Workers of India

These images (also from my India 2009 collection) focus on local people at work. I like to capture candid moments when people are engrossed in a task, too busy to worry about my presence. The authentic raw reality of the unplanned moment usually makes a much more interesting photograph that a stiff pose. I feel that capturing this spontaneity is the best use of a camera and what makes photography so unique. It is also a lot more surprising and refreshing to never quite know what is going to happen next... 

Mindfulness of Sweeping, Sarnath

Street Butcher, Dharamsala

Needlework, Norbulingka Institute

Track worker, India

Entry Submitted !

"An international jury awards the Leica Oskar Barnack Award / Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award to photographers whose unerring powers of observation capture and express the relationship between man and the environment in the most graphic form in a sequence of a minimum of 10 up to a maximum of 12 images. Entry submissions must be a self-contained series of images in which the photographer perceives and documents the interaction between man and the environment with acute vision and contemporary visual style – creative, groundbreaking and unintrusive."

My series of images can be viewed here:
Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2010

Tools of the Trade - 35mm

While in Thailand I scoured every camera shop I came across looking to find something to replace my Canon G9 compact. While the G9 was an excellent travel camera, it was a little hard to use at times. When I wanted more manual control for focus it was a pain. The DSLR cameras available from Nikon, Sony and Canon were hard to pass up, offering every feature I needed and more. The price was good as well making it a simple choice of which manufacturer. That is until I found a shop in Bangkok called Camera Collection.

On entering the shop it was like a treasure trove of metal and polished glass. Hasselblad, Linhof, Leica, Alpa, vintage Canon and Nikon. A place lost in time... a very welcome alternative.
After having a look around and telling myself to think about the convenience of digital, I could not resist a Leica M3 and 50mm f/2.8 Elmar lens.


Built like a tank and a machined to perfection, the M3 has a legendary status. Eddie Siu, the owner was very helpful, understanding and was willing to do a good price. Many Thanks Mr Siu! I have since taken it traveling through Greece and India. A fantastic camera and so nice to use.