Varanasi Backstreets
Varanasi Backstreets
Taken on a recent trip to India, which can be seen in more detail here, this one photo out of the over 8,000 taken in that 10 day period is my absolute favourite. Not because it typifies India, not because it’s the quintessential shot of a famous landmark or tourist site. But because of the technique, the colour and the subject.
Taken on 23rd March 2023, our second to last day on tour and becoming more familiar with the harsh Indian lighting conditions and ‘getting the hang of things’, we were exploring the city on foot navigating the tight backstreets and alleyways making up the heart of the city perhaps less familiar than the famous sights of the Ganges and funeral pyres. I really like street photography and had been “shooting from the hip” for a while that morning. This is a technique where camera settings are dialled in and the user holds the camera at their hip and basically points, focuses and shoots. It is done primarily to avoid any suspicion from potential subjects which can result in either a refusal to take a photo, or more common throughout India, a request for money. It’s a variant of ‘run and gun’ photography and can at times result in some really exciting, and interesting captures. More of that mornings work can be seen here.
We had only hours before seen the sun rise over the Ganges and the light that day was simply incredible. It stayed that way well before midday and that is when this image was discovered. I noticed the scene and stopped to better identify with it. You’ll even see Lyndall faintly in the shadows as she kept close to our guide. I though stopped, crouched to ground level and played with the settings as this was no run and gun capture. I was on ISO 400 that morning because of the dark shadows of alleyways and moved the f stop to 5.6 because I wanted a sharply focused central image with a slight degree of bokeh to accentuate. A focal length of 18mm (the widest available on the lens being used) was employed to grab as much of the scene into frame and add that distinct wider angled feel. Lastly I was wanting a subject and hence the shutter speed was moved to 1/2000sec to capture that without movement and why the other points of the exposure triangle were adjusted so.
Believe it or not as I was fiddling with the dials I need only wait seconds before this unbelievably ideal subject entered frame. Walking slowly, hands held behind his back, dressed perfectly in his flowing white thobe with matching white Muslim prayer hat, he completed the picture and I fired away. One trigger. This was a single image capture and I nailed it.
What makes this image I think so interesting are the leading lines, those manmade or natural lines converging to an image focal point. In this case they are building walls, ledges, shadow lines, payment cracks, overhead wires and mirroring those, their shadow. But look closely and you will note while the image is perfectly straight, it takes on a ‘dutch angle’ affect rolling the perspective ever so slightly to the left. This is an optical illusion of course and one I am super proud of achieving through the correct set up of this capture.
The colours of course add to the overall appeal of the image and the one time a washed out over exposed sky was wanted. The light, pastel tones of greys and beige dominate but the splash of pink to the left and even a dab of red in the garbage bag add some contrast together with an eerie blue hue in the centre of frame. The jumbled collection of lines, finishes and textures together with hidden detail only found when examined make this an interesting image.
There has been little to no editorial effects added save a slight vignette (darkening of the corners and borders) to accentuate the central image and a little desaturation of colours to better reflect the scene of the day.
I love this photo and as mentioned, is my absolute favourite taken in India.
18mm, f/5.6, 1/2000sec, ISO 400.