ARRESTING ASIA
On a journey through India and Nepal, photographer SAM REINDERS captured the essence of the two diverse countries, mostly while getting herself intentionally lost.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Samantha Reinders’ photography career evolved from a concoction of experiences like riding shotgun in her father’s beloved Land Rover on the dust roads of Southern Africa, exploring the curious hills of Appalachia, or sandwiched between two other photographers in the press pool at the Oval Office. Irrespective of what sparked it, her chosen career has enabled her to chase penguins, fly on Air Force One, hunt with Mongolian Nomads and meet all sorts, from businessmen to homeless people.
She has a master’s degree in visual communication from Ohio University, and currently divides her time between South Africa and Asia.
HOW SHE GOT THE PHOTOGRAPHS
In Varanassi, I spent days on the ghat whiling away the time so people got used to my presence – and I did the same in Boudhanath. My go-to lens is a 24-70mm. I use it for almost everything, as I prefer not to walk around with a big bag. I like to melt into the crowd as much as possible. But I always try to spend time with people, to hear their stories, try a few words in their language or show them photos on my cellphone of my family or my dog. In other words, I share something of myself.