Run! She’s got a Gun!!!
Photographing Holi is a double-edged sword…water and dust particles are the worst enemies of a camera, but if you can survive that, it’s a riot of colours…thankfully, I took the risk and my camera lived to tell the tale…
After coming back home from the Holika Dahan way past midnight, I woke up pretty late. After a quick breakfast, I was out in my Para (neighbourhood) to do a quick reconnaissance whether it was wise to go out with the camera. In India, on Holi day, everything stops. Not only is it a national holiday, public buses don’t ply on the road and only the brave and desperate risk taking out their cars. Simply because, someone might throw colours on you or your car which will be quite difficult to remove.
Anyways, I went out, and had hardly walked couple of minutes before I reached a group of kids playing Holi. I tried to ignore them and walk past. But, they were waiting for someone just like me. They attacked me with everything they had in their arsenal! Water balloons, Abir( powdered colors), coloured water. Soon, I had turned a bright shade of green, quite literally!
Once their colouring instincts had been satiated, I approached them. I said- look, I want to take your photographs, but the deal is you cannot throw any colour at me, when my camera is out. Once I am done, you can again get back to business!
They agreed! And I ran back home, cleaned my face as much and as quickly as possible, and went back to the battleground with my camera. I decided to use the 55-300mm lens, to be able to shoot from a distance and keep my camera safe.
I photographed the kids for the next two hours, and they remained true to their words and not even once did they try putting colours onto me. Fun-loving but very well-behaved.
This post shows the action of Holi.
One of the kids’ father offered to take a photograph with me in front of the camera( for a change). It was an offer I could not refuse 🙂
This photograph was clicked by the father of the kid standing in front of me
Hope you enjoyed the riot of colours 🙂
To be continued…
Know-All's Box 
A unique situation very well captured – not only do your photos show what the event looked like, but they also perfectly capture the spirit and the festive mood of all those portrayed. A good report, Know-All.
Thanks so much Alessandro! luckily I could capture all the aspects of the festival…and am quite pleased with the results too 🙂
Reblogged this on Oyia Brown.
thank you so much for the re-blog 🙂
Gorgeous!! You have captured so many emotions on so many tiny faces! I can almost hear the kids shrieking and laughing! And such vibrant colours! Thanks for this wonderful post! 🙂
Thanks a ton Snowflakegurl!!! I was also pleased as punch with the results…and most importantly it was really fun being with these this bunch of kids…many a times, photography can be a lonely hobby…not this time! 🙂
The pictures are stunning! There’s no place like home… 🙂
thank you so much!! I agree…no place like home 🙂
Great photos – looks like a LOT of fun and a photographers dream with all the color and excited, happy faces 🙂
thanks a lot!! yes indeed, it was reaally fun photographing these kids..and I just love colours! 🙂
LOVE these! I was in Delhi during Holi 2006, but was advised to stay inside. I guess some other white women had been attacked…I sorta wish I would have thrown caution to the wind and participated! It looks so much fun to play…and photograph!
thank you so much!! Holi is fun…but I agree with the travel advise..definitely not safe for women to venture out, unless you are playing with friends…sad but true…..though I don’t like playing holi, … this year’s holi was really satisfying, for reasons quite obvious 🙂
Yeah, I’m going to get some faux holi playing this year at a 5k run called The Color Run. We run and throw powdered dye on each other, so at least I’ll feel sorta cool 😉
sounds like fun!! Dont forget to take your camera! 🙂
Upon seeing these photos, my five-year-old daughter declared, “I want to live there!” Looks like great fun!
Really!! well that’s one compliment which I will treasure forever! 🙂 please convey a big THANK YOU to her, from me! 🙂
Stunning photographs – loved the story and the pics
thank you so much!! 🙂
Pingback: The Holi Faces! | know-all's box
Nice! I’m happy to see you got some color too 😀
yes indeed…you should have seen my face before I took my camera along…it was a bright green!! Hulk would have turned greener with envy seeing my face! 😀
wonderful! and so delightful to see a picture of you at the end of this lovely post 🙂
Hey! Thank you soo much!! And yes, feels good to be occasionally in front of the camera! 🙂
Nice reading about you
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thank you so much! Will surely be following your blog closely…
thanks
Next time you could try using a camera in a waterproof casing (like what divers use for underwater photography)!
That sounds like a good idea…I do have a rain cover, but it is too cumbersome for something as action-filled as Holi…you really have to be nimble-footed to get the moments! Will check out the waterproof casing…