What do I remember from Jaipur, India? Aggressive Tuk-tuk drivers, more aggressive monkeys, a kite festival that happened to be happening when we arrived, and the fireworks that dominated the sky later that night...
As I was pouring over what photos I should submit to the #monomad contest today, I came across the below photo of the Hawa Mahal - AKA The Palace of Winds - and all those memories flooded back.
To you, this image may be an aesthetically pleasing collection of lines and shades. For me, it's a memory of sipping beer at a rooftop bar across the street, telling my friends I'd be right back, and then running around the palace to find this shot.
I can't say Jaipur was my favourite place in India (a little too touristy for me) but I will say this was one of the best days I spent in the country.
Hawa Mahal, rear.
Speaking of good days, let's fast forward a few months to another area with aggressive monkeys. (Tip: Monkey are just always ready to rumble. Don't bring food around them, and leave them alone.) The below photo is of a dancer in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.
This is an event I don't need a photograph to remember - although I took thousands of them at the time, to the annoyance of my friend beside me.
I couldn't help it. I was captivated by the intricate ways the performers moved their bodies. A key component of Balinese dancing is that the entire body is choreographed. Fingers, eyes, and even toes all point in a specific way, at specific times. It's incredibly intricate and wholly enchanting.
Balinese Ramanyana
If anyone's interested in buying prints (or printing their own images) reach out to me. I have a large format fine art photo printer that I repaired several months ago, and we can work something out in terms of shipping and costs.