Street Performers

These pics. are a variety of colorful moments caught by the eye of a camera.

Nice pics to begin your journey to this beautiful chowk web site.

These give a really attractive outlook to attract people like me.

Atif
I had missed these pictures. I liked the Chinese dancer waiting her turn, the old Chinese musician and the painter copying Steve McCurry’s picture.
One thing that was slightly distracting was the shadow in the Chinese dancer’s picture. Was the light concentrated? Did you use a fill flash?
The old Chinese musician was very good, it would have been nice to crop it from the left I think. The wall behind with the little wear and tear pulled me away a little from the portrait.
Did you use a Nikon 105mm to get the picture of the painter? It was the same lens that Steve McCurry used, when he took the portrait.
Thanks a lot for sharing the pictures. I wish I could see them as a real print or a slide.

Antamazol, Subroto - Thank you for your kind comments.

dost-mittar sahib - I will make it a point to attend buskers’ festival. Summer in Canada brings a lot of street activity / festivals - especially in Toronto and Montreal.

I have not kept in touch with any of the performers. The Boston street performer was a fixture at a downtown location for a long time. His absence for a few months prompted me to inquire about him from a nearby shop. That is how I learned about his death.

Great pictures! My favorite is the Chinese girl who awaits her turn on an outdoor stage. Reminds me how little girls play hide and go seek...:)
I wonder why you dont have pcitures of Pakistani street performers in your exhibition? Was it that they have become endangered species for the lack of patronage?...and we dont see them around anymore?

Very nice. I liked the old musician in China absorbed in his art with a donation box in front.

Atif,
very nice.you seem to be a keen observer and a relax person , usually people don’t know where they are standing and what others are doing.
keep it up loading pictures as well as writing.
with regards,

shobig # 6 "I think I have seen a different version of pic 4 somewhere else before...a more rear-er one, if you know what I mean. ;)"

You are correct shobig payee. indeed, as I looked at the performer, I realized there were more meanings in the rear-er view. So this picture was taken as I was making my way to the back of the stage :)

ZahraJ #9 - " half hispanic and half african american, they have amazingly beautiful features and mannerisms."

thank you for the clarification. The only reason I brought up the afro caribbean was to make sure that you were not alluding to the absence of "black" performers in these pictures :) I do agree with you regarding the exoticism of the physical features of people from mixed backgrounds. However, I beg to differ on the "mannerism" part. Manners are more of a product of environment one grows up in, rather than racial background.

drlokraj #10 - "and many more folk artistes who would often be chased away by police from footpaths of the bustling ’modern’ shopping areas."

Unfortunately that is very true. Those people who cannot appreciate art and artists go through their lives without knowing anything beyond themselves.

Atif - In my part of the world, we do not consider Afro-Caribbeans as Afro-Americans :) There is a difference in culture, features and mannerism. I have a senior colleague at work who is from Caribbean and I cannot think of making the mistake. Although her features make me wonder that she may have mixed background. I have some friends who are mixed African background, i.e. half hispanic and half african american, they have amazingly beautiful features and mannerisms. An imporrtant combination! Next time, do pay attention to people from mixed background.

Please continue to share your exploratory expeditions.

great exhibition!

You have focussed on the often neglected performers about whom the so-called custodians of culture don’t carry a good opinion.Yet,these simple folks are often true representatives of the true art/culture of the land.I still remember the haunting flute rendition by someone who used to sit in the corridors of the shopping centre of sector 17 in Chandigarh, and many more folk artistes who would often be chased away by police from footpaths of the bustling ’modern’ shopping areas.You have done great job,congrats!!

Wonderful. You need to have a good eye as well as a good heart to observe the beauty in things others deem petty.

By choice or by circumstances, they make their living through entertaining us

I think it’s more by choice. For that guy painted in white would be a lot better off spending this much time and money on something else rather than all this not-so-rewarding embellishment . It’s the love of art, of standing out that serves as the enticing factor. I had a similar performer visiting the local market a while ago, and felt fascinated at his get-up and his robotic act.

PS. I think I have seen a different version of pic 4 somewhere else before...a more rear-er one, if you know what I mean. ;)

Keep up the good work!

ZahraJ # 6 "It’s interesting that all your pictures are focused on people. The ones I got recently only focus on monuments, buildings, nature and stuff."

That is quite true - given that this gallery is about performers.

I do take pictures of buildings and monuments as well. It is quite challenging to put meanings into the picture of a building. Monuments however do tell a story. Also, I continue to experience frustration with pictures of natural scenery. Cameras for amateur users still do not have enough functionality in them to adequately capture the beauty of a scenery. Many times I look at a scenery with mountains and valleys and say "wow!!". But when I look at the picture of that scene later on, it somehow misses the real beauty that my eyes experienced.

