While I’m a primarily a wedding a real estate/architectural photographer, my photographic background is in travel photography, specifically landscapes and portraits. I love to travel, and I love meeting people everywhere I go. I try to learn a little about each person I photograph; spending some time with them relaxes them before I ask if I can take their photo, and it also gives me a little insight into who they are and what their life is like.
I’ve decided to post a travel portrait each day. These are not shots I’ve taken in the last few days – some are from 2010 and the rest from early 2011. I’m going to India in November to photograph a wedding so I’ll no doubt come back with lots of new portraits from that trip too.
Here’s number 1 – an amazing Sadhu I photographed in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2010. This is probably my favourite photo out of all that I’ve ever taken.
- Thomas Stewart – Wollongong, Bowral & Sydney Wedding Photographer
Sadhu in Kathmandu, Nepal
Great shot. He looks familiar.
Pashupatinath?
Thanks! I found him (more like he saw my camera and found me) in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, but I get the feeling these guys spend a day in each square, just to mix it up
When you come to India, visit Varanasi and Rishikesh, if you can. Hundreds of Sadhus!! And congratulations!
Go to Harathwar (if thats how you spell it); that is where the ganges river is and you’ll find alot of sadhs and preists there! Last time I went there was during this god shiv thing and there were SOOOOO many preists and sadhus ; it was during June or July, you should go then and youll find ALOT easily. =)
BTW, very nice picture.
@yesimafemale: No, thats not how its spelt. It’s Haridwar.
Nice shot!
Fantastic portrait. I can see why it is your favorite. I will be following this blog in hopes of learning a thing or two (I am a portrait photographer wannabe!) I’m sure to enjoy it.
Wow. An absolutely stunning photograph!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh my GOD. There’s so much character in his face — you’ve captured it BEAUTIFULLY.
I’m not a visual artist — as a writer, my words are my medium. But I can certainly appreciate the true visual art here. Congratulations!
Mikalee
Mikalee’s latest post, “My Big Fat Poop Wedding,” is at http://mikaleebyerman.wordpress.com/
Awsomme shot, would love to become a Travel Photographer
That portrait is stunning. Love the intensity of the mans expression and wonderful colours. I look forward to your Indian images too. Fantastic.
Wonderful shot – love the vibrant red!
Congrats on the freshly pressed. Well deserved.
John
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great photo!!!!!!!!!
save sadhus
This is a great photograph. You can almost see his life etched into the lines of his face. Very human and very moving.
Those eyse are amazing. I love the colors in the photo too! Beautiful header as well.
looks like a an epic portrait of a hero
but you are the hero. you are on the freshly pressed!
I don’t know if I’m more jealous of the great shot, or the fact that you’ve been to Katmandu. It all seems so far away from Sydney:)
It is only a plane ride away my friend
Go for it
This picture makes you wonder, how this guy has experienced life. It’s great! I like the colors and the expression, which tells a story.
Great shot! Beautiful and intense – and amazing colors.
Nice work! Awesome colors!
Nice shot. I look forward to seeing your others. I do alot of travelling and enjoy taking and looking at photographs. http://allansjourney.wordpress.com
Thanks.
http://cmiraeng.wordpress.com
http://calogeromiratraveland.wordpress.com
I find portraits to be particularly striking, especially now that we have such amazing cameras it’s like standing 6 inches from the person. You cannot “be” inside someone’s personal space like that and not be having an emotional exchange, a reaction to whatever that person was projecting at the moment he or she was frozen in time. As a matter of fact, I think portraits have a way of being even more demanding because they extend and intensify the projected emotion. In normal life someone’s expression might be fleeting, and not always directed specifically in your directions. But when frozen like this it stands with assertion that you WILL receive the message being sent. And, as our human nature dictates, we will react. I’m wondering how such a phenomenon could be used effectively; for example, I once saw an exhibit in a gallery of a dozen or so life-sized portraits of homeless adults. Next to each was a little placqard with a quote by the subject describing the item he or she was holding. In order to read them, you had to get close enough to be in their personal space. Thus, you felt you were in a conversation with each whether you wanted to be or not. Their expressions (visual and written) offered something that left a pregnant pause of expected response. A new idea about and compassion for homeless people emerged. What else can portraits like this do?
Such intensity in his expression! Congrats on FP!
This is such an intense picture. You can feel it through the screen! Great job.
Great shot, very evocative. That is a face that tells quite a few stories.
I love pictures of people up close. It’s just raw and real, every wrinkle, pore, and strand of his beard. It’s great!
His eyes! *_*
Hey, amazing photo. I love portraits! I have a friend here in Ecuador who is a photographer and also likes to take portraits. http://www.flickr.com/photos/machalex/
there´s the link if you are curious
Great shot. I like everything about it.
Great photo and congrats on Freshly Pressed.
Hey, Nice picture. I am orginally from Nepal as well
Congrats on being freshly pressed.
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words and this photo speaks volumes. It is deep, mystical, earthy, exotic, powerful, rustic, aboriginal and ancestral. You can see the African and Asian lineages combined. The eyes beckon and question. It is almost as if the eyes are shocked by the image taking the photo. Thank you for sharing.
beautiful eyes & I like the tuft of dark hair sticking out of the turban.
