Ever since I was a kid, i have been fascinated by cameras and taking pictures. I wanted a DSLR so badly and after a year of convincing and patiently waiting, my dad got me a DSLR when I was 14. I loved capturing special moments in the family together. But even as a 14 year old kid, i had to know everything about DSLR, before buying it.
I moved to this city called Kota in India when i was 15, quite far away from home, preparing for JEE, one of the most difficult engineering entrance exam in the world. My schedule was 12 to 14 hours of studying a day. Always stressed and that's when my camera came to rescue me. Every now and then I'd take a break, get my bicycle out and go to the bustling city centre. I'd end up at a central bus station or any other busy part of the city. I'll take pictures of people, usually the ones who struggle in their day to day life. There was something about photographing them. The scars on their faces, tore up clothes and carrying thousands of problems, struggling for the next piece of bread. I'd point my camera at them and get flooded by all these emotions. But once in a while, when they caught me taking their picture, they'd give me the biggest smile and walk over to me with curiosity in their heart.
It made me think: I was so quick to judge the struggles in their life, but when I talked to them, they seemed happy. Every one is far more than they first appear: their own life, their stories, their family and even their daily fight. That's what makes a person.
It was never about taking pictures. It was about pausing for a moment. Observing. Listening to the stories. Never being too quick to judge. Going deeper into a life of a random person who'd just open up to me and that would fill my heart with happiness.
Sometimes I miss these moments. Munich is beautiful, but it's different.