BTW - the guitarist in #7 is afro Caribbean - although not African American :) And I agree with you, the braided look, especially the reggae variety, is VERY nice – especially during the dancing part :)

Something’s wrong here. Posted a comment yesterday but it isn’t showing yet. Khair, let me try to recall what i wrote then. Haan tau meiN keh raha tha keh...

The pics are great. You need to have a good eye along with a good heart to capture the beauty in things others deem petty.

By choice or by circumstances, they make their living through entertaining us

I think it’s more a matter of choice. Take that guy brushed in white for example; he’d no doubt be much better off spending all that time and money on something more lucrative than on this amusing yet not-so-rewarding embellishment. It’s the passion and love for art that serves as the driving factor. I had a similar performer visiting my local market a couple of months ago, and always felt fascinated by his attire as well as his immaculate robotic act on the beat of music.

PS. I vaguely remember having seen another version of pic #4 somewhere else, with a more ’rear-er’ view...if you know what I mean ;)

Keep up the good work Atif payee. Looking forward to see more great stuff from you.

Atif:

# 8 and # 10 are real nice as well. It’s interesting that all your pictures are focused on people. The ones I got recently only focus on monuments, buildings, nature and stuff. I looked at your album again, but I did not see any African American singer with neatly done long jet black braids and a UB-40 look :)

i made too many mistakes in writing my previous responses.

by "But I do have several pictures of their pictures"

I meant "But I do have several pictures of their performances"

and a few other grammatical mistakes ...

ZahraJ - Thank you for your very kind words. I am glad to know that you share the appreciation for the color these mostly impoverished performers add in our daily lives.

Regarding your point about absence of African American in my picture, well it is just a coincidence that they are absent from the ones I submitted to chowk. But I do have several pictures of their pictures. I should point out though that there is a black performer in the picture currently on display.

I share your passion about the American southwest. Nevada, Arizona and Southeastern California has some of the most amazing scenery in the world. To drive through those endlessly straight roads is an experience in itself.

I look forward to your contribution to chowk.

Zeena ji, you wrote "Photography is an expression of our inner selves."

I could not have put it any better. Indeed, it is not the eye of the camera, but the soul of the person behind the camera that adds meanings to a picture. We see a lot of images in our daily lives, but it takes a special eye to recognize the beauty and meanings in those images.

If I get around to it, I would like to publish the many children’s pictures that I took while traveling. Whereas, the adults in all cultures develop a distinct looks that belie the stories of their lives, the children of all cultures, rich or poor, have the same carefree look about them.

Lastly, could you please not add "sahib" to my name? I am neither that old or that respectable :) But I like "ji" - gives me a sense of belonging :)

Atif,

Thanks for sharing these interesting and beautiful pictures from all over the world. It’s a very pleasant surprise to find so many bright and lovely pictures on Chowk’s front page. As I clicked on Chowk the other day, I was wondering what happened to the gallery section. I think the wait was worth it.

My favorite one is of the musician in Boston. There is something in his eyes (most probably Irish) that reminds me of the passion and lovely dances I saw in "River Dance". Your ending about the street artists was equally sweet. By the way, I did not see any African American street singer in your album. Not that I wanted to point out what is missing, but these melodious singers add a lot of life to our subways and subway stations in NYC.

Since I just got back from traveling to New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada, I am still under the spell of some beautiful tunes that I heard on a pretty sunny days in Santa Fe, near the chilly Grand Canyon in my tour bus, and at the Venetian in Vegas at night. I guess I need to prepare my album for Chowk.

Hope you continue to take good care of your camera. Secondly, hope you continue treating nature in its own special way :)

Thanks again for the beautiful addition to Chowk.

Atif sahib jii

I always get excited to see street performers. I used to enjoy them in New York , Boston and lately In Italy exclusively on subway stations. You did a great job of taking these photographs, camera is always our travel companion. Photography is an expression of our inner selves. Photography is a skill, a talent which helps us to explore our surroundings and helps us to make connection with places and people which remain in our memories which relives whenever we see those photos.

A good photograph is the depiction of the skill and personality of a good photographer, how he/she conveys a message , makes an impression with depth and how much clear, concise and effective that impression is.

Atif sahib

Your photographs are the exact message and impression of your sensitive soul and beautiful personality. Yes, you are a very good photographer. Congratulations for these heart warming and refreshing photographs.

They took me back to my memory lanes, near and far...............

Atif sahib jii

Congratulations

Your photographs are clear, concise and effective message and impression of your sensitive soul with beautiful personality of a really good photographer.

Photography is an art which is your best travel companion , which connects you with people and places . Your photographs took me back to my memory lane, near and far.