Woman on Loom

This woman from Southern India is spinning coconut hull fibers into twine. She sits in an open air stall, simple machinery, and simple materials. Imagine a stock broker in Manhatten sitting in a cubicle on the 40 something floor, no sunlight, hunched over a glowing computer screen. Hmmmm. Where have we come from? And where are we going?

Street Man with Fur and Beard

Just look at this man. What do you suppose his story is? What would he say or do if you walked over and said "hello" to him? Can you imagine him playing as a child in a playground? What kind of President of the United States would this man make? So many assumptions we can make from outside looking on him. That hat, that beard, that coat, that fur draped around his neck blending in with his beard. What does his heart feel at this moment? Does he want anyone to know? When I see images like this man that I saw in Southern New Mexico, I can't help but feel the sense of strange distance and barrier that can seem to exist between me and my fellow brothers on this planet. I worked enough with some hard men in prison to know there is always a heart underneath.....always. It doesn't always mean that a given man will choose to abide there in his own heart....enough for me to know that at least it is there inside. And in that measure we are the same.

Down To The Waterline

This photo was taken in southern India. This man was transporting brick and sand in this wooden boat. That he had about one inch worth of purchase left on his boat before he hit the waterline is no photo-shopped illusion. I simply could not believe this guy felt so calm and confident as he glided on down the river with his veritable ton of bricks. I imagined how quickly this little wood boat would sink if it were to rock in even the slightest fashion and quickly take on water. Well, evidently he must have done this before because he made his way on past as far as I could see. Talk about maintaining your balance, this guy gave himself near zero tolerance and pulled it off. Wow.

Praying Man at Sunset

Everybody takes in a sunset in their own way. The two couples in the background quietly take in a Pacific Coast sunset in the traditional bench on the cliffs manner, while the man in the foreground bows to something only he knows about. I thought the moment had interesting dimension. This robed man never once looked at the sun as it set. He seemed absorbed with his movements and forms as he went through different positions. It seemed odd to me to not stop and take in the beautiful show nature was providing off on the horizon. The setting sun, which was gently bringing a close to the day seemed to bring most people to a stand-still as they gazed out at it. But this man was all internal and oblivious to the visual spectacle. I wondered why he was even here and not in some private studio. Maybe I found him to be a distraction. Maybe I wanted him to pull his head out of his personal robed ceremony and be still for a moment with the rest of us. Maybe I felt we all owed it to the day to just stop at the end of it and put aside the frenetic affairs of men while the sun said good night; but that's just my stuff talking. Like I said up front, everybody takes in a sunset in their own way.