A traveler photo gallery displaying the warm, welcoming—and diverse—people of India
By Joe Routon, 3-time traveler, Haddonfield, New Jersey
My wife and I are passionate about traveling to foreign countries, and photography allows me to capture the images, people, sights, and other facets of each trip. Since I’m a portrait painter, I’m fascinated by the human face. My favorite subjects are older men whose lines, wrinkles, and rugged faces tell much about their lives. I also like to take photos of children, whose expressions show joy and hope.
A few years ago, I was invited to the home of a judge whose oil portrait I had painted for Philadelphia City Hall. He and his wife had recently returned from an OAT trip to India, and they showed me the wonderful photos of the trip that she had taken. They spoke in such glowing terms about India and OAT that I went home and immediately contacted OAT to get information about their India trips.
The people in India love to be photographed, and their handsome looks and beautiful costumes are exciting to me. I’ve often told people that, in India, you can close your eyes, turn around a few times and, with your eyes still closed, snap your shutter, and you’ll get a beautiful shot. After our fabulous time on our first trip—Heart of India—how could I turn down a trip to the southern part of the country—OAT’s Soul of India: The Colorful South adventure?
Here are some of my favorite photos from my trips to India …
This is a profile of a woman that I took during our first OAT trip—Heart of India. We had all gathered on our first day, and Mandeep, our Trip Leader, was walking us through a religious festival. As soon as I saw this woman, I was captivated and snapped several photos.
It was interesting to notice that the women and children almost always smiled when having their photos taken in India, but the men rarely did. However, when they viewed their photos on my LCD screen, most men cracked a smile.
When photographing people, I often like to move in close, trying to see into that person’s soul. By eliminating extraneous objects and background, the person behind the face begins to reveal itself.
This was taken at a festival we attended and was used in an article for The InterDependent Magazine of the United Nations. The article—about the increasing numbers of female babies aborted in India—was written by Barbara Crossette, former New York Times Bureau Chief for the United Nations.
This photo was taken during my Soul of India tour. The group was visiting a temple with our Trip Leader, Manika, when we passed this young girl. I quickly asked her and her parents if I could take some photos.
Photographed on our Soul of India trip, this young lady was taking a short rest from her family’s rope-making duties. During the break, her father showed us photos of her brothers and sisters. He was clearly proud of them and their accomplishments in school. Looking at the girl, I could sense the pride and self-confidence she felt.
This is an example of the Indian children’s love of having their photos taken. I was taking a picture of the youngest girl when, before I knew it, the two older girls ran quickly to get into the photo.
Taken during Soul of India, this girl’s photo shows an Indian child without a smile, an uncommon occurrence. Her intense eyes show intelligence and curiosity. After taking a few snapshots, I was rewarded with a beautiful smile. However, I prefer this one.
This young girl was a student at the school we visited on our Heart of India adventure.
On Heart of India, I photographed this man in a small village that was holding a festival.
During Heart of India, the group stopped at a tea shop. On the bus, while waiting for the other travelers to board, I spotted this young girl outside the window. I opened it and asked if I could take her photo. She graciously allowed me to take several.
While waiting for a train, I saw this young mother and her child. She was happy to pose for my camera. I had been told that some mothers are superstitious about having their children photographed, so I’m always careful to get their permission.
Here is another man I photographed at a market in a small village we visited. Our wonderful Trip Leader, Mandeep, wanted us to interact with people who were unfamiliar with tourists.
A young man in Varanasi—a stop during our Heart of India adventure.
A student in the school we visited during Heart of India.
A native of Paris, Tennessee, Joe is now a professional portrait painter in Haddonfield, New Jersey, a suburb of Philadelphia. His training was in New York at the Art Students League and at the National Academy of Design. While a student in New York, he was a newspaper photographer. Later, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia.
His photographs have appeared on the cover of Budget Travel, in Shermans Travel, in advertising for the Smithsonian Travel division, in The InterDependent Magazine of the United Nations, in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and on the web page of National Geographic.
Discover the many faces of the people of India on our Heart of India and Soul of India: The Colorful South adventures.