Images of India – Talk About Hard Work

Images of India – Talk About Hard Work

The wholesale produce market in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India is in an ancient,  cavernous building filled with vendors along narrow aisles. The produce arrives at the market by truck packed in huge baskets, each weighing much more than the men who must carry then into the building. It takes several men to lift the basket on to the head of a porter who then carries it through the narrow doorway and down the narrower aisles, all the while having to dodge vendors and customers. This man grimaces as the basket is set on his head. After a final adjustment he is on his own to get his load to its destination.

Ron Mayhew

Fine Art Photographer specializing in Still Life and Commercial Photography.

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. wow; this captures so many things! the man’s focus on balancing the burden, the cords of his arms, of the others’ arms, the weave of the basket and the overlapping lines in the fabric… that’s before one zeroes in on the many facets of his face!

    good morning to the two of you!

    1. Buenos días a usted también y gracias. Yes, lots going on and I think it is more effective in b and w.

  2. What a terrific shot Ron! I tried – unsuccessfully – to capture some men unloading bales of chillies in the Pettah on Christmas day – all were supposed to look a bit like this, none did! Btavo 🙂

    1. Bales of chilies – I would love to see that. Are Sri Lankan curries hot?

      1. Some people like them hot, some people like them cool, but basically yes, especially on the street!

        1. I like the curry to be just hot enough to make beads of sweat form on my forehead.

          1. You’ll be alright, then! Have you discovered the sweet things where you are now? How’s your ‘shoot’ going? Best wishes for adventures in both 🙂

            1. I don’t leave till Sunday, but am so excited. I am sure the “shoot” will be fantastic and I am definitely saving room for desert! Check out Wednesday’s post.

  3. Great detail and an expressive shot! 🙂

  4. Great crop as well Ron…..remarkable!

    1. Thank you. I was pretty much in his face so it didn’t take too much cropping but I wanted to accentuate all of the arms.

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