Spreading Happiness, One Photo at a Time
For a long time, I have had this habit of capturing moments with ordinary people I have never met before. I take their pictures during my walks, whether I am exploring new places or just strolling around in my city, Mumbai. The subjects of my photos are often hawkers, small shop owners, or random strangers.
What makes this practice special is what comes next—I turn these photos into prints and either personally gift them or send them by post. When I meet these individuals, I strike up conversations to learn more about them before asking for permission to take their portraits. If I am travelling, or if my subjects are from out of town, I send the prints to them later. Sometimes, I do not have their address, like when I photographed a gardener at the Shalimar Gardens in Kashmir. In such cases, I print the gardener’s photograph on the cover and write the address as “Zd]f / Gardner, Shalimar Gardens, Srinagar, J&K” on the cover, hoping that the local postman or the garden’s office can identify and deliver the print.
This process is particularly convenient in Mumbai, my home. I return from my photo walks, print the images in A4, 4x6, or 5x7 sizes, and go back to hand them over in a week or two. The photos accompanying this article, for instance, are 4x6 inches and were printed using the DNP Digital Photo Printer model QW410, generously provided by Nippon Enterprises South for testing. While giving the gift, I placed these photographs in an elegantlooking, self-standing photo frame manufactured by Vallabh Enterprise.
For me, this is a way of giving back to society through the medium of photography and printing. I encourage you to try it. The entire experience, from starting conversations with strangers to capturing their images, getting prints done, and finally handing them over, is incredibly satisfying. Witnessing the joy on their faces is a reward in itself.