Brajendra, Street Portrait – Bangalore, India

As you can see from my recent India coverage, I walked the streets in Bangalore, near my hotel, making street photographs. A friendly face caught my eye. It was Brajendra in his small stand, by the road. I ended up talking to him for about ten minutes.

He clearly had a lot of pride, owning his small place selling a modest assortment of goods. I explained that I just arrived in India, hours before, and I was being a tourist capturing life. He had a big heart and welcomed me to his country. And, though it was a short conversation, it built a bridge between us. That’s what travel does and by meeting people from other cultures. Despite our different backgrounds, the basic needs and interests of people are the same.

I asked if I can make a portrait, and I shot a few. But, I like this one the most. Brajendra is sporting a rare and very collectible atmtx photo hobby card. The wonderful thing about the smartphone revolution is that many in the world now have access to the internet. I wonder if Brajendra will ever see this portrait. At least he can, if he wanted to.