The event of the day seemed so fitting today. So, hopefully I can write and share this before the day ends. Today, on International Women’s Day, coincidentally, I finally developed “The Traveling Camera.” I want to take this opportunity, this day, to thank the women behind and in the pictures below, you are wonderful! Ik, know you are already doing amazing things in your lives and I am truly proud to have called you/still call you a friend!
I want to also take this opportunity to talk about women empowerment. I had initially started a post focusing on that alone, but I felt it so fitting, today and in this
Almost two years ago now, I had this idea of sending around a disposable camera to my friends who live all over the world. The idea was that they would capture themselves and where they live in the pictures. I wanted to see a part of their life that otherwise might get lost in translation. Their walk home, or their traveling experiences in their corner of the world. The reason I chose a disposable camera was because at the end of its journey, I would develop the pictures not knowing what I was going to get out of it. Also, because it was easiest to ship and carry around.
The reason this wasn’t a group where my friends would just upload their pictures from their phones was because I wanted something authentic. I didn’t want my friends to frame a picture through their phones, which they could see, edit and manipulate. I wanted the basics back in the game – the idea of not knowing what will turn out when you snap it. The element of surprise, especially in film photography, to me, is the most authentic source of life. This is why candid pictures are so pleasing sometimes because they can capture raw expressions and emotions.
Anyway, I had asked a handful of my friends across the world if they would be interested in participating in this little project. To my surprise, they all agreed to it, and I shipped the camera.
Some of the pictures did not turn out, as they were underexposed, over-exposed or completely blurry. But the ones that did turn out, made me really emotional. Seeing them made me so happy and deeply content. These moments in my friends lives were now mine to hold and cherish and I thought it was just so perfect. I was so very grateful for the time that my friends took out for it. I know that the camera did not make its way to all the places that I had intended to send it initially, but I am so glad that it went where it did – California, New York, India, London, Dubai, Bimini, and of course, Canada.
It’s interesting to me because a lot has changed in my life in these two years, and seeing these pictures really made me realize the importance of memories and well, they can never really be tainted, no matter what happens. So, without getting into any personal details, I just want to share the pictures below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Kerala, India
Bimini, The Bahamas
Dubai, UAE
London, England
Sarnia, Ontario
