A photograph is a surreal moment, and for a photographer, the greatest challenge is perhaps to capture and reproduce every mood and emotion of the subject at the moment.
When I was told to capture moments in the lives of the differently-abled for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I had mixed feelings.
As a photographer, it was a tremendous emotional experience to witness differently- abled individuals from varied age groups and different walks of life, to listen to their stories and experiences.
The portrait of a person who is healthy and able bodied is perhaps something anybody can easily capture. However, to capture differently- abled individuals during their moments of joy and agony is extremely challenging.
Once this challenge is overcome, the results are indeed rewarding.
They do not know how to pose, yet most of them love being photographed. The most profound moments were perhaps those when after capturing the image of a special child, his mother walked up with her eyes swelling up with tears, asked for a copy and then expressed her gratitude profusely.