A portrait masterclass with Pawel Lipski

 

I’ve always wanted to go to India. All these beautiful people with dark almond eyes and thick, dark, black hair, the colorful sari’s and intricate decorations on palaces, temples and fortresses. This must be heaven for a people photographer, which my husband isn’t, so I go alone, I just have to go ! 

DAY 1

After an 8 hrs flight I land in Delhi at 1 am or so. Now find the hotel’s driver between about 60 guys waving signs with names. After quite a while I find him in the far left corner, great, let’s go ! There is so much traffic even in the middle of the night, and all are hooting and driving like crazy, overtaking in spaces I didn’t believe there was space, and this guy is doing some funny shortcut, or am I on the way to some involuntary organ donor place ? No, all is good, we reach the SHANTI PALACE HOTEL, which isn’t really a palace but a hotel on a strip with lots of hotels and flashy signs, somewhat like the red light district, I don’t care, all I want is a bed.

DAY 2

Breakfast at 7am, I am sooo tired. For breakfast there is rice, curry, other funny stuff and omelettes with chili, not too bad. I go for the omelettes. They first give me milk tea which also has ginger in it, so I change to coffee to be on the safe side, the other stuff is not drinkable to me !

We leave for the airport at 07:45, to fly to Jodhpur. A little confusion when Pawel has no clue to which terminal we have to go. After some Google advice we know it is terminal 2. I do manage to get an hours sleep, so I am a bit less tired when we arrive. The TREEBO TREND HOTEL in Jodhpur is quite nice, there is an „Irish Courtyard“ and a nice garden, at last I get some fresh air, and a cold beer. We have lovely sandwiches for lunch, wait for the last guy to arrive at 3pm, and then leave for the market. Time to photograph something !

We get dropped off near the clocktower and browse the streets. It is hard to get a good picture, you „can’t see the forest for all the trees“, there are so many people ! And cars and tuk tuks, and motorbikes and people and cows. It is fun, and soon I am one of the attractions of the market, all want a selfie with me. Well, if they pose for me afterwards it is fine with me. Most people are quite willing to pose, sometimes we do a sneaky shot, but show them the photo, and then they suddenly bring the kids and grandma. People stop to talk, ask where are you from. Must say I feel safe here, no harassment at all. The word spreads and at times people even come up to us, and point at the camera. 

One sweet little lady tries to sell us necklaces, no thank you, she pops up again and again, so okay, I buy 3 necklaces (for 200 rupee) and then she poses. She looks quite lovely in her orange sari. Before we leave we meet at the clock tower and there she is again, hi my friend, her name is Bindia. Now she tries to sell the guys necklaces for their wives. Tomorrow, and she must pose again. Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow. Dinner at the hotel is brilliant, we pick 5 dishes and naan bread and share. Wow, it is just perfect, spicy but not too hot and great tastes ! Love it !

DAY 3

We get to the market by 8am and it is more or less deserted. The cleaners haven’t been through either it is quite a mess. The first shops start to open but no people. So Pawel decides we will do the blue houses in the old town now. We see a lot of single blue houses, but not streetwise as promised. But there is always something to photograph, by 9:30 we are back at the clocktower and do more market shots. Bindia shows up and laughs when we tell her about the empty market. She told us to come at 9 ! She has a different dress on and looks real pretty. Of course we get her to pose. I get into the spice shop, and also have a look at a really cool big fat padlock shaped as a golden elephant, and then there are the cloths and scarfs… oh shit, will have to go find an ATM tomorrow.

Bindia waves as she sees us come again, and wishes us good luck for the hike to blue town. There is so much traffic now, and people and tuk tuks, motorbikes and all, at times you have to pull your toes in if you don’t want them to be crushed. Lots of hooting and hooping and yelling. We get some nice blue houses but still not quite what we expected. 

A young guy comes up to me, what are we looking for ? So I say blue houses. Ah, he can show us, he is also a photographer, he shows us his insta profile and he really does have some good ones, so we follow him and he is great. Shows us nice blue alleys, gets ladies to pose, this is brilliant. All to soon we have to head back, it is still a 20min walk/ survival trip back to the clocktower and we are not moving fast with all these people and photo opportunities. 

DAY 4

Easy start. After breakfast, lovely omelettes and toast (or curry buffet), we drive to MEHRANGARH FORT. Us and hundreds of locals. We are there when it opens and already the crowds are huge. We walk through the fort, lovely rooms, impressive architecture, stunning carvings and woodworks, amazing balconies. We shoot mostly in the last two courtyards, the first one is all white, the second more of a dark grey with impressive green doors, but less light. 

We shoot people when they come right through the arch, or ask them to pose in front of one of the doors or under an arch. Most do that themselves, and get family or friends to take a photo of them, we then join in and sort of  take over. Then of course we do a ton of selfies and get asked to do photo’s of total strangers, some ask us for a photo on WhatsApp, most are just happy to see a good shot of themselves.

