there is lower contrast, albeit there may be colour, there is an argument for some black and white!
A pair of nagas back at camp after the Royal Bathing (Kumbh Mela - February 2013), one smoking, the other we just managed to catch staring straight into the lens. Their faces are still covered in ash after the bathing.
These wide-eyed kids were in a classroom in Rajasthan, they were quite curious of the camera.
Kids playing in central India, originally shot in colour. It's all about the girl but because of the composition, the ghosting of the boy on the right hand side gives a nice effect in mono.
A trainee sadhu, his face whitened and after the Royal Bathing, (Kumbh Mela 2013).
This girl near Bandhavgar, (Tiger country), captured my heart with her serious stare into the lens.
There's no escaping naked nagas or the enthusiasm of the Holy men running to bathe in the Holy rivers. this was my first glimpse of them which was before sunrise and I like the blur of the poor light and their movement.
So I do think mono works, even in india. There's a time and a place. It's quite 'documentary,' it's impactful with those large brown eyes and it's a nice contrast to the bursting with colour shots we tend to chase in India, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs10VJlS_nY
Julie and Adam
March 2013
