The bridge between fantasy and experience is accessibility. By Leaving your familiar convenient and safe habitat environment behind you, you open yourself to the new, unknown, transforming it into experience and knowledge.
The roadtrip lasted nine days. Starting point was the capital of India, New Delhi and the first destination was Jaipur in the 300 km. Third stop, after 600 miles was the city Dharamsala at Himalayas and final, Talnu village at 2,500 meters altitude. Many hours, a lot of patience … You learn how to get through without your everyday safety like cleanliness, drinking water, food, bathroom and comfortable sleep .
If you really want to apprehend India, you have to close your eyes and open your heart. None of what you see is translated through the logical process. Nothing is based on the logical process we are familiar in as residents of the western world. Images, smells, sounds and feelings infest in you through the senses , transcend the mind and enter unfiltered deep in your heart and your cells. Most Indians remains intact by the consumer mantle, with the needs of the population limited on basics like rice, water, flour, handmade dyed clothes and a rudimentary shelter. For this reason the Indians are still in their purest condition without being affected by economic, political and social forces . They have learned to be fulfill and happy with minimum quality of life instead of civilized Westerners, who daily we sell out our friendships, families and ethics for a better salary, a better car and a ” better life.”
The jobs are also in their primary form. Nothing more than necessary to do their job . Lifestyle hasn’t yet entered in their life. You feel the reality , the truth without any doubt.
Even before my trip , I had decided to shed any greedy photography making process. To shed the photographer who hunts to create images of misery in order to provoke and excite. I chose to pick up my camera in front of charm, authenticity, uniqueness and beauty. I chose to depict the atmosphere , textures, colors, light. In the foreground, what else, People … Vibrant, colorful Portraits like ghostly forms with no logical explanation where they came from and where they going. Many times motionless for hours, as if they had been homogeneous by the environment around them or never removed from that.
I would like to say a big thank you from my heart to those full of hospitality and kindness people I shared this valuable experience. Without them the trip would not be as important, safe and beautiful as it was! Many blessings and love to Anurag, Punnit, Jessee and above all Dimitri .
Dimitris Vlaikos
Dimitris Vlaikos is an Athens based photographer focused in corporate, editorial, and advertising projects. He has various commercial clients and his work had been awarded in magazines like National Geographic & the British Professional Photographer. He is providing his services to publishers, advertisers and companies from all over the world.
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