The afternoon we spend at the market, I find 4 girls who pose in our dark room, a shady spot in a corner with a dark wall, after that my creativity is at a low, can’t seem to find anything right, no good background, no pretty people, shit I don’t know. 

So I go shop, tea and spices. One guy comes up to us, buy here, I am the cook from your hotel. Sorry didn’t recognize him. We get to try some tea and it is really good, so I buy tea, plus curry spices. Then search for cheap earrings, and a scarf for Jürg, like it so much I will probably keep it for myself. By 17:00 we are back at the hotel, time to download and get our best 10 ready for tonights critique session. 

For dinner we went back to our old, less fancy hotel. Dinner was again super good. They only do vegetarian, but if there ever is a reason to become vegetarian this restaurant is it. Pawel said it is a 10/10 on the Indian food scale ! Back at the hotel we do the critics session, I get off rather well, am proud of myself !  Tomorrow we do the gardens and a temple then take the train to Jaipur. 

We do by now check how driving here works. You generally drive on the lines, not between them, so you can easily veer left or right, wherever there is space. You have to exactly know the width of your car. If there is any free space push in. Zebra crossings are no safe place, they are ignored. Same goes for traffic lights if there is a policeman in the center, he will organize it. Roundabouts you don’t really have to go around, you can also turn before them. And of course hoot your horn if anybody gets within 10cm of you, or you of them. Otherwise it’s fine, just stick to these rules. 

DAY 5

Today we are on our way to the MANDORE GARDENS. It is a big park with temples all over. The first part is a bit worn out and not well tended but soon it is better, we are in a green landscape dotted with beautiful temples. Not many people around yet, but the architecture is amazing. I See a cleaning lady with a big broom, get in the temple across and shoot from there. Soon all others join in. Then there is a second lady in blue&red, very good. It is not spectacular but a beautiful place. 

From there to the white temple called JASWANTH TADA MEMORIAL TEMPLE on the hill beside the fort we were yesterday. There is a little lake before it and it looks very nice. The view with it reflecting in the water is good, once you get closer it is even better. White, double rows of pillars, steps, towers, carvings, I love this place.

We find people and good spots everywhere so we spread out and have fun. Just as we leave there is a family with two girls, little princesses, we get them to pose in front of the three big green doors at the foot of the steps, that is really cool as well. Back at the entrance is a little restaurant where we take a break and I have my first lassi, this one is with cardamom, it tastes like yoghurt with a lemon like twist, quite nice ! 

We go to the train station and are an hour early and there is not much to do. I buy a liter bottle of coke for 40 Rupee, which is about 40 cents, shit it is cheap here, even for tourists. Around 15:30 we finally board, us 6 and a train full of Indians. There is coughing, slurping and burping all around, in the bunk beside us someone soon falls asleep and snores at top volume. Every so often a guy comes by with chai, water, sandwiches and other stuff. Of course they don’t eat and drink silently, you can enjoy every bite or sip they take. We are in it for the experience !

Turns out the two window seats are taken, and the window seat gets the lower bunk. So we get an elderly Indian man, who talks extremely loudly on his phone, and that without end. The phone crazy Indian is still at it and we are almost 2 hrs along now, the seats are crap and my back starts to hurt. The trip is 5 hrs for 330km, with quite a few stops. Wow, the phone calls have stopped ! Pawel comes and briefs us about the next 2 days, oh shit, he’s on the phone again…., we sit and dose, will probably all need a massage by the time we reach Jaipur.

We get there by 21:15 and work our way through masses of people, but we find our new driver and now have a minibus to go to the hotel, the SAJJAN NAWAS.  It is an Haveli, a heritage hotel, it is so kitsch that it is cool again. Every wall and every ceiling is painted, the furniture comes in every imaginable color, and there are old black&white photos of Maharadjas on the walls. Quickly drop the bags and head to the rooftop restaurant for dinner. The rooftop is cool and dinner is very nice. Lovely food once again. 

DAY 6

Rise and shine. The first shock, I have no warm water and the shower head is just a decoration on the wall. I have to fill the bucket und the tap, then pour it over me. As you can imagine I had a very short shower experience. After breakfast all is cleared, the shower head does work, I didn’t move the lever properly, plus the hot water is on the right, not on the left, and will come after you get hot water in the sink, really hot, then turn on the shower and it will come out boiling. 

After breakfast we head for the pink city, we hop out at the HAWA MAHAL, THE PALACE OF THE WINDS, which is actually just one wall, but of stunning architecture, it was the women’s quarters a long time ago. Now to the CITY PALACE, it is a bit like the fort, and as before always people posing and we join in. It is beautiful but very crowded. 

As I go for the toilet, I notice a guy and 4 girls, he is photographing them and I think…black background ! So, as always, I go up and ask. They are from Thailand and willing pose once they see the first photo ! And yes I have another new WhatsApp contact. 