That’s a beautiful picture. Thanks for sharing.
very powerfull!!! love it
phenomenal! very powerful. indeed!
I love seeing pics of people from different cultures! Their faces seem to portray a different story of life than we are accustomed to.
This is a very interesting pic….It kinda reminds me of that photo of the Afghanistan girl with the green eyes (I think?) who made headlines many years ago.
I agree with John, very well deserved. I love all of your photos, you are very talented. Thank you for sharing the beautiful people you come across:) Have a great day.
Incredible photo !!
Wow!
Its from Nepal.Yay
Great portrait
There’s few things I enjoy more than pictures of Sadhus, this is quite a nice one, hope you find more in India!
Wow! Looks like he was trying to look very macho. great shot.
very nice picture…the natural ones are always the best!
Great face, great photo! Congratulations!
Alicja
Intense and colorful….nice
It is a very beautiful portrait. Congrats on being FP’d.
Thanks John. Woke up to 2000 hits on this post and 75 emails wordpress notification emails in my inbox and wondered what on earth was going on…
To each and every person who took the time to comment on my photo, thank you! It was a lovely surprise to wake up to so many nice words. I’ll visit each link provided in your comments as I love looking at other people’s work too. Stay tuned for more daily portraits
Tom
Cool picture but bit scary looking..
Btw I was in Kathmandu just few months ago too
http://nicolletPost.com
Your photography is simply wonderful. The colors and face expression are stunning!
a powerful portraiture. I love how the eyes are so alive and the red mark on his forehead is emphasized.
this is very moving.
Striking indeed! If you’ll be looking for similar images during your visit to India, the streets of Mumbai and Kolkata can provide you a load of them. Specially, the images of the street kids turn out to be more powerful.
Incredible! What kind of camera were you using? Whatever it was, I want two of them and your talent. Great shot. There’s so much going on in his eyes.
Hi Thomas,
What an exquisite close up. I think I saw the same Sadhu… perhaps in Swayambunath?! Yes, they perambulate alot.. Now that I think of it, I’m moving around these days at pretty much their pace too.
Thanks for the memories
Looking forward to checking out more of your photos.
aj
healingpilgrim.wordpress.com
Great shot. I love portrait, and it doesn’t have to be just faces. Looks like a cover for National Geographic. Remember the iconic “Afgan Girl” cover? May your eyes stay as clear as your lens. As a former traveler, artist, photog, paralegal, writer and passionate of all things to be passionate about, including the human spirit, check out my site on WP: http:darasattic.wordpress.com to see how story can support and lift a photo aloft and vis-versa. I don’t know about you, but my site is my way of journaling everything dear in my life while bringing a passion, knowlege and history to my audience. Can’t wait to see more.
His eyes and mustache.. Stern, beautiful.
I do not know if you struck a conversation with your subject. Nice pic. The features suggest that the person is from Bihar, Bengal or Tamil Nadu. I am inclined to say Tamil Nadu, because in my sojourn in the Himalayas I met many from there. Some of these sadhus would have walked thousands of miles to get to the Himalayan region. Many may be retired government officials or just labourers who have chosen this life. They are interesting people and lead a lifestyle, which may be the envy of the great working world.
I’m looking forward to reading about your progress on these fronts in the months to come!
as a resident of Kathmandu thanks a lot………may u enjoy the visit of our nation..all the best, and may u have a lot of best days to come..a wish frm Kathmanduti..:)
incridible photo, Nice face up
Wow! Stunning photo, it’s like he’s actually here on the page and I love the light on his cheek and the intensity of his gaze. Beautiful. x
Great pic–did he ask you for money? I took a photo of a sadhu once. He came up to me and put red stripes on my forehead and then insisted on remuneration. It was a good deal as far as I was concerned.
I can’t recall if he asked for money. Most probably. I agree – I loved when they put the tikka on my forehead and have no problem giving a small donation as thanks
Amazing! I can see why it’s your favorite!
Culturally rich and full of character. This is beautiful.
I’m really looking forward to seeing more from you!
This is the first time i see your blog. this photograph is really stunning. i’m an amateur photographer. your photograph teach me,how to get the momen. good job!
lovely. how much did he ask for you to give him?
when i was in kathmandu, i was surprised when all the sadhus started bugging me to take their pictures.
The color in his right eye is fierce. He’s a vulnerable warrior.
I love the photograph.
you photo speaks a thousand words. beautiful portrait!
I really like the photo. The light is cast beautifull across his face and in an instant from watching the man’s face I was suggested the element of surprise.
This is a great portrait. It is so raw and the lighting is great. I love it!
It’s difficult to comment after all these lovely comments! But I’m glad I stopped and enjoyed this super portrait, what a masterpiece.
I love and reach each and every comment
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed – your travel portrait in this post is sublime! Adding you to my reader so I can follow during the rest of the year. Thanks for giving me something so beautiful to look forward to. Could swear it’s June but feels like Xmas now.
