Ricky Gestro, Varanasi- The city of life (Student)

This set is a small selection from a body of work I captured and created as part of my Advanced Diploma of Photography Research project at Central Institute of technology in 2015. I travelled to Varanasi, India and set out on a task to better my understanding of people and look into the heart, soul and face of humanity and celebrate it. My choice of subject was derived from a deep desire to participate in the stories that unfold around me. When I’d meet a sadhu at an ashram, or a chai wallah down a winding alleyway and sit and gaze into their eyes, or spend time with them I felt seen, accepted and supported; it was mutual. Reflecting upon my time spent in Varanasi I found that it enabled my to celebrate in the multiplicity of one and engage in a deep, intimate experience that transcended ‘self’ and ‘other’, no matter what skin colour, culture or creed.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.