Right beside the palace is the JANTAR MANTAR, a collection of 19 astronomical instruments and it features the worlds largest sundial. It has lots of other curiously shaped sundials, I find out each one is for a different star sign, so I go find Aquarius and Aries and try to photograph them creatively. Lots of cool lines and shapes here, beautiful architectural details. I find Pawel on a bench in the shade across from the gigantic sundial, we go down and try to get more cool lines and shapes. Find a lady to pose and yes, again some really cool shots.

Lunch is good, and after a very short break we leave again at 3pm. Gavin and I team up somehow and we get some ladies at the disgusting fake wall, where you can have your photo taken, to pose for us. The boss chases us off, we can’t photograph his customers, but the girls want to go with us and there’s another WhatsApp friend. In the end he even invites me in and I can shoot some all dressed up people in front of his ugly fake palace of the winds wall. 

Then to the pigeons, there are about 6 guys selling corn. We try to photograph ladies who feed the pigeons. Then to the main street, but there is not much there and the light is gone. We do find an old guy with a camera from 1860, when you look through the image is upside-down. Such a cool machine, and it works ! I buy another crazy orange scarf,  with lots of embroideries and little mirrors on it, then we have to get back to the bus. We sure do our 15000 steps a day here, boy oh boy. 

DAY 7

Leave at 6am to the entrance of the Amber Palace where we are to meet our models. With a photo permit we get in at 7:00, all others at 8:00, so let’s make good use of the head start. There are 3 pre-wedding shoots going on as well, so I sometimes get a shot at them as well, these people look so lovely, and the dresses, wow ! Pawel shows us the locations, then we are on our own, Gavin, Matthias and me, with model Udita, she is absolutely gorgeous ! Knows how to move, offers different poses, and all this looking totally authentic, beautiful hand gestures and looks, boy, this is a pro. The dress is red and pink, made by a local designer at Zari Jaipur, and sponsored for the shoot. 

The window room is actually quite difficult, the light is great but almost too much, so she is just  a silhouette. We then get her posing in a side chamber, then in the corridor to the next room, boy this is fun ! Udita always knows just where to stand, how to turn, just perfect, especially since I am no pro working with models. We leave the latrines and do the passage with the columns, the blue arches, the doorway and I don’t know where, wherever we go she looks stunning. 

Halfway we change models, Genha has a lavender colored dress and silver jewelry, which is also really nice, especially in the spots with more decorations, texture in the background. Same spots, new girl ! Also totally brilliant. In the end we have her walking towards us throwing her sari around, so cool.

Next stop, we take the jeeps to the step well, a square with steps leading down to the water at the bottom. Steps on all four sides and totally symmetrical. Nobody is allowed down on the steps, but we are since we have paid for the photo permit. This is so cool, first one then the other, girl poses, in the end the both of them together, wow !

After a great lunch, shit there is no beer..( we find out later it is because of election day tomorrow, a „dry“ night ) we only have 30 min before we leave again. Street photography across from the palace of the winds, which is also quite good.

And then to chill in the rooftop cafe across from the palace. From there to the MAN SAGAR LAKE with the sunken palace called JAL MAHAL. Of five floors only the top floor is above the water. It is lit up in the evenings and reflects in the lakes water, looks very nice. In front of it is a mile long promenade with food stands and lots of market stands. There are stands with dresses so people can dress up in local traditional dress and get photographed with the palace in the background. Hilarious ! But a lot of Indian people do that and so provide great photo motives, sadly it is already way to dark for a really good photo, but as usual the iPhone works its miracle. 

DAY 8

Now that we finally know how to cross a street, you just start walking and hold out your hand. Now that we’ve just gotten used to all the smog, and the masses of people, the shouting and hooting and crazy driving and are starting to like it, we have already reached our final day. Damn ! 

We leave for the temples of GATORE KHI CHHATRIYAN. It is amazingly quiet on the roads and we make good progress. Everywhere along the streets there are tables where people are voting. All the shops are closed, shit will have to get the scarf for Jürg at the airport for 3x the price. 

These temples are the nicest of the trip, there is one big one in the middle, two on the sides and one or two more in the back, there are little pavilions, gigantic pillars, beautiful carvings and masonry, dark corridors and light filled terraces, and hardly any people, love the place. Now we need a pretty model. I See two girls photographing each other, they are pretty ! So I go up to them, me the model fetcher, as Pawel calls me, and ask if they would co-operate and be our models. They are delighted and pose for us for over 2 hrs. Namita in a darkblue&white sari, Vediti in an orange&white one. They pose, lean against pillars, stand in doorways, do 180° and full turns so the sari flow, they love it, we love it.

After lunch we have to leave for the airport. The 1hr flight is fine and we again go to the SHANTI PALACE. Now that I am not arriving alone, overly tired and it is not the middle of the night, it is not too bad here. When you arrive it looks a bit like a red light district with all the flashy signs, but it really quite okay. The restaurant is actually  the best of the whole trip, and they have beer ! Yes a Kingfisher please ! The flight leaves shortly before 2am, I sleep about 6hrs and land in Zürich 6am the next morning in a cold and colorless country where nobody hoots at all. 

It was so cool. Namaste India.

For my favorite shots: Go to gallery