Alexander Lee, A Couple of Hours in Jaipur (Travel 2020)

I had a couples of hours explore Jaipur, India one morning before a flight out of the city. I came across a man, who I later found out was a Rishi. He posed for a couple of portraits and he offered to drink chai with him. The interaction was brief, but to me it was special. Despite not being able to speak the same language, I felt a positive connection and real acknowledgement of each other's presence. Rishi is a Sanskrit word that refers to a seer or sage who has discovered eternal truths and deep levels of spiritual knowledge through periods of intense meditation. The term may also be translated in English to mean “to go,” “to move" or “to flow.” To get out there and go with the flow is something I'm learning to do more and more when I get behind the camera. Framing up and finding new subjects and perspectives is kind of like a meditation. I honestly could have caught up on sleep that morning and just headed straight to the airport from the hotel for my flight. Instead I chose to get out there to explore and photograph and I am grateful for the experiences and insights that came from it.

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