KOCHI: When Mark Edward Harris was walking down the streets of Varanasi, after a long day at work, he chanced across a bull sitting comfortably in a garment store. The shopkeeper didn’t seem to mind, nor did the bull. The former went about his daily work, folding garments and neatly arranging them. While the bull watched.
And Mark? What did he do? More than watch. He went ahead and captured the shot. A priceless one, at that. “When in Varanasi, you think you’re going to photograph the ghats, the cremations along the Ganges. And for good reason, it is one of the most dramatic places to shoot. But so often, the most interesting shot is the most unexpected. You’ve to be prepared for it from a technical aspect I did a double take when I saw the bull. It was such an unusual sight. Usually, when you take a picture, you speak to the person. But in a situation like this, there was no time. Everything was just coming together. The guy’s natural movements, the bull doing his thing... and I just shot. And that’s why in workshops, I always emphasise on the technical aspect,” Mark says.
Los-Angeles based Mark has travelled to 98 countries, authored books, has had his works appear in newspapers and magazines ranging from Vanity Fair to The New York Times. The photographer was in town for ‘Pause’, an international photography exhibition held in association with the Water Town Fest, Mattanchery, which focuses on the revival of Jew Town.
This was Mark’s second time in Kochi. The first, was back in 2005. “Kochi has become more commercialised; there are more shops, people have discovered so much to it. I like this city for different reasons. There’s no other place on this planet for its affordable antiques. From an ethnographic standpoint, different communities co-exist here. I came across the book ‘A History of the Jews of Cochin’. And this place, it’s a microcosm of what the bigger world could be. I did my bachelors in history and my masters in pictorial/documentary history. A lot of my stories are generated by history,” he says.
Mark is a man of discipline. And he believes that discipline is essential, especially for a freelance photographer. “You can’t survive as a freelance photographer for 35 years without the business acumen and the discipline. It’s the biggest word in life. Discipline is setting the alarm, about turning things on time and generating ideas. I have long-term projects but I’m always ready for last minute projects,” Mark says.
He, however, feels things are different in the digital world. “People wait till the last minute to give assignments, expect you to shoot it and respond immediately. If you don’t, they hire somebody else. Back in the days, they would give you a day to respond,” Mark continues.
Mark’s photo essays on North Korea, the Japanese hot bath springs, Japanese tsunami and Iran have gained him accolades. Albeit, how difficult is it to pick a memorable shoot? The photographer eagerly answers, “The photo essays on North Korea won the Photography Book of the Year at the International Photography Awards in 2013 and has been seen by many people. The rituals of the Japanese hot bath springs received a lot of reactions; It’s rather an interesting side of the Japanese that people don’t see. For me, it’s the Japanese Tsunami.”
The best part about being a travel/documentary photographer, other than meeting people and exploring countries? “It keeps you active, and you learn plenty. This trip inspired me to learn about the Jews in Kochi, the interface of all religions here, its historical concept... To come in such direct contact with history is fascinating,” Mark smiles.