Trinidad Today
I landed in Port of Spain, Trinidad just as the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1st, 2013. The idea was to photograph some 'Trini' actors. However, my contact fell through and happily so, because I then hopped into a local Maxi (taxi)... and in touring the country from Toco to Mayaro, Princes Town to Chaguanas and back to Port of Spain, I began to see it in a different light.
I had been driven straight into the heart of Trinidad, into the vitality of exploding colors and textures which stood out as landmarks in my journey. Needless to say, I couldn't help but participate in the lush riot of tones and hues that give this country its identity.
Indian Masala
I told a friend upon returning from India after my first trip there, that I stopped doing yoga. He paused a said, “Ahh, you’ve become a real Indian.”In 2010, I went to India for the first time.
I traveled from Delhi to Pushkar to Jaipur, Agra to Rishikesh to Varanasi and ultimately to Mumbai. What was truly overwhelming, more than the poverty, was the humanity and piety. Such incredibly grounded, sincere and devout people of all ages crossed my path, making me feel so welcomed. Then there was the dichotomy of knowing I was being welcomed and taken advantage of at the same time because of my Western identity and of course my skin color. Yet, the friends I quickly made there feel more like family than friends. That is the Indian way: togetherness. We are all in this together (and yet separate, ie the caste system). It is this 'masala' (which in Hindi means 'spice'), this spicy togetherness with all of its magical complexity that flavors the country from north to south.