Thanks Maria
I’m trying to update every day so stay tuned
hahaha
Absolutely stunning. I can see why this is your favorite. I’ll be following your blog from here on, hoping to find inspiration and some tips for photography. It’s my passion too. I hope I can live of it one day.
Sorry if my english is bad,
Ane from Norway.
really captivating photo – Thank you for sharing it
AMAZING photo! Absolutely b.e.a.utiful. Thank you for sharing!
You can check it out on my blog if you like.
I love it so much I did a painting of it today for fun
http://fanx4dat.com/2011/06/04/fanx2-thomas-stewart-photography/
Thanks again
Thanks. I’ve emailed you – I’d love to re-post your work on my blog. Let me know it that’s ok.
Did you get my email?
As others have said a moving photo. A lot going on just behind his face.
Congrats on being FP!
Love the composition and perfect lighting. His eyes really talk.
Anytime stop on my photo-blog,
http://www.avikabir.wordpress.com
best,
avi
great shot !! it tells a thousands of stories ..
Hi,
I live in India where seeing a sadhu in our daily lives is rare as they mostly hang out in holy places. They are amazing people who are nomadic by nature and if you converse with them they might have an interesting story or two to tell.
That picture is simply amazing. You’ve captured him beautifully.
wow, this is amazing!
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amazing photography!! the detail and clarity of the picture is too good!!
Beautiful picture, well captured, you have talent.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed — it happened to me last week and the stats went crazy!! Fun, isn’t it?!
Sadhu resembles Geronimo the Apache a lot. Come visit http://thor27.wordpress.com
That is great and LOVE the concept of a pic a day!
How do you know if he’s a real sadhu?
He maybe a very flamboyant pimp.
I like his gaze and his eyes.
Maybe he’s not a real Sadhu – I did meet some of these in Nepal. But even so, he’s a fascinating part of life in Nepal, and has a wonderful face. In my view he was the real deal.
Stunning. What a face!
Realmente no entiendo de fotografías, pero tengo que decirte que me ha encantado. Espero tus nuevas fotos. Seguro que serán espectaculares. Gracias.
Very interesting, amazing picture!
The man has propably devoted his life to a higher cause. Many people like that are beautiful and divine in their looks. You have your camera and took this shoot. Maybe you took more, but with digital technology we can shot images like automatic guns. Then you just select the best one.
Digital photography is no challange. And all you people posting comments here, well most of you it seems, just want to promote your own stuff because this is on first page on wordpress.
So many people travel and take out their digital cameras and photograph beautiful people. Most of those pictures look the same. Why? Because it’s digital. It’s easy and no challenge in the arts of photography.
Keep up the work. Have a great day
Wow. Thanks for the.. erm.. Constructive criticism. You obviously know quite a lot about photography, and probably life in general. If you’d care to share a link to some of your amazing film photography, which of course you have scanned in to your computer, I’d love to see it, and learn from you.
That is an incredible photograph. Very well done.
They say that a picture says a thousand words. This picture says more than a thousand. It captures the essence of life and the beauty of an intriguing culture that would take years to understand. A thousand stories could be made from that one picture. Wonderful!!!
he certainly looks like he is about to ask you a question that will change your life. thank you for sharing him with us!
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Nice shot. With natural light only it can be a bit tricky to get enough soft, differing intensity illumination on both sides and still have a bit of contrast. I like the bokeh background, which really lifts the colour of the clothing and head-wear. Nice piece and well done. have you done much post production work on the original? Would you consider putting the meta-data for your shots up too (e.g. ISO, f stop, lens etc.)?
Thanks for your kind comments. I often mean to include the meta-data but generally forget. Seeing the meta-data of the work of other photographs is useful to me too, so I’ll try and do it from now on
wow. i love photography, and your work is moving. they’re not just good pictures, they’re beautiful…they capture something other photographers can’t always get. thanks!
Very Nice Shot. Good Camera Work
amazing photograph
Amazing photograph. Astonishing.
That is a beautiful shot. Very Inspiring.
we love young mangkus as do the people in local villages and towns they are full of enthusiasm and energy
Mangku is the balinese word for Sadhu it is widely known and is linked to the name jero
A portrait full of transparency. Very good shot!
nicely captured..
I invite you to see the work of Oliver Boels about India and sadhus on this page http://www.etnofoco.com
thanks – I had a look, interesting stuff!
This great portrait remind me of my own trip to Nepal.
People there are amazing:
http://swiatowid.bloog.pl/id,4391978,title,LUDZIE-NEPALU,index.html
Also, if you going to India, you will find yourself in the photorgapher’s paradise:
http://swiatowid.bloog.pl/id,3288659,title,TWARZE-INDII,index.html
http://swiatowid.bloog.pl/id,3537745,title,LUDZIE-BHARATU,index.html
Bon Voyage!
Stunning portrait shot. Very strong and detail image
Astra Wally
Wow. You sure got a tremendous response to this photo…and deservedly so. I am a frequent traveler to South Asia…and this may sound cheap but I consider the going rate to be no higher than rupees 10 per shot! We don’t want to create a dual economy by paying Western rates. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for a great story to share.
I would like to expand your idea further, and will digging out more